Category: Blog

Dive into Sachael Desires!

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Will I get tired of that pun? That answer is no.  Check out the trailer before I think of another!

During her ordeal with the Sect, Estelle Bailey dreamt of escaping back into the arms of the sea—and Azariah. But freedom came at a price, and though she’s back with the Sachael who’s stolen her heart, she’s also land-bound until the next full moon. And with the threat of Orontes looming ever larger behind them, Azariah, Estelle, and Michael—her once-captor turned rescuer and friend—are on the run.  Following Michael’s lead, they seek sanctuary amidst the natural beauty of the Orkney and Shetland Islands until Estelle can complete her next submergence ritual and Azariah can whisk her away to the safety of Saicean.  ​ ​ Secrets, betrayals, and old enemies await them, though, and as events spiral out of control, Azariah makes a decision that puts all their lives at risk, forcing Estelle to face a journey she never wanted to take. With time running out and tempers running high, her only hope to save the man she loves lies in a reconciliation between two kingdoms who despise each other.

Book Two in the Mine Series, Sachael Desires further expands on the intricate underwater world of the Sachaels, and the hostility and isolation of not belonging.​ | Get your copy today!

But, wait there is more~ You can win all of this! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You wouldn’t want to swim away from that chance!
That was really bad, I’ll let you all go read now. 📚

Link by Summer Wier Review!

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link-coverI think the first description of LINK I heard was Stargate meets [something]. It doesn’t matter what you say after Stargate because at that point my brain yells sold! Some books have the pitfall of why does the “normal life” matter after this life changing event happens, but the world’s are so interwoven that I didn’t feel that here. In the story, Kira is presented with two very different lives, and the pros and cons of each continue to stack up. This creates a great balance that later on starts rocking back and forth in an increasingly tense way.

LINK sets The Shadow of Light series up in an otherworldly fashion without ever feeling like the whole first book is set up. I now know this cast in a very real way and curious what happens to the whole cast.

The only down side is LINK sets itself up as a bit mystery, one that I try to figure out beforehand to distracting lengths. This likely is just overthinking because I lovingly want to fact check explanations to real astrophysics. The science of this science fiction is strong I just wish I had the answers a bit sooner so I could have bought into the rules faster.

Review:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

If you aren’t convinced yet here’s some more about LINK!

For seventeen-year-old Kira, there’s no better way to celebrate a birthday than being surrounded by friends and huddled beside a campfire deep in the woods. And with a birthday in the peak of summer, that includes late night swims under the stars.

Or at least, it used to.

Kira’s relaxing contemplation of the universe is interrupted when a piece of it falls, colliding with her and starting a chain of events that could unexpectedly lead to the one thing in her life that’s missing—her father.

Tossed into a pieced-together world of carnivals and gypsies, an old-fashioned farmhouse, and the alluring presence of a boy from another planet, Kira discovers she’s been transported to the center of a black hole, and there’s more to the story than science can explain. She’s now linked by starlight to the world inside the darkness. And her star is dying.

If she doesn’t return home before the star’s light disappears and her link breaks, she’ll be trapped forever. But she’s not the only one ensnared, and with time running out, she’ll have to find a way to save a part of her past and a part of her future, or risk losing everything she loves.

Dreamy, fluid, and beautiful, Link pairs the mystery of science fiction with the minor-key melody of a dark fantasy, creating a tale that is as human as it is out of this world.

Available now from Amazon, and other retailers.

Summer Wier Author Photo-2About Summer Wier:

Summer Wier is an MBA toting accountant, undercover writer, and all around jack-of-all-trades.  Link is her debut novel and the first in The Shadow of Light series. She has three short stories appearing in Fairly Twisted Tales For A Horribly Ever After and co-authors the Splinter web serial. When she’s not digging through spreadsheets or playing mom, you can find her reading/writing, cooking, or dreaming of the mountains in Montana.

Check out more of YA author Summer Wier on her blog, twitter, facebook, and goodreads.

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Sachael Desires Cover Reveal!

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SachaelDesires-Winter_feature

About Sachael Desires 

During her ordeal with the Sect, Estelle Bailey dreamt of escaping back into the arms of the sea—and Azariah. But freedom came at a price, and though she’s back with the Sachael who’s stolen her heart, she’s also land-bound until the next full moon. And with the threat of Orontes looming ever larger behind them, Azariah, Estelle, and Michael—her once-captor turned rescuer and friend—are on the run.

Following Michael’s lead, they seek sanctuary amidst the natural beauty of the Orkney and Shetland Islands until Estelle can complete her next submergence ritual and Azariah can whisk her away to the safety of Saicean.
​ ​
Secrets, betrayals, and old enemies await them, though, and as events spiral out of control, Azariah makes a decision that puts all their lives at risk, forcing Estelle to face a journey she never wanted to take. With time running out and tempers running high, her only hope to save the man she loves lies in a reconciliation between two kingdoms who despise each other.
Book Two in the Mine Series, Sachael Desires further expands on the intricate underwater world of the Sachaels, and the hostility and isolation of not belonging.​ | Add to goodreads

About Melody Winter: 

Growing up, Melody Winter showed a natural ability in art, a head for maths, and a tendency to write far too long English essays. Difficult to place in the world when she graduated, she pursued a career in teaching, but eventually ended up working in Finance. Melody is convinced the methodical time she spends working with numbers fuels her desire to drift into dream worlds and write about the illusory characters in her head.

Melody Winter lives in North Yorkshire, England, with her husband and two sons. When not dealing with football, rugby, and a whole plethora of ‘boy’ activities, she will be found scribbling notes for her stories, or preparing for another trip to the beach. With an obsession for anything mythical, Melody revels in reading and writing about such creatures. In fact, if she wasn’t such a terrible swimmer, she’d say she was a mermaid.

Sachael Desires is her second book in the New Adult Romantic Fantasy series – the ‘Mine Series’.
Learn more about Melody Winter on her website, twitter or facebook.

 

Release Day: What You See

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On May 8th 2015, the asexual community had their first Ace Day. It had one goal, to give the community a day where awareness was good, but pride was better. The day was willed with selfies, pride, stories, awareness, and a lot of art. Sara (The Asexuality Blog) and I were amazed how many people created beautiful things without prompt to celebrate the day. Those pieces served as the first for the collection. And now, the pride from months ago is back in time for Asexual Awareness Week!!

What You See from Creative Aces is the first art book of its kind and features 38 full color pages brought to you by artists of the asexual community. The collection is all about pride, big and small, heartfelt and sometimes down right adorable.

Two dozen asexual artists came together to make this and I’m thrilled to announce it’s now available on amazon! 

Happy Release Day To LINK!

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LinkAbout LINK: 

For seventeen-year-old Kira, there’s no better way to celebrate a birthday than being surrounded by friends and huddled beside a campfire deep in the woods. And with a birthday in the peak of summer, that includes late night swims under the stars.

Or at least, it used to.

Kira’s relaxing contemplation of the universe is interrupted when a piece of it falls, colliding with her and starting a chain of events that could unexpectedly lead to the one thing in her life that’s missing—her father.

Tossed into a pieced-together world of carnivals and gypsies, an old-fashioned farmhouse, and the alluring presence of a boy from another planet, Kira discovers she’s been transported to the center of a black hole, and there’s more to the story than science can explain. She’s now linked by starlight to the world inside the darkness. And her star is dying.

If she doesn’t return home before the star’s light disappears and her link breaks, she’ll be trapped forever. But she’s not the only one ensnared, and with time running out, she’ll have to find a way to save a part of her past and a part of her future, or risk losing everything she loves.

Dreamy, fluid, and beautiful, Link pairs the mystery of science fiction with the minor-key melody of a dark fantasy, creating a tale that is as human as it is out of this world.

Available now from Amazon, and other retailers.

About Summer Wier:  

Author Photo

Summer Wier is an MBA toting accountant, undercover writer, and all around jack-of-all-trades.  Link is her debut novel and the first in The Shadow of Light series. She has three short stories appearing in Fairly Twisted Tales For A Horribly Ever After and co-authors the Splinter web serial. When she’s not digging through spreadsheets or playing mom, you can find her reading/writing, cooking, or dreaming of the mountains in Montana.

Check out more of YA author Summer Wier on her blog, twitter, facebook, and goodreads.

But what there’s more! 

Win These Books!

Win paperbacks of Summer’s favorite YA novels!

 

Undeath & Taxes Review!

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About Undeath & Taxes:
After discovering just how filled with magic, intrigue, and adventure the parahuman world of being an Undead American can be, Fredrick Frankford Fletcher did exactly what was expected–he became a certified parahuman accountant. Myths and legends, as it turns out, are not so great at taking appropriate deductions and keeping their receipts, and Fred is more than happy to return to a life others view as woefully dull, expanding his accounting business to cater to various monsters and their respective financial needs.

Said monsters are, unfortunately, still spectacular at pulling Fred into trouble, though. And despite merely wanting to stick with simple paperwork, Fred once again finds he is going to have to deal with enchanted weaponry, government agents, possessed houses, and one enigmatic dragon’s interest. In the parahuman world, any business can turn deadly, even one as mundane as accounting.

Available on Amazon and other retailers.

Review:  ★ ★ ★ ★

Here is the one negative thing I’m going to say. Feels a little less epic than last time. Now I can spend the rest of the review on things I love! I’ve been in a reading slump. Nothing was grabbing me, that is until Fred came back into my life. I really love Fred and his friends. This time around seems to focus more about their adventures than Fred himself, which really works for Drew Hayes’ episodic style.

I particularly enjoyed Albert this time around. I didn’t dislike him last time, but while reading Undeath and Taxes I keep thinking Albert is a dear, the sweetest zombie around, a  cutie pi– ahem. I’ll continue on.

The following is a slight spoiler, so slight spoiler warning and what not. Drew Hayes had urban fantasy down. ‘Need a weapon of destiny? Check out the newest paranormal convention!’ These are literally the ideas that make urban fantasy one of my favorites genres. That seamless merging of fantasy and modern life.

I definitely recommend this series to lovers of the genre and skeptics. You can even win a signed paperback copy over on goodreads. Still not convinced look at this ridiculously awesome author bio.

Drew Hayes Author Photo

Author Bio:

Drew Hayes is an aspiring author from Texas who has written several books and found the gumption to publish a few (so far). He graduated from Texas Tech with a B.A. in English, because evidently he’s not familiar with what the term “employable” means. Drew has been called one of the most profound, prolific, and talented authors of his generation, but a table full of drunks will say almost anything when offered a round of free shots. Drew feels kind of like a D-bag writing about himself in the third person like this. He does appreciate that you’re still reading, though.

Drew would like to sit down and have a beer with you. Or a cocktail. He’s not here to judge your preferences. Drew is terrible at being serious, and has no real idea what a snippet biography is meant to convey anyway. Drew thinks you are awesome just the way you are. That part, he meant. Drew is off to go high-five random people, because who doesn’t love a good high-five? No one, that’s who.

See Drew talk about himself in first person on his website and twitter.

 

 

Fear of Thunder Cover Reveal!

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It seems to be the month of cover reveals! This is dear to my heart because I had the honor of making it! First let me tell you a bit more about Fear of Thunder by Devon E Lail:

Henrietta Boyd is nobody. Just another college graduate with nothing to show for it except a job at a diner, unsupportive parents, and a strained, long-distance relationship with her college girlfriend. It seems as if life will never be what dreams are made of for Henrietta, that is until a group of criminals mistake her house for her neighbor’s.

With a little sweet talk and wit, Henrietta finds herself whisked away into another world, where her elderly neighbors are not just retired bankers, celebrities never put away their theater masks, and no one is to be trusted.

Through the twists and turns of new and dangerous excitements, Henrietta creates a new identity for herself, one that allows her the freedom and happiness she has been so desperately seeking. But such freedom comes with a price and a secret…

If you’re looking for diversity, this is the book for you! Several LGBTQ characters, specifically bisexual characters, and characters of color. Fear of Thunder comes out August 17th, but be sure to check out Devon E Lail’s author page as well.

Without further ado, here’s the cover!

Fear of Thunder Lovely, if I do say so myself. I hope you check it out when the book comes out next week!

Diverging Cadence Cover Reveal!

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This series is so lovely and I can’t wait to read them!

About Diverging Cadence:

When Cadence Anderson woke to find her husband and infant daughter had been killed, she thought her life was over. Instead, she was offered a second chance and sent back in time to do it all again.

She’s made the most of this opportunity, repairing her relationship with the best friend she lost the first time, avoiding the romantic mistakes she made originally, and even bringing her family closer together. But she’s also done something she wasn’t planning on—she’s fallen in love with someone other than her future husband.

Stepping onto a plane and flying across country to attend university is the hardest decision she’s had to make. But unless she follows through with it, her future with Austin might never happen. And what becomes of her beautiful baby if she stays with James, the man she was never supposed to love?

The only thing she knows for certain is that she has to see Austin again, and she’s intent on reliving that part of her previous life exactly like she did the first time. Even if that means she has to lie to James to do it. Because, deep down, she can’t quite bring herself to let him go.

Now, past and future are about to collide, and Cadence has to make her final choice—follow the uncertain path of a life with James, or the one she came back to save . . . with Austin.

In this emotional conclusion to the story that began in Deceptive Cadence, relationships will be tested, identities revealed, and the past will overshadow the future, putting the finishing touches on an unforgettable tale of courage, sacrifice, and, above all, love.

Add to your Goodreads.

About Katie Hamstead:

Born and raised in Australia, Katie’s early years of day dreaming in the “bush”, and having her  father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dogs.

She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing. Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports and be a good wife and mother. She now works as an Acquisitions Editor to help support her family. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

Find Katie Hamstead on twitter, facebook, and her website.

 

Deceptive Cadence – Character Interview!

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The Deceptive Cadence blog tour makes a spot with us! Not only is there another giveaway to offer you, but we also have an exclusive character interview for you!

Before this, what have the hardest decision you’ve had to make?
Before going back in time? Um, I’d say travelling so far to go to University. I was scared to go clear across the country, but I needed it after all the drama in high school. I needed a fresh start.

Has your idea of happiness changed after loss?
Yes. I think sometimes we get so caught up with being better, or right we forget the important things. Seeing Austin and Melody dead reminded me of what really matters most; my family and the people I love. I realized that without them, nothing had much meaning.

Is there any slang that you are going to bring back with your second chance? Or dread hearing again?
Ha ha, I don’t know. I do say things that are so out of time though, so I have to be careful not to fall into too many bad habits.

Do you believe in soul mates?
I’m not sure. I don’t think there’s one person out there for anyone, if there was, then what happens if one dies before they meet? Or they never have a chance to meet? Or if they do meet, they’re not in the same place in life and don’t notice each other? I think there are people out there who can become our soul mates if we choose. I mean, if I never chose to move to Perth, I never would have met Austin. I believe our soul mates come from the choices we make, not destiny. Or maybe I’m just thinking too much.

What is your favorite time travel story?
Time travel story… hmm… well, Geri and I like having girl’s nights and watching eighties greats, and Back to the Future is a repeated favorite. Oh, and Bill and Ted is pretty great too.

Before the accident, what would have been your one do-over?
Geri. I love that girl like nothing else. There’s never been a truer friend than her. Even Lyla and Tara don’t quite meet her standard. I missed her every day after we fought, and wished I knew what I did. She’s definitely top priority for my do-over.

Besides the obvious of being given a second change what is your favorite thing about going back?
Seeing my teen years with a fresh perspective! Who wouldn’t want that? Then of course, I’m so excited about falling in love with Austin all over again. Being married is wonderful, but the beginning, when you first start dating, is exhilarating. Everything is new, and full of energy, and Austin was such a gentleman. I was so lucky to have him.

About Deceptive Cadence:
Cadence Anderson has the perfect definition of happily ever after . . .

Until she doesn’t. A freak earthquake shatters her life as surely as her home, taking away everything she holds dear. She wakes in a hospital to find that her beloved husband and infant daughter have been killed, crushed by the earthquake’s wrath. Disoriented, injured, and alone, Cadence refuses to accept the loss. So when a man claiming to be her guardian angel appears and offers her a chance to go back in time to save her family, she doesn’t need to give it a second thought. She accepts.

Thrust back eleven years, she now faces the ordeal of high school all over again. But this time, she’s armed with all the knowledge of her adult life and the determined to do everything better, from preventing the loss of her best friend to avoiding her original, drama-inducing boyfriends. She’s focused solely on Austin, her future husband, and is content to bide her time until she meets him again.

But then James Gordon crosses her path. Cadence wants to remain single, but James has his sights set. He is determined to win her over, and he’s very hard to resist. As Cadence starts to develop unwanted feelings for him, she realizes he threatens to disrupt everything, changing the future and distracting her from her original goal. Now, Cadence must choose: deny the unpredictable and exciting path James offers her, or stay true to the life she had and is trying desperately to resurrect. Second chances are more complicated than they seem.

Deceptive Cadence combines the soaring emotion of a heartfelt romance with the innovative storytelling of magical realism, crafting a uniquely moving, intricate tale about love and loss that asks: what would you do if given the chance to right all your wrongs?

Get Deceptive Cadence from Amazon.

About Katie Hamstead:
Born and raised in Australia, Katie’s early years of day dreaming in the “bush”, and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dogs.

She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing. Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports and be a good wife and mother. She now works as an Acquisitions Editor to help support her family. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

Find Katie Hamstead on Twitter, Facebook, and her website.

Asexuals In Writing: Claudie Arseneault

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Cross-post from Fuck Yeah Asexual
Viral Airwaves is on sale for a couple more days and remember this blog’s giveaway is still going!

Viral AirwavesAuthor Bio: I’m a beginning indie author in my mid-twenties, hailing from Quebec City. I write mostly fantasy and solarpunk, a very cool sci-fi subgenre for which I’ll be co-editing a nice dragon-solarpunk anthology. I published my first novel, Viral Airwaves, earlier this year. When I’m not busy writing or reading, I devote my love to science (I’m a biochemist, cells are cool), squids, and hot air balloons.

What do you identify as? I’m asexual, and somewhere on the aromantic spectrum. Exactly where, I have no idea and don’t really feel the need to know.

Do you have an asexual in your story, if so how do they identify? In the novel I have published right now, I don’t. Although to be honest, the MC’s experiences and the way he interacts with his love interest feel very asexual, but I think that’s because I wrote it how I felt natural. Not canon though asexual, though, and not really mentioned anywhere in the novel.
But! I’m working on a MOGAI-centric high fantasy saga right now, and there’s three of them! Nevian is a (demi)heteroromantic sex-repulsed ace, Larryn is panromantic gray asexual (in the very rarely feels attraction, but feels it strongly), and Jessana (who only appears later in the series) is biromantic asexual. No wait, four, I’m totally forgetting Cal, who’s aro-ace. So, very large crew, with a lot of ace peeps! :3

What did you want to get right about your representation? First I wanted to represent a wide variety of experiences. They’re scattered across the ace (and romantic) spectrum for that reason, among other things. Having many ace characters also helps countering stereotypes. Cal is very outgoing and friendly, whereas Nevian is an apprentice magician that really wants to do nothing more than study.

I also wanted to represent ace folk that are often kind of thrown under the bus. You see a lot of “Not all aces are self-repulsed!” and “Asexuality has nothing to do with sexual abuse!” and while yeah that’s important, I wanted aces who ARE those things or have lived those things. Having many characters really helps with that, because I can both go against the too-typical representation, and also have fully-developed characters for which elements of this “bad representation” are an integral part of their lives. The other thing is that they have different views on how important asexuality is to their lives. Larryn hasn’t even really noticed, because he has a billion things to deal with. Cal fully knows, accepts, and is proud of his lack of attractions (romantic or sexual). Nevian is weirded out and disgusted by everyone’s frequent obsession with sex. Basically what I wanted to get right was diversity even among my ace characters.

Anything else?  Gosh I’ve talked a lot about my next project today, but right now I have a solarpunk novel and its prequel novella out! The novella (The White Renegade) is totally free, so you can sample my writing in a feels-intensive story with a bisexual, albinistic hero and his agender and aromantic friend. And Viral Airwaves will be on sale from June 25th to July 10th, for 0.99$. So that’s where you can find my published writing at!

The White Renegade – Amazon – Elsewhere – Viral Airwaves – Amazon – Elsewhere
Stay tuned for our reviews of both!