Nesly will be awarding a signed paperback copy of When The Serpent Bites to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
When
Nesly Clerge
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Crime fiction, psychological thriller
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Frederick
Starks has it all—a gorgeous wife who was his high school sweetheart, three
beautiful children, a mansion and cars others envy, millions in the bank,
respected in his community, admired by his employees, loved and respected by
loyal friends. He revels in the hard-earned power and control he’s acquired. As
the saying goes, “All that glitters is not gold,” which Starks discovers when gut-wrenching
betrayal by his wife sends him over the edge and into a maximum security
prison. There, Starks is a new “fish,” stripped of nearly everything he’s
always relied on. In that place, where inmates and guards have their own rules
and codes of conduct, Starks is forced to face the darker side of life, and his
own darker side, especially when the betrayals, both inside and outside the
prison, don’t stop. He must choose which path to follow when the line between
right and wrong becomes blurred: one that leads to getting out of the physical
and emotional hellhole he finds himself in or one that keeps him alive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
Frederick
Starks’s need gnawed at him like a painful, roving itch. He decided that this
time he’d scratch it so it would go away.
He
eased himself out of bed.
“Can’t
sleep, again?” Emma rolled onto her back and used her left leg to push the
bedcovers down, revealing her nakedness. “Come back to bed. You know I sleep
better when you spoon me.”
“In
a while. And then I’ll do more than spoon you.”
“Can’t
you just read until you nod off?”
“Fresh
air clears my head.”
Emma
yawned. “All these late night drives. Should I be worried?” She stretched and
purred in her own way then went still.
He
crept to her side, checked to make sure she was indeed asleep then pulled the
covers to her shoulders. He knew men who considered him one lucky bastard to
have such a remarkable woman in his life. Luck had nothing to do with it; he
didn’t operate on luck, he operated on calculated risks and informed decisions.
Nor did he feel guilty about any of his good fortune: He’d earned every bit of
it. People tended to forget or never knew he’d had to do with less in his life
and intended to never live like that again.
He
dressed in the dark then went to his Bentley, waiting a few moments before
turning the key in the ignition. Then, as he had so many nights for months, he
drove off.
The
moon was a pale sliver above him. Elm, cedar, willow, and holly trees, and
anything else not under cover in the Boston suburb of Weston, were coated with
frost that promised to be thicker by morning. The effect was one of an
enchanted place, a serene place that sparkled in patches and swaths on the
landscape. The stillness was broken only by the occasional nocturnal creature
hunting prey. Scented smoke plumed from chimneys as fires below dwindled and
died. Residents in this affluent town eagerly, or anxiously, contemplated plans
for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday just two weeks away, while children
dreamed of the holiday to follow. In so many ways, it was a perfect night in a
perfect neighborhood.
Until
Starks went where he didn’t belong.
Only
a few houses still had lighted windows casting shimmering wide or narrow yellow
strips on the ground. Starks drove by his home, the mini-mansion he’d taken
such pride in, traveling slowly as he passed it; feeling his emotions ratchet
up. Then he corrected himself—this is no longer my home. His wife, Kayla, and
their three children still lived there, along with her latest boyfriend, Bret,
and his two daughters.
Effects
of escalated events over the past twelve months had taken a toll on him.
Learning the full extent of his wife’s deception had been the trigger, and was
why he made the decision to go where he knew he shouldn’t. His foot pressed
down on the accelerator.
He
and his wife, Kayla, had lived apart for most of that time, a reality still
unfathomable to him. And even though he was now involved with Emma, his left
arm went numb and his mouth turned dry when he saw Kayla and Bret nuzzling each
other in a dark corner of one of the popular local bars earlier in the evening.
They’d passed him on the road, unaware he’d seen them. He followed them, even
though he knew it was the wrong thing to do; that it was best if he just got on
with his life. Everyone made a point of saying this to him whenever he
complained, which was often. But he couldn’t let go of the long-held belief
that Kayla belonged with him and to him, and only him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Nesly Clerge received his
bachelor’s degree in physiology and neurobiology at the University of Maryland,
and later pursued a doctoral degree in the field of chiropractic medicine.
Although his background is primarily science-based, he has finally embraced his
lifelong passion for writing. Clerge’s debut novel, When the Serpent Bites,
will be available in 2015, with the sequel to follow in 2016. His debut novel
explores choices, consequences, and the complexities of human emotions,
especially when we are placed in a less-than-desirable setting. When he is not
writing, Clerge manages several multidisciplinary clinics. He enjoys reading,
chess, traveling, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with his
significant other and his sons.
Official site: www.clergebooks.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Nesly will be awarding a signed paperback copy of
When The Serpent Bites to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the
tour.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f1633
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Angel's blog. I hope you have a great tour. Allana Angel
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