Black Friday: A Gift Fit for a Queen by Joseph Nassise

Black Friday is here and we’re discussing the season with Joseph Nassise’s Jeremiah Hunt from Watcher of the Dark.

New Orleans was nearly the death of Jeremiah Hunt, between a too-close brush with the FBI and a chilling, soul-searing journey through the realm of the dead that culminated with a do-or-die confrontation with Death himself.

Hunt survived, but found no peace. When he performs an arcane ritual to reclaim the soul of the magically gifted, beautiful women who once saved him, he must flee the law once again, to the temporary sanctuary of Los Angeles, city of angels.

In L.A., Hunt must contend with Carlos Fuentes, who sees in the blind exorcist a means to obtain the mystical key that opens the gates of Hell. Fuentes knows Hunt’s weakness is his loyalty – to the woman he loves and to another supernaturally gifted friend – and threatens to torture them in order to get Hunt help complete his dreadful quest.

Hunt has learned a lot since his life was irrevocably hijacked by faith months ago. But when enigmatic Preacher calls in his marker for helping Hunt in New Orleans, Hunt knows that all his newfound experience and ability will go for naught unless he can keep both the Preacher and Fuentes at bay long enough to somehow find a way to free his friends from mortal peril.

Make sure you stick around to the end. We’ll be giving away a copy of Watcher of the Dark.
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A Gift Fit for a Queen

Hunt stood just inside the doors of the mall, letting the hustle and bustle of the place flow around him like the tide. The place was packed. With just two days left before Christmas, every Tom, Dick, and Sally was out trying to get those last minute gifts for the people in their lives. Hunt hadn’t been Christmas shopping in years; after effectively ostracizing himself from society, there simply hadn’t been anyone for whom he would have purchased anything.

But times had changed.

He was no longer alone in the world. His companions might not be what anyone would call typical, but they were his companions nonetheless and he felt an obligation to show them, even in this meager fashion, that he appreciated their presence in his life.

So here he was, in the midst of all the craziness, determined to find just the right gifts for his two unusual friends.

I’ve got to be out of my mind.

He turned and looked down at the ghost of the little girl whose hand he was holding.

“First Dmitri, then Denise, got it?”

Whisper looked up at him with those big brown eyes – eyes that reminded him so much of his long-lost daughter, Elizabeth – and nodded solemnly. She tugged on his hand and led him through the crowd.

He must have presented quite a sight to his fellow shoppers, he knew. He was bundled up against the cold in an old pea coat and a thick watchman’s cap pulled down low on his head. He would have bet a dime to a dollar that it was the fact that he had his left arm out as if being led along by someone else even though there wasn’t anyone there for them to see . That and the blind man’s cane he carried in his opposite hand.

Whisper led Hunt to the DVD store and over to a wall of classic films. She stood patiently while he borrowed her sight and looked at the display in front of him.

“A movie, huh?” he said to her. “But which one?”

Whisper didn’t reply.

“Oh, going to make me do all the work myself, are you?” he said good-naturedly. He scanned the wall of DVDs, until his gaze fell upon Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman gazing at each other on the cover of Casablanca. For all his ferocity, Dmitri had a soft spot for a good romance and Casablanca was one of the quintessential love stories of all time, in Hunt’s view. It was perfect!

Hunt released Whisper’s sight back to her and showed her the DVD. She must have approved, for she led him over to the cashier’s counter and waited patiently for him to pay.

Now for the tough one.

Denise.

What do you get for a woman who tied her soul to your own to save your life? Who you stabbed in the heart with an ancient dagger in turn to save her?

Whisper led him in and out of one store after another – clothing, jewelry, video games, cooking wares, books – but nothing caught his eye. They roamed around the mall for hours, his cane tap, tap, tapping along the tiled floors, but getting absolutely nowhere.

Dismayed, he dropped onto a nearby bench and leaned his back against the wall. His feet hurt from all the walking. His head hurt from borrowing Whisper’s sight so many times. Worse yet, his heart hurt, for he felt he’d let his friend down.

He glanced across the atrium where he sat, watching all the shoppers scurrying around in front of him, and that’s when he heard it.

It was distinct enough that it cut through all the noise and clamor of the other shoppers, as if it were meant for his ears and his ears alone. Perhaps it was. Stranger things had happened, he knew.

He was up and moving toward the sound before he had given it much thought. Whisper floated along beside him, curious at first and then increasingly excited when she saw where he was headed. By the time he reached the entrance, she had already disappeared inside.

Hunt entered the store and with Whisper’s help, considered his options.

It took longer to fill out all the paperwork and shop for the necessary supplies than it did to make his selection. When they were done he took the squirming little guy in his hand and tucked him under the edge of his pea coat, to keep him warm on the walk to the car.

What does one get a hedge witch for Christmas?

A black cat would have been entirely too cliché.

But a little black Labrador puppy named Magick was just perfect!
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Meet Joseph Nassise!

I’m the author of more than a dozen novels, including the internationally bestselling TEMPLAR CHRONICLES series, the JEREMIAH HUNT trilogy, and the forthcoming GREAT UNDEAD WAR series. I’ve written several books in the popular Rogue Angel action-adventure series.

My work has been nominated for both the Bram Stoker Award and the International Horror Guild Award, been praised by such literary masters as Clive Barker and Peter Straub, and been translated into half a dozen languages to date. I have written for both the comic and role-playing game industries and also served two terms as president of the Horror Writers Association, the world’s largest organization of professional horror and dark fantasy writers.

Contact Info: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | GoodReads

Want to purchase Joseph’s novels?
Jeremiah Hunt Chronicles

1. Eyes to See
2. King of the Dead
3. Watcher of the Dark

Templar Chronicles

1. Heretic
2. A Scream of Angels
3. A Tear in the Sky
4. The Templar Chronicles
5. This Cleansing Fire
6. Infernal Games

Great Undead War

1. The Sharp End
2. By the Blood of Heroes
3. On Her Majesty’s Behalf

Please help spread the word: Tweet: #BlackFriday is here. Celebrate the chaos with #holiday #stories and #contests by 26 authors (Nov29-Dec24) http://wp.me/p3SIUp-atz
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Contest Time!

Thank you Joseph for taking part in Literary Escapism’s Black Friday!

Here’s the Rafflecopter widget for the $25 giftcard giveaway.

Joseph is giving away a copy of Watcher of the Dark. To enter, all you have to do is answer this one question: What does one get a hedge witch for Christmas? Remember, you must answer the question in order to be entered. (US only)

Even though I’m not giving the additional entries any more, you can still help support the author by sharing their article, and this contest, on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, or anywhere you can. After all, the more people who are aware of this fabulous author ensures we get more fabulous stories.

The winner must post a review of the novel someplace. Whether it is on their own blog, Amazon, GoodReads, LibraryThing or wherever, it doesn’t matter. Just help get the word out.

All Black Friday contests will remain open until December 31st at which time I’ll determine the winner with help from the snazzy new plug-in I have. Have you checked out the other Black Friday contests yet? Check out the Master List to see all the Black Friday giveaways

I have not been contacting winners, so you will need to check back to see if you’ve won.