Chrystalla Thoma's Blog, page 4
November 18, 2013
AZURE November blog tour and giveaway!
I will be giving away copies of AZURE (Drowning in You) – AND!!! A $15 gift card!
AND if you comment here I’ll give you an ebook copy of Boreal and John Grey (Season 1) which is paranormal romance OR of Elei’s Chronicles (Books 1-3) which is dystopian YA – Your choice!
ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER HERE!!!
November 18 -
Book Lady’s Reviews *Review & Excerpt (blogger’s choice)
Way Too Hot Books *Review & Favorite Quotes
The Phantom Paragrapher *Review
the enigma of herself * Interview
November 19 -
The Book Town *Review & Favorite Quotes
The Bookmark Blog *Review & Favorite Quotes
bookish writer * Interview
Pete de violet *Review
November 20 -
Imagine a World * Interview
Book Savvy *Review
Book Briefs *Review
Books and Swoons *Review
November 21 -
Writer of Wrongs * Interview
Lost in Ever After Review
Blue Eyed Book Reviews *Review & Favorite Quotes
November 22 -
The Book Cove *Review & Excerpt (blogger’s choice)
The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club *Review & Dream Cast (blogger’s choice)
23 Review Street *Review & Favorite Quotes
Ms. Bibliophile *Review & Favorite Quotes
Come join us!!!
November 15, 2013
Guest author (and Giveaway!): Jayson James
Jayson James is an author of Young Adult LGBT (gay fiction) and has just released the third book in his series “Finding Our Way”. He’s giving away a copy of his series to a commenter on this post! So leave a comment below.
This is book 1:
Justin Parker and Derrick Wilson have been the best of friends since meeting back in middle school. Both of them are now in their junior year at Chandler High School, and are living the good life as teenagers. They have great girlfriends, plenty of close friends, their own cars, and parents who are well off. As nice as things might look to an outsider, something is missing from both of their lives.
Justin has become the invisible son in the midst of his parents failing marriage. In an effort to get his parent’s attention, Justin keeps getting into trouble. So far he has been able to get away with anything without facing any repercussions, while Derrick is feeling distant and tired of what he feels is a too “perfect family”. He just wants to have a normal social life and spend time with his friends without the pressures from his family to spend time with them.
Beyond individual family dilemmas, Justin and Derrick both have felt for quite some time something was missing from each of their lives. Now these two best friends blurred the lines of friendship in the process to discover what has been missing from their lives and who they really are.
What happens when two best friends cross the boundaries of friendship? Will they able to be happy together? Will they keep their secret from their friends? Will they be able to hide their relationship from their parents?
Justin and Derrick both take turns narrating the story of their junior year in high school and all of the events that take place in each of their lives. Being a teenager can be tough. Being gay can be tougher. For Derrick and Justin they are both, and life can’t get any more complicated.
Now you can get the whole series boxset at a very low price here:
About the author Jayson James:
Author of the novels and short stories. Jayson James graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in education. He was born and raised in Washington State, where he currently lives and teaches. Jayson’s interests beyond writing include reading a variety of books, watching movies and drawing.
Contact
Website: www.jaysonjamesbooks.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJaysonJames
Twitter: @jaysonjamesbook
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Jayson-James/e/B009FQAR44/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6590610.Jayson_James
November 12, 2013
Cover reveal for Donna Fasano’s “Reclaim My Heart”
A new book by USA TODAY best-selling author Donna Fasano:
Reclaim My Heart
Donna says:
Let me tell you about my wonderful publishing experience! I have to back up a little bit… to this past spring. I self-published a romance titled Reclaim My Heart. The book received great reviews immediately, and it sold well from the beginning. Very well. In fact, during the first week of August I was enjoying a mug of coffee while perusing the USA Today Bestseller’s List (my usual Thursday morning routine), and I nearly choked when I saw that Reclaim My Heart was sitting at #123 on the list. A couple of days later I was contacted by an editor from Montlake. She told me she’d read one of my books months before and had been keeping an eye on me. She said she’d read Reclaim My Heart and loved it. Now, what author doesn’t love to hear that? She made an offer I couldn’t refuse. The Montlake editor and the design team loved the cover that was on the indie version of the book; however, Amazon had trouble licensing the rights to the image. So we searched for weeks before finding the picture that’s on the current cover. I love it! And I hope my readers do, too. I’m happy to be writing romance novels for Montlake. I feel wanted and appreciated, and it can’t get much better than that in the publishing industry!
THANK YOU!
And here are places where the book is available:
US Trade Paperback UK Trade Paperback CA Trade Paperback
Kindle US Kindle UK Kindle CA
The book is available in every Amazon Store in the world
(India, Germany, Italy, France, etc), so look for it!
October 24, 2013
New release: Disguises (Halloween Interlude) – a Boreal and John Grey story
NEW RELEASE PARTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A story taking place right after the events in Season 1 of Boreal and John Grey. Featuring: Ella, Finn, Mike and Scott – as well as fairies, a cat-woman, a witch and many other disguises…
Halloween. Ella lets Mike drag their little group to a costume party for some hard-earned fun. Witches, fairies and elves abound — but what Ella doesn’t expect are ghosts from the past returning to haunt them.
Find it at:
Excerpt:
“Here.” Mike thrust what looked like a yarn of white spiderwebs into her hand.
Automatically she took it. “What the hell is this?” She tried to untangle it and it stretched into – a dress? “No way I’m wearing it. Forget it.”
“Of course you are. With this.” Mike handed her another ball of stretchy fabric which was – tights? “And this.” A white belt.
“Do I even want to know why you have a dress and tights in your drawers?” Ella stole a glance at Finn who was still staring at the silver shirt. What the hell was going on?
“Halloween is once a year,” Mike said, pulling out more clothes from his closet. Maybe it opened into a theater vestiary in Narnia or something. “I might’ve dressed up as a woman once or twice.” He buried his head between hanging coats. “I’m told my legs look great in a short skirt…”
October 23, 2013
Book feature: The Unfinished Song (Book 1): Initiate by Tara Maya
FANTASY – DYSTOPIAN
Initiate is free everywhere except on Barnes and Noble (where it’s $0.99). You can download a free .epub version via Smashwords.
DEADLY INITIATION
A DETERMINED GIRL…
Dindi can’t do anything right, maybe because she spends more time dancing with pixies than doing her chores. Her clan hopes to marry her off and settle her down, but she dreams of becoming a Tavaedi, one of the powerful warrior-dancers whose secret magics are revealed only to those who pass a mysterious Test during the Initiation ceremony. The problem? No-one in Dindi’s clan has ever passed the Test. Her grandmother died trying. But Dindi has a plan.
AN EXILED WARRIOR…
Kavio is the most powerful warrior-dancer in Faearth, but when he is exiled from the tribehold for a crime he didn’t commit, he decides to shed his old life. If roving cannibals and hexers don’t kill him first, this is his chance to escape the shadow of his father’s wars and his mother’s curse. But when he rescues a young Initiate girl, he finds himself drawn into as deadly a plot as any he left behind. He must decide whether to walk away or fight for her… assuming she would even accept the help of an exile.
EXCERPT
Blue-skinned rusalki grappled Dindi under the churning surface of the river. She could feel their claws dig into her arms. Their riverweed-like hair entangled her legs when she tried to kick back to the surface. She only managed to gulp a few breaths of air before they pulled her under again.
She hadn’t appreciated how fast and deep the river was. On her second gasp for air, she saw that the current was already dragging her out of sight of the screaming girls on the bank. A whirlpool of froth and fae roiled between two large rocks in the middle of the river. The rusalka and her sisters tugged Dindi toward it. Other water fae joined the rusalki. Long snouted pookas, turtle-like kappas and hairy-armed gwyllions all swam around her, leading her to the whirlpool, where even more fae swirled in the whitewater.
”Join our circle, Dindi!” the fae voices gurgled under the water. “Dance with us forever!”
”No!” She kicked and swam and stole another gasp for air before they snagged her again. There were so many of them now, all pulling her down, all singing to the tune of the rushing river. She tried to shout, “Dispel!” but swallowed water instead. Her head hit a rock, disorienting her. She sank, this time sure she wouldn’t be coming up again.
”Dispel!” It was a man’s voice.
Strong arms encircled her and lifted her until her arms and head broke the surface. Her rescuer swam with her toward the shore. He overpowered the current, he shrugged aside the hands of the water faeries stroking his hair and arms. When he reached the shallows, he scooped Dindi into his arms and carried her the rest of the way to the grassy bank. He set her down gently.
She coughed out some water while he supported her back.
”Better?” he asked.
She nodded. He was young–only a few years older than she. The aura of confidence and competence he radiated made him seem older. Without knowing quite why, she was certain he was a Tavaedi.
”Good.” He had a gorgeous smile. A wisp of his dark bangs dangled over one eye. He brushed his dripping hair back over his head.
Dindi’s hand touched skin–he was not wearing any shirt. Both of them were sopping wet. On him, that meant trickles of water coursed over a bedrock of muscle. As for her, the thin white wrap clung transparently to her body like a wet leaf. She blushed.
”It might have been easier to swim if you had let go of that,” he teased. He touched her hand, which was closed around something. “What were you holding onto so tightly that it mattered more than drowning?”
LINKS
The Unfinished Song on Facebook
AUTHOR LINKS
October 21, 2013
Elei’s Chronicles Blog Tour!!!! Now live.
ELEI’S CHRONICLES ARE GOING ON TOUR!!!
The series (Elei’s arc) is now complete. To celebrate, we have a blog tour with funny little posts and reviews of the books – rounded up with a nice giveaway.
Ebooks to giveaway!!!
The first place winners will get the boxset (ebook) of the series!
Second place winners will receive ebook copies of book 4 of the series (Rex Aftermath).
Are you with me?
Now, how to win? Easy. Click through here to enter!!!
You can enter from here or from any of the posts in the blog tour mentioned below.
So come and have fun with us – to win prizes!
Tour Schedule:
October 20th
The O’Raven Chronicles ~ Spotlight & Schedule
Angee’s After Thoughts ~ Spotlight
October 21st
Oh My Shelves ~ Spotlight & Playlist
Sabrina Samples ~ Spotlight & Playlist
October 22nd
Sinful Reviews ~ triple review, Spotlight
i pimp my authors ~ spotlight & excerpt
October 23rd
Becca Ann’s Reviews ~ Character bio Elei, triple review
October 24th
Tsk Tsk What To Read ~ Spotlight and sneak peak at book 4
October 25th
A World of Words ~ Character bio Hera, Spotlight
October 26th
BookEnd 2 BookEnd ~ Spotlight
October 27th
Matt Posner ~ Spotlight with Chrys
October 28th
Paranormal Book Club ~ Spotlight
October 29th
TTC ~ Author guest post & Reviews
October 11, 2013
Elei’s Chronicles: origins How a story was born (free essay!)
Hi girls, boys and bots! I hope you’re all having a great day!!
To celebrate the release of the final book in Elei’s Chronicles series (until I write more, than is… lol) and the preparation of the boxset with all four novels, I decided to finally write up the writing process that led to the creation of this world and its characters. It is something many of you have asked me, so I’m pretty confident it will interest you.
And since you’ve been so good to me, you readers of my books, I decided to put the book up free on Smashwords to complement your reading of Elei’s Chronicles.
Be warned: it’s short, and probably messy. I may babble about myself and other stuff 
But I will also be talking about world-building, parasites, the characters, and the versions that appeared before Rex Rising was published – all the transformations of the world, the story and the protagonists.
So this is it: go have a look. Smashwords has all the ebook formats so you should be able to get the one you need.
I have put it up FREE. Just grab your copy.
If you like it, please leave a review. I’d appreciate it very much.
Long ago, seven islands rose from the ocean deep: Ker, Torq, Ert, Aue, Kukno, Ost, and rich Dakru.
“This is the World – the Inside World. It is made up of seven Worlds: Ker, Torq, Ert, Aue, and rich Dakru, Kukno, and Ost. The Outside world is made of water, and it is all blue. And then there is void. We are the only survivors – in Oceanus.”
Blurb:
A short essay on the world-building and origins of the series Elei’s Chronicles (Rex Rising, Rex Cresting, Rex Equilibrium, Rex Aftermath). For readers who have already read at least book 1 in the series.
October 7, 2013
New release: Rex Aftermath (Book 4 of Elei’s Chronicles)
Rex Aftermath (Book 4 of Elei’s Chronicles) is finally here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*dances*
I know, I know I have made you wait way too long for this book. What with writing a non-fiction book about dragons, then life going off the rails (deaths in the family, moving house) and getting sidetracked by a fantasy series (Boreal and John Grey), I delayed the writing of Rex Aftermath.
Well, it’s here now!! I do hope you will enjoy Elei’s and his friends’ new adventures…
As a thank you for your patience, I have set the book at a mere 99c for a few days, so hurry up and snap a copy before I raise the price. Thank you for waiting, thank you for asking after my heroes, and thank you for joining in the adventure!!!
Blurb:
There is war on the Seven Islands. Elei and his friends have unlocked the weapons held underground, but the Gultur regime is not so easily put down. Mantis and his ragtag army of kids need all the help they can get. Elei, Kalaes and Alendra return to Artemisia to create a diversion, while Hera, Sacmis and Mantis attack Dakru City, in a final attempt to bring peace. But with a net of betrayal closing around them and Rex set against Regina in a final confrontation, the price might prove too heavy.
At this point, the book is only available of Amazon, but should go live on Barnes and Noble, Kobo and Itunes within the week.
And a teaser for you….
“Down!” Kalaes shouted and Elei dived to the ground before the echo of the word had faded, trusting Kalaes and Alendra to do the same.
Bullets zipped overhead before the rat-a-tat-tat of machine guns burst through the quiet, pressing into Elei’s eardrums like a drill.
The bullets had barely stopped flying when he was back on his feet and running. Who had betrayed them? Iliathan? Or Dain? He bent, grabbed Alendra’s arm, glanced at Kalaes who was scrambling up, and took off again.
“What…?” Alendra panted. “How?”
Exactly his thoughts.
“Follow me,” Kalaes said and veered into an alley.
“Sure?” Alleys were sometimes dead-ends.
Alendra stumbled, dragging Elei down. He steadied her with an arm around her waist and she leaned into him, her body shaking.
“I know my city,” Kalaes grunted and turned, grabbed Alendra’s other arm, and nodded at Elei.
Together they lifted her to her feet and set off running. They ran as if the hounds of the fifth hell were snapping at their heels, down the alley and into a covered passage, then out into an avenue and into another alley, back out and into a broad street with shops, then another alley, and Kalaes slowed until they came to a staggering halt.
Alendra slid to her knees, then all fours, panting, a bright outline with a beating heart.
Elei stayed on his feet although his legs trembled, trying to listen above the rushing in his ears. The alley pulsed with colors. Rex swept it over and over, picking up organic residues in the trash that danced in the rising wind. It had to be cold, but Elei couldn’t feel it, his body vibrating with tension.
No, no sound other that their harsh breathing. Had they shaken off their pursuers? Kalaes unslung his gun and turned in a circle, then gestured at the busy street beyond. “We need to cross into the seaside quarters. The festival of Helios has started. There will be crowds to get lost in.”
Festival. Elei blinked, dazed. Somewhere, somehow, people went on with their lives, ignorant of the rising undercurrents until they were ripped away.
In Elei’s experience, sooner or later everyone was.
Another sound penetrated the fog filling his head, and his heart jolted in his chest. Helices whirring. They had sent helicopters, after all. Rex sent another pang through his heart, heightening his senses until every smell, every sound and color was painfully clear.
Yeah, yeah. Sorry I doubted you.
Elei scanned the alley. No time to cross the street, lose themselves in the crowd. Too late. Yeah, some things never changed.
The buzzing rose to a crescendo, subsonic waves making the windows of the buildings vibrate, his teeth ache.
A round shape set in the street caught his eye, flaring a cold blue in his tainted eye: metal. A sewer lid.
He grabbed Alendra’s hand, hauled her up in one movement, lurched sideways and clasped Kalaes’s arm, spun them around.
“What are you doing?” Kalaes resisted. “We should run.”
“No time.” Elei dragged them to the sewer entrance, let them go and dropped to his knees, working to get the lid off.
After a frustratingly long moment, the other two came to help. They pried the lid off with fingers and nails, until it rose off its rusty frame with a creak.
And not a moment too soon. Something smashed into the wall behind Alendra and she gasped, her face going white.
Bullets. Damn.
“Get down there, quickly,” Elei said, rolling the lid off, setting it aside and drawing his Rasmus. “I’ll cover you.”
Alendra didn’t argue, thank all the gods, just turned and grabbed the rail of a moldy ladder, descending into the darkness below.
“You next,” Kalaes barked, reaching for Elei as if to grab and throw him down the vent. Then he jerked as bullet smashed into a wall. A second later, plaster and concrete rained over them. Kalaes hunched over. “Shit.”
“Kal?”
“I’m okay.” But his jacket gaped open, allowing a glimpse of bright red blood spreading on his t-shirt.
Hells. Fear left Elei gasping. “Dammit, Kal.” The pulsing colors were blinding, the fresh blood on Kalaes’ shirt flickering like a beacon. More bullets zipped past his ear, and his mind blanked, leaving one thought running in a loop: get Kalaes to safety. “Go, now! I’m right behind you.”
A hesitation, but the expected comeback didn’t come. Kalaes nodded and lowered himself inside the vent, his wide shoulders barely fitting, his silence throwing Elei even more off-balance until his heart boomed fit to break out of his ribcage. Just how badly was Kalaes hurt?
Wind currents ripped around him, tearing his jacket open. His hair whipped Elei’s face as he laid the lid aside and glanced into the sewer, seeing Kalaes’ head vanish in the dimness.
Bullets sprayed, hitting the asphalt and sending the lid skittering away with a screech. Elei snatched at it and missed. Screw it, he’d have to leave the vent uncovered. He turned to the gaping hole, bent to lower his legs inside—
Something slammed into his back, throwing him face down on the asphalted street. He writhed, unable to breathe. Darkness rose in a glittering wave and pulled him under.
October 3, 2013
Heart Breaths Cover Reveal
Today I have a guest author presenting her upcoming release: K.K. Hendin. The novel is Heart Breaths, a New Adult romance, coming out on November 5th, 2013. The cover artist is Hafsah Laziaf of IceyBooks.
What the story is about:
After a tragedy nearly ripped 21 year old Madeline Darlington-Gray’s life in half, she’s spent the past three years trying to put the pieces back together. But pieces never just fit back together, and when she’s betrayed by those she trusts, everything crumbles. Shoving everything she owns into the trunk of her car, Maddie drives south, trying to run from her past. Eno, North Carolina seems like the perfect place to hide. Working at a local café is light years from Maddie’s Manhattan existence and for the first time in a while, she’s finding her family. There’s Grandma, the café owner; Samantha, the hairstylist next door with plans to make Maddie’s life unsuck and Noie, the three year old girl who’s stolen Maddie’s heart.
And then there’s Gabriel Mendez, Noie’s single dad. He’s intrigued Maddie since the first time she met him, and while he has his own secrets, he wants more from her than just friendship. But the past never stays past, and all too soon, Maddie realizes she can’t hide from hers. If she can’t put the pieces of her shattered life together this time, she’ll have no hope for a future.
A future she desperately wants.
TEASER:
“Uh, miss?”
“Daddy, its friend!”
“Noie, she’s sleeping. Miss, are you okay?”
I opened my eyes to see a startling green pair looking down at me. “Are you okay?” he asked again, looking concerned. And like he had just rolled out of bed. Was I dreaming? Because dreaming about him was a welcome change from the usual nightmares I had. Those never had guys who looked like a darker version of Thor. Which was a shame. Thor dreams didn’t end with me waking up screaming.
“I’m fine,” I said, struggling to sit up. He crouched down and offered me a hand. I took it and felt my nerves explode in awareness. There was no way this was a dream. I hoped it wasn’t.
Author Info: KK Hendin’s real life ambition is to become a pink fluffy unicorn who dances with rainbows. But the schooling for that is all sorts of complicated, so until that gets sorted out, she’ll just write. Preferably things with angst and love. And things that require chocolate.
She spends way too much time on Twitter, and rambles on occasion over at www.kkhendinwrites.blogspot.com.
LINKS:
Goodreads
Blog
October 1, 2013
Awesome NA/Romance giveaway!
For those of you who enjoy romance – especially Young and New Adult romance – keep reading.
I have joined a group of NA Romance authors in order to do a giveaway of great, sexy ebook prizes for you to win! (Note: Some of these books contain steamy explicit scenes that aren’t suitable for those under the age of 17+)
How you do that? Follow this link and enter the Rafflecopter. The more entries you make, the more likely you are to win one or more of these awesome romances – and look how many they are!
There you go! Easy. Enter, win and spend cozy evenings with great NA romances.
READ ON!!!!!!!
Also, did you know my NA romance novel “Azure” is going on a tour this week? This is the programme – follow to find out more about the world of Azure and the dark workings of my mind… – and also to win more free copies!
30th September – Guest Post – Page Turner Book Tours
30th September – Spotlight – Love Books? Blog Books! -http://www.lovebooksblogbooks.blogspot.co.uk/
1st October – Guest Post – Inkfever – http://www.amylaurens.com/
1st October- Interview – Charles O’Keefe - http://p45crok.wordpress.com/
2nd October – Guest Post – Unwritten – http://www.mystiparker.blogspot.com/
3rd October – Spotlight - The Writer’s Life – http://thewriterslife.blogspot.co.uk/
4th October – Review – Pure Jonel – http://purejonel.blogspot.ca/
7th October – Guest Post – The Council Blog – http://jscouncil.com/site/the-council-blog/
8th October – Guest Post – My World – http://stephsgrn.blogspot.co.uk/
9th October – Spotlight – Reading Writing And More – http://stephsgrn.wordpress.com/
9th October – The Book Junkie – http://thereaderhaven.wordpress.com/
10th October – Guest Post – IWAssociation – http://iwassociation.com/
11th October – Review – Read 2 Review – http://read2review.com
11th October – Interview – J.A. Beard’s Unnecessary Musing – http://riftwatcher.blogspot.com/
