The Next Big Thing

My friend and fabulous author, Megg Jensen, tagged me in this post last week. I was supposed to post this back then, but time is not my friend. I'm surprised I found some now. :) Since being tagged, I feel the responsibility to pass this along. First, I answer some questions. Second, I suggest five other authors I hope haven't been tagged already.

Here we go!

What is the title of your next book?

Blood Pyre, A Lords of Shifters Novella

Where did the idea come from for the book?

This next book is a continuation of the Lords of Shifters series. I began this series with Loramendi's Story several years ago. It's been changed and rewritten so many times that there really is no single point of origination for the series. For example, Loramendi's Story is no longer the first book in the series, Spider Wars is. It has evolved from thinking, brainstorming, and massaging people. Most of my book ideas come while I'm at work as a massage therapist. Strange, huh?

What genre does your book fall under?

Upper young adult.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

To be honest, I dream big, but I'm not good at planning. Sure, I'd adore it if someday my books are created into beautiful films and all. That would be totally rad! I haven't given much thought as to who would play the characters, though. I'd probably wish for unknown actors, teens just out of or still in high school looking for a break into the industry. Once upon a time, I wanted to be an actor. An opportunity to work in a major film would have been a dream come true.

Will your books be self-published or represented by an agent?

Thus far, my books are all self-published.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I wouldn't. ;)

What or who inspired you to write this book?

This will be the fourth book in the series. It has evolved to this point in the story. Music inspires me. Movies inspire me. Life inspires me.

What else about your book might pique the readers' interest?

I'm doing something different this time around. I usually write the blurb before I write the book. Since the book is in a constant state of change while I'm writing it, the blurb usually ends up having to be changed by the time the book is complete. The blurb for Blood Pyre will be released once it is finished and going through edits. Until then, I have the cover to share with you.

Book cover by Robin Ludwig


And now, five totally awesome authors I think you will enjoy... They may or may not choose to participate. Either way, they rock and you should check them out!

Lisa Nowak
Stacey Wallace Benefiel
Laura A.H. Elliot
Cidney Swanson
Cheri Lasota
Emily Ann Ward
Angeline Kace
Mindi Scott
Craig Hansen
G.P. Ching

I was never good at math. Oh well.

Dark Horse, A Lords of Shifters Novella

It's here!

Amethea thought she was the last of her kind, a creature from mythical stories, from light, peace, and magic. But, Amethea isn't a myth, and she doesn't hold any peace in her heart. She watched as her family was murdered for the magic of their horns. She'd give anything to avenge their deaths. She just hasn't figured out how yet.

When she meets another, Cerus, everything changes. Together, they harness more power than Amethea ever dreamed. But is it enough to take down the Lords of Shifters?

We all have demons hidden deep in the crevices of history. Johnnie's have busted out, exposed for all to see. But he doesn't care that everyone knows. Just Jess. She's got a front row seat to the Johnnie's demon show, and Johnnie's about to find out that he hasn't met all of them yet.

__________________________________

Right now, it's available on Amazon and Smashwords. Soon you may find it wherever eBooks are sold. Please let me know how you like it by leaving a review on the site you purchased it.

Have a great weekend!

Cover Reveal - Into the Spiral by Erin Danzer

Look at this pretty! :)

Fifteen-year-old Veronica “Ronnie” Lambert wants to get out from under her older brother’s shadow. When Ronnie gets a tattoo and then is struck by lightning, she suddenly finds herself able to see and hear things in shadows that don’t appear to others. Then Ronnie meets Gavin Clearwater, the hot new guy in all of her classes and finds out he can see and hear the same things she can.

Gavin tells her about the Spiral Defenders, a group of warriors that travels through space and time to defend the planets of the Spiral. After meeting the Commander of the Spiral Defenders and realizing his intentions might not be pure, Ronnie struggles between following her destiny to become a Spiral Defender and trying to regain the life she had before being struck by lightning.

Publication Date: Friday November 23

Published by: Hydra Publications

Author Bio:

Erin Danzer wrote her first book at 10-years-old for a Young Authors competition, where she was awarded an Honorable Mention and discovered a passion for the written word. She’s written several novels and short stories since that spark ignited. She writes a monthly short story serial, The Cassandra Serafin Chronicles, posting alternately on her blog and in Literary Lunes bi-monthly online magazine. Erin resides in Wisconsin with her husband, two children, and their cat.

Where to stalk Erin:

website: www.erindanzer.com

Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/ErinDanzerYAAuthor

Twitter: @erindanzer

Spider Wars is Free!

Just in time for the release of Dark Horse next week, Spider Wars went free on Amazon today. Of course it's also free on iBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords. Go get your copy today!

 Jess' life has never been ordinary. After all, life on the road with an immortal family of gypsies is hardly predictable. Living in the small town of White Salmon, Washington has brought some normality to her life. But when her cheating, sometimes boyfriend, Nicu, gets involved with a group of arachneshifters, life gets a little sticky. Will she be able to save him from the web he's spun? More importantly, how much is she willing to risk to get him back?

Amazon Kindle

Barnes and Noble Nook

iTunes Bookstore

Smashwords

LOS Update and Cloud Atlas

My last blog post related to the Lords of Shifters series stated there will be one final novel after Dark Horse. Well, that was written before Dark Horse was complete. It turns out that there may be up to three novellas left in the Lords of Shifters Series. Stay tuned for the release of Dark Horse in the next couple weeks along with the reveal of the cover for the next book in the series. (I'm so excited to share it with you!)

I went to see Cloud Atlas tonight. I was nervous because the reviews I read prior revealed that this was a confusing movie and not many understood it. One of my clients this morning told me she enjoyed it, but was completely lost. She didn't "get it." If she didn't get it, how would I?

Since I have no one to have a conversation with tonight about this film who doesn't try to crack a joke or who rips a humongous fart right in the middle of my sentence (true stories), I'll discuss it with my blog. ;)

Cloud Atlas may be the most brilliant movie I've ever watched, and I think it's up for interpretation by the viewer as to what it's about. To me, it was about so much: karma, love, compassion, pain, fear, freedom, and has three main themes.

1. Throughout the ages, no matter how distant in the future or how far in the past, human nature is the same. There's no escaping it. We have two ways of thought. There are people who believe they and their kind are entitled over others and in an "order" or "hierarchy" usually fueled by greed and selfishness or maybe just a complete lack of regard for anyone other than themselves, and there are those who believe and fight for equality or just the simple right to live. This is shown in each of the stories told in Cloud Atlas. My favorite example is the one of the future and the slaughter house of the fabricated ones. Shocking. But truly, all the stories were brilliantly woven.

2. We are all from the same source. We live for each other or are bound to each other. What you do impacts me and everybody else. It's like the lines in the movie where one character says, "You are nothing but a tiny drop in a vast ocean." And the character other states, "What is an ocean but a multitude of drops?" (In real life, this frustrates me the most. I try very hard not to get upset at people, but it's difficult when they are so full of entitlement-- so, maybe this one can be classified as number 1 also).

3. Karma. Every kindness or cruelty you do today will come back to you in the future.

But it's also about so much more than just those three themes.

In sum, I'm going to be thinking about this movie for days. It was long, but so worth it. Don't go into this movie thinking it's a mindless three hours of entertainment. It is everything but mindless. Obviously, it's not for everyone. For example, some older gentleman walked out behind us and stated that it was the worst movie he had ever seen. I wanted to turn around and say, "Really?" My husband said on the way home, "That guy must not have ever watched Water World." haha ;)

Have you watched Cloud Atlas yet? What did you think?
 

Blog Tour: Created by Cindy Hogan

Need a great read? Try Created!

Full throttle suspense with a dash of romance 

just released!

Created by Cindy M. Hogan 

has been set loose 
and you're going to want to pick it up!

Here's what readers are saying:

"Created is Mission:  Impossible meets Bourne Identity, only better because Christy is just seventeen."
 -RaShelle Workman, author of Exiled

"Be prepared to spend the entire day doing nothing but reading because once you start Created, you won't want to put it down!" -C. Anderson, reviewer

"A remarkable balance between adventure and romance, leaving you hungry for more." -L. Sears, reviewer

Don't walk, RUN to pick up this fantastic series!

A few fun facts about Cindy
Pantser or planner?- Pantser
Favorite place to write? My office-it's surrounded by fabulous windows
Current read? A Spy Like Me by Laura Pauling
                         Beguiled by RaShelle Workman
                         Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Any pets? I have a Great Pyrenees. He's huge and all white. His name is Indie 

Want more information? Stalk Cindy in all these places (just click on the place and you'll go there)
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Facebook
Twitter
Blog (sign up for her newsletter to get the latest scoop)
Goodreads

Shadow Slayer (Shadow Series #2) Cover Reveal & Giveaway!

Shadows will do anything to become human.

You see their influence everyday. You say things you don’t mean or do things that aren’t like you. You look different and become inexplicable, at times. Friends you’ve known forever suddenly never call.

Planet Popular was just a part of the Shadow World, where our alter egos merely exist. These shadows want nothing more than to become human so they can finally exercise their own free will. There’s a war brewing between the world of humans and the world of shadows. When shadows invade Roxie’s high school, she’ll not only fight for her life but the lives of her family and friends and discover she alone is the Shadow Slayer, the one human who can save Earth from the shadow onslaught. Oh yeah, there’s an evil English teacher, an enchanted play, a sword of Sandonian steel, a homecoming of horrors, and seven magic words.

Shadow Slayer releases September 18th!

13 on Halloween, (Shadow Series #1) is FREE on Smashwords and is now available as an audiobook on iTunes, Audible or Amazon.

Click here to enter the Shadow Slayer Cover Reveal Giveaway & a chance to win two Shadow Series necklaces (one for each book), a 13 on Halloween audiobook, and a Shadow Slayer paperback.

Laura loves writing about enchanted road trips, shadow worlds, and alien romance while eating lots of popcorn. Find out more about Laura’s books at Laurasmagicday.wordpress.com or find her on Facebook!