Tag: Fiction

Spend your Thanksgiving with a great book!

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ctdkHappy Thanksgiving, everybody!  Yes, even today, I’ve got a book recommendation for you.  This one is currently free on Amazon, but only for one more day.  Luckily, I’ve got the scoop on Cedric the Demonic Knight by Valerie Willis right here:

Known for hunting the supernatural, no mortal man realizes Lord Cedric is one of Sorceress Morrighan’s abominations. After competing in a tournament, he is wed to a Lady of the Court, Angeline. Cedric’s senses begin to overwhelm him and he struggles to decipher his feelings; Are they a creation of his incubine bloodline or truly heartfelt emotions for the girl who has lost it all to him? He finds himself forced to choose between falling in love or continuing his suicidal quest to kill his creator. Epic battles against all manners of beasts and demons fill this story with memorable antagonists such as Morrighan and her two sisters; Romasanta the Father of Werewolves; Succubus Queen Lillith and many more. Find yourself engulfed in lores and history long forgotten from the 12th Century and beyond.

And here’s a handy dandy excerpt, because…Well…Because why not?

Next up in the holiday book promo is…

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btp…Better Than Perfect by the incomparable Tricia Drammeh.  Tricia has a whole host of novels available, and you should all go and read every last one of them, then pay her to write more.

Also?  Tricia is one of the nicest people you will ever meet, so, you know – help a girl out.

Anyway.

What’s Better Than Perfect all about?  Behold, ze blurb:

Twenty-three-year-old Karlie is in the type of rut some people never escape from. With few friends, no boyfriend, and no plans to graduate from college any time in the immediate future, Karlie is as stuck in her ways as the elderly neighbor she spends all her time with.

When her world is invaded by two surly twins bound for criminal court, a too-good-to-be-true love interest, and a cute cop who keeps showing up at the most inopportune moments, Karlie can either fight against the changes in her life, or embrace them.

Sounds great, don’t you think?  I checked out the first little bit on Amazon and found myself relating to Karlie almost immediately.  If you want to know what I mean, then check this out:

Vampires and glitter don’t mix

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Today’s featured book is Shades of Gray, the first book in Joleene Naylor’s Amaranthine series.  Nothing is black and white, not even vampires, and when Patrick is found dead in his apartment, Katelina is left in a vacuum of uncertainty with no leads. Then the enigmatic Jorick appears. In a single sweep he turns over the rocks of reality to reveal what hides underneath in the shadows; monsters that she thought only existed in horror movies.

Trapped in a nightmare, Katelina is forced to accept the truth of vampires; vampires who want her dead for her association with Patrick. Jorick saves the day, but what should she do when her hero turns out to be one of the monsters? Can she really trust – and even love – someone who isn’t human?

Caught between light and dark, Katelina and Jorick must travel down a path of mystery and terror as their pasts are slowly revealed and their passions ignite, in a world that smells like blood and tastes like fear.

Look for the action-packed sequel, Legacy of Ghosts!

So, what are people saying about Shades of Gray?  Well, Sharon Stogner, a reviewer for I Smell Sheep, says, “It is a different look at what it would be like to be in love with a vampire. More realistic.”  But if you’d like to see for yourself, then you’re in luck because once again, I’ve got an excerpt to share…behind the cut!

Need something new to read?

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Then step right up, because all this week I’m going to be showcasing some fantastic books.  First up is Donna Yates’s book, The Lone Hero.  Escape to another world for the holidays where dragons rule and meet:

War has begun on Aberforth, the home-world of the dragons. The eternal being Einarr accepts his first mortal mission – to put an end to the warring but it will take most of his lifetime to try. In order for Einarr to have more strength than any other human, the dragon leader Zavat infuses him with some of his own strength and qualities.

Intrigued?  I know I am!  But in case that didn’t whet your appetite…

Time for another review!

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Earlier this fall, I signed up to participate in a blog tour for Glass House Press.  I volunteered to read and review a novella by Mary Fan called Tell Me My Name.  But there were a couple of glitches, because computers rock, and I didn’t get the file until the day my post was supposed to go live.

But!  I’ve finally managed to find enough spare moments to sit down and read this fantastic novella, and now I’ve got the scoop on what it’s all about.  The blurb:

In Mary Fan’s second novella for Glass House Press, a girl wakes up in an icy cell, alone and frightened. She has no memory of who she is or how she came to be there.

She does know that she must get out, at all costs. And that escape must start with remembering…

Revised!

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I finally got around to revising my first page, as posted here for Michelle Hauck’s first page critique blog hop.  It’s taken a lot of time, a lot of thought, and a lot of quiet to get something figured out, but I think it’s good.  It’s longer, but less wordy, and hopefully, more showy and less telly.  Either way, it wouldn’t be what it is without your input, so thank you very much!

I’ve posted the revision at the top of the original post (clearly marked so you know what’s what), and would love some comments on the revision as well.  Because, you know, we writers are nothing if not insecure.  But on the off chance that you don’t feel like digging back through ten days of blog posts, I’ve also posted it for your reading pleasure below.

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“Please, your Highness, have mercy.  I beg you.”

“I would very much like to, sir,” Prince Vegin said.

It’s excerpt time!

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Fifth WatcherThat’s right, today’s the day where you get a sneak peak at The Fifth Watcher, Book One of Melissa Barker-Simpson’s Worlds Apart series.  But how did this story come to be?  Well, let’s hear it from the author herself:

I wrote the Fifth Watcher during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) last year. It’s taken a while to get it ready for publication, but there are a few reasons for that. The novel was originally written in third person perspective, and during the first edit I decided to change it to first – not an easy task!

The premise for the story came to me following a discussion with my sister about alternate realities. I saw the protagonist of this tale clearly in my mind and Audrey Montgomery was born. I didn’t give much thought to the  name, it’s who she is. My grandmother’s name is Audrey too, and though both are strong, formidable women, I didn’t base the character on her.

As I like to do…

Cover reveal: The Fifth Watcher!

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image for websiteOne of the best things about participating in blogging events is all the awesome people you meet.  I met fellow author Melissa Barker-Simpson back in April during the Blogging 101 challenge, and have enjoyed getting to know her a bit.  Melissa fills her days with language and words so she doesn’t get lost among the clouds. She is an interpreter by day, and a pen-wielding conjurer by night. Of course the only thing she conjures belong between the pages of a book, but it doesn’t make them any less compelling.

Her most important job, as far as she sees it, is being a mother to two impish teenagers. They keep her feet firmly on the ground, are a huge source of joy (despite the rampant emotions) and allow her to live out her fantasy of being a musketeer!

She spends her time living between different communities, one of them being the (mostly) online writing community and giving back the magic that has touched her life.

Melissa runs a series of blogs, has a thing for collaboration, and enjoys to support others as often as possible.  She’s got a new book coming out soon, and you know me – I love to help an author out.  So it’s with great pleasure and much excitement that I present to you the cover for Melissa’s latest book, The Fifth Watcher, Book One in her Worlds Apart series!

Behold, the pretty, pretty cover …behind the cut!

Just in time for the holidays…

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mark-in-gear-editedMy friend, Mark Hunter, is having a books signing at the Noble County Public Library in Albion, Indiana.  He’ll have copies of all his books on hand, including his latest, The Notorious Ian Grant.

The library is at 813 E. Main St. in Albion, and the event will be from 3:00-6:00 p.m. on Monday, November 17.  Stop by and pick up some great books, chat with the author, and maybe even learn a thing or two about the history of Albion.

For more information, check out the Facebook event page or Mark’s blog.

(c) 2014.  All rights reserved.

First page critique blog hop!

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The lovely and talented Michelle Hauck is running a blog hop to critique first pages and I am super excited to be taking part!  If you’d like to join in the fun, here’s the post with all the details.  Methinks the first page of The Price of Mercy could use a bit of help, but I’m not entirely sure where, so if you’ve got ideas on what would take it from blah to AMAZING, please, drop ’em in the comments below!

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Revision (The revised version is a bit longer than 250 words (think ~280), but I wanted to include everything I covered in the original entry, so you get an extra thirty words of fun). 🙂

Adult Fantasy

“Please, your Highness, have mercy.  I beg you.”

“I would very much like to, sir,” Prince Vegin said.  Light filtered into the gallery through twin rows of stained glass windows, exaggerating the poor farmer’s haggard appearance.  “I sympathize with you, but drought or no, you’ve still got taxes to pay.  I cannot simply let you go.”

“Your Highness, I’ll do anything – anything at all – only let me go back to my family.”  Dirty tears carved grooves through the layers of grime on his face, but hope shone in his eyes.

Before Vegin could reply, the chamber’s heavy wooden door burst open.  The prince flinched as his father stalked into the room, the queen trailing behind him.  King Tol’s gaze swept the room as the court fell to its knees.  The guards scattered about the room stood a little straighter, not wanting to provoke the king’s famous temper.  The peasant trembled before him, suddenly afraid for his life.  The prince groaned inwardly – he hated fighting with his father, especially in public.

“Vegin!”  Tol’s voice boomed through the chamber.  “If you’re not going to sentence this man, I’ll be more than happy to do it for you.”

The prince’s eyes narrowed.