Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Teaser--Tainted by Christie Rich!
With the editing nearly complete and formatting right around the corner, I thought it was time to share a teaser with you!
Monday, December 30, 2013
New Release--Soul of Asimina by Kristi Strong!
The third book in the Land of Kaldalangra series has arrived!
 |
| Cover by Once Upon a Time covers |
When two strangers stumble across her path, she finds her peace shattered as dangerous family secrets begin to emerge, along with a malignant force that threatens to destroy her entire world. These men have the ability to help her rise to brilliant heights, or cause a devastating plunge into darkness.
It is now up to Sabina to continue her parents’ legacy of honor, courage, and strength through adversity. With the fate of Kaldalangra upon her shoulders, she has vowed to follow the path of righteousness, or die trying.
Where to find Soul of Asimina?
Paperback
Kindle
Nook
~ * ~ * ~
Do you want to know how the story began? Then be sure to get your copy of the first two books in the Land of Kaldalangra series, The Lady of Steinbrekka and Heart of Kylassame. As a bonus, each of these e-books is available for Nook and Kindle users for only 99 cents until January 1st, 2014!
Also, be sure to check out the give-away currently being hosted by Strong Novels, a free Kindle of Nook copy of all 3 books in the Kaldalangra series! But don't delay, the contest ends with 2013, and entries will close on January 1st.
~ * ~ * ~
Will Rhea triumph over those who seek her destruction, or will she be forever lost in the darkness known as Kaldalangra?
Kindle Nook
Rowan and Rhea travel the realm, spreading peace and healing wherever they go. In Kylassame, they have formed a strong bond with friends and spread deep roots in the community.
The people of Kaldalangra are joyful, and life in their world is better than ever before.
But a string of tragedies has the ability to bring Rhea to her knees, and with her, the entire realm. While Rowan struggles to recover the village of Kylassame from a devastating crime, Rhea’s faith in her own strength weakens, with dire consequences.
Re-enter the world of Kaldalangra, and join the adventure as Rhea and Rowan endeavor to continue upon their chosen destiny
Nook
Friday, December 27, 2013
From Where I Stand--Poetry by Robert Zimmerman!
.jpeg)
Blurb:
From Robert
Zimmermann comes From Where I Stand,
an emotional debut poetry collection. Zimmermann explores strained parental
relationships, loss of life, and the despair associated with grief. Alongside
these darker themes, he delves into the small areas of life that often go
unnoticed but become the hope we are searching for.
From Where
I Stand is the
winner of the Blogger Book Fair
Reader's Choice Award, in the poetry category (Winter 2013)
Book
on Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16128045-from-where-i-stand
Purchase
links:
Ebook: Amazon
| Smashwords | B&N
| iBooks
| Kobo
Print: Createspace | Amazon | B&N
Now for a heart-wrenching excerpt:
Childhood Fantasy
When I was a child,
I was a general
commanding plastic soldiers.
We fought for years
saving the world from
the wicked.
As a teenager,
I was a rock star
playing my guitar
on stage with Hendrix.
We were lost in the sounds.
Years ago, I had a father.
I could call him my dad,
but I don’t.
My past
doesn’t seem real now.
I was a general
commanding plastic soldiers.
We fought for years
saving the world from
the wicked.
As a teenager,
I was a rock star
playing my guitar
on stage with Hendrix.
We were lost in the sounds.
Years ago, I had a father.
I could call him my dad,
but I don’t.
My past
doesn’t seem real now.
Author
Bio:
.jpg)
Robert is a writer. Most of the time his
thoughts will grace the pages in the form of poetry, but occasionally some
short pieces of fiction will show their faces. His work mainly touches on
experiences that shape who he is today and are emotionally engaging but easily
accessible to those not familiar with much poetry.
When Robert isn’t writing for himself,
he’s writing to help others. In his blog, A Life Among The Pages, Robert posts
numerous book reviews, interviews, and other book related posts to help out
fellow writers in any way he can.
How qualified is Robert for all of this?
Well, he holds an A.A. in Humanities and a B.A. in Creative Writing. Basically
it boils down to him having a lot of downtime living at home. At least he has a
cute puppy to keep him company while he’s busily at work writing his first
collection of poems.
Links:
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Persephone Daughters of Zeus by Kaitlin Bevis!
There are worse things than death, worse
people too.
The "talk" was bad enough, but
how many teens get told that they're a goddess? When her mom tells her,
Persephone is sure her mother has lost her mind. It isn't until Boreas, the god
of winter, tries to abduct her that she realizes her mother
was telling the truth. Hades rescues her, and in order to safely bring
Persephone to the Underworld he marks her as his bride. But Boreas will stop at
nothing to get Persephone. Despite her growing feelings for Hades, Persephone
wants to return to the living realm. Persephone must find a way to defeat
Boreas and reclaim her life.
Read Reviews on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15724908-persephone
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/persephone-kaitlin-bevis/1111973897?ean=2940014686051
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/181487
youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5yelWX9BTI
*** Also available anywhere else ebooks are
sold
Excerpt
The
branch crashed in front of me, scraping my legs. I ran for the parking lot as
fast as I could. The frost closed in, surrounding me. I’d never been
claustrophobic, but as the frost cut off my escape path with a solid white
wall, I panicked.
Fog rolled in, like cold death,
cutting off my view of the park. It curled around me, brushing against my face,
arms, and legs. I turned back to the tree and ran faster, my dress tangling
between my legs as the fog and icy wind blew against my skin.
The
parking lot is the other way! my mind screamed. The other way was cut off
by a mountain of ice. I felt as if I was being herded. By ice?
I slipped on the icy ground, falling
face first into the frost. Ice crept up my toes and along my legs. I thrashed
and screamed. I felt the fog becoming a solid mass above me, pinning me to the
ground. The ice piled around me. Am I
going to be buried alive?
I dug my nails into the frigid snow in
front of me and tried to claw my way out of the frosted death trap. I was so
panicked I didn’t feel it when my nails broke against the impenetrable wall of
ice, leaving red crescents of blood welling up on sensitive skin. An hysterical
sob worked its way out of my throat as I gouged red lines into the ice. The ice
was above my knees, snaking its way up my thighs. I shivered.
Shivering’s
good, I reminded myself. It means your body hasn’t given up…yet. The cold
was painful, like a thousand little knives pricking my skin. A violent tremor
went up my spine, sending waves of pain through me.
“Help me!” I screamed, knowing it was
futile. I was going to die here.
Except I couldn’t die. Could I? Mom
said I was immortal, but was that all-inclusive? Did I have a weakness? Was
snow my Kryptonite? If I got hurt, would I heal or would I be trapped in an
injured body in pain forever?
I suddenly didn’t know if immortality
was a good thing or a bad thing. The cold hurt. I was kicking, screaming, and
clawing my way out of the frost, but for every inch I gained a mountain piled
around me. I thought I heard a man’s laughter on the wind, the sound somehow
colder than the ice freezing me into place.
The ground before my outstretched hand
trembled. The shaking increased. The earth lurched beneath me. The surface
cracked and the sound was so loud that for a moment all I could hear was
high-pitched ringing in my ears. The ground split into an impossibly deep
crevice. My voice went hoarse from screaming as I peered into the endless
abyss, trapped and unable to move away from the vertigo-inducing edge.
Persephone
Myth:
In the original Persephone myth, Kore,
the goddess of Spring, was a beautiful goddess and would have had many suiters
had her mother, Demeter, goddess of agriculture, not kept her hidden away from
the other gods. One day Kore went to a meadow to pick narcissus flowers,
lilacs, poppies, or some other flower depending on the source with some nymphs
when Hades, God of the Underworld spotted her and decided he wanted her for his
wife. He burst through the earth (in some versions, Gaia, goddess of Earth
assists him) in his creepy black chariot of death, and dragged Kore into the
Underworld. After her rape/marriage, Kore became known as Persephone, the Queen
of the Underworld.
Demeter, goddess of Agriculture and
Persephone’s mother, searched frantically for her daughter, neglecting her
duties as a goddess and plunging the earth into famine. Helios, god of the sun,
or in some versions Persephone’s nymph friends, tell Demeter what happened and
Demeter begged Zeus to rescue their daughter.
At first Zeus told Demeter she should be
pleased to have such a high ranking son-in-law, but eventually he relented
since too many people were starving to worship him properly, and sent Hermes to
liberate Persephone so long as she had not consumed food or drink in he
Underworld.
Meanwhile, Persephone was tricked into
eating 3-7(depending on the version) pomegranate seeds by the god Ascalapus,
Hades’ gardener. Ascalapus got turned into a screech owl in retribution for his
crime, and Persephone was forced to return to the Underworld for a month every
year for each seed she ate. While she is home with her mother, plants grow, but
during her time in the Underworld every year they die. This myth is considered
an explanation for winter.
Why did her name change?
Changing a gods name to reflect a change
in their divine role was not uncommon. In Persephone’s case she doesn’t even
get a name until she’s important. Kore translated to girl, or maiden.
Persephone
has a variety of other names and titles within her cult the Eleusinian
Mysteries.
Why a pomegranate?
The pomegranate is known as the fruit of
the dead as well as a symbol for fertility, and thanks to the little crown on
the top of a pomegranate is a symbol of royalty. So it’s easy to see why it was
chosen as symbol in the Persephone myth. You’ve got royalty for the new Queen
of Spring/fertility of the dead. When you cut it open is naturally divided into
three to six sections depending on the fruit. It is full of tiny little seeds
covered in a blood red juice.
While the Persephone myth is the most
well known example of using a Pomegranate for symbolism, way back when, this
weird little fruit found its way into a variety of stories across cultures.
Why does it matter what flower Persephone
was picking?
The flower chosen in the myth kind of
sets the tone for the whole story. The narcissus flower for instance is commonly
seen as a phallic symbol, and a symbol of unrequited love, and as a portent for
death, so you’ve got some foreshadowing, and loss of innocence going there.
Other flowers symbolize different things that the story teller may be trying to
get across.
What did I change?
I tried to stay true to the spirit of
the original myth in my version of the story. Several of the key elements
remained, but framed differently. My version is set in modern day. Persephone
believes she’s a normal, somewhat sheltered, girl. She discovers she’s a
goddess after catching the attention of a sadistic deity named Boreas, the God
of Winter (winter winds, technically). Hades rescues her by taking her to the
Underworld.
The idea that Hades may not have been
the bad guy has been toyed with in popular culture throughout my entire life
(Beauty and the Beast anyone?) so it’s logical, and certainly not original, to
consider that Hades may have just been misunderstood. Choosing Boreas as the
antagonist made sense because there is a very similar story in Greek mythology
involving Boreas abducting a Greek princess. In my mind, it fit really well.
Boreas is a repeat offender, AND he’s strongest during the winter. It made
complete sense for Persephone to have to hide during those months.
I made other changes as well, the
Underworld is a pretty nice place, and Persephone is free to come and go as she
pleases. Orpheus is a rock star. Small things to add layers to a world where
many of the myths we know so well haven’t happened yet.
Why rewrite the Persephone myth?
That myth has never really vanished or
fallen out of fashion. It resonates with us for some reason. If you studied any
mythology at all in school, you learned the Persephone myth. I think part of it
is, if you take the myth at face value, it’s unspeakable. We want to fix this
poor girl’s fate. Another draw is that the Persephone myth seems incomplete. In
other myths you get a bit of characterization for the key players. Zeus’s
personality and wants and needs come across crystal clear in every single myth
he’s a part of. But Hades and Persephone both are ambiguous in this myth. We
learn a lot about Demeter, and her devotion as a mother, but not so much about
Persephone. I wanted to know what happened down there. So I wrote my own version.
Bio:
Kaitlin Bevis spent her childhood curled up with a book, and a pen. If the ending didn't agree with her, she rewrote it. She's always wanted to be a writer, and spent high school and college learning everything she could so that one day she could achieve that goal. She graduated college with my BFA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing, and is pursuing her masters at the University of Georgia.
Her young adult series "Daughters of Zeus" is available wherever ebooks are sold. She also writes for truuconfessions.com and Athens Parent Magazine.
Email: kaitlinbevis@gmail.com
Twitter: @kaitlinbevis
ARE: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html
promocave: http://promocave.com/kaitlinbevis/
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Kbevis1
Persephone: 07/06/12
ISBN 13: 978-1-61937-243-6
AISN: B008HYPD58
203 Pages
58,876 words
Monday, December 23, 2013
To My Readers: Elemental Update!
Hello Everyone!
I hope you are gearing up to enjoy time with your loved ones this holiday season! I've been working hard to get Tainted (Netherworld Book II) finished and ready for my January release . . . keeping my fingers crossed it will all work out, lol.
For those of you wondering about the state of my Elemental series, I wanted to let you know what my plans are for the world and the characters. Since finishing Elemental Enmity, I've had plans to expand the world and the focus of the Elemental world. The story is by no means over. I loved telling Elemental Enmity from Rayla's point of view. I loved being in her head and experiencing her life along with her.
As I've thought about how to move the story forward, a few things have become clear to me: First, I can't go forward with just Rayla's point of view. You would miss too much of the story if I did. And second, there are so many characters involved, I'm probably going to be writing the new series in third person. I'm not a lover of third person narrative, but this story is demanding it. I'll have to jump all over the place, which would get crazy if I switched narrators throughout.
Rayla's story gave us a window's view into this complex world of the Order and the Fae. Going forward, we will have a full open door into the world, the characters, and I hope this will be a pleasant change for all of you. I've only just started the first installment of the new series, so it will be summer before I'll complete it.
The new series is called Elemental Legacy. I haven't picked out a name for the first installment, but I have already started the first stages of the cover design. I'm so excited for this one, and I hope you all are too! Thank you so much for stopping by and for caring about this world as much as I do! You are all so wonderful, and I appreciate you so very much!
Happy Holidays. I hope you get some reading in. For me, it will be editing and writing, lol.
Much love,
Christie
I hope you are gearing up to enjoy time with your loved ones this holiday season! I've been working hard to get Tainted (Netherworld Book II) finished and ready for my January release . . . keeping my fingers crossed it will all work out, lol.
For those of you wondering about the state of my Elemental series, I wanted to let you know what my plans are for the world and the characters. Since finishing Elemental Enmity, I've had plans to expand the world and the focus of the Elemental world. The story is by no means over. I loved telling Elemental Enmity from Rayla's point of view. I loved being in her head and experiencing her life along with her.
As I've thought about how to move the story forward, a few things have become clear to me: First, I can't go forward with just Rayla's point of view. You would miss too much of the story if I did. And second, there are so many characters involved, I'm probably going to be writing the new series in third person. I'm not a lover of third person narrative, but this story is demanding it. I'll have to jump all over the place, which would get crazy if I switched narrators throughout.
Rayla's story gave us a window's view into this complex world of the Order and the Fae. Going forward, we will have a full open door into the world, the characters, and I hope this will be a pleasant change for all of you. I've only just started the first installment of the new series, so it will be summer before I'll complete it.
The new series is called Elemental Legacy. I haven't picked out a name for the first installment, but I have already started the first stages of the cover design. I'm so excited for this one, and I hope you all are too! Thank you so much for stopping by and for caring about this world as much as I do! You are all so wonderful, and I appreciate you so very much!
Happy Holidays. I hope you get some reading in. For me, it will be editing and writing, lol.
Much love,
Christie
Friday, December 20, 2013
What I've learned as a Self Published Writer--Developmental Editors by Christie Rich!
Good Morning Everyone,
My writing journey has been one of the best experiences of my life. It hasn't been easy. Most great experiences aren't, but what amazes me is how much I've learned in such a short time. As some of you may know, I haven't always written. I started a few years ago because I had a story that wouldn't let me go. I wrote the words in blur of ignorant bliss. Once I completed my first draft, I thought I was done. I had to decide if I wanted to pursue publishing the story, so I set out to learn the "rules" for being a writer, how to get published, and pretty much anything I could find on how to write the dreaded "query letter".
Many things have changed since I typed those first words. I've completed six books! Whoopa! I've decided, at least for now, self publishing works for me. Why? Many reasons, but most of all because I am a control freak when it comes to my books. I don't want to give someone else the right to tell me I have to change the story to fit his or her idea of what the book should be. If I did, it would no longer be my book. Even the slightest change can sidetrack a story. I have first hand experience with this concept.
In my eagerness to "learn" the rules of writing, I hired an editor. She was a developmental editor, who gave me her opinions about my manuscript. I learned so many things from the experience. The first: I will never hire another developmental editor. Why? Her influence led me to rewrite the entire story. While I appreciate her insights and do think my Elemental Enmity series ended up a much deeper tale, I have learned enough about my writing to not want that much feedback again.
A developmental editor is a good idea when you know you want to write, but you aren't confident in your writing abilities. These editors break down every sentence, explain why a concept might not work, and give you ideas to improve your story. If this is the stage you are in as a writer, then a developmental editor will probably be just what you're looking for.
I value the experience I had with my editor because she helped me to see I was skimming the surface of the story. By rewriting, I changed the entire story, not just the words. Each choice a character makes leads to a destination which requires another choice.
In my first draft, Zach and Luke were featured, but in a completely different way. Rayla had a different life and outcome in that version, which was all based on her choices and the level of story I allowed into the manuscript. I had a vision of what the story "should be" when I started writing Rayla's adventure. I think the end product would have been good had I continued with the original plot, but it would have been much less organic, much less entertaining, at least to me, lol.
I learned a valuable lesson by hiring my developmental editor. I learned words and choices can change an entire story, and so can input from outside sources. We all want input when we write. It's natural. But there is a dark side to listening to someone else's ideas. The story can become theirs before you know it. When I scrapped the first draft of Rayla's tale, I realized just how much I had overlooked. There was an entire world I hadn't identified.
I'm pleased with the outcome, but I could have easily lost control and ended up with something that didn't resonate with me. I hired a different editor for the second draft, partly because I couldn't afford to hire the previous editor for an entire re-write, but mostly because I had become comfortable with the story and my writing. I hired a copy editor, who fixed my grammatical mistakes. We all need someone to go over our words to make sure our intent is clear. It's not wise to slap up a first draft and call it done. It's not :)
So my advice to any of you who want to hire a developmental editor: understand that you will likely question your story and your writing when the edit is complete. Understand you will pay a lot more for this type of edit than a copy edit. And understand that the person editing your work is only one person. The opinions expressed are only that. It's your job as the story owner to take or leave the advice.
When I started my writing journey, I had so many questions. I'm going to be doing some articles to explain what worked and didn't work for me. I hope it's helpful! I'd love to know what experiences you've had with developmental editors, and anything writing related that has helped you progress. Comments and questions are always welcome.
Much love,
Christie
My writing journey has been one of the best experiences of my life. It hasn't been easy. Most great experiences aren't, but what amazes me is how much I've learned in such a short time. As some of you may know, I haven't always written. I started a few years ago because I had a story that wouldn't let me go. I wrote the words in blur of ignorant bliss. Once I completed my first draft, I thought I was done. I had to decide if I wanted to pursue publishing the story, so I set out to learn the "rules" for being a writer, how to get published, and pretty much anything I could find on how to write the dreaded "query letter".
Many things have changed since I typed those first words. I've completed six books! Whoopa! I've decided, at least for now, self publishing works for me. Why? Many reasons, but most of all because I am a control freak when it comes to my books. I don't want to give someone else the right to tell me I have to change the story to fit his or her idea of what the book should be. If I did, it would no longer be my book. Even the slightest change can sidetrack a story. I have first hand experience with this concept.
In my eagerness to "learn" the rules of writing, I hired an editor. She was a developmental editor, who gave me her opinions about my manuscript. I learned so many things from the experience. The first: I will never hire another developmental editor. Why? Her influence led me to rewrite the entire story. While I appreciate her insights and do think my Elemental Enmity series ended up a much deeper tale, I have learned enough about my writing to not want that much feedback again.
A developmental editor is a good idea when you know you want to write, but you aren't confident in your writing abilities. These editors break down every sentence, explain why a concept might not work, and give you ideas to improve your story. If this is the stage you are in as a writer, then a developmental editor will probably be just what you're looking for.
I value the experience I had with my editor because she helped me to see I was skimming the surface of the story. By rewriting, I changed the entire story, not just the words. Each choice a character makes leads to a destination which requires another choice.
In my first draft, Zach and Luke were featured, but in a completely different way. Rayla had a different life and outcome in that version, which was all based on her choices and the level of story I allowed into the manuscript. I had a vision of what the story "should be" when I started writing Rayla's adventure. I think the end product would have been good had I continued with the original plot, but it would have been much less organic, much less entertaining, at least to me, lol.
I learned a valuable lesson by hiring my developmental editor. I learned words and choices can change an entire story, and so can input from outside sources. We all want input when we write. It's natural. But there is a dark side to listening to someone else's ideas. The story can become theirs before you know it. When I scrapped the first draft of Rayla's tale, I realized just how much I had overlooked. There was an entire world I hadn't identified.
I'm pleased with the outcome, but I could have easily lost control and ended up with something that didn't resonate with me. I hired a different editor for the second draft, partly because I couldn't afford to hire the previous editor for an entire re-write, but mostly because I had become comfortable with the story and my writing. I hired a copy editor, who fixed my grammatical mistakes. We all need someone to go over our words to make sure our intent is clear. It's not wise to slap up a first draft and call it done. It's not :)
So my advice to any of you who want to hire a developmental editor: understand that you will likely question your story and your writing when the edit is complete. Understand you will pay a lot more for this type of edit than a copy edit. And understand that the person editing your work is only one person. The opinions expressed are only that. It's your job as the story owner to take or leave the advice.
When I started my writing journey, I had so many questions. I'm going to be doing some articles to explain what worked and didn't work for me. I hope it's helpful! I'd love to know what experiences you've had with developmental editors, and anything writing related that has helped you progress. Comments and questions are always welcome.
Much love,
Christie
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Cover Reveal--The Deep End of the Sea by Heather Lyons!
We are extremely excited to be able to share with you the cover for Heather Lyons' THE DEEP END OF THE SEA!! The cover alone is giving us chills! You can buy THE DEEP END OF THE SEA February 13, 2014!!
About THE DEEP END OF THE SEA:
What if all the legends you’ve learned were wrong?
Brutally attacked by one god and unfairly cursed by another she faithfully served, Medusa has spent the last two thousand years living out her punishment on an enchanted isle in the Aegean Sea. A far cry from the monster legends depict, she’s spent her time educating herself, gardening, and desperately trying to frighten away adventure seekers who occasionally end up, much to her dismay, as statues when they manage to catch her off guard. As time marches on without her, Medusa wishes for nothing more than to be given a second chance at a life stolen away at far too young an age.
But then comes a day when Hermes, one of the few friends she still has and the only deity she trusts, petitions the rest of the gods and goddesses to reverse the curse. Thus begins a journey toward healing and redemption, of reclaiming a life after tragedy, and of just how powerful friendship and love can be—because sometimes, you have to sink in the deep end of the sea before you can rise back up again.
About Heather Lyons:
Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.
Links:
Website: http://www.heatherlyons.net
Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Friday, December 13, 2013
Books-to-Movies Celebration--Daughters of Saraquael Trilogy by Raine Thomas!
Books-to-Movies Celebration: Raine Thomas’ Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy on Sale!
The books follow eighteen-year-old sisters, Amber, Olivia, and Skye, as they discover the truth about their origins and fight to save a race of beings they never knew existed. Filled with action, adventure, love and intrigue, the stories will translate wonderfully to the big screen.
~ Three signed paperbacks of the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy
~ Three bracelets inspired by the books
~ $10 Amazon gift card
~ YOUR NAME IN THE NEXT ESTILORIAN NOVEL
That’s right! There will be a seventh book in the Estilorian series coming out in 2014, so now’s the time to get caught up on these popular stories. To get you started, Raine is offering the first book in the series, Becoming , for just 99 cents until 12/27. Or you can pick up the entire trilogy for just $4.99 during that time, a two-dollar savings!~ Three bracelets inspired by the books
~ $10 Amazon gift card
~ YOUR NAME IN THE NEXT ESTILORIAN NOVEL
Buy Becoming on Amazon ~ Buy Becoming on Barnes and Noble
Buy the DofS Trilogy on Amazon ~ Buy the DofS on Barnes and Noble
ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Cover Reveal and Sneak Peek--Tainted (Netherworld Book II) by Christie Rich!
The good news: Tainted is one step closer to being finished. It's in the final stages before formatting. Yay!
Are you ready to see the beautiful cover Amber McNemar came up with this time? I just love it!
.jpg)
Are you ready to see the beautiful cover Amber McNemar came up with this time? I just love it!
.jpg)
How about an excerpt?
Blackness swirls around me. No light exists, yet
I’m aware of the varying degrees of darkness. The air singes my nose with
putrid scents speaking of decay and death. All around me, moans pierce my
senses. Disembodied voices cry out for help . . . others in ecstasy.
I curl in on myself to cover my nose sure I’ve
been transported to hell. The damned take shape before me as my mind sees what
my eyes cannot. Bodies litter the ground, only inches from where I crouch. I
pull in a gasp, only to gag on the stench.
Up ahead sits a man on a throne settled high above
us. His beauty can only be described as grotesque. Deep black hair cascades
over his shoulders, sleek and alluring. His eyes, dark as ebony should be
soulless, but rich emotion pours off him as he takes in his subjects, who creep
toward him in a slow moving wave.
One man, I think it’s a man, beats the others to
the throne. He raises an arm toward the king of this world, moaning. So much
need in one tiny sound.
Lightning fast, the king touches the tip of the
man’s outstretched finger. His subject groans in an odd acknowledgement of
pleasure that makes my stomach lurch. I gag, and the sound ricochets through
the space.
The king snaps up, searching the darkness until
his gaze rests on me. Defiant, I stand, staring at this abomination.
In a matter of seconds, the man at his feet
screams in agony, writhing on the floor, only to be tossed aside by another
soul who lurches up, outstretching her hand toward the king.
He ignores her, and she wails in a piercing cry,
making me cringe. Others join in. The king moves from the throne to descend the
steps. I recoil away from him. Step by agonizing step, I retreat.
While all these people beg and plead for his
attention, I cannot get away fast enough. I take another step back, crunching
something under my boot. What was that? Even though I shouldn’t look away from
the king, I glance behind me. A gasp slips out of me when I recognize the thing
under my foot as a hand. The person, who should be screaming in pain, merely
stares at me in what looks like wonder. Something sparks in the eyes.
Recognition?
I shift my weight to escape, but only manage to
step on someone else. Tissue gives and squishes, yet they make no noise.
The king smiles, brilliant white teeth flashing in
the darkness. He stops his trek toward me, but sweeps his arm my way. His
heavenly voice sends a shockwave of raw desire through me, yet his words set my
insides quaking. “Behold . . . your new queen.”
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Teaser! Beneath Manhattan Skies by Emma Meade!
A few weeks ago I brought you this fab cover for Emma Mead's Beneath Manhattan Skies. Today, Emma has given us a little teaser into this world. Love Emma's writing and can't wait to read this one!
Beneath
Manhattan Skies by Emma Meade
November in New York is cold but full of
possibility for college freshman Erin Harris. When her twin brother, Nick,
shows up on her doorstep for a surprise visit, Erin is delighted.
Unfortunately, Nick’s arrival coincides with the discovery of a body outside
her apartment building, a body drained of blood. Right away, Nick assumes
vampires are involved. He’s not exactly their biggest fan since Erin dated one
in high school.
Juggling nosy roommates, a first date with a gorgeous
guy from college and a brother on a Van Helsing kick is enough to keep any
nineteen year old girl busy – And then Erin’s old flame walks back into her
life.
Is Erin destined to be caught up in supernatural
shenanigans, or will she choose a different path?
(45,000 word novella)
Teaser
Calm down,
a soothing inner voice advised. Could be wishful thinking and nothing more. She
wanted so desperately to see James, she was inventing vampire activity where
there likely was none. Maybe the girl had simply suffered the hickey from hell.
No. Erin’s gut told her she’d got it
right the first time.
Max
led the girl away. Lucky for him, in his cozy world, his friend was simply
drunk, and vampires didn't exist. Erin trailed them until they left the roof.
At least the girl was alright. Nothing an iron tablet wouldn't fix.
“Erin,
you okay?” Sadie peered closer. “You look like you've seen a ghost.”
Author Bio
Emma
Meade lives in rainy Ireland. She loves vampires, slayers, witches, ghosts,
aliens & shadow men (or at least the youngest of the Shadow Men), and
regular people who live extraordinary lives (think Slayerettes and you’re on
the right track). Books, DVDS & TV show boxsets take up lots of space in
her home, and she collects all the Point Horror books she can get her
hands on. Writing supernatural stories and watching marathon re-runs of Buffy are some of her favourite
ways of escaping reality.
Connect
with Emma on:
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)