New Release Info and Excerpt - Had a Great Fall by Shawn McGuire

Back Cover Blurb

Everyone deserves happiness. Is Robin the exception?

A cross-country move to a new state offers Robin Westmore the chance to get away from the relentless bullies and reinvent himself. But on the first day at his new high school Robin finds himself in front of Zane, the school’s star pitcher and chief tormentor, at the exact wrong moment and right back into the role of victim. Hopeless, he wishes for it all to stop.

When Desiree, the new leader of the genies, grants Robin’s wish he’s sure things are finally going his way. But problems in the magical realm have made Desiree equally hopeless and too distracted to give Robin the attention he needs.

As Desiree hides from her responsibilities, Robin disappears into the video game he’s created. There he finds excitement, adventure, and control. When the game presents him with a real escape from his tortured life, will he take it?

Excerpt

“You stayed up late again?” she asked as she took a box of tea from the back of the cabinet.

“Lots of homework,” I said. She knew I spent my summer developing the game. She didn’t know I spent at least two hours a night, after homework, still working on it.

She never protested when I said the dark circles under my eyes were studying related. Usually that was the case. Sometimes, though, Zane’s harassment got really intense and the circles came from lack of sleep due to nightmares.

There were days when he would stop in the middle of whatever he’d been doing and charge at me from across the lunchroom to slam into me or sneeze on my lunch. Once he even stood in front of me flapping his arms and making birdcalls. In the middle of the lunchroom. Why didn’t someone record that and put it up on the web? He looked ridiculous. Didn’t anyone else see that?

“Are you feeling all right?” Mom put the back of her hand to my forehead and I resisted the urge to swat it away. It was a caring touch. One of the few signs lately that someone gave a damn about me.

If I told her what was happening, would she do something? Maybe I could do online schooling. She knew I was a self-motivator and that she never had to check to see if I’d done my homework. Grades were everything to me. I’d never had less than a 3.8 GPA. The only reason it fell below a 4.0 was because of gym class. I could barely lift my backpack let alone do a pull-up. Maybe online school was the answer to my problems.

“Mom—”

Her phone rang just as I was about to ask.

“Hello… Oh, I’m so sorry.” She glanced at the clock on the microwave. “I was thinking there was a one hour time difference. Five months and I’m still adjusting to being in the Mountain Time Zone. Let me get to my office and I’ll call you right back.”

She was already heading out of the kitchen when I said, “Bye.”

“Oh, sweetie.” She came back and kissed my forehead. “If you’re not feeling well you can stay home. Or call if you need to come home early. I’ll give permission for you to leave.”

She knew I got motion sick on the bus. If I said I was nauseous, would she still make me ride the bus or would she take twenty minutes off of work to come and get me?

I toasted a piece of cinnamon-raisin bread and spread on a thick layer of butter. Then I tugged on my coat and headed out the door. With every step I thought of how Zane would be waiting for me and that single bite of toast turned into a little rock in my stomach. I paused at the garbage can next to the garage and lifted the lid to toss in the barely-eaten piece when someone came around the corner, making me jump.

“Are you Robin?” A girl with long dark hair that looked kind of like dreadlocks but kind of not stood at the corner of my garage. “Wait. You’re not throwing that out are you? That’s so wasteful. There are hungry people who would gladly eat that.”

I looked from her to the toast and then shoved it in my mouth. I couldn’t handle a lecture right then.

“Who are you?” I asked through the mouthful of bread-covered raisins.

She made a disgusted face. “Manners. Heard of them?”

I chewed, swallowed, and brushed the crumbs off my hand. “Sorry. Yes, I’m Robin. Who are you?”

She smiled then. She had a great smile, one that made her eyes crinkle at the corners. “I’m Dara.”

“Nice to meet you. Can I help you with something?”

“I don’t know. Possibly.” Dara put her hand to her mouth and tapped a navy blue-painted fingernail against her blindly-white teeth, like she was contemplating the question. “Teasing. Nothing you can do for me, thanks, but I can sure help you.”

I shook my head. “You’ve got the wrong person. I don’t need help.” At least none that she could give. I doubted she could take on Zane.

“You’re Robin Westmore.”

She knew my name. Whatever that meant.

“You just moved here from Wisconsin.”

“Five months ago. So not just but yes, I’m from Wisconsin.”

“You’re being bullied by some kid named Zane and you want it to stop.”

I stood there, next to my garbage can, wondering who this girl was and what she was up to. It was common knowledge that I was Zane’s favorite target. Of course I wanted his harassment to stop, anyone would, but what could she possibly do about it?

“Look, I don’t know who you are but if Zane sent you—”

“Zane didn’t send me.” She paused, just for a beat. “I guess you could say the universe did.”

I didn’t need this. I had enough drama in my life. I didn’t need this chick adding crazy to it as well. Marijuana was legal in Colorado. Maybe she’d been dining on pot gummies or something. The universe sent her. Yeah, right.

“I’ve got to get going,” I said. “I’m going to miss my bus.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Dara said. “I can take care of that.”

I started walking. I had to go six blocks in about two minutes. If I wasn’t there I’d have to either wait for the next bus, which wouldn’t be for half an hour, or beg my mom for a ride during which I’d have to listen to her chew me out about responsibility.

Dara followed, her arms wrapped tightly together. She wasn’t wearing a jacket.

“Let me try again,” she said. “This is my first time and I’m not sure how to do this.”

What was she saying? “Are you a prostitute?”

“What? God.” She made a face. “No, I’m not a prostitute. What kind of hooker comes up to someone by their garage first thing in the morning?”

“I wouldn’t know. I’m not privy to the methods of the, uh, working class.”

She said nothing for half a block and then started laughing. Probably at the thought of me soliciting a hooker.

“Let me try this again.” She cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. “Yesterday afternoon around three-forty-five you made a wish.”

“I did what?” Oh yeah, the dandelion. “Do you live next door or something? How could you know that?”

“I told you, the universe sent me. Your wish has been granted.”

Bio

 

Shawn McGuire is the author of young adult novels that blend contemporary settings and issues with a touch of fantasy and magic. She started writing after seeing the first Star Wars movie (that's episode IV) as a kid. She couldn't wait for the next movie to come out so wrote her own episodes. Sadly, those notebooks are long lost, but her desire to write is as strong now as it was then.

Her books deal with harder topics (death of a sibling, divorce, dating violence, bullying, and teen suicide) because she believes it is important to talk about these things. Those kinds of topics can be hard to handle and a bit overwhelming, so she infuses a bit of humor in her work as well because she also believes that a sense of humor can help you get through just about anything.

Shawn lives in Colorado with her family where she spends her time reading, cooking and baking, practicing yoga and meditation, and hiking and camping in the spectacular Rocky Mountains.

Author Links

Website - www.Shawn-McGuire.com

Facebook www.Facebook.com/ShawnMcGuireAuthor

Newsletter signup - http://eepurl.com/V21k1

Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/shawnmcguire1/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/Shawn_McGuire

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3231214.Shawn_McGuire

Amazon Author - http://www.amazon.com/Shawn-McGuire/e/B00L0FJDFW/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1420552843&sr=1-2-ent

Author’s Other Works

The Wish Makers Series

Sticks and Stones

Break My Bones

Never Hurt Me

Buy Links:

Book 4 in The Wish Makers series will release in June 2015. Please go here to purchase your copy.

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

Jo

A Search for Work/Life Balance Launches Indie Authors Into a Study of Mythology

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm putting you in the capable hands of author Stormy Smith. She's gonna delve into the myth that's work/life balance. Take it away, Stormy!

The Myth that is Work/Life Balance 

by Stormy Smith

You decided you wanted to be an author. Maybe you got an agent and a book deal. Maybe you self-published. You might be a NYT best seller or someone with two titles just trying to build a following. No matter what, you’ve quickly found that keeping all the balls in the air is getting more and more complicated.

You managed with your first book. It got a little harder as you tried to write another while you marketed the first. It got harder still as you gained popularity and tried to maintain five social channels, a newsletter, your family, maybe a full time job and still writing the books that are really what you love and why you started down this path. And then you start to feel a little down on yourself. You think you’re the only one struggling.

I’m here to tell you that you aren’t. You one hundred percent ARE NOT the only one. And I’ve got a phenomenal group of authors here to tell you what they’ve found to help them stay sane. So, read on, and know that we are all in this together. This is a crazy industry that has high highs and low lows. But no matter what level of success you’ve found, we all have some common ground...the slippery little beast that is balance.

~ ~ ~ ~

Balance is a myth… it’s that adorable white unicorn we all strive for and hold as a standard, then berate and blame ourselves when we can’t find it. The truth is writing is 90% procrastination and 10% bleary-eyed-stay-up-all-night-drink-ten-gallons-of-coffee-a-day-when-the-deadline-looms. We have too many balls in the air and we’re not juggling them, we’re just trying to stop them from hitting us on the head when gravity eventually kicks in. The good news is that we’re in this together. It’s not about balance, it’s about survival. My tricks for weathering this beautiful storm? Write every day. Every single day. Whether it’s one sentence or your illusive word count. Get words on the page and create something. Find a group of people you trust and that will support you in the ups and the downs. And finally, and most importantly, know that Five Hour Energy is your best friend.
~ Rachel Higginson, author of the Star-Crossed Series and Love and Decay

As soon as you can afford it, hire people you trust to do all of those menial tasks that take you away from writing (website updates, formatting, marketing, etc.). In the beginning it will feel like more work, but in the long run it's the only way I know to not completely burn out.
~ Suzanne Rock, hybrid author of the Playboys of Boston series

My advice would be to set out specific writing times each day/week and treat it like the job it is. "Go" to work, focus only on your writing during that time. If it's an hour, two hours, or an entire day, you have to take it as seriously as any other job you have. Let the little things go. So your house only gets vacuumed every other week, or a little dust builds up on a few surfaces. Balance is important, as is the fact that you aren't superman/woman and you can't do everything.
~ Heather C. Leigh, author of the Famous series

Do 20-minute sprint sessions. That's what I learned. It's amazing what you can get done in just 20 minutes. Take your goal for the day and then cut it in half so that you don't feel bad if you didn't reach your lofty goal.
~ Jeff Rivera, author of No Matter What

Remember that every little bit of writing counts. If you write even one page, that counts. If you write for just 20 minutes, that counts too. Even jotting down one idea can make all the difference. Carry a notebook or a handful of index cards everywhere you go. When you're waiting for something, don't check your phone. Write.
~ Laurence MacNaughton, hybrid author of The Spider Thief and Conspiracy of Angels

And, my advice to you is to use the tricks that make you more comfortable. I am a list-making freak, so I use Asana (an online software that’s free) to organize my projects and my to-do lists. It helps me see and keep track of what needs done outside of writing. They send me a list of tasks every morning. I can also assign projects to my PA and easily check in with her. I know that writing every day isn’t feasible for me, but I write for large chunks of time when I can and I schedule those just like I would an appointment. I know how many words I want each week and that’s what I strive for. I also work very hard to be compassionate with myself on the weeks it all goes to hell. Because it will, and that’s okay.

Do you have any tricks to share? Comment, we’d love to hear them!

~~About Stormy Smith~~

Bio: Stormy Smith is the author of the Amazon best seller, Bound by Duty, and Bound by Spells. She calls Iowa’s capital home now, but was raised in a tiny town in the Southeast corner of the state. She grew to love books honestly, having a mom that read voraciously and instilled that same love in her. She knew quickly stories of fantasy were her favorite, and even as an adult gravitates toward paranormal stories in any form.

Writing a book had never been an aspiration, but suddenly the story was there and couldn’t be stopped. When she isn’t working on, or thinking about, her books, Stormy’s favorite places include bar patios, live music shows, her yoga mat or anywhere she can relax with her husband or girlfriends.

Website: StormySmith.com
Facebook: Author Stormy Smith
Twitter: @stormysmith
Instagram: StormySmith
Goodreads: Stormy_Smith

Books:
Bound by Duty (Bound Series, Book One) Release Date: July 24, 2014
Bound by Spells (Bound Series, Book Two) Release Date: March 19, 2014

Genres: New Adult, Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, and Paranormal

BOTH BOOKS ARE ON SALE FOR $0.99 RIGHT NOW!

Bound by Duty Synopsis: Amelia grew up in a world of half-truths. She knows she's an Elder, but has no idea what that means. Her father reminds her daily that she must maintain control, but he refuses to explain why. Even worse, she's betrothed to the prince of the Immortals and doesn't even know his name.

Finally breaking free to live a few normal years at a community college, the last thing Amelia expects is to find her best friend in a cheeky southern girl, or fall for a self-assured human who sees her for who she is, not what she will become.

As she learns more about herself, Amelia realizes the line between love and duty is a thin one. As her power continues to increase exponentially and her questions are slowly answered, Amelia must make the ultimate choice. The question is, will her head win the battle, or her heart?

Bound by Spells Synopsis: Aidan Montgomery hadn't been prepared for Amelia Bradbury to walk in and then out of his life. He also hadn't expected to find the powerful magic hidden deep within him for the last nineteen years, but he's embracing it -- finding more control and more answers every day. Now, with the help of Amelia's best friend, Bethany, Aidan is on a quest to understand his destiny and find Amelia.

Amelia decided to stand by her duty, which meant walking away from her first chance at love. Trapped in Cresthaven at the Queen's mercy, she spends her days with Micah -- an ally she still holds at arm's length -- struggling to manage her heartbreak while keeping her mind focused on the task at hand. As she continues to unlock the secrets of the Keeper power, Queen Julia's true motives reveal themselves, forcing Amelia to decide, yet again, how much she's willing to sacrifice.

Will Aidan get to Amelia before it's too late, or will the very power that sustains them keep them apart?

Endorsement for Bound by Spells: "Featuring a cast of mages and shapeshifters with unique magical abilities, one destiny-shaping prophecy, a genocidal megalomaniac, and a budding, heated romance (or two!), this book is paranormal gold! Read the first book in the series first, of course, but once you finish this one you're sure to be salivating for the next release in this not-to-be-missed romantic paranormal series."
-- Serena Chase, USA Today's Happy Ever After blog

Be sure and kick in a comment about how you balance (or fail to balance) work and life. What are your struggles?

Well, that's all for today, folks! I hope you enjoyed this little takeover by Stormy!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

New Release - Soul Choice by Elizabeth Kirke

Thanks for having me on your blog, Jo!

I'm Elizabeth Kirke and I'm so thrilled to announce that the 3rd book in my YA Urban Fantasy series just came out last week! I'm always super nervous when I publish a new book, I convince myself that fans will hate it, and then they'll hate the series because I've ruined it, and then they'll hate me. So far though, I'm being told it's the best one yet! Phew!

Book #1 Semester Aboard

Winner of the Reader's Favorite International Award

Gold Medal for YA Paranormal

Jen is looking forward to spending an entire summer studying abroad on a cruise ship and she knows the experience will change her life. Then she sees something she wasn't supposed to see, something she can't explain. Jen finds herself thrust into a world she never knew existed and her life will change more than she imagined. That is, if she can survive the dangers lurking on the ship.

Book #2 Snow Bound

After learning how to use magic and fighting vampires, anyone would be bored going back to normal college life. As if that wasn’t enough, Jen didn’t realize how hard it would be to tiptoe around her non-magic family and friends. She can’t even talk to her familiar, Rak, without making sure no one else is around! Worst of all, Jen misses the friends she made over the summer. Aside from Rak, they’re the only other magics she knows and she hasn’t seen them in almost five months!

Jen is all too happy to accept an invitation to go skiing with the gang. She gears up for two weeks of snow, magic, and fun. Just when everything seems to be going great, an uninvited guest turns up. Soon the skiers aren’t the only things going downhill. Jen thought that vampires were just about the most dangerous thing the magical world could throw at her. Unfortunately, she’s about to learn that people with no magic at all can be just as deadly ...

And, proudly introducing Book #3

Soul Choice

Forget everything you know… about magic…

Jen doesn’t know who people keep mistaking her for, but one thing is clear: her mystery double is not popular. When Jen is kidnapped by a group bent on revenge for something she never did, it’s up to her friends to rescue her. Little do they know, Jen’s captors are ready for them.

Thomas, TS, Charlie, Dani, and Mariana become the latest victims of a malicious experiment, one which could spell doom for magic-kind. Now their lives, and maybe their entire world, are in Jen’s hands. Unfortunately, escaping the facility is the least of their problems. The experiment is dangerous; one in three test subjects dies. And considering five of them are affected, the odds don’t look good.

Time is running out and Jen and her friends are faced with the hardest decisions they’ve ever had to make; how do you know who to trust, when your own mother isn’t who you thought she was? Just how much will you sacrifice for a friend, even if it’s your life?

And how can you make a choice when the wrong one means death?

Thank you for taking the time to get to know my books! If you choose to read them, I hope you enjoy them! And thank you again for hosting me today, Jo!

If you'd like to keep up with me, feel free!

Facebook

Blog

What do you think? Will you show Elizabeth some book love?

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

Jo

Tricia Zoeller - The Darkling Chronicles

Young Adult/New Adult series The Darkling Chronicles

Ebooks: Shadow Blues, Shadow Fire, and Shadow Thief

Paperback collection: The Darkling Chronicles, Shadows 1

Shadow Blues

The Darkling Chronicles #1

(Novella)

LOVE

At the age of four, Patrick Benjamin Solomon becomes Anka Rehmling’s human charge. By eight, he can SEE her. At thirteen, he breaks her heart, and by eighteen, she finds herself fighting for his life.

As a darkling shadowcaster, Anka casts shadows in the human world, harnessing some of the earth’s UV light to bring back to Montenai—a world full of darklings, nymphs, satyrs, phantoms, and dragon lords. Her job is crucial to preserving the vitality and balance in her town of Shadowland. However, Anka has trouble following the strict rules set by the Shadowland Council, a ruling body comprised of three dragon lords.

The lords’ decree states all shadowcasters will abide by the rules or face the penalty of harsh punishment, banishment, or death. Torn between her world and Ben's, Anka must choose to defy the Council or turn her back on love.

Shadow Blues
The Darkling Chronicles #1

Excerpt

My hand shook as I reached out and pushed the hair off Ben’s sweaty forehead. When he sat up suddenly, I took a step back. Could he see me? He looked around the room with cloudy eyes that passed right over me.

When he turned on the lamp, I flicked my fingers, casting a shadow on the wall of a bird flying. He gasped before looking around once more. Now, he knew something was here. 

After peeking in the corner, the closet, and under the armchair for where the shapes came from, he shrugged his shoulders. He used his hands to create a barking dog. I used my magic to create a meowing and hissing cat with fur standing on end. I barely stopped myself from snorting out loud from his goofy face as he scanned the room. He looked scared but excited.

Anka Rehmling, you are in big trouble. I’d just broken three shadowcaster rules. I tried not to think about it. Instead, I focused on my superhero, ninja, and dinosaur forms, complete with sound effects. Ben looked so happy, I told myself it would be okay just this once. He had been sick all day.

Each pull of my magic started in the pit of my stomach. The energy swirled out to my arms before releasing from my fingertips like thread. That’s how Dad explained it. Then, it snapped as it broke free and became the shadow on the wall or floor. It wasn’t a bad feeling, but felt normal, right.

When Ben grew tired, I watched him lie back in bed and drift off to sleep, a smile on his face. He had light hair with white skin that burned and freckled in the sun. My skin and hair were darker, like the shadows I cast.

In human years, we were both eight. However, shadowcasters, by nature, acted more mature than humans. Our world expected us to be responsible from a young age. The Shadowland Council had assigned Patrick Benjamin Solomon under my charge at the age of four. I cast shadows in his world and would for my lifetime, as long as my strength held. “That’s a lot of responsibility riding on your shoulders”—direct quote from Dad. I removed my hand from 

Ben’s arm as I thought about what I’d done.

Dad.

Shadowcaster rules flooded my head.

Cast true to form. Don’t talk. Don’t touch the human.

My heart pounded in my ears. I hadn’t cast true. My palms grew sticky. I’d created my own make-believe shadows. Technically, I hadn’t talked, just made sound effects. However, I’d touched him. This realization caused fear to spark in me like fire; then it burned out, and I was so tired. I couldn’t wait to go home.

My family shadowcasted for the Solomons. The Council assigned my dad to shadow Ben’s dad. My mom followed his mom. Bianca and I took shifts with Ben. I covered him by day; she watched him at night. Other shadowcasters rotated in if we needed a break.

As a shadowcaster, I didn’t go to school but trained with my dad. My grandparents, Nana and Pops, ran the household since Mom and Dad worked so much.

Ben’s sigh brought my attention back to him. He looked peaceful. Maybe his fever had broken. When Mrs. Solomon slipped into the room to check on him, my mother followed, casting her shadows. My mother was really tall—five-foot-ten. She wore a flowing dress of purple, the family color. Jeweled combs sparkled in a ring on her head, which was the darkling custom.

As I watched Mrs. Solomon worrying over Ben, I felt jealous. He had a normal life. Not every darkling had the ability to cast shadows, and so it was a privilege and honor to serve the Council. However, the other young darklings went to school and played during the day. Most of them would never journey to the human world, but they benefited from the power shadowcasters brought back to Shadowland.

My mother’s brown eyes found mine. I met them briefly before looking away. Had she heard my sound effects?

  

Shadow Fire

The Darkling Chronicles #2

(Novella)

COURAGE

As a darkling shadowcaster, Bianca Rehmling works under the three dragon lords of the Shadowland Council, casting shadows for her human charge on the earth’s plane and harnessing energy to bring back for the balance and wellbeing of her kind. She’s always been a law-abiding darkling, as opposed to her younger sister, Anka. When Anka broke shadowcasting rules over the summer, she suffered the wrath of the council, something Bianca never wants to witness again.

To protect her sister, Bianca harbors some dark secrets, ones that could cause the decline of Shadowland. When a deadly illness called Shadow Fever strikes the village, Bianca fears her own rule-breaking has caused a fatal imbalance in the world of Montenai. She hasn’t been doing her job, her duty, and the dragon lords suspect.

Family or duty? With loved ones suffering, and the dragon lords breathing down her neck, Bianca keeps her nymph friends close and her enemies…closer. When an unlikely ally offers to help, Bianca must decide whether to trust him or brave the heat alone. 

Shadow Fire

The Darkling Chronicles #2

Excerpt

Pops wore an orange shirt with white musical notes on it, which caused me to smile. I sat on a tall stool at the coffee bar and ordered a tea, while my short legs dangled in the air.

He gave me a puzzled look as he placed orange blossom tea in front of me.

“Just need something a bit lighter today,” I said. Darklings rarely drank tea unless they required some energy from the herbs.

Pops began to buff the nymph glass counter in the same spot. A muscle twitched in his cheek. We were all under some major strain.

“I’m reporting to the temp pool today.”

He stopped his work. “Are you sure you’re ready for that?” Bushy eyebrows raised, he didn’t blink.

“You know I should have reported days ago.”

“I don’t want you going anywhere near that Wishing Tree.” Pops leaned in and whispered, “Do you understand?”

“If I don’t report, Lord Akton will hang me from the ceiling.”

Pops flinched like I had hit him. His face blanched from a light brown to yellow.

“See? No choice.”

His lower jaw jutted forward, and I thought he might explode. He placed the rag down on the bar top and leaned on the glass, undoing the results of his previous hard work. After a long breath, his expression shifted to one less murderous. “Make sure to call first and set up an appointment with Lord Bulosk. He seems the sanest of the lot, which isn’t saying much.”

I nodded and covered his hand, hoping to be reassuring. I don’t think my hand shook, but my insides quivered like human Jell-O. I never understood the allure of that food.

Shadow Thief

The Darkling Chronicles #3

(Novella)

SURVIVAL

Natcha is a creature of fire, drawing in shadow to cloak herself from the dangers of the world. She has never known what she is or where she came from, but she knows her wings and claws make her different. The sea cliffs of Montenai are her home, the Aglatian Sea her playground, and the phantoms her family.

All her life, she has hidden in the Faunlier Mountains with her sister Nalene. Only the oath she swore as a child to a darkling father to watch over his son draws her toward the turmoil in Shadowland.

When unrest among the darklings, satyrs, nymphs, and dragon lords begins to bleed into her own life, Natcha wagers the welfare of one against the welfare of many. To protect all she holds dear, she must incur the wrath of Shadowland’s leaders and become… the Thief.

 Shadow Thief

Excerpt

My breath caught when we reached the river. Alexander Salva was not where I’d left him. 

The frogs croaked so loudly, I couldn’t hear myself think. Where did he go? His satchel lay crumpled on the bank.

Panic twisted the features of Zack’s face as he scanned the water. “Dad?” He paced the small opening between the trees. “Dad!” His voice cracked, and tears streamed down his cheeks. “What have you done?” he asked the river.

My vision is better than my hearing. I spotted movement twenty yards out and spread my wings. Mr. Salva’s eyes widened at my approach, the whites showing under the starlight. He could see me. Soaking wet, he trembled on a wide boulder. Sand and grit clung to his black beard.

“Demon,” he hissed.

“What?”

"You look like a fledgling. I guess that’s the sick way of the dark. It tries to confuse me with a young face.” He had been holding something down at his side but drew the object up in front of him. The heavy, steel longsword shook in Mr. Salva’s hand.

My cloaking was still on. I knew by the soft whisper it made in my ears. Why could Mr. Salva suddenly see me? I stood still. Nalene had told me my shimmering wings were pretty, not symbols of evil. Why did he think I was a demon? My heart raced in my chest. I didn’t know what to do with an armed, drunk darkling who was apparently scared of me.

“I’m just a hatchling. You look like you need help.” My eyes darted back and forth from him to the immense sword with beautiful etchings of stars running up and down its blade. Where did he get it? I didn’t remember him carrying anything when he spoke to Lord Akton. He had the satchel when he left the pub.

“I don’t need your kind of help! The tree told me what I needed to do. I’ve lost everything because of this sword, and I will not let you or the demons within this vessel destroy my family or Shadowland.”

The Wishing Tree talked to him? Why hadn’t he confided in the lords? “What did the tree say?” My voice trembled.

Maneuvering the sword’s tip much closer to my face, he tilted his head.

I put my hands up. “Mr. Salva, could you please lower that away from me. I like my face the way it is.”

His jaw dropped. “A demon who knows my name? I’m more cursed than I ever imagined.”

PURCHASE LINKS:

Shadow Blues

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1E3Kole

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1GrXkkv

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1EDYOrh

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1J31lyk

Apple: http://apple.co/1dyNIdq

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1FPpZQH

Shadow Fire

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Nc54cd

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1xi86Yt

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1dujh7I

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1HMMKa6

Apple: http://apple.co/1SD6BM6

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1dyOirs

Shadow Thief

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1M3I3v0

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1CdaizD

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1GxdUvy

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1KpZVuZ

Apple: http://apple.co/1AuXSG4

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1FEbGgk

Paperback

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1CrDXGL

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1CrDXX9

Cover Reveal for the Part 2 of the series

Ebooks: Shadow Ice and Shadow King

Paperback collection: The Darkling Chronicles, Shadows 2

 Shadow Ice

The Darkling Chronicles #4

(Novella)

SACRIFICE

So much pain to bear for something new to come.

Despite a rocky start in life, Nalene has survived twenty years in the sea cliffs of the Aglatian Sea. She struggles daily to master her water energy rather than succumb to it. An icy constitution has forced her to rely on her sister for care, protection, and guidance.

But the tides are turning and powers shifting in Montenai. Once a sickly creature with no purpose, Nalene emerges a strong, willful guardian. This reclusive orphan has everyone’s attention, including a new seer who predicts “only one can survive” the battle to come.

Challenged by dragon lords, championed by outcasts, Nalene meets strife at every turn. As a crisis of faith wages within her, she forges ahead because she won’t give up on hope. What is she willing to sacrifice to fulfill her destiny?

    

Shadow King

The Darkling Chronicles #5

(Novella)

HOME

A family tragedy at the age of twelve thrusts Serena into the world of shadowcasting. She relishes the dragon lords’ protection and training but loves her new job and human charge even more.

Because of her great-great-grandfather’s alliance with a vicious nymph queen, Serena finds other Montenaians refuse to trust or accept her. It doesn’t help that she has the same birthmark and orange spark in her eyes as the relative who brought shame to the Brisson name.

Stepping through the portal to Paris allows Serena to escape her family’s reputation as well as her mother’s harsh traditions. Every day Serena pushes to be “worthy of the dragon,” regardless of her brother warning her the path leads to horrible loss.

For years, the lore of dragon and astrei has molded the practices and beliefs of Montenaians. No one has felt this more than the phantom, Serena. This Drifter’s history is the key to Shadowland’s fate. Can she protect them from a dangerous future and still find her way home?

AUTHOR BIO:

 

Tricia Zoeller writes fantasy stories filled with mystery, magic, and mayhem. After a decade of working as a speech-language pathologist, she succumbed to the voices in her head and wrote her first book, urban fantasy FIRST BORN, published in May 2013. FIRST BORN is a paranormal mystery about a shapeshifter in Atlanta. It is the first book in the Lily Moore Series.

THE DARKLING CHRONICLES is her young adult series that delves into alternate planes, portals, and mystical creatures.

She lives in Marietta, Georgia with her husband, Lou, her little yappy dog, Lola Belle, and her big orange mutant cat, George. Her two stepsons, Joseph and Robert, make stopovers as well, making sure to keep life an adventure.

Writing has always been a part of her life—like breathing and chocolate. For more information about Tricia and her books, visit:

www.triciazoeller.com

Facebook: Tricia Zoeller, Author

Twitter: @tzoellerwriter

AUTHOR MEDIA LINKS:

http://www.triciazoeller.com/

http://on.fb.me/1BtBJl4

https://twitter.com/tzoellerwriter

https://instagram.com/triciazoeller/

http://www.amazon.com/Tricia-Zoeller/e/B00D9FAH8S/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1427455409&sr=8-1

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you think? Is it awesome or what?

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

Jo 

Spotlight - Discovering April by Sheena Hutchinson

Happy Monday, everyone! Today I have a little spotlight for you all. Please welcome Ms. Sheena Hutchinson to the blog. She's here to tell you about her novel, Discovering April. Plus, there's an excerpt for awesome coffee reading. Let's get to it!

Title: Discovering April
Author: Sheena Hutchinson
Genre: New Adult Romance
Length (print): 355 pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $3.99

Cover Art by Cover Me, Darling

Blurb:
April Landau thinks she has everything she’s ever wanted. Her high school sweetheart, a house she can’t afford, her bipolar tabby cat, and she’s all set to begin her Junior year of college. Just when she least expects it, her life gets thrown for a loop. When things between her and her long time boyfriend unravel, she becomes stuck in a downward spiral of emotion. Finally, opening her eyes to the fact that she may have given up more than she ever could have imagined in this relationship. She finds herself struggling to keep her head above water.

Enter April’s next door neighbor— Jared Hoffman. He’s her complete opposite. A high school drop out who was forced to take over his parent’s business after their untimely death. It’s no surprise this tragedy affected him greatly, causing him to recede almost completely from society.

But he has one secret. A secret he’s been carrying around for years.

What happens when their worlds collide? Can an old friendship be the one thing that brings these two back to life?

A new adult love story filled with drama, sex, death, and the complications of all of the above.

Find it on GoodReads.

About Sheena:
Sheena is a born and raised New Yorker, even her writing can’t hide her hard sarcasm. She claims destiny lead her to writing again. She constantly strives to be a positive role model and write stories that empower and inspire.

Sheena always roots for the underdog, believes in love at first sight, and that everyone should have their happily ever after. While God is currently writing her love story she continues to put all her time into her writing as she is constantly getting new inspiration.

For more on Sheena and her books visit her website.

Get in touch!
www.SheenaHutchinson.com
Facebook Author Page
@Sheena_Hutch
Goodreads
Instagram: @Author_Shea

Excerpt:
My head is still pounding when my eyes flutter open the next day. My brain is throbbing inside my skull and I punch the pillow underneath me, scaring Jinx out of his slumber. He meows in protest before hopping off the bed. Looking around, I’m in my bed. How did I get here? I groan in pain as I prop my pillows up and lean my head back against them. It’s then that I feel the eyes on me. Tilting my head straight again, I glance out my window. My eyes lock with those big brown eyes of Jared’s across the way. He looks down to his phone and back up again. My phone chimes with an incoming text.

“UGHHH!” I moan, blindly reaching for it. It slips a few times before I grasp it between my fingers and look down to read.

How are you feeling?

Closing one eye, I text back, Like someone ran over me with a truck, then backed up and ran me over again.
Lowering my phone, I watch as he smiles from my text and disappears from view. I’m trying to piece last night back together; it’s like a fragmented mirror that has shattered all over the corners of my mind. I remember laughing with Ro about her sexual conquests and then I remember red and blue lights and… Jared. Starting to feel hot, I throw the covers off of me and lay like a starfish, trying to get my mind to focus. Glancing down, I notice I’m wearing my pajamas. Before I can process any further, the door to my room creaks open. Jared walks in with a cup of water and a closed fist.

“How did you get in?!” I yelp, trying to sit up in bed, and pulling the covers back over my braless tank top.

“I left the back door open when I left last night,” he informs me as he opens his fist to show me he brought a hand full of Advil.

“You brought me home last night?” I rub my head before reaching for the pills and water.

“Yup, after you called me to pick you up from the police station.”

“I WAS WHERE?!” I scream as water comes spraying out of my mouth.

“Police station. Apparently, you popped a guy in the face.” He smirks.

I squint my eyes, vaguely remembering the heavyset guy that tried grabbing my ass in front of the bar.
“Whoa!” I have to lean my head back against my pillows when the information begins to become too much for me. “If you took me home, how did I get into pajamas?!”

The smile that crosses Jared’s face is a mixture of a blush and a sly smirk that makes my insides twist with anticipation and excitement. “Jared…”

“That… you did on your own. I had nothing to do with that!” He holds his hands up in surrender.

“What? I just stripped in front of you!”

“Well, once you got your shirt off, there was really no stopping you…” he teases and my eyes widen in embarrassment.

“Oh my God!” I slump down, pulling the covers back up to my face. “Did we… ya know…” I mutter, completely mortified now.

“Uh, that would be a no.”

“Oh, thank God!” I sigh.

“Thanks a lot!” He comes to his feet now, turning to look out the window.

“Not like that, it’s just … I don’t like to do things I’m not conscious for.”

“Yea, completely plastered girls that get arrested and throw up in bushes are really sexy!” His voice drips with sarcasm.

“I threw up?!” This just gets better and better.

“Twice.”

“Twice?” I’m mortified, staring at his amused face.

“Well, after the first time I thought maybe you needed something to eat.”

“Oh no…”

“Yeah… I’ve never seen someone eat a Big Mac that fast before…” He stares at the wall as if remembering my weak moment.

“Oh my God!” I groan, throwing the covers over my entire body. I curl up in a fetal position, planning to never come out again. The room grows silent. It’s starting to get hard to breathe under the sheets when I feel the mattress by my feet cave slightly.

“Come on, it’s not that bad. We all have our moments.” He pats my feet through the sheets.

“Just when I think I’ve reached rock bottom, things just seem to drops out from under me and I’m at an all new low!” I roll over, trying to pull the covers with me, but Jared’s weight prevents it. My head comes peeking out as I roll over, facing away from him.

“April, I think I just determined your major.”

“What?” I curiously twist to look at him again.

“Drama. You’re such an actress. Now, put your big girl panties on and get up!”

I stare at him for a second; did he just say what I think he said? He waits about two seconds before getting up and opening a drawer to my dresser. “Are they in here? Nope!” He closes it and opens another.

“STOP!” I scream, stumbling out of bed, horrified.

“How ‘bout this one?”

“Okay! Okay! I’m up!” I slam the drawer closed just in time to save myself further embarrassment when Jared eyes my plain old undergarments. I sigh when the pounding in my head launches my stomach into action and I collapse onto the corner of the bed.

“You okay?”

“I refuse to puke again!” I respond, taking another deep breath. “Jared…”

“Yea…”

“I could use some donuts.”

“Okay.” He pauses for a few seconds, looking down at his feet before adding, “I’ll be outside then.”

And he leaves me in my room, alone.

~

What do you think? Gonna try it out?

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

Jo