Renee Miller's Blog, page 10

12 Days of Stuff: Day 10

Ah, day ten of Bookmas, or whatever it is you want to call this shameless self-promotion stuff I’ve got going on. Yesterday’s winner of a signed copy of Concessions by Hanna Elizabeth is AMY HUGHES. Congrats Amy!

Now, as we edge closer to party day on The Facebook, I realize we’re edging closer to Christmas as well. When I think about that, I realize I’m not done shopping. When I think about shopping so close to Christmas, I get itchy, and anxious, and I start to feel a tiny bit of fear, because I LOATHE SHOPPING.

So, what better time than now to give away a little bit of horror, right?

Shut up.

For those of you just tuning in, we’re having a bit of a Christmas thing here on the edge, in which I give away book goodies for twelve days. On the 20th, we’ll be meeting on the Facebook for a party full of more giveaways and, of course, some shits and giggles. Today I’m giving away a book by one of my favorite horror authors, Christian Saunders. The lucky winner will get to choose their prize. Your options? A digital copy of Christian’s books, X: A Collection of Horror, X-2: Another Collection of horror OR Out of Time. NOT all three, mind you. Just one. ONE. Got it? Cool.

Joe Dawson is a struggling 41-year old writer battling a serious case of writer’s block. When he travels to Wales in a last-ditch attempt to reignite his career, he finds himself staying at a mysterious seaside hotel, where nothing is quite what it seems. As the secrets of his past finally catch up with him, Joe is thrust into a life or death situation where his every action could have terrible consequences.

This is what happens when you ‘wake up’ inside a dream, when the urban myth you heard turns out to be so much more, and when that hottie you pick up in a bar springs a terrible surprise. But what do you do when your wife gives birth to something not entirely human? When your past discretions come back to haunt you? Or when a serial killer moves in next door?

The first collection of horror and dark fiction from the critically acclaimed writer C.M. Saunders, including three previously unpublished stories, plus an introduction and extensive notes. Also features exclusive artwork by Greg Chapman.

The sequel to 2013’s successful X: A Collection of Horror features ten more slices of dark fiction from the blood-soaked pages of Fantastic Horror, Unspoken Water, Dark Valentine and several anthologies. Also includes two previously unpublished stories, extensive notes, and original artwork by Greg Chapman.

Meet the teacher who sees dead pupils, the ambulance crew who pick up a casualty who won’t die, and the childhood friends who spend the night in a haunted pub. Along the way you can meet a man who refuses to accept his wife’s death and goes to extreme lengths to keep the flame of love alive, the boy who just likes to watch you sleep, and maybe even pay a visit to an antique shop with a deadly secret. If you dare.

Now, visit the Rafflecopter widget thing below (which is probably a link and not a widget because I’m ridiculous), and it’ll tell you how to get yourself entered to win. I’ll announce the winner in tomorrow’s post.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

12 Days of Stuff: Day 9

Is it day nine already? Only three more to go!! That means three more chances to win yourself some book goodies. Yesterday, CHARLENE GREEN won a copy of JW Kent’s “The Bridge at Ardendale” AND the option of a starring role in one of my future novels. Congrats Charlene, I’ll be contacting you soon.

For those of you just tuning in, we’re having a bit of a Christmas thing here on the edge, in which I give away book goodies for twelve days. On the 20th, we’ll be meeting on the Facebook for a party full of more giveaways and, of course, some shits and giggles.

I’ve already given away a shit ton of book stuff, and I wrote 12 blog posts to do it. Sigh.

Thanks. Let’s move on.

Talented and lovely author, Hanna Elizabeth, has offered her book, Concessions, a haunting tale set in the world of WOOL.

Both comedy and tragedy, Jane’s life is anything but ordinary. She’s lived her life in the spotlight, given more than she’s received, and is sacrificing everything for the people she loves. Her only request: a few concessions. Set in the World of WOOL and in the same Silo that Grace (from VISIONS of WOOL) has overseen for eighty years, comes a story of love, passion, sacrifice, and above all else, hope for the future.

So, see the Rafflecopter thing below? It’ll tell you how to get your name entered. I’ll announce the winner in tomorrow’s post.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

12 Days of Stuff: Day 8

Good morning, shiny, happy people! Day 8 of this free shit I’m tossing around. Yesterday’s winner of The Final Warden by Thomas Cardin was AMY HUGHES. Congrats, Amy. I’ll be contacting you soon. :)

And back to day 8 things. I was having a discussion about keeping Christ in Christmas and how choosing a holiday themed title for a frivolous promotion thing was hard, because I have to take Christ out to use the “mas” title, and people might be offended. Then I was all, “Fuck it.” Bookmas is okay, and I’m okay, and you’re okay, and Fergus is smiling, because I feel like he’d say “Fuck it” to everything.

What? Oh, Fergus… yes. Fergus is the hilarious, irreverent, brave, loyal, all the good things, protagonist in JW Kent’s series, The Legend of Fergus. I love him. Fergus, not JW. Although, JW is great too. Where were we?

Right. For those of you just tuning in, we’re having a bit of a Christmas thing here on the edge, in which I give away book goodies for twelve days. On the 20th, we’ll be meeting on the Facebook for a party full of more giveaways and, of course, some shits and giggles. Today, on day 8 of this thing, I’m giving away a digital copy of JW Kent’s first book in the Fergus series, The Bridge at Ardendale.

Oh, and another thing, the winner today has the option of playing a starring role in a future novel written by moi. You have the choice of a role in the Gods series, the Fangs and Fur series, or something entirely new. Also, you can choose to be a hero or a villain.

But keep in mind…

And now, JW’s book:

 

So, what does a legendary mercenary do when he retires? “He finds him an out of the way place… where they grow good barley and hops. Sets his-self up brewing ale, and mayhap finds a soft, curvy lass or two to keep his bones warm at night….” But when Fergus walked into the Upper Arden Valley he found far more than he had bargained for.

To get in on this one, you just have to do what the rafflecopter thing tells you. It’s below the post. See it? Cool. I’ll announce the winner in tomorrow’s post.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

12 Days of Stuff: Day 7

*Yawn* Have I ever mentioned how much I love coffee? I do. It’s like, awesome. Clearly, I haven’t had enough yet, though, so let’s just get to the goodies. Yesterday’s winner of two signed paperbacks from Brian Braden is LELA LAWING. Congrats, Lela! This is a fantastic prize. I’ll be contacting you soon.

Now, for those of you just tuning in, we’re having a bit of a Christmas thing here on the edge, in which I give away book goodies for twelve days. On the 20th, we’ll be meeting on the Facebook for a party full of more giveaways and, of course, some shits and giggles.

Today is day 7 of the giveaways and Thomas Cardin has offered to give one of you a digital copy of his book, The Final Warden. Fantasy fans will thoroughly enjoy this gem.

The Final Warden is the first book of the Gifts of Vorallon trilogy. The world of Vorallon is failing. Hordes of demons destroy cities and everyone who lives in them. The raiders of Zuxra, foul men who answer only to their mad queen, enslave and conquer all that remains. As all descends into darkness, the Old Gods sleep, but they have entrusted the survival of Vorallon to the gifted. The gifted are men and women blessed with unique abilities that are fueled by the strength of their spirits. Lorace is one of the gifted, a hollow shell of a man who has been scarred by demons and bereft of all memory. He finds himself on a desolate shore, the only clue to his destiny, and his past, is a sphere of dull silvery metal he holds clutched in one hand. A mysterious call draws him north, toward the last bastion of light that exists upon Vorallon, the fortress city of Halversome–the next target of the Queen of Zuxra and the gifted people who do her bidding.

Do as the Rafflecopter thing below bids and you’ll be entered to win a copy. Now, back to the coffee.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

12 Days of Stuff: Day 6

Day six already? Wow. For those of you just tuning in, we’re having a bit of a Christmas thing here on the edge, in which I give away book goodies for twelve days. On the 20th, we’ll be meeting on the Facebook for a party full of more giveaways and, of course, some shits and giggles.

I feel like the mid-way point should be special, so DeadPixel author, Brian Braden has generously offered to give one of you a signed set of the first two books in his Chronicles of Fu Xi series.

The fish have disappeared from the sea. The animals have vanished from the land. All humanity, and even the gods, tremble under the specter of a pending cataclysm. The demigod, Fu Xi, races home from the edge of the world bringing news of a looming god war, but finds his land under attack by monsters he once called his children. He discovers a terrible curse has been cast, one intended to destroy the gods and all life. To his shock, Fu Xi learns that mankind’s last hope rests solely on him, a simple fisherman, and a banished slave girl. Beset on all sides by ancient foes, both immortal and mundane, Fu Xi knows he must act quickly and races west to rescue the saviors. Unaware of the real doom that awaits, Aizarg the fisherman and his party begin a perilous journey across a dangerous steppe. They seek the last of the Narim, the legendary Black Sea Gods, who hold the key to their salvation. Leading them is the rescued slave girl Sarah, the only one among them who knows the path to the land of the god-men. Over seven days, the defining struggle of gods and humans begins under the onslaught of a powerful force whose true objective and origin remain a mystery. Fu Xi knows the secret to victory resides in the fisherman and the slave girl, whose lives he must protect, even if it means the rest of the world must perish! *** BLACK SEA GODS transforms recently re-discovered Black Sea legends, possibly the root of all Eurasian mythology, with ancient Chinese mythology to create an unprecedented epic fantasy series. Find out more about this series at www.blackseagods.com

 

The Curse of the Nameless God ravages the world, laying waste to man and beast. Desperate to flee the worsening cataclysm, Aizarg and his people escape to sea aboard a flotilla of rafts and fishing boats. Short on supplies and facing starvation, the Lo must not only survive epic storms and tsunamis, but ravenous demons lurking in the deep. Aizarg’s wife, Atamoda, knows that more than wind, waves and demons seek her people’s demise. A cancer festers aboard the flotilla, one Aizarg does not see. Under the cloak of darkness, whispers and conspiracies spread from raft to raft and as hunger burns in their bellies. A treacherous plot poisons the hearts and minds of the gentle Lo. Atamoda and Aizarg struggle to keep their people together, even as an unseen enemy seeks to divide the Lo, and drive a wedge between Atamoda and her husband. Far to the east, the demigod Fu Xi races to reach the Roof of the World before the cataclysm claims him and his beloved horse, Heise. Along the way he discovers that a terrible power relentlessly stalks him – the dreaded god war has begun. Fu Xi’s immortality will be severely tested as he fights to not only to survive, but to fulfill his quest to find the mysterious white haired man and save his people. At the end of the world, demigod and mortal fight for survival, pawns to higher powers battling for world domination. In order to save all they love, they must find one another before it’s too late. *** TEARS OF THE DEAD is the exciting sequel to BLACK SEA GODS. The Chronicles of Fu Xi series transforms recently re-discovered Black Sea legends, possibly the root of all Eurasian mythology, with ancient Chinese myth to create an unprecedented fantasy experience.

I’m really excited about these ones, as BLACK SEA GODS is one of my all-time favorite reads, and it was a semifinalist for the 2013 Kindle Book Reviews Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book of the Year.

Enter for your chance to receive these amazing books by clicking the Rafflecopter link below and doing what it tells you to do.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

12 Days of Stuff: Day 5

Almost half-way through Bookmas, in which I give away something book related every day for 12 days. Is it going to be Bookmas? Is that for certain? I liked 12 Days of Freebies too, but it’s been done, I think. So has bookmas, but whatever. I also like Fiction-something-something. Let it marinate for a while.

Anyway, yesterday’s winners of Tony Bertauski’s Claus, Flury and Jack are… ASHLEY ROSE OSTRAM & CHARLENE GREEN. Congrats, ladies. I’ll be contacting you very soon.

Today, on Day 5, I’m giving away 1 digital copy each of my “For the Love of Gods” titles. That means one winner will receive a copy of Lucky, Lascivious, and Nefarious. Muse, the fourth book in the series will be published very soon, and what the hell, right? You’ll win a copy of that too as soon as it’s available.

 

Everything Caerus Thornton touches turns to gold… or dies.

She’s escaped death time and again, but those close to her aren’t as fortunate. Caerus knows she’s lucky to be alive, but wonders if the loneliness is worth the trade-off.

Thanatos, god of death, has an almost flawless record until he encounters Caerus. For some reason, he can’t fulfill the simple task of delivering death to the tiny blonde fated to die in the delivery room.

Furious at his failure, the Fates exile Thanatos on Earth, where he must remain until he redeems himself in the eyes of his fellow gods.

Somewhere along the way Thanatos finds himself falling for the woman he’s spent more than two decades trying to kill.

Chaos carefully orchestrates the pawns in a game no one knows they’re playing. Her goal: redesign Dionysus’ Fate.

To appease Hera, Zeus exiles his Halfling son, Dionysus, in Elysium. For years, Dionysus slips away from his prison undetected … until he crosses Aphrodite.

Angry with Dionysus for discarding her, Aphrodite follows him to Earth, and casts a spell that could alter Olympus forever.

And the seed she plants bears fruit.

If he finds his heart, Dionysus can rule it all, and free Chaos from Tartarus, but in the end, her most valuable player may be one whose future is not yet colored by Fate.

Eris, Goddess of Discord, has protected Gavin Maenad from birth. Gavin is a Halfling, the bastard son of a god and a human. He has no idea what he is or where he comes from, but suspects his absent father is the source of his ability to see into the souls of others.

With Eris’ invisible guidance, Gavin uses his power to determine who is fit to live… and who is not. As with all secrets, though, Gavin is discovered. Halflings are forbidden on Olympus, but Eris realizes she’s not ready to give Gavin up yet.

To keep him, she must defy the Fates and risk invoking the wrath of the gods.

Enter to win by filling out the Rafflecopter form below. It’s supposed to be a widget? Is it? Probably not. Click the link and something should happen.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

12 Days of Stuff: Day 4

Rise and shine, minions. Just kidding. It’s day four of this… thing. And HANNA ELIZABETH is the lucky winner of Day Three’s prize, a paperback copy of Shoot the Dead by Steve Wetherell. Now, for those of you just tuning in, we’re having a bit of a Christmas thing here on the edge, in which I give away book goodies for twelve days. On the 20th, we’ll be meeting on the Facebook for a party full of more giveaways and, of course, some shits and giggles.

Tis the season of presents and jolly fat men, so how could we not include a book about fat men, right? Day four of my 12 days of freebies, which we’re almost certain we’re calling “Bookmas” gives you all the chance to win a copy of Claus: Legend of the Fat Man by the talented motherfucker who prefers to be called Tony Bertauski. I’m giving away two digital copies of this, so do the rafflecopter thing below to be entered to win. I know, it’s supposed to be a fancy widget thing, but it’s a link. Just click the link.

Santa is not just about the presents. See something deeper in this mythological figure. A story that’s meaningful. Find a cast of gritty, compassionate and courageous characters that make the journey to mythological fame despite their shortcomings and frailties. Pull away the veil of magic, reveal the difficulties of love and loss and struggle with life.

Because Santa Claus is much more than presents.

In the early 1800s, Nicholas, Jessica and Jon Santa attempt the first human trek to the North Pole and stumble upon an ancient race of people left over from the Ice Age. They are short, fat and hairy. They slide across the ice on scaly soles and carve their homes in the ice that floats on the Arctic Ocean. The elven are adapted to life in the extreme cold. They are as wise as they are ancient.

Their scientific advancements have yielded great inventions — time-stopping devices and gravitational spheres that build living snowmen and genetically-modified reindeer that leap great distances. They’ve even unlocked the secrets to aging. For 40,000 years, they have lived in peace.

Until now.

An elven known as The Cold One has divided his people. He’s tired of their seclusion and wants to conquer the world. Only one elven stands between The Cold One and total chaos. He’s white-bearded and red-coated. The Santa family will help him stop The Cold One. They will come to the aid of a legendary elven known as… Claus.

Oh, and 10% of the profits for this book is donated to WINGS for Kids. Actually, each book in this series donates profits to a different charity. Tony was kind enough to donate the first book, so I’m going to throw in a digital copy of Jack: The Tale of Frost and Flury: Journey of a Snowman for the winners as well. A percentage of the annual sales for these books goes to the Lowcountry Food Bank and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

 

Yes, totally serious.

Sura is sixteen years old when she meets Mr. Frost. He’s very short and very fat and he likes his room very, very cold. Some might say inhumanly cold. His first name isn’t Jack, she’s told. And that’s all she needed to know.

Mr. Frost’s love for Christmas is over-the-top and slightly psychotic. And why not? He’s made billions of dollars off the holiday he invented. Or so he claims. Rumor is he’s an elven, but that’s silly. Elven aren’t real. And if they were, they wouldn’t live in South Carolina. They wouldn’t hide in a tower and go to the basement to make…things.

Nonetheless, Sura will work for this odd little recluse. Frost Plantation is where she’ll meet the love of her life. It’s where she’ll finally feel like she belongs somewhere. And it’s where she’ll meet someone fatter, balder and stranger than Mr. Frost. It’s where she’ll meet Jack.

Jack hates Christmas.

 

Life hasn’t been kind to Oliver Toye.

As if juvenile diabetes isn’t enough, he’s forced to live with his tyrannical grandmother in a snow-bound house. He spends his days doing chores and the nights listening to the forest rumble.

But when he discovers the first leather-bound journal, the family secrets begin to surface. The mystery of his great-grandfather’s voyage to the North Pole is revealed. That’s when the snowman appears.

Magical and mysterious, the snowman will save Oliver more than once. But when the time comes for Oliver to discover the truth, will he have the courage? When Flury needs him, will he have the strength? When believing isn’t enough, will he save the snowman from melting away?

Because sometimes even magic needs a little help.

So there. Do the Rafflecopter thing, and I’ll announce the winner in tomorrow’s post.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

12 Days of Stuff: Day 3

Welcome to day 3 of the Bookmas freebies. We should call it Bookmas. It’s non-denominational (I typed that “demoninational” the first time) and fun, so let’s put that in the vault for consideration.

Anyway, let’s move on. Yesterday’s winner of a digital copy of Sacrificial Lamb Cake by Katrina Monroe is… ADELE MCMURTRY BOWNESS. I’ll be contacting you soon, Adele.

Now, for those of you just tuning in, we’re having a bit of a Christmas thing here on the edge, in which I give away book goodies for twelve days. On the 20th, we’ll be meeting on the Facebook for a party full of more giveaways and, of course, some shits and giggles.

Today you lucky buggers could win a paperback copy of Shoot the Dead, generously offered by Steve Wetherell. Trust me, this is a fantastic read and you should get in on it.

For career criminals Jack and Billy Thatcher, ripping off London’s most notorious gangster seems like a sure fire way to kick off their retirement plans. Unfortunately they don’t bank on their bosses’ underworld connections going a lot deeper than expected… Now finding themselves on the run from undead monsters and chainsaw wielding freaks, the Thatcher boys will have to employ every dirty trick they know if they want to live to see another dawn.

Mr. Wetherell is a funny man who knows how to spin a tale, so find the Rafflecopter thingie (look down), click the link, and do as it bids. I’ll announce the winner in tomorrow’s post.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

12 Days of Stuff: Day 2

Good morning! Tis day 2 of my whatever you want to call it. For those of you just tuning in, we’re having a bit of a Christmas thing here on the edge, in which I give away book goodies for twelve days. On the 20th, we’ll be meeting on the Facebook for a party full of more giveaways and, of course, some shits and giggles.

Yesterday’s winner of a digital copy of my Fangs and Fur books is LELA LAWING, so congrats Lela! Today, I’m giving away a special treat. If you enjoy apocalyptic shenanigans, you’ll want to get your name in the hat to win Sacrificial Lamb Cake by Katrina Monroe

Rain Johnson escaped the insanity of her radical environmentalist family, only to end up waitressing for a living. Her scale of success—with her at the bottom—only goes as high as that college degree she never got, until she gets one hell of an epiphany from a Trinity Corporation public-relations guy who calls himself Jude. He tells her she’s the Lamb of God, and it’s time for that whole Second Coming thing. But when her first minor miracle gets her arrested and an ecoterrorist using the name Messiah starts blowing up pesticide plants, Rain and Judas are in for way more apocalypse than either of them expected. Jude scrambles to save his personal plan for salvation, but Lucy, the devil herself, has her own well-laid plans. It doesn’t matter that Rain’s a conflict-avoiding lesbian and Jude is history’s worst traitor. They’re all that stands between humanity and an end of the world that wasn’t supposed to happen.

If you like sharp, witty humor and hot showers, get in on this. Do as the Rafflecopter widget thing says, and I’ll announce the winner in tomorrow’s post. Yeah, it’s supposed to be a widget and not a link, but I’m useless, so just click the link and everything should work out just fine.

I’ll announce the winner in tomorrow’s post.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

12 Days of Stuff: Day 1

Good morning!! This is day 1 of my 12 days of … fiction? Bookmas? How about freebies? Whatever you want to call it is fine. For the next twelve days, I’ll be giving away book and book related goodies here on the edge. At the end, on December 20th, I’ll be celebrating the launch of Sex, Transvestites, Angels and Assholes, and the pre-launch of Muse (book four: For the Love of Gods) on the Facebook. There’ll be more prizes available then, as well as some adult-type shenanigans.

I’m excited. Are you excited? Whatever. Today, I’m giving away digital copies of the first two books in my Fangs and Fur series.

 

President Robert Armstrong needs an unstoppable army so he can take over the world. He obtains three monstrous viruses and sets his plan in motion.

Step Two: Testing, 1, 2, 3…

Patients Zero, otherwise known as Chris, Steve and Rafe, sign up for experimental treatments they believe will cure their afflictions. Instead, the President turns them into monsters. But the lab is not the big wide world and the President must know if the soldiers truly are unstoppable. What better place to test Armageddon than Canada?

Step Three: Infect

As armed forces go, a gentle, sleepy zombie, a werewolf with an out of control libido, and a vampire with a peanut allergy are not that impressive. Until they combine their viruses and the monsterpidemy blossoms and spreads.

Step Four…

What if Everybody Dies?

The Canadian invasion ended (mostly) peacefully. None of the survivors remembers zombies, werewolves or vampires roaming the streets, except the seven former people Robert—leader of the invasion— “chose” as his soldiers.

But the war isn’t over.

Fed up with humanity’s greed and wastefulness, God has flipped the switch for Armageddon, and Brian, Steve, Tony, Travis, Katrina, Hanna and Chris set out to stop the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The task is made near impossible with the interference of an apathetic Jesus, though.

In the end, they must decide if they’re willing to sacrifice themselves to save the humans they desperately want to eat.

To be entered to win, just click the Rafflecopter link below. I’ll be selecting one winner and I’ll announce who it is in tomorrow’s post.

I do realize the Rafflecopter thing is supposed to be more impressive, but no matter how hard I tried, I can’t get it to post anything but this stupid link, so here we are. Click the link.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js