Heather Self's Blog, page 9

Daemon Invasion 2.0

Y'all. Entangled is doing a super fun contest to celebrate the upcoming release of Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout. You know how much I love her and how much fun Daemon Invasion was over the summer, and now it's time to do it again! Click on the Opal cover to take you to the epicness so you can go see for yourself how awesome it is. And just so you know, Austin, Texas is gonna win!

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Jenny Plague-Bringer by J.L. Bryan

Jenny Plague-Bringer (The Paranormals #4) by J.L. Bryan
Expected Pub: 10/23/2012
*Cover by PhatPuppy Art ( http://phatpuppyart.com/ )*

Jenny has enjoyed a year of quiet seclusion, but her peace is about to be shattered by two new paranormals who are searching for her. Their intentions are unknown. The timing couldn’t be worse, because Jenny can’t use her pox without risking the life of the baby growing inside her…

Jenny Pox is FREE here:
FREE on: Amazon | Apple | Smashwords | Sony | $2.99 on Nook


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Bio:
J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on English Renaissance and Romantic literature. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Christina, dogs Violet and Tiger Lily, and cats Shadow and Sue.  Amazon US Author Profile  •  Amazon UK Author Profile
J.L. Bryan links:
WebsiteBlogTwitterFacebookGoodreads

Cover Reveal: Release by M. R. Merrick

Pretty cover reveal time yay!! If you haven't read any of the Protector series don't read the synopsis but you can still ogle the cover. Release umm...releases December 10th so you have time to catch up. So watcha think?

After uniting the shifters and calling in reinforcements, Chase has to face his toughest challenge yet: learning to control his emotions. But as tensions rise and his powers grow, controlling his emotions becomes the least of his problems.

Terrorized by a multi-shifter who is hell-bent on turning him, Chase questions just how far he’s willing to go to stop his father.  Meanwhile, Tiki’s virtuous nature has placed him in the middle of Vincent’s past, leaving Chase to oppose a senate of vampires and defend a demon he hates.

Trying to balance his friends, his enemies, and his inner demons, Chase is left searching for answers about the Mark, his destiny, and where he can find the next soul piece. Stopping Riley is his top priority, but as more obstacles arise, he finds himself doubting all the decisions he’s made - especially regarding Rayna.
One thing is for certain: Chase has finally realized that he doesn’t know anything. The light doesn’t always quell the darkness, the monsters don’t always stay in the shadows, and the past doesn’t always stay in the past - sometimes, the demons inside are the hardest to fight.
 

Links:M.R. Merrick | Goodreads | Exiled (Protector #1) | Shift (Protector #2)

Special Post: Stacey ONeale Book Piracy – An Insiders Perspective

I haven't done a post on piracy before because there are SO many out there from the author's perspective. My take: if you didn't buy it from a legit source, then you're stealing. Stacey published her take on it earlier this week on her blog about how piracy affects the READER. I loved it so much I asked if I could repost it here. Really cool info so check it out!

Many authors have expressed their feelings on the intellectual theft known as book piracy, but I’m going to try to take my post in a different direction.
Every action has a reaction as they say. What effects publishers and authors does also affect readers. Before you can understand the truth about piracy, you first have to understand publishing. I’m going to offer you a crash course on the basics.
When an author sells a book, the majority get paid an advance ranging from $0 – $100,000. Most authors fall somewhere in the lower end range of $0 – $25,000. Does that sound like a lot of money? Not if you consider it takes the average author six months to write a book and the majority only publish one book a year. Could you live off of $25,000 (and don’t forget about the taxes which reduce that amount roughly by 30%)? That means an author needs to make money on the back-end with royalties (a percentage of each book sold). Well, authors only get royalties after they’ve paid back their advance, and most don’t.  Perhaps now you can understand why every book sale is important to an author.
Still, I haven’t really talked about how this affects you, so let’s get into the down and dirty. With the poor economy and bookstore closures, publishers are limiting deals to non-celebrity authors. Instead of buying a planned series, in many cases, they buy the first book only and see what happens. So, if a book is downloaded several thousand times (which are pretty standard numbers), it could mean the publisher is never able to break even on the book. That means, they reject the rest of the series and you never get to see how it ends. A character you’ve grown to love and cheer for is now gone. Of course, the rest of the series could get picked up by another publisher, but who wants to invest in a failed series? Would you buy a broken bungee cord? Not likely.
But you reviewed the book you downloaded which draws attention to the book and author, right? That’s a sweet thought, but a million reviews won’t save a book that isn’t selling. It’s all about money people – it always is.
Now, why should you care how a publisher is affected? They’re all billion dollar companies making money hand-over-fist, right? Nope.
When a book is published, a publishing house has a number of expenses to pay beyond what the author gets to publish a book. They have to pay editors, publicists, book cover artists, and advertisers just to name a few. All of those expenses combined must be recouped for a book to be considered a success. That means every book published starts out in the red as a debt. Now, you’re probably thinking I haven’t mentioned sales to chains such as Barnes & Noble which would put us back in the green with a profit, right? Wrong. Any book that doesn’t sell in a bookstore, in most cases, can be returned to the publisher for a full refund. So, putting a book in a bookstore doesn’t mean it’s going to make a profit for a publisher/distributor.
So what happens when publishers don’t make money? Well, exactly what you’ve seen in the news which is massive layoffs and pay cuts. And do you think it’s the big executives feeling the pain? Nope, it’s the people like me and you just trying to get by; the average Joe’s. The employees lucky enough to keep their jobs are left overwhelmed with work because they have to keep their departments functioning even though they are now understaffed. Perhaps edits get rushed and the book isn’t as good as it could’ve been had they had more time to spend with an individual author. We’ll never know I suppose, but it is a possibility.
Are you still arguing the facts? Maybe you don’t see the difference between getting a book at the library and downloading for free. The difference is the libraries paid for those books. They get special government grants for this purpose. And, if you haven’t been to the library in a while, you should know they’ve come a long way. Now, you can look-up a book throughout your entire county versus one location. So, if one library has it, they will ship it to the location nearest you. Also, many have eBooks available for those with an e-reader. If you can’t afford to buy book, then I would suggest you give them a visit. The more you visit, the more grant money they get and more books for you! Sounds like a win-win to me.
Bottom line: Cheating the publishing industry hurts the reader. Also, it makes you into a jerk. Don’t be a jerk. Support the authors you love by buying their books, or if you can’t afford it, support your local library that supports those same authors.

Stacey O’Neale is a writer, book blogger, and a senior publicist with Entangled Publishing. She has participated in panels for Book Expo America and teaches courses through Savvy Authors. Beyond her websites and speaking engagements, you can find her on Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

Weekly Update!

#Amwriting
Don't forget about the art contest (info here). If you refer the winner (or a winner) of the contest and they tell me you sent them, I'm thinking you should get a prize too!
That's it y'all I gotta write!
Peace!~h

Cover Reveal: Losing It by Cora Carmack

I know I've mentioned it before but I LOVE cover reveals! This one is for the debut of New Adult author Cora Carmack. Check it all out then go follow her on twitter! Maybe she'll give us a tease or two if we tweet her nicely. ;)

Virginity.

Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible-- a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves her potential sexual partner alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She'd left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

I can't help but laugh over the awkwardness of this situation! Go add it to your TBR. Should be a fun read!




About the Author
Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She’s done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working at Target), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She loves theatre, travel, and anything that makes her laugh. She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, a New Adult Contemporary Romance called LOSING IT releases October 16th. Follow her on TWITTER and check out her BLOG

Guest Review--the Elder: The Childe by CA Kunz

For those of you who follow me on twitter you already know I call my kiddos the Elder and Younger. Carol and Adam were kind enough to gift the Elder with his first ever signed books--a copy of The Childe and Dark Days and I told him as a thank you he needed to write a review.  His take on The Childe is below!


Cat Colvin
Average Teenager?
Or Something Else Entirely?

Cat Colvin is pretty much your typical run-of-the-mill teenager. Sure, she’s taller than most girls, has a mane of fiery red hair that’s impossible to tame, is left-handed, and her eyes are two different colors, but that’s where the differences end... unless you include the minor detail of her slow transformation into a Childe. 

High school can definitely be challenging, and for Cat it’s no different. This is especially true when she’s faced with the daunting task of trying to hide her budding Childe traits as they begin to reveal themselves at the most inopportune times. To make matters worse, her family is oddly dead set against Ryan, the boy she grows to like. But everyone has their secrets: is Ryan really what he seems to be, and what is Cat’s family not telling her?

The Childe is the first book in this coming-of-age fantasy series which follows Cat's life through the twists and turns toward finding out whom and what she really is. Come and take the plunge with Cat into a world filled with mystery, biting humor, and the paranormal.

Hello! I'm "The Elder" and this is my book review for: The Childe. The Childe is about a teenage girl named Catherine "Cat" Colvin who experiences a transformation into a Childe. I've also read Dark Days but that's a review for another day. Her friends are Matt, Elle, Amanda, and Julie. None of her friends knows what a Childe is or that Cat is going through the transformation. I can't really explain what a Childe is because it's a spoiler. In time, three girls go missing. Two are from Cat's school, Astoria High. And the other is one of Cat's best friends. What happened to them I wonder? Well, you, the reader can find out once you read  The Childe. I really liked this book because it had to do with supernatural things. And I can't wait to find out what happens next when the third book, Wicked Darlings comes out. For all of you mystery, supernatural book lovers, READ  The Childe! Well... since I can't think of anything else, this is "The Elder" signing off!

Future book reviewer in the making. ;) Also, check out the newly released trailer of The Childe and stalk  the Kunz team on Facebook, Twitter, and their blog.

Cover Reveal and Contest Announcement: Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Oh my word, y'all, I am so excited to be a part of this cover reveal! The WHOLE interwebs will be blowing up with this thing because JLA is awesome and the Lux series is SUPER popular. So ogle the cover a bit then drop down to read the blurb and follow the link for an EPIC contest announcement. Epic.




No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & NobleFollow this link to an ~~~ EPIC CONTEST ~~~ Announcement. You will want to bookmark this page!http://jenniferarmentrout.blogspot.com/p/october-1-2012.html



 USA TODAY Bestselling author, Jennifer L. Armentrout, lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.
Find Jennifer on: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Blog

Art Contest!

This is a LOOOOOOONG post with lots of info so hang in to the end!

Ok. So here's the deal. I know there are some amazing artists out there (I am NOT one of them) who could draw this picture I've had in my head since i wrote the One.  What is this picture you ask? Well, if you haven't read the book it will be spoilery but you can still participate! So here it goes. Ready?

Draw Liam's and Kai's marks! What they would look like on each of their arms, so basically two  drawings. What? You haven't read it and have NO idea what I'm talking about? NO PROBLEM!! I will post excerpts from the book that gives the descriptions, as well as additional information about the marks from my currently under-performing noggin.

Oh! You'd like to know what I'm going to do with them? SWAG, BABY!! Particularly temporary tattoos, but it will probably end up on other stuff too (bags, tees, etc...) :)

By now you may be thinking this sounds cool, but drawing something well is a bit time consuming, is there something in it for me?

Well...DUH! I wouldn't ask you to put out this kind of effort and not have some fun goodies for you! As a matter of fact there will be goodies of varying awesome for THREE people.

Third Prizeecopy of the One (I can gift to someone else if you already own this)ecopy of Kieran's novella on release day
Second Prizeecopy of the Oneecopy of Kieran's novella on release dayJar of Lavender-Spearmint bath salts by: [image error] I have used and LOVE these bath salts!First PrizeSigned and personalized paperback copy of the OneNifty, foldable, magnetic bookmarks similar to these
eArc of Kieran's novellaJar of Lavender-Spearmint bath salts by: [image error]


Phew! That's a lot of stuff, y'all.Now to the rest of the questions:Who picks the winner?  I will since I can "see" the drawing in my head. :)What if no one comes close to the pic in your head?  Don't be so negative! I'm SURE someone will but if not...hmm...consolation prizes for all entries?How do I submit my drawing? Send as an attachment to authorheatherself @ gmail .com
When is the latest I can email it? Last day to email art is October 31st 11:59pm Central so you have LOTS of time.What format/size/dpi/etc...? Ok here is where my complete lack of graphics knowledge comes in. This is what I DO know: most companies want them at 300dpi  and CMYK "ready" whether it is a jpg, pdf, etc... I would need varying sizes depending on the swag ordered so let's say small, medium, and large. :)
What does Liam's Mark look like?"The symbol covered the muscular portion of his forearm*. It was slightly raised, and flesh colored**, almost like a brand. The design was a bevel-edged shield*** with the image of a Viking war hammer**** in the center. There were intricate designs, similar to Celtic eternity knots*****, which covered the hammer’s head and the handle, with the exception of one odd shaped smooth patch of skin in the middle of the handle. It was incredibly beautiful, and I couldn't help but reach out to touch it. I gently ran my fingertips from the top of the shield to the point and as I did his arm heated and the mark shimmered a luminous gold."   
Notes:*my forearm is approx 3" @ it's widest so let's assume Liam's is at least 5" wide** for contest purposes for both marks please make them gold, similar to this though black or "flesh" would also be acceptable if you're willing to work with me later for any changes.*** example 1, example 2**** example example 2***** lots of examples of different knots online, please DO NOT use the triquetrabold--Kai's mark would fit into this blank spot like a puzzle piece. Her mark COULD be as complicated as THIS or as simple as THIS

Ok. I think that's it. If you have questions please feel free to ask them on FB or in the comments. If you're wondering about it someone else probably is too so don't be afraid to ask it!
Oh last tiny, sorta legal, thing...by entering this contest you are giving permission for me to use the drawing as I see fit, be it posting online or using it in swag/merchandise/having it tattooed to my face. 
Hope that covers everything and THANK YOU!! I can't wait to see what you fabulous artists come up with!

Weekly Update

Happy hump day!! You know what that means...weekly update time!! *throws confetti* All right my lovely peeps here is what's happening:
This will be double post day because FINALLY the art contest info is going UP UP UP!! I found the jars I was looking for to put the bath salts in...oh wait, this is the wrong post for that. ;)
I'll be going mostly radio silent for the next couple of days so I can hammer out a good chunk of Kieran's novella. I would LIKE to have it out into the world before Thanksgiving, but don't hold me to that. But based on that date and when I get the cover it means beta readers would need to get the novella the beginning of October, hence the need for the radio silence. 
I am also writing the Key at the same time as the Kieran's Novella and so there may be teasers show up from that.
One more book related item--Liam will be paying a visit to Stuck in Books (I believe Friday) so look for that interview. He's such a good guy.
Finally, there is a new button on my sidebar (you may or may not have noticed). The button is for just love coffee and they are a great organization that let's adoptive parents set up "stores" in order to earn money to pay for the adoption. This button links to some good friends' store and y'all. The coffee is SO good, Sumatra is my FAV. So check out just love! Share it with someone else whose adopting! They're a really great organization and what's cooler than helping to bring a family together?
Peace!~h