tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32496879112474810702024-03-14T02:35:13.331-07:00JJ RitonyaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-13313190704220360872011-06-12T14:35:00.001-07:002011-06-12T14:47:58.708-07:00For Cheryl Ritonya-Evans<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPuq7JvwYHFUkf2r-R7acQrY6vqCsfuQMRBRG_5JMEPfCvW971b6UCPez8tkbxvhW9oKtOItF12AZUrBpNRBfn2saL7F0dpRriobUDlZx3PXTHh9SBd5DyqkBo6dNJ9buEjf1DaGacfY/s1600/34854_1534067400445_1497601284_31381396_7008484_n.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPuq7JvwYHFUkf2r-R7acQrY6vqCsfuQMRBRG_5JMEPfCvW971b6UCPez8tkbxvhW9oKtOItF12AZUrBpNRBfn2saL7F0dpRriobUDlZx3PXTHh9SBd5DyqkBo6dNJ9buEjf1DaGacfY/s320/34854_1534067400445_1497601284_31381396_7008484_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617453282128414706" /></a><br />Cheryl,<br />I should have said this more when I had the chance. I love you. This is for you.<br /><br /><br />Born into the world - a blank canvas ready for paint.<br />And also born an evil lying patiently in wait.<br />Baby steps and first words lay in the months ahead.<br />The first steps down a long dark path are filled with fear and dread.<br /><br />She's just 10 years old - not a care in the world.<br />Please leave her alone - she's just a little girl.<br />The coming years are filled with jumping rope and running footloose.<br />Then running becomes fleeing and the rope becomes a noose.<br /><br />Teenage years and high school made harder by the pain.<br />Many times to hide her tears she'd go walking in the rain.<br />Weekend parties - boys and clothes - an imagined canopy bed.<br />The beer and weed her initiation to the life that lay ahead.<br /><br />Two distant children couldn't know how much she really loved them.<br />Although she tried she couldn't be the mom she should've been.<br />She took a surrogate daughter who doubled as a neice.<br />Her failures as a parent never offering her any peace.<br /><br />These roles she could have played better - sister, daughter, wife and friend.<br />The time spent lying and stealing didn't matter in the end.<br />Grandma loved her without condition - in her eyes she could do no wrong.<br />Deep down inside I think she knew what you were doing all along.<br /><br />Just turned 40 - second marriage - worried about the bills.<br />But nothing really mattered but the bottles and the pills.<br />A brush with death couldn't derail this train and where it was heading.<br />It only delayed the inevitable - her nightmare would soon be ending.<br /><br />So damn tired - lay down your head and dream of being ten.<br />She shuts her eyes but doesn't know they'll never open again.<br />Her friends and family gather - their purpose is to grieve.<br />The life she chose too difficult - and so she chose to leave.<br /><br />If you have no guilt or could have done things better raise your hand.<br />Although we tried to keep her safe things rarely go as planned.<br />I should have been a better man - a better protector and brother.<br />Too little too late are empty words - we share the blame - no other.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-24500303935149019202010-09-29T16:50:00.001-07:002010-09-29T16:52:20.548-07:00September Book Drawing Complete!The September book drawing has taken place and this month's winner of a free, signed copy of Sunset is...Priya!<br /><br />Priya, please send me an email at jjritonya@jjritonya.com with a shipping address and I will get your novel shipped ASAP.<br /><br />Other news:<br />Neck Chop Tees is open for business. Check out the link below.<br /><a href="http://www.cafepress.com/NeckChopTees" mce_href="http://www.cafepress.com/NeckChopTees">http/www.cafepress.com/NeckChopTees</a><br /><br />JJ Ritonya merchandise is available at the CafePress Shop <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/apps/cafepress_shop/" target="_blank" mce_href="http://www.jjritonya.com/apps/cafepress_shop/">here</a>. T-shirts, mugs, caps and more.<br /><a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/apps/cafepress_shop/" mce_href="http://www.jjritonya.com/apps/cafepress_shop/">http/www.jjritonya.com/apps/cafepress_shop/</a><br /><br /><br />Also, an excerpt from Sunset: Bloodstained has been released on the Members Only page at <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/WEBPROTECT-membersonlypage.htm" mce_href="http://www.jjritonya.com/WEBPROTECT-membersonlypage.htm">http/www.jjritonya.com/WEBPROTECT-membersonlypage.htm</a><br />Hope you enjoy it.<br /><br />-JJAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-41809989600724736172010-09-06T12:09:00.000-07:002010-09-06T12:11:56.221-07:00Dead City by Joe McKinney ReviewDead City, by Joe McKinney<br />Reviewed by JJ Ritonya<br /><br />Dead City is a zombie novel based around events taking place in a hurricane destroyed Texas. Eddie Hudson, a cop in San Antonio finds himself faced with many hard decisions. While he has a duty to his badge, he also has a duty to himself and his family. The moral struggles are only the beginning of his problems as the zombie hordes begin to rise and attack. Making his way through the city with other survivors in tow, Eddie does his best to be true to his badge and himself.<br />Dead City is another in the long line of zombie novels I've read and has a solid place in the top twenty. The action kept on coming as well as difficult decisions the main character had to make. The motivation for each action and decision was obvious after learning what he had gone through and was currently going through. What kept me turning pages was the constant action, though. Never a dull moment in this one.<br />I would recommend this novel to anyone loving the horror and zombie genre as well as lovers of action and cop novels. Police procedures take on a whole new meaning in this one as there are no written procedures for dealing with the undead.<br />Joe McKinney is a homicide detective for the San Antonio Police Department who has been writing professionally since 2006. McKinney has also written other novels in the horror/zombie genre.<br />I don't believe he has an author web page but you can purchase his books and read his bio on his Amazon author page <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Joe-McKinney/e/B001JRZ64I/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0">here.</a> There are also forums dedicated to McKinney and his novels on Permuted Press' website <a href="http://permutedpress.com/smf/index.php?board=40.0">here.</a><br /><br />-JJ<br /><a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/">www.jjritonya.com</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-48988609922616706162010-08-25T12:07:00.000-07:002010-08-25T12:09:45.325-07:00August Book DrawingThe August book drawing has taken place. This month's drawing is for a signed copy of Hubbert's Peak.<br />This month's winner is Roberto Cardin! Congrats Roberto!<br /><br />Other news: JJ Ritonya merchandise is available at the CafePress Shop <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/apps/cafepress_shop/" target="_blank">here</a>. T-shirts, mugs, caps and more.<br /><a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/apps/cafepress_shop/" target="_blank">http://www.jjritonya.com/apps/cafepress_shop/</a><br /><br />Also, an excerpt from Sunset: Bloodstained has been released on the Members Only page at <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/WEBPROTECT-membersonlypage.htm" target="_blank">http://www.jjritonya.com/WEBPROTECT-membersonlypage.htm</a><br />Hope you enjoy it.<br />-JJAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-51967575858947706722010-08-22T20:01:00.000-07:002010-08-22T20:02:56.783-07:00Merchandise Store!T-shirts, mugs, baseball caps. All available at the merchandise store <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/apps/cafepress_shop/">here!</a><br /><a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/">www.jjritonya.com</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-21298595962660339652010-08-19T18:53:00.000-07:002010-08-19T18:56:16.007-07:00The Autumn Series, by David Moody ReviewThe Autumn Series by David Moody<br />Reviewed by JJ Ritonya<br /><br />The first zombie novel I ever read was Autumn, by David Moody. He'd put a free PDF out somewhere on the Internet and I somehow stumbled upon it. When I was done with the Autumn, I was so enamored with it that I immediately began looking for more of his work and was thrilled when I found out he had three other novels which served as sequels to the original Autumn. Two were out already which I purchased and tore through then chomped at the bit until the final novel was released.<br />After reading the four novel series, I found myself longing to write again. I hadn't done it seriously in years and decided why not now? I even corresponded briefly with Moody, telling him of how he inspired me to write my first novel and asked for any advice he'd offer. He graciously replied with some tips and offered other advice which I found very valuable. To date I've read everything Moody has published and will probably review another of his novels or series at some point.<br />A quick summary: After a cataclysmic event, most of the population of the world dies. Was it a disease or some other-worldy event? No one knows. The people die in seconds and act as if they can't breathe. Their throats expand and burst inside their necks, churning up blood from their eyes, noses and mouths. After a few days, the dead rise again, hungry for human flesh. The survivors must deal with not only the dead, but the living as well.<br />Other than inspiring my writing career, I found the Autumn series to be one of the best zombie series I've ever read. Other reviews I found weren't so kind but I found it compelling, believable and had a hard time putting it down. The main character was likeable and I wanted him to pull through the ordeal. But the one thing I take from the books was the feeling of hopelessness Moody conveyed through the images and emotions of the characters. I felt as if I could taste the bitterness they felt in a world they no longer recognized or probably even wanted to live in. They had no choice but to keep on living, so they did.<br />I'd recommend these books to just about anyone who loves horror, zombies or the apocalypse. They drew me in and kept me there night after night.<br />The free PDF of Moody's original Autumn is no longer available but I've read it was downloaded by more than half a million people.<br />David Moody's website is <a href="http://www.djmoody.co.uk/">here</a>. You can learn more about him, purchase books and contact him like I did if you wish. Currently he is working on the Hater trilogy, which I've read the first of. But that review is for another time.<br />-JJ<br /><a href="http://www.djmoody.co.uk/">http://www.djmoody.co.uk/</a><br /><a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/">http://www.jjritonya.com/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-39609159443361030312010-08-18T16:37:00.001-07:002010-08-18T16:44:00.847-07:00Borders, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-MillionSunset and Hubbert's Peak are now available on major book store websites! Use the links below.<br />Barnes and Noble <a class="fw_link_website fw_link_newWindow" href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?r=1&IF=N&EAN=9781440431715&cm_mmc=Google%20Book%20Search-_-k118169-_-j14953980k118169-_-Googe%20Book%20Search%20(non-B%26N%20Imprint)">Sunset</a> <a class="fw_link_website fw_link_newWindow" href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Hubberts-Peak/J-J-Ritonya/e/9781442130623/?itm=1&USRI=ritonya">Hubbert's Peak</a><br />Borders <a class="fw_link_website fw_link_newWindow" href="http://usedmarketplace.borders.com/booksearch?qwork=12226143&matches=3&qsort=p&cm_sp=rec">Sunset </a> <a class="fw_link_website fw_link_newWindow" href="http://usedmarketplace.borders.com/booksearch?qwork=12204883&matches=3&qsort=p&cm_sp=rec">Hubbert's Peak</a><br />Books-A-Million <a class="fw_link_website fw_link_newWindow" href="http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9781440431715">Sunset </a> <a class="fw_link_website fw_link_newWindow" href="http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9781442130623?id=4748085625770">Hubbert's Peak</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-39234853714562333472010-08-12T11:49:00.000-07:002010-08-12T11:50:40.067-07:00Housekeeping!On a recent business trip I had an unusual encounter with the staff at a hotel that shall remain unnamed. The morning of the incident, I woke up early to get ready for my day. I hopped into the shower and busied myself with my usual agenda. Soap up head to toe, then rinse. Shampoo hair, then rinse. Condition, then rinse. Repeat. (I actually don't repeat.) Somewhere in the middle of cleansing my filthy body I heard a knock on my room door. I wondered if I had put out the Do Not Disturb sign and was fairly confident that I had. The knock came again, this time followed by a high-pitched voice.<br />"Housekeeping!" the voice said.<br />I didn't answer, hoping that she'd see the Do Not Disturb sign or hear the shower and move on to another room. After a minute or so, I didn't hear another knock so I assumed she'd gone on. The next thing I heard was another knocking noise. This time on the bathroom door which I'd thankfully closed when I went into the shower.<br />"Housekeeping!" the voice said.<br />This time I couldn’t ignore her.<br />"Yes, I'm here!" I called.<br />No response. Again, I assumed she'd gone away, embarrassed that she'd entered the room of a showering guest. I couldn't have been more wrong. Once more, a knock on the bathroom door.<br />"Housekeeping!" she said.<br />I could now tell that the maid had some sort of Spanish accent. I wondered if maybe she didn't speak English and couldn't understand what I had said.<br />"Please come back later!" I shouted in the most polite and clearly enunciated voice I could muster.<br />At this point I realized I'd been standing perfectly still, listening for the maid for two or three minutes. Soap from my hair began running down my forehead and into my eyes, stinging them badly. I put my head under the running shower to rinse the soap from my eyes when the knock came again. This time the noise from the shower and water raining down on my scalp and face interfered with me hearing what she said.<br />"Que?" I know a little Spanish.<br />"You want me wash your back?" she said.<br />I stood there for a second wondering if I'd heard her correctly.<br />"You want to wash my back?"<br />"Si," she said.<br />Now I was beginning to worry.<br />"No…Thank you. Come back later!" I screamed nervously.<br />"You want me towel you dry?" she continued.<br />I started to panic. Would she ever leave? What if she stood outside the bathroom door asking me questions for the next twenty minutes? I had appointments I needed to get to. Then I had a worse thought. What if she came into the bathroom? What if she stripped naked and climbed into the shower with me? My mind raced, going through different possible scenarios. The worst of them included being forced to physically remove a naked, middle aged Spanish maid from my room. I'm happily married, you know.<br />"No…I'm good!" I replied, not knowing what else to say.<br />She must have left because I didn't hear another knock or a voice asking to wash or towel me. I stayed in the bathroom another twenty-five minutes, afraid to come out. When I did, my room was empty and nothing was out of place. I finished dressing and left my room about a half-hour later. On my way to the elevator, I passed one of those maid carts stationed outside an empty room. I glanced inside but could see no one. The sound of a vacuum was the only noise I heard as I briskly walked by.<br />I never told anyone that story, especially my wife. I now know to pull that safety latch over or use the security chain any time I'm getting in the shower. In the absence of those, I wedge a chair under the door handle. I don't take chances anymore.<br /><br />-JJAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-57370202376157310282010-08-07T08:40:00.001-07:002010-08-07T08:43:20.125-07:00Kindle Versions of Sunset and Hubbert's Peak Available in the UK!Kindle versions of <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001NGPMBM">Sunset </a>and <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0028AE16O">Hubbert's Peak</a> are now available in the UK!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-64159387799857820182010-08-04T19:02:00.001-07:002010-08-04T19:14:46.406-07:00Hubbert's Peak TrailerNew Hubbert's Peak trailer released. Check it out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR0Z1B8ZwRc">here.</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-38887470219164843312010-08-03T09:17:00.001-07:002010-08-03T11:25:22.962-07:00Sunset Video on AmazonNew video for Sunset on Amazon's Author Cental page.<br />Check it out <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jj-Ritonya/e/B002BOJ8BU/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0">here</a> at the bottom right of the page.<br />The video will also be available on JJ's YouTube channel.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/jritonya">http://www.youtube.com/user/jritonya</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-67381462241081771432010-07-31T07:44:00.000-07:002010-07-31T07:46:49.119-07:00July Book Give AwayThe July book drawing has taken place for this month's drawing which is a signed copy of Sunset.<br /><br />This month's winner is KD!<br /><br />KD, please send me an email at jjritonya@jjritonya.com with a shipping address and I will get your novel shipped ASAP.<br /><br />Other news: Sunset: Bloodstained still progresses nicely. As it moves along, I will be posting more sneak peeks of the book.<br />If you aren't already, sign up to be a site member at <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/">www.jjritonya.com</a> and be automatically entered for the monthly book drawing.<br />Thanks again for your support!<br /><br />-JJ<br /><br /><a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/">www.jjritonya.com</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-14777517187648692822010-07-17T12:53:00.000-07:002010-07-17T12:56:09.972-07:00Discounts at SmashwordsHere are a few discount deals on Sunset and Hubbert's Peak at Smashwords. Follow the links below. Offers are good until the end of July.<br />Save 75% on <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/2756">Sunset.</a><br />Save 25% on <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/7257">Hubbert's Peak.</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-44742561236432529662009-12-15T18:42:00.000-08:002009-12-15T18:43:28.729-08:00Sunset: BloodstainedSunset: Bloodstained, the second installment of the apocalyptic zombie series, is underway once again. A teaser has been released here at jjritonya.blogspot.com for your enjoyment...I hope.<br />Additional content is available to site members only at <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/">www.jjritonya.com</a>. A drawing for a free novel takes place every month as well.<br />Now I know what you're thinking. You're thinking "JJ, how do I get this content you speak of? And how do I get myself entered for chance to win a free novel?"Well, I'll tell you. Go to <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/">www.jjritonya.com</a>. Click on the Register link at the top right of the page, then fill out the form. It's that easy!<br />-JJAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-11503780445631102692009-12-13T16:24:00.001-08:002009-12-29T06:47:45.296-08:00Almost Christmas!Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Christmas. Stay warm and be good to each other.<br />This month's drawing will be coming up soon so if haven't already, sign up to become a site member at <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/">http://www.jjritonya.com/</a>.<br />Thanks again for your support...and for those of you who are waiting for Sunset 2, here's a small teaser.<br /><br /><strong>Sunset: Bloodstained by JJ Ritonya</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">An explosion rocked the “TAP” sending the survivors scurrying for cover. The building shook as if it were going to collapse and drop them eighteen stories to their death. Luckily, the building the group now called home stood in downtown San Francisco and had been engineered to withstand a 7 in the Richter scale. The blast that just occurred barely registered above a 1. The “TAP” was short for Trans American Pyramid, the structure resembling a towering pyramid.<br />Brandi, the newest member of the group peered out from under the table she had crawled under. She arrived just a few days earlier with her companion and newly found lover, Stanley, who was currently on a recon mission with another member of the group, Green.<br />Lipman, the mechanic of the group sat up from where he snoozed on the couch and looked around frantically for Joan.<br />“What the hell was that?” Joan cried as she picked herself up from the floor.<br />Gunney, a former tow truck driver and reservist in the United States Army stood at the western facing windows and looked down toward the street. He stood on his tip-toes in an attempt to get a better view.<br />“I can’t see anything from here. Just some smoke. Whatever it was…”<br />Another explosion rocked the building. Gunney ran toward the north side of the building, where the report from the blast seemed to originate. The rest of the group followed in his path just as McCaffery came out of the rest room.<br />“What the hell is goin’ on?” he cried as he finished pulling up his trousers.<br />“Don’t know,” Joan answered hurriedly on her way past.<br />The group reached the north end of the building, each pushing their noses to the glass, desperate for a glimpse of what had caused the commotion. Black smoke drifted up past the windows toward the morning sky making it difficult to see the street below.<br />Gunney was the first to spot them. “I see a black SUV down there. All four doors are open but I can’t see anyone.”<br />Brandi stood at the end of the line of survivors, furthest to the east. “I see someone,” she said. “He’s carrying a pipe or something on his shoulder.”<br />McCaffery had finished adjusting his fly and now joined the group. He peered over Brandi’s shoulder toward the street below.<br />“That’s not a pipe, it’s a rocket launcher,” he said.<br />Just as he finished his sentence, the man below was joined by another man. An assault rifle was slung over one shoulder and he carried a grey metal box by a handle on the top. He stopped next to the man with rocket launcher and opened the box, pulling out an object that at first no one recognized. He opened the rear port of the rocket launcher and put the object inside then closed the blast door and patted his partner on the top of the head.<br />Dropping to place one knee on the pavement for stability, the man aimed the rocket launcher upwards. To Brandi, it appeared he was aiming straight for her. A white flash accompanied by a trail of white smoke whisked upward toward the group at an amazing speed.<br />“DOWN!” McCaffery screamed as he grabbed Brandi from behind and pulled her to the floor.<br />A blast much louder and closer than the previous two rocked the building as the missile exploded into the windows just a few floors below them. Glass and metal shards burst from the building. Iron beams and supports groaned against the force of the blast.<br />“We’ve got to get out of here!” Joan screamed as she tried to quickly formulate an escape plan. The noise of the explosion had subsided but no one noticed as Joan continued to scream.<br />“Gunney, you and McCaffery grab your rifles and head to the lobby! No one gets in! We’ll meet in the garage in ten minutes! And while you’re down there, see if you can pick that bastard off before he brings the whole building down!”<br />Gunney nodded and he and McCaffery sprinted off to their rooms to retrieve their weapons and ammo.<br />“You two are with me,” Joan told Brandi and Lipman. “Grab as many supplies as you can. Weapons, ammo, food and water. Nothing else. We’re out of here in five. GO!”<br />Brandi struggled to her feet and ran off to her room. She had only shared it with Stan for a couple nights before they had been separated. She was so mad at him. He had actually volunteered for the mission in an attempt to prove his worth to the group, but goddamnit, she needed him.<br />They met only a few weeks earlier in Las Vegas. Stan had found her just hours after her escape from a gang of thugs in the city. She had actually mistaken him for one of their kind momentarily and scared him off when she showed her rough side. When he backed off, she realized her mistake and followed him to a strip mall on the outskirts of the city. After saving his life from a horde of the undead, the two traveled west toward San Francisco for no other reason to than to stand on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Gunney found them on the beach and invited them to join up with the group at the “TAP”.<br />Now she scurried around her and Stan’s apartment looking for her pistol and any other items that might prove valuable later. After a quick scan of the rooms, she decided there was nothing else she needed. She ran back to the hallway just as the elevator doors closed on Gunney and McCaffery who were just heading to the lobby. Lipman was a wiz mechanic and had the generator in the basement running like a top. Power was supplied to the first floor, the elevator and the eighteenth floor where the group kept their apartments. The rest of the power to the building had been cut off to conserve what little energy there was.<br />Brandi arrived at Joan’s room just as she was coming out. She held an automatic rifle in one hand and had a brown backpack slung over her shoulder. She looked down at Brandi’s mostly empty hands.<br />“That’s it?” she asked, nodding at the pistol.<br />Brandi nodded. She and Stanley had only been with the groups a few days and hadn’t had the time to accumulate any worthy possessions.<br />“Good,” Joan said. “Traveling light means we can most fast. Lipman!”<br />Lipman emerged from his room across the hall, his arms full of items. Joan walked over and began taking objects from him and throwing them to the floor.<br />“Don’t need this, this or this,” she said as the removed a pillow, a book and screwdriver from his inventory. She left him with his hunting rifle and backpack.<br />“Let’s go she said,” and headed off toward the elevator.<br />After several tense minutes of waiting for the elevator to rise from the ground floor, Joan grew impatient. “Must be out of service. Looks like it’s the stairs.”<br />The group backtracked down the hallway, past their rooms and entered the stairwell at the far end of the building. Security lights lit their way but were slightly darkened from the smoke and soot that drifted up the stairwell The group could smell burning paper and charred metal as they quickly made their way down flight after flight. As they grew near street level, they could hear gunfire coming from below. Some shots sounded very close while other seemed to come from outside on the street.<br />Slapping feet on concrete risers sounded and the group halted. Joan’s eyes grew wide as she moved her rifle from her shoulder and pointed it toward the stairwell below. She put her finger to her lips to signal Brandi and Lipman to be quiet as the group waited. After a few tense moments, a figure rounded the corner. Brandi immediately recognized Gunney.<br />She grabbed Joan by the arm. “Don’t shoot,” she screamed.<br />Gunney hadn’t seen them as he looked up, startled by their appearance in the stairwell. Then he smiled. “Thank God,” he gasped, trying to suck in air. “I was hoping you were heading down. I didn’t want to have to go all the way back up.”<br />The group now stood on the landing in between the third and fourth floor of the skyscraper. Gunfire and small explosions continued to drift up from the ground floor.<br />“What’s going on down there?” Joan asked.<br />“I’ll tell you while we move. Right now we have to go,” Gunney wheezed.<br />The group continued their descent as Gunney explained their situation.<br />“There’s four or five of them out front of the lobby,” he began. “I think they’re out of rockets but they seem to have plenty of grenades. They keep chucking them through the front windows. It’s a good thing none of them have a good arm otherwise me and McCaffery would be goners.”<br />Joan’s eyes grew wide. “What do they want?” she asked.<br />“Fuck if I know,” Gunney said. “But if I had to guess, I’d say they want us dead.”<br />The group finally reached ground level and stopped at the security door which led to the rear hall and eventually the lobby. Gunney had just reached out to grasp the handle when the door burst inward. McCaffery shot into the stairwell running face first into Gunney, knocking them both to the floor. The two men picked themselves up off the floor, both glad to see the other.<br />“Here’s the deal,” McCaffery told the group as he tried to catch his breath. “You all head down to the garage, load up in the van and get the hell out of here. I’ll stay behind and keep them distracted. Head to Santa Cruz and hole up in the City Hall building. I’ll meet up with you in a couple days.”<br />“No,” Joan said. She had a stern look on her face. “We stay together.”<br />McCaffery was about to protest when Brandi spoke up.<br />“What about Stanley and Green?” she cried.<br />“That’s why I’m staying behind. Someone will have to let them know where we went and we sure as hell can’t stay here,” McCaffery argued.<br />Joan opened her mouth to reply when a blast, closer than any so far shook the walls. Their attackers were becoming more accurate with their grenade tosses.<br />“There’s no time!” McCaffery screamed. “GO!” He disappeared back through the security door and ran toward the lobby.<br />Joan sighed in resignation. “Let’s go!” she yelled.<br />The group descended the final flight of stairs to the parking garage. A white delivery van sat at the far end of the garage. Blue letters ran across the side which read “Ming Cleaners: We Deliver!”<br />The group quickly piled into the van. Gunney in the driver’s seat, Joan rode shotgun and Brandi sat on the floor in the back. Lipman ran over to the metal security gate which was lowered and locked in place. He released the lock and hit the button to raise the door to the overhead position, then sprinted back toward the van and jumped in the side door.<br />“Hang on!” Gunney screamed as he put the van in gear and stomped on the gas.<br />The van lurched forward and picked up speed as they neared the garage door. Joan rolled her window down and set the muzzle of her weapon on the window sill, ready to fire at the attackers. As the van shot out of the garage and onto the street she opened fire on the surprised group of men. Gunney saw the look of shock on their faces as he quickly pulled the wheel to the left and accelerated down the empty road away from the “TAP”. Joan screamed as she sprayed bullets at the men, surprised when she saw one go down with a hole in his chest. The men scrambled for cover then returned fire as the van sped away, the rear window of the van shattering when a bullet struck the glass.<br />“Get down!” Joan shouted as Brandi and Lipman flattened themselves on the floorboards. Shards of glass sprinkled down on their backs.<br />The attackers sprinted toward their vehicles to give chase. Two men ran toward the black SUV they spotted earlier and the other two ran toward red pickup truck leaving their fallen comrade behind.<br />The survivors sped east out of downtown San Francisco and across the Bay Bridge hoping to outrun or somehow lose their pursuers. Santa Cruz was their goal and destination, although no one knew if things would be any better there.<br />Brandi held herself and shivered with fear, hoping that her farewell just a few days earlier would not be the last time she would see her precious Stanley. She continued to tell herself that it couldn’t be the end. They had only been together a few weeks now, but she loved him more than she had loved any man. In the short time they had been together he had showed her an unconditional love and kindness that she had never known.<br />“It wouldn’t be the end,” she told herself as a tear ran down her cheek. Lying to yourself was easy. Believing the lie was the hard part.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-73203896936883487852009-11-29T15:12:00.000-08:002009-11-29T15:14:51.498-08:00Happy Thanksgiving!Hope everyone had a wonderful and food filled Thankgiving. This month's give away has been completed with the winner being notified by blast email to all members of <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/">www.jjritonya.com</a>. Rememeber, you can't win a free novel unless you are a site member, so sign up today.<br />Thanks again for your continued support and have a happy holiday season!<br />-JJAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-61826277175795053062009-10-31T08:15:00.001-07:002009-10-31T08:18:00.988-07:00Happy Halloween<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99TdQVDo1JErChmSaeMXt6WFhD1y0h1L-qmucrAIDb-iWjQ-SJNPUckSCleLYWRpHkxyBDcWCnCej_Q-A19sc7ufXXWVOf8p1MgdYuyPfFQQ3E8g7rhg2I_pe4k460nIVvU0OekjtEMQ/s1600-h/P1030059.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398783353631175778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99TdQVDo1JErChmSaeMXt6WFhD1y0h1L-qmucrAIDb-iWjQ-SJNPUckSCleLYWRpHkxyBDcWCnCej_Q-A19sc7ufXXWVOf8p1MgdYuyPfFQQ3E8g7rhg2I_pe4k460nIVvU0OekjtEMQ/s320/P1030059.JPG" /></a> My daughter and I stuffed this dummy to scare off the trick or treaters...which means more candy for me! Mwuaahhhaaa!<br />Happy Halloween<br />-JJAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-25057758238581161142009-10-28T10:09:00.000-07:002009-10-28T10:11:31.535-07:00October Give AwayThe give away for October will be held this weekend. If you haven't already, sign up at <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/">www.jjritonya.com</a> to become a site member and be automatically entered for a chance to win a free copy of a novel by JJ Ritonya.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-14488071365799093822009-10-16T14:46:00.001-07:002009-10-16T14:56:44.535-07:00Things that go bump...Halloween is almost upon us, which brings thoughts of scary nights and unexplained noises.<br />Have you ever been lying in bed late at night, unable to sleep when an odd noise grabs your attention? Maybe it sounds like a door closing or the floor creaking. You're not quite sure what it was but whatever it might be has your mind racing. You begin to question if you locked the door or closed the garage when you came in. It plays on your mind so furiously that you have to lay on your back and face the door, just in case. Finally, you can take it no more as it tugs at your brain and you have to get up and check on it.<br />Even after you realize that all the doors and windows are secure, something in the back of your mind insists that it's not your imagination.<br />At some point you tire of being scared and eventually doze off, hoping you don't wake up dead.<br />When you wake up in the morning, things are normal again. With the lights on, noises which rendered us paralyzed have no power over us. It's the law of night, and it does not discriminate against race, sex or even age.<br />Have a happy Halloween and don't be afraid to sleep with your lights on!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-75465629266306293202009-09-19T09:37:00.000-07:002009-09-19T09:38:40.225-07:00September Book Giveaway Almost Here!Last chance to sign up for this month's giveaway which is a signed copy of Sunset. Sign up today at <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/">www.jjritonya.com</a> and be automatically entered. Thanks again for your support!<br />-JJAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-6898214914369448982009-09-03T08:37:00.000-07:002009-09-03T08:38:48.981-07:00September Book GiveawayReminder:<br />This month's giveaway is a signed copy of Sunset. If you haven't signed up yet, do so now at <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/">www.jjritonya.com</a> to be automatically entered in the drawing.<br />-JJAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-35574821620180741902009-08-19T10:11:00.000-07:002009-08-19T10:13:13.869-07:00August GiveawayThe drawing for this month's giveaway will take place this weekend. Tell your friends and family members to sign up at <a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/">www.jjritonya.com</a> to be automatically entered. This month's giveaway is for a signed copy of Hubbert's Peak.<br />Again, thanks for your support.<br />-JJAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-84856880267283707572009-08-14T08:49:00.000-07:002009-08-14T08:52:11.711-07:00Hatchet HouseI'm looking for anyone who has information, stories, links to websites or any memories of the Hatchet House. In case you don't remember, it was an old, boarded up school house in west Omaha where a school teacher supposedly murdered her students with a hatchet. Feel free to comment here or email me at <a href="mailto:jjritonya@jjritonya.com">jjritonya@jjritonya.com</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-18592218280853750562009-08-07T07:01:00.001-07:002009-08-07T07:02:06.438-07:00New Content on www.jjritonya.comCheck out the new Articles and Short Stories page here.<br /><a href="http://www.jjritonya.com/articlesshortstories.htm">http://www.jjritonya.com/articlesshortstories.htm</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3249687911247481070.post-25959852643403405652009-08-06T09:12:00.001-07:002009-08-06T09:13:45.744-07:00Zombie FoodZombie Food, an article by JJ Ritonya has been posted at The Zombies Are Coming website. Check it out here.<br /><a href="http://www.zombiesarecoming.com/2009/08/05/zombie-food/">http://www.zombiesarecoming.com/2009/08/05/zombie-food/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09796279434396201876noreply@blogger.com0