Check out my fiction - http://www.jaletac.com
Check out my science fiction series - The Fall of the Altairan Empire
Showing posts with label new book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new book. Show all posts

Monday, December 1, 2014

New Book Release - Obsidian Threads

Charlie Pulsipher is one of my online writing friends. I'm excited to announce his new book - Obsidian Threads.


Kaden knew using the wormholes would be dangerous. Aren knew her empathic gift could cause problems. Neither knew understood how close to destroying reality they would come.

Rho has awakened. Its acolytes will tear worlds apart to release their deity from its prison. Any hope of Rho's defeat lies with two people lost in a strange universe. Kaden and Aren must learn to harness all their unique gifts if they are to rival the god of darkness reborn.

They will not fight alone. A brilliant geneticist, a furry dwaro, two less than friendly elves, dragons, and a spunky red-haired computer stand with them. But if Kaden and Aren fail to reach their full potential, all of reality will be devoured until nothing remains but Rho.


Obsidian Threads (book 2) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q6YMEBW

The Crystal Bridge (book 1) and free for the week of the launch on Kindle http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IAHEMOK/


Author Bio: Charlie Pulsipher is a were-hamster and lemur enthusiast living in Southern Utah with his lovely wife and neurotic dog. He writes sci-fi and fantasy, and sometimes both at the same time. He’s obsessed with surviving the inevitable zombie-pocalypse. It’s coming. Tell your friends.

He spends his time away from the keyboard hiking and camping in stunning Southern Utah. He also enjoys woodworking, painting, drawing, and pretending to have super powers.

He neglects his twitter account. 

His velociraptor impression is worth seeing. Ask him to show you. It just may be the coolest thing about him.


Links to author social media sites: 

Monday, October 6, 2014

Book Launch - Gone for a Soldier by Marsha Ward

Welcome to the book tour for Gone for a Soldier by Marsha Ward!

Rulon Owen loves two things more than life---his country and Mary Hilbrands.
When Virginia secedes from the Union, Rulon enlists, and finds himself fighting foes both in battle and in his own camp. He struggles to stay alive against all odds, with a knife-wielding tent-mate and a Union army that seems impossible to defeat. It will take every ounce of vigilance he has to survive and, with a little luck, he might make it home to his wife and the son he's never seen.
Forced to live with her parents for the duration, Mary faces a battle for independence. With a mother whispering that her husband won't come home to her and a son who needs her to be both father and mother, Mary has to dig deep for strength to overcome her overwhelming loneliness and the unknown future ahead.
Separated by war and circumstance, Rulon and Mary discover that not all enemies wear the Union blue.

AUTHOR BIO

Marsha Ward was born in the sleepy little town of Phoenix, Arizona, in the southwestern United States; and grew up with chickens, citrus trees, and lots of room to roam. She became a storyteller at an early age, regaling her neighborhood friends with her fanciful tales during after-school snacks. Her love of the 19th Century Western era was reinforced by visits to her cousins on their ranch, and listening to her father's stories of homesteading in Old Mexico and in the southern part of Arizona.

Over the years, Marsha became an award-winning poet, writer and editor, with over 900 pieces of published work, including her acclaimed novel series featuring the Owen family. She is the founder of American Night Writers Association, and a member of Western Writers of America and Women Writing the West. A workshop presenter and writing teacher, Marsha makes her home in a tiny forest hamlet in Arizona. When she is not writing, she loves to spoil her grandchildren, travel, give talks, meet readers, and sign books. Visit her at either her website or one of her blogs! 

marshaward.com
http://charactersinmarshashead.blogspot.com/

Buy links:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out the rest of the tour -

October 9 www.saslack.com

Monday, September 29, 2014

New Release - Jabberwocky by Daniel Coleman

Check out this new release - it sounds very intriguing...

How can a boy succeed where an army has failed? 

Tjaden, a young man who aspires to be an Elite soldier, blames himself when Elora’s beautiful face is disfigured by a bandersnatch. Elora hides behind her scars, feeling unlovable in a world that only confirms her doubts. 

Before Tjaden has a chance to convince her that scars don’t matter, an even more terrifying monster comes between them—the Jabberwock. 


If the secrets of the vorpal sword fail, so will Tjaden.

Buy it now for Kindle! Also available in paperback.

Monday, June 30, 2014

Announcing "Kundalis Storm Dragon" by Frances Pauli!

I've interviewed Frances several times. I love, love, LOVE her books, if you haven't figured it out yet. We met over a blog tour for her first book and mine and we have way too many things in common. She writes a lot more than I do, though, so she has a lot more books to read and celebrate. Make sure you check them out. Here's her newest release:



Karin knows she’s gone completely insane—nuts—absolutely batshit crazy, when she spots an insidious blue dragon twining through the trees at a rest stop in the Cascade Mountains. Despite agreeing to join her roommate at a psychic fair, she’s never believed in anything metaphysical. She’s pretty sure the Reiki treatment she succumbed to has brought on a frighteningly realistic hallucination—until they roll their mini-van in the middle of I-90, and she is rescued from the vehicle by the same monstrous blue figment of her imagination. 

She awakens to find that she’s been delivered to a cabin high in the mountains instead of to a proper hospital. The “doctor” looking out for her is more of a new-ager than a physician, and the people who own the house, including the urban highlander version of Fabio, don’t have any intention of letting her leave.

Faced with the unimaginable, and strapped to an all-too-real dragon, Karin must decide how to tame the beast or risk losing herself to it forever.

Check it out on Goodreads here.

We spent a while chatting about this, that, and the other, but mostly about the book. So without further ado, here is my interview with Frances Pauli on how she does dragons.


Dragons? Why dragons? You’ve done elves, fairies, aliens, inter-dimensional pests, ghosts, time travel, everything EXCEPT high fantasy. Why dragons and why now?

The dragon story started at a rest stop on the way back from convention. Lots of fresh ideas boiling in the brain after convention, and we were all dreading the impending return to mundane life but also beat from all the running and socializing and convention fun. I'd grabbed my coffee (of course) and was waiting for everyone to get back in the car, just staring off into the trees, and I thought, "what a great place for a dragon." Honest truth. The scene makes an appearance at the beginning of the book too, although in a different form. And I still haven't technically done high fantasy. This one is contemporary, full of dragons, and very light. 

Is Kundalis your typical high fantasy, you know, shades of Tolkein and all that stuff? What makes it different?

So very much no. I love high fantasy, but the closest I've gotten is the Kingdoms Gone books. Kundalis will be contemporary fantasy or urban, though I hesitate there since it's all set in the half-empty wilds of Central Washington. The dragons in question are very real, but only physical part of the time, usually when it's least convenient. They attach to a human anchor like a parasite, but one that we find out has very unusual benefits as well. 

How do you do dragons?

Different. We know I don't do anything "by the book." My dragons are physical manifestations of metaphysical energy and they come complete with ego and personality flaws that often amplify their anchor's traits. They have some unusual skills, can interact with and affect the physical world, but they can also go into stealth mode, where only their anchor can see and hear them.  

If you could be any fantasy animal you want, which would you pick and why?

My children already think I'm a basilisk. It's the mom look. But if I could choose one, I've always been fond of griffons. They have the flight angle and yet can still defend themselves well. I'd say dragon, but I hate to pick the obvious. Not to mention the fire hazard! 

Tell us more about your book. Will there be romance in this one?


Storm Dragon is fairly solid contemporary fantasy. As I mentioned, it is set in Central Washington, so there aren't a lot of urban elements, but Karin does clash with a dragon gang. The style is a lot more like the Shift Happens books, light, humorous, very snarky. Blue is kind of a smartass and Karin cusses a lot and dislikes almost everyone. As to romance, there is a romantic interest, but the book is definitely not a romance, nor does it have the tropes that romance readers usually expect. And if I say any more, I'll be in spoiler territory. 

Spoilers? Better not say any more. If you're intrigued, go read the book. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Enter to win some free stuff:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, March 31, 2014

Welcome Mikey Brooks and his new book, The Stone of Valhalla



Welcome to The Stone of Valhalla Blog Tour!
A middle-grade fantasy-adventure by Mikey Brooks.

Don’t forget to check out the GIVEAWAY at the bottom this post
for a chance to WIN a $25 Amazon Gift card and other great prizes!

Synopsis:

Aaron was chosen to save their world, but it might come at the cost of losing his own.

Breaking into an old lady’s basement was supposed to reward 13-year-old Aaron with new friends. Instead he finds an enchanted amulet that transports him to another world—one at war with magic. Before he knows it, he is accused of witchcraft and invited to a bonfire—where he’s the main attraction. If that’s not bad enough, a goblin army shows up and toasts the town...literally. The good news: Aaron escapes being charbroiled. The bad news: the goblins are after him. They want his amulet and will stop at nothing to get it. Battling to find his way home, Aaron teams up with a not-so-magical-wizard and learns it’s his fate to destroy the amulet and save this new world. But is he willing to sacrifice his own?
Check out what these talented authors are saying about it:

“The Stone of Valhalla is one of those books that only comes along once in a great while. Brooks doesn't just create a world, he puts you inside of it, allowing you to experience the wonder in a way that only he can. His characters are likable and fun. His twists leave you asking ‘Why?’ Treat yourself to an exciting adventure through a beautiful new land. Make new friends and be a part of the magic. This is a book that you will not be able to put down!”
—J.R. Simmons, author of Ragesong: Awakening.

 “The Stone of Valhalla drew me in from the get-go. Aaron’s journey is reminiscent of Dorothy’s trek in The Wizard of Oz. Magic, sword fights, danger, and more danger, sprinkled with humor and unexpected twists. This is one of the ‘best’ fantasy adventures I’ve ever experienced!”
—BBH McChiller, author of The Monster Moon Series.

“The Stone of Valhalla is a riveting mystery revealing true friendship, loyalty and sacrifice. Brooks engages the curiosity of middle graders and older sleuths alike, until the very end. Fantastic!”
—L.R.W. Lee, author of The Andy Smithson series.

Excerpt From: Chapter Two: The Penalty of Witchcraft

Aaron thought he’d been transported to some kind of renaissance fair. People milled about in the street, all dressed like they belonged on the set of some medieval movie. Most of their faces were stained with dirt, and they wore soiled clothing. Large, wooden buildings, held together by plaster, loomed overhead and all around him. Some had signs announcing specific trades and goods. The sweet smell of bread came from one shop, clearly a bakery. A rotund man stood out front, arguing with an old man who had a silvery- white beard and a long, purple cloak. He was telling the baker that the rolls he had purchased tasted ‘day-old’ and he required a reimbursement.
Several passersby gave Aaron odd glances. One little girl with a group of women dressed like nuns pointed at him and giggled. He thought he heard her call him a buffoon, but she was quickly shushed by one of the women and pulled into a shop.
This is so unreal.
Aaron couldn’t figure out what had happened.
How did I get here? Who are these people?
Aaron waited for someone to jump out and yell, “Surprise, you’re on camera!”
It never happened.
The seconds drew on like hours, and Aaron stood unmoving like a statue in the middle of the dirt road. The sweet smell from the bakery was drowned by the stench of a sweaty mule pulling a cart packed full with what had to be manure. The wind blew and the wafting smell of poo filled Aaron’s nose. He coughed and tried to cover the reek with his shirt.
“Witchcraft! Witchcraft, I say!”
Aaron turned around to see a middle-aged woman with only three teeth shouting hysterically. She pointed directly at him. He looked over his shoulder to ensure no green-skinned, broom-commandeering, warty-faced lady in black stood beside him. There wasn’t anyone there. The noise on the street stopped dead except for the woman. She grabbed a small wooden crate from a cart filled with fresh flowers and stood on it. “Fetch the constable! Don’t let him get away, or he’ll set a curse on our town.”
Five large men formed a group behind the woman and advanced toward Aaron. He didn’t know what to do.

Where to Find The Stone of Valhalla:
Exclusive price for the eBook release is just $2.99! (List Price: $4.99)
And only $9.99 for the paperback! (List Price: $12.99)
On April 12th 2014 the price will return to the List Price


Another special offer:
During The Stone of Valhalla Blog Tour
Mikey’s other great middle-grade eBooks will also be set to the low price of just $0.99!
The Dream Keeper:
Kindle | Nook | Kobo
The Dreamstone:
Kindle | Nook | Kobo

You’re Invited to PARTY!!
The online launch party will take place on Thursday, April 10th at 4pm (MST). The party will run for 2 hours and you’re invited to drop by anytime. The longer you stay the more chances you have of winning prizes! We have slew of eBooks to giveaway, as well as a Stone of Valhalla necklace AND a $25 Amazon gift card! It is hosted by LovingtheBookLaunchParty on Facebook. Just follow this link to join the event: http://goo.gl/Q2Fd3r.

What’s that? Another Party!
That’s right! If you’re local to Utah you don’t want to miss this kickin’ party. We are having a launch party to celebrate the release of this awesome new book. Of course there will be plenty of giveaways there too, but what’s even better are the guest authors! Just check out these fabulous names: J. Scott Savage, Chad Morris, Lisa Mangum, Jenni James, Ali Cross, and many more. The Launch Party is: Friday, April 11th from 6-9pm at The Viridian Center in West Jordan, Utah. Follow this link for a map: http://goo.gl/dqVc0u

About Mikey Brooks:

Mikey is a small child masquerading as an adult. On occasion you’ll catch him dancing the funky chicken, singing like a banshee, and pretending to have never grown up. He is the author/illustrator of several books including the best-selling ABC Adventures: Magical Creatures and Bean’s Dragons as well as the middle-grade fantasy-adventure series The Dream Keeper Chronicles. His art can be seen in many forms from picture books to full room murals. He loves to daydream with his three daughters and explore the worlds that only the imagination of children can create. Mikey has a BS degree in English from Utah State University and works fulltime as a freelance illustrator, cover designer, and author. As a member of the Emblazoners, he is one of many authors devoted to ‘writing stories on the hearts of children’. He is also one of the hosts of the Authors’ Think Tank Podcast. You can find more about him and his books at: http://www.insidemikeysworld.com/.

The Giveaways!

Enter the giveaway below to be entered to win one of the following prizes:

$25 Amazon Gift Card
The Stone of Valhalla Necklace
Autographed Paperback of The Stone of Valhalla
Autographed 11x17 Poster
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, December 16, 2013

Finally, FINALLY, book 7 is out! Get Obsidian Tears today!

It's been a long haul the last month and a half. School ended up being a lot more draining than I anticipated. It's a good thing, but it slowed down my editing considerably. But, finally, I can announce that Obsidian Tears is available for the Kindle and should be available on Smashwords later this week. I got books 4 and 5 in the series up on Smashwords, too. Books 5 and 6 will follow shortly. Now to get book 7 formatted for print and edit book 8...


Obsidian Tears, The Fall of the Altairan Empire Book 7

When Tayvis goes missing, Dace can't turn her back on Lowell's request for her to investigate. Especially not when he hands her the shattered remains of the Eggstone. But her decision might cost her heart and her freedom.

Cold Revenge, book 5, in any ebook format.

Kumadai Run, book 4, in any ebook format - get it for 99 cents from now until Jan 14 - use coupon code TG89S.

Get book 1, Nexus Point, for FREE - use coupon code AA47G.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

News Flash!

We interrupt this regularly scheduled recipe to bring you breaking news...

Jericho Falling (The Fall of the Altairan Empire book 6) is now available on Kindle!

A mysterious stranger with no memories claims help from Dace. But he wants more than her sympathy. The dark secrets hidden in his mind threaten to destroy everything and everyone Dace has come to love.

Despite graduate school and children and work and life, I managed to get it edited and rewritten and a cover designed and all the rest and now you can read it. (The print version will take another two weeks to get formatting and proofing done.)

And if you haven't started the series yet, what are you waiting for? Pick up book 1, Nexus Point, for FREE - use coupon code AA47G at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/10672

We return you to your regularly scheduled recipe Thursday...

Friday, August 10, 2012

It's here! Priestess of the Eggstone officially launches today!

Party time! Throw confetti! Toot the horns! Celebrate with mounds of chocolate!

I'm so excited that Priestess of the Eggstone is officially in print. It's up on Goodreads, Amazon, the publisher's site, and all sorts of other fun places.

Today from 3-8 pm MST (2 pm PST, 5 pm EST) I'm running a party right here on this blog. Watch for posts. Anyone who comments will be entered to win fun prizes like their own personal Eggstone, or a skystone (real aventurine!), or some guava candy, or copies of my books, or crocheted Cthulhu TP cozies, or crocheted Cthulhu cat toys complete with jingle bells inside, or a bunch of other stuff. Some will be post specific, gotta comment on that post to win that prize, some will be for the whole party, and the grand prize will run until Sunday night at midnight my time. Post before that, and you are entered to win the grand prize - print copies of both books (Nexus Point and Priestess of the Eggstone), plus an Eggstone and a skystone. I may chuck in some crocheted doohickies, too.

Either way, it's going to be a fun party. To give you a headstart, I'm going to be asking for links to interviews about Priestess of the Eggstone, links to sites where the book is for sale, or links where reviews about it are posted. Think you can find some? It's a scavenger hunt and you have your first item. Ready, set, go!

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Book Launch Party in 3, 2, 1...

Priestess of the Eggstone officially releases this FRIDAY! *throw confetti* I'm only a little excited, if you can't tell.

To celebrate, I'm hosting a virtual party right here on The Far Edge of Normal. There will be prizes, trivia, fun, chatting, and loads of virtual goodies. So, put it on your calendar - Friday, August 10, 3-8 pm MST. Drop by the blog, leave a comment or answer a trivia question, and you could win something fun.

I'll have details posted before Friday morning.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Announcing...

I have cover art for book 2! And it's gorgeous. I'll share in a minute. First, I have more news to share:

I'm not pregnant! Um, wait, no that's not it. (FYI, I'm NOT pregnant and don't plan on being pregnant ever again. I'm too old and I already have eight children and a grandchild.)

Release date is August 10. Yep, you heard me, just over two months from now I'll have pretty shiny new books that you can read.

Just got a look at the final cover and the name is right, AND it looks even more awesome!  The only issue I'm running into is nobody can get the name right, for some strange reason. They keep listing the book as Princess of the Eggstone. I guess that works, but it should be Priestess of the Eggstone. Here's a peek at the awesome cover art:

Pretty, isn't it? I'm so excited. I love this story. Here's the blurb:

It isn’t Dace’s fault she leaves chaos everywhere she goes.
She didn’t know Belliff, the company who hired her to courier sensitive materials, is a front for the Targon Crime Syndicate. She finds out when she steps into the middle of a Patrol raid on Belliff’s offices. Now the Patrol is after her and Targon wants her head for betraying them. But that’s nothing. Her copilot has an entire sentient species chasing him for stealing their god. The two of them set off on a desperate chase to get the Eggstone god back to avert war with the Sessimoniss while evading the Patrol and the Targon Syndicate.
But the Eggstone isn’t just any rock. The Patrol isn’t chasing her for the reasons she thinks. And Targon’s days are numbered.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Book launch party for Roarke by Frances Pauli

Frances Pauli's new book Roarke is now available for purchase. She writes great stuff, at least what I've read so far. She sent me a copy of Roarke to review (Thanks!). I'll get the review up soon. Promise.

Since I'm still fighting a sinus infection and can't write coherently, I'll leave you with a taste of her free serial: Space Slugs. Go read it. Seriously. You won't regret it.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

It's Official!

It's frightening, in a very good way. The journey to this point was long, difficult, and sometimes very painful, but I made it. I'm an official published author!

I'm on Barnes & Noble! http://bit.ly/7hqyDX

And Amazon! http://bit.ly/8WR7w7

Friday, November 20, 2009

To Series or Not to Series? That is a Question

I’ve come across several discussions lately about writing series versus stand-alone novels. Both sides have valid complaints. With a series, the trend now is to write a cliffhanger and leave the poor reader dangling for two or three years, or even forever, before they get the next installment of the story which ends with another cliffhanger. I’ve heard some readers say they wait until the entire series is published before they buy or read any of the books. Other readers say they love series because the story is so long and convoluted that it keeps them hooked for a long time. They love the characters and worlds so much, they want to keep reading the saga.

Stand-alone books don’t keep you sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the next book. They have a definite beginning, middle, and end; something that series books don’t always have. But what if you fall in love with the characters? If enough fans demand a sequel loudly enough, the author may write one. Sequels usually fall far short of the mark, though, especially if they weren’t planned in the beginning.

I read both stand-alone and series. The ones that are most satisfying to me are the series where *each book* in the series has a definite ending. Each book is a complete story, but with the added bonus of familiar characters that I enjoy. The one exception? Tad Williams Otherland series. I waited until I could get all four books, though. It’s a series because the story wouldn’t fit in one volume.

My book, Nexus Point, is the first in a series. Yes, I said series. No, no giant cliffhangers. Each book is a complete story. The only plot point not completely resolved by the end of the book is the relationship between the main characters. You can read all but books 10 and 11 without reading the others first and they will still be good stories. They just have more depth if you know what happened in the other books.

My publisher, Cyberwizard Productions www.cyberwizardproductions.com , has bought all 11 books. Their philosophy is to commit to the whole series. It’s unfair to a reader and the author to drop a series halfway through. Even if sales are lousy, which I sincerely hope won’t be true, they will publish the whole series. They have faith in my writing.

And for those of you hesitant to start a series, I have written all 11 books. They just need a good editing. Writing book one implies a promise to the reader that the author will finish the series. I make this promise in good faith. I hope you enjoy the series and the characters because I sure did.

So check out the first three chapters of Nexus Point. Email me if you have questions. Most of all, enjoy the story. www.nexuspoint.info

Monday, August 10, 2009

Nexus Point is getting closer to release

My novel is getting closer to release. I'm waiting on the final word from the publisher that everything is set. I'm hoping for Labor Day weekend, but it looks like it might be later into September. Meanwhile, just to whet your appetite, here's a teaser for it:

Dace’s wants are simple–a trading ship and the freedom to fly where she chooses. But on her first trip, her crew betrays her, her ship explodes, and she finds herself stranded on Dadilan, a planet locked in a feudal age.
Survival is hard enough when you have no technology or resources. It’s even harder when you have drug smugglers hunting you. Dadilan is the source of shara, a drug that enhances psychic abilities, a commodity so rare and precious people will kill for it.
Trapped between rival smugglers and the Patrol undercover investigation, Dace has one hope of rescue–convincing Tayvis, the undercover agent, she’s an innocent bystander. But those don’t exist on Dadilan. No one lands without authorization, unless they are smuggling.
Her ignorance may cost her life.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Musings on figments

So each blog post should be some snippet of existential wisdom, right?

Here's one for today:

I'm painting my bathroom. And I'm reviewing a publishing contract. And listening to my kids watch TV. And doing customer service emails for a company. And wondering what we're going to do for health insurance. And trying to decide what's for lunch.

Who are we? It depends on which hat we're wearing at the time. I'm a mom, a novelist, a customer support tech, a maid, a cook, a chaffeur, a nurse, a financial consultant, a whatever-I-need-to-be-at-the-time. So, at this second? Confused.

My novel, Nexus Point, is almost ready to hit the shelves. A few minor details to mop up, a date to set, and I'm published. It's frightening at the same time it's exhilirating. Like the line from a song, it's like I'm naked in front of the crowd because these words come from me, my soul on paper. Sort of.

Writing a first person novel is intriguing. I'm so deep in my character's head I don't know where she stops and I start anymore. I dream her life. And I wonder if she's dreams mine, except she lives in my head in a universe that exists only in my imagination.

Now I have a chorus of very unhappy characters letting me know they don't appreciate being figments of my imagination. Maybe I've reached the stage in my writing where they need to come live in your head for a while. In a few weeks, they can start doing just that.

From my head to yours. Enjoy.

How's that for existential?