Cage Match, Baby! @craftycmc vs. @amberscottbooks

Okay, folks, I've got a good one for you this week.  Wait.  Did I say "one"?  I meant "two".  Because this week, it's a match-up between the intense crime thriller Plain Jane and the sexy paranormal romance Fierce Dawn.  Now, knowing this crowd, you may already have your decision made, but take your time, check them both out, and then give your vote to the worthiest candidate.  Or play both ends against the middle and vote for both of them--you'll get more free stuff that way.  :) 


Because these two indie darlings are part of what the Indie Book Collective is calling the Blog Tour de Force Cage Match Edition.  Go check out what they're doing and what all you can win (Kindle, anyone??).  Then... Let's get ready to book rrrruuuuummmmblllleeeee!

This is the first book that Carolyn McCray released, written under the name Cristyn West.  If you've been following this author, you already know that she's spearheaded some of the most innovative marketing campaigns for indie books ever.  You should also know that when it comes to storytelling, she pretty much kicks butt and takes names.

This novel is dark, gritty, compelling and just a little twisted.  Great combination for a crime thriller.  You've got good guys here that almost look like the bad guys.  And there's twist after twist that will knock your literary socks right off of ya.  I'll be the first to admit that the crime thriller genre can sometimes feel a bit one-note, but this novel's a freaking symphony.  You can purchase Plain Jane here.  You can vote for Carolyn McCray by commenting on her blog.

Now, don't let the fact that Fierce Dawn is a paranormal romance keep you from checking this sucker out.  Scott has proven to me over and over that she's a genre-defying wunderkind.  If you like paranormal romance, you'll love it.  If you don't really like that genre, you'll still probably love it.  Scott manages to find unique and compelling ways to take her storyline along, and while there's definite sex appeal, this is far from a bodice-ripper.

The characters are fascinating, the magic is engaging and the novel seriously zips along.  You'll be flipping digital pages until late in the night,  cursing the clock for moving too fast.  You can get your copy of Fierce Dawn here.  You can vote for it by commenting on Amber Scott's blog.

For anyone that's an e-book-a-phobe, let me tell you that you don't have to own an expensive Kindle or Nook to read 'em.  You can download an application for your computer or many smartphones that will allow you to read both of these gems.

Now, having presented both options to you, I respectfully retire from the fray.  I respect both of these authors way too much to weigh in too heavily on one side or another.  I will tell you this--I'm looking forward to watching the fight.  Ding, ding!