Nerd. Introvert. He was the hero they never knew they wanted.
All Wendell hoped for was a decent job,
a hot new car and a girlfriend to match.
What he got was the mantle of a legendary hero, the heart of a girl who
had no idea who he really was…and a diamond bigger than his fist.
What could possibly go wrong?
Prelude to a Hero is book one in the Chronicles of a Hero series, by Jaime
Buckley. If you enjoyed Tiffany Aching, Harry Potter or Hitchhikers
Guide to the Galaxy, then you’ll love this humorous, original epic
fantasy, packed with magic, mystery and sharp kicks to the funny bone.
“I’m already a HUGE fan of fantasy fiction, this book appealed to me as I
felt it would be something new and unique… I wasn’t left
disappointed!”
Dream girls. Fried snails. A 30” bodyguard with pink ponytails.
Being a hero comes with learning curves.
The curve of a hip. The curve of a sword.
The curve of a sucker punch as it connects with your face.
It wouldn’t be so bad if Wendell had professionals to help him.
Instead, he’s stuck with a feisty gnome, a senile old wizard and a green
skinned, cigar-smoking babysitter to guide him.
Is it too late to quit?
Fans of epic fantasy will cheer Wendell on as the Chronicles of a Hero
series continues in book two. Those who enjoy the world building
skills of J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling and Brandon Sanderson will
surely get addicted to this original new world.
Feed your fantasy needs and grab your copy today!
“I have not laughed so hard in a long time. I don’t KNOW how long it’s
been. Just when the tension is about to make my heart pop, Chuck or
Dax or a situation will pop up and make you laugh.”
Stranded, alone…with a tree sticking out of his bellybutton.
Wendell’s task is simple: get to Til-Thorin Keep.
No problem.
Add to that no map, no help and no flippin’ idea where he is and you have a day in the life of our hero.
Oh wait—we forgot to add the army of cannibals now nipping at his heels.
It just might be the death of him.
Elemental magic and nail-biting action are what you can expect in book three of Chronicles of a Hero. Fans of Dragonlance and The Hobbit will love this new addition to the series.
Don’t wait to grab your copy—buy one today!
“I think this book will be well-liked by those who like Harry Potter, but I think it goes to a new level where those who didn’t like Harry Potter can still love this book!”
Wizards. Elves. Giant Robots with Automatic Weapons.
Wendell is dying for a change of scenery, but Clockworks City has a ban on all outsiders.
It’s a law punishable by death.
So how does a 5’ 10” human hide among 1.5 BILLION gnomes?
By competing in the #1 televised extreme sport in the country, of course.
Enjoy bullets, babes and a bowl of mushroom soup as this series jumps from humorous fantasy to comical science fiction! If you enjoy a good laugh, intense action and unexpected endings, you’ll love book four in the Chronicles of a Hero series.
Grab your copy and keep the epic buzz going!
“(got yelled at by mom to put my Nook away all week….*sigh*) It was that good.”
Wendell’s chance at the title was always a long shot. Since then he’s been on TV, Radio and even has the attention of The Church. Fact is, he’s more popular than ever. So why are people trying to kill him? (It’s the cheesy goatee, isn’t it.)
Second Chances is book 5 in Jaime Buckley’s Chronicles of a Hero series. Laugh, cheer and bite your nails as this epic fantasy takes you on a crazy ride, twisting down ramps and out a back window!
Pick up a copy today!
“You know you have found a great book when you want to slap the author and give the author a hug at the same time, when you take some of the plot turns personally.”
Caught. Tortured. Scheduled for execution. Any Questions?.
Wendell and Dax are exposed and the gnomes of Clockwork City are freaking out.
Are they spies? Is this an invasion? Was this all just a terror tactic to get gnomes to pay their taxes?
Now with Wendell under arrest and Dax under armed guard, it’s going to take a pardon from President Shrub to set them free.
Good thing Chuck’s planning to kidnap his kids.
The Truth About Lies is book six in the Chronicles of a Hero series by Jaime Buckley. The series that makes you laugh, squirm, grit your teeth and has you begging for more.
Make sure to grab yourself a copy!
“I loved this book because it takes a misfit who was never really liked or appreciated and it shows the beginning of the process of him unlocking his potential and becoming something greater than anyone would have imagined for such a small, insignificant person.”
Honest Politicians. Humane Terrorists. Religious Devils.Then it gets confusing…
Wendell’s learned that gnomes are just as irritating and dangerous as humans…they just come in smaller packaging.
Citizens are rebelling, the government’s collapsing, the Church is selling off the poor and Dax’s head on the chopping block.
All Chuck needs to get everyone home is a city wide diversion, a flying S.L.A.G., four lawyers, a hand grenade…and a tiny bit of string.
It feels good when a plan comes together!
The Price of Fame is book seven in the Chronicles of a Hero series by author Jaime Buckley. If you love a good laugh and incredible plot twists to keep you guessing, this book will curl your toes and put a smirk on your face!
“…packed with wild imaginations and inspirations. It’s a rarity that a YA book contains the combination of those three things but Wanted: Hero has them. Seriously, you don’t want to miss reading this book in your lifetime.”
Jaime Buckley married young, winning the heart of a beautiful Samoan princess
and together, they had 12 amazing children.
One of the original ‘lost boys’ of Peter Pan, Jaime never truly grew up.
Though he is respected as a traditional father figure, he still enjoys late night
conversations with Santa Clause, flirting with the Tooth Fairy and
has an occasional beer with Bigfoot. Wizards and warriors seek
his counsel while monsters tremble at the mention of his name.
An accomplished writer and illustrator of all things fictional, Jaime has a passion
to entertain and uplift. He loves God, his country, his family and
continues to expand his influence and friendships by stepping
onto the Twitch platform as a Creative streamer. Jaime can always be
found through Wanted Hero, his greatest project, and passion.
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
Three amazing prizes!!!
#1)A one-of-a-kind full color HD character sketch from the books–of ANY character the winner wants, created in a live stream session and autographed to the winner by name. (a $300 value)
#2) a PDF copy of the first 5 unedited chapters of Chronicles of a Hero, Book 8: Howling Shadows (scheduled to be released fall 2019)
#3) A digital copy of ‘An Unsolvable Problem’ (any format)–the Origin Story of Dax, one of the main characters of the Chronicles of a Hero story (not available for sale).
I am so excited that STOLEN by Marlena Frank is available now and that I get to share the news!
If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Marlena Frank, be sure to check out all the details below.
This blitz also includes a giveaway for a $10 Amazon Gift Card, International, courtesy of The Parliament House and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the
bottom of this post.
Title: STOLEN (Stolen #1)
Author: Marlena Frank Pub. Date: January 22, 2019 Publisher: The Parliament House Formats: Paperback, eBook Pages: 342 Find it:Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Kobo
It’s difficult taking care of a delusional father by yourself. Sixteen-year-old Shaleigh Mallet would rather explore and photograph dilapidated buildings than cater to her father’s dark episodes. But when she’s kidnapped by a creature who carries her atop a flying
bicycle into another world, she realizes this wasn’t the escape she wanted.
.
In a kingdom known as the Garden, where minotaurs pull carriages and parties are held in hot air
balloons, Madam Cloom and her faerie servant, Teagan, rule over the land with incredible but terrifying magic. Shaleigh must prove that she is the reincarnation of a long-dead ruler, not because she believes it, but because it’s her only chance to survive. With the help of a trespassing faerie, a stoatling, and a living statue, Shaleigh hopes to outwit everyone. She aims to break the bonds of servitude and finally make her way home. What she doesn’t realize, however, is that she’s playing right into the hands of a far worse enemy…
Book Trailer:
Excerpt:
PART
I
FREEFALL
AN EMBARRASSMENT
Shaleigh didn’t think about how much concrete and steel stood over her head as she stepped carefully down the decaying hallway of Ferris Factory. The building had been abandoned for so long that the mildew and fungus ran rampant from the moisture that crept down the crumbling walls, so a respirator was a requirement. Ferris Factory was only two stories tall from the outside, but the floors underground felt endless. The elevator shaft only went down three floors when it had been operational; the rest of the floors could only be reached with the stairs. She doubted any of it had been inspected by the fire marshal.
Her best friend, Kaeja, walked so close behind that she could feel her warm breath on the back of her neck. The only sound that echoed up and down the hallway, besides their footsteps, was the snap of Shaleigh’s camera. The photos were why they risked their lives to explore dangerous places: to document the decrepit. It was thrilling to explore a place that nobody else would see. Eventually all the walls would fall, and Ferris
Factory would decay into memory. Shaleigh and Kaeja would have the only remaining proof it even existed, especially since it was clear that nobody was supposed to know about this section of the factory.
A rat skittered out of a heap of moldy paperwork and Kaeja took a deep breath until it passed. “This is the worst one yet. By far.” Shaleigh grinned, though her respirator concealed it. “Come on, we had to come back and take the stairs down. We couldn’t just end it at the base of the elevator.”
“Do you see that?” She swung the flashlight to the side. “I couldn’t even hang a picture on that wall. Four
floors down was enough, five floors is just begging to get hurt.”
Kaeja was right, the walls of the hallway curved inward like a bow string. Shaleigh hadn’t noticed how bad it was until she mentioned it. “We’ll be quick.”
She snapped as many photos as she could while Kaeja held the flashlight. It illuminated a good portion of the hall, but the beam had little effect against the thick, sick air. The light ought to have made the place more inviting, but it only made the shadows darker. It was hard for Shaleigh to keep her hands steady for the photos; fear and exhilaration kept combating within her. Sure, this place was terrifying and could collapse
at any moment, but the thought of capturing a world that would never been seen again, of documenting the forgotten before it disappeared, made her tap the shutter button of her camera faster. “I wish we had more time. I’d love to look inside some of these rooms.”
“Not me,” Kaeja said, her eyes shadowed by the reflections of the flashlight on her mask. “These halls
are creepy enough, thanks.” The light flashed across some metal scraps against the bowed wooden wall. It was hard to tell if it had been left behind by the workers, or if it had fallen from the ceiling. “Didn’t they used to make cars here?”
“Sure, that’s it.” Shaleigh snorted as she tapped on a dirt-encrusted sign that warned visitors that the
hallway was a high security corridor. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
“It’s an old building, but that doesn’t mean they were hiding anything down here.”
“Then what’s with the high security? They had to be doing something illegal down here. The maps we found
don’t even show these floors. I heard it used to be a hospital,” Shaleigh glanced back to her with a smile. “Dad heard it from a colleague at work. They used to keep dangerous people here.” Kaeja stared at her, the beam from the flashlight in her hands trembling.
A high-pitched squeal of metal echoed down through the insides of the building, as though the entire structure was shifting under its own weight. The squeal turned into a groan that shook the very floor beneath their feet. Both teens froze, barely daring to breathe as debris fell from the ceiling. Seven levels of exhausted steel, wood, and plaster shifted over their heads. They stood in silence waiting for the walls to give way, waiting to be buried beneath the rusty metal beams, discolored linoleum floors, and rat-infested insulation; but the building remained steady.
The noise stopped. Particles drifted in the air.
“It doesn’t sound very good, does it?” Shaleigh whispered.
“I don’t like it. I don’t care what you say, this is the lowest I’m going. Five levels below ground is far enough.”
Shaleigh stifled a laugh, “That’s what you said when we found the stairs.”
A high-pitched noise erupted down the hall causing both teens to jump. It didn’t sound metallic…it didn’t sound like the building at all.
Kaeja stared down the hallway with wide eyes. The noise broke into a whimper, and then there was silence. It only lasted maybe a few seconds, but they both knew what they had heard. Someone was down there with them.
Shaleigh turned to look behind them, but without the flashlight beam it was too dark to see anything. “Was that—was that behind us?”
Kaeja spun around, temporarily blinding Shaleigh in the process. “I don’t know. I thought it came from in front of us.”
The darkness felt like a cage all around them. The beam of the flashlight, darting forwards and backwards down the hall, seemed so small and insignificant now. Someone was in the darkness. Someone was watching them. Shaleigh stepped around Kaeja and started back toward the stairwell. “We should go.”
Kaeja grabbed her arm and Shaleigh could feel her clammy fingers through the sleeve of her jacket. “Are you crazy? You said that’s where it came from.”
“How else are we going to get out of here?”
Kaeja could give no argument and shook her head. “Shaleigh…” she whimpered.
“It’s okay, we’ll do it together.” She put her camera around her neck and took Kaeja’s hand. They
walked slowly towards the door of the stairwell, side by side, fingers clasped in a death grip.
For a moment, Shaleigh thought she saw movement ahead of them and stopped. Kaeja must have seen it too because she swept her flashlight left and right, searching for whatever it was. Just before the beam of light reached one of the doors, Shaleigh was certain she spotted a shadow move into one of the rooms.
“Ow…” Kaeja whispered giving their joined hands a tug. Shaleigh realized she had been gripping too hard and
loosened her hold but didn’t say a word. Her eyes were fixed on where the shadow had been. As they drew closer, an arm stretched out, hairy with long, black fingernails, and pulled the door closed. There was a splash as though something heavy had fallen into a pool of water from behind the door.
Kaeja screamed. A bolt of adrenaline hit Shaleigh and she grabbed Kaeja’s arm. Together they ran. As they passed the door, the knob began to turn with a creak. She wasn’t sure if Kaeja had seen it or not. “Keep going!” she yelled, all pretense of caution forgotten.
Once the stairwell came into view, they sped up. Shaleigh slipped on a wet spot and her foot skidded. She would have sprained her ankle if she hadn’t grabbed for the wall. What a stupid way to die, she thought as she regained her footing. She had to keep her head straight, because panicking in an old, decrepit building was a sure way to get hurt or killed by whatever was after them. She forced them to slow down to climb overa pile of broken boards and nails. Shaleigh had thought it odd to have it so close to the stairwell when they’d first come down, but now she saw it as a marker, a warning perhaps, to keep trespassers out. As she helped Kaeja down the opposite side of the rubble, she heard limping footsteps approaching them.
“It’s coming!” Shaleigh cried and together they sprinted for the stairwell. The flashlight bounced beams off
the walls.
They hit the metal door like a battering ram, shoving it into the rusted railings of the stairs, causing it to
reverberate like a gong up and down the concrete shaft. Shaleigh gripped the metal rail, feeling the flecks of paint come off on her hands, and the raw rust beneath. She exchanged a glance with Kaeja, both trying to catch their breath. The respirator was humid with her breathing and she couldn’t wait to rip it off when they got outside. She looked up the dark stairwell above them and grimaced. There were too many floors between them and safety.
Kaeja gasped and reached out to grab Shaleigh’s arm. Shaleigh stared at her. She thought she could make out
footsteps from the hall they just left, but it was so faint it was hard to make out. It could have just been the sounds of the building, but she didn’t want to take any chances. Taking a deep breath, Shaleigh led the way as they started up the stairs.
One floor, two floors, three floors.
Was that the sound of the doorknob beneath them being turned? Kaeja hurried to her side as they continued to climb. Both were audibly gasping now. It wouldn’t take much for their pursuer to know where they went. Shaleigh’s thighs were burning. She could sprint up a flight or two of stairs, but this was tough. It didn’t help that she was already out of breath before they even started climbing.
“What if it’s locked us in?” Kaeja asked between sucking in gulps of air.
Shaleigh didn’t respond. She didn’t want to even consider that option.
They climbed two more flights of stairs. Kaeja reached the door first. They both let out a sigh of relief when the door opened. Panting, they jogged to the main exit, a pair of massive iron doors that looked like they belonged in a mausoleum. Neither of them said a word as they descended the short flight of broken steps to the grass. Shaleigh ripped off her respirator, Kaeja did the same, and they both exchanged grins as they
crossed the grass-pocked concrete walkway. It felt good to feel the heat of the day on her skin too. The sun was sinking in the west, but the air was sweet with wild honeysuckle and a light breeze rustled the old oaks. Shaleigh relaxed a bit but could tell by Kaeja’s expression that she wouldn’t be able to relax until they had left the property completely.
The concrete walkway fell away to tall grass that came up to their hips, as they sidestepped small pine trees that were beginning to take over the lot and moved further away from the building. The chain link fence that surrounded the property sported multiple warning signs for trespassers, though they were faded from exposure. Kaeja pulled back the corner of fencing they had used to get in, and they both climbed through
without saying a word. Kaeja paused, took a deep breath, and relaxed her shoulders.
“I know you’ll hate to hear this, Kaeja,” Shaleigh started. “But I think I’m done with Ferris Factory
for a while.”
Kaeja laughed. “No complaints here. I’m going to add that we never go underground again either. I am not running up that many stairs again, no matter how great you say the pictures will be.” Shaleigh couldn’t help but laugh. The downtrodden path through the woods made it a short walk to reach the bus stop. Shaleigh unwrapped the scarf from around her head and shook out her twists. The breeze felt wonderful on her scalp. They dropped everything into Shaleigh’s backpack as they walked. The main road was surprisingly empty for a Sunday afternoon. After exploring inside of decomposing buildings for a while, she had new respect for even the simplest things. The bench for the bus stop, covered in graffiti and bearing a single broken board, looked like a luxury. Kaeja sprawled across the broken wooden bench and covered her eyes with her arms.
“Wow, what a rush!”
“I know!” Despite her smile, Shaleigh still glanced over her shoulder, as though expecting the person from
the building to be slinking toward them through the woods. “What do you think it was?”
Kaeja stared up into the sky. “Someone crazy, I’m sure. It’s a good thing they made some noise. I don’t
like the thought of them sneaking up on us like that.” She sat up and patted the bench beside her.
Shaleigh obliged, her legs were still shaky. “Did you see that hand?”
Kaeja shuddered, “Looked like he hadn’t seen the light of day in forever.” She stretched her arms over the
back of the bench. “This is exactly why I don’t like the big ones. There are too many hiding places.”
“The small ones aren’t much better,” Shaleigh added. “Sometimes it feels like a shot right out of
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, you know?”
Kaeja nodded and the two grew silent from their own nerves. Kaeja’s leg jumped up and down, as though at any moment she would jump up into a sprint. Shaleigh kept resisting the urge to look over her shoulder once more. The bus couldn’t come fast enough.
“Ugh, I need to think about something else.” Kaeja said with a tense smile. “You’ve got a party coming up tonight, don’t you? You get to get all dolled up. I know you don’t like the people much, but I do envy you getting to go.”
Shaleigh sighed. “I had almost forgotten about it.” She checked her watch. It was a good thing they had left
when they did because she still needed to get home and clean up. “If you like it so much, you can totally go for me.”
“Your dad would never let me. He needs you there.”
“Unfortunately.”
Kaeja scooted closer and put an arm around her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I guess that is pretty hard on you. Do
they ask you a lot of questions about him?”
Shaleigh nodded. She hated the tight feeling she got in her chest whenever she thought of those stupid parties. She hated the fact that she had to go. Why in the world did Roseworth College have so many of them anyway? It was like they wanted to torture her.
Deciding to change the subject, she picked up her camera from around her neck. After checking to make sure nothing had been damaged in their mad dash, she asked, “Want to see the pictures?”
Kaeja nodded but looked concerned. Shaleigh ignored it.
The brilliant light of the flash somehow made the dark halls of Ferris Factory less frightening, less dangerous. If only people were so easy to strip of fear.
About Marlena:
I write about strange creatures.
Typically they shouldn’t exist, or they have bled through from a different
reality, or they’re pretending to be a crying baby in a crib. Sometimes that
lands my stories in horror and other times in fantasy, but there’s always an
air of strangeness to my tales. If you want to get a better feel for what I’m
talking about, check
out a few clips or read a few drabbles.
My work has appeared in a spattering of short story collections, but I do have a few novellas and novels in the pipeline. Other than talking about writing, I also talk about cryptozoology, werewolves, wildlife conservation, and of course kitties. I’ve also been known to nerd out about Batman and The Hobbit, and have recently discovered the cracktastic fun of Black Butler cosplay, so there will likely be more of these incidents.
By day I work as a web developer, so I’ll occasionally talk about web issues like finding the right theme.
Welcome to my stop on the book blast fro Immortal Girl5 organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Griffin Stark will be awarding a copy of the book (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Immortal Girl5
by Griffin Stark
Synopsis
The year is 1095, Normandy, France. Five year old Skylar runs away into the woods to escape nuns who are convinced her inexplicable seizures are the work of satan. She survives after being adopted by wolves, when two mysterious strangers appear and reveal Skylar’s destiny to her. Skylar is the first of the Immortal Girls, destined to save humanity from itself.
Immortal Girl5 (January 22, 2019) follows Skylar, Rachel, Caitlin, Beth, and Bethany, five immortal sisters who, over the course of a thousand years, attempt to learn the purpose of their own existence while hunting down the worst criminals this world has ever seen. They’ve faced the likes of Jack the Ripper and the Nazis, but as a new enemy arises to threaten the sisters’ survival they’ll soon learn that immortality doesn’t mean forever.
“Wait! Now look, please, just let me explain!” he begged her, while shielding himself from the next imminent attack. Even if he’d had the desire to fight back—which he certainly did not—Luke wasn’t sure how easy it would be. After all, she’d survived more than a thousand years from what he’d been told. For being that old, this girl looked beyond amazing, with her blonde hair that fell into curls at the ends, angelic looks, and a flawless, pale complexion that held two stormy blue eyes of unusual intensity. Skylar seemed to accept Luke’s sincerity, at least for the moment, and slowly put her fist down by her side.
About Author Griffin Stark
GRIFFIN STARK is an American author who proudly lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Even as a young child, Griffin had an active imagination. As an author of young adult fiction, he has harnessed his creativity to tell memorable stories filled with important life lessons.
Griffin served as a combat medic in The United States Air Force and later founded THE SHEEPDOG MOVEMENT to join in the fight against bullying of teens worldwide.
Visit http://immortalgirl5.com/ to learn more about Griffin and his YA fantasy novel, Immortal Girl5.
“According to legend, when the world was young, the goddess Issaura appeared
among men. Those who treated her with kindness received the gift of
the gods—the ability to transform into an animal form. This was a
great honor but one that separated this race from other humans.
Before Issaura departed the mortal realm, she promised to return if
her people were ever at the point of destruction.
“Now a threat is rising from a land across the mists of the ocean, a
threat that will push this race to the brink of extinction.
Responding to the call to war, seventeen-year-old Lluava heads off to
find her destiny, one that will carve her name in history.”
The Kingdom of Elysia consists of two races: the dominant race of humans
and the native race of Theriomorphs who can shift into animal form.
Although law dictates equal treatment, they neither like nor trust
each other. Now brutal and ruthless Raiders are approaching; there is
only one chance to defeat them. An army must be raised and trained.
An army where each human will be paired with a Theriomorph partner.
An army that must fight as one to defeat their common enemy.
Women are not warriors. However, Lluava is not like other women – human
or Theriomorph. Her animal form is a magnificent beast whose power
and fury she must learn to control. Although Lluava endures intense
physical training and strives to overcome the doubts of the male
recruits, she faces an unexpected adversary in the commanding general
who seeks to break both her spirit and her body.
At the paring ceremony, Lluava is humbled when presented with a unique
and ancient weapon. Yet she becomes distraught and angry when her
human partner is revealed. If they fail to trust each other, the
consequences will be devastating. Death and destruction are on the
horizon and time is running out.
The Incarn Saga is a young adult fantasy series inspired by ancient
myths, filled with fast-paced action and adventure, and enriched by
an understanding of animal behavior that defines the shape-shifting
Theriomorphs.
“According to legend, when the world was young, two gods of war — one male,
one female — were destined for each other. Yet Ullr, forever
unfaithful, lost the love of Issaura, his true match, and was
forsworn. His violent anger and bitter rage grew and intensified,
poisoning all creation and humanity.
Now that the Raiders’ long ships have faded from sight, the kingdom of
Elysia is beginning to recover from the summer’s war with the
brutal invaders from across the sea. Yet darker forces have taken
root, forces that can alter the future of the land and its people in
unthinkable ways. Seventeen-year-old Lluava must discover the means
to prevent her world from collapsing. But in doing so, will she
succumb to that darkness?”
“According to legend, when the world was young, Crocotta, Queen of the Gods,
discovered her mate’s faithlessness. She vowed to prevent future
threats to all matrimonial pacts henceforward, but for her it was too
late. The child born from the illicit coupling was a warrior
goddess—one whom Crocotta would seek to destroy throughout eternity.
Now that the Raiders’ elite army is threatening the kingdom of Elysia’s
northern borders, seventeen-year-old Lluava must leave the
familiarity and safety of her native land to venture into the
wilderness. Her mission is to discover others like her who will come
to Elysia’s aid; her hope is to unravel the secrets behind what it
means to be Incarn. But what she finds could destroy everything.”
Lluava’s story continues in Crocotta’s Hackles, the third book in The Incarn
Saga’s award-winning new-adult series.
Katharine Wibell’s lifelong interest in mythology includes epic poetry like
the Odyssey, Ramayana, Beowulf, and the Nibelungenlied. In addition,
she is interested in all things animal whether training dogs,
apprenticing at a children’s zoo, or caring for injured animals as
a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. After receiving degrees from
Mercer University in both art and psychology with an emphasis in
animal behavior, Wibell moved to New Orleans with her dog, Alli, to
kick start her career as an artist and a writer. Her first literary
works blend her knowledge of the animal world with the world of high fantasy.
Today Jadie Jones, The Parliament House,
and Rockstar Book Tours are revealing the cover and an exclusive content for WITHER
& WAYWARD, the prequel and book 3 of her Young Adult Time Travel Fantasy
Romance which both release in 2019! Check out the awesome covers and enter the
giveaway!
For nearly a thousand years, Lucas, an
immortal shapeshifter, has waited for Spera, his murdered human lover, to
reincarnate. He has no way of knowing when or where she will return, or if she
will even look the same in her new life. He must rely on his ability to
recognize the actions of her fiery soul and her knack for attracting a killer
king’s attention.
After his search leads him to a quiet
Norwegian harbor town, a surreal encounter with his own kind leads to devastating
consequences, causing Lucas to question his belief in himself and his quest.
With his will and options quickly fading, Lucas is offered help from an old
enemy who claims to have knowledge of Spera’s return. But it comes at a price:
the assassination of the immortal king who took Spera’s life.
With an army raised and a strategy in
place, Lucas is ready to attack, until the sudden appearance of a ghost from
his past appears, forcing Lucas to take an even bigger risk than attempting to
kill a malicious king…letting him live.
WITHER – Prequel to the Hightower
Trilogy
Spera’s amber eyes appear first, burning
two holes in the dark of my sleeping mind. She’s inches from my face, but she
doesn’t see me. No matter how many times this happens, the utter lack of
recognition is a knife in my chest.
“Spera,” I hear my voice rasp, her name
echoing in my skull as she turns away, her black hair blending into the night
that surrounds her.
Another dream. Always the same. Chasing
this dead woman through the dark.
I know how it will end: I’ll wake up
calling for her, begging her to stop, to turn around, to give me any sign she
knows I’m there. She won’t. She never does. But I have to follow her. The ache
in my chest grows deeper the farther she goes from me. So, I follow after her,
Spera navigating shadows like a ship through still water. I follow in her wake,
always trailing, always two steps behind.
She startles me by breaking into a run.
She’s never run before. Her bare foot touches the ground, and the black surface
turns white. In an instant, snow is falling, blanketing the ground at an
incredible rate and speckling her hair with tiny white dots. Another step, and
the world around us pulses as the snow gives way to the greens and browns of a
forest, trees thick as houses. Another step and the shadows return. The side of
her face appears. Her lips part and air rushes out. Her elbows pump as she
strides faster, harder.
“Wait!” I bolt after her. My conscious
wrestles with the dream, threatening to roust me from this place. My focus
clings to the outline of her bare shoulders, to the glint of light from sources
unknown playing off her dancing hair. I want to stay where I can see her.
Before my eyes, the color of her hair
shifts from black to brown, and then to red. The length shortens, and then
spills long down her back again, now changing to blonde.
“Spera! It’s me! It’s Lucas! What’s
happening to you? What does this mean? Let me help you!” I cry out.
She veers hard to the left and a ray of
light pierces the dark, illuminating her side. She runs toward it. Her image is
reduced to an outline as she eclipses the glow. I scramble to keep up. We turn
again and the light fades, revealing an inky blue backdrop. The ground turns
cool and damp on my bare feet. A roar grows overhead. The scent of salt fills
my nose. The sensations are so vivid I have to remind myself I’m asleep.
I force my gaze away from her for a
moment and look up at the blue walls, which quiver with instability. Water.
We’re standing between two bodies of water that stretch so high I can’t discern
where the water ends and the sky begins. A single bead of ocean water trickles
down the left side to the black sand at my feet and my heart begins to pound.
Tanzy’s journey races toward an explosive end in Wayward, the third book of the
Hightower Trilogy.
Tanzy Hightower has crossed the veil between the Seen and Unseen worlds. She is now
the only mortal in a land teeming with creatures who want her dead. To stay
alive long enough to stop Asher and seal the door between worlds, she is forced
to accept his marriage proposal and seek refuge inside his fortress. Tanzy is
certain she can withstand any offers he makes to tempt her into opening the
door, but he possesses a bargaining chip she could never have imagined.
On the Seen side of the veil, Tanzy’s allies are fragmented, lost, and leaderless. They
must learn to work together as they gather more candidates and begin training
to defend their world against unfathomable predators poised to strike should
the veil holding them at bay dissolve. While Tanzy has accepted her own
inevitable death in fulfilling her destiny, her closest friends refuse to stop
searching for the impossible: a way to save Tanzy’s life.
A choice will be made. The veil will change. The worlds as Tanzy knows them will never be the
same.
WAYWARD – Book 3 in the Hightower
Trilogy
(Told from Tanzy’s point of view)
Asher’s realm stretches in front of me: a diamond tundra,
the air a series of rainbows as light is refracted from the prismatic ground
and reflected a million times over. The sight is impossible, glorious,
breathtaking…
But my mind, my focus, my every nerve ending is centered on
what—on who—is behind me; the king of this realm—Asher. His breath warms the
base of my neck, and the heat from his body is near enough to send shivers up
my spine. He baited me into a third kill by sending a phony candidate to attack
Jayce. Jayce—who fought for me, and fought like hell for the truth—always the truth. Jayce, who might be
dead, whose blood covered Reese’s shirt when she was forced through the veil
with me after I killed Genesis.
In this moment, I have two truths: One—I must kill Asher,
even though I have no idea how. Two—if I lose ground to Asher, I will not
regain it.
My body explodes into motion. My heel aims for the dip between
his thigh and his knee. Asher is faster, dropping his leg back. My momentum
carries me too far forward. I stumble sideways and brace for the blow I’ve left
myself open to receive.
It doesn’t come.
I fight the urge to back away. I can’t run from him—there’s
no point, and I swore I would never again back down in his presence. A stupid
oath, in hindsight, but it sounded good at the time, and I am roughly
ninety-five percent certain he won’t kill me here and now. I also vowed to live
long enough to seal the veil between our two worlds. In this moment, with that
five percent feeling bigger by the second, I’m not sure I can keep both
promises.
In white linen pants and a fitted t-shirt, Asher doesn’t
look dressed for a fight. He puts his hands in his pockets and saunters closer,
a smile on his white lips, sunlight gleaming in his black hair. “We both know
you can’t kill me on my side of the veil, Tanzy. And if I wanted you dead, I’d
simply leave you for the Taigo,” he says. “Any of them would be very eager to
collect the bounty their leader has placed on your head.”
“I’m an Unseen now. No one can kill me here but you,” I
retort, clenching my hands so he won’t see them tremble. I wonder if they’re
still stained with Genesis’s blood.
Asher’s brow lifts in amusement at my misinformation.
“You’re not Unseen. You are very capable of dying.”
Young-adult author.
Equine professional. Southern gal. Pacific Northwest Transplant. Especially
fond of family, sunlight, and cookie dough.
I wrote my first book
in seventh grade, filling one hundred and four pages of a black and white Mead
notebook. Back then I lived for two things: horses and R.L. Stine books. Fast
forward nearly twenty years, and I still work with horses, and hoard books like
most women my age collect shoes. It’s amazing how much changes… and how much
stays the same.
The dream of publishing a novel has hitch-hiked with me down every other path I’ve taken
(and there have been many.) Waitress, farm manager, road manager, bank teller,
speech writer, retail, and more. But that need to bring pen to paper refused to
quiet. Finally, in 2009, I sat down, pulled out a brand new notebook, and once
again let the pictures in my head become words on paper.
As a child, my grandfather would sit me in his lap and weave tales about the Cherokee nation, and a girl who belonged with horses. His words painted a whole new world, and my mind
would take flight. My hope – my dream – is that Tanzy’s journey does the same
for you.
Broken Arrow by Azaria M.J. Durant
(Darkened Destiny Saga #1)
Publication date: July 29th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
.
Synopsis
An ancient power long kept dormant stirs in the shadows once more as one boy embarks on a quest to earn his freedom and the freedom of his world!
Magic has turned to myth, the Vaelhyreans of old to legend, and the power wielded by the ancients has long been forgotten. However, with Ealdred, a mere half-breed slave boy, myth becomes real, the forgotten remembered, and the power of legend is reborn within him.
Ealdred is merged into a world of mystery, brimming with deceit, where the remaining Vaelhyreans are in a desperate fight for their very survival. When Ealdred is kidnapped by the power-mongering dark lord Zeldek himself, he must make a choice; to commit his newfound magic to Zeldek’s service or die. But when he meets Bellator, clever yet treacherous servant of Zeldek, an alternative is presented to him: to escape from Zeldek’s stronghold and embark on a quest to find a cursed arrow and free the Vaelhyreans from the spell that keeps their powers at bay.
Yet how can he survive in a world where magic is illegal, half-breeds are hated, and the four countries are on the brink of war?
Azaria M. J. Durant is a young, passionate writer of fantasy with plans to branch out into sci-fi and dystopian. She enjoys writing stories with action, adventure, unexpected plot twists, and fleshed out characters that challenge gender roles and expectations.
Azaria lives in Atlantic Canada with her family, cats, and dogs, and her big dreams to travel the world. In the moments when she isn’t writing, she is sketching concept art for her stories, participating in community theatre, or curled up with a good book and a bag of mint chocolates.
Today Mallory McCartney and Rockstar Book Tours are revealing the cover and an exclusive content for RENEGADE, her new Adult Fantasy Romance which releases July 3, 2018! Check out the awesome cover and enter the giveaway!
Emory Fae enjoys leading a quiet, normal life. That is until two mysterious, and handsome soldiers show up at her apartment, and the life she knew is instantly whisked away. Memphis Carter and Brokk Foster come from the magical and war ridden world of Kiero, and bringing Emory back she will discover she is the long lost heir to the Royal Line and is thrown into the Black Dawn Rebellion with a dynamic role to ignite the rebels and reclaim her throne.
With both men being darkly woven in her past Emory uncovers hidden secrets, a power held long dormant, and will soon realize there are worse things than supernatural humans, love, loss, betrayal, and a Mad King.
Some things are better left in the shadows.
~~~~~
Exclusive Excerpt!
Exhaling, the prince took him off guard as he lifted his eyebrow. “What I don’t understand is how the Faes have achieved such loyalty. What did they do?”
He chewed his bottom lip as he hopped over a fallen tree trunk. He looked to Marquis. “They were the dreamers in a time when culture, creativity, and equality were being butchered. The Academy was the foundation of that dream, for desolates, for the people with weaker abilities. For everyone. The people of Kiero followed Roque because they can’t fear him, they can only admire him. How brave he was for standing up to his father, for breaking free of his reign to start his own.”
Marquis chewed his lip. “It sounds like you have a different opinion of him.”
He threw out his hands. “I was born at the Academy. Raised in the Academy. Who am I to doubt the intentions of the Faes? They are practically family.”
Shrugging, Marquis cooed, “Sometimes it is the ones closest to us that betray us first.”
About Mallory:
Mallory McCartney currently lives in London, Ontario with her husband and their two dachshunds Link and Lola. Black Dawn is her debut novel, the first in a series. When she isn’t working on her next novel or reading, she can be found dog grooming, book shopping and hiking. Other favorite pastimes involve reorganizing perpetually overflowing bookshelves and seeking out new coffee and dessert shops.
The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.
Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!
My 56 for this week is from:
Air And Ash
Tides #1
by Alex Lidell
Genre: Adventure / YA / Fantasy
From page 56 in paperback.
I make it all of two steps before the mountain that is Domenic plants itself before me. I’m tall for a girl, but next to him I might as well be a housecat staring up at a lion. His sea-blue eyes are ice as he meets mine adn says, very, very quietly, each word rumbling with constrained fury, “At Your. Convenience.”
~~~~~
Synopsis
Born to privilege.
Trained for command.
Destined for danger.
After a lifetime of training, seventeen-year-old Princess Nile Greysik, a lieutenant on the prestigious Ashing navy flagship, sails into battle with one vital mission–and fails.
Barred from the sea and facing a political marriage, Nile masquerades as a common sailor on the first ship she can find. With a cowardly captain, incompetent crew, and a cruel, too-handsome first officer intent on making her life a living hell, Nile must hide her identity while trying to turn the sorry frigate battle worthy. Worse, a terrifying and forbidden magic now tingles in Nile’s blood. If anyone catches wind of who Nile is or what she can do, her life is over.
But when disaster threatens the ship, Nile may have no choice but to unleash the truth that will curse her future.
Moonlight And Midtown Christina Bauer
(Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #1.5)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: May 27th 2018
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult
After battling werewolves and evil aunties, Bryar Rose is ready to enjoy her new life. No more crazy aunties. Her curse is toast. And Bry’s new man, Knox, is literally a dream come true. Best of all, Bry will soon attend a regular high school. Forget those sketchy tutors! To get ready, Bry is dedicating the rest of her summer to some serious back-to-school shopping with her best friend, Elle. It’s a blast, except for one thing:
Mysterious strangers are following Bry across Manhattan.
All these stalkers have oddly familiar scents and an uncanny ability to slip into the shadows whenever Bry tries to confront them. Even worse, their presence is making Knox act crazy with a capital C.
But Bry’s having none of it. Enough of her life has already been ruined by secrets. With Elle’s help, Bry plans to confront these strangers, find out what they want, and send them packing. Trouble is, the truth about their identity won’t be so easy to manage, especially when Bry finds out how these stalkers could change her future with Knox…and not for the better.
***An interim novella between WOLVES AND ROSES and SHIFTERS AND GLYPHS***
About The Series
The Fairy Tales of the Magicorum series includes WOLVES AND ROSES (Book 1), MOONLIGHT AND MIDTOWN (Novella 1.5) and SHIFTERS AND GLYPHS (Book 2, Fall 2018). Eight full novels are planned in total.
~~~~~
Check out this glimpse inside:
“That’s why packs have Alphas,” says Knox. “You need to set her loose, and then, let her attack me.”
Every inch of my body goes on alert. “Attack you? Why?”
“Your wolf has been through a lot. Ritual fighting is how wolves work out their place in the pack. Your wolf needs a firm hand.”
I stare at my palm. “Firm hand?”
“I’m not talking about physical power here. I’m talking magic. My power is Alpha energy, but you’ve got your own magic. Once I subdue your wolf, I think you’ll get the idea.”
My head feels woozy. “Ritual combat? Really?”
“Yes. Release your wolf and attack me. Now.”
I hug my elbows. “I’m not sure. If I’m patient, my inner wolf might just calm down on her own.”
“That’s not how wolves work, even when they aren’t of the magical variety. And a werewolf? Our animals are far more intense. I’m your Alpha, and if I let this go on for one more minute, I’m putting you at risk.”
Something in his tone sets my nerves on edge. “Meaning?”
“Your wolf will go feral. When it happens, it’s fast and intense. Your wolf will take over and you’ll disappear.”
I suck in a shaky breath. “She wouldn’t.”
My wolf’s voice sounds in my head. “We will run! I demand we shift NOW!”
That manic tone to her voice is now higher than ever before. Every inch of my body trembles with the urge to shift. I reply to my wolf in my mind.
“Didn’t you hear what Knox said?” Normally, my wolf can’t help but listen in on most of my conversations. “Our mate thinks you’re going feral.”
“Mate?” The manic tone to her voice hikes up an octave. “We have no mate. All we have is the need to run.”
A chill runs up my spine. “You don’t remember our mate?”
“No mate! Run, now!”
My blood chills. No matter what happens, my wolf always knows her mate. In fact, my usual complaint is that she won’t shut up about him.
This is really happening. My wolf is going feral.
All of a sudden, it’s like I can’t pull in enough air. “You’re right. My inner wolf is losing her mind.”
“Hey, I won’t let that happen.” Knox rests his hands on my shoulders. “Breathe, Bry.”
It takes serious concentration, but I slow my racing pulse a little. “Okay.”
“Now, you need to set your wolf loose and trust me. Can you do that, yeah?”
“I can try.”
“Good.” Knox pulls off his dress shirt over his head and tosses it aside. “Set her loose.”
Normally, the urge to shift is a constant tug of war between me and my wolf. Most times, all it takes is for me to stop fighting the urge to shift. After that, I turn furry. So that’s what I do now—I drop my guard and let my wolf take over.
Author Christina Bauer
Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers. The first three books in the series are now available as audiobooks on Audible and iTunes.
Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press.
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.
Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!
My 56 for this week is from:
From The Earth To The Shadows
Valkyrie #2
by Amanda Hocking
Genre: YA Fantasy
From 56% in the paperback.
We took a bus from our hotel, traveling through the lush greenery of Belize. When we’d first arrived here, it was like being transported into a fairy tale. It was such a disorienting contrast to the dark claustrophobia of the city back home. Here all the colors were bolder, and even the sun shone brighter.
