Katie Hamstead's Blog, page 82

Blog Tour: Book of Bart by Ryan Hill

THE BOOK OF BART has its roots in an abandoned manuscript I'd written, called THE DEMON'S KISS. That one featured two brothers as the protagonists, and a mid-thirties Bartholomew as the villain. They were till going after the Shard of Gabriel, but the story itself just didn't work, so I shelved it and chalked the whole thing up as a learning experience. I did, however, make a mental note to write a story with Bart a the lead character some day. Every time I got to write him, I would get really excited, moreso than in any other part of the story, and during writing decided he deserved his own story.
After THE DEMON'S KISS, I went in a different direction to write DEAD NEW WORLD, my zombie novel that's coming Oct. 13. It's dark, bloody, and a complete departure from what I normally write. After I finished DNW, I needed to step out of the shadows and into the light, as it were, and write something more light and fun. That was when I decided it was time for Bart to get his own story, and THE BOOK OF BART was born.
Many items from THE DEMON'S KISS made it into BART. Bart, obviously, although we was switched to looking eighteen, instead of thirty-five. The two brothers were combined into one character, a Knight's Templar who wants Bart's head. Everybody is still after the Shard of Gabriel, and some of the scenes I was really proud of were reworked into the story. Samantha, the angel, was introduced as a foil to Bart, someone who will always provide conflict within the story, and just because it was fun to see Bart squirm, because he's not the sort to keep things to himself. 
One unintended offshoot was I felt bad for Sam, since she didn't really get a chance to have her say in BART. We only really get to know her through her actions and Bart's thoughts about her, but we don't get inside of her head. That's been somewhat rectified with a short story coming soon, called THE SONG OF SAM. It's a prequel that covers the events leading up to Sam summoning Bart for help.
I couldn't be more proud of THE BOOK OF BART, and especially the early response to not only Bart, but the story. Rest assured, Bart and Sam will return, and will hopefully be around for a long, long time.
Find Bart on:
Amazon   Goodreads


Only one thing is so powerful, so dangerous that Heaven and Hell must work together to find it: the Shard of Gabriel. With a mysterious Black Cloud of Death hot on the shard’s trail, a desperate Heaven enlists the help of Bart, a demon who knows more about the shard than almost anyone. Six years ago, he had it in his hands. If only he’d used it before his coup to overthrow the devil failed. Now, he’s been sprung from his eternal punishment to help Samantha, an angel in training, recover the shard before the Black Cloud of Death finds it. If Bartholomew wants to succeed, he’ll have to fight the temptation to betray Samantha and the allure of the shard. After an existence full of evil, the only way Bart can get right with Hell is to be good.

Cover Reveal #2: Adam’s List by Jennifer Ann

Publication date: June 2014
Synopsis:She’s ready to give up on life, hiding her depression with sarcasm and booze.
He’s quit college and is directionless with few friends to lean on.
When they discover each other, the sexual attraction is undeniable. So why does it seem impossible for them to be together?
Everyone wanted to be Jewels Peterson in high school. Naturally beautiful, exceptionally smart, talented cheerleader, life of the party, and with an All-American boyfriend to boot. One regrettable choice and fatal accident later, and Jewels found herself unceremoniously knocked off her pedestal. Now she’s in college, going through the motions, but not really living.
Adam Murphy is easy-going, charming, considerate, and crazy good looking; he’s exactly the kind of guy Jewels pictures herself being happy with. But Jewels is already involved with someone, and Adam makes it known that he’s guarding a dark secret, one that makes him the wrong guy for her. Trumped by the promise of an innocent friendship, Jewels is forced to ignore her overwhelming hunger for Adam.
After Jewels unknowingly helps Adam create a bucket list, they embark on the adventure of a lifetime that pushes their platonic relationship to its limits. But does she want to be with Adam without knowing the truth behind the skeletons in his closet, or is being with him just another pointless thing in her life?


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21920169-adam-s-list?ac=1


AUTHOR BIO:
When Jennifer Ann isn't writing heart wrenching romance novels with hot scenes, she either has her nose stuck in someone else's book, is curled up watching a movie, can be found taking pictures of other people (not in a creepy way), or is rocking out at a concert.

Jennifer writes New Adult books that pull at your heart strings one minute, then want a cold shower the next. She's currently getting ready to release her upcoming novel ADAM'S LIST, coming summer 2014.
Author links: http://www.authorjenniferann.blogspot.ca/https://twitter.com/AuthorJenniferAhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8153868.Jennifer_Annhttp://www.pinterest.com/AuthorJenniferA/https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferAnn
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Cover Reveal #1: PREDATOR by Janice Gable Bashman and Giveaway

Welcome to the Cover Reveal forPREDATOR by Janice Gable Bashmanpresented by Month9Books!Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

"Predator is a fast-paced, creepy page-turner! Bashman had me at the opening sentence and she's still got me. I want more!"Nancy Holder, New York Times Bestselling Author, The RulesThe hunt is on!

Sixteen-year-old Bree Sunderland must inject herself with an untested version of her father’s gene therapy to become a werewolf in order to stop a corrupt group of mercenaries from creating a team of unstoppable lycanthrope soldiers.

When Bree went with her scientist father to Ireland, she thought it would be a vacation to study bog bodies. She never expected to fall in love with a mysterious young Irishman and certainly never expected to become the kind of monster her father said only existed in nightmares. Dr. Sunderland discovers that lycanthropy was not a supernatural curse but rather a genetic mutation. When they return home, her dad continues his research, but the military wants to turn that research into a bio weapons program and rogue soldiers want to steal the research to turn themselves into unstoppable killing machines.

Bree’s boyfriend Liam surprises her with a visit to the United States, but there are darker surprises in store for both of them. As evil forces hunt those she loves, Bree must become an even more dangerous hunter to save them all.

Predator gives the werewolf legend a couple of new spins by introducing the Benandanti (an actual folkloric belief that certain families of Italy and Livonia were werewolves who fought against evil), as well as a modern scientific approach to mutation and the science of transgenics.

Title: PREDATOR
Publication date: October 14 , 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Janice Gable Bashman

Janice Gable Bashman is the Bram Stoker nominated author of Wanted Undead or Alive and Predator. She is managing editor of the The Big Thrill (International Thriller Writers' ezine). Janice lives with her family in the Philadelphia area, where she at work on her next novel. Visit her at janicegablebashman.com.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | GoodreadsComplete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!(Winners will receive their book on release day)a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post: Book Spotlight for Splintered Lies Karen Lopp

BLURB:Detective Rissa Marten sacrificed her only chance for a normal life to put a drug lord behind bars. Now, her life in the shadows has to be brought to life to save the man she has secretly loved for years. With a price on her head can she risk letting him know?
Detective Jerah Qassem has built his career as an undercover agent in the dangerous world of drug cartels. But when a ghost from his past is resurrected can he overcome his bitterness in time to save her life?
AmazonEXCERPTJerah Qassem had never been more grateful for his years of undercover training than at this moment. Fingers tight around the tumbler to stop the tremors, he watched the apparition glide up to the bar, and wondered if someone had laced his drink with a hallucinogen. Mary was dead. He had nightmares or wet dreams about her most nights for the last eight years.It wasn’t only the woman’s face that had his insides swirling like a hurricane. It was the way she moved. Long, smooth strides, shoulders straight and eyes darting around like a caged cat. Mary had always been casting looks over her shoulder as if she expected someone to jump out and chase her. But those legs were just as toned and shapely as Mary’s had been. She had been athletic and grabbed every chance she could to romp around the beach. Even the hair was the exact same color of ripened wheat and bounced just below her shoulders. Just like Mary had worn it.Chills erupted all over his body and cold fingers caressed the nape of his neck. Unable to blink, Jerah stared at the ghost of Mary. The girl he had sent to her death in a fit of anger. The girl he had fallen in love with, yet had been too proud and ambitious to acknowledge until she was gone. Forever.Jerah closed his eyes against the jarring memory of two firemen holding him back from the charred remains of the building he had sent Mary into as three body bags were carried out. A shudder rattled down his spine. He had relived that day too often. When he glanced back at the bar, the woman had taken a seat and smiled at the bartender. Jerah knew that smile. The same smile that once had almost melted his resolve to not get involved. He had had a career to build. Mary had stirred up thoughts of forever and love, things he hadn’t been ready for. The temptation had been great. But somehow, he persevered and tossed away the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Air exploded from his chest and Jerah shook his head. He did not believe in ghosts. Prickles sprang up his legs as if his blood had decided to flow again. He tugged his leaden body from the chair and stalked to the bar. “Give me a shot of Wild Turkey.” Needing the fortification, he gulped down the amber liquid. Fire burned down his throat. Nope, he wasn’t dreaming. Hands braced on the edge of the bar, he turned to the woman at his side.Author Bio Stories have always been a part of my life, from books to tales passed down from my ancestors that brought history to life. Danger, struggles and the will power to overcome are all found in the rich legacy of my family tree. Inspiration from their lives inspired me to write what I love. Branching out to contemporary suspense has been another dream come true. I hope my stories bring you entertainment and inspiration. I live in the heart of the southwest.I love history of all times and places. And my second but equal love of suspense fills my books.
FIND ME:http://karenlopp.comhttps://twitter.c...

Featuring... Soul Mate Publishing Books

If you didn't know, I signed my novel, Branded, with Soul Mate Publishing. They have a great community of authors and I have volunteered to help many of them.


 I have read and reviewed this book. You can find it on my blog using the tags.SS
                                    SOT                                     CC                               CBTW


 HD                                TWOTPH
                                      TEE                                 TBG                                 JG
                                                      TC                                       SE                                   BLAS                           CA

Cover Reveal: Cold Ambition by Rachel Sharpe

Blurb
“It was my life-long dream to become a private eye. Little did I know that with my very first case, that dream would become a life-threatening nightmare...”

When Jordan James decided to embark on a career as a private investigator, she never could have imagined that a chance encounter would lead to her staring down the barrel of a gun on the roof’s edge of a high-rise building. As she begins to investigate her first case, the puzzling murder of a prominent businessman that has left Boston’s finest mystified for more than two decades, she finds herself suddenly immersed in a treacherous underworld brimming with betrayal, raw greed, and political subterfuge of international proportions. In the midst of this, she discovers she is falling for her mysterious client despite the hints of his dark past. Can this feisty Southern girl with a penchant for trouble solve this baffling case or is she doomed to become another tragic chapter in an international conspiracy?

"COLD AMBITION" coming Summer 2014 from Soul Mate Publishing!
RACHEL SHARPE BIO Rachel Sharpe is the author of Cold Ambition, the first novel in the Jordan James, PI series. Although born and raised in the South, “Yankee” relatives first led Rachel to historic New England, which she has come to consider her second home and is the setting for the series.
After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in English, Rachel began dedicating her free time to her childhood passion, writing, and in the fall of 2013, she signed her first book deal with Soul Mate Publishing. An active member of Sisters in Crime, Rachel currently resides with her husband in the Greater New Orleans area.

LINKS:
Website: www.rachelsharpe.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/authorrachelsharpeTwitter: www.twitter.com/RachelCSharpeBuy Link: TBD

Spring Into Romance Giveaway

A group of Authors, including me, have banded together to create this giveaway to thank and celebrate our readers. You could win one of 2 $50 Amazon gift cards, or one for $25. Also, if you join the Facebook event, the authors will be giving away books and swag throughout the week (until Friday).
Enjoy!

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Why You Don't Necessarily Need An Agent

I know what you're thinking "Sour Grapes, much?" Well, maybe it is. But let me lay down my reasoning here.

Almost two years ago, I set about querying my novel. I entered comps left right and center, as well as cold querying. I received partial and full requests all over the place, and all came back with the standard answer, "I love your concept, but I just couldn't connect." Couldn't connect? What did that even mean?
So I analyzed the heck out of my manuscript, trying to figure out how on earth I could make my novel more "connectable." Sound familiar?
Finally, a small press called for New Adult subs. I researched this press and, finding it legit (because yes, there are plenty of small presses that crash and burn or rip off their authors, so be careful!) I subbed to them. Meanwhile, the agents continued to give me the run around, while I sent my MS to new readers asking how I can make it more "connectable." Ironically, my readers said, "I have no idea what you mean. Your MC's voice is so strong, and her motives so clear. I completely empathize with her."
That didn't help me feel better when agents kept tell me the opposite.
So I continued smacking my head against a brick wall, trying to please the unpleasable.
Then, the small press sent me an AMAZING offer. Great deal, great royalty rate, very open and honest policy. Loved it right off the bat. So, I took it.
Since then, my writing has grown and developed significantly through not only my hard work, but because of the editor I had the privilege of working with to help me improve my writing. I also met amazing and supportive people to critique and Beta for me, thus also improving my writing skills. Signing with a small press changed me for the better.
My book sits comfortably on bestseller lists, and has reached a ranking of #59 of ALL Amazon books. I have steady sales, spiking during sales, which makes sense. The subsequent trilogy is doing very well as well. I even consider the fierce negative reviews a sign of my book's success. People will only hate something if they notice it in the first place! Not that I enjoy being bashed, but that's another issue entirely.
I also have another book out with a different publishing house, and my first publisher has more books of mine contracted for release later this year.
Now, silly me had it in my head that this success and having an established fan base would be a strong draw card while querying agents. Well, as I said, silly me. They just came up with different excuses, and excuses that completely contradicted one another, spinning me into complete and utter confusion. How am I supposed to improve if agent A says they love X, but Y needs work, but Agent B says they love Y, and X needs work? What the devil?
Finding myself in a conundrum and trying to do everything I could to make my work as strong as possible, I turned to my writer friends. During these discussions, something dawned on me; agents have no idea what they actually want.
There, I said it.
It also dawned on me that ebooks and quality small presses are taking over the world. Now, my publisher is a quality small press. This is evident by the increasing rate of agents subbing to them. Hear that? Agents subbing to a Small Press. And they love me. They LOVE me! I wrote a popular trilogy for them, and work my butt off to keep it selling. I keep open and honest relations with them, so they don't ever feel like I'm doing something sneaky, so they trust me. They have lined up all kinds of promotional stuff for me, and even managed an Audible deal for the entire trilogy.
The best part? I don't have to share my royalties with someone else, aka, an agent.
Now I know the Big Five is the ultimate dream, but the publishing world is changing. Agents are rapidly becoming redundant because the indie market is booming. Why do you think agents get funny about simultaneously subbing to small presses? Because they can't compete with it. The press will offer you something like a 35% rate, whereas with an agent, you will end up with a 15% rate after they take their cut. Yup, the math says it all.
So, if you've been querying since forever, think small press. Reputable small press. Because you don't necessarily need an agent. You just need a great idea, passion, and hard work.

Cover Reveal: King of the Mutants by Samantha Verant and Giveaway

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Welcome to the Cover Reveal forKing of the Mutants by Samantha Verantpresented by Tantrum Books/Month9Books!Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post![image error]

Can one boy stop a nefarious plot to turn kids into super-mutants?</ strong>Maverick Mercury enjoys his life as the sideshow attraction known as “Gator Boy” at Grumbling’s Traveling Circus and Sideshow.His freakish mutations are the result of some billionaire geneticist’s experiments gone awry. But life as a mutant is about to get worse, as Maverick uncovers a plot to kidnap kids, turns them into super-mutants, and sells their powers to the highest bidder.Now, Maverick is on a mission to find the mad scientist who may have created him and destroy his sinister plans!

[image error] Title: King of the Mutants
Publication date: October 21, 2014
Publisher: Tantrum Books/Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Samantha Verant[image error][image error]

Samantha Vérant is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, French chef. Over the years, she’s visited many different countries, lived in many places, and worked many jobs— always on the search for the one thing that truly excited her. Then, one day, she found everything she’s been looking for: a passion for the written word and true love. Writing not only enabled her to open her heart, it led her to southwestern France, where she’s now married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met over twenty years ago, a stepmom to two incredible kids, and the adoptive mother to one ridiculously expensive Bengal cat. When she’s not trekking from Provence to the Pyrénées, tasting wine in American-sized glasses, or embracing her inner Julia Child while deliberating what constitutes the perfect boeuf bourguignon, Samantha is making her best effort to relearn those dreaded conjugations.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads</ a>[image error]Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!(Winners will receive their book on release day)a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Blog Tour: Guest Post for Fledgling (The Dragonrider Chronicles #1) by Nicole Conway

 Hello! Thank you so much for having me. I’m so humbled and glad to get to talk about Fledgling like this.It’s hard to talk about characterization in Fledgling without including the rest of the series. Fledgling is just the first step in a journey that will grow deeper and deeper with every chapter. My method of characterization in the book hinged on that idea. I wanted to start on the surface, getting to know the characters little by little. The more you read, and the further you follow the books, the more you learn about the characters involved. Because we are seeing things through Jaevid’s eyes as the narrator, he doesn’t know everything about the people he meets right away—and neither do we. He sees what they let him see. It’s a journey, even for me, and it’s been an amazing amount of fun to work on. Choosing Jaevid as my narrator was inevitable. The story is all about him, and his personal evolution from a frightened little boy into a war-hardened soldier. His emotional growth is subtle, but definitely present in Fledgling. He begins to grow braver, and to step outside of his shell. When I was creating him, I started at the end product and worked backwards. I began with his finalized state, after the war is over, and turned back the clock. I can safely say that the Jaevid you will meet at the end of the last book will be a much different person than the little boy who begins telling you his story in Fledgling. His characterization is the most important aspect of not only this book, but the entire series. Besides Jaevid, the characterization of Felix was the most fun I’ve ever had in a book. I’d never really worked with a character like him before. I wanted to create the poster boy for the perfect dragonrider, at least by the standards of Maldobar. Felix is exactly that. He’s strong, capable, ambitious, and charming. His sense of humor is absolutely my favorite thing to write about. He’s definitely a prankster, and he lives to ruffle Jaevid’s feathers. But he’s not without his fair share of flaws, and most of the things he does and says are driven by motives hidden far beneath the surface. These are things that will also be revealed as the series moves forward, but for now, rest assured that Felix will never cease to leave you with a smile on your face.
It’s always been my personal motto that if I’m not enjoying writing something, I can’t expect anyone to enjoy reading it. This was my main focus when I was writing Fledgling and developing the characters. I wanted this book to be approachable and enjoyable for both children and adults. I wanted the characters to be as complex as readers let them be. They’re entertaining enough on the surface to keep children reading, but with nuances of greater depth that only adults would pick up on. It’s a hard balance to strike, and one I definitely had to work at. Hearing now that people are enjoying both the book and the characters is extremely validating, and makes all the long hours of work worthwhile. 
Title: FledglingPublication date: April 29, 2014Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.Author: Nicole Conway
Can one boy stand between two kingdoms at war?
Jaevid Broadfeather has grown up as a wartime refugee, hiding from the world because of his mixed racial heritage. He feels his future is hopeless, until a chance encounter with a wild dragon lands him in Blybrig Academy—a place usually forbidden to anyone but the rich and royal. But Jaevid’s case is special; no dragon has voluntarily chosen a rider in decades, so the proud riders of Blybrig must begrudgingly let him join their brotherhood despite his bloodline. Lieutenant Sile Derrick, a sternly tempered man with a mysterious past, becomes his instructor and immediately takes a peculiar interest in Jaevid’s future.
While struggling through the rigorous physical demands of training, things begin to go awry. Jaevid witnesses the king’s private guards kidnapping Sile in the dead of night. When none of the elder riders are willing to help him, Jaevid begins a dangerous adventure to save his instructor.
Everything Jaevid learned at the academy will now be put to the ultimate test.
GoodreadsAmazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo!
Nicole is the author of the children’s fantasy series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. She has completed the first two books in the series, and is now working on the third and final book.
Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English with a concentration in Classics from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school. She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation.
Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves watching children’s movies and collecting books. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog.
Author Links:   Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook
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