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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Giveaway:

Enter to win an autographed paperback ARC of  This Crumbling Pageant. Open Worldwide!

 

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First Light

About the book:
On the harsh militant world of Sindorus, where even colours are considered sinful, three people living very separate lives are about to have those lives change forever. As deceptions are torn away, and ancient secrets brought to light, they each must struggle to find the missing pieces to the puzzle...answers that will unlock their true destiny.

Idrith, bitter and trapped in a life he never chose, is the first to discover his own fear-filled mystery. Obsessed with finding the truth behind the lies he turns to the one person he has always tried to avoid -- the mysterious pilgrim, Harmion.

Aztar's military promotion comes with an unexpected burden. A serious problem threatens the security of the entire Northerner regime and it seems that their only hope may lie in the hands of someone he was raised to think of as his enemy and inferior. Each day they struggle together to find a solution, but at night Aztar struggles alone as the secret he's kept hidden since childhood returns to torment him.

In a world where most women have no control over their lives Daen was allowed to grow up unrestricted and far better educated than normal. Now her father's health is failing and the running of their family estate lies in her hands...and with it the security of everyone she loves. Knowing that desperate situations call for courageous action, Daen is about to take a step that will change all their lives forever.

Find the book: Amazon   Goodreads   Shelfari

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

Books with settings in other worlds have so much potential. I decided to read this one because of how colours were/are a bad thing. How can this be? Aren't colours all around us? I was intrigued. I just hoped that the author could write a satisfying story about it. To my delight, the plot was well thought out and it was very believable. I loved how the characters shifted how they saw the world when any illegal colours were brought into their lives. It was as if they went from seeing a tree in black and white to actually seeing it as various shades of greens and browns.

In Frost's world, owning anything colorful can land you in serious trouble. For example, pictures in your home can be pencil or charcoal sketches, but a colorful painting of a bowl of fruit is illegal. But you're not limited to just paintings. Colorful outfits and even stained glass are illegal. If you're caught with any sort of coloured item, you could do some serious jail time, or even be sentenced to death. Why is this? Because colour can corrupt the mind.

Setting up the story takes time so be patient in the beginning. Frost has to introduce readers to each main character and explain their back stories. Then Frost begins weaving in the seemingly innocent pieces of the plot that will be tied together in the end. First Light is a complex story that is well written and executed. This is made more impressive by the fact that this is Frost's first book.

There are three main characters, and four other characters that are all tied together. The three main characters--Idrith, Daen, and Aztar--each have parts of the story told through their point of view since they live in different areas of Sindorous. This was a great decision by Frost. They each interact with Harmion who helps move the story along. In fact, readers will hate Harmion for his actions. There is a reason for what he does though, and by the end of the book, his betrayal makes sense.

The book tells a complete story, but leaves certain threads undone so readers will want to pick up the second book. It should be interesting to see what the group of characters with their special talents can do when the act together to change things in Sindorous.

A special note to potential readers, don't judge this book by it's cover. Yes, I'm one of those people who sometimes selects books because of the cover (and the synopsis), but definitely don't skip over this one. Pick it up and read it.

The writing style is easy to read. Middle graders can easily read this, but the plot is so complex that I recommend it for teens and adults. It can easily be a family book. There's symbolism in the book and of course, some mystery.

About author Michelle Frost:
MICHELLE FROST has written everything from reviews on mustard and shampoo to horoscopes and an astrology advice column for a small South African newspaper. She won second prize in the Klein Karoo Arts festival, 2001, for a short story later published in the book e-rupsie/e-ruption.Michelle has had other short stories and poems published in various publications and countries. This is her first book

Find Michelle: Website   Goodreads

She has Profiles on Goodreads, bookblogs and shelfari.

Drawing Amanda cover reveal

Today I'm excited to bring you the cover reveal for the YA novel, Drawing Amanda by Stephanie Feuer.  This novel is scheduled to release by Hipso Media in June 2014.

 

About the book:
Inky draws his crush for a game–and paints her into real danger. DRAWING AMANDA is set in the under-parented, high-expectation world of a Manhattan international prep school. Fourteen-year-old budding artist Inky Kahn is still smarting from the death of his father. He thinks he’s found his big break when he bonds with the developer of a new computer game and snags a coveted drawing assignment, for which he uses his secret crush–Amanda–as a model. But unbeknownst to Inky, the developer has a dangerous past, and is using his computer game to lure and stalk teenage girls. And Inky has inadvertently led Amanda right into his path. Blinded by his own ambition and sulking from his father’s death, Inky hides from the truth. Will Inky, with the help of Rungs, his cybergeek pal, discover the treachery in time and save Amanda before the creep ensnares her–or anyone else?

Find it on  Goodreads

 

About author Stephanie Feuer:
Stephanie Feuer’s articles and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Herald, on bettyconfidential.com and in numerous anthologies and literary magazines. She serves as creative nonfiction editor of Conclave, a Journal of Character. DRAWING AMANDA is her first published book of fiction. Stephanie earned her Master’s in Journalism and Communication from Boston University, and her B.A. in sociology from Hamilton (Kirkland) College. She lives in New York City with her husband, teenage son, Tibetan Terrier and an out of control collection of books and CDs.


About illustrator S.Y. Lee:
S.Y. Lee received her BFA in Illustration from Syracuse University. Her work has been featured in children’s books, textbooks, magazines, and on iPad® apps. She currently lives in New York with her two goldfish, One Fish and Two Fish. You can see more of her work on her online portfolio: http://callmelee.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giveaway:  

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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Fire Country birthday celebration!

Today, Fire Country by David Estes turns one year old. In the first year since Fire Country was born, so much has happened. David signed with an agent, sold more than 10,000 books, wrote five more books and published a further three). He knew he just had to celebrate and he'd love for you to be a part of it! David owes so much of his support to the blogger community, and he wants everyone to have the chance to be a part of the Fire Country Birthday Bash.

Everyone goes home a winner, simply follow the prompts below and swipe your eCopy of Fire Country from Smashwords. Read and leave a review on Amazon if you enjoyed it. Feel free to share the code with your friends, family, neighbours and literary inclined pets.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/280371

Coupon Code: WH62C

Expiration: March 1, 2014

What's a party without prizes? Yes, David is not only giving everyone a chance to download their own copy of Fire Country, book one in the Country Saga for free, but he's also giving you stuff too. You could win an Amazon giftcard open internationally, U.S residents can win a signed copy of the David Estes book of your choice, or a handful of David Estes eBooks of your choice. Awesome.

Visit David via his Blog • Facebook • Twitter and via Goodreads

Pay Perry the Prickler a visit on Twitter and Goodreads

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Excerpt:
“Why would the Wilds whisper lies in my ear if they’re going to kidnap me anyway?” I ask Circ the first chance I get after leaving Veev’s tent. My voice sounds funny ’cause I’ve pinched my nose shut with my finger and thumb.

Circ laughs at my voice, and then says, “They’re not going to kidnap you, Sie.” I snort, ’cause his voice sounds even funnier with his nostrils clamped tight. My fingers come off my nose for a second and I get a whiff of the blaze pit that sits a stone’s throw to the side. Screwing up my face, I pinch harder, until it hurts. A little pain is better’n the smell.

“I don’t mean me me. I mean hypothetically speaking. If the Wilds were to try to kidnap me”—I look at Circ, trying not to laugh at the sight of his squashed nose—“or any other Youngling girl, why wouldn’t they just grab her from behind, put a hand over her mouth, and carry her away in a tugskin sack?”

“Maybe they’re all out of tugskin?” Circ says, cracking up and losing the grip on his nose. He sticks out his tongue as the foul odor sneaks up his nostrils. The tips of his moccasin-covered feet are touching mine as we sit cross-legged across from each other. We’ve sat this way since we were Totters.

Eon's Door

About the book (from Goodreads):
The Dark Forest is moving and a horde of bloodthirsty monsters is on the hunt. For the peaceful denizens of Erla, time is running out.

Two thousand years after three clans flee the world of humans through Eon's Door to find sanctuary in a realm called Erla, a prophecy left to them by the ancient race that created the tree portal is coming true. A trusted sage has stolen the portal's key and is using the awesome power that separated the worlds to tear apart the very soul of Nature. The key must be taken back and Eon's Door closed--before it's too late.

Hope lies with a "child of doubt" from the world the clans left behind and the courageous young Erlan who's been sent to find him. Together they must retrieve the key to Eon's Door. It won't be easy; abominations of beasts and trees stand between them and their goal. Even worse, the sage knows the prophecy and is waiting for them.

EON'S DOOR is a fantasy adventure recommended for readers age 12 and up

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

I was eager to begin this story. As a lover of fantasy novels, this held the promise of everything I enjoy reading--a new world, new creatures, quests, and special talents (telepathy). McKenney thought through each of these elements and the result is a wonderful adventure story for kids and teens.

Before the story begins, McKenney provides a map of the Erlan world as well as a list and description of the main characters. This really helps readers to understand the new setting and to keep track of which main characters are part of which clan. Each clan can communicate with different parts of nature--either animals, trees/plants, water/aquatic life, or all three.

McKenney has the ability to paint with his words and allows readers to "see" his world clearly. Characters and landscapes are brought to life. He creates an epic style story where characters must travel to far off places while braving dangerous creatures so they can retreive an artifact--in this case a key-- in order to defeat an evil foe.

Althouh the story is geared to kids/teens (one of the main characters is 12 years old), I would recommend it to older teens due to McKenney's complex writing style and vivid descriptions. Adults will also get a lot out of the story. Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series will probably enjoy this story.

About author J.G. McKenney:

For his critically acclaimed breakthrough novel, EON'S DOOR, J.G. (John) McKenney received the 2012 Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award, and was also a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Award. John's fascination with fantasy and adventure began at a young age when he discovered works like THE HOBBIT and THE CALL OF THE WILD. That early love of reading has matured into a need to tell stories that transport readers into worlds full of wonder and enchantment.

Find J.G. McKenney:   Website   Goodreads

The Huntsman's Prey releases today!

About the book:
Rumors abound in Wonderland, of a dark princess named Chrysalis who bears the Moon's curse. Her beauty is beyond compare, and her madness… even greater than her father’s, The Hatter. Death follows wherever she roams, and Danika—fairy godmother of all villains—knows this task is too great for her to handle on her own. She has no choice but to seek out the one they call Huntsman, his mission is simple: Find the creature, and destroy it.

But nothing is ever so simple in Kingdom. The moment the hunter Aeric steps foot in the mad, twisted realm he's enveloped in a reality that is neither wholly true nor fantasy. The key, the Cheshire explains, to ending the madness is for one to become mad themselves. The Huntsman has one chance to figure out the riddle before the beauty destroys them all…

The long anticipated spinoff to the Bad boys series if finally here, the Dark Princess Saga begins with Hatter and Alice's daughter...

Find the book:   Goodreads   Amazon

About Author Marie Hall:
Marie loves books that make you think, or feel something. Preferably both. And while she’s a total girly girl and loves glitter and rainbows, she’s just as happy when she’s writing about the dark underbelly of society. Well, if things like zombies, and vampires, and werewolves, and mermaids existed. (Although she has it on good authority that mermaids do in fact exist, because the internet told her so.)

She’s married to the love of her life, a sexy beast of a caveman who likes to refer to himself as Big Hunk. She has two awesome kids, lives in Hawaii, loves cooking and occasionally has been known to crochet.

Connect with Marie:   Blog    Facebook     Twitter

Excerpt:
The rustling of leaves sounded like the rattling of dry bones. Trees—their trunks twisted and distorted from the magic imbued within the very soil of Wonderland—reached long, gnarly branches out toward Danika.

The stars shone a brilliant silver, winking from within the navy blue sky. A sickle shaped smile of sharp teeth gleamed from inside shadow and somewhere a voice howled. The haunting sound raised goose bumps on her arms and the fine hairs on the back of her neck.

She flew within the shelter of a hollow, staring at the ground below littered with the twisted, distorted bodies of sightless carcasses. Hundreds of dead animals, with limbs torn off and throats ripped open. A brutal slaughter that brought tears to her eyes.

It’d been eighteen years since she’d married off the last of her Bad Five, eighteen years of peace and quiet, eighteen years of being lulled into a false sense that all was well within her world.

But all was not well. She’d suspected this time was coming, had seen a glimpse of the future first time she’d laid eyes on the child. Danika had tried to deny it, tried to wish it away, to hope that desire could stop reality.

Her heart bled to hear the sounds of the lonely, constant cries shuddering through the woods. The teeth returned, floating right in front of her face.

“Cheshire?” Dragonfly wings buzzed softly behind her back.

A face materialized around the teeth, a ghostly distortion of fur and stripes. Then a body followed suit, until finally, a fluffy tabby stared back at her with eyes the color of an inkwell.

“Godmother?” His lazy drawl echoed with laughter. “What are you doing in my woods?”

She scoffed. “Your woods. You wish you fat alley cat. These woods belong to the Hatter.”

Cheshire did a strange rolling shoulder lift while he licked his paw. Danika shook her head, much as she loved Hatter, his woods were one she rarely visited and dreaded staying inside of for too long. The sensuous curl of white fog wrapped itself around the cat’s body, as if he were readying to vanish into the ether once again.

She may not like the cat, but she preferred his company to being alone in this warped portion of Kingdom.

“Have you seen the creature?” she asked quietly, heart thumping loudly as she strained to hear every creak, groan, and whistle surrounding them.

“Mmmm. I have,” he purred, long and loud and low, the rumbling vibrations of it causing his fur to stir and fluff. “Beautiful madness.”

“Where is it?” She hugged her arms to her chest, the howls had stopped, which meant it could now be anywhere. She wanted to leave, wanted to leave now.

“It? You mean she. Do you not?”

She closed her eyes. To think of it as anything other than an it would make this task impossible. Oh goddess, this wasn’t supposed to happen. Not to Alice and Hatter, they’d gone through so much, this shouldn’t have happened. How she wished she had Miriam’s wise guidance once again, her truest and best friend would have known what to do, how to fix this.

“I meant exactly what I said. Where did you see it last?” She lifted her chin, voice stern, refusing to allow an ounce of sympathy to leak into her words.

His smile stretched from ear to ear, full of nothing but sharp, little teeth that made him look frighteningly macabre. An impossibly long tongue licked at the fur around his eyes.

“Silver girds her loins, fire ripples at her feet.”

Scream For Me releases today!

About the book:
Nothing is deeper than the desire they can’t fight—or deadlier than the evil they can’t escape.

They were only supposed to have a professional relationship, but FBI agent Kyle McKenzie has been fantasizing about his sexy partner, Cadence Hollow, from the moment they first moment. It takes the darkest case of their careers to finally bring their hidden desire bubbling to the surface. Once they’re in each other’s arms, though, they swear that nothing short of death will part them. The Night Hunter—a cunning stalker whose four-state, fifteen-year abduction spree began in Paradox, Alabama, with Kyle’s sister—may be only too happy to oblige.

In the small town, Kyle must confront the painful past he’s been hiding from Cadence. Kyle vows to put the Hunter behind bars…or in the ground. But the one thing that obsesses Kyle more than his sister’s grim fate—his furious love for Cadence—is the weapon the Hunter will use to lure his pursuers into the mouth of a murderous trap.

Find Scream for Me: Goodreads   Amazon   B&N   Books A Million   IndieBound

About author Cynthia Eden:

USA Today Best-selling author Cynthia Eden has written over twenty-five novels and novellas. She was named as a 2013 RITA® finalist for her paranormal romance, ANGEL IN CHAINS, and, in 2011, Cynthia Eden was a RITA finalist for her romantic suspense, DEADLY FEAR.

Cynthia is a southern girl who loves horror movies, chocolate, and happy endings. She has always wanted to write (don’t most authors say that?), and particularly enjoys creating stories about monsters–vampires, werewolves, and even the real-life monsters that populate her romantic suspense stories.

Cynthia’s foreign sales for her books include translations to Japan, Germany, Thailand, Greece, and Brazil. (Back in the day…) Cynthia graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Alabama where she studied Sociology (because people interest her) and Communication (because she likes to write about said people). Cynthia has worked as a college admissions counselor, a teacher, and as an editor. But now, Cynthia is thrilled to be spending her days making up stories.

Find Cynthia Eden:   Website/Blog   Twitter   FB Author Page   Goodreads

Excerpt from Scream for Me:
“We can’t do anything else out here,” she said. “Not tonight.”

She was being so careful with him. Too careful.

“Don’t,” he bit out as he stalked toward her. The others weren’t close enough to overhear, so he could lower his guard and let some of his fury out.

Cadence shook her head. “Don’t what?”

He wanted to wrap his hands around her. To pull her close.

No, I just want to touch her. To feel her.

“Don’t handle me with your damn kid gloves, Cadence.” The words were snapped. “I’m not some victim you have to coddle.”

He’d rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt—like that had done much good. He was covered with grime and sweat and plenty of insect bites.

I fucking hate summers in the South.

Insects were chirping all around them, and he’d had to dodge snakes in the bushes for most of the evening.

“I never thought you were a victim.” Cadence turned from him and headed for the car.

She knew he’d follow her. Wasn’t he always trailing after her?

Wasn’t he the one who always kept the need in check? The desire he damn well knew they both felt.

After today—after this hell—why couldn’t they turn to each other for some comfort and release? Let that desire burst free?

Replace death with pleasure.

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