It's HAPPENING!  The Review-a-thon started at midnight and goes until 5 PM today.  I thought long and hard about it, and decided that I wanted to add a little oomph to the pot today.  With that in mind I have three contests going.

Deus Hex Machina Preorder Contests!

1. The Pizza Party: When we hit 50 preorders I will be raffling off a $20.00 certificate to your local pizza place.

2. ANY preorders made today will be entered for a chance to win a cameo in Deus Hex Machina!  If you want to increase your order to a higher tier to get in on this, feel free.  If you so choose you can also opt for a cameo in Shadow of the Panther by preordering that book.  I will run those contests separately.

3. At 60 preorders I will give away another signed copy of Shadow of the Owl.  

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to review DHM.  I know it's been slow on the updates, so here's an pie in the sky goal for today:  If we get to 70 preorders, I will drop everything, finish both Chapters 1 & 2 and get those posted on Inkshares!

Here's a handy graphic to remember the rewards up for grabs today:

Need some ideas on what to review today?  I've got ya covered.  Check out these amazing books currently funding on Inkshares:

1. Blood Dawn, by John Robin

2. Seven Shards: The Color of Wine by C. Brennecke

3. Dax Harrison, by Tony Valdez

4. Women Like Us by Jason Pomerance

5. She is the End by A. C. Weston

6. The Inhabitants: An Unremembered Life by Michael Sebby

7. Ghosts of War by Paul Robinson

8. Feyside by Peter Birdsall

9. A God in the Shed by J.F. Dubeau

10. Shadow of the Panther by Amanda Orneck (just in case you didn't know about my other book *wink*)

Now fly my pretties, and review!

I'm here to tell you about Dax. Not my Dax, although I'll definitely get to him soon. No, I'm talking about Dax Harrison, the amazing space opera book by Tony Valdez.  

Here's an excerpt: 

Dax sat drunkenly snoring up a storm, dead to the world. He had propped his boots up on the control console in front of him and reclined the pilot's seat as far back as possible. It wasn't nearly as cozy as his bunk, but it was serviceable enough when he was too drunk to bother stumbling all the way from the cockpit to the far end of the ship. Besides, the angle this created was perfect for cradling a liquor bottle at crotch level. Perfect, that is, until the ship began to rock, sending it flying to the floor.

The continued turbulence woke Dax to the fruits of his labor.

"Ugh. Son of a biiiitch," he moaned, attempting to rub the hangover away through his temples. He gazed over to the bottle on the floor. Cheap-ass Verdasian wine, he thought. Never again. The ship lurched some more, and Dax sat up, steadying himself. What now? A flashing red light on the console caught his eye.

"Samm?" He turned to his side, expecting an answer. Nothing. The protracted mechanical cylinder, branded “SAMM” along its side, hung lifeless from the ceiling. Annoyed, he focused his eyes back on the blinking alert. The distant rumbling from outside was growing to an unnerving roar now. A few quick taps on the console and the cockpit shutters began to open. Instantly, an incredible light flooded the ship, blinding Dax. The nose of the Crichton glowed hot orange and white, burning up from the steep, high-speed entry into the atmosphere.

The legendary Commander Dax Harrison was crashing into a planet.

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Sooo good, right?  You need this book in your life, and this book needs your preorder! There's less than two weeks to get the book to Quill publishing, but I know we can do it because we have almost 80 book lovers following DHM, and if ten of us preorder we'll make Tony's dream come true!  That's only 8% of the followers here.  Come on!  Be awesome and preorder this book!

 Head on over to Dax Harrison and preorder today!

This is an update with a corrected recipe. (Thanks Elaine Haney. You could be a copy editor!)

Okay, so I was trying to hit 150 preorders by the end of this week, but unless a flurry comes in, not quite going to make it. Fellow Inkshares authors if you have credits to spare, by all means pre-order again! Give it to your friends for the holidays. In the meantime, let's have another favorite cocktail from the book to go along with Susan's daiquiri recipe. But first here's a brief history of the Manhattan. By most accounts the cocktail was concocted in, where else, Manhattan. Some have it being invented in the 1870's for a banquet that honored Jennie Jerome, a Brooklyn-born socialite who was also the mother of Sir Winston Churchill. Other accounts credit a bar on Broadway near Houston Street as inventing it. Well, whatever the source, the Manhattan is surely a delicious cocktail. It's easy to make, and it's perfect for chilly winter nights because it kind of warms you up. So cheers to Edith Vale, and let's have a Manhattan. 

Manhattan (Makes one. Feel free to double, or triple this recipe, depending on mood!) 

2 parts whiskey (Maker's Mark is preferred) 

1 part sweet vermouth 

1-2 dashes Angostura Bitters 

1-2 Maraschino cherries 

 Fill cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add in whiskey, vermouth and bitters. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with cherries and serve.

Hi Everyone!