Independence for Authors
I don't usually blog about other blog posts, especially not posts directed more at writers than at readers, but this is too good to pass up.
Right now, Amazon, which really opened up the possibilities for independent authors with its invention of the Kindle (the first really usable e-reader) and Kindle Direct Publishing (Smashwords also gets credit for starting the independent author revolution, but it was Amazon that brought it mainstream) is involved in difficult negotiations with one of the Big 5 publishers (Hachette). The news media (which in large part is owned by the same giant international comglomerates that own the Big 5 publishers) has been in an anti-Amazon frenzy, spouting out ridiculous claims about how Amazon means the end of literature and ideas and civilization and life the universe and EVERYTHING!!!
Passive Guy is an IP (intellectual property) and contracts lawyer with a special interest in independent writing and publishing and in the disruptive technology and business practices that make this revolution possible. His blog is a must-read for independent authors. Here is part of his response to the frenzy:
As independent authors arise, empowered by Amazon's democratic commons of ideas, PG says we're looking at a renaissance of American literature, an upheaval that is shoving the suits out and putting authors back in charge of the art they create.
Despite the dying spasms of Big Publishing, the wall between writers and readers is coming down. Uncontrolled and unmediated ideas are being released into the wild, giving readers the opportunity to decide which will flourish.
Whether the path out of corporate serfdom comes via Amazon or someone else, authors who have discovered the freedom that comes with owning and controlling the fruits of their labors are not going back to the plantation.
You can read the whole thing, along with quotes from the article that inspired this response, here:
http://www.thepassivevoice.com/05/2014/how-the-amazon-hachette-fight-could-shape-the-future-of-ideas/
For readers, the independent author revolution means more books, less expensive books, a wider variety of books - not just what the sales departments at the publishing companies decide they can market, access to previously out-of-print books whose authors have gotten their rights back (often at great time, expense, and stress), continuation of series that were cancelled by publishers, easier and more convenient access to books in a variety of formats, and closer interaction with authors. Big publishing does not see readers as their customers; their customers are the book distributors and the big chain bookstores. The independent author revolution is good for readers, good for authors, good for everyone except those with a vested interest in preserving the old, bloated, exclusionary, wasteful way of doing things.
Book Review: Monochrome
Monochrome, by H.M. Jones
* * * * (4 stars)
Monochrome is a strikingly original tale of a young wife and mother who, overwhelmed with post-partum depression and fears about her marriage, comes close to giving up on life. When she awakens from a panic attack, she finds herself in the strange, dark world of Monochrome (fittingly colored blue), where good memories are the highly-coveted currency. With the help of her guide, Ishmael, she has the chance to find her way back to the life she no longer wants to leave behind - but at what cost?
I love the idea of a world where you have to pay your way by giving up memories. The book takes a close look at the different kinds of memories we have - from nice ones that we could live without to those memories that define who and what we are - and how giving up even the ones that don't seem significant affects our perceptions of our whole selves. It really made me think about what memories I would give up if I had to - and in Monochrome, only good memories are valid currency, you can keep the bad ones. The thought was chilling.
Ishmael and Abby are both appealing characters. I especially liked Ishmael, the deeply wounded young man who never made it out of Monochrome and instead took a job of trying to help others find their way out. I would like to know more about his past, and his future. I'm also intrigued by how the world of Monochrome came to be, and would love to read more about that and about the menacing Boss, who rules Monochrome.
There's some action, but this is mostly an introspective book, with long conversations between Ishmael and Abby, two very articulate and self-aware young people. They are both also poetry buffs, and quote a lot of Romantic (as in style, not in lovey-dovey) poetry to each other.
Monochrome is a dark book, but also filled with hope and beauty. Recommended if you're looking for a fantasy/urban fantasy/paranormal that will make you slow down and think and feel.
(My interview with Abby)
Author Spotlight: Mary Bernsen
Introducing fantasy/paranormal author Mary Bernsen, and her novel Healing the Bayou.
What is a Queen without her King?
After learning that she is adopted, Eliza sets off to locate her biological family and finds them in the Louisiana bayou. But they're more than just locals—they're descended from the area's most famous Voodoo queen, Marie Laveau—Eliza's great-great-grandmother. Surrounded by a mysterious world of séances, spells, and sacrifices, Eliza finds herself worshiped as the last great priestess. What's more, she's inherited the ability to heal the souls of others with a simple touch of her hands.
Eliza is expected to cultivate this gift so she can claim her title as Queen and return the Voodoo community to glory. A task Eliza wouldn't mind as long as she could perform it beside the devastating Samuel Mueller. But according to tradition, Samuel is her keeper, and a keeper never becomes romantically involved with his ward. His sacred duty is to protect her. And the bayou is rife with enemies who would sacrifice anything to eliminate outsiders like Eliza..
Interview with Eliza:
1. What is your full name? Is there anything significant about your name?
My name is Eliza Lane Morgan. I guess what's different about my name, is that it really isn't my name.
It's the name my adopted parents gave me. Nicole Paris was my birth name.
2. How old are you?
Twenty-four.
3. Tell us about your family. What do you like and not like about them?
Well, the family that I grew up with was pretty awesome. There was Mom, Dad, Uncle Charlie, and Aunt Patrice. They were the most welcoming, and accepting people I've ever known. But they lied to me my entire life about who I was.
My biological family is a totally different story. I never met my parents, but my aunt Vivian is a plotting, scheming, witch (literally!)
4. Who was your first kiss, and what did you think of it?
Samuel was my first kiss, and it was...breath taking.
5. What is your occupation?
I'm a student--a psychology major.
6. What are your best and worst qualities?
I definitely have a tendency to be way too trusting, which I guess could count as both my best and worst trait, right?
7. What quality do you value most in a romantic partner?
I have to know he will protect me without smothering my independence. I want to know I can rely on him.
Help the wonderful Voodoo community...be it providing blessings, teachings, or just a warm, welcome home.
Losing any one else I love...I've lost way too many.
10. What is your most treasured possession?
The djakout Samuel gave me. Even when I didn't believe in the power it posesses to protect me, I knew he did and I loved him for it.
Healing the Bayou is available at:
Add on Goodreads
Mary Bernsen is a southwest Florida native currently living in Punta Gorda with her two beautiful children and a third, much larger child that she affectionately calls husband. She is a stay-at-home mother and spends her days creating characters on the good side of twenty-five because she is in serious denial about the fact that she is now on the bad side of it. She has a passion for fantasy of any kind along with historical fiction. If she isn't having conversations with her made-up friends, you can usually find her clipping coupons or out on the boat enjoying the muddy waters of Peace River (as long as it isn't below 80 degrees).
Book Spotlight: Till Death and Beyond
Today I'm happy to welcome Lyn C. Johanson, author of Till Death and Beyond, here on her blog tour with Saskia Book Tours. Learn about her and her book, and don't forget to enter the giveaway down at the bottom of the post!
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
Even as a child I had my head up in the clouds, it's really a wonder it took me this long to realize that creating stories is what I want to do. And not just stories. I love creating new fantasy worlds where anything is possible.
I'm incurable romantic who has a sweet tooth, loves to travel, and spends hours at a dancing studio every week perfecting my waltz and rumba steps.
2. When did you start writing, and why?
I started writing poems when I was eleven or twelve years old because words were just flowing out of me. In rhymes.
3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write?
I write romance novels with heavy emphasis on fantasy elements. I try to combine both so that fantasy and romance work hand in hand, creating a stronger story with just enough twists to keep a reader on the edge of the seat.
4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books?
Till Death and Beyond is the first book in Witch World series, and my debut novel. The sequel will follow – I'm neck-deep into writing it, and I'm having a blast!
5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series.
Magic is real in the Witch World. But anyone who is suspected of being a witch is mercilessly hunted. It is a world torn apart by dark powers and bloodshed, and ruled by gods and demons.
6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them?
Amira is unique. She is not a practitioner like all the other witches. She has real power—little good that it does her. She's bound by the prophecy and controlled by the gods, but it doesn't mean she bows down meekly. She might have a kind heart, but she can zap you in no time if you mess with her.
Raven is a man who has lost everyone he loved. He lives for the sole purpose of saving his younger brother from the grips of madness; living mostly on a road, searching for a way to accomplish it.
7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book.
In a way, Till Death and Beyond was born out of boredom. I was writing my master's thesis when Amira came to me and started telling her story. I got hooked, and had to put it down so that more people could enjoy it.
8. Blog/site link, and where your book is available.
Facebook | Goodreads
Till Death and Beyond is available at Amazon
Till Death and Beyond
Till Death and Beyond is a sizzling tale of two souls bound by destiny in a cruel plot to separate them forever...
A COLD BEAUTY WHO KNOWS DEATH INTIMATELY...
Amira is the strongest witch on the face of the earth, with psychic abilities no others possess. And yet, she is but a slave to the whims of the gods. Forced to be born anew every time she fails in fulfilling an ancient prophecy, Amira is desperate to break the vicious cycle.
A TORMENTED WARRIOR WHO HAS LOST EVERYTHING...
Plagued by the memories and guilt over his family's demise, Raven lives for the sole reason of restoring his younger brother. And kidnapping a witch is only the beginning—for he intends to right the wrongs of his past by any means necessary.
A DESTINY TO CHANGE THE WORLD...
While the gods might have planned for her to be captured, surrender is not something that comes easy to Amira. Yet one glance into her captor's eyes, and she is swept away by emotions long ago denied to her. She decides to play along. For a while.
Despite the hatred Raven harbors for their kind, he is intrigued by the witch. One taste of her lips, and she becomes his obsession. Soon, he discovers that fighting against the passion they ignite in one another is futile. But as they strip each other's secrets, a powerful force threatens to destroy them both.
For in this game of gods nothing is simple—the whole universe seems to conspire against them. And no matter how fiercely they fight, or what they are willing to endure to save each other ... the path they travel is paved with loss.
Will they survive the ultimate test, if even their determination—to fight till death—might not be enough?
A computer science major, Lyn C. Johanson decided to leave the cold world of code lines and pursue her passion for writing romance stories. Now, she mostly lives in the world she dreams up. Except when her husband and sons drag her back to reality—where she enjoys photography, dancing, and spending time with her family.
Giveaway not sponsored by Kyra Halland/Welcome To My Worlds
Book Spotlight: Sentinel
Last July, I reviewed Sentinel by Joshua Winning, and gave it a rare 5-star review. Recently, Joshua achieved a major goal and received a publishing contract for Sentinel. To celebrate the re-release on May 19 of this awesome book, I'm re-posting the review here.
Sentinel, by Joshua Winning
Kyra's Star Ratings:
Characters: * * * * *
Story: * * * * *
Writing: * * * * *
Emotional Engagement: * * * * *
(I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of giving an honest review.)
"Sentinel" is the story of a fifteen-year-old boy, Nicholas Hallow, who, when his world falls apart, learns that he has abilities and a heritage that he never dreamed of. Evil beings who were long held at bay by the Sentinels have begun to gain a foothold in our world, and Nicholas finds himself the object of the stuggle between the Sentinels and the servants of the Dark Prophets.
This book grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go till the end. The sense of menace never lets up - even when Nicholas finds refuge, the danger is still out there, waiting. The descriptions of a world where evil is gaining power are chilling, as are the antagonists themselves. The characters are vividly drawn, and I found myself loving the good guys (and girls) and loving to hate the baddies. The book is also emotionally gripping - I felt the highs, lows, fear, relief, and shock right along with the characters.
"Sentinel" is described as "dark YA fantasy," but it hits that sweet spot of having a teen protagonist and being appropriate for/interesting to teens, while also being written with a deeper, more sophisticated adult voice and outlook and featuring some adult point-of-view characters. I'm not a big YA reader, preferring adult characters and an adult voice, but I found myself deeply engaged in and satisfied with reading "Sentinel." Besides being a good example of YA-adult crossover, I think this book would appeal very much to teen boys who enjoyed the Harry Potter books.
[Note: It's very likely that the book has been re-edited prior to this release, so this part of the review may no longer be valid.] It isn't perfect; there are a few bits of the story that didn't quite hang together for me, though it never lost my attention, and the author occasionally uses words to attribute dialogue that don't really work as substitutes for "said."
Other than those tiny nitpicks, I thought "Sentinel" was fantastic, and enjoyed it immensely. (Plus it gives a whole new meaning to the term "crazy cat lady"!) I highly recommend it, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
Sentinel:
"What is a Sentinel? A guard. A killer. A detective.'
You see them every day, but you would have no idea who they really are or the power they hold. They are the world's best kept-secret – and now the world needs them more than ever.
Mobilised against the devastating return of centuries-old dark forces, the Sentinels face their greatest challenge and a threat to their ancient existence. And when 15-year-old Nicholas Hallow's parents are killed in a suspicious train crash, the teenager is drawn into a world where nothing is quite what it seems.
Against the backdrop of a summer snowstorm, Nicholas and hardy pensioner Sam Wilkins embark on a treacherous journey in which their pursuers are never far behind.
A young adult dark fantasy set in Cambridge, Sentinel is the first book in the thrilling Sentinel Trilogy. Filled with action, mystery, monsters and murder, it takes the reader on a terrifying adventure with unconventional heroes and a touch of magic.
The Sentinel Trilogy Website | Facebook | Twitter
Coming May 19
Peridot Press | Amazon UK | Amazon US
Joshua Winning was born in Cambridge, but don't hold that against him. He's attempted to escape reality for most of his life by writing. As a child, that involved poring diligently over anything by C.S. Lewis or Robin Jarvis, and attempting to come up with stories that were even half as good.​​
He mostly failed. His stories were often gruesome and had titles like Skull and Skull II: The Revenge. (He even bound them using the old binding machine at his dad's school.)​
When he was 16, Joshua started writing his first 'proper' novel. It didn't have a title then (or at least, it had a terrible one that Joshua refuses to reveal), but it slowly morphed into Sentinel. Almost 15 years, a film studies degree, and about five thousand cups of coffee later, he's finally finished it. It's turned out to be a very personal story, even if it does involve big explosions and nasty demons.​
When he's not writing about Sentinels, Joshua can usually be found watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Wire and Daria. He also works as a freelance journalist, writing about movies for Total Film, movieScope and Grolsch Film Works.​
Joshua currently lives in North London with his cat Mia. Unfortunately, she's not a great conversationalist, but he's working on it.
Website | Twitter
Kyra's interview with Joshua Winning
Author Spotlight: Teshelle Combs
Today I'm pleased to introduce author Teshelle Combs and her YA sci fi/paranormal novel The System:
The name's Teshelle and I'm 25 years old. My favorite food is bread ("Bread is the paper of the food industry You write your sandwich on it." -Dwight K. Shrute). I'm also a singer/songwriter and a Christian. I have an English degree from UCF. I'm from the beautiful island of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Lived there for most of my life. Oh, and I write books!!
I started eating novels when I was about 10 years old. I just opened them up and devoured them whole. Before I knew it, I'd spend my nights lying in bed imagining up alternate endings to the books I'd read. Then, alternate characters. And BAM, I was coming up with my own stories. With a few teachers and my best friends urging me on, I started writing down the weirdest, most dramatic magical realist short stories you could ever imagine (one of them even won an award later on). And that is the story of how I started writing.
I write Young Adult novels. Contemporary fantasy and sci-fi, paranormal--anything kick-butt really. I love love, so look out for romance somewhere in everything I write. But it has to be YA. I think that it gives me the greatest freedom to write within my chosen genre. Besides, I still think I'm 17 most of the time anyways. I have two novels out write now, and I'm working on both of their sequels, so soon I'll have two totally independent YA series available at the same time! I do it that way because sometimes my brain needs a break (and I'm afraid that if I keep writing for one character too long, I might become them or something looney like that).
My newest release is 'The System.' Think assassins. Assassins who use mental mathematical algorithms to do amazing things—like kill people. Because they're assassins. It's YA, of course, and it's got a splash of sci-fi, paranormal, action/adventure, and romance. It's set in California, although you can hardly tell where you are outside of the mildewed confinement of the System walls. It's set in the present day, and it's dark and funny and scary and romantic all at the same time. It's set up to be a series, so once you read it, you'll be hounding me about the second installment, 'The Syndicate.'
My next endeavor should be released around September, and it'll be a novella that sheds some light on a new character in my 'Core' series. 'Core' is a contemporary YA that makes dragons sexy, bad a-word, and way too interesting.
I love this question!! 'The System,' is not a fun world to be trapped in. It's run by people you never get to see for reasons you never really know. But there are rules. Rules that are so strict, they could mean the end of your life–or worse, the end of the people you love. Yet…the System doesn't have all the high tech gadgets and facilities one would expect from an assassin organization. They keep their recruits in the dark–and the cold, and the hunger, and the fear. In this world, Nick and Nessa have to let go of parts of themselves that made them 'good' people. They have to learn to survive. And maybe that means they'll learn to need each other.
Nessa. Nessa Parker is a high school slacker. Her hobbies are sunbathing, falling asleep on the bus, and skipping class. Until she's thrown into a world where she's expected to kill people she's never even met before. Equipped with sass, never-failing humor, and a few big secrets, Nessa changes the System for good.
Nick. Nick Masters is one of my favorite characters ever. He's dark, quiet, dangerous, and gorgeous. But he's incredibly broken, and fragile in ways most people could never withstand. He's got so many secrets he forgot most of them. In fact, he can't remember much of his life–and he prefers it that way. At least he doesn't have to feel if he can't remember…until he meets his new partner.
I have a happy dance. I do it all the time. It is the purest and most magical form of artistic expression, because it comes from my very being and pours fourth unrestraint and unmonitored from the essence of me. I often accompany it with a sort of shrieking, swooping howl, head tilted back so as not to hinder the natural resonance. Flailing arms and a very rapid, quick side-to side hip swing may signal others in the vicinity that the happy dance is commencing. If you see these signs, it may be wise for you to take cover. My husband and those who love me tend to fear my happy dance. They often claim it as a danger to civilization itself.
That only makes me dance more.
Hear this. I will do this dance wherever I am if anyone comments on this blog post. No matter the time of day or the venue. This I vow to you. Your comment will make me that happy.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | email
The System:
1 + 1 = Dead.
That's the only math that adds up when you're in the System.
Everywhere Nick turns, he's surrounded by the inevitability of his own demise at the hands of the people who stole his life from him. That is, until those hands deliver the bleeding, feisty, eye-rolling Nessa Parker. Tasked with keeping his new partner alive, Nick must face all the ways he's died and all the things he's forgotten.
Nessa might as well give up. The moment she gets into that car, the moment she lays her hazel eyes on her new partner, her end begins. It doesn't matter that Nick Masters can slip through time by computing mathematical algorithms in his mind. It doesn't matter how dark and handsome and irresistibly cold he is. Nessa has to defeat her own shadows.
Together and alone, Nick and Nessa make sense of their senseless fates and fight for the courage to change it all. Even if it means the System wins and they end up…well…dead.
Author Spotlight: M.H. Soars
Introducing sci fi/fantasy author M.H. Soars and her novel The Prophecy of Arcadia:
I was a total nerd while growing and up and enjoyed the company of books more than of people. Thankfully, I've moved on from that anti-social phase and can call myself a geek now (trust me, there is a difference).
I might not be that introverted person anymore but my passion for books not only remains, but it has evolved into something much bigger. I'm not satisfied with only reading books. Now I have stories to tell too. Oh, and before I forget, I'm also a shoeholic. :)
I started to write because I had these stories in my head and one day I decided to type them away. Just to see if I could do it.
The more I wrote, the more the story took shape.
I write what I like to read. As a reader, I've lost count of how many times a book frustrated me.
I'm one of those people who yell at fictious characters when they make bad decisions like they are real.
What I enjoy most about writing is the power and freedom it gives you. The fate of my characters rests on my hands. It's like playing with Barbies but much, much better (fyi, I haven't played with Barbies since I was 9, I just collect them now ;) ).
The Prophecy of Arcadia is my first published work and it's the first book in the Arcadian Wars series. I plan to published the second, Prodigies Unbound, beginning of next year.
I'm also working on a YA standalone novel that might still be published this year.
Arcadian Wars tells the story of a group of very talented alien teens who were placed on Earth to protect two kids from there.
Those human kids are prophesized to be the key to save Arcadia which at the point the story begins, is on the brink of complete destruction.
There are sci-fi elements but in the first book it takes a backseat. The story feels more contemporary with the aliens pretending to be humans and facing regular teen problems while trying to protect their charges. The following books will feel more Sci-Fi and there will more action too.
Samantha is my favorite character and the easiest to write. She encompasses everything I look for in an heroine. She's sassy, loyal, and flawed in a realistic way.
Alexia is human and one of the kids the Arcadians are protecting. She's doesn't know her role in the Prophecy and believes her protectors are actually her cousins. She's kind and adores her family.
Matthew is another Arcadian and he's the total package: gorgeous, myterious, and protective.
You get to know at lot about them because The Prophecy of Arcadia is told in their POVs.
A lot of the weird alien names were concocted by my sister and me after we drank a whole bottle of champagne. So yeah, I blame it on the alcohol, lol.
8. Where to find M.H.:
Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Google+
Prophecy of Arcadia is available at Amazon.
Being a teenager is tough, especially when you have to pretend to be something you're not, and you're in love with someone you shouldn't. 115 years ago, a small planet called Arcadia was invaded by a vicious alien race and nearly destroyed. Cut off from their resources, the Arcadians turned to Earth for help. A group of Arcadian explorers discovered a Prophecy that claimed their salvation lay in the hands of two children from Earth. To ensure their safety, the Arcadian Council sent their most gifted youngsters to Earth to act as protectors. Samantha is one of them.
To succeed in her mission she must learn to control her Arcadian powers and keep her true identity from her best friend, and the girl she swore to protect, Alexia. But Samantha will soon realize that nothing is as it seems. Someone is trying to prevent the Prophecy from taking place and the prophecy boy hasn't been found yet. There is also a new drug circulating at school that is turning students into freakishly strong menaces.
To make matters worse, distractions keep getting in her way. Such as her love/hate relationship with her "cousin" Matthew. Or her confused feelings toward popular and mysterious Julian. She wants nothing more than to be free to live her life. But the survival of Arcadia depends on her and her friends. Free will is not an option.
Read on for an excerpt from Prophecy of Arcadia:
Book Blitz: Wonderfully Wicked
Today I'm really excited to be part of the Book Blitz for the launch of Wonderfully Wicked, by C.J. Burright! C.J. has been a great supporter of my books, so I'm thrilled to help introduce her first published novel! And don't miss the giveaway down at the bottom, to win an ebook of Wonderfully Wicked and an Amazon gift card! :-)
A dreamcaster with the ability to channel creatures from her nightmares, headstrong and cynical Kalila Montgomery longs for a peaceful, picket-fence life…until the man literally of her dreams kidnaps her. Survival quickly becomes her number one goal, yet a growing attraction to the man in her nightmares is impossible to ignore. While she fears he will kill her, other, more terrifying enemies surround her, and Kalila succumbs to his scheme to escape. She may be his one hope for freedom…A deadly combination of power, cunning, and cold-hearted charm, Lydon v'al Endrian fears nothing. Feels nothing.
Chained to a brotherhood of men with the supernatural ability to invade dreams, he hunts dreamcasters to be harvested for their dreams and killed. His target: Kalila Montgomery. But Kalila awakens an undeniable dark desire and a longing for a freedom long-lost. To gain everything he craves, Lydon must seduce Kalila before his plot is discovered…a hopeless challenge which, if failed, will earn him a death-sentence. Caught up in a dangerous world of secrets and obsession, doubt and betrayal, Kalila and Lydon face the nightmare of their lives, where love will either deliver them—or destroy them both.
Find Wonderfully Wicked on Goodreads
Wonderfully Wicked is available at:
Amazon | Kobo
Read on for an excerpt from Wonderfully Wicked, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!
My Book Boyfriend Blog Hop!
Welcome to this stop on the My Book Boyfriend Blog Hop, sponsored by Harper A. Brooks and TF Walsh. Lots of heroes, hunks, and hot love interests to meet!
Get to know Adan Muari, the hero of my dark romantic fantasy novel Sarya's Song, a little - or a lot - better. Also make sure you check out other stops on the Book Boyfriend Blog hop, and don't forget to enter the giveaways! Here on Welcome to My Worlds, you can enter to win a signed paperback copy of Sarya's Song or a Love and Magic ebook 3-pack of Urdaisunia, Chosen of Azara, and Sarya's Song (international entries welcome!), and there's also a Blog Hop grand prize giveaway of a signed HIS HAVEN paperback by Harper A. Brooks, signed CLOAKED IN FUR paperback by T.F. Walsh, and a $20 Amazon gift card!
So, let's meet Adan: tall, handsome, rich, talented, and just a little full of himself:
Sarya stepped up onto the risers and began passing out the parts. The choir members leafed through the pages she handed them, exclaiming or complaining at what they had been given.
"What's this?" a fine masculine voice demanded. Adan Muari held out his new part, staring at it. "I can't sing this. It's too high. What happened to my solo?"
"I know your range," Sarya said. Adan Muari, tall, handsome, well-built, auburn-haired, heir of a family that owned nearly a quarter of Msaka Ras and a substantial portion of Msaka Dolna, possessed a True baritone voice of divine quality and extraordinary magical strength, and an equally extraordinary opinion of himself. She hated adding to that opinion. "I need a strong True Voice on that bit, so I gave it to you. Lefin Adaska can handle the solo."
"I can't sing this," Adan said again, shoving the sheet of music back towards her. "I'll sound like I've been gelded."
She pushed the page back at him. "Don't tempt me."
Adan knows what he wants:
And then the last voice she wanted to hear called out, "Sarya! Sarya dyr-Rusac!"
Panicked, she tried to push her way through the crowd towards the Masters' offices, but Adan caught her by the arm and spun her around to face him. "Where have you been? You left without a word to me or anyone –"
"I didn't realize I needed your permission to leave." She tried pull away from him, but his grip on her arm tightened.
"I didn't know where you were or what had become of you," he said. "I didn't even know if you were alive or dead!"
Around them, people were stopping to stare. Sarya tried to turn away from Adan, but he moved with her, giving her no choice but to keep looking at him. "I just need to speak to the Council of Masters about something," she said, "and then I'll be off again."
"Don't leave."
"Why not? You said yourself I don't belong –"
"Damn it, Sarya!" He pulled her against him and pressed his mouth to hers.
But he can't have it :'(
Mistress Asta gave Sarya a disapproving look, then said, "Let's see your certificate of admission, dear."
Sarya handed her the paper signed by the three Masters. The kitchen-mistress studied it briefly. "Oh dear, you're not supposed to be here," she said. "You've been admitted as a charity student; your table is over here."
Adan cursed himself. How could he have been too stupid to realize that she had been designated a charity student? His friends, all except Lefin, laughed, and Rabac said loudly, "I thought she looked a little poor for you, Muari."
Adan couldn't think of anything to say. He couldn't move. He could only stand and watch as Mistress Asta hauled Sarya by the arm to the charity table in the back corner of the dining hall. He burned inside with shame and anger. He wanted to tell everyone to shut up, that Sarya was the best singer he'd ever heard and she was going to be the greatest Arranger the Service had ever known; she had walked who knew how far, all alone and hungry, to come here; she had earned the right to the best the Skola had to offer. He wanted to walk over to the charity table and sit there with her, or bring her back to his table, no matter what the stupid rules said. But his friends' taunts and his own embarrassment stopped his mouth and held him rooted in place. Stop being such a coward, damn it, he told himself. He took a deep breath, gathering his courage, then spoke up. "Sarya –"
She turned and glared at him, her face now livid with fury. His resolve failed, and the words he had meant to say died unspoken. He knew from that one look that she didn't want his help, she didn't want his pity, and she would never, ever forgive him.
Now, eleven years later, as he watched her walk away from him, he wondered when he was finally going to admit defeat. In the years between then and now, he had done everything he could think of to make up for that first terrible mistake, but she had never joined him at his table, no matter how often he invited her.
If he ever gets the chance, this is what he'd say to Sarya:
"...from the day I met you, you were the only one I could see myself spending the rest of my life with. Even though I ruined everything that first day by being so stupid and thoughtless. Even though I knew you hated everything I came from and everything I represented. Even though I was afraid that if I ever said anything, I would destroy what we did have between us. I never gave up hope that one day you might change your mind about me."
"Sarya." Adan's beautiful voice was low and husky in her ear. "Don't be afraid, sweetheart. I'll only do what you tell me to do."
Will he ever get to hear Sarya say this?
She set the lute down, then wrapped her hands around both of his and pressed them to her lips. "It isn't horrible. You're my brave, strong, handsome husband, and you are entirely too wonderful in every way, and I'll always love you."
For more inside info on Adan, you can read an interview with him here.
Sarya's Song is available at:
Smashwords | Apple
CreateSpace | OmniLit
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The giveaway has ended, and the winners have been contacted by email.
Grand Prize giveaway not sponsored by Kyra Halland/Welcome To My Worlds
Daughter of the Wildings Book 6 Cover Art Reveal!
Welcome to the reveal of the cover art for For the Wildings, Book 6 of Daughter of the Wildings! I'm really excited to show this one off. I love all the cover art for the series, but I think this one just might be my favorite. I tried really hard to end the series on a strong note (I hate it when series fall flat at the end), and I think this art really shows the intensity of the epic final battle that Silas and Lainie face. Many thanks to the awesome Mominur Rahman (me-illuminated) for the amazing cover art!
And now, here's the full wrap-around version for the paperback:
Mominur Rahman me-illuminated.deviantart.com
And the ebook version:
And now, a sneak peek from the first chapter of Beneath the Canyons, Book 1 of Daughter of the Wildings (this is not the final version, but pretty close). Silas has come to the town of Bitterbush Springs on the hunt for a rogue mage, and finds himself in the middle of some excitement:
Silas reined in his horse in front of the boarding house and looped the reins around the closest hitching post. As he headed inside to inquire about a room, a crash from inside the saloon across the street caught his attention. He turned to see a big-bellied, bushy-bearded man come flying backwards through the swinging doors of the Bootjack Saloon and land on his back in the street. The man leaped to his feet with surprising speed for a fellow his size, then a second man charged out of the saloon and plowed into him, knocking him to the ground again. The two men tussled in a cloud of dust, until the second man pinned the first one face down with a knee in the small of the back.
"I ever catch you blasting on my land again, I'll draw an' quarter you an' chop you up for dog feed!" the second man yelled. "You hear me, Gobby?"
In a blur of motion, Gobby twisted out from under the other man and dropped him with a blow to the jaw that sounded like an axe thunking into wood. "You threatening me, Dinsin? Cause if you're gonna threaten me, you better be ready to back it up!"
"Yeah, he's threatening you," said a man with an extravagant moustache from the covered wooden walkway in front of the Bootjack. His right hand dropped to the holster at his hip and came up holding a six-shooter aimed straight at Gobby. "An' I'll back up his threats for him."
The gun was also aimed straight at Silas. Silas stepped back into the shadows of the covered walkway in front of the rooming house and edged out of the line of fire. A handful of men from the saloon next door, the Rusty Widow, came trickling out to see what was going on. Gobby stood up slowly, turning to face the moustached man with the gun. He was now also holding a gun. "Well, Winnard?" he said. "You think you can beat me?"
"I can --"
A shot fired from right next to Silas. Winnard tumbled back against the wall of the Bootjack and collapsed. More men came pouring out from both saloons, guns drawn. Holding onto his hat, Silas dove aside as gunfire exploded from both sides of the street.
And then -- a wild burst of magical power, panicked and uncontrolled, and close by. The rogue mage? That power didn't have the same flavor, the same feel to it as the brief flares of power that had led him to Bitterbush Springs. Silas started to raise his head to look around, then a bullet split a board in the wall of the rooming house not one arm-length above him. Throwing up a protective shield would slow down the bullets enough that they would do little harm, but it would also give away his presence to any other mages who might be around, so Silas pressed himself even flatter against the boards of the sidewalk. He lay flat against the wooden walkway, praying to the Defender that the unwritten law of the Wildings that it was an even worse crime to kill a horse than a man would keep Abenar safe.
All at once the gunfire stopped. "What's all this, boys?" a deep, resonant voice called out from nearby.
Now Silas raised his head. Three or four men lay sprawled in the dirt of the street, unmoving. The fighters who were still standing had all lowered their guns and were looking at a man standing in front of the Rusty Widow. He was tall, with a hearty build, handsome, pale face, and luxuriant black moustache. He wore a finely-fashioned black suit and black flat-brimmed hat, and had a lace-and-ruffle-bedecked house lady clinging to each arm. Silas got to his knees, made sure his hat was still in place, and stood, brushing dust from his long brown coat. He kept close to the wall, in the shadows of the overhang, curious about this man who had the power to stop a gunfight just by appearing.
"Dinsin threatened me, Mr. Carden, sir," Gobby said. "Me an' my friends was just defending ourselves."
"Go back inside, my dears," the black-suited man, Carden, said to the house ladies. "No need to worry yourselves." The ladies retreated into the saloon, and Carden stepped down from the wooden walkway into the street. He stood in front of Gobby, shaking his head. "Don't tell me you went into the Bootjack again, Gobby," he said. "You know damn well that's rancher territory. You're stupid enough to keep going in there, you deserve whatever you get." Though the words were harsh, the deep voice was genial. The crispness of a Granadaian accent underlaid his informal Wildings speech.
"When are you gonna start paying us for the ore that was taken off our land, Carden?" Winnard, the wounded man in front of the Bootjack, shouted. The right shoulder of his shirt was soaked with blood, but judging by the anger in his voice, he was a long way from dead.
"If you have a difference with me, Winnard, I'd be happy to discuss it peacefully," Carden replied in the same friendly manner. "There's no need for anyone to be shooting anyone else."
Two men helped Winnard up, and they and several other men who had come from the Bootjack walked over to Carden and started arguing with him. A small man with a silver sword-shaped badge pinned to his shirt came over as well, but he stood back and remained silent.
Silas couldn't make out what the men were saying. He looked around, wondering who had been responsible for that explosion of magic. Further down the street, towards the east end of town, in the direction the burst of power had come from, he spotted a boy hunkered down behind a barrel, arms wrapped around his knees. Silas walked over, taking care to avoid attracting the attention of the angry men.
When he reached the barrel, he saw that what he had taken for a boy or youth was actually a small, slender young woman wearing men's clothing -- brown canvas pants, a green plaid shirt, boots, and a straw hat with a curved brim like those favored by cowhands. A long braid of light reddish-brown hair trailed down her back from under the hat. She had her face buried against her knees and she was shaking badly.
"I think they're done for the day," Silas said. "It's safe to come out now. You okay?"
Abruptly, as though startled, she raised her head and looked up at him out of wide hazel eyes, set in a delicate, pale face with a dusting of freckles across her nose. Slowly, she took a deep breath and seemed to relax. "Yeah," she said. "I'm okay. I just hate it when they start shooting like that."
When Silas met Lainie... And the rest, as they say, is history :D