Sharon Lipman's Blog, page 3
June 13, 2016
Celebrate Tricia Owen's new release, Descended from Dragons, and WIN A $75 GIFT CERTIFICATE!
We're not going to lie. This latest Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance from Tricia Owen's is looking pretty good. Today we've got an exclusive excerpt for you, plus, yes, you read right, the chance to win a $75 Amazon or B&N gift certificate. Be sure to read the whole post and enter the giveaway at the end. Don't forget, commenting on this post will earn you extra entries to the competition.
Descended From Dragonsby Tricia Owens
Beneath the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas lies another city. A secret city in plain sight, full of warlocks and demons, shape-shifters and golems. A city that feeds off the chance magick that is generated by gamblers and which is ruled by mysterious beings called the Oddsmakers.
It is in this strange underbelly of the occult that Anne Moody runs a cursed pawn shop for the desperate, the curious, and the magickally inclined. Though the job is boring, it keeps her under the radar. None of her customers have any inkling that she is a dragon sorceress with a power that's been feared throughout history. However dragons are no help when a stone statue ends up in her shop that is more than it appears. The statue is a gargoyle named Vale, who is shrouded in mystery and secrets. When she learns that Vale is possessed, and that the person responsible for cursing him plans to take over Las Vegas with a horde of demons from Hell, Anne realizes it is up to her to defy the Oddsmakers and save the city, and possibly the world.
Exclusive Excerpt
A shift of the eyes to the left. I followed Orlaton's line of sight to a riveted metal trunk that sat on the floor at the base of one of the bookshelves. Like a pirate's chest, it was sealed closed by a large, ancient padlock. The padlock was probably only window dressing. The real locks were magickal, and they would hurt you if you tried to break them, if not outright kill you.
"I've made my mistake. I will never make it again," Orlaton murmured.
His cheeks were white. His shoulders had hunched. As I looked at him, dread crawled up my spine like a spider. There had been horror in his voice. A wretched sort of anguish. Anguish still bound up in fear.
I looked at the chest again. It didn't look so simple anymore. Now it looked like someone's nightmare.
"What's inside it?" I asked, reluctant to hear the answer.
His eyes shimmered behind their lenses. "Do you really want to know?"
Orlaton had taken this somewhere darker than I'd intended this conversation to go. I wanted to back away from the haunted knowledge in his eyes even as a part of me wanted to defend him. Orlaton was no wounded bird, but something in that trunk had hurt him. Badly. I couldn't begin to imagine how terrible—how wickedly devious—it must have been to have slipped beneath his guard.
I couldn't begin to imagine what it had done to him before he had managed to stop it.
"I suggest you don't do what I did," he warned in a voice that trembled. He aimed a meaningful look at the gargoyle statue. "Some magicks…linger. Some magicks destroy you when you least expect them to."
"I'll get help," I promised him. A name came to mind, one I hadn't thought of in years.
His mouth thinned into the smile of a ghost. "I'd wish you luck, but it won't help you."
Tricia Owens wants you to know that Las Vegas is actually a pretty cool place and you won't be eaten by a troll there. Probably. A former casino games dealer and cruise ship editor, Tricia has traveled extensively, visiting over 70 countries. She writes full time in several genres including urban fantasy and romance. Her favorite setting is her home town, the city of sin.
Find out more about the author
Giveaway time!
Tricia Owens will be awarding a $75 Amazon/BN gift certifiacte to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. . Remember - commenting on this blog will earn you extra entries!
June 7, 2016
Guest Blog - Rachel Rawlings on the challenge of writing a new series
To celebrate her latest release - Payable on Death - author, Rachel Rawlings dropped by to talk about the challenge of creating a new series. Here's what she had to say:
“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off too.”
– Bilbo Baggins, via J.R.R. Tolkien
I think starting a new series is very much like the advice Bilbo gives to Frodo in the Lord of the Rings. Swap out the road for a blank Word document and it just about sums it up. The comforts of home or in this case the comforts of the world you’ve created previously are gone. No familiar faces or places to guide you along. Will you get along with these new imaginary friends? Will they talk to you, help you like the others or will you fight and scrabble the whole journey?
Payable On Death is a lot of firsts for me- first in a new series, first full length book I’ve written outside of my original series, first time I not only thought about writing a new universe outside of Maurin’s but that I actually did it. It was an unusual experience. I kept looking around corners for my old friends, expecting things to work the same in Jax’s world as they did in Maurin’s. But, Jax’s story isn’t one of vampires and werewolves. Her world, set not far from me in the city of Baltimore, consists of demons and angels. The rules and players were different.
Once we got beyond the “getting to know you” phase, I was surprised for all its differences, how very much the same it actually was. An Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance, kick ass female lead, quirky supporting cast, action, adventure and romance. It’s a formula I’ve used successfully in my Maurin Kincaide Series and so far it’s working for Jax’s trilogy as well. It may be a different world, but once I got settled into it, it was just a comfortable as the one I’d temporarily left behind.
A deal with the Devil. Demons haunting your every step. When an Angel offers you the chance to redeem yourself, you take it. Because eternal damnation isn't all it's cracked up to be.
But the Devil always gets his due.
On the streets of Baltimore redemption is..... Payable On Death.
Rachel Rawlings was born and raised in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. Her family, originally from Rhode Island, spent summers in New England sparking her fascination with Salem, MA. She has been writing fictional stories and poems since middle school, but it wasn't until 2009 that she found the inspiration to create her heroine Maurin Kincaide and complete her first full length novel, The Morrigna.
When she isn't writing, Rachel can often be found with her nose buried in a good book. An avid reader of Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, Horror and Steampunk herself, Rachel founded Hallowread- an interactive convention for both authors and fans of those genres.
More information on Hallowread, its schedule of events and participating authors can be found at www.hallowread.blogspot.com and www.facebook.com/Hallowread .
She still lives in Maryland with her husband and three children.
June 6, 2016
Blackwood Blog Book Blast: Rainy Kaye's "The Deepest Black."
Today, we're celebrating the release of THE DEEPEST BLACK by USA Today Bestselling author Rainy Kaye. THE DEEPEST BLACK is 99 cents for a limited time! Check it out, then scroll all the way down to enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card!
Ember has a little problem...fairies want her dead.
Ember spends her Friday nights lurking in the bad parts of town, killing fairies. It’s either that, or become a victim to their flesh-eating hunger.
Then she meets Remy, a fae who, despite getting on her nerves, isn’t evil. He tells her that a shadow has been consuming his world, changing its inhabitants and letting destructive beasts into his city. He is searching for his brother who went missing during the catastrophe.
When a team of mercenaries come for Ember, she has little choice but to join Remy in his quest. Together, they decide to bait a trap. What they find reveals the destruction of the fae world means the end of the human world, too–and it’s Ember’s fault.
Get your copy now!
About the author
Rainy Kaye writes paranormal novels from her lair somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona. She is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA, and her Summoned series was acquired by Bastei Lübbe. In 2014, she reached the USA Today Bestseller list. Today, she's taking care of her small zoo of furry animals and trying to remember where she left her coffee.
May 29, 2016
Cover Reveal! Jianne Carlo's "My Alpha!"
Can we get a drumroll, please?
We're celebrating Jianne Carlo's cover release for "My Alpha" and it looks GOOD!
Susie White wants no picket fences, no alpha, and no cubs. White wolf woman she may be, but no pack for her, no sireee. Alpha me not, that’s her motto. In all caps.
Half-breed wolf Joe Huroq’s not looking for a mate. His job in international security’s too dangerous and too erratic for relationships. Stop and go screwing, that’s his motto—hot and heavy between missions.
Then he glimpses his new neighbor tanning nude and the situation explodes.
Literally. Susie’s house is consumed by fire. What’s Joe to do but offer Susie sanctuary?
Susie can’t resist the temptation of hunky bad-ass Joe. She suggests a friends with benefits arrangement, which he accepts with remarkable alacrity. The sex is frantic, steaming, and non-stop. Neither one can keep their hands off the other.
Then Joe’s best friend’s son is kidnapped on the way home from school, the fire’s deemed arson, and two other kids go missing.
A serial killer’s on the loose, and he has Susie in his sights.
Susie refuses to accept Joe’s mate claim.
Can he keep her safe when she won’t obey a single order?
Stay tuned for more updates from the author:
Win a signed copy of Jane Godman's Otherworld Renegade!
You read that right. There are ten signed copies of Jane Godman's second installment in the Otherworld series - Otherworld Renegade - up for grabs! Plus we've got a fabulous excerpt to share. Take a look and don't forget to enter that amazing giveaway at the end of the post!
Claiming her felt like his destiny…but could prove to be his ultimate undoing.
Desperate to flee a horrific arranged marriage, Princess Tanzi turned to the only man who could help. Lorcan Malone, infamous necromancer, had vowed to come to her aid whenever she needed him. And even as they traveled from the mortal world into the fantastical Otherworld, Tanzi knew her true need ran deeper than just a rescue.
She was his enemy's daughter. A renegade like Lorcan had no business craving a Fae princess, one intended for a greater calling. Yet he was powerless to resist the pull to do more than protect Tanzi…
Ready for an excerpt?
“Trust me, Tanzi. If you need me, I will know.”
Those words, spoken by Lorcan Malone in the heat of battle, must have been a bit of Irish blarney. He probably didn’t even remember who she was, let alone recall their strange encounter on that fateful day. So why, in this moment—when she was in more trouble than she could ever have imagined possible—was she suddenly experiencing a fierce longing for the bad-boy necromancer with the twinkling blue eyes?
It’s called clutching at straws, she told herself. It’s what you’re doing right now instead of facing reality and finding your own way out of this madness.
“What are you thinking, my daughter?” Moncoya, exiled King of the Faeries, watched her face.
“I’m thinking that defeat has unhinged you. That you have finally done what others have whispered of for years and taken leave of your senses.” Never before had Tanzi spoken so boldly to him. Defiance was the trait her twin sister, Vashti, proudly exhibited. Tanzi had always been the acquiescent one. Until now. There were some things she could not bow down and agree to. This was one of them.
Moncoya’s perfect features hardened with fury. His blue eyes, so like her own with their sidhe ring of fire encircling the iris, lit with a brighter inner blaze. His fingers tightened on the arm of his chair so that his knuckles gleamed white in stark contrast to the black polish that decorated his perfectly manicured nails. Tanzi braced herself. His retribution would be swift and merciless. She couldn’t hope to match him in strength, but she might be able to outrun him.
The outcome hung in the balance for seconds that stretched into minutes. Then Moncoya laughed. It was a brittle, mirthless sound that set Tanzi’s teeth buzzing. She knew that laugh well. It had never boded well in her childhood. She didn’t imagine things had changed. Unexpectedly, he relaxed back into his seat.
“My child, you are overwhelmed by the honor I have arranged for you. I should have foreseen this.” He rose, draping a deceptively casual arm about her shoulders. “Walk with me a while.”
They stepped through a set of double doors straight onto a sand-and-shingle beach. The entire island, known locally as the Silver Isle, seemed to be made up of sand. Even the ocher-hued cliffs looked ready to crumble into grit at the touch of a fingertip. Ferns, wild fennel and coarse bamboo grasses clung determinedly to soil that was a combination of granule and dust. Tanzi thought of her father’s palace, of the precisely laid-out gardens leading down to the elegant lake. She glanced back over her shoulder at the beachside villa they had just left. Sea breezes and salt water had taken their toll on its elegance so that it had a faded charm she doubted her father would acknowledge. In comparison with the soaring, white marble palace she had called “home” for all her life, it was a shack. Moncoya was as out of place here as a diamond in a dung heap.
“You made sure no one followed you?” Moncoya withdrew his arm from about her shoulders as they walked along the water’s edge. Secrecy surrounded this hiding place. If he was discovered, he faced trial and inevitable execution.
“Of course.” Tanzi was offended at the question. Would he have asked Vashti the same thing? She doubted it. Yet we both trained with the Valkyrie. We are equally astute when it comes to warfare and subterfuge. It came back to the same weary argument. The same reason Tanzi had been summoned to be the recipient of his latest piece of “good news” instead of her twin. Moncoya viewed Vashti as the son he had never had. Tanzi’s only value to her father was as a pawn in the marriage stakes. Not this marriage, father. The sacrifice you are asking of me is too great.
“Tell me what has been happening at the palace in my absence.” Three months had passed since the cataclysmic battle that had forced Moncoya into hiding. It felt like three years.
“There is a peacekeeping council known as the Alliance in place. Each of the Otherworld dynasties has representation on it. The Alliance itself is led by Merlin Caledonius.”
Moncoya’s expression hardened further at the name. “That half-blood cur will pay dearly for his part in this.”
Merlin, the greatest sorcerer the world had ever known, was Moncoya’s half brother and the man who had brought about his exile. Cal, as he preferred to be called these days, had widened the existing gulf of hatred between the two men further by falling in love with and marrying the woman Moncoya had hoped to make his queen.
Tanzi paused, looking out across the turquoise waters toward the horizon. She drew a deep breath. “My father, you wrong him. He is man of conscience who is doing a fine job of uniting the dynasties…” Moncoya’s growl of rage told her she had gone too far.
“Am I, the greatest leader Otherworld has ever known, to be forced into hiding while he lives in luxury in my royal palace? Am I to endure the knowledge that he has stolen the necromancer star, the woman I chose as my own, from under my nose? Must I kick my heels in this backwater while you, my own daughter, take the seat that should be mine at this pathetic council table—” He broke off, his voice ragged. When he spoke again, his tone was softer, the words a caress. “But you know nothing of these things, my child. It is wrong of these men to ask you to involve yourself in their political machinations. They seek to trick you.”
Tanzi bit her lip. How could she explain it to him when he insisted on viewing her as a helpless dupe? Being part of the Alliance had brought her new life. Oh, she had been regarded with suspicion initially by many of the council members. She was Moncoya’s daughter, after all. They saw her as the spoiled brat sidhe princess who had been his consort—his puppet—in the past. Together with Vashti, she had blindly carried out his wishes. But things had changed three months ago on that battlefield. She had changed.
A pair of laughing Irish eyes came into her mind once more and she determinedly dismissed them. Cal and his wife, Stella, treated her as their equal, and with their help she was learning how to be the voice and conscience of her people. She was developing an understanding of compassion and democracy. Tanzi cast a sidelong glance at her father. She was learning that there was a way to rule other than Moncoya’s iron-fisted style.
“Let us leave this talk of the mongrel sorcerer for another day. I look forward to dealing with him when the time comes. This marriage I have arranged for you is the highest distinction ever to be bestowed upon a woman. Through this union, I will not only be able to come out of this undignified hiding and return to my palace, I will be the undisputed ruler of all Otherworld.” Moncoya’s lips thinned into a smile. “There will be no need for their puny Alliance when that day dawns.”
“And what of me, Father? While you become all powerful, what will I become?”
He paused then, perhaps considering for the first time the true implications of what he was asking of her. Such was his arrogance, she might have known he would not allow her feelings to influence him for long. “You will be revered above all others.”
She shook her head. “I will not do it.”
His face was set. The silken note in his voice made the threat even more menacing. “You have no choice.”
“By all the angels, Father, you cannot intend to force me into this!”
Moncoya’s lips smiled but Tanzi’s heart quailed at the look in his eyes. “Given the bridegroom I have chosen for you, might I suggest you refrain from speaking of angels in the future?”
Buy your copy now!
About the Author:
Jane Godman writes in a variety of romance genres including paranormal, gothic and romantic suspense. Her Otherworld series is published by Harlequin Nocturne and she has a new series coming out soon with Harlequin Romantic Suspense. 2017 will see the publication of a new paranormal series for SMP Swerve.
Jane lives in England and loves to travel to European cities, which are steeped in history and romance—Venice, Dubrovnik and Vienna are among her favorites. Jane is married to a lovely man and is mom to two grown-up children.
Giveaway Time!You could win one of ten signed copies of Otherworld Renegade! Just enter the Rafflecopter below!
May 24, 2016
Incredible Indie Author Interview with Letitia L Moffitt
In conjunction with Letitia's latest release, Vibe/Sync, we thought we'd take the opportunity to get to know a little more about the author. Here's what she had to say:
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Hawaii and somehow ended up in rural Illinois, with a few stopovers in between. My life is all about reading, ‘riting, running (I run marathons and ultramarathons), recipe-ing (I like to cook and eat), and roaming (traveling—it was a stretch to find an “R” word for this one). I have written three books: Sidewalk Dancing, a novel-in-stories published by Atticus Books in 2013, Trace, a paranormal mystery and Book 1 of the TraceWorld Series, and Vibe/Sync, the second in the series, both published by Cantraip Press.
Vibe/Sync has just been released into the world this month. It was inspired by a couple of odd little factoids I came across at different points in my life. I remember reading an article about a theory that dogs are so in tune with human emotions because their hearing is so acute that they can actually “hear” brainwaves. That was the inspiration for one of my characters: a guy named Eric who can kind of do the same thing. I also remember my father talking about some old books his grandfather had, books of what he called “white magic.” These books were about how the body’s ability to heal itself is a lot stronger than we think it is, and it is possible for someone to be put in a sort of “hypnotic trance” to heal the body. That was the inspiration for Emjay, another character in Vibe/Sync. The problem is, Eric and Emjay aren’t always sure what to do with these abilities they have.
TRACE
She knows what happens when you die.
Nola Lantry is a tracist: she can sense the particles of energy that are released when the human body expires. It’s a somewhat gruesome ability, but Nola uses it to bring some meaning to her otherwise drab life in upstate New York by assisting the Redfort Police Department on missing person cases. When the richest man in town, Culver Bryant, disappears, Nola finds herself in the middle of a case that is both baffling and increasingly dangerous, the danger appearing in the form of death threats as well as the missing man’s brother, Grayson. Does Grayson Bryant pursue Nola to seduce her or to stop her—and why does Nola feel a connection with him despite her mistrust?
VIBE/SYNC
Barely a week has passed since she solved her last case and Nola Lantri is already involved in several new mysteries—with a couple of people who may be just as unusual as Nola herself.
Part 1: Vibe
Eric Lafferty has returned to Redfort City a little too late for his father’s funeral but just in time to get mixed-up in a mystery that involves Nola Lantri, Grayson Bryant, a dead girl and a missing woman. Eric’s ability to read the vibrational changes in brain waves should be an asset, yet it only seems to make life more difficult for him—and given that he and Nola might be the next victims, things are difficult enough.
Part 2: Sync
Emjay used to steal things—nothing big, just enough to get by—but after a terrible accident changes her life, Emjay has only one thing on her mind: revenge. Suddenly private investigator Nola Lantri appears and questions Emjay about her past—and informs her that the mysterious man she works for has a complicated past of his own. Emjay must figure out the best use of her odd ability to “sync,” a technique intended to help people heal—but one that also can cause a lot of harm.
What authors or books have influenced you?
I think everything I’ve ever read has probably influenced me in some way, and I really do enjoy a very wide range of writers. I like Alice Munro for her character development and the compassion she shows for those characters, and I also like Neil Gaiman for his absolutely boundless imagination. Those are two of so very many wonderful writers I’ve enjoyed!
I’m working on two books, one fiction and one nonfiction. The fiction is a YA novel about genetically engineered human beings; the nonfiction is a memoir about taking a road trip around the country with pets—lots of them.
Read. That’s always my first piece of advice. Read everything. Keep reading. But get your nose out of a book once in a while and experience the world, too. Writing isn’t just typing; it’s observing and thinking. Do plenty of that.
My father frequently used to tell me “you are your own worst enemy.” It’s not the most rah-rah morale-boosting advice ever, and it took me years to understand and appreciate what he was telling me, but I get it now: I can be a very self-defeating person at times, and I need to cut it out, get past that, and keep going!
I really enjoy writing nonfiction but I haven’t done much of that until recently. I enjoy writing short personal essays on my blog, so I’d love to get more into that.
I strongly encourage readers to actively and avidly seek out books from small independent presses. I love a lot of big-name writers just like everyone else, and I believe these writers deserve their praise and success, but there are huge numbers of brilliant writers who struggle to sell even a handful of books, not because they lack talent but because their books don’t fall into neat categories that are easy to market. Seek these writers out. You won’t regret it.
April 21, 2016
In Review: PA Lupton's paranormal romance, Bound by Blood
FBI agent and psychic, Brianna Reece, descends from an ancient and powerful bloodline of witches, only she doesn’t know it. But now that legacy has come back to bite her—literally.
In the shadows of night in Denver Colorado, a serial killer is hunting women, and FBI agent Brianna Reece is hunting the killer. Unlike any case she’s worked before, Brianna can’t ignore the prickling at the back of her neck when she glimpses the resemblance she shares with the victims. The investigation begins to touch even closer to home when it is revealed that all of the victims were also psychic.
Complicating matters further, Brianna is captivated by the FBI’s prime suspect Nathan Donovan. Though she senses he is hiding something from her, the attraction she feels for him is compelling, and unlike anything she’s ever experienced. Through a chance twist of fate, Nathan learns of Brianna’s ancestry and is forced to divulge secrets to Brianna that will change her life forever.
When she learns that the killer is an evil vampire, and he’s now set his sights on her, Nathan alone holds the key to awakening her dormant powers. Now he must race to teach her how to control her emergent gifts before she becomes the next victim.
Find out more about the author
April 11, 2016
Incredible Indies: Check out D R Perry's new release!
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I'm in the middle of writing my fourth book, but so far only one is published. The first book I wrote was much darker than my current project. I learned that my writing goes better when there's light and humor to balance out any darkness that might lurk in my themes. This is true for the stories I love reading and watching as well. I love anything with some camp and a mostly happy ending.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is also the only one out so far. It's called Barely Awake. A friend recommended some books about bear shifters and my sense of humor immediately went to a place with a kooky predicament inspired by my own experiences seeing snow for the first time as a college student.
There are so many, it's hard to nail them all down. Robin McKinley and Mercedes Lackey have been on my shelves for decades. C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien even longer.
I'm editing the book after Barely Awake and writing the third book in that series. This entire setting inspires me so much, which is a good thing since I have ten books planned.
Write anything and everything. You never know what genre or style you'll end up most comfortable with unless you get a little eclectic at the beginning.
This too shall pass. It's true, and thinking of that phase every day helps me appreciate the good times while making it through anything not so good. It also lights the rocket fuel up, motivating me to be present in the moment and make time for the important things.
I'm appearing at an Author Mega Release Party with 11 other authors on April 16th. Then, it's on to publishing Fangs for the Memories, which is the second book in the Providence Paranormal College series.
Want to join in the fun at the Blackwood Blog?
March 19, 2016
Blackwood Blog Book Blast: Karina Kantas's "Illusional Reality"
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hi I'm Karina. I'm from the UK but I have lived in Greece most of my life.
As well as a freelance writer I am also an author of eight books and a VA, narrator and book trailer and promotional designer.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Illusional Reality
It's an urban romantic fantasy.I had just left the cinema after watching L.O.T.R Fellowship of the Ring. The car journey home took about one hour. By the time I got to the house book one was already written. The characters, plot, names, nothing changed in the first draft. which is unusual for me, as the characters normally tell me what to do and where to go.
There are so many book which have influenced me. If you enjoy a story you'd bound to get lost in it.
Rowling, Claire, Tolkien, Patterson, Pullman, Fritzpatrick.
I'm just promoting my own 8 titles and helping other authors and that takes a lot of my time. I have plenty of W.I.P that need finishing some day.
When you think you novel is ready to be published. Do NOT do it.
First you need to find a great editor, word of mouth is the best way.
Get a professional cover done and don't settle on it unless it's perfect. The cover is the first thing a potential reader will see, so it has to stand out.
Then you need beta readers, proofreader and then lastly get your book professionally formatted.
This all take time and money, but it doesn't have to be expensive. Ask around, do your research and DON'T publish your book until it's as polished as it can be. Otherwise you will regret it later on.
Write about what you know.
Don't force yourself to write.
Continue with my services, writing articles and blog posts and maybe publishing one or two more books ( sometime).
Buy "Illusional Reality"
Buy "In Times of Violence"
Buy "Stone Cold"
Added bonus: "Heads & Tales" and "Undressed" are free on Smashwords!
Follow Karina Kantas
February 24, 2016
Blackwood Blog Book Blast: Marnie Cate's Exigency
There is a world around us that most peopledon't take the time to see.
The second installment in the Protectors of Elemental Magic series, Exigency, is set for release on February 27th 2016 and we at House Blackwood couldn't be more excited.
Who wouldn't be? Just listen to this:
Mara Stone's world was shaken, but she is a fighter. Facing new adversaries, Mara is learning what it truly means to protect the magic. As she starts to rebuild her life, the web of her family's secrets continues to unravel. Mara is forced to face her fear of losing everything she holds dear.
She said that you would be a challenge to my children. I thought I had made the right choice when I selected Eliza. If only Mae had not interfered. But, enough of those sad thoughts, I think the two of you will be perfect replacements.
When Mara and Cole find themselves in the cold world of Snowstrum, they will have to choose either to be true to their promise to protect the magic, or to follow their desires. Magic may not be enough to free them from the icy fortress they are trapped in.
The second book in the Protectors of the Elemental Magic series, Exigency is a compelling, magical young adult fantasy tale.
As if that's not amazing enough, we'll bet the keys to Faerie that this excerpt will convince you to pre-order your copy of Exigency right now.
As I continued walking, the air died down but I quickly found myself encompassed by a dense fog. My hair was no longer blinding me but I could barely see my hand in front of me. A soft voice in me told me to just to keep walking and I listened until I stepped into cold water.
"Damn it," I cried out.
Not sure where I was I stopped and called, "Air, please blow away this fog and let me see where I am."
Sitting down, I waited while the moist vapor drifted away showing me that I was on the rocky shore of Sparrow Lake. Sitting down, I wrapped my arms around my legs and gently began to rock myself. How did I get so far from home? I felt as if I was losing a connection with reality. I kept telling myself that if I just listened to my heart everything would be as planned. As I questioned my recent behavior and my faith that the Goddess would guide me, I heard a crackling sound behind me. Turning to the direction of the noise, I saw a shadow quickly dart through the tree line.
Calling out, I said, "Stop! Who are you? Why are you following me?”
No response came from the forest. Standing to face the unknown, the cold breeze off the lake picked up and covered my arms with goosebumps. Rubbing my arms frantically to warm up, I called out again.
"Whoever is out there, show yourself," I said.
"With all the magic you hold, you could easily climb up the mountain and give them what they deserve," said the bewitching voice of a woman.
"You could start a little fire. One little ball of your magic could ignite the forest surrounding them. It would grow and grow until it would burn the mansion down. Or you could call a great wind and bring
everything and everyone inside down into a crumbling ruin."
With more anger, the voice said, "And there is always my favorite. You can call the rain and demand it
to pour down. Calling more and more of your magic until you finally send everything off the mountain. Mudslides happen all the time."
"Or if you wanted to be lazy, you can just ask the ground to shake and shake and shake until you have created dust out of them all."
The voice taunted, "Wouldn't it be so easy? Don't you think they deserve to be punished for what they
did…?”
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Marnie Cate was born and raised in Montana before adventuring to the warmer states of Arizona and California. Her love of Dame Judi Dench and dreams of caticorns and rainbows inspired her to chase her dreams. One great sentence came to mind and the world of elemental magic and the humans they lived amongst filled her mind. With her first book Remember: Protectors of the Elemental Magic, the story has just begun.
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