New Release - The House

Happy Monday, everyone! Today, I bring you the release of THE HOUSE! I'm super excited about this book for several reasons. I'll tell you why, but first, grab your coffee or tea! Got it? Awesome. Let's get going!

We'll start off with some fun facts!

• This book is written in first person. Not anything you've ever seen from me before (I'm a third-person writer), and it kinda skeers me because I've never done it.
• It's told from the house's POV, as though the house is speaking to the reader, so it's done as an observer--the house remembering watching the people living inside and telling you the stories.
• The House is a collection of short stories within one, longer, story.
• There are five shorts:
  The Butcher
  Fred, Marna, and Kimberly McDade
  Lacy Mae Ritter
  Mark and Olivia Cullpepper
  The Writer
• Guess who The Writer is!
• If you guessed Jo Michaels, you'd be correct. Yes, I wrote a book with a story in it about me writing a book for the entity telling us the story.
• Confused yet? It'll all make sense when you read the book. I promise.
• Now for the sucky part! I know, I know! Sorry.
• If you plan to read Intensification (the third story in the Pen Pals and Serial Killers series), you MUST read it first. The House gives too many things away about Intensification. They're tied and twisted together in several ways.

Here's the book trailer!! :D



Now for all the things like details!

Title: The House: A Killer Collection of Short Stories (Pen Pals and Serial Killers - Book Four)
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Length: 218 printed pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle  ~  Paperback

Blurb:
This house is cursed, and everyone who lives there is in grave danger.

Ever wonder what stories you’d hear if walls could talk?

What if those walls witnessed unimaginable horrors?

Inside these pages is the story of one such house. What it sees, the people it meets, and what happens when a terrified spirit is invited to stay.

Story 1 – The Butcher
Story 2 – Marna, Fred, and Kimberly McDade
Story 3 – Lacy Mae Ritter
Story 4 – Mark and Olivia Cullpepper
Story 5 – The Writer

The House is a collection of short stories that ties in with the Pen Pals and Serial Killers series by Jo Michaels. You’ll find a couple of those characters named, and discover how one grew the teeth he used on the women he captured later.

~~~~~~

Excerpt time!

Story 1 – The Butcher

My yellow paint; pretty, white shutters; and pristine porch were sullied by the first man who dwelt here. I call him The Butcher, but his name was Butch Campion, and he was thirty-seven. His face is one I’ll never forget, and the atrocities he committed are things I still shudder to think about. We met one month after I was born. He walked in, so proud and full of himself, his feet sending vibrations through my floorboards as he tromped through, checking every room like he was planning to bring a whole family in and bring them up. I thought we’d get along famously and was looking forward to warming the feet of small children as they played.

Once the papers were signed, and I was his property, things went well for a month or so. He’d go to work, come home, sit on the threadbare couch, and drink beer. To my chagrin, he didn’t seem to have a wife or children, so there was nothing for me to do during the day except sit here.

It was after that first month that I started to figure he might not be my ideal owner after all. My lawn was never cared for, and the ivy growing nearby was allowed to spring up, threatening to take over the cute porch the builders thought to add. Butch would go out and bring home booze of some kind, cigarettes, and fast food. He never cooked, and he left wrappers and empty boxes all over the place, making me smell like a trash can. Roaches scuttled in, intent on a good meal, and he’d squish the ones he saw, leaving their carcasses to decompose where they met their gruesome end.

~~~~~~

Teasers!

Are you ready?

Buy it now!

I hope you enjoyed this post!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

New Release - Intensification

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm excited to announce the release of the third book in my Pen Pals and Serial Killers series, Intensification. Read on for a snippet and other great info!

Title: Intensification - Pen Pals and Serial Killers - Story Three
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Length: 232 printed pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $3.17  ~  Paperback $19.99

Blurb:
Detective Hank Reynolds has just been handed the case of a lifetime. Another reality TV star has gone missing, and it’s up to the Atlanta police department to find her before it’s too late. While he’s digging around, he discovers there have been nearly twenty similar kidnappings in the surrounding areas over the last twenty years, and while trying to find out more—and a witness that’s still alive—he’s dragged into a past he wishes he could erase. His dreams become nightmares about the women, and his sanity unravels. Even his eyes begin to play tricks on him, but no hallucinations are as devious as the antics of the killer—who’s always one breath away—waiting for the chance to strike again.

NOTE: This is a stand-alone novel in a series with crossover characters and may be read independently of the other books.

~~~

Are you excited? You should be!! This is unlike any of the other books in the series, and I have my fingers crossed you enjoy it. For really, Claude will keep you up at night. He's worse than Tobias could ever have been.

SECOND NOTE: There's a book releasing on June 6th that ties in HARD with this book titled The House. You need to read this one before you read that one. Otherwise, it'll spoil the surprise. Ready for the excerpt? Awesome. Here's a teaser to start you out:

Hank

At six a.m. sharp, the alarm sounded, jolting Hank out of a deep sleep. He rolled onto his back, one hand absently slapping at the offending noise. Finally, it stopped, and he groaned. It was like he hadn’t slept in weeks, and it was starting to take a toll on him. A decision was made then and there that one of the sleeping pills the doctor had prescribed would be taken that night. Just one night of rest was all he needed to trudge on through another few weeks of restlessness.

He peeled himself out of bed, pressed the button on the coffee pot, and headed for the shower. Music poured out of his mouth, and he took the detachable sprayer and held it in front of his lips, filling the small space with crescendos and a strong, natural vibrato. It was his favorite time of day, before dealing with the people from the office, before having to get into it with victims calling about some bullshit that might or might not have happened in the middle of the night; in that moment, he was just a man with music in his soul and warm spray from his shower microphone.

Once he was clean, he stepped out and toweled off, going to the kitchen to pour a huge cup of the coffee he could smell from the bathroom. He gulped at it, loving the way it burned as it made its way to his stomach. A sigh tore out of him. Perfection.

His routine was firmly established, and the next half hour was spoken for as he trimmed his beard, brushed his teeth, and dressed for the day in slacks and a button down, strapping his gun holster over his torso. He always grabbed his wallet and badge as he left the bedroom, and those went in his back pockets. Then, he filled his travel cup with more coffee and left for the day. On the drive to the precinct, he checked his voicemail. There were three calls: One from his ex-girlfriend inviting him for drinks—delete, another from his partner about the upcoming softball game—save, and a third from someone he didn’t know from some online bullshit magazine asking for a quote about the rich-girl kidnapping—delete.

He sighed and threw the phone on the passenger’s seat, leaning back with two hands on the wheel, and finished driving to work while yelling at other drivers to pay attention to what they were freaking doing before they killed someone. Some days he was so tempted to hit the switch on the light bar so people would move the hell out of the way and he wouldn’t have to sit in traffic.

Pulling into the lot, he parked in his designated spot and got out, nearly empty coffee thermos in hand, to go up to his office. His partner was already there.

“Morning,” Hank said.

“Dude. Phones are still blowing up over that rich-girl model that went missing. Cap says we need to nail this bastard soon.” Tony thumped the desk with his forehead. “Sorry. Good morning to you, too.”

“Do we have any new information?”

“No. That’s the thing. There have been a million and one ‘hot tips,’ but none of them check out, ya know?”

Falling into a rolling chair behind a desk facing Tony’s, Hank shook his head as his anger bubbled. “Don’t know what Cap wants us to do about it if we don’t have any damned leads. The guy snatching these women might as well be a goddamned ghost! Unless there’s more than one, and if so, they’re goooood.”

“I know. You’re preaching to the choir, man.”

“I’m just so f*ing frustrated with it all.”

“Well, what do you want to do today? Beat the streets?”

“We’re gonna have to.” Frustrated, he pulled the file folder over and flipped it open. A pretty brunette smiled out of the photograph. Missing nearly a week, she’d disappeared while grocery shopping at a local store, one with no exterior cameras. He read over the report once again, but the only thing that stuck out to him was that she’d been on TV on some reality show about marriage. A few cases with eerie similarities had come over his desk the previous two years, but they’d already gone cold due to lack of evidence and witnesses, and his mind whirled. He wondered if anyone else had thought about that. I wonder if it’s a pattern.

Their captain stuck his head out the door and barked at them, “Get in my office. Now!”

With a sigh, Tony and Hank rose and went through the glass door into the chaos beyond.

“Take a seat, boys.”

They did, neither of them saying a word, Hank still clutching the file.

“I need you two on top of your game. This f*er has everyone terrified to take a step outside.”

Hank held up a hand. “Whoa. Hold on a sec, Cap. I was just thinking that maybe this isn’t random and isn’t linked with those other two sloppy snatch-and-grab jobs from Fulton County. It struck me a few minutes ago that Sharon makes the fourth young woman that’s been kidnapped in what might be a series. All four of the women I’m thinking of have been on one reality TV show or another, and all have gone missing over the last few years. That suggests a pattern, right? I’m not sure ‘Jane the Wife’ has anything to be afraid of—as long as she doesn’t live in Fulton county. My guess is, those two will be solved pretty quickly. They’re lacking the finesse of the Sharon one.”

“Right. Suggests. There’s no way to be sure of that, Reynolds. If all the women in your recollection had gone missing after being part of one show, we’d have something.”

Truer words were never spoken, and he knew it; he just didn’t really like it all that much. A kidnapper had to be established several years and have a definitive pattern, but the cases they were working had no links between all the victims, only four out of six that he could see. It also seemed the reality kidnapper had only been active a little while, but if Hank’s suspicions were correct, the guy had snatched three other women who were in the public eye, but lesser known than the most recent. Reality kidnapper. Damn, I’m f*ing clever.

“My gut tells me we’ll catch someone soon, so I want you boys looking into everything you can think of, okay? Get out there and get me some answers. I need to assure people that my guys aren’t complete morons.” Cap crushed his cigarette in the ashtray and waved his hands. “Get!”

Tony and Hank got up and left, neither of them with a spring in their step.

“Let’s go, big guy,” Tony said.

“Wait a sec. I’m gonna grab another cup and look at something on my computer.” Hank refilled his travel thermos, capped it, and then pulled up the previous three cases that were on his mind, scanning them quickly. He shut everything down and stood. “Okay. Ready. Let’s do this shit.”

They got into Tony’s black Impala and pulled out, headed for the grocery store the missing girl had been taken from.

~~~~ END EXCERPT ~~~~

So? What do you think? I edited out some bad language. Tried to catch them all. Sorry if I missed one or two!!! This section happens right after the opening, so you're familiar with the killer already.

Do you hope Hank and Tony catch the bad guy?

Did you pick it up? If not, what are you waiting for? Go!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

New Release - The Blood King

Title: The Blood King (Book 1 of the Brighton Duology)

Author: Liz Long

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian

Cover Designer: Molly Phipps of We Got You Covered Book Design

Publication Date: April 10^th, 2018

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Blurb: In the kingdom of Brighton, a President-turned-King offers poor teens the chance to join KEY, the King’s Education for Youth. Seventeen-year-old Reina Torres jumps at the chance to be of service to her country, wanting to learn more about Brighton’s history and future through the Media industry.

The King himself takes an interest in Reina, offering private interviews; he soon commands her to marry his cruel son. Reina, however, cannot ignore her growing feelings for Iris, a fellow KEY student, despite knowing the laws. Reina discovers refusal means punishment much worse than death, and why King Magnus hasn’t aged in decades, thanks to his KEY program.

Liz Long is a proud graduate of Longwood University and author of ten novels. Her inspiration comes from action and thriller genres and she spends entirely too much time watching superhero movies. Her day job as Associate Editor includes writing for a magazine publisher in Roanoke, VA. She is also the director of the Roanoke Regional Writers Conference and the annual Roanoke Author Invasion.

Comic book readers and fans of CW Network smash hits Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Netflix’s Daredevil will root for Liz Long’s bestselling YA summer series as the HoA’s gifted teen superheroes attempt to save their city from its impending demise. The Donovan Circus series has best been described as "X-Men meets the circus." Adult horror story Witch Hearts tells the tale of a serial killer hunting witches for their powers. New Adult PNR A Reaper Made is about a teen Reaper who gets caught between falling in love or saving her sister's soul. All titles are available for paperback or ebook on Amazon.

To learn more about Liz (including more information on her books, plus writing, marketing, and social media tips), visit her website: http://lizclong.com.

Author Links:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/lizclongauthor

Website: http://lizclong.com

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2slwGtz

Twitter: http://twitter.com/lizclong

Instagram: http://instagram.com/lizclong07

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/liz-long

Newsletter signup (new subscribers get 2 free ebooks, including DC #1): http://www.subscribepage.com/lizlongauthornewsletter

                                                  

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2DcsbmP

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0798JJH35

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1339463595

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-blood-king-liz-long/1127881584

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-blood-king-4

ONE

My grandmother once told me our country used to be a democracy. Years ago, when she was a little girl, a man became president. He loved the power so much he kept it, killed his opponents and dared others to come forward. Those who did lost, and with it, our free will.

The man declared himself a King, vowing to take care of the people who best served him. And he did keep his word–those who were loyal to him stayed in their own places of power, content to take orders from a megalomaniac. There were parties and festivals, food and drink and no expense spared. The King remained on his throne of gold, the years turning into a decade, then two and three and four. Eventually, the people in his new kingdom grew complacent, adapting to their circumstances. They couldn’t flee because these were their homes, they said, and fighting was out of the question. Families stayed together this way, they said, and they’d surely be rewarded for their loyalty. Many people in the kingdom died waiting. Eventually people accepted things the way they were, forgot how life used to be. And so the King continued on ruling, content to keep his power over the country. He went to war with other countries who dared threaten us, subduing them thanks to his plans and weapons. Attacks decimated over half of our own country, leaving much of what was once green and fruitful now barren and brown. He won, thanks to the money he pumped into his military. It was the best in the world, and it only took three years for everyone else in the world to realize it. Over half of the human population, on the entire earth, blown to smithereens. He rebuilt the kingdom on top of our old ruins, promising a glorious new era. Other countries would bow to us and fear his name. He was the King of our country, not the world, but he might as well have been. The smaller battles that broke out across the years never amounted to anything. No one could truly spar with him because they knew he’d bomb their entire civilizations off the map. It was a folk tale, this story of King Magnus Brighton. Stories our grandparents made up to get through their days, to scare the younger generation into behaving. I knew better, could read the papers and listen to the media. They only had positive things to say about how our King had saved us all, and continued to fight for our prosperity. People had jobs and homes, food on their table, so why would we possibly complain about being able to live our lives? My own father fought for King Magnus, gave his life to protect his country in the last war.  When rebels attacked Brighton a little over a decade ago, my father volunteered, rather than be drafted. I remember the morning he left, the proud look on his face as he kissed my mother and me goodbye. He’d known exactly what he was walking into and still he’d kept a brave face. I hadn’t realized it at five years old, but at seventeen, I knew he’d been willing to die for his country that had given him so much. As soon as my mother received notice of my father’s death, she packed our things and we went all the way to the other side of what was left of the country. Mama said she couldn’t bear to be so close to the heart of the kingdom, but I knew there was something more. I had no idea what, of course, but I had been too devastated at the loss of my father to question it then and now it just seemed like a waste of time. Things were the way they were, and no amount of questioning or wondering would bring my dad back. I missed him everyday, as much as the day he’d left, but he was never coming back. My mother was the rule follower, hated it when I bent them by breaking curfew or grumbled about the overbearing soldiers. I couldn’t stand her smothering. The King probably couldn’t even be bothered to reach us way out here, but she didn’t want to take any chances.

I don’t know why she bothered. Everyone out here was too busy working to worry about breaking the rules. It’s not like anyone had any real technology, anyways. We had the newspapers and TV, but no one had those fancy phones city people flaunted in those strange commercials we saw on a staticky TV. The wars had taken technology out in most of the rest of the world, leaving King Magnus once again ahead of the curve in luxury. In our tiny part of the world, most of us felt lucky to have what little we did, and dared not ask for anything more.

TWO Awesome New Releases - Provocation and Hunter

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Eeek! Today, I'm bringing you information on TWO new releases. One is the psychological thriller you've been waiting for, and the other is a PNR. Got your clicking fingers ready? Let's GOOOOOO!!!

Book details:

Title: Provocation - Pen Pals and Serial Killers - Story Two
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Length: 294 printed pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle ~ $3.27

Blurb:

Doctor Victoria Ward has been killing men for over thirty years. Her victims all have one thing in common: they’re abusive. Righteousness is a close companion—it helps her sleep at night—and she holds the virtue closely as she defends the innocent, upholding the law when it won’t rise to protect those who need it most. When she meets a young girl named Kelly, and follows her down a twisted path of deception, Doc Ward finds herself face-to-face with a ghost from her past. Never before has she wavered in her resolve—but can she defend another against someone she loves?

If you'd like to read an excerpt (or two) here are a couple on the blog:

Excerpt 1: Chapter 1
Excerpt 2: Chapter 2

Now it's time for the second book in the lineup, but stay until the end if you'd like to see the trailer for Provocation! Don't forget to pick up Emancipation, too! See if you can find the characters that cross over from one to the other!

Emancipation will be available on all platforms TODAY, but you can grab it at Amazon RIGHT NOW. Go here.

Ready for the second book?

Title: A Vampire's Thirst: Hunter
Author: Bella Roccaforte
Genre: Adult PNR
Length: 327 e-book pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle  ~  B&N   ~   Google Play  ~  Kobo  ~  All $2.99

Blurb:
Hunter Webb, an ancient Viking Vampire, wants one thing: to be with his one true love…an impossibility seeing as he is refused entry to Valhalla for being a Vampire. Instead, he’s dedicated his life to finding a “cure” for vampirism so that he may die in battle as a human and feast in the hall among the gods and find the other half of his heart.

While working in the lab he is struck down by a mysterious illness that shakes the very foundation of his entire existence. The desire to feed ALL of his urges drives him to the edge of insanity. After thousands of years of control, his craving for warm blood and hot sex take over all of his reason…until a tiny vial of blood changes everything. One taste and he remembers what it’s like to feel, hope and live again.

Now he must find the owner of the blood or they will both be in grave danger. Will Hunter find his bloodmate before they both lose themselves to the Thirst?

The hunt is on, the battle fierce…only the strong survive a Vampire’s Thirst.

~~~~

Now, it's time for the Provocation trailer! Hope you enjoy it!



What do you think? Gonna grab these?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

New Release - Angelicus - Book 4 of the Meadowsweet Chronicles

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I bring you a new release from the fabulous Katie M. John! Strap in and get your coffee!! Here we go!

‘Angelicus’ Book 4 of The Meadowsweet Chronicles
Published by Little Bird Publishing House London.
Date of Release 22nd of March 2018 Buy it here! Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK
Author Katie M. John
Website www.katiemjohn.com

SERIES BLURB:
There’s no light without dark.
Fox Meadowsweet is a Witch. Jeremiah is a Witch Hunter. The Meadowsweet bloodline has lived in the sleepy English village of Heargton for thousands of years. Jeremiah Chase is a New York boy in exile.
Neither of them asked for their past, but now it’s the only thing that can save their future as dark and ancient paranormal forces threaten to obliterate the world.
When a local college girl is discovered ritually murdered and covered in strange symbols, old suspicions rise, ancient fears manifest, and centuries-spanning blood feuds reignite between the old households of the village.
With their ancestral reputation of magic and witchcraft, eyes turn to the three beautiful Meadowsweet sisters. Including the eyes of Jeremiah Chase, who finds himself inexplicably drawn the quirky wild beauty of the middle sister, Fox.
But as Jeremiah learns the history of her bloodline, he also unearths the dark and tangled story of his own family, giving him knowledge of a terrible and diabolical legacy.

BOOK TRAILER!!



RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY!!

Giving away a Witchy Hamper of surprise goodies worth $75 and a Semi-precious stone pendant made of amethyst and rose quartz.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
FREE BOOK 1

‘Witchcraft’ BOOK 1 of the SERIES IS ON FREE DOWNLOAD
Book 1 'Witchcraft' is on FREE download
Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NG5CLTE
Kindle UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NG5CLTE
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id950645919
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/witchcraft-16
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/witchcraft-kati…/1127088200

~~~~

What do you think? Look good?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Giveaway on the IBGW Blog! - Eternal Earth - PNR

Happy Thursday, everyone! Today, I'm sharing a giveaway that just rolled out over on the IBGW blog and giving you all a little info on how you can get in on the action. Ready? Get your clicking fingers warmed up, and let's get going!

At INDIE Books Gone Wild, we always do a giveaway when one of our author's books goes live. We also send out a newsletter so these giveaways land right in your inbox. No, we don't spam, and yes, we ONLY send giveaways. Signup link for the newsletter is in the Rafflecopter below, and it's always one of the entry options (that means a free entry every time for our subscribers).

Here's the book up for grabs today:

Title: Eternal Earth (A House Series Novel)
Author: Layla Omorose
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: 284 pages
Buy Link: Amazon $0.99

Synopsis:

AN OBSESSION HE COULDN'T CONTROL

For over a year, Adien, the Trinity Hound of Earth. has watched Harmony Sonders from a distance. Silently protecting her from his enemies and those who sought to harm her...including himself. One look from her is enough to have him longing for the one thing he never wanted...

A MAN SHE DARED TO TAME

Harmony Sonders has spent the last few years piecing herself back together after escaping a marriage that nearly killed her. With her life finally where she wants it, the last thing she needed was for another man to come and throw her world into chaos... and that's exactly what Adien Tygerian does. A wicked temptation, he awakens a side of her she didn't know existed... a piece of her that demands she claim what is rightfully hers and damned the consequences. 

A DESIRE THAT WILL ROCK THEIR WORLD

With their enemies gathering their forces and the birth of a new power at hand, can Adien and Harmony break down the walls that guard their hearts and take hold of a love like they've never known to protect the ones they love or will the ghosts of their pasts lead to their damnation?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo 

New Release - Savage Beauty

Happy Friday, everyone! Well, today was supposed to be a guest post, but no one sent me anything. Ha! That's okay, though, because there's a fabulous new release by Casey L. Bond I'm able to share with you all instead. Ready? Grab your coffee, or tea, and let's get going!

Title: Savage Beauty
Author: Casey L. Bond
Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tales
Length: 296 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle

Blurb:
Once upon a time, a beautiful queen was cursed by a dark faery. That curse, inherited by twin princesses, Aura and Luna, binds their lives in the strangest of ways. At an early age, the girls were more than sisters. They were the strongest of allies until a combination of jealousy, anger and dark magic tore their relationship to shreds.

Aura took everything from Luna: her home, her family, and her love by murdering the prince who’d chosen her instead of Aura.

Luna wants revenge, but she’s running out of time. She must sever the magical bond tying her life to Aura’s before their eighteenth birthday or be bound to her forever. In desperation, she seeks help from a dark fae prince, but the price is steep – a piece of her soul.

Fate is a real witch. Luna was willing to give up anything to stop her sister, until Prince Phillip of Grithim, the brother of the only man she’s ever loved, falls into her life. Neither of them can fight their attraction, despite their guilt.

With Aura hell-bent on destroying everything she holds dear, Luna must decide whether she wants revenge or Phillip. She can’t have both, and in the end, this may be a battle both sisters lose.

**Savage Beauty is a fairy tale retelling of Sleeping Beauty... with fae witches.

~~~~~

What do you think? Will you be snagging it?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

New Release - Sigils and Spells (Charon's Quest by Eva Pohler)

Happy Tuesday, everyone! And Happy New Year! Today, I'm bringing you all info on a new release from the fabulous Eva Pohler! Bet you're all wondering what's in it for the year 2018, huh? Well, I'll get into that tomorrow. If you're a veteran of this blog, you're aware that I look backward and forward around the turn of the year. There will be some changes around here. Big ones. I'll also be updating my link list of helpful posts, and maybe do some rearranging. We'll see. Anyway, enough about all that! Let's get you to the release info! Get your clicking fingers ready, and let's get going!

Book info first!

Title: Sigils and Spells (Charon's Quest by Eva Pohler)
Author: Eva Pohler
Genre: Paranormal
Length: Box Set ~ 5585 pages
Buy Links: Amazon  ~  Barnes and Noble  ~  iBooks  ~  Kobo  $0.99

Blurb:

The ferryman of the dead is forced to leave the life he’s always known.
Apollo has had a vision: as the life of each soul flashes before Charon’s eyes, the ferryman ages like an old man. Charon needs to experience his own adventures to become youthful again, or he will soon die.
The last thing Charon expects is to fall in love with a mortal woman—someone he can’t take with him when he returns. Charon must decide whether to abandon the love of his life or his duties.

***Charon's Quest will only be available in an exclusive limited time edition of a box set with over twenty other urban fantasy stories with diverse representation. You get ALL THE NOVELS for only 99 cents in Sigils and Spells.

Here's the boxed set cover!

What do you think? Gonna pick it up?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

New Release! Utterances

Happy Wednesday, everyone! EEP! It's release day for Utterances! I hope you're as excited as I am. Before we get rolling with the details, I'm gonna tell you a little about the book outside what the blurb says--from the author's mouth. After, I'm gonna give you a sneak peek at the INSIDES of the print book. So pretty. Ready? Grab your coffee or tea, and let's get going!

So, from the blurb, you can probably surmise that we're dealing with some pretty gnarly illnesses in this book. Cancer, dementia, and obsession are the top three. Why did I go into all that? Honestly, I have no idea. I started this book back in 2014, and none of the things on the pages had come to fruition at that time. I wrote a solid 20k or so, and then I set the MS aside and worked on other things. Then life happened, and I was handed some unique perspective for my story.

Utterances is a culmination of everything I learned during that year-long journey. Because I went through exactly what Simone was dealing with, I could relate to her on a raw level. Tons of the emotional turmoil she goes through is directly linked to things I experienced.

Things like fear of losing someone you love, and thoughts and emotions you have when you believe you have the power to save them as long as you can hold onto something else. The fear of losing that something else and being powerless. It all goes hand-in-hand with the story.

Simone is faced with a tough choice, and I did consider what the average human might do. You'll have to read for yourself to see what she chooses and why.

Anyway, enough of my rambling! On to the pretties! Here's the full wrap cover:

Here's a peek at the inside of the print book:

And here's the information (including the blurb):

Title: Utterances
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Fantasy
Length: 77k words
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $2.99 ~ Paperback $15.99

Blurb:
Simone spent the last two years by her cancer-ridden mother’s bedside. Taking care of her was the number one priority. When Mom suddenly goes into full remission, Simone is left bobbing in an unfamiliar ocean with a young man named Tristan. What happens next is the stuff of fairy tales—and nightmares.

Shocking, heart-wrenching, and insightful, Utterances will make you question everything you thought you knew about self-sacrifice. Award-winning author Jo Michaels pulls reality and the paranormal together in a way never before seen, intensely examining what we call the human condition by diving into the innermost workings of one young lady’s mind.


I hope you grabbed it! If you did, let me know what you think!

Happy reading!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE READ ON!

Jo

New Release! How to be a TOTAL LOSER and feel better than you ever have.

Happy freaking THURSDAY, everyone! I'm squealing all over the place today. Final files for Utterances were uploaded, and the release is officially ON for 12/13. If you grab it NOW, pre-release, it's just $0.99. I know Amazon says $2.99, but they give you the lowest price it's been, and that price is just under a dollar. You can get it here. I'm overly excited about that. But today's post is about the awesome How to be a TOTAL LOSER book and telling you where you can snag a copy. Ready? Let's get going!

Information stuffs first!

Title: How to be a TOTAL LOSER and feel better than you ever have.
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Heath & Fitness
Length (print): 112 pages
Buy Link: Amazon (paperback only) $14.99 OR you can grab a copy from my website here with the code Christmas2017 and get a 20% discount on that $14.99 through 12/15! Sadly, that will only behoove you if you don't have prime, but it WILL be signed. Moving on!

Blurb:
Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?

Want to learn how to eat better and maybe lose a little weight along the way?

Need a realistic plan you’ll be able to stick to for the long haul?

Then this is the book for you.
There are no fad diets on the pages of this book, and no magic secret formula that’ll make you half the woman/man you are. What’s in here is real, sensible advice, and a ton of tips and tricks to help you ease into a newer, healthier you.

You’ll be a total loser. You’ll lose the fatigue, that general blah feeling, and maybe even a few pounds (or several), but you’ll start feeling better than you thought was possible in a very short amount of time.

Best of all? It’s not a plan that strips you of the things you love most. It only teaches you how to alter those things slightly, or look for better alternatives, so you can improve your overall health.

So, dive in, and become a total loser that wins in every way.

~~~~

*****There's also a spreadsheet you can request via a URL in the book that will help you calculate your current level of fitness and help you figure out how many calories you need per day to achieve your goals whether they're weight loss, gain, or maintain. Better yet? It tells you exactly how to allocate those calories between protein, carbs, and healthy fats. Pretty cool, right? No more guessing games.

Here's the full wrap, in case you wanted to see!

I honestly can't wait to hear what you all think.

Did you grab it? What goals are you trying to achieve?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

P.S. This would make a great gift to help someone achieve those New Year's resolutions. Just a thought.

Cover Reveal and Excerpt - Battered Mind by Sylvia Stein

Lending the blog voice to a friend of mine so she can regale you all with a cover reveal and excerpt! Grab your coffee or tea, and let's get going!

Hello, my name is Sylvia Stein and I am an Indie Author. I have exciting news. This week I am doing the cover reveal of my book which I hope will be released in late 2018. I have been working with this book for awhile. It is a story I have been doing extensive research on and because of the topic I am covering I want to be sure I do it justice. It is a work of fiction, and for today I will be revealing the book cover which was designed by the very talented and amazing Michael Dangremond, and his title of his art work the cost of love. When I saw this portrait I immediately saw what I was looking for for my main character of Sadie Martin Carlyle. The title of this my first thriller is Battered Mind and I hope you all enjoy the cover reveal. I absolutely was blown away by it. I hope you are too! Thank you for your help in the cover reveal. I do appreciate it so much.

Thank you so much,
Sylvia Stein

Synopsis:
Sadie Martin Carlyle is on trial for the murder of her husband Dante Caryle. She claims she killed him in self defense and that he was a monster. She was a battered woman and if she had not defended herself he would of killed both their young daughter and her. In short, She feared for their lives.

However, there is more to this case than meets the eye. Sadie Martin is not your typical woman. Her family consists of her Criminal lawyer father Jackson Martin from Atlanta and her mother Barbara Reece Martin is one of the main leaders of the Southern Belles of Atlanta.

From the very start, there are secrets that are hidden that no one will see coming. Sadie’s story will take the reader through a very emotional journey throughout. Once the case begins, everything you think you know about what happened between Sadie and Dante Carlyle will have you asking many questions and is everything being said the truth? 

Battered Mind Excerpt: Copyright by Sylvia Stein 

As I lie here holding on to my sanity. I have to say never in a million years would I have thought all would turn out the way it did. 

You see for most of my life I had been searching and hoping that one day I would find the one and be able to finally lead “the normal life.”

However, nothing could be farther from the truth. My name is Sadie Martin Carlyle and on May 27, 2010, I was charged with the murder of my husband Dante Carlyle. 

The thing that makes this so horrific is that I do not even remember committing the crime. 

All I know is that when I awoke the next morning, My husband Dante was dead and I was found next to his body and the murder weapon. 

As of now all I can do is await my trial which will not be for a few months. 

Sadly because of the circumstance of the crime, I will have to sit in a jail cell until my trial.

You must be wondering why I seem to know so much about the law in particular. 

One second, “Can you please let me finish talking.”

Sorry being locked away in this cell has made me a bit paranoid.

Well in any case as I was saying. The reason I know so much was that my beloved husband was a lawyer and before I got married. We both met in law school. Oh, it was so simple back then. 

If only I could go back to the beginning. Things were easier. At least I thought they were. However maybe if I can just go back to the beginning I can try to salvage a bit of my dignity.

Besides, I was born and raised to be a good girl. But right now I am really placing a damper on all the years my parents spent trying to make me something I never wanted to be. You see I was born and raised in Atlanta Georgia.

It’s too damn bad I was never able to lead a normal life. Thanks to my dear parents! 

My mother was born to parents of money and my father was no different. However, he was known for being one of the best criminal defense attorneys in all of the state of Georgia. 

He was deeply admired for his hardcore antics. My father was never one to give up on his client and he is both loved and hated throughout the community. 

On the other hand, my dear mother Barbara Reece Martin has always been in the public eye. As a child, her parents owned several wineries all over the state of Georgia and North Carolina and she was left with a trust fund and decided to invest in stock and has done pretty well. She is now the Ceo of The Reece Winery and overlooks them along with my father and she is also one of the main members of the Women of Atlanta social club. 

All in all, she is always busy and thinks that I am just spoiled. My mother and I are not close.
She was always gone when I needed her. The only person that seemed to care and worry about me was my father Jackson. 

He always made time to see me and for that, I am very grateful. My father has always said I was his everything. At the time I thought I was but then I discovered it was all lies. I will get to that later.

As I was saying my mother was never around as a kid. She was always out and busy with all her numerous work and charitable events. 

“I hated her, and I still do!”

As you can see I get a bit angry being cooped up in here. I mean there are many criminals in here and I know they are women like me. But I am not one of them. I am different and I want to do is start over again. 

Let me outta here.

~~~

Now for the cover!

About the Author:

Sylvia Stein is a published author with several anthologies with her Writer’s group 750 on linkedin. Stein obtained a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University this past July 2015. She is a mother of three beautiful children Paul 10, Michael 9 and Consuelo 6. She resides in the city of Fuquay Varina with her amazing husband Jeremy. Stein has also published two solo books one was her first novella Closure which she worked on while attending SNHU and published in July of 2014 and the other her first YA Chasing Clarity was published this past October 2015 and it was created during National Novel Month (Nano) in 2013. Her latest book is entitled, The Diary of a Broken Father which came Out in February 2017. Her new thriller which she has been working on since 2014 will be out Late 2018 and is entitled, Battered Mind. 

Get in touch with Sylvia!
Website
Twitter
Amazon Author Page
Facebook
On the Radio: The Daily with Syl Stein on Anchor
If you'd like to read some of Sylvia's other books, you can find them here:
Chasing Clarity: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1494964724
Closure: http://www.amazon.comdp/061590694X 

What do you think?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Busy, I Have Been - Exciting Announcements!

Happy freaking Tuesday, everyone! I know you've all missed the blog and my epic ramblings here, but it's been for a great reason! Grab your coffee or tea and let's get going. Lots of news today.

As you may know, NaNoWriMo has been conquered this year. My final word count was 75k, and I hit 57k on day 14.

BUT THERE'S MORE!

The books I created during NaNo are in my Pen Pals and Serial Killers series.

First up, is The House (this was one of my NaNo novels). It clocks in right around 50k even and will be released AFTER my second NaNo novel. This is a collection of short stories that ties in with the next book in this list. I have a placeholder cover, but it's not the final. Shared it and the blurb on Facebook here, if you'd like to take a peek.

My second was Intensification. It's about a detective chasing a serial killer who's obsessed with reality TV stars. It's currently sitting at 20k.

Better than that, though, I've managed to fix the issue that was causing me to delay writing Provocation, and it's well on its way to being completed, sitting at 17k as of this moment. It's about a female psychiatrist that kills abusive men.

Utterances, my contemporary fantasy novel standalone, will release at the beginning of December. Pre-order price is $0.99, but it'll be $2.99 after launch. You can grab it here. More information about the book can be found on this post.

Finally, I've been working on another book for a few months that I plan to release right around Christmas. It's a book on wellness. You may be aware that I've been on my own journey over the last year, and this book is the culmination of things I've learned and steps I've taken to feel better in general. It has a routine guide, tons of information, and a little section with a few recipes (and a place to keep your own that you try and end up liking). YAY! Title: How to be a TOTAL LOSER and feel better than you ever have. Yeah. Because that's how I roll. LOL

I have a slew of covers to share, but I'll hold off until we're closer to the release dates. I'm still trying to decide on a cover for my wellness book.

Like I said, I've been super busy! How exciting is this?

What have you been working on? Which of the above are you excited about?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Utterances Available for Pre-order Soon!

Happy Wednesday, everyone! So, last week was all jacked up. I had a blog post I started on Wednesday, and I got so into my own head, I quit writing it and just stared at it until today--when I deleted it and decided to post this instead. Don't ask. There's certainly more of that tendency to dwell or hem and haw over a blog post than a novel for me. *shrugs* I have no idea why. Might be because I want to bring you all things that are relevant and helpful. Anyway, today, I'm gonna give you the release date for my upcoming book and rehash all the details I've provided so far (including excerpts).

Ready? Let's get going!


Title: Utterances
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Paranormal Coming-of-Age
Length: 77k words
Release Date: 12/10/2017 (will be $2.99)
Pre-order date: 10/13/2017 (will be $0.99)

Blurb:
Simone spent the last two years by her cancer-ridden mother’s bedside. Taking care of her was the number one priority. When Mom suddenly goes into full remission, Simone is left bobbing in an unfamiliar ocean with a young man named Tristan. What happens next is the stuff of fairy tales—and nightmares.

Shocking, heart-wrenching, and insightful, Utterances will make you question everything you thought you knew about self-sacrifice. Award-winning author Jo Michaels pulls reality and the paranormal together in a way never before seen, intensely examining what we call the human condition by diving into the innermost workings of one young lady’s mind.

Sneak Peeks (unedited):

Prologue

“…and they lived happily ever after.” Simone closed the book and lifted her eyes to her mother’s still form.
Frail.
Deathly white and blue.
Breathing shallow and erratic.
Tubes sprouted from her arms and neck, and the machines in the room kept up a steady beeping as though trying to create a beautiful melody amid the morbidity of the place.
Yvette was going to die. After fighting so long, the cancer eating her once vibrant body would complete its deadly feast and release her from the pain.
Simone’s eyes watered, and she stood to leave for the evening, eager to wash off the antiseptic scent clinging to her clothes and hair. Carefully, she placed the book of fairy tales in her bag, whispered a promise of something better to read next time as she kissed her mother on the forehead, and shut the door softly.

Chapter 1

Banging ensued as bags were carried through the door and dropped in the foyer on the threadbare mat. Yvette spun around with her arms extended, nearly knocking photos off the walls. “It’s so good to be home.”
Simone laughed. “It’s good to have you home.”
They embraced, and the woman kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “I never thought I’d see this musty old apartment again, that’s for sure.” “Me either.”
Sniffling, Yvette let go, took a step back, and put her hands on her hips. “I forgot how dismal it is. At least you managed to keep it clean.”
“Of course I did. I’m not a slob. You raised me better than that.” Simone winked and pulled two slim, red, plastic containers out of her purse. “How about you get the movies ready while I order the pizza.”
While her mother danced and whistled her way across the living room, Simone carried the bags down the hall, put them in the master bedroom, and slipped into her own room, shutting the door behind her. Carefully, she pulled the old book out of her bag and ran her fingers over the infinity symbol’s embossed edges. She then slipped the thick tome under her pillow before picking up the phone and dialing the pizza parlor’s number.
When she made it back to the couch, twenty minutes later, dressed in yoga pants and a tank top, she was much more relaxed.
Yvette patted the cushion. “Sit by me. Did you get the pizza ordered?”
Simone nodded as she plopped down and stuck her bare feet on the coffee table.
Her mother frowned.
“What?”
“Have you been putting your nasty toes on my table the whole time I’ve been gone?”
“Mom. Come on. Don’t start on me the first day you’re home.”
One side of her mouth wrinkled back into her cheek a moment before she softened and patted her daughter’s knee. “Okay. You’re right. I shou—”
A knock at the door interrupted the moment.
“I’ll get it. You pour the drinks!” Yvette was off the couch in a fluid movement, ponytail swinging as she bounced toward the entryway.
Simone sighed before pushing off the cushions and heading for the kitchen. As she filled two glasses with ice, tendrils of panic weaved their way up her spine. She checked to make sure her mother was occupied before running down the hall and shoving a hand beneath the pillow, feeling for the book’s leather-bound edges. Satisfied it was there, Simone snuck back up the hall to continue her task—her mind still attached to the feeling of the book on her fingers.

Chapter 14

When the doc finally left, he was as white as his coat and moving fast.
Simone sat on the floor and watched as the fabric billowed in the breeze.
“Alexandra, honey?”
“Yes ma’am! Coming!”
Mrs. Shandy smiled. “Oh, good. I thought you’d done gone and left me!”
“No way, no how. We have a story to finish.” Simone dropped back in the chair, opened the book to where she’d left off, and continued.
That afternoon, she left a little early, with three chapters done, and decided to go to Tristan’s house to surprise him. On her way to Shady Pines, she’d texted him, but hadn’t said she had the evening off. After checking her makeup in the mirror—a new addition to her wardrobe thanks to Mom saying how tired and old her daughter looked, she started the engine and shifted into reverse.
It was twenty minutes before she got to his house, and she started to second-guess herself on the way up the driveway. He’d been off school that day, and she hadn’t pestered him to hang out. If he found out she’d been off work…
His truck was in the driveway, so she parked behind it and got out, suddenly nervous.
As she moved toward the door, she kicked herself for being impulsive. He was sure to ask questions she didn’t have answers to. She knocked three times and waited, a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead and palms.
He opened the door, his eyes got wide, and he stepped out, keeping hold of the handle. “Hey. What are you doing here? I thought you had to work.”
“Well, I knew you were out of school and had the day off work today, so I thought I’d drop by and surprise you.” She smiled, but her hackles rose. Something about the situation wasn’t quite right, yet she couldn’t put her finger on what.
Rather than pull her into a hug, he closed the door and grabbed her arm, guiding her off the porch toward her car. “How about I come to your house in a little while?”
“Um, why can’t we hang out here?” It was getting weirder, and he was being pretty obvious about wanting her to leave.
“My, uh, mom isn’t feeling well, and I wasn’t expecting company.”
She jerked her arm out of his grasp, turned, and sprinted toward the house, throwing open the front door and rushing in, looking everywhere. He was half a step behind her, yelling at her to stop.
A gorgeous, long-legged brunette with barely any clothes on was passed out on the couch, whisky bottle still in her hand. There was only one word to describe her: flawless.
Simone stared, her mouth dropping open. Every fiber of her being went into shock then flew into blind rage. Her world tinted blood red. She rounded on Tristan, spit at him, and bolted.
Words were being shouted at her, but all she could hear was the fury screaming at her to leave and not come back. Ever. Once in the car, she jammed the key into the ignition, turned, shoved the car in reverse, and spun around in a perfect one-eighty. Tears gathering in her eyes made the driveway blurry, but she managed, somehow, to make it to the base of the hill before she had to pull over.
There was another driveway about fifty feet up the road on the opposite side, covered with a lush growth of leafy branches that would hide her car, so she gunned the accelerator and pulled up far enough to avoid being seen. Once sure no one had followed or seen her, she shut off the engine and curled into herself, letting the tears loose. She cried, she screamed, and she beat the steering wheel with her palms until they hurt.

~~~~~~~~~~ End excerpts ~~~~~~~~~

What do you think? Are you excited yet?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Paperback Giveaway on the IBGW Blog

Happy Friday, everyone! Nothing says lovin' like a paperback, am I right? Let's get into the deets of the book, and then I'll provide you with a linky to the OP and the giveaway. Get those clicking fingers ready, and let's get going!

Title: Snow
Author: Mikayla Elliot
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Length (print): 224 pages
Buy Link (paperback): Amazon - $8.99 (as of this post)

Blurb:
Taken from all she has ever known and loved, Neva finds herself swept into a world of vampires where she learns she will determine their future. Yet she quickly discovers she is the target of a vampire, Zachariah, seeking to stop her from altering the vampire lineage. She must decide which path she will take while trying to protect the family she left behind, and discovering a past she cannot escape.

This book was edited by Karen Robinson, proofread by Jennifer Oberth, and formatted for print and digital by Gaynor Smith (all of INDIE Books Gone Wild).

Here's the link to the post and the entry form on the IBGW blog today:

ENTER HERE

What do you think? Sounds like a pretty groovy book, eh?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo