C.J. Brightley's Blog, page 7

July 8, 2016

Want free books? Sign up for my ARC Team!

Would you like free books? Of course you would! I’m forming an Advance Review Copy (ARC) team – that’s a team of readers who will read my books before they’re available, and post reviews as soon as the books are launched.


What do you get out of it? Free review copies, of course! I send you a free ebook, you read it, write a review, and post the review when the book goes live. You’ll need to post on Amazon, but posting on other retailers and review sites like Goodreads is also very much appreciated.


What do I get out of it? Reviews! Reviews are important to all authors, but even more so for indie authors. Many promotional avenues won’t even consider books that don’t have a certain minimum number of reviews. Plus, reviews help potential readers decide whether they want to take a chance on an author.


Requirements:

Reviews must be honest. If you get a review copy, you are not obligated to write the most glowing review ever. I certainly hope you won’t pan the book, but if you don’t love it for whatever reason, that’s ok. Please write more than “nice book” or “didn’t like it.” This request is partly because I really, genuinely want to know what you enjoyed (or didn’t enjoy) in the book, but more importantly because reviews with so little detail aren’t helpful to readers. Readers want to know what specifically you liked or didn’t like about the book in order to make their own decision. However, a review isn’t a book report – it’s not an academic exercise. It’s an opinion piece! You have an opinion, and this is your chance to let everyone know what you think. If you want some pointers, I wrote this blog post a while ago that might be helpful.


You must have reviewed at least one of my books already. Why? This is just so I know you’re actually willing to write a review. There’s a place on the signup form to put a link to a review you’ve written. Depending on how many people sign up, I may not be able to offer everyone a free copy, so if you’re interested, sign up now!


Are you interested? Sign up below:


Name

Email

Review Link




The post Want free books? Sign up for my ARC Team! appeared first on C. J. Brightley.



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I Want to Read The King’s Sword (or another book) for Free
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Published on July 08, 2016 16:08

July 4, 2016

Characters I Love: Jack

[image error] Did I mention I’ve been loving W.R. Gingell’s work lately? I have. All of her characters are delightful (except the horrible ones, who are horrifically horrible).


Jack is the son of the Queen of Hearts. Jack is a self-centered, untrustworthy liar, shallow and prickly and sarcastic and utterly, completely delightful. He’s disappointing and brilliant, and he makes the story infinitely more personal to narrator Mabel.


And Mabel is his equal, impulsive and brilliant and dangerous in her mounting terror at the Queen’s evil manipulations.


Playing Hearts is a novella, but there is so much story crammed in a relatively short story. Highly recommended.


The post Characters I Love: Jack appeared first on C. J. Brightley.



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Published on July 04, 2016 10:46

July 1, 2016

Another Fantastic Giveaway!

I’m hosting another fantasy giveaway! This giveaway is also for a Kindle Fire and 30 clean fantasy ebooks (mostly different books than the last giveaway). Click here to enter!


Fantasy Giveaway Image - C. J. Brightley




If you didn’t see the previous giveaways, you might be wondering “what’s the point?” Well, we’re all looking for new readers! By entering, you’re sharing your email address with us so we can tell you about our new releases and other writing news. Don’t worry… you can unsubscribe at any time. Many of us also have special freebies for subscribers, so even if you don’t win, I hope you’ll be glad you entered. You can check out the giveaway here, and also check out the books in the prize below:


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~~~~~

Please connect with me on Facebook or Google+!

The post Another Fantastic Giveaway! appeared first on C. J. Brightley.



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Occoquan Craft Show and Another Fantastic Giveaway! Win a Kindle Fire and 30 Clean Romance Ebooks!

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Published on July 01, 2016 11:20

June 20, 2016

What I’m Reading #6

Some of you may know that I had major surgery a while ago. Although the recovery isn’t fun, it’s going very well. Nevertheless, I’ve been forced to slow down a bit from my normal energetic pace. I’ve had more time to read, which has been lovely.


Here are a few of the books I’ve been reading:


[image error] Spindle by W.R. Gingell – I have discovered another favorite indie author. This was the first book I read by Gingell, and it’s a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. That was never my favorite fairytale, and I haven’t really jumped into the fairytale retelling trend anyway. But I decided to take a chance, and I’m so glad I did. This book seemed to start off a little slowly; my initial thought was that Gingell took a while to find her stride with the story, but in retrospect I think it was more a result of the narrator’s personality and the curse/situation than a writing flaw. Nevertheless, be forewarned… it doesn’t start out with grab-you-by-the-throat tension, but rather with funny interactions and some not-entirely-urgent story questions. Just go with it and enjoy the ride. Also, if you’re a Whovian, you’ll find that Luck may seem irritatingly and endearingly familiar.


“A roller-coaster ride of creative and fantastic fairy tale retelling! I think I just found a new favourite author!” -Wishful Endings Book Blog


She’s not a princess . . . but then, he’s no prince.


Polyhymnia is deep in enchanted sleep. High in a tower, behind an impenetrable barrier of magical thorns, she sleeps, dreams, and falls ever deeper into her curse.


Woken by a kiss, Poly finds herself in an alien world where three hundred years have passed and everyone she has ever known is dead. Luck, the enchanter who woke her, seems to think she is the princess. Understandable, since he found her asleep on the princess’ bed, in the royal suite, and dressed in the princess’ clothes.


Who cursed Poly? Why is someone trying to kill her and Luck? Why can’t she stop falling asleep?


And why does her hair keep growing?


Sometimes breaking the curse is just the beginning of the journey.


[image error] Masque by W.R. Gingell – I loved this. Seriously loved it. It’s classed as dark fantasy on Amazon, but don’t be turned off if you’re not into “dark”… most of the characters are absolutely charming and the world is far from grimdark. It’s “dark” because there is indeed bloody murder; the reader doesn’t have to wallow in the darkness, but it’s definitely on the page. But it’s so much fun! The interactions between Isabella and Lord Pecus reminded me of Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing – teasing, poking, prodding, irritating, infuriating each other while falling in love. Even though you know the ending, you’ll enjoy every minute of the journey there. It’s free on Amazon, too.


“…an inventive and funny mystery with a dynamic lead, which will make you want to pick up the next book in the series.” Self-Publishing Review, 4½ Stars


Beauty met the Beast and there was . . . Bloody murder?


It’s the Annual Ambassadorial Ball in Glause, and Lady Isabella Farrah, the daughter of New Civet’s Ambassador, is feeling pleasantly scintillated.


In the library is Lord Pecus, a charming gentleman whose double mask hides a beastly face, and who has decided that Isabella is the very person to break the Pecus curse.


In the ball-room is young Lord Topher, who is rapidly falling in love with an older woman.


And in the card-room, lying in a pool of his own blood, is the body of one of Isabella’s oldest friends: Raoul, Civet’s Head Guardsman. The papers sewn into his sash seem to suggest espionage gone wrong, but Isabella is not so certain.


Lord Pecus, as Commander of the Watch, is of the opinion that Isabella should keep out of the investigation and out of danger. Isabella is of the opinion that it is her murder to investigate, and that what a certain Beast-Lord doesn’t know won’t hurt him. . . .


Will Isabella find the murderer before Lord Pecus does, or will she end her investigation as a bloody spatter on the parlour floor? [image error]


[image error] Playing Hearts by W.R. Gingell – Did I mention I liked Gingell’s writing? I totally do. This one is free to her newsletter subscribers (and since I am a fan, I subscribed immediately) but also for sale if you don’t want to subscribe. It’s obviously loosely based on Alice in Wonderland, but there’s so much more. There’s a lot of story here for such a short book. It’s darker than the other two above but still far from grimdark. I’ve never really loved Alice in Wonderland, but I loved Playing Hearts anyway – it was wildly imaginative and dark and funny and brilliant.


It begins the way it has always begun: with a card on Mabel’s pillow. But Mabel has been in Underland–or Wonderland–before, and she’s not so anxious to go back. No matter what name it takes, Underland is always bizarre, always mad, always dangerous.


There’s the Queen of Hearts, terrifying, powerful, and possibly insane.

There’s Hatter, purple-eyed and undoubtedly mad.

March Hare has always been one sandwich short of a picnic, and Sir Blanc is missing his wits.


And then there’s Jack. Jack the aristocratic son of the Queen. Not quite mad, but not far off. Disinclined to help anyone but himself. A liar.

And, thanks to an ancient ceremony performed by the Queen, Mabel’s fiance.


Fall into the rabbit hole with Mabel as she climbs through tea-pots, battles the Jabberwock, and attempts to overthrow the Queen of Hearts herself.


Don’t lose your head.


And whatever you do, don’t be late…


[image error][image error] The Brass Giant by Brooke Johnson – This is an adorkable steampunk adventure about a smart, brave girl who gets pulled into something bigger and scarier than she’d anticipated. Heavy on the gears and and building things and scent of machine oil, light on the “punk” and magic (is there any magic? Not really. Just implausible clockwork and engineering.). I am slightly acquainted with the author on G+ and am pleased to say that I enjoyed the book.


Sometimes, even the most unlikely person can change the world


Seventeen-year-old Petra Wade, self-taught clockwork engineer, wants nothing more than to become a certified member of the Guild, an impossible dream for a lowly shop girl. Still, she refuses to give up, tinkering with any machine she can get her hands on, in between working and babysitting her foster siblings.


When Emmerich Goss–handsome, privileged, and newly recruited into the Guild–needs help designing a new clockwork system for a top-secret automaton, it seems Petra has finally found the opportunity she’s been waiting for. But if her involvement on the project is discovered, Emmerich will be marked for treason, and a far more dire fate would await Petra.


Working together in secret, they build the clockwork giant, but as the deadline for its completion nears, Petra discovers a sinister conspiracy from within the Guild council … and their automaton is just the beginning.


[image error] The Changelings by Elle Casey – I think I got this while it was free. The cover drew me in, and I wanted to see what someone else did with Fae. Everything about it was competently done – the writing, the pacing, the imagination, the editing, etc. I should have known from the blurb that it wasn’t really going to be “my kind of book”, but I tried it anyway. The introduction to the main character (language, attitude, voice, etc.) in the beginning seemed particularly heavy-handed to me, but that’s a matter of taste.


NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers Book 1 in the YA Urban Fantasy WAR OF THE FAE Series.


With over 1,500 5-star ratings on Goodreads for Book 1, readers love the War of the Fae series!


Jayne Sparks, a potty-mouthed, rebellious seventeen-year-old and her best friend, shy and bookish Tony Green, have a pretty typical high school existence, until several seemingly unrelated incidents converge, causing a cascade of events that change their lives forever. Jayne and Tony, together with a group of runaway teens, are hijacked and sent into a forest, where nothing and no one are as they seem. Who will emerge triumphant? And what will they be when they do?


Content Warning: Mild violence and significant foul language within. Meant for older Young Adult readers (age 15+). [image error]


[image error] Tiger, Tiger by Lynne Reid Banks – Did you read The Indian in the Cupboard books? I devoured them, and then had dreams (both daydreams and actual dreams) for years that I had a horse that I kept in my jewelry box. He would get bigger and smaller when I wanted him to. *ahem* Anyway, I was entranced, and when I saw this at the library while picking out books for CutiePants, I had to get it. Tiger, Tiger is perhaps a bit darker than the Indian in the Cupboard series, but still a beautiful and complex novel for young readers. I love that Banks doesn’t “write down” to younger readers. Tiger, Tiger is for ages 12+. If you’re interested in other books by Banks, I also very much enjoyed I, Houdini (a fictional memoir of an escape artist hamster). I always wished it were longer; it was both funny and tender (and written for younger readers, grades 4-7).


Two tiger cub brothers are torn from the jungle and taken to Rome. The stronger cub is trained as a killer at the Coliseum. Emperor Caesar makes a gift of the smaller cub to his beautiful daughter, Aurelia. She adores her cub, Boots. Julius, a young animal keeper, teaches Aurelia how to earn Boots’s trust. Boots is pampered while his brother, known as Brute, lives in the cold and darkness, let out only to kill. Caesar trusts Julius to watch Aurelia and her prized pet. But when a prank backfires, Boots temporarily escapes and Julius must pay with his life. Thousands watch as Julius is sent unarmed into the arena to face the killer Brute.


~~~~~

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The post What I’m Reading #6 appeared first on C. J. Brightley.



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What I’m Reading #5

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Published on June 20, 2016 15:09

June 12, 2016

What I’m Reading #5

These are a few of the books I’ve been enjoying lately.


[image error][image error] The Worth of a Shell by M. C. A. Hogarth – This is not light reading, although it’s not “difficult” in the sense of reading level or language. It’s a story of consent and culture and the value of a person as an individual not for the role in society they occupy but simply for existing. I discovered the book when it was included in the StoryBundle last year with The King’s Sword and only recently got around to reading it. Color me impressed. Hogarth managed to present an alien society as both truly alien and incredibly human, writing with deep emotion and tenderness. I haven’t read the rest of the trilogy, but I intend to. The blurb:


Born to a harsh world, we Jokka have evolved three sexes to survive: neuter, male and female. Twice in our lives we may change from one to another. A change we accept with grace… or resignation. It was our way. …until one female defied all tradition: Dlane Ashoi-anadi, revolutionary, intentionally childless, runaway.


This is not her story.


This is mine.


I am Thenet Reña-eperu, female-guardian, voice of orthodoxy… and Dlane’s first and dearest companion. This is the tale of how we changed each other… and how that changed everything.


Book 1 of the Stone Moon Trilogy (continues with Book 2: Pearl in the Void, and Book 3: A Bloom in the North).


 


[image error] Pen Pal by Francesca Forrest – [image error]I also discovered this book in the StoryBundle. It is lovely and haunting and beautiful in every way. I can’t wait to read what Francesca writes next. I’ll let the blurb speak for itself.


Pen Pal starts with a message in a bottle and ends with revolution.


Em, a child from a floating community off the Gulf Coast, drops a message into the sea. It ends up in the hands of Kaya, an activist on the other side of the world, imprisoned above the molten lava of the Ruby Lake. Em and Kaya are both living precarious lives, at the mercy of societal, natural, and perhaps supernatural forces beyond their control. Kaya’s letters inspire Em, and Em’s comfort Kaya—but soon their correspondence becomes more than personal. Individual lives, communities, and the fate of an entire nation will be changed by this exchange of letters.


Pen Pal is a story of friendship and bravery across age, distance, and culture, at the intersection of the natural and supernatural world.


 


[image error][image error] Sand of Bone by Blair MacGregor – Another book from the StoryBundle, this one was much darker than the other two, yet still enjoyable. The characters are harsh and often cruel, but the world is not without redeeming bright moments (mostly of the stoic courage variety rather than generosity or gentleness). It is both grim and dark but I don’t think it’s grimdark. It is full of interesting, complex characters and difficult decisions. If you’re looking for a light, pleasurable read that will cheer you up, this isn’t it, but if you’re looking for an intense dark fantasy with memorable characters and an unusual setting, I’d recommend it. The blurb:


Syrina – descendent of the gods, one of the Velshaan who rule the deserts and deltas, cast out by her bloodkin for daring to reject their intrigues.


They thought exile to Salt Hold – surrounded by parched earth and outcast Blades who despise her – would end her defiance. But Salt is safer than the grand alcazar of home when she uncovers the secrets of commanding sand, fire, water, wind – the power mixed with ambition that nearly destroyed her bloodkin in generations past.


Pyrius was the desert’s most respected Blade Commander until the bloodkin sentenced him into Salt. But he finds a way to keep his Blade vows while still exacting revenge: serve the exiled Velshaan Syrina. When her bloodkin’s threats become actions, Pyrius sets a plan in motion that will either prevent the looming civil war simmering in the desert’s heat or see them all fed to the sands for sedition.


Because Syrina’s ability to touch the desert’s deepest elements is still fickle and raw – too weak to defeat her bloodkin, strong enough her bloodkin want her stopped before she learns more. The gods demand a soul in trade, and the fate of the living rests upon the redemption of the dead.


 


[image error][image error] Kinsale Kisses by Elizabeth Maddrey – A lovely Christian romance novella by my favorite romance author. I’m not really much of a romance reader, mostly because in my admittedly limited reading of romances, there are a great many thin, boring characters. Christian romances (again, in my limited reading of fairly dated books) often skirt around the hard questions of sin and grace… can characters who aren’t perfect find love? Can characters be forgiven if they’ve really blown it? What does repentance look like? Grace that extends only to characters who’ve had a misunderstanding, or said a few unkind words, doesn’t ring true to me, and I could imagine that it wouldn’t be particularly reassuring or enticing to someone who is considering Christianity but thinks he/she needs to “clean up” first before even asking for grace. This is one of her easier books, and the first I read, but I knew immediately that I would enjoy her characters.


She wants stability. He wants spontaneity. What they need is each other.


Colin O’Bryan cashed out of the software company he founded and started a new life in Ireland. Content to wander from town to town as a traveling musician, he had no goals beyond healing from the betrayals that led to his career change, and finding his next gig.


After the death of her parents, Rachel Sullivan hoped her aunt’s B&B on the Southern coast of Ireland would be a place for her to settle and start a new life. Though she can’t deny the sparks in Colin’s touch, his lack of concern for hearth and home leave her torn. Can this free-spirited minstrel win her heart or will Rachel choose roots and stability over love?


This gentle inspirational romance will take you on a journey to Cork County, Ireland and give you a glimpse of Kinsale, Charles Fort, Blarney Castle, and Cobh as Rachel and Colin undergo their own journey of self-discovery as they learn that God’s plans are bigger than their own and that waiting on Him is worth the insecurity it brings.


 


[image error][image error] Wisdom to Know by Elizabeth Maddrey – This one is a bit more serious than Kinsale Kisses above, but no less lovely. It’s also free on Amazon, so if you want to check out Maddrey’s writing, it’s a great place to start.


Is there sin that love can’t cover?


Lydia Brown has taken just about every wrong turn she could find. When an abortion leaves her overwhelmed by guilt, she turns to drugs to escape her pain. After a single car accident lands her in the hospital facing DUI charges, Lydia is forced to reevaluate her choices.


Kevin McGregor has been biding his time since high school when he heard God tell him that Lydia Brown was the woman he would marry. In the aftermath of Lydia’s accident, Kevin must come to grips with the truth about her secret life.


While Kevin works to convince himself and God that loving Lydia is a mistake, Lydia struggles to accept the feelings she has for Kevin, though she fears her sin may be too much for anyone to forgive.


 


[image error][image error] Operation Valentine by Elizabeth Maddrey – Maddrey’s newest release, this is on the lighter side. As usual, her characters are real, flawed, and adorable.


Once love is lost, can it be found?


When Annabelle Elliot returned his engagement ring six years ago, Rick Wentworth buried his broken heart in his job at Intelligence Associates, Inc. Returning from his overseas assignment, a newly awarded contract forces him into daily contact with her.


Working with Rick is a constant reminder of what Annabelle gave up when she let herself be persuaded to focus on a career instead of love. Now, she admits she made a mistake, but reconciliation seems impossible.


Can Annabelle find the courage to let Rick see her heart? And if she does, will he forgive her?


This sweet contemporary Christian romance novella, inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, is a modern reminder that love is worth waiting for.


 


[image error] City of Masks by Mike Reeves-McMillan – Another enjoyable book by an author I trust to write good, likable characters. This book was thoroughly fun, and the epistolary style worked exceptionally well for the story. About as far from grimdark as you can get.


In the city-state of Bonvidaeo, by custom and law everyone must wear a mask and act in character with it, or face civil, social and religious penalties.


Gregorius Bass is sent to Bonvidaeo as the Envoy of Calaria, mainly to get him out from underfoot. Masked as the Innocent Man, and in the company of his radical young Bonvidaoan servant, Bass stumbles into mystery, intrigue, heresy and murder.


(Imagine if G.K. Chesterton and Alexandre Dumas adapted Pepys’ diary into a serial killer mystery set in a mad version of Shakespeare’s Italy. With wasps.)


~~~~~

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The post What I’m Reading #5 appeared first on C. J. Brightley.



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Published on June 12, 2016 17:01

June 8, 2016

Occoquan Craft Show and Another Fantastic Giveaway! Win a Kindle Fire and 30 Clean Romance Ebooks!

Occoquan Arts and Crafts Show

I sent an email, but I realized I forgot to actually post about the Occoquan Arts and Crafts Show on my blog! Sorry about that. Remember last year, when I didn’t get the organizational email and my dad hauled 8 million tons of books halfway down Mill Street? That didn’t happen this year, so the show got off to a good start! Saturday was hot and humid; there is nothing quite like a long day in humid heat to make me appreciate air conditioning and a shower before bed. Thunderstorms were predicted for Sunday, but the rain and wind held off until after the show, which made all the vendors grateful.


Thank you to everyone who came! It was very nice to meet you. And thank you especially to those of you who saw my email and came to say hello!


I will be back for the fall show, but I’ll be there only with my jewelry, not books. You can find me in the same spot, M104, with my handmade jewelry as Shy Violet. But never fear! I love the show and I’ll be back as an author next year.


Clean Romance Giveaway

I’m hosting another giveaway, this time for fans of clean romance. Click here to enter.


Romance E-Book Giveaway graphic


The books span a wide range of romance subgenres, including contemporary romance, historical romance, a contemporary western romance, several paranormal romances, a sci-fi romance, and my own fantasy romance A Fairy King. Some of the books are inspirational Christian romance, while others are not Christian but are still clean. I’m a fan of Elizabeth Maddrey, who wrote A Splash of Substance, the Christian romance in the upper right corner of the image below. Her book Wisdom to Know is free on Amazon.


If you didn’t see the earlier giveaways, you might be wondering “what’s the point?” Well, we’re all looking for new readers! By entering, you’re sharing your email address with all the authors so we can tell you about our new releases and other writing news. As the giveaway host, I send out an email to everyone who enters before sharing your email with the other authors. That email gives you a chance to unsubscribe right away, in case you don’t want to hear from the other authors at all. Many of us have special freebies for subscribers, so even if you don’t win, I hope you’ll be glad you entered. You can also unsubscribe from individual authors’ lists afterwards. You can check out the giveaway here, and also check out the books in the prize below.

  [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]  [image error]  [image error] [image error] [image error]  [image error] [image error]  [image error] [image error][image error]  [image error] [image error] [image error]   [image error] [image error]


 


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Please connect with me on Facebook or Google+!

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Fantastic Fantasy Giveaway! Win a Kindle Fire + 30 Fantasy Ebooks
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Published on June 08, 2016 13:54

May 17, 2016

The Beginning of Wisdom (A Long-Forgotten Song, Book 3)

It’s done! It’s finally done!


The Beginning of Wisdom cover image


 


The Beginning of Wisdom – A Long-Forgotten Song, Book III

When Edwin reveals his true colors, Colonel Grenidor realizes he has run out of options. The Fae prince Niall offers Grenidor a way out, but defection forces Grenidor to face the repercussions of his actions.


Feichin’s redemption has rocked the Fae, who struggle to understand El and their own place in creation. Lord Owen, still not recovered, turns to Dr. Bartok for answers. When new information sheds light on Edwin’s terrifying plan, both the Fae and humans must decide what obedience and love really mean in a broken world.


You can read the first scene here.


Are you new to the series?

For the next week, I’ve put Things Unseen (book 1) on sale for $0.99 (normally $4.99) on Amazon. The Dragon’s Tongueis $4.99, and The Beginning of Wisdom is on a first-week sale of $2.99 and will be raised to $4.99. That means you can get all three ebooks for $8.97 (normally $14.97)! Don’t wait, because the sale ends next Thursday!.


A Long-Forgotten Song is a darkish, urban, Christian fantasy series. If you’re a fan of Ted Dekker or Frank Peretti, you don’t want to miss it! This series has Fae and vampires, lots and lots of theology, and an evil dystopian government that’s brainwashing people, set in the near future in a place that might seem familiar to some of you… plus magic.


unseen History student Aria Forsyth’s studies lead her to dangerous questions about the Empire’s origins. A mysterious man named Owen, impervious to the winter cold, further unravels the safety of the world she thought she knew. At first, Aria believes Owen is human. He says he’s not. What if they’re both wrong?


A moment’s compassion draws her into a conflict between human and inhuman, natural and supernatural, and she begins to discover the secrets of the Empire, the Fae, and what it means to be human.


Curently rated 4.9/5 on Amazon! Reviewers say: “couldn’t put it down” “on the edge of my seat” “compelling, original fantasy”


 


The Dragon's Tongue - EBOOK copy While hiding with Lord Owen, the Fae, and the human resistance, Aria questions everything she thought she understood. What are the Fae? Who is Aria herself?


More than refuge, Aria needs answers. Despite the appeal of Dr. Bartok’s talk of grace, the Empire’s darkness threatens to overwhelm Aria as she wrestles with questions of sin, justice, and love.


Colonel Grenidor has his own questions as he makes a new, powerful ally. How much can Edwin really be trusted? And what of the Slavemaster, who Edwin claims is an ally of the vampires opposing the Empire? Colonel Grenidor’s research on the vampires has grown increasingly dangerous, with consequences for the Fae, vampires, and the supernatural entities on both sides of the conflict.


Following Things Unseen, this second book in A Long-Forgotten Song is a riveting Christian fantasy that explores the depth of sin and the miracle of redemption.


Currently rated 5/5 on Amazon! Reviewers say: “It beautifully blends in a strong discussion of God’s sovereignty and apologetics with a fast moving plot and deep , relatable characters.” “I finished the book within days and loved every page. ”


 


The paperback of The Beginning of Wisdom will be up on Amazon soon.


If you preordered the paperback, it will be in the mail next week. You should have already gotten your ebook… if you haven’t, please let me know!


~~~~~

Please connect with me on Facebook or Google+!

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Published on May 17, 2016 15:00

May 3, 2016

Fantastic Fantasy Giveaway! Win a Kindle Fire + 30 Fantasy Ebooks

The last giveaway was so much fun I’m hosting another one! This giveaway is also for a Kindle Fire and 30 clean fantasy ebooks (mostly different books than the last giveaway). Click here to enter!


Fantasy E-book Giveaway 2 copy




If you didn’t see the last one, you might be wondering “what’s the point?” Well, we’re all looking for new readers! By entering, you’re sharing your email address with us so we can tell you about our new releases and other writing news. Don’t worry… you can unsubscribe at any time. Many of us also have special freebies for subscribers, so even if you don’t win, I hope you’ll be glad you entered. You can check out the giveaway here, and also check out the books in the prize below:


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Please connect with me on Facebook or Google+!

The post Fantastic Fantasy Giveaway! Win a Kindle Fire + 30 Fantasy Ebooks appeared first on C. J. Brightley.



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Fantastic Giveaway! Win a Kindle Fire and 30 Fantasy Ebooks
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Published on May 03, 2016 11:58

March 20, 2016

Fantastic Giveaway! Win a Kindle Fire and 30 Fantasy Ebooks

I’m hosting a fantastic giveaway with 29 other authors. Click here to enter! We’re giving away a Kindle Fire and 30 fantasy ebooks.


Fantasy E-book Giveaway Draft copy


So what’s the point? Well, we’re all looking for new readers! By entering, you’re sharing your email address with us so we can tell you about our new releases and other writing news. Don’t worry… you can unsubscribe at any time. Many of us also have special freebies for subscribers, so even if you don’t win, I hope you’ll be glad you entered. You can check out the giveaway here, and also check out the books in the prize below:



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Please connect with me on Facebook or Google+!

The post Fantastic Giveaway! Win a Kindle Fire and 30 Fantasy Ebooks appeared first on C. J. Brightley.



ou May Also Like:
Indie Fantasy Storybundle!
Why do you read fantasy?
Five Chances to Win the Indie Fantasy StoryBundle!

YARPP
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Published on March 20, 2016 12:15

February 20, 2016

A Fairy Promise – Super Belated Announcement

I just realized I never actually announced that A Fairy Promise (the sequel to A Fairy King) was published. I published it last year and I think I even announced it to my mailing list but I forgot to blog about it. What’s that you say? You’re not on my mailing list? Whyever not? Enter your email address and clickety click the subscribe button up in the top bar! Then you’ll (probably) find out when I publish a new story/book/novella/whatever.


A Fairy Promise ebook v5 








For better or worse, decisions have consequences. Even for a fairy king.






 


 


(Let me just say that I love the blurb. You’ll see why.) I think this series is done, but I’m not entirely ruling out a third installment. It’s a complete story as it stands, though.


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Please connect with me on Facebook or Google+!

The post A Fairy Promise – Super Belated Announcement appeared first on C. J. Brightley.



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Interview: Hannah (from A Fairy King series, after A Fairy Promise)
A Fairy King
Saturday Scenes – From the Sequel to A Fairy King

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Published on February 20, 2016 17:53