Manic Readers’ Review
Myth to Life: The Rise of Riley McCabe - At Death's Door
by P. A. Matthews

 

Braedon Carlisle is a handsome and, some might say, beautiful man or is he? Braedon is definitely not what he appears to be on the outside and the secret of whom and what he is and his unique and unusual way of life will change anyone who comes in contact with him. Braedon is not human and must find shelter during the day in order to survive. He is a vampire and his flock or children are his to protect and care for. Riley McCabe is the one person who he loves and will always protect. But, her secret life is just as unusual and if known to others would cause them to fear her and more. Spending time together and realizing that they need to be apart in order to sort out their feelings, Riley leaves his estate in ..England.. and returns home to ....Scotland..... Before she has a chance to really decide what she wants to do, he reenters her life and she is enveloped back into a world filled with the supernatural and more. Riley has psychic powers that Braedon calls upon her to use in order to find out how someone close to him was killed. Sloan, as close to him as Riley, has disappeared or might be dead. He brings Riley back to where he was kidnapped in order to find out what happened and possibly, why. Riley agrees to use her powers and experiences the events of Sloan’s death firsthand not realizing exactly what this would do to her and what the realities would be.

The reader becomes totally immersed in the events as if you are really there and experiencing the pain, agony and more that Riley experiences when she sees Sloan’s killer and experiences his death as if it is happening to her. Along with Braedon, his man friend Quinlan and one of his children or flock Desmond are there to protect both Braedon and Riley or are they? With Quinlan’s help and the promise of Braedon’s protection the events that unfold will send the reader into a world that is terrifying, dangerous, and unsettling. Riley’s secret as to whom and what she really is and what part she really plays in the death of Sloan are revealed at the very end of this book on the very last page. The author leaves the reader unsure as to what will really happen to any of the characters. Motive for murder is often revenge. Riley sees an old adversary in one of her visions and realizes that it is something from her past that has caused these events in what seems like her present and will definitely play a part in her future. I really enjoyed reading Myth to Life: The Rise of Riley McCabe and hope that the author will write a sequel. I want to know what will happen to Braedon and Riley and if they have a future in either one of their worlds. I want to know if her adversary will confront her and what will be the final outcome. I would highly recommend this book to a friend.

This review is wonderful and bittersweet. After requesting the review in January of 2009, my hopes of receiving a review seemed improbable since sites don’t guarantee they will review your work. I decided I would take the request off my Outlook task list and close the book on this forever.

Prior to all this happening, I had also decided to terminate my contract with Mystic Moon Press for many reasons, but wanted to wait for “Blood Betrayal” to come out because there were people who wanted to read it. But I had finally decided if I was never going to be published again, I was satisfied with my decision to leave Mystic Moon Press.

Most of you know I became seriously ill in January, so dealing with termination of my contract as well as all the other inconveniences life throws at us got shoved to the back burner until I could physically deal with everything. Then the series took off at Fictionwise eBooks and I related all the great things happening there.

I decided it was time to terminate with Mystic Moon, then I received the wonderful review from Manic Readers the day after I closed the Outlook task. How is that for coincidence and a confidence booster? While in the process of writing my letter to Mystic Moon Press all hell broke loose and everything became a moot point.

Mystic Moon Press had scammed its authors, not paid them, took the money and denied culpability. The entire staff resigned. All the authors terminated their contracts. The owner remained silent throughout all of the turmoil and still remains silent.

Happily, though saddened for everyone involved except the owner and her cohorts, I can report the authors did accomplish something it would have taken attorneys months to fix. Just from last week Mystic Moon Press is out of business (until the owner changes names and starts scamming again) and the site has been taken down. Fictionwise no longer has the publisher listed and all the author’s books have been removed. Mobipocket is following suit. Hopefully, Amazon.com will bring up the rear in doing right by the authors but at least the ‘buy at’ links have been disabled. There are so many affiliated sites and subsidiaries of these carriers that it may be some time before all works issued from Mystic Moon Press never exist.

I want to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my writing career and especially with my series “Myth to Life: The Rise of Riley McCabe.” I have always said I cannot do any of this without you, nor did I wish to. Through you Riley has been able to have her voice heard and has proven what she has to say is interesting. But do not fear Riley McCabe is not dead. I am currently writing the first fill length novel in Riley’s series (something I had planned all along) and can’t wait to share more of her life with those interested reading, which I hope is everyone! Sorry, a little self-promotion there.

After the dust settles on this, and I am assured all my rights are back in my hot little hands, I look forward to picking up the manuscript once again and settling old scores with Riley’s ancient and new foes. Who knows what evil lurks out there for Riley to encounter? I do!

Thanks again for all your support. Riley and I have had a rough several months, but thither onward, mon amis, we’re out of the gate and not turning back.

I’m carrying my sword high and running full force toward a new day.

Patricia

P. A. Matthews