Christina Bauer's Blog, page 33
July 27, 2020
Happy Book Birthday to CALLA
It’s July 28th – Happy Book Birthday to CALLA, Pixieland Diaries Book 2!
SEE IT ON: GooglePlay / AppleBooks / Nook / Amazon / Kobo
GOODIES AND GIVEAWAYS:
– Enter the raffle: https://tinyurl.com/win-win-win
– Meet the tour hosts: https://tinyurl.com/calla-hosts
– Making the covers: https://tinyurl.com/make-calla
– Read the reviews: https://tinyurl.com/calla-reviews
– Save on book 1: https://tinyurl.com/pixie-save
– Read a sample chapter: https://tinyurl.com/pixie-sample
DESCRIPTION:
Big news in Pixieland! The Blue Fairy is sending our fave pixie, Calla, and her crush, Dare, on a mini-quest. Unfortunately it’s an adventure that requires a lot of togetherness. We’re talking tons of touching, people.
Blue believes that since Calla and Dare are just friends, then this situation shouldn’t be awkward.
It’s totally awkward.
***A 45,000+ word diary written by Calla***
PIXIELAND DIARIES
1. Pixieland Diaries
2. Calla
3. Dare
4. Winter Prince
5. Ley Queen
The post Happy Book Birthday to CALLA appeared first on Monster House Books.
July 25, 2020
Making Of… The CALLA Cover
Dear Readers,
Folks have been asking how the CALLA cover came to be, so I thought I’d write a blog post about it. To create my covers, I work with a cover image artist to ‘frankenstein’ together different source images into a master cover pic. Click here to see a video of how that worked for my book, ECHO ACADEMY.
In the Pixieland Series, I found a super-talented artist called Majorgaine, an artist who specializes in fairies. Another super-gifted artist I work with is Ana Cruz, AKA the brilliant creator of all things Angelbound!!! You can check out Ana’s gorgeous work here!
Also: if you like Majorgaine’s work, I’ll be highlighting more of it during this week’s launch tour…
Step One. I fell I love with this image and the character of Calla was born!
Step Two. I worked with another artist, Tayana, to create the frame around PIXIELAND DIARIES (book 1.)
Step Three. I found another image I wanted to use for book 2, CALLA.
Step Four. The face didn’t match, so Tatyana suggested using a third image from Majorgaine.
Step Five. The combined image was then overlaid on the first cover.
Step Six. The new cover was born!
To Order CALLA: GooglePlay / AppleBooks / Nook / Amazon / Kobo
The post Making Of… The CALLA Cover appeared first on Monster House Books.
Meet The Tour Hosts For CALLA
CALLA (Pixieland Diaries Book 2)
By Christina Bauer
Ebook ISBN – 9781946677426
Print ISN – 9781946677440
See It On: GooglePlay / AppleBooks / Nook / Amazon / Kobo
Sample Chapters:
https://tinyurl.com/calla-sample
July 27th
–United Indie Book Blog >> Excerpt
–diary of a wannabe writer >> Review
–Rising Indies United >> Excerpt
–Writing in the Modern Age >> Excerpt
July 28th
–My Fiction Nook >> Excerpt
–BookHounds YA >> Guest post
July 29th
–Lynn’s Romance Enthusiasm >> Review
–Ilovebookandstuffblog >> Excerpt
–enchanted_book_pages >> Review
July 30th
–Kathy’s Book Reviews >> Excerpt
–Rockin’ Book Reviews >> Review
July 31st
–Incidental Inspiration >> Review
–Brooke Blogs >> Guest post
–breen.rb >> Review
—
August 3rd
–Jazzy Book Reviews >> Excerpt
–The Book Junkie Reads . . . >> Review
–Aubrey Wynne: Timeless Love >> Excerpt
August 4th
–Reading Authors Network >> Excerpt
–The Bouncing Tigger Reads >> Interview
August 5th
–The Author’s Harbor >> Guest post
–Two Ends of the Pen >> Interview
–Have Coffee Need Books >> Excerpt
-Nikipedia >> Review
August 6th
–Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author >> Excerpt
–Angel’s Guilty Pleasures >> Excerpt
–The Avid Reader >> Review
August 7th
–Read With Ekpo >> Review
–Books A-Brewin’ >> Excerpt
–Day Leitao >> Interview
–Book Butterfly in Dreamland >> Review
The post Meet The Tour Hosts For CALLA appeared first on Monster House Books.
July 15, 2020
Angelbound Origins Box Set is FREE
Dear Readers,
The Angelbound Origins Box Set (Books 1-3) is FREE for just a few days! It’s all to get folks prepped and ready for Angelbound Offspring #7, QUASI REDUX, which launches in September and will KICK ASS!
SEE IT ON: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Apple Books / Kobo / GooglePlay
Don’t miss out — Be sure to get your Kindle’s #1 free book today!
Christina
About The Angelbound Origins Box Set
Angels! Demons! Love! Snark! The first three books of the best-selling series are now in one ebook collection with extended editions…
ANGELBOUND (Book 1) – Extended Wedding Edition!
Myla Lewis is a girl who loves two things: kicking ass and kicking ass. She’s not your every day quasi-demon, part-demon and part-human, girl. Myla lives for the days she gets to fight in Purgatory’s Arena. That is, until she meets Prince Lincoln, a super-sexy half-human and half-angel demon hunter. But what’s a quasi-demon girl to do when she falls for a royal demon killer? With a love with fighting for, Myla’s about to shake up the after-realms.
SCALA (Book 2) – Extended Edition!
Myla Lewis has a whole lot of trouble. A magical object called Lucifer’s Orb is threatening millions of souls, and it’s Myla’s job to make it go away. Plus, an old enemy is plotting to separate Myla from her Angelbound love, Prince Lincoln. But Myla and Lincoln are fighting back. Can they stop the Orb, save Purgatory’s souls, and stay together… Or will both the after-realms and their relationship be destroyed?
ACCA (Book 3)
In just one week, supernatural warrior Myla Lewis must discover enough evidence to send the evil House of Acca to prison … or she’ll end up in jail herself, along with her fiancé. Time to kick some ass.
“I’m virtually speechless when it comes to these novels. I have not found an author that I adore the writing style of this much since Jennifer L. Armentrout. The world that Bauer creates is amazing.” – Brittany’s Book Reviews
Angelbound Origins
In which Myla Lewis kicks ass and takes names
1. Angelbound
2. Scala
3. Acca
4. Thrax
5. The Dark Lands
6. The Brutal Time
7. Armageddon
8. Quasi Redux
The post Angelbound Origins Box Set is FREE appeared first on Monster House Books.
July 14, 2020
Sample Chapters – CALLA
Dear Readers,
I’m so excited to more of Calla’s story with you! Scroll down to read the very first journal entries from CALLA (Pixieland Diaries #2).
The full book launches at the end of this month…
ORDER IT ON: GooglePlay / AppleBooks / Nook / Amazon / Kobo
Christina
Day Seventy-One
Dear Diary,
Today I drop some diabolic retaliation harmless prankster fun on my new royal subjects, the summer elves.
Trust me, they totally have it coming.
Why the revenge? Yesterday I held my first formal court as Queen of the Summer Realm. It should’ve been a bunch of long chats with all my elfy nobles.
Only no one showed up.
We are not amused.
Time to get tricksy.
Today marks my second formal court… as well as my mega payback prank. While I write this, I sit upon a throne of red flowers. The shade goes perfectly with my pink hair, matching wings and violet eyes. And let’s not forget my ermine cloak; it adds a splash of white to the look. Clutch.
Yet appearances come second to my dazzling plan for the morning. Although my subjects been avoiding me for weeks, that will end once the court doors reopen in just a few minutes.
I’ve so got this.
Sighing, I soak in the beauty of this moment. A huge atrium towers around me. Sunlight pours in through the open ceiling. The walls and tiles are painted gold. A pile of tiny purple bags sit in the middle of the floor.
Hello, elf bait.
Those packets hold fairy dust, which is powerful magic that any fae wants. My prank lies in how these bags also contain… wait for it… a freezing spell. Grab one and you can’t leave the room until I say so.
My scheme is so brilliant, I can’t stand it.
There will also be plenty of witnesses for my glorious success. My parents, Poppa and Muti, wait nearby. So does my best friend and major crush, Prince Dare of the Winter Elves. Let’s not forget my buddy Bilge, the hobgoblin, and his piggy familiar, Oinky. Two summer elf guards—I call them Blond and Blonder—hang out by the back wall.
Speaking of the guards, they look expectantly in my direction. The moment has come to set aside my journal—it magically shrinks into a locket that hangs about my neck—and get ready for the fun to begin.
Prank on.
– Calla
Day Seventy-One And A Half
Dear Diary,
When we last left my life, I was about to launch my tricky revenge on the snotty elves who’ve been avoiding me begin a lighthearted prank in order to chat with my standoffish subjects.
My guards wait by the golden doors to my court chamber.
This is happening.
“Let’s begin,” I command.
Moving in unison, the guards open the doors wide. “Hear ye! Hear ye! Queen Calla now holds her second formal court. All noble elves may enter and be heard.”
I cup my hand by my mouth. “Guys, you’re forgetting the best part.” I gesture to the mountain of tiny silk bags that sit in the center of the floor.
“Right,” say the guards in unison. “Free bags of fairy dust!”
Staring at the opened doors, I brace myself for the onslaught. Any second now, a horde of elves will rush into this room, only to get caught like so many little spiders in my royal web.
Yet no one walks in.
I wait some more.
Still nothing.
Minutes go by.
Nada in the visitor category.
Hours slowly tick past.
And wouldn’t you know it? Not one summer elf shows up.
In my fist, I hold the Scepter of Summer, a golden stick that packs all my queenly magic. I call him Sammy because that’s how I roll. Next I lift the scepter, a movement that should inspire awe in my subjects and friends.
That doesn’t exactly happen.
Instead of gasping in amazement, Blond and Blonder screech in terror as they run away. The main doors close behind them with a deafening slam. I’d be surprised, but my guards do this every time I crack out Sammy. Who cares that whenever I wield my scepter, I blow a few little things up? Sammy and I will fall into a groove eventually. Maybe.
From here, things get worse.
My parents—along with Bilge and Oinky—race to hide behind my throne. This isn’t the first time they’ve done a duck and cover move from my spellwork, either.
Dare saunters closer. Now I can enjoy one of my favorite views: the Prince of the Winter Elves. Dare is muscly and tall with strong bone structure and longish hair. Like always, he wears black body armor and a fur cloak.
“What magic will you cast with your scepter?” asks Dare.
“Another summoning spell.” I don’t need to explain why I’m casting this, either. You can’t rule subjects that you never meet.
Dare pulls his brows together. “You’ve tried that one before.”
“Only four hundred times. Something keeps blocking my magic. Maybe attempt number four-oh-one will be my lucky number.”
Dare nods. “Just point Sammy upward.”
“Good idea.”
This room wasn’t always an atrium; it used to have a ceiling. During my tenth attempt to summon my elves, I somehow blew off the roof. It’s an improvement, in my opinion. More air.
In any case, this next summoning spell will be the ticket. No question about it. I tighten my grip on Sammy.
“Here goes,” I announce. My cheering section from behind the throne goes into action.
“We’ve always loved you,” says Muti.
“Don’t kill yourself,” adds Poppa. “Or us.”
“I brewed extra healing potion, just in case,” offers Bilge. Oinky snuffles his agreement.
“Thanks, guys.” What else can I say? They mean well.
I lift my arm. Tendrils of golden light whirl about the top of the scepter. “I do hereby command thee, Sammy the Scepter—”
Suddenly, Sammy melts into liquid gold on my palm. From there, he drips to the floor, reforms as a ball and proceeds to bounce around the room.
Not again.
Little click-clack noises sound as Oinky runs out from behind my throne to chase Sammy around the chamber.
I slump back onto my seat. Which isn’t a good idea, considering how the thing’s made from prickly roses. “I don’t get it,” I moan. “Sammy worked great the first day I wielded him. Remember how I blew up all the bad people at Lotti the Snotty Potty’s Big Fat Fake Wedding? That was awesome.”
Dare nods. “It was.” And he should know. Dare’s body double was about to marry the Snotty Potty in question.
“And there’s more,” I continue. “I even rebuilt the Summer Palace after the wedding, easy peasy. But now Sammy’s being a DISOBEDIENT LITTLE CREEP!”
I have to yell that last bit because Sammy and Oinky are now bouncing around the far side of the room. For his part, Sammy pauses in mid-air, spins around, and then keeps right on bouncing.
Smart ass.
Blond and Blonder burst back into the chamber, see Sammy and Oinky, scream in terror, and then run in my direction. The guards land in a slide before my throne. I’d be shocked, but Blond and Blonder do stuff like this whenever Sammy’s bouncing around.
“A message, your Majesty.” Blond holds up a large envelope that’s perched atop a golden pillow.
“Thanks.” I hold up my hands. “Toss it here.”
At this point, there’s supposed to be some formal falderal where the guards step up to my throne, say a little speech, and then hand over any official message. So annoying. Earlier today, I issued the Royal Decree Of High Velocity Mail Delivery. Now they can just toss things at me.
Blond chucks the envelope at my face. Catching it, I tear open the message. Boo. A repeat. This exact same note has been sent to yours truly at least ten times.
Oh Queen Calla,
You are hereby invited to visit me at my palace in the Winter Lands. I have information to assist your reign.
– The Gargoyle King
I offer the letter to Dare, who scans the contents. “I can’t believe he’s still at it,” says the prince.
Dare knows everyone in his territory. According to the prince, some gargoyles do live in the Eidolon Mountains. They never had a king, though.
“With your permission,” says Dare, “I’ll take this back to my court. Perhaps my mages will find some way to detect the author.”
“Sure. Have fun.”
Dare slips the envelope into the folds of his cloak. The Mages of the Winter Court have been casting spells to detect the Gargoyle King for days. Nothing has worked yet.
All of which is really beside the point. Writing a diary means being totally honest.
So here goes.
Today’s Fairy Dust Prank was a total failure.
My subjects are still avoiding me. As in, the palace hallways are forever empty. People leave food at my door and run. It’s unacceptable.
“Sammy!” I call. “Get back here! It’s time to cast another summoning spell on my court.”
My only reply is more boinging around the room.
I slump even lower in my seat, a movement which makes the rose prickles dig deeper into my butt cheeks. Maybe it’s that Sammy always drains my energy, but I can’t find it in me to care about a perforated behind right now.
Bilge tiptoes out from behind the throne. He’s a squat green hobgoblin with a bald head, tiny eyes and pointy ears. Normally, tusks jut out from his lower lip. Not now, though. Bilge’s tusks just molted. As a result, my hobgoblin friend thinks he’s a sexy creature. In fact, when Bilge talks these days, it’s like he’s a human DJ on a racy radio program. I constantly imagine saxophone solos going on behind him.
“I know why the summer elves avoid it,” says Bilge.
“Tell me,” I declare. “Can’t wait.”
Which is a total fib. We’ve already had this why everyone avoids Calla conversation multiple times today. I could live without another repeat.
“Perhaps the summer elves avoid any faeling,” offers Bilge.
I shrug. “That might explain things.”
For years, everyone thought I was a faeling, and that includes me. Faelings are human babies who soak in enough magic to become a pixie or whatever. It’s not exactly the height of cool in Faerie.
Poppa and Muti fly out from behind my throne. They’re tree sprites with crinkly faces, long gray hair and short white robes. Their little wings flap in a steady rhythm. It might be weird to call someone of ankle-height your parents, but I got used to it ages ago.
“Bilge is wrong,” says Muti.
“How so?” I ask.
“The problem are your pranks,” adds Poppa. “You’re not evil enough. Offering packets of faerie dust is just too nice.”
This is an ongoing theme with my parents. Calla is overly kind.
“I’ll work on being mean,” I offer. My parents exhale with relief. I turn to Dare. “What do you think?”
Dare gives me the side-eye. He only participated in the why everyone avoids Calla conversation once. His theory is simple: Sammy scares people. And the sneaky prince doesn’t have to repeat that; I know what he’s thinking.
So I shoot him the side-eye right back. “You’re wrong.”
Dare winks. “I didn’t say a word.”
“The problem is not Sammy. My scepter is awesome.”
“Yet when you use it, the scepter tires you.”
“Only a little.”
Actually, a lot. As a matter of fact, just lifting Sammy earlier today was a total energy suck. Not that I’ll admit this to Dare.
“Here’s what’s important,” I declare. “Someone’s magically protecting my court from summons to my wonderful presence. Who? Why?”
Dare keeps working his side-eye. I can almost hear his voice in my head. There’s one answer to your many questions: It’s all Sammy’s fault.
Sadly, in this case, Dare may be right. Partially.
“I suppose it could be Sammy… just a little.” An idea hits me. “I’ve got it! I’ll practice wielding Sammy and show everyone what a great team we are.”
Blond and Blonder race for the doors. “Run for your lives! The incompetent queen is about to kill us all!”
I really wish I could fire them, but they’re the only two who enter my presence.
The guards aren’t alone in getting spooked, either. Poppa and Muti flit away at double speed. “See you later, honey.” They make a beeline out the missing ceiling.
“Oinky and I must also leave,” announces Bilge. “It will draw my portrait while I’m gone.”
Bilge pulls a small vial from his pocket and drops it onto the floor. Matching puffs of red smoke appear around him and his pig. When the mist clears, those two have also vanished. Bilge is a potions master, so the puff and go is his version of an emergency exit.
I roll my eyes. “There was no need for everyone to run off. I didn’t say I’d test things out right now.”
“What was that about Bilge and a portrait?” asks Dare.
“Bilge wants to get a girlfriend before his tusks regrow. I said I’d draw him in his less toothy state. He needs it for some kind of dating exchange thing. I try not to ask too many questions.”
“Indeed.” Dare grins. “When do you plan to practice your spell work?”
“First thing tomorrow. The Buttercup Forest.”
“See you then.”
Dare lifts a wand from under his fur cloak. It’s a gift from my mother, the Ley Queen, and it helps Dare transport back and forth between the Summer and Winter realms. He waves his wand. Blue magic surrounds him.
One second, there’s Dare. The next, I’m alone. Unless you count Sammy, who still bounces up a storm.
Honestly, who could find him scary?
I decide to spend the evening in the royal library. Sure, I’ve checked the place a dozen times, but there must be a book somewhere about wielding my scepter. Maybe it got stored on the wrong shelf.
And if that doesn’t work? I’ll try something else. I simply won’t give up until I figure this thing out.
After all, that’s what it means to be queen.
– Calla
Day Seventy-Three
Dear Diary,
Today was my first official test with Sammy the Scepter. I might have melted the Buttercup Forest.
Oops.
– Calla
Day Seventy-Four
Dear Diary,
Second day of scepter testing. I got the Buttercup Forest back. All the trees can now talk. They keep saying how I suck at being queen.
Stupid trees.
– Calla
Day Seventy-Five
Dear Diary,
Day three of testing. Sammy was a pain in my pixie neck today. I spent all morning chasing his little bouncing butt all over the palace. Didn’t cast one spell.
There must another way to find out what’s wrong with my subjects.
And it needs to include a good prank.
– Calla
CALLA launches on July 28, 2020…
ORDER IT ON: GooglePlay / AppleBooks / Nook / Amazon / Kobo
The post Sample Chapters – CALLA appeared first on Monster House Books.
July 9, 2020
Enter The KAPS Raffle!
Don’t miss the awesome raffle for the launch of KAPS (Angelbound Offspring #5)!!! It’s a story of dragons, vampires and Nazis… what’s not to love?
ORDER KAPS ON: Amazon / Googleplay / Apple Books / Kobo / Nook
Enter clicking here: https://tinyurl.com/win-our-bling
The post Enter The KAPS Raffle! appeared first on Monster House Books.
July 8, 2020
KAPS – My Fave Lines!
Here are some of my favorite lines from my newest release, KAPS (Angelbound Offspring #5)!!! It’s a story of dragons, vampires and Nazis… what’s not to love?
ORDER KAPS ON: Amazon / Googleplay / Apple Books / Kobo / Nook
Did you miss it when I posted chapter one of KAPS? Check it out here!
ORDER KAPS ON: Amazon / Googleplay / Apple Books / Kobo / Nook
The post KAPS – My Fave Lines! appeared first on Monster House Books.
July 7, 2020
Early Reviews Are In For KAPS!
Early reviews are in for my newest release, KAPS (Angelbound Offspring #5)!!! It’s a story of dragons, vampires and Nazis… what’s not to love?
ORDER KAPS ON: Amazon / Googleplay / Apple Books / Kobo / Nook
Did you miss it when I posted chapter one of KAPS? Check it out here!
ORDER KAPS ON: Amazon / Googleplay / Apple Books / Kobo / Nook
The post Early Reviews Are In For KAPS! appeared first on Monster House Books.
July 6, 2020
Happy Book Birthday to KAPS!
SEE IT ON: Amazon / Googleplay / Apple Books / Kobo / Nook
Today marks the launch tour for KAPS (Angelbound Offspring Book #5)!!!
My new book tells the REAL story of the dragon shifter Kaps, who’s a secret badass that finds magical relics and fights vampire nazis. What’s not to love?
Tour Goodies Include…
Sample Chapters. Choose from Chapter One and an excerpt with Myla Lewis
Blogs. Meet the tour hosts
Savings. Get RHODES, book #4, for only 99 cents
Quotes. Check out my fave lines from the book
Reviews. What are bloggers saying about KAPS?
Winnings! Enter the launch raffle
About KAPS
Sometimes, you just have to punch a shape-shifting vampire Nazi. Like tonight, for instance.
Meet Princess Kaps: renegade, dragon shifter, and general pain in her royal parent’s backsides. Although Kaps pretends to love rock and roll, she’s actually obsessed with fighting the Audax, a group of shape-shifting vampire Nazis. And to slay herself some vampires, Kaps collects magical dragon relics.
Enter the L’Griffe–AKA the shifter mafia—who also hunt down supernatural artifacts. Kaps gets in their way and ends up with a price on her head. And things get tricky.
A bounty hunter named Mack comes to collect. Although he’s human, Mack knows all about shifter ways. And what he lacks in shifting power he more than makes up for with a lethal combination of looks, strength, and smarts. After luring the princess away with an epic kiss, Mack slaps some supernatural handcuffs on Kaps, tosses her in a van, and heads off to L’Griffe headquarters with his quarry.
The fact that Kaps is really dragon royalty doesn’t bother Mack in the slightest. And the Audax don’t frighten him, either.
But that kiss with Kaps? It might be a problem.
“I am super intrigued by Kaps! She is independent, snarky and adventurous, and just a hint jaded. I can’t wait to see what terrible mischief she finds herself in during her own book!” – Smada’s Book Smack
Angelbound Offspring
1. Maxon
2. Portia
3. Zinnia
4. Rhodes
5. Kaps
6. Huntress
SEE IT ON: Amazon / Googleplay / Apple Books / Kobo / Nook
SEE IT ON: Amazon / Googleplay / Apple Books / Kobo / Nook
The post Happy Book Birthday to KAPS! appeared first on Monster House Books.
July 5, 2020
SAVINGS ALERT: Angelbound Rhodes
To celebrate the launch of KAPS (book 5 in the Angelbound Offspring series), Book 4 RHODES is on sale for just 99 cents… which marks the first time this title has EVER been marked down this low. Dang.
Get Rhodes on: Amazon / Nook / Kobo / Apple / Googleplay
Rhodes
Book 4, Angelbound Offspring
Print ISBN 9781946677341
eBook ISBN 9781946677334
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Apple Books / GooglePlay
As dragon shifters, Rhodes and Zinnia should never have fallen in love. Why? Zin’s a princess while Rhodes is only the hired help. If the pair remain in the dragon realm, then age-old prejudices might tear them apart.
But returning to Earth isn’t any better. In the human world, Rhodes and Zin are a musical sensation … and fame’s an even bigger relationship killer. Not to mention the fact that their old nemesis, Killian, keeps hatching evil plots against them. Bottom line? Rhodes has huge decisions to make, both for himself and Zin.
Sadly, it isn’t clear what path—if any—will end with Rhodes and his love having a future together.
***The epic conclusion to the story of Rhodes and Zinnia! 30,000+ words***
The post SAVINGS ALERT: Angelbound Rhodes appeared first on Monster House Books.
