Suspending Reality

  SUSPENDING REALITY

  By

  Chrissy Peebles

  Copyright © 2013 by Chrissy Peebles

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Acknowledgements: A big thank you to my cover artist, Lourdes Blazek, and his beautiful model Jessica Truscott.

  BONUS Story (just recently added 6/5/14)

  **Click on each title to be taken to the book**

  APOCALYPSE – UNDERWATER CITY

  by Chrissy Peebles

  The Hope Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/CF9UkY0qiSo

  Can one girl take on an evil dystopian government? Can love triumph over anything...even pure evil? Is there even hope in a world that’s been tainted by a diabolical society?

  ***This is a 15,000 word novella***

  This series does have dark moments and is intended for mature audiences only.

  I’m a survivor, living in a post-apocalyptic world. I live deep in the ocean and that's how we all survived the world's greatest catastrophe known to man. I’d often dreamt of a normal life, but sadly, that wasn’t what fate had in store for me.

  Where do I even begin? Let’s start from the beginning, shall we?

  My name is Sky Hammons, and this is my story. It’s actually quite like my name, because it is a tale of hope, faith, and new beginnings—like a bright, blue summer sky. Or at least that was what I’d wished for, back when I was naïve and clueless enough to believe it. I really wish my journey could be summed up like that, and at first, it seemed like that might be the case. But then that bright sky darkened, and things fell apart. As if Chicken Little’s fears were coming true, my blue sky shattered. They say “The truth will set you free,” but I can’t say I believe that—at least not anymore. In my case, the bitter truth shook me to my very core. I never would have imagined that life could be so cruel or that people could be so deranged outside of an Alfred Hitchcock script or some awful horror movie, but I learned one thing: Never, ever believe what you’re told.

  I’d been hand-fed lies since birth from my so-called government, and like a mindless drone, I’d happily believed every fraudulent word of the garbage they spewed. Maybe I just wanted that warm, fuzzy feeling; their lies comforted me and allowed me to sleep better at night. After all, who doesn’t want peace and hope and goodwill and all those other things splattered in snowy glitter all over the front of Christmas cards?

  When I got a little older and started to take a good, close look at the world around me, I began to challenge the world I lived in. I began to realize it wasn’t all marshmallows and unicorns and Norman Rockwell paintings, and I started to ask questions. I’d always hoped for a bright future, but little did I know that absolute terror was lurking just around the corner. As I dug into the unknown, I was confronted by my worst nightmare.

  My name is Sky, and this is my story.

  **Click on each title to be taken to the book**

  The Zombie Chronicles (YA horror)

  The Zombie Chronicles Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/ociUHiL1g70

  BLURB:

  Val was bitten by a zombie and now she’s scheduled for lethal injection. Breaking all the rules, eighteen year old, Dean Walters snags an experimental serum. But it can’t be tested until Val turns into a zombie: something authorities won’t allow. Her execution is scheduled to happen before transformation is complete, giving Dean only hours to break her out. When their helicopter crashes straight into the heart of Zombie Land, his rescue mission becomes a fight for survival…and giving up on Val is NOT an option.

  Here’s a sneak peek at the prequel to The Zombie Chronicles in Val. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mp43Ml4hvE

  ***

  **Click on each title to be taken to the book**

  Eternal Vows (Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy)

  BOOK TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_w-eZwPJbA

  New Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/JJzoHW0xVMI

  Never marry a stranger...even if he is a drop-dead gorgeous immortal king.

  Never pretend to be a princess.

  And most importantly...never slip on an ancient wedding ring you know nothing about.

  Sarah Larker returns to a cave where her sister disappeared ten years earlier. She walks through a portal and is mistaken for a runaway princess on the run by a dangerous immortal king in medieval times. Her plan is bold as well as daring—become this princess, wed the king, and slip on an ancient wedding ring that will unlock the portal back home. Then find her sister and run as fast as she can out of Dodge. But taking on the identity of Princess Gloria comes along with dangerous consequences; and slipping on the ruby ring comes with an even higher price.

  Fantasy Romance Series

  **Click on each title to be taken to the book**

  Crush (YA Vampire Series)

  The Crush Saga Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/4eMF8KXEUc4

  BLURB:

  This is book one of a four book, young adult, vampire series.

  His precious touch could prove deadly…

  When Taylor Sparks moves from New York City to Big Bear Lake, California, her life is forever changed when she meets a hot guy with winter-blue eyes named Jesse. Their attraction is instant, the chemistry undeniable. But sadly, things aren't adding up. Taylor wonders what her 'crush' is hiding. When her new friend, Fred tells her his suspicions about Jesse being a paranormal creature, Taylor laughs. But when Fred turns up dead, she believes every warning he ever told her.

  Taylor is shocked to learn that Big Bear Lake isn't just glittering lakes, towering pines, and breathtaking mountains...there's more...way more than meets the eye.

  Will Taylor dive into a paranormal world she knows nothing about? To be with the one her heart can’t live without?

  Or will her life spiral out of control when she learns her blood is needed...to lift an ancient curse from a group of supernatural beings.

  Werewolves will serve as her guardians and

  protect her until the first full moon of the new year.

  The night of her sacrifice…

  Will she accept her destiny?

  Or will she refuse to let evil swallow her up?

  ***

  **Click on each title to be taken to the book**

  Enchanted Castle (YA Paranormal)

  BOOK TRAILER: http://youtu.be/Ysb6uzIdsEk

  BLURB:

  Zoey Sanders attends her senior year of high school at a mysterious, gothic castle in Scotland. As much as she loves meeting her Prince Charming, she begins to wonder if the castle is really haunted.

  **Click on each title to be taken to the book**

  Agartha’s Castaway (YA Fantasy & Sci fi)

  Book Trailer for the series: http://youtu.be/viwT0M8Ms_g

  This entire series is FREE!

  The dream vacation that might just turn deadly...

  Seventeen-year-old Casey Smith can't wait to embark on her summer vacation, not least because she's finally shed her tomboy image, and now heartthrob Mike seems interested. What starts out great, with lots of flirting, taking her a step closer to winning her crush's heart, soon turns into her wor
st nightmare.

  Tossed out to sea during a freak storm, Casey is washed up on what she presumes to be a mysterious tropical island that's on no map she's ever seen.

  Meet one of my very favorite authors. Her book is FREE! It’s PG 13.

  4 (and a half) thrilling fantasy/romance novels in one!

  From bestselling author W.J. May - each shade is a different genre of the fantasy, paranormal and romance – all from different series!

  RAE OF HOPE – THE CHRONICLES OF KERRIGAN

  How hard do you have to shake the family tree to find the truth about the past?

  Fifteen year-old Rae Kerrigan never really knew her family's history. Her mother and father died when she was young and it is only when she accepts a scholarship to the prestigious Guilder Boarding School in England that a mysterious family secret is revealed.

  Will the sins of the father be the sins of the daughter?

  As Rae struggles with new friends, a new school and a star-struck forbidden love, she must also face the ultimate challenge: receive a tattoo on her sixteenth birthday with specific powers that may bind her to an unspeakable darkness. It's up to Rae to undo the dark evil in her family's past and have a ray of hope for her future.

  SEVENTH MARK Part 1 – THE HIDDEN SECRETS SAGA

  Like most teenagers, Rouge is trying to figure out who she is and what she wants to be. With little knowledge about her past, she has questions but has never tried to find the answers. Everything changes when she befriends a strangely intoxicating family. Siblings Grace and Michael, appear to have secrets which seem connected to Rouge. Her hunch is confirmed when a horrible incident occurs at an outdoor party. Rouge may be the only one who can find the answer.

  An ancient journal, a Sioghra necklace and a special mark force life-altering decisions for a girl who grew up unprepared to fight for her life or others.

  All secrets have a cost and Rouge’s determination to find the truth can only lead to trouble…or something even more sinister.

  SHADOW OF DOUBT – Part 1

  What happens when you fall for the one you are forbidden to love?

  Erebus is a bit of a lost soul. He's a guy so he should be out to have fun but unlike the rest of his kind, he is solemn and withdrawn. That is, until he meets Aurora, a law student at Cornell University. His entire world is shaken. Feelings he's never had and urges he’s never understood take over. These strange longings drive him to question everything about himself.

  When a jealous ex stalks back into his life, he must decide if he is willing to risk everything to be with Aurora. His desire for her could destroy her, or worse, erase his own existence forever.

  RADIUM HALOS – THE SENSELESS CHRONICLES

  Everyone needs to be a hero at one point in their life.

  The small town of Elliot Lake will never be the same again.

  Caught in a sudden thunderstorm, Zoe, a high school senior from Elliot Lake, and five of her friends take shelter in an abandoned uranium mine. Over the next few days, Zoe’s hearing sharpens drastically, beyond what any normal human being can detect. She tells her friends, only to learn that four others have an increased sense as well. Only Kieran, the new boy from Scotland, wasn’t affected.

  Their senses develop into stronger, supernatural powers. Fashioning themselves into superheroes, the group tries to stop the strange occurrences happening in their little town. Muggings, break-ins, disappearances, and murder begin to hit too close to home. It leads the team to think someone knows about their secret – someone who wants them all dead.

  An incredulous group of heroes. A traitor in their midst. Some dreams are written in blood.

  COURAGE RUNS RED – Except from the BLOOD RED SERIES

  What if courage was your only option?

  When Kallie lands a college interview with the city’s new hot-shot police officer she has no idea everything in her life is about to change. The detective is young, handsome and seems to have an unnatural ability to stop the increasing local crime rate.

  When a raging blood feud between vampires spills into her home, Kallie gets caught in the middle. Torn between love and family loyalty she must find the courage to fight, even if it means dying.

  This is the end of this introduction. Book 1 will start now. Thanks for joining and giving each series a chance.

  BONUS STORY

  (just recently added 6/5/14)

  The Hope Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/CF9UkY0qiSo

  APOCALYPSE – UNDERWATER CITY

  Part 1 of The Hope Saga

  By

  Chrissy Peebles

  Copyright © 2012 by Chrissy Peebles

  Edited by: Autumn J. Conley

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF9UkY0qiSo

  Episode 1

  I’d often dreamt of a normal life, but sadly, that wasn’t what fate had in store for me.

  Where do I even begin? Let’s start from the beginning, shall we?

  My name is Sky Hammons, and this is my story. It’s actually quite like my name, because it is a tale of hope, faith, and new beginnings—like a bright, blue summer sky. Or at least that was what I’d wished for, back when I was naïve and clueless enough to believe it. I really wish my journey could be summed up like that, and at first, it seemed like that might be the case. But then that bright sky darkened, and things fell apart. As if Chicken Little’s fears were coming true, my blue sky shattered. They say “The truth will set you free,” but I can’t say I believe that—at least not anymore. In my case, the bitter truth shook me to my very core. I never would have imagined that life could be so cruel or that people could be so deranged outside of an Alfred Hitchcock script or some awful horror movie, but I learned one thing: Never, ever believe what you’re told.

  I’d been hand-fed lies since birth from my so-called government, and like a mindless drone, I’d happily believed every fraudulent word of the garbage they spewed. Maybe I just wanted that warm, fuzzy feeling; their lies comforted me and allowed me to sleep better at night. After all, who doesn’t want peace and hope and goodwill and all those other things splattered in snowy glitter all over the front of Christmas cards?

  When I got a little older and started to take a good, close look at the world around me, I began to challenge the world I lived in. I began to realize it wasn’t all marshmallows and unicorns and Norman Rockwell paintings, and I started to ask questions. I’d always hoped for a bright future, but little did I know that absolute terror was lurking just around the corner. As I dug into the unknown, I was confronted by my worst nightmare, but before I get too far ahead of myself, let me get back to the beginning.

  I’m a survivor, living in a post-apocalyptic world. Sure, everyone thinks an apocalypse has to do with zombies or war or some sort of epidemic of biblical proportions. Nope. It wasn’t fantasy or make-believe or international disagreements over oil prices or gun control or something that scares Sunday school kids into saying their prayers every night. Much more frightening than all the doomsday scenarios we could imagine, it was a real-life natural disaster that eliminated humankind from the face of the Earth.

  Years ago, a giant asteroid, twenty-five times more powerful than the biggest nuclear bomb, slammed into our planet, destroying the atmosphere and killing just about everyone. It was almost a mortal blo
w, but some survived. A giant asteroid? Really? Sure, it was the stuff of science fiction, a horror story people used to imagine back in the days when screaming hordes panicked over The War of the Worlds radio broadcast and fled their homes. But it wasn’t just a Hollywood imagining like Deep Impact or Armageddon. The simple fact is that asteroids are very real. They exist. They’ve been hitting the moon for centuries, and we all know about the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs sixty-five million years ago. Asteroids are not a myth, like zombies and Godzilla. Those big rocks are all too real, and when one collided with our planet, we all learned just how real they were.

  Of course, our brilliant meteorologists and scientists and space gurus had spotted the asteroid; in fact, they spotted it a year before impact, so we all knew it was out there, floating in our direction, like a big iceberg threatening to take down a luxury cruise. What we didn’t know was just how wrong those leading scientists were about its path of destruction. All of them swore it would miss Earth completely—all of them except my grandparents, whose much wiser calculations gave them a year to prepare. My mother wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for them, but thanks to their genius and initiative in creating a glass habitat at the bottom of the ocean, she was saved, thus giving me a chance at life. They named our underwater fortress Asha, which means “miracle,” and that was exactly what it was. It was comprised of 100 biodomes in which people could live, work, and farm, all surrounding a large, central biome. The subaquatic community could survive anything and everything, from a hurricane to a nuclear war, and everyone hoped it would be a safe place to stay until the asteroid disaster was over.