Cecelia Earl's Blog, page 9

#MARKED BEAUTY by S.A. Larsen, Digital Cover Reveal Information

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MARKED BEAUTY by S.A. Larsen, Digital Cover Reveal Information

Title: Marked Beauty

Author: S.A. Larsen

Publisher: Ellysian Press

Release Date: October 2017

Uncovering hidden secrets can sometimes kill you . . . or worse, steal your soul.

Anastasia Tate has a secret. She can feel the emotions of others through their life energy auras. Not a welcome gift for a teenager. Especially when a sinister presence begins stalking her.

Viktor Castle also has a secret. He’s tasked with protecting humanity yet cursed by an ancient evil to destroy it.

After Viktor saves Ana’s life, her abilities grow stronger. Drawn together, she senses Viktor has answers to lifelong questions. Only he shuns her at every turn, knowing he has saved her only to put her in more danger.

As Ana struggles with her attraction to Viktor, he tries everything to bury his unexpected feelings for her. But they must find a middle ground. For only together can they combat the dark forces threatening both their lives . . . and their souls.

ADD to GOODREADS

About the Author

S.A. LARSEN is the author of the award-winning novel Motley Education, the first book in a fantasy-adventure series for middle grade readers. Her work has appeared in numerous local publications and young adult anthologies Gears of Brass and Under A Brass Moon by Curiosity Quills Press. Marked Beauty is her debut young adult novel. Find her in the land of snowy winters and the occasional Eh’ya with her husband of over twenty-five years, four children, a playful pooch, and three kittens. Visit her cyber home anytime at www.salarsenbooks.com.

Connect with her on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Blog | Goodreads

Giveaway

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This is a #hashtag giveaway, where two lucky winners will receive a FREE eBook of Marked Beauty upon its release.

To participate:

Share one of the premade images via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Or write up a blog post using one of the images.
Include #MarkedBeauty in your description.
Optional for extra entry: include Add to Goodreads (with link) in your description.

***Posts MUST contain the hashtag #MarkedBeauty for entry into the giveaway or we won’t be able to find you.

Pre-made tweets (you add the image)

“A lust 4 life energy. An ancient curse. One soul’s journey thru death 2 find the cure.” #MarkedBeauty #CoverReveal http://bit.ly/2qdE0q0

“Uncovering some secrets can kill you, or worse … steal your soul.” #MarkedBeauty #CoverReveal http://bit.ly/2qdE0q0 #YAlit

An ancient race. A timid girl. And a journey to the in-between. #MarkedBeauty #CoverReveal http://bit.ly/2qdE0q0 #YAlit

The giveaway begins May 17th and will be open until May 23rd. Winners will be announced May 24th via social media.

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Win a copy of When Smoke Rains Down!

Goodreads Book Giveaway


When Smoke Rains Down
by Cecelia Earl

Giveaway ends May 28, 2017.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

 

Special Pre-Launch Book Sale!

Hi,

When Ash Rains Down is FREE on Amazon today and tomorrow and When Smoke Rains Down is available for the special pre-order price of $0.99. The price will go up after release on May 31, so grab your copy today!

 

[caption id="attachment_1234" align="alignnone" width="671"] Get Your FREE E-Copy Now![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1235" align="alignnone" width="671"] Order Your E-Copy Now![/caption]

 

 

Special Pre-Launch Book Sale

Hi,

When Ash Rains Down is FREE on Amazon today and tomorrow and When Smoke Rains Down is available for the special pre-order price of $0.99. The price will go up after release on May 31, so grab your copy today!

 

[image error]Get Your FREE E-Copy Now!
[image error]Order Your E-Copy Now!

 

 

Cover Reveal: When Smoke Rains Down

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Available May 31, 2017

Pre-order Your E-Book Copy Today!

In the aftermath of an explosion and Homecoming battle, Julia tries to form some semblance of a routine: work, study, visit her brother. Unable to confide in anyone about her double life of being both human and angel, and fearful she’ll bring death and destruction to those she loves, she pulls away from her family and best friend. 

When demons once again start to show up at every turn, seemingly bringing about her brother’s deepening depression, she demands her sword from Nicholas. Ever the stern Guardian Angel, he forbids her from using it. Isolated, she takes protecting her brother into her own hands.  

Thrust into a dark world of conspiring demons, Julia is in more danger than she ever imagined possible. To stop evil from spreading and overtaking those she loves, she’ll have to seek out the one person she mistrusts most. 

Enter a complex world where humans, demons, and angels collide, all battling to rule the Earth.  For readers who enjoy young adult paranormal romance and dark fantasy. Fans of City of Bones, Hush Hush, Unearthly, Halo, and Hidden Wings will be captivated by this unique take on angels and demons.  

When Smoke Rains Down is Book Two in the Kingdom Come series. Book Three, the final installment, will be out Summer 2017. 

“An AMAZING sequel that leaves me DYING for the next one!” ~ early reader of When Smoke Rains Down

A. A. Chamberlain’s #Zyanniversary (A blast from the past interview)

(This interview was originally posted last Fall on a different blog I write on,  but since she’s celebrating her #Zyanniversary this week, I wanted to share it with you here!)

I am so lucky to have Author Alexia Chamberlynn here with me to talk about her writing journey–the ups and the downs–her most recent (and upcoming!) book releases, and FOOD. T hank you so much for being here to chat with me today, Alexia! 

If you haven’t yet read her bestselling YA urban fantasy series starring kick-butt heroine Zyan Star, YOU ARE MISSING OUT.  This series has it all: You want snarky and funny? You’ve got it. Mystery, rivalry, romance? Oh, yeah. Battles, sword fights, rioting, tension, and good vs evil?  What are you waiting for? Links to purchase this book are at the bottom of this post. 

But first, let’s hear what Alexia has come to share with us:

What’s your writing journey been like?

I started writing at a very young age, and attempted my first novel when I was twelve. That began a string of unfinished novels and bad poetry throughout my teens. Getting the hang of jobs and adulting intervened in my writing for a few years, and then about seven years ago I started again and haven’t stopped since.

What’s been your biggest mistake?

I like to think that most mistakes are just temporary, and can even be good if we learn from them and craft that knowledge into a tool for getting us further down our path. So, nothing really heinous is popping to mind other than a dark period I went through when I was really depressed about my writing. It was after I’d been in one of the big writing contests, I think it was Pitch Wars, and I’d been the top pick of my mentor, and we’d won our age category (I was trying my hand at Middle Grade at the time) and three agents had requested, and I was SURE it was my time. But it wasn’t. Two of the agents passed and one left agenting altogether. I spent a year or so licking my wounds and questioning what I should be writing, and whether it would grab an agent’s attention. I stopped and started a lot of projects and didn’t gain much traction on any of them. Lessons learned: 1) Middle Grade is probably NOT my best target audience (I mean, I’m writing steamy adult fantasy now LOL), 2) While it’s good to have a feel for the market and what’s selling, you still have to write what makes you happy. I wasted a lot of time floundering when I could have finished some things. But then I went on to write the book that landed me my agent in a frenzied, inspired six week rush, so, it all worked out.

Your grandest success?

You might think it was landing my agent but actually it’s been my self-publishing journey. I first wrote Martinis with the Devil in 2012. It was my second completed novel. Zyan’s voice came easily to me, I have just always loved writing her. A lot of agents loved the book, but said urban fantasy was too hard a sell and to query them with other things. I also put Martinis in a ton of writing contests and had lots of early Zyan fans that way. But when I didn’t land the Zyan series with an agent I moved on to other books. So, in 2015 when I decided to self-pub I knew it would be Zyan. It was like a homecoming to pull it back out again, dust it off, write a new prequel adventure (Black Magic and Mojitos) and jump back into her world. And now it’s hit the Amazon bestsellers lists a few times and it’s just SO fantastic to see other people love the books as much as I do.

Quote to live by?

Anais Nin, naturally:

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

News to share?

The fourth Zyan Star book will be out this Fall! (Visit her website to get a sneak peek of chapter one!)

Favorite recipe and drink pairing?

Oh man, I am all about cooking and drinking, so this is tough. Okay, I’ll say my skillet gnocchi and a red wine.

For the gnocchi I buy a package of gnocchi at the store (I made them once and it was incredibly challenging), and simmer in a pan with olive oil, veggie broth, minced garlic, a can of diced tomatoes, and a can of cannellini beans. When it’s starting to come together, add some kale and mozzarella. I season with salt and pepper and fresh rosemary from my front porch garden. It’s cheesy and delicious with a tang of earthiness from the kale. Yum! I’m a vegetarian, but you could probably add sausage if you wanted meat.

For wine, I like Green Fin organic red table wine. I get it at Trader Joes. It’s like $5! And so yummy. Really fruit forward but not sweet.

Most important advice?

Have fun! Try not to wallow for too long, though us writers do seem the wallowing sort. Find good and honest critique partners. Keep honing your work!

About Alexia

Alexia is the author of the Amazon bestselling Zyan Star urban fantasy series. She lives in Florida with her son, two cats, and a bearded dragon. When she’s not writing or reading, she can be found playing with horses, drinking wine, traveling to the next place on her global wish list, or maybe doing yoga. Dr. Who, unicorns and katanas make her very happy. She is represented by Sandy Lu of the L. Perkins Agency.

Connect with her at http://www.alexiachamberlynn.com.

About Martinis with the Devil

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When offered a job on the Holy Representative’s special security team, bounty hunter Zyan Star couldn’t be less interested – until she finds out it’s her most hated of exes that they’re trying to track down. He broke her heart and dumped her, which in turn led to the loss of her soul at the hands of an immortal soul thief. Now she too exists on a diet of souls, with the occasional martini thrown in for good measure, and she’s had over two hundred years to fantasize about revenge. She just didn’t quite imagine it playing out alongside the emissaries of Heaven.

Working with Eli, the uptight angel that heads up the HR’s security, is just about as much fun as Zy expects. He of course wants her vampire ex brought to justice through legal avenues, which is very inconvenient and incredibly boring. As she dives into the case, however, she realizes there’s more at stake than her plot for payback. Like, the free will of mankind, and preventing the minions of hell from taking over the sovereign dimensions.

This job is going to push her to the limits of her abilities, and there’s just a slight problem with that: the powers she’s suppressed for centuries after losing control of them are exactly the powers she’s going to need to save the HR, end her millennia-old ex and stop Lucifer’s little plot to join the party and invade Earth.

Savior of humanity? Not so much. Or so she thought.

Martinis with the Devil, Part One purchase links

Smashwords       B&N     Amazon      iBook

I love that Alexia has learned from every step of her writing journey and through all the ups and downs has landed in a perfectly happy and successful place. Thanks again for hanging out with us today, Alexia! I wish we were more than just virtual friends, I’d totally get together for a glass of wine or two, though I prefer a dry red, Malbec is my fave.

Have you shared any of the same ups and downs in your own life, whether at work, school, or with your writing? Are you totally excited to check out Alexia’s books? Have any questions for her? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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An #AtoZChallenge Flash Fiction Piece: Shady Creek’s AZARIUS

I’m super late joining this fun A to Z Challenge, and I don’t know for sure that I’ll keep up (well, once I catch up), but gosh darn it, I’m going to try. I’ve never written flash fiction before and I think this will be the perfect way to share some scenes that happen beyond the pages of my young adult paranormal Kingdom Come series.

My theme:

The People and Places of Shady Creek: Locales, Humans, Angels and Demons

An A to Z Kingdom Come Book of Flash Fiction 

Brief Intro:

Shady Creek is a small town somewhere in Wisconsin. The town is spread apart, a main street on the east side where Julia lives with her mom and brother, an out-of-date golf course on the west where Julia’s family friend, Molly, owns a sprawling ranch, the bowling alley where Julia works in the north, and the elementary, middle and high school to the south. Behind the school is the Shady Creek Woods, the hub of demon and angel activity.

The most southern tip of the woods houses the entrance—or portal—to the ethereal forest training ground for Powers—Angel Warriors, led by the Seraphim Prince and Archangel, Michael.  The most northern tip of the woods, the side that butts up against the school grounds is where the demons come and go from.

Because Julia’s family is the only line of Hybrids to ever exist, and the Devil is jealous of all things he isn’t and can’t have, he’s made Shady Creek the central location for his demon armies. Because he wants the powers the Hybrids have, he’s set his sights on claiming Julia and her family to use as pawns to destroy Heaven and Earth.

The scenes for this challenge will all take place before the first book in my Kingdom Come series, When Ash Rains Down, before Julia meets any angels, demons, or knows anything about being half-angel herself.

Enjoy this fun peek into Julia White’s Shady Creek world where humans, angels, and demons come together…whether they’re aware of one another or not.

 

Azarius

A demon with a head like a spider–black, hairy, and covered with eyes–and the arms of an octopus drops from the school’s ceiling. Its fangs are bared and dripping with ichor as if it’s just devoured one of its own. Crouching down on the shoulder of an unsuspecting girl, it unfurls a forked tongue and sticks it into her neck. I lock eyes with her guardian angel, who, due to his charge’s unique situation, is also a warrior angel.

Invisible, he strides across the hallway, summons his weapon of choice—a spear–and jabs it through one of the demon’s eyes. The monster erupts into a million pieces of char and ash that drift down, landing in a heap on the linoleum floor. The heap disappears into a plume of smoke that no student can sense. Off the demon goes to the dimension of the cosmos where demons are chained in detention units.

The warrior angel steps back against the wall of lockers, spear still in hand, and resumes his watchful position, guarding the girl who will soon be not only his charge, but his trainee.

As if in sudden pain, the girl, in the middle of a current of students walking through the hallway, drops her text book on the floor. Nobody stoops to help her. They just walk over and around it as if she’s not there at all. She heaves a sigh as if the world is on her shoulders—and in a way, I suppose it is, only she doesn’t know it yet. She reaches a hand over her shoulder to rub her shoulder blade, probably due to the recent appearance of a demon.

Her wings won’t stay hidden much longer.

“We’re going to have to tell her soon, Azarius,” the warrior calls to me where I sit welcoming students outside my classroom.

My spirit that rests in this human form, invisible to my students, replies, “I’m not the one you have to convince.”

Eventually the students pass her by on their way into my classroom and she’s free to pick up her book. Then, she, too, heads in and takes her seat. I wheel myself through the doorway and take my place at the front of the classroom, just under the circular clock that keeps Earthly time. It’s 8:03. The girl looks irritated and impatient.

“Time to begin,” I tell thirty humans, some looking at me, others at notes they write to friends, others at the floor or the wall behind my head.

She’s meeting my eyes, her hand poised with a pencil, ready to take notes on a fresh page in her notebook. Her tapping foot keeps time with the second hand of the clock. I smile at her. Oh, Julia, I think, it certainly is about time for you to begin your training, and I hope you’re as ready to learn about becoming an undercover angel warrior as you are about the content of this course.

Something about the way she’s fighting her wings tells me she’s not going to be easy to deal with, however.

“Good luck to you, warrior.” I laugh, looking at the angel who followed me in. “You’re going to need it.”

 

Thrown in to a classic battle of good versus evil, eighteen-year-old Julia learns that the world is more complicated than she thought, and she’s caught in the middle. In order to protect those she loves, she will have to battle her greed and determine on which side she belongs.

When Ash Rains Down is a contemporary paranormal novel for readers who enjoy stories with strong protagonists and epic battle scenes. Fans of City of Bones and Unearthly will be captivated by this unique take on angels and demons

Help me get to know my readers!

Hi there!

Even if you’re not one of my readers yet, I’d love to know more about your reading preferences and habits.

Help me out by taking this SUPER SIMPLE eight-question survey. It’ll only take a minute or two, but the information you share will be invaluable to me. I really think it’ll be worth your time because there’s a special FREE surprise at the end!

The questions aren’t personal or difficult, they’ll just ask about how many books you read, how much you spend, where you buy, and which genres you prefer.

I wasn’t able to embed the survey here in wordpress, but this link link will take you to a super friendly survey page.

Thank you! The prize at the end expires April 30, so be sure to take the survey before then!

Much love,

Cecelia ❤

 

Allow me to introduce myself…

Hi there!

I know you can read about me on the sidebar and in the welcome message on the Home page and on the About Cecelia page, but I thought maybe you’d like to know a little bit more.

Why I write what I write

I’ve always loved to read. Growing up, I loved dog stories and ghost stories. Judy Blume. The Babysitters’ Club. Sweet Valley High. Nancy Drew. Trixie Beldon. Jane Yolen–The Devils’ Arithmetic. Books about girls with sisters dying from cancer. Girls with boy troubles and friend troubles. Girls who wanted to play the piano. Katharine Patterson’s  Lyddie and Jacob Have I Loved. My Side of the Mountain. Hatchet.  I could go on, but I’ll stop…

As an adult I read adult mystery thrillers. I liked Kate White. Perri O’Shaunessy. Usually series. I read from Oprah’s book list. The Pilot’s Wife. Drowning Ruth. Some others. Then I read Twilight, loved it, learned she was a mom of three kids like me, and one night, while eating peanut-buttered toast and drinking a glass of wine, I thought, I think I can write novels too. So, I decided to try my hand at young adult novels. Then, of course, I went on to devour all the popular titles of the past few years, including some angel novels, like the Unearthly trilogy, the Hush, Hush trilogy, and the Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series.

I write what I enjoy reading. I write both contemporary sweet romances, contemporary issue books (usually dealing with grief and crises of values or faith), and my angel series.

I write to let go, to escape, to discover, and to challenge my imagination. I love words and I love stories, but it takes work and thought and organization to make them work together properly.

I hope my stories will be relaxing escapes for you, that you’ll enjoy my characters and be thrilled by their adventures.

Where and when I write

I write early in the morning and late, late at night. Sleep? Overrated. I write on the couch, on the floor in front of the fireplace, sometimes in my bed or my kids’ beds, sometimes during lunch at work, and lately, in my “office” the dining room. I shared a picture on Instagram. I’ll share the link/picture here later if I remember to add it!

Sometimes I get caught up in trying to clean up my blog or website, visit other blogs, critiquing for writing partners, updating Facebook or twitter, or writing blog posts or newsletters and I don’t get any writing done at all. I’m also addicted to checking Amazon to see if any new reader has bought my book. I’m hoping this will pass, because writing is way more fun!

About my personal life

I’m a mom of three boys, ages 11, 9, and 5. I’m also a first grade teacher. Hence the writing before school and after my kids’ homework is done, they’re fed, we’ve gone to their baseball games, and they’re in bed.

I’ve been teaching for seventeen years, always elementary school. The best parts of my school days are when I’m teaching reading and writing, obviously.

I’m Catholic and so Christianity is part of who I am. There’s usually a character in my book who is also, and their values and virtues and struggles with faith influence them or their decisions in some way. My books aren’t written specifically for Christians, however, and they’re not preachy or overbearing.

I’m an only child who played tennis, the flute, and took ballet up until I met my husband. He was “the computer guy” for my school district and we hit it off when he set my computer up one September. We were married the following September. Now he’s with his family’s cheese-making business, but I still go to him when I have computer issues–which is all. the . time.

My mom died recently. So, my dad and I are trying to get through that. I actually started writing novels with grieving characters before she passed away, but now I have first-hand knowledge and can write those circumstances and emotions more authentically, unfortunately.

What I do for fun

Erm. I write. And I read.

I like to play board games with my kids. I run a couple of times per week. We have a camper that we can stay at May through September. I like to sit by the campfire and swim. I eat way too many nachos and cheese and enjoy a nice, room-temperature glass of Malbec with cheese and French bread.

Favorite authors, books, and movies

My go-to authors that I always buy what they write are Kiersten White, Rachel Morgan, Gayle Foreman, Maggie Stiefvater. I also enjoy Jandy Nelson, Margo Raab, Tahereh Mafi, Stephanie Perkins, John Green, and more.

As a teacher I love the Alexander and the No Good, Very Bad Day books (love his voice!) and Kevin Henkes. Of course, we read dozens more each week.

Love The Sky Is Everywhere and Shiver and Anna and the French Kiss and The Fault in Our Stars.

French Kiss, You’ve Got Mail, all Audrey Hepburn movies, especially Roman Holiday. There must be more, but it’s late now and my brain is shutting down! Please excuse all typos and anything that makes no sense at this point. Thankfully my books have great beta readers, critique partners, and editors!

Tomorrow, you’ll have a chance to share  YOUR reading (and movie) preferences with me! I hope you will.

(And I’ll stop back in the morning if I think of it to fix up these last few sentences and add in the information that’s eluding me at this late hour!)

Much love, Cecelia ❤