Thursday, March 26, 2015

Cover Reveal: EMPATH by S. Usher Evans

Today I'm super excited to be sharing the cover reveal for S.Usher Evans newest book, EMPATH. First things first, though.

About the Book

Lauren Dailey is in break-up hell.

Stuck between moving on and letting go, she puts on a brave face while crying herself to sleep at night. But when a mysterious voice promises escape from her sadness, she is suddenly transported to a new world. And in this place, the slightest touch pulls her out of her tortured emotions into the mind of another - an empath.

The villagers - sweet Aerona and her mischievous twins, wise Siors, and hunky Cefin - welcome her and the blessings her empath powers bring. But this world is not without its dangers. The Anghenfil, a fire-breathing monster, has haunted the village for decades, and has a taste for empaths. And that mysterious voice promising escape from sadness? It's sounding more like a whisper tinged with smoke and embers.

Preorder:

Sneak Peek 

"There," Cefin said, pointing to a pile of rocks that leaned against the side of the mountain. "That is where I found you."

"I was under there?" Lauren breathed. It was obviously a cave-in, and the boulders were thick and heavy. If any of them had fallen in the wrong place, she would have been crushed.

It was a miracle she wasn't crushed.

She approached the pile and saw where Cefin must have dug her out. Seeing the size of the rocks, knowing how close she had come to not getting out, she felt a little sorry for being so angry with him. Although he was being an jerk right now, she wasn't sure she ever thanked him for saving her life.

"Hey," Lauren said, tossing him a sideways glance. "Thanks for saving me."

"Just hurry up," he huffed, pulling his spear off of his back. "The Anghenfil could be in any one of these caves."

"The right response is 'you're welcome'…" She walked up to the pile and began pushing aside any of the rocks she could, looking for anything strange. She tossed a fist-sized stone behind her and gasped.

"There's a cave here!" she called to Cefin, who was standing with his spear in his hand and not helping her whatsoever.

She sniffed and began tugging at a big rock, hoping that if she could move it a little bit, it would dislodge other ones, creating a larger hole, one that she could slip through. With a heave, she pushed with all of her might and it broke free, tumbling down into the blackness and taking Lauren with it.
She landed in a heap in the dark, cool cave, coughing up dust and other particles. A small halo of light formed a circle on the ground, but didn't offer any other illumination in the cave. Pushing herself to her feet, she walked over to the hole and peered out, spying Cefin standing at attention.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking."

"Hurry up," Cefin snapped, his eyes glued to the skies.

"Yeah, yeah," Lauren rolled her eyes, disappearing into the darkness.

She stumbled around for a moment, feeling at the floor with her feet for anything that would give her a clue as to how she got here. Maybe she just needed to walk to the end of the cave and she'd wake up back in her own bed. She kicked the ground until she found the wall of the cave, placing her hands on the chilly stone to guide her. She kept to the wall, planting her feet firmly with every step to keep her balance.

Her foot caught on something and she fell, but not onto the hard ground, onto something firm…
And scaly.

In the darkness, a gigantic red eye opened.

She gasped, fear gripping her as she scrambled for the small pinhole in the distance that was the edge of the cave. "CEFIN!" she screamed, her voice echoing in the cave.

The monster was moving, and Lauren saw a flash of bright fire, illuminating the black body the size of an elephant.

She screamed and ran faster, hating herself for ever coming up here. She flung herself at the small hole, wriggling out as fast as she could. Cefin's spear was out, concern on his face.

"Lauren, quiet down, you'll wake the—"

"TOO LATE!" she screamed, pulling herself out of the cave and running past him as fast as her feet could carry her. "RUN!"


And now, for the cover...







Don't forget to preorder!!

  • Amazon
  • Barnes and Noble
  • iBooks


  • About the Author

    S. Usher Evans is an author, blogger, and witty banter aficionado. Born in a small, suburban town in northwest Florida, she was seventeen before she realized that not all beach sand is white. From a young age, she has always been a long-winded individual, first verbally (to the chagrin of her ever-loving parents) and then eventually channeled into the many novels that dotted her Windows 98 computer in the early 2000s. After high school, she got the hell outta dodge and went to school near the nation's capital, where she somehow landed jobs at National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and the British Broadcasting Corporation, capping off her educational career with delivering the commencement address to 20,000 of her closest friends. She determined she'd goofed off long enough with that television nonsense and got a "real job" as an IT consultant. Yet she continued to write, developing 20 page standard operating procedures and then coming home to write novels about bounty hunters, teenage magic users, and other nonsense. After a severe quarter life crisis at age twenty-seven, she decided to finally get a move on and share those novels with the world in hopes that she will never have to write another SOP again.
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    Wednesday, March 25, 2015

    And the winner is...


    Okay, come on. Admit it. You thought I forgot about picking winners for last week's blog swap Meradeth, didn't you?

    Well, I didn't forget, but I did forget to get in touch with Meradeth about picking winners. BUT...I am pleased to announce that we have winners!!!

    After random selection from the commenters on Meradeth's blog, I say

    Congratulations to...



    STEPHANIE FARIS

    Winner of her choice of one of my e-books. 

    Stephanie, e-mail me your choice of book and preferred format by Friday 3/27/15.

    Thanks to all who stopped by and commented!!


    Be sure to head over to Meradeth's blog to see the winner there!!


    Monday, March 23, 2015

    Cover Reveal~SWEET MADNESS by Trisha Leaver and Lindsay Currie

    SWEET MADNESS
    Coming September 18, 2015 from Merit Press

    Lizzie Borden took an axe,
    And gave her mother forty whacks.
    When she saw what she had done,
    She gave her father forty one.


    BLURB: 
    Who was Lizzie Borden? A confused young woman, or a cold-hearted killer? For generations, people all over the world have wondered how Andrew Borden and his second wife, Abby, met their gruesome deaths. Lizzie, Andrew’s younger daughter, was charged, but a jury took only 90 minutes to find her not guilty. In this retelling, the family maid, Bridget Sullivan, shines a compassionate light on a young woman oppressed by her cheap father and her ambitious stepmother. Was Lizzie mad, or was she driven to madness?








    Mark it to read on Goodreads
    Preorder Sweet Madness:

    ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

    Trisha Leaver lives on Cape Cod with her husband, three children, and one rather irreverent black lab. She is a chronic daydreamer who prefers the cozy confines of her own imagination to the mundane routine of everyday life.  She writes Young Adult Contemporary fiction, Psychological Horror and Science Fiction and is published with FSG/ Macmillan, Flux/Llewellyn and Merit Press. To can learn more about Trisha’s books, upcoming shenanigans, and her quest to reel in the perfect tuna, please visit her website: www.trishaleaver.com






    Lindsay Currie lives in Chicago with her three awesome children, husband, and a one hundred and sixty pound lap dog named Sam. She has an unnatural fondness for coffee, chocolate and things that go bump in the night. She spends her days curled up in the comfortable confines of her writing nook, penning young adult psychological horror, contemporary fiction and science-fiction and is published with Flux/Llewellyn, Merit Press and Spencer Hill Contemporary. Learn more about her at www.lindsaycurrie.com



    To celebrate, we are giving away four AMAZING books from our publisher Merit Press. 



    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    Tuesday, March 17, 2015

    Happy St. Patrick's Day and Happy Book Birthday!!!

    Happy St. Patrick's Day! And Happy Book Birthday to Suzanne de Montigny for The Shadow of the Unicorn II: The Deception. What's the book about? Here's Suzanne to tell you more!





    It’s finally here—the launch of my second tween novel, The Shadow of the Unicorn II: The Deception. Finally, the continuing saga of unicorns existing 12,000 years ago—how they survived the humans the second time around. Rather than me telling you what it's about, I thought you might prefer to watch this trailer.


    So what do you think? Why not drop by my on-line FB launch, eat some cyber-food, have some cyber-drink, meet a character or two, and share your thoughts. Best of all, you can win prizes!!! There are nine in total! Plus you’ll learn all about unicorns.

    The Shadow of the Unicorn II: The Deception is available at most major retailers, including:





    But wait! Did you miss what happened in The Shadow of the Unicorn: The Legacy? If so, you can purchase an e-book or print copy here: 
















    Don't forget to stop by the FB Launch Party for fun and prizes!! I hope to see you there.




    About the Author:

    SUZANNE DE MONTIGNY wrote her first unicorn novel at the age of twelve. Several years later, she discovered it in an old box in the basement, thus reigniting her love affair with the unicorns. As a teacher in Vancouver, B.C., she learned she could spin a good tale that kept kids and teachers begging for more. The Shadow of the Unicorn: The Legacy is her first novel. She lives in Burnaby, B.C. with her husband and two boys.








    Monday, March 16, 2015

    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, TumblrAmazonGoodreads, and of course her blog!



    Thursday, March 12, 2015

    Building Characters with Kai Strand and the cast of FINDING THOR


    Today I'm thrilled to welcome my good friend Kai Strand as she celebrates the release of her new novel, Finding Thor. Take it away, Kai!




    Hi. I’m Kai Strand, author of the young adult romantic suspense, FINDING THOR, which released today. Yay! I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to the main players in FINDING THOR. First let me share a little about the book:

    Tragedy has left Cara Cassidy broken and the only thing keeping her from giving in completely is her guilt. Until Nik Rock.

    Nik stirs up feelings in degrees she has never experienced, and causes her to do things that most assuredly give him the wrong impression – like kiss him before their first date. Somehow, he breaks down the walls around her emotions until she has no choice but to forgive herself and feel again.

    But a mysterious, troubled past follows Nik, and Cara may prove to be his weakest link.

    When a royal princess shows up looking for Nik, and an international gang arrives looking for missing jewels, Cara lands in mortal danger. Will she be able to save herself? What will happen to her newly repaired psyche if she loses Nik?

    Romance, mystery, and high stakes – just another day in high school.



    Now a little about the main characters, including a favorite quote that shows off their strength of character. (Ha ha, that sounds kind of punny!)

    Cara Cassidy – High school sophomore. Recent tragedy in her life has left her emotionally broken. Everybody knows it. Even accepts it. She’s okay with that, because overcoming it would force her to face things she’s not ready to face. So she keeps to herself. Hangs out with her best friend, Kelly – who she couldn’t live without. Plods her way through the school year.

    Then one fateful day she sees a boy in the park whose presence sends shivers down her spine. She runs, but as the saying goes—she can’t hide. He’s the new boy at school and he’s going to change her life forever.

    Favorite “Cara” quote: “I don’t think we can always understand a person’s motivations. Sometimes the pains they feel are from the world they live in without us.”


    Nik Rock – High school junior. New guy. Quiet. Controlled. A gentle giant. Until provoked. Mysterious circumstances surround his reasons for coming to town and Nik isn’t talking about them. He’s there for a reason and it has nothing to do with making new friends or finding a girlfriend.

    But there is something about Cara that lures him to her. Though he doesn’t want to, he finds himself getting involved. By the time his past catches up to him, it’s too late for the both of them.

    Favorite “Nik” quote: Cara means beloved.” (or the one on my website – le sigh)


    Kelly Spark – High school sophomore. Cara’s best friend and backbone. Cara often thinks of Kelly as an Amazon warrior. Kelly fights off Devon’s unwanted attention, shores Cara up when the world weighs heavy on her shoulders, and bursts in—lethal tongue a blazing—when Cara’s sanity is called into question.

    As the mystery around Nik starts to unravel, Cara isn’t able to share any of it with Kelly and then the worst happens and Kelly becomes completely embroiled in it. Will Cara lose Kelly forever?

    Favorite “Kelly” quote: “Kiss it.” (I feel I must explain that I really, really adore Kelly and pretty much everything she says makes me grin or snort, or makes my heart all mushy and soft.)


    Devon – High school sophomore. Favorite food – salami. Favorite person – Cara. Favorite pastimes – finding new things to call Cara that include her name and finding ways to dodge Kelly Spark.

    Favorite “Devon” quote: “I hear everything you say. I just ignore the teasing stuff.”


    Romolio Rokolova – Twenty-five. Member of the Renlavian Royal Guard assigned to protect Princess Huihana.

    Favorite “Romolio” quote: “But please, call me Rome.” (because…phew!)


    Princess Huihana – Seventeen. Youngest of three royal children. Beautiful. Generous. Possibly (or perhaps impossibly) Cara’s direct competition.

    Favorite “Hana” quote: “Did they drill a hole through your tongue or are you not happy to see me?


    If you can’t tell, there is plenty of drama going on in the lives of Cara and Nik, add a few car chases, kidnappings, and torture by kitchen implements, and you get some non-stop, heart pumping action. You can pick up your copy of Finding Thor from any of these retailers:



    Amazon
    Barnes & Noble
    Whiskey Creek Press
    All Romance
    BookStrand
    Goodreads

    Happy reading!












    About the author:


    When her children were young and the electricity winked out, Kai Strand gathered her family around the fireplace and they told stories, one sentence at a time. Her boys were rather fond of the ending, “And then everybody died. The end.” Now an award winning children’s author, Kai crafts fiction for kids and teens to provide an escape hatch from their reality. With a selection of novels for young adult and middle grade readers and short stories for the younger ones, Kai entertains children of all ages, and their adults. Learn more about Kai and her books on her website, www.kaistrand.com.

    Monday, March 9, 2015

    FINDING THOR by Kai Strand


    This Thursday, Finding Thor, by my good friend Kai Strand, releases. So, to encourage you to add this to your TBR list, I'm sharing my review with you. First, here's the back cover copy of the book.




    Tragedy has left Cara Cassidy broken and the only thing keeping her from giving in completely is her guilt. Until Nik Rock.

    Nik stirs up feelings in degrees she has never experienced, and causes her to do things that most assuredly give him the wrong impression – like kiss him before their first date. Somehow, he breaks down the walls around her emotions until she has no choice but to forgive herself and feel again.

    But a mysterious, troubled past follows Nik, and Cara may prove to be his weakest link.

    When a royal princess shows up looking for Nik, and an international gang arrives looking for missing jewels, Cara lands in mortal danger. Will she be able to save herself? What will happen to her newly repaired psyche if she loses Nik?

    Romance, mystery, and high stakes – just another day in high school.


    Now for my review.

    Don't let the slow build fool you. Once the action hits in this book, it hits hard and fast and keeps building to the end. 

    Love romance? You'll love watching Cara and Nik dance around their feelings for each other. Will they find their happy-ever-after? No spoilers here :-)

    Enjoy intrigue? Stolen jewels, international thieves, and kitchen implement torture play a big part of this story.

    But, underlying all of the romance and intrigue and action, is the story of a girl learning how to deal with a tragic loss. Not only how to deal with it, but how to move forward and be the strong, confident girl she was before her life was turned upside down.

    Finding Thor is a read that will please across many genres. My final rating 5 stars. A great story with cross genre appeal.





     







    About the Author

    When her children were young and the electricity winked out, Kai Strand gathered her family around the fireplace and they told stories, one sentence at a time. Her boys were rather fond of the ending, “And then everybody died. The end.” Now an award winning children’s author, Kai crafts fiction for kids and teens to provide an escape hatch from their reality. With a selection of novels for young adult and middle grade readers and short stories for the younger ones, Kai entertains children of all ages, and their adults. Learn more about Kai and her books on her website,www.kaistrand.com.