Happy Holidays and Best for the New Year!

I'm wishing everyone a fun holiday season and inspiration for 2017!
via GIPHY

Back from a Hiatus! The Lowdown & Plans

Hi dear blogging, reading, author community!

I've missed you all. I kind of fell off the face of the earth toward the end of June. Well, maybe a bit before that. The highs and lows:
A high * I got super-busy trying to get ready for a bunch of amazing book conventions.
A high * I splurged for my first professional author photo (this one).
A low * I got bedbugs at one of the conventions!!! So did the unlucky photographer. Luckily, my exterminator had me well trained and I took care of business the second I hit home. NO bugs survived my war to the death. But my bites and resulting scars lingered for months. Yuck!
A high * I hit the USA Today bestseller list with a boxed set I'm in!!!
A high * I went to a writing retreat in Cape Cod and wrote every day, all day. Except for our sailboat ride and long dinners. Oh, and watching the Olympic Women's Volleyball teams kick some serious you-know-what!
A high * Attended a different book con in Saint Louis, sold lots, made new friends and had a blast! Penned Con to be exact, which gives all of their profits to Action for Autism. Mad respect to founders, Amy and Rick Miles.

***

I've had a long time to think about the blog. About how often I want to post, and more importantly, WHAT I want to post. I will post a bit less, but I will post. And yes, I will post about amazing books, and my own books... because I do love books and I do write. Just not 24/7.

The new Fireseed series covers

Ghosts of Fire anthology,
Untethered Realms Elements book 3

Shades of Prey, book 2

 So, happy fall, and wow, the Halloween season! And, I do have book stuff. A re-release with new covers and sales/freebies for my future shocker Fireseed series, including a new sequel novella called Blue House Magic. Untethered Realms has new story anthology out, Ghosts of Fire, book 3 of the Elements series. My story in this is Rollerskate Boys. Put the anthology on your Goodreads TBR list if you like. And I'll be doing a bunch of Facebook parties like Haunted Halloween Spooktacular on OCT 20 from 4 to 5 (EST) and A Magickal Samhain on Sunday, OCT 30 from 12 to 1:30 pm (EST) - all to help spread word of Ghosts of Fire and other spooktastic boxed sets I'm in, like Shades of Prey, Mystical Magic. Join the parties to chat with lots of authors and play games for giveaways if you like!!!

I'm happy to be back, and blogging. I will be checking into my fave old blogging haunts, and new ones, too.   xo Catherine

Nicky Peacock interview plus a fun cover reveal from C Lee McKenzie

Today Idea City has an interview with UK fantasy author Nicky Peacock. We also have a fun cover reveal for C. Lee's forthcoming middle grade novel so make sure to scroll through the whole post!

Hi, Nicky, what are some of your newest books?

Bad Timing is the second in the Battle of the Undead series and hot on its heels was the free read prequel, Traitors' Gate, which takes the reader back to where it all began. This spring saw the release of my new series with Evernight Teen, The Twisted and the Brave. The first book, Lost in Wonderland is a dark, supernatural thriller. 

Tell us about your main characters

Britannia is the heroine in the Battle of the Undead series, she's an old vampire with a dry sense of humor and the kind of violent tendencies that makes her the perfect weapon against a zombie apocalypse. She has an unspoken obsession with perfection, especially when it comes to how she looks and she's spent too much time on her own and needs to learn to rely on others. 

Tell us about a main theme. What fired you up to write on this theme?

The main theme is co-operation throughout the books. That only by working with others can you get through impending disaster. I've always believed this in life. I also though it fit really well with vampires as a species. Zombies naturally run in groups, but vampires can be quite solitary in nature. So pitting them against one another with these very different social habits makes for an interesting fight. 

Give us your favorite line from your protagonist: 

Britannia: "He gave me a sly smile, as if he was trying to get away with something. Like he’d farted and was waiting for me to smell it."

From an antagonist: 

Nicholas: "Britannia. I am acutely aware that you hate me. I am equally aware that our survival”—he motioned around us—“is dependent on you not being such a bitch.”

An emblematic, teaser paragraph from Bad Blood:

  Nicholas looked thoughtful then nodded. He, of course didn’t want to actually say aloud that I’d had a good idea. “So, how do we get past them?”

  I assumed it was a rhetorical question, so I started down to the car park entrance, where most of the zombies were mobbing. I opened the outer door as quietly as possible.

  “Ladies first,” Nicholas whispered in my ear.

  “I thought we’d agreed I wasn’t a lady.” With that, I shoved him as hard as I could into the throbbing throng of zombies.

What keeps you going when inspiration flags?

Inspiration is my one thing that never flags. I have far too many ideas for stories to write. It's more my time and energy to actually do the writing that I can struggle with. When that happens, I try to change my surroundings. I go somewhere different to write, somewhere I can focus on what I'm doing and not be a slave to the demons of procrastination.

What truly inspires you and fires up your vision?

The vision of my future as a professional full time writer. That's the dream. Like most modern authors I need to maintain a full time job to ensure I have those luxuries in life such as food and shelter. I'd love to not have that worry. To just wake up every day and know that I can do the one thing I love and get enough money from it to live a comfortable life.

Best words of advice you ever received?

You can't please everyone (great advice, especially for writers) 

Worst?

What's meant for you won't pass you by (can make you lazy and fool you into thinking that life owes you something)

Some writing advice to aspiring and new authors?

Join a writers' group. Writing can be a very lonely pursuit, having like-minded people around you can help to motivate you to keep going and inspire you. I run an adult and a YA group in my home town. 

Which do you enjoy writing most: action, romance, setting, dialog?

I love writing it all. I'd hate to think that I was weak on one aspect. I am guilty of including more action that most books in my genre, but I think that if the story warrants it, you shouldn't shy away from action scenes.

A hint of what you’re working on next?

I'm currently working on two books. The next book in the Battle of the Undead series, Bad Karma and also the 2nd book in my new series, The Twisted and the Brave, called The Assassin of Oz.

Buy Lost in Wonderland (The Twisted & the Brave Book 1) from Amazon, Amazon UK

Buy Bad Blood, Bad Timing & other great Nicky Peacock books at Amazon, Amazon UK

*******

Where to find Nicky on the web:

Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Tumblr, Authorgraph

Nicky's Bio:

I’ve always been a storyteller, not in a ‘liar liar pants on fire’ kind of way, although I do work in advertising! When I was little, kids would crowd around me in the playground and I’d tell them tales of blood soaked horror filled with vampires, werewolves, ghosts and more. Yes, most would consider me a disturbed child, but my playmates couldn’t help themselves, they’d huddle around me every break time like an ancient tribe feeding off the fear; and that’s how I learned that horror stories hold a certain power, no matter what some might say, everyone is addicted to a good scare, especially if it is somewhat rooted safely in unrealistic beings… or are they unrealistic?

Writing was really a natural progression for me. So far I’ve had 35 short stories included in anthologies produced by publishers all over the world; my latest was included in Little Brown Book Group’s Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories. I have two YA series with the publishers, Evernight Teen:Battle of the Undead and The Twisted and The Brave. I run a local adult writers’ group called Creative Minds Writing and have been asked by my local library (Corby, Northants, UK) to run a group for budding authors aged 13-25.

*******

And now... drumroll... here's C. Lee's spectacular cover for her upcoming middle grade fantasy Sign of the Green Dragon! It launches on August 3rd, but put it on your Goodreads TBR list right now!

The novel summary:

This hasn’t been the best year for Sam, and it just got worse. Right when he thought he’d found a permanent home, his finicky guardian tells him he’s shipping Sam off to private school. This means Sam won’t bat for his team, and if he doesn’t, Haggarty Elementary won’t win the baseball championship again this year. His two teammates, Joey and Roger, are determined to stash him in their secret cave—at least until he brings in the winning run.

While the boys explore the hideout, an earthquake crumbles a wall, revealing a hidden room—and it’s not empty. A dragon-carved chest opens to reveal a human skeleton, its hand-bones clutching a note with a crudely drawn map. At the top of the map is scribbled, 1859.

Sam, Joey and Roger learn about a treasure lying in wait, if only they can locate something called the Dragon Twin, reveal the truth about an old murder, and return a person named Mei Ling to her ancestors in China.

The boys are up for the challenge. But how? They only have the map showing the way to an old mining town, and some strange symbols they can’t understand. None of them can make sense of the note. Who’s Mei Ling? And what the heck is a Dragon Twin?

With time running out before he’s sent packing, Sam and his friends set out on an adventure that has much higher stakes than any baseball championship—one that gets them into trouble with a modern crime, pits them against ancient Chinese dragons, and reveals the true meaning of treasure for each of them.

In case you haven't read C. Lee's other rollicking Pete Riley books, check them out here!

Buy Alligators Overhead at Amazon & Nook/B&N

Buy The Great Timelock Disaster at Amazon & Nook/B&N

Check out everything C Lee McKenzie at her website, on Facebook, Twitter & on Instagram

Cover Reveal & Pre-orders Live for Liz Long's Heroes of Arcania Trilogy

Today on Idea City we have a spectacular cover reveal for Liz Long's Heroes of Arcania trilogy! You can not only check out all of the covers here, but you can pre-order ALL three books!
The titles in order:

SuperNova (HoA #1), Fortune’s Favor (HoA #2), Unbreakable (HoA #3)

The streets of Arcania are overrun with crime, deteriorating as a madman named Fortune makes himself at home. He shows no mercy, striking down anyone in his path – including Nova Benson’s little sister. Devastated, Nova vows to seek justice for her family, but aside from her freak strength and impenetrable skin, how is she supposed to stop a monster like Fortune?  

Cole Warner wants to help people. Entrusted to keep his family’s secret, he’s also frustrated at having to hide his gift. He knows he could do more to help in the fight against Fortune. If he could convince his sister Penelope to join him, they might even have a chance at beating him. When Cole meets Nova, he realizes his whole world is about to change. And he’s going to welcome it with open arms.

Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan.

Then again, neither was becoming a superhero.

PREORDER ON AMAZON

Nova will learn it takes more than sheer strength to be a superhero. Her world implodes when Fortune strikes back for all the trouble she’s caused. His dangerous games put everyone around her at risk, especially when he decides to turn Arcania against its precious Heroes. Nova wants to protect Arcania, but how does she save a city that doesn’t want her help?

Cole has no idea how to deal with his sister Penelope, especially now that she’s learned the truth about their family secret. Thanks to Fortune, she’s headed down a dark path, one with no return. Torn between helping Nova and protecting his sister, Cole will be forced to make a choice. Tensions rise as Cole and Nova discover war will come to Arcania if they don’t get Fortune off the streets…or preferably six feet under.

Nova and Cole might have each other, but will they lose everything else in their mission to save Arcania?

PREORDER ON AMAZON

Nova started the fight against Fortune for simple revenge, but now it’s turned into something much bigger. Arcania’s criminals are at each other’s throats, putting the city right in the middle of a warzone. She’ll have to work with a few unlikely allies to end Fortune’s games once and for all. Nova thought she understood what it meant to be a superhero, but will she have to lose herself to truly defeat Fortune?

Fortune has given Cole a choice, one with unbearable consequences. When Cole takes matters into his own hands to save his sister Penelope, he realizes too late he’s another pawn in Fortune’s games. Fortune will use Cole’s gift against his enemies…including Nova. Cole will have to become the hero he always wanted to be if he’s going to protect the love of his life.

Nova and Cole could finally save Arcania from Fortune’s deadly games, but are they willing to sacrifice each other?

PREORDER ON AMAZON

About the Author:

Liz Long is a proud graduate of Longwood University. Her inspiration comes from action and thriller genres and she spends entirely too much time watching superhero movies. Her day job includes writing for a magazine publisher in Roanoke, VA.

The Donovan Circus series has best been described as "X-Men meets the circus." Adult horror story Witch Hearts tells the tale of a serial killer hunting witches for their powers. New Adult PNR A Reaper Made is about a teen Reaper who gets caught between falling in love or saving her sister's soul. All titles are available for paperback or ebook on Amazon.

To learn more about Liz, including info on her books, plus writing, marketing & social media tips, visit her website.

*******

Have a great Memorial Day weekend, all.
Happy almost June!
Catherine

New May Reads!

Idea City has fresh new books to load onto your eReaders.

From Inkspell's Bridie Hall comes On the Slopes, a sweet sports romance.
A summary:
Snowboarding means everything to Charlise, but she hasn’t met Sam Miller yet.
Charlise is a snowboarder with a promising career ahead of her. Despite the fact that her father hates her risking her life on the slopes that had taken the life of Charlise’s mother she is determined not to give up her career the way her mother did when she fell pregnant. Charlise wants to win medals, lots of them.
The last distraction Charlise needs is the American freestyle champion, Sam Miller, who utterly enthrals her with his wit and friendliness. Refusing to risk her career for a relationship, Charlise returns home for Christmas, determined to sort things out with her father. But the holidays culminate in an epic fight, and with a repeat of the painful breakup with Sam. However, new discoveries from her family’s past might change Charlise’s mind about Sam.

Get it at Amazon, iBook, Kobo, B&N, All Romance eBooks

About the author:
Bridie Hall writes YA and NA contemporary stories. She sold her first story at fourteen. Since then, she's written dozens more, translated books, studied writing, and started writing novels. Her days revolve around stories and words, her sleepless nights involve plotting and inventing fascinating new characters. Visit her: Website & Facebook

***

Next up is Christine Rain's steamy romance series Sasquatch Susies from Ellora's Cave. Zowie!

Pictures tell a thousand words, do they not? To learn more and nab your copies, head to Christine's special erotica page.

***

Next we'll switch gears to present a sci-fi anthology with a story from fellow Untethered Realms author, Cherie Reich and other talented speculative fiction folks. The collection is called Parallels and here's a summary:
Enter the realm of parallel universes!

What if the government tried to create the perfect utopia? Could a society linked to a supercomputer survive on its own? Do our reflections control secret lives on the other side of the mirror? Can one moment split a person’s world forever?

Exploring the fantastic, ten authors offer incredible visions and captivating tales of diverse reality. Featuring the talents of L. G. Keltner, Crystal Collier, Hart Johnson, Cherie Reich, Sandra Cox, Yolanda Renee, Melanie Schulz, Sylvia Ney, Michael Abayomi, and Tamara Narayan.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will expand your imagination and twist the tropes of science fiction. Step through the portal and enter another dimension!
Get your copy at: Amazon, iBooks, Kobo. See it at Goodreads

***

And finally, a spectacular boxed set of space fiction called Galactic Empires, with a novel from an Untethered Realms author, M. Pax.
Summary:
The Backworlds by M. Pax - A man struggles to survive in the harsh world of humanity’s outer settlements and prove his father wrong.
Ambassador 1: Seeing Red by Patty Jansen - To look an alien superior in the eye is a deadly offense. To accuse him of a political murder…
Alien Hunters by Daniel Arenson - A scruffy alien pest controller faces an alien threat the likes of which the universe has never seen.
Hard Duty by Mark E. Cooper - Hostile aliens nearly eradicated humanity. Will the next encounter finish the job?
Bypass Gemini by Joseph Lallo - A disgraced racer pilot gets mixed up with a mega-corporation. Now he has to stop them.
Sky Hunter by Chris Reher - Sent to a human outpost to investigate sabotage, a pilot finds more trouble than she bargained for.
The Galapagos Incident by Felix Savage - A genocidal AI attacks the solar system, and a Space Corps agent has one chance of saving a bunch of asteroid squatters she was sent to evict.
First Conquest by David VanDyke - To find a home and keep humanity safe from hostile aliens, Task Force Conquest must fight to seize a new star system.

For more details and ALL buy links, head here.

Wow! Lots of great reading for spring. Happy May.

Interview with Libby Doyle for her Debut Novel, The Passion Season

Today on Idea City I'm pleased to present Libby Doyle's debut novel The Passion Season, Book 1 of her Covalent series. In her interview, readers can learn details of her book and projected series. But first, a summary:

In loving Ranier, Zan overcomes her pain, but to discover his true identity would shred the reality she thought she knew.

He is Barakiel. Warrior. Exile. Hopeless romantic. Barakiel is Covalent, a race of ancient beings who use their great power to keep the elemental forces of Creation and Destruction in Balance. The Covalent Council exiled Barakiel to the Earthly Realm as the price of the treachery of his father, Lucifer, who wages perpetual war against it. Lucifer also relentlessly pursues his son. The Council thinks Lucifer views his son’s power as a threat, but Barakiel knows his father seeks to destroy even the memory of love. 

She is Alexandra “Zan” O'Gara. FBI Agent. Army veteran. Recovering drunk. Zan’s troubled past left her with little interest in men, but she had never encountered anyone like the stunning Rainer Barakiel. Zan believes Rainer is a wealthy businessman with expertise in edged weapons who can help her with a case. From the moment she meets him she wants him more than she’s ever wanted anything, but her intense attraction is as frightening as it is thrilling.

This is their love story. As Zan’s deepening feelings for Rainer lead her to confront her emotional damage, he struggles to meet the demands of his home world so he will be free to love her, and to reveal his true nature. Through the gruesome crime that first brought Zan to his door, Barakiel learns that his presence in the Earthly Realm has placed some of its most vulnerable citizens in danger. Compelled to protect them, he undertakes a series of duties he may not survive, even as Zan rescues him from centuries of a deadened heart.

Interview:

Tell us a little about your main characters.

My male hero is Barakiel (ba-rack-ee-el), also known as Rainer (ry-ner). He is Covalent, a race of ancient beings who keep the elemental forces of Creation and Destruction in Balance. The Covalent bond the elemental forces to prevent them from transforming into each other in an endless cycle. Without these aliens, the elemental forces would crushing everything into oblivion. The Covalent sit at the still center of everything that exists. Barakiel is a warrior Covalent. He constantly gathers energy from his surroundings and turns it into unassailable strength and speed. He is a born weapon, and sees violence as the solution to most problems, but he has another side. The Covalent cultivate Balance, the equilibrium of attraction and repulsion, order and entropy, love and hate. Balance is the source of their power. This means Barakiel loves as mightily as he fights. He is ardent and sensitive and open with his feelings. He is a hopeless romantic.

When the story begins, Barakiel has been banished to Earth. He is mistrusted and feared because he is the son of Lucifer, who rebelled against the Covalent Council and was driven from the Covalent Realm. Far from being in league with his father, Barakiel is the focus of Lucifer’s murderous obsession. Lucifer sends his demon minions against his son at every change of seasons – the solstices and the equinoxes – when the Earth’s axis shifts position relative to the Sun and creates a rift between dimensions.

Fighting demons gives Barakiel a sense of purpose, but he isolated from his kind. He is saved from complete loneliness by Pellus, who was a close friend of his mother’s. Pellus is like a father to Barakiel. They clash, as fathers and sons often do, but Pellus is much more than a stand-in parent and mentor. He is a traveler adept, a type of Covalent who can manipulate the properties of matter and energy. Pellus can travel between dimensions using rifts in the fabric of existence that only a traveler can see. As an adept, he has achieved such mastery that he can bend light and create solid barriers out of the air. He can break through even the most sophisticated computer encryption as easily as walking through an unlocked door. He is calm, rational, and deadly. 

Pellus is also cautious. He discourages Barakiel from pursuing serious relationships with humans because they are against Covalent Law. When Barakiel meets Zan O’Gara, it doesn’t take Pellus long to realize the warrior will not listen to him. Barakiel is drawn to her. He tells Pellus that she carries herself like a warrior, and he waxes poetic over her flawless skin. He “burns with Creation, all for her,” as Pellus puts it.

Barakiel needs and wants love, but he never found a woman who could match him until he met Zan. Despite his need, Pellus’ warnings do have some effect on him. He hides his true identity. He passes as human.

Zan, my female hero, is an FBI agent and a decorated army veteran. She is from the mountains of Idaho and has the toughness and self-sufficiency often found in people who hale from a rugged landscape. She is dedicated to her job. Too dedicated, according to Melissa Romani, Zan’s FBI partner. Mel is also Zan’s best friend and is always trying to set her up with men.

Although Zan tried dating, it was always tepid or horrible. She filled her life with other things. She is an excellent guitar player and fronts a rock-n-roll band. Between her job and her music, she doesn’t have time for men. She thinks it’s just as well because she is a recovering alcoholic, and like many women who abused a substance, she has an ugly history with sex. Zan thought her scars meant romance was not for her. When she meets Rainer, she lusts after him and she likes it, but he also makes her feel things she doesn’t understand. It terrifies her.

What is their biggest challenge or quest?

Barakiel’s quest is to discover if there is a connection between his presence in the Earthly Realm and a grisly murder. Zan’s quest is to solve the same murder. A man was gutted at the winter solstice, his internal organs removed. His body was left on display near Barakiel’s home. Three months later, at the vernal equinox, a similar ritual takes place in the national historical park in Philadelphia. The park rangers find a human spleen in the bushes. They call the FBI.

Zan begins an investigation, where she meets Barakiel. They begin to explore each other with a fiery passion. At the same time, Barakiel struggles to meet the demands of his homeworld and deal with his father’s efforts to kill him. His time with Zan gives him strength, but as her investigation brings her closer to the truth about the murder, Barakiel is afraid he will lose her. 

Give us your favorite line from your protagonist:

“Zan, it’s a beautiful, sunny day. Let us go to the ocean. We can consign our pain to the waves, and listen to them whisper their comfort.” – Barakiel to Zan, after they’ve had an intense, emotional discussion.

But when I look in his eyes, I feel like nature. – Zan to herself, musing about she forgets all her fears and misgiving in Barakiel’s presence.  

From an antagonist:

“I can feel your hatred, hard and sharp as a blade. I live inside you. Return to me and we will subjugate the realms. Return to me or die.” – Lucifer to Barakiel, invading his mind, seeking to make Barakiel his slave. 

An emblematic paragraph-long excerpt:

Here's an excerpt from the day Zan and Rainer first meet. She expresses an interest in blades, so he invites her to see his collection. He gives her a sword to examine. Unbeknownst to her, it is his Covalent sword, an alien weapon. To see her handle it gives him a thrill.

***

Zan took the gargantuan blade with both hands and did a simple block stance, then a thrust. Rainer raised both his eyebrows.

“I’m surprised you can lift that to shoulder level.”

“I’m a strong woman.”

“I can see that,” he replied in a low voice. The way he looked at her made Zan almost drop the sword. She adjusted her grip.

“This sword is unbelievably well-balanced.”

“Exactly.”

Did I just impress him? God, I hope so.

“Ah, see now,” Zan said. “My arms are getting tired, so you weren’t far from right. I could never actually use this sword.” She pivoted and held it out to him with a slight bow. “Your sword, sir.”

Rainer smiled as he took it. Zan realized he hadn’t been smiling before, not a real smile. This time it was like strong sunlight falling on a person who’d been trapped in the bitter cold.

“You’re trained?” he asked.

“A little. I used to study kendo in college, Japanese sword fighting, but I don’t have the time now. For the job, we’re mostly trained in firearms, but we get a decent amount of training in hand-to-hand, some other weapons. How about you? Is your interest more than aesthetic?”

“Yes. I’ve studied the fighting arts since I was a child.”

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”

Rainer tilted his head and regarded her, his lips pressed together.

He doesn’t know what to make of me. I don’t know what to make of him either, but oh, those lips. I better get away from this man. I’m on duty.

What keeps you going when your inspiration flags?

Discipline. I’m a former journalist, trained to write on demand. Writer’s block is not acceptable when there’s newspaper to get out. I’ve also found that the act of writing itself creates inspiration. It touches some mysterious part of my brain.

What truly inspires you and fires up your vision?

Natural beauty. I love mountains. They make me feel insignificant, which is good if you need perspective. Their beauty soothes and renews me. Also, music. A great song gives me a tremendous feeling of wellbeing. In addition, when I’m frustrated or angry, punk rock has a great cathartic effect.  

Best words of advice you ever received?

Once, on a trolley, an old woman said to me, “You’re going to have a wonderful life some day because you’re not afraid to be your own person.” She was a stranger, but her words have stayed with me. They’re not really advice, but I’ve tried to live by them. 

Worst?

To take a job as a corporate attorney because it was a “good opportunity.” I knew I would hate it, I didn’t last long. I’ve never been a climb-the-ladder kind of gal.

Where’s your favorite place to write?

My office. I have big bay windows that let in a lot of light, and my cats come to visit me. 

Which do you enjoy writing most: action, romance, setting, dialogue?

I love to write dialogue. I love imaging conversations and people’s reactions to each other. I have to take care that my writing doesn’t have too much. I often get carried away. Of course, I enjoy all the others as well. Depends on the day and the circumstance of the story.

More on the series:

 The Passion Season is Book I of the Covalent Series. Writing a series is great because I get to tell an epic love story, set in two different worlds, with subplots featuring crime, political intrigue, war, betrayal, stealthy rescues and inter-dimensional travel. Plus, sweet words, tenderness and lots of hot sex. I’ve rarely had so much fun, and I’m a woman who’s had a lot of fun.

I have five books in my head, one finished, one halfway there, and one outlined. The drawbacks? You get impatient. You want to get it all out. Also, I’ve heard that readers hold off buying books in series until the whole series is available because they like to binge. That’s a long time to wait for people to read your stuff. That’s a lot of money to lay out for no return until some distant date. 

A hint of what you’re working on next?

The Pain Season: Book II of the Covalent Series! Zan and Barakiel’s epic love story continues. I’ll give you an impressionistic synopsis of the beginning from Zan’s point of view: Terror, determination, anger, grief. The Pain Season will be released on the autumnal equinox, September 22, 2016. The writing is going swimmingly thus far. 

Get The book: Amazon, iTunes, B&N, CS paperback, Kobo, 24Symbols, Scribd, Inktera

About the Author:

Libby Doyle is an attorney and former journalist who took a walk around the corporate world and didn’t like it. She escapes the mundane by writing extravagant yarns, filled with sex and violence. She loves absurd humor, travel, punk rock, and her husband.

Follow her on Social Media: Website, Facebook, Blog, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram, Pinterest

Two Book Conventions - a Photo Journal

I've attended two very different book conventions this spring: Roanoke Author Invasion (RAI) and RT Booklovers (RT) convention in Las Vegas. Rather than write a text post, I thought I'd give you a photo journal. Hope you enjoy it... First some from RAI, then RT. If you want to also read a written report, click here for my post on Untethered Realms.

RAI authors

With Cherie Reich at RAI

My line dance instructor,
Jocqueline at the after-party

My personally designed greeting card swag

Readers rule at RT!

A cover model saving the world

Rockabilly girl at the Palms buffet at RT

YA panel at RT (I'm on top left)

RT tablemates, left to right: Colleen Houck, me, Sarah Schmitt, Ginger Scott

Britany Spears riding a giant guitar at her Planet Hollywood performance

Sitting at the Sons of Anarchy slot (not playing it)

Willy Wonka Slots - love the slots ART!

Witch of the Cards Tour & Mega Giveaway Commences! March 28 - April 11

Witch of the Cards is on tour, hosted by Bewitching Books (How perfect for a witchy book). Also, a bunch of my fellow authors and bloggers are joining in the fun. A giant thanks to all! As always, tour stops go live on the day of, so make sure to pop back in to read new posts. There are guest posts about the Tarot, about why I love to set my novels in dilapidated, eerie locations, about my inspirations behind the story, and a really fun playlist, mashing up contemporary music (about witches and magic) with songs of the 1930s. A tour would not be complete without a great giveaway. So, make sure to enter the Rafflecopter below. Want to know what the prizes are? Here you go:

An earlier box - bewitching ones to come!

 One $40 gift card, two hand-painted heart-boxes (by me) with secret treasure inside, one signed paperback of Dorianna, one signed paperback of Witch of the Cards, one brand new collector Tarot deck along with an envelope full of special greeting cards (with envelopes) designed by me!

TOUR March 28 - April 11

March 28 - Guest Post - The Allure of Creepy Beach Towns as Settings
Addicted 2 Heroines

March 28 - Feature & Guest Post
In Pursuit of Publishness

March 30 - Playlist!
Dawn Brazil’s Brilliant Babbles About Books

March 29 - Feature & Excerpt
Leigh Anderson Romance

March 30 - Spotlight & Excerpt
Kristy Centeno

March 31 - Spotlight, Teasers
Ramblings of a Book Nerd

March 31 - Spotlight, Teasers
fuonlyknew

April 1 - What's in a Penname?
Mythical Books

April 1 - Spotlight
Extreme Bookaholic's Blog

April 1 - Inspirations Behind the Story!
Fresh Pot of Tea

April 4 - Guest Post - Magical Taffy & Other Weirdness
Hart’s Romance

April 4 - Feature & Why I Love Creepy Beach Towns
Christine Rains, Writer

April 4 - Feature
Ellie Garratt

April 5 - Interview - My Publishing Journey
Fang-tastic Books

April 5 - Guest Post on Settings
Julie Flanders

April 6 - Guest Post & all kinds of creepy!
Mary Pax Dimensions in Fiction

April 7 - Guest Blog - TAROT!
Juli D Revezzo
http://julidrevezzo.com/blog/

April 7 - Guest Post
Write Stuff

April 7 - Mini-excerpts!
Cherie Reich

April 7 - Spotlight
Roxanne’s Realm

April 7 - Feature
Liz Long - Your Doorway to Escape

April 8 - PLAYLIST!
Sapphyria's Book Reviews

April 8 - Review
Queen of All She Reads
http:queenofallshereads.blogspot.com

April 11 - Guest Blog & Review
Books Direct

April 11 - Feature (review TK!)
I Smell Sheep

April 11 - Feature
Bibliogal

Get it at: Amazon US, Amazon UK, iBooks, Kobo, B&N/Nook, Inktera, Amazon CA, Amazon AU, Amazon IN, Amazon DE

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Witch of the Cards is OUT! Plus blitz week prizes

I am thrilled to say that my historical fantasy Witch of the Cards is live! To celebrate its launch I am running a blitz week Rafflecopter with lots of fun prizes. A special thanks to all of you who are helping to spread word. I am more than happy to return the favor on your next launch!

The idea for this book came years ago when I had a strange dream the night before we went to Asbury Park, then a dilapidated, spooky beach town. Of course, being a writer who loves odd settings, this place attracted my curiosity! In the dream (nightmare?) I was wandering down an abandoned boardwalk when I came to the only open shop - a saltwater taffy store.
In it, was an ancient witch, selling magical taffy. Boom!

Get it at: Amazon US, Amazon UK, iBooks, Kobo, B&N/Nook, Inktera, Amazon CA, Amazon AU, Amazon IN, Amazon DE

Witch of the Cards blurb:

Fiera was born a sea witch with no inkling of her power. And now it might be too late. 

Witch of the Cards is historical, supernatural romantic suspense set in 1932 on the Jersey shore. Twenty-two year-old Fiera has recently left the Brooklyn orphanage where she was raised, and works in Manhattan as a nanny. She gets a lucky break when her boss pays for her short vacation in Asbury Park. One evening, Fiera and her new friend Dulcie wander down the boardwalk and into Peter Dune’s Tarot & Séance, where they attend a card reading. 

Fiera has always had an unsettling ability to know things before they happen and sense people’s hidden agendas. She longs to either find out the origin of her powers or else banish them because as is, they make her feel crazy. When, during the reading, her energies somehow bond with Peter Dune’s and form an undeniable ethereal force, a chain of revelations and dangerous events begin to unspool. For one, Fiera finds out she is a witch from a powerful sea clan, but that someone is out to stop her blossoming power forever. And though she is falling in love with Peter, he also has a secret side. He’s no card reader, but a private detective working to expose mediums. Despite this terrible betrayal, Fiera must make the choice to save Peter from a tragic Morro Cruise boat fire, or let him perish with his fellow investigators. Told in alternating viewpoints, we hear Fiera and Peter each struggle against their deep attraction. Secrets, lies, even murder, lace this dark fantasy.

Writers and most book-lovers know that the best present an author can get on her book's birthday are people buying the book! For us indies, it helps get the book higher on the lists so more people know about it. If you like witch tales, suspense, historical fiction, Tarot, epic supernatural battles, and ocean settings, please consider reading Witch of the Cards.
Available at: Amazon US, Amazon UK, iBooks, Kobo, B&N/Nook, Inktera, Amazon CA, Amazon AU, Amazon IN, Amazon DE

I'm also grateful for tweets. Here are easy pre-written ones:

It's OUT! #witch #historical #fantasy #suspense #pnr #occult http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01COACFVU UK: http://tinyurl.com/hze9ekh

#Badass #witches #historical #fantasy #spells #pnr #magic http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01COACFVU UK: http://tinyurl.com/hze9ekh

#witch #battles #historical #fantasy #suspense #pnr #occult http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01COACFVU UK: http://tinyurl.com/hze9ekh

And here's my gift to you! A mega-fun bunch of prizes. Enter the Rafflecopter to be eligible. 

Prizes include:

One $30 gift card, one signed paperback of Dorianna (or eBook for international), one signed paperback of Witch of the Cards (or eBook for international.), one super-swag pack of Catherine’s personally designed greeting cards.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More intriguing reads & cover reveals!

Today on Idea City we have another bunch of newly launched books & cover reveals!

The first is an edgy YA fantasy

Finding Me by Dawn Brazil
published by Booktrope Press

Sixteen-year-old Chloe Carmichael’s perfect world is in chaos.

It’s not because she has a vision of her boyfriend murdered and then he’s found dead exactly as foreseen. It’s not because she suddenly has the ability to move objects when she’s upset. It’s kinda cool to close a door without touching it. And it’s most definitely not her overbearing mother who only cares about appearances. Chloe has already grown quite accustomed to her family’s distance.

So what has Chloe cringing in fear?

It’s having to become another person for a new group of people. She knows she’s not perfect, but apparently she was in another life. In that other life, she was known as Amanda. Amanda was perfect. Chloe, not so much. Her new friends won’t allow her to forget.

Chloe struggles with a love that exposes the soul. It’s a love that defies reason. It’s a love that speaks to her heart and demands attention.

It’s the stench of impending death that hovers over her every move.
It’s that final threat as she tries to acclimate to a life of super human proportions.
It’s the enemy she can’t see and doesn’t remember. And most importantly, it’s never discovering who she really is that truly frightens her.

Buy Finding Me at Amazon, B&N

***

Galactic Empires is a FREE boxed set of exciting deep space exploration! Get it at Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, Amazon AU, iTunes, Kobo, B&N.

Eight full-length novels of adventure, war, intrigue and survival in the far reaches of space.

The Backworlds by M. Pax
A man struggles to survive in the harsh world of humanity's outer settlements and prove his father wrong.
Ambassador 1: Seeing Red by Patty Jansen
To look an alien superior in the eye is a deadly offense. To accuse him of a political murder…
Alien Hunters by Daniel Arenson
A scruffy alien pest controller faces an alien threat the likes of which the universe has never seen.
Hard Duty by Mark E. Cooper
Hostile aliens nearly eradicated humanity. Will the next encounter finish the job?
Bypass Gemini by Joseph Lallo
A disgraced racer pilot gets mixed up with a mega-corporation. Now he has to stop them.
Sky Hunter by Chris Reher
Sent to a human outpost to investigate sabotage, a pilot finds more trouble than she bargained for.
The Galapagos Incident by Felix Savage
A genocidal AI attacks the solar system, and a Space Corps agent has one chance of saving a bunch of asteroid squatters she was sent to evict.
First Conquest by David VanDyke
To find a home and keep humanity safe from hostile aliens, Task Force Conquest must fight to seize a new star system.

***

Here's a YA great, new sci-fi from Jennifer Macaire

Riders of the Lightning Storm 

published by Evernight Teen
Get it at Amazon

Pioneers from Earth, the first Settlers, arrived on Home Planet in giant spaceships after getting lost in a huge lightning storm. On the planet, they discovered herds of horses that seemed to vanish every time the storm season came. But they didn’t vanish; the horses had the ability to open passages through space to other planets. A few Settlers started following the herds, finding new planets. Soon, a mighty Federation of planets was born, cities and spaceports grew – but there were some who still followed the herds, seeking out new planets for the growing population of Settlers. These were the Herders – a small group of explorers who accompanied their horses across the galaxy, through passages they called the Lightning Storms. But mysterious alien Raiders preyed on the horses and their Herders – and those taken were never seen again.

Meagan and Carl Cadet, youngest herders in the Federation, fought to keep their horses when their parents were taken by Raiders. The Cadets are loners, and prefer to keep to themselves. To shy Meagan’s dismay, on Tauii 3 they are joined by the rowdy Jeffries brothers. But when tragedy strikes, Meagan slowly opens up to the Jeffries’ friendship. Then Raiders capture Meagan and Luke Jeffries. Now they have to find the key to unlock the mysterious horse passages – or die.

***

Aaaand finally, a cover reveal for Lisa Voisin's The Warrior Prophet. Nice cover!

The Warrior Prophet by Lisa Voisin

Book 3 of the Watcher saga. Available on April 13 with Inkspell Publishing.
Pre-order it now! Amazon kindle or print, Kobo, B&N
Add it on Goodreads

Mia Crawford is a prophet.

She can see angels. She also sees demons. Everywhere.

She knows the angels are preparing for war to get her fallen angel boyfriend, Michael, back.

A war that could take years.

Haunted by visions of Michael’s soul being tortured, Mia can’t rest until she knows he’s safe.

To save him, she must make an impossible journey through Hell. Her only guide is the one person she prayed she’d never see again.

Get the other Watcher books.
Follow Lisa Voisin: website, blog, mailing list