Guest Post and New Release! ~ Birth of an American Gigolo by Deek Rhew

Deek and Erin Party

Hey, all! So this week is the debut of my first, well, anything! On January 19th, 2016 at 12 AM EST, "Birth of an American Gigolo," my first novella, was birthed! I guess that means I'm officially pubbed, though I'll admit that it feels a bit surreal. My beautiful bride, Erin Rhew, and I finished uploading the final manuscript to Amazon, put in the categories, entered all the key words, and clicked finish. We did a high-five, first-bumped, and danced, partying like it was 1999. But then we went to dinner, and I started marketing. Oh, the glorious life of an author!! Hence, we are here, and I'm spending your time.

It's been a totally crazy ride, but fortunately one that I have not had to venture on my own. I wrote Grateful for the Village, a blog post about the dozen or so doctors that helped birth "Birth."

Me on the left rockin' out with my best friend, Chris!

Okay, so spotlight on me...hand me the microphone! As a former musician and music major, I spent years up on stage. I loved loved loved it, but alas, the music industry does not pay the bills. Heck, it barely pays for the gas to the gig.






Eventually, I figured out I wasn't going to be a rock star, so I switched majors to something geeky that, though required me to trade my bass for a pocket protector, made it possible for me to eat on a regular basis. And here I am years and years later, following my other passion: writing.

Though there aren't any rock star lights, fireworks, or screaming fans, it still feels pretty fine. Yes indeed.

Okay, so what the heck is "Birth of an American Gigolo" about?

Here's the blurb from the back of the book:

An old party girl shoehorned into domestic divaship, infuriated by her husband's cheating and his holier-than-thou, tree-hugging, no-tits and no-hips girlfriend, inflicts her wrath by training a local boy in the fine art of seduction. She and her new boy toy turned love god start a gigolo business as a distraction for the neglected and mistreated housewives of Alabaster Cove.




In a nutshell, it's about screwing up. Lindsey compromised her principles and forced herself into being something she's not. In college, she had a scare and crammed herself into a life of domestication. Years later, she's stuck in a smelly armpit of a marriage and a life that's foreign and dismal. But when she finds out her husband is a cheater and liar, she and her inner, long-dormant party animal load the cannons and batten down the hatches. Together, they concoct a plan to revenge themselves out of the cesspool of their existence and create a new throne on which to plant her royal tush and rule the town.





What isn't it about? Sex! There is a little of course, because, well, it's about an angry and betrayed party girl and her boy toy. But if you're looking for long descriptions of people's kibbles and bits and how they sizzle and sauté them into a goulash of passion and uninhibited fornication, then you'd better look for a different blend of Chex Mix, cause, brother, this ain't it.

Okay, domestic diva...check. No George Michael in sight...check. Humorous situations where an angry party girls runs over a scooter with a Hummer...check.


Alright, my friends, first, check out the amazeballs cover by Anita from Race-Point.com:

Birth of an American Gigolo by Deek Rhew

Bask in the glory that is awesome, spellbinding art. <cue Hallelujah Chorus>

Visit the "Birth of an American Gigolo" home page.

Birth of an American Gigolo

Take a gander at Goodreads! 

Cruise on over to Amazon. "Birth" is available January 19, 2016!

About the Author

Deek Rhew

Deek lives in a rainy pocket in the Pacific Northwest with the stunning YA author bride, Erin Rhew, and their writing assistant, a fat tabby named Trinity. They enjoy lingering in the mornings, and often late into the night, caught up Erin’s fantastic fantasy worlds of noble princes and knights and entwined in Deek’s dark underworld of the FBI and drug lords.

He and Erin love to share books by reading aloud to one another. In addition, they enjoy spending time with friends, running, boxing, lifting weights, and exploring the little town--with antique shops and bakeries--they call home.

Connect with Deek!

Guest Post- Eric Price

Today, Eric Price stops by to give us a sneak peek at the cover for his upcoming release and to share an excerpt from The Squire and the Slave Master.



My favorite cover artist in the world is C. K. Volnek for two reasons. First, her covers are amazing: check them out here. Second, she designed the cover for my first two books with Muse it Up Publishing.

Blurb:

The award winning Unveiling the Wizards’ Shroud (CLC’s Best First Novel 2014) chronicled Yara, Owen, and Cedric’s quest to revive King Kendrick from a dark, magical spell. After the adventure to save King Kendrick, for Yara, everyday life has grown monotonous. The dull work of learning her father’s blacksmithing trade, and the pressure from her parents to decide what she plans on doing with her life, has her nerves so stressed she snaps at her father’s slightest teasing.

Lucky for her, a surprise messenger from the castle brings the king’s request for her to join a collaborative mission between the Central and Western Domains of Wittatun to stop a recently discovered slave operation in a land to the west. King Kendrick and Owen want her to accompany the mission as a secret weapon disguised as a squire. 

She has to keep secret not only her magical abilities from any possible traitors, but also her gender. The people of the Western Domain have a superstition prohibiting girls from sailing. But a chill wind carries the distinct odor of sabotage. Can one girl survive to destroy an evil rooted much deeper than mere slavery?

Excerpt:

“I don’t know  how long I’ll be gone.” Yara cut the fat from an emmoth rib. “I don’t suppose anyone knows. It will take as long as needed to end the slavery.”

Her mother pushed her mostly untouched meal around her plate. “I’d prefer you didn’t go. It sounds dangerous.”

“Mother, these people are engaging in slavery. Not farm animals forced to work, they’re humans.”

“I understand. I’m not saying we shouldn’t intervene. I’m just not sure why you have to go.”

“King Kendrick and Owen think an undercover magician could give us an advantage. I agree with them. Besides, I want to go. I need to get away from here for a while. Plus, I’m an adult now. You can’t tell me what to do.” Chancing a glance at her father, she hoped she hadn’t upset him again. Their earlier argument had been mostly in jest, but the comment she made about her brother must have stung.

Instead of looking angry, he leaned back in his chair and chewed his emmoth meat. When he finished, he grinned. “Don’t get upset, Kamala. At least she told us she planned on leaving this time.”

"When I left in search of Owen and Cedric, I didn’t have time to tell you. This time we have a plan.” Yara chewed her last piece of rib meat. She’d snuck out after her parents had turned in for the night.

She could usually count on her father to have a level head…when he wasn’t provoking her about a woman’s place in the world.

Her mother cleared her uneaten food from the table. “I don’t presume to tell you what to do. I just want to make sure you’ve considered all the aspects of the mission.”

 “To the best of my ability, I have considered all aspects. First, I have to travel as a boy. Aside from my appearance, I shouldn’t have trouble with this. My best friend is a boy, and I’ve never had much interest in girly activities. And why would I? As a child, playing with dolls couldn’t compare to chasing piglets through the muddy stockyards.”

Her mother’s eyes lightened for the first time that evening. “You also don’t care much for washing clothes. If you did, you’d have realized most of the mess you got into in the stockyards wasn’t mud in the truest sense.”

She laughed. “Fair enough. Now my second concern, while traveling as a boy, I’m best to not get caught. Big burly men, out to sea for several days, may have more interest in a helpless girl than just someone to whom they could confide their deepest secrets.” She grinned, raised her hand above her head, and caused a blue flame to burst forth from her palm. “Good thing I’m not a helpless girl.”

As long as they don’t attack me in my sleep.

Her father collected the dirty dishes.

Yara helped him clear the table. “If I can keep my façade, the trip should sail by, so to speak. Once we get to Buisna, we’ll have to find the ruler of the slave operation. I suppose this could present itself as a difficult task, but at least I won’t have to do it alone.”

Of course there’s always the question of what we’ll find in Buisna. Why does a country the size of the Western Domain need our help? How large is this new country? How many people are there to fight? The military of the Central Domain is weakened from the attack by the Wizard Rebellion. Why would King Kendrick decide to send troops at a time like this? Do they know, or suspect, more than Owen told me?

With the table cleared of dishes, Yara stretched and yawned. “Now, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll retire to bed early tonight. Shoeing that horse wore me out, and I need to get some thorough rest before my training tomorrow.” She hugged her mother. “Everything will work out. King Kendrick and Owen will have a strategy planned for the whole mission.”

A loud, rapid knocking at the front door startled her. Answering it, she found Owen standing with a man about his same size but a few years older, donned in the armor of the King’s Sentry.

Owen glanced around the room, his eyes wide and observant but clear of any panic. “Yara, you have to come to Innes Castle now. The plans have changed. You’re leaving tonight.”

Reserve your copy today at:
http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/new-releases/series/the-squire-and-the-slave-master-detail

Links for Unveiling the Wizards' Shroud:
Muse It Up
Amazon
Barnes & Nobel
Smashwords
OmniLitApple iTunes

Bio:

Eric Price lives with his wife and two sons in northwest Iowa. He began publishing in 2008 when he started writing a quarterly column for a local newspaper. Later that same year he published his first work of fiction, a spooky children’s story called Ghost Bed and Ghoul Breakfast. Since then, he has written stories for children, young adults, and adults. Three of his science fiction stories have won honorable mention from the CrossTime Annual Science Fiction Contest. His first YA fantasy novel, Unveiling the Wizards’ Shroud, received the Children’s Literary Classics Seal of Approval and the Literary Classics Award for Best First Novel. His second novel, The Squire and the Slave Master, scheduled for a Fall 2015 release, continues the Saga of the Wizards. He is a member of SCBWI. Find him online at authorericprice.com.

Guest Post- Erin Rhew

Today I'm excited to be hosting Erin Rhew. Erin is celebrating the release of The Fulfillment (Book 3 of The Fulfillment series). Congrats Erin!

Thank you, Mary, for hosting me to on my blog tour for The Fulfillment Series! ((HUGS)) Hello to all of Mary’s followers!!

Today Mary asked me to write about my inspiration for The Fulfillment Series, its world, and the characters. Before I delve into that topic, I’d like to say that I believe inspiration can be found anywhere. All aspects of life—the good, the bad, and the ugly—can be a springboard for creativity. I challenge you all to look at the world, the people, and the art around you. Let your mind wander. Let your imagination soar.

I can’t exactly trace the origins of The Fulfillment Series to any one thing or person. The inspiration for it came more from a collection of ideas. One night, as I watched a movie based on Arthurian legend, the words Ethereal and Vanguard popped into my mind, and I just knew they were two warring nations. Over the next few days, character names joined the two kingdoms: Layla, Wil, Nash, Samson. A story took root. At the time, I’d been reading the Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin. I liked the idea of combining olden times (castles, kings, queens, etc.) with fantastical elements, so I think reading that series definitely influenced my story. When I sent out my query letters, I labeled The Fulfillment Series “Game of Thrones meets Arthurian legend.”

After the idea sprung to life, I wrote a brief three-paragraph synopsis and sent it to my friends. These four ladies eventually became my Dream Team and a source of great inspiration and accountability for me. I asked them if the little blurb I wrote would be a story they’d be interested in reading. All four gave an enthusiastic “yes,” so I started writing. Whenever I found myself stuck in the story or on a logical hang-up, I called one (or sometimes all four) of my Dream Team Members to ask for help.

Sometimes when I am creatively stumped, I seek inspiration from artistic sources that spark my imagination—books, arts, television, movies, etc. I love that moment when I’m watching or reading a really great story, and I feel my own creative juices start flowing. Ideas form—sometimes in a trickle, sometimes in a torrent—and before I know it, I’m back on track.

I encourage you to go out and experience the world: fall in love, get your heart broken, make mistakes, take risks, go on adventures, talk to fascinating people, sit in silence and ponder, pursue a seemingly impossible dream. Let all those moments, all the people you meet, all the beauty you encounter serve as muses for your own art.

Thank you again for hosting me, Mary! I hope everyone will give The Fulfillment a read!

The Dream Team (left to right: Danielle Craver, Dawn Ward, Ginny Hunsberger, and Kim Sharp. I’m kneeling!)

Back Cover

Layla’s world tumbles out of control when she discovers the truth of her parentage and realizes the Prophecy—the one she upended her entire life to defend—is incomplete. When her new friends share the entire Prophecy, the revelations contained within it alter her destiny and challenge everything she and Wil believe in. Now, she must confront the Outlander queen to save the Ethereal kingdom while grappling with this new reality.

Tortured and imprisoned, Nash accepts his fate and offers the First Ones the one thing he has left to give: his life. In a desperate attempt to save the people he loves most, he surrenders himself to the Outlander queen and a destiny darker than he could have ever dreamed possible.

 Wil, tormented by the consequences of his choices, realizes he may never be able to uphold his end of the Prophecy. His mistake casts a deep, foreboding shadow over his kingdom and those he loves, while its ripples threaten to shatter both the Prophecy and everything he and his family have sworn to protect.

 In this epic conclusion, lives are lost, kingdoms clash, friendships are tested, and love and fate collide.

Buy Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fulfillment-Erin-Rhew-ebook/dp/B015BX29TA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443994594&sr=8-1&keywords=the+fulfillment+erin+rhew

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/erin+rhew?_requestid=283340

About the Author

Erin Rhew is an editor, a running coach, and the author of The Fulfillment Series. Since she picked up Morris the Moose Goes to School at age four, she has been infatuated with the written word. She went on to work as a grammar and writing tutor in college and is still teased by her family and friends for being a member of the "Grammar Police."

A Southern girl by blood and birth, Erin now lives in a rainy pocket of the Pacific Northwest with the amazingly talented (and totally handsome) writer Deek Rhew and their “overly fluffy,” patient-as-a-saint writing assistant, a tabby cat named Trinity. She and Deek enjoy reading aloud to one another, running, lifting, boxing, eating chocolate, and writing side-by-side.

Find her online:

Twitter: @ErinRhewBooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Erin-Rhew-Books/182769448541270
Website: www.erinrhewbooks.com
Goodreads The Prophecy: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23265671-the-prophecy
Goodreads The Outlanders: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23302633-the-outlanders?from_search=true&search_exp_group=group_b
Goodreads The Fulfillment: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26544682-the-fulfillment?from_search=true&search_version=service

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It's a Family Thing-Guest Post by Jami Gray

Today I'm super excited to be hosting Jami Gray! Welcome, Jami!!

It’s A Family Thing…
A Guest post from Jami Gray
JamiGray.com

Whenever someone actually reads my bio and notes the amount of siblings—36—I grew up with, there tend to be a few questions. Such as:

“Ummm….is that a typo?”

“How many wives did your dad have?”

“All from the same mom?”

My answers are—Nope, totally accurate—Just one, the same woman he was with for forty plus years—and for the last question—Seriously? If that was at all possible, I don’t think my mom would go anywhere near a man, I know I wouldn’t.

For logistics I do need to explain that we do have three generations. At one time our ages spanned newborn to mid-thirties. I was part of the first batch—the older generation. By the time I left for college we turned over the torch to the middle generation. Now that most of the older gen’s have families of our own and the loss of our dad a five years back, my mom is left with the younger generation, all thirteen of them.

I was twelve when I became part of the mock United Nations clan that masquerades as our family. I slid right in to the fifth eldest spot, which was huge considering most things were done based on age. Of course, my sister who’s two months younger probably has a different outlook on the whole situation, but still… My arrival meant over the next few years our family could proudly boast having at least one child in a University, in High School, in Middle School, in Elementary School and Pre-School. Yes, we helped keep our local educational institutions in business.

With such a background, there are tons of stories, and yes, I’ve been asked when I’ll do a book. Here’s my answer…never. Let’s be honest, I write Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance for a reason, I like fiction. Besides, every single family member has a different point of view of our various experiences, so since I’ve got the fiction market covered, I’ll let someone else tackle the non-fiction.

Growing up in a large family comes with its own set of challenges and rewards, so I thought I’d share some life lessons I garnered during the ride.

Time Management

I am proud to admit that I can be ready to go anywhere faster than my husband. It’s a holdover from having to share a one-sink bathroom with seven other teenagers all through high school. The concept of having special alone time with a hot shower was never a reality. Seriously, I don’t think there’s a water heater out there, even now, that could hold that much hot water. When I finally managed to either sneak in, or body check someone else out of the bathroom, and barricade the door, it was hop in, get wet with luke-warm water, soap body with one hand, shampoo hair with the other, quick rinse, then shave, shave (I did have to slow down a bit there otherwise I came out looking like my legs went a round with a lawn mower), hop out as water turned arctic and snicker at the impending misery of those to follow me, dry, throw on lotion and clothes and then yank open the door before the homemade battering ram of older brothers and younger sisters made it through my barricade. Total elapsed time-10 minutes. Make-up application was a luxury and tended to resemble a mosh-pit in front of the downstairs hall mirror. And using a hair dryer? Puleeze, that’s for wussies. Nope, back then it was mousse it up and let it go! Now, decades later, I can still manage make myself presentable in under fifteen minutes, including make-up and a hair dryer. And the sink in my bathroom is all mine.

Bargaining skills (includes: compromising, negotiations, trading, and occasional blackmail)

As you can imagine (you’re readers and/or writers with great imaginations) growing up in my household there were certain survival skills that were quickly acquired. Bargaining, also known as compromising, negotiating, and occasionally blackmailing, was key in getting what you wanted. There were many opportunities to sharpen this skill, and some of us were way better at it than other. Take for instance, chores. Say you were up as part of the dishwashing team on Friday night, but your friends were hitting an early movie. Your social life was a priority but if you failed to do your part in the home office, your bosses (mom and dad) would hear the grumbles of your co-workers (jealous partner who had no social life) and your friends would be left hanging while you ended up doing dishes a lot longer than you expected. The key was to find that one irresistible lure to convince your co-worker that doing all the dishes by themselves was a rewarding endeavor. Experience gave you an edge, because the older you were and the younger your partner, your ability to make doing the dishes by themselves sound like winning the lottery was pretty high. If you teamed up with some with equal bargaining power, then it was like a meeting between two opposing factions. Treaties were drawn up so neither side could get out of their obligations, and official documentation of ownership would exist for various objects of worth.

Investigative skills (Including, but not limited to: eliminating suspects, tracing evidence, uncovering manic plots of evil, property retrieval, and treasure hunting)

When you have a household of teenagers one key element guaranteed to start any argument was the disappearance of personal items. The ability to track down your stuff, identify the culprit and exact restitution was a specialized skill, one I made sure to excel at. Let me share one particular case—The Missing Tank Top. I was putting away laundry and realized I seemed to missing an article of clothing—my white tank top. It was a necessary item as it went with a variety of outfits, not to mention the fact that I bought it myself. After going through the clothes belonging to my roommates (3 girls to a room) and coming up empty handed, I determined that a laundry mix-up was out of the question. I began a series of interviews with eyewitnesses (all 14 kids in the house). Each one swore they had no idea where the tank was, nor had they seen it. However, there were mentions of possible sightings. Culling my suspect pool down, I began to hunt for trace evidence. Room by room, I swept for any sign. White cloth teased me in various locations, but each turned out not to be the one I was looking for. Then I struck pay dirt. Waded up in the back of closet, belonging to a younger brother, was my tank—stained beyond redemption with oil. The horror was almost unbearable. The need to find the culprit burned and I went after each of my suspects without mercy. I was able to cross off the younger brother whose closet it was found in. No way was he wearing something that would hang like a dress on him. The next two crumpled and began to point me in the right direction. Finally, a confrontation with an older brother revealed that during an auto repair session, he needed a shirt and lo and behold there was a white tank top just sitting there. When he was done with his repairs he noticed the stains and realized whoever the owner was, they were not going to be happy about it, so he disposed of the evidence, burying it a closet not belonging to him. I made sure to relieve him of a very nice, white dress shirt and make it mine.

My family consists of every skin color, every nationality, every disability, every physical attribute and every emotional state you could probably imagine. Probably the greatest gift my family gave me was the ability to see the world around me without restrictions. No matter what you look like, where you come from, what you’ve had to deal with in the past, or what you can physically do—it will not define you. Instead, your individuality comes from the decisions you make, how you treat others, and what you do with your place in the world. So best make a statement.

Pick up SHADOW’S EDGE for FREE for a limited time and dive into the shadows of the Kyn… 

You can find all the buy links for both The Kyn Kronicles and PSY-IV Teams, in all formats at:

http://jamigray.com/kynkronicles/

http://jamigray.com/psyivteams/

THE KYN KRONICLES (Urban Fantasy series w/Black Opal Books)

WRAPPED IN SHADOWS, Kyn Kronicles .5

(Things That Go Bump For The Holidays Anthology) 

The magic of the holidays can be hell…

Celebrations abound during the holidays, but this Christmas an engagement celebration goes horrifically wrong. What appears to be a simple murder/suicide hides a vicious surprise. The type of gift Raine and Gavin, elite member of the Kyn, didn’t want humans to unwrap, because revealing the monsters in the shadows isn’t the way to spread holiday cheer.

Amazon: http://amzn.com/1626940908
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/things-that-go-bump-for-the-holidays-black-opal-books/1117680975?ean=2940148940685
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/387518
Black Opal Books: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/anthology/things-that-go-bump

SHADOW’S EDGE, Kyn Kronicles #1

Everyone fears what hunts in the shadows—especially the monsters…

When the supernatural lurks in the shadows of the mundane, hunting monsters requires unique skills, like those of Raine McCord. A series of deaths threatens to reveal the Kyn community and forces her to partner with the sexy Gavin Durand.

As the trail leads to the foundation haunting Raine’s childhood, she and Gavin must unravel lies and betrayals to discover not only each other, but the emerging threat to them and the entire magical community.


Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0061CAXJ4
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadow039sedgethekynkroniclesbook1-625433-139.html
Black Opal Books: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/shop-our-store/authors/jami-gray
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/101023
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shadows-edge-kyn-kronicles/id482595056?mt=11
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/shadow-s-edge-the-kyn-kronicles-book-1
Scribd.: https://www.scribd.com/book/235371403/Shadow-s-Edge-The-Kyn-Kronicles-Book-1
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jami_Gray_Shadow_s_Edge?id=ubxyAgAAQBAJ 

SHADOW’S SOUL, Kyn Kronicles #2 
Some nightmares are born of love…

A simple assignment turns into a nightmare when Raine McCord follows Cheveyo to the Southwest on a consulting gig. When the most feared beings of the Kyn kidnaps Cheveyo and leaves Raine for dead, her ability to heal her mind and spirit hinges on the one man who can touch her soul, Gavin Durand.

Unraveling the Southwest Kyn’s web of secrets and hidden vendettas will either bring them together or tear them apart forever.

Black Opal Books: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/shop-our-store/authors/jami-gray
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B008DIZ9OI
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadow039ssoulthekynkroniclesbook2-848561-139.html
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-soul-the-kyn-kronicles-book-2-jami-gray/1111742135?ean=2940014698955
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/174291
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shadows-soul-kyn-kronicles/id541827836?mt=11
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/shadow-s-soul-the-kyn-kronicles-book-2-1
Scribd.: https://www.scribd.com/book/235371430/Shadow-s-Soul-the-Kyn-Kronicles-Book-2
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jami_Gray_Shadow_s_Soul?id=nb9yAgAAQBAJ 


SHADOW’S MOON, Kyn Kronicles #3 
Even wild hearts can be broken…

Tracker, Xander Cade, confronts an enraged Shifter in a crowded human nightclub, fraying the thin secrecy shielding the supernatural community from public scrutiny. Danger stalks the pack and she must protect her alpha and mate, Warrick Vidis, even if he doesn’t want it.

If they don’t find a way to trust each other and accept their rare bond they risk losing everything-their pack, their friends and each other.

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00K8AZZES
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-moon-the-kyn-kronicles-book-3-jami-gray/1119462166?ean=2940149437719
Black Opal Books: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/shop-our-store/authors/jami-gray
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/435674
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadow039smoonthekynkroniclesbook3-1507186-140.html
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shadows-moon-kyn-kronicles/id875444016?mt=11
Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/shadow-s-moon
Scribd.: https://www.scribd.com/book/233279819/Shadow-s-Moon-The-Kyn-Kronicles-Book-3
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jami_Gray_Shadow_s_Moon?id=npODAwAAQBAJ 

SHADOW’S CURSE, Kyn Kronicles #4 
Death and chaos can devastate even the best-laid plans…

After tragedy strikes the Northwest Kyn, leaving the houses in chaos and the Wraiths hungry for blood, the fallout threatens Natasha Bertoi’s carefully laid plans. When the Council sends Darius Abazi, the one man guaranteed to skew the odds, she faces her toughest opponent yet.

As death stalks the Northwest Kyn, can Natasha trust Darius, a man well versed in subterfuge, to uncover the truth before treachery destroys them all?

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00RLE3PZU
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-curse-jami-gray/1121072005?ean=9781626942202
Black Opal Books: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/shop-our-store/authors/jami-gray
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shadows-curse-kyn-kronicles/id954894551?mt=11
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/505822
KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/shadow-s-curse-the-kyn-kronicles-book-4
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadow039sedgethekynkroniclesbook1-625433-140.html
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/253090806/Shadow-s-Curse-The-Kyn-Kronicles-Book-4

Coming Fall 2015:

A collection of Kyn shorts, including WRAPPED IN SHADOWS

PSY-IV Teams (Paranormal Romantic Suspense series w/MuseIt Up Publishing)

HUNTED BY THE PAST, PSY-IV Teams #1 
Sometimes death is the only way to out run the past…

Changing the past is impossible, a fact ex-marine, Cynthia Arden, understands all too well. Struggling with the aftermath of a botched mission, a panicked phone call brings her home to face a killer’s game. Unfortunately, the distracting Kayden Shaw returns as well, the one man she thought would stand by her, until he chose his job over her.

To survive, will Cyn risk her heart or lose the man she loves and her life?

MuseItUp Publishing: https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/our-authors/57-our-authors/authors-g/445-jami-gray
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00M289FTA
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/449240
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1119776913?ean=9781771275538&itm=1&usri=9781771275538
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id890554328
ARe: https://www.omnilit.com/product-huntedbythepast-1553419-143.html
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/books/Hunted-by-the-Past/PsOHi6QaXUSjCDITW_cZ-A?MixID=PsOHi6QaXUSjCDITW_cZ-A&PageNumber=1&MixID=PsOHi6QaXUSjCDITW_cZ-A&PageNumber=1
Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jami_Gray_Hunted_by_the_Past?id=u1nOBAAAQBAJ 

Coming Spring 2016:

TOUCHED BY FATE, PSY-IV Teams #2 

Trusting him with her secrets is dangerous. Trusting him with her heart could be fatal.

As a specialized consultant for the Department of Defense, Risia Lacoste understands the bargaining chip of a well-kept secret. When her current assignment threatens to unearth her deeply buried skeletons, she’s forced into a high-stakes game of lies and loyalty where even her ability to foresee the future can’t predict the winner.

Darkness lies under the skin of every man, and PSY-IV Team operative and touch empath, Tag Gunderson, has the demons to prove it. Scarred by betrayal and disillusionment, he’s not Risia’s top pick for a partner in the game, but he’s all she’s got.

As the game draws them deeper into a pit of intrigue and their list of enemies grow, will Risia trust Tag with more than her secrets or will his demons destroy them both?




Jami Gray is the award winning, multi-published author of the Urban Fantasy series, The Kyn Kronicles, and the Paranormal Romantic Suspense series, PSY-IV Teams. She can be soothed with coffee and chocolate. Surrounded by Star Wars obsessed males and two female labs moonlighting as the Fur Minxes, she escapes by playing with the voices in her head.




You can find me at:

Black Opal Books: www.BlackOpalBooks.com
Muse It Up Publishing: http://museituppublishing.com
Website: www.JamiGray.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamigray.author
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/JamiGrayUFWriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamiGrayAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/JamiGray
Google+: https://google.com/+JamiGray
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.com/e/B006HU3HJI
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/LvoZn
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jamigrayauthor/ 

Dreams and Ghosts: a Guest Post by LA Dragoni

Today I'm excited to host LA Dragoni as she shares the inspiration behind her debut release Ghost Touch. I was super privileged to read through a draft of this story while LA was getting it ready for publication, and while I know LA's heart belongs to Cal, I have to say I lost mine to Dex.

So, it's time to turn the blog over to LA for her to share where this story came from. Take it away, LA!

Thanks for having me, Mary. My name is LA Dragoni. I write paranormal romance.

Many years ago—maybe fourteen—I woke in the morning after an intense dream the night before. Our barn had been inhabited by hundreds or thousands of spirits. I spent the night trying to figure out each ghost’s personal story to help them cross over (and to get them out of my barn!) I even recruited a bunch of help from town. Just picture several dozen people scattered across a large expanse of lawn, listening to ghosts apologize for what they did wrong when they were alive. Suddenly what might have been a scary dream looks kind of like speed dating, huh?

I dream every night, so the dream has to be pretty special to stand out. This dream wouldn’t leave me. It was so real, but not in a spooky way. It’s not like I shied away from the barn after that. It was the act of helping the ghosts cross that stuck with me afterward. I sat down and tried to turn it into a novel, but I wasn’t a writer and lacked the skills to convert.

Fast forward to the end of last year. I’d been writing for more than eleven years and publishing books for kids & teens under a different name. Cal, the main ghost in Ghost Touch, tapped me on the shoulder again. “Ready for me now?” he asked.

My lip might have curled in a pleased smirk as I replied. “Oh yeah!”

Tamara never expected to be the center of a love triangle, especially one involving a ghost. As she grows increasingly attracted to long-dead Cal, her co-worker, Dex, pays closer attention to her.

For fifteen minutes each night a portal opens in her barn and a horde of ghosts spills into her yard. She and Dex work together to find a way to help Cal and the thousands of spirits stuck in the void to cross over. When she learns she has the ghost touch—the ability to touch the ghosts as if they were corporeal—and she accidentally helps a little boy cross, she believes it might be possible. But not all the spirits play nice and when they learn they can sip energy from her ghost touch, they become greedy putting her life at risk.

Each time Cal has to pull her from the mass of ghosts, her touch restores him more and more until he is at danger of being stuck on earth—forever, which is very enticing to Tamara the better she knows him. Will she and Dex figure out how to help the spirits cross and if they do, will she be able to let Cal go?

About the author:

LA Dragoni isn’t too particular about who falls in love or where they fall in love. She just considers it her job to capture the story about their love. So, whether it’s paranormal, mythical, or time travel, LA’s there divining their story for you.

LA lives in Central Oregon with her husband and children. She’s been writing for kids and teens for almost a dozen years under another pseudonym. She decided it was about time she try her hand at entertaining her contemporaries. You can reach LA through her website, www.ladragoni.com.

How I Became a Writer: A Guest Post by Katie L. Carroll

I'm sitting here, writing and formatting this post in my half-cleaned office. I spent most of yesterday cleaning my office enough so my hubby could move his old desktop computer into this room. And, yes, I'm using said computer to work on this post. *happy dance* Don't get me wrong, I love my laptop and my tablet and the portability they offer me, but there are times it's just easier to do things on a desktop (like when designing images like the one above).

Today I have a special guest. Not only is she a fellow MuseItUp sister, but she's an amazing author, wonderful mom, and I'm thrilled to call her friend (even if we haven't met in person yet!). Please help me welcome Katie Carroll as she shares her writing journey with us.

How I Became a Writer
By Katie L. Carroll

I thought my life as a writer began when I was 19 on particularly hot day in early spring 2002, a black-letter day, the blackest of black-letter days in fact. I was in college on track to becoming a physical therapist with an early acceptance into the graduate program. But I didn’t become a physical therapist; I became a writer.

I’ve since come to realize, with the help of my mom, that it was much earlier than that that I began my writing life. On my blog post on the release day of the ebook version of Elixir Bound, she wrote, “Although you would have done fine as a physical therapist, I always knew it was not your calling. You were a writer ever since you could pick up a pencil and I think I always knew that, after all the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree (of course I’m talking about your dad).”

Well, my mom was mostly right. Even before I could pick up a pencil, my mom would read stories to us: the Little Golden Books, the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, all kinds of fiction. I think that’s when I became a writer.

When I stop to think about it, I don’t know why it took me so long to figure out I was a writer. The signs were all there. My family and I used to write and illustrate our own picture books about the adventures of Sam the Billy Goat. At the climax of the story it would always read, “Voop Whoosh! Up went the Billy Goat.” And he would fly up to save the day.

I wrote (and sometimes illustrated) stories my whole childhood. In middle school, high school, and college I worked on the school newspapers. Yeah, I think I had been in a state of denial for 19 years…which brings us back to that black-letter day…April 16, 2002. The day my sister Kylene died.

I don’t like to talk about that day. How the forget-me-nots were in bloom. How there was recording-breaking high temps. How it was the worst day of my life.

So what do you do when your 19 and your sister’s just died? Well, once you’re in a place where you can think again, you reevaluate. Everything.

For me that meant rethinking what I wanted to do with my professional life. Kylene gave me the permission to pursue my passion. So I began writing. Eventually I decided not to continue studying to be a physical therapist. I kept writing, often not even sure who I was writing for. Kylene, an audience, myself?

I pursued publication. And got rejections, along with some encouragement. I revised, learned a lot more about the business of publishing. Wrote some more. Revised some more. Got a lot more rejections…You get the picture.

Ten years and four months after Kylene died, my book was finally born into the world. And what was that book about? A young woman, entrusted with the future of her family’s secret healing Elixir, goes on a quest to find the Elixir’s secret ingredient.

I don’t need a psychoanalyst to tell me I was fulfilling a wish with that book. It was supposed to be about Kylene, and it is in some ways, but it’s really about me. Because for those 10 years, it had been too hard to write Ky’s book. I tried. Elixir Bound started out from her point of view, but I just couldn’t write that book yet.

But I am writing it now. Elixir Saved, a follow-up to Elixir Bound, will be Kylene’s book.

You see, I believe each of us as an individual doesn’t truly realize the impact we have on people. Each person we touch—whether it be with a story, a hug, a smile as we pass a stranger on the street—leaves a ripple.

Kylene, in her short life, left lots of ripples. With the people she loved. With the people she cared about. The people she felt compassion for, which was pretty much everyone. The people she shared the Harry Potter books with. Even the nurses in the hospital from the short time she was sick felt her ripples.

I like to think that each ripple I make with Elixir Bound is really Ky’s ripple…because I’m not sure I would have discovered my life’s passion if it weren’t for Kylene. It makes my heart smile to think that Kylene is still making ripples on the world, and that I have my own little role to play in that.

Katora Kase is next in line to take over as guardian to a secret and powerful healing Elixir. Now she must journey into the wilds of Faway Forest to find the ingredient that gives the Elixir its potency. Even though she has her sister and brother, an old family friend, and the handsome son of a mapmaker as companions, she feels alone. 

It is her decision alone whether or not to bind herself to the Elixir to serve and protect it until it chooses a new guardian. The forest hosts many dangers, including wicked beings that will stop at nothing to gain power, but the biggest danger Katora may face is whether or not to open up her heart to love.

Available at:

About the Author:

Katie L. Carroll is a mother, author, and editor. Her YA fantasy ELIXIR BOUND has been described as “The Lord of The Rings with a YA fiction twist.” She is also the author of a picture book app called THE BEDTIME KNIGHT. Her latest project is a collaborative, serialized middle grade mystery called THE GREAT CONNECTICUT CAPER, which is being released chapter-by-chapter starting in January 2015 and can be read at http://ctcaper.cthumanities.org/get-ready/. Katie worked as a puzzle magazine editor for Penny Publications for eight years before becoming a book editor for MuseItUp Publishing. For more about Katie, visit her website and blog at http://www.katielcarroll.com or follow her on Twitter @katielcarroll.

Character Diversity: A Guest Post by Kyla Phillips

Today I'm excited to be hosting fellow MuseItUp author Kyla Phillips. When Kyla and I first set up this post, I hadn't started my new format yet, so if you were looking for  this week's #TBR Thursday post, you can find it here.

Kyla's novel, Agent of Light, released Tuesday. Happy Book Birthday!!! This sounds like an intriguing read, with a variety of supernatural creatures (elementals, angels, and shape shifters to name a few) and bounty hunters. I know this will be making my #TBR pile! 

Vayne is a light elemental and bounty hunter for the supernatural world. Her partners—Giovanni, a capricious fallen angel; and Donovan, a shape shifter with anger control issues—work with her during their rehabilitation. During the coldest winter Cincinnati has ever seen, the threesome run into a case where temporary and violent insanity strikes powerful elementals seemingly at random. 

Vayne soon finds herself the victim instead of the hunter, and working on the wrong side of the conflict. How can Don and Gio pull her back from the brink? How will she reveal the perpetrator and bring him before the chopping block?






Available at:

With a cast of characters like that, I'm sure Kyla can teach us a thing or two about diversity. So, without further adieu, here's Kyla!

Character Diversity

A Guest Post by Kyla Phillips

Mary has been kind enough to feature me on her blog with an article on character diversity. I thought it was a rather fitting subject since one of the most frequent comments I received on my new novel Agent of Light, from editors and beta readers a like, was how interesting and diverse my cast of characters is. For me having the right characters is the foundation to great writing. Put a crazy group of people together and you can make doing laundry and epic adventure.

In Agent of Light, there are four main characters who differ not only ethnically but also in supernatural abilities. There is an Arab jinni, a Brazilian shapeshifter, a biracial American light elemental, and an angel with red hair and freckles (sounds interesting right). With such a wide range of characters every scene becomes an opportunity to 1) surprise the reader by giving them a view into a culture they’ve never seen before and 2) connect to the reader who has never read about someone like them.

Maybe you’re a middleclass American and you have no idea what life is like for a poor Pakistani kid and don’t feel comfortable writing from that perspective. No problem. A change in skin color is not the only way to diversify your characters. Take the show NCIS for example. The cast is predominantly white American yet they have been celebrated for having a unique and exciting cast. Why is that? Their life stories are as diverse as they come.

The lead, Gibbs, is an older male from a small town, blue-collar family. He has a military background and his outlook on life was shaped by a tragedy that happened rather early in his adult life. In contrast, Tony comes from a very wealthy background and he chose the middleclass life. While he may have left some of the more extravagant things behind his taste in clothing and accessories shows you can’t completely remove the silver spoon from the boy’s mouth.

So adding diversity can be as simple as putting together two people from different socio-economic backgrounds together. Maybe add a character that struggles with addiction, grew up in a single parent household, grew up in a large family with limited resources. The possibilities are endless but the reward is great. By diversifying your characters you reach a wider audience, you make the story truer to the vibrancy of real life, and you stretch your perspective. What can be wrong with that.

Author Bio:

Kyla became a SciFi/Fantasy addict at age three watching Doctor Who on late nights up with her mom. She discovered her love of reading and writing in the third grade reading Robert A. Heinlein and Piers Anthony and trying to create stories like her heroes.

Currently she lives in Ohio with her grandmother and her dog, Mya – named after a SciFi character. She is inspired by the musing of her fellow writers in the Entropy writing group and hanging out at Barberton Public Library.

Getting Lucky with Meradeth Houston

Today I'm super lucky to be swapping blogs with the talented and wonderful Meradeth Houston. After you finish reading (and commenting) here, swing by Meradeth's blog to read about my lucky break and a short excerpt from Quest of the Hart.

Now, to encourage your comments, Meradeth is giving away one of her e-books (winner's choice) to a lucky commentor, so comment away!!

And now, here's Meradeth!!

Thanks so much for hosting me today, Mary! It's a treat to hand out here and chat about luck!

Getting Lucky. No, not that way!  ":-)"

In the publishing world, there is a whole lot of luck that goes along with getting a book picked up by an agent/editor/reader. While hard work accounts for the vast majority of success, being in the right place at the right time totally plays a role!

For me, there’s been a whole lot of luck that’s helped me along the way. Some of the best luck
has been finding the amazing writing friends that have helped me on my journey. Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do without them! They’ve talked me down from the ledge (well, the delete button at least), more than a few times. When things get frustrating—and they always will at some point or another—having strong allies and friendships make all the difference. And I can certainly say that I lucked out when it came to great writing buddies!

There are plenty of other ways that luck has graced me: finding and being accepted by the houses that have taken a chance on my books; the many readers who have lucked onto my novels and enjoyed them; and a hundred other things. And I certainly hope luck doesn’t abandon me in the future—we all need a little to go along with our hard work!

What about you? What’s been your luckiest break?

Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win one of Meradeth's books!

About the author:
Meradeth's never been a big fan of talking about herself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about her:

• She's a Northern California girl. And now is braving the cold winters in Montana.
• When she's not writing, she's sequencing dead people's DNA. For fun!
• She’s also an anthropology professor and loves getting people interested in studying humans.
• If she could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because she's terrified of heights.

Find Meradeth Houston online at:
www.MeradethHouston.com Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Amazon, Goodreads, and of course her blog!