Constance Phillips's Blog, page 18
December 16, 2014
Cover Reveals: The Sunnydale Days Series
A few months ago I announced that All That Unspoken would have follow up books coming from Turquoise Morning Press in January and February of 2015. Today I got the covers to book two and three, along with an updated cover for book one. Here’s a peek:
Stay tuned for more information about these books. They will be added to the book pages soon, and you can check out their inspiration boards on Pinterest.
December 11, 2014
What I Watched/My Newest Obsession: Dogs of War
Usual Disclaimer: What I watched is and on again, off again feature in which I discuss the writing lessons I learned watching a particular television show or movie. It is not my intent to reveal spoilers in these posts, but sometimes it is necessary to talk about the lesson learned. All spoilers will be clearly marked.
This is not a typical installment of “What I Watched.”
As the says, I usually use this space to talk about how something I watched on TV or the big screen has taught me about what or how I write. This show didn’t really hone my writing skills (Well, unless you count the fact I know want to write a story where the hero has a service dog.
For the most part, last Sunday night was pretty business-as-usual. Except, it seemed, none of our normal programs were on TV. The hubby and I had retired sort of early and he’d long since fallen asleep, but I was still awake. Playing games on my cell phone, trying to quiet my mind–which was wrapped up in the plot line of a book I’ve been working on.
I couldn’t even tell you what show he had the TV tuned into when he drifted off to sleep, but the show after quickly caught my attention.
Phone returned to the nightstand, my focus on the TV, with my arm draped over our snuggle-bug Old English Bulldogge, I watched the documentary style program–Dogs Of War–about the group Paws and Stripes that helps veterans with PTSD, by pairing them with shelter dogs, and helping them both through the process of training the dogs to be service dogs.
Part way through the show, hubby stirred and reached for the remote.
“Don’t touch that. I’m watching this.”
He watched with me for about fifteen minutes, trying to get caught up, but then drifted off to sleep.
But not me. I watched the complete episode, learning about half-way through it was a season finale. (How had I not heard of this show before the finale?)
Watching this show had confirmed for me what a dog can do for any human soul. (Yeah, look around my house and my four pooches.) Knowing that there were people out there pairing shelter dogs with vets, just melted my heart. What a wonderful concept.
What a simple, but wonderful concept.
So, the show worked its way into my psyche, and now I’m obsessed. I watched the previous four episodes on demand. I’ve scoured youtube, looking for out take clips. And spent far too much time do web searches, trying to find out if there will be a season two…or more episodes, any way I can get them.
If you haven’t seen this show. Check your On Demand (It’s on A&E). Or go to the website linked above. You can stream them there. It’s a must see.
Oh…and if you’re someone who is in the know. Please, Please, tell me I will be getting a fix of new episodes soon!
December 9, 2014
Maer Wilson Asks What Magical Creature Are You. Portals Released.
We’ve all seen these different tests of what kind of this or that are you, right? What would your profession be in ancient times? What color is your aura? You know – the ones prevalent all over the net.
I’m addicted to these tests. They’re fun and a delightful way to waste time.
So what does this have to do with my book? Well, my Modern Magics series is about what happens when magic returns to Earth. In Relics, elves, fairies, goblins, trolls – all the mythical creatures return to our world. In Portals, we see our intrepid heroes, Thulu and La Fi, go off-world to help another race. They come home to some unsettling events, as magic itself become more prevalent.
So what if magic really did come back? And what if you could turn into one of the creatures of magic? Which one would you become? There’s a fun way to find out.
Here’s the link to a Buzzfeed test: Which Mythical Creature Are You? If you want to play, just take the test and post your results below in the comments section. I was a Phoenix, by the way. J
And if you’d like to earn more points to win a Kindle in the Giveaway, simply choose the “Leave a Blog Comment” option and answer the question: “Would you like it if the creatures of myth and magic really did return to Earth?”
Happy Reading!
Portals
For supernatural detectives Thulu and La Fi, “normal” is a relative term. La Fi is a medium, Thulu is a finder, and their usual clients are already dead.
But when their friend Reo is shot, and a group of stranded angels shows up at their house for help finding a missing child, things are striking too close to home.
And the portals that let the magical races return to Earth are opening on their own.
With trips off-world, a kidnapped psychic and changes to their own abilities, Thulu and La Fi are hit with a lot more than they usually handle. Of course, their magical friends are there to help, but even they may not be enough to save an increasingly unstable Earth.
Portals is the cross genre (Sci Fi/Urban Fantasy) sequel to Relics and is Book 2 in the Modern Magics series.
Portals can be found at these retailers:
Amazon – Kindle | Amazon – Paperback
Barnes & Noble – Nook | iTunes
Read on for more and to enter the giveaway. Grand Prize is a Kindle…
Maer Wilson
After a successful career being other people, and later teaching others the many tricks of that trade, Maer Wilson has decided to be herself for a while. Turns out she’s a writer. She’s always loved stories, especially fantasy, mystery and sci fi. Maer was born in the Year of the Dragon and has a dragon-themed room in her home, but sadly no dragons in the back yard. When she’s not writing, Maer plays online video games, teaches college and reads. Maer is a partner in Ellysian Press, a small publishing house. She also co-hosts the literary podcast MythBehaving. Maer lives in the high desert of Southern Nevada with her three dogs, a chihuahua and two poodles.
Her books include Relics and Portals, Books 1 and 2 in the Modern Magics series. The upcoming third book in the series is Magics. There are also three novelettes in the series – “Ghost Memory,” “Unwanted Ghost” and “Ghost Dancer.” A fourth story, “Wedding Ghost” is also planned. You can find all books and novelettes in the Modern Magics series at Amazon.
For more info, you can visit Maer’s website at http://maerwilson.com/.
You can find Maer at these links:
Maer’s Website | Amazon | Facebook
Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest
Giveaway
This Giveaway is open internationally
Must be 13+ to enter
PRIZES
GRAND PRIZE – Kindle w/ Touchscreen Display – *USA Residents only*
1 Winner – ecopy of RELICS
1 Winner – eCopy of PORTALS
2 Winners – ecopies of the Modern Magics Novelettes – “Ghost Memory,” “Unwanted Ghost,” and “Ghost Dancer”
This tour is brought to you by
Please check out the other hosts on the tour for more chances to enter the Giveaway!
12/09/2014 http://abookaddictsdelight.tumblr.com
12/09/2014 http://victoriasimcox.blogspot.com/
12/09/2014 http://anightsdreamofbooks.blogspot.com/
12/09/2014 http://momwithakindle.blogspot.com
12/09/2014 http://www.mmbearcupoftea.com
12/09/2014 http://www.constancephillips.com/blog
12/10/2014 http://2ndbooktotheright.blogspot.com
12/10/2014 http://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/
12/11/2014 http://susan-thebookbag.blogspot.com/
12/11/2014 http://ddevor.weebly.com
12/11/2014 http://jodyakessler.com/jody-a-kessler/
12/12/2014 http://dream-reader-dreamer2229.blogspot.com/
12/12/2014 http://piecesofwhimsy.blogspot.com.au/
12/13/2014 http://sallyawolfreads.blogspot.ca/
12/13/2014 http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/
November 26, 2014
Books for Black Friday. Crescent Moon Press e-Catalog .99
Beginning Black Friday — Nov. 28 — and running to January 1, 2015, you can get all of the Crescent Moon Press e-books for .99 each. This is a great time to feed you hungry kindle and grow you To be read pile with some great books.
Included in this sale are my books Fairyroof (recently released in Audio) and Resurrecting Harry.
There is a Huge Black Friday .99 Kindle SALE! Check out some of these great authors below and don’t forget to enter the rafflecopter for your chance to win lots of fun stuff!
The sale runs from Black Friday to New Years, so lots of time to buy LOTS AND LOTS OF FABULOUS BOOKS published by Crescent Moon Press!
Don’t forget to check out the rafflecopter — below the list of participating authors — Starting Friday you will have multiple ways to enter to win one of three great prize packs!
Caden’s Fate, by Kate McKeever
Fairyproof, by Constance Phillips
Resurrecting Harry, by Constance Phillips
Speak of the Devil, by Shawna Romkey
The Devil Made Me Do It, by Shawna Romkey
What Gifts She Carried, by Lindsey Loucks
The Grave Winner, by Lindsey Loucks
Violet Midnight, by Lynn Rush
Violet Dawn, by Lynn Rush
Violet Storm, by Lynn Rush
Wasteland, by Lynn Rush
Awaited, by Lynn Rush
Tainted, by Lynn Rush
Prelude to Darkness, by Lynn Rush
Son of a Mermaid, by Katie O’Sullivan
Blood of a Mermaid, by Katie O’Sullivan
Wanted: One Ghost, by Loni Lynne
Ruined, by Kinley Baker
Denied, by Kinley Baker
Endured, by Kinley Baker
Gemini Rising, by Louann Carroll
A Shadow of Time, by Louann Carroll
Dakota Capitve, by Alythia Brown
Sorrow’s Point, by Danielle DeVor
Sorrow’s Edge, by Danielle DeVor
Red, by Reese Reed
The Memory Witch, by Heather Topham Wood
Not Your Average Fairy Tale, by Chantele Sedgwick
Not Your Average Happy Ending, Chantele Sedgwick
A Stiff Kiss, by Avery Olive
Won’t Let Go, by Avery Olive
Idyllic Avenue, by Chad Ganske
Rift Healer, by Diane M Haynes
Still Hunt, by Diane M Haynes
First Contact, by Kat Green
Citizens of Logan Pond: Life, by Rebecca Belliston
Irons in the Fire, by Penelope Marzec
The Company You Keep, by Penelope Marzec
Kiss of Blarney, by Penelope Marzec
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 25, 2014
Fairyproof – Out in Audio
When Monique finds out her brother, Kieran, is planning her future with the one fairy she wants nothing to do with, she seeks refuge in the human world. Now Kieran fears she will be the next victim in a string of murdered fairies and is determined to bring her home.
Hiding should be a breeze. She can control any human with a flirtatious smile and an attraction spell. Until she meets Daniel Elliot, the only human who’s immune to both.
A year ago, Daniel’s fiancée disappeared with the engagement ring, an Elliot family heirloom. He’s ready to move forward with his life, but his mother’s obsession with retrieving the ring makes that impossible. Then Monique walks into his office to apply for a job.
Daniel and Monique can’t deny their attraction, but will the reason he’s Fairyproof be too much to overcome?
Two newsletter subscribers will win a copy of the audio book. The second chance to enter the contest via the newsletter will be coming this week.
You can subscribe to the newsletter here.
Take a listen:
http://constancephillips.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Fairyproof-Five-Minute-Sample.mp3
November 24, 2014
My NaNoWriMo Draft: Your Fast Draft, My Discovery Draft
November is for writers. Or writing. Or it has been for me since 2008–the first year I heard about NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), tried to do it, and completed the goal of writing 50,000 words in 30 days.
I’ve attempted it most years since. Some I’ve won. On others, I came close. Still, on others, I quit by the end of the first week.
One thing became clear to me. November is the crappiest month to try to do something huge.
Most of us have family obligations around the holidays. Some of us even are the hosts of those events, cooking large meals–and then cleaning up after them. (Then there’s this someone who is doing that times two this week.)
Throw in everyday life’s normal complications, and you find yourself asking “Who has time to write a couple thousand words every day for a month?”
Well, I decided this year that person had to me. And I took some extra steps, joining a Savvy Authors Boot Camp to help keep me focused and on track. THIS was the best move I’ve made. Not only has my “team” kept me focused and on track, (Seriously, the #sistersofromance are the absolute best gals!) but because I owed it to my team, I didn’t quit when some old NaNo demons came to haunt me.
Some may think NaNo is made for pantsers like me, but I remembered toward the end of week one, why it’s not. It’s a plotters dream.
Why?
Because the story I am writing as I begin week four, doesn’t even resemble the story I was starting to write day one.
The story I had written a synopsis for. The story I had “pretended” I was a plotter for and even made out some pivotal scene cards to keep me on track.
The story I knew didn’t have enough conflict and was hoping would sort itself out as I write.
By week two, I wasn’t even glancing at that premade synopsis anymore. I knew it was useless.
By week three, I was making some notes so that when the bell goes off on November 30, I can sort this out throw out some useless scenes and streamline others.
Because, as every NaNo’er knows. If November is for writing, then December (and maybe January) is for editing.
November 12, 2014
Guest Post: Maer Wilson on Relics and Magic
Why Magic?
The major theme in the Modern Magics series is magic…of course. The books deal with magic coming back to Earth. In Relics, it’s in the form of actual magical beings: elves, goblins, fairies, daemons, angels, to name just a few. And none of them are who or what they seem. Be prepared to throw out the conventional take on these mythical beings because I took the normal as a base and then twisted it.
And in the series, it’s not just a privileged few who know about magic. The creatures of myth return so the entire world sees them. Sort of magic meets alien visitation on a planetary scale.
I once had a student ask me if I believed in the things I wrote about: ghosts, magic, etc. He got quite upset when I said no, and rather sternly asked how I could write about such things then.
The answer is simple. They’re fun! I can put in such things as a ghost dog following our hero and heroine home, only to be adopted by two ghost kids.
I can write about a tiny fairy, who is one of the mostly deadly warriors in the series, but has a penchant for red nail polish and gets tipsy on tapioca pearls.
I can add in an eight thousand year old daemon who is a stone-cold killer, but who is also charming and has a fascination with humans. Possessing the body of one Tyler Jones, he is also one of the most popular characters among readers.
Magic allows me to take the ordinary world and make it into something else. It lets me play pretend on a grand scale and create imaginary friends who whisper their secrets in my ear. Magic takes the mundane and makes it spectacular. Why magic? I guess the real question is: Why not? 
About the Book
Most of Thulu and La Fi’s clients are dead. Which is perfect since their detective agency caters to the supernatural. But a simple job finding a lost locket leads to a big case tracking relics for an ancient daemon.
The daemon needs the relics to keep a dangerous portal closed. His enemy, Gabriel, wants the relics to open the portal and give his people access to a new feeding ground – Earth.
Caught on live TV, other portals begin to open and the creatures of magic return to Earth. The people of Earth are not alone, but will soon wish they were.
When Gabriel threatens their family, Thulu and La Fi’s search becomes personal. The couple will need powerful help in the race to find the relics before Gabriel does. But maybe that’s what ghostly friends, magical allies and daemonic clients are for.
When the creatures of myth and magic return to Earth, they’re nothing like your mother’s fairy tales.
You can buy RELICS at these retailers:
Amazon – Kindle | Amazon – Paperback | Barnes & Noble – Nook
About the Author
After a successful career being other people, and later teaching others the many tricks of that trade, Maer Wilson has decided to be herself for a while. Turns out she’s a writer. She’s always loved stories, especially fantasy, mystery and sci fi. Maer was born in the Year of the Dragon and has a dragon-themed room in her home, but sadly no dragons in the back yard. When she’s not writing, Maer plays online video games, teaches college and reads. Maer is a partner in Ellysian Press, a small publishing house. She also co-hosts the literary podcast MythBehaving. Maer lives in the high desert of Southern Nevada with her three dogs, a chihuahua and two poodles.
Her books include Relics and Portals, Books 1 and 2 in the Modern Magics series. The upcoming third book in the series is Magics. There are also three novelettes in the series – “Ghost Memory,” “Unwanted Ghost” and “Ghost Dancer.” A fourth story, “Wedding Ghost” is also planned. You can find all books and novelettes in the Modern Magics series at Amazon.
For more info, you can visit Maer’s website.
You can find Maer Wilson at these links:
Maer’s Website | Maer on Amazon | Maer on Facebook | Maer on Twitter | Maer at Goodreads | Maer at Pinterest
Giveaway:
This Giveaway is open internationally
Must be 13+ to enter
PRIZES
2 Winners – ecopy of RELICS
1 Winner – $5 Amazon Gift Card
1 Winner – $10 Amazon Gift Card
2 Winners – eCopies of the Modern Magics Novelettes – “Ghost Memory,” “Unwanted Ghost,” and “Ghost Dancer”
Please check out the other hosts on the tour for chances to enter the Giveaway!
11/10/2014 http://thesaucyreviewer.wordpress.com/
11/10/2014 http://2ndbooktotheright.blogspot.com/
11/10/2014 http://cubicleblindness.com
11/10/2014 http://sallyawolfreads.blogspot.com/
11/10/2014 http://victoriasimcox.blogspot.com/
11/10/2014 http://carolhollandmarch.com/
11/11/2014 http://danielledevor.wordpress.com
11/11/2014 http://piecesofwhimsy.blogspot.com.au/
11/12/2014 http://booksauthorsandpublishing411.com/
11/12/2014 http://www.kirstinpulioff.com
11/12/2014 http://pratr.wordpress.com/
11/12/2014 http://www.weigandchris.com
11/12/2014 http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com
11/12/2014 http://councilofpeacocks.blogspot.ca/
11/13/2014 http://anightsdreamofbooks.blogspot.com/
11/13/2014 http://theshadowportal.blogspot.com/
11/13/2014 http://www.lindseyrloucks.com/my-blog
11/13/2014 http://jodyakessler.com/jody-a-kessler/
11/14/2014 http://dennaholm.wordpress.com
11/14/2014 http://cindyyoungturner.com/
11/14/2014 http://dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/
