Killer on the Road

On Sunday November 15, get ready for the second installment of Charles O’Keefe’s The Newfoundland Vampire, Killer on the Road!

 

First, catch up on The Newfoundland Vampire (Book One)! Here’s book one’s summary:

Like many geeks, Joseph O’Reily has always fantasized about being a vampire. Then one night Cassandra Snow walks into his life and he learns that not all dreams should come true. Cassandra has plans for him – plans for eternity.

As his world begins to turn upside down, Josephs wrestles with the changes to his everyday life. Eternal youth and amazing power come at a price that might be higher than he can afford. Vampires may not be human, but Joseph is determined to hold on to what he values most — his humanity.

So get ready for book two by purchasing a copy of the first book in the series today! It’s on sale for only 99 cents on Amazon. 

For those of you already fans of The Newfoundland Vampire, let’s take a look inside book two. Here’s a blurb for Killer on the Road:

Joseph O’Reily is still adjusting to the lifestyle and the dangers that come with being a new vampire. He and Cassandra have been tasked with hunting down and killing a rogue vampire, Donald Rathmore. Another of John Snow’s creations, Donald is an evil misogynistic killer in his own right. While Donald continues his murderous spree, Joseph and Cassandra always seem to be one step behind him. The chase is further complicated as they encounter other vampires and learn more about the mysterious nature of the Vampire Council and the coming war between good and evil.

Joseph is only now beginning to trust Cassandra, and this trust will be shaken when he discovers she has even more secrets than he imagined. Her idea of justice and morality is at complete odds with his own. Despite all his powers and growing skill, Joseph is tested physically as a vampire and emotionally by Cassandra. This time the answers and challenges may be too much for the young vampire to handle.

Book two available is available now. Get it on Amazon or Smashwords today! I also encourage you to follow Charles on Twitter and visit his webpage.

EXCERPT FROM THE NEWFOUNDLAND VAMPIRE (BOOK TWO), KILLER ON THE ROAD

        Donald Rathmore could see the shore up ahead. Finally, he thought. I won’t make it much further. He had swum for almost twelve hours straight and, with the sun nearly up, his legs ached with steady, throbbing pain. He was not the best swimmer, and this was the first time he had done it in years. It was a bizarre sensation, this innate sense of direction. He knew where to go just by thinking about the place. Then as he swam, any time he went off course there was a beeping in his ears, once he got back on track it went away, a sort of inborn GPS.   

In the distance, a tall white structure loomed against the sky. That has to be a lighthouse.  He focused on it desperately as he forced his limbs to move. The lighthouse was a concrete object that proved his was almost there. 

As a new vampire, he had not learned to suppress his breath and now gasped for air as he became exhausted. The sky continued to brighten, and terror seeped into his heart. He had to get out of the water soon, or he could drown. The backpack he wore only weighed a few pounds but now it dragged him down like an anchor.  

He dragged himself fully out of the ocean near a marsh surrounded by tall grass. He staggered onto the shore and collapsed in the reeds, something he didn’t expect to find in Cozumel. Covered in mud, he tried to catch his breath. 

Finally his breathing slowed a bit. He shook out his wet hair, now blond and much longer than before. His appearance was different from even a few days ago, with his beard grown out, along with his facial features and eye color changed. It would be almost impossible for anyone to recognize him as the man who had killed the girl in Montecado. 

REVIEWS FOR THE NEWFOUNDLAND VAMPIRE (BOOK ONE)

“A unique take on the traditional vampire story!”

“Author Charles O’Keefe takes a geek and turns him into… a vampire geek. Thank you, O’Keefe, for not falling into the cliche by turning Joseph into a suave lady killer. Joseph’s utter geekiness makes him a lovable character, and holds my attention throughout the novel. And thank you, also, for the little surprises that made me laugh out loud.”

“This is a great vampire story, a fresh take on the over worked idea. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series to see what happens to Joseph next.”

“Really good Vampire book, I really enjoyed it, and highly recommend it.”

ABOUT CHARLES O’KEEFE

“I’m currently live in the beautiful province of Newfoundland where I am a co-owner of O’Keefe Agencies. 

I’m happily married and we have two furry children named Jude and  Eleanor. I enjoy many hobbies such as walking, Pilates, writing, reading, movies, gaming, television, Dungeons and Dragons, music, travel, poker, martial arts and of course vampires (not the sparkly kind!). 

I’m an author and my first novel, ‘The Newfoundland Vampire’, came out April 10, 2012. The second book “Killer on the Road” came out September 2013. I’m now with Distinguished Press and I am fortunate enough to have books 1 and 2 re-released in 2015 (with books 3 and 4 forthcoming). 

I believe in animal rights and I have been a strict vegetarian for many years. I also believe in helping to  save our planet (I drive a hybrid)  and trying to  help people whenever I can.  I would also describe myself as  Agnostic. I have a BA in English along with Masters in education which provided me with a brief teaching career.”

QUOTES FROM THE NEWFOUNDLAND VAMPIRE (BOOK TWO), KILLER ON THE ROAD

“Kill her slowly and let her screams tell you tales.” 

 “There was color in her cheeks, both sets.” 

“Bite me, harder than you ever have, I want it so much!” 

“Are you in search of a man who collects tongues, perhaps?” 

 

“All the world will bow before me, or be washed away in a tide of blood!”

A New Rabbit in Red Introduction!

At my All Hallow’s Read event last week, I did an activity with the audience. They got to rewrite the introduction to Rabbit in Red!

It’s a writing game I like to play. I wrote the first sentence of the book on a piece of paper, then pass the paper around the room. Everyone adds a sentence. Here’s the catch though: We fold the paper so each person only sees the last sentence written, and not the entire thing. I have a lot of fun playing these games.

So for your entertainment, here is the NEW introduction to Rabbit in Red! Thanks, All Hallow’s Read crew. Again, the first line is the real first line from my book. Each line after that was written by someone else. Enjoy!

Bill Wise hunted the rabbit in red, and his best friend Jaime followed.

The rabbit flashed through the forest as fast as it could.

But Bill was faster; furthermore, he caught the rabbit before it climbed the tree.

As the soft light of dusk shone through the withered branches of the tree, the rabbit spoke, “Take me, wise man.”

The branches of the tree cracked, the rabbit’s gaze unwavering as I sat in silence. The rabbit continued. “The time draws near.”

The waiting was almost impossible. What was only a minute or two seemed like hours.

He decided it would be best since it was Valentine’s Day to get her flowers.

He bought the biggest bouquet he could find and hoped she was going to love it.

She did love it. And she waited in anticipation of what was to come next.

“Ring, ring, ring, ring.” Her cell phone blared and she jumped out of her seat, dropping her fruit drink on her lap. 

“Why does this always happen?” She yelled out loud. “Why? Honestly, this stains my clothes and makes me, like, look ugly!”

The second person smirked sarcastically. “I don’t know . . . I think it suits you.”

A soft look around. “Fits you smug, like a coffin in the ground.”

It slowly began to rain, the sounds of cars passing was sparse, the town was quiet. Calm, but eerie.

The temperature began to drop, freezing the tiny drops as they fell.

The drops of water glinted, reminding me how cold I felt inside. I smiled, saying, “But it’s not over yet, is it?”

And they all lived happily ever after. (Or did they?)

WOW. How about the shift in the tale at that Valentine’s Day line? What’s your favorite line? Maybe I’ll have to work some of this in to the next book!

Thanks for reading. You can get Rabbit in Red, print or digital, here. Be sure to check out my website for more options and lots of other cool stuff, and follow me on Facebook!