Heather Sutherlin's Blog, page 4
March 31, 2016
New Release:
It’s new release week! All week long I’ll be featuring new releases from incredible indie authors and it all leads up to the release of my new book, A Familiar Darkness, on April 5th. Today’s new release is COMPETING WITH THE STAR by Krysten Lindsay Hager
Hadley Daniels’s life seems perfect…
Before the beginning of sophomore year of high school, Hadley and her family move to a beautiful beach town, where she makes amazing new friends and lands the boyfriend of her dreams—Nick Jenkins. He’s the kind of guy every girl swoons over, and it isn’t long until Hadley discovers some are still swooning.
A famous ex-girlfriend makes matters more complicated…
After some time dating, Hadley and Nick form a deep bond. But insecurity sets in when Hadley discovers her boyfriend once had a huge crush on her friend—who just happens to be the beautiful former teen TV star, Simone Hendrickson.
The past is the past—or so they say…
Hadley confronts Nick, who confesses about his history with Simone. Though he claims to only have eyes for Hadley now, it’s hard to believe—especially when she’s blindsided with the news that Nick and Simone kissed after school.
Now Hadley must determine who is telling the truth. Love, betrayal, friendship…who needs soap opera drama when you’re busy competing with a star?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Krysten Lindsay Hager is an obsessive reader and has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked as a journalist and humor essayist, and writes for teens, tweens, and adults. She is the author of the Landry’s True Colors Series and her work has been featured in USA Today and named as Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Teen & Young Adult Values and Virtues Fiction and Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Children’s Books on Values. She’s originally from Michigan and has lived in South Dakota, Portugal, and southwestern Ohio. She received her master’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint.
WEBSITE: http://www.krystenlindsay.com/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/krystenlindsay/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/KrystenLindsay
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/KrystenLindsayHagerAuthor
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/krystenlindsay/
Buy links:
Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.com/B01CQ47Z2S
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.com/1680585495
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0149HTAK0
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/competing-with-the-star-krysten-lindsay-hager/1123539654?ean=9781680585490
What readers are saying about Competing with the Star :
From Reader’s Favorite:
Competing With The Star is the continuation of Krysten Lindsay Hager’s epic YA drama series, The Star Series. Through a captivating plot, amazing character development, and Krysten’s flawless writing, the story captures the true essence of the drama, confusion, and emotional high that is teenage romance. It brings to life the beauty of YA romance with all its uncertainties and possibilities. In the midst of all the drama, confusion, and romance, the story also gives off a beautiful and serene sense of family. I especially loved how the book dived into the story right away, and captured the genuine feeling of the story down to details, language, and interaction between the characters. Lovers of YA romance will definitely love The Star Series.
From Katie’s Clean Book Collection:
Oh, the feels! Krysten Lindsay Hager has a way of drawing me right back to my high school days with her writing–feelings and all. This book is a continuation of Next Door to a Star. Hadley is now settling in and a new boyfriend, Nick, really helps her feel like she belongs. What girl hasn’t felt insecure at one time or another when trying to figure out if “he loves me, he loves me not?” Hadley is real. She has real struggles, real strengths, real reactions, and real emotions. Nick once had a crush on former TV star, Simone, and although Simone swears her friendship with Hadley means more to than anything, but oftentimes, actions speak louder than words and Simone is an actress…
Nick is a great boyfriend, especially for a first relationship, as he and Hadley have a lot in common. Many assumptions lead to drama and realizations as Hadley, Nick, and their friends try and navigate the confusing roads of teenage life. I love how this story seems to unfold like a TV show–easy to picture and imagine. The characters and situations are vibrant, almost leaping off the pages and I felt like I was either a fly on the wall or a silent friend, sitting smack in the thick of it. I love the dynamics and can’t wait for more to the story!
March 30, 2016
New Release: Next Door Neighbors
It’s new release week! All week long I’ll be featuring new releases from incredible indie authors and it all leads up to the release of my new book, A Familiar Darkness, on April 5th. Today’s new release is from Frances Hoelsema, author of Growing Up Neighbors and she’s pleased to announce the release of the second book in her Neighbors series:
Next Door Neighbors
E
lena Montgomery, an elderly victim of fibromyalgia, has two main loves in her life:
Brian, her attractive and hard-working son; and Jill Stevens, her caring friend and next door neighbor.
When Brian and Jill meet for the first time, they have a chemistry that no one can deny.
Although Jill finds herself wanting to get closer to Brian, she believes she can’t. Being hurt in the past, she vows to remain single the rest of her life, thinking it’s better not to love than to love and get burned. Brian, on the other hand, wants to get to the bottom of her fears and show her that not all men are the same. He is determined to win her trust, her heart and her hand in marriage.
Through pain, passion and pursuit, will Brian be able to prove to Jill what true love is all about?
Next Door Neighbors is a clean, contemporary romance that will not only pull on your heart strings, but leave you wanting to read more!
Here’s an excerpt:
For the few brief seconds that they gazed into one another’s
eyes, Brian’s urge to kiss Jill grew intensely. If there was ever going to be a moment to display his
affection, this was it. Brian slowly, eagerly leaned over to just inches before Jill’s lips, stopping just shy of
delivering their first kiss. Excited she didn’t move away, he reached his destination, brushing his lips with
hers.
Their kiss started off gently, softly. It was tender and sweet. The
longer it lasted, though, the more Jill had melted into it, and the deeper and more passionate it became.
She needed him.
He needed her.
But a moment later Jill froze. The heat between them instantly
turned to ice as she abruptly pulled away from what the two of them were enjoying just seconds ago.
Puzzled, Brian asked, “Is everything all right?”
She couldn’t do it. As much as Jill admitted to wanting Brian and
as great as their kiss was, traveling down that road again was too big a risk. And with him leaving soon, she didn’t want to start something she could never finish. Shaking her head, she said, “I’m sorry. I can’t do this. I can’t allow myself to get involved with you or any other man again.”
Providing no other explanation, she completely freed herself
from Brian’s hold and ran out of the room.
Brian followed swiftly while shouting, “But I’m not
like…”
With the slam of a door, Jill was gone.
Next Door Neighbors is available on Amazon
For more information on Frances and/or her writing, please connect with her on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/frances.hoelsema.author OR on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/FrancesHoelsema.
You can also find updates on her blog at: www.franceshoelsema.wordpress.com.
March 29, 2016
New Release: Finders Keepers
It’s new release week! All week long I’ll be featuring new releases from incredible indie authors and it all leads up to the release of my new book, A Familiar Darkness, on April 5th. Today’s new release is from the fabulous JJ DiBenedetto, author of the Dream Student series. This one is a brand new adventure and I can’t wait to share it with you!
1,400 miles.
3 countries
2 men she can’t trust.
What could go wrong?
FINDERS KEEPERS is the first book in the new Jane Barnaby Adventures series:
It should have been a simple job. All archaeology student Jane Barnaby had to do was pick up a box her professor needed and deliver it to him at his dig site, along with his new car. Yes, his office was in Oxfordshire, and his dig site was in Spain, a trip of 1,400 miles across three countries and two bodies of water. Still, it should have been simple.
And it was, until Jane discovered she picked up the wrong box by mistake. Not the one with boring pottery samples, but instead the one with priceless ancient Egyptian artifacts. The one that a team of international art thieves is after.
Now she’s chasing – and being chased by – the thieves. And she’s picked up a pair of passengers who claim they can help her outwit them, get her professor’s pottery back and return the artifacts to their rightful owner. If only she could figure out which one of them is working with the thieves and which one she can trust in this high-stakes game of finders keepers.
It’s available everywhere eBooks are sold:
Amazon (Kindle or Paperback)
Barnes & Noble (Nook or Paperback)
About the author
J.J. (James) Dibenedetto’s fans would swear he’s got a sixth sense when it comes to seeing into the minds of others and often wonder if his stories could possibly be fiction. He enjoys suspending disbelief with suspenseful paranormal tales that are a perfect blend of reality meets fantasy.
His popular Dream Series continues to delight readers with each and every exciting installment.
Born in Yonkers, New York, he currently resides in Arlington Virginia with his beautiful wife and a cat he is sure has taken full advantage of its nine lives. When it comes to the cat, he often wonders, but then again it might just be his imagination.
You can follow him at his website, on Facebook and on Twitter. And you can find all his books (including the complete Dream Series) on Amazon and on audiobook at Audible.com
Here’s an excerpt from Finders Keepers:
The thieves simply made a mistake. Whether Tom had put his box in the wrong room, or whether the thieves had gotten their wires crossed, who knew? She’d had trouble reading Professor Welldon’s writing; she hadn’t been sure if she was meant to go to Room 16 or Room 18 herself. It hadn’t mattered because the thieves had already gotten there and made the choice for her.
“When they finally got where they were going, they opened it up, and you can imagine their surprise.” Jane noted the vagueness there; she assumed Alex knew exactly where that was and, for whatever reason, didn’t want to say. She didn’t challenge him; she kept up her happy façade instead, and he went on. “They knew they couldn’t go back and steal the right box, but they had the label on your pottery, they knew where it was supposed to go.”
“They’re headed to Mallorca!” Jane couldn’t help herself; the words just poured out. “They’re going to wait there until I show up and try to trade, the pottery for the artifacts!”
She knew she’d said too much. Alex’s eyes lit up, just for an instant, when she mentioned Mallorca. That was something, obviously, he hadn’t known. But he caught himself almost immediately, and so did she. She wondered if he knew that she knew he was putting on an act. She wondered if he knew that she knew that he knew she was, too. And she wondered if she had any aspirin in her purse, because that train of thought was giving her a headache.
Last, but not least, to celebrate the launch of FINDERS KEEPERS, James is giving away a signed paperback copy of either this new book, or any one of his Dream Series novels (winner’s choice). For your chance to win, just click HERE to enter!)
March 25, 2016
Enter to Win THORN
For Princess Alyrra, choice is a luxury she’s never had … until she’s betrayed.
Princess Alyrra has never enjoyed the security or power of her rank. Between her family’s cruelty and the court’s contempt, she has spent her life in the shadows. Forced to marry a powerful foreign prince, Alyrra embarks on a journey to meet her betrothed with little hope for a better future.
But powerful men have powerful enemies—and now, so does Alyrra. Betrayed during a magical attack, her identity is switched with another woman’s, giving Alyrra the first choice she’s ever had: to start a new life for herself or fight for a prince she’s never met. But Alyrra soon finds that Prince Kestrin is not at all what she expected. While walking away will cost Kestrin his life, returning to the court may cost Alyrra her own. As Alyrra is coming to realize, sometimes the hardest choice means learning to trust herself.
March 24, 2016
Kobo Super Sale
Are you a Kobo reader? This weekend they’re hosting a super sale with 5x bonus points available on select books. SEEN is one of the featured titles and that means that it’s eligible for bonus points!
Not a regular Kobo reader? We’re not going to leave you out! We’ve put it on sale across the world on all of your favorite devices. Grab SEEN today for just $1.99.
Audible Winner
To celebrate the rerelease of The Light of Loian Series, I decided to give away a free copy of the audiobook version of A Light in the Darkness. Well, the winner is….
Stephanie Arsoska
Congratulations, Stephanie! Thanks for signing up for my newsletter and entering to win!
If you’re not Stephanie, don’t be too sad. You can still grab a copy of A Light in the Darkness for free on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or iTunes. If you really wanted an audiobook, check out my books on Audible and watch for more of the Light of Loian Series to hit Audible later this year.
March 16, 2016
The Question
It took me a long time to figure out who I was and why I am here. As a friend once said, “I was trying to live all the lives.” But you only get one. Just one life, just one chance to make something beautiful of this experience on earth, even if you believe in an afterlife. This is our one chance to live our best life here and make a difference.
So, who am I? Why am I here? I can’t say I’ve answered the whole of that question yet, but this I know: I’m a writer and I’m here to make you wonder, “What if…?”
What if the stories are true?
What if the world is more magical and mysterious than we can imagine?
What if you have a part to play?
What if you really could change the world by simply believing?
What if people can really have supernatural powers or experiences?
What if the heroes and villains are really battling it out all around you while you sit there wishing you were part of the story?
What if they’re only waiting for you to choose a side?
What if it’s true? All of it? What then? What does that mean?
How would your life change if right now if you discovered it was all real?
That’s why I write. I write to make you think, to make you wonder, to make you dream. I write to change us all, and in so doing, to change the world. And it all starts with one little question:
March 15, 2016
Share the Light
Don’t forget to grab your FREE copy of the first book, A Light in the Darkness! Choose your favorite ereader by clicking on the links below the book cover. Happy Reading!
Light of Loian Series by Heather Sutherlin
A young healer is caught in a battle between two forgotten gods and she must determine her allegiance before the world finds itself in the midst of war.
A Light in the Darkness:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Lllouy
iBooks: http://apple.co/22eqBIW
BN: http://bit.ly/1UruZlc
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1pFNkQb
Scribd: http://bit.ly/1RYPLWX
Merrilyn’s life is quiet and predictable. An apprentice to the royal healer, she spends her days helping in the village or up to mischief with her best friend who happens to be the handsome younger son of the king. But when a mysterious archer shows up in the forest and shoots their escort, Merrilyn’s life is forever changed. Caught in a battle between two forgotten gods, she must embrace her destiny and fight the very powers of darkness before it’s too late.
To Light the Path
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1M1eWsP
iBooks: http://apple.co/1XoTv5H
BN: http://bit.ly/1M1eZET
Kobo: http://bit.ly/22erKQI
Scribd: http://bit.ly/1QQeD33
Prince Jarrod and his men have been missing for months and still Merrilyn has no idea where they are hidden. Now the king of Zinder is missing, too, and his children seem to think Merrilyn’s the key to finding him. Along with Aiden and Prince Justan, she travels to Zinder looking for clues in the king’s journals. When a mysterious man begins whispering in her dreams, tempting her to reconsider all that she believes, she must face both her fears and her desires. Merrilyn may be a light in the darkness, but she’ll have to trust Loian to light their path as they travel through foreign lands and face new enemies in their search for the missing men.
The Light Within
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1SLKiVG
iBooks: http://apple.co/1V5jnER
BN: http://bit.ly/22ctSvL
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1pi7Gyq
Scribd: http://bit.ly/22cu0eL
Merrilyn should be living her happily ever after. She’s rescued the prince, saved a small army, found her long-lost grandmother, and defeated Keardun, god of shadows, all in one summer. Her long journey has taken her from the tiny village she’s always known out into wild and incredible lands, convincing her that the world is a much bigger and brighter place than she ever imagined. But all of that won’t keep away the darkness that is spreading within her own heart.
When Keardun returns, threatening to destroy everything she loves, Merrilyn decides to face her enemy again, this time by surrendering. She’ll face death, darkness, fear, and fire, but she won’t sit back and watch him tear her world apart. Racing north to the Borderlands, she must get to the place “untouched by light” before the winter solstice. With the help of new allies and old friends, Merrilyn will cross through the darkest parts of the world and face new enemies determined to stop her. But without The Light to guide her, the only way to survive will be to find the light within.
Want to see more books by Heather Sutherlin? Sign up for her Newsletter
February 23, 2016
Retreat
Last week was a roller coaster.
Let me back up. This year I decided to pursue writing with a new intensity and a greater focus. I set goals. I made plans. I took risk. And I set things in motion. Last week it all came crashing down on my head. I had bills to pay, I had projects that weren’t working out the way I thought they would. I had a calendar full of to do lists with little time left for writing, and then on top of it all, I had writer’s block. Ugh!
So, what’s a girl to do when everything feels a little (a lot) too intense and you’re in danger of losing all your dreams? RETREAT! I set aside three days to join an online writing challenge a few friends had put together and I logged out of my life to dive into my next project. My husband, bless him, offered me his office for the weekend and worked from home so that I could have some privacy. He even brought me lunch each day! Isn’t that the sweetest?
I hid away in my little writing cave from Thursday morning to Saturday night coming home to sleep each evening. The first day was a little rough. I had a lot of unexpected interruptions that were all really nice, but ultimately kept me from adding more than my daily average word count which falls between 1500 and 2000 words. Then on Friday, something magical happened. I started the day in prayer, literally asking God to give me words to write for the day and inviting him to shape the story. Then, I went to my desk and at 9am I began typing. That day I added nearly 9,000 words to my new novel. I didn’t want to stop! The story was getting exciting and my heart was racing as I typed those last few words of the day. I could hardly believe my final word count! Then, the next day I did the same thing and it happened again. Amazing!
By the end of the third day my brain was definitely feeling the wear and tear. In the middle of Friday I was writing an average of 1200 words per hour, but by the end of Saturday I was struggling to do half that. My last entry for the weekend was just over 200 words. My brain was mush and it was time to call it quits. I had earned a day of rest.
In the end, I had added 20,000 words to my new novel. That’s nearly a third of a book! I learned a lot from this experience.
Sometimes you just need to RETREAT.
I was overworked and overwhelmed. Next time I feel that way I’m going to set aside time to focus on my creative work and escape the daily stress that keeps me from producing good work.
It is possible to write all day.
Until this writing challenge, I didn’t really know if I could write more than three or four hours at a time. It’s really hard to find time to write longer periods in my busy life and I honestly wasn’t sure if I could focus that long. The best part about this challenge was seeing how my husband reacted because now he’s dreaming of a day when I can write full-time, too. A shared vision will always be more likely to become a reality.
Know when to stop and give your body rest.
My brain clearly had a breaking point where it could no longer continue at its maximum capacity. However, just 48 hours later I was able to sit down and pick up right where I’d left off with a great writing session. Writing like a maniac might be fun, but it can’t last forever. You have to know when to rest.
Have you ever taken a personal retreat? How did it affect your stress levels and your work productivity? Let us know in the comments about your favorite retreat.
November 30, 2015
Characters and Friends
Last week I told you about the time I wrote my first book, A Light in the Darkness. It’s amazing to me now to look back and see how far I’ve come from that first night at my computer. What an adventure it’s all been! Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that those words would turn into a real book with fans reading it around the world. I’m just in awe of the whole journey from page one to where I sit now days away from releasing my sixth book into the world. Wow. This weekend I watched that first book climb the charts on Amazon. It hit #3 in Christian Fantasy and stayed there for three days. What an amazing rush that was to see it, too. I am so proud that The Light Series is still resonating with readers.
BUT the reason I really love The Light Series and keep writing is because of the characters. The characters in The Light Series are really the best part of the story. As I wrote this series, they quickly took on a life of their own, shaping the story in their own way and making me want to spend more and more time with them. It’s hard when you love a character not to wish they were real so that you could be friends. Well, with this crew, I sort of wish they were ALL real. I just can’t get enough of them. This week I’m going to share some of my favorite characters from the series with you starting with the main characters, the one’s who started it all…
Merrilyn is loyal and kind. She’s a bit naive, having lived her entire life in the tiny village of Nomar. An orphan, she was raised by the village healer, Aileena, and taught the trade as her apprentice. She longs to be more than just a healer, though. She wants to be one of the great Alaiths, a rare and powerful group of healers who can heal with the mysterious power of light. On her journey, she’ll discover not only a vast world filled with incredible people and creatures she could never have imagined, but she’ll also find her true self along the way.
Justan is Merrilyn’s best friend. The prince of Nomar and second son to King Andraus, he doesn’t have a lot of responsibility at court. He spends his days following Merrilyn around and trying to amuse her. That is, until his brother goes missing and he’s forced to step up into a role he never thought he’d have to fill. Justan’s greatest fear is losing Merrilyn and he’ll do anything to protect her – even if that means pushing her away. Here’s a quote from one of my favorite scenes in the second book, To Light the Path.
Who’s your favorite character in The Light Series?
