Tonya Kerrigan's Blog, page 7

Release Date Approaching!

So, Blood Promise will go live on October 1! Everything is set to go. I could release it earlier, but I’d like to try to get the paperback to release at the same time, which I’m still waiting on the proof copy. I can’t wait! Thing 4 said I should frame it. Hmm….I just might. It’s up for preorder on Amazon, plus B&N, iBooks, Kobo, and 24 Symbols at Tonya Kerrigan, a number of German channels through Tolino, and will soon be on Scribd and Page Foundry. The first chapter is on Goodreads, so go r...

ARCs Available!

If anyone would like to review Blood Promise, send me an email to tonya (dot) kerrigan (at) gmail (dot) com along with your name and the name of your blog. I can send ARCs in mobi to your kindle email. Thanks!

With a murderous beast on her heels and a conniving daemon who wants to use her for his own means, Tora Hayden’s main objective is to keep herself and those she cares about alive.

After meeting an enigmatic businessman who possibly suffers from florid psychosis, Tora is propelled into the world of the supernatural. She’s forced to believe the mythical world exists when she’s brutally attacked by a savage fiend intent on annihilating her family line for reasons unbeknownst to her. With the assistance of the psychotic businessman, along with a gorgeous manwhore whom Tora swore to never date but ends up doing just that, she discovers her seventy-years-dead great-grandmother was actually an otherworldly warrioress.

In an effort to beat the murderous beast at its own game, Tora chooses to take on her deceased great-grandmother’s powers to gain immortality and supernatural strength.

During the transfer of powers, something goes wrong: she unwittingly releases a daemon who’s been cursed to his own realm for enslaving the fiend and working towards enslaving all factions. Now, she not only has a murderous beast on her heels but a conniving daemon who’s loose and wants to use her for his own means.

Filed under: Authors, Book Reviews, fantasy, Publishing, Tonya's Writing Process, Uncategorized Tagged: ARC, blood promise, Book Reviews, fantasy novel, publishing, reviews, tonya kerrigan, urban fantasy, Writing

Blood Promise Is Up For Preorder!

Preorder here!

Oh My God. This has been a very long, very emotional journey for me. I started this book back in 2010 during NaNoWriMo. My ex and I separated in 2009, our divorce was finalized in 2010, I went from stay-at-home mom to working mom and needed an escape. I’d always loved to read, so I read…a lot…and then I thought about writing in early 2010, but I didn’t have a clue of what to write about, how to write, etc. Up until that point, I’d never even considered being a writer. I researched how to write, how to come up with ideas to write, took some online writing classes, wrote a few short stories, one of which actually made it into Blood Promise (the marble moon goddess scene…you’ll understand when you read the book!). The writing prompt had been “Footsteps behind you,” and I wrote out a scene. I scrapped the action of the story but kept the description which is now in Blood Promise. Amazing how I still remember that, six years later.

After I had written the first draft and edited it, which took over a year since I kept adding and deleting to it in order to get my world just how I wanted it, I attended my first writer’s conference in Chicago. I have to say, for any writers out there, a writer’s conference is a must do. Yes, there’s a cost, but the benefits far outweigh the costs. That’s where I met some amazing friends and learned tons. So, without further ado, you can preorder my book here! More vendors to come!

 

 

 

Filed under: Publishing, Tonya's Writing Process, Uncategorized Tagged: 2016, blogging, blood promise, daemon, fantasy novel, NaNoWriMo, shapeshifter, shifter, tonya kerrigan, urban fantasy, valkyrie, vampire, werewolf, Writing

To KDP Or Not To KDP?

Since I’m nearing the publishing point, I’m trying to decide whether or not I want to  go through KDP first or just upload to D2D or Smashwords (or both?). For those of you who published through KDP, what was your experience? Do you feel like you missed out on a lot of sales, or was KDP the best way to go? Also, I’m wondering, can you upload to both D2D and Smashwords? Can you choose what outlets the book is distributed to on Smashwords like you can with D2D?  I like how Smashwords has more outlets, but their payments are quarterly whereas D2D it’s monthly (depending on when royalties are paid to them, so it could end up being quarterly anyway). What has your publishing experience been?

Filed under: Publishing, Tonya's Writing Process, Uncategorized Tagged: 2016, D2D, draft to digital, KDP, kindle, publishing, smashwords, Writing

Cover Reveal!

I just love this cover. Oh my God. Les from Fiverr made it for me. I can’t stop looking at it! She had me go to a site to choose the picture, and then she added in the background. I didn’t have any suggestions on font or anything because I didn’t really know what I wanted, I just liked the photo. What do you think?

With a murderous beast on her heels and a conniving daemon who wants to use her for his own means, Tora Hayden’s main objective is to keep herself and those she cares about alive.

After meeting an enigmatic businessman who possibly suffers from florid psychosis, Tora is propelled into the world of the supernatural. She’s forced to believe the mythical world exists when she’s brutally attacked by a savage fiend intent on annihilating her family line for reasons unbeknownst to her. With the assistance of the psychotic businessman, along with a gorgeous manwhore whom Tora swore to never date but ends up doing just that, she discovers her seventy-years-dead great-grandmother was actually an otherworldly warrioress.

In an effort to beat the murderous beast at its own game, Tora chooses to take on her deceased great-grandmother’s powers to gain immortality and supernatural strength.

During the transfer of powers, something goes wrong: she unwittingly releases a daemon who’s been cursed to his own realm for enslaving the fiend and working towards enslaving all factions. Now, she not only has a murderous beast on her heels but a conniving daemon who’s loose and wants to use her for his own means.

Filed under: Publishing, Tonya's Writing Process, Uncategorized, Writing Tagged: 2016, blogging, blood promise, book cover, fantasy novel, fiverr, literature, new adult, publishing, tonya kerrigan, urban fantasy, Writing

Getting Ready To Publish!

I’ve been working on getting my book publish-ready. I’ve worked on this thing for so long, I’m just ready for it to be done. In a few days, I’ll do a cover reveal! I’m so excited! I’m publishing under my own label, Nyx House Press. I’m still waiting to get the cover back, then once all the editing is done, I’ll have someone design the inside layout. I’m also working on a website for my label and an author website as well. My youngest is going to be my social media specialist (she’s only 14, but she rocks social media). Heck, she could probably even be my editor. The girl is a grammar Nazi!

Then, I guess I better get started on book number 2!

Filed under: Publishing, Tonya's Writing Process, Uncategorized Tagged: 2016, blogging, fantasy novel, publishing, self-publishing, urban fantasy, Writing

And The Birthday Shenanigans Begin…

Thing 2’s birthday is coming up on Wednesday.  She turns 17…not sure where the time went.  Yesterday her and I went out to the mall, and I ended up letting her get a tattoo.

I can hear it already. Oh my gawd! What parent lets their minor child get a tattoo?

Hold on to your underpants. It’s not permanent. Even though she’s begged me to let her get an actual tattoo, I’ve told her repeatedly she’s simply going to have to wait until she’s 18. This way, when she’s older and possibly decides she doesn’t like it, she only has herself to blame for it. Not that I have anything against tattoos. Heck, I’ve got one myself. But, seeing as how a tattoo is a lifelong commitment…well… she needs to be old enough to make that commitment on her own.

So, here she is, getting a henna tattoo.

And the finished product:

Tuesday her boyfriend is taking her out to dinner.  I believe Wednesday she’ll be with her dad. Thursday I’ll take her out, and then Friday I’m taking her, Thing 3, and my niece to Chicago for the day. Then on Saturday, I believe her grandmother is taking her shopping.

Whew! Let’s hear it for week-long birthday celebrations!

Filed under: Family, Fun times, General, kids, Uncategorized Tagged: 2016, blogging, General, henna tattoo, kids, life, Writing

Anita Dee II Chicago

So…over the weekend my friend, Michelle, and I went to Chicago. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency on Wacker Drive. The room was great, the beds were comfy, and service was superb. We had a room with a street view and barely heard traffic go by.  We parked at a Panda parking garage and got parking for $25 for 24 hours which I thought was pretty good for Chicago. It was only about a 10-minute walk, if that, from the parking garage to the hotel.

We found a cute little outdoor café on the Riverwalk called Cyrano’s, and our waiter was hot! He had this Italian accent and if Michelle could’ve taken off with him, she probably would have. She ordered a chicken salad, and I had some type of quiche, don’t remember what kind exactly, but both were good.

Afterwards we meandered our way to the harbor for the night’s festivities…a yacht party on the Anita Dee II.

Here we are, waiting to board.

And then, partay!!

    

We had a blast, got drunk (the bartender was making the drinks STRONG!!), danced with some young 20-something hotties from Canada who were celebrating their friend’s bachelor party  and thought I was waaayyy younger than what I really am -snerk- and somehow Michelle and I managed to get our drunk asses back to the hotel without getting kidnapped or raped. I do recall Michelle petting some guy’s hair in the hotel elevator…that’s how drunk we were. We were petting random strangers’ hair. And I think Michelle is now in a bunch of strangers’ Facebook pages since she was photobombing everyone on the yacht.

Oh, and I forgot to mention Metrosexual Man who apparently had a thing for Michelle…

Good times, good times. We’re planning on going again in a few months. Who’s with us?

Filed under: Fun times, General, Uncategorized, Writing Tagged: 2016, blogging, chicago, Fun times, humor, life, Writing

Stop Squeaking!

Apparently this little mouse toy was madly squeaking and wouldn’t stop. Thing 3 determined it must be possessed, so she stuck it in a salt ring.   As soon as she put it in the ring of salt, the squeaking stopped. Coincidence? Or do I have a demon-possessed cat toy?

Filed under: Family, kids, Random Thoughts, Uncategorized Tagged: blogging, humor, kids, life, supernatural, Writing

Still Thinking…

…about self-publishing. I was given some great advice about Joanna Penn’s blog The Creative Penn. I also found a few editors to check out: Caitlin R. O’Connell, Stacy Juba, and Amy Bai who are more within my price range. If you know of others, please let me know!

I also found a nifty little publishing company, Pandamoon, which I might check out just to see what their terms are. Still, if I can self-publish for around $1000 with editing and a book cover included, then why not do it myself? I’m also considering going with Draft 2 Digital as my distributor and have heard a lot of positive things about them. Apparently the ISBN is free through them, though they’ll then be the “publisher of record” but yet you can still put any publisher name you want…so I’m a little confused as to whose name will show when someone is actually ordering the book.

Right now I’m checking into  cover artists, and it seems like the prices vary, a lot! Again, if you have recommendations, let me know!

Filed under: Publishing, Tonya's Writing Process, Uncategorized Tagged: publishing, self-publishing, urban fantasy, Writing