Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Teaser Tour for Lady Firebird by Orren Merton



Today we have a teaser tour for Lady Firebird to celebrate the release that it's now available for sale! This is a young adult urban fantasy series and this is book two in the Sedumen Chronicles.

Let's see if this news report piques your interest...
News Report from Cambridge, Massachusetts
Carla: This
is Carla Hennington from WGBC in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at the scene
what will no doubt have repercussions far outside the greater Boston
area; indeed, this may change everything we know, or think we know,
about the universe in which we live.
I'm standing here with Laura Meeks, a junior at John Adams High School. Laura, can you tell me what you saw?
Laura: It
was crazy. Some huge guy with, like, two bears or wolves or something
grabbed this blond girl—I think she was a sophomore—who was walking
home. She started screaming, my buddy Bruce and I were thinking we
should do something, when we heard that girl, Lady Firebird, start
yelling—
Carla: Can you describe the girl, Laura?
Laura:
Oh, yeah. She was off the charts! Her hair and eyes were on fire, her
skin was like leather or stone or something, I dunno, hard, you know?
And she ran right at the kidnapper and his wolves, swinging her huge
curved sword—it had blue flames.
Carla: The man responded?
Laura: Oh
man, he sicked his wolves on her. Then Lady Firebird, like, opened up a
rip in the air or something—it was crazy—and her wolves started coming
out. The wolves fought, she fought the guy, but he cut her open and he
and his wolves got away with the girl. It was intense—and really sad.
Carla: And that's when you and your friends aided—
Laura: Lady Firebird, yeah. I walked up, and she talked to us, that's how I know her name. Here, Bruce, why don't you...
Carla: Bruce Williams, ladies and gentleman, another eye witness. Bruce, why don't you tell us what happened from here.
Bruce: Thank
you, Ms. Hennington. Yeah, um, we approached Lady Firebird, me first.
She was hurt bad, but she could still talk. She told us what to do—we
took her blade, and, like, waved it in the air like she said. It made
like a slice in the air, and we couldn't see into it or through it, it
was all black. I'd never seen—or done—anything like that.
Laura:
Some other guys on the scene from John Adams dragged her wolf over, and
they all were pulled through the hole in the air by these huge ape
hands or something.
Carla: Were you scared?
Laura: Oh my God you have no idea.
Bruce:
The whole thing was so intense! We were like...how could this be real?
But there it was, in front of us. Some huge monster dude and his wolf
kidnapped a girl from my school...it was crazy. But Lady Firebird tried
to save her, and said she was going to bring her home.
Laura: Yeah, I hope she's okay, and she can bring that poor girl home. I can't imagine...
Carla:
We're all praying for the victim of this horrible crime, absolutely.
What a terrifying event. Were you two afraid, not just of the kidnapper,
but of the mysterious flaming swordswoman?
Bruce: Were we scared of Lady Firebird?
Laura: I mean, sure, she was scary and all, but I think she was after that kidnapper, you know? She was trying to help.
Carla:
We all hope so, that's for sure. Bruce, Laura, thank you both. And I'm
Carla Hennington from WGHC, on the scene in Cambridge. For more on this
breaking story we return to our Boston studio.



 About Lady Firebird:
Alexandra Gold leads two lives. 
In
a universe filled with powerful spirit beings, she is the half human,
half-demon Lady Firebird of the House of Keroz. She stopped Dirk Raum
from murdering humans whose fresh souls he fed the House of Raum. This
won her the respect of some but the enmity of others.
On
Earth, she appears to be like every other eighteen-year old girl, but
she longs to step forward as Lady Firebird, and let people know that she
will protect them—but she worries that once people see her flaming
hair, eyes, and long fangs, she will terrify those she wants to help.
When Dirk returns and starts a kidnapping spree as part of his plan to
conquer both universes, Alex races to the rescue. 
She is ready to meet the challenge; but is the world ready to meet Lady Firebird?




About the Author:
Orren
Merton started writing fantasy and science fiction at an embarrassingly
young age, mostly for his own

amusement. In high school, he listened to
a lot of dark and moody rock, which inspired him to pick up guitar and
start playing up and down California in a few bands, culminating in his
Industrial rock group Ember After releasing their debut album, Grasping
At Straws, and subsequently The Misery EP.  During that time, magazines,
developers, and corporations began to pay him to write and edit music
software related articles, manuals, and  books. Since then he has
written the urban fantasy novel The Deviant and the science fiction
novel Skye Entity before working on his current series of YA novels. He
lives in Southern California with his family, pets, collection of
sci-fi/fantasy memorabilia, and curiously large stuffed animal
collection.



Giveaway:

5 ebook copies of Lady Firebird by Orren Merton (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 












Monday, October 6, 2014

Teaser Tour- Who R U Really? by Margo Kelly

Today we have a teaser tour for Who R U Really? by Margo Kelly. This is a young adult thriller and is available for sale now.


Margo Kelly’s Debut Who R U Really? was Ripped from a Real Life Event



After her daughter narrowly survived a man she met in an online role-playing game, Kelly wrote a breathless young adult thriller with the hopes of helping others spot and unmask internet predators.



When a Nampa, Idaho, police detective said to Margo Kelly’s daughter, “It is your job to tell others—your real everyday friends that you go to school with—tell them what happened to you, so nothing like this can happen to them.” … she agreed.


“My daughter is my hero,” Kelly said, “for being willing to share her personal choices, conversations, and feelings in order to help others, regardless of the negative judgment she might receive as a result.” Additionally, Kelly realized if she wrote a novel about her daughter’s experience, they could help more people avoid the trappings of internet predators. Who R U Really? is primarily a work of fiction, but the essence of the plot is what happened when Kelly’s daughter was nearly abducted. The
fictional elements are based on what has happened to young women across the country on a too frequent basis.

“Inspired by her own daughter's terrifying story, Kelly has painted a realistic picture of how a smart girl can get caught up in something dangerous online,” said the School Library Journal. “Guaranteed to give readers goosebumps—particularly as events heat up toward the end. … A good
choice for families to read together.”

According to the Fall Preview issue of Kirkus Reviews, “Thea’s mistakes, while frustrating to encounter, are frighteningly plausible, and the relationships among characters are well–fleshed out, especially between mother and daughter. Kelly’s first novel is a suspenseful page-turner with multiple suspects, a little bit of romance, and a strong but not overbearing message.”


About the Book:

Who R U Really? by Margo Kelly
(ages 12-18)

When Thea discovers a new role-playing game online, she breaks her parents’ rules to play. And in the world of the game, Thea falls for an older boy named Kit whose smarts and savvy can’t defeat his near-suicidal despair. Soon, he’s texting her, asking her to meet him, and talking in vague ways about how they can be together forever. As much as she suspects that this is wrong, Thea is powerless to resist Kit’s allure, and hurtles toward the very fate her parents feared most. Who R U Really? will excite you and scare you, as Thea’s life spins out of control.

“Kelly has painted a realistic picture of how a smart girl can get caught up in something dangerous online. … Guaranteed to give readers goosebumps.” -- School Library Journal. (http://www.bookverdict.com)

“Thea’s mistakes, while frustrating to encounter, are frighteningly plausible, and the relationships among characters are well–fleshed out, especially between mother and daughter. Kelly’s first novel is a suspenseful page-turner.” -- Kirkus Reviews (www.kirkusreviews.com)





About the Author:





Margo Kelly is a native of the Northwest and currently resides in Idaho. A veteran public speaker, she is now actively pursuing her love of writing. Who R U Really? is her first novel. Margo welcomes the opportunities to speak to youth groups, library groups, and book clubs.





Author Links:



Giveaway:
Hardcover of Who R U Really?
US only
a Rafflecopter giveaway




Sunday, October 5, 2014

Ondine Quartet Super Sale & Kindle HD Giveaway

It's the Ondine Quartet super sale! Buy the first three books (Whirl, Billow, Crest) in this thrilling, action-packed, mature young adult urban fantasy series at 0.99 cents each for a limited time! Preorder Breaker and get it at only .99 cents, it'll be $4.99 on release day. That's less than $4 for the full Quartet! You can also enter to win a Kindle Fire HD 6 in the celebration giveaway!



About Ondine (Ondine Quartet 0.5), a FREE novella
ondine_500
“I shouldn’t get involved.”

Rebellious and headstrong, sixteen-year-old Kendra Irisavie
doesn’t have much respect for authority. An ondine with the powerful
gift of Virtue, she uses her tough attitude and Empath magic to navigate
through high school and keep others away.

Because being an ondine also means keeping secrets.

Kendra
and her mother are Rogue water elementals in the middle of an ancient
war. They hide among humans, their survival constantly threatened by
monstrous Aquidae demons.

Along with a rigorous training regimen
to mold Kendra into a lethal fighter, her mother has instituted four
rules to keep her safe.

Trust no one. Relationships are weaknesses. Emotional attachments are dangerous. Be responsible only for yourself.

But when Kendra witnesses a classmate in trouble, she intervenes and her decision to break the rules comes at a price.

Sometimes, humans could be more dangerous than demons.

Ondine is a short prequel novella for the young adult urban / paranormal fantasy series, the Ondine Quartet.


Ondine (#0.5): Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

 
About Whirl (Ondine Quartet #1):
whirl_500
Outspoken and independent, Kendra Irisavie has always played by her own rules.

She's
an ondine, a water elemental gifted with the powerful magic of Empath
Virtue and trained to be a fighter. Pursued by Aquidae demons, she and
her mother remain Rogue, hiding among humans to avoid becoming
casualties in an ancient war.

Everything changes when violence
erupts on Kendra's seventeenth birthday. A dark stranger appears,
promising answers to her mysterious past and stirring unexpected
feelings in her fiercely guarded heart.

But as Kendra uncovers the truth about her heritage and future, she realizes just how deep the lies and deception run.

Now, in the face of unthinkable odds, she will need all her wits, skills, and magic to fulfill an extraordinary prophecy.

The first in a sweeping urban fantasy series, Whirl
is the beginning of a young woman's exhilarating journey for survival,
love, and hope as she fights for her place in a world where she doesn't
belong.


 




Breaker (Book 4) Preorder links:
Pre-order Breaker now at the special 0.99 cent pricing and receive a
bonus post-Breaker short story during release week! This short story
will not be available anywhere else for six months after Breaker's
release.



Simply pre-order from any retailer and complete this form to receive this exclusive bonus!









Author Bio:
Emma Raveling writes a wide variety of
fiction for teens and adults. She is the author of the young adult urban /
contemporary fantasy series, the Ondine Quartet, and Lost Blood, the first installment of the forthcoming young adult
urban fantasy series, Chancer. She's also working on the first book in her new
Steel Magic series for adults.

An avid traveler hopelessly addicted to
diet coke and coffee, she currently resides in Honolulu, Hawaii with her
husband and German shepherd.


Giveaway:
  • One winner will receive a 16GB Kindle Fire HD6 tablet
  • Giveaway open international
This event was organized by:

 

Friday, October 3, 2014

Guest Post: Phantom's Dance by Lesa Howard


HTML that should work on most blogs:
Welcome to my stop on the teaser tour for Phantom's Dance by Lesa Howard. Phantom's Dance is a YA modern retelling of Phantom of the Opera and it's available for sale, right now!




About the Book:

Christine Dadey’s family uprooted their lives and moved to Houston for her to attend the prestigious Rousseau Academy of Dance. Now, two years later, Christine struggles to compete among the Academy’s finest dancers, her parents are on the brink of divorce, and she’s told no one about her debilitating performance anxiety and what she’s willing to do to cope with it.





Erik was a ballet prodigy, a savant, destined to be a star on the world’s stage, but a suspicious fire left Erik’s face horribly disfigured. Now, a lonely phantom forced to keep his scars hidden, he spends his nights haunting the theater halls, mourning all he’s lost. Then, from behind the curtain he sees the lovely Christine. The moldable, malleable Christine.





Drawn in by Erik’s unwavering confidence, Christine allows h

​​erself to believe Erik’s declarations that he can transform her into the dancer she longs to be. But Christine’s hope of achieving her dreams may be her undoing when she learns Erik is not everything he claims. And before long, Erik’s shadowy past jeopardizes Christine’s unstable present as his obsession with her becomes hopelessly entangled with his plans for revenge.





Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble Goodreads Smashwords iTunes





Here are several cover mock-ups, with a pen name (I chose a pen name because this book was much darker than the ones I write for younger audiences.) that we played around with before choosing the current one. Ultimately, I used my first name with Howard, my grandfather, for the last. Also, I considered calling the book DANCING BLIND, omitting the reference to the phantom. But my awesome critique group convinced me otherwise.



This one is absolutely beautiful, but it didn't convey the darkness we were going for.





 This photo looked nice until the designer placed it on the cover. With the title being what it was then, it made her look as though she were actually blind.





















This one has the black tutu, but after a vote from the fabulous staff and Chambers County Library in Anahuac, TX (had to do the shout-out) I scrapped it, too, and went with the red. And of course, it's now called PHANTOM'S DANCE.



























 





A Writer's Thank You Notes

Lesa Howard


Thank you, "I'm sorry I was writing dialogue in my head," for continuing to do the job when using you as an excuse for ignoring my husband.



Thank you, Microsoft Word, for pointing out when I misspell vaccuumm but completely ignoring mall when I meant maul.



Thank you, e-books, for making it possible to share my book with more readers while pulling my hair out learning your endless choice of formats.



Thank you, blogs, for your SEO, trackbacks, and meta crap that give me a lovely migraine.



Thank you, social media, for never acknowledging my existence.



Thank you, television writers, movie directors, and actors in general, for your cool last names that roll with the credits, yet I can never remember a single one when trying to come up with a good character name.



Thank you, Goodreads, for reminding me that I don't read fast enough.



Thank you, Amazon, for putting my best review at the bottom of the list—where no one ever goes.



Thank you, best sellers list, for reminding me I have not yet arrived.



Finally, thank you, Jimmy Fallon, for another sarcastic way to express myself.





Phantom's Dance Excerpt:




“You scared the crap out of me—again!” I wailed, and a low chuckle rumbled from behind the heavy, velvet drapes.

With my hand pressed to my overexerted lungs, I breathed deeply. “I see you’re still behind the curtain. But I suppose that’s where a stagehand would be, wouldn’t he? Behind the curtain?”

“Ouch. And here I thought you were a nice girl—not like the Academy snobs looking down their noses at the hired help.”

“Ah-ha! So you are a stagehand.”

“I never said that. What I said was you’re a snob.”

“I am not!”

He half laughed half snorted.

“What are you doing here?” I asked him.

“I came to see the ballet. Isn’t that why you’re here?”

“Of course, but that’s not what I meant. The ballet has been over for an hour. Why are you still here?”

“I might ask you the same thing.”

The pink flower chose that moment to fall from my hair and float to the stage floor.

“You were playing the ballerina, weren’t you?” He teased.

His voice had moved from where it started at my right to the curtains behind me.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll keep your secret.”

My face heated and I bent to recover the flower then stood to face his voice.

“You won’t tell Mr. Darby or the theater manager?”

“I said I wouldn’t tell.”

Spinning the flower between my fingers, I asked, “Why do you stay behind the curtain?”

“I don’t like the stage.”

“But you said you’re a dancer. What kind of dancer doesn’t like to be on the stage?”

“This kind.”

He’d been yanking my chain long enough. Two could play this game.

“So, are you handicapped or what?”

An unpleasant silence stretched between us and I realized I’d stumbled onto something.

“Oh, God, you are.”









About the Author:



Lesa Howard lives in the greater Houston area where she works as a writer-in-residence for the nonprofit organization Writers in the Schools, but her students know her as Lesa Boutin. Lesa was passionate about writing for teens before it was even labeled Young Adult, and her latest YA novel is PHANTOM'S DANCE, which is a modern retelling of Gaston Leroux's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. She has two books written under the name Lesa Boutin: AMANDA NOBLE, ZOOKEEPER EXTRAORDINAIRE, and AMANDA NOBLE, SPECIAL AGENT. Visit Lesa at www.lesahowardboutin.com or contact her at lesaboutin@gmail.com







Giveaway:
$20 gift card to choice of book store

a Rafflecopter giveaway