Candice Bundy's Blog

Shadow Underground Release Day!

It’s Shadow Underground’s release day today! If you’ve already pre-ordered, it should hit your devices before this post goes live. If you haven’t yet ordered Shadow Underground, you can get it now at Amazon.

(Have You Read Chapter 1? It’s Available Here On The Shadow Underground Book Page!)

Here’s the blurb and cover. Check it out!

 

They say you can never go home again—especially when an all-powerful psycho is lying in wait to steal your magic.

I’m not the same Becka Rowan who left the city. I’m back with new powers, a new job, new roommates, and a list of dead fae that’s getting longer by the hour.

That last part sucks. Especially knowing that the fae the killers really want is me.

Still, I’m excited about my future, especially now that I have Quinn by my side as my live-in bodyguard? Boyfriend? Partner in solving crimes? All the above? My willpower is damn near ready to crack with the smolderingly hot Enforcer. By the way his burnished gold eyes look at me when he thinks I’m not paying attention, he knows it.

The Shadow Dwellers have proven they’ll do whatever it takes to reach their goals… by killing my cousin. I don’t know what’s worse: knowing all of my loved ones are in danger, or the guilt that I could protect them if I just give in to a psycho’s demands for my blood.

Which I shouldn’t do, right?

Don’t miss the gripping third book in the Shadow Series! Buy now and jump into the vivid world and thrilling twists of Candice Bundy’s Shadow Series!

The post Shadow Underground Release Day! appeared first on Candice Bundy.

Shadow Underground Cover Reveal!

Shadow Underground is now available for preorder via Amazon, delivering on May 27th. This urban fantasy book is book three of my Shadow Series, set in a universe filled with fae-touched, shifters, and humans, oh my!

(ARCs will be available via BookSprout toward the end of April. If you’re in my Street Team you will also have access to the ARCs, or you can join my ARC-only mailing list for a heads up.)

This awesome cover was designed by Covers by Christian. I hope you love it as much as I do!

They say you can never go home again, especially when an all-powerful psycho is lying in wait to steal your magic.

I’m not the same Becka Rowan who left the city. I’m back with new powers, a new job, new roommates, and a list of dead fae that’s getting longer by the hour.

That last part sucks.

Still, I’m excited about my future, especially now that I have Quinn by my side as my live-in bodyguard? Boyfriend? Partner in solving crimes? All the above? My will power is damn near ready to crack with Quinn. By the way he looks at me when he thinks I’m not paying attention, he knows it.

When my missing cousin turns up dead, the mystery isn’t who killed her, it’s who the Shadow-Dwellers will target next. 

Spoiler alert? It’s me. 

They’ve proven they’ll do whatever it takes to reach their goals, including attack those closest to me. I don’t know what’s worse: knowing all of my loved ones are in danger, or the guilt that I could protect them if I just give in to a psycho’s demands for my blood.

Which I shouldn’t do, right?

The post Shadow Underground Cover Reveal! appeared first on Candice Bundy.

Poisoned Shadow Release Day!

It’s the Poisoned Shadow release day today! If you’ve already pre-ordered, it should hit your devices before this post goes live. If you haven’t yet ordered Poisoned Shadow, you can get it now at Amazon. Here’s the blurb and cover. Check it out!

(Have You Read Chapter 1? It’s Available Here On The Poisoned Shadow Book Page!)

 

Just when I was getting a handle on my magic, my fae family drama, and an unwanted fiance, someone wants me dead. Again.

Returning home is never easy, especially when you’ve lived apart from your family for eight long years and your face reminds them of your well-loved twin whose murder still haunts these halls. How can I, Becka Rowan, live up to her memory?

I’d only been back home a few weeks when tragedy struck again in the form of a poisoner. I almost died. My father lies in a coma, his fate uncertain.

It’s bad enough that I’m always being measured up to my beloved twin; how can I ever hope to feel safe and welcome at House Rowan with Shadow Dwellers and poisoners out to get me?

The assassination attempt brings Enforcer Quinn back to House Rowan. I’m excited to be working side by side with Quinn again, solving the case together. His return gives me the opportunity to find out if the connection between us is real. I hope he feels the same draw to me as I do to him.

But Quinn’s holding back; keeping things professional between us. Can I blame him? I’m still engaged to my dead twin’s fiance! I need to control my magic, end my engagement, and then find a path forward with Quinn. Is that too much to ask?

Assuming Quinn and I can solve the poisoning before they strike again.

Don’t miss the emotional and fast-paced sequel to Twinned Shadow! Buy now to experience the complex world building and unique twists of Candice Bundy’s gripping writing!

I urge you to read Chapter 1 and decide for yourself if this book appeals to you. It’s an Urban Fantasy / Supernatural Suspense with romantic elements. If this sounds interesting, hop on over to Amazon and pick yourself up a copy. It’s available in eBook now and also in paperback.

Also, you can find the book on Goodreads and BookBub.

The post Poisoned Shadow Release Day! appeared first on Candice Bundy.

Poisoned Shadow Cover Reveal!

It’s been a few months (though it’s felt like a LOOONG couple of months!) and I am happy to say Poisoned Shadow is now available for preorder at Amazon, dropping July 2, 2020. This urban fantasy book is book two of my Shadow Series, set in a univers filled with fae-touched, shifters, and humans, oh my!

(ARCs will be available via BookSprout by 6/3, and if you’re in my Street Team you will also have access to the ARCs. Check it out!)

This awesome cover was designed by Covers by Christian. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Here’s the blurb!

Just when I was getting a handle on my magic, my fae family drama, and an unwanted fiance, someone wants me dead. Again.

[image error]

Returning home is never easy, especially when you’ve lived apart from your family for eight long years and your face reminds them of your well-loved twin whose murder still haunts these halls. How can I, Becka Rowan, live up to her memory?

I’d only been back home a few weeks when tragedy struck again in the form of a poisoner. I almost died. My father lies in a coma, his fate uncertain.

It’s bad enough that I’m always being measured up to my beloved twin; how can I ever hope to feel safe and welcome at House Rowan with Shadow Dwellers and poisoners out to get me?

The assassination attempt brings Enforcer Quinn back to House Rowan. I’m excited to be working side by side with Quinn again, solving the case together. His return gives me the opportunity to find out if the connection between us is real. I hope he feels the same draw to me as I do to him.

But Quinn’s holding back; keeping things professional between us. Can I blame him? I’m still engaged to my dead twin’s fiance! I need to control my magic, end my engagement, and then find a path forward with Quinn. Is that too much to ask?

Assuming Quinn and I can solve the poisoning before they strike again.

Don’t miss the emotional and fast-paced sequel to Twinned Shadow! Buy now to experience the complex world building and unique twists of Candice Bundy’s gripping writing!

The post Poisoned Shadow Cover Reveal! appeared first on Candice Bundy.

Twinned Shadow Release Day!

It’s the Twinned Shadow release day today! If you’ve already pre-ordered, it should hit your devices before this post goes live. If you haven’t yet ordered Twinned Shadow, you can get it now at Amazon. Here’s the blurb and cover. Check it out!

(Have you read chapter 1? It’s available here on the Twinned Shadow Book page!)

 

A Foothold In Two Different Worlds, And No Safety In Either…

I, Becka Rowan, live in a time of uneasy peace. A fragile truce stands between humans, shifters, and the fae-touched—those who turn inward to their Houses for loyalty and protection and live in isolation from the outside world.

For an ungifted like me, that’s impossible to do.

Born of the fae but not blessed with their powers, I’ve grown up as an outcast within the human world. Humans don’t trust people like me with fae heritage, and the fae don’t bother with the ungifted. I said screw it and embraced college, determined to make my own fate.

Just when I thought I could start a prestigious internship and continue my quest to address interspecies conflict, someone murdered my twin sister, an adept illusionist and heir to our family lineage.

So, I’m going back home to say goodbye. Back to House Rowan. I take a deep breath, knowing after a short few days I’ll return to the city, free again from the melodrama of the House I was raised in.

There’s just one hitch in my plan—Quinn, a fae-touched member of the Enforcer’s Guild assigned to investigate the killing. Quinn doesn’t let the typical fae prejudices against the ungifted prevent him from staying close to me. Uncomfortably close. Besides, he needs my help to figure out what happened to my sister.

How can I refuse?

I urge you to read Chapter 1 and decide for yourself if this book appeals to you. It’s an Urban Fantasy / Supernatural Suspense with romantic elements. If this sounds interesting, hop on over to Amazon and pick yourself up a copy. It’s available in eBook now and also in paperback.

Also, you can find the book on Goodreads and BookBub.

The post Twinned Shadow Release Day! appeared first on Candice Bundy.

Twinned Shadow Cover Reveal

I’m thrilled to announce my upcoming release, Twinned Shadow, which is now available for preorder at Amazon and ships on January 13, 2020. This paranormal romance / urban fantasy book is set within my Shadow Series universe, filled with fae-touched, shifters, and humans, oh my!

(ARCs are available on BookSprout now, and if you’re in my Street Team you already have access to ARC’s as well. Check it out!)

This awesome cover was designed by Covers by Christian. I hope you love it as much as I do!

 

Here’s the blurb!

A Foothold In Two Different Worlds, And No Safety In Either…

Ever since her family sent her to live with other ungifted humans as a teenager, college grad Becka has struggled to find her place amid the uneasy truce between the mundanes—those humans without supernatural abilities—and other magical creatures. Prejudice against those with fae heritage like hers but no powers runs rampant in both worlds. No matter which way she turns, Becka is an outsider.

The murder of her sister forces her to return to supernatural territory and the House of Rowan, where her only ally seems to be Quinn, a member of the Enforcer’s Guild tasked to protect her. Surrounded by shifting loyalties and arcane rules she doesn’t understand, she doesn’t know if she can trust anyone, let alone Quinn. As they uncover the sinister possibility that the vampiric shadow-dwellers are targeting members of her family, Becka must decide if uncovering the truth about her sister’s death—and her own heritage—are worth dying for.

The post Twinned Shadow Cover Reveal appeared first on Candice Bundy.

The Truth Behind Habit Hacking

Back in March 2016 I read The Artist’s Way and adopted the practice of daily pages. This is a creativity-expanding and focus-generating habit which has aided my writing practice and productivity in all areas of my life. However, the habit took longer than I’d expected to form, which caused some struggle and self-doubt. After all, doesn’t it just take four months to form a new habit? Why was it harder for me?

I’m going to share with you some beautiful data on my progress as well as some lessons I’ve learned along the way.

I’ve written since my 20’s but didn’t put out my first book until 2010, and my second in 2012 followed by my third in 2013. Now, it’s not at all unusual for new writers to be slow, and I was moving faster than Robert Jordan or George R.R. Martin, so that’s something. However, life threw me some curveballs (the death of my father, divorce, job change) and sidelined my bandwidth for a time. When I tried to get back into my groove, I just couldn’t hit my earlier stride.

Thus entered the journaling habit, specifically daily pages. Now, those of you creatives have undoubtedly heard of this method of daily journaling. It’s life-changing for some, and a dud for others. I’ve found the process to be quite useful, as it’s helped me focus on my goals and more specifically, what I plan to get done every day.

But…this blog isn’t so much about the habit per se but the hacking of habits.

I present the following data, which shows my average words per day and how many days a month I journaled over the past two years. (Yeah, I’m that level of geek.)

[image error]

Journaling words per day

[image error]

Percent of days journaling per month

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Note: The off month on the left chart is where I had surgery and gave myself a pass.)

What did I learn by charting this data?

Patience is key: It took me seven months to reach my stride with daily journaling. Whew!
One bad day, or week, does not mean you’ve failed: During this period, I had some really high and some really low word count days. A high-word count month wasn’t helpful to my daily focus if all the words were on just a couple of days.
Often you can only see progress retrospect: Once the habit formed, my words per day leveled out and the percentage of days I wrote jumped to higher, sustained levels.
Eventually, you WILL hit a stride that’s sustainable: I have very productive days with just 250 words in journaling 50-75% of the time.
Allow other priorities to shift your focus in the short-term: During the Summer months, I tend to slack off. I blame camping.

Dreams Manifest Cover Reveal

My next book, Dreams Manifest, is due out Fall 2017. Until then you’ll have to be satisfied with this cover and blurb. (If you’re a reviewer, contact me for your complimentary ARC copy!) Here you go, Dreams Manifest, The Depths of Memory, Book 2:

[image error]

Reeling from the revelations of who she is or was, before her memories were ripped from her, Rai Durmah is faced with a new and more frightening threat. While scouting Az’Unda for potential Juggernaut settlement, Selector Brague of the Hegemony, who can end the human colony on a whim, encounters Rai Durmah and is shocked by her unusual abilities. Rai and her new family flee the scene, but Brague will not rest until he understands how Rai, a human colonist, developed her unique gifts. As she flees, Rai stumbles upon an ancient power that could change the face of Az’Unda and perhaps save the humans that live there.

Caught between her adoptive family who doubts her loyalties, the alien Juggernaut, and a Guardian protector she fears, Rai desperately attempts to escape her pain and unwittingly unearths the answers to solve or destroy Az’Unda’s future.

***

A distant human colony races to prove themselves before the powerful Hegemonic races declare their attempt a failure. Although they’ve been on Az’Unda for a little over 600 years and have used aggressive breeding practices, a horrible plague has reduced their life spans, left many women sterile, and created heartbreaking husks of the people they once knew and loved, known as Terrors. Little do they know they are about to face their greatest threat from one of their own–causing attentions to focus on the ordinary and unremarkable Durmah Sept.

The Depths of Memory Trilogy in a set in a future where humans have fled Earth and struggle to colonize new worlds and prove their worth to the alien consortium known as the Hegemony. Beyond the colonist’s day-to-day struggles, they face a devastating plague which requires extreme and constant vigilance. Faced with internal and external threats, how far will the colonists be willing to go to save not just their colony, but humanity itself?

Genre: The Depths of Memory Trilogy is a sci-fi / fantasy series.

Cover art by Christopher Stewart / Red Aces Media

Add Dreams Manifest to your Goodreads list now!

The Dream Sifter Release Day!

[image error]

At long last, I get to share the first book of my Depths of Memory Trilogy with you. MEEP!

Here’s the blurb and cover for The Dream Sifter:

When you awake without memories, without a past…can you recreate yourself through your dreams?

Barren and shamed, Rai has no memory when she’s placed with an adoptive family, the Durmah Sept. Recurring nightmares pull her into another world–giving glimpses of a past she never recalls while awake. Rai fears for her new family’s safety in light of her mysterious past and newfound, bizarre abilities. Driven by a curiosity Rai can’t deny, she tempts fate–but at what price?

A distant human colony races to prove themselves before the powerful Hegemonic races declare their attempt a failure. Although they’ve been on Az’Unda for a little over 600 years and have used aggressive breeding practices, a horrible plague has reduced their life spans, left many women sterile, and saddled them with beasts known only as Terrors. Little do they know they are about to face their greatest threat from one of their own–causing attentions to focus on the unlikely Durmah Sept.

I urge you to go and read the Prologue and decide for yourself if this book appeals to you. It’s a dystopian Sci-Fi / High Fantasy with Horror / Dark Fantasy themes. If this sounds interesting, hop on over to Amazon and pick yourself up a copy. It’s available in eBook now, and will be out in paperback form shortly.

For my Goodreads users, you can also find the book here.

A special thanks to all of my awesome fans. I’ve noticed you’re both cuter and cleverer than the average bear, which makes my journeys through forests all the more entertaining.

If you’re a fan of The Liminals series, know The Madness Path is in development at about the 50% mark.

The Dream Sifter Release Day! #postapocalyptic #dystopian #scifi #darkfantasy #highfantasy #horror #indie

At long last, I get to share the first book of my Depths of Memory Trilogy with you. MEEP!

Here’s the blurb and cover for The Dream Sifter:

When you awake without memories, without a past…can you recreate yourself through your dreams?

Barren and shamed, Rai has no memory when she’s placed with an adoptive family, the Durmah Sept. Recurring nightmares pull her into another world–giving glimpses of a past she never recalls while awake. Rai fears for her new family’s safety in light of her mysterious past and newfound, bizarre abilities. Driven by a curiosity Rai can’t deny, she tempts fate–but at what price?

A distant human colony races to prove themselves before the powerful Hegemonic races declare their attempt a failure. Although they’ve been on Az’Unda for a little over 600 years and have used aggressive breeding practices, a horrible plague has reduced their life spans, left many women sterile, and saddled them with beasts known only as Terrors. Little do they know they are about to face their greatest threat from one of their own–causing attentions to focus on the unlikely Durmah Sept.

I urge you to go and read the Prologue and decide for yourself if this book appeals to you. It’s a dystopian Sci-Fi / High Fantasy with Horror / Dark Fantasy themes. If this sounds interesting, hop on over to Amazon and pick yourself up a copy. It’s available in eBook now, and will be out in paperback form shortly.

For my Goodreads users, you can also find the book here.

A special thanks to all of my awesome fans. I’ve noticed you’re both cuter and cleverer than the average bear, which makes my journeys through forests all the more entertaining.

If you’re a fan of The Liminals series, know The Madness Path is in development at about the 50% mark.