House Always Wins: Vegas Ghost Story by Brian Rouff
Publisher: Huntington Press (Oct 3, 2017) Category: Paranormal Romance, Ghosts, Crime Thriller, Las Vegas Mystery Tour dates:Oct-Nov, 2018 ISBN: 978-1944877064 Available in Print and ebook, 324 pages
Anna Christiansen’s small-town life is about to go haywire. A young reporter stuck in a dead-end job, Anna falls head over heels for an interview subject, the bass player in an up-and-coming alt band. In short order, she pulls up stakes, moves to Las Vegas, gets married and pregnant, and buys a big fixer-upper haunted by the ghost of a Sin City racketeer.
That’s when Anna gets notice from a corrupt casino owner that he’s buying up all the properties on her street to make way for a parking lot. But Anna has poured her heart and soul into the house and digs in hard to fight the system — not the easiest of tasks in a city where bribery, mayhem, and murder are standard operating procedures.
Can Anna’s tough-guy ghost provide the help she needs to prevail in this dangerous cat-and-mouse game? Will Anna’s life be left in ruins? Or worse?
“It’s pure Vegas, told from an insider’s perspective.”- Anthony Curtis, Huntington Press
My Thoughts House Always Wins: Vegas Ghost Story by Brian Rouff
I have read a few Las Vegas mysteries but none quite like this. While most center on the strip where the tourists are, ‘The House Always Wins focuses more on the locals. I love the beginning with Anna’s letter to her aunt. It sets the tone while she writes about what happened to her after her wedding and moving to Las Vegas with her husband. They buy an old fixer upper and Anna enjoys working on it. However, she discovers a ghost living there.
I love the friendly ghost that befriends Anna. There is a local developer who is hell bent on buying up property in the neighborhood but Anna won’t sell. He proceeds to strong arm her into it but the ghost is on her side and protects Anna. Many may think a friendly ghost sounds sappy but in Brian Rouff’s hands, it is an excellent element of the story. ‘The House Always Wins’ is a must read for mystery readers. 5/5 I received the ebook for my honest review.
About Brian Rouff
Award winning author, Brian Rouff was born in Detroit, raised in Southern California, and has lived in Las Vegas since 1981, which makes him a long-timer by local standards. When he’s not writing articles, screenplays and Las Vegas-based novels such as “Dice Angel,” “Money Shot,” and “The House Always Wins,” he runs Imagine Communications, a marketing and public relations firm. He is also a regular contributor to Living-Las-Vegas.com.
On a personal note, Brian is married with two grown daughters and five grandchildren. In his spare time he enjoys movies, playing guitar and the occasional trip to the casino buffet line.
Giveaway House Always Wins: Vegas Ghost Story by Brian Rouff
This giveaway is for one print copy or ebook copy of the book. Print is available to the U.S. only but ebook is available worldwide. This giveaway ends on November 30, 2018 at midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.
House Always Wins: Vegas Ghost Story by Brian Rouff
Publisher: Huntington Press (Oct 3, 2017) Category: Paranormal Romance, Ghosts, Crime Thriller, Las Vegas Mystery Tour dates:Oct-Nov, 2018 ISBN: 978-1944877064 Available in Print and ebook, 324 pages
Description House Always Wins: Vegas Ghost Story by Brian Rouff
Anna Christiansen’s small-town life is about to go haywire. A young reporter stuck in a dead-end job, Anna falls head over heels for an interview subject, the bass player in an up-and-coming alt band. In short order, she pulls up stakes, moves to Las Vegas, gets married and pregnant, and buys a big fixer-upper haunted by the ghost of a Sin City racketeer.
That’s when Anna gets notice from a corrupt casino owner that he’s buying up all the properties on her street to make way for a parking lot. But Anna has poured her heart and soul into the house and digs in hard to fight the system — not the easiest of tasks in a city where bribery, mayhem, and murder are standard operating procedures.
Can Anna’s tough-guy ghost provide the help she needs to prevail in this dangerous cat-and-mouse game? Will Anna’s life be left in ruins? Or worse?
“It’s pure Vegas, told from an insider’s perspective.”- Anthony Curtis, Huntington Press
Praise House Always Wins: Vegas Ghost Story by Brian Rouff
Finalist, American Fiction Awards, Romance: Paranormal category
“A whirlwind romance leads an unlikely pair of newlyweds to Las Vegas, home of every dream and nightmare they can imagine―from predatory developers to a friendly ghost. Rouff spins a guilelessly winsome fable whose charming heroine needs to have everything from her ghost’s personal history to the ritual significance of her newborn’s bris explained to her―which means that the reader gets treated to all these explanations too.”-Kirkus Reviews
“Paragraphs are replete with uproariously sarcastic similes, metaphors, and tongue-in-cheek comments. Narrative hooks, drama, unexpected openings, and cliffhanging chapter endings keep the story flowing. Complicated situations, including confrontations with neighbors and pressure from the casino, build to a significant and unanticipated climax. A fun read from beginning to end, The House Always Wins is an attractive romance with a unique ghostly touch.”-ClarionForeword Reviews, 5 stars
“Author Brian Rouff has dreamed up a fun little tale, which he describes in a release as “part coming-of-age saga, part mystery and part ghost story.” When it comes to Nevada stories, Rouff knows his stuff. He has lived in Las Vegas for more than 35 years and has also written the Las Vegas-based novels Dice Angel and Money Shot.”- C. Moon Reed, Las Vegas Weekly
“Brian Rouff’s writing of The House Always Wins: A Vegas Ghost Story is impressive. It’s a charming, fast-paced story beautifully narrated by the main character, Anna. It contains wit, mystery, and a bit of nostalgia. Meyer reminisces about his racketeering life and how developed Las Vegas has become. Anna is a strong-minded person who possesses a sense of humour, even when her problems are serious. I thought the road trip was interesting, also the descriptions of the communities that had seen changes, for better or for worse. The author has shown the other side of Las Vegas in this must-read novel.”- Michelle Stanley, Readers’ Favorite
About Brian Rouff
Award winning author, Brian Rouff was born in Detroit, raised in Southern California, and has lived in Las Vegas since 1981, which makes him a long-timer by local standards. When he’s not writing articles, screenplays and Las Vegas-based novels such as “Dice Angel,” “Money Shot,” and “The House Always Wins,” he runs Imagine Communications, a marketing and public relations firm. He is also a regular contributor to Living-Las-Vegas.com.
On a personal note, Brian is married with two grown daughters and five grandchildren. In his spare time he enjoys movies, playing guitar and the occasional trip to the casino buffet line.
Giveaway House Always Wins: Vegas Ghost Story by Brian Rouff
This giveaway is for one print copy or ebook copy of the book. Print is available to the U.S. only but ebook is available worldwide. This giveaway ends on November 30, 2018 at midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.
Onyx Webb, Book Three by Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton
Publisher: Courage Crafters Inc. (Oct 22, 2015) Category: Paranormal Suspense, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural Thriller, Ghosts Tour Date: Oct and Nov, 2016 ISBN: 978-0990751830 ASIN: B0179RS90O Available in: Print & ebook, 235 Pages
If you enjoyed the award winning Book One and Book Two, you will love Onyx Webb: Book Three!
As with Book Two, this next book promises to be just as twisted, dark, and creepy as the web of stories continues to be carefully constructed. Book Three continues to follow the billionaire Mulvaney family including Koda’s obsession with the ghost girl and his grandfather Declan’s sordid history with the mob, paranormal show hosts Cryer and Fudge, and of course the story of Onyx Webb whose life may finally be ended.
As unrelated as it all seems, the web is slowly being strung together so that the full story of every character and most importantly, the stunning conclusion for Onyx Webb herself will eventually be revealed.
My Thoughts Onyx Webb Series by Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton
This award winning series has been on my “TBR” (to be read) list for a long time. You may wonder why. After all, I don’t usually read books with paranormal and horror elements. However, this series has so much going for it and really has a bit of something for everyone. My favorites are the historical elements wrapped in literary prose.
I am also a huge fan of quirky characters and the ‘Onyx Webb’ series has quirky characters galore, including Onyx, herself! These characters are also unique in that they are not all even living! Of course there is plenty of humor along the journey through the series.
There are lots of creepy elements but nothing this wimp, couldn’t tolerate and they really added to the story. It’s quite difficult for me to describe the plot to you because there is so much going on but you can read the three book descriptions below. Be forewarned, this series is addictive and you must start it from book one to really know what’s going on. Book one sets it up. I can hardly wait to dig in to books four, five, and six! You cannot read just one!
Description Onyx Webb, Book One by Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton
The Onyx Webb series follows the unusual life of Onyx Webb along with a central group of characters in various locations and times. The billionaire Mulvaney family, piano prodigy Juniper Cole and her brother Quinn, paranormal show hosts Cryer and Fudge, and a few others make up the core of the series.
Written like a book version of a supernatural soap opera, each character’s story moves forward with most every episode. It may appear that the characters are entirely unrelated and yet episode by episode, the connections will become clearer. Like being an inch away from a spider web, with each book, the web will move further and further away revealing the full story of every character and most importantly, the stunning conclusion for Onyx Webb herself.
Description Onyx Webb, Book Two by Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton
Onyx Webb is a complex multi-genre mash-up that combines elements of supernatural suspense, crime, horror, romance, and more. The Onyx Webb series follows the unusual life of Onyx Webb along with a central group of characters in various locations and times.
The billionaire Mulvaney family, piano prodigy Juniper Cole and her brother Quinn, paranormal show hosts Cryer and Fudge, and a few others make up the core of the series. Written like a book version of your favorite TV series (think: supernatural soap opera like American Horror Story) each character’s story moves forward with most every episode. It may appear that the characters are entirely unrelated and yet episode by episode, the connections will become clearer. Like being an inch away from a spider web, with each book, the web will move further and further away revealing the full story of every character and most importantly, the stunning conclusion for Onyx Webb herself.
Praise for Onyx Webb Series by Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton
Onyx Webb: Book One was selected as a Horror/Suspense Finalist in the 2016 IAN Book of the Year Awards!
“This is an interesting story. I liked how you could follow the different people and just knew that there was more to the story. Onyx keeps adding hints that make it feel like it is linked together. I liked all of the characters; they were descriptive and kept me wanting to find out more about them. I admit that I liked Onyx the best so I loved her story and narrations more than Juniper and Koda’s stories. 5 stars”- JBronder Book Reviews
” I found my new favorite book when I opened the first pages of ONYX WEBB. There is not a dropped thread in this exciting, engrossing, riveting, incredible paranormal, suspenseful, supernatural, mysterious, time-switching, multi-character serial…I realize how Dickens’ audience must have felt, hanging on from week to week with bated breath for the newest installment…ONYX WEBB is a story in a class by itself. I can see it becoming a cult classic–and why not? I certainly plan to read it over and over and over again…because in the words of Jacqueline Susann: “Once is not enough. 5 Stars”- Mallory Heart Reviews
“A must read! Onyx Webb Book 2 offers so much to readers. Suspense is so thick readers will go crazy with what will happen next as they follow each of the interesting characters. The characters pop out from the pages and create an air of drama and adventure that will keep readers turning the pages.”- Danielle Urban
” I raved about the first installment with a five star review. The second one is even better and I am completely hooked. I am repeating myself when I say that the writing and pacing are terrific and that all the main characters are very well drawn and realistic Some are very likable and some not. Highly recommended. 5 stars”- James Tepper, Vine Voice
“As the author’s promised, these next three episodes start tying together the characters from past to future. I knew things were going to be revealed. I knew it would get darker, scarier. And I knew there would be new mysteries and questions. What I didn’t expect was for this story to explode. I couldn’t believe how excited, grossed out, and happy I became. I can’t begin to imagine! Every time I thought I knew something, especially about Onyx, I was given another enigma. As old characters entered the story, and new ones were introduced, I got more excited to read what was in store for them. These authors pull no punches. So many breath stealing scenes make these some excellent new episodes I promise you, it’s hypnotic and unpredictable. Oh, and addictive. I should also point out, it’s meant to be read in order so make sure you start at the beginning. 5 stars” Laura Thomas, FuOnlyKnew
Interview with Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton
TR: Please tell us something about the book that is not in the summary. (About the book, character you particularly enjoyed writing etc.)
One of the things that is not in the book or in any of the summaries is how much of the book series falls into the ‘crime’ genre which we both enjoy writing. Of course that’s where the mystery comes in. But we really focus on the paranormal aspects of the book but there is major plot involving a serial killer as well as the FBI.
TR: All of your characters are so unique, how did you come up with the title character, Onyx?
Coming up with Onyx’s character was the result of a lot of ‘what if’ and brainstorming about the series. She was the second major character after we came up with Koda and Juniper. The most challenging part of her story was deciding how we wanted to tell it. We actually had a first version of Episode One that included seeing Onyx young and old – back and forth throughout the book. That turned out not to work for many readers so we scrapped that version and revised it to start with her at age going to the 1904 World’s Fair. We did however add a couple of her journal entries so readers could get a sneak peek into her future instead of showing it.
TR: Are any of your characters based on real-life friends or acquaintances?
Ultimately everyone is a product of our imagination. We do have one character, Robyn, who becomes the semi-love interest of our hot, billionaire, ghost-obsessed character Koda Mulvaney. So she is based on a real person but we still put words in her mouth, and create fictional situations so there is nothing biographical in nature!
TR: Describe the room you are sitting in as though it was a scene in Onyx Webb. “It was a large den area right off the kitchen with a spider web graphic etched on the wall, three oddly shaped glass desks each with a computer and all of which had stacks of paperwork that had been sorted through multiple times with no progress ever being made.”
(As most Onyx Webb readers know, we give sparse descriptions so that’s about as detailed as we would ever do!)
TR: Which character do you love to hate?
We recently surveyed our special reader group called the OnyxWebb100 to discover the answer to this question. They love to hate the same ones that we do. For us it’s probably a character named Mika. She’s wildly selfish, greedy, narcissistic, vindictive… and she is so much fun to write because of what she does to try to enhance her wealthy lifestyle and marry Koda Mulvaney.
TR: You are sitting in a coffee shop. What does your writer mind see?
We were actually just talking about this. Just the other day we came out from the movies and noticed a little note taped to someone’s car window. Our writer’s minds immediately went to something nefarious and we started coming up with a plot: the first person to read the note would be watched and then pulled into some horrible game of life and death. So, the coffee shop probably doesn’t so a lot for us in terms of inspiration… but anything out of the ordinary gets our imaginations working!
TR: If Onyx were doing this interview what is the number one question she would like me to ask? What would be her answer?
How do you feel about your life now?
Onyx would say: Teddy as you know what I call my life is very different than what it was when I was truly living. I fill my days with the things that give me a touch of energy and a slight amount of joy although I don’t really feel it… I remember the feeling. So perhaps your readers will simply trust me when I say… think life is precious now? Just wait until you’re dead.
About Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton
Richard Fenton & Andrea Waltz are a married writing team. Most well known for their business fables, they’re professional speakers who teach audiences on how to overcome fear of failure and rejection. The Onyx Webb Series is their first serious dive into fiction.
Richard and Andrea have been in love with creating stories together since they met almost twenty years ago and even spent some time in Hollywood writing screenplays, being represented by the producer of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Their favorite genres are suspense, thriller, crime and anything of a paranormal nature which is how Onyx Webb turned into a mash-up of all their favorites!
Giveaway Onyx Webb, Books One, Two, Three by Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton
This giveaway is for one winner who will win Books 1, 2, and 3. This giveaway is open world wide however, print is open to the U.S. only. An international winner will receive the ebooks. This giveaway ends on November 30 at midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only. a Rafflecopter giveaway
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House Always Wins: Vegas Ghost Story by Brian Rouff
