Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Book Giveaway: Jilo (Witching Savannah) by J.D. Horn

Today we have a special book giveaway for our readers.  We are giving away JILO a Witching Savannah novel by J.D. Horn!

Jilo Witching Savannah by J.D. Horn

Jilo (Witching Savannah #4) by J.D. Horn

Aged Mother Jilo is wise in the ways of magic…but once upon a time, she was just a girl.

1950s Georgia: King Cotton has fallen. Savannah is known as the “beautiful woman with a dirty face,” its stately elegance faded by neglect, its soul withering from racial injustice and political corruption.

Young Jilo—fiercely independent, intelligent, and ambitious, but thwarted by Savannah’s maddeningly genteel version of bigotry—finds herself forced to embrace a dark power that has pursued her family for generations, an ancient magic that may prove her salvation…or her undoing.

Explore the fascinating history of one of the Witching Savannah series’ most vivid and beloved characters, as the resourceful and determined Jilo comes of age, strives to master formidable magical skills in the face of overwhelming adversity, and forges her strange destiny against the turbulent backdrop of the civil rights struggle in the American South.

Release Date: April 26, 2016
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.

Jilo Book Giveaway

We are giving away JILO a Witching Savannah novel by J.D. Horn in reader's choice of ebook or trade paperback.

To enter, leave a comment on this post and include your email address so we may contact you if you win.  BONUS ENTRY: Visit J.D.'s Paranormal Road Trip to Savannah guest post and leave a comment, then come back here and comment to let us know you did.  Ebook portion of giveaway is international, trade paperback option open to mailing addresses in the US and Canada.  Giveaway ends May 12, 2016.

Good luck!

Want to learn more about J.D. Horn and his books?  Check out our Q+A with author J.D. Horn here at From the Shadows.

Monday, April 25, 2016

Cover Reveal: #AmWriting A Collection of Letters to Benefit The Wayne Foundation

I am excited to reveal the cover for #AMWRITING: A Collection of Letters to Benefit the Wayne Foundation, a book that I am contributing a piece to. 

#AmWriting A Collection of Letters to Benefit The Wayne Foundation

#AmWriting by more than 70 authors, including Jeaniene Frost, T.J. Michaels, Kendall Grey, E.J. Stevens, and many more!

Knowing what you know now of writing, publishing, and putting your art out into the world, if you could go back to the day you sat down to start typing in your very first manuscript, what words would you offer to yourself? Words of encouragement? Words of advice? Caution against certain pitfalls? Would you change anything about how you got to where you are today?

The publishing community is so much bigger than it was before the self-publishing boom and it continues to grow exponentially every day. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with a handbook or support group. The book is to provide words of encouragement or advice to those just starting out or those who have become discouraged in their art. At Pure Textuality PR, we believe in supporting each other as a community, and we felt this project would be a good way to bring writers together and maybe give some new artists just the right nudge to keep going.

100% of the net proceeds of #amwriting will go to benefit The Wayne Foundation, a charity dedicated to offering aid and services to young women victimized by illegal sexual exploitation and the sexual trafficking of minors.

Release Date: June 7, 2016
Add to Goodreads.

What do you think of the cover?

Cover Reveal: #AmWriting A Collection of Letters to Benefit The Wayne Foundation

Sunday, April 24, 2016

SYAE Book Awards

This week is the first round of voting in the first annual SYAE Book Awards, and I'm eligible for my books...and From the Shadows is nominated for Best Book Blog!



via GIPHY


If you have a moment, please consider voting for me in the following categories:
  • Best Author
  • Best Book Covers
  • Best Series
  • Best Book Couple
  • Best Paranormal Book
  • Best Fantasy Book
  • Best Horror
  • Best Novella
  • Best Book Blog (From the Shadows)


First round voting lasts from April 24, 2016 - April 30, 2016.  Second round voting begins May 1st.

Anyone may vote once in each category (click to join the Facebook group to vote - approval usually only takes seconds), however only attending authors and bloggers are eligible to win awards.

Thank you for voting!

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Day's End Ebook Giveaway Winners

Congratulations Larry, Meredith, and Debby winners of the Day's End Ebook Giveaway at From the Shadows!  Winners will receive an ebook copy of DAY'S END by Cheree Alsop.

day's end by cheree alsop

Thank you to all who entered!

**Winners randomly selected using Random.org**

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Book + Swag Giveaway: The Brotherhood of the Wheel by R.S. Belcher

Today we have a special giveaway for our readers.  We are giving away a hardcover copy of THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE WHEEL by R.S. Belcher and a special tour trucker hat to one lucky winner!

Brotherhood of the Wheel gritty urban fantasy by R.S. Belcher

The Brotherhood of the Wheel by R.S. Belcher

A unique new urban fantasy by the author of The Six-Gun Tarot, exploring the haunted byways and truck stops of the U.S. Interstate Highway System.

In 1119 A.D., a group of nine crusaders became known as the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon--a militant monastic order charged with protecting pilgrims and caravans traveling on the roads to and from the Holy Land. In time, the Knights Templar would grow in power and, ultimately, be laid low. But a small offshoot of the Templars endure and have returned to the order's original mission: to defend the roads of the world and guard those who travel on them.

Theirs is a secret line of knights: truckers, bikers, taxi hacks, state troopers, bus drivers, RV gypsies--any of the folks who live and work on the asphalt arteries of America. They call themselves the Brotherhood of the Wheel.

Jimmy Aussapile is one such knight. He's driving a big rig down South when a promise to a ghostly hitchhiker sets him on a quest to find out the terrible truth behind a string of children gone missing all across the country. The road leads him to Lovina Hewitt, a skeptical Louisiana State Police investigator working the same case and, eventually, to a forgotten town that's not on any map--and to the secret behind the eerie Black-Eyed Kids said to prowl the highways.

Release Date: March 1, 2016
Genre: Paranormal, Horror, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.

The Brotherhood of the Wheel Giveaway

We are giving away a hardcover copy of THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE WHEEL by R.S. Belcher and this special tour trucker hat to one lucky winner! 



To enter leave a comment below and include your email address so we may contact you if you win.  This giveaway is open to mailing addresses in the US and Canada.  Giveaway ends May 1, 2016 midnight EST.

Good luck!

Don't miss our guest post with R.S. Belcher here.  He takes us on a spooky Paranormal Road Trip!

Sunday, April 17, 2016

#TNEE Atlanta Recap

This time last week, I was in Atlanta for TNEE (The Novel Experience Event).  I had a wonderful time.  Here are some of the highlights.

BTS Book Awards 
The BTS Red Carpet Book Awards was the absolute highlight of this trip.  I won this gorgeous, solid crystal trophy!  Birthright won 1st Place for Best Novel (the trophy) and an honorable mention for Best Cover (the certificate).





Panels


Parties
I co-hosted the Psychics (aka Purple Party) Party on Friday.  Sadly, I only have this photo during preliminary room decorating.  I guess we were having too much fun to take pictures during the party!
The Villains Ball was also a lot of fun. 

Book Signing

A huge thank you to all of the readers who visited my table during the book signing on Saturday.  You rock!



When I was in Atlanta last summer for AAD (Authors After Dark), it was 100F and 90% humidity.  This time the weather was much more tolerable, so I went on two fun excursions.  During the convention, I co-hosted a ghost walk in Oakland Cemetery and lunch at Six Feet Under pub.  When the convention ended, I stayed in Atlanta an extra day and made a trip to Atlanta's botanical gardens.  While in Piedmont Park, I also did a quick tour of the annual Dogwood Festival.

Oakland Cemetery




Botanical Gardens


In addition to these excursions into Atlanta, I also had the opportunity to hang out with amazing authors and readers.  Can you tell we're having fun?


The only downside of my trip was being taken aside by security for the "large, dense object" in my carry-on luggage.  Any guesses what it might have been?  *hint: solid crystal trophies set off TSA scanners.* LOL


That's it!  If you'd like to see more photos, visit my TNEE photo album on Facebook.

Were you at TNEE Atlanta?  Do you have any photos or memories to share?

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Hound's Bite (Ivy Granger) Pre-Order Party

HOUND'S BITE, the highly anticipated fifth full-length novel in the award-winning Ivy Granger series, is now available for pre-order on Amazon and iTunes!  To celebrate, we are giving away some amazing Ivy Granger swag prizes.  Keep reading for details on how to win.


Hound's Bite Ivy Granger Psychic Detective urban fantasy

Hound's Bite (Ivy Granger, Psychic Detective #5) E.J. Stevens.

Ivy Granger thought she left the worst of Mab's creations behind when she escaped Faerie. She thought wrong.

In a cruel twist of fate, Ivy has unleashed a powerful horde of Unseelie beasts upon her city, turning her homecoming into a potential slaughter of innocents. Now Ivy must gather her allies to fight a reputedly unstoppable force—The Wild Hunt.

Will the training Ivy received in her father's court be enough to save her city, or will Harborsmouth be forced to kneel before the Lord of the Hunt? She is willing risk her own life, but some sacrifices come at a cost worse than death. When an ally is bitten by one of The Wild Hunt's hounds, Ivy must face the possibility that winning this battle may mean killing the one person she has come to love most.

Release Date: July 12, 2016
Pre-Order Date: April 13, 2016
Genre: Paranormal, Supernatural Suspense, Urban Fantasy
Add to Goodreads.

Hound's Bite Pre-Order Party Giveaway

We are giving away an Ivy Granger swag pack, including *signed* postcards for each book in the series, an Ivy Granger sticker, and a *signed* Hound's Bite mini poster.

To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  This giveaway is open to US/UK/CA. Giveaway ends April 28, 2016 midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Ivy Granger Series

The Ivy Granger series has won numerous awards, including the BTS Red Carpet Award for Best Novel, the PRG Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Paranormal Fantasy Novel, Best Urban Fantasy Novel, and finalist for Best Urban Fantasy Series.
*Limited time deals: Shadow Sight is FREE on Kindle and iTunes, and Ghost Light is $0.99 on Kindle and iTunes until May 1, 2016.  This is a great time to begin reading the Ivy Granger series!*

Happy reading!

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Book Giveaway: Day's End by Cheree Alsop

Today we have a special book giveaway for our readers.  We are giving away three copies of DAY'S END the third book in the Girl from the Stars science fiction series by Cheree Alsop!

Day's End by Cheree Alsop girl from the stars science fiction

Day's End (Girl from the Stars #3) by Cheree Alsop

When Liora Day and the Kratos crew destroyed half of the Omne Occasus, it turned not only her Damaclan father, but the entire Coalition, against them. The crew of the SS Kratos band together to destroy the rest of the galaxy imploder, but in doing so, they confront a new danger nobody foresaw. Liora is prepared to risk it all to save her race, but when the man she loves puts his own life on the line for hers, everything changes. Can Liora confront death to rescue the human who has given her something worth living for?

Release Date: February 5, 2016
Genre: Science Fiction
Add to Goodreads.

Day's End Ebook Giveaway

Win one of THREE ebook copies of DAY'S END by Cheree Alsop.

To enter, please leave a comment on this post and include your email address so we may contact you if you win.  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.  Giveaway ends April 20, 2016 midnight EST.

Good luck!

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Book Geek Adventure #357: SHAKESPEARE'S FIRST FOLIO

Today required an escape. I'm on deadline, I leave in three days for a book con, book signing, and book awards in Atlanta, and I haven't slept in two days. Perfect time for a bookish road trip, right? Indeed.

Portland Public Library presented another wonderful exhibit.  The displays were interesting and educational.  I always learn something new.



Did you know that there is a version of Hamlet with David Tennant?  How have I not watched this?

Shakespeare's First Folio
 


Parting is such sweet sorrow

Today is the LAST DAY Shakespeare's First Folio is on display at the Portland Public Library.  If you haven't made a trip, there are only a few hours left!