Do you believe in "Magick", with a "k"?

"Magick" is spelled with a "k" to differentiate it from "magic". The latter most commonly refers to stage magic, the kind of entertainment provided by the likes of Chris Angel, David Copperfield and others. The former, "Magick" refers to what some might call "The Dark Arts", the ability to actually manipulate reality, to cast spells, invoke curses, conjure spirits and demons. But is it real?

The notorious occultist, Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), was sure of it. He spent his life in the practice of it. For the sake of saving the reader from having to recoil in utter disgust, I shall refrain from describing some the most vile activities in which he was often engaged. Suffice to say, in his later years, he had dragged himself down into the deepest, darkest depths of depravity and
would likely––with great pleasure––have plummeted even deeper, had he but discovered the means by which to do so. His exploits caused the British Press to give him the title of "The Wickedest Man In The World".
 
Notorious for his use of narcotics, his heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual escapades (quite often as part of his magickal rituals) and known for his lengthy, critical, and insightful writings on the nature of ritual magick, Aleister Crowley became arguably the most important figure in all of modern-day occultism.  

To this day Crowley’s influence continues to attract the attention of all who take an interest in such things. When he died in England, his body was cremated according to his wishes. The urn containing his ashes was sent to a man named Karl Germer in New Jersey. Germer buried the urn on his property but, when he went to dig it up again, he found it had disappeared. The whereabouts of the urn containing Crowley's ashes has remained a mystery... until now. And all Hell is about to break loose.

www.ashreturnofthebeast.webs.com KINDLE...$3.99

REVIEWS:

"A riveting occult crime thriller. I couldn't put it down." - Rai Aren, author of Secret Of The Sands

"A close-the-drapes-and-hang-onto-your-seat-read. Highly recommend it." - Meredith Wright Hutchins

"An ending you will never see coming! Highly recommended!" - Lila L. Pinord, author of In Time, Min's Monster, and Skye Dancer

"Fillied with magick... at times drawing one into the evil." - Ellen In Atlanta, amazon.com reviewer

"Plenty of atmosphere and a compelling narrative. A worthwhile roller-coaster ride." - Bob Freeman, author of The Descendant

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Ash: Return of the Beast is a supernatural/occult crime thriller, a work of fiction based on a little known factoid about the death of Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), the notorious occultist the British press once called "The Wickedest Man In The World". Crowley’s body was cremated but the whereabouts of his funerary ashes has remained a mystery… until now.

This diabolical tale propels the reader through a series of curiously interconnected (and sometimes unsettling) events spanning the years from 1947(and the death of Aleister Crowley) to the 1990s and the coming-of-age (and eventual stardom) of a "death-metal" rocker named Rodney Duckworth.

The time-line shifts to the present day where Brian Kane, a gruff and gritty, street-worn Seattle Police Detective, reluctantly teams up with the mysterious Rowena Ravenwood, an attractive female FBI agent. Their task is to figure out why good, healthy, God-fearing preachers in their fair city are suddenly dropping dead.

What is the meaning of the strange symbols branded onto the bodies of these hapless victims? Are they all part of some bizarre cult? No eyewitnesses. No fingerprints. Is it really murder? Where’s the evidence? And what is the disturbing secret that Detective Kane is holding so close to his chest?

The investigation catapults Kane and Ravenwood headlong into life-threatening situations as they wind their way through the strange, dark labyrinth of the world of the occult and find themselves battling for their lives against the powerful forces of ritual magick.

Problem is, the clues to help solve the case are in terribly short supply. Worse yet, so is the amount of time left to stop the mysterious killer's reign of terror before all Hell breaks loose. And – according to Special Agent Ravenwood – that’s not just a figure of speech.

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Warning: This book is intended for adult readers due to strong language and some implied sexual content of a deviant nature. Note: the sexual content is implied as opposed to graphic. It is not included as a gratuitous element. Rather, it is specific to the background of one of the primary characters and his personal development as well as to an aspect of certain elements of what is known as "ritual magick", one of the key elements woven into the storyline.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gary Val Tenuta is a freelance writer and book cover designer (www.bookcoversandvideos.webs.com). His illustrations and articles dealing with the UFO phenomenon and other subjects of the paranormal and esoteric kind have been published in Fate Magazine in the U.S., Beyond Magazine in the U.K., and elsewhere. He resides in a cozy condo in the Pacific Northwest with his big black cat, Bear.