Spotlight: Wendy Knight

Astraea Press is celebrating their first cover reveal; Wendy Knight's Fate on Fire novella, Feudlings in Sight! Available Thursday on Astraea Press, Amazon, and all other major ebook retailers!

Blurb:
Boys of war suck at romance.

Charity Delyle has lived in the shadow of her Prodigy cousin and his powerful Guard since the day she was born. And she doesn’t mind—really. Except that being in Hunter’s shadow means that he can’t see her. And she’d like that to change.

Hunter has one purpose in life: Protect the Prodigy, or die trying. That means a social life, school, and even Charity come last until the war is over. For the most part, he’s okay with that—he can lose everything if he has to…except his seer.

Starting at a new school should be much safer than living in a war-ravaged Carules headquarters. But this new school is different than the others. Friendships are forged and destinies are questioned, and Hunter’s decision could cost them all everything they’ve been hoping for.


Excerpt:
“Okay, do you want to practice the ones we learned last week or just start new ones?” She had carefully color-coded the spell book with sticky tabs — spells they had mastered, spells they had practiced, spells that would come in handy one day — she was very organized. And if the Council ever found out she put sticky tabs in a book that was over three hundred years old, they would kill her completely dead.

“Learn as much as you can, Shane. Gonna be hard to find a place to practice in the mountains of Utah, surrounded by Normals.” Hunter idly traced spells in the air, letting them fizzle and die without igniting them.

“Well, alright.” Charity flipped to the red section — spells that would come in handy one day. She started at the top. “This one is called an Al-able.” The odd word rolled awkwardly off her tongue. “It’s like… it looks like it’s sort of a flat triangle of flames.”

Sweet Saturday: No Matter What it Takes

“Do you see the sail?” the Dutchman yelled down from his place clinging to the mast. His arm was outstretched in the direction of the ship he saw.

“Aye!” Elias shouted back. It was a French ship. And a worthier vessel than what they had.

He turned to András. “What do you think?”

“We have only one gun, and that a mite rusty and low on shot. We could never take her with that.”

Elias considered the words. He was right. They could never take the French ship that way. But there were other methods.

“We do have a French flag aboard.” The Hungarian seemed to have read his mind.

A glance into the man’s face told Elias they were thinking the same thing. They could trick the other vessel into taking them aboard — with their boat resting so low in the water, it would not be difficult to convince her they were in distress. Once on board it would be only a matter of a well carried-out plan to take over the ship.

But becoming pirates?

Elias wasn’t certain if he could convince himself that step was necessary.

“I know,” András said, lowering his voice so only Elias could hear. “But are we not already men without a country? And France, Barát… I think you will find your men willing.”

Elias shook his head and ran his hand over his scraggly beard. His thoughts drifted to Jaime for a moment. Would she see his decision as an acceptable means to keep his promise to her?

For her.

No matter what it takes.

Finally, he nodded resolutely and cleared his throat.

“She is French,” he announced to his unlikely crew. “And from the looks of her, running prisoners to the islands. We’re taking water, as you know. We need a worthier vessel. However, an action against her would make us pirates—”

He meant to explain what their options were, to put it to a vote amongst them, but he was cut off by the sudden cry as every last man, in unison, called out, “Take her! Death to France!” Every last man, save one, who stood at the helm, his face completely drained of color — the French sailor. He trembled where he stood, and Elias knew where his loyalty lay. He was French. For him it was not just abandoning one ship for one that wasn’t sinking. It was treason.

~ Pirate's Ransom (in progress)

Spotlight: Author Calico Daniels

Please welcome Calico Daniels, 

author of Fried Pickles and the Fuzz.

Gone Muddin’

In many small towns muddin’ is a popular past time for the young’uns. I’ll admit that I have been several times and had a ball J The key to a good muddin’ trip is making sure there is a group with several trucks and at least one with a tow chain or wench. Someone is gonna get stuck J Never fails.

Why in the world would anyone want to you might ask. Well, there is just something very satisfying about slippin’ and slidin’. Jerkin’ the wheel to correct the slide and when you finish…seein’ those trucks COVERED in mud J Silly? Of course. But in small towns where entertainment is hard to find, muddin’ is one of those things that is just pure fun. 

Safe? Well……it carries hazards of its own. Never go muddin’ in a top heavy or jacked up ride. The chances of rollin’ your truck go way up. Muddin’ is really an art that should only be performed in a VERY large pasture where it has already been permitted, the area checked for dangers like fence posts and holes, and the spectators should remain a safe distance from the mud pit J

Aside from that it’s a barrel of monkeys. J

Calico Daniels

Fried Pickles and the Fuzz available now from AstraeaPress,

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever eBooks are sold.

Blurb:

Big Creek might be a stereotypical small town but even they have drama.

Heather loves her little café, and her best customer is the county Sherriff. She’s been waiting months for him to ask her out…maybe she won’t have to wait much longer.

Bronson feels at home in Big Creek even though he hasn’t been the Sherriff for long. Small towns have their perks and a pretty café owner who cooks like an angel certainly doesn’t hurt. Now, if he could only get over his nerves and drum up the gumption to ask her out.

Throw in a gossip mill, a redneck festival and an ill timed attempt to help and you end up with some laughs, some ruffled feathers and a town that is….Redneck Fabulous.

Meet & Greet: Marley Ryan

Marley Ryan

As the daughter of a high-profile Boston businessman, she has lived a charmed life. A charmed life provided for by an over-protective father. In fact, once when she stubbed her toe on a living room coffee table, her father took the offending piece of furniture out in the back yard and chopped it into splinters.

Understandably, Marley is more than a little anxious to get out of the house and live life on her own. She chooses Miami for college... the farthest away on the eastern seaboard she can possibly travel and still be in the country.

Of course, a young woman on her own for the first time is bound to fall into some trouble, whether of her own making or the kind that just happens to find her.

~No Backing Out (in progress)

Friday Favorite: Feudlings

Feudlings

by Wendy Knight

This is the first book in the series. I believe the next one is due to come out on August 1st. I so can't wait! Of all the books I've read so far this summer, I LOVE this one the most. And I don't typically go in for this genre, so yeah, that's saying something. Definitely a HUGE recommend on this one!

Here's the blurb:

Nothing makes a new school suck worse than discovering the guy you’re in love with is your prophesied nemesis.

Ari is the most powerful flame-throwing sorceress ever, and her people’s last hope in an ancient war. But she’s also a seventeen-year-old girl, and in her free, not-hunting-nemesis times, she jumps from school to school, trying to figure out regular people her own age and pretending she’ll get the chance to graduate.

Shane lives a double life. He goes to school and masters the art of popularity, hiding the fact that he has a fate with a slim chance of his survival. He’s destined to end a 300 year-old war by killing or being killed. He knows he’s hunted by a powerful enemy who’s not afraid to die. Only problem? He has no idea who that enemy is.

When Ari shows up at Shane’s school, angry and sullen and determined to keep him at arm’s reach, neither of them realize they are supposed to be killing each other, not falling in love. Until Ari does realize it, and she almost dies – by Shane’s hand.

Here's where you can get it:

Amazon                      Barnes & Noble                    Astraea Press

Also available pretty much anywhere ebooks are sold, so if you don't see your preferred retailer above, you're still not out of luck. :) Plus, you can get it in paperback too!

If you're intrigued and want to know more about the Feudlings series or get updates about the new releases, check out the Wendy Knight's Facebook page.

Spotlight: Welcome Bestselling Author Kelly Martin!

Excited Nervousness—AKA my First Book Signing

There are a lot of firsts in life: Your first kiss, first day at work, first child…

But there is one ‘first’ that has my attention at this moment.

My first book signing!

Dun… Dun… Dun…

I figured if I wrote about my nervousness then it might help. It couldn’t hurt, right? No matter your location on the writer timeline, there are events that scare you.

•             First draft written

•             First time querying an agent

•             First rejection

•             First contract

•             First review

•             First bad review ;)

I’ve been through all of those — safely behind my computer screen. (You guys haven’t been able to see my tears, right?)

But in public is different. Public people have eyes trained on you.

‘What if’ no one shows up?

‘What if’ lots of people do and I don’t have enough books?

‘What if’ I say something stupid?

‘What if’ I sit there and look like an idiot for two hours?

‘What if’ more people come than I think?

‘What if’ I’m not ‘professional’ enough (aka have enough ‘swag’ to giveaway or a not nice enough table covering. What? You don’t think like that?)

‘What if’

Two words I should ban from my vocabulary

Just like my first kiss, my first day on the job, and my first child (whose birthday is Friday, btw. She’ll be eight! I’m not sure when that happened.), this first will come and go as well.

I’ll learn from it.

I’ll take pictures.

I’ll smile.

And hopefully…  hopefully, I don’t drag as many books out as I’m dragging in.

Plus, it’s at a restaurant. Maybe I’ll get some food out of it as well (one can always hope)

Is something scaring you? Are you freaking out over whatever step you are at in your writing life? I’m right there with you. Not only am I having my first book signing, but I’m self publishing my first book (my third book released, first I’m self publishing). It’s scary. But it’s a good scary.

This writing thing is supposed to be fun. Remember the first words you wrote? They were fun. The first draft of your first book… Fun. Don’t let the worry take your fun away. Writing is creative. It’s exciting. And never boring (and if it is, just throw a serial killer in your story and keep right on going ;) )

SO, in conclusion, wherever you are in your writing life, enjoy it. Don’t let the ‘what if’s keep you down. It’s an exiting process. Enjoy it…

Says the girl who having her first book signing Sunday. (Okay, that is pretty cool)

Kelly Martin a southern girl who writes... a lot. She is the author of SAINT SLOAN and Grace Award winning, CROSSING THE DEEP. By day, she is a special education preschool teacher. By night, she has her hair in a bun and her fingers on a keyboard. She loves God, is addicted to chocolate, and would rather write than sleep. Kelly loves a good mystery and believes in Sherlock Holmes.

You can find her at kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

She's also on twitter: twitter.com/martieKay

And on facebook: Kelly Martin, Author

UP NEXT:

THE DECEPTION OF DEVIN MILLER (July 23rd, 2013)

Amnesia took her memories. He took her heart. Who would you trust if you didn't know anyone, but they all knew you?

Meet and Greet: Jack Donnelly

Jack Donnelly

If you're riding the shuttle from the airport to the school campus, Jack is the first person you're going to meet. He might seem distracted at first, but once you get his attention you'll experience the smooth-talking, easy-going nature of this guy firsthand.

He rocks the surfer look. And his favorite subjects for a first conversation include Viking raids and tours of the city. Just beware that if you turn down his first attempt to ask you out, he won't give up... even if he has to follow you to your dorm room and give you the puppy dog look.

Other interests include electric guitar, surfing, working for the bad guys, and Marley Ryan.

~ No Backing Out (in progress)