Lichgates by S.M. Boyce - Tour with Review & Giveaway

Thanks for joining me today for my tour stop for Lichgates by S.M. Boyce. This is a review tour that runs December 1-12. Lichgates is a young adult fantasy and is the first in the series. Check out the tour page for the schedule. Read all about the book, check out the giveaway, and then see my review below!

About the Book:

Lichgates (Grimoire Saga #1)

The final page will leave you breathless.

When Kara Magari uncovers a secret door in the middle of the forest, she discovers (and trips through) a portal to a hidden world full of terrifying things: Ourea. She just wants to go home, but the natives have other plans for her. She clashes with immortal shapeshifters, is carried off by a dragon, nearly dies on several occasions, and somehow becomes the master of an ancient book of magic called the Grimoire. Every time she thinks she's safe, her new "friends" show their true colors.

Kara needs an ally, or she might not survive Ourea's monsters. She drops her guard when Braeden, a native soldier with a dark secret, vows to keep her safe. And though she doesn't know it, her growing attraction to him may just be her undoing.

For twelve years, Braeden Drakonin has lived a lie. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. Though he begins to care for this stranded girl, there's something he wants more. He wants the Grimoire.

Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive.

Boyce’s Store: ePub | Mobi | Signed Paperback

Amazon: US | UK | DE | FR | ES | IT

Other Retailers: Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Smashwords

Goodreads

About S.M. Boyce:

 

When I graduated with a degree in creative writing, I realized that made me well qualified for serving French fries. It would take years of writing hundreds of thousands of words of all kinds before I became the action and adventure bestselling author that I am today.

I specialize in action-packed stories that weave in fantasy, mystery, and heroines with a knack for mischief. All romantic leads are based loosely on my husband, who proved that soul mates are real. I have a deep love for ghosts, magic, and spooky things. If you’ve already finished my books, check out my blog or twitter feed for a dash of adventure.

Links:

Contact Form | Website | Blog

Social Media:

Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | YouTube |Pinterest | Amazon | Goodreads 

Giveaway:

A beautiful Grimoire Saga Pendant

US only
Ends December 17th

a Rafflecopter giveaway
REVIEW: 3.75 out of 5
I couldn't decide between 3.5 and 4 stars.  So would that make it 3.75? =D  This was a really fun concept, and I definitely followed Kara, Braeden, and all the other Oureans through the ups and downs of this story. Characterization was great and plot was very interesting. The one fairly big issue I had with this one was that certain sections felt over written, especially areas that were being described (scenery and the like). It felt a bit forced and it took me out of the story in an otherwise very engaging book. I will definitely check out the next book, Treason, to see where the story takes us from here, but I would recommend this book for YA fantasy fans.

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

The House on Christmas Street

Check out this fun Christmas tune that deserves to be a Christmas classic!  I know, for me, I love seeing "that house," the one that's decked (no pun intended ;-) ) to the nines -- although I'm past my childhood, seeing super Christmas decorations fills me with the joy and wonder that Christmas should be about!

Please go give this a listen and share, share, share!

Piers Anthony Reviews Fantasy For Good: A Charitable Anthology!

The inimitable Piers Anthony reviews Fantasy For Good: A Charitable Anthology! Mr. Anthony not only generously donated a new story to the anthology, but took the time to review it for his newsletter as well!  Click the image below to read the review (in the second paragraph):

Pre-Order Fantasy for Good in trade paperback format here, Kindle format here, and all other ebook formats here. Release date 12/09/14 from Nightscape Press.

NaNoWriMo '14

Do you NaNo? NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is upon us -- yay!  This makes I believe my ninth year. I've still yet to "win."  Maybe this will be the year!  Will try to do updates along the way.

Off to a great start so far.  I'm writing two stories, an urban fantasy and a suspense/thriller. So far between the two I'm at 3719 words at the close of Day One.  Very happy with my progress.

If you want to be writing buddies, my name on the site is jmwilson529.  What's yours?  Are you participating this year?  Have you in the past?  What's your novel about?  Do you outline/plan or run with the full "No Plot? No Problem!" philosophy?

My husband, 13-year-old son, and I are all participating.  It's a really fun family activity!  My husband closed out the day at 2105 words and my son at 1625 (he's doing the Young Writers Program and has set a goal of 25,000 words -- he's well on his way. Super proud momma!).

Nightscape Press 2014 Halloween Sale Price List Ad

The Nightscape Press 2014 Halloween Half-Off Horror Sale is in full swing on our webstore.  All prices are good through the end of Halloween 2014.  Check out the price list below (in graphical form!) Click the image to go to the webstore.

Happy Halloween From Nightscape Press

Your Halloween treat has come early:  All Nightscape Press books are now HALF (50%) OFF retail price over at our webstore!  Click the image below to check out all the great prices.  Sales prices are good from now until the end of Halloween on all ebooks, trade paperbacks (including pre-orders!)

Grab some great Halloween reads, stock up for Christmas (it'll be here before you know it!), birthday presents for all the horror fans you know, or for that "no reason other than I was thinking of you" occasion!

Nightscape Press Halloween 2014 50% Off Sale

Mark your calendars: October 24th, 2014 through the end of Halloween (October 31st, 2014) ALL Nightscape Press books (electronic and trade paperback) will be on sale for 50% off retail!  This will be a great time to stock up on some books!  They make great presents: Christmas, Birthday, or no occasion at all!  Choose from Stoker-nominated and Stoker-winning books as well as books whose proceeds go directly to charity!  Don't miss it!  Click on the image above or follow this link: Nightscape Press Halloween Sale

(Note: Sales prices won't be valid until 10/24/14)

Pre-Order Fantasy For Good!

Release Date: 12/9/2014 in Trade Paperback and all eBook formats! Pre-Order Now!

Paperback Pre-Order Link: Trade Paperback Pre-Order on the Nightscape Press Web Store

Kindle Pre-Order Link: Amazon Kindle Pre-Order

eBook (MOBI/EPUB/PDF) Pre-Order Link: eBook Pre-Order Link on the Nightscape Press Web Store

From Sword and Sorcery to Paranormal Romance, from Weird Fiction to Fairy Tales, Fantasy For Good presents a wide range of exciting short fiction to accommodate every taste. In this collection of thirty stories, legendary authors (including NYT Bestsellers and World Fantasy Award winners) and great new up-and-comers in the genre spin tales of magic and mayhem.

Featuring brand new fiction from Piers Anthony, Michael Moorcock, Carrie Vaughn, Kelley Armstrong, Alan Dean Foster, Katharine Kerr, David Farland, Jane Lindskold, Nnedi Okorafor, Todd McCaffrey and many more, alongside classic tales from George R.R. Martin, Jay Lake, Kevin J.                                                                                                               Anderson & Rebecca Moesta, and Neil Gaiman.

Fantasy For Good also includes a classic tale by master novelist, Roger Zelazny, author of the Nine Princes in Amber, who passed away in 1995 after a battle with colorectal cancer. His son, Trent, provides a moving introduction.

All proceeds from the sale of this anthology go directly to The Colon Cancer Alliance, a charity dedicated to the prevention of this deadly disease, as well as funding research and supporting patients who suffer from it.

Table of Contents:
Horseman, Pass By – An Introduction — Trent Zelazny
The Edge of Magic — Henry Szabranski
Annual Dues — Ken Scholes
The Kitsune’s Nine Tales — Kelley Armstrong
Elroy Wooden Sword — S.C. Hayden
In the Lost Lands — George R.R. Martin
Worms Rising From the Dirt — David Farland
Snow Wolf and Evening Wolf — James Enge
Knight’s Errand — Jane Lindskold
Languid in Rose — Frances Silversmith
Green They Were, and Golden-Eyed — Alan Dean Foster
Golden — Todd McCaffrey
Mountain Spirit — Piers Anthony
Moon Glass — Megan Moore
The George Business — Roger Zelazny
Only the End of the World Again — Neil Gaiman
Lenora of the Low — Marina J. Lostetter
Trufan Fever — Katharine Kerr
Undying Love — Jackie Kessler
Dancing With the Mouse King — Carrie Vaughn
Showlogo — Nnedi Okorafor
The Bluest Hour — Jaye Wells
Pandal Food — Samit Basu
Loincloth — Kevin J Anderson and Rebecca Moesta
Man of Water — Kyle Aisteach
Bones of a Righteous Man — Michael Ezell
Time’s Mistress — Steven Savile
Little Pig, Berry Brown and the Hard Moon — Jay Lake
The Grenade Garden — Michael Moorcock
Sand and Teeth — Carmen Tudor
The Seas of Heaven — David Parish-Whittaker

The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck| Author Interview with Stan Swanson

Thanks for joining my stop on this fun tour!! I have an interview with the author, Stan Swanson.  Check out details about the book and then check out the interview!


The Misadentures of Hobart Hucklebuck by Stan Swanson is a middle grade fantasy and the tour runs October 13-17 with reviews & author interviews. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

The book is aimed at ages 8-12 but as an adult I found it wildly entertaining and a load of fun!

The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck

Things are not as they should be in Pennywhistle. Enchanted toasters are not toasting, enchanted sprinklers are not sprinkling and Hobart Hucklebuck's origami messenger birds are suddenly attacking him. Someone seems to be draining the power from all of the enchanted items in the village. But who could it be and why have they implicated Hobart's grandfather? The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck: Magic & Mayhem follows Hobart and his friends, Specks Spacklethack and Rosie Rumpleskirt, as they try to solve this mystery and free Hobart's grandfather from the Tower of Tribulation on Mumblemonk Mountain. The trio's investigation into the mysterious happenings on Druid Lane gets them into hot water more than once and ultimately brings them dangerously close to disaster not only for themselves, but the entire village of Pennywhistle.

Website

Author Interview with Stan Swanson:


Is Hobart you as a young child or where did you pull your inspiration for him from?
I didn’t really model Hobart after me as a child although I suspect there is either some part of myself or friends I knew when I was growing up in each of my characters. I feel an author has to know their characters very well and our childhoods have very deep impacts on our lives as we grow older. But if we are lucky, we all keep part of that childhood tucked away in our memories. I try to bring back those memories of growing up with my siblings as well as my friends in all of my writing.

What do you consider the distinction between middle grades/YA and what interests you about writing in that space?
Sometimes there is a fine line between writing for middle grades and young adult. And, of course, there are middle graders who can read and understand young adult writing without a problem, so one also has to consider reading levels and those don’t always correspond with grade levels. I write young adult and middle grade novels and enjoy both. I have also written picture books and novels strictly for adults, so I’ve covered a lot of territory. And, of course, the nice thing about middle grade and young adult novels is that there are many adults who also enjoy reading these genres.

What's one thing that's surprised you writing for kids?
I guess what initially surprised me the most was that I could do it. In fact, writing for middle graders is one of my favorite things to do. And don’t let anyone tell you it’s easier to write for the younger generations than it is for adults. Writing is hard work no matter who you are writing for or what you are writing about. (My wife says I do well with writing for middle graders as I still have the mind of a 10-year-old. I’m still not sure if she is kidding or not...)

Do you have any kids to beta read for you?
I really don’t use beta readers for anything I write. I will, however, occasionally ask a neighbor or a one of my grandchildren if a phrase is still popular so I don’t get too “out-of-date.”

Who's your favorite character in the book?
I enjoy all of my characters whether they are a major character or just someone who shows up a couple of times. I feel like I know them all and try to make each of them as “real” as possible.

What's next for Hobart/any other middle grades/YA books in the works?
The second book in The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck is already with the fine people at Curiosity Quills although we haven’t settled on a release date. I am also currently doing the outline for the third book in the series. I am also a big fan of steampunk and am slowly working my way through two steampunk manuscripts for young adults.

If The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck was made into a movie, who would you see playing Hobart?
I don’t really see The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck as a movie, but I think it would make a great animated film. LOL.

AUTHOR BIO:

Stan Swanson is a Bram Stoker award finalist and author of eight books including Horror High School: Return of the Loving Dead (the first book in a young adult horror series co-written with Araminta Star Matthews), Wind Up Hearts (a romance novella with a hint of steampunk), Forever Zombie (a collection of short stories), Write of the Living Dead (a highly-praised writing guide written with Araminta Star Matthews and Rachel Lee) and Return of the Scream Queen (co-authored with Michael McCarty and Linnea Quigley). He is also editor/publisher for Dark Moon Books and Dark Moon Digest. Upcoming titles include Dead Sparrows (a collection of apocalyptic poetry), The Methlands (a horror novel co-written with award-winning author Joe McKinney) and The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck: Pandemonium in Pennywhistle.

REVIEW: The Girl Who Came Back To Life by Craig Staufenberg (3.5 stars out of 5 stars)

Thanks for joining us today for my review of The Girl Who Came Back to Life by Craig Staufenberg!  I'm excited to share my review of this book with you -- but first, some background information =D


The Girl Who Came Back to Life is a Middle Grade Fantasy (fable/fairytale) and the tour runs October 13-17 with reviews only. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

The Girl Who Came Back to Life by Craig Staufenberg

When you die, your spirit wakes in the north, in the City of the Dead. There, you wander the cold until one of your living loved ones finds you, says "Goodbye," and Sends you to the next world. After her parents die, 12-year-old Sophie refuses to release their spirits. Instead, she resolves to travel to the City of the Dead to bring her mother and father’s spirits back home with her. Taking the long pilgrimage north with her gruff & distant grandmother—by train, by foot, by boat; over ruined mountains and plains and oceans—Sophie struggles to return what death stole from her. Yet the journey offers her many hard, unexpected lessons—what to hold on to, when to let go, and who she must truly bring back to life.


Amazon | Goodreads 






 REVIEW: 3.5 stars out of 5

I felt this was a really interesting concept. It's a dark topic but was handled respectfully and in such a way that was very appropriate for the age group.  I'd be interested to see how the target audience perceives the writing, topic, and story.  For me, as an adult, it felt a little young, which for a middle grades book isn't a bad thing, but there's a difference between a middle grades/YA book that anyone of any age can read, and a book in that age range that feels "young." That would really be my only "criticsm" for the book. And feel free to take that with a grain of salt due to the middle grades read by an adult thing ;-) Otherwise, it was very well done with good characters, story line, and ending.   If you read the book and/or have your kids read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

About the Author:
Craig Staufenberg is a writer and filmmaker living in NYC.

Website: craigstaufenberg.com

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads 

Giveaway:

3 signed copies of The Girl Who Came Back to Life by Craig Staufenberg (US)

3 ebook copies of The Girl Who Came Back to Life (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fantasy For Good: A Charitable Anthology

FANTASY FOR GOOD: A CHARITABLE ANTHOLOGY is now available for pre-order for Kindle!  This is the second book in our "For Good" line (The first being Horror For Good, which continues to raise money for amfAR, an AIDS research charity)

This book will be available in trade paperback and all e-book formats and all proceeds will go to the Colon Cancer Alliance!

Check out the Table of Contents:

The Edge of Magic – Henry Szabranski

Annual Dues – Ken Scholes

The Kitsuneís Nine Tales – Kelley Armstrong

Elroy Wooden Sword – S.C. Hayden

In the Lost Lands – George R.R. Martin

Worms Rising From the Dirt – David Farland

Snow Wolf and Evening Wolf – James Enge

Knightís Errand – Jane Lindskold

Languid in Rose – Frances Silversmith

Green They Were, and Golden-Eyed – Alan Dean Foster

Golden – Todd McCaffrey

Mountain Spirit – Piers Anthony

Moon Glass – Megan Moore

The George Business – Roger Zelazny

Only the End of the World Again – Neil Gaiman

Lenora of the Low – Marina J. Lostetter

Trufan Fever – Katherine Kerr

Undying Love – Jackie Kessler

Dancing With the Mouse King – Carrie Vaughn

Showlogo – Nnedi Okorafor

The Bluest Hour – Jaye Wells

Pandal Food – Samit Basu

Loincloth – Kevin J Anderson and Rebecca Moesta

Man of Water – Kyle Aisteach

Bones of a Righteous Man – Michael Ezell

Time's Mistress – Steven Savile

Little Pig, Berry Brown and the Hard Moon – Jay Lake

The Grenade Garden – Michael Moorcock

Sand and Teeth – Carmen Tudor

The Seas of Heaven – David Parish-Whittaker

COVER REVEAL: HENGE by Realm Lovejoy (YA Fantasy)

Modern-day Camelot. Where knights no longer carry swords. Magic is dangerous. And those who seek control are not to be trusted.

I'm excited to share the cover reveal of Henge by Realm Lovejoy. Henge is a YA Fantasy that is a modern spin-off of the Arthurian legends featuring Morgan le Fay as the protagonist. It is due to release this fall. The cover art is by the author, Realm Lovejoy.

About the book:
Modern-day Camelot. Where knights no longer carry swords. Magic is dangerous. And those who seek control are not to be trusted.

Sixteen-year-old Morgan le Fay is a fire user. An ordinary girl with an extraordinary skill, she has the ability to create and command fire at will. Her dream is to become the Maven—the right hand of the future King Arthur. In the chance of a lifetime, Morgan is selected to join Arthur’s Round, an elite group of young magic users from which the new Maven will be chosen.

Along with the other fire, water, and wind users in Arthur’s Round, Morgan is rigorously trained and tested. The handsome Merlin, a brilliant water user, takes a particular interest in her. Is his friendship to be trusted, or is Merlin simply trying to win the position of Maven for himself? Among the many rivals Morgan faces is the current Maven, Mordred, who seems determined to see her fail.

But Morgan has a secret—years ago, her mother was executed for using fire magic, and Morgan’s desire for justice makes her more than ready to take on the challenge before her. Can she prevail in Camelot’s tests of survival and magic? Only time—and Morgan’s powerful fire—will tell.

Realm Lovejoy’s modern Arthurian series features one of literature’s most complicated and powerful female figures. Henge is the first book in the LE FAY series, and—like Morgan le Fay’s magic—it is sure to dazzle and amaze.

Add it on Goodreads!

About the Author:

Realm Lovejoy is an American writer and an artist. She grew up in both Washington State and the Japanese Alps of Nagano, Japan. Currently, she lives in Seattle and works as an artist in the video game industry. CLAN is her first book. You can find out more about her and her book at www.realmlovejoy.com


Find the Author:
Webpage | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Tumblr

Giveaway:

$30 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nightscape Press and Past Curfew Press

Been a little while since I mentioned happenings in the publishing world -- in addition to having our Amazon webstore:

Our webstore is now up and running (and newly redesigned) on our website:

(Click on the pictures to visit the stores)

Neurotica by Eliza Gordon - Available Now!

Neurotica by Eliza Gordon, a romantic comedy, is available now! You can buy it at 

Amazon | B&N | Kobo

&

don't forget to add it on Goodreads!

If you find yourself talking to Jayne Dandy, keep the conversation on Star Wars and rubber ducks—best not to mention men, dating, or S-E-X. Because Jayne is fine with the way things are: writer of obituaries and garage sale ads by day, secret scribe of adventures in distant galaxies by night. But her crippling fear of intimacy has made her the butt of jokes since forever, and hiding behind her laptop isn’t going to get her lightsaber lit. 

After her therapist recommends that she write erotica as a form of exposure therapy, Jayne joins forces with pen and paper to combat the demons that won’t let her kiss and tell. Unexpectedly downsized at work, she adopts a pseudonym and secretly self-publishes one of her naughty books to make ends meet. When her adorable, long-time friend Luke, co-owner of the popular Portland food truck Luke Piewalker’s, hears she’s been demoted, he insists on hiring her to sling éclairs and turnovers at his side. Her secret must be kept, but sparks ignite between them, sending Jayne and her X-Wing into a tailspin that will either make her face down her neuroses or trigger a meltdown of Death Star proportions.

A purveyor of fictions, Eliza Gordon has excellent taste in books, shoes, movies, and friends, and questionable sanity in the realm of love. Best leave that one alone. www.elizagordon.com

Connect:

Website |  Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

My Birthday Wish (7/12)

So as you may or may not know, July 12th is my birthday. I can't say I've been "dreading" turning another year older, but I haven't exactly been looking forward to it and may or may not have mentioned to my husband that we could just skip it this year... LOL

I don't need presents.. while there are things I want or that would make my life easier, I've got all I *need* at the moment. As such, what I think would make my birthday extra awesome would be if you would consider donating $5 (or more, if you can, or sharing this, if you can't afford to donate right now) to a worthy charity. You don't have to pick one I list here. If there's a charity you've been meaning to donate to, by all means, have at it. But there are a few places that I think are very worthy of needing some extra money right now, and in honor of my birthday, it'd be awesome if you'd consider donating. (Free to leave a comment if you know of another one I should add to the list)

So at least this way, some good can come out of me inching ever closer to my "mid-30s" 

The Girl Who Believed in Fairy Tales by Heidi Garrett with Giveaway!!

The Girl Who Believed in Fairy Tales

Sub Genre: Magical Realism

Release Date: June 23, 2014

Heather Baker believes in fairy tales, and she turns to their timeless wisdom whenever life gets difficult. 

Again and again, the playfulness, symbolism, and deeper meaning in fairy tales have filled Heather with hope, nurtured her spirit, and fired her imagination. Sometimes touching, and sometimes humorous, these tales capture the three most transformative experiences in her life: 

—Heather reframes her childhood sorrow in “The Girl Who Watched for Elves” 

—She embarks upon a life imbued with meaning in “The Girl Who Dreamed of Red Shoes” 

—And after taking several wrong turns, she finds the place where she belongs in “The Girl Who Couldn’t Sing” 

The Girl Who Believed in Fairy Tales chronicles the journey of someone who was willing to change the way she viewed the world... and never stopped believing.

Amazon | GoodReads

The Archetypal Fairy Tale Journey

Many adults love fairy tales as much as children do. Why is this so? And why are fairy tales and their retellings so enduring?

In every fairy tale, five things always happen to the fairy tale character: She leaves home, she gets lost in the woods, she faces obstacles and/or tests, she overcomes these challenges, and she finds her happily ever after.

That journey, the fairy tale character’s journey, is archetypal because it involves the task of discovering and committing to the true Self. Since each of us yearns to connect with the true Self, the archetypal fairy tale journey is compelling in the tips and clues it offers about such an undertaking.

1.

Leaving Home

Fairy Tale Character’s (FTC’s) leave home. The impetus for the departure varies; curiosity, duplicity, parents who are invasive, stepparents who are envious, a call to duty and/or sacrifice—something—ousts the naive child from their secure, loving environment.

2.

Getting Lost in the Woods

The FTC always stumbles and falls psychologically, metaphorically, and literally in the first stage of her journey. Her naiveté, fear, and inexperience lead her to make poor choices that inevitably heighten her dire situation.

3.

Facing Obstacles and Tests

As more trouble is heaped upon the FTC, she is driven to experiment. She must embrace her innate strength, courage, and/or cleverness; and she must make wiser choices in regards to her relationships and who she trusts. Otherwise, she’ll be fated to eke out a meek/mean/meager/impoverished existence… or die.

4.

Overcoming the Challenges

Once the FTC comes into her own, i.e. once her consciousness has evolved to the point where she has become her own authority, she can achieve mastery over the trials that face her.

5.

Living Happily Ever After

Living in accordance with her true nature, and following her true path, is the FTC’s ultimate living happily ever after. Partnering with the beloved is a function of her matured Self.

Throughout our very real lives, we cycle through these phases again and again and again. Fairy tales, presumably the province of children, can be quite effective in spurring adults toward believing in themselves—and Happily Ever Afters—as well.

That is the enduring power of the archetypal fairy tale journey.

About The Girl Who Couldn’t Sing:

She began to meditate upon "The Ugly Duckling” for she'd always imagined herself as a misplaced swan. But with all the changes, and her sadness shedding like the skin of snake, she'd stare in the mirror and whisper, “Perhaps, you're not even a bird."

Heather Baker struggles to find the balance between fantasy and reality in her everyday life. Enticed by Neptune, the planet that rules everything hazy and glamourous--she's desperate to become the next indie singer/songwriter sensation. Dogged by Saturn, the planet that rules obstacles and everything practical--she's confronted with the limitations of her abilities and talent.

Which planet will win?

“The Girl Who Couldn’t Sing” is free on Amazon June 23rd-27th!

Author Bio

Heidi Garrett is the author of the contemporary fairy tale novella collection, Once Upon a Time Today. In these stand-alone retellings of popular and obscure fairy tales, adult characters navigate the deep woods of the modern landscape to find their Happily Ever Afters.

She's also the author of the Daughter of Light series, a fantasy about a young half-faerie, half-mortal searching for her place in the Whole. Heidi's latest project is a collaboration with Billie Limpin. They're cooking up a yummy paranormal romance!

Signup for Heidi's newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/wWKUj for discounts on all new releases!

Heidi was born in Texas, and in an attempt to reside in as many cities in that state as she could, made it to Houston, Lubbock, Austin, and El Paso. She now lives in Eastern Washington state with her husband, their two cats, her laptop, and her Kindle.

Being from the South, she often contemplates the magic of snow.

Website/Blog

Facebook for Heidi Garrett

Facebook for The Magic Cupcake Series

Giveaway:

5 lucky people get a signed copy of The Girl Who Believed in Fairy Tales & a happily every after bracelet 

US only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions

The Summer Sacrifice by Holly Hinton -- Release Week Teaser Tour + Giveaway!

Upper middle grade fantasy THE SUMMER SACRIFICE will be available to buy from major online retailers as of June 21st 2014. Available in ebook and paperback form. (Audiobook to follow.)

Click here to read Chapter One of The Summer Sacrifice.
Click here to listen to the first chapter of The Summer Sacrifice's audiobook.
  Click here to watch Holly visiting Dancing Ledge: the birthplace of The Summer Sacrifice.

Praise for The Summer Sacrifice

"The present world is often terrifying to a sensible adult. Hinton reflects its effect on youngsters in a powerfully imagined world that hums with poetry. In its pages, in the words of Yeats, a terrible beauty is born. Herein lies empathy, barreling adventure and an iconic heroine, Jamie Tuff."

Charles Bane Jr., award winning author of The Chapbook, and Love Poems; creator of The Meaning Of Poetry series for The Gutenberg Project, and nominee as Poet Laureate of Florida.

Meet Jamie Tuff and her friends:

​Jamie Tuff"I just happen to drop into other people’s bodies now and then, but don’t worry, I can't control it!"  

​Seveny Brown “Symbol my arse. That is a dead and stinking bird, attached to a dead and stinking snake!”

 George Button “If I go to Askerwell I’ll be dragged down to hell! Can I take anyone with me?”

 ​Max Lively“Did you see me smash it? Blake didn’t know what was coming when I wrestled him to the ground!”

Ella Rose Last “Transparent means being honest, rule-abiding, nice and good. I’m all those things, aren’t I?”

Join Jamie Tuff and friends on their adventures through land, sea and sky, in a world where stars walk and Halfhawks fly.

Portraits and group painted by David Revoy.

Welcome to the Island

​

​Map designed by Joel Sams.

No Place Only the Island survived the Great Storm. It's quite small and just a quarter of it is inhabited. That quarter is called No Place.   

The Establishment The Establishment rule No Place. Here is what they have to say: “We in the Establishment save lives through the boundaries we create. Our boundaries are your protectors. And trespassers will be punished.”   

Pity Me Pity Me is No Place's largest settlement and its capital.   

The Perfects The Pity Me Perfects are students selected by the Establishment to help them rule, both in school and out. Officially, they are selected for their objectivity and fairness. Really, they are selected from the ranks of the wealthy. The Perfects do not live up to their name. 

The Tombland Gang The Tombland Gang are Pity Me School's resident thugs. As the Gang’s ranks have swollen, the number of orphans plummeting to their deaths has also grown. The Gang do live up to their name. 

Funnella Fitzgerald “I am the Headmistress of Pity Me School and the Head of the Establishment. But you probably all know that. At least, you ought to. . . ” 

Phosphor-Jones, Head of History “Dreaming is of little use, and not to be cultivated.”   

Miss Humfreeze, Head of English The English teacher's eyes look like they could tell a thousand tales, and her wide mouth often tells them. The manshu and juvenites love her for this, lapping up her words like they are delicious drops of non- fermented Honeydew. 

No Place's Chief Doctor “What a wonderful specimen you are! You’ll look perfect sweating out your life in my Laboratory!”  

AUDIOBOOK DRAMA

The actor in me wants to read everything out loud.

Reading The Summer Sacrifice aloud resulted in multiple revisions being made to the book. Voicing the text let me get close to my characters, see the world from outside of my own head, and it helped me gauge flow, pace and tone. Recording an audiobook seemed a natural conclusion to the publishing process. I looked forward to bringing The Summer Sacrifice to life in this way, and was excited about the potential the book would have to reach a broader audience.

When I was researching how to make and produce an audiobook, I found a podcast on The Creative Penn website, a great site for writers created by author Joanna Penn. During this podcast, acclaimed audiobook producer and author J. Daniel Sawyer talks prospective producers through the process of recording an audiobook, from preproduction to distribution.

Sawyer's advice is fantastic. Though he stresses it's a time-intensive and potentially expensive enterprise, he gives clear examples of how to go about creating your audiobook so that neither its quality nor your sanity is compromised.

On his list of things you need, I already had my voice, a good microphone, a basic knowledge of Audacity (an open source sound editing program), a wonderfully geeky boyfriend with a not-so-basic knowledge of Audacity, and a quiet room. I was so excited to commit the story to tape, but on the first day of recording, my preamp broke.

Luckily, my boyfriend gave me a Zoom sound recorder for my birthday.

The actual recording was a bit of a learning curve, and it took twice the time I had anticipated. I was much more adept at the process towards the end of recording the book. With the knowledge I had gained, I then rerecorded The Summer Sacrifice from the beginning.

The audiobook has some sound effects and original music. A few of the sounds are sampled from Sound Jay. Most of the sounds are recorded by me. For example my cat Max has a starring role. He can deliver up indignance, joy and "please feed me!" on a sixpence.

As soon as I know when the entire audiobook will be available to buy, I shall shout loudly about it here. Until then, I hope you enjoy Chapter One!

About the Author:

Holly grew up in a small, sleepy village in Suffolk. The acting bug hit her at age nine, when she was asked to play Baboushka in the school nativity. That same year she played the lead role of a naughty black poodle in a pet parlour themed ballet, and she thought she had made it. Years passed, but the acting bug didn’t. She went to Goldsmiths, University of London to study Drama, after which she completed her actor training at Arts Ed.

Writing a book was never part of the plan. But life’s full of swerves and surprises and ideas dropping into people’s heads. Holly had an idea drop into hers, and that idea became The Summer Sacrifice, and The Summer Sacrifice became the first book of the Master Game Series.

For more information please visit: http://www.hollyhinton.com/

Goodreads | Facebook | Tumblr | Twitter | Pinterest

 

GIVEAWAY!!!

Holly Hinton is giving away one signed copy of The Summer Sacrifice (Paperback), and a bookmark illustrated by David Revoy. Open Worldwide!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

EXCITING!!

Hello, lovely readers!  I do value each and every one of you -- my lack of posting in no way reflects my affection.  As most of you are hardworking individuals (be it as a mother, working mother, father, working father, writer, what have you), you know very well how *life* can get crazy hectic -- and with it being summer and the kids home, that much more!

But I have three posts in the works -- this will be just a teaser to get you ready for them =D

1) a recap post of the delicious tasting, but structurally unsound cake I made for my husband's birthday this past May

2) DISNEY!!!!!!!!!  (preparations for and accounts of our upcoming trip!!)

3)  A really, really cool product review that's in the works as I type/you read! 

Sorry that I can't do more, butt regarding #2, I have work and trip details to attend to before we leave!!!!   Thank you for spending a moment of your day with me ♥

Celebrating Chosen By You's Blogiversary with a Giveaway!

Chosen By You is having a blogiversary & hosting a giveaway!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A is for Apocalypse edited by Rhonda Parrish Cover Reveal & Giveaway

 Welcome to the cover reveal for A is for Apocalypse, an anthology edited by Rhonda Parrish.

Often bleak, sometimes hopeful, always thoughtful, if A is for Apocalypse is as prescient as it is entertaining, we're in for quite a ride.” - Amanda C. Davis, author of The Lair of the Twelve Princesses

What do you get when you take twenty-six amazing writers, randomly assign them a letter of the alphabet and give them complete artistic freedom within a theme?

A is for Apocalypse

A is for Apocalypse contains twenty-six apocalyptic stories written by both well-known and up-and-coming writers. Monsters, meteors, floods, war–the causes of the apocalypses in these tales are as varied as the stories themselves.

This volume contains work by Ennis Drake, Beth Cato, Kenneth Schneyer, Damien Angelica Walters, K. L. Young, Marge Simon, Milo James Fowler, Simon Kewin, C.S. MacCath, Steve Bornstein and more!

A is for Apocalypse

Edited by Rhonda Parrish

Poise and Pen Publishing

ISBN-13: 978-0993699016

ISBN-10: 0993699014

Cover Designed by Jonathan Parrish

Editors Website | Goodreads | A is for Apocalypse Mailing List

To celebrate we have a Q&A for you with some of the contributors!

As a contributor to this anthology you are privileged to have been able to read a proof copy of it already. Aside from your own story, which one is your favourite? No spoilers, please :)

Michael Kellar - "U is for REDACTED" got to me early on, and ended up being a perfect little glimpse of what would be important when facing the end of the world.

Marge Simon - That’s really, really a hard question to answer. But I’m picking Damian Angelica Walters’ moving “U is for REDACTED”. It reminded me much of one of my top favorite dark sf stories, “Testament”.  

Sara Cleto - I'll admit that I haven't read through the entire anthology yet (it will be my reward when I finish this semester's grading!), but I adore Brittany Warman's story- as always, her images are haunting, powerful, and full of wonderful folkloric resonances.

Beth Cato - I loved R. It's one of the longer stories in the anthology, I think, and it's a unique take on events leading up to the apocalypse. The whole vibe is creepy and gritty.

Blurbs:

“Editor Rhonda Parrish gives us apocalyptic fiction at its finest. There's not a whimper to be heard amongst these twenty-six End of the World stories. A wonderful collection.” -Deborah Walker, Nature Futures author.

Editor Bio:

“Rhonda Parrish is a shapeshifter with talents to match her every incarnation- magpie tenacity for picking the shiniest submissions, nightingale notes for crafting tales, and bright, feline eyes for seeking out her photographic subjects. She balances on the knife-edge of darkness and light, a sorceress of both realms.” - Sara Cleto

Giveaway:

Three ARC copies of  A is for Apocalypse. These are physical copies but I am willing to ship them to anywhere in the world. The Rafflecopter draw will run from May 12th to May 19th. On May 20th I will choose three winners and email them in order to get their shipping address. Anyone who doesn’t respond by May 27th will forfeit their prize and I will choose a new winner to receive it.

Fill out the rafflecopter to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.