Heather Lyons's Blog, page 10
September 23, 2013
Cover reveal for Jonah's novella--BEYOND FATE (Fate series, #1.5)!
One of the most frequent requests I get from fans of the Fate series is for Jonah and Kellan's POVs of what happened in the series. I've mentioned before how I wrote a lot of scenes from A Matter of Fate from Jonah's POV--and have even shared a few!--but so many of you wanted more. So! I'm pleased as punch to let you know that an entire novella for Jonah is set to be released on October 10th, 2013! Until then, here's the cover to ogle:
Designed by Carly Stevens
Beyond Fate (Fate, #1.5)
There are always two sides to every story . . .
His whole life, Jonah Whitecomb has strove to meet everyone’s expectations of him: the perfect student, dutiful son, loyal twin, accomplished surfer, and powerful Magical. But behind his carefully composed façade hides the truth of how his family has fallen apart, leaving Jonah more often than not feeling adrift. To complicate matters, he fell in love long ago with a girl in his dreams, one he’s never told anyone about, including his twin brother.
Just when life seems its bleakest, Jonah discovers that Chloe is real. Wanting to finally reach out and grab happiness for himself, he embarks on a journey to track down the girl of his dreams, only to find that happy endings aren’t always guaranteed, the best laid out plans can go horribly awry, and sometimes, you have to simply let yourself go along for the ride.
* Beyond Fate is Jonah’s point-of-view of the events of A Matter of Fate, and is a companion novella.
Isn't this cover GORGEOUS? I love it--and it is so, so, SO Jonah. I mean, seriously. Yeah.
Okay, I feel the need to really stress to you all that this is a companion novel to A Matter of Fate . For the love of all that's good and holy in the book world (especially the Fate series book world), do not read Beyond Fate before you read A Matter of Fate . While there is a lot of new material in this story that isn't covered in AMOF, it will also spoil major plot points of the first book in the series.
Honestly, guys, I am so incredibly excited for you to read this one. I really think you're going to dig getting into Jonah's head.
And now . . . the unofficial official song for Beyond Fate . . .
When writing this story, I kept coming back to Byegone by Volcano Choir (the newish band fronted by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver ). This song . . . wow. Outside of the lyrics (which only partially--barely?--fit with the story; this is of no matter, though), everything about this song just screams Jonah to me. This is his song when he surfs (especially a key scene in the story--you'll know when you read it). This is the song that reflects his struggles. This is the song he opens himself up to. I will never be able to listen to this song without thinking of Jonah Whitecomb.
Disclaimer: obviously, I am in no way affiliated with Volcano Choir--which is why this is the unofficial official song. Now that I've said that, I highly encourage you to check out the band, since they make some pretty rad tunes.
day dead bye-gone
laying near the lights of the knights of the northern lodges
there’s a border road
no one slip slides or is stoppin’
and the neighborly, sleeping in a coffinwith enough keif
you could really bore someone
took a rat trap out to the Ache Inn
we were drinking all the ways to down
door ‘as wide open
you know what were saying ‘bout us now
he’s a legend
i’m a legend
and we both go tripping thru the doorwell, YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE NORTHERN, NOW
i heard you promise me
at the north end of monogamy
cut there from filament leadsomewhere i heard you scream:
for others’ hearts
and in the limiest of lights
hold the keys to a Cuban flight that you won’t ever ride
it’s time to up and dieset sail!!!!!
set sail!!!!
set sail!!!!
set sail!!!!hon, you plenty competent
so why aren’t you confident
it’s softening to be softening
then why are you so constant then?
are we going on a coat ride?
well, were off and definitely stumbling
tossin’ off your compliments, wow
sexing all your ParliamentsBuy music from Volcano Choir HERE.
Designed by Carly StevensBeyond Fate (Fate, #1.5)
There are always two sides to every story . . .
His whole life, Jonah Whitecomb has strove to meet everyone’s expectations of him: the perfect student, dutiful son, loyal twin, accomplished surfer, and powerful Magical. But behind his carefully composed façade hides the truth of how his family has fallen apart, leaving Jonah more often than not feeling adrift. To complicate matters, he fell in love long ago with a girl in his dreams, one he’s never told anyone about, including his twin brother.
Just when life seems its bleakest, Jonah discovers that Chloe is real. Wanting to finally reach out and grab happiness for himself, he embarks on a journey to track down the girl of his dreams, only to find that happy endings aren’t always guaranteed, the best laid out plans can go horribly awry, and sometimes, you have to simply let yourself go along for the ride.
* Beyond Fate is Jonah’s point-of-view of the events of A Matter of Fate, and is a companion novella.
Isn't this cover GORGEOUS? I love it--and it is so, so, SO Jonah. I mean, seriously. Yeah.
Okay, I feel the need to really stress to you all that this is a companion novel to A Matter of Fate . For the love of all that's good and holy in the book world (especially the Fate series book world), do not read Beyond Fate before you read A Matter of Fate . While there is a lot of new material in this story that isn't covered in AMOF, it will also spoil major plot points of the first book in the series.
Honestly, guys, I am so incredibly excited for you to read this one. I really think you're going to dig getting into Jonah's head.
And now . . . the unofficial official song for Beyond Fate . . .
When writing this story, I kept coming back to Byegone by Volcano Choir (the newish band fronted by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver ). This song . . . wow. Outside of the lyrics (which only partially--barely?--fit with the story; this is of no matter, though), everything about this song just screams Jonah to me. This is his song when he surfs (especially a key scene in the story--you'll know when you read it). This is the song that reflects his struggles. This is the song he opens himself up to. I will never be able to listen to this song without thinking of Jonah Whitecomb.
Disclaimer: obviously, I am in no way affiliated with Volcano Choir--which is why this is the unofficial official song. Now that I've said that, I highly encourage you to check out the band, since they make some pretty rad tunes.
day dead bye-gone
laying near the lights of the knights of the northern lodges
there’s a border road
no one slip slides or is stoppin’
and the neighborly, sleeping in a coffinwith enough keif
you could really bore someone
took a rat trap out to the Ache Inn
we were drinking all the ways to down
door ‘as wide open
you know what were saying ‘bout us now
he’s a legend
i’m a legend
and we both go tripping thru the doorwell, YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE NORTHERN, NOW
i heard you promise me
at the north end of monogamy
cut there from filament leadsomewhere i heard you scream:
for others’ hearts
and in the limiest of lights
hold the keys to a Cuban flight that you won’t ever ride
it’s time to up and dieset sail!!!!!
set sail!!!!
set sail!!!!
set sail!!!!hon, you plenty competent
so why aren’t you confident
it’s softening to be softening
then why are you so constant then?
are we going on a coat ride?
well, were off and definitely stumbling
tossin’ off your compliments, wow
sexing all your ParliamentsBuy music from Volcano Choir HERE.
September 18, 2013
Cover reveal: A ZEBRA LIKE ME by Amy Maurer Jones!
Guys, I am absolutely thrilled to share Amy Maurer Jones' new cover her upcoming book, A Zebra Like Me. Take it away, Amy!
* * * * * * * * * *
Thanks so much, Heather, for hosting me today. I'm excited to announce that I have a new YA book coming out this winter! It's a stand alone YA contemporary entitled, A Zebra Like Me. It's my first stab at contemporary and the subject matter hits close to home so I am more than a little nervous about it.
The cover art is by Kelsey Keeton of KKeeton Designs and it is gorgeous but you don't have to take my word for it, see for yourself!
Here's the blurb on the back of the cover.
Maybelle Dawson longs for normalcy and belonging. Often misunderstood, she struggles with a rare disorder, labeling her a Medical Zebra.
Maybelle’s happiness and well-being threaten to slip through her fingers as she battles to take control of her life. She faces a never-ending battle on her journey to find love, courage and friendship in a world lacking acceptance.
With the guidance of her guardian angel, Maybelle finds her way out of emotional and physical isolation to discover lasting love and amazing friendships.
A Zebra Like Me is the story of one teenager’s battle with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a disorder affecting one in five thousand people.
Sneak Peak - Here's a glimpse into Maybelle's world in pre-edited form. Please forgive my typos. It will be edited professionally prior to publication.
Maybelle
I sat on the soft, green grass staring out at the lake behind my house. The breeze was cool and soothing against my sun kissed skin. Tomorrow is the first day of school. A sour feeling invades my stomach. I barely passed last year. The pressure of my reality is consuming. Now, in the waning heat of August, after a summer filled with rest and relaxation, it’s easy to pretend this year will be better, but I know the truth. Soon, a daily routine of torture will overwhelm me. Pain-filled days spent trudging up and down concrete floors and flights of stares. Agonizing hours of stillness trapped in the unforgiving frames of wooden desks. Neck-breaking, never ending minutes straining to see what my teacher wrote on the board and overhead projector. And, the paralyzing stress of knowing it’s getting worse and I can’t handle it. I feel helpless and defeated and have yet to step through the school’s front doors. “I’m a zebra. No one understands me.” I whisper to myself. I take a deep breath as the air stirs. My focus is distracted by a shimmering glint of light. A silvery, white slip of paper floats down from the clear, blue sky. I stretch out my open palm and clasp my fingers around it. It’s folded neatly into quadrants. I unfold the square of paper to find out what is written inside. You’re not alone, Maybelle. I search the empty space around me and find nothing out of place. Everything is the same. My grandmother’s ferns dangle from their baskets on the back porch. The heavy, faded wooden rocking chairs are still, immune to the feeble breeze. The vegetable garden and the locked shed beyond it are undisturbed. An occasional boater drifts by on the lake but otherwise all is quiet. I am alone. I reach for my backpack and retrieve my make-shift diary, a simple spiral-bound notebook. I tear out a piece of paper. “Prove it.” I say the words as I scrawl them onto the slip of paper, fold it into a square, and toss it toward the heavens.
If you'd like to learn more about me or my books you can find me here:
BlogWebsiteFacebookTwitter
* * * * * * * * * *
Thanks so much, Heather, for hosting me today. I'm excited to announce that I have a new YA book coming out this winter! It's a stand alone YA contemporary entitled, A Zebra Like Me. It's my first stab at contemporary and the subject matter hits close to home so I am more than a little nervous about it.
The cover art is by Kelsey Keeton of KKeeton Designs and it is gorgeous but you don't have to take my word for it, see for yourself!
Here's the blurb on the back of the cover.
Maybelle Dawson longs for normalcy and belonging. Often misunderstood, she struggles with a rare disorder, labeling her a Medical Zebra.
Maybelle’s happiness and well-being threaten to slip through her fingers as she battles to take control of her life. She faces a never-ending battle on her journey to find love, courage and friendship in a world lacking acceptance.
With the guidance of her guardian angel, Maybelle finds her way out of emotional and physical isolation to discover lasting love and amazing friendships.
A Zebra Like Me is the story of one teenager’s battle with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a disorder affecting one in five thousand people.
Sneak Peak - Here's a glimpse into Maybelle's world in pre-edited form. Please forgive my typos. It will be edited professionally prior to publication.
Maybelle
I sat on the soft, green grass staring out at the lake behind my house. The breeze was cool and soothing against my sun kissed skin. Tomorrow is the first day of school. A sour feeling invades my stomach. I barely passed last year. The pressure of my reality is consuming. Now, in the waning heat of August, after a summer filled with rest and relaxation, it’s easy to pretend this year will be better, but I know the truth. Soon, a daily routine of torture will overwhelm me. Pain-filled days spent trudging up and down concrete floors and flights of stares. Agonizing hours of stillness trapped in the unforgiving frames of wooden desks. Neck-breaking, never ending minutes straining to see what my teacher wrote on the board and overhead projector. And, the paralyzing stress of knowing it’s getting worse and I can’t handle it. I feel helpless and defeated and have yet to step through the school’s front doors. “I’m a zebra. No one understands me.” I whisper to myself. I take a deep breath as the air stirs. My focus is distracted by a shimmering glint of light. A silvery, white slip of paper floats down from the clear, blue sky. I stretch out my open palm and clasp my fingers around it. It’s folded neatly into quadrants. I unfold the square of paper to find out what is written inside. You’re not alone, Maybelle. I search the empty space around me and find nothing out of place. Everything is the same. My grandmother’s ferns dangle from their baskets on the back porch. The heavy, faded wooden rocking chairs are still, immune to the feeble breeze. The vegetable garden and the locked shed beyond it are undisturbed. An occasional boater drifts by on the lake but otherwise all is quiet. I am alone. I reach for my backpack and retrieve my make-shift diary, a simple spiral-bound notebook. I tear out a piece of paper. “Prove it.” I say the words as I scrawl them onto the slip of paper, fold it into a square, and toss it toward the heavens.
If you'd like to learn more about me or my books you can find me here:
BlogWebsiteFacebookTwitter
September 9, 2013
Cover reveal: BREAK YOU by Jennifer Snyder!
Today I’m thrilled to share with you the cover reveal for Jennifer Snyder’s upcoming novel Break You. Break You is a New Adult Contemporary Romance.
Ready for the cover? Here it is…
Isn’t it a beauty? The cover was created by Once Upon A Time Covers and features the photography of K. Keeton.
Releasing November 8, 2013
Blaire Hayes enjoys a quiet life, spending her days as a CNA at the local nursing home and nights studying for exams. She prefers things to be as uncomplicated as possible—but when her friends drag her to a party and she bumps into her high school crush, the path of Blaire’s life veers in an entirely different direction than what she had planned for herself.
Jason Bryant created a nice life away from his hometown, putting distance between himself and the suffocating sadness of his father’s death. But when he finds out his grandfather’s health is deteriorating, he decides he must return home. Partying was not on his agenda while in town, but it’s how he bumps into Blaire Hayes—the girl he’d always thought of in high school as an unobtainable pass.
Together the two learn there are moments in life that hold within them all the power to break you...
Jennifer Snyder lives in North Carolina were she spends most of her time writing New Adult and Young Adult Fiction, reading, and struggling to stay on top of housework. She is a tea lover with an obsession for Post-it notes and smooth writing pens. Jennifer lives with her husband and two children, who endure listening to songs that spur inspiration on repeat and tolerate her love for all paranormal, teenage-targeted TV shows.
Find her here:
BLOG, TWITTER, FACEBOOK
Ready for the cover? Here it is…
Isn’t it a beauty? The cover was created by Once Upon A Time Covers and features the photography of K. Keeton.
Releasing November 8, 2013
Blaire Hayes enjoys a quiet life, spending her days as a CNA at the local nursing home and nights studying for exams. She prefers things to be as uncomplicated as possible—but when her friends drag her to a party and she bumps into her high school crush, the path of Blaire’s life veers in an entirely different direction than what she had planned for herself.
Jason Bryant created a nice life away from his hometown, putting distance between himself and the suffocating sadness of his father’s death. But when he finds out his grandfather’s health is deteriorating, he decides he must return home. Partying was not on his agenda while in town, but it’s how he bumps into Blaire Hayes—the girl he’d always thought of in high school as an unobtainable pass.
Together the two learn there are moments in life that hold within them all the power to break you...
Jennifer Snyder lives in North Carolina were she spends most of her time writing New Adult and Young Adult Fiction, reading, and struggling to stay on top of housework. She is a tea lover with an obsession for Post-it notes and smooth writing pens. Jennifer lives with her husband and two children, who endure listening to songs that spur inspiration on repeat and tolerate her love for all paranormal, teenage-targeted TV shows.
Find her here:
BLOG, TWITTER, FACEBOOK
September 5, 2013
Cover reveal: SOAR by Alyssa Rose Ivy!
I loved loved loved Alyssa Rose Ivy's Crescent Chronicles, so I was thrilled when she announced a spin-off series! Here's the beautiful new cover of the first book in the Empire Chronicles!
In the city that never sleeps the Chronicles continue… Serving coffee is temporary, just like Casey's year off from school. She’s going to come up with a plan to stay in New York City and go back to college, and that plan does not involve dating a paranormal creature—let alone two.
Running the supernatural society of New York is not as fun as it sounds, especially when you still have to answer to your ex-girlfriend’s fiancé. Toby doesn’t mean to bring Casey into the chaos of his life, but he can't resist the girl who makes him smile when he thought no one else ever could.
Jared's in New York checking out a security risk for his best friend, the king. He plans to return to New Orleans quickly, but not if it means losing his chance with the brunette who pretends she wants nothing to do with him.
In over her head with a bunch of winged creatures who most definitely are not angels, Casey has to figure out who to trust with her life and maybe her heart.
Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.
find out more about Alyssa and her books in the following places:
TwitterAuthor GoodreadsPinterestWebsiteSOAR GoodreadsFacebook
In the city that never sleeps the Chronicles continue… Serving coffee is temporary, just like Casey's year off from school. She’s going to come up with a plan to stay in New York City and go back to college, and that plan does not involve dating a paranormal creature—let alone two.
Running the supernatural society of New York is not as fun as it sounds, especially when you still have to answer to your ex-girlfriend’s fiancé. Toby doesn’t mean to bring Casey into the chaos of his life, but he can't resist the girl who makes him smile when he thought no one else ever could.
Jared's in New York checking out a security risk for his best friend, the king. He plans to return to New Orleans quickly, but not if it means losing his chance with the brunette who pretends she wants nothing to do with him.
In over her head with a bunch of winged creatures who most definitely are not angels, Casey has to figure out who to trust with her life and maybe her heart.
Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.
find out more about Alyssa and her books in the following places:
TwitterAuthor GoodreadsPinterestWebsiteSOAR GoodreadsFacebook
September 4, 2013
Cover reveals!
Friends, they always say you can't judge a book by its cover, and esoterically, this is true. That said, pretty covers make a big difference to me, so I am THRILLED to introduce you to two new covers today--A MATTER OF TRUTH's (Fate series, #3) and the new cover for A MATTER OF FATE (Fate series, #1).
Up first . . .
(spoilers for anybody who hasn't read AMOF & AMOH ahead!)
A MATTER OF TRUTH (Fate series, #3)
Not long ago, Chloe Lilywhite seemingly had it all: a prized spot on the Magicals’ Council as lead Creator, a loving fiancé and Connection, and a wealth of good friends. But the poised young woman she projected was nothing more than a façade. Her parents all but disowned her. Power plays and accusations of murder within the Council rocked her confidence. And most difficult of all, her secret, a secondary Connection to Jonah’s twin brother, Kellan, became painfully impossible to resist. Desperate to gain control over her rapidly unraveling existence, Chloe did the unthinkable: she ran away.
Now living and working in Alaska under an alias, Chloe is slowly discovering who she is and, more importantly, who she wants to be. But the more she tries to leave the Magical world behind, the harder it becomes to stay hidden. The Elders are back with a vengeance, and the stakes have never been higher. Chloe finally has to make a choice: embrace her pre-ordained Fate or pave her own way in the worlds. One thing’s for sure, though—she’s finally up for the challenge.
*This is a New Adult title, suitable for readers 18+.
the wrap is so, so beautiful, right?
Now, don't get me wrong. I love love LOVE the original cover of A MATTER OF FATE.
That said, once Carly Stevens, the awesome designer of these covers, and I really got to talking about what we envisioned for the series as a whole, we realized that the original didn't quite fit with the others. So, Carly whipped up this amazing re-do for me. Seriously, friends. How gorgeous is this?
And, just so you can see how pretty they are all lined up, here are the three covers in order:
Up first . . .
(spoilers for anybody who hasn't read AMOF & AMOH ahead!)
A MATTER OF TRUTH (Fate series, #3)
Not long ago, Chloe Lilywhite seemingly had it all: a prized spot on the Magicals’ Council as lead Creator, a loving fiancé and Connection, and a wealth of good friends. But the poised young woman she projected was nothing more than a façade. Her parents all but disowned her. Power plays and accusations of murder within the Council rocked her confidence. And most difficult of all, her secret, a secondary Connection to Jonah’s twin brother, Kellan, became painfully impossible to resist. Desperate to gain control over her rapidly unraveling existence, Chloe did the unthinkable: she ran away.
Now living and working in Alaska under an alias, Chloe is slowly discovering who she is and, more importantly, who she wants to be. But the more she tries to leave the Magical world behind, the harder it becomes to stay hidden. The Elders are back with a vengeance, and the stakes have never been higher. Chloe finally has to make a choice: embrace her pre-ordained Fate or pave her own way in the worlds. One thing’s for sure, though—she’s finally up for the challenge.
*This is a New Adult title, suitable for readers 18+.
the wrap is so, so beautiful, right?Now, don't get me wrong. I love love LOVE the original cover of A MATTER OF FATE.
That said, once Carly Stevens, the awesome designer of these covers, and I really got to talking about what we envisioned for the series as a whole, we realized that the original didn't quite fit with the others. So, Carly whipped up this amazing re-do for me. Seriously, friends. How gorgeous is this?
And, just so you can see how pretty they are all lined up, here are the three covers in order:
August 31, 2013
The novellas are coming! The novellas are coming!
Hi everyone! I am so, so thrilled to be sharing some super exciting news with you today.
One of the things that I hear most from fans is just how much they like reading the Fate series from Jonah and Kellan Whitecomb's point of views, despite enjoying reading from Chloe's. I've posted a number of scenes from both twins' perspectives over the last year here on the blog and on Facebook, but after reading about how much everybody loves them, I decided that posting these small scenes weren't enough. So, friends, if you love the Whitecomb twins, I think you'll love what I have to tell you.
Both Jonah and Kellan are getting their very own novellas!
I've decided to release Jonah's POV of A MATTER OF FATE (Fate series, #1) first--you'll be able to get it on Thursday, October 10th. Soon, right? Hooray! And then . . . A MATTER OF TRUTH (Fate series, #3 comes out on November 5th. And then . . . you'll be able to read Kellan's POV of A MATTER OF HEART (Fate series, #2) on Thursday, January 14th! And then . . . you'll get AMOF 4 sometime in early spring. I'll be releasing the title of that book, date and more info on that book after A MATTER OF TRUTH's release in November.
Okay. Now that that exciting news is out of the way, I wanted to show you a few pictures some of my fantastic street team found recently of who they think the twins look like. DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to any of these photos, nor do any of the members of my street team.
Um, yes, please.
According to Street Team Member Sarah, she sees Jonah on the left, Kel on the right. Incidentally, I once upon a time envisioned Jonah as a blonde.
J on the left, K on the right
Seriously. So Jonah, right?
I'm told the ladies don't mind Kellan shirtless. ha!
One of the things that I hear most from fans is just how much they like reading the Fate series from Jonah and Kellan Whitecomb's point of views, despite enjoying reading from Chloe's. I've posted a number of scenes from both twins' perspectives over the last year here on the blog and on Facebook, but after reading about how much everybody loves them, I decided that posting these small scenes weren't enough. So, friends, if you love the Whitecomb twins, I think you'll love what I have to tell you.
Both Jonah and Kellan are getting their very own novellas!
I've decided to release Jonah's POV of A MATTER OF FATE (Fate series, #1) first--you'll be able to get it on Thursday, October 10th. Soon, right? Hooray! And then . . . A MATTER OF TRUTH (Fate series, #3 comes out on November 5th. And then . . . you'll be able to read Kellan's POV of A MATTER OF HEART (Fate series, #2) on Thursday, January 14th! And then . . . you'll get AMOF 4 sometime in early spring. I'll be releasing the title of that book, date and more info on that book after A MATTER OF TRUTH's release in November.
Okay. Now that that exciting news is out of the way, I wanted to show you a few pictures some of my fantastic street team found recently of who they think the twins look like. DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to any of these photos, nor do any of the members of my street team.
Um, yes, please.
According to Street Team Member Sarah, she sees Jonah on the left, Kel on the right. Incidentally, I once upon a time envisioned Jonah as a blonde.
J on the left, K on the right
Seriously. So Jonah, right?
I'm told the ladies don't mind Kellan shirtless. ha!August 28, 2013
Playlist: MARK OF THE DRAGON by M.R. Polish!
I'm so thrilled today to share with you guys M.R. Polish's writing playlist for
Mark of the Dragon
, her newest fantasy book, co-written with her dad, Bill Morgan. Take it away, M.R.!
* * * * *
Co-writing Mark of the Dragon with my dad was amazing. I love that we were able to mesh our writing voices together so well. I love our dragons and all our characters (some more than others lol). While writing, and I can't speak for Bill, but I have to listen to music. Sometimes I listen to things that wouldn't normally be on my everyday playlists, but the songs bond with the muse and create the perfect mood for each scene. I can't explain how every song I listen to is attached dramatically in some way to each scene.
Below is my personal Spotify playlist for Mark of the Dragon , along with each song and what it meant to me during the writing process...
Come Away to the Water helped me when writing the whole book. It helped set the tone during many scenes and attached itself to Andra, who is one of our main characters.
Kingdom Come I can picture the country of Santerrian. Not sure why, but it helped when Andra took her journey to the orb. I think it was on constant repeat during that part of the story lol.
Daughter's Lament was a fun song to listen to while writing the Vetaunex. Not so much a repeat song, but it helped when Liam went hunting.
Safe & Sound is just a great song. I can picture Andra and Amoreth with this song, the war between the countries made an intense journey and this song helped create some peace with the characters - as well as setting the tone in the story.
The Dragon's Breath is beautiful! No words needed. The haunting Celtic sounds soothed as well as incited many emotions. There was a scene with Sorem that if I read while listening to this song I could cry. I can picture the entire story with just this song. It is kinda like my personal theme song for it. If there were ever an official soundtrack or (dreaming here...) a movie, this song would be on my must have list.
I Hate Everything About You is not a typical song for this story I admit, but the muse loved it for certain scenes. Regina was a hard person to feel and I found that using this song as well as a couple others helped. It also helped draw out some deeper emotions that helped with fighting or anger, even sorrow.
Burn it to the Ground is a go to song for fights if you ask me. When the dragons are flying in the air and fighting, this was playing! This song pumps me and many of my muses up.
Kryptonite is a song that helped set the mood for different scenes. It helped when they Liam was traveling a lot.
Pain is another song I used with Regina. Trying to dig for a deeper emotion and trying to understand why she was so dark.
Second Chance is one of those songs that just fits. You know when you go see a movie and the last song that closes the movie and the screen fades to black? Yes, this would be it for me lol. It has nothing to do with the story, but somehow it really does fit.
My Immortal is a close song for me personally and it took a while before I could listen to it without crying, but this song helped with a lot of the story, especially in the beginning. There is a scene with Andra and Terrax that this hits for me. The traditions of dragons and their riders make this hit even harder and pull out more. It is also the perfect song to leave you all with......
In a land of warriors and dragons, everything is about to change...
Countries are divided and war is raging, but none of that matters to Andra. She is destined to be a dragon rider. There has never been a woman rider, but that doesn't matter to her. After her father's death, she trains harder than any man to be a worthy candidate. Even when the Aquastrian leader wants her dead, she fights back. Can she over come traveling hundreds of miles on foot, surviving hunger, bandits, assassins and wild carnivores?
Liam is just another warrior who hopes he is worthy of the Mark of the Dragon. He must endure the long trek from Aquastra to Santerrian, avoiding all people, especially those who may be hired to kill him. Meeting Andra along the way changes everything. He admires her willful spirit and is inspired to do even more as a warrior and stop the war. He fights to help her, kills to protect her, but will it be enough to get them both to their dragons before it's too late?
You can purchase Mark of the Dragon on Kindle or on your Nook. You can also get Mark of the Dragon in paperback (which has some cool scrolls in the beginning) here ---> Createspace or Barnes & Noble
The Mysts of Santerrian also has a website that you can check out tid-bits as we write the stories, read some of the book for free, and even some extras.... www.mystsofsanterrian.com
About the Authors
M.R. Polish was born in Idaho, a long, long, long, well, maybe not that long time ago.... Writing has always been there for her. Growing up, her mind was filled with stories, some she shared and others she filed away to write down later in life. It wasn't until 2011 that she decided to publish her stories for everyone to enjoy. Her first award, and when writing became more than just an idea, was in the 5th grade. She won the scary story contest for the school newspaper. It is one story she still has tucked away for memories. Her teacher told her she could be anything she wanted and that she had a talent for writing, being creative and drawing people into her stories. M.R. took that to heart and continued to write, although mostly in secret until recent years.
Now you can find her enjoying life with her family - wrangling her four kids, setting traps in the house with toys for unsuspecting victims (aka, her husband) and writing down all her crazy and fun stories.
"Life is too short to stand by and watch everyone else live your dreams. The bigger the dream, the bigger the adventure!" ~ M.R. Polish(click to be taken to learn more about them) Other books by M.R. Polish: Wolf Spell, Wolf Dream (TBR 9/1/13), Ageless Sea
Bill Morgan is M.R.'s dad, and if she was born that long ago, You all should shudder at how long ago he was born. He has always been creative. As an amateur artist and an avid woodworker, he always could see the hidden beauty in a blank piece of paper or a piece of wood. He joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1986 and spent twenty years saving lives and serving his country. He always had stories running around in his head, but he never tried to put them onto paper until M.R. convinced him to do this book with her. Now he is actively writing two additional sci-fi/fantasy novels. Hopefully she hasn't created a monster. Bill's favorite thing is his family. He has a wonderful wife, two adult daughters, four sisters, and more wonderful nieces and nephews than you can believe. His last count was over one hundred and he loves them all. One of his favorite quotes comes from a movie, but it applies to writing a fictional novel as well:
"Don't know where we're going, but there's no sense in being late." ~Mathew Quigley
* * * * *
Co-writing Mark of the Dragon with my dad was amazing. I love that we were able to mesh our writing voices together so well. I love our dragons and all our characters (some more than others lol). While writing, and I can't speak for Bill, but I have to listen to music. Sometimes I listen to things that wouldn't normally be on my everyday playlists, but the songs bond with the muse and create the perfect mood for each scene. I can't explain how every song I listen to is attached dramatically in some way to each scene.
Below is my personal Spotify playlist for Mark of the Dragon , along with each song and what it meant to me during the writing process...
Come Away to the Water helped me when writing the whole book. It helped set the tone during many scenes and attached itself to Andra, who is one of our main characters.
Kingdom Come I can picture the country of Santerrian. Not sure why, but it helped when Andra took her journey to the orb. I think it was on constant repeat during that part of the story lol.
Daughter's Lament was a fun song to listen to while writing the Vetaunex. Not so much a repeat song, but it helped when Liam went hunting.
Safe & Sound is just a great song. I can picture Andra and Amoreth with this song, the war between the countries made an intense journey and this song helped create some peace with the characters - as well as setting the tone in the story.
The Dragon's Breath is beautiful! No words needed. The haunting Celtic sounds soothed as well as incited many emotions. There was a scene with Sorem that if I read while listening to this song I could cry. I can picture the entire story with just this song. It is kinda like my personal theme song for it. If there were ever an official soundtrack or (dreaming here...) a movie, this song would be on my must have list.
I Hate Everything About You is not a typical song for this story I admit, but the muse loved it for certain scenes. Regina was a hard person to feel and I found that using this song as well as a couple others helped. It also helped draw out some deeper emotions that helped with fighting or anger, even sorrow.
Burn it to the Ground is a go to song for fights if you ask me. When the dragons are flying in the air and fighting, this was playing! This song pumps me and many of my muses up.
Kryptonite is a song that helped set the mood for different scenes. It helped when they Liam was traveling a lot.
Pain is another song I used with Regina. Trying to dig for a deeper emotion and trying to understand why she was so dark.
Second Chance is one of those songs that just fits. You know when you go see a movie and the last song that closes the movie and the screen fades to black? Yes, this would be it for me lol. It has nothing to do with the story, but somehow it really does fit.
My Immortal is a close song for me personally and it took a while before I could listen to it without crying, but this song helped with a lot of the story, especially in the beginning. There is a scene with Andra and Terrax that this hits for me. The traditions of dragons and their riders make this hit even harder and pull out more. It is also the perfect song to leave you all with......
In a land of warriors and dragons, everything is about to change...
Countries are divided and war is raging, but none of that matters to Andra. She is destined to be a dragon rider. There has never been a woman rider, but that doesn't matter to her. After her father's death, she trains harder than any man to be a worthy candidate. Even when the Aquastrian leader wants her dead, she fights back. Can she over come traveling hundreds of miles on foot, surviving hunger, bandits, assassins and wild carnivores?
Liam is just another warrior who hopes he is worthy of the Mark of the Dragon. He must endure the long trek from Aquastra to Santerrian, avoiding all people, especially those who may be hired to kill him. Meeting Andra along the way changes everything. He admires her willful spirit and is inspired to do even more as a warrior and stop the war. He fights to help her, kills to protect her, but will it be enough to get them both to their dragons before it's too late?
You can purchase Mark of the Dragon on Kindle or on your Nook. You can also get Mark of the Dragon in paperback (which has some cool scrolls in the beginning) here ---> Createspace or Barnes & Noble
The Mysts of Santerrian also has a website that you can check out tid-bits as we write the stories, read some of the book for free, and even some extras.... www.mystsofsanterrian.com
About the Authors
M.R. Polish was born in Idaho, a long, long, long, well, maybe not that long time ago.... Writing has always been there for her. Growing up, her mind was filled with stories, some she shared and others she filed away to write down later in life. It wasn't until 2011 that she decided to publish her stories for everyone to enjoy. Her first award, and when writing became more than just an idea, was in the 5th grade. She won the scary story contest for the school newspaper. It is one story she still has tucked away for memories. Her teacher told her she could be anything she wanted and that she had a talent for writing, being creative and drawing people into her stories. M.R. took that to heart and continued to write, although mostly in secret until recent years.Now you can find her enjoying life with her family - wrangling her four kids, setting traps in the house with toys for unsuspecting victims (aka, her husband) and writing down all her crazy and fun stories.
"Life is too short to stand by and watch everyone else live your dreams. The bigger the dream, the bigger the adventure!" ~ M.R. Polish(click to be taken to learn more about them) Other books by M.R. Polish: Wolf Spell, Wolf Dream (TBR 9/1/13), Ageless Sea
Bill Morgan is M.R.'s dad, and if she was born that long ago, You all should shudder at how long ago he was born. He has always been creative. As an amateur artist and an avid woodworker, he always could see the hidden beauty in a blank piece of paper or a piece of wood. He joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1986 and spent twenty years saving lives and serving his country. He always had stories running around in his head, but he never tried to put them onto paper until M.R. convinced him to do this book with her. Now he is actively writing two additional sci-fi/fantasy novels. Hopefully she hasn't created a monster. Bill's favorite thing is his family. He has a wonderful wife, two adult daughters, four sisters, and more wonderful nieces and nephews than you can believe. His last count was over one hundred and he loves them all. One of his favorite quotes comes from a movie, but it applies to writing a fictional novel as well:"Don't know where we're going, but there's no sense in being late." ~Mathew Quigley
August 23, 2013
Catalyst Tour Stop--Interview with Jennifer Snyder
So, I'm super excited today to share with you an interview I just did with fellow NA writer Jennifer Snyder, during which I pick her brain on her hot new
Tethered
series!
Sometimes who we really are lies buried just beneath the surface…
After learning she’s inherited a house in the beachside town of Soul Harbor, Georgia, Addison Harmon and her best friend decided to take a much needed vacation before the pressures of life after high school suffocate them too heavily.
But what Addison finds isn’t a chance to recoup from a bad break up and hang out with her best friend while she decides what she wants to do with her future. What she finds is Kace Sullivan—a sexy guy she can’t seem to get enough of—someone who with one touch reveals a seductive world full of magick and secrets Addison isn’t sure she’s ready to be a part of.
Hey, Jennifer! I had such fun delving into the world you created in Catalyst. It's the perfect beach read for this summer, which makes sense since it's set in idyllic Soul Harbor, Georgia. (I totally want to go there, by the way!) Where did you get the idea for this sleepy town and all of its mysteries?
Everything about this series started with a dream. The ending of Catalyst was that dream. In it I was able to see the churning waters of the ocean from atop a cliff. From that scene, everything sort of just progressed on its own in my overly imaginative mind.
In my Fate series, Magic is almost another character of its own amongst my cast. What drew you to the subject for your Tethered series?
I’ve always had this fascination with the world of magic. I knew early on in my writing career that I wanted to write a story incorporating that interest. The Hoodoo aspect was a twist that jumped out at me during the many hours of research online I endured. It was dark, taboo, and held a dose of sexy to me. There was something acutely compelling about the possibility of such things and I knew I had to add it into the mix somehow. As for the magick Addison and the others share together, I really wanted to make it all about balance.
Your heroine, Addison, meets two hunky guys in Catalyst. How would Kace describe Addison?
A set of sexy eyes. Voluptuously plump lips. Insanely attractive. Powerful beyond her knowledge.
That said, how would Theo describe her?
Commanding. Naive to magick and quite possibly life in general. Lost.
Ooh, is there anything you can spoil about the rest of the series? What should readers be on the outlook for?
The final novel in the series (Confined) will be coming out later this fall, in it Addison’s world will be flipped upside down and tossed sideways. There will be loads of action, betrayal, suspense, and of course some swoon worthy moments.
Speaking of beach reads, what are some books you've enjoyed this summer?
There have been a few. Shattered Promises by Jessica Sorensen. Just For Now by Abbi Glines. But most recently, Tragic by J. A. Huss.
Thanks for stopping by, Jennifer!
Thanks so much for having me!
* * * * *
Learn more about Jennifer at the following places:
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorjennife...
twitter: @JennSnyder04
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Follow along the rest of the tour for Catalyst :
Spotlight August 18, 2013 Boekie’s Book Reviews
Review August 19, 2013 Hot Off the Shelves
Review August 21, 2013 TeamNerdReviews
Spotlight August 22, 2013 alwaysjoart
Interview August 23, 2013have you met heather?
Spotlight August 24, 2013 The Writerly Exploits of Mara Valderran
Spotlight August 25, 2013 Fandom Fanatic
Review August 26, 2013 Once Upon a YA Book
Spotlight August 28, 2013 Book Nerds Anonymous
Spotlight August 28, 2013 Amy Jones Books
Review August 29, 2013 books are love
Spotlight August 30, 2013 Dark, Dirty & Delicious
Review August 31, 2013Sara Marion
Review August 31, 2013The Phantom Paragrapher
Sometimes who we really are lies buried just beneath the surface…
After learning she’s inherited a house in the beachside town of Soul Harbor, Georgia, Addison Harmon and her best friend decided to take a much needed vacation before the pressures of life after high school suffocate them too heavily.
But what Addison finds isn’t a chance to recoup from a bad break up and hang out with her best friend while she decides what she wants to do with her future. What she finds is Kace Sullivan—a sexy guy she can’t seem to get enough of—someone who with one touch reveals a seductive world full of magick and secrets Addison isn’t sure she’s ready to be a part of.
Hey, Jennifer! I had such fun delving into the world you created in Catalyst. It's the perfect beach read for this summer, which makes sense since it's set in idyllic Soul Harbor, Georgia. (I totally want to go there, by the way!) Where did you get the idea for this sleepy town and all of its mysteries?
Everything about this series started with a dream. The ending of Catalyst was that dream. In it I was able to see the churning waters of the ocean from atop a cliff. From that scene, everything sort of just progressed on its own in my overly imaginative mind.
In my Fate series, Magic is almost another character of its own amongst my cast. What drew you to the subject for your Tethered series?
I’ve always had this fascination with the world of magic. I knew early on in my writing career that I wanted to write a story incorporating that interest. The Hoodoo aspect was a twist that jumped out at me during the many hours of research online I endured. It was dark, taboo, and held a dose of sexy to me. There was something acutely compelling about the possibility of such things and I knew I had to add it into the mix somehow. As for the magick Addison and the others share together, I really wanted to make it all about balance.
Your heroine, Addison, meets two hunky guys in Catalyst. How would Kace describe Addison?
A set of sexy eyes. Voluptuously plump lips. Insanely attractive. Powerful beyond her knowledge.
That said, how would Theo describe her?
Commanding. Naive to magick and quite possibly life in general. Lost.
Ooh, is there anything you can spoil about the rest of the series? What should readers be on the outlook for?
The final novel in the series (Confined) will be coming out later this fall, in it Addison’s world will be flipped upside down and tossed sideways. There will be loads of action, betrayal, suspense, and of course some swoon worthy moments.
Speaking of beach reads, what are some books you've enjoyed this summer?
There have been a few. Shattered Promises by Jessica Sorensen. Just For Now by Abbi Glines. But most recently, Tragic by J. A. Huss.
Thanks for stopping by, Jennifer!
Thanks so much for having me!
* * * * *
Learn more about Jennifer at the following places:
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorjennife...
twitter: @JennSnyder04
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Follow along the rest of the tour for Catalyst :
Spotlight August 18, 2013 Boekie’s Book Reviews
Review August 19, 2013 Hot Off the Shelves
Review August 21, 2013 TeamNerdReviews
Spotlight August 22, 2013 alwaysjoart
Interview August 23, 2013have you met heather?
Spotlight August 24, 2013 The Writerly Exploits of Mara Valderran
Spotlight August 25, 2013 Fandom Fanatic
Review August 26, 2013 Once Upon a YA Book
Spotlight August 28, 2013 Book Nerds Anonymous
Spotlight August 28, 2013 Amy Jones Books
Review August 29, 2013 books are love
Spotlight August 30, 2013 Dark, Dirty & Delicious
Review August 31, 2013Sara Marion
Review August 31, 2013The Phantom Paragrapher
August 22, 2013
Book Spotlight: A DATE TO DIE FOR by Bonnie Paulson
A Date to Die for: #1 Speed Dating is out and about!
***This is part of a series - each chunk is an episode (like TV) and should be read with that expectation. Not to be read out of order.***
When dating ends in deaths and threats, Molly might be better off staying single.
During one of Molly’s weekly meet-ups with her girls at their regular bar, Molly succumbs to the duress of her two best friends and begins the aggressive dating they sign her up for online where the pairings are questionable… and dangerous. Under the watchful eye of Brad the bartender, Molly succumbs to the duress of her two best friends. They’ve entered her in an evening of speed dating. But at the end of the evening she finds an item from her past that raises questions… and danger.
When the number of deaths surpass Molly’s goodnight kisses, her past pushes into the present and Molly loses much more than she gains. A stalker has focused on Molly and refuses to let anyone else date her. But she refuses to be single for the rest of her life.
Is Molly doomed to a life of singledom wrapped in fear - or will the stalker turn on her next?
Find A Date to Die for: #1 Speed Dating here!
Bonnie R. Paulson mixes her science and medical background with reality and possibilities to make even myths seem likely and give every story the genetic strength to survive. Let's kick start this show!
***This is part of a series - each chunk is an episode (like TV) and should be read with that expectation. Not to be read out of order.***
When dating ends in deaths and threats, Molly might be better off staying single.
During one of Molly’s weekly meet-ups with her girls at their regular bar, Molly succumbs to the duress of her two best friends and begins the aggressive dating they sign her up for online where the pairings are questionable… and dangerous. Under the watchful eye of Brad the bartender, Molly succumbs to the duress of her two best friends. They’ve entered her in an evening of speed dating. But at the end of the evening she finds an item from her past that raises questions… and danger.
When the number of deaths surpass Molly’s goodnight kisses, her past pushes into the present and Molly loses much more than she gains. A stalker has focused on Molly and refuses to let anyone else date her. But she refuses to be single for the rest of her life.
Is Molly doomed to a life of singledom wrapped in fear - or will the stalker turn on her next?
Find A Date to Die for: #1 Speed Dating here!
Bonnie R. Paulson mixes her science and medical background with reality and possibilities to make even myths seem likely and give every story the genetic strength to survive. Let's kick start this show!
August 5, 2013
hymh's stop for the Strong Novels Scavenger Hunt!
Hi everyone, and thanks for having me here, Heather! My name is Kristi and I am the mind behind the Land of Kaldalangra series, which currently is made up of two books, The Lady of Steinbrekka and Heart of Kylassame. In honor of
The Lady of Steinbrekka
turning 1, I've put together a party game for you, complete with prizes!
The party game is a classic scavenger hunt with a digital twist. Scattered throughout the online world are little known facts about Kaldalangra. Don't panic, the list of blogs hosting these facts can be found at my blog, StrongNovels.blogspot.com :) After you have collected all of the facts, be sure to head over to the Prizes post of my blog to see what you can win!
~ * ~ * ~And now...a secret fact about the land of Kaldalangra
* The ladybug symbolism is a throw back to when I was in high school and loved ladybugs. I even once covered the interior of my mother's car with ladybug stickers, which she was still finding when she went to sell it 10 years later.
~ * ~ * ~
Be sure to check out the other great blogs for more facts of Kaldalangra!
Kristi Strong is a jack of all trades and a master of none. She is both a dreamer and a do-er. She's a woman, a wife, and a mother (not necessarily in that order at all times). You can learn more about Kristi and her books HERE.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The party game is a classic scavenger hunt with a digital twist. Scattered throughout the online world are little known facts about Kaldalangra. Don't panic, the list of blogs hosting these facts can be found at my blog, StrongNovels.blogspot.com :) After you have collected all of the facts, be sure to head over to the Prizes post of my blog to see what you can win!
~ * ~ * ~And now...a secret fact about the land of Kaldalangra
* The ladybug symbolism is a throw back to when I was in high school and loved ladybugs. I even once covered the interior of my mother's car with ladybug stickers, which she was still finding when she went to sell it 10 years later.
~ * ~ * ~
Be sure to check out the other great blogs for more facts of Kaldalangra!
Kristi Strong is a jack of all trades and a master of none. She is both a dreamer and a do-er. She's a woman, a wife, and a mother (not necessarily in that order at all times). You can learn more about Kristi and her books HERE.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
