Lucas Mackenzie and the London Midnight Ghost Show
by Steve Bryant
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presented by Month9Books!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
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Lucas Mackenzie has got the best job of any 10 year old boy. He travels from city-to-city as part of the London Midnight Ghost Show, scaring unsuspecting show-goers year round. Performing comes naturally to Lucas and the rest of the troupe, who’ve been doing it for as long as Lucas can remember.
But there’s something Lucas doesn’t know.
Like the rest of Luca’s friends, he’s dead. And for some reason, Lucas can’t remember his former life, his parents or friends. Did he go to school? Have a dog? Brothers and sisters?
If only he could recall his former life, maybe even reach out to his parents, haunt them.
When a ghost hunter determines to shut the show down, Lucas realizes the life he has might soon be over. And without a connection to his family, he will have nothing. There’s little time and Lucas has much to do. Can he win the love of Columbine, the show’s enchanting fifteen-year-old mystic? Can he outwit the forces of life and death that thwart his efforts to find his family?
Keep the lights on! Lucas Mackenzie’s coming to town.
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Title: Lucas Mackenzie and the London Midnight Ghost Show
Publication date: November 18, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Steve Bryant
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Steve Bryant is a new novelist, but a veteran author of books of card tricks. He founded a 40+ page monthly internet magazine for magicians containing news, reviews, magic tricks, humor, and fiction; and he frequently contributes biographical cover articles to the country’s two leading magic journals (his most recent article was about the séance at Hollywood’s Magic Castle).
This isa Tag Team Event by fuonlyknew and fundinmental.
Today Sherry and I are featuring the new cover art for Wormwood by D.H. Nevins.
The author has also written an exciting guest post all about the process of creating and choosing her new cover.
And I’ve also reposted my review for ya.
One more thing. There’s a giveaway for a chance to win your own copy of Wormwood, with the new cover!
After entering my giveaway, head on over to Sherry’s blog at fundinmental for another chance to win!
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Here is the new cover. Is it not spectacular? The faint hint of color like a ray of light. The wing tip and falling feathers. The peak she is standing on and the silhouette of her holding her crossbow, looking outwards.
All of these things pertain to the story and bring back fantastic memories.
I’m reposting my review so you don’t have to leave the page!
I did not read the back flap before I started reading Wormwood. I had also received another book in the mail that day and mistakenly thought this was the book about aliens. Boy, was I surprised.
The first chapter introduces you to Kali. She is a trail guide at Pinecrest National Park. A quiet hike up to her favorite spot, Lookout Peak, starts out normally enough, but a light breeze quickly becomes a tree snapping gale. The once clear skies have turned a heavy grey-black, the clouds tumbling over each other as they race towards her.
This would not be so bad if the woods had not suddenly gone silent. Not a sound could be heard. The winds had stopped and all was still. Not even a bird song was heard. Into this silence came a rumbling that turned into a roar. The ground began to vibrate under her feet and she could see something was coming. The trees started to shake and then to fall, the ground began to roll. Kali ran.
The earth twists and buckles as she tries to reach the safety of Lookout Peak. Trees and shrubs reach out as if to grab her. She sees her goal and rushes forward. Stillness. All around her the earth is raging. Great rents appear, lava flows up from below, the skies open up and rain and hail lash down, but from her vantage point all she feels is a mild tremor under her feet. How can this be?
Kali wants to move out from under the overhanging rocks and edges around them to a clear space. The rocks could fall at any moment. There is a campfire burning. She is not alone up here. A quick look around reveals a figure standing on the cliffs edge, his arms stretched out towards the devastation that is still raging below.
TIAMAT
I tell ya, I was not prepared for this. I was exhausted from the tension I experienced following Kali’s mad dash to safety. My description is just a wee bit of what she goes through.
I am so excited just thinking about what I want to tell you. This happened and that happened! And what? I have never read a story quite like this. There is so much going on. The story raced to its conclusion, leaving me stunned.
At times I was scared. Other times I was so mad. And at one part, I realized I was crying, and it hurt.
D. H. Nevins has written a fantastic story of the end of the world and the last survivors. Perhaps this description is too simple, but I hesitate to tell much of the story. I want you to read it like I did. Unprepared and wide-eyed. I want you to get to know each character and discover just what is really causing all the destruction.
I hope when you read Wormwood, you’ll tell me how it made you feel. Did you experience it like I did?
A huge Thank You to the author for an extremely well written story in which to immerse myself.
Beyond 5 STARS
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Check out this amazing trailer!
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Synopsis
Against a devastated landscape, a legion of one hundred fierce half-angels is hell-bent on purging the Earth of all humans. But one of them, the tormented Tiamat, struggles against his mission, and when he rescues a beautiful woman named Kali, he finds the attraction as troubling as it is miraculous. Can Kali trust the one creature who could be responsible for her ultimate demise?
Beautifully written and excitingly told, Wormwood creates a world that is as strange as it is compelling. Filled with brilliantly executed twists and turns on every page that are guaranteed to keep you guessing, Wormwood is one of the most exciting debuts of the year.
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Enjoy the guest post by D.H. Nevins
A New Cover for Wormwood
First of all, before I say anything else, let me introduce Wormwood’s new cover. Oh, and before I do that, I should forewarn you that I’m a tad biased about this…
The New:
This beauty took my breath away the moment I saw it. As an author, I couldn’t ask for a better representation of my work. And I’m kind of picky—so that says a lot! The image projects a mood that reflects the feel of my story so perfectly, I knew the cover artist understood Wormwood on multiple levels. But even if we’re just talking aesthetics, well, although I am most definitely biased, I think this is one fantastic-looking cover!
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The Old:
I originally had a different cover for Wormwood. It was a simple black and white etching by Gustave Doré, depicting a fallen angel reaching towards the heavens. The sheer turmoil apparent through the angel’s expression and pose not only fascinated me, but seemed a perfect depiction of the conflict raging through Tiamat, a half-angel in Wormwood. However, the etching–although classic–was hardly a trendy cover. The story itself was very well-received, but I found that people had trouble getting past the antiquated-looking cover in order to take a chance on reading what was within. My love for the cover, it seemed, was a lonely one!
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The Cool How:
About a month ago, I was contacted by cover artist extraordinaire, Derek Murphy. He had read Wormwood and subsequently offered to make up a new cover for the book—for free. Surprised, flattered and curious about the vision he had for Wormwood, I heartily agreed.
Then, as you know, the resulting cover blew my expectations out of the water! Its impact was immediate.
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Why it Works:
The image depicts the book genre clearly. The colour contrast is striking, which catches the eye instantly. Plus, it’s incredibly professional.
It also fits the story.
On a literal note, the protagonist is a strong female, adept with a crossbow, yet still out of her element. However, she would never admit it. I could see this in her stance. Yet the cover holds so much more than a simple literal representation of Wormwood. Derek recreated the feel of the book perfectly. The mixture of light and darkness remind me of a review Wormwood once received which, in part, said, “The lines will be blurred between good and evil, love and hate, truth and lies, and hero and antagonist.” The hazy fusion of sunlight and shadow reflect this beautifully. The unsettled, foreboding skies mirror the mood of this dark, post-apocalyptic story, and the falling feathers are a nice touch. They hint at the half-angels in the story without hitting potential readers over the head with their existence. The fact the feathers are broken and falling is also perfect, but I hesitate to say why… after all, I don’t want to spoil the most exciting parts of the book!
The Alternatives:
It was exceedingly difficult to select my favourite cover. Every mock-up Derek created was incredible in its own right, and it would be a shame not to share them. So in all their glory, here are the other options he came up with.
The third one—the one with the wing obscuring the girl’s face—is so amazing, I’d very much like to use it as the cover for my sequel, Angel of Shadow. What do you think?
My Thanks:
Naturally, I wouldn’t be sharing this with you if it wasn’t for Derek Murphy. His outstanding covers and unprecedented talent can be seen on his website, CreativIndie Covers. Have a look at http://bookcovers.creativindie.com/
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D.H. Nevins was born in Toronto and currently lives in a quiet area of Ontario, surrounded by forests and lakes. By day, she is a personable, friendly school teacher. By night, she silently chuckles as she writes about destroying the world. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, camping, flying around on her motorcycle or dabbling in live theatre.
I won all of these books, signed by the authors, along with a cute beach bag with matching beach towel, sunscreen, and some cool swag, from the Bookbub Bestsellers Giveaway! Thanks so much to Bette Lee Crosby and the other authors for this GRAND PRIZE! I’m thrilled and anxious to get reading!
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And I won a copy of The Girl Who Believed In Fairy Tales and an HEA Bracelet from the giveaway hosted by Candace at CBB! Thanks so much Candace and thanks Heidi!
Life AD 2: M.I.A.: Missing in Atman
by Michelle E. Reed
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presented by Month9Books!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
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Dez is finally hitting her afterlife stride. She hasn’t missed a meeting or session in forty-two days, and she’s put the adventures and danger of her first days at Atman behind her. Life after death is becoming tolerable, yet nothing is quite what she’d hoped. Confusion over her feelings for Charlie, residual resentment over losing Hannah, and a continuous stream of unwanted assignments leave Dez restless and argumentative.
In a missed encounter with Crosby, her prying gaze lands upon a single entry in the datebook on his unoccupied desk. These few, hastily scribbled words reveal an enormous secret he’s keeping from her. Possessed by a painful sense of betrayal, she once again sneaks off to Atman City, determined to find answers to an unresolved piece of her life.
It begins as all their adventures do, but as light falls into darkness, a stop in an unfamiliar neighborhood sets forth a chaotic series of events. Dez will have to fight for her very existence, and will face painful, irreparable loss in an afterlife teeming with demons wielding ancient powers.
In M.I.A.: Missing in Atman, the second book in the Atman City series, Michelle E. Reed continues the story of Dez Donnelly, pushing her to her limits and surprising readers at every twist and turn of the vast world that is Atman.
Death was only the beginning.
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Title: Life AD 2: M.I.A.: Missing in Atman
Publication date: December 16, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Michelle E. Reed
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Michelle was born in a small Midwestern town, to which she has returned to raise her own family. Her imagination and love of literature were fueled by a childhood of late nights, hidden under the covers and reading by flashlight. She is a passionate adoption advocate who lives in Wisconsin with her husband, son, and their yellow lab, Sully.
When mankind finally consumes itself, can any spark of humanity survive? Layla fights to keep those she loves alive when the zombie apocalypse unfolds, but she soon learns that zombies are not the only problem. With mankind silenced, those beings living on the fringe seek to reclaim power. Layla must learn who to trust, fast, if she hopes to save what is left of our kind.
Publication date: Summer/Fall 2014
Genres: Dark Fantasy, Young Adult, Zombies
Synopsis:
When Layla took the final step through the labyrinth, she knew she was saving the ones she loved.
She couldn’t have been more wrong.
The unwitting victims of a grudge seething for eons, Layla and the other survivors now find themselves in a war for our world. With vampires lurking and shapeshifters plotting vengeance, Layla must learn who to trust if humanity has any hope of survival: the carnie girl? The quiet doctor? The tarot reader? The stranger with alluring gold eyes? Or the man she loves? And then there are the voices. What does it forewarn if the dead can speak?
When the world burns, mankind’s shadow side rises. Do we deserve to survive?
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Author Melanie Karsak
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Melanie Karsak grew up in rural northwestern Pennsylvania and earned a Master’s degree in English from Gannon University. A steampunk connoisseur, white elephant collector, and zombie whisperer, the author currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children. She is an Instructor of English at Eastern Florida State College.
I am so excited to share the new cover in Amy Evan’s series, The Dolphin Prophecy!!! And we have an awesome excerpt and giveaway!!
Title: Breaks (Book 3 in The Dolphin Prophecy)
Author: Amy Evans
Cover Designer – Regina Wamba
Release Date – expected Sept. 9, 2014
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* Synopsis:
When the CLICKS and ECHOES have all been ignored, and the universe can take it no more, the pressure builds below the surface until everything breaks.
Cami’s invitation to the elite Australian Surf Carnival is a dream come true, but it’s causing tension with Blake, her parents, and her community. Her relationships feel as broken and unsteady as their island home where the pin swims below the water’s surface, symbolizing a total lack of safety and balance. The Elders in The Guard fear for their new generation, so they send Mica and the other twins away with Cami. It maybe for everyone’s protection, but Cami’s angry to not get to break away on her own.
On the other side of the ocean, they stay with the fifth set of twins who moved away when they were little, and learn more about the mysteries surrounding their ancestors and previous island homes. When the threats that they faced on Pinhold follow, Cami must trust her instincts to get the secrets from her past and present that are needed to protect her future. If she fails, the breaks will keep getting worse until everywhere on Earth is damaged in a way that can never be reversed.
BREAKS is the third book in The Dolphin Prophecy series. CLICKS is available for free and ECHOES is brand new and on sale for 99 cents for a very short time.
Exclusive Excerpt:
Sailors call them breaks, those moments when races turn around, when a crazy gust of wind comes along and whip changes your course. Sometimes it’s for better, sometimes it’s for worse. But the only way to know is to race with the break and see where it goes.
This letter was my break. It was the one opportunity is always wanted, my best chance to test myself, to do something on my own. I’d worked my tail off for this and the note offered it right up to me exactly as I’d hoped. A competition spot in the Elite International Surf Carnival on the Gold Coast of Australia. This was my dream come true. And the perfect break exactly when I needed one.
But as I looked around the room I knew. I just knew. From the looks on their faces I could tell they weren’t going to let me go.
Just then Blake pushed open the door with a happy energy I hadn’t seen in weeks. He held a paper in his palm as well. That made sense considering mail only got to us once a week at most right now. But the coincidence put a bad lump in my throat. From across the room I recognized the seal of the National Swim Team and knew it was a tryout invitation. From the look on his face I knew he was going to get to go.
And in that moment I hated him for it. Blake would get a break he never even wanted. While I had to put aside my dream for a stupid prophecy that just had to go ahead and come true. About Amy Evans
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
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What kind of power is lurking inside him?
After a year of training to become a dragonrider, Jaevid Broadfeather has been sent home to rest during a three-month interlude. But when he returns to find the king drake has chosen Beckah Derrick as his new rider, Jaevid realizes something big is about to happen. Every fiber of his being is pushed to the breaking point as Jaevid battles through his avian year, preparing for the final graduation test of the battle scenario. But there is more standing in his way than a few pushups and fancy sword moves.
Jaevid must face a new fear as he is tormented by a gruesome nightmare of a mysterious gray elf warrior murdering the royal family of Maldobar. It seems obvious to him that this is some kind of message about how the war started long ago—until Felix assures him the king is very much alive. With his strange powers growing stronger by the day, and that violent dream replaying in his mind every night, Jaevid no longer wonders if he will pass his avian year or not . . . he wonders if he will even survive it.
The truth will soon be set loose.
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Title: Avian (The Dragonrider Chronicles #2)
Publication date: August 26, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Nicole Conway
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Nicole is the author of the children’s fantasy series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. She has completed the first two books in the series, and is now working on the third and final book.
Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English with a concentration in Classics from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school.
She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation.
Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves watching children’s movies and collecting books. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog.
Today we’re bringing you the cover reveal for Storms of Lazarus by Karen Kincy. This is the second book in the Shadows of Asphodel series. This is a new adult dieselpunk romance and releases in July. Check out this stunning cover and then enter the giveaway!
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Storms of Lazarus (Shadows of Asphodel #2)
Sometimes escape is impossible. Sometimes love isn’t enough.
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1913. Christmas Eve. Ardis hardly expects a quiet holiday with Wendel, between fleeing Constantinople and hiding from an ancient society of assassins. And they owe a debt to a certain archmage.
In Königsberg, Prussia, they work with Konstantin on the next evolution of Project Lazarus. Wendel once called Königsberg home, the city now besieged by the Russians and their clockwork engines of war. This may be Wendel’s last chance to save his family and find redemption, but he’s tormented by nightmares and tempted by laudanum. Ardis fears her love isn’t enough to save Wendel. Her hands are full piloting the automatons, and she’s terrified to tell him a secret of her own. Will they—and their love—survive the storms of war?
She never asked for the undying loyalty of a necromancer.
1913. Austria-Hungary. Ardis knows better than to save a man on the battlefield. Even if he manages to be a charming bastard while bleeding out in the snow. She hasn’t survived this long as a mercenary without some common sense.
When she rescues Wendel, it isn’t because he’s devilishly handsome, but because he’s a necromancer. His touch can revive the dead, and Ardis worries he will return from the grave to hunt her down. Besides, a necromancer can be useful in this world on the brink of war.
A gentleman of questionable morals, Wendel drops to one knee and pledges his undying loyalty to Ardis. She resists falling for him, no matter how hot the tension smolders between them. Especially when she discovers Wendel’s scars run much deeper than his skin, and it might be too late to truly save him from himself.
Karen Kincy (Kirkland, Washington) can be found lurking in her writing cave, though sunshine will lure her outside. When not writing, she stays busy gardening, tinkering with aquariums, or running just one more mile. Karen has a BA in Linguistics and Literature from The Evergreen State College.
Chloe always dreamed of visiting the ocean, and now the ocean is the only place she has left to go. Trapped in the form of a mermaid and on the run from the Sylphaen, her best chance for safety lies in traveling with Zeke to his underwater home and staying under his protection there.
Leaving isn’t easy, however. Her best friend doesn’t know where she’s gone, and her family doesn’t either. She’s been forced to abandon Noah, the boy she’s liked for years and who she’s just discovered likes her too. She only hopes Zeke’s people will help her so she can return soon.
But when conspiracies follow her and people start to die,
safety becomes harder to find than ever. The Sylphaen are coming. They’re more
powerful than she could have imagined.
Skye Malone is a fantasy and paranormal romance author,
which means she spends most of her time not-quite-convinced that the things she
imagines couldn’t actually exist.
Born and raised in central Illinois, she hopes someday to
travel the world – though in the meantime she’ll take any story that whisks her off to a place where the fantastic lives inside the everyday. She loves strong
and passionate characters, complex villains, and satisfying endings that stay
with you long after the book is done. An inveterate writer, she can’t go a day
without getting her hands on a keyboard, and can usually be found typing away
while she listens to all the adventures unfolding in her head.
Skye also writes YA urban fantasy as Megan Joel Peterson and
is the author of The Children and the Blood trilogy.
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000030_00050]](http://www.inkslingerpr.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Breaks_ebooklg.jpg)
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00066]](http://www.cbbbookpromotions.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Storms-of-Lazarus-ebook-cover.jpg)
