Michele Israel Harper's Blog, page 10

When exactly is my release date?

For those of you who don’t know, Wisdom & Folly: Sisters (Part One), will be available November 1, 2015.

That’s in seven days! I know! I can hardly believe it!

Why haven’t you heard this before now? Well, I’ll tell you.

I had planned this huge Facebook release party and giveaway (I have a stack of books to give away, people, and not just my own). I had dreams of titillating blog posts a month in advance, hyping up the release of my very first ever book. And it all worked out perfectly.

In my mind.

Not so much in real life.

Why didn’t I tell you a month ago, as I had planned?

Well, I honestly had no idea if my book would make it to its own release party!

Life happened. Edits were late. I ran into some problems with my cover. (My cover artist is amazing. No way could I have figured it out without her! Sara Helwe rocks!) Formatting took forever. And I didn’t want to tell you my book would be out on a certain date when I honestly had no idea if it would be.

Then there I was one day, scanning Amazon, and lo and behold there was MY BOOK. I can’t even tell you the crazy rush of emotions I felt when I saw my name and cover and BOOK on Amazon for the first time!

It has finally happened, dear readers. Finally.

Yes, I know there is a long road ahead. There is marketing, and letting people know my book exists, and marketing, and writing more, and marketing, and honing my craft, and marketing, and becoming better at what I do, and–have I mentioned marketing? (Pretty much my least fave part. I just want to write!)

But right now, I’m going to sit back, sip my hot chocolate, and revel in the fact that my five-year journey to publication has finally resulted in–publication.

Happy dance!

Oh, yes! Wisdom and Folly, Part Two will be available November 15th.

Thank you for your support, I love you all, and I’m so stinkin’ excited!!! :)

But most importantly, thank You, Lord!

In Him,

Michele

P.S.–Just so you know, you can pre-order the ebook of Wisdom & Folly: Sisters, Part One on Amazon, B&N, and Kobo, and Part Two on Amazon and Kobo. The paperback should be available for pre-order soon! Woohoo!

A Reluctant Assassin by JC Morrows

A Reluctant Assassin.

This book is just like Cinderella. There’s a ball, the ladies of the land vie for the prince’s attention, there is music and dancing and romance, Cinderella is sent to kill the prince…

Wait, what?

Okay, maybe it’s not exactly like Cinderella…

I first saw the cover of this book on Goodreads, where the author was hosting a giveaway for her soon-to-be-released book, A Reluctant Assassin.

Come on. You know how I feel about covers.

I immediately entered the giveaway–based on the cover alone–and WON. (I know! That almost never happens!)

Then I read what the book was about. (I do things backward, I know.) ;)

Her mission was simple—get close to the Prince, and kill him…

Kayden entered the palace under a lie, one designed to get her close to the Prince. On the outside, she may look like a princess, but beneath the mask, a killer lies in wait—for the perfect moment.

Dvarius was not ready to take the crown, nor was he ready for a wife… But due to his father’s unexpected death and an archaic law—he must find a bride before he is allowed to take his rightful place on the throne.

And the one woman he wants—just might be there to kill him…

How cool is that?

This book was so good I instantly knew I wanted to share my find with all of you.

I was hooked for the entirety of the book and was crazy upset when it ended.

I need book two. Right now.

(Look at that gorgeous red hair!)

But…since it’s not out yet…I comforted myself with hot chocolate and reading A Reluctant Assassin again.

It was that good.

What do you think of it?

Happy reading!

In Him,

Michele

P.S. Wanna know a little more about the author? Or perhaps when her next book releases? Follow JC Morrow’s Facebook page or peruse her website to learn more. God bless!

 

A Reluctant Assassin

Author: JC Morrows
Series: Order of the Moonstone, Book 1
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Thriller

Excellent, spine-tingling thriller and romance. Every odd is stacked against Kayden and Dvarius--the main one being that she means to assassinate him. But their attraction for each other keeps getting in the way, as well as the niggling doubt that Prince Dvarius may not be the awful person she was led to believe he was. Throw in a crazy twist, and...well. You have this mesmerizing book. Just read it!


Overview

Her mission was simple—get close to the Prince, and kill him…

Kayden entered the palace under a lie, one designed to get her close to the Prince. On the outside, she may look like a princess but beneath the mask, a killer lays in wait—for the perfect moment.

Dvarius was not ready to take the crown, nor was he ready for a wife… But due to his father’s unexpected death and an archaic law—he must find a bride before he is allowed to take his rightful place on the throne…

And the one woman he wants—just might be the one who is there to kill him…

Like this:Like Loading...Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the page above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Which cover did I choose?

I decided to use both of them.

Yep. You heard me right.

Both. Of. Them.

92 chose the gold cover. 23 picked the blue.

You voted. I listened. But there was just one thing I couldn’t get over.

I am in love with the blue cover.

So here’s the thing.

Since Wisdom & Folly: Sisters is such a massive book, it is being published in two volumes. (Seriously, I added so much more–it has doubled in size!)

Then you get your cover, and I get mine! How perfect is that?

I am working hard with my cover artist, the amazing Sara Helwe, to get this book to you soon.

(But I must say I am so relieved to have a little bit more time to perfect the second part of the book! Yay!)

Up next: Just when is my release date? ;)

Can’t wait to share my book with you!

In Him,

Michele

Would you like a copy of The Bound Heart?

Today is release day! Woohoo!

To celebrate, author Dawn Crandall is giving away FIVE copies of her paperback release, The Bound Heart.

(You can enter the giveaway on Goodreads or her website.) Actually, that’s two different giveaways. TEN copies, people! How cool is that? :)

Just like The Hesitant Heiress, the first book in the Everstone Chronicles, The Bound Heart has been crazy successful as an ebook. Because of this, her publishing house is releasing her trilogy in paperback. Look for The Captive Imposter next month!

Probably the most heartbreaking story of the three, The Bound Heart follows Meredyth…wait. Why am I telling you about it? Here’s the back cover copy!

One accidental kiss from Lawry Hampton. That was all it took to throw Meredyth Summercourt’s world upside down. Determined to marry the ever-elusive Vance Everstone, she simply doesn’t have the time or desire to fall for her best friend Lawry Hampton. But with Vance out of the country, Lawry is at her side nearly every day, teaching her what the world is like through the eyes of a little orphan girl named Wynn. Now Meredyth can’t deny that what’s holding her to Vance is nothing more than a desire to redeem herself from her past. Will she marry Vance once he returns from Europe? Or will she be strong enough to break free from the tangled web she’s convinced she deserves, and accept that God’s plan for her life includes redemption…and, quite possibly, Lawry Hampton?

Such a lovely romance! And I love the redemptive thread woven throughout.

If you like gothic novels with sweet romance, you just might love this book as much as I did.

So, check out the paperback release on Amazon or any other online retailer, if you so desire.

(Doesn’t the lovely Dawn Crandall look incredibly happy to have her books in print? I know I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these!)

God bless and happy reading!

In Him,

Michele

The Bound Heart

Author: Dawn Crandall
Series: Everstone Chronicles, Book 2
Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance

Meredyth holds a secret close--a secret she believes makes her unworthy of love. Will Lawry, her best friend, be able to prove to her otherwise? A heart-rending tale of forgiveness and redemption--you do not want to miss this!


Overview

One accidental kiss from Lawry Hampton. That was all it took to throw Meredyth Summercourt’s world upside-down. Determined to marry the ever-elusive Vance Everstone, she simply doesn’t have the time or the desire to fall for her best friend. But with Vance out of the country, and with Lawry at her side nearly every day, teaching her what the world is like through the eyes of a little orphan girl named Wynn–Meredyth can’t deny that what’s holding her to Vance is nothing more than a desire to redeem herself from her past. Will she marry Vance once he returns from Europe? Or will she be strong enough to break free from the tangled web she’s convinced she deserves, and accept that God’s plan for her life includes redemption…and, quite possibly, Lawry Hampton?

Like this:Like Loading...Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the page above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

I might be traditionally published…what?

So I have some exciting news. And some not-so-great news.

This month, September, is an open month for Blink YA Books submissions.

You don’t even know how crazy that is. To submit to Blink, you need, like, an agent, to be the most amazing writer in the world, or to get someone from their editorial department to fall in love with your writing at a writer’s conference.

I have been like a heartsore puppy, standing outside of Blink’s submission department, staring in with sad puppy eyes and wishing I were part of the fun.

No more.

I submitted Zombie Takeover and will most likely be submitting Wisdom & Folly.

(Now, don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying they’re gonna love me and accept either manuscript, but I’m saying there’s a chance. For the first time. Ever.)

Squeal!

Oh, yes. Right. Professionalism. Anyway. Moving on…

So this brings me to my bummer news.

Wisdom & Folly was supposed to release October 10th.

I know, right? I was going to be able to hold that sucker in my hands in two weeks. Sob

And I was going to have my very first book signing ever October 17th at the Greenwood book fair.

Sitting in for my writer’s group, I will be selling (and maybe even signing) copies of the anthology I was published in, Stories from the Heartland. How cool is that?

But I was also going to have Wisdom & Folly available. I had planned to write this glorious post, shouting to the world my release date and very first ever book signing.

Well. I won’t be able to do that if I submit to Blink.

So exciting, terrifying, and disappointing, right? I mean, what if they say no, too? What if I miss my very first book signing for no reason? Argh!

True, I’ll have to wait longer to hold either of my books in my hands, but, once again, they just might maybe kinda sorta be traditionally published!!!!!

Yes, I’m very nearly screaming right now. (But the baby’s asleep and all…) ;)

So, dearest readers. I love you, I thank you for following me and this crazy roller-coaster ride (Seriously. I’ve been through more tears and squeals than you’ll ever know!), and I cannot wait to present you with my finally-published books.

I just can’t hold it back.

Squeal!!! :)

In Him,

Michele

P.S. Do you have a crazy awesome YA book you want to submit to Blink? You have ten more days…here’s their submission form. (My only advice? Read their submission guidelines in great detail and do everything they say. Editors love this!) God’s richest blessings on you and your submission! :)

Short Stories and Accountants and Vampires…Oh My!

I am interrupting your regularly scheduled blog post for one that is crazy fun.

I mean, seriously. So fun.

I’m taking a writing course through ACFW, and one of the writing prompts was to write in one or two sentences the five major plot points of a book. Well, I royally screwed it up (by reading the instructions incorrectly–it was 2am, okay?) and wrote a short story instead. Oops!

But it was SO MUCH FUN. Considering how stuck I was editing Wisdom and Folly, it was refreshing to do something new!

I had to share it with all of you.

Without further ado, I give you my story. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)

(Oh, yes! The prompt* is about Clive and Olivia, who are accountants, and has a Christian theme. I could choose any genre, take the story anywhere I wanted…so I did.) ;)

1.

Clive and I are just ordinary accountants. Day in, day out, we do the same blasted thing. Every. Single. Day.

“Are you a vampire?”

“Yes.”

“Coming or going?”

“Coming.”

“Sign here.”

Or.

“Going.”

“Please state how you would like your funds transferred. A lump sum, or doled out in monthly payments.”

Bor-ring.

Clive eats it up. Not literally. He could do this for the rest of his days, you know, forever, and be perfectly content.

Not me.

I want adventure.

2.

I long for the day when I ask, “Are you a vampire?” and the person looking at me says, “No,” with a wicked gleam in his eye.

I’ll rise up out of my chair, slowly, like this, as a smile slides across my face.

“Who are you, then?”

“Your worst nightmare.”

Okay. So I need to come up with something better than that, but you get the idea.

Then I’ll say, “Bring it,” and we’ll have the most glorious fight, flinging desks and this awful paperwork everywhere, where it will be shredded beyond repair. And then I’ll…

“Olivia. Olivia!”

Blast that man.

“What now, Clive?”

“You’re daydreaming again. And scaring your next customer. Pay attention.”

I look around. All work has ceased. All eyes staring. At me.

I plop down in my seat, not bothering to glance at the man standing before me. I let out a loud, rebellious huff. Fine.

“Are you a vampire?”

“No.”

I stare up at him, jaw slack.

Uh. That’s not good.

3.

“You let him escape!” explodes from Clive’s mouth.

“It’s not like you did anything to stop him, either.”

We are shoving paperwork into industrial-sized shredders as fast as we can.

“He was your customer.”

I stop and stare at him. “Really? So it’s only my fault?”

He has the grace to look embarrassed. He waves at the piles of paper in my hands. “Hurry up, will you?”

Grumbling, I turn back to my task. “What I would like to know is, why on earth do we ask the stupid question anyway if no one is supposedly let down here but vampires?”

“I don’t know.”

Stalemate.

Any time Clive is done talking to me, all he says is, “I don’t know.”

It is obnoxious.

“All I know is you need to hurry before the rest come and kill us all.”

My stomach drops, and I hang my head. “Sorry,” I mumble.

“I know.”

4.

Clive and I inch down the tunnel, the exact opposite of brave. We found them. The un-vampire is back, and he brought a hoard of friends. I know we’re supposed to be stronger and bloodthirsty and all of that, but it just isn’t true. We just want to live in peace. Or, at least, I do. I take back every adventure I said I wished I had. Ever.

The voices grow louder, I tremble more, Clive slips behind me.

Seriously?

They explode around the corner, torches lifted high.

“There they are!” Cheers erupt behind the leader.

He marches up to me.

“I–you–halt, person. People. All of you. Uh…”

He takes my outstretched hand and pumps it furiously. I swear it was held out in a “stop right there” stance, not a “shake me” one, but oh well…I guess…

“Crimeny, but it’s good to see you’re still here. I was afraid with all that running and screaming there might not be anyone left. But there you are! And here we are! So if you’ll just take us to whoever’s in charge–”

I hold up my hand–the right way this time, I promise–and quiet his blathering.

“Stop. What on earth are you talking about? There is no way I’m going to let you hurt anyone, and if you think for one minute I’m going to take you anywhere–”

“We want to join you.”

I stutter to a stop.”Uh, what?”

He grins. “We want to join you. Become vampires.”

I stare at him, open-mouthed. Clive peeks at the mob from behind me.

“But why?” bursts from me. “You can go outside, enjoy the sun, have families, breathe fresh air–did I mention go outside?–and be normal. Why on earth would you want to join us?”

He pulls a ginormous text from his satchel. I just about go cross-eyed from looking at the massive thing. Ugh. More paper.

“We’re missionaries, and we want to join you. We want to become vampires.”

Missionaries?

I drop away in a dead, ahem, undead faint.

5.

I stare at our new members, not convinced.

They are nice enough, I suppose, but they’re way too happy. And always talking about this Jesus guy. Weird.

Uh oh. One of them is headed my way.

I look everywhere, but, finding no escape, am caught in conversation.

He smiles. “Olivia. Want to go on an adventure? Above ground?”

No, thank you. The last time, and the only time, I might add, I went outside, I nearly got crispy-fried, bungled our mission, and let dinner go. I couldn’t help it. The guy was so cute with his blond hair and sun-kissed skin–I didn’t want to drink his blood. Gag. All I ever see is dark hair and pale skin. The new look was a blessed relief.

Yeah. I was never let above ground again.

I shake my head no.

He grins. “It’ll be fun.”

Absolutely not.

“Oh, come on. I have a secret.”

I eye him suspiciously.

“Clive agreed to go.”

My spine jerks upright. Of all the selfish–he knows an adventure is my idea.

I stand and sweep my hand. “Lead the way.”

He does. And I find the adventure of a lifetime.

The End.

Wasn’t that fun? I loved writing it! :)

In Him,

Michele

*Prompt provided by Linda Wood Rondeau for an ACFW loop course. www.lindarondeau.com & www.acfw.com (Their courses are amazing, you guys. Check out ACFW sometime if you want to learn how to write and write well.)

Photograph “Stories7” by Faestock on deviantart.com.

The Hesitant Heiress…in Paperback

Author Dawn Crandall has been longing for this day…and I am so glad to be able to share her news with you!

Her award-winning novel, The Hesitant Heiress, is officially releasing in paperback on September 8th. As in, TODAY!!!

I’m so excited! Can you tell? :)

Followed by The Bound Heart in October and The Captive Imposter in November, The Hesitant Heiress is long overdue in obtaining paperback status. I know I cannot wait to hold these beauties in my hands!

All three of her charming gothic romances previously released in ebook format only.

Did you know that was a thing?

Some publishing houses are now releasing ebooks, seeing how sales go, THEN releasing a paperback version if there is enough of a demand.

And believe me, there is demand for this picturesque tale.

In fact, to celebrate, Dawn is giving away FIVE copies to five very, very lucky winners. I should know. I’m jealous. ;)

So. Enter her giveaway on Goodreads, or her giveaway on her website, or purchase one of your very own on Amazon.

As long as you don’t get my copy, we’re all good. ;)

Happy reading!

In Him,

Michele

P.S. Did you know you can request your local library to order these books? Share the love with other library patrons!

The Hesitant Heiress

Author: Dawn Crandall
Series: Everstone Chronicles, Book 1
Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance

Amaryllis avoids men. Especially those with the last name of Everstone. Thrust into society with the goal of marrying to receive her inheritance, Amaryllis finds herself enchanted with Nathan...Everstone. Is he truly as he seems? Filled with witty dialogue and intense plots twists, this is an enjoyable read!


Overview

After being unjustly expelled from the Boston Conservatory of Music, Amaryllis Brigham sees her dreams of founding a music academy in her hometown of Seattle, Washington, disappearing before her very eyes. Now, the only way to achieve her goal comes with high stakes for someone set on avoiding men as much as possible: Marry within the year to inherit the immense fortune of her estranged grandmother.

Amaryllis reluctantly moves in to her aunt’s Boston home and rubs shoulders with fashionable society. Despite her own misgivings, she soon finds herself quickly falling in love with the most unlikely of men, Nathan Everstone, the envy of every eligible female, whose father has haunted her dreams for the decade following her mother’s tragic death. However, Nathan turns out to be much more than he seems…and everything she never knew she wanted. But just as everything Amaryllis has recently hoped for comes to fruition, it all falls apart when she finds that the real culprit who has been managing her life isn’t who she thought at all.

Like this:Like Loading...Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the page above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Chivalrous by Dina Sleiman

Gwendolyn Barnes dreams of being a knight, but her abusive father will tolerate no such thing. Trained in secret by her brothers, Gwendolyn prays he never finds out.

Until she meets Sir Allen of Ellsworth, a kind knight who speaks of an even kinder God.

Her hopes of marrying Sir Allen are dashed when her father says she will marry a man as cruel as himself–and Sir Allen becomes betrothed to another.

Can she believe in a God who says He has good plans for her, only to crush every sliver of hope that springs to life within her? Find out in this amazing, spectacular, incredible book.

Seriously. I can’t get over how good this book was.

In book one of the Valiant Hearts series, Dauntless, Dina Sleiman weaves a story of the Ghosts of Farthingale Forest, a Robin Hood-esque band of outlaws who must survive under the harsh rule of King John. Oh, and another thing. They are children. Led by a deposed Baron’s daughter, Lady Merry Ellison.

Book two, Chivalrous, seamlessly entwines the fate of the ghosts with that of the North Britannia, a King Arthur-like kingdom that values honor above nobility or rank. Overflowing with action, yearning, and impossible odds, both books have quickly moved to my favorites list.

And I want book three. Like, right now.

Two things instantly made me love this book.

1) I recently had a baby and named her Gwen. (And we considered Gwendolyn–but Gwenivere won.)

Anyway.

Best. Name. Ever.

2) I watched A Knight’s Tale the night before starting this book. Oh my goodness. If that doesn’t put you in a jousting state of mind, nothing will!

Okay. I have to add a “three.”

3) Who on God’s green earth doesn’t love King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table??? (Hence naming my daughter Gwenivere. Different spelling, but still…)

And once again, Dina Sleiman did an AMAZING job hinting at King Arthur, but making up a story that was entirely her own. Just as she did with Robin Hood in Dauntless. (See my review of Dauntless here.)

Yep. Definitely one of my favorite authors. Cannot wait for book three, Courageous.

And while you do not need to read the first book to enjoy the second, I highly recommend it. These books are just too good not to be read together!

Aren’t these covers just lovely? I mean, come on. You’ve got to have awesome covers to match the awesomeness inside. Just sayin’.

Happy reading!

In Him,

Michele

Chivalrous

Author: Dina L. Sleiman
Series: Valiant Hearts, Book 2
Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance

Gwendolyn wants nothing more than to be a knight--and to have her father's love. Denied both, her despair slowly fades into hope when she meets Sir Allen of Ellsworth, a kind knight who just may be the answer to the prayers she's been afraid to utter. But when Sir Allen and the life he offers is denied her as well, will she place her trust in a God who seems as cruel as her earthly father? Or is He?


Overview

Strong and adventurous Gwendolyn Barnes longs to be a knight like her chivalrous brothers. However, that is not an option for her, not even in the Arthurian-inspired Eden where she dwells. Her parents view her only as a marriage pawn, and her domineering father is determined to see her wed to a brutish man who will break her spirit.

When handsome, good-hearted Allen of Ellsworth arrives in Edendale searching for his place in the world, Gwendolyn spies in him the sort of fellow she could imagine marrying. Yet fate seems determined to keep them apart. Tournaments, intrigue, and battles–along with twists and turns aplenty–await these two as they struggle to find love, identity, and their true destinies.

Like this:Like Loading...Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the page above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

You want to feature ME in your article? What???

When Shayla Eaton, editor and owner of Curiouser Editing, asked to feature me in the article, “8 Female Indie Authors Who Are Killin’ It,” I nearly stopped breathing.

Who? Me???

Yes. You.

Even though my book isn’t out yet?

Yep.

I almost DIED.

But since that would seriously mess up my publishing plans, I settled for screaming like an idiot and sending her way more information about me than she quite possibly wanted to know. Ever.

Fellow writer Nicole Jonas from the Heartland Christian Writers recommended me; Shayla contacted me, enjoyed my covers and book blurbs, and decided to feature me. Can you say crazy happy dances?

And, of course, I did a little research on Curiouser Editing. (Dude. There are some amazing articles on their site. “What If I Have a $0 Book Budget” and “The #1 Way Authors Build Platforms” happen to be a few of my particular favorites. Their Facebook page is pretty awesome too.)

Shayla Eaton and I sent a flurry of messages back and forth, and I waited with bated breath to read what on earth she could possible have to say about me. ME.

Oh. Right. Trying to remain calm and professional here. (Is it working?)

But I’m not the only author featured in this lovely article.

S.D. Hendrickson, M.L. Gardner, Nina Soden, Jen Stephens, Camilla Kragius, Susan Pogorzelski, and Kelsey Humphreys all have books just waiting to be discovered by you, dear reader. (Or read again, if you already have them!)

To quote Curiouser Editing: “Are you ready to meet your new favorite author?”

Read article here.

In Him,

Michele

Learn more about Shayla Eaton:

Shayla is a connoisseur of the writing and editing process, having edited over two hundred books and countless articles, blogs, social media posts, and web copy. Starting out in a small publishing firm as a copywriter after college, she quickly worked her way up to copy editor and into marketing, where she began to hone her skills on the inner workings of the publishing process. She took this experience and began her own business with one goal: providing authors with honest feedback and superior work in writing, editing, and marketing. She is the author of The Curiouser Crusade, an e-book to help writers finish their novels in six months. She loves coffee and is an admirer of all things creative and bookish. www.CuriouserEditing.com

Images used by permission.

Cover Reveal: Zombie Takeover

I have been wanting to show you this for ages!

Zombie Takeover was the first cover Sara Helwe designed for me, and I love it even more now than I did then. If that’s even possible.

The reason I couldn’t show you before was I received a query from Pelican Book Group, asking to see my manuscript. They also wanted 90 days in which to review it. At the end of those 90 days, their very kind editor informed me that although she enjoyed the story, Zombie Takeover just wasn’t right for their publishing house. (But she did say she hoped to see me in print soon!)

Before I received said rejection letter, I started working on rewriting Wisdom & Folly, and I asked Sara to create a cover for that book as well.

We went through many versions of both covers (and I may even show you a few), but I wanted to reveal Zombie Takeover’s cover today for several reasons.

One, just to show it off. I mean, come on. Gorgeous.

Two, to ask you to compare it to Wisdom & Folly’s gold cover.

Is it a good idea to have two covers of the same color scheme? Should I choose the blue for more variety? Or is the gold so wonderful and eye-catching it doesn’t matter if both covers are the same color?

Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE the gold Wisdom & Folly cover, and I’m so excited to use it! But I want to know.

Does this change your opinion?

I honestly wasn’t expecting such an overwhelming vote for the gold cover–I thought it would be rather even between the two.

Nope.

You picked gold, and gold it shall be! (Unless you think it’s better to have two different color schemes…)

Anyway, back to Zombie Takeover.

Can you wait to hold that thing in your hands? I know I can’t!

Here is a little about the book:

I was the bravest, fiercest warrior, singlehandedly stopping the zombie apocalypse and earning the respect and admiration of those who fought with me. Just kidding. I pretty much peed my pants and wasted a ton of ammo. At least I know everyone else shot what they were aiming at. Me? Not so much. This is my story—me, Candace Marshall, the world’s biggest scardey-cat, facing my biggest fear. Zombies. It was awesome. (As in, not at all.)

***

Candace Marshall hates zombie movies. She hates anything scary, in fact. In his usual way, her not-so-thoughtful boyfriend surprises her with advanced screening tickets to the latest zombie flick, complete with interactive features and a tour. Yeah right. Like that’s gonna happen. She refuses to watch it, but it doesn’t matter.

Horror becomes reality when an experiment gone wrong transforms her peaceful town into a mess of slathering zombies. Thrown together with the only other survivor, Gavin Bailey, her favorite actor and secret crush, she somehow fights her way out of the mess, making plenty of blunders and surprising herself with…courage?

But, just when Candace thinks it can’t get worse than zombies, it does.

***

There you have it! Book one of the Candace Marshall Chronicles.

I had so much fun writing it, and I hope you will have fun reading it as well! I’ll let you know the moment I have a release date. For either book. (I do know Wisdom & Folly will be released first!)

Don’t you just love the covers for both of my books?

Thank you so much for all of your lovely comments and support!

I am enjoying this journey so incredibly much! :)

In Him,

Michele

 

Cover Design by Sara Helwe

Model: Jessica “Faestock” Truscott