Welcome one and all to my stop on the Bewitched Tour! This is perfect for the season, and author Cambria Hebert gave me a special post for you on one of her FAVORITE subjects — chickens!! Now, for those of you that know Cambria, you know that there was a lot of sarcasm in that statement. So, without further ado, I give to you…
Zombie Chickens – Heidi Continue reading Blog Tour: Bewitched
It is my pleasure to present to you The Path of Needles by Hannah Kollef! If you like fairy tales, be sure to check this one out. It’s a new twist on an old tale mixed with some modernization. A must-read, for sure! I can’t wait to work on the sequel!
ALSO! I have a wonderful guest post about where the idea for this story came from and what tales were its influence. Keep reading for this sneak-peak into the mind and world of Hannah Kollef… I mean, Kat Finnegan. 🙂
Blurb:
When 17-year-old Kat Finnegan is warned in a Brooklyn alleyway that her father is going to disappear, she shrugs and walks away. The next morning her father is gone–leaving behind a booby-trapped apartment and a mystery that has slept for a thousand years.
To get him back, Kat and her twin brother Roger will have to unravel the secrets behind the Rose Queen–the fairy queen who ripped apart reality and stitched it back together, transforming the Fey into the memories known as fairy tales. They will also have to come to grips with their emerging powers and discover why they are known to the magical world as “The Truth” and “The Lie.”
Hunted by demons and treacherous Fey, Kat and Roger follow the Queen’s trail from Manhattan to Newark. But neither the Queen nor her curse is what they expected, and more is at stake than their father’s life–and theirs.
Path of Needles is the explosive first book in the Paths series: urban fantasies littered with deadly fairy tales, tangled romance, and heartbreaking betrayals. Continue reading New Release: The Path of Needles
Celebrate the first days of autumn with a free download of Jess Lourey’s latest book, the first in a young adult trilogy that Paul Goat Allen of The Chicago Tribune calls “a must read” that “truly does have the potential to become a young adult classic.” The free download is available only on September 21 and 22 through Amazon. Link is here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Toadhouse-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B008ML9ONS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1348074508&sr=8-2&keywords=the+toadhouse+trilogy.
THE TOADHOUSE TRILOGY: BOOK ONE, released August 2012:
“Lourey’s wonderful way with words will whisk readers away to an amazing new world!” –Anthony and Agatha Award winning author Chris Grabenstein
DECEMBER DREAD, released October 2012:
“Lourey, who keeps her secrets well, delivers a breathtaking finale.” –Publishers Weekly
Today’s the day! Release day for Into the Desert Wilds! If you’ve been following along for the last few days, you can probably tell I’m a little excited. This has become one of my favorite series from a favorite new author.
Having survived the war near Altis, Estin and his family must make a new life in the desert lands near Corraith more than a thousand miles from home. Unlike Altis, these lands fully accept wildlings, giving hope for the future.
Starting to find her own life, Oria has no expectations of a future. She lives day to day tn this new land. What it means to be an adult is as elusive to her as safety had once been, after growing up watching her friends die.
Surely so far from the invasion by the Turessians, Corraith is safe from the horrors they have already seen elsewhere…
The touch of the mists woke pain in every inch of my body, letting me know I was alive, but warning me that it could kill in an instant. Everything I had known could have and probably should have ended in that moment, with my mate and my children in my arms. I accepted that and let the mists close about me, their burning fingers tugging and tearing at me and likely the others.
The pain and sensation of being dragged away by what can only described as a hurricane made of flames was the last thing I thought I would ever feel again.
When I woke, I expected to be learning what the afterlife of my people looked like. To some small degree, I had looked forward to that, thinking on all those I had lost. It was an ending to all I had known, or so I thought.
Instead, I found myself face down in sand, with Feanne and Atall lying disheveled on the desert ground around me. Panic had taken me for a second, wondering not where we were or how we had gotten there, but instead trying to find Oria. The child appeared almost immediately, spitting sand as she crawled out from under a low drift several feet away.
Even as battered as we had been upon arrival in the desert, we had laughed hysterically at having survived at all.
Knowing that they had all lived another day had been enough for me and initially for Feanne. Her resilience to some things let her cope with the fear of being in unknown lands faster than I could, but it also allowed her to turn her attention elsewhere quickly.
I worried about where we would find shelter, what kind of food was to be found out here, and what might come after us. My eyes swept the horizon for threats that were not coming. I knew nothing of the place we now were, with its endless miles of sand, marred only by tall formations of stone that were so unlike anything I had seen before.
Feanne just trusted her instincts to warn her of dangers. The new scenery was nothing more than another day to her. Where I wondered whether we would starve or die from lack of water, Feanne immediately began complaining about the heat as she collected the kits, as though that were our only threat to worry about.I thought she was kidding, or trying to lighten the mood for all of us. Sadly, that appears not to be the case. Foxes may live in the desert, but a mountain fox surely does not belong there…and if that fox can talk, you will hear about it endlessly.
The only thing worse than putting a person in a land they cannot tolerate is taking a leader away from her people. I truly did not believe that Feanne’s mood was entirely about the climate, but I was willing to humor her in that.
I would tolerate nearly anything to see her and the children safe. Here, the worst we faced was the occasional missed meal and sand in one’s fur. That far outshone the appeal of a land where the walking dead could show up at your home at any moment to murder your family.
I may feel as though the sun is scalding my ears off as I write this, but at least we lived long enough for me to feel even that.
Goodreads | Amazon | CreateSpace
BONUS for those of you in Colorado!! Stop by and see Jim! Get an autograph!
On August 10th through 12th, Jim will be attending the Rocky Mountain Fur Con as a guest author. Signings and discussions are available. His second book, Into the Desert Wilds, will be released the first day of this convention and print copies will be on-hand for purchase, as will character art.
Related:
Today I have author Jim Galford with me to talk about his second book, Into the Desert Wilds, which is due for release on the 10th (tomorrow!). I had the pleasure of reading it early, and let me tell you, if you like epic fantasy, DON’T miss out on this book! As you can probably tell from my review, I LOVED getting back into Estin’s world, seeing what he’s been up to and how he and his family tackle the new problems they are faced with. And if you haven’t read the first book, In Wilder Lands, yet, go check it out!
TK: The first book is told solely from Estin’s PoV. This time, we have two different PoVs – Estin and Oria. Was it hard to make them sound different?
JG: Honestly, no. In my mind, the story happens no different from how one might see a movie. Oria and Estin are most definitely different people, with their unique perspective. It’s a little harder to separate two male point-of-views, but very easy when you’re dealing with a teenage girl (Oria) and her father-ish person (Estin). Estin has more of a “always concerned about what might come of his decisions” feel, while Oria has a carefree viewpoint, where she mostly just thinks about the moment at hand. They’re different enough that the transitions were really easy.
Now, finding Oria’s mindset as an adult male writer was tricky, but making her different from Estin was easy. I had to double-check a lot with my wife to be sure that Oria didn’t come across as a man trying to write a woman’s perspective, which was a fear I had with this particular point-of-view.
Generally, I’m always looking for a new way to broaden my scope of writing and point-of-view is the most obvious. Next comes emotional viewpoint. Into the Desert Wilds pushed my area of expertise on both a little, but I’m hoping to push even farther in the next book.
Today I bring to you the prequel to The Ninth Orphan, which was the first book in The Orphan Trilogy by father and son author duo Lance and James Morcan.
I have this one added to my TBR list – sounds like a great spy novel!
The Orphan Factory (The Orphan Trilogy, #2)
An epic, atmospheric story that begins with twenty three genetically superior orphans being groomed to become elite spies in Chicago’s Pedemont Orphanage and concludes with a political assassination deep in the Amazon jungle.
The Orphan Factory, a coming-of-age spy thriller novel, is book two in The Orphan Trilogy and a prequel to The Ninth Orphan. Go on another frenetic journey with the ninth-born orphan as he busts out of the clandestine orphanage he knew as home and goes on the run across America.
In the late 1970’s, in Chicago, Illinois, the secretive Omega Agency initiates the Pedemont Project – a radical experiment utilizing genetic engineering technologies – to create twenty three orphan babies with the plan to turn them into the world’s most effective assassins.
One of the prodigies will rebel: meet Number Nine, an orphan with a mind of his own.
In 1998, when Nine reaches adulthood and graduates with honors from the Pedemont Orphanage, he is already an adept of the deadly espionage arts. Ordered by his Omega masters to assassinate a survivor of the Jonestown tragedy in Guyana’s Amazon rainforest, Nine is forced to draw upon all of his advanced training just to stay alive.
About the Authors:
Written by father-and-son writing team Lance & James Morcan (authors of The Ninth Orphan and Fiji: A Novel), The Orphan Factory is the second book in The Orphan Trilogy. The third and final book in the series, a sequel titled The Orphan Uprising, will be published by Sterling Gate Books in 2013. A feature film adaptation of The Ninth Orphan is also currently being developed.
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008M9WWKW/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15757228-the-orphan-factory
Today’s new release is a book called “Am So As: A Meaningless Sequence of Arbitrary Symbols” by Oscar Velikovsky. If you’re a gamer, you might want to check this one out (I know I will be). It is what’s called a Transmedia Novel (a story told across three medias). The author is an award-winning Game Designer and Writer of million-seller games. Be sure to check out the website and game that go along with the book!
A teenager is mentored in The Art of Game Design – by God Himself… (of, a time-travelling version of his older self, it is never quite clear, even to him)
But – can he solve the mystery of the Meaningless Sequence of Arbitrary Symbols?
A Satirical Magic-Realist Bangsian Fantasy Coming-of-Age Novel about Videogames, and – Everything Else, as Well…
OSCAR, a mis-under-estimated, uber-dis-enfranchised 18-year-old, video-game-addicted American youth, meets – and is Mentored in Game Design, by – his hero, GODFREY (82) – a world-famous Game Designer…
But Oscar soon discovers that his `hero’ is: a cult leader; Reality-TV Producer; and – as the inventor of a Time Machine, believes that He is God.
Oscar realizes – to his shock and awe – that maybe Godfrey – actually is God…(?) And – hidden in amongst all this, is a secret code. Sort of nothing like, The Da Vinci Code… Begging the question:
…Will Oscar decode the `Meaningless Sequence of Arbitrary Symbols’ in time..? Continue reading New Release: A Meaningless Sequence of Arbitrary Symbols
I’m pleased to announce the release of Pimp ur Blog Episode Three: Working With Amazon and Google by Paul Rice! It’s currently free on Smashwords through July 31st.
Blurb:Many bloggers and authors have experiences with Google and Amazon that they would like to share. Many more people will benefit from these shared experiences.
The third eBook in the Pimp ur Blog series is now open to multiple co-authors. My offer for Pimp ur Blog Episode Three: Working with Amazon and Google is to publish another edition each time I receive another co-author’s material. I will, of course, publicize each Episode Three edition with press releases, bookmark links on three-dozen social bookmarking sites, blog posts, social media, and inclusion of blurbs for each co-author’s other works.
I will add permanent links to each co-author’s blog or website on each PimpUrBlog.com page. The eventual result will be that each co-author’s name and/or blog will make its way into 100 or so associated links and references in Google’s search results!
The initial Episode Three edition starts with my experiences in working with Google as a blogger by describing how to access the wealth of information that Google Webmaster Tools stores for every blog. I share the details of the tests I ran with a $100 Google AdWords credit, and briefly review what effect the recent changes within Google have had when they filter down to our blogs’ Google search results.
I continue with my experiences in working with Amazon as an author who does not participate in Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing Select program. Episode Three wraps up with some items of interest from the previous eBooks in the Pimp ur Blog series.
Except that Episode Three does not really conclude at all. Anyone who wants to contribute as a co-author will always be welcome! Let me know what you think through the blog’s contact page, Paul Rice’s links, PRice@PimpUrBlog.com, comments, your review, or any other way you want.
Today – Friday the 13th – I present to you The Void from horror author Brett J. Talley! Perfect for your Friday the 13th spooks!
That the dreams occasionally drive men mad is but the price of technological advance. But when a transport on a routine mission comes upon an abandoned ship, missing for more than a decade, six travelers-each with something to hide-discover that perhaps the dreams are more than just figments of their imagination. Indeed, they may be a window to a reality beyond their own where shadow has substance and the darkness is a thing unto itself, truly worthy of fear.
Check out this new release from author Matt Frend, Life Before Death. Matt is the newest author in the Great Minds Think Aloud community and this is his first book release. Congrats!
There’s something you need to know – there’s more to life than living. A road trip across the wilds of the Northern Territory, Australia, is a spirited ride through late-twentieth century Australian counter culture. Then an event occurs which gives an insight into the other side of life itself, and provides a message. A message which resolves the ultimate unknown – why are we here?
Why write?
Why not play music, make a film or be a game developer. The key for me is imagination. Although music, film and gaming have their own magic, giving people the recipes to make their own imaginary banquets is something special again.
In a sense, characters belong to the reader as well as the writer, much like having acquaintances whose actions of course we have little control over. I like to think I write with respect for the reader in mind. I don’t feel this is in conflict with an artistic commitment to be free of popular or commercial influences; it’s more of a guideline to assist with staying within the bounds of reason or good taste. I sometimes have to rein the fast gallop back to a working trot, listening instead to the reader looking over my shoulder.
When I start reading a novel I feel there’s a bond of trust I’m entering into – an expectation that I’ll be going on a journey with the writer at the helm. So now in return I aspire to meet that expectation when I write.
As a side note to this, Life Before Death had its own motivation for being written. It was more out of loyalty than fulfilling any personal dream. It is a heavily fictionalized memoir, the purpose of which is to deliver the primary message contained in the book.
I make no excuses for the controversial nature of its content. It’s life as it happened. Much like that saying, life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.
One benefit writing a novel has given me is a goal to keep on writing after finding I enjoy it so much. Unlocking the imagination and finding an outlet for it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my altogether too short life. The bouncy puppy of inspiration must be played with or it will burst.
I highly recommend writing in all its forms to anyone – keeping a diary; jotting down a simple rhyme – even scribbling away with your personal history as I have done. Apart from being a lot of fun it can have a therapeutic effect.
I am very thankful for it.
Matt Frend has lived in the cities of Adelaide and Darwin, and assorted country towns in Australia. In addition to extended periods conducting social research while unemployed, he has worked in a variety of areas including racing stables, factories, construction sites and farms, before most recently attending university and becoming a computer programmer.
He regards himself not as a horse lover, but a horse lifer. He has a particular affinity for thoroughbreds, and has been involved with dressage and eventing at the grass roots level.
Other interests have included surfing, cycling, and he is an avid music fan.
Matt Frend’s Blog: http://bookblogs.ning.com/profile/MattFrend
Matt Frend’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matt.frend
Tricia Kristufek 