Okay, I lied. Plus, win a free book!

I'm being pulled in a lot of different directions right now and I've been feeling tremendously guilty about not updating the blog regularly. So I decided to go on a short blog hiatus and give myself permission to let that one thing go for a bit. However, as evidence of how chaotic things are right now, I completely forgot that today is the release day for... *drum roll*...

HOORAY!! THE SHADOW READER is finally on shelves!! I had the opportunity to read an early version of THE SHADOW READER (back when it was titled FISSURED, in case any of you recognize it by that earlier name) and people, let me tell you: this is a seriously great book. In fact, I've read a few early versions of it and I still can't wait to download it to my Nook and read it again. It's that good.

Here's the description from Sandy's website:

There can only be one allegiance. 

It’s her time to choose.

Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.

A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn’t her only secret. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden.

But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.

THE SHADOW READER has something for everyone - action, romance, humor. I really can't recommend it enough. It's one of my top reads for 2011.

So! Are you itching for a copy yet?? Leave a comment on this entry letting me know one of your top reads for 2011 (or whatever else you'd like to say) by the end of the day Friday, 10/28, and I'll draw one winner. Open to anyone, anywhere.

Back to my regularly scheduled blog hiatus. ;)

Book releases: Bridger and Campbell

Hi again! Just another couple of quick book release signal boosts. I'm drowning in day job work and revisions for the short term but will be back very soon with actual! content!

First, today is the release day for my friend David Bridger's urban fantasy QUARTER SQUARE. I've been reading about David writing Quarter Square for what feels like forever and I'm excited I can finally read it!

English carpenter Joe Walker thinks his life is over when he discovers his wife and best friend having an affair. Restoring an abandoned theatre offers little hope for a fresh start...until he follows a group of strangers through a hidden door into a world he never could have imagined.

In the haven known as Quarter Square, Joe encounters a community of supernatural street performers who straddle the mortal world and the magic realm known as the Wild. Here, Joe finds a sense of belonging he's never known before—and a chance to uncover the truth behind the frightening visions that have haunted him since childhood. He also meets Min, an enchanting singer who quickly captures his heart.

But as Joe settles into Quarter Square, he learns their haven is under attack, while an ancient enemy threatens to tear him and Min apart. Now, Joe must learn to wield his own powers in order to save the life he's come to love...

Buy QUARTER SQUARE at Carina Press!

--------------------
Copyright © 2011 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited
® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its affiliated companies, used under licence.







Next is a release I'm a few days late on announcing: my friend J.A. Campbell's YA debut SENIOR YEAR BITES.

Senior year is supposed to be fun: boys, dances and graduation.

It's significantly harder to enjoy it when you’re dead.

Truth or Dare is supposed to be fun too. It’s not even close to dangerous, so playing at Steph's house didn't seem like a bad idea. My dare? Spend the rest of the night in the graveyard next to her house. It was only a couple of hours until false dawn, my proscribed return time, so no big deal right? Right.

I survived the attack, but it took me a few days to figure out what was going on. I mean vampires might stalk pop culture, but they're just myths. Yeah. Not so much.

School is a lot more difficult when you're a nocturnal creature of the night. I was managing, but I couldn't keep it hidden from my friends for long. After I managed to accidentally save one of our cheerleaders from her drunk and ill-intentioned boyfriend. Steph decided that we should be cool, like superheroes, and fight crime.

Only I’m a vampire, not a hero, and we live in a sleepy New England town, so crime's a little harder to come by. At least it is until a serial killer moves into the area. He’s got the authorities stumped, but then again, the cops don't have a teenage, blood-sucking, non-hero on their team.

Senior Year Bites is available at
Decadent Amazon
Amazon UK
Smashwords

Guess what arrived today?

My copy of Karen Mahoney's (a.k.a. Kaz, The Kaz(tm), Kazzy, BFF Kaz) THE IRON WITCH!!!



The cover is even more gorgeous in person. Also? There are swirlies on the inside of the cover. Awesome! And I learned what Kaz's mom's name is. I've only known her as Mum. See? You get ALL THIS in addition to an exciting story.

No, but seriously. I read an early draft and it's really great. Official release date in the US is tomorrow (already out in the UK).
B&N | Amazon | Indiebound (or, yanno, you could just keep your eye on this space for a chance to win a copy!)

Book release: ENTICE by Carrie Jones

Description from B&N:

Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever. But that’s not how things have worked out. For starters, well, Nick is gone. He’s been taken to some mythic place for warriors called Valhalla, where Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. It’s just not going to be easy.

Meanwhile, Bedford needs its warriors more than ever, since a group of evil pixies is devastating the place, with teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent. But even if Zara and her friends can find the way to Valhalla, there’s that other small problem: Zara’s been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to leave with her? Especially considering she hasn’t turned into just any pixie . . . She’s Astley’s queen.

Today's the release date for the third book in this great series by Carrie Jones. I've mentioned how much I love this series, oh, about a hundred times. But in case you'd like to read my reviews of the previous two books, you can do it here: NEED and CAPTIVATE. My dog Logan also interviewed Carrie's dog Tala for both prior releases. You can read those here: NEED and CAPTIVATE.

Bottom line? If you haven't checked out the series yet, I recommend that you go buy NEED right away. If you already love the series, what are you waiting for? Get your hands on a copy of ENTICE! :D B&N | Amazon | Indiebound

In the Dark of Dreams releases today!

Just a quick reminder that the newest book in Marjorie M. Liu's excellent Dirk & Steele paranormal romance series, In The Dark Of Dreams, is out today. In case you missed it, you can read my review here.

I loved it.

Book release: CHOSEN by Jeanne Stein

Just a reminder that Book 6 in the excellent Anna Strong series, CHOSEN, by the super fabulous Jeanne Stein, hits shelves today!

It's been almost a year since bounty hunter Anna Strong became a vampire, but as she's about to discover, her greatest powers have yet to be unleashed...
Though Anna has become accustomed to the fact that she’s now a vampire, she still enjoys the illusion of being human. So when she suddenly notices that her primitive urges are getting harder to control, she’s worried. Then, she’s attacked, narrowly escaping with her life. The only person with enough motive to want her dead is her old foe—Warren Williams. But another more dangerous enemy lies in wait.

What Anna doesn’t know is that she’s far too valuable to kill. For she’s been chosen to shape the destiny of the vampire race—and all of mankind…


This series is great--dark, gritty, and spare. Very kickass, much like Anna herself. Also? I'm in LOVE with the covers.

B&N | Amazon | Indiebound

Book release: Kiss Me Deadly (anthology)

Guess what's out today?

KISS ME DEADLY: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love, featuring stories by:

Karen Mahoney (KAZ!!! <3 <3)
Sarah Rees Brennan
Becca Fitzpatrick
Caitlin Kittredge
Daniel Marks
Justine Musk
Diana Peterfreund
Michelle Rowan
Carrie Ryan
Maggie Stiefvater
Rachel Vincent
Daniel Waters
Michelle Zink

That thing is jam-packed with talented authors. For a little more info, including the paranormal subject of each of the tales (e.g., ghosts, zombies, djinn), check out Kaz's post here. B&N | Amazon | Indiebound

YA Recommendations?

First, though, (just in case you haven't seen me excitedly blathering about it for days already) today is the release day for a whole host of exciting books! Marjorie Liu's A WILD LIGHT and Kelley Armstrong's WAKING THE WITCH both come out today, as well as releases by Jeri Smith-Ready, Stacia Kane, Jeaniene Frost, and Jocelynn Drake. (click the author names to be brought to their websites for more info on the new releases)

Onto other business: YA recs.

The first book I wrote was an adult urban fantasy. I'd been reading UF for years--I knew the genre inside and out, and had begun networking at conferences, etc. long before I'd even finished my first draft. I had (naively) hoped that would be the book to get me published. Even if that didn't happen, I never thought I'd be writing YA. Never.

I'm new to the YA genre. I'm not very widely read and, honestly, I'm finding it a little intimidating. There's SO MUCH out there! And I'm also finding it difficult to figure out things from a networking perspective. There are like a zillion different YA-themed websites and blogs and, since I haven't read too much of it yet, I'm not sure where to really start. With UF, I started paying attention to the writers who were my favorites and whose work I respected and admired. I'm not at that point yet with YA.

So, how about you guys? Can you recommend some YA books to add to my growing wish list and, if possible, some YA blogs/websites/Twitter accounts/whatever to keep an eye on? Again, I'm looking for people who will help me grow as a YA writer.

Book releases

I forgot to post about a couple of book releases I'm excited about. (Truth be told, I've forgotten to post about a LOT of book releases I've been excited about, and I feel guilty about all of them. But I do post when I remember...)

First, BEAUTY AND THE BASTARD by David Bridger!!! ( ):



Beauty and the Bastard is a hot romance about a fallen angel and a demon princess. I've heard great things about it and can't wait to get a copy. Check out David's LJ for more info here.

Also out now is DARK AND STORMY KNIGHTS:



This short story anthology includes offerings from Ilona Andrews (EEEE!!), Vicki Pettersson, Rachel Caine, Lilith Saintcrow, Jim Butcher, and more. Very exciting!

Kathleen Turner says to check out this first chaptery goodness

And by Kathleen Turner, I mean me. I'm finally clearing this disgusting virus, as proven by the cyclical evolution of my voice: Renee Sweet to Kathleen Turner to crypt creature to shit, nothing at all to Sheryl Crow to...voila! Today, I'm Kathleen Turner again. FYI, it's quite fun to sing as Kathleen Turner. Very low and husky. I'll miss it when I'm back to sounding like Renee Sweet.

In other utterly fantastic news, the first chapter of UNPERFECT SOULS, the newest Connor Grey book by Mark Del Franco is available for devouring! *squeaks* New! Connor! Here! Eeeee! Here's a link to my "loved it" review of UNFALLEN DEAD, the previous book in the series, in case you're interested.

Book release: Captivate by Carrie Jones

Sick Brain was playing tricks on me and I didn't realize today was also the release date for CAPTIVATE, the HIGHLY ANTICIPATED (in this house, anyway!) sequel to Carrie Jones's NEED. I shall spare you the gushing about NEED and simply direct you to my review of it.

Here's the info on CAPTIVATE:

Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his.

Greetings from the crypt

A friend of mine who has been sick recently called herself a crypt blob. I have officially de-throned her. I have some sort of disgusting virus (doctor confirmed) which has moved into my throat and chest, leaving me with this horrifically, mannishly, gravelly sounding, sometimes-here-sometimes-not voice (take THAT, descriptor haters!). We won't even get into how I feel.

On the positive side, I've done nothing but lay around and read for several days now. I finally finished BLOODANGEL by Justine Musk (loved!), which I had been reading for what felt like a thousand years--partly because I didn't want it to end and partly because I had very little time right before the holidays. I also read ON THE EDGE by Ilona Andrews (loved!!), LAMENT by Maggie Stiefvater (loved), A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY by Libba Bray (liked), and THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by Jay Asher (really liked). I'm hoping to review them here in the coming days, but we'll have to see what plans the crypt has for me.

I also wanted to remind everyone that the INKED anthology is on sale today (woo!). INKED features stories by Marjorie M. Liu, Karen Chance, Yasmine Galenorn, and Eileen Wilks. I'm particularly excited about the Marjorie Liu story, Armor of Roses, which takes place in the world of her Maxine Kiss UF series.

Book release: On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

I've been hearing excellent things about this book and can't wait to read it:

From Amazon:

The Broken is a place where people shop at Wal-Mart and magic is nothing more than a fairy tale.

The Weird is a realm where blueblood aristocrats rule and the strength of your magic can change your destiny.

Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, the place between both worlds. A perilous existence indeed, made even more so by a flood of magic-hungry creatures bent on absolute destruction.

I'm a ridiculous, flailing fangirl of Ilona's Kate Daniels series and have already read a review that says ON THE EDGE is--gasp!--better. I'm not sure that's possible, but it does sound like the book is pretty damn good. I'll be posting a review here as soon as I have a chance to read it but in the meantime, you might want to consider checking it out for yourself... ;)

Book release: Retribution by Jeanne Stein

I've been remiss in my word count euphoria! Look what released this week:

Retribution is the fifth book in Jeanne Stein's Anna Strong series. Description from Amazon:

With her partner out of town, her family abroad, and her mentor estranged, newly-turned vampire Anna Strong is keeping a low profile.

But now young vampires are turning up dead, completely drained of their life force. And though Anna wants to say no when Williams, her former teacher and now leader of a supernatural enforcement squad, asks for her help, she can't. But soon, she'll wish she did.

I've talked many times before about how much I love this series. Anna's a strong, raw character who gets herself in all kinds of trouble. Jeanne's writing is spare and gritty, a perfect voice for Anna's character.

Friday Five: Anticipation and Teaser Edition

Five things I'm highly anticipating:

1. My dinner. Ben's supposedly bringing Indian food home but I might die of hunger before he gets here. Srsly(tm). Teaser:
(Mmmm. Channa Masala and garlic naan.)

2. Monday's interview and contest for The Eternal Kiss! Here's a hint: My Logan (dog) is interviewing 's Karen Mahoney's Logan (cat). Teaser:
(There may have to be a Logan cute-off.)

3. Richelle Mead's THORN QUEEN, Book 2 in the Dark Swan series, which released this week. Teaser:
(Okay, it's not really a teaser, just the cover. But you can read the first chapter on Richelle's website.)

4. RITUAL, a brand new comic illustrated by a very talented friend of mine, Shawn McCauley. Shawn will also be stopping by for an interview soon. Teaser: You'll have to click on the RITUAL link to see the cover or Shawn's link to see other samples of art. Sorry! :)

5. The next 59,603 or so words in my book. *big grin*

Teaser: A rabbit hopped lazily into view, nibbling the sparse grass that was at eye-level with my basement window. Maybe that was the answer. Did rabbits ever want for grass to eat or water to drink? Did they ache when their mothers tumbled into the bellies of wolves?

397 / 60000 words. 1% done!

Book release: The Eternal Kiss

The Eternal Kiss is finally available!

From Amazon:

There’s an allure to vampire tales that have seduced readers for generations. From Bram Stoker to Stephanie Meyer and beyond, vampire stories are here to stay. For those fresh-blooded fans of paranormal romance or for those whose hunt and hunger never dies, these stories have what readers want!

This collection of original tales comes from some of the hottest, most popular, and best-selling YA writers, including:
• Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Tithe)
• Libba Bray (A Great and Terrible Beauty)
• Melissa De La Cruz (Blue Blood)
• Cassandra Clare (City of Bones)
• Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires)
• Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie (Wicked)
• Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof, Queen of Cool)
• Kelley Armstrong (Women of Otherworld)
• Maria V. Snyder
• Sarah Rees Brennan
• Lili St. Crow
• Karen Mahoney
• Dina James

They will make everyone a sucker for eternal kisses.

Do you see those names? And it bears repeating that this is Karen Mahoney's first official publication. Whoo-hoo!! Her short story 'Falling to Ash' is the first of the thirteen and is getting great reviews. I read an early version and absolutely loved it. It's a wonderful adventure story laced with complex emotions from a dynamic, engaging main character. And, um, I'll quit with the adjectives now.

You can buy it by clicking the link above (where you can also read the first 6 pages of 'Falling to Ash' for free through the Look Inside feature!) or you can enter to win a signed copy over at the Deadline Dames site.

Sneak peek at The Eternal Kiss

Dudes! Check this out!

THE ETERNAL KISS is an anthology of vampire stories from 13 amazing YA authors:

• Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Tithe)
• Libba Bray (A Great and Terrible Beauty)
• Melissa De La Cruz (Blue Blood)
• Cassandra Clare (City of Bones)
• Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires)
• Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie (Wicked)
• Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof, Queen of Cool)
• Kelley Armstrong (The Awakening, Women of Otherworld)
• Maria V. Snyder (Magic Study, Poison Study)
• Sarah Rees Brennan (The Demon's Lexicon)
• Lili St. Crow (Strange Angels, Dante Valentine, Jill Kismet)
• Karen Mahoney (of Renee-Kaz BFF fame)
• Dina James (up and coming YA writer)

And now you can read the first six pages of the anthology for FREE on Amazon with their 'Look Inside' feature. Know whose story just happens to be the first one? Karen Mahoney's! That's right, you can get an early peek at Karen's amazing story Falling to Ash for FREE right now by clickety-clicking on this link right here. Incidentally, you can pre-order THE ETERNAL KISS via the same handy-dandy little link. Which, naturally, you'll want to do when the preview ends and you're left hanging, dying to know what happens next in Falling to Ash... *cue e-vile laugh*

The book trailer that made me want to write a book

Below is the book trailer for Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER. There are some important things you should know before watching it:

1. I'm not a big fan of book trailers. I know, that's a weird way to intro a book trailer, right? But you'll understand why I'm telling you that when you get to #4. But don't look at that yet. Read #'s 2 & 3 first.
2. Maggie cut out all the lovely paper figures herself.
3. Maggie also composed the music herself.
4. After I watched this trailer last night, I couldn't stop thinking about it. The music and imagery haunted me. It made me want to tell the story of the emotions it evoked.

Now, I will share it with you:




Maggie is hosting a contest related to the trailer here which, although I've entered, isn't the reason I posted the trailer here. Something this evocative is too good to keep to oneself once discovered.

Book releases: Liu, Vincent, Pettersson

Such an exciting couple of days in the UF world! Today, these two books are officially on the shelves:

DARKNESS CALLS is the second full length novel in Marjorie M. Liu's urban fantasy series. Here's the back cover copy:
They are the obsidian shadows of my flesh - tattoos with minds, hearts, and dreams. By day, they protect me. But when night calls to them, they leave my body, dissolving into their true form - as demons…
Nomad born and bred, demon hunter Maxine Kiss has always relied upon herself to fight the darkness that surrounds her, the predators-human, zombie, and otherwise - who threaten the earth. But one man has penetrated her lonely life: Grant, the last of his kind. With music he is able to control any living creature…including demons. And now his life is in danger.

Haunted by the past, determined to change the future, Maxine soon understands that to save Grant, she has only one choice-to lose control, and release her own powers of darkness…

I was lucky enough to find this early. I'll be catching up on reviews this weekend and will post a proper one then, but in the meantime know this: it's excellent . If you haven't checked out this series yet, don't wait. It begins with Hunter Kiss, a novella found either in e-format or in the anthology WILD THINGS, followed by THE IRON HUNT and now DARKNESS CALLS (the last two are both full length novels).

CITY OF SOULS is the fourth book in Vicki Pettersson's Signs of the Zodiac series. Here's the back cover copy:

Joanna Archer, Agent of Light, has survived a violent initiation into the paranormal world lurking behind the seedy seams of Las Vegas. She's found a home, friends, and even t he chance for a new life and love.
But evil never rests, and to save her beloved city, and herself, Joanna must venture into a new world hidden among the shadows, one where the line between good and evil is barely visible, every agent is a rogue ... and each breath could be her last.

This is a great series and offers readers truly unique worldbuilding. Again, if you haven't had a chance to check out this series yet, now's the perfect time: you can read the entire first book for free here.


Tomorrow is the official release day for this book:

PREY is the fourth book in Rachel Vincent's Shifters series. Here's the back cover copy:

SOMETIMES PLAYING CAT AND MOUSE IS NO GAME...

Play? Right. My Pride is under fire from all sides, my father's authority is in question, and my lover is in exile. Which means I haven't laid eyes on Marc's gorgeous face in months. And with a new mother and an I-know-everything teenager under my protection, I don't exactly have time to fantasize about ever seeing him again.

Then our long-awaited reunion is ruined by a vicious ambush by strays. Now our group is under attack, Marc is missing, and I will need every bit of skill and smarts to keep my family from being torn apart. Forever.

Another series I love. I'm really behind in my book reviews, but I just read the third book, PRIDE, this spring and really enjoyed it. Faythe and crew are in a mess and I can't wait to see how Rachel digs them even deeper in this next installment (because she's wonderfully evil like that). Stay tuned for a full review of PRIDE this weekend (but you don't have to wait that long to buy PREY!).

Lynx. Rawr.

I've been hard at work on my query letter in between the Day Job and other events, such as visiting the bundle o' sweetness otherwise known as Baby Nephew. Therefore, I present a random smattering of links and things I've generally been meaning to post here for a while. Ta-Da!

~~~
The lovely and talented Karen Mahoney has a short story in a YA Vampire anthology coming out this summer called The Eternal Kiss (hint! click the link to pre-order now!). Here's the gorgeous cover:

Srsly (tm). Is that cool, or what?

She'll be joined by twelve other talented authors: Kelley Armstrong, Holly Black, Libba Bray, Sarah Rees Brennan, Rachel Caine, Cecil Castellucci, Cassandra Clare, Melissa De La Cruz, Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie, Dina James, Maria V. Snyder and Lili St. Crow. I can't wait!

~~~
A list of "empty adverbs," courtesy of Holt Uncensored via Editorial Ass: actually, totally, absolutely, completely, continually, constantly, continuously, literally, really, unfortunately, ironically, incredibly, hopefully, finally. Run to your WIPs, my darlings, and CTRL F your little hearts out. This list was part of a Ten Mistakes Writers Make post that's really worth checking out, whether you've got 70 books under your belt or 70 words. Click on the Holt link for the full version or the EA link for a slightly abbreviated list.

~~~
This is really random, but Mother's Day is approaching so I thought I'd take a second opportunity to pimp one of my favorite products: Envirosax. I featured Envirosax in my first Product of the Week post and I'm going to be completely annoying and ask that you click the link for all the info because I'm short on time. In short, they're really freaking cool reusable bags. They're running a special right now if you buy one pouch of five bags, you can get a Retro Kitchen pouch free. And the Retro Kitchen pouches are on sale. So, you can buy a Retro Kitchen pouch on sale and get one free! That's a heckuva deal for a product I love and a company I love to support. Go buy your mother something she'll love *and* use for Mother's Day. And, um, if a certain Mother-in-law happens to be reading this particular entry just, uh, pretend you never saw this. ;)