Jessica Therrien's Blog, page 7

MY PUBLISHING JOURNEY: Acorn Author Alyssa Petersel

Have you ever wondered how authors get their start?
How do they get agents?
How do they get published?
Is it luck? Talent? Drive?


This segment is an attempt to satisfy my immense curiosity...to answer the one question I'm dying to ask every author out there: 

How did your book become a book?

Enjoy.

Alyssa Petersel
Author of SOMEHOW I AM DIFFERENT

NOTE: Alyssa Petersel is an Acorn Author. For those of you who don't know, Acorn Publishing is a collective and vetted group of writers self-publishing under the same label, our experienced team of self-published authors guide and prepare new clients as they navigate the self-publishing world. Meanwhile all authors keep their rights, make their own decisions, and retain 100% of their profits. If you're interested in this new avenue, please visit us at www.acornauthorservicesandpublishing.com

Do you have an agent?No.

How many queries did you send?
Though I likely should have, I did not keep accurate track. I likely sent between 50-100.

If you don't have an agent is it by choice? I inquired at a few agencies, but my book was not a good fit for many agents at this time.
Are you traditionally published or self-published?Self-published under the Acorn Publishing label.
How did you (or your agent) find your publisher?
I originally hired my publisher as my developmental editor. I found her through Editors and Predators.


How long did it take to find a publisher? Approximately three months; however, my original publisher eventually dropped my book because his new independent publishing house went under. I then secured my developmental editor’s new publishing house within 48 hours from the news.

What do you like about your publisher? I love the guidance I am offered, the independence and authority I maintain in direction and decision-making, and the insight and wisdom my publisher and her team are able to offer as fellow writers. I also enjoy that eventually the hard work I have put in will turn around as direct profit (if there is profit) for me as the writer.

What do you dislike about your publisher? As my publisher is on a smaller scale and functions more independently, the financial costs and the marketing and publicity work is still on my shoulders. Sometimes I wonder whether someone with more access or experience could do a better job on behalf of my book.
Did you or your agent hit any snags along the way, and if so how did you overcome them? Snags specifically related to publishing? I was experiencing some formatting issues, which my publisher helped me to overcome. I also am experiencing some financial concerns regarding how much to invest in the book in terms of how many to print, how many promotional materials to invest in, how many festivals I can afford to fly to, etc. This simply requires strong money management and unfortunately some sacrifices that I wouldn’t make if I were more financially affluent or if the publishing house or hosting organization had a higher budget.

Did your publishing avenue produce a hardback or just paperback copy of your book?Paperback and e-book.
What made you decide to self-publish?New author, limited access, limited pull.

Did you do everything yourself (such as cover design, formatting, etc.) or did you hire out?
I hired out for a cover designer and did the formatting myself with substantial help from my publishing team.

Which platforms do you publish through?
Createspace, KDP, and Draft2Digital

What marketing tactics worked for you?
FACEBOOK, and all social media. Attending networking events, such as a reading by a fellow Jewish author or a Jewish-themed talk at The Jewish Museum, with business cards and courage to approach strangers. Email outreach to like-minded individuals and organizations. Email outreach to peers, colleagues to get them more involved in the editing and promoting processes of the book. Offering rewards for participation like tote bag and signed books.
Looking back would you do anything differently?As of now, no. I am greatly enjoying this experience in all its ups and downs. That said, I don’t believe in regret and believe that in each moment we can only make decisions based on the information we have with us. Looking back, it’s difficult to judge any of the decisions made in earnest at the time.
Next time, I will look into exploring further whether an agent would secure me a contract with a larger scale publishing house for the sake of broadened experience. Then, book three will have the opportunity to have the most informed background and experience to make decisions moving forward.
What lessons have you learned?This process is very time consuming. Pushing the book successfully through markets and networks may require some social or other professional sacrifices. Time management and patience are hugely valuable. Support systems are also hugely valuable. Identify the relationships that bring peace, insight, and joy into your life and feed those relationships as though they are a plant that regularly needs water. Share with those relationships as much as you expect and need those relationships to share with you. Most of all, practice gratitude and celebrate the small victories. Long-term success and change happens through small steps each day.
Can you provide names and/or contacts for the following?Agent: N/APublisher: Acorn Publishing Formatter: Alyssa Petersel and Jessica Therrien Cover Designer: ebooklaunch.com Audiobook: N/AHardcover printer: N/APromotion and/or marketing: Alyssa PeterselBlog Tour Organizer, etc.: Alyssa Petersel
Other:

GOODREADSHow do we come to be who we are spiritually? How does our political and social environment influence our development of self? What drives us to commit to our passions and to contribute positively to the world?

A young American author immerses herself in modern Jewish Hungary. The twenty-one stories she shares will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you want to be your own best self. Somehow I Am Different provides an opportunity to connect in a world that otherwise begs us to stand alone. This book serves as a reminder that in spite of the factors working against us, we have the power to stand up and make a difference.

In their own words, Hungarian participants will tell you about their views on the world, themselves and their city---

“Instead of emphasizing our victimhood, we should really tell another story.” – Tamas Buchler

“I am I. Maybe I am not perfect. Maybe I am not gorgeous, maybe I am not skinny, or fancy, or rich. But I am me. At least I am me.” – Devora Hurwitz

“After a while, you have to realize that you have the power, too. Our work is to put the power in everyone.” – Vera Feniasz

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | GOODREADS

Cover Reveal: IDENTITY by Christa Yelich-Koth

YAY! This is exciting because I'm beta reading this book. If you haven't checked out ILLUSION (book 1) make sure you do before IDENTITY comes out!



IDENTITY is a conspiracy-filled space opera that concludes the story of Daith Tocc, a woman with incredible powers being manipulated by the man who stole her memories.

Daith Tocc has discovered some incredible things about herself: she is smart, charming, and has psionic powers that allow her to sense emotions, melt physical objects, even heal or injure with a thought. The problem is, she doesn't have any memory of who she used to be.Regardless, Daith has made a decision about how to move forward with her life. But someone from her past knows the truth about her---a truth that could shatter her decision---and unleash the hidden depths of her powers on the Eomix Galaxy.
Purchase on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014GA68AA
Author links:
Website: http://christayelichkoth.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/christa.yelichkoth

Great News!

I already posted on Facebook, but I can't help it. I'm sharing the news here as well. My French Canadian publisher, AdA, has picked up REDEMPTION (Children of the Gods #3)! I'm so thrilled! They will be translating the book to French and publishing in Canada.

Yes, they've already translated and published the first two books in the series, but I wasn't sure if they were going to pick up book 3 after I left my US publisher. YAY! I'm so happy that they decided to continue publishing my series. Squeeee!

Also, tomorrow OPPRESSION (Children of the Gods #1) will be featured as a BookBUB featured deal. For those who don't know what BookBUB is:


BookBub is a free service that helps millions of readers discover great deals on acclaimed ebooks while providing publishers and authors with a way to drive sales and find new fans. Members receive a personalized daily email alerting them to the best free and deeply discounted titles matching their interests as selected by our editorial team. BookBub works with all major ebook retailers and devices, and is the industry’s leading ebook price promotion service. BookBub was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

Basically they email a million people and tell them your book is on sale. BUT the people they email have actually signed up to receive the deal notifications. Which means, people read the email, see your book, and buy it while it's on sale.

Wish me luck!! I've heard great things about BookBub. We'll see if it helps my sales :) I'll let you know!


AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | GOODREADS






ALSO....

Book #1 in my friend's series is free until the end of the month:

Buy Links
Amazon: http://goo.gl/Fw3T4t
Barnes & Noble: http://ow.ly/L0mHh
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1pl0tye
iTunes: http://ow.ly/L0mSH

Acorn Publishing Upcoming Events

I'm getting so excited for the next few book events coming up! They are always so much fun :) The best part is we'll be featuring some of our Acorn authors and their books.

I'll be attending all three events along with Acorn author Holly Kammier.

Acorn Author, Alyssa Petersel, will be flying in from New York to attend the LA Times Festival of Books with us.

And the complete collection of Acorn works will be available for sale at the Bay Area Book Festival in June. This includes:

The CHILDREN OF THE GODS series, by me, Jessica Therrien - AVAILABLE NOW

KINGSTON COURT, by Holly Kammier - AVAILABLE NOW

SOMEHOW I AM DIFFERENT, by Alyssa Petersel - AVAILABLE March 22nd

EL AWAKE, by Jordan Sala Tenna - AVAILABLE May 1st

MIDNIGHT SEA, by Kat Ross - AVAILABLE in May


WonderCon March 25-27Los Angeles Convention Center
LA Times Festival of Books April 9 & 10USC Campus
Bay Area Book Festival June 4 & 5Downtown Berkeley's Art District

MY PUBLISHING JOURNEY: Author KT Hanna

Have you ever wondered how authors get their start?
How do they get agents?
How do they get published?
Is it luck? Talent? Drive?


This segment is an attempt to satisfy my immense curiosity...to answer the one question I'm dying to ask every author out there: 

How did your book become a book?

Enjoy.

K.T. Hanna

Author of THE DOMINO PROJECT



AGENTS

Do you have an agent?

I’ve actually had two agents, but am currently without one.
How many queries did you send?

For my first agent I believe it was ten, and my second agent was basically through referral from the first who left the business and secured eight full requests before she left for me.
If you don’t have an agent, is it by choice?

Currently, it’s mostly by choice. I wanted to put this trilogy out there, and so chose to do this myself. It would have been my course of action if I had gained a new agent or not.
If represented, how long did it take to get your agent?


The first one took about thirty days between my first query and my offer. The second time the offer came within eight days.

PUBLISHING

What made you decide to self pub?
I was told by a few editors that there was no market for Chameleon. It didn’t come down to story or writing but to publisher’s marketability. I love this trilogy, the world and its characters. So, I bit the bullet and here we are haha!
Did you do everything yourself (such as cover design, formatting, etc.) or did you hire out?

Oh no way! I hired an amazing cover artist – S.P. McConnell, my longstanding critique partner Jami Nord did my content edits for me, I hired Becca Weston to do my copy edits, and Caitlin Greer formatted my books beautifully.
Which platform (such as Createspace) do you self-publish through?

Originally I used all of the platforms, but after a little while and some feedback from fellow self-published authors, I switched to Kindle Unlimited. I get far more revenue through reads than I was getting through the other channels. But I think that depends on your genre and reach too. It’s probably something I’d recommend testing out for yourself as your mileage may vary.
Have you researched or considered getting a hardcover printed of your book? What about audio?

I’ve looked at both. I had arranged for an audio book at one stage, but that fell through. I may do Amazon’s audio platform at some stage (ACX), but I’m just not there yet.
What do you like about self-publishing?
The control. I do get it content edited, and copy edited. I also have several beta readers. Eventually it gets to the point where I’m happy with the book. But every decision has been mine. No one gives me a MUST change anything. The cover is completely up to me, the formatting – everything. It’s an amazing sensation. 

What do you dislike about self-publishing?
That it’s hard to get publicity unless you pay through the nose. Or know someone in the industry who can either blurb or recommend you to their own audience. It’s a hard slog and while the quality is important, you have to realize that in self-publishing it ends up being quantity that will get your books and name out there more.

Looking back would you do anything differently?

I think I would have considered my original agent choices a lot differently. However, once I decided to do self publishing, the only thing I think I should have done differently is get my Kirkus Review immediately.
I would have made different choices on my agenting path. But over all I met some amazing people and I wouldn’t really want to change that. Otherwise, I would probably order less SWAG. That stuff is addictive haha.
I adore my covers, but next time I won’t go for a full wrap. Don’t get me wrong, I feel these books needed the full wrap cover because of the world the books are set in. But next time I might scale it back to just the front and spine.
MARKETING

What marketing tactics worked for you?

That’s a tough one. I believe as far as marketing works, blog tours aren’t very effective. So I’m probably better at telling you what didn’t work for me. Blog tours are very time intensive for little return. A blitz it far easier. A couple of options for posts, throw in some links and voila.
What has been good is setting up sales of my books. Lowering the price on the first book to promote the release of the next one. I’m about to do that with my third book – so I’m kind of nervous to see how well it goes this time.
Otherwise, just reach out to your local retailers – talk to local libraries, schools etc. Do all the legwork you can to get your name out there. If someone offers you an interview – never say no. If someone offers you a feature, never say no. Any person you can reach who you wouldn’t have been able to on your own, is one more person that might buy your book, or even pass on your name to another friend.
Word of mouth is your aim. But it requires a lot of effort.

ADVICE

What lessons have you learned? Any advice for those about to go down your path?
I’ve learned to always allow yourself an extra week or two in your timetable. Things will pop up that need you to deal with them, or that will take more time, and it’s best to have some padding there so you’re not stressing yourself to sickness.
Can you provide any names and/or contacts?Agent:Publisher: Formatter: Caitlin GreerCover Designer: S.P. McConnellAudiobook:Hardcover printer:Promotion/marketing: Suzanne SaminBlog Tour Organizer, etc.: YABound Book Tours
Other: Content Editor: Jami Nord


Thank you so much for having me! This was a lot of fun!

GOODREADSAfter Sai's newly awoken psionic power accidentally destroys her apartment complex, she’s thrown into an intensive training program. The only grades are pass or die. 

Surviving means proving her continued existence isn't a mistake--a task her new mentor, Bastian, takes personally. Her abilities place her in the GNW Enforcer division, which partners her with Domino 12, who is eerily human for an alien-parasite and psionic hybrid. When her assassination duties are revealed, Sai understands the real reason for her training.

On a mission to dispatch a dangerous Exiled scientist, she uncovers truths she never thought possible. Sai is unsure who to trust as her next mission might be her last, and a double agent seems to be manipulating both sides.

IWSG - Letting Go of Expectations

Hello! This is my first time posting for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. For those unfamiliar with this awesome group, you can find out more here. In a nutshell, the IWSG aims to:

"share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!"

I've been meaning to join the team, but committing to anything these days is hard with 2 kids under 3 years old. I set a reminder on my phone, so hopefully that will keep me on top of it :)

Today, I wanted to post about letting go of expectations. When I discovered my love of writing about six years ago, with the start of my CHILDREN OF THE GODS series, I had such a carefree attitude toward the process. It was fun to imagine, brainstorm, draft characters and build a story. It was like my adult version of playing Barbies or make-believe. My first novel became my favorite toy. I carried it with me everywhere, in my head, and actually quite literally on my laptop. I remember carrying my laptop into KFC with me to eat lunch with some friends...as if I'd have time to open it up and draft a chapter in the midst of conversation, lol. My ideas, my characters, my story were all so exciting to me that I almost couldn't think about anything else.

Do you remember that joy? Are you in it now? Has that first rush of passion for your story become something you're chasing now that writing has become your career?

For me, I lost that feeling once I entered the intimidating world of publishing. Publishing my work turned my love of writing into a need to prove myself. Queries, conferences, agents, publishers, deadlines, etc. filled me with a tremendous amount of anxiety. Once my book was out there, it didn't end. I needed to make sales, make connections, gain visibility.

There was SO much pressure.

After finding an agent. Finding a publisher. Becoming a Barnes & Noble best-seller, I've actually found the most joy in taking my rights back and venturing out on my own.

For some reason, freeing myself of my publisher's expectations freed me of MY expectations. Without realizing it, I had made it my job to make them look good. To prove that I was a good investment. I measured my success based on their level of satisfaction, which was normally based on my sales.

Then there was the added pressure of deadlines. You can imagine how this leeched away my joy of writing.

Now that I am self-publishing under the Acorn Publishing label, I allow myself to not care how many books I sell, what my reviews say, what my rank is, etc. And I'll finish my next book when I finish it...lol. It's a wonderful feeling to let go of my expectations and everyone else's for that matter.

I have a beautiful, loving family. They are the center of my world.

It feels great to finally be rid of the anxiety that plagued me for so long, so that I can focus my energy on them, and enjoy writing again, my way.

What writerly anxiety do you hope to overcome?

Monday Morning Sneak Peek: HANNA, HANNA, ONE-AND-TWO by Myndi Shafer

Did a weekend of reading leave you wanting more? 
Sneaking peeks of your newest novel from under
your desk at work? 

For the eternal reader...here is your 
Monday Morning Sneak Peek!

Enjoy.



HANNA, HANNA, ONE-AND-TWO by Myndi Shafer


Twenty-two year old Johanna Cochrin has spent the past six years in self-imposed silence. After witnessing her brother's murder, she vowed to take his secret to the grave - even if that meant living the rest of her life as a prisoner in a remote government compound. But when she is kidnapped from that compound, Johanna finds her silence difficult to maintain. With the ruthless dictator of a fragile government plotting to sacrifice her to a time-altering Device, she is forced to trust people she has never met, share secrets she never meant to share, and come to terms with her own mortality - all while trying to save the world.


www.myndishafer.com GOODREADS | AMAZON




CHAPTER ONEHanna, Hanna, Where Are You?
Palm reading is a load of crap.Every palm that has ever opened to receive a gift, that has ever collided with a cheek in a slap, that has ever stroked the perfect smoothness of a baby’s skin, or the stubble of a man’s beard - every single one had valleys and gullies that ran across its plain. Every palm that ever was, every palm that will ever be, every palm that is. But those lines don’t mean anything. Life line, love line, heart line - everyone’s got them. Fate line - not everyone’s got that one. If you don’t, don’t lose any sleep over it. Those lines don’t mean a damn thing. Every night as I fall asleep, I listen for the sounds of the wilder-than-most outside the door of my shack. In these parts, the brush wolves are our biggest fear. A wilder-than-most wolf could rip out my throat in three seconds flat, and just like that, my story would be over. The little pot of boiling water I keep on my stove would make a pitiful weapon against them, but it’s better than nothing. Hopefully it would buy Joby enough time to go in for the kill, and that’s really all that matters.So I listen, and while I listen, I rub the fate line on my left hand, back-and-forth, back-and-forth, like it’s something I could wear away with enough time and enough pressure. I picture it in my mind’s eye while I do: a perfectly vertical crease in my palm with a starburst of lines that dance out from it, like an abstract compass or star. Some folks would call it beautiful. I wouldn’t go that far. Unusual, yes. Unfortunate, probably. Beautiful? No.Back-and-forth, back-and-forth, I rub it.Every morning when I wake up, it’s still there.
•••

It’s been six years to the day since my brother was killed. That’s when they put me here. It seems like I’m alone. There’s a full one-square mile section inside of the fence. Electric current runs through it twenty-four seven even though the Trench is lucky to get power a few hours out of the day. I’ve never thought of myself a Trenchwoman, but rumor has it Haier doesn’t consider prisoners much better than Trenchfolk, so I try to take the electrified fence as a compliment. It also does a pretty good job of keeping out the wilder-than-most, so you won’t hear me complain about it. The fence after that one, a quarter mile away? I might gripe about it. The one after that, a half-mile away? It seems a little redundant. Three fences to keep in all 5-feet-two inches of me...You know how it is, right? When a guy compliments you, and you say thanks, but he keeps on gushing about how pretty/smart/funny/angelic/whatever you are, and after a while it stops sounding genuine and just becomes pretty damn annoying. That’s what those last two fences are to me. Annoying. I avoid the fence most of the time. When I’m away from it, it almost feels like I’m alone. But I’m not stupid enough to settle into that feeling. Every move I make is watched by careful eyes whose job it is to make sure that I stay harmless, but most of all, that I stay unharmed. The scrawny tree outside my shack, the one that always seems surprised by its own shadow, houses a camera. So does the dingy mirror over the sink that doubles for my kitchen and bathroom. No way for me to prove it, but the moon probably has a camera on it, watching my sorry excuse of an existence.I flip them off every chance I get, just in case someone’s watching. It probably drew a few laughs at first, when I was younger. People like to laugh at crap like that - young kids using obscenities they don’t understand. Now, though, I’m sure they’re bored with me. Tired of watching me.It’s a satisfying thought.Four times each day they rotate guards along each length of the fence. Once a week since they put me here, I’ve walked to that fence, chosen a guard, and stood in front of him, and stared him straight in the face, making him see me. I refuse to ignore them, to pretend they’re not there, that I’m just living my life like any other person. I’m a prisoner, and I know it. I won’t forget it. They always look away before I do, waiting until my back is turned to hurl insults or slurs or threats that leave my skin crawling. Those are the only moments I’m grateful for the cameras. President Haier, being a woman, frowns upon rape. There is very little else she frowns upon, especially when it comes to getting what she wants. Certainly not murder. There used to be one guard who looked at me longer than the rest. When I took my place in front of him, he’d stare back, stubbornness written in the color of his eyes and the set of his jaw. Once he actually smiled. It wasn’t a cold grin, or even a leer. It was a real smile, genuine as the sunrise, and it reached his eyes.That day I looked away first, tripping over my feet as I ran. He didn’t call after me, not then, not ever.I avoided him after that, but whenever he was there, I knew it. It was a gut thing, almost like a primal thing. He wasn’t like the other guards. That made him dangerous. With the others, I knew what to expect; with him I was in uncharted waters. Danger, my gut whispered. Stay away from that one. But I was young, and curious - intrigued by the man with the sunrise smile. I walked by him every day, far enough away that it could seem that I just happened to be where he was, but close enough that I could snatch a glance or two out of the corner of my eye. I thought the act was clever, un-see-throughable.I thought wrong.One cold day he started coughing as I walked past. The sound of it stopped me in my tracks, and I turned. He squatted to the ground and opened his coat. A puppy was tucked inside. A fucking puppy. The guard’s eyes never left mine as the puppy cantered toward me with its clumsy gait. His mouth broadened into that sunrise-smile again. Somehow a fist found its way into my chest and grabbed my heart, squeezing with all its might. For the second time, I looked away first. That was my seventeenth birthday.The next day his face was swollen with bruises. His mouth didn’t smile, but his eyes still carried traces of dawn. Day after that, he was gone.I named the puppy Joby. I wanted to name him after my brother, but it seemed like bad luck. I didn’t want to lose him like I lost Bill, and the chances of Haier letting me keep the dog were less than slim without an unlucky name haunting him. The dog was the first warm, breathing thing I’d touched since the day my brother died. I wanted to keep him as badly as a person’s lungs want to breathe air.Turns out, Joby was a lucky name - no one ever came to take him from me. Now he is all I have, and I’m all he has. You could say we’re in a mutually exclusive relationship.Two days before Bill was murdered, he came home. To see me, he said, and tell me a secret. Nothing could have prepared my sticky-sweet teenage-girl self for what he told me. It was an uneasy Truth, a dangerous Secret - the kind of thing nobody believes except crazy Trenchmen and fallen HighBorn who’d fled to the nowhere places of the plains. I didn’t believe him - still not sure if I do, entirely - but I’ve decided to take it on faith. Faith in my brother. Faith for what he thought he knew. At sixteen years old, I suddenly found myself faced with a burden whose weight felt unbearable without him there to bear it with me.What’s left of my homeland - the dismantled regions of what used to be the North American Allegiance back when my grandfather was a boy - operate under a precarious sort of peace that’s held together by two things. Two things its leaders lust after; two things its leaders all fear: It, and me.I don’t know about It, but I belong to her, and as long as I am in this cage within a cage within a cage, President Haier has less to fear than the others. As long as I am in this cage, I am contained. Not controllable, but not exploitable, either. At least, not by people on the wrong side of the fence.Even so, I like to think there are nights that she wakes up sweating and terrified at the thought of me. Because I know what she doesn’t. I know how to make It sing. I can either be her Messiah, or I can ruin her fucking life.After my brother’s murder she tried to talk it out of me. I held my tongue. Gentle coaxing turned to beating. Beating turned to torture. But I would not speak.That was a problem for her.So she put me here. Prisoner, national treasure, however you want to look at it. Titles don’t matter. It would be a lie to say the thought of killing myself has never gone through my mind, especially in those early days, those days without Joby. But that would have made it too easy for her. She’d have to find a way to cover up and move on. Make do. Forget.Move on? Forget? Them?Not after what they did to Bill. I won’t let her. No. Instead, every day, she’ll get to see my pretty face and remember. Remember that if I get free, she’s screwed. Remember that if I die, her best chance at using It will die with me. Remember that when it comes down to it, I hold all the cards. So I live to torture her. To honor my brother.To piss her the hell off.And no matter what happens, whatever she does, I won’t talk.

BOOK SALE! Who has $0.99?

Don't you just love the fact that you can buy books with the money you find in your couch??


Bridget Young would be perfectly happy with an average, boring existence, but the car accident that killed her sister took away everything normal in her life. As if high school wasn’t hard enough on its own, now she spends her days helping unhappy ghosts move on to the afterlife. Dealing with death on a daily basis is too much for one girl to handle, so when she finds a way to get rid of her supernatural sight, she jumps at the chance. But when a missing student turns up as a freshly murdered ghost with a taste for vengeance, Bridget realizes she's the only one who can find the killer. With innocent lives hanging in the balance, Bridget must decide if she’s willing to sacrifice her one chance at a normal life.
Join Bridget and her rag-tag team of ghostly companions for a nail-biting mystery that will keep you up all night.

Read PHANTOM TOUCH, Book 1 of the Phantoms Series for the scary-good price of 99 cents this week only, or check it out free on Kindle Unlimited. And if you love a series, Book 2 is out this week and ready for you to read when you finish!
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B01A766LZ4Website: http://www.jessicahawke.comFB: http://www.facebook.com/authorjessicahawke

NEW book by Kat Ross! Squeeee!

You know I super-raved about SOME FINE DAY and all its awesome. It was the kind of awesome you search for on the YA shelves at B&N. The kind of awesome you're just hooooping will sucks you in the way Hunger Games did or Divergent, whatever your poison...and then it's BETTER. THAT kind of awesome.

So...when I say there is a new book by Kat Ross, it's totally okay for you to freak out. Go ahead. I'll wait.

Feel better? ;)

Now to the good stuff.

Are you ready for the cover?

GOODREADSI KNOW!! RIGHT?? Feel free to judge it by its cover...go right ahead and do it. You won't be disappointed. I was such a lucky duck to be able to read this bad boy before it gets published. Imagine reading TWILIGHT for the first time...you go crazy, right? Then imagine you make friends with Stephenie Meyer. It's like, super weird, but cool. Then imagine she's like, "Hey, do you want to read my next book before anyone else?" Of course you faint, but then you get up and act totally cool, like you meant to faint. You do it all the time... *nervous laugh*

Then, you ask Stephenie if she might want to be publishing partners with you and she says yes. *Double Faint*

Haha! Okay, okay...I've talked it up enough. Congrats, Kat. The book is awesome.


See for yourself, people! Here is a little exerpt:


On my seventeenth birthday, the magus summoned me to his study.I sat down and waited while he shuffled through a stack of papers. Finally, he looked up."I've found you a daēva," he said.I sat very still, hardly breathing."His name is Darius. He was raised by the magi in Karnopolis. By all accounts, obedient and devout. And powerful." The magus held my eyes. "Very powerful. The strongest in generations, if his keepers are to be believed. You were chosen because your gift is so great." He sighed. "And because I can't leave either of you unbonded much longer. You're nearing the time when your mind will become too rigid to accept him, Nazafareen. And so that is my present to you. Are you happy?""Yes, magus. Very happy." I was happy. I was also nervous."Do you wish to meet him?"My heart lurched. "He's here?""In the yard, waiting for us. Oh yes, and his curse is a withered left arm. I thought the fact that you are left-handed would be a nice complement."I let out a long breath as we walked outside. Bonding my daēva meant I could hunt Druj. Go on patrol with Ilyas and the others. I'd been waiting for this moment for three years. And yet part of me still wanted to run in the other direction as fast as I could.We came around the corner of the barracks and there he was. A boy still, although not for much longer. I took in the close-cropped brown hair and pale, serious face. His sky-blue tunic matched his eyes, which were not particularly warm. More along the lines of one of the glacial lakes I'd bathed in as a child.I walked right up to him, refusing to be cowed. It seemed prudent to let him know who was in charge immediately."I'm Nazafareen," I said.Darius nodded. His face was perfectly impassive, but did I see a spark in those eyes? Of fear? Contempt? It came and went too fast to tell.I had no idea what to say next, so we just stood there in awkward silence for what felt like an eternity. Finally, the magus spoke."Come. Satrap Jaagos and the other Water Dogs are waiting."The bonding ceremony took place in the audience chamber of the satrap. It was a cavernous room, with vaulted ceilings of gilded tile and three marble pillars. The walls were carved with bas-reliefs of horses, their arched necks and braided manes rendered in exquisite detail.Jaagos sat on his throne, his Water Dogs arrayed to either side. Half of them wore tunics of sky blue, the other half of a deep, bloody red.I'd seen Jaagos from afar a few times, but this was the closest I'd ever been to him. In the moment before I prostrated myself, I saw a chubby man dressed in a rich gown of silver thread. He was bald as an egg, with thick lips and sloping shoulders. A housecat among lions.I pressed my forehead to the stone. To my right, Darius did the same.I was keenly aware of the eyes of the Water Dogs on me. They were the ones I wanted to impress, especially Ilyas. I didn't give a fig about the satrap, except that I knew I didn't want to make him angry. His authority was absolute, the hand of the King in Tel Khalujah, and if he wanted me dead, he had only to make the slightest gesture and it would be done."Get on with it," Jaagos said after an appropriate amount of time had passed for the obeisance.The magus stepped forward. "You are Water Dogs, the holiest of all dogs," he said. "Without water there is no life, yet water has the power to destroy as well as to create. May your impurities be washed away." The magus slowly poured the contents of a silver bowl over our heads."May the Holy Father keep you and guide your actions," he intoned. "May the bond bestowed this day be true and pure. May you always serve the cause of light and shun the darkness."He set the bowl aside and pulled on a pair of leather gloves. Then he took out a gold cuff, thick and worked with snarling lions. Had he touched it with his bare hands, he would have bonded Darius himself instantly.The magus's face swam in my vision as he knelt before us. Darius had gone a deathly pale, but he looked at the cuff—the twin of one already encircling his right arm—without wavering. I resolved not to show him how afraid I was. Not to give him that victory."You will fight as one, live as one," the magus said. "You will carry out the will of the Holy Father, as directed by your King and satrap. Good words, good thoughts, good deeds. By the Prophet and the Holy Father are you bonded."Then he snapped the cuff around my wrist and locked it with a tiny golden key. I may have cried out. I probably did. Because I wasn't alone anymore. Floodgates opened in my mind, releasing a torrent of alien emotions. Next to me, Darius drew a sharp breath as the same thing happened to him, although I barely heard it.Panic surged through me, followed by an aching loss so deep it tore a hole in my heart. I didn't know if it was mine or his, or both feeding off the other. And I felt his power, a deep, churning pool of it, held tight in my fist."It is done," the magus said.My knees trembled as I stood. Darius offered me his hand but I was afraid to touch him so Ilyas took charge of me, leading me from the audience chamber to the fire temple. We knelt there together. I tried to pray, but my teeth were chattering."It gets easier with time," Ilyas said in a soothing tone, as if he was talking to a small child. "You'll learn to tell the difference between your own feelings and his. To separate them. To hold onto yourself."I nodded but I didn't believe him. I just wanted to tear the cuff from my wrist. To get Darius and his bottomless despair out of my head. But that was impossible. It was locked in place."Look into the flames," Ilyas said. "Imagine them burning your fear away. Scouring your mind clean of thought. Feed it all to the holy fire. You have the gift, Nazafareen. Now you must learn to control it, or it will destroy you."I tried to do as he instructed. For a moment, I felt as though I'd broken the surface, that the torrent was easing a little, but then it came back stronger than ever.I jumped to my feet and just made it to the courtyard before I threw up.They let me go to my bed after that for the rest of the day. Everyone left me alone. They understood that I couldn't bear to be near even a single other person. I had enough of them in my head already.


#BuyNowAmazon US: http://amzn.to/1TqH7SO Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Midnight-Sea-Fourth-Element-Book-ebook/dp/B01BN5Z7LM/
#SocialLinksWebsite:http://katrossbooks.com/index.htmlFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/kat.ross.3382Twitter:https://twitter.com/katrossauthorGoodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7426942.Kat_RossNewsletter:http://katrossbooks.com/contact.htmlInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/katross2014/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday Morning Sneak Peek: THE DOMINO PROJECT by KT Hanna

Did a weekend of reading leave you wanting more? 
Sneaking peeks of your newest novel from under
your desk at work? 

For the eternal reader...here is your 
Monday Morning Sneak Peek!

Enjoy.

First of all, congrats to KT Hanna! PARASITE (The Domino Project #3) is available TODAY! Happy book birthday :) Go add it on GOODREADS!



CHAMELEON (The Domino Project #1) by K.T. Hanna


After Sai's newly awoken psionic power accidentally destroys her apartment complex, she’s thrown into an intensive training program. The only grades are pass or die. 

Surviving means proving her continued existence isn't a mistake--a task her new mentor, Bastian, takes personally. Her abilities place her in the GNW Enforcer division, which partners her with Domino 12, who is eerily human for an alien-parasite and psionic hybrid. When her assassination duties are revealed, Sai understands the real reason for her training.

On a mission to dispatch a dangerous Exiled scientist, she uncovers truths she never thought possible. Sai is unsure who to trust as her next mission might be her last, and a double agent seems to be manipulating both sides.

www.kthanna.com GOODREADS | AMAZON


CHAPTER ONE
Droves of addicts litter the dirty pavement the closer Bastian gets to Block 63. While Markus navigates the Gerts125 through the human refuse, Bastian scans the streets. He tries to avoid the vacant gazes of the Shined, lost staring at the holes in their veins and the stars in the sky, drool running down their chins to pool on the fetid ground. Shine abuse is blatant in the city's outskirts.The next shockwave hits sooner than it should. Psionic abilities don't normally awaken violently, but Bastian can sense she's a Rare. At this proximity he no longer needs his wristband's help to pinpoint her, but glances at the beeping indicator to avoid arousing suspicion, before silencing it with a brief jolt of power.Another shockwave warps the air under their vehicle. Bastian doesn't wait for the transport to stabilize, but steps out as it slows and shades his eyes as Block 63 implodes.Flames envelop the upper floors of the four apartment towers. Pieces of concrete cascade down the outer walls. Amidst the chaos, he can sense her panic, bewilderment, and--above all--her utter exhaustion. The fact that he's still standing there, that the area around him isn't in flames, means she pulled some of the force back into herself somehow.Panicked screams and distant sirens make it hard to focus. The thin layer of Shine permeating the mess doesn't help either, and Bastian refuses to think about the potential death toll. The surrounding blocks should be safe as long as the emergency forces can contain the blaze. Smoke and ash obscure Bastian's vision, and he has to close his eyes to focus. He listens for a moment, picking up her--Sai's--incoherent inner diatribe, which leads him to the botanica. The vegetation once protected within has already started to wilt, and the glass walls of the small atrium lie shattered in a perfect circle around the girl. She sits in the center, blinking tears away as silver power tendrils wind their way through black irises, leaving her eyes unfocused. Blood from a cut on her forehead mingles with dark hair, lending it a dull red gleam in the flickering light. Her flannel nightshirt is tattered. She clutches it as she rocks back and forth. Pieces of glass embedded in her back glitter through the shirt, but he'll deal with that later. Her state of mind is the more pressing matter."Sai?" Bastian puts a little suggestion behind it--that she can trust him, that he will help her. He has to be careful, though. Her mind is raw from the awakening blast. She continues to rock back and forth, so he repeats himself a little louder. "Sai?"She looks up at him and blinks, only tears left streaming down her face. Her mouth opens, but no words come out.Bastian reaches out a hand and waits for her to take it. For a few moments, her eyes dart wildly. He can sense the turmoil--her instincts telling her to run, her mind urging her to go with him. She slides her hand into his, and he tugs her up.Markus waits at the end of the street, a scowl on his face as he leans against his door. "We didn't make it in time after all." He gestures toward the buildings, and his voice carries over the sound of the emergency vehicles as they hiss to a halt next to him. "Obviously," Bastian says as he motions for Sai to get in the back of the car. A second before the door closes, panic crosses her face, but she sticks out her chin and hugs her chest instead. Her erratic thoughts threaten to break the fragile facade she's holding onto. "At least we saved her," Bastian says softly as he slides into his seat. "Let's get her to the facility."Markus grunts as he turns the transport back on. "I still don't believe that young thing caused so much damage."Bastian shrugs and glances at the girl in the rearview mirror. Her face is mostly hidden by shadows, and her eyes are as wary as her thoughts. "She did most of it, though some of the sparks ignited the building's filtration system. We're lucky the emergency dampeners still work in this sector or the chain reaction would have spread through the city.""How can you be so calm? Won't they have your hide for this?" Markus steps on the gas and takes them away from the dregs of the city.Bastian stops observing Sai long enough to chuckle. "No. I'm psionic, not a fortune teller. I'm only as good as the signals I receive, and frankly the onset of puberty is unpredictable. Besides..." He pauses to watch her twirl her blood-stained hair around her fingers. She counts to ten slowly in her head, loud enough for him to hear, and reminds herself to breathe. Over and over.Markus prompts him. "Besides?" "This doesn't happen often. Do you remember a last time?"Markus shakes his head. "Is she special?""Pardon?" It's not like Markus to pry into Bastian's business."Can she do something special?""Besides blow up an entire block?" Bastian laughs. "Not...not really."The "not yet" echoes silently in his head. Just a few more years and he won't have to fight alone anymore.
### blinks at the sudden light and pushes the dream to the back of her mind. Today is not a day for distracting nightmares. Remembering her parents' apathy won't get her through the exam.The dim morning light filters down through the slit in the wall that serves as her window. It's too small for her to even squeeze through, assuming she could reach it in the first place. Not that there's anywhere to escape to outside, anyway.Dressed in training gear, she heads to the cafeteria. The tension in the air is thick and choking even before she reaches the line. She accepts the mash doled out to her and forces it down, trying not to think too hard about what makes it grey. No one in the room makes eye contact, not even the friends who left training laughing with each other the day before. Everyone knows what the final exam means. There is no positive spin to put on it. Her last bite of food threatens to stick in her throat, but she washes it down with water and heads to the examination rooms. Trainers suffuse the hall and foyer outside, finding the students they're in charge of and metering out supplies. Ms. Genna catches Sai's attention and motions her over. "Student Fifty-Two, enrolled 2350 via GNW United Conglomerate 17?" Sai nods and clenches her fists at her side, hating her full designation. "That's the spirit." The sarcasm in Ms. Genna's voice makes Sai cringe inwardly. "Your cubicle will be ready after the first round of examinees enter their rooms. Stay in the waiting area until I call you."The allocated room is small with a bench encircling a training mat. Everyone sits, eyes riveted to the GNW logo in the middle. If they're anything like Sai, they're imagining the worst possible encounter and figuring out a way through it. From pieces of thought strong enough to break through the shielding of others in the room, she can tell they know it, too. No one in this room wants to fail, but the chances of success aren't good. If you owe GNW a debt of gratitude, it's their privilege to keep only the strongest. One by one, the room empties. By the time her number is called, she feels an odd sense of finality. Her cubicle is small and dimly lit by a buzzing light. There's just enough room for her to change into the sleek black clothes piled neatly on the bench. She traces her fingers over the subtly strong material and the GNW logo embossed over the shoulders.As she dresses, a sinking feeling forms in the pit of her stomach. This Sparring gear denotes physical fighting. Though quick and light on her feet, even one direct hit to her head wipes her out.There is no time for doubt. She's been at their mercy since she was twelve.Sai squares her shoulders and pushes the door open. She frowns at the tall and lanky man standing there. His dark hair partially obscures some of his face, but the piercing pale eyes catch the light and make her pause. Something about him is eerily familiar.He motions her over. "Are you ready, Sai?"She starts as he says her name but masks her shock quickly with a nod. No one in the facility uses her name. It's forbidden. Students are numbers. The familiarity of his voice nags at her, and she has to concentrate on his words."You will face single, double, and triple waves of attackers. They will be human, psionic and domino. You know what a domino is, yes?""Yes, sir."He nods and continues. "Human combat requires physical prowess. The psionic waves require that you only use your mind. Against the dominos, you need to combine your combat knowledge of both. After all three waves, you'll face a combination of two or all for the final fight of your test." He waits for a moment, his eyes never leaving hers, and she can't help but wonder why someone so young is in a position to be giving her instructions."You will be observed through the whole process. Do not use the incorrect type of force against your opponents, or you will fail." He pauses. "And make sure to stay on your toes. A direct hit from anyone will end you."Sai blinks at his retreating back. How did he know? She shakes her head to clear the nagging doubt. Three at a time will be the problem, not to mention combining her psionic and physical training. There were few classes on the theory behind it, and fewer still on practical usage. The GNW doesn't want survivors.She pushes the thought away as soon as it flashes across her mind. Given the price of her awakening, it's no wonder she's considered a danger. She clenches her fists, determined to make up for her past, to prove her parents wrong. The door at the other side of the hall opens, distracting her from her thoughts. She stands straight and walks into the examination room. The door slams immediately behind her, and for a second, her body breaks out in a light sweat.It's dimly lit, but she can make out some weapons scattered around. Sai feels her stomach twist at the realization that the weapons aren't only for her to use, but for her opponents as well. The mundane selection gives her hope. Knives, maces, hammers, and swords, but no distance weapons. Not her preference, but at least she doesn't have to resort to only her fists.As a gate cranks open on the far side of the room, Sai shakes her head to clear her mind. She readies herself for attack, hands guarding her face, knees slightly bent, ready to dodge. "I will not fail." The words help soothe her nerves.Her robust opponent crouches low as he circles her. Darting in, she lands two quick punches to his solar plexus and jaw. While small in stature, she's light on her feet and fires off strong, focused blows. He's clumsier than expected and goes down easily. She frowns as he's cleared from the room and her next opponent enters. The force of his mind is immediately obvious. Her shields slam up, and she hopes all her practice is enough. She's better than her peers, but against someone this strong, any of them would be dust. His first onslaught takes her by surprise and rattles her head, but she deflects his push back at him and the momentum catches him by surprise. He falls awkwardly onto one of the hammers scattered around the room. The crunch is sickening, and his body goes limp.Her confusion at his ineptitude is stolen by the iridescent domino as it enters the room. It's bigger than she expected, having only seen them from a distance before. The frequency of colors passing through its system makes her blink as she tries to follow the movements. Her eyes adapt slowly, picking the domino out from its camouflage just in time to dodge the first punch.Her own speed is barely enough to avoid the flurry of kicks and punches. Sai ducks in once with a lucky punch, barely avoiding the hybrid's left hook. Two more quick punches and she rolls to the corner, crouching in wait for the next onslaught, nursing her hand as a reminder to reinforce her punches with psionics in the next attack. But it seems she only needs to score a hit on it three times before it backs off and the round is declared won. Her mind swims as the examiners announce she's passed the first round. The opponents were far too easy. Cold sweat drips down her spine. Something is wrong.The second round of two opponents in each category stuns her, too. Almost as easy as the first victories, she finds herself starting to panic as the unconscious bodies are floated from the room.When the third round is announced and her opponents revealed, Sai's stomach spasms. These men look brutal, covered in scars. Their forearms are the size of her waist, and they're already armed. This. This is the real test.There's no understanding in their eyes, just the same gleam she remembers from her parents and the beggars that surrounded her childhood home. The sheer focus of a Shine addict craving their next fix.Resolve set, she clenches her teeth and attacks first, taking the man on the left by complete surprise. Her kick lands squarely on his jaw, and he crashes to the floor. She grabs his mace, jabbing the butt into his skull before he can make another move. His head lolls to the side. One down. The other two back off, suddenly not quite so confident.Wary now, they're tougher to fight. She avoids most of their attacks except one narrow miss that grazes her ribs. Heat sears her skin and blood trickles down her side. She sections off the pain and aims for their knees, caps the middle man with the mace in the left knee, and follows through with a sound kick to his other one, barely dodging the right guy in time. Mr. Right murmurs under his breath, his eyes staring at something she cannot see. She leverages two quick punches directly to his face before jumping back out of his reach and into a crouch to sweep his legs. A second later, Mr. Right lies on the floor clutching his knees and gasping something about coconuts and palm trees. Sai backs away, disgusted, and tries to catch her breath.She barely has time to take stock of her injuries before the wall opens to float the three humans out and deposit the psionics. Far more difficult than the previous battle, this one is at least less physical. Suggestion has never been her strong suit, but hours of boredom spent in her room rebuilding her shields gives her an edge. The ability to keep the attacks from directly affecting her mind makes it easier to concentrate on her offense. She resists the urge to use precious psionic energy to reinforce her physical skills in this stage. Punching them will disqualify her. The stipulation for her to use only psionics on her psionic opponents apparently doesn't extend to their own restrictions.She forces one of them against the wall in a weak mimicry of Sixteen's fate. The second stumbles as he's about to attack, and she barely deflects it back on him in time. He slumps to the ground. Sai doesn't have time to check if he's breathing, but convinces herself he is.As she pushes the last one back against the opposite wall, her legs buckle for a moment. Sai holds him still long enough to rest a hand on his forehead and send him to sleep. She stands panting over the three subdued psionics, reinforcing the walls blocking her pain. Her head starts to pound with the effort as they're removed and replaced with three dominos. The adrium-psionic hybrids are far stronger than any human. Their energy supply never ends, and the way the light refracts off their alien skin makes seeing them difficult, even when they're not attempting to camouflage with their surroundings."I will succeed." She takes a brief moment to center herself and extends the shielding she uses for her mind underneath her skin. Her punches hit harder, even though she needs to draw on energy reserves to keep her speed up. Where it was difficult with one domino, it's near impossible with three.It takes almost all of the energy she has left to keep two of them out of reach while she tries to score three hits on the third. Something brushes her shoulder briefly, and her left arm tingles. She pushes the irritation aside and focuses on hitting the dominos. They won't let her tag them. Reinforcing her own attacks with psionic strength drains her. With one last desperate heave of power, she flings the first domino into the other two. The weight is heavier against her mind than she expected and the throw goes wild, catching the two remaining dominos at chin height and smashing their heads into the stone wall behind them, temporarily disorienting them. It appears to count.Sai would laugh but doesn't have any spare energy. She needs to dredge up more stamina for her final round.She closes her eyes for a moment to regenerate what she can.The sound of the gate mechanism jolts her out of the mild trance. Three psionics and three dominos emerge. No humans. Six at once. And none of them an easy out. Her mind is tapped, and she feels an odd sense of peace start to wash over her.When the dark-haired psionic instigates his attack, she feels it in her gut at the same time she hears the strange hum she now associates with dominos. She closes her eyes to get her bearings and make her decision. Her last hope to survive this hell they pitted her against. "I will not be broken."She reaches for the glimmer of power inside her and lets instinct take control.