Guest Post & Giveaway - Shadow Fire by Kimber Leigh Wheaton

About the author Kimber Leigh Wheaton

Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance and is a member of Romance Writers of America.

She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs and four cats. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Her house is filled with dragons, though she does lament that they are the porcelain, non-flying variety.

Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!)

Her debut novel, Shadow Fire, is the first book in The Light Chronicles series. Watch for book two, Stolen Moon, a standalone sequel, coming soon.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Twitter ¦ Facebook ¦ Goodreads ¦ Email ¦ Blog ¦ Pinterest ¦ Facebook

Guest Post - The Origin of Shadow Fire

They say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Well, I am a video game addict. More specifically, I'm addicted to RPGs. I spend an inordinate amount of time immersed in one fantasy world or another. My characters would be right at home alongside the characters from Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy, or The Legend of Zelda. I label Shadow Fire as a fantasy romance, but it is also an adventure. 

When the idea for Shadow Fire hit, it hit hard. One day I hadn’t written anything for several years, and the next I cranked out the first chapter in a couple of hours. I was obsessed. There was no plot mapping, no outline. Zane, Ashlyn, and Taranis were in my mind, and I needed to free them as quickly as possible or risk insanity. The first draft was written in four weeks. That was two years ago. While the plot and characters remain the same, the manuscript has undergone numerous revisions to reach the place it is today. I changed the beginning twice, then finally found what I liked on the third try.

Shadow Fire is my debut novel. I learned so much about writing during this journey. You can clearly see it if you compare the first manuscript with the published novel. It's an amazing difference. Fortunately, I love editing and revising. It's hard to say goodbye to your characters when that final revision is complete. Ashlyn, Zane, and Taranis have a cameo in Stolen Moon the second book in the Light Chronicles due out late summer 2014.

Shadow Fire

Author: Kimber Leigh Wheaton

Series: Light Chronicles

Genre: YA Fantasy / Romance

Publisher: Astraea Press

Pages: 310

Language: English

Format: eBook

Release Date: February 24, 2014

Book Description:

Ashlyn – a free-spirited teenager whose peaceful life is shattered when the village elders honor her with a perilous quest to recover a stolen relic.

Zane – a jaded mercenary, torn by his undeniable desire for Ashlyn and the dark secret that could make her hate him forever.

Delistaire – a malevolent sorcerer driven by an insatiable lust for power.

All three are bound together by an ancient relic supposedly infused with the power of a Goddess.

Shadow Fire – adventure, passion, secrets, and betrayal

As Ashlyn and Zane race to stay one step ahead of the evil lurking in the shadows, their passions are ignited and their bond strengthens. But will they find the relic before Delistaire? Or has their entire quest been orchestrated from the very beginning by a madman in pursuit of ultimate power?

Each installment of The Light Chronicles is a standalone story.

Book Links:

Amazon ¦ Goodreads

Shadow Fire Excerpt

Every step I take is one step closer to death.

Hiking through the dense underbrush, I try to calm my frayed nerves and control the fear threatening to overwhelm me. Twigs and tendrils of ivy grab at my ankles as I continue to forge ahead, forcing me to wrench away from their skeletal grip. The sunlight is fading, signaling the end of another day, but this is no ordinary day.

A loud crack pierces the air. I freeze in my tracks, my breath catching in my throat. Whipping my head around, I try to locate the source of the sound. My heart pounds in my chest, the erratic rhythm painful. These woods are full of predators, some animal, some monster, but the worst… human. Taking a deep breath, I listen to the surrounding woods: birds chirp, insects hum, and small animals scurry about as if they have no care in the world.

Lungs burning, I force myself to continue walking. I didn't collapse three weeks ago when this whole fiasco started, and I won't give in now. My family needs me to be strong.

The trees become sparser as I approach the edge of the forest. My shoulders slump when I pass the tree house we used to play in so many years ago. Any other day when I'm this close to home after a long day of hunting, I'd smile, breathe a sigh of relief, and perhaps look forward to dinner. Today there will be no raucous family meal, no solace in entering the peaceful village, and nothing to smile about.

The villagers will be awaiting my return, skulking in the shadows, desperate to catch a glimpse of the walking dead girl.

I've dealt with the whispers and pointing for three weeks with my head held high, my anxiety hidden behind a mask of indifference. I don't want them to see me like this, trembling in fear, broken. They've taken everything I am, every hope, every dream I've had for the future and smashed them to pieces with little hope of salvation. The townsfolk of Verdane decided my fate and they chose death.

The elders told me being Chosen is an honor. Either they are ignorant or apathetic. Every five years for the last twenty, a teenage girl has been chosen by the town, via secret ballot, to undertake this dangerous quest, never to return. Perhaps if the elders had to forfeit their lives instead they wouldn't be so quick to label it an honor, they'd call it what it is… a sacrifice.

***Giveaway***

2 Gifted Kindle copies of Shadow Fire up for grabs.

Ends April 2nd (23:59 p.m. GMT)

International. Open to anyone who can receive gifted ebooks from amazon.com.

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Book Spotlight & Giveaway - Heart of Eternity by N. Jay

Heart of Eternity

Author: N. Jay

Genre: Contemporary romance/paranormal/metaphysical/suspense

Publisher: Mirador Publishing, UK

Pages: 99

Language: English

Format: Kindle (prc file)

Book Description:

When you are invited to dance with the muse of love, when you are driven to the edge by the pain of the past, when you hold the remedy for what ails you in your arms you will find yourself in the heart of eternity. 

Set in the Blue Mountain’s town of Blackheath in New South Wales, Australia, the novel Heart of Eternity introduces two very different characters, Jay and Naida, who encounter each other at a challenging time in each of their lives. Their individual expressions of the feelings they provoke in each other give rise to a turmoil that could ultimately claim their lives. When two people understand so deeply the pain each other has faced will it force them into the abyss of darkness or will their combined need for healing allow love to enter both their hearts?

Book Links:

Amazon ¦ Facebook

Heart of Eternity Excerpt

Soft lines of emotion crossed his forehead as he turned and looked into her eyes one last time, confused as to why she seemed so familiar and all the more frustrated at his own dark side for not breaking out in front of her. Jay forced himself not to look back, to pretend as if Naidah had never existed, and to be cold and alone again just the way he liked it. He disappeared eventually, basking in the heat of his own hell.

But Naidah stood there as if she’d been waiting her whole life for him. Her soulful eyes locked on his every move, craning her neck as far as she could to lock his towering frame in her eyes forever, feeling her breath stop as distance grew between them, wanting to reach over but not being able to move an inch, the distant recesses of space pulling Jay infinitely away from her till he vanished from her sight. A sharp and tangible pain ridged between her heart and ripped away her soul. She caressed the folds of his jacket. The feeling flooded her with his scent. It was engulfing. Crouching down where Jay was standing a minute ago, Naida cupped the sand up in her palm and held it there as if trying to confirm the veracity of his existence, to tell the difference between her vision and reality.

All that happened afterwards was a mere blur for Naida; Eva’s shout, the lifeguard’s queries, the crowd eyeing her drenched body with curiosity, murmuring conjectures. Everything gyrated around her in full swing but she stood there, unmoving… unnerved.

The sand in her palm slowly slipped away in the wind and took her with it and the only part that ever remained there was the one that did not belong to her anymore…it belonged to him…

About the author N. Jay

N. Jay, found the inspiration of her romance novel Heart of Eternity in her own life history and folklore---- By drawing on the power of her personal experiences, she has created characters whose desires are circumscribed by the landscapes and pasts they can no longer escape. Coming from a culturally diverse background, N. Jay received an M.A. in Literature in 2009 and teaches in the areas of comparative literature, composition, and language pedagogy. Currently, she resides in Dubai, UAE, with her husband and two year old daughter. N. Jay finds the internal world of human beings to be a constant source of fascination and loves the more emotionally laden side of life.

Author Links:

Twitter

Heart of Eternity was globally available for pre-ordering from December 23,2013 onwards by a traditional publisher, Mirador Publishers, UK and has already sold more than 10,000 pre-ordered copies in less than two months of its publication time.The fan page on Facebook alone has more than 19000 likes.

Heart of Eternity is one of the nominees for the Man Booker Prize 2014.

***Giveaway***

A kindle copy of Heart of Eternity is up for grabs.

Ends April 2nd (23:59 p.m.GMT)

International.

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Guest Post & Giveaway - Undeliverable by Rebecca A. Demarest

About the author Rebecca A. Demarest

Rebecca A. Demarest is an author, designer, and illustrator living in Boston, MA. She has had stories published in several journals including Epiphany and Far Off Places, and Undeliverable is her debut novel. In her spare time, she crochets, gardens, and goes climbing with her boyfriend.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Facebook ¦ Twitter

Guest Post: An Introduction to Undeliverable

What is Undeliverable about?

When Benjamin Grant’s son disappeared a year ago, he felt it was his duty as a father to do everything in his power to find his son, and he tried. He threw himself into the search, but his obsession left him without a home, wife, or job. Now, he’s managed to find work at the United States Postal Service’s Mail Recovery Center, which he hopes will prove an invaluable tool in his search. With the help of Sylvia—a kleptomaniac artist—Ben learns the ins and outs of a warehouse full of lost mail and explores every lead in his son’s case. But when that investigation leads him to Leonard Moscovich, Ben fears the worst.

What was your inspiration for Undeliverable?

Undeliverable was inspired by a random news story I heard talking about this mysterious Lost Letters Office—now the Mail Recovery Center—in the United States Postal Service. I was intrigued, and started digging into its history and its current operations. That was much harder than it would seem because no one at the Center is actually allowed to speak to civilians about anything and their monthly auctions are actually rather secretive (I was nearly arrested for taking pictures). But once I had a sense of what the Center did on a day to day basis, I started contemplating what kind of story could happen there, what kind of people would be drawn to it. After a couple years of research and free-writing, Ben slowly came into focus and his story took shape. A lot of the details of the characters themselves came from myself, my family, and my friends which helped to make them real to me. 

What made you want to work with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children?

Once I had figured out that what Ben had lost was a family member, a son to be specific, I started researching statistics in the US having to do with missing children. The numbers are astoundingly high. The last comprehensive survey of law enforcement agencies across the nation was in 1999, and during that year, nearly 800,000 children were reported missing in the United States alone. Interestingly enough, only 115 of those cases were stereotypical stranger abductions. A quarter of them were taken by family members, usually in custody battles, 158,000 were taken by someone who was not a family member, but was known to the family. In 1990, the recovery rate for missing children was only 62%, but through the efforts of the NCMEC and their institution of the Amber Alert, that recovery rate is now 97%. Because this is such a huge problem, I wanted to do what I could to help families like my character’s by funding, in some small measure, the efforts to educate the public and train law enforcement personnel to help make that recovery number 100%. That’s why a dollar from each sale of the book goes to the center. 

What was your process like in writing Undeliverable?

I read that article about the Lost Letters Office my senior year in undergrad, in 2008. I started doing research on it, and Atlanta, at that point, but didn’t write the first chapter for the novel until nearly a year later. At that point I had several “great” ideas that I ran past my current workshop professor at Emerson, who, thankfully, was one of those blunt professors who disabused me of them quickly, and for the betterment of the piece. Over the next year and half, I wrote the novel in between essays and shorter works for class, finally finishing the first draft at the beginning of my thesis semester in 2011. I was working with Steve Yarbrough and Pablo Medina, who were excellent guides in shaping the narrative and building up Ben’s character, and I spent two years after that editing the manuscript, sending it off to beta readers, and then tackling the rough spots they pointed out. Ten drafts later, I was finally happy with how Ben grows and changes, and the pace of the narrative. 

I spent a couple months designing and laying out the book, ran a pre-order campaign to help fund some marketing, and launched it a week ago. I chose to go the independent route because it would allow me to send more money to the Center; if I had gone a more traditional route, the Center would have been lucky to get fifty cents. As it stands now, depending on how people buy the book, the Center is sometimes making more money off the book than I am!

Undeliverable

Author: Rebecca A. Demarest

Genre: Literary Fiction/Suspense

Pages: 288

Language: English

Formats: Print, Large Print, eBook, Audiobook forthcoming

Book Description:

When Benjamin Grant’s son disappeared a year ago, he felt it was his duty as a father to do everything in his power to find his son, and he tried. He threw himself into the search, but his obsession left him without a home, wife, or job. Now, he’s managed to find work at the United States Postal Service’s Mail Recovery Center, which he hopes will prove an invaluable tool in his search. With the help of Sylvia—a kleptomaniac artist—Ben learns the ins and outs of a warehouse full of lost mail and explores every lead in his son’s case. But when that investigation leads him to Leonard Moscovich, Ben fears the worst.

Buy Links:

Amazon ¦ B&N

***Giveaway***

A printed autographed copy of Undeliverable up for grabs.

Ends April 1st (23:59 p.m. GMT)

Open to US & Canada only.

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Book Blast & Giveaway - Avalon: Web of Magic by Rachel Roberts

Avalon: Web of Magic

Three very different young teens, Emily, the shy one, Adriane, the outsider, and Kara, the power shopper, are all drawn to a secret place deep in the woods where they discover a portal to another world. Wondrous animals have emerged from the portal, desperately seeking the magic that will keep them alive. Though the animals are peaceful and good, what follows them through the portal is twisted and evil and bent on destroying them all.

The Fairimentals have chosen these three fourteen-year-olds to protect the magical animals. To save them and their world, the girls must overcome their differences and band together. They begin a perilous quest to discover Avalon, the lost, legendary home of magic, little knowing the terrible dangers they will face along the way.

Buy Links:

Amazon ¦ Barnes & Noble ¦ Kobo

About the author Rachel Roberts

Rachel Roberts adores magic, adventure, animals, and music. Rachel is an devoted campaigner with animal rights and protection of wild places organizations. Rachel’s has been reading ever since she could first carry a book and enjoys getting lost in a fantastic story. Rachel has been a writer as well as a editor her entire career.

Rachel says the majority of concepts for her stories and characters appear on lengthy hikes. She brings a little notepad, just for jotting down thoughts. Afterward at her house Rachel builds on the ideas together with feline friends, Attila and Raider. She also is in love with music, playing the piano, flute, as well as learning to play guitar.

Avalon: Web of Magic is Rachel’s very first series of novels.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Facebook ¦ Twitter

Magic Animal Sweepstakes

Win a Kindle Fire in Emily’s Pet Palace Sweepstakes!

You can earn magical badges and win amazing prizes like signed posters, t-shirts, bracelets and plushies of your fav Avalon animals by:

a. Signing up (email is used only to notify you if you are a winner)

b. Uploading pics of your bonded animals to Emily’s Pet Palace

c. Comment and Rate other Mages’ pics and invite your friends to join. The more you upload and participate, the more badges you earn.

Complete your collection by finding the final two rare Avalon badges for a chance to win the special grand prize of a Kindle Fire!

***Giveaway*** 

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash 

Ends 4/2/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

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Author Spotlight - E_Girl7 {Wattpad}

Just Friends

Genre: Teen Romance / Short Story

Wattpad Book Blurb:

It has almost been three years since they met. They were normal, ordinary friends then. That day changed her life... but now her heart is broken, shattered into pieces. What exactly happened..? Things were just not the same without him. (Based on true life events).

Author Links:

Wattpad

Interview

1. Please tell the readers a bit about yourself.

My name's Elaine, although I dislike it very much. I'm a fourteen year old, who loves books, music and rainy days. Sadly, I'm just an amateur in writing, but I do hope to turn writing into a career. I'm really interested in medical science, and my aim for the future is to become a doctor.

2. What types of books do you write?

Usually, I write stories targeted at teenagers, or teen fiction. Having only finished one book, I know I have a lot more exploring to do about various genres and styles, and I'm definitely keen on trying my hand at the different types.

3. How many books have you written?

Just one. I'm positive about it not being my best, and the amount of editing I have to do, but really it's a great start already. So hoping to start on more ideas when I have time.

4. What movie and/or book are you looking forward to this year?

Really looking forward to The Fault In Our Stars and Divergent for movies. On the other hand, I can't wait for City of Heavenly Fire in the Mortal Instruments series and Apolonia by Jamie McGuire. 

5. What type of books do you enjoy reading?

I'm actually open to every story, but I read the most number of romance books. For me, romance should be accompanied by another genre, such as mystery, paranormal or action. Generally, I read whatever I can get my hands on.

6. If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?

1. I am definitely going to bring a book, but I cannot choose between a dozen bookshelves, so I'll see about that.

2. A knife, or any sharp object for survival.

3. Food. 

7. Are you considering a sequel?

No, I'm not writing a sequel. If there was a sequel, the main purpose and theme would not even fit. It was something written hurriedly and out of impulse, nothing that wants to be remembered, so I'm just choosing to forget.

8. What inspired you to become a writer?

These are really old, but certainly plays a big part in pushing me to write. Inspiration would most probably be the stories I read and wrote, talented writers, music and just life itself. I've never been interested in movies, until much later, so I considered books to be a greater companion. Writing is really different, and I guess what I like about it is that you can temporarily escape life to a book world with characters. A story is a haven, where I discover so many other things. Through writing, I hope to do many great things.

Excerpt

"You have any idea what happened today?" 

"Maybe ;)"  

It wasn't the time for jokes and I wasn't the least bit in the mood for any. Not even yours. 

"It's not a game. Just tell me if you know ><" 

"Well... it is a game and yes, I know about what happened El," was the not really direct answer you gave.

"Hm.. let me guess. Ray told you?" 

I had the hunch on this before. Ray was potentially the one giving away information, according to me. 

"Yeah. You knew all along anyway." 

"You know what they said, don't you? Ray told you everything?" 

"Yes. You don''t have to bother about them. You'll always be my friend, no matter what :)" 

I was very relieved, knowing that you knew I was a friend to you. A good one, perhaps, made me feel that way. There was no harm being friends. Friends with benefits had no reason for me to reject your friendship.

Blog Tour Character Interview & Giveaway - The Wolf's Cry by Natalie Crown

Thanks for stopping by my tour stop for The Wolf's Cry by Natalie Crown. This is a YA Fantasy book that released in January 2014. This is the first book in the The Semei Trilogy.  This tour will run March 10th-21st and consist of reviews, author interviews, guest posts, top tens and a giveaway.  Stop by the tour page for the full list of tour stops.

Character Interview with Kammy Helseth

1. For those who don't know you, can you tell us a little about yourself?

I'm seventeen years old and I should probably have enrolled in the college over in Erinsdale when I finished school in the summer. Instead, I took on this part time job cleaning glasses and waiting tables at the pub. The idea was that I would take myself across to the mainland, like Jamie did, so there was no point in going to college. Of course, I was too much of a coward to actually do it.

I guess I should mention that I have this weird thing with my eyes, before you notice it and freak out. You know how normal eyes dilate when a person is excited or whatever? Well, my eyes kind of do the extreme of that if I'm feeling any strong emotion. The pupil disappears all together and they're just a ball of colour. 

It never exactly helped me make any friends. I hate my eyes, if I'm honest.

2. What has been the scariest moment in your life?

Losing mum. I mean, she was always sick so I'd been braced for it for a while. And in a weird way I was prepared, but being prepared did nothing to stop the fear. The first few weeks were a haze and then I was numb...and then this paralysis hit.

I'm lucky that I had my Gran, and that she held it together so well. I wish I could be as strong as she is.

3. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was really little I wanted to be an adventurer!

As I started to grow up and dream of the mainland, all I wanted was to work in an office in London. Boring, I know. But I just wanted to be one of those powerful business types that are able to pull off pencil skirts and heels and that terrify people as they stroll past.

Neither of these future careers were in any way realistic.

4. Who should play you in a film?

Oh, wow. Um...Adelaide Kane, maybe? I don't know. Maybe she's too good for the role? They'd have to use some good CGI for my eyes.

5. What would we find under your bed?

Odd socks and random bits of clothing, mostly.

And that pebble that I found. I don't know why I'm holding onto it. It's pretty and all, but I don't want it. I don't want anything to remind me of that. I don't know why I don't just throw it away but every time I pull it out to look at it, I just...

6. Tell us about your family.

It's just me and my Gran now. My dad died before I was born in an accident at sea. He didn't have anyone else. Then mum died. She was an only child, so was Gran.

Gran has said that I've got cousins from her husband's side somewhere in the world, but I don't know how I'd find them.

I'm happy how things are, but it would be nice to have a bigger family. Family have to like you, right?

7. Do you have a love interest?

Ha. Love? I don't really have time for love right now, with everything that's going on.

I mean, Jad is good looking - in a grumpy, way too intense kind of way. Those moments when he smiles, or when he laughs, I find myself thinking that he's handsome. And, well, he's not so bad now that we've spent a bit of time together. I get it, he's got a lot going on. And he's kind of fascinating too. I've never met somebody like him. I do catch myself watching him sometimes, and just wondering...

But yeah, no love for me.

This or That:

Vampires or Werewolves?

Well, I suppose I should say werewolves, even though Jad's wolf isn't the same thing.

Hotmail or Gmail?

Gmail but I really don't care.

Chocolate or Vanilla Ice Cream?

Chocolate please. Chocolate all the time.

Summer or Winter?

Summer, because it feels like it's ALWAYS winter on Daleswick.

Introvert or Extrovert?

I'm used to time alone. 

TV or Movies?

Films. My connection is so bad that I hardly get to watch TV. My DVD's are everything to me.

Book Title: The Wolf's Cry (Book One in the Semei Trilogy)

Author: Natalie Crown

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: YA

Length: PDF is 199 pages

Book Description:

She is his weakness.

And she will ruin everything.

Kammy Helseth's idea of adventure never amounted to more than getting a boat across to the mainland and finally escaping to London. That was until she stumbled through the mouth of the forest into a world beneath our own, the world of the Semei.

Her only wish is to find her way home but when Jamie, her best friend, is taken into this new world of shapeshifters and Crystals she has no choice but to stand up to her fear and to remain beneath the surface. Hunted by Bagor, King of Alashdial, and those that are loyal to him, Kammy finds herself in the company of a group of outlaws led by Jad, a Prince with a bitter past and a similarly bitter demeanour.

They overcome age-old prejudice to find a way to work together. But Bagor knows a secret about the Crystals that threatens to change everything. Kammy and Jad must find a way to thwart the king and to save Jamie, but that is just the beginning. For Kammy is in possession of a Key and the fate of countless lives, both human and Semei, may rest in her hands.

Book Links:  

Goodreads | Amazon 

About the author Natalie Crown

I grew up in a village called Swilland, in the countryside of Suffolk, England. There wasn't much around, other than farms and fields, but for the most part I loved it, and I still do. I’m a passionate person by nature. I don’t just LIKE things, I LOVE things. Whether it’s a book, a film, or a sports team. Once I decide to enjoy something, I enjoy it to the MAX.

I’m a terrible cook. I prioritise essential social media work over keeping my flat tidy, because I know best. I

Onto my love of reading and, consequently, writing - it was my dad that played a big role in encouraging me to read. He didn't push me towards books necessarily; he simply read a lot himself. Then I would pick up his books and read them after him. I was reading high and epic fantasy from a very young age. I guess that might explain why I have always loved adventure stories with magic and intrigue and princes and princesses in.

I was aware that I wanted to ‘be a writer’ from a very young age. I was convinced I would be the first best seller that hadn't reached double figures in age yet! I wrote about the Danshees, furry creatures that lived through a mirror. I wrote about a Sand Bottle that transported a boy into a world of magic. I wrote about a sick girl finding a music boy that healed her, but transported her back in time. (Wow, I always have loved alternate universes…)

When I was eight I wrote my first novel called The Land of No Return. Despite the title, I am determined to return to it one day. I feel like I owe it to my past self. So, as you can see, I have always been writing. There have been times when I have gone weeks without scratching down a word. Then there are days where I churn out multiple chapters and only my body’s silly desire for sleep and/or food can stop me.

I write because I enjoy it. I write fantasy because I enjoy it. I try my hardest to put something of myself into my writing. I like to think my characters have depth, I like to think that my fantasy worlds reflect upon the real world in some way. You guys will be the judge of that but even if you don't agree I know that I at least try and I can do no more than that.

These days I live in North London and I love it. I work full time and London is a hectic city. Juggling work, writing and a social life is tough but nobody is forcing me to do it so I can't complain. The dream is that writing will be my career one day but it doesn't matter if I never quite make it. I love writing too much to ever pack it in.

I am desperate to get a dog. My mum suspects I miss my cats at home more than I miss her. I am a devout Arsenal/Ferrari/Rafael Nadal fan. I get all mad when confronted with a case of social injustice and then I get all mad when people take the fight for social justice too far. I mostly keep those thoughts to myself and simmer with rage. I watch good TV and bad TV, because I can. What I can’t do is enjoy bad books (subjective opinion of course). I just can’t.

Author Links:

Website/Blog |  Tumblr | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

***Giveaway***

2 $50 Amazon Gift Cards (INT)

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Blog Tour Organised By:

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: The Dragon's Egg by H.B. Bolton

My name is Heidi Bolton, but I use my initials for my writing name, H.B. Bolton. I’m the author of the middle-grade fantasy series, Relics of Mysticus. The Dragon’s Egg (Book Three) is in the final stages of development and is almost ready for its May release date. Today I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to share my newest book cover with you.

Cover artist, Elisabeth Alba, offered an inside peek of her work’s progression through her photographs and commentary. I’m extremely fortunate to know this Scholastic Book illustrator and have had the privilege to benefit from her talents for all three of my covers. In fact, we’ve already started talking about The Mummy’s Amulet (Book Four).

I met Elisabeth about 14 years ago through one of my drawing classes. From her high school freshman year through senior year, she was one of my students (a favorite one, at that). I taught advanced-placement art, which was before having children of my own and creating worlds with unlikely heroes for my mythical stories.

Thank you, Elisabeth, for helping to bring my characters to life!

As a bonus, I’m offering a free eBook version of The Serpent’s Ring (Book One) through Amazon from March 10-13.

Grab it on Amazon!



~H.B. Bolton (Author)




Progression of a Book Cover Illustrator by Elisabeth Alba 

This is a progression of The Dragon’s Egg book cover from sketch to final drawing. Truth be told, I haven’t illustrated many multi-figure images before, and then add a ton of stuff happening around them, so I was in for a challenging composition — a fun challenge! You can see how I gradually worked out and tightened the image. In the beginning, I had planned to make the background darker but then realized if the glowing fog was everywhere, then it wouldn’t be so dark. It framed the floating castle better as well.

Once I figured out the drawing, which I did digitally, I worked on a color composition to figure out how I would paint it. This was an important step — especially since watercolor is really hard to fix if you make a mistake.

At this stage, I printed the line drawing onto watercolor paper and got to work. I painted with Dr. Ph. Martin’s Hydrus fine-art liquid watercolors to start. I painted the base color first, which in this case was greenish.

After painting more of the base colors, I decided to do some line work with pen and ink to solidify the shapes.

Once the base colors were done, I sealed the image with matte medium. The Hydrus watercolors can be difficult because they are not like normal watercolor. Once they’re down on paper, you can’t wipe them away, but sealing with matte medium helps them not to smear — which is nice! You can also see how my desk lamp caused some glare over the castle when I took the photo.

On top of the matte medium, I painted with acryla gouache to darken and saturate the colors, and to do any highlights like the edge lighting around the figures. Finally, once the painting was done, I sealed the entire image with Kamar varnish. It brought out the colors even more, because once the acryla gouache dried, it became matte and the colors faded some.

Once I scanned the image, I worked on any digital touch-ups (some things are hard to do in watercolor, like getting colors really dark, and also the colors sometimes don’t scan well). This was how it looked once scanned, before any touch-ups. It was a more faded and less vibrant version of the original painting. I also lost the highlights.

Finally, after all of the digital work was complete, the cover was ready for text.

For the typography, I added a dark-blue gradient around the edges to frame the image and help the text stand out. I’ve used the same font for all three books, but in this one, I replaced the “O” in “Dragon’s” with the actual Dragon’s Egg relic.

Official Blurb

The Dragon’s Egg (Book Three)

Sure, the glass castle floating over Evan’s head makes him uneasy, but that’s the least of his worries. With each step inside the Dungeon of Dreadful Dreams, he must battle against his worst nightmares. One after the other, wispy smoke-filled bull sharks come at him — he must remember they’re only illusions pulled from his imagination by those dreaded shadowlike hands. If only the vengeful dragon circling above was also an illusion and didn’t have his mind set on destroying the one person who can control him: Emrys.

Inside the castle’s glass tower, Emrys sleeps in an eternal slumber, and Evan’s uncertain whether he can save the great wizard. Especially now that Emrys’ former student, the Lady of the Lake, has joined forces with the cunning immortal Alamaz. Together they have already stolen the Dragon’s Egg, but their greed doesn’t end there. The Siren’s Pearl calls to them, and that means only one thing … Atlantis is in trouble.

Join Evan, Claire, and Dunkle — along with a few other unlikely heroes — as they travel across the realm of Medieval Legends, float through the Ancient Isle of Avalon, plunge inside the Dungeon of Dreadful Dreams, and be there when Atlantis rises once again.

You can see more artwork by Elisabeth Alba and keep up with her future creations through her sites:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Etsy store 

Elisabeth is a Queens-based illustrator whose work focuses on fairy tales, fantasy, and historical subjects. She earned her MFA in illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Her clients include Scholastic, Simon & Schuster, and Henry Holt Books for Young Readers. Elisabeth wants to thank Heidi for being the best high school art teacher ever, and setting her on the path to becoming an illustrator!

Connect with H.B. Bolton here:

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Giveaway:

Signed copies of The Serpent's Ring and The Trickster's Totem (US)

ebook of The Trickster's Totem (you can grab the first book for free!)

 

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Cover Reveal & Giveaway: The Man Test by Amanda Aksel

The Man Test

by Amanda Askel

Release Date: March 25, 2014

Book Description:

Marin Johns is San Francisco’s Pollyanna couples therapist. She’s months away from wedded bliss when she discovers her fiancé is having an affair. After nursing her broken heart with Kleenex and break-up songs, she adopts a new brand of thinking when she uncovers a tell-all book that proves all men are liars and cheaters who will do and say anything so they’re not found out. No exceptions. 

In an attempt to convince her friends of her newfound truth, she begins a fictitious relationship with James, a do-gooder from Montana. Marin seeks any means necessary to catch him cheating from hiring a PI to enlisting the help of a fidelity tester. Will her new "boyfriend" beat the statistic or will Marin regret the satisfaction of being right?

About the author Amanda Aksel

Amanda Aksel is an author with an affinity for love. Becoming a couple’s therapist was her “backup” career, and after completing her BA in Psychology she was on her way to solving love's most complicated quandaries one couple at a time. The Man Test is Amanda’s debut novel, and now she plans to solve love's most complicated quandaries one novel at a time.

Author Links:

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***Giveaway***

Winner gets to choose any ebook valued up to $3.99

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