GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ Hoarders: Sharky’s Dragon Collection (Devil's Nightmare by Robert Pruneda book tour) + giveaway | I Smell Sheep

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Hoarders: Sharky’s Dragon Collection (Devil's Nightmare by Robert Pruneda book tour) + giveaway

Hello, my name is Robert “Sharky” Pruneda and I’m a dragon hoarder. The first step to recovery is admitting I have a problem, right? Who am I kidding? I’ll never make it to the twelfth step!

My love of dragons dates back to when I was a kid playing the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with my older brother. I think my interest in dragons goes hand-in-hand with my lifelong fascination of dinosaurs, but it’s a bit easier (and less expensive) to collect dragons. I do have a few dinosaur fossils, however, including a cool megalodon shark tooth shown in the image below.

I didn’t actually start collecting dragons until sometime in the 1990s. My brother and I were hanging out at Barton Creek Mall in Austin, Texas on a hot summer afternoon, and after spending way too much money at the arcade, we stopped by a shop that sold medieval types of merchandise. I set my eyes on a pair of pewter dragons and couldn’t resist pulling out my wallet and handing the clerk my money. I think I spent about fifty to sixty dollars on the pair. They were solid, heavy, and I didn’t even realize until now that they were made in the United States and United Kingdom. Imagine that! Most of my other dragons were made in China. Go figure.

My dragon collection grew substantially after my mom and I started a side business together about ten years ago. We named it American Products Distribution, which was funny because most of the merchandise we sold at the local “Market Days” trade shows wasn’t even made in the U.S.A! You guessed it. Made in China. Anyway, we sold a variety of collectibles and décor items, including dragons, and did fairly well at first. We later expanded our booth and added homemade candles that a friend of ours made for us to sell at the trade shows. We did this for a couple of years, but I think I may have put us out of business after buying up much of the inventory for myself (and Mom keeping candles for herself). Yeah, we weren’t very good at doing the retail thing.

While selling dragons and candles at trade shows was fun, the return on our investment wasn’t enough to justify continuing the business. One good thing came out of it though . . . I got to keep all the dragons we didn’t sell for myself! I swear I didn’t sabotage the business! Now I have to pay full retail prices for new additions to my dragon collection. I just need to figure out where to put them all.

So, are there any other dragon hoarders out there? I know I’m not the only one. If so, let me know in the comments, and we can start a support group. Heck, I’m interesting in reading about other types of collections, too. The more unique, the better. You can check out my complete dragon collection below. You can probably guess that dragons aren’t the only things that I collect. 

< DRAGON COLLECTION GALLERY> 
Look who I found!!!
Before you leave, be sure to enter my Rafflecopter contest for a chance to win some goodies, including a copy of my supernatural occult horror novel Devil’s Nightmare. Unless, of course, you’d like to help me add another dragon to my collection by purchasing a copy of my book for yourself or a friend. Thanks for visiting!


Devil's Nightmare (Devil's Nightmare Series Book 1)
by Robert Pruneda
Genre: Horror
Publisher: Forsaken Imprint
Booktrope Publishing
July 15, 2015
Cover Artist: Laura Hidalgo
Veteran homicide detective Aaron Sanders thought he’d seen it all, but nothing could have prepared the seasoned detective for the mutilated remains of a kid’s parents or the equally vicious deaths of three boys at another crime scene.

As Aaron works to solve the cases and protect his only witness, an orphaned child, he learns of an ancient curse that leaves him questioning all he’s ever believed. Now, to save himself and the child, Aaron must confront his own inner demons, and some he never knew existed. But if he does, will he make it out alive?

Devil’s Nightmare is an occult suspense horror novel by Robert Pruneda, who shakes readers with his visually graphic scenes, supernatural twists, and disturbing settings in this first installment of the Devil’s Nightmare series.


Excerpt:

Cody’s lungs burned with each frenetic breath as he made his escape toward the gated entrance of the old cemetery. He ran past rows of tombstones and lost his footing several times, whimpering in fear as he picked himself up. His blood curdled from a distant scream. A loud explosion of thunder startled him as he checked over his shoulder and slipped, collapsing onto the wet, muddy ground. He pushed himself backward, his hands frantically splashing in puddles of muddied water. The darkness of the cemetery made it impossible to see anything more than a shadow, but Cody knew what stalked him. He knew the evil coming.

He screamed and jumped back to his feet. He ran as fast as he could on the slippery ground. Another loud crash of thunder followed a bright flash of lightning. He was so close, so close to the entrance to the cemetery, but the rain, stronger than before, hammered down upon him. He splashed through puddles of water, flinching from the sheets of rain slapping his face. He struggled to increase his speed, his tears blending in with the rain. Four bicycles lay scattered on the ground near the entrance of the cemetery. Cody yanked his bicycle upright off the ground and checked behind him, but there wasn’t anything there. He hesitated, his heart breaking at the sight of his friends’ bikes lying next to his.

“I’m so sorry,” he cried before mounting his own bike.

The mud, caked onto the soles of his shoes, caused his feet to slip on the wet pedals. He peered into the dark depths of the cemetery again and found the familiar shadow creeping towards him. Whimpering again, Cody reached down to scrape the mud off with his bare hands, and then pedaled a mile to his home in the heavy rain.

Rain-drenched, Cody jumped the curb in front of his house and dropped his bicycle on the lawn. He ran to his open bedroom window, stumbled through it, and fell onto the floor. His bedroom curtains flapped inward as rain splashed onto the hardwood floor. Picture frames on the walls rattled as Cody grabbed his bedroom window and pulled down on it several times until it slammed shut. He dropped to the floor and wept below the window with his head lowered and arms wrapped around his legs, tucking them close to his chest.

Cody lifted his head when the bedroom light came on. Two adults stood in the doorway. His mother rushed inside the room while his stepfather Tony placed a hand on the door frame, his jaw clenched and eyes narrowed.

“What in hell’s wrong with ya, boy?” Tony said in a deep southern drawl. His eyes dropped to Cody’s wet shoes and the muddied floor. “And why in hell ya soakin’ wet? Goddamn it, boy, ya sneaked out again, didn’t ya? And where in the hell is—?”

“What’s wrong, honey?” Cody’s mother broke in, noticing her son trembling. “Are you—?”

“He’s in deep shit, that’s what! Told ya we couldn’t trust this little bastard.” Tony pointed a stern finger at Cody and warned, “Ya pull this shit again and I’m gonna bust yer ass! Now get yer ass up and—”

The lights flickered and went dark.

“Goddammit!” Cody’s stepfather yelled. “Piece a shit electricity always goes out when it rains.” He grabbed his wife’s arm. “Carol, get me the goddamn flashlight. And a mop so this little shit can clean up his mess.”

A flash of bright light shot through the curtains as Carol stepped towards the hallway. Cody’s eyes grew wide. He scooted backwards, mumbling and whimpering.

“What in hell’s yer problem?” Tony said.

Cody’s face whitened. Tears flowed from his eyes. He whimpered “No” repeatedly as he scooted further away, only to find himself trapped in a corner of the dark bedroom.

Heavy rain poured outside as a web of lightning scattered across the sky. Intense thunder muffled the screams and breaking glass. A moment later, all was quiet. The rain stopped, the lightning dissipated, and the thunder grew faint in the distance.

About the Author:
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Robert “Sharky” Pruneda is a native Texan, video game “enthusiast” [addict], and fan of all things horror. He left a career in the newspaper industry in 2011 to pursue the life of a nocturnal author, brainstorming new and creative ways to creep out his readers. He doesn’t only write horror though.

He also pens the occasional family-oriented tale just to keep from going completely nuts with all those creatures of the night whispering in his ears. When he’s not pulling ideas out of his twisted brain, you’ll likely find him on social media or fighting alongside his fellow gaming buddies where they all get shot up into Swiss cheese (or turned into little bite-sized chunks because of “Sharky’s” obsession with explosives). Medic!

Pursue your dreams . . . and never look back.



Tour giveaway 
2 paperback copies US Shipping
2 ebook copies 
Grand Prize Pack a signed copy of Devil’s Nightmare, swag, and $25 gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

12 comments:

  1. Sounds like a perfect scary read. Sometimes I need a change from romance and teen books.

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    1. Thanks, bookbunny68. Yes, you should delve into the realm of horror. Disclaimer: Author is not responsible for nightmares. Okay, I'll take responsibility. Just have a teddy bear nearby to cuddle with and you'll be fine. :-)

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  2. Love all the dragon statues. I have a few dragons statues myself.

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    1. Cool! There are so many other dragons that I would love to add to my collection, but finances and space to put those statues is a bit of a problem. Thanks for visiting!

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  3. Love the dragons!! I look forward to reading this book.

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    1. Thank you, Nancy. Every time I see a new dragon statue I have to resist the temptation to purchase. It's not that easy for a hoarder. :-) I hope you enjoy Devil's Nightmare.

      Cheers!

      Sharky
      vV""Vv

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  4. Sorry, I don't have a dragon fetish, but Devil's Nightmare sounds yummy. Horror is my favorite genre!

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    Replies
    1. Lol! Mine too! I hope Devil's Nightmare satisfies your appetite. ;-)

      Cheers!

      Sharky
      vV""Vv

      Delete
  5. Sorry, I don't have a dragon fetish, but Devil's Nightmare sounds yummy. Horror is my favorite genre!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sorry, I don't have a dragon fetish, but Devil's Nightmare sounds yummy. Horror is my favorite genre!

    ReplyDelete
  7. i love me some dragons. There is a dragon museum in Chattanooga tn. Need to go back through it.
    Love the excerpt.

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    Replies
    1. That's cool. I didn't know about the dragon museum. Thanks for letting me know. I'm glad you enjoyed the excerpt.

      Cheers!

      Sharky
      vV""Vv

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