Libbi Duncan's Blog, page 2

Release Date Announcement for ASHES: Book Two of The Scorching Trilogy

MAYDAY! My second novel, the sequel to THE SCORCHING, will be released on May 1, 2018, exactly six months from today. I kinda want to have a May Day release party, but we'll see what happens. In the meantime, check out this awesome Teaser Trailer (spoilers if you haven't read the first book)! Woo!!
My mind currently. 

America is Already Great

In the past seven months, I have traveled to fourteen different states on my book tour: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, and Louisiana. As I traveled, I realized that the negativity on the news is completely exaggerated. As a result, I have a major issue with the idea that we need to "make America great again."

On my trip I saw a country full of opportunity. I saw people who were happy, healthy, and friendly. I saw good roads (maybe not great, but passable), green grass, and clean cities. I saw families, friends, neighbors, and strangers living out their lives in peace. This country is not on the brink of civil war or total destruction as some media personalities claim. There isn't widespread disease, poverty, or violence around every corner. American isn't perfect, but perfection is impossible. Despite the tragedies that have occurred, despite the skewed statistics, despite the fact that changes still need to happen and prayers still need to be said, greatness has not escaped us.

I hope that someday Americans will look around instead of at headlines. I hope we will listen to each other instead of journalists spinning the facts. I hope we will focus on positivity instead of negativity. I hope we will help each other instead of ourselves. Most of all, I hope we will realize that America is already great instead of letting a power-hungry politician scare us, divide us, and tell us he'll make it great again.
Wide open spaces.Classic America.Protected Marshlands.Historic Architecture.The Mile High City shining in the sun.Oklahoma trying to keep up by building weird bridges. (Just kidding guys, love y'all!)Green crops growing beneath a cloudy blue sky.The ancient valleys of the Appalachian Mountains, draped with steam from a warm summer rain.

Summer/Fall 2017 Events

Author Libbi Duncan: Book Tour The summer season has been incredible. I started off my tour with a booth and panel at YC3, then had an amazing time at A-Kon. I had my first Barnes & Noble event at La Cantera in San Antonio, and now I can't get enough. It was a dream come true. I'm so thrilled to be able to travel and meet new readers!

Stay tuned for future book signings. Potential locations include: Oklahoma City, Austin, Houston, Kansas City, and Las Cruces. If you want me to come to your city, feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments or drop me an e-mail! I'm also open to suggestions for future conventions. Also keep an eye out for my upcoming blog post on how to book events as signings as an author. Thanks for reading!

A-KON 28 Mega-Post

My First A-Kon ExperienceThis post is so late because that's how long it took me to recover from the four-day extravaganza that is A-Kon. 
Okay not really, but close.
A-Kon was A-Mazing. I'll definitely be going back again next year, and I think it'll be even better based on what I learned this time around. Check out my top ten moments and top ten lessons, followed by some of my favorite pictures from the event. I was Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. I wanted to put on camo pain and get all roughed-up, but I was too exhausted after the drive to DFW. The Masquerade BallIt was so nice to attend a formal ball with friends!Day Two Highlights See you for Infinity War!I met the Tardis!


Veggie ramen for lunch.
I found the Tardis in the traditional form.
Deadpool was a cool guy.
Haven't I seen you somewhere before?
Cory Phillips from Take One Improv. So funny!
A relaxing view of the quiet pool at the Fort Worth Water Gardens.

Day Three Highlights I met Superman!
Fought a jedi... and won.
Met a mini-me!
Tidus and Auron. So cool!
My sister Mikayla and nephew Wyatt!
Mi madre. <3
I fought Cloud... and got distracted.
I fought Doctor Strange... and made him laugh.
I protected some really cool Hobbits from a dragon.
Mjolnir found me worthy. Megan and Rose looked fantastic in their custom armor. They even won a judge's award in the Cosplay Contest!
Day Four Highlights My final form: Bulma from Dragon Ball Z! Hanging out with Megan and Rose at the Lip Sync Battle! Had dinner with new friends to wrap up the weekend. It was great to meet you all! L to R: (Paul, Kate, Me, Megan, Rose, Nevada, ?, Luke, and Pallas!)

A-Kon 2017 was one of the best experiences of my life. I can't wait for the next one! Hopefully I'll get to go to other events throughout the year. I'd like to improve my Wonder Woman costume, but I'm pretty happy with the others. I'm sure I'll eventually have to make more costumes. Feel free to comment if you have any events or cosplay ideas you'd like to recommend. 
Be sure to follow me on social media to stay up-to-date on my events and projects. Thanks for reading!

Yellow City Comic Con - Day Three

YC3 - Day ThreeSuperhero/Family DayThe third day of YC3 went by faster than a speeding bullet. And although Superman wasn't around today, there were plenty of other superheroes of all ages. I met a lot of families today and gained a few younger readers. Things went better than I could've imagined. I hope you'll enjoy the photos and highlights from the final day of my first author event. This was my first "Comic Con" but it definitely won't be my last.
Spotted these three shopping across from my booth and had to introduce myself. It set the tone for the whole day!
Bucky was super cool!
Thor! I was a little awestruck in the presence of a god. Captain America introduced me to an impressive Iron man. Cap also stopped by with Ant Man. They were all so nice! Deadpool was still in the Easter spirit. I found a better picture with Doctor Strange! Yay! "I am baby Groot," she said in the most *adorable voice I've ever heard. Seriously, cutest cosplay ever. Joker and Hellboy were hanging out like old friends. And the Riddler stopped by to tease some of my new readers. It was hilarious. Sweeet Keyblade! Peace, Love, and Books! What a great big sister! Getting her baby sis into reading before she even knows how! The Flash was running around yesterday, but neither of us caught a picture with him. Met an aspiring author and struck a pose! What a fantastic day!

Be sure to check out my highlights from Day One and Day Two! Thanks for reading!

Yellow City Comic Con - Day Two

YC3 - Day TwoSnowpocalypse/Star Wars DayThe second day of YC3 was surreal. If I hadn't just spent two hours editing, uploading, and formatting pictures, I'd probably still think it was a dream. Seriously, I had a blast. Not only was it snowing all day (still going!) I met so many amazing people, participated in my first author panel, and sent my book out into the hands of many excited new readers. I tried to remember to get pictures with everyone, but unfortunately quite a few got left out. Maybe I can catch them tomorrow when things slow down. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy the highlights from this incredible day:
I started the day as a Jedi. Little did I know how much trouble that would cause... "Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?" I joked when a he came to investigate. Kylo didn't think it was very funny, but this time I snagged his lightsaber! Granpa Vader didn't find that very amusing either. *FORCE CHOKE* I was left speechless when his boss arrived for the final battle. *So cool.* Luckily an amazing Rebel Pilot came to the rescue. Rey arrived just in time to strike a mean pose. While I was off in a galaxy far, far away... my fellow authors were hard at work. Here's Holly Hudspeth and her lovely family. Crissy Smith and her girls had some fun too. It was blissfully dim in the author panel room, so most people couldn't see the fear in my eyes. Seriously, the walk to the table felt like I was headed for death row. Really though, it was more like jumping in a pool. I was nervous at first, but after I hit the water I had a blast chatting with Holly, Crissy, A.G. Howard, and everyone who showed up for the Q&A. Hopefully I can find some better pictures soon! With my nerves out of the way, I hit my groove and sold some books to some fantastic people. Some had cool hats. Others sported some Disney Princess gear. Ash picked up a copy before going off to fight the Evil Dead! Obi Wan and an awesome jeweler snagged one too! He wore the right colors to support my book, so I had to shake his hand! Spike from Cowboy Bebop got a copy after meeting me yesterday. I didn't recognize him (he was wearing facepaint and glasses yesterday) but he understood. :-) These two didn't want to share, but they were really nice. <3 At the end of the day, I had to live up to my shirt. This unsuspecting reader is a student at my school. I hope she won't be too mad when she sees this! Haha. :D

Yellow City Comic Con - Day One

YC3 - Day OneThe first day of YC3 was amazing! I seriously had a blast, and I know tomorrow will be even better. Today I got to meet a ton of awesome people, sold and signed some books, and saw a lot of really cool cosplay. Tomorrow I'll be back in my booth from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and I'll be participating in an "Ask the Author" panel from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Panel Room Ash, followed by a book signing. Come stop by or check in with me on social media throughout the day.
Also be sure to check out the highlights (and dorky pictures of me being a dork) from Day One:
My home for the weekend. I have two amazing authors as neighbors too: Holly Husdspeth (left) and Crissy Smith (right).
Coolest Storm Trooper ever. He saw me in a rebel shirt and let me live to tell the tale.
I met Doctor Strange. Of course I blinked at the wrong moment. I'll try and get a better shot tomorrow.
I also met THE Doctor. Best day ever.
"I feel like Katniss," I said, posing with the Green Arrow. I'm a nerd.
Meeting new readers was so incredible!
One of my students stopped by to help out. She passed out bookmarks and talked up my book! Thanks Savannah!
Jameson was hanging out with Stormtroopers and... reading Captain America? Okay sure. Haha. We all had fun!
One of my favorite cosplays of the evening - Mad Eye Moody. Brandon thought so too.
Of course Kylo Ren would attack me when I'm not looking...
But I managed to fend him off. XD
I accidentally called him an Ewok (I was tired!), so this little Jawa turned on me. Thankfully he forgave me when he saw my rebel shirt. What a great way to end the night! I'm sure tomorrow will be just as incredible!

Book Release Giveaway Sweepstakes: THE SCORCHING

To celebrate the release of my debut novel, THE SCORCHING, I'm hosting a giveaway sweepstakes on Facebook and Twitter! Win a free copy!
Rules, Terms, and Conditions:NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WINNING.1. Eligibility: This Giveaway is open only to those who sign up by commenting on the original Facebook post and who are 18 years or older as of the date of entry.The Sweepstakes is only open to legal residents of the US, Canada, Australia, or the UK, and is void where prohibited by law.  The Giveaway is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited.2. Agreement to Rules: By participating, the Contestant (“You”) agree to be fully unconditionally bound by these Rules, and You represent and warrant that You meet the eligibility requirements. In addition, You agree to accept the decisions of Libbi Duncan (the "Author") as final and binding as it relates to the content of this Giveaway.3. Giveaway Period: Entries will be accepted online starting on 1-23-2017 11 PM CST and ending 1-27-2017 11 PM CST.4. How to Enter: The Giveaway must be entered by liking and sharing the original Giveaway post. The entry must fulfill all Giveaway requirements, as specified, to be eligible to win a prize. Entries that are incomplete or do not adhere to the rules or specifications may be disqualified at the sole discretion of Author. You may enter only once. You must provide the information requested. You may not enter more times than indicated by using multiple email addresses, identities, or devices in an attempt to circumvent the rules. If You use fraudulent methods or otherwise attempt to circumvent the rules, your submission may be removed from eligibility at the sole discretion of Author.5. Prizes: The Winner of the Giveaway (the “Winner”) will receive one personalized and signed copy of THE SCORCHING, by Libbi Duncan. Actual/appraised value may differ at time of prize award. The specifics of the prize shall be solely determined by Author. No cash or other prize substitution shall be permitted. The prize is nontransferable.  No substitution of prize or transfer/assignment of prize to others or request for the cash equivalent by Winner is permitted. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission for Author to use Winner’s name, likeness, and entry for purposes of advertising and trade without further compensation, unless prohibited by law.6. Odds: The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.7. Winner Selection and Notification: Winner will be selected by a random drawing under the supervision of Author. Winner will be notified by Facebook message and Facebook tag within five (5) days following selection of Winner. Author shall have no liability for Winner’s failure to receive notices due to spam, junk e-mail or other security settings or for Winner’s provision of incorrect or otherwise non-functioning contact information. If Winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim the prize within ten days from the time award notification was sent, or fails to timely return a completed and executed declaration and release as required, the prize may be forfeited and an alternate Winner selected. Receipt by Winner of the prize offered in this Campaign is conditioned upon compliance with any and all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. ANY VIOLATION OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES BY WINNER (AT AUTHOR‘S SOLE DISCRETION) WILL RESULT IN WINNER’S DISQUALIFICATION AS WINNER OF THE CAMPAIGN, AND ALL PRIVILEGES AS WINNER WILL BE IMMEDIATELY TERMINATED.8. Rights Granted by You: By entering this content (e.g., photo, video, text, etc.), You understand and agree that Author, anyone acting on behalf of Author, and Author’s licensees, successors, and assigns, shall have the right, where permitted by law, to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use in any media now known or hereafter developed, in perpetuity and throughout the World, without limitation, your entry, name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image, statements about the Giveaway, and biographical information for news, publicity, information, trade, advertising, public relations, and promotional purposes. without any further compensation, notice, review, or consent. 9. Terms & Conditions: Author reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Giveaway should virus, bug, non-authorized human intervention, fraud, or other cause beyond Author’s control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Giveaway. In such case, Author may select the Winner from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by Author. Author reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Giveaway or website or violates these Terms & Conditions. The Author has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the Giveaway, to void votes for any reason, including, but not limited to: multiple entries from the same user from different IP addresses; multiple entries from the same computer in excess of that allowed by Giveaway rules; or the use of bots, macros, scripts, or other technical means for entering. Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway may be a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such attempt be made, Author reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law.10. Limitation of Liability: By entering, You agree to release and hold harmless Author and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers, and directors from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim, or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from: (i) such entrant’s participation in the Giveaway and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize or any portion thereof; (ii) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunction of any computer, cable, network, hardware, or software, or other mechanical equipment; (iii) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions, telephone, or Internet service; (iv) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (v) electronic or human error in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries.11. Disputes: THIS Giveaway IS GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF The United States AND Texas, WITHOUT RESPECT TO CONFLICT OF LAW DOCTRINES. As a condition of participating in this Campaign, participant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Campaign, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in Texas having jurisdiction. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances shall participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby waives all rights to, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, including reasonable attorney’s fees, other than participant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. costs associated with entering this Giveaway). Participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.12. Privacy Policy: Information submitted with an entry is subject to the Privacy Policy stated on the Author website. 13. Sponsor: The Sponsor of the Giveaway is Author Libbi Duncan, Amarillo, TX 79119 USA.14. Social Media: The Giveaway hosted by Author is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, or any other website where it may be shared.
Last updated 1-23-2017 10:15 PM CST

Champagne Two Ways

Champagne Two WaysIf you're celebrating a special occasion, there's no better way to toast than with champagne. It's timeless, elegant, and delicious. But sometimes even classics need improvement. Here are two ways you can spruce up your champagne for a festive night: Champagne Jello Shots and Cranberry Champagne Cocktails! The jello shots are perfect for any time of year; they will impress your guests and will leave you all feeling fantastic. The Cranberry Champagne Cocktail is probably best suited for fall or winter events, but I won't judge you if you make it during summer. It'll be our little secret.
Champagne Jello Shots The classiest of all the jello shots.Ingredients: 1 Bottle Champagne (Brut - room temperature) 3 packets gelatin 4 Tbsp sugar Brown sanding sugar (optional garnish)The Steps:  Mix 1 and 1/2 cups of champagne with the sugar.Sprinkle gelatin over the top; wait 3-5 minutes until the gelatin powder softens.Warm the mixture on medium-low heat for another 3-5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Add the rest of the champagne. Pour into a square 9x9 glass dish; let the bubbles settle down a little, but if you leave some in the jello will still have tiny bubbles so it will look more like champagne. I sprinkled a little of the sanding sugar on at this stage; the brown changed into rainbow colors as it set. Cool effect. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Cut into squares and sprinkle with sugar if desired. Serve on a pretty plate or tray. (I cut the squares in half again to make them easier to eat/serve.)Makes 32 rectangles. I have no idea how much alcohol is in each one. They didn't seem too strong, but they're easy to indulge on so be careful.

Cranberry Champagne Cocktail Not as tiny as it seems. Camera angles are weird.Ingredients:
1 Bottle Champagne (Extra Dry - chilled)1 can whole cranberries1/2 cup water1/2 cup sugarFresh rosemaryBrown sanding sugarChampagne flutesThe Steps:Create the cranberry syrup. Mix the whole cranberries with the water and sugar over medium-high heat. Bring to a low boil, then let it simmer for about 5 minutes or until some of the water cooks down. Strain out the cranberries. Let cool. Done!Pour some sanding sugar on a small plate.Dip the rim of each champagne flute in cranberry syrup, followed by the sanding sugar.Add 2-3 Tbsp of cranberry syrup to each flute.Top with champagne. Pour slowly; it will fizz up more than usual.Garnish with a rosemary sprig and serve.
Thanks for reading! I hope you'll enjoy these new ways of experiencing champagne. If you like reading my words be sure to pre-order my upcoming young adult sci-fi novel, The Scorching, to be released 1-26-2017. The story isn't about champagne, but it does come up once or twice. So I guess it's relevant? Yeah. We'll go with it. Happy New Year!

Book Cover Reveal

It's beautiful. This is really happening! The Scorching will be released in print January 26, 2017, and as an e-book 2-3 weeks later. It will be available for pre-order through my publisher's website soon (TBA). Once released, it will be available through Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Stay tuned and follow me on Facebook and Twitter for more information. Thank you for your support!