Katie Hamstead's Blog, page 23

RELEASE of my novel Princess of Tyrone!

Today Princess of Tyrone goes out into the world. It's a significant book because not only is it the first of seven books in a series, but it's also my tenth book release.

See what people are already saying about it (Goodreads):

"Hamstead hit it out of the park with this one, much like her Kiya series" ~ Jessa Russo

"I would say this is one of my favorite retellings so far, and it was a fun read that had me smiling throughout at the characters and their relationships!" ~ Kristen Burns

Grab your copy today on Amazon, and swing by the Facebook party for giveaways and games. Then go ahead and follow the blog tour with YA Bound which also has a tour giveaway. Lots of giveaways!

Apolline is happy hunting magical creatures on her pirate infested outer-perimeter planet. She is a fantastic shot, and doesn’t flinch at the blood and guts of her kills. Never once did she consider she could be the missing Princess of Tyrone. 

All her life, she has heard the story of the Princess, cursed to sleep for eternity, unless her betrothed, the Prince of Oran, gave her true love’s kiss. Although Apolline knows she is betrothed, she thinks her fairy guardians arranged it out of ignorance of human ways. The thought she could be a princess is inconceivable.

Then Allard appears. Handsome, charming—but he’s not hers to have. He’s betrothed, too. Her guardians warn her against her new found friendship, but she and Allard meet in secret anyway. Despite her rough exterior, he sees beyond her gun-slinging bravado, and their love blossoms.

But the deadline for the sleeping curse is approaching. If Apolline falls in love with the wrong person, she could end up sleeping forever. 

A quirky, adventurous retelling of Sleeping Beauty, with a less than princess-ly princess!

Blog Tour: Immurement by @normahinkens

Immurementby Norma Hinkens
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian/Sci-fi
Release Date: December 9th 2015
Dunecadia Publishing

Summary from Goodreads:

The earth’s core overheats. The sovereign leader vanishes. A young girl is the survivors’ only hope …

What little land is habitable is patrolled by cutthroat gangs of escaped subversives, but that’s not the greatest threat facing sixteen-year-old Derry Connelly, her brother Owen, and a ragged band of Preppers holed up in a bunker in the Sawtooth Mountains. Mysterious hoverships operated by clones are targeting adolescents for extraction.

Owen, is one of the first to disappear. To save him, Derry must strike a deal with the murderous subversives, and risk a daring raid to infiltrate the heart of the extraction operation.

But will the rookie leader falter when forced to choose between her brother and a clone who ignites something inside her she didn’t know was possible?
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Buy Links: Amazon
I trace the trigger housing on my gun and count the remaining clones congregated around the room. We’re grossly outnumbered. And Owen is weaponless. This can’t end well if we don’t comply.“You have thirty seconds to accept my terms,” Lyong says, a nettled edge to his voice.I shiver, picturing his one-eyed tic appraising me in a monitor somewhere as he talks, his papery skin rippling with the effort of speech. I can’t see a way out of the situation that gives me any chance of saving Owen, other than to negotiate. Hesitantly, I raise my arms and step forward.“My brother’s injured,” I yell. “If you give us your word you’ll help him, we’ll turn over our weapons.”My heart strains in my chest. I’m counting on Mason and Sven to hold their fire. I wait for what seems like forever, steeling myself for Lyong’s response.The intercom crackles to life, but Lyong’s words are drowned out in a barrage of gunfire. I pitch sideways beneath a conveyer belt and huddle in a ball, shaking. Debris pelts me from every angle; chunks of seat cushions, shredded medical tubing, shards of glass from exploding computer screens. A pungent chemical smell fills the air.All over the room, disoriented Schutz Clones fly backward. I stare in disbelief as they writhe in death throes, ossifying before my eyes. Mason bolts across the floor and rolls under the belt beside me. His eyes gleam like cat’s eyes in the dim light. “It’s the Council,” he yells, between breaths. “They’ve penetrated the Craniopolis!”I blink as I digest what he’s saying, my ears roaring.Mason slams a fresh cartridge into his gun, his knuckles bleeding profusely. “They must have triggered the explosion. They’ve been planning an attack for months.” My brain slowly wraps itself around the information. There’s still a chance of getting out of here alive. I unload my pack and roll over into sniper position. “Then let’s finish this.” I lock eyes with Mason. “For Owen.”
About the Author For news and special offers join Norma's VIP Reader List at  http://eepurl.com/bDGdIX .

Travel junkie, former professional globetrotter, legend lover, idea wrangler. Norma Hinkens has lived, worked and visited her way across continents, soaking up stories along the way. Her writing is influenced by the resilient characters she met along the way; everyone has a story!

Norma grew up among vibrant storytelling traditions in her native Ireland. She's a legend-loving author who takes a fiendish delight in pushing reluctant characters over cliffs to find out what they’re made of. Epic odds, seemingly impossible missions, pasts that haunt, intrigue and misadventure. She’s happiest when wrangling provocative big picture ideas that are never black and white when you turn them inside out. It’s all about the tension in the journey.

She currently resides in California with her husband, three children and Chihuahua extraordinaire. She is the author of the YA post-apocalyptic Undergrounders Series: Immurement, Embattlement and Adjudgement.
Author Links:Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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Book Tour Organized by:
YA Bound Book Tours

Review: How to Ditch Dead Guys by Ann M. Noser

From Goodreads:
After everyone EMMA ROBERTS raises from the dead sinks back into the river, she longs for a purpose. A schedule. Something to accomplish.
Then OFFICER WALKER leaves a message on her voice mail: "There's been another murder, and I need your help."
With a bag of witchcraft supplies slung over her shoulder, Emma performs a séance for Walker at the site of the murder. But nothing happens until Emma gets back home.
Black smoke swirls inside the bathroom. An invisible force slams her head onto the tiled floor. A golden snake slithers across her legs, then impales her wrist with its icy teeth.
As the smoke clears and the images fade, the truth becomes clear.
This time around, Emma won't just watch what happened. She'll live it.
As Emma helps Officer Walker solve murder cases, she relives the horror of each victim's last moments of life. From the edge of the river to the underground lair of the gang who murdered Steve, she endures it all.
As Emma weakens, both the victims and the murderers who killed them fight for control of her body and mind.
She's possessed, and the voices inside her head won't let her ask for help.
Even the Book of Shadows can't save her now… 

My Thoughts:
I loved How to Date Dead Guys, so the second I had a chance to read this I snatched it up. All I really want to say is JAKE. JAKE, JAKE, JAKE. Noser continues the story from book one by delving deeper into Emma's past and new found abilities while she helps the cop who suspected her in book 1 solve mysterious occurrences. Favorite characters return, and not-so-favorite ones too. Things get a little darker, a little deeper, and way more intriguing. Now I HAVE to wait for book 3! But I wait eagerly, and ready to find out more about Emma and, well, JAKE! 

Blog Tour: How to Get Your Heart Broken by Rose Fall

How to Get Your Heart Broken
by Rose Fall
Release Date: March 21st 2016
Genre: YA Contemporary

Summary:

A self-proclaimed cynic, Eli is unsurprised by her boyfriend’s betrayal. Yet, its impact goes beyond what she realizes; a cruel bet, an array of secrets, and a thousand lessons not yet learned teach her how to trust again as an unlikely boy shows her a kind of love she never knew existed.After Eli finds her boyfriend cheating on her, she seeks an escape. She heads to the beach to spend the summer before college with her two best friends. When Eli is unable to move past the betrayal, the girls devise a distraction; a bet about their handsome neighbor. Yet their thoughtless competition goes too far and their friendships are tested as they began to wonder how much they really know about each other and themselves. In the chaos, they manage to learn the truth about love, self-acceptance, and the journey back from rock bottom. Add to Goodreads
Buy Links:Amazon│Paperback

RACHEL: “The best way to get over someone is to get revenge.”


Book Trailer: 



Spotify Playlist: https://play.spotify.com/user/rosesfall/playlist/1olJRGT7uI0c1Y7vUZJtf2
About the AuthorRose Fall was born in New York City to Senegalese immigrant parents. She is currently studying Communication and Global Studies at UNC Chapel Hill. Her debut novel "How to Get Your Heart Broken" is set to be released Spring 2016. You can find her at her blog on rosesarecool.wordpress.com
Author Links:Website│Goodreads│Twitter
GIVEAWAY:a Rafflecopter giveaway


Blog Tour Organized by:YA Bound Book Tours

Blog Tour: Lions in the Garden @Chelsea_Luna_ @LyricalPress

Lions in the Garden
by Chelsea Luna
Release Date: March 1st 2016
Lyrical Press (Kensington)

Summary from Goodreads:

Prague, 1610

Ludmila Novakova--Mila--has barely set foot outside Prague Castle in her seventeen years. But with the choice between braving the bandits and wolves of Bohemia's uneasy roads or being married off to a disgusting old baron, she's taken what she can carry and fled.

Escape won't be easy. Even Mila has heard the rumors of a rebellion coming against the court. The peasants are hungry. The king hasn't been seen in months. Mila's father, the High Chancellor, is well known and well hated.

But Mila can't sit behind a stone wall and let fear force her into a life of silk gowns and certain misery. Her mother's death has taught her that much. She has one ally: Marc, the son of the blacksmith. A commoner, a Protestant--and perhaps a traitor, too. But the farther she gets from the castle, the more lies she uncovers, unraveling everything she thought she knew. And the harder it is to tell friend from enemy--and wrong from right . . . 
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Buy Links:Amazon│Barnes and Noble│Google Play
Excerpt:The beauty of Prague Castle—my home—filled me with an overwhelming sense of panic.  I shivered, partly from fear of returning to the castle and partly because my thin cloak didn’t provide enough warmth from the night’s chill.                “You’re cold,” Marc said.                “I’m fine.”                He slipped his hand under my cloak and rubbed my bare arm.  “You’re not fine. You’re freezing.” “We’re almost there.  I won’t freeze.”Marc drew me to him until my back lay against his chest.  I shivered again with the unexpected contact.  He wrapped his arms around my waist and leaned into me, using his large frame to shield my body from the whipping wind.  I couldn’t stop myself—I nestled into him, seeking his warmth.“That’s better,” he whispered. I was incredibly aware of how close we were and how much of our bodies touched.  I’d never been this close to a man.  My mind buzzed with activity.  Was he as aware of me as I was of him?  Or was I being silly?  
About the AuthorChelsea Luna is the author of the bestselling NEW ENGLAND WITCH CHRONICLES, a young adult paranormal romance series comprising of four novels. Chelsea is also the author of the bestselling LOVE & THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, a young adult horror trilogy.

Chelsea received a Juris Doctorate from New York Law School in New York, New York in 2007, and a B.A. in Sociology, with a concentration in Criminal Justice, from the University of Tennessee in 2004. She lives in Tennessee.
Author Links:Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook
GIVEAWAY:a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Tour Organized by:YA Bound Book Tours

My Navajo Husband!

As you probably know (or not, whatever!) I am a stereotypical blonde haired, blue eyed Aussie girl. I moved to the USA for the sole purpose of marrying my husband. That's how much I love that man: I literally gave up my entire world for him. He has a wonderful, loving heart, a warm smile, a wicked and often crude sense of humor, and he's a fabulous cook to boot.
And, he also happens to be Native American--Navajo.
But let's go back to our childhood. We are only three months apart in age, so the coincidences of certain things we did are fascinating. As a kid, he had a toy koala he loved to death. He loved Aussie things, and in one of his school photos he's wearing a Land Down Under shirt with the letters upside down. I, at the same time, read tons of non-fiction about Native Americans; their history, their culture, and when I was assigned Arizona as an exchange student, I really, really wanted to get to know a Native American to learn first hand about their culture and people.
I really, really, didn't expect I'd marry one.
He's such a wonderful influence in my life... Most of the time! Ha ha! The only time his race comes into play is to get free vaccines for our kids or tuition for college. Honestly, the hardest prejudices we encounter are because of my background, but that's another topic. No one has ever made us feel like our different skin colors means we shouldn't be together. We're just... the Tellers.
I love meeting his dad's side of the family. They are hilarious, and often full on. Going to the Res is fascinating and eye opening.
As a result, things I see overflow into my writing projects. Papina touched on the struggles of Res youth and how important it is for them to learn and know they can break the negative cycle that is prominent on Reservations, while still preserving their rich culture and heritage.
I'm currently working on a Young Adult piece. It's light and has Kokopelli as a mischievous player in these teenagers' lives, because the main love interest is a Hopi boy.
My husband's background has played a huge part in the way and what I write. In fact, this Hopi boy is kind of snarky and obsessed with food like my husband. But the things he knows first hand has given me my teenage wish of getting to know Native American culture and people, the bad and the good aspects, and I get to snuggle up with that wish at the end of every day <3

Final Round of Son of a Pitch is LIVE!

For this week, we have agents and editors perusing the entries, looking for a great story. After two weeks of critiquing and hard work, our fingers are crossed for the finalists, in hopes that they will get plenty of wonderful requests!

Agents and Editors: Feel free to request anything on any of the entries. also, feel free to give feedback wherever you want. Have fun, barter, outbid, do whatever you want!

Entrants: Please, comment only on your entry, and please, don't encourage your friends and family to comment either. It's strictly you and the agents/editors.

Once this week is over, please feel free to check out the blogs for last week's round as well. I'm sure giving out some surprises will make someone's day!

And don't forget the Twitter Pitch Party on the 7th!

ENJOY!

P.S. Agents and Editors, if you are interested in returning in September for more fantastic new writers, please email me at katiejteller at gmail dot com

Son of a Pitch Entry: Shadow of a Soul

Title: Shadow of a Soul
Age and genre: YA Urban fantasyWord Count: 65,000
Query:Vetis was a young demon who ate good intentions. He was obedient and content, until his curiosity about the chaotic humans on whose energy he fed got him booted from the demon realm. After breaking the rules by befriending a human girl-child, he ends up bound to the Earth in a body that was only supposed to be fancy packaging to conceal the demon within.Fast forward ten years, and the boy who calls himself ‘Wes’ has adapted pretty well to human life. He has survived in the foster care system that bounced him around. He’s even learned how to speak as a human after years of speech therapy. He is scraping by and keeping his demonic nature at bay, even with his mental clarity being muddled by the sixteen year-old boy brain housed in his noggin.Then fate slaps Wes with a trifecta of rotten luck. He accidentally turns his only friend into a life-eating minion. Then he reconnects with the human girl who kick-started his sentence as a child. Only now, she is a powerful (and attractive) demon hunter who seeks to destroy him. Finally, he is contacted by his former demon master, who brings up the matter of ‘the prophecy.’ It’s a damn clichéd notion, but all of Legion seems confident that Wes is destined to consume the world’s soul energy, leaving it clean for a new age of demons to walk the Earth. Wes doesn’t believe or want any of it, but as his hunger awakens he begins to doubt his ability to not annihilate the place he’s come to think of as home.
First 250:Vetis drifted along the wall of a supermarket, nothing more than a phantom. His oily black presence was indistinguishable from the shadows to passersby, but he didn’t need for people to see him. Still, he would try to materialize. He was only six years old, and not very powerful, so filling out his human form and giving it substance was difficult. Bael, who ruled the Vetis arm of Legion, had instructed him to practice.His human body, which served as a tether to walk the Earth, looked like a beautiful little boy, with dark blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and a head of thick, straight hair the color of wheat. It was born of a jackal, but his demon essence was pulled from Legion. The formula for his physical appearance had been stolen from the angels. Some demons had frightening bodies, with many nightmarish heads and dragon wings. They were meant to inspire terror, but a necessity to earn the occasional trust and favor of humans meant that Vetis demons should be pleasing in appearance.            Concentrating all of his will, he pushed his essence out as far as it would go, like a balloon slowly expanding. His boy form, transparent at first, began to solidify until those who looked would see the boy body standing in the store, leaning against a cereal display. A woman walking by pushing a shopping cart glanced at him, did a double take, shivered and picked up her pace. Most living things could sense the darkness beneath his human skin and instinctively knew to fear him.

Son of a Pitch Entry: The School

Title: The SchoolAge and Genre: YA/ContemporaryWord Count: 62,000 Query:High achieving student media journalist Asia Bowman and her best friend have successful futures planned that include college, careers in broadcasting, and getting out of their poor, nowhere town forever. But for now, Asia attends a federally funded charter school focused on helping underserved students, a program run by Derek Hollis, the former Major League Baseball hero turned mayor. Asia is happy to do her part to promote the school’s success and to live up to her mother’s high expectations for her grades and behavior. She doesn’t even mind that her mother is dating the mayor and working as an assistant in the principal’s office. Yet when school resources disappear, her favorite teacher is killed, and an FBI agent accuses her mother of embezzlement, Asia’s dreams for her future threaten to crumble as she hustles to stay one step ahead of the law and the Russian mob in order to keep her mother and herself alive. In my 60K word YA contemporary novel, Veronica Mars meets the Firm as a high achieving student’s media project exposes corruption in her school, implicating the mayor of her city as well as her own mother. Caught between the FBI’s demands that she surrender evidence and the Russian gangsters that want her silenced forever, Asia Bowman is running out of time in THE SCHOOL.
First 250:
Millions of people watched me lie. You were probably one of them. Did you believe the things I said? You shouldn’t have. There never was such a thing as reality television. Reality has always belonged to the one with the best story.
The studio people in Los Angeles did my hair so that it lay flat and twisted into a bun worthy of a ballerina on a stage. Mom would be happy when she saw that at least my hair was tamed. They powdered my face, glossed my lips, and curled my eyelashes.
When they were done, I was a geisha girl, unrecognizable to myself. Getting ready for my interview was what I imagine getting ready for prom would have been like.
After sitting in the green room by myself for half an hour, a man took me to the set where it was hot enough under the lights to melt my makeup. I almost wished the layer on my face would dissolve in the heat and glare. Then my mask would slide into my lap and everyone would see the real me.
I had thought about wearing the friendship bracelet Jamie made me in ninth grade. If she saw the frayed yarn on my wrist she would know that I still cared and would maybe want to be my friend again. I didn’t end up wearing it. Jamie knew I was sorry. It just wasn’t enough in her mind to make up for what I did and what happened after.

Son of a Pitch Entry: The Blood Barrier

Title: THE BLOOD BARRIERAge and Genre: YA FANTASYWord Count: 80,000

Query:Sixteen-year-old Haley’s one of the Taken—a group of children with inherent abilities who are stolen at birth for their powers. As a blood-blender, she can enter a person’s bloodstream to kill. Raised in a compound, she’s become the Front’s top killer-in-training. In a last ditch effort to cling to her sanity, and possibly find friendship or love, she manages to escape. Problem is, freedom from the compound can’t wipe out sixteen years of training to be a murderer. And now that she’s alone, she can't fight those ingrained urges—not a good look for someone seeking asylum.
Luckily, when she meets an epileptic time-traveler, KC, and his emotion-shifting best friend, Charles, she may find a way to evade the Front’s grasp permanently.
Give or take a few problems. She’s falling for Charles, who happens to be KC's crush. Not to mention the fact that KC might be her brother. With the Front hot on their trail, Haley must harness her powers to keep her new friends safe. Otherwise, she might accidentally kill them. Piece of cake. Unless, of course, everyone she loves ends up being the biggest delusion of all.
First 250 Words:Heat, intense but not unpleasant, hits my face as flames flicker along the floor of my bedroom. Steadily, each shiny-smooth plank evolves into a charred mess. The more I concentrate on the flames, the more Mama’s voice slips from my mind. I revel in peaceful emptiness. Afraid of the dark, Mama? Are you kidding? Night is when we unzip the eyes of day and let our true skin free. Afraid? No, I live for the dark. When this room’s roasted, you’ll see I can destroy. “Just you wait.” In front of me, intertwined in the orange and blue blaze, the shape of a boy shines brightly. It’s as if he’s motioning for me to proceed with caution, but that’s impossible. Hypnotized, I try to make out his features. It’s no use; I don’t recognize him, so I break my gaze. There’s no time to waste.If I don’t act fast, this will end up like all my other failed attempts.Not quite what I had in mind when I planned my latest escape earlier today, but for some reason, the fire fills me with calm instead of panic. A solid resolve sits in the pit of my stomach, right where fear normally reigns. Mama’s voice creeps into my head again. Little tendrils of hate-filled admonitions wrap around my brain. They pound my synapses until my mind’s full of her once more. It’s time to kill them all, baby.         A drive to obey envelops me. I embrace her command and head for my door.