Megan Morgan's Blog, page 55

R.L. King’s Alastair Stone Chronicles

Today I’m hosting R.L. King and her urban fantasy/paranormal thriller series The Alastair Stone Chronicles. Ms. King is giving away a $40 Amazon or B&N gift card, so make sure to comment, follow the tour, and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

 

Ms. King is here today to talk to us about world building in urban fantasy–as an urban fantasy author myself, it’s one of my favorite subjects!

World Building In Urban Fantasy

I admit it—part of the reason I write urban fantasy (or at least the kind of urban fantasy I write) is because I’m a bit lazy when it comes to world building. I know there are plenty of folks out there who love the heck out of making up every society, fantasy race, map, exotic language, and alternate history that figures into their world, and that’s cool (seriously, I envy them, and wish I enjoyed it more than I do—I certainly like reading the results of it in others’ work!)

I am not, however, one of these writers.

For me, it’s all about character. I want to toss my characters into situations that will make them squirm, and watch both how they get out and how they interact with each other while they’re doing it. That’s the thing that really gets my motor running about writing novels. The world building is fun, to an extent—I’ve enjoyed tweaking my magic system, for example, and figuring out what kind of society mages in my world live in, but I’m perfectly happy having the Stanford University or city of Palo Alto or Winchester Mystery House in my world be pretty much the same as the ones in the real word…with the addition of some random evil spirits, monsters, and things that go bump in the night, of course!

I did do one bit of world building on purpose, though: I set my novels in a slightly alternative version of our world where almost everything is the same…except that technology hasn’t advanced as far. At the beginning of my series, cell phones are still the toys of the very rich, and personal computers are just starting to become a thing, while social attitudes (about subjects like women’s rights, gay rights, etc.) are essentially what they are in our real world. I did this because I felt it would be easier to tell supernatural thriller-type stories without the existence of Google, or the ability to just phone each other up and warn each other of danger. Jim Butcher already covered the “wizards can’t use technology” angle, and there’s only so many times you can believably cut off cell reception or have otherwise intelligent characters forget to charge their phones, so I picked a different way to get rid of the tech without casting my characters back into the days when things like homophobia and casual sexism were much more prevalent.

Was it the best way? Who knows? So far, very few readers have even mentioned it, let alone complained about it, and my editor assures me that it worked for him. I plan to slowly introduce mobile phones and the internet as the series goes on, so the characters can get used to it gradually.

You know, like we had to, at least those of us who are older than a certain age.

 

Dr. Alastair Stone, Occult Studies professor, powerful mage, and snarky British expat now based in Palo Alto, California, does his best to keep his academic and social lives separate from his increasingly frequent brushes with various malevolent forces from the supernatural side of the street. A little horror, a little humor, but mostly straight-up urban fantasy.

Stone and a Hard Place

==============

Dr. Alastair Stone, Occult Studies professor and powerful mage, has his hands full trying to keep the two sides of his life separate as he trains a new apprentice, deals with a malevolent entity trapped in the basement of a wealthy old woman’s massive home, and battles dark mages intent on enslaving it for their own ends.

Debut novel of the Alastair Stone Chronicles.

EXCERPT:

“…I’m going to kill you…” said a voice in the darkness.

Stone stirred, opened his eyes. He was still where he thought he was, Megan’s cheek warm against his bare chest, his arm draped protectively over her back. He listened for a moment, then shook his head. He must have imagined it. Or maybe it was the wind. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand: 1:42 a.m.

Megan muttered something and snuggled closer to him, and he settled back.

“…I’m going to kill you, and everyone you ever cared about. As soon as I am free, I will rip their entrails from their bodies…”

His eyes flew open again. He sat up a little, looking around, then shifted to magical sight. Nothing was out of the ordinary on either the mundane or the magical plane. “Who’s there?” he whispered, not wanting to wake Megan.

“…I will flay your skin from your body, and boil your eyeballs until they pop. You will beg for death…”

Stone looked around, trying to identify the source of the voice. At first he saw nothing, but then a faint light caught the corner of his eye. He turned.

There was a crack in the door to his walk-in closet. A thin line of unhealthy-looking greenish light shone from it, creeping out into the room.

And the line was getting thicker.

Buy Stone and a Hard Place (Book 1): amzn.to/1CFdTDi 

~~***~~

The Forgotten

=========

Dr. Alastair Stone is back, this time teaming up with Jason Thayer, a young man hunting for his missing sister. Embroiled in a web of odd homeless people, a growing conspiracy, and deadly danger, they soon realize that even if they find Jason’s sister, they might not be able to help her.

What do you do when you discover an extradimensional plot that threatens the safety of the entire world, but you can’t tell anyone about it because literally anyone on Earth could be part of it?

Book Two of the Alastair Stone Chronicles.

EXCERPT:

Jason let out a loud sigh, his natural tendency to want to move nearly overwhelming now. “How do we know if it doesn’t work? Do we have to stand in here forever?”

Stone was about to answer when he stiffened, startled. “It’s back,” he said, pointing at the mirror.

Jason spun around. Sure enough, the reddish figure had reappeared behind them in the mirror, looking as angry as ever. It said something to Stone in its bones-and-parchment voice, punctuated by many growls and other sounds of displeasure. The mage nodded. “She’s there now, then?” he asked.

The figure snarled and glared at Stone. It appeared to be contemplating another lunge out into the real world, but eyed the mage warily and decided against it. Instead, it spat at him. The spittle flew out, contacted its own side of the mirror, and ran down toward the table with a sizzle. Then it reached out with a ropy, muscular arm and attempted to sweep all the objects off the table on its side of the mirror. The candles, knife, and chalice went, careening silently over the edge and out of sight. The book remained, and the creature screamed in agony as its arm contacted it.

“It’s fighting me—” Stone said under his breath. “I’m going to release it now.” He reached up with both hands and put them on the mirror again. Loudly and clearly, he uttered a long sentence in the strange Latin-like language, then pulled his hands back abruptly and clapped them together in a sudden, sharp sound that made Jason jump. He stumbled, reeling back, realizing with horror even as he did so that he had no way of stopping himself. He was going to fall over backwards, taking out a good chunk of the circle when he landed.

As he went over, he got a last look at the creature’s face. Instead of looking angry, it looked suddenly surprised and triumphant. That lasted about two seconds. It flung itself forward again, clawed hands eagerly reaching in front of it, reaching for Stone, for Jason—

Buy The Forgotten (Book 2): http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Alastair-Stone-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B0084O96RW/

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

R.L. King is an award-winning author and game freelancer for Catalyst Game Labs, publisher of the popular roleplaying game Shadowrun. She has contributed fiction and game material to numerous sourcebooks, as well as one full-length adventure, “On the Run,” included as part of the 2012 Origins-Award-winning “Runners’ Toolkit.”

Her first novel in the Shadowrun universe, Borrowed Time, was published in May 2015.

When not doing her best to make life difficult for her characters, King is a software technical writer for a large Silicon Valley database company. In her spare time (hah!) she enjoys hanging out with her very understanding spouse and her small herd of cats, watching way too much Doctor Who, and attending conventions when she can. She is an Active member of the Horror Writers’ Association and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and a member of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers.

Links:

Website: http://www.rlkingwriting.com

Publisher Website: http://www.magespacepress.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AlastairStoneChronicles

Twitter: @Dragonwriter11 / https://twitter.com/dragonwriter11

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/R.-L.-King/e/B0084QBKYC/

Enter to win a $40 Amazon/BN Gift Card

Leave a comment and follow the tour for more chances to win!

Filed under: Contests, Giveaways, Guest Posts Tagged: guests, urban fantasy

What to do after you get a ‘yes’

In Monday’s blog post I talked about getting published, including tips for navigating publishers and agents and getting that coveted acceptance. In this post, I’m going to talk about things to do after you capture that prize. Some of you, like me, may be new and wondering what happens now. I’ll give you some tips based on the experiences I’ve had since becoming a published author:

1. Accept that most editors know much more about writing than you do. You’ve been writing your entire life. You’ve taken classes. Your grammar and spelling are polished. You understand how to construct plot and create characters. You’ve studied every way there is to properly put together a manuscript. That’s great. You’re going to be amazed how much you actually don’t know, so sit down and be quiet. Listen to your editor, take their advice, and learn from them. I was stunned how much I didn’t know about writing until my editor guided me and helped me shape my writing. The knowledge I’ve gotten from being published has been absolutely invaluable. Make sure you take what you learn from these professionals and start applying it to your work in the future. You’ll be amazed at how your writing blooms.

2. Don’t lose your mind over edits. It’s common to receive a marked up manuscript back from your editor and want to drink yourself to sleep. It’s easy to look at the changes and get defensive, angry, and hurt. Instead, look through the edits and try to understand and correct your mistakes so you don’t make them next time. Take a deep breath and remember, your editor just wants you to write the best possible story you can write. It’s hard to be grateful when you feel like you’re being told you’re a stupid stupidhead who can’t write, but if you take it step-by-step you’ll learn a great deal. And remember, they accepted your story for a reason–they just want to make it shine now.

3. You are your own promotion machine. Unless you’re already a New York Times bestselling author, no one is going to know who you are and no one is going to tell them but you. You have to give yourself an internet presence, whether you like it or not. Get involved in social media. Start blogging. Send your stuff to reviewers. Get involved in forums and discussions. Go to conventions. Put yourself in people’s faces. New authors don’t get much attention advertising-wise so you have to make it yourself. Say hello to other authors and make new friends.

4. Don’t buy that mansion and yacht just yet. Seriously, you’re not going to get rich, especially when you’re first starting out. You’re actually probably going to spend more money than you make to promote yourself. Keep your day job for now.

5. Get back to work. It’s nice to bask in the glory of being published, but remember what got you there and get back to it, so you can stay relevant and build a readership. It’s what you wanted to do with your life anyway, isn’t it?

Any other authors out there with some advice? Let’s hear it!

Filed under: Behind The Scenes Tagged: advice, creativity, editing, information, publishers, writing

Savage Magic by Judy Teel

Today I’m hosting Judy Teel and her new adult urban fantasy Savage Magic. Judy is giving away a $20 Amazon or B&N gift card, so make sure to comment, follow the tour, and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

 

Judy is here today to share with us what makes ‘New Adult’ the unique genre that it is.

 

Does YA + Sex and Swearing = New Adult?

Not exactly.

YA protagonists are still kids. Their happy endings mean reaching a safe haven provided by others. For the NA protagonist, that door’s closed and locked. The only internal and external safe zones they can land in are the ones they create for themselves.

Which means that at its core, New Adult (NA) fiction is a coming-of-age story about a person between the ages of 18 and 30. Done right, it becomes a powerful platform for expressing universal human experiences.

Lauren Sarner expresses this perfectly in her Huffington Post article, The Problem with New Adult Books: “[I] wished there were more books about people my age, in my situation: young twentysomethings trying to figure themselves out while simultaneously trying to figure the world out.”

But how can we accomplish this?

6 components your New Adult story needs

The protagonist’s a new adult.

To tell an NA story, your protagonist must be a new adult (age 18 – 30).

The protagonist struggles to figure out who they are and where they fit in the world.

NA protagonists ask the same questions as in the YA world — What am I good at? What do I believe in? What do I stand for? What do I want? Except the answers are different. The NA protagonist has reached a higher level on the growing-up scale. Their questions now frame the challenges of an emerging adult.

The protagonist’s emotions are strong and volatile.

Also like the YA hero, emotions are close to the surface for the NA protagonist which can get them into some sticky situations. But again, the stakes are higher when growing pains center around adult activities, choices and consequences, or the refusal to engage with them.

The protagonist grows and matures through intimate relationships.

Unlike YA, the growth of the NA protagonist comes from experiencing significant intimate relationships, often for the first time. Intimacy goes to a new level in the adult world, which can mean sex but must always mean deeper emotional relationships, at least eventually.

The protagonist’s friends are significant to their journey.

Friends mean a lot in both genres. But in NA, their role becomes deeper and more crucial as the protagonist struggles to master emotional intimacy. Ultimately, friends become the new adult protagonist’s created family of choice — their safe haven end point.

The protagonist’s conflicts with family revolve around independence.

Family, the arena of our closest emotional relationships, is where the question of “who am I?” plays out at often wounded and ideally profound levels, both internally and externally.  Where, when and how (or if) does the NA protagonist break away and become their own person?

Differentiating YA and NA can be tricky, but not if you remember this: An NA protagonist’s struggles are a continuation of the internal battles they fought in the YA world except without a safety net. When he messes up, he takes the full hit. When she triumphs, it’s because she’s learning to take control of her life.

 

A deadly disease from an unknown origin…

Addison Kittner and ex-FBI agent Cooper Daine arrive at Bone Clan expecting a warm welcome. Instead they’re imprisoned and placed under quarantine, where they discover that the werewolf mountain Clans are being decimated by a deadly plague which can’t be cured.

An old obligation that changes everything…

With only a few days to live, Cooper’s brother, Alpha of Bone Clan, asks Cooper to fulfill his promise, one that’s crucial to their Clan’s survival. But if he does, Cooper risks loosing Addison. Forever.

An ancient creature bred for genocide…

Determined to stop the plague and cure Cooper’s brother, Addison defies Clan law and sneaks away to an ancient ruin which might hold the key. There she discovers an unexpected link to her past and inadvertently calls forth an immortal monster that will destroy the paranormal races protecting humanity if it can’t be stopped.

But as Cooper and Addison battle to stop the annihilation of the Clans and the forces trying to tear their bond apart, something even more powerful and deadly gathers just out of sight…

And prepares to strike.

EXCERPT:

Cooper signaled for us to stop. In front of him, a line of animal skulls dangled from tree branches and clattered in the light breeze, marking the path. “I’m guessing we’re in Bone Clan territory now, right?” I commented.

Turning left and then right, Cooper pulled in several long breaths, testing the air. “Something’s wrong.”

As soon as he said it, a shiver swept up my back and my stomach knotted. That was the only warning I got.

One minute I was looking around for what in the hell was sneaking up on us, the next, three Weres slammed down on us, dropping from the trees and covered in mud.

My contraband Glock went flying, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw the biggest of them hit Cooper as I went down under the weight of what I guessed was a male — a young one, based on the high-pitched grunt of pain when I drove my elbow into his ribs. I rolled with the momentum of his weight as he bent into the hit and we tumbled across the leaves and rocks, fighting to get the upper hand.

We came to an abrupt stop with me straddling him, the heel of my right boot dug into the ground to stop our momentum and the sharp edge of my knife pressed against his throat. From under the shaggy bangs of his dark blonde hair, his yellow wolf eyes met my angry gaze, then slid down and focused on my chin.

“Nothing says ‘welcome to our home’ like an ambush,” I muttered.

BUY IT AT:

AMAZON:

Shifty Magic (Book 1): http://amzn.com/B00CXQ7EOE

Undercover Magic (Book 2): http://amzn.com/B00H7M48KM

Savage Magic (Book 3): http://www.amazon.com/Savage-Magic-Shifty-Book-ebook/dp/B00Z3NTSFC/

NOOK:

Shifty Magic (Book 1): http://goo.gl/6hU5bQ

Undercover Magic (Book 2): http://goo.gl/0qjldj

Savage Magic (Book 3): http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/savage-magic-judy-teel/1122078118

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Judy Teel was born in Virginia and moved to North Carolina just before middle school. She’s a fiction author and novelist writing in the dystopian urban fantasy genre. Her stories deliver mystery with some thriller elements, a kick-butt heroine with a large dash of snark in her, a bit more than a touch of romance with a guy that makes readers’ hearts beat a little faster, and a wild ride full of action and emotion from start to finish.

Shifty Magic is permanently free on all platforms and Undercover Magic is free as a thank you gift for anyone who signs up on my readers list: http://judyteel.com/my-free-book/

Website: http://www.judyteel.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudyTeelBooks

Twitter: @JudyTeelBooks / https://twitter.com/JudyTeelBooks

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5023501.Judy_Teel

Amazon Author’s Page: http://goo.gl/a7oKub

Tumblr: http://judyteel.tumblr.com

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/judyteelbooks/

Enter to win a $20 Amazon/BN Gift Card

Leave a comment and follow the tour for more chances to win!

Filed under: Contests, Giveaways, Guest Posts Tagged: guests, paranormal, urban fantasy

5 tips for aspiring published authors

I’m still pretty new to the party on the published side of the writing fence, having only been published for about a year and a half now. However, I’ve published quite a few things in that time, so I thought I might be qualified to pass on some advice. This is based on my own experiences trying to fight my way into that yard where the grass seems so much greener. If you’re looking to leap over the fence too, here’s some things to give you a boost:

1. Make sure your skin is thick. You’re going to get rejected, maybe a lot, when you first start submitting things. Most authors do. Some agents or publishers will send you form rejection letters, some of them a short non-specific personal note, and some may even tell you why they’re rejecting you. Some might give you advice. Try not to take anything too personally. Listen to the advice if it seems relevant, but don’t let anything get you down. The best way to deal with the disappointment of a rejection is to look the work over again for ways you might make it better, then send it off to someone else. Don’t give up. And whatever you do, don’t reply to an agent or publisher and tell them to go to hell, no matter how much you want to.

2. Follow directions. This is very important. I have writer friends who have asked me, “How do you submit something?” There is no one answer to that. The only answer is: go to the agent or publisher’s website and read their submission guidelines, and follow them to the letter. Every publisher has guidelines they want you to follow when submitting. Every agent does too. Some only want you to query them. Some want partial manuscripts. Some want full manuscripts. Some want a query and synopsis. They all want these things formatted in different ways. No matter how many instructions are given, be sure you cover them all. If a publisher wants you to submit a partial manuscript triple spaced in Papyrus font only during the first Tuesday of the full moon during the heart of winter, you better do it or it’ll go unread.

3. Know the market you’re submitting to. Don’t send the wrong thing to the wrong people. Look up some of the books the agent handles or the publisher puts out. Target publishers who handle what you’ve written. Don’t send an adult horror novel to someone who only publishes YA books. Look around and see which publishers are publishing the books most like yours. You can also find out who represents authors writing in the same genre as you. Do some research and make sure your manuscript is going someplace it will be welcome.

4. Toot your horn a little. Even if you have no publications under your belt, you can find things to brag about. Before I was published, I would briefly mention classes and courses I had taken and how long I’d been writing. This lets an agent or publisher know you’re serious and dedicated to the craft. Don’t talk too much about these things, but when they ask for a ‘brief bio’ you can throw a few tidbits out to prove you want to pursue a serious writing career.

5. Network. I’ve gotten published in anthologies because I spoke to the editors and developed a rapport with them long before I got the acceptance. It’s easier these days with social media: say hello on Twitter or Facebook. Write an admiring email. Comment on blog posts. Find the people who do the publishing and say hello. You never know what might come of it down the road.

Any published authors out there want to share some of their own tips? I’d love to hear them! In my Wednesday blog post, I’ll talk about things to do after you’re published that will help you stay in the game.

Filed under: Behind The Scenes Tagged: advice, information, publishers, writing

Upcoming celebrations and contests!

I’m going to be participating in a couple different giveaways and celebrations over the next few weeks, with LOADS of awesome prizes! Here’s where you can come join in the fun and enter to win:

The LASR anniversary party will feature tons of romance authors giving away books, swag, gift cards, and more! In addition, LASR will be giving away multiple $100 gift cards for Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The party will go on for two weeks, so there’s lots of chances to win. I’ll be included in there on one of those days–I’ll let you know when!

On August 25th I’ll be joining five other authors to help Cecilia Dominic celebrate the release of her Steampunk romance Eros Element. All authors will be giving away copies of their books (I’ll be giving away The Wicked City) as well as other fun prizes. Stop on by!

Filed under: Contests, Giveaways, Promotion Tagged: appearances

Modern technology in fiction

Have you ever considered how the characters in your story communicate with each other: across airwaves, in cyberspace, through high-tech devices? I’m not even talking about sci-fi. The future is now, and as an author you have keep this in mind when you’re creating contemporary worlds.

As a paranormal author, I can tell you this much–it’s no longer easy to isolate characters as a method of creating fear and tension. Even if you abandon your characters in the woods, someone’s bound to have a cell phone (and just because they’re in the woods doesn’t mean there’s no signal, in fact, you usually get clearer signals in open spaces). You can’t have your characters break down on a back road either, because there’s roadside assistance and OnStar. They’re not even likely to end up on a back road unless the GPS takes them there or someone they know lives there, and then they can just call and tell their friends they’ve broken down.

When writing contemporary pieces, you have to remember we live in the future, right now. Technology is vast and commonplace. I had this underlined for me when an editor on one of my books pointed out even in hiding, my protagonist would probably have access to the internet and get her information from bloggers. Also, she was originally getting a lot of information from newspapers and I realized very few people read paper newspapers now.

This is not the world we thirty-somethings (well, I might be forty-something…) grew up in and your characters certainly aren’t in it.

You also have to adjust for certain trends: are your characters watching television, or more specifically, the news? A lot of people watch their favorite TV shows online. A vast percentage of people get their daily dose of news from online news sites. The internet has to come into play at least peripherally if you’re writing a contemporary piece, especially if someone in your story needs information. These days people are more likely to look something up online rather than consulting an encyclopedia. And no one, not even the most countrified bumpkin, is wholly technologically isolated.

What do you think? Would you rather say “screw it” and write historical pieces, or is it easier to keep track of how people really live these days, hardwired to the mainframe?

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: creativity, technology, writing

Wait for it.

This post is part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog hop. The first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. The awesome co-hosts for the the August 5 posting of the IWSG will be Nancy Gideon, Bob R Milne, Doreen McGettigan, Chrys Fey, Bish Denham, and Pat Garcia!

Writing is a waiting game–or I should say, writing to get published is a waiting game. You submit. You wait. You bite your fingernails. You wait some more. Will they say yes?  Will they say no? Will they ever answer, or are you crying into the void?

These days waiting can take on a whole new dimension, because you can stalk the twitter and FB accounts of whomever you’ve submitted to, be it editor or agent. Not that I would EVER do such a thing…I mean, I’m just making new friends, right? It’s not stalking. It’s not obsessively checking to see if they say even the smallest thing that might be about my manuscript or when they might be sending out their next round of rejection letters, right? I mean who DOES that?

Right now I’m playing the waiting game on several fronts–can you tell? Waiting for a yes or no, waiting for an answer. As a published author, I can tell you however the waiting game doesn’t stop just because you get a yes. You wait for edits, wait for your book cover, wait for a pub date, wait for your book to come out, wait for someone to care, wait for reviews, wait for your royalty check. Are we human, or are we waiter?

They say the best way to take your mind off it is to work on something else–keep writing! I say the best way to deal with it is to scream a lot and keep stalking–I mean being friends with–the editor/agent you’ve submitted to.

How about you? How do you wait?

Filed under: Behind The Scenes, IWSG Tagged: blog hop, insecure writer's support group, writing

Virtual tour for Seduced By the Moon by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

Today I’m hosting Linda Thomas-Sundstrom and her novel Seduced By the Moon, a sizzling paranormal romance from Harlequin. Linda is giving away a $25 Amazon or B&N gift card, so make sure to comment, follow the tour, and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

 

Can blood ties be stronger than the passions that rule the heart?

Skylar Donovan has come to her late father’s Colorado cabin to find answers to explain his death. Instead she meets a handsome forest ranger with a dark side. A stranger who is willing to protect her from an unknown assailant. A stranger who also appears in her dreams as something other than a man. He’s werewolf, and he satisfies Skylar Donovan like no mere man ever has.

Gavin Harris was bitten by a monster in the hills he has sworn to protect and now searches for that beast. But his deadly mission unites him with a beautiful blonde bent on a search of her own. Neither is safe from the evil they’re stalking—but the forbidden lust that burns between them might be the greatest danger of all.

BUY IT AT:

Amazon Kindle: http://amazon.com/dp/B00UFPP77G/

Amazon Print: http://amazon.com/dp/0263915638/

B&N Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seduced-by-the-moon-linda-thomas-sundstrom/1121346866

B&N Print: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seduced-by-the-moon-linda-thomas-sundstrom/1121346866

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/seduced-by-the-moon-1

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/seduced-by-the-moon/id974843507

Harlequin: http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=59705

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Linda is the author of contemporary, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy books for Kensington, Amazon Montlake, GothicScapes, Harlequin Nocturne, and Harlequin Desire. She loves more than anything to write, and has a resident Muse who loudly sings all these stories to her.

Linda swears that all of her books come loaded with good karma for the readers, for helping to support her writing dreams.

Website: http://www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LindaThomasSundstrom

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1455986.Linda_Thomas_Sundstrom

Enter to win a $25 Amazon/BN Gift Card

Leave a comment and follow the tour for more chances to win!

Filed under: Giveaways, Promotion Tagged: guests, paranormal, romance

Do ya like my covers?

My book covers are up at RateBookCover.com, a site with lots of gorgeous book covers you can vote on. If you think my covers are lovely, I’d love some votes! Voting is super easy–you don’t have to sign up or register for anything, you simply click on the little stars or hit the thumbs-up button (I’m not begging for five star votes, please be honest!). If you’re an author, it’s also super easy to upload your own covers. If you do, leave a comment and I’ll go vote for you too (or if you’re already on there).

If you’d like to vote for The Wicked City:

If you’d like to vote for Her Darkest Secret:

If you’d like to vote for One Night In Chicago:

Thank you very much!

Filed under: Promotion Tagged: book covers

Cover reveal for Triangulating Bliss by Janelle Jalbert

Today I’m hosting a cover reveal for Triangulating Bliss, a women’s paranormal/magical realism by Janelle Jalbert. Janelle is giving away a $20 Amazon or B&N gift card, so make sure to comment, follow the tour, and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway! Additionally, there’s some special free bonuses for readers here today. Stop by and check it out!

 

A struggling veteran reads about the mysterious death of a local athlete and wants to learn more. He meets the owner of the business linked to the crime and discovers others have “disappeared”.

All stories include a man with dark hair, blue eyes, and a strong jaw.

Then, it’s his turn.

The mysterious forces at Bliss change everything. What brought them all to Bliss is not as it appears and their lives are powerfully interconnected across space and time.

BLURB:

Greg opened the backdoor to Bliss. He forced himself to stop thinking about how the name of the place made him think of a day spa rather than a barbeque joint. The tell-tale wood smoke greeted him, causing his stomach to growl and suspending his thoughts about the name of the place. Musical chimes sounded above the door as Greg’s eyes adjusted from the glare of the fall sun to the darkened interior.

Figures, he thought. Why wouldn’t there be chimes at a place called Bliss?

Once his eyes adjusted, the bar area didn’t seem to be out of the ordinary. Greg stopped at the partition just inside the door. It was covered with a list of sayings:

Follow Your Bliss

Happiness Is an Inside Job

Be Careful What You Wish For

There’s No Better Time to Claim the Future You Want Than Now

A half-laugh escaped him. He thought it was a menu board at first and the philosophizing caught him off guard. Still, the final statement hit close to home, and he took a deep breath.

Greg headed to the long black bar. A smaller party room was to the right with about a dozen tables to the left. It had the feel of a contemporary jazz club or maybe a speakeasy. Beyond the tables, bright daylight streamed into the lounge from a passage between the front diner area and the bar. No creepy Twilight Zone feeling here, he thought.

Two muted, flat screen TVs hung on either side of the wood shelves stocked with bottles of all sizes. He eyed the taps and sports coverage while surveying the place. Though there were no windows in the back area, yet it didn’t feel claustrophobic. Between the lighting, mirrors and glass, there was elegance to the place that radiated a different type of light. Poster-sized black and white pictures hung on the walls, showing the history of the place. Greg guessed they were from the 1940’s. Smaller pictures of patrons and notable artifacts related to “Our Place” dotted the walls. Greg knew from his early research that Our Place was the name of the restaurant until a few years earlier.

Greg settled in, still getting a sense of the place, when a woman with graying dark hair approached him. Though he talked with Lois on the phone, this was the first time he saw her. She was not remarkably tall, but definitely commanded the bar and carried herself in a way that betrayed her real age. She had a look of knowing, or maybe it was just cheer that she had a customer on a dead afternoon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Janelle Jalbert has ghostwritten 15 nonfiction books on topics ranging from productivity, money management, marketing, cooking, and relationships. She also worked as a copywriter for some of the biggest online names and worked as a motorsports reporter covering NASCAR. Jalbert enjoys bringing stories to life that celebrate the magic in everyday living. To learn more about her current and upcoming releases and promotions visit www.janellejalbert.com. Jalbert currently lives in Southern California, though she regularly returns to her second home in North Carolina when her pack of pups grants her a vacation.

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/justjjwriting

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Author Website: http://www.janellejalbert.com

Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/Janelle_Jalbert

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Janelle-Jalbert/e/B00Q5MD7AW/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1432770403&sr=8-1

BN Author Page: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/janelle-jalbert

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