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

More Fabulous Fall Reads & Cover Reveals!

October brings cool weather, Halloween fun and great books to cozy up with. Today Idea City showcases the work of Christine Rains, S. D. Wasley, Stephanie Keyes, Christy Centeno and River Fairchild! Want to see some wonderful covers and read alluring blurbs? Sure you do.

Here is Christine Rain's Ghost Dancer. It's the first sexy book in her The Paramours romance series with Ellora's Cave. 

The Paramours - ghost hunting with a kiss.

When Nina Azure’s talent as a ghost dancer doesn’t persuade a handsome phantom to talk, she entices him with sizzling sexual energy. Ben Moore’s spirit is tied to this world with guilt, but he breaks his self-imposed silence for the beautiful Nina. Lust makes him fully physical and she loses herself to desire. She must help him carry on to the afterlife, but her attraction to him is immensely powerful. She must push aside her own feelings and let him go—and perhaps find romance among the living.
***
Buy it on Amazon, Kobo, Ellora's Cave
Put it on your Goodreads TBR List
Visit Christine's website

Next, a cover reveal for The Rift by SD Wasley. Pretty, huh? It's the sequel to The Seventh and it launches in November! Put Rift on your Goodreads TBR list here.
The Rift blurb:
“I longed for normality. Even our own, off-the-wall brand of normality.”
She’s finally got things together. Mimi’s dating a hot guy and has a place in the school’s Gifted Program with her awesome friends. Yes, she still attracts the dead. But there’s only one ghost these days, and he doesn’t seem to have an awful lot to say.

Just when Mimi’s life is looking pretty good for the first time in years, the unthinkable happens ... one of the seven gifted teens is torn from their close-knit group. The unity of their circle shattered, things begin to go terribly wrong. It’s ruining their focus—and with the threat of the Astarion cult growing stronger each day, the gifted seven need all the focus they can muster.

In The Seventh, Mimi found her place in a circle of seven extraordinary teenagers. In The Rift, she must face what happens when the circle of seven is broken.

Read book one while you wait for book two! Find it at Amazon, B&N
Visit SD Wasley: website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Next we have a cover reveal for Blood in the Shadows written by acclaimed authors, Stephanie Keyes and Kristy Centeno. It launches in early November!

Stephanie and Kristy bring you two stories that prove love and light can overcome the pain and shadows.

With secrets hidden in the night, and dangerous creatures prowling the woods, trusting the enemy can mean either life or death. Two dark worlds...One night that will change their lives forever...Where evil lurks, only goodness can prevail.

Featuring Shadows by Kristy Centeno and The Boy In The Trees by Stephanie Keyes.

Preorder Blood in the Shadows from Kobo
Put Blood in the Shadows on your Goodreads TBR list

Visit Stephanie: website, Twitter, Instagram.
Visit Kristy: website, Facebook, Twitter, blog.

And if you like your books dark, here's River Fairchild's Demon in the Basement, a story collection that may have you shivering under your covers. It's available now!

Thirty-two stories, including a novelette by the same title, to keep you awake at night. 

A time-traveling Chevy, an ancient church of evil, a house possessed by black magic. Stories to fill you with dread, draw you into places you'd rather not go, smack you in the face with ironic possibilities. Meet the monsters of myth, the creatures that lurk under your bed, the phantoms you thought didn't exist. Travel to the real Atlantis, strap in for the Bermuda Triangle. Terror lurks in the ocean, while an asteroid hides a secret.
Leave a nightlight on before you go to sleep. Something's coming for you. 

Get it now at Amazon, Smashwords, 
Visit River: her Amazon author page, blog, Facebook.

Enjoy chillingly great reads this October.

More Amazing New Reads of all Kinds!

Wow, there are so many great books launching this spring! Here are some I can totally vouch for:

DRAWN by Christopher Ledbetter

YA dark fantasy

Caught between the sweltering fall landscape of Wilmington, NC beaches and southern illusions and expectations, all 16 year-old Cameron Shade thinks about is art. That, and for Farrah to view him as more than just a friend. Cameron hopes he can win her heart through art.  After several warm interactions with Farrah, including painting together at the beach, Cameron discovers just how complex Farrah’s life is.  To impress her, Cameron sketches her portrait into a mysterious notebook. He nearly jumps from his skin when the drawing moves and communicates with him. Farrah's now in grave danger because the sketch he drew of her sucked her real-life’s soul into the sketchbook. Cameron now has 28 days to extract Farrah. To save her, he must draw himself into the book. If he fails… they both die.

                                      Pre-Order DRAWN at Amazon

Once Upon a Nightmare by Cherie Reich

This fantastic collection of dark fantasy includes the novelette Once upon a December Nightmare, the novella Nightmare Ever After, and the short story "Good Nightmare, Scary Monster.

Get the Once Upon a Nightmare ebook at Amazon 

Dragon of the Stars by Alex J. Cavanaugh

Space Opera (novel) 

The future is set for Lt. Commander Aden Pendar, son of a Hyrathian Duke. Poised to secure his own command and marriage to the queen’s daughter, he’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals. But when the Alliance denies Hyrath’s claim on the planet of Kavil and declares war on their world, Aden finds his plans in disarray. Entrenched in battle and told he won’t make captain, Aden’s world begins to collapse. How will he salvage his career and future during Hyrath’s darkest hour? One chance remains–the Dragon. Lost many years prior, the legendary ship’s unique weapon is Hyrath’s only hope. Can Aden find the Dragon, save his people, and prove he’s capable of commanding his own ship?

Get Dragon of the Stars at Amazon, B&N, Smashie 

Amazed & Elated: Depressed and Deflated by Aron Lee Bowe

a graphic novel about the joys & horrors of growing up

***highly recommended by yours truly*** see my review on Amazon

Aron Lee Bowe’s mother says, “If Aron is such a good artist, why in the hell does she paint the crap that she does?” Not daunted, Bowe turns her wonderfully wretched life into a gut-tickling romp. Bowe won the Charles Schultz award for digital cartoons and the first place Humor prize from the National League of American Pen Women. She is artistically committed to telling stories of great significance through the eyes of a goofball. To goof off too, visit her website.

Get the Amazed & Elated paperback

Rice Cooker Revenge - About a vengeful rice cooker (!) by S.J. Pajonas

speculative fiction, short story

It sits there on the counter, quiet and contemplative. Who knew rice cookers could be so vengeful? Ryu must decide whether to stay or leave The Chef’s kitchen, so he turns to an unlikely ally for help. 

Shhh… Listen To The Gods. 

The Japanese believe the gods live in all things. Trees, appliances, animals, buildings — they all have a spirit living within them. Maybe, if you listen carefully, you can hear them too. 

Get Rice Cooker Revenge at Amazon ebook

To check out all of S.J. Pajonas' books click here.

Full Moon by Kristy Centano 

A Secrets of the Moon book—dark fantasy

Hidden lies…hidden demons…hidden battles…All leading to the ultimate sacrifice… She knows what really brought me here. She knows the motives that lead to our friendship. She doubts what’s in my heart. What she doesn’t know…all I’m willing to sacrifice in order to ensure eternity for her.

Get Full Moon at Amazon ebook, B&N

 See Kristy Centano's novels here.

The Biggun a story by LX Cain
zombie horror, short story

A desperate woman hides in a fortified farmhouse. Outside, her former neighbors and friends prowl the night. Dead. And hungry. Her only ally in the coming battle — Biggun. If there’s blasting to be done, Biggun is ready for it.

Get it at Smashie





What new reads have you discovered this spring? 

Secret Worlds Box set - 21 amazing fantasy reads by 21 popular paranormal authors!!! Plus a huge party to celebrate with 70+ prizes!

Announcing an exciting new box set that I am a part of!
From twenty-one USA Today and Amazon bestselling authors
Secret Worlds - A Steamy paranormal romance box set
Only 99 cents!
Limited Edition. Sale ends soon.
(Complete full-length books, no frustrating cliffhangers)

SECRET WORLDS
is a best-selling box set of spicy paranormal reads brought to you by USA Today and Amazon Bestselling authors! With twenty-one stories and over a million enchanting words of fiction, this box set will keep you spellbound! Dive through Secret Worlds and into the arms of heroes who will steal your heart and leave you hot.

Whether you love paranormal romance that warms you up or sets you on fire, this box set will have something to entice your preternatural sensibilities. Supernaturally thrilling and engaging, this set has it all: ghosts, vamps, mind-readers, shape-shifters, demons, faeries, beautiful hybrid creatures and more. 

For a limited time you can enjoy all of these stories, including ones slated for the big screen!!! When purchased separately, these books would cost over $50! But they are yours for less than $1. Get yours before this limited time deal ends!

Pre-order Secret Worlds at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, iBooks

Summary of Ruby's Fire, my award-winning novel in Secret Worlds:

“Eighteen year-old Ruby and her little brother Thorn, have only known a life blighted by the extremist Fireseed Cult. The night Ruby is set to be claimed by one of its cruelest and oldest leaders, she makes a bid for freedom. With Thorn in tow, she stumbles into the world beyond, and finds an opportunity for a fresh start in Skull’s Wrath under the guidance of Nevada Pilgrim, a woman who may not be all she seems. Ruby's new life could bring her friendship, love, even fortune, but nothing comes without a price. Is Ruby's talent for elixirs keeping the roof over their heads, or do some of her associates have a more sinister and lucrative interest in them? Life outside a strange cult isn't without its dangers, and the experience leaves Ruby transformed and communing with the Fireseed more closely than she ever would have imagined. Stine delivers a thrilling adventure led by an exciting cast of characters, and the romance is really well handled.” - YA’s The Word  

***Ruby’s Fire was a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Awards*** 

Praise for Ruby's Fire:

“Romance, betrayal, secrets, great world-building!” - Seeing Night Reviews

“Full of creativity, imagination & original concepts” - Fluttereal Flight

“Ruby kicked butt as the resident healer, plus good love triangle!” - Amazon reader

“You know when you get a book and it's much better than you thought it was going to be? Ruby's Fire was definitely one of those books! I absolutely loved it. What an amazing plot! Also, there's a fantastic twist I didn't see coming.” - (Mis) Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year-Old Girl

“I can't even begin to tell you how smoothly the writing flows. It's perfect. No joke. I went into this book not knowing what to expect and what I got was an amazing storyline.” - Words Create Scenes

Giveaway announcement!

We have 70+ prizes up for grabs at our Secret Worlds Facebook party, including multiple gift cards ranging from $5 to $100, plus a Kindle Fire!!! And the prizes just keep coming. Be sure to join the party for your chance to win these prizes and more coming down the pipeline! The party is on June 29 but the giveaways have already begun.

70+ Prizes! 

Pre-order our Limited Edition Box set for only 99 cents!

Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBooks

All about UtopYA book con in Nashville!

I am going to UtopYA this year for the first time, and I'm really looking forward to it! I've been hearing about this book con for a while now. It will be surreal because I will be meeting many authors in person who I "know well" from the blogging and online author community. What is UtopYA exactly? Well, here's a post from the an organizer, who can explain it better than I can:

Have you got a story in your heart simply bursting to be told? Or characters in your head who never stop whispering their secrets? Maybe you're a devoted reader who wants to tell the world about your favorite books. No matter your goals, UtopYA will envelop you with open arms as well as inspire you beyond belief! The book conference brings female writers of contemporary and supernatural YA and NA fiction together with their fans. Book lovers from far and wide, including authors and readers as far away as the UK, Scotland, and South Africa. This year’s expected attendance of 700-1,000 will be its highest ever.

Those who are interested in a thriving book community will enjoy panels and camaraderie. Readers will not only meet some of their favorite authors (and even do karaoke with them!), but they'll attend educational panels to learn about honing their craft. Whether it's writing or editing a book, designing covers, developing marketing strategies, blogging - they've got a panel for that and more! Keynote speakers Denise Grover Swank, Lauren Miller and Kim Holden will kick off each day followed by educational panels, games, screenings and more. These panels contain expert advice to aspiring authors and book bloggers, plus open discussion for audience participation. Over 100 exhibitors will showcase their work and meet readers; a B&N and indie bookstore are also on site. In addition to the cosplay karaoke on Friday night, the highly anticipated UtopYA Awards will take place Saturday evening, where nominees are honored thanks to their peers and fans. We'll get dressed up and dance the night away as we fangirl over our favorite book boyfriends ;) In addition, there is a book signing on Saturday that is open to the public - all UtopYA asks is a book donation or $5 to their charity Book 'Em. In return, you'll meet bestselling authors, plus a chance to discover plenty of new ones! More than a few women have called this event a life-changing experience! The event is already at 75% capacity, so get your tickets here or hurry over for more information at www.utopyacon.com.

Want to know who'll be there? Here’s a PARTIAL list of authors, experts, models & vendors, ready to meet YOU:

Denise Grover Swank • Kim Holden • Lauren Miller • Marissa Meyer • Myra McEntire • Tammara Webber • Rebecca Donovan • Amy A. Bartol • Jessica Sorensen • Ella James • Cameo Renae • Elizabeth Kirke • Amanda Jones • T.A. Kunz • Chelsea Fine • Whit & Ware • Mae I Design • Indie-Visible • Teal Haviland • Kristie Cook • Kitsy Clare • Clean Teen Publishing • CHBB • Timid Monster • Tia Bach and Indie Books Gone Wild • The Paisley Reader • Delphina Henley • Shana Benedict • Book Junkie Not So Anonymous • Michele Madow • Courtney Stevens • C.J. Redwine • #NALitChat • Chanda Hahn • RK Ryals • A.M. Hargrove • B.J. Sheldon • Cambria Hebert • Tessi Conquest • Nathan Weller • Kendra Malcolm • Madison Daniel • Mindy Ruiz • Bryna Butler • Curiosity Quills • P.K. Hrezo • Rysa Walker • Mary Ting • Bella Roccaforte • Raine Thomas • The Rebel Writers • Michele G. Miller • Raye Wagner • Heather Hildenbrand • S.M. Boyce • Rebecca Yarros • Rachel Harris • Tammy Blackwell • Plot Ninja • Helene Dunbar • Lila Felix • Lizzy Ford • A.G. Henley • Toni Lesatz • Nikki Jefford • Katie McGarry • Stormy Smith • Amy Miles • Rick Miles • Jon Miller • Misty Provencher • Kallie Ross • Catherine Stine • Stacie Wilson • Morgan Wylie and so many more. Check the web site for full list of authors, exhibitors, panelists and more!

All about M Pax's New Rifters series!

M. Pax has a spankin' new paranormal series just out! Book One is called The Rifters, and guess what? It's free on selected sites for a limited time! Here's the lowdown:

The Gold Rush trickles to a fool’s quest and a string of stagecoach heists. In 1888, Earl Blacke decides to make a new start and become a better man. He escapes into the mountains, heading north. In the wilds of Oregon, a rift inside an ancient volcano opens and sends him into the future, into the present day. It also shaves forty years off his age, forty years to live over again and atone for what he’s done.

Starting over is hard to do. In current day New York, Daelin Long’s dream job at a publishing house goes the way of the dinosaurs her sister chases. With no money and nowhere else to go, Daelin accepts the librarian position in her sister’s dinky town in the middle of Oregon. Nestled inside ancient volcanic peaks, the town of Settler holds onto many secrets. Residents roam the streets with weirdly fashioned devices, and odd lights pulse in the night skies. People whisper of a phantom outlaw and start dying, murdered and missing their heads. On top of it all, Daelin’s sister is missing, and Daelin doesn’t know who to trust.

Earl knows more than he’s saying. He shares a notorious history with the phantom, one he’ll see remains buried. Keeping Daelin’s sister’s secrets is his only chance at redemption, and the only way to keep this world safe.

And now for a short excerpt:
A woman in a long flowered dress hurried forward carrying a paintbrush. “Hello, hello.” She waved. “Excuse the mess. I’m renovating… again.” She laughed with little snorts, stumbling in a little circle, defying her years. She couldn’t be younger than forty. “Inside joke, man, sorry. What grooviness can I help you find? I know where everything is.” She gestured at the piles of castoff merchandise strewn about.

If not for the goose bumps on her goose bumps, Daelin would have left. “A winter coat? Earl Blacke mentioned you might have some.”

“Oh man! What a tragedy about him, huh?” She wore her amber hair in two braids, tied with twine and decorated with plastic flowers.

Tragedy? What had happened to Earl? Daelin clutched at her knotting stomach. “What do you mean?”

“There was a murder last night. Umm, wow. Didn’t you hear?” She set the paintbrush down on a plate that had been used for the purpose before. Bracelets covered her arms, clinking with her simple movements.

“In Settler?” Violent crime wasn’t what Daelin expected to hear. She didn’t know what she had expected, but not murder.

The thrift store woman leaned in closer, whispering in a conspiratorial tone. “Yeah, they’re saying Earl Blacke killed Susan Leeds. Took her head plum off, man. Only thing is…,” she glanced at the shadows then wet her lips, “her head is missing.” The soft scent of melon accompanied her words.
Earl had murdered somebody? Daelin gulped, getting a lungful of paint fumes. Right, the paint. The fumes had to be messing with her mind. “Are you serious?”

The Rifters is free at selected sites! The second book in the series, The Initiate, will be available October 20, & for preorder at a special price via iTunes, Amazon, and B&N. Check HERE for links. Giveaways & events ongoing through October 31. Check HERE for details.

Links: Amazon / AmazonUK / B&N / Smashwords /Googleplay / iTunes

M. Pax is author of the space adventure series The Backworlds, plus other novels and short stories. Fantasy, science fiction, and the weird beckons to her, and she blames Oregon, a source of endless inspiration. She docents at Pine Mountain Observatory in the summers as a star guide, has a cat with a crush on Mr. Spock, and is slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. Learn more at mpaxauthor.com.

Sneak Peek at the forthcoming Untethered Realms anthology, Twisted Earths. Out this fall!

We're so excited to give you a sneak peek of the cover and stories in the first Untethered Realms collection called Twisted Earths. Isn't the art spectacular?!

The anthology launches on October 1st. We don't yet have it on Goodreads, so the best way to get release deets is to join the UR blog or UR Facebook group. And while you're there check out the amazing new banner that our designer, Erin made for us.

Now, for a taste of the stories!

Twisted Earths is a collection of tales from Untethered Realms, a group of speculative fiction authors. The stories are as varied and rich as the types of soil on this and other planets—sandy loam, clay, knotted with roots and vines, dreaded paths through unexplored planets, and in enchanted forests, lit by candlelight and two moons.

M. Pax, author of the series, The Backworlds and The Rifters spins a tale called Patchworker 2.0. Specialists with digital interfaces are the only ones who can distinguish between biological energy and mechanical pulses, and “patch” AIs, which hold the world together. Patchworker Evalyn Shore meets up with an AI with deadly intent.

Cherie Reich, known for her epic fantasy series The Fate Challenges and The Foxwick Chronicles, presents Lady Death. Umbria, a beautiful and powerful swordsmith, is given an impossible task by her brother Leon when he asks, “You are the assassin. Are you scared to destroy Death when you are up to your elbows in it?”

Angela Brown is the author of the paranormal Shadow Jumpers and NEO Chronicles series. In her story, In The Know, Jacob, a loyal family man is struggling to stay out of debt when he’s hired to report on big plans for a future Detroit. He’s given a mysterious manila envelope with instructions to “open it alone” or pay the price. With switchback twists you won’t see coming, a debt of a much steeper cost is what he just might end up paying for his involvement.

Catherine Stine, author of the futuristic thrillers, Fireseed One and Ruby’s Fire, offers The Day of The Flying Dogs, a sinister tale of brilliant, troubled NYC high-school student, Theo. He experiences a day at Coney Island that includes drugs, delusions, a lonely capybara, Nathan’s hotdogs and a mind-bending lesson in our very twisted universe.

Christine Rains, known best for her paranormal series The Thirteenth Floor, gives us The Ole Saint, a story at once sweet, horrific and heartrending. Ezra longs to fit in and have boys stop calling him witch and freak, yet his unique supernatural skill sets him apart, and the last gift from The Ole Saint cinches the deal.

Graeme Ing, known for his young adult fantasy, Ocean of Dust presents The Malachite Mine, a gripping, scream-inducing ride. Whatever was Mary thinking when she accepted her husband’s gift of a most terrifying twenty-first birthday celebration in an abandoned Russian mine?

River Fairchild, author of the Jewels of Chandra series, presents A Grand Purpose. Rosaya and her cousin, Drianna are soon to be married off, but Rosaya is unhappy with her assigned match. She’s much more intoxicated by the older Firrandor, a wizard she hardly knows. When Rosaya is accused of killing an oracle boy, all bets are off, not only for her love, but her freedom.

Gwen Gardner, who pens the cozy paranormal mystery series, Indigo Eady, adds to her collection with Ghostly Guardian. Indigo and her rib-tickling ghost-busters must travel to a dangerous pirate-laden past in order to unearth a curmudgeonly eighteenth century spirit that is plaguing the Blind Badger Pub.

Misha Gerrick, whose War of Six Crowns series is forthcoming, gives us a story called Red Earth and White Light. Emily, a young ghost bride has long haunted a house. She longs to cross over into the afterlife, but she’s trapped in memories of lilies and betrayal.

We hope you'll enjoy this weird and wonderful volume!

Who we are:

Interview with Cherie Reich on writing & Reborn!

Idea City's thrilled to chat with Cherie Reich about writing and Reborn. Oh, and enter the Rafflecopter to win LOTS of great books from Cherie and other Untethered Realms authors!
Cherie, tell us about your main character. 
Yssa is god-chosen as the Phoenix Prophetess. She’s grown up knowing who she is, but that doesn’t change how she wants to be normal, like everyone else. She’s sometimes naïve, self-centered, and wishy-washy, but she can be strong and caring. She genuinely does want to change people’s terrible Fates, even though she often fails.

In what ways does she change? 
Yssa would rather be anyone besides the Phoenix Prophetess, but she must learn and grow to accept her role in Amora’s history. She can still be a little selfish at times, but she’s learning to be less naïve and more certain of herself.

Your favorite line from your protagonist: 
My memories weren’t enough to take with me. I just wouldn’t go to Amora.

From an antagonist:
“Your queen is not all she seems.” Odjin half-heartedly laughed.

An emblematic, teaser paragraph:
The child’s life-thread ripped from his mother’s hand and joined the pulsing jewel on her belt. The piece sizzled, reattaching to the gemstone, and transformed to blood red.

What keeps you going when your inspiration flags? 
Reading. I can always tell when I’m not reading enough since the writing goes downhill.

What truly inspires you and fires up your vision? 
Daydreaming. I love thinking about future scenes, acting them in my head, and figuring out where to go next.

Best words of advice you ever received? 
Write a draft and then put it aside for a while. Coming at a draft with fresh eyes really helps to find problems with the story.

Worst? 
You must write every day. Every day works for some authors. I find I write best in spurts.

Advice to aspiring and new authors?
Read! In your genre, out of your genre. You’ll pick up ways to write by absorbing what you read.

Which do you enjoy writing most: action, romance, setting, dialog?
Good question. Can I say “world building”? It’s similar to setting, but I still feel like I have a hard time with description, but I love finding ways to delve deeper into the world the characters live in.

How is it writing a trilogy? 
I’m still learning about writing a trilogy. Book One is finished and published, but I only have part of Book Two written, and Book Three is only an outline. The biggest challenge will likely be not dropping a story thread. I’m trying to tie everything up at the end, and I fear I’ll miss something. I do love building the world and learning more about the characters and the Kingdom of Amora as I write and plan.

What is the most important theme of book one? Book Two? 
Accepting who you are is a strong theme in the books. Life and death is another as well as free will versus Fate.

Care to share a hint of what’s to come in book three? 
Since Book Two isn’t out yet, I don’t want to give away too much. Let’s just say everything comes together in one epic conclusion.

A hint of what you’re working on next? 
A princess must rise to challenge Fate. I’m expanding a short story within The Fate Challenges’ world to novella-length. The new title is Repledged, and it features Princess Magna and is set 800 years before Reborn.

Find Cherie on the web: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Reborn is available in Ebook and Print! Amazon | Createspace | Google Play | Kobo | Nook | OmniLit | Smashwords | Other Retailers. Click to add on Goodreads.

To save a kingdom, a prophetess must challenge Fate.

On the day of Yssa’s death and rebirth, the god Apenth chose her as the Phoenix Prophetess. Sea serpents and gods endanger the young prophetess’s journey and sour the omens. Yssa is cursed instead of blessed, and her duties at the Temple of Apenth prove it. She spends her days reading dusty scrolls, which does nothing to help her forget Tym, the boy back home. But the annoying yet gorgeous ferryman’s son Liam proves to be a distraction she can’t predict, even though he rarely leaves her alone for two sand grains.

Her boring temple life screeches to a halt when visions of her parents’ murders consume her. Yssa races across an ocean to stop the future. If she can’t change Fate, she’ll refuse to be the Phoenix Prophetess any longer. Fate, however, has other plans for her and the kingdom.

Yssa must either accept her destiny or fight to change Fate.

Cherie Reich, a self-proclaimed bookworm, is a speculative fiction writer and library assistant living in Virginia. Her short stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies, and her books include the horror collection Nightmare, a space fantasy novella collection titled Gravity, and the fantasy series The Foxwick Chronicles and The Fate Challenges. Reborn is her debut novel. She is Vice President of Valley Writers and a member of the Virginia Writers Club and Untethered Realms. For more info, visit her website.

Cherie and the authors of Untethered Realms are giving away over $50 worth of books to one lucky winner. The giveaway is open internationally. Enter the Rafflecopter below.

On an unrelated note, Catherine Stine signs at BEA this week! Click for the schedule.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stephanie Keyes Star Catcher, Sale & Prizes!

Today on Idea City I have a fellow Inkspell author, the fabulous Stephanie Keyes, with a focus on her Star Catcher novel! Plus the first two in the series are on sale. Enter the Rafflecopter below for these prizes: One Complete E-book Set of the Entire Star Child Series (INT) & Multiple e-book Copies of The Star Catcher (INT). How cool is that?!

Magick and destiny intertwine as he fights to save his kingdom and the goddess he loves.

Her kiss…the feel of her skin…the beat of her heart…For seventeen-year-old Kellen St. James, each memory is marred by a single sentence on a lone strip of paper.

Cali has been taken…

Armed with an amulet that channels the ultimate power of Faerie, Kellen searches for his love. However, control of the amulet’s energy comes with a price, and Kellen soon learns that Cali’s captor has plans for the stone. With the threat of the Star Catcher’s evil looming above Kellen and his kingdom, he’ll have to free the Heart of Faerie and break the curse the binds the Children of Danu to the darkness. But before that, he has to find his real father, the king. No pressure, right?

Kellen and Cali will battle bewitched armies and unknown foes as they fight to stay together. Will Kellen embrace his immortal destiny? Or will his world, and the man he is fated to become, be destroyed by The Star Catcher?

Buy the book! Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo
Find Stephanie: Stephanie's Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Book Trailer


Sale! This week only, grab the first two in the series:
The Star Child and The Fallen Stars for just $1.99!
Amazon | B&N

Excerpt
“I thought I’d never see you again.” Cali’s voice sounded small.
“There’s so much to tell you, I don’t even   know where to begin.”
“I know.”
“Marry me. For real this time.” The words came out in a rush, but I’d never wanted anything more. I didn’t plan on being apart from Cali ever again. “No Faerie attacks, no fleeing the country.” I didn’t know how to sum it up properly. “Just be mine.”
Cali smiled and pushed her warm body even closer against me. “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.” Her yeses jumbled together as we kissed again. “I will marry you. I will.”
We had so much more to share, but I wouldn’t think past this moment, past today when I had Cali in my arms, finally, with our never-ending life lying ahead of us. I asked her to marry me. Promised it, in fact. I would keep my promise. Somewhere in the middle, I’d have to tell her the rest of what had happened. But today, in this infinitely glorious time, we were finally together again.

About Steph
Stephanie Keyes grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and spent years traveling and working as a Corporate Trainer before she made the decision to pen her first novel.  As a teen, her family always accused her of having an “overactive imagination.” Now, she’s encouraged to keep her head in the clouds and share her world with readers.
Still a resident of the ‘Burgh, Steph is now Mom to two little boys who constantly keep her on her toes. In addition, she's best friend to her incredible rockstar of a husband. She is an active member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), as well as a featured author for Love a Happy Ending Lifestyle e-magazine.
Keyes is the author of the YA Fantasy series, The Star Child, which currently includes The Star Child, After Faerie, The Fallen Stars, and The Star Catcher, all from by Inkspell Publishing. Steph writes YA novels because she’s a hopeless romantic who lives to believe that Magick truly does exist. She is hard at work on a new YA novel.

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Hot wings burning up the blogs-Cherie's astounding cover art for Reborn!

Fellow Untethered Realm author, Cherie Reich's new epic fantasy, Reborn comes out on May 23rd, but in the meantime the blogs have been burning up with her astounding cover reveal. I mean, seriously, I have never seen a more beautiful pair of wings on a magical bird. Like everrrrr. 
Makes you want to read the book! Put it on your Goodreads TBR list. Or if you'd rather be notified via Cherie's newsletter, sign up.
And let's hear some applause for her cover artist, Laura Sava. *enthusiastic cheers and claps*

To save a kingdom, a prophetess must challenge Fate.

On the day of Yssa’s death and rebirth, the god Apenth chose her as the Phoenix Prophetess. Sea serpents and gods endanger the young prophetess’s journey and sour the omens. Yssa is cursed instead of blessed, and her duties at the Temple of Apenth prove it. She spends her days reading dusty scrolls, which does nothing to help her forget Tym, the boy back home. But the annoying yet gorgeous ferryman’s son Liam proves to be a distraction she can’t predict, even though he rarely leaves her alone for two sand grains.

Her boring temple life screeches to a halt when visions of her parents’ murders consume her. Yssa races across an ocean to stop the future. If she can’t change Fate, she’ll refuse to be the Phoenix Prophetess any longer. Fate, however, has other plans for her and the kingdom.

Yssa must either accept her destiny or fight to change Fate.

A self-proclaimed bookworm, Cherie Reich is a speculative fiction writer, freelance editor, book blogger, and library assistant living in Virginia. Her short stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies, and her ebooks include the horror series Nightmare, a space fantasy trilogy titled Gravity, and a fantasy series The Foxwick Chronicles. She is Vice President of Valley Writers and a member of the Virginia Writers Club and Untethered Realms. Find her on her website & blog.

Two awesome excerpts from M Pax's new sequel, Beyond the Edge!

I can't say enough great things about M Pax's space opera series, The Backworlds. Having read two in the series, I can say that her characters, especially Craze, are vivid and amusing. Her plotting is creative and the voices are original. M Pax's mind just keeps cooking up wilder and wilder sagas. I'm a total fan! With the release of book 4, Beyond the Edge, she's sharing a rare treat: two mini-excerpts! But first, a book 4 blurb:
Some truths are better left unfound.
For two years Craze’s dear friend, Lepsi, has been missing. The murmurings of a haunted spaceship might be a message and may mean his old pal isn’t dead. The possibility spurs Craze and Captain Talos to travel to uncharted worlds, searching. Out there, in an unfamiliar region of the galaxy beyond the Backworlds, they stumble upon a terrible truth.
Meanwhile, Rainly remains on Pardeep Station as acting planetlord, dealing with the discovery of her lover’s dark and brutal past. Alone and questioning her judgment, her introspection unlocks more than heartache. Latent protocols in her cybernetics activate, forcing her to face a sinister secret of her own.
In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe. This is the fourth book in the science fiction series, The Backworlds. A space opera adventure.

And now for the excerpts:
1.    His father stiffened, the knot on his brow tightening. “You talk so damn much, I don’t follow the half of it. Nobody does, which is why you’ll always be slime on the bottom of my shoe.”
    Craze didn’t blink, circling his pa. “You not wearin’ shoes.”
    Snarling, Bast huffed out a fierce growl. “The point is I’m pretty sure I heard an insult, ‘n I’ll chance a stay in jail to knock my brand of justice into your head..” Backing up, he wiped his feet in the dust, then started forward like an all-terrainer tricked out with a ship’s engine, howling, waving the club so that it whistled.

2.    “We’ll be with him lickety-split. This being a tree makes everything easier.” Pauder grinned, adjusting his guns and bandoliers.
    Inching his way out the door and onto the ramp, Craze tested the ground with a toe, tapping under the clouds for solidity. He found firm footing and joined the insane expedition, staring at Pauder’s unwavering arrogant expression for reassurance. He cleared his throat, unable to resist asking, “How does it make anythin’ easier?”
    “Trees is less dangerous ta climb than cliffs. Bark forgives, rock doesn’t.” Pauder floated through the thick fog, his legs hidden. His movements appeared effortless and poetic, not the motions of one on a hunting excursion with every intent of killing whatever stood in his way.
    “That makes no sense. Both land you on your ass, ‘n I’ve yet to see forgivin’ ground. Which is a worry since we still can’t see shit.” One wrong step and there was no telling how far Craze would fall.

Buy her books! Amazon, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Nook, Kobo

Inspiring the words she writes, M Pax spends her summers as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory in stunning Central Oregon where she lives with the Husband Unit and two demanding cats. She writes science fiction and fantasy mostly. Visit her at:
Website / FB / Twitter / Goodreads / Pinterest / Wattpad

Cover Reveal for PK Hrezo's Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc! Where would YOU book your time travel trip to?

Today Idea City is featuring the cover and teaser for PK Hrezo's forthcoming novel Butterman (Time) Travel Inc, which releases on 11/12/13!!! Gorgeous cover, eh? Kudos to the cover designer, and congrats, PK!

If I could travel back in time? So many choices! I love the Roaring Twenties. But I'd also like to have met Chekhov, hung out in the czar's Russia, to have taken part in the new experimental Moscow theater and appeared in one of his plays. 

About the book:
Welcome to Butterman Travel, Incorporated
We are a full service agency designed to meet all your exclusive time travel needs. Family-owned and operated, we offer clients one hundred years of time travel experience. A place where you can rest assured, safety and reliability always come first.
Anxious to attend a special event from the past? Or for a glimpse of what the future holds?
You’ve come to the right place. We’re a fully accredited operation, offering an array of services; including, but not limited to: customized travel plans, professionally piloted operations, and personal trip guides. *Terms and conditions do apply
Conference us directly from our Website. Our frontline reservation specialist, Bianca Butterman, will handle all your inquiries in a professional and efficient manner, offering a tentative itinerary and free fare quote, so you can make the most of your time trip.
We look forward to serving you at Butterman Travel, Inc., where time is always in your hands.

About PK Hrezo
PK Hrezo is a native Floridian whose life could easily be a Jimmy Buffet song. She shares her home with her firefighter husband and their two children. When not creating characters and their worlds, PK can be found at her other job of rearranging passenger’s itineraries for a major international airline. The only hobbies she loves more than traveling, are reading, writing, and music, and when the four are combined she exists in total bliss.
She blogs regularly at PK HREZO: Fearless Fiction. You can also find her on Twitter, Facebook and on her website.

Now to make this really fun, in the comments, tell us where YOUR dream destination would be, if you could book your trip back, or forward in time; and why?

Oh, and The Nerd Herd Reads is running a giveaway of my YA thriller, Ruby's Fire. Still time to enter to win an ebook or signed paperback! Click here.

Indie Life: Going Collective!

Today is the second Wednesday of the month. That means it's Indie Life Day, a monthly feature on everything indie, started by the fabulous author group, the Indelibles.

Which brings me to my theme: the author collective, and why it's good to create a group. I've spoken to various Indelible members over the years, and it's given me a growing urge to be a part of a group, in a similar way to my longstanding, trusty writers' workshop. Why?

For fellowship, marketing, advice, swapping early drafts, editing and for group publicity efforts such as blogfests and giveaways. But-GAH!- I didn't want to RUN the thing myself, and I wasn't sure where I wanted my work to fit in. I was a bit more sci-fi oriented than some of the Indelibles, and less paranormal than another early collective I liked, Darkside. I wanted a variety of speculative and hybrid authors; meaning that I thought it would be cool to have some authors who published traditionally, at least part of the time, and others who indie-pubbed. Mix it up. That was always my preference as an artist too (my first serious career)-blending abstract and realistic imagery. Spicy that way.

I waited, and watched and... you get the picture. Presto, the joining process became an organic thing that I floated into, with authors I could really relate to. I joined Untethered Realms, and I'm so glad I did! We are running a Realms Faire in November, which will be big fun, with a Dragon Hunt, Joust, Masquerade Ball and the works. And I'm helping organize an Untethered Realms anthology for next spring. Publicity is necessary but it doesn't have to suck! And one doesn't have to go it alone (Unless you prefer it that way). I recommend forming a group and experimenting with the ways it can enhance your indie experience.
To follow Untethered Realms and play the Realms Faire click here.
Check us out on Twitter too.
What have you devised to make your indie journey easier? More lucrative, fun? Do you like the idea of a collective, or prefer to do your own thing?

New novels, new Covers! Hear, hear!

As a proud member of the speculative group Untethered Realms I'm thrilled to brag about UR authors' new works. 

Misha Gerricke's novel, The Vanished Knight from Etopia Press is out! Isn't the cover gorgeous?!
The Black Knight, Nordaine’s crown prince, has no legitimate blood heirs, meaning someone must be appointed to succeed him. With two of the candidates’ families willing to kill for the appointment and the third candidate being seen as a threat to all, peace is balanced on a sword’s edge. But then the Black Knight vanishes.
Darrion and Gawain, two of his possible heirs, set out to find him, but after they rescue an earth-girl from Merithian soldiers, they discover she has possible ties to Nordaine. Not only that, but Callan Blair could be an Elvish princess. And war looms on the horizon…
Where to find it! Amazon & Amazon UK

Where to find Misha: her blog, Twitter

The Ghosts of Aquinnah, Julie Flander's new novel will be released by Ink Smith Publishing on December 5! Today, I'm revealing her beautiful cover and a teaser blurb:

A brilliant flash of light transcends through time. Another freezes a cloaked figure within a frame of salty mist as waves crash against a rocky shore. Her harrowing expression shadows the beacon to a pinprick. By the next blaze, she is gone. Only the lighthouse remains.

Hannah’s eyes blink in step with each heartbeat. Images of her deceased parents and Martha’s Vineyard explode like firecrackers inside her mind. She shakes her head. For weeks this eerie woman dressed in nineteenth century garb has been haunting my webcam, but tonight she stared into my soul. Why? ...  Who is she? ...

Casting aside months of research on historic lighthouses, Hannah drives to the coast and boards a ferry. What is the strange connection she has to this mysterious woman suspended in time? Hannah finds out. But, it’s not what she expects. Hannah unravels a century old murder.

Julie Flanders is a novelist and freelance writer in Cincinnati, Ohio. She's had a long love affair with the ocean and has spent many summer vacations on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. When not writing, Julie can be found reading, cheering on her favorite sports teams, and watching too much television. She is an animal lover and shares her home with her dog and cat.

Julie's Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads

The Realms Faire, created by M Pax and sponsored by Untethered Realms is fast-approaching! There will be fun games, and mega-prizes, including a brand new KINDLE! Stay tuned... And stay tuned for my own exciting new news... coming soon!