Genevieve Iseult Eldredge's Blog, page 7

NaNoPreptober: Week 1

Hello, my pretties! November is coming up fast, and you know what that means--NaNoWriMo! For those who might not know, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month. It happens in November, and it challenges writers of all skill levels to complete a rough draft of approximately 50,000 words in one month.That's one huuuuuuuuuge task! But I'm here to help you break that huge task down into smaller, more manageable chunks, and soon, you'll be on your way to completing that 50,000 word draft.But first, we have to prep. And that, my pretties, is what PREPTOBER is for.I know, I know. It's awfully tempting to just wait until November 1st and then dive in all gleeful and in love with the shiny newness of writing our novels. But what I've seen is that people who don't prep don't finish. Why? Because writing is hard work. It's wonderful, but it can be very isolating. The blank page can seem like a monster just waiting to eat up your writing time and leave you with nothing but self-doubt and discouragement. Middles can sag. Endings can elude us. It can seem impossible to even start!If you really want to hit the ground running on November 1st, then Preptober is essential. Good news: I'm here to guide you through it!Being successful at NaNo depends mostly on developing a habit of writing. After all, if you can't get your butt in your writing chair, you're not going to get many words on the page. So say it with me: butt + chair = word countIt sounds silly, but if you're serious, this will become your mantra in the next few months. Okay, down to brass tacks: How do you start?1. Learn more about NaNoWriMoIf you're new to NaNo, head on over to the NaNoWriMo website and poke around. Start an account if that appeals. If not, no worries! The key to your best productivity is not going to be Use All the Things! Instead, it's going to be: Use the Things That Work For You.2. Start brainstorming!If you're lucky, you might have that awesome novel idea burning in the back of your brain--the one you just can't wait to get out on the page. If you're like that, great!But if you're not, you'll want to start with some questions: What are my favorite books? Why did I enjoy these books? How did reading these books make me feel? Is that what I want my readers to feel? If not, then what emotions do I want to get across to my readers? If I could write any one novel and it'd be an overnight success, what would I write about? The following blog posts may help you brainstorm:Creating a Morning Writing RoutineJournal BoardingFantastic Stories and Where to Find ThemHarnessing Your PassionWorldbuildingThe key is to jumpstart your brain and your creativity. Ideally, you want a project you're not just excited about but THRILLED about. That's what's going to keep your butt in the chair when the shiny wears off. 3. Gather SuppliesWhether it's in a notebook or an app, you'll need somewhere to jot all these ideas down. It's a good idea to spend some time checking out the different systems like the Bullet Journal for Writers or apps like EverNote.I use a Bullet Journal spread for monthly word count calculations along with EverNote. Since I'm often away from my desk when inspiration strikes, it's good to have a note app that syncs across all devices.You'll also want to decide whether you'll be using an app, MS Word, Scrivener, or some other program to do your daily writing. Try them out and see what works for you. There are countless programs. Some, like Scrivener, are very robust. Others are much simpler. Again: the key is what works for you. After browsing Bullet Journaling for five seconds, you can see how easy it is to fall down the rabbit hole. You can spend entire days doing Scrivener tutorials. I probably don't have to tell you that the time you spend checking out cool BuJo spreads and playing around with Scrivener is time you're not writing. And that's the whole point of NaNoWriMo, right?To write a novel!So choose something that fits your needs over your wants. Trust me, you don't need all the bells and whistles. Too much, and it's just another noisy distraction.My advice is: use the simplest solution that fits your needs. 4. Read in Your GenreIf you haven't already, start reading in your genre now. Go online and search for the most popular books in your genre. See if any appeal, and start reading! The best way to get a sense of a genre is to read in it.If you're already pretty well versed in your novel's genre, I recommend re-reading an old favorite, something that gets you fired up and excited about the genre.Begin reading like a writer:Notice the cadence of the words. Note when you feel excited and when you're turning the page. Try to see how the author accomplished that. Also note when you're bored and skimming. Unpacking other authors' techniques is a next-level writing skill that takes time to develop, but being aware is step one!5. Come back next week for NaNoPreptober: Week 2!That's all for now, my pretties! Go forth and conquer. Happy writing!~GIE

Sneak Peak: Read Chapter 1 of REKINDLED!

It's been about a week sinceINIMICAL went live, and readers are going CRAZY about the thrilling ending! I'm hard at work on the followup novella, REKINDLED, and since I truly love all y'all, here's a sneak peak at the first unedited chapter of REKINDLED.I'd love to hear your thoughts! Hit me up on the GirlyEngine Contactpage.Please be advised: this is an unedited chapter and subject to change. Also! If you haven't finished INIMICAL, beware of spoilers!Chapter OneRouenThe dreamsRealer than realRealer than my real lifeMystery girl, who are you? “Dreams of Her” - Euphoria It’s 1 a.m. on a Saturday, the club is still packed after my killer show, and I’m utterly failing at being the spoiled, rising goth rockstar the tabloids say I am. After all, it’s my first night playing the LA club scene. By rights, I should be drunkenly trashing my dressing room and making wild demands—animal-print throw rugs, thirty cases of Perrier, sterling-silver tea service, a thousand green M&M’s in a bowl shaped like Elmo’s head. You get the picture. Instead, I’m lying on the leather dressing-room couch like a dork, memories that aren’t mine—can’t be mine—streaming through my brain like a fast-forwarded movie montage: me and the redheaded girl from my dreams racing across a midnight city skyline, fighting side by side against awful creatures made of dark circuitry, us standing in the throne room of a strange, magical realm divided by an ancient war. Us, hand in hand. Mortal enemies. Girlfriends…somehow. I shift restlessly on the couch, the expensive leather sliding like silk beneath me. I should enjoy this, and all the other trappings of my rising fame. Like the fresh fruit buffet, the mini fridge stocked with sodas, the assortment of snacks laid out. The chocolate fountain. But the ache in my heart only levers me open wider. I heave a heavy sigh. Ignore it, Roue. Get back to being a demanding rock star. What were my demands again? Oh, right. A case of red-only Engine Energy drinks. Moleskine notebooks in every color of the rainbow. A girlfriend who sees me for who I am. Who loves and accepts me. Gah! A knock on the door saves me from myself. I try to make my voice sound normal. “Come in.” Jess, my manager, pokes her head in, red ponytail swinging. “It’s almost time to head out there and meet your adoring fans.” “Right.” I’m not much for crowds, but these impromptu autograph/selfie sessions after every show have been a huge success. I like meeting my fans. If only I could do it without Jess and the Goon Squad (i.e., my two bodyguards) looming over me. “Nice digs.” Jess pushes her chunky black spectacles up on her snub nose and looks around the dressing room. “Yeah.” I follow her gaze, letting mine wander over the Italian leather couch, the floor-to-ceiling mirrors, the bay windows that overlook the hazy LA skyline, all lit up like smoggy Christmas. It’s a perfect night. Perfect dressing room. Perfect gig. Perfect. If only I had someone to share this all with. You do, Roue, a tiny little voice inside whispers. That’s the trouble. You just don’t remember. “Euphoria?” Jess cracks the door open wider. Blast and bloody bones! My one-word answers have clearly tipped her off to the fact that I’m distracted tonight. “I’m fine.” I slide my long legs off the couch and stand up, but when I catch my reflection in the mirror—long black hair, sapphire-blue eyes, bronze skin, black leathers and motorcycle boots—I see the liar I really am. I’m not fine. Aaaaand…something tells me that’s not my real reflection. In my fake memories, I’ve got pointed ears and fangs and glowy eyes. Tentatively, I run my tongue along my canine teeth. Nope. No fangs there. “I know that look.” Jess steps all the way into the dressing room and smooths her hands down her sporty blazer and pencil skirt. Her reddish-brown eyes narrow. “The dreams again?” “Yeah.” I run my hand through my dark hair and try to distract myself with the scents of the club—clove cigarettes, theatrical fog, hundreds of human bodies packed into a small space. Someone in the audience used too much gross body spray. Mentally, I add some rose-scented candles to my list of demands. Only… I don’t need them because for some reason, this place reeks of roses. Jess’s heels click-clack on the lacquered floor as she walks to the bank of windows and looks out. She stands like a statue, hands clasped behind her back. “And the fainting spells?” Oh. Those. “Haven’t had one in a while.” Not since that little girl at my last paparazzi meet-and-greet asked if I was a fairy in disguise. I swear, she pointed right at my ears and fangs. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask her how she saw the same weirdness as my dreams, but the next thing I knew—BOOM! I was down and out for the count. Not my finest moment, I tell you. “Hmm.” Jess’s noncommittal murmur is almost lost in the throbbing pulse of Club Abattoir’s house music, but it isn’t really an answer anyway. She studies me, the dressing room lights flashing hellishly on her glasses. The smell of roses intensifies. “Should we call it off?” “No.” I’m a little too quick to answer. Trying to look normal, I stride to the brightly lit vanity and grab one of the tabloids, the LA Tattler. “I mean, they’re just dreams.” I laugh, but it comes out, an awkward bark. They’re not “just dreams.” Not really. They’re memories. And my memory? It’s got a hole big enough to punch a troll through— A troll. Ha-ha…wheee! Officially going crazy here. I can already see the next tabloid headline: Euphoria Cracks Under Pressure of Making It Big. I crumple the Tattler in both fists. My skin tingles all over with prickles of electricity. A sudden ozone smell hits the dressing room, and the air super-charges. Like lightning’s about to strike. That’s when a note flutters from the tabloid’s pages and falls at my feet. My eyes barely catch the writing. “Come to me. Let me help you remember who you are.” Uh-oh. I know that handwriting. “Look.” Jess comes click-clacking my way. “I’m sure it’s just nerves. Your popularity’s on the rise. You’ve got gigs, stadium shows, sponsorships, the photo shoot for Teen Vogue next month…” Not to mention my very own personal stalker sending me notes. But when Jess rounds the vanity, I put my giant New Rock boot on the note, hiding it. “Yeah.” Suddenly, I want to be alone with my note. Did she write anything else? Does she want to meet up? Does it smell like her? Because it’s not the dreams of her that trouble me—dreams where she’s a white beacon in the darkness, red hair like flame, her grey eyes burning, cables of fire running beneath my skin at the very sight of her… Like something in me is awakening. Something long dead or dormant. Those are no trouble at all. It’s the reality that’s hard. Because the girl in my dreams? She exists. Come to me. A blush rises to my cheeks. She’s more than just a pretty face. She’s smart, clever, quick. She’s followed me across the country, even snuck backstage a few times since I left Richmond on my late-summer tour. The Goon Squad caught her each time, so I’ve never spoken with her. Still, I get the feeling I know her. But I don’t remember her. Just the dreams. “So…” Jess pulls open the mini fridge and grabs two Engine Energy drinks. She tosses one to me and pops the tab on hers. “Go out there and kill it.” She raises the fizzy can. “Right?” I clink my unopened can with hers. “Right.” Wrong. Because every morning after I dream of her, I wake up with an ache knifing my heart—an ache no amount of fame or fortune could ever fix. Still, I smile and nod like a bobble-head toy until Jess heads to the door. “Five minutes,” she tells me. “Got it.” My heart’s racing, and it’s not from the thought of meeting a thousand crazy fans screaming my name. No. The note beneath my boot is practically burning me up. Come to me, come to me… Jess raises an eyebrow, her glasses giving that weird hellish flash again. “Don’t be late.” “Not even fashionably?” “No.” The door whumps shut on her. It’s agony, but I wait three long breaths before moving my foot and snatching up the note. Instantly, the scent of vanilla and sweet summer sunshine hits me like a punch to the gut. Oh, so that’s what teen hormones are for. Gotcha. Thanks. I turn the note over, but all it says is, “Come to me. Let me help you remember who you are.” Who you are. The words are like some kind of accusation. Who I am is Rouen Rivoche, aka goth rockstar Euphoria. Singer. Violinist. Performer. Eighteen years old, and about to take the world by storm. Jess tells me this is the usual stalkery stuff that comes with the territory. But my heart tells me that’s not the truth. My heart, and those wee hours of the morning when I wake in a sweat from dreams of dark crowns and dark thrones. Dark and light. Me and her. When I catch my reflection in the mirror—those pointed ears, fangs, those crazy glowing blue eyes. How every day, I feel like half of me is missing. Out in the club, the cheers rise to epic proportions, the chant of “Euphoria! Euphoria! Eu-phor-i-a!” booming down the hall to my dressing room. Jess’s been working it hard, making sure every club I play is packed, making sure everyone stays for the meet-and-greet. I’ve got everything I could ever want—a great manager, a budding music career, an awesome summer tour… But all I want is to know the girl who wrote this note, to know her and to find out what she knows about yours truly. I tuck the note into my leather pants and head to the door. It’s time I faced her and the truth—about her, about me, about us—and let the chips fall where they may.Pre-Order your copy of REKINDLED today!AMAZONBARNES & NOBLEGOOGLE PLAYITUNESKOBONeed to catch up? The entire CIRCUIT FAE series is on sale for a limited time!

5 Stars for INIMICAL!

The reviews are coming in for CIRCUIT FAE 3: INIMICAL, and I'm pleased to say--they couldn't be better! But don't take my word for it. Check out what these top reviewers are saying:"This series continues to be the witty, fun, lesbian urban fantasy I've always wanted! The pacing is great with a good mix of humor and angsty drama" - Laura, GoodReads"If you like urban fantasy and YA, then you HAVE TO read this series! There really is nothing else like it"- Erin, GoodReads"The action is stepped up a notch in this installment. There is less school and more fantasy. I liked the story and the plot has some interesting twists. Inimical sets up the story for book 4 and will leave you wanting more" - DM, GoodReads"OMG, each book keeps getting better and better! A thrill ride of romance, action, and intrigue! Whether sharing kisses or kicking ass, Syl and Roue are simply adorbs together" - Christina, GoodReadsDescriptionBeing a fairy princess isn't all it's cracked up to be, especially when you have to choosebetween saving your people...And killing your girlfriend.Oh, and let's not forget having to pass summer school, too. Talk about a hot mess.First, there's Rouen, princess of the dark Fae, goth-rock star Euphoria, and soon-to-be senior at Richmond Elite High. Her world is all things ice, snow, and death. And that death will include her own people unless she can defeat her evil father in a Battle of Wits and War and seize the throne. Trouble is, taking the throne is a death sentence for the princess of the fair Fae. In other words, a quick death for Syl, Rouen's girlfriend.And that’s so not good.Second, there's Syl, princess of the fair Fae, geek girl mathlete, and also an incoming senior. Things aren't any easier for her. Syl must save her people by battling her old nemesis, the fair Fae prince, and the same rules apply: taking the throne means a death sentence for the other court's princess, Rouen.Even worse, Syl and Rouen's enemies have figured out they're a couple. Now, both Rouen's father and Syl's archenemy are teaming up to ensure neither of them makes it till Midsummer’s Day never mind to the fall semester. Looks like passing summer school is the least of their worries.Don't wait! Get your copy of INIMICAL today!AMAZONBARNES & NOBLEKOBOGOOGLE PLAYITUNES

Happy Book Birthday: INIMICAL!

Hello, pretties! Today, CIRCUIT FAE 3: INIMICAL goes live on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, GooglePlay, and iBooks!I'm psyched for you to read this exciting installment of Syl and Rouen's romantic adventure! The stakes keep getting higher and higher. Dark Faerie and Fair Faerie want to tear them apart, and you know what that means... ALL. THE. ANGSTY. FEELS.*sigh* Early responses have been awesome. Thank you, readers, reviewers and bloggers!As always, we’re launching with goodies and giveaways:Win cool prizes like Rouen's sun-and-moon pendant necklace with the RafflecopterLock in FREEBIES and SALES: MORIBUND is FREE and DERAILED is 99 cents for a limited time!Tons of bloggers on the launch tour!DescriptionBeing a fairy princess isn't all it's cracked up to be, especially when you have to choosebetween saving your people...And killing your girlfriend.Oh, and let's not forget having to pass summer school, too. Talk about a hot mess.First, there's Rouen, princess of the dark Fae, goth-rock star Euphoria, and soon-to-be senior at Richmond Elite High. Her world is all things ice, snow, and death. And that death will include her own people unless she can defeat her evil father in a Battle of Wits and War and seize the throne. Trouble is, taking the throne is a death sentence for the princess of the fair Fae. In other words, a quick death for Syl, Rouen's girlfriend.And that’s so not good.Second, there's Syl, princess of the fair Fae, geek girl mathlete, and also an incoming senior. Things aren't any easier for her. Syl must save her people by battling her old nemesis, the fair Fae prince, and the same rules apply: taking the throne means a death sentence for the other court's princess, Rouen.Even worse, Syl and Rouen's enemies have figured out they're a couple. Now, both Rouen's father and Syl's archenemy are teaming up to ensure neither of them makes it till Midsummer’s Day never mind to the fall semester. Looks like passing summer school is the least of their worries.

INIMICAL Launch Tour!

Hey Readers,CIRCUIT FAE 3: INIMICAL is coming on September 18! That's less than a week away, and you know what that means...It's blog tour and giveaway time! Get ready to meet the INIMICAL bloggers! We'll have excerpts, giveaways galore, interviews, Top 10 lists, playlists, and more!Enter our Giveaway!You could win Rouen's awesome moon and sun circuit necklace or a free e-copy of INIMICAL!Here's the INIMICAL tour:September 17th –Rainy Days and Pajamas >> Excerpt –tfaulcbookreviews >> Excerpt –The Writer’s Inkwell >> ExcerptSeptember 18th –Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author >> Top 10 List –Character Madness and Musings >> Excerpt –I Smell Sheep >> Guest postSeptember 19th –Adventures in Writing >> Excerpt –Girls With Books >> Excerpt –Chapter through life >> Review –Hey, It Was Free! >> ReviewSeptember 20th –Evermore Books >> Playlist –Bobo’s Book Bank >> Excerpt –Wishful Endings >> Interview –Living a Hundred Lives >> ReviewSeptember 21st –Mythical Books >> Excerpt –The Avid Reader >> ReviewSeptember 24th –Movies, Shows, & Books >> Excerpt –3 Degrees of Fiction >> Excerpt –Finding Magic In Books >> Interview –Reviews of a FearStreetZombie >> ExcerptSeptember 25th –Journal of the Lost One >> Excerpt –The Book Club page >> Review –Book Reviews by Steph >> InterviewSeptember 26th –Declarations of a Fangirl >> Excerpt –Don’t Judge, Read >> Review –Jazzy Book Reviews >> ReviewSeptember 27th –I’m All About Books >> Excerpt –On My Kindle Book Reviews >> Review –So Many Books, So Little Time >> ExcerptSeptember 28th –K.L. Novitzke – Author >> Excerpt –Loved By Sunny >> Top 10 List –My Books-My World >> Guest postAnd don't forget to pre-order your copy of INIMICAL todayAMAZONBARNES & NOBLEKOBOiTUNESGOOGLE PLAYThanks so much for reading!xoxo,~GIE

INIMICAL: Sample Chapter

Dear Readers,September is coming, and with it the next novel in THE CIRCUIT FAE series! This one's INTENSE as the Fae Court drama heats up, and Syl and Rouen find themselves pulled apart--almost literally--by their warring Dark Faerie and Fair Faerie realms.Here's a sneak peek at Chapter One. Circuit Fae 3: INIMICAL launches on September 18. PRE-ORDER your copy at AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, GOOGLEPLAY, ITUNES, and KOBO. Chapter OneSylSleeper-princess,Half-human, half-FaePart of both worldsBelonging fully to neither- Glamma’s GrimmBeing a Faerie sleeper-princess isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I mean, you’d think being Fae royalty, I’d be automatically excused from certain things: doing chores, working afterschool, detention, eating Brussels sprouts.Summer school.But no.“Miss Skye, I’m waiting…” Miss Mack taps her shiny black pointer against the equation on the board as all the other kids in class snicker. “Solve for X, please.”Easy for you to say. You weren’t up half the night.I look up at the board, at the algebraic equation. It’s simple enough, but my vision blurs, and all the numbers and symbols run together like gibberish.Quadratic equations.These shouldn’t be a problem for Syl Skye—high school junior, science geek and mathlete. I should be able to do these in my sleep. But sleep’s been the problem lately. The same nightmare playing on a constant loop the second I close my eyes—my people dying, my lands in ruins.And the only way to stop it is for me to kill my girlfriend.Even the thought is a knife to my heart, but I shake it off. It’s just a nightmare. Besides, me and Rouen have a plan to save our people, and it doesn’t involve killing anyone.I might be a powerful fair Fae princess, but I’m also a live-and-let-live kind of girl.“Miss Skye?”The snickering gets louder, and my face gets exponentially hotter and redder. Exponentially. See? I think desperately. I can do math! I push aside my closed laptop and tap my pencil against my bottom lip. You can do this, Syl. But nothing comes to me.Next to me, Roue shifts in her seat, her concern for me shooting down the soul-bond we share.Did I mention I’m dating the princess of the dark Fae, my mortal enemy? And that my nightmares want me to kill her on Midsummer Day?Well I am, and they do.Joke’s on them, though, cuz me and Roue are going to ninja our way into our opposing Dark Faerie and Fair Faerie realms and set things to rights. Problem is, the kings of both realms are dying, and since they’re magically bound to the hearthstones, the source of power for each realm, they’re sucking everything into death with them.Which means: Faerie’s going to go kaboom if we don’t stop it.Our current plan involves three major points: sneaking in to each Faerie realm, healing the hearthstone with our combined powers, and getting out in one piece. We’re just waiting for Mom’s contacts to finish up one key ingredient—two black-iron railroad spikes.Iron’s harmful to the Fae. It suppresses a lot of our powers. As the last sleeper-princess, I’m immune, though, so I’ll carry them to protect us in case either king gets squirrely. (Fae kings are touchy, and they do not like anyone messing with their hearthstones.)Once the hearthstones are healed, the kings will be healed, too, and so will the realms.And that’s our Faerie plan, as I call it.It’s way more complicated than this summer school deal, let me tell you. But even the best Faerie plan is no help against Miss Mack.“Maybe if someone hadn’t skipped school for six months”—Miss Mack looks pointedly at me over her crescent-moon spectacles—“she’d know about quadratic equations, hm?”“Yes, Miss Mack,” I mumble, shrinking in my seat.The summer school teacher tap, tap, taps her pointer on the board. Miss Mack is one of the youngest teachers at Richmond E, even if she doesn’t look like it with those witchy white streaks in her black hair. She stares me down for another long moment before moving on to her next victim. I slouch deeper.The real truth is—I didn’t skip school, and neither did Roue.We got trapped in the Dark Faerie realm. Her dad went to the dark side, imprisoned us, and used the Dark Faerie hearthstone to turn his subjects into zombie-slaves. As princess, Roue was forced to sever his connection to his dark self, which freed her people, crippled her father’s power as king, and pretty much dethroned him.He didn’t like that too much, so he tried to imprison us and drain my blood.All of it. Talk about overkill.It took us two days to escape—two days in Dark Faerie time, which as it turns out, is very different than in the mortal realm.By the time we escaped, we’d missed half our junior year.And the worst part?It’s not summer school.It’s the fact that we messed up, did the wrong thing.The nightmares are just part of Faerie’s early-warning system that we’ve kind of set the Fae apocalypse in motion.Turns out, we didn’t actually sever her dad from his dark side.We severed his connection to the hearthstone.That wouldn’t be the worst thing, except for one fact: Fae kings need their connection to the hearthstones to live, and vice versa. When we severed King Reinghûl from the Dark Faerie hearthstone, we sealed the fate of the realm.Now the king and the hearthstone are both dying. And if they do?All of Dark Faerie will die, too. And it’s our fault.“Since Miss Skye seems to be unable to enlighten us…” Miss Mack sets down her pointer and picks up her chalk. She solves the equation in two seconds flat.All the other kids laugh and snicker, and Cory Johnson, football jock extraordinaire, stage-whispers, “Who ever heard of a mathlete who can’t math?”Ugh. My cheeks burning, I fiddle with my pencil, trying hard to focus as Miss Mack moves on to the next equation. Nope. No good. My brain’s officially gone on a tangent. Before I know it, I’ve opened to a fresh notebook page, and I’m puzzling out my and Roue’s Faerie equation for the gajillionth time.Here’s the trouble. Hearthstones are hugely powerful, but they’re untamed, wild energy. They need a king to control them and siphon off the excess energy. If the king’s connection is severed, the hearthstone’s power will build and build until the whole thing goes totally supernova.Roue and I didn’t know it at the time, but the nightmares have been clear that… I scribble it down.No king + uncontrolled power = Dark Faerie realm goes kaboom.Add that to the fact that the Fair Faerie king is supposed to die if there isn’t a new king and queen on the throne by Midsummer…I scribble that down, too.Dark Faerie king dying + Fair Faerie king dying = apocalyptic hearthstones = lots of death and destruction = the end of Faerie.A slow shudder of dread rolls down my spine. For me and Roue, this equals a lot of pressure riding on our Faerie plan. I glance at her, sitting across the aisle from me. She’s pretending to pay attention to Miss Mack, but her hand’s gone still on her paper, and I feel her thoughts touch mine.“Are you all right?” Her voice, deep and smoky-sexy, gently prods my mind, sending shivers of the good kind through me. Ever since we committed to each other (with rings and everything) and became soul-bound, I can hear her thoughts and feel what she feels. We can talk telepathically, too.A part of her soul lives in my heart, and mine in hers.Maybe that’s why she and I are both having nightmares about killing each other for our crowns?Because both our Faerie realms want us as queens—but not together.We’re each supposed to marry a prince. Long story, but can I get a “hell no”?I want to make up for our mistakes, but there are limits.“I’m okay.” I try to tamp down on my anxiety. I’m still learning how to control the bond so I don’t send everything, even the embarrassing stuff, right down it, 24/7. “I’d be better if we didn’t have to be at summer school.”We could use more time to work out the kinks. Like exactly how we’re going to heal the hearthstones. Last time, when the Dark Faerie hearthstone nearly died, we both sort of felt our way through healing it.I’m hoping we can duplicate the process.Roue’s nonverbal agreement flashes down the bond. Ever since we first met, she’s been masquerading as a normal high school student, but we both know our days as normal high schoolers are numbered.Our rival realms have been pulling on each of us, calling us home. Apparently, the Fae kings aren’t going to be any help.Saving Faerie is a job for us princesses.If only we could do it without having to kill each other…I scribble down my current Faerie equation, the one about us combining powers—my white flame and her violet lightning—and push it toward her. “Any ideas yet?”Roue leans in, her face thoughtful. “Hmmm…” Her hum is just as smoky-sexy as her singing voice.I can’t help but take a sec to check her out. My beautiful girl’s tall, dark, and broody, five-foot-seven inches of curvy, cunning snark wrapped in black leather, her powers all things Winter: cold twilight, thundersnow and lightning, storms and snow squalls.As a fair Fae princess of the Summer Court, that should scare the pants off me, but really what I’m thinking is, Maybe she could use her Winter power. A freak snow squall in May would get us out of summer school, buy us some time to work on our Faerie plan.It’d only take two inches, and every school in Richmond would be closed for a week.Roue’s chuckle rumbles in my mind, turning my insides electric-gooey and warm. “You mean like this?” She twiddles her fingers, and a teeny snow tornado the size of a soda can swirls on her desk, all white and wintry.I jerk upright in my seat, but then notice the shimmery glimmer blanketing my girl’s actions. Whew! A Glamoury. It’s a type of Fae magic that hides what we really are from mortals.I glance around quickly, but Wakeful mortals, the few who can see through Fae magic, are super rare.In my mind, Roue’s chuckle rolls like syrupy thunder. “Relax, princess.” She waves a hand, dispelling the snow tornado into tiny crystals. They melt on her desk in Richmond’s seventy-degree spring day.“I’ll try.” I lounge back into my seat. But really, it’s hard for me to relax.Today’s May 1st. We’ve missed five and a half months of school.Plus, the second we got back from Dark Faerie, we got pulled out of regular classes and put into these special “bridge to success” sessions in the old section of Richmond Elite High—just me, Roue, and a handful of other kids in the library. Bridge to success? Yeah, right.Call it what you want, it’s still summer school.I look wistfully out the window as Miss Mack moves on to her third victim.Being cooped up is hard when it’s spring going on summer. As a fair Fae, my powers come from the Summer Court: heat, sunfire, and steamy breezes. Right now, I’d do anything to be out in the late spring/early summer afternoon, sun on my face, the breeze in my hair.Maybe my mortal-world stress is why the nightmares are getting worse?But I know the truth. I scribble it in my notebook again: 0 kings = trouble x 2.“The dreams were bad last night?” Roue asks gently.“The worst.” I doodle over the equation, stalling. Roue and I don’t keep secrets. We both know about each other’s nightmares, but stabbing your girlfriend in the heart with a magical Faerie blade, even if it’s not real?It’s next-level relationship stuff. And not in a good way.Just the thought of it sends my heart into freak-out mode.Roue reaches across the aisle and puts her hand on mine. Her skin is the perfect combination of cool and silky-soft. Electric zings shoot through me.“This thing with Faerie…” Roue meets my gaze, her eyes so deep blue I could get lost in them. “We’ll figure it out, tackle it together.”My breath catches in my throat. Okay, can I just say that no matter how many times she says things like this, it always, always gives me good-kind shivers?And when she looks at me like that, her sapphire-blue eyes all glowy and intense, I can only think of how we’ve been talking about taking the next step in our relationship. It’s scary, but a good kind of scary.Truth be told, I want to do more than kiss her.But for right now, I’ll settle for kissing.“Right now?” Roue’s sexy smirk makes my insides leap. “As in, right now in class?”“Umm…” Do I say no? Even my sending is breathless, and my brain turns to gooey mush. I’m drawn to her the way opposing magnets are, lured in by her beauty, her strength, her darkness calling to my light.I lean in. She leans in.Her lips barely brush mine—“Miss Rivoche! Miss Skye!” Miss Mack’s voice rings out like the Horn of Gondor, killing the moment deader than a doornail. Roue and I jerk back into our seats like naughty schoolgirls.Whoa. That was…intense.“Soul-bond, baby,” Roue sends.Yeah. Wow. Every day, it gets stronger and stronger.“Do I need to separate you two?” Miss Mack has to shout to be heard over all the snickering, jeers, and whispers that erupt around us.“No, Miss Mack,” Roue and I chorus dutifully.But my girl’s smirking her face off. We’ve faced down hell-hounds and Hunters, Circuit fiends and Circuit Fae, Ouroboros, even the deep wards that protect Dark Faerie.Mortal teachers don’t really scare us. Well, except Miss Jardin.Then again, the redheaded school librarian isn’t mortal at all. She’s a pocket púca, a type of shifter dark Fae who’s under a powerful geis to help me.Still, my mom will officially kill me if I get into any more trouble. She was not keen on me having to go to summer school. Roue, either, considering she lives with us and Mom’s her guardian.As much as a dark Fae princess can have a mortal guardian.To be fair, Mom’s not 100% mortal, either. She was a sleeper-princess before I was. Long story.“Laptops open, everyone,” Miss Mack barks like a drill sergeant.“Maybe we should…” I glance at Roue as I fire up my laptop.“Right.” She pulls hers out, too, and we settle into actually paying attention to class.Only…I’m super not good at that right now because, between the nightmares and working on our Faerie plan, I’ve had about two hours’ sleep and a whole lot of worrying. I’m exhausted. No sooner do I start following along with the lesson than I also start nodding off.My head’s heavy, my eyelids a million pounds. The sun’s slanting in the windows now, warming my legs. I slump down, letting my mind drift. No worries. I’ll tackle quadratic equations later, maybe get my bestie Lennon to help me. She’s a fellow mathlete, but she’s good at everything.Miss Mack drones on and on about values and sums and equations. I prop my laptop up. Maybe I can take a quick catnap behind it.My eyes close halfway, my head gets heavier and heavier…Yoink! A small tug jerks inside me, a snag in my stomach, like tiny hooks digging in. Not again. Along with my Roue-killing nightmare, I’ve been feeling this…pull toward the Fair Faerie realm.It’s because the king is dying, my inner killjoy whispers. You’re supposed to marry a fair Fae prince, become queen, take your crown, kill Roue.Yeah, this is not something hiding behind my laptop can fix.Because the realm of Fair Faerie, the half of Faerie that governs all things sun and Summer, has been calling me nonstop.Like an ex that won’t stay broken up with.I groan, trying to fight off the weird pull. Now is not the time.Roue and I just need a few more days to get the black-iron spikes and figure out the healing-the-hearthstone equation. But it’s like Fair Faerie’s grabbed hold of my insides and won’t let go.I poke at my stomach. Quit it, you.We’re not even on speaking terms, me and Fair Faerie.It wants to break up me and Roue.I might be new to this fair Fae gig, but even I know that the princess of the Summer Court should not be dating the princess of the Winter Court. In fact, I should be dating Aldebaran, Prince of OverHill so we can get soul-bound and take the place of our dying king and queen before all of Fair Faerie dies a horrible death.No pressure.And hey, the last thing I want is for my realm to die. But three things: one, I’m into Roue; two, I’m not into guys; and three, I’m definitely not into being forced to date anyone—or go back to Fair Faerie, for that matter.Because, according to my nightmare, if I go back to Fair Faerie and take my crown, Roue’s as good as dead.And I’m the one who kills her.Want to read more? Download your copy of INIMICAL on NETGALLEY! Only for a limited time!Order your copy of INIMICAL today!AMAZONBARNES & NOBLEGOOGLEPLAYIBOOKSKOBOMake sure to check back for all our launch goodies! Free books and other cool swag!

REKINDLED Cover Revealed!

Today I’m super psyched to reveal the cover for Circuit Fae 3.5: REKINDLED! In REKINDLED, we learn how Rouen gets hit with a spell that makes her forget her love for Syl and her tolerance for all things fair Fae.
And now, without further ado…
I’m over the moon about this one. I absolutely love the rainbow and the white silhouette.

Description

Syl’s a princess of the fair Fae.

Her girlfriend Rouen is a princess of the dark Fae.

Mortal enemies. Girlfriends.

Relationship status: It’s Complicated

It’s good to be queen. Except when it’s a total disaster.

Syl Skye, newly crowned Queen of Fair Faerie, would be psyched to be the ruler of her Summer realm, except for two things.

First, her girlfriend Rouen Rivoche became Queen of Dark Faerie, the Winter realm. That would be great except the Winter realm’s always been at war with Summer. By tradition, that makes Rouen Syl’s mortal enemy.

That said, love can break past old hatred, right? Especially with a new foe about to attack them both.

Ah, no.

Which brings us to Syl’s second problem. Rouen’s under a dark spell and doesn’t remember Syl, their lives, their love. Worse, if Syl doesn’t break the spell by the next new moon, Rouen will forget her forever.

To defeat their foe, it’ll take two soul-bound queens whose hearts and minds act as one. Trouble is, no one has ever broken the dark spell Rouen suffers from.

Good thing Syl isn’t the type of queen who gives up easily.

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And as always, we’re revealing the awesome REKINDLED cover with lots of free goodies to win!
Check out our Rafflecopter here!

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You could win this amazing sign!
Thanks for reading, my pretties!

~GIE

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CIRCUIT FAE 3: INIMICAL on NetGalley!

CIRCUIT FAE 3: INIMICAL releases on September 18, and for a limited time, you can grab your review copy here on NetGalley!
Here’s what people are already saying about INIMICAL:
“This series continues to be the witty, fun, lesbian urban fantasy I’ve always wanted!”
“A thrill ride of romance, action, and intrigue! Whether sharing kisses or kicking ass, Syl and Roue are simply adorbs together.”
“If you like urban fantasy and YA, then you HAVE TO read this series! There really is nothing else like it.”

Description

Being a fairy princess isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially when you have to choose between saving your people…

And killing your girlfriend.

Oh, and let’s not forget having to pass summer school, too.

Talk about a hot mess.

First, there’s Rouen, princess of the dark Fae, goth-rock star Euphoria, and soon-to-be senior at Richmond Elite High. Her world is all things ice, snow, and death. And that death will include her own people unless she can defeat her evil father in a Battle of Wits and War and seize the throne.

Trouble is, taking the throne is a death sentence for the princess of the fair Fae. In other words, a quick death for Syl, Rouen’s girlfriend.

And that’s so not good.

Second, there’s Syl, princess of the fair Fae, geek girl mathlete, and also an incoming senior. Things aren’t any easier for her. Syl must save her people by battling her old nemesis, the fair Fae prince, and the same rules apply: taking the throne means a death sentence for the other court’s princess, Rouen.

Even worse, Syl and Rouen’s enemies have figured out they’re a couple. Now, both Rouen’s father and Syl’s archenemy are teaming up to ensure neither of them makes it till Midsummer’s Day never mind to the fall semester.

Looks like passing summer school is the least of their worries.

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INIMICAL: Now on NetGalley

CIRCUIT FAE 3: INIMICAL releases on September 18, and for a limited time, you can grab your review copy here on NetGalley! Here's what people are already saying about INIMICAL:"This series continues to be the witty, fun, lesbian urban fantasy I've always wanted!""A thrill ride of romance, action, and intrigue! Whether sharing kisses or kicking ass, Syl and Roue are simply adorbs together.""If you like urban fantasy and YA, then you HAVE TO read this series! There really is nothing else like it."DescriptionBeing a fairy princess isn't all it's cracked up to be, especially when you have to choose between saving your people...And killing your girlfriend.Oh, and let's not forget having to pass summer school, too. Talk about a hot mess.First, there's Rouen, princess of the dark Fae, goth-rock star Euphoria, and soon-to-be senior at Richmond Elite High. Her world is all things ice, snow, and death. And that death will include her own people unless she can defeat her evil father in a Battle of Wits and War and seize the throne. Trouble is, taking the throne is a death sentence for the princess of the fair Fae. In other words, a quick death for Syl, Rouen's girlfriend.And that’s so not good.Second, there's Syl, princess of the fair Fae, geek girl mathlete, and also an incoming senior. Things aren't any easier for her. Syl must save her people by battling her old nemesis, the fair Fae prince, and the same rules apply: taking the throne means a death sentence for the other court's princess, Rouen.Even worse, Syl and Rouen's enemies have figured out they're a couple. Now, both Rouen's father and Syl's archenemy are teaming up to ensure neither of them makes it till Midsummer’s Day never mind to the fall semester. Looks like passing summer school is the least of their worries.Pre-order INIMICAL Today!AmazonBarnes & NobleGooglePlayiTunesKobo

Monster House is Restructuring!

Dear Friends,

Two years ago, I founded Monster House Books as an open environment for diverse voices, author collaboration, and kick-ass heroines. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to connect with stellar writers such as Genevieve Iseult Eldredge and Majanka Verstraete, both of whom joined Monster House and built awesome series. Starting any kind of company requires a lot of investment, and publishing is no exception. To help support Monster House, I kept my day job in high technology marketing, where my specialty is with start-up organizations.

Trouble is, some start ups don’t start up … Or they get too much traction and become acquired. Long story short, I’m recently out of a day job and extra capital. I respect my authors and their work too much to give them anything but my best. Both writers have built strong momentum over the last few years. It’s good timing for them to be free to reach the next level of their publishing journey. To that end, Majanka Verstraete will be taking her amazing series, THE ADVENTURES OF MARISOL HOLMES solo in September. Likewise, Genevieve Iseult Eldredge will be launching GirlyEngine Press, LLC for her CIRCUIT FAE series and future titles.

Arely Zimmermann will stay on as Publishing Assistant extraordinaire. Valya Fefilova will also continue her translation work for Monster House. GIE’s and Majanka’s titles will move to new publishers as of September, and  the MHB web site will be updated at that time with all their details. As for my part, I’m cooking up a new release schedule for the next few years while considering options regarding the infamous day job. With any luck, I’ll release the same number of books in 2019 as I did in 2018, if not a few more. Additional info to follow on that soon!

Thanks as always for your interest, understanding, and support.

Best,

Christina Bauer

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