Gwen Gardner's Blog, page 26

Frailties of the Bond

Before we move on to the important stuff, I need to tell those who turned in on Friday where the pretzel picture was taken. That'd be Vienna, Austria. I was there in 2007 at the Kriskindlmarkt. And if you haven't been to one, you're missing out!***
And now, the important stuff!
My Partner in ParanormYA and Untethered Realms bud, Angela Brown, has a new book coming out! So today she is revealing her cover and calling out to her writers-in-arms to help with her book blitz.
Take it away, Angela!*****
Revealing a new project is such a milestone in an author's pathway to publication. Many thanks to Heather McCorkle for the book cover design. Introducing the cover for...
FRAILTIES OF THE BOND (Add to Goodreads)
NEO – Network of Extraordinaires and Otherworldlies:

Those who answer the call from NEO play their part in maintaining balance in our ever-changing times. With power-hungry malcontents, jealous gods, and even those with misguided good intentions, the fate of our world has oft been held in the hands of unsung heroes such as those that are members of NEO.

But before NEO, these heroes and heroines had lives, loves, issues and interests that didn’t involve saving mankind.

In Frailties of the Bond, it only takes one bite to change a life…

After a hiking trip gone wrong, sixteen-year-old Luca should have been dead. Since then, he’s drifted from one school day to the next, annoyed by the looks of suspicion. When a vampire attack claimed his mother and forced his first shift into animal form, Luca set out for Texas, vengeance bound, only to discover so much more when Aimee crossed his path.

Flesh-born of vampire parents sixteen years ago, Aimee shouldn’t exist. Magic, though, made dreams come true for an undead couple desperate for a child all their own. But this magic came with a price, a cost Aimee discovered after one forbidden bite.

And now...to the cover:




Cover design by Heather McCorkle of CP Design

Xpresso Book Tours is handling the release blitz set for March 20h through March 31st. If you are interested in participating (YAY! and THANK YOU! if you are), click HERE to sign up.

***

About Angela Brown:

Born and raised in Little Rock, AR, Angela now calls Central Texas home.

Reading and writing have been lifelong passions. It was around the time she gave birth to her forever-love, nicknamed Chipmunk, that she really took writing seriously. After all, how could she teach her child to follow her dreams if she hadn't tried herself?

As a YA fantasy/sci-fi reader and author, she favors the magical, mysterious, the darker side of life...even harbors a secret fright for things that go bump in the night.

NEVERLOVE is a special project spawned from a blog-challenge-turned-blog-opera, the Abby and Basil affair. It is the first in the Shadow Jumpers series.

FRAILTIES OF THE BOND is the first in a series of novellas and short stories introducing heroes and heroines of the secret organization, NEO – Network of Extraordinaires and Otherwordlies.

***
Now, as tempting as it is to ask for a sound off of total love for this book cover, I'm curious about a few other things? How much does the book cover matter in choosing a book? Do you prefer symbolic covers, i.e., everything on the cover means something or directly relates to something in the book? Or just something that grabs your attention, no matter how it relates to the content within?







Fresh Baked Pretzels!

Haapppy Friday!
We made it through another week!
Want to play a guessing game? It's easy--just guess where this photo was taken. Go on, guess! I'll let you know the answer on Monday!

Can you tell I'm on a low carb diet? LOL!
I would kill for one of these pretzels right now!

***

Untethered Realms is hosting the first of its monthly contests today. I'm sure Mary Pax will be making it fun and easy - with a great prize at the end!
Check it out HERE!
*** 
Curious about orbs? They play a part in my novella. I'm talking about them over on Partners in ParanormYA. Check it out HERE.
***
And speaking of prizes...
I'm still having two autographed paperback giveaways. One on GoodReads and one rafflecopter.
The GoodReads giveaway is HERE.
The FaceBook Rafflecopter is HERE.
Want to enter the rafflecopter? Just tweet or retweet one of the provided tweets or make up your own. You're on the honor system, so I won't ask you to paste the URL - that's such a pain!
Just tweet one of these:
RT plz! Murder and Ghosts and Mayhem, Oh My! Givin’ Up The Ghost http://tinyurl.com/ctnnn4b#tween #ebook #UnRealms
 An awesome #tween #read Givin' Up The Ghost, a cozy paranormal mystery. Get it on your #Kindle #ebook now http://tinyurl.com/ctnnn4b


a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Darkening *shivers*

I'm pleased as punch to help Myndi Shafer announce the release of her new book, The Darkening. Even the name gives me the shivers! So here we go...


The Darkening
Book Description
As Aydan Fulbert settles into her new life in a new world, she realizes a few things. She’s healing from losing Brig. She’s coming to terms with her new home. And she’s lonely.

Rein Torvald’s return from his long absence helps alleviate her loneliness, but a darkness comes with him. Unsettling news about her father and the Sovereign has the potential to make her a fugitive all over again - from his world and hers.

Will Aydan allow her heart to be taken places she’s never been brave enough to go? Or will the threat of danger - of the Sovereign’s rage, and her father’s vengeful grudge, send her running?

What was the inspiration behind The Darkening?


When I first wrote this story, Shrilugh and The Darkening were all one book, told solely from Aydan’s POV. When I changed the POV, the story really exploded, and needed to be divided into more than one book. Which is why the first book of the Saga ended rather abruptly, and why, if you read these two back-to-back, they’ll feel a bit like one piece of work.

So, really, the inspiration for The Darkening came from the same place as my inspiration for Shrilugh: an old silo on the farm where I was raised. There’s a ladder that extends up past the top of it that looks kind-of like a door, and I’ve always, always wondered where that door would lead. When I began writing Shrilugh that was my goal - to find out what kind of world was beyond that door.

How did you decide to write fantasy?


It wasn’t ever a conscious decision. In fact, when I began writing, I didn’t know I was writing fantasy. I didn’t know there were genres like that. I mean, I liked reading (okay, loved reading), but I never paid attention to genres. I’d just read whatever I could get my hands on. I began writing with that same attitude, and the story just kind-of went where the story went.

I don’t think I’ll ever be a writer that sticks to a strict genre. I’ve got a couple new stories brewing in my head - one that’s a little dystopian (hmmm, is there such thing as a little dystopian?), and one that’s a sort-of rom-com with weird fantastical elements (the world around the protag shifts randomly into a pirate’s world). Mostly I think I’ll just write whatever sounds like fun at the time.

What’s one thing about you that will surprise readers most?


Oh my gosh, this is a silly question. I have the most tame, Beaver-Cleaver-type life you could imagine. I’m probably the least surprising person in the world. Well, okay, there’s this - I really enjoy folding laundry. I love seeing the tidy piles build up, and thinking about my kiddos and how they’ve grown, and the smell of clean laundry. It’s soothing.

*heavy sigh* I just re-read that and realized how lame I sound. I wish I could have had something way cooler like, “Oh, I go parachuting,” or “Big game hunting in Zimbabwe is totally my thing”. But nope. I’ve chosen to stun you all with laundry.

What’s coming next?


Couple different things. I’ll be working on the third book in the Shrilugh Saga. Right now its working title is FRUITION, and I’m expecting to see its release in a year or so. I’m also working on a new series whose working title is called SALT MINE. It’s about a girl who has chosen to be mute, a government that’s after her secret, a dog that’s been ‘progammed’ to protect her, and a guy hell-bent on keeping his promise to her dead brother.

Where can readers find you?

I hang out on Facebook here: Myndi Shafer Stories

I chat on Twitter using the handle @MyndiShafer

And my website/blog is http://www.myndishafer.wordpress.com/

Author Bio:

Myndi Shafer is author of the best-selling book, Shrilugh. Currently she makes her home in Kansas with her husband and four children. Her second book, The Darkening, releases in February 2013.

The Darkening can be found on Amazon.

Selkies are What? They Do What?

I first learned about Selkies when I took an Irish history class in college. The Irish are born story tellers! And of course their history and myths are very compelling. So when Krystalyn agreed to write about Selkies on my blog, I was thrilled.
I'll stop babbling now.

Here's Krystalyn!
**************

When I first started showing Legasea to beta readers, I was surprised that most of them, prior to reading the novel, did not know what a selkie was. I was introduced to the legends by my mother, who showed me the movie, The Secret of Roan Inish. From there, I combed the Internet for any information I could find about them.


A selkie is a seal that can shed his or her skin and transform into a human, and while I took liberties with some of the "rules," I still based my selkies off of the Irish and Scottish legends.

There are many stories where a human male steals and hides a female's skin, then forces her to become his wife. The tales always end in heartache with the woman finding her skin, sometimes many years later, and returning to the sea. Often, she takes their children with her and drowns her husband. While the selkies in my novel aren't quite as cruel, I managed to work a version of that into my story.

Another legend tells that a woman must cry seven tears into the sea in order to summon a selkie male. That makes an appearance in Legasea as well.

In addition to pulling from the legends, I took inspiration from The Secret of Roan Inish. My characters' lifestyle, heritage, and a couple of the names are influenced by that movie.

***
To read more about selkie legends and origins, check out this site: http://www.orkneyjar.com/folklore/selkiefolk/index.html
***
Legasea descriptionby Krystalyn Drown
When sixteen-year-old Aileen Shay sees a dead girl floating in the bay during a midnight yacht party, she never imagines Jamie Flannigan, her new boyfriend, may be involved. The only thing she knows about Jamie is that he personifies the one thing she has been drawn to her entire life – the ocean. But as she grows closer to him, she realizes he knows more about the murder than he's telling. When another girl is attacked, and Jamie refuses to answer her questions, Aileen searches for answers on her own.

Aileen learns that Jamie's family belongs more to myths and legends than they do in the real world. They are selkies, and after the Flannigans threaten her family, Aileen suspects they are responsible for both attacks.

But they aren't the only ones in her small fishing town who can keep a secret.

As Aileen uncovers the truth about the murder, the selkies, and her own family, she learns why her soul is bonded to the sea. But with that revelation comes a choice – to permanently sever her connection with the water, which comes at a painful cost, or embrace a legacy that just might get her killed.

***
Connect with Krystalyn here:
Blog . Amazon . GoodReads . Facebook
Enter here for a chance to win a Legasea prize pack:
Oops, the rafflecopter didn't embed correctly. Please go to Krystalyn's blog to enter!
  http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MTc2ZGM2NTRkZjY3NjIzODM2MjgyYmI1YTQwNDkwOjA=/

Is Your Aura Safe?

About Fractured Soul (sequel to Fractured Light)

Llona will do whatever it takes to protect her new found friends and home, but the dark plot threatening Lucent Academy, a school that’s supposed to be a safe place for Auras, may be too powerful for even Llona to defeat. This fast-paced tale of love, loyalty, and overcoming the darkness will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page!
Excerpt
As soon as the Vyken appeared in the doorway, I tossed a ball hard. He dodged it by jumping up along the side of the wall, his nails and bare toes somehow finding a hold in the thin cracks of the wall. I threw another one, but he was already moving, scrambling alongside the stones like a spider. He was grinning.

I rolled away from the wall until I was in the middle of the room. I lost sight of him for just a fraction of a second, but that was enough. The Vyken was gone, or, I should say, hiding. He was still here. I could feel him. I looked up toward the rafters of the tower roof. It was pitch black.

At the bottom of the tower, I heard Christian begin to ascend the stairs. “I’m coming, Llona!” he yelled.

Still staring up, I created Light again in the palm of my hand and willed it to rise. The closer it got to the rafters the faster my heart beat. Sweat rolled down the small of my back.

Light began to fill dark spaces, exposing that which wished to remain hidden. My Vyken was there, but he wasn’t alone. Another sat crouched on a beam. Where his left eye should’ve been there was an empty hole.

I screamed when my Vyken dropped from the ceiling, extinguishing the light. He fell onto my stomach, pushing my shoulders into the floor. I tried to create Light, but it was as if he knew what I was going to do because his hands slipped up and pinned my wrists together. He bent forward and inhaled my skin. The warmth of his breath steamed my ear when he said, “I’m going to eat every part of you.”


What others are saying:

“I love these books! A kick-butt heroine and a hottie love interest, with a refreshingly original concept. Be prepared—once you start, these are hard to put down.”
—Paula Cotton, book reviewer at ReadingLark.blogspot.com


“Fractured Soul is a brilliant sequel, exceeding even the remarkable first book in the series. It will haunt your every waking moment between the times you’re reading it, and it will stay with you long after you’ve finished. It’s an amazingly well written and engrossing story that I highly recommend—after you’ve read the first one, of course.”
—Cindy Bennett, bestselling author of Geek Girl and Rapunzel Untangled


Author Bio
Rachel McClellan was born and raised in Idaho, a place secretly known for its supernatural creatures. When she's not in her writing lair, she's partying with her husband and four crazy, yet lovable, children. Rachel's love for storytelling began as a child when the moon first possessed the night. For when the lights went out, her imagination painted a whole new world. And what a scary world it was...

Find RachelFacebook  / Blog  / Website  / Twitter  / Goodreads  / Book Trailer
Buy Fractured Light
Amazon / Barnes and Noble
Buy Fractured SoulAmazon /Barnes and Noble

Ready for the Uprising?

Neumarian Uprising
We need your help! Thanks to our spy, Ciara Knight, we are able to communicate with you today via blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

The Neumarian uprising has begun. We are fighting for freedom and equality for all, but we need your help. Ciara informed us that you might want to know more about the uprising and why we ask you to risk your lives for our cause. To answer these questions I’ve agreed to let Ciara tell my sister’s, Raeth’s, story about her captivity. It will be free for you on a site called Amazon until March 1, 2013.

Our spies have told us this will help spread the word and find more recruits for our rebellion against the tyrannical queen. You can help by simply downloading a free copy of Weighted HERE, a prequel to the Neumarian Chronicles. If you are intrigued and wish to follow our uprising, Escapement, book I of The Neumarian Chronicles, will be available for only $2.99 until March 1, 2013, HERE.

Escapement is told by Princess Semara. Don’t hold the fact Semara is a princess against her like I did, there is more to her than you can possibly imagine.

Here is a brief explanation of her telling of our uprising:

Ten years after the great war of 2185 the queen’s reign is threatened by uprisings and fear. In celebration of my sixteenth birthday it is my duty as princess to sacrifice a slave to be initiated into the ruling council, solidifying my mother’s empire. When my own erratic powers surface I’m captured and tried for treason. Slaves hate me, my mother wants me executed, and my only chance of survival rests in the hands of a young man, Ryder Arteres, whose sister I sentenced to death.

***
What people are saying about Escapement:

“A heady mix of action adventure and steampunk -- leavened with a dash of romance -- ESCAPEMENT offers up its fair share of thrills, horrors and heart-pounding moments. A strong start to a captivating new series.”

-- Jana Oliver, author of The Demon Trapper's Daughter

“A riveting tale of justice, mercy, honor and love. Take a deep breath and hold on, because you'll be turning the pages of Escapement quickly. Three unlikely comrades, Princess Semara, Ryder, and his sister Raeth, embark on a journey that will alter their lives forever. The beautiful love story nestled into these action-packed scenes will make you sigh and remember why you love to love. After reading the prequel Weighted, I knew this story would be amazing, and it was. Ciara Knight truly has a gift for creating awesome worlds and characters you won't forget.”

--Lindi Peterson--Award winning author of Summer's Song.

“Betrayal, secrets, and a rebellion send readers on a grand adventure, caught in the plight to discover Semara’s gifts and purpose.”

--Alex J Cavanaugh, author of Amazon best sellers CassaStar and CassaFire
***
If you’d like to see a peek into our world, please view this short clip on You Tube: http://youtu.be/MyasLq8ZpYg

If you are now ready to join our fight, please add Escapement to your TBR shelf on Goodreads HERE.  

***
Shout out on all your social media sites, and tell everyone you know to stand up and fight.
Be Bold.
Be Brave.
Be Free.
In the name of the rebellion,
Ryder Arteres
***
Rafflecopter giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

***
Escapement can be found at Amazon HERE.

CassaStorm by Ninja Captain Alex

We've been waiting, and it's finally here!
Check it out!



A storm gathers across the galaxy…


Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, his only struggles are occasional rogue pirate raids and endless government bureaucracies. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.

After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, shaking Bassan to the core and threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.

Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could be on its way back. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

Release date: September 17, 2013

Science Fiction - Space Opera/Adventure

Print ISBN 9781939844002

E-book ISBN 9781939844019


***
And for those who followed Wednesday's post...

I totally got sprayed!
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has a about a 30 ft chain link fence so the tiger can't get out, but the only thing separating the public from the fence is a wooden bar and about six feet. The tiger stalked by and raised his tail before I even knew what was happening!


Have you ever been sprayed?

Don't you love the cover?!

1304 - The Harbinger

Can you believe it! Christine Rains has yet another new release coming up. But for now, check out the awesome cover!

Title: 1304 – The Harbinger (The 13th Floor series, #4)


Author: Christine Rains

Genre: paranormal romance

Release date: March 13th, 2013

Blurb:

Meira Harper loves both her jobs: talking about beautiful shoes and fetching souls for Zeus. But the Thunder God threatens the harpy's loyalty to her job when she receives the call to bring the soul of gorgeous Sam Wright. Meira pleads with her boss to let him live. Zeus agrees, but Sam must fight for his life. If Sam can win three challenges, he can keep his soul.

The gods never play fairly, though, so Meira needs to find ways to help Sam with the challenges. She cannot outwardly cross her master, but she refuses to let the man she loves lose his soul. They haven't even had a chance to start a life together.

Sam's soul is on the line. Meira's will be too if she's caught, but that's a risk she's willing to take.

Author Bio:

Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not writing or reading, she having adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor series is her first self-published series. She has five novellas and eighteen short stories published.
Website . Blog . Facebook . Twitter . Goodreads

A Little Fun With Tigers and Napalot

How about a little fun?



The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo allows you to get a little up close and personal with some of the animals. Not too close, mind you. But close enough.
Did this tiger...
A) Throw me his toy
B) Splash me
C) Scratch me
D) Spray me

 That's all I'm going to say :)
What do you think?
Leave your guess in the comments, I'll post the answer on Friday!
************************
Also....
I'm on Myndi Shafer's blog today. I even wrote a spur of the moment haiku about napping. Hope you can stop by and check it out!
*************************And...

Thanks to all who tweeted and promoted me through Writers 4 Writers. I'll post the results soon.
Still having a Rafflecopter and Facebook giveaway HERE.
or
Rafflecopter HERE.
And...
A GoodReads giveaway HERE.

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W4WS Most Wanted Detained!

Most Wanted!Reward!




Gwen "The Rogue Writer" Gardner has been detained as a "person of interest" by
Writers 4 Writers.

They now have her in custody and she
needs you to spring her!
The cost of her ransom bail?
 
Tweets, Retweets and Facebook Shares. As many as you want or can.

The loot is hidden below. Grab some.

Hurry! And Thank You So Much!
(and I hear Melissa needs sprung, too)

Tweets to copy and paste:


For Monday and Tuesday GUTG is FREE:

RT plz! Snuggle on down with Givin’ Up The Ghost. #FREE 2/18 – 2/19 a cozy read http://tinyurl.com/ctnnn4b #Kindle #GivUpTheGhost #UnRealms #W4WS

RT plz! Murder and Ghosts and Mayhem, Oh My! Givin’ Up The Ghost FREE 2/18 – 2/19 http://tinyurl.com/ctnnn4b #ebook #GivUpTheGhost #W4WS #WS4U

RT plz! Attn bookworms, cozy down with Givin’ Up The Ghost for #FREE ! 2/18 – 2/19 http://tinyurl.com/ctnnn4b #ebook #YANinjas #W4WS #WS4U

For Wednesday and Beyond:

RT plz! Snuggle down with Givin’ Up The Ghost. A cozy paranormal mystery http://tinyurl.com/ctnnn4b #GivUpTheGhost #ebook #UnRealms #W4WS #WS4U


RT plz! Murder and Ghosts and Mayhem, Oh My! Givin’ Up The Ghost http://tinyurl.com/ctnnn4b #ebook #UnRealms #W4WS #GivUpTheGhost #WS4U

RT plz! Attn bookworms, cozy down with Givin’ Up The Ghost, a cozy paranormal YA mystery http://tinyurl.com/ctnnn4b #ebook #kindle #W4WS #WS4U

Easy Retweets:
Retweets are easy. Just go to your
Twitter page and enter any of these hashtags in the search bar.
Click Retweet on any Givin' Up The Ghost tweets.

#GivUpTheGhost
#W4WS
#WS4U


Tweets for Giveaways:


RT plz! FREE autographed paperback giveaway of Givin’ Up The Ghost on GoodReads. Open to 10 countries. http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/44462-givin-up-the-ghost #GoodReads #FREERT plz! 1000 Tweet giveaway  1 signed paperback of Givin’ Up The Ghost per every 100 tweets!  http://bit.ly/TQ4AQr   #W4WS #GivUpTheGhost

Rafflecopter:
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