The Tale of Willaby Creek releases today!

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Welcome to the release event for The Tale of Willaby Creek by Victoria Lindstrom! This is a middle grade adventure fantasy that has just released! 

About the Book: 

A magical tale of amazing sacrifice...

When a violent windstorm strikes an enchanted rain forest many of the woodland creatures of Willaby Creek are stranded, injured, or lost forever to the frenzied force of the tempest. Basil, a black bear full of doubt and fear, becomes the unlikely leader to head the woodland creatures' rescue. He is joined by Daphne, a spunky blue dryad; Oliver, a wise horned owl; Elbert, a noble elk; and a host of other creatures that inhabit the enchanted rain forest.

Dangerous twists and turns in this animal adventure fantasy cause Basil to discover a courage, and a conviction, he never knew he had. The answers to the ancient mysteries in this magical tale emerge in an extraordinary finale under the tall timbers of the hidden hinterland.

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A note from author Victoria Lundstrom:
For seven years my husband and I owned a cabin on the shore of Lake Quinault, near Willaby Creek. We spent many weekends enjoying the beauty and tranquility of the Olympic National Forest. While there, we saw: Black bears, Roosevelt elk, eagles, herons, river otter, raccoons, one bobcat, and a host of other little critters.

In December 2006 the Hanukkah Eve Windstorm hit the Pacific Northwest causing severe damage to parts of the Olympic National Forest. One afternoon following the windstorm I wondered: What happened to all the animals? After that, a seed of the story that was to become The Tale of Willaby Creek tumbled into my mind.

As writers, we are told to write what we know; the setting for The Tale of Willaby Creek is definitely a familiar place to me!

Willaby Creek Falls

About the author:

VICTORIA LINDSTROM is a full-time writer, a voracious reader, and the author of the children's picture book, The Scandinavian Santa. She loves to wander through the woods, capture the beauty of Nature in photographs, and visit museums and fine art galleries. She and her husband, Michael, live near the shore of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. You may visit Victoria at: www.victorialindstrom.com

Facebook   Twitter @AuthorLindstrom   Goodreads   Pinterest 

Giveaway:

Enter to win one $50 Amazon gift card (INT), one hardcover copy of The Tale of Willaby Creek (US) and an ebook of The Tale of Willaby Creek (INT) as well as 3 bookmarks (US)

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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Unseelie King (The Kings Series #6) releases today!

About the book:

For thousands of years, two realms of unspeakable magic and mystery have existed in peace side by side. One is a land of light, of kindness, of dreams, and of color. The other is rendered in the gray lines of wickedness and seeped in the unbearable beauty of all that is forbidden. The first is ruled by the Seelie King. The other is ruled by Caliban… The Unholy.

Minerva Trystaine has always been the quiet twin, bullied by reality’s fierceness into a life of solitary sensitivity. What she witnesses, she feels. Living in a world that breeds one misfortune after another, she has had no choice but to sequester herself from outgoing life and any hope it might have otherwise offered her. She hides in her music, her hopes and dreams silent but for the harmony she gives them upon rare occasion, allowing them to be heard in perfect pitch by the rest of the world.

But when Minerva’s sister, Selene, is forced into a fantastical  realm of supernatural magic and mystery and taken as queen of the seelie kingdom, the twins are reunited with a world they can scarcely remember – but could never forget. They are Wishers. Born of furious magic and fueled by the need for justice, Wishers are the most feared magic users in the fae realms. For this reason, they were all but annihilated thousands of years ago. Minerva and her sister are the last of a slaughtered breed.

Just as Selene accepts her place on the seelie throne, Minerva struggles to come to grips with her changed world. But as she faces off with her lost-and-found identity, and with the unbelievable power swimming through her veins, she realizes she must also contend with the fact that Wishers are no more safe in this day and age than they were millennia ago. Someone wants her dead.

And the one man she should probably fear most, the one fae lord more dangerous than any other, the notorious and cruel Leanan King – just happens to be the only man in all the realms who can protect her.

The Unseelie King is the sixth book in Heather Killough-Walden’s acclaimed paranormal romance series, The Kings. Within its pages, a dark lord finds long lost hope in a beautiful, powerful soul, a lost spirit finds faith in tempting and forbidden magic, and a fierce and willful love finds the unbelievable strength to do what must be done to survive against overwhelming odds.

Find on Goodreads!

Available for purchase at Amazon   B&N   Kobo   Smashwords   itunes

About author Heather Killough-Walden:
Heather Killough-Walden is a California native currently living in Texas with her husband and child. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Big Bad Wolf series, The Kings series, The Chosen Soul series, The Lost Angels series, the Neverland series, and the October Trilogy. Heather’s educational background includes religious studies, archeology, and law. She has traveled and lived all over the world but hopes to one day live in a town with a world-class hockey team. (Let’s Go Pens!) Visit Heather’s website at www.killough-walden.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter.

You can find Heather at   Website/Blog   Facebook   Twitter   Goodreads

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Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand cover reveal

Welcome to the cover reveal for Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand by R.S. Mellette. This is an Upper Middle Grade/Lower Young Adult sci-fi adventure that's great for the whole family.   The cover illustration is by the talented Kirbi Fagan.

About the book:

"E = mc2 is no longer the most powerful force in the universe. Your wand is."

Twelve-year-old Billy and his best friend Suzy Quinofski didn't mean to change the universe. Billy, a quantum physics prodigy, just wanted to find a way to help his hoarding, schizophrenic mother – and maybe impress a coven of older girls in high school. Suzy, his intellectual equal, wanted to help her friend and cling to her last remnant of childhood, a belief in magic. Together they made Billy a real, working, magic wand, and opened a door to the Quantum World where thoughts create reality, and all things – good and bad – are possible.

Preorder from Amazon

About author R.S. Mellette:

R.S. Mellette has written, directed, designed and acted in theatre, film, television, and publishing for over 30 years. His credits in various jobs include XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, NUTTY PROFESSOR II: THE KLUMPS, BLUE CRUSH, and his own JACKS OR BETTER, which won Dances With Films Best Screenplay award in 2000. He has been working with the festival ever since.

His novel, Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand, is due out in December 2014 from Elephant’s Bookshelf Press. For novelists, Mellette blogs for From The Write Angle. For filmmakers, he writes for Dances With Films.

Also find him on Amazon, Goodreads, Twitter and Facebook.

This cover reveal was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Blade Singer review and giveaway!

About the book:
Manuel “Manny” Boreaux, a troubled adolescent from Texas, is magically transported into the body of a goblin pickpocket in an alternate world inhabited by faerie creatures. Manny must quickly adapt to the danger all around him and try to find a way to get back home, a feat complicated by the pickpocket’s association with a notorious gang of thieves. But when Manny uncovers a plot to assassinate a young king, he must enlist the aid of an elf cavalier and a cat burglar to thwart a Sidhe witch’s scheme to ignite a civil war between humans and the Fae.

Goodreads   Amazon

Review:
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After checking out the blurb of this book, I decided to read it because of all of the fantasy creatures in it. Mixing magical creatures can be a dangerous thing for authors. So much can go wrong in the process, but in Blade Singer so much went right! The mix of trolls, goblins, elves, humans, etc. really helped create the feel of another magical world.

The first thing that surprised me in the book is that the main character is not white or black, but rather he has a Hispanic background. I loved this. There is a lack of diversity in many books (or maybe I'm not seeking out the diversified books), and for the main character to be Hispanic, it was exciting. It really didn't impact the main story line, but the authors wove bits of it throughout the story.

I loved that Manny was able to reunite with his parents in Aquitania. After their deaths, he was having a difficult time coping. Even though they didn't know who he was, he was still able to interact and grow their relationship.

It was interesting to see how Manny changed over the course of the book. In the beginning, he was a thief in the real world as well as in Aquitania. But when he arrived in Aquitania and saw that being bad was changing him into a goblin, he changed his ways. He tried to do the right thing, even if it was harder to do than the wrong thing. Perfect lesson for the middle grade kids that the story is geared toward.

As kids are learning this lesson, the authors keep it interesting. Manny and Adriana face lots of danger. From sword fights and spies, to being captured and being chased by "bad guys", the action throughout the book keep readers interested and eager to turn the page.

The story is told through a single point of view, Manny's. Although it would have been interesting to get other character's take on what was going on and what was running through their minds, the single POV allows readers to show how Manny's mentality changes. This was definitely the most effective way to show that.

Readers looking for the next great fantasy adventure should pick up Blade Singer. This is a story that I'd recommend to kids, teens, and even adults!

About the authors:
Aaron de Orive
A graduate of the University of Texas’ film program, Aaron de Orive began his professional writing career in the video game industry, serving as a lead or senior writer on Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided, Tabula Rasa, Anarchy Online, and Star Wars: The Old Republic. He is also the creator of the fantasy role-playing game SHARD: World of the False Dawn. Blade Singer is his first novel. Aaron lives in Austin with his wife, daughter, and two very spoiled terriers.

Website   Twitter

Martha Wells
Martha Wells is the author of a number of fantasy novels, including The Cloud Roads, The Siren Depths, The Wizard Hunters, Wheel of the Infinite, and the Nebula-nominated The Death of the Necromancer. Her YA fantasy, Emilie and the Hollow World, was published by Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry in April 2013, and the sequel, Emilie and the Sky World, was released in March 2014. Two collections of Books of the Raksura novellas will be published in September 2014 and Fall 2015. She has had short stories in Black Gate, Realms of Fantasy, Stargate Magazine, and Lightspeed Magazine, and in the anthologies Elemental, The Year’s Best Fantasy #7, Tales of the Emerald Serpent and The Other Half of the Sky. She has essays in the nonfiction anthologies Farscape Forever, Mapping the World of Harry Potter, and Chicks Unravel Time. She has also written media-tie-in novels, Stargate Atlantis: Reliquary and Stargate Atlantis: Entanglement, and a Star Wars novel, Empire and Rebellion: Razor’s Edge.

Website   Twitter   Live Journal

Giveaway: Enter to win a $25 gift card for Amazon or Barnes & Noble!

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Coexist (Keegan's Chronicles #1)

About the book:
Sixteen-year-old Keegan is struggling to keep her huge secret from her friends--she's an elf, descended from a long line of elves that live in secrecy alongside humans.

In elfin society, mates are predetermined but not allowed to meet until they are eighteen. Against tradition, Keegan's brother Thaddeus told her Rourk's name because his visions warned him she'd need Rourk's protection, especially since Keegan will play a key role in the coming war between the dark and light elves.

Rourk finds himself drawn to Keegan's side every time she thinks his name. He wants to talk to her but remains in the shadows, silently guarding her every time she mentally beckons him. A twist of fate thrusts the two of them together when Rourk is forced to step up his protection and make his presence known.

An ancient prophecy deeply entwines Keegan's family and the future of their society. Somehow they must find a way to thwart fate and win the battle...without losing Keegan. With war brewing, and dark forces aligning, will Keegan and Rourk ever have the life together that they both desire?

Find the book: Goodreads  Amazon.com  Barnes & Noble

Review:
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Prophecy, and elves, and a great battle, and budding romance, and magic, and supernatural creatures, and ...

Author Julia Crane weaves a mix of many elements in her book Coexist. That mix creates a story that draws readers into her world, especially lovers of paranormal books.

What makes Crane's elfin society different from other mythical/paranormal societies such as werewolves, fae, etc? I was surprised to realize that the main difference was the life mate situation. There isn't such things as divorce in the elfin society. Your life mate is your perfect match, and you don't get to meet him/her until your 18th birthday. Other than that, Keegan could have been any other mythical creature. She could have been a witch or fae. Members of their society have various powers, but that isn't only contained to that species.

The story uses multiple points of view to move the plotline forward. Readers get a peak inside the head of Keegan, Rourk and Thaddeus (Keegan's brother). I enjoyed seeing how Keegan and Rourk connected when they had never met each other. If I were Rourk and knew every time my chosen life mate thought about me, I'd be tempted too to go spy on her!

This is Keegan's story, but half of the prophecy (and in my opinion, the more important part) is about her brother, Thaddeus. I wish that we could have seen more about what was going on inside of his head during this stressful time. The prophecy states:
 An elfin child on the side of light,
born with the gift of sight,
tells when light and dark shall meet,
but not who will face defeat.
Eldest son of warrior great,
the child will determine elfin fate.
Keegan is able to describe when the war will happen, but it is her brother that "determines elfin fate." The way he does this is by using his brain and wits. It was a fairly simple idea that took some guts to pull off. Crane's solution of ending the battle is very young adult friendly.

It seemed that for a great battle--the battle that was foretold long ago--to put it all in one book, kind dumbed down the importance of it. If the battle itself was spread out over several books, then it would have seemed more epic. My guess is that Crane did this because the story is more about Keegan's relationship(s), than about a battle. The author did a good job of describing the battle and keeping it geared to the young adult audience. It wasn't too graphic or gory.

I was confused about the importance of Keegan's and Rourk's connection. Keegan's brother saw that she would die and that she should call out for Rourk. The story focuses on keeping Keegan safe, and then when the time comes, she spontaneously runs into the battle and gets injured. Rourk actually had to be told about what happened.  If she were so important, you would think better safeguards would be in place, and that Rourk would stay by her side.

I enjoyed how Crane solved Keegan's "situation" after the battle. It was a nice surprise in the plotline. It also sets up the tension/drama for the second book in the series, Conflicted. Ha, yes, I definitely believe Keegan will be a bit "conflicted" in that book!

Readers who enjoy a good paranormal book should pick up Coexist. It is geared to teens, but older readers can enjoy it too.


About author Julia Crane:
Julia Crane is the author of the Keegan’s Chronicles, IFICS. She has a bachelors degree in criminal justice. Julia has believed in magical creatures since the day her grandmother first told her an Irish tale. Growing up her mother greatly encouraged reading and using your imagination.

Find Julia:  Website   Twitter   Goodreads

Uncovering Cobbogoth book blast

About the book:
Norah Lukens needs to uncover the truth about the fabled lost city of Cobbogoth. After her archaeologist uncle’s murder, Norah is asked to translate his old research journal for evidence and discovers that his murder was a cover-up for something far more sinister.

When she turns to neighbor and only friend James Riley for help, she realizes that not only is their bitter-sweet past haunting her every step, but James is keeping dangerous secrets. Can Norah discover what they are before its too late to share her own.

Find the book: Amazon   Barnes & Noble

Praise for Uncovering Cobbogoth:
“With a fascinating protagonist in Norah Lukens, a fully realized, never before seen fantasy world, and a fast paced, compelling story, Uncovering Cobbogoth establishes Hannah L. Clark as a major new voice in American fiction. The richness of the story and the scope of the world she’s created screams for a film adaptation. This is a fantasy novel for everyone, even readers not usually drawn to the genre. Highly, highly recommended!”
-Bryce Clark, author of Red Shirt Kids

“This book takes you on a wonderful ride, bringing myth and legend to life. The characters are full and flawed, with a sweet romance woven through the adventure.”
- Annette K. Larsen, author of Just Ella

“Uncovering Cobbogoth is an Icelandic tale that will appeal to many Harry Potter series fans […] For those who’ve missed the Harry Potter world, here’s a pretty good alternative!”
- Sharon Haddock, For the Deseret News

“A friend of mine recommended this book […] I checked it out and I was so pleased! I love this book. I can’t wait to read the next one [...] and I am encouraging my daughter to read it as well. If you like fantasy with a little mix of science this book is perfect. I had such a hard time putting this book down just so I could deal with real life and working on promoting my own book. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book.”
-Pamela Hall, author

Author Hannah L. Clark
Hannah L. Clark lives with her husband and their son in the Rocky Mountains. She has always known she would be a storyteller. In 2006 she graduated from Utah Valley University with a bachelor’s degree in English and immediately began writing Uncovering Cobbogoth, the first book in a seven book series based on Clark’s mythological brain-child, the Icelandic Legend of the Cobbogothians.

Clark loves her family, running, mythology, laughing, soulful bluegrass music, road-trips, studying alternative medicine, retro hairdos, and growing things. Like her heroine Norah, she also kind of believes trees have souls, but must clarify (for her parents’ sakes) that she was not raised by hippies.

Find author Hannah Clark: Website   Twitter   Instagram   Facebook   Pinterest

Excerpt:                
The Legend of the Cobbogothians is really where Uncovering Cobbogoth begins. For as long as Norah can remember, her Uncle Jack has been obsessed with the mythical people. He became an archeologist and world famous Myth-chaser because of the Cobbogothian legends he heard while visiting his Granddad Aegissida’s farm in Iceland.

The Legend of the Cobbogothians
Long ago, at the beginning of time, a peculiar race ruled the earth. They found favor in the eyes of the gods and received great gifts of knowledge and power at their hands. These gifts made them elementalists—masters of earth, wind, fire, water, metal, wood and space. The elementalists thenceforth became rulers of the earth and sky.

With this power came corruption, and the elementalists soon forgot their patron gods. Instead, they turned to worshipping themselves and their own creations. This angered the gods, and in their wrath, the vowed to bring an icy end to the prideful race.

Rumors of the looming destruction were heralded throughout the land, and a final invitation was issued to the elementalists to renounce their fallen ways. Yet only a few heard and heeded. Among them was a man named Cobbogoth. Being a wise and humble servant of the gods, he believed the warnings and led all who would listen deep into the bowels of the earth to wait out the approaching storm.

When the day of destruction was come and the wrath of the gods rained down, the race of elementalists was wiped away, and then came the dawning of a violent and frigid ide age.

It is said that Cobbogoth’s posterity still lives beneath our feet, waiting to rise and rule the earth and sky once more.

Sigurd Jorgensson
Icelandic Bard, 1045 AD  

*Translated from the original Old Norse by Dr. Jack A. Lukens of Harvard University, April 1975

 

Giveaway:
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Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Dark Metropolis (Dark Metropolis #1)

About the book:
Cabaret meets Cassandra Clare-a haunting magical thriller set in a riveting 1930s-esque world.

Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder's mother is cursed with a spell that's driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules. Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city's secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.

Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they're not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too. Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, this is a chilling thriller with a touch of magic where the dead don't always seem to stay that way.

Find Dark Metropolis: Goodreads   Amazon

Review:
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I received the offer to be part of Dark Metropolis' blog tour, I signed on because of several reasons. I like Cassandra Clare, Cabaret, magic, mystery and Disney. After reading the book, I'm glad I signed up. There were twists and turns throughout the book that made the story very interesting.

This is a unique paranormal story. Yes, there are the magical aspects, but there are also the undead creatures. I don't know whether to call the zombies or vampires. They are both and neither at the same time. Zompires? Vambies? The author never called them a specific name, but I like how it is a bit ambiguous.

Freddy gradually became my favorite character in the book. In the beginning he blindly used his magic without asking too many questions. Then Thea helps his character to grow. He discovers the truth about what's really going on, and decides to forge his own path. It can be scary sometimes to turn your back on the ones you love in order to do what is right. In the end, I admired his courage and integrity.

The book switches points of view. Because characters are all around the city and not all at the same place, the multiple POVs helped to really move the story along. This is very important when Thea and Nan are separated above and below ground.

I wish that author Jaclyn Dolamore would have given a bit more detail about what specifically the people below ground were doing. Readers learn that they were running the city and that Nan had to pull levers. I wish that readers could have learned what those levers actually did in running the city as well as what some other jobs were. These are non-important details and wouldn't change the plot of the story. They could have been edited out, but I would have liked to learn more about it.

One thing that surprised me in this book is that there is a girl-on-girl kiss. I am not for or against this, it was just unexpected since this is a Disney-Hyperion published book. The scene was tastefully done an wasn't vulgar at all. Afterward, one of the girls ponders living her life with the other.

This book had aspects that reminded me of the Pushing Daisies television series (think back to 2007-2009). The book has some mystery, action, romance, violence, and lots of drama. Teens and adults who love paranormal stories should give this book a try.

Want to know what others thought about the book? Check out the rest of the Dark Metropolis blog tour!

About author Jaclyn Dolamore:

Jaclyn Dolamore was homeschooled in a hippie sort of way and spent her childhood reading as many books as her skinny nerd-body could lug from the library and playing elaborate pretend games with her sister Kate. She skipped college and spent eight years drudging through retail jobs, developing her thrifty cooking skills and pursuing a lifelong writing dream. She has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. She lives with her partner and plot-sounding-board, Dade, and two black tabbies who have ruined her carpeting.

Find Jaclyn:   Website   Twitter   Facebook  


Giveaway:
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Deadly Delicious release week extras!

Today we're excited to bring you the release week promo and cover reveal of the middle grade novel, Deadly Delicious by K.L. Kincy.  K.L. Kincy is a pen name for author Karen Kincy, author of young adult and adult novels.  To make things exciting we have the cover artist, Kirbi Fagan, here to tell us about the creation of the cover of Deadly Delicious!  Deadly Delicious is out now!

About the book:

Twelve-year-old Josephine DeLune can’t take the heat this sweltering summer of 1955, and she was out of the kitchen long ago. An awful cook, she ruins recipes left and right, and she certainly can’t compete with her family’s reputation for extraordinary food. Her daddy’s parents ran one of the best restaurants in all of Paris, but Josephine lives in Paris, Missouri. On her mama’s side, she’s up against a long tradition of sinfully delicious soul food. Rumor has it, her Creole ancestors cooked up some voodoo to make tasty even tastier. Josephine knows the secret ingredient: she comes from a long line of conjure witches with spellbinding culinary skills.

Disenchanted, Josephine works as a carhop at Carl and Earl’s Drive-In. Just plain old hamburgers, hot dogs, and curly fries, nothing magical about them. She’s got bigger fish to fry, though, when a grease fire erupts into a devilish creature who hisses her name with desire. Turns out he’s the Ravenous One, the granddaddy of all voodoo spirits, and he’s hungry for her soul. Josephine thinks he’s got the wrong girl—she’s no witch—but a gorgeous, dangerous night-skinned lady named Shaula sets her straight. Josephine is one of the most powerful witches alive, so overflowing with conjure that her out-of-control cooking simply catches fire. Josephine would love to laugh this off, but Shaula warns her that she must learn to master her magic before the Ravenous One devours her soul.

Spurred into action, Josephine breaks out her grandma’s old conjure cookbook and starts cooking. Nothing grand, just the usual recipes for undying friendship and revenge. But soon Josephine can’t escape the consequences of her conjure. When the people of Paris start turning into zombies with a strange fondness for cake, Josephine looks pretty responsible for their undead reawakening…

Purchase at Amazon, available now for kindle and in paperback!

Creating the Cover by Kirbi Fagan

Painting the cover for the novel started with an email. When I heard the story was set in the 1950's, I knew it would be fun project for me. I'm always eager to paint strong young girls on an adventure. The magical twist of the story was icing on the cake --- pun intended!

Starting an illustration is the most exciting part for me, it is when I feel the most creative. When you have a great story like "Deadly Delicious," feeling inspired isn't hard, the ideas flow. Below is the first scribble of Josephine, drawn while reading the manuscript.

After a many sketches, I worked with Karen (author) to find a sketch that was just right. Flash, the dog in the story, was my favorite character and I knew I had to find a place for him on the cover. 

Next, I grabbed my camera and started shooting the reference material for the painting. I photographed it all. Another illustrator even helped me out and photographed her dog at the angle I needed. Below are few shots of the zombie hands, frosting covered and all.

 

 

A screen shot of a drawing in progress, figuring out Josephine's "look."

 

 

On to the painting. I used both traditional and digital media to create the final artwork. Working digitally allows me to experiment with things I might not have the freedom to do with real paint. The traditional element allows me to create rich colors and real texture.

Now about that type... what a mess! I won't be making a career change to a cake decorator anytime soon...

At last... the cover!

For more information about myself and my work visit www.kirbiillustrations.com or tweet me @kirbifagan

 

 

About author K.L. Kincy:

K. L. Kincy (Kirkland, Washington) loves zombies, though she hopes to meet only the cake-eating kind. Deadly Delicious is her first book for children. She has a BA in Linguistics and Literature from The Evergreen State College.

K. L. Kincy also writes for teens and adults as Karen Kincy.

Find her online at:

www.karenkincy.com

www.facebook.com/KarenKincyAuthor

www.twitter.com/karenkincy

 

Giveaway:

Enter to win one paperback of Deadly Delicious by K.L. Kincy. Open to US only.

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The Crumbling Pageant cover reveal

I'm excited to share the cover for THIS CRUMBLING PAGEANT, which is Volume One in the Fury Triad series by Patricia Burroughs. This is Epic Fantasy with romance and YA crossover appeal. The book is scheduled to release May 6, 2014 in Hardcover, Trade and Digital by Story Spring Publishing, LLC

About the Book:
Persephone Fury is the Dark daughter, the one they hide.

England, 1811. Few are aware of a hidden magical England, a people not ruled by poor mad George, but the dying King Pellinore of the House of Pendragon.

The Furys are known for their music, their magic, and their historic role as kingmakers. When Fury ambitions demand a political marriage, Persephone is drugged and presented to Society--

Only to be abducted from the man she loves by the man she loathes.

But devious and ruthless, Persephone must defy ancient prophecy, embrace her Dark magic, and seize her own fate.

Be swept away into the first book of a dark fantasy series combining swashbuckling adventure, heart-pounding romance, and plot-twisting suspense.

Excerpt:

[Persephone Fury is the dark daughter, the one they hide from Society. But one night she is abducted and taken away to the most dangerous parts of London. Fierce and clever, she is able to rescue herself, only to collapse before she gets home. Fortunately for her, Sir Robin Fitzwilliam finds her. Even more fortunately for her family’s reputation, he believes her to be the young boy she’s masquerading as.]

Why would a child be out alone in the middle of the night?

Robin slid the slender youth’s body from the expensive saddle and staggered backward, not from the weight, for in truth, the boy weighed little, but from the reek of Shadows.

It was a miracle the gelding hadn’t tossed the stripling to rid himself of the Darkness on its back.

He eased the boy onto the ground.  The boy’s body was limp and his skin was hot and damp with sweat. Robin fumbled with the boy’s heavy jacket and grabbed the lapels to yank it open.

Thin fingers closed around his wrists. With a snarl, the boy heaved himself up and delivered a smart punch to Robin’s jaw, knocking him back on his heels in shock.

“Don’t touch me!” the boy rasped fiercely.

“You’re overheated. Let’s get that coat off—”

Two sharp-knuckled fists smacked into him at the same time, leaving both his cheeks stinging.

“Keep your hands off my coat!” The boy scrambled to his feet and leapt against the horse, attempting to mount.

“Gods damn it,” Robin spat, “you’re drowning in Shadows, boy, we need to—”

A foot caught him in the chest and he staggered back, then hurled himself forward, grabbed the boy by the collar, and yanked.

They both fell tumbling into the dirt. “You’d best pray it’s the Darkness that has driven you mad, boy, because if it’s not, you’ll pay for these bruises with some of your own!” He pinned the boy to the ground with one hand braced on a shoulder and continued, “I’m not going to hurt you. Just calm down and let’s see if we can relieve you.”

The boy relaxed, calming except for his heaving chest as he fought for air.

Robin’s mind raced through his options, coming up blank.

“Cat-mint...” the boy muttered. “Tincture of angelica. Blue chalcedony, jet, bronzite, amber—do you have any on you?”

“No,” Robin said, surprised.

The boy moaned. “Trifolium, then...” The boy’s head fell back into the dirt.

“Trifolium. I don’t know.”

“Clover,” the boy ordered, scorn dripping from his voice. “I’m speaking of clover.”

Robin paced along the road looking for a clump of clover, unsure whether to laugh or snarl.

“Do you at least know your Greek sigils?” the boy muttered weakly. “The banishing sigil performed with clover...”

 “I know sigils,” Robin said, amending silently, if I can remember the Greek ones from the schoolroom. If he got the scamp past this spell of poisoning, he was going to thrash him.

“How long has it been since you were cleansed?”

Impertinent little brat. “My soul is not overburdened.”

“You evaded my question, which is answer enough, may the gods deliver me,” the boy retorted with equal venom.

At the moment, Robin just needed to come up with an acceptable prayer. He held his hands over the boy’s body and called, “Away, away, from your feet and from all your limbs... erm... Shadows and every muscular pain!” he finished with a wince.

“Did you just use the prayer to rid me of gout?” the boy asked incredulously.

“I said Shadows,” Robin muttered.

The boy let out a disgusted sigh. “I’m doomed.”

About author Patricia Burroughs:

Award-winning screenwriter and best selling novelist Patricia Burroughs loves dogs, books, movies, and football. A lifelong Anglophile, she treasures her frequent travels in the British Isles researching The Fury Triad, the epic fantasy that has taken over her life and heart. She and her high school sweetheart husband are living happily ever after in their hometown of Dallas, Texas.

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Changling (Curse of Kin #2)

Synopsis via Goodreads:
Each of the three friends has a place in the curse. This book follows Sully as he finds out more about his history and his skills.

Nera's best friend Sully knows there is something special about him. After all, he is related to her uncle and Jasper is a witch.
Stands to reason that something would have been passed down.
They just have to find what powers Sully has been bestowed with.
But when they do, is it as simple as he thinks?
To be able to change into his animal and run wild is one thing. To be hunted for the beast that he is, is another. And when they find out who wants him dead, they realize that life isn't as simple as they thought.

Release date: October 30th 2013
Publisher: Lycaon Press

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Review:
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After enjoying Witchling (you can find the review here), I was looking forward to reading the sequel. I knew it would be about Sully, and I assumed it would be from his point of view. I was surprised to see it was Sully's story from Nera's point of view. Harper was smart to do it that way because Nera knew the danger that Sully would be facing. She, Jasper, and Bones decided to keep the secret from Sully. Had the story been told from Sully's point of view, then Nera's actions and words would have seemed a little extreme.

This book keeps up many of the elements from the first book. There teens still enjoy swordplay. Nera works with her powers to control the elements, and also uses her telepathic powers. Also, Nera's relationship with Bones doesn't progress much. They are still at each other's throats most of the time. However, we see Sully's personal emotions evolve to wanting something more with Nera, and Brie's crush on Bones grows. This creates a bit of tension between all the characters in the book.

Harper adds new characters to this story in the form of a new family moving to town. It seems that at least one of them might have some powers that they might not be aware of yet. It will be interesting to see what Harper decides to do with Peter, Gemma, and Nat in the next book(s). I really liked that Nat is around Rowan's age. Now he can have someone to relate to in Harper's world.

One thing that really bothered me in this book was Nera and her attitude. I just want to shout at her "Stop being such a baby!" In the first book she was moody, but I would be too if I found out that I was a witch, was part of a prophecy, and that supernatural beings were out to get me and my friends. In the second book, she flies off the handle if anyone gives her ANY criticism. It's funny because she basically yells at Gemma to deal with her situation and accept where she is now, but Nera doesn't do the same in her own situation. Every day she storms off from her parents, friends, and Bones. Bones gives her praise sometimes, but Nera doesn't acknowledge that. She assumes he has ulterior motives for it. Then when she is given constructive criticism, she has a snappy or rude remark and storms off. Deal with it Nera! One character summed it up by saying that she's overwhelmed and cranky. I agree.

Readers who enjoy a good paranormal story with shifters and swordplay should check out this series!

To find out what other readers thought about the book, check out the rest of the Changling Tour.

About author Ari Harper:

Ari Harper never wanted to grow up.

To offset the limitations of aging ungracefully, she created her own set of unique worlds where she can be and do whatever she wants.

Gods, witches and demons surround Ari while she spins her magic, doing mainly what they tell her to do. Given a chance, she prefers to work amongst chaos, which is good because she is constantly surrounded by children, all clamoring for attention. Some of them end up in her stories, some of them even get to die grisly deaths or be cast away to another realm. Her favorite pet is a big black dog called Hugo. You will find him as himself in the Curse of Kin series as Nera's faithful hound.

www.ariharper.com

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Garden of Eden (The Legend of Eden #1)

About Garden of Eden
It has been four years.
Four years since the day the Catchers found her family.
Four years since she escaped capture.
And four years since the day her mother locked her and Will, a boy she hardly knew, in an attic, 'for their own protection'.

Now, Eden White is fifteen, and sick of being a prisoner of parents who all but abandoned her. It was as simple as one walk down a beautiful, foggy beach, but it ended with Eden and Will face to face with Catchers - and this time, there is no escape.

When Eden wakes, she finds herself on an island, surrounded by hundreds of stolen children. Enrolled in the island school, Jordan Hall, Eden quickly learns that the island is not what it seems.
And, in the woods surrounding the school, she discovers a wild, beautiful magic inside of herself - one she has no idea how to control. With three unlikely new friends, Eden begins to realize that the headmistress is hiding much more than the stolen children - and what they learn in the laboratories below the school could cost Eden her life.

Review:
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What made me want to read this book was the dystopian elements the blurb hinted at. Yes, it does have those elements, but there is fantasy, magic, mystery, and many more elements that I didn't even realize. Kate Cowan used these elements to create her own unique world based in our version of reality.

I really like Will. I hated that he melted into the background when they came to the school. I wonder if "Will" is his real name or if he gave Eden a false name. I have a feeling (or I hope) that Will is going to play a more prominent role in the second book.  He seems like he could be a really strong character if given the chance. I also wonder if he knows Eden's secret. If Eden is destined for some cosmic role, then Will could have been strategically placed. Then again, I could be completely over analyzing his role in Eden's story.

This story will make you hate Eden's parents. I mean, what loving parents would really locks their kids up and has no interaction with them? Then to top it off, they leave for days at a time. I know that's their character flaw, but I'd like to know what really went through their minds.

I do like how Eden transformed after she left the attic. She became a stronger character. I loved that she didn't play the victim. She took control of her actions and sought to improve herself. She stood up for those that couldn't stand up for themselves and is trying to help everyone on the island by discovering its big secret. She's turning into a leader, and that makes her interesting.

After the Catchers capture Will and Eden, they take them to the mysterious island/school. There are lots of secrets to uncover here.  Readers don't know who to trust, especially since everyone seems to have a secret. I kept trying to decide who was "good" and who was "bad". Cowan does a good job of keeping readers guessing.

This is the first book in Eden's tale. If you're expecting a full story, you're going to be disappointed. You find out only one of the many mysteries of the island. You will discover one secret that doesn't bode well for people. You will definitely need to pick up the next book in the series to find out more because so many questions are left unanswered.

Readers who enjoy a good mystery with magic should give Garden of Eden a try.

Find it on Amazon   Goodreads

To see what others thought about Garden of Eden, check out the rest of the blog tour here.

About author Kate Cowan:
Kate is an artist, an animation student, a black belt in karate and now, an author. She didn't discover writing

until mid-high school, when she began writing an (unintentionally) hilarious novel involving a teenage girl and a magic necklace. Her current novel series, The Legend of Eden, began as a story of Arthurian magic, but quickly transformed into something much different.

Kate currently lives in Ontario, Canada, in a zoo of a house. When she isn't writing, she's drawing, cooking, or browsing the Internet for new music.

Find Kate  Website   Twitter  Goodreads

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Witchling (Curse of Kin #1)

About the book:
Nera is a normal teenage girl living in Ireland-or so she thought. Her world is forever changed when she discovers that she is descended from a long line of witches. To her horror she finds she is the one that is supposed to stop the curse that has taken the life of every girl before her. As if that isn't enough, she must learn to use magic and her trainer is a man named Bones. He is the son of Mari, Queen of the Witches, and a god. It is Bones that has been entrusted to teach her the skills she needs to stay alive, which wouldn't be so bad if he didn't have an uncanny knack for pushing her buttons. Can Nera learn what she needs while staying immune to the charms of the man that gets under her skin at every opportunity?

Review:
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've read stories about magic. I've read stories about witches. I've even read stories about curses. Ari Harper does a fantastic job mixing these elements to create a satisfying and very fulfilling story that will have readers eager to pick up the sequel, Changeling, whenever it is released.

I loved that Harper elaborated on the different aspects that Nera and her friends were trained in. Between swordplay, spells, telepathy, telekinesis, and healing powers, there was a lot for Nera (and readers) to learn about. Harper did a good job giving details about the different subjects and how they work. I especially enjoyed learning about the sword fighting.

One thing that makes this book stand out is the romance, or lack there of. There's definitely chemistry between Nera and Bones, but both characters seem to push the other one away.  Instead of a love/hate relationship, it is more of a put-up-with-each-other/hate relationship. I liked that Harper didn't rush this relationship, and I would like to see how the relationship unfolds in the next book.

The many details of the curse were a bit difficult to figure out because they were gradually introduced to Nera and the readers. Probably a good thing, because one of the final aspects of the curse that Nera learns about would have had her saying "Hell No" to helping out with breaking the curse. (And I wouldn't blame her!) Give it to Nera to be strong when she had to be, even though she constantly whined about the situation.

The only minor issue I had with the story is that everyone was "dear"--as in dear mom, girl dear, or dear dad. It might be an Irish thing, and I'm completely overreacting, but I could have made a drinking game out of it. That was the only repetitive word/aspect, and as I said, it was a minor thing.  Overall, the story was well thought out and written.

For readers who love a good paranormal adventure, Witchling is a must read. Perfect for teens or adults. Put it on your To Be Read list asap!

Find Witchling on Amazon

About author Ari Harper:
Ari Harper never wanted to grow up.

To offset the limitations of aging ungracefully, she created her own set of unique worlds where she can be and do whatever she wants.

Gods, witches and demons surround Ari while she spins her magic, doing mainly what they tell her to do. Given a chance, she prefers to work amongst chaos, which is good because she is constantly surrounded by children, all clamoring for attention. Some of them end up in her stories, some of them even get to die grisly deaths or be cast away to another realm.

www.ariharper.com

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