Hello everyone!
Tis I, your indie author and avid reader, Marie! Last month I read lots of books and four of those were by indie authors. Let me share those books, and my reviews, with you guys so you can update your reading list with some goodies.
Fight
by K. L. Cottrell
Rating: 5 Stars
Review:
Each book of this series just keeps getting better! We get to know these
characters so intimately, so completely, that they become absolutely
real. I laughed with them, cried with them, and triumphed with them.
This series has possessed me now and I can't wait to read the final
book!
To purchase this title, find it on Amazon here.
Angel Within
by Julie Nicholls
Rating: 5 Stars
Review:
An amazing sequel to Demon Within! New friendships and new enemies.
Love, betrayal, heartache. And some steamy sex scenes too! This
beautifully written tale of friendship, loyalty, and the lengths one
will go to protect those you love is my new favorite of Julie's.
To purchase this title, find it on Amazon here.
Norma Jean's School of Witchery: Book Two: Ghost School
by Rose Montague
Rating: 5 Stars
Review:
Another exciting adventure of Jewel the witch! Things become more
complicated and the action is non-stop in this sequel to the first
addictive book of the Norma Jean's School of Witchery series. Though
very few scenes actually take place in the school, following Jewel as
she becomes more powerful and endures new quests is more entertaining
than ever. I had a hard time putting it down and can't wait for the
third book!
To purchase this title, find it on Amazon here.
The Promise
by C. E. Wilson
Rating: 5 Stars
Review:
This is the most beautiful, most tragic story that brought me to tears
over and over again. Once I started reading this tale of Lily and her
shrinking situation, I just couldn't stop. Sometimes loving someone just
isn't enough and though letting them go is painful, it can be for the
best. It's a hard lesson to learn for Erik and Lily but one that leads
to happiness later on.
To purchase this title, find it on Amazon here.
Rarely do I give so many five star reviews in one month but these books were fabulous reads! I also read some more volumes of the Kamisama Hajimemashita manga, Batman: The Killing Joke, and a few of those side Harry Potter books: The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Quidditch Through the Ages, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I had to get myself ready for the new Harry Potter book, after all!
Happy reading, everyone.
In keeping with my new policy of putting out a book every three months, (Yes, I made that up.) I have the first book of a brand new series coming out on January 1st, 2016.
Now my followers know that I usually stick to romance but branched out a bit with my short story collection last month. Well prepare yourselves, people!
Threads of A Web is book one of a science fiction/horror series that is quite unlike what I have written so far. In fact, this material is far older than anything I have published! I started taking notes for this book back in 2008 after having some intense dreams about vampires. After years of a love/hate relationship with the characters, I finally think I am ready to send it out into the world. It is both terrifying and glorious to know that something that has so much of my soul embedded in it will finally be released from it's cage to fly amongst others.
Be warned! This is 18+ material here, and I don't mean naughty sex scenes either. My characters experience emotional and physical traumas that are not for the weak of stomach. On the other hand, the bonds and friendships formed throughout the story between this diverse group of creatures may call forth feelings of an entirely different nature.
This is a sister series to Some By Day, Some By Night so you may recognize a few characters popping in and out of the Lord Gerard's Coven series. (For example, what was Serahfine like before she met Dmitri? What becomes of Artus and Alexus?) Though each book, and series, can be read separately, back stories and further explanations for certain characters' situations will be found in both so honestly, just read them all!
Anywho, here is the blurb for Threads of A Web:
Marla has recently been changed into a vampire and she finds that a
life of murder and bloodshed suits her just fine. Especially since there
is a secret war between the vampires and the humans raging around her.
Killing humans for money was her job when she was one and now killing
them for fun is justified in her eyes.
Making close friends and becoming part of a coven was unexpected and
soon Marla finds herself torn between her old ways of murder and mayhem
and a new side of herself that only wants to kill to protect her dear
friends. She has found a family at last. But can she keep them?
Just when things seem to be looking up for the coven,
an alien race invades Earth, intent on exterminating humans and vampires
alike.
Will the vampires defend the humans who have hunted them for decades?
Can this invading race be eliminated before the entire coven is
destroyed?
Take a gander at this gorgeous cover that Julie Nicholls created. Isn't it stunning? She is so talented.
If anyone is interested, I have Advanced Reader Copies (ARC) available for those who would like to read it before it is released, with the promise of giving an honest review within two weeks of the release day.
I'm hosting an awesome Facebook party for the release of Threads and everyone is invited! Though release day is still a ways off, the giveaways and teasers have already started. I'm giving away free paperbacks and e-books and all kinds of cool swag so drop by and get Stuck In A Web On New Year's Day!
Did you catch the reference? No?
It's from Supernatural. You don't like that show? Go away!
I keed, I keed.
This has been a crazy/wonderful/horrible year for me so far. Entering the world of publishing is quite a learning experience, let me tell you! There is still so much I don't even understand about what I'm doing here as far as the publishing itself. I'm learning new tricks and getting tips from friends everyday. Yeah, it is crazy!
I have learned that I am not good at marketing or promoting my own books, though. Not. At. All. I worked really hard to prepare for the re-release of my short story. I made plans, posted everywhere, redid my author website, created a newsletter, did a Facebook party, etc, etc. The book came out and I was so excited! A week later: no sales. Almost a month later: no sales. Bummer.
Then I find out that the cover I worked so hard to make myself, the one I was so proud of, was not sized right for Createspace. It looked like total ass. That's when I finally broke down and cried. Holy crap, I'm a failure! How can I call myself an author if no one reads my books? Things just seemed to go downhill fast. It got pretty... dark.
Then I thought, fuck it, I might suck at authoring but I can still kick ass at writing. So I did. And I do. I have a new story from a series that I've passed around and have some beta readers going over for me. I've heard back from a few already and they have been super helpful. I plan to publish it next month. People are going to buy it or they're not.
I do have an awesome cover artist working with me this time. Julie Nicholls is an excellent artist who I have great confidence in. We've had some chats through Facebook and email and I know she will work magic to produce a beautiful cover for me! I just can't wait to see it!
I've also been working on another series (actually the one I've been working on for years) and I plan on publishing a book from that one early next year. So yeah, it has been really rough these last few months. I've been lower than I think I've ever been before in my life. I've had bouts of excitement that had me jumping around like a fan girl at ComicCon. But in the end, this is going to be my year for some kick ass writing. 2015, I'm about to make you my bitch.
And people wonder why I'm so busy?
Here is a link to Julie's website. Check out her stunning work!
