Cindy Young-Turner

Cover reveal: Speak of the Devil by Shawna Romkey

Shawna Romkey’s novel, Speak of the Devil, comes out in March. Check out her cover!

Speak of the Devil

What happens when falling in love and falling from grace collide?

After dying in a car accident with her two best friends, Lily miraculously awakens to grief and guilt. She escapes to her dad’s to come to terms with the event and meets some people at her new school who seem all too eager to help her heal. Sliding deeper into sorrow and trying to fight her feelings for two of them, she finds out who…what they really are and that they are falling too.

Can she find the strength to move on from the past, reconcile her feelings for Luc, find a way to stop a divine war with fallen angels, and still pass the eleventh grade?

Bio:

Shawna grew up in around farms in the heart of Missouri but went to the University of Kansas, was raised in the US but now lives on the ocean in Nova Scotia with her husband, two sons, two rescue dogs and one overgrown puppy from hell. She’s a non-conformist who follows her heart.

She has her BA in creative writing from the University of Kansas where one of her plays was chosen by her creative writing professor to be produced locally, and two of her short stories were published in a university creative arts handbook. She earned her MA in English from Central Missouri State University where she wrote a novel as her thesis.

She’s taught English at the university and secondary levels for close to twenty years and can’t quite fathom how all of her students have grown up, yet she’s managed to stay the same. She’s a huge geek and fan of Xena, Buffy and all kick ass women, and loves to write stories that have strong female characters.

http://trindiebooks.com/
http://www.shawnaromkey.com/

New release: January Black by Wendy Russo

I’m excited to share an excerpt from Wendy Russo’s debut novel, January Black, which released this week. Congrats, Wendy! This looks like a great read. And I love the cover! Wendy is celebrating her release with a blog tour and giveaways! I’m thrilled to be one of her tour stops. Also, somewhere below is a link to a hidden post on Wendy’s blog. (Password = matty). Commenters on this hidden post will be entered into a drawing for a free, signed copy of January Black.

Blurb:

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.

More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.

What was January Black?

It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He’s been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost…or call the king’s bluff.

Excerpt from January Black:

“I looked over your last test today,” the king said, now leading the group.

The Regents’ School expelled Matty that afternoon from its elite King’s Class. The infraction itself was insignificant. However, he had been admitted to the class on a probationary basis, and only because the king arranged his admission on behalf of the commandant. Matty’s latest test answers were the last of a long line of subtle “subversions” that his instructors would tolerate, his father be damned.

After a long pause, the king continued, “I found your answer to question six interesting.”

“Interesting, sir?”

“Very.” The king turned to descend a sweeping staircase. “Unless you would rather have me believe that you were doodling.”

“No, sir.”

“Please explain.”

Matty was already in trouble. There was little use in holding back now. “The instructor is boring and the section is a joke.”

“And?” the king prompted him for more.

“He expects his answers, not correct ones.”

The king spun around at the bottom of the stairs, blocking Matty’s path. He crossed his arms. “You drew the atomic model for magnesium.”

“Yes, sir.” Matty said, meeting the king’s eyes as he stopped on the lowest stair. They were brown.

“It was a civics test,” the king said before walking away. Matty followed. “The question regarded the Assembly.” Downstairs resembled upstairs, except for a burnt orange wall in what Matty assumed was a sitting room. “Explain.”

“Twelve.” Matty looked around for something in the king’s home that would belong in the palace. He found nothing. “Twelve protons, twelve electrons, twelve prime regents.”

“So, the fact that magnesium is sour and highly combustible, that’s just a coincidence?”

While admiring the gleaming steel kitchen, Matty walked right into a wall. “Shit!” he cried out while grabbing his hurt shoulder. His heart stopped and splashed down in his stomach. He wondered if he blurted that as loudly as he thought.

The king’s reply was careless. “I do that all the time.”

“Really?” Matty asked. The desire to hide in a closet grew stronger by the moment as the king’s guardians tried not to laugh.

The king nodded but said, “No.”

Bio:

Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she’s majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She’s a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights.

Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/January-Black-ebook/dp/B00B0I176M/ref=la_B00B0WODCI_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358209826&sr=1-1

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16692299-january-black

Blog: http://wendysrusso.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wendy-S-Russo/134565346603922

Cover reveal: The Last Keeper’s Daughter by Rebecca Trogner

Crescent Moon Press keeps coming out with beautiful covers and fabulous books. Check out this one, scheduled for release on February 15!

The Last Keeper’s Daughter by Rebecca Trogner

Born into old money, Lily Ayres lives at Waverly, her family’s estate situated at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Paris, Virginia. She is a strange, small, almost mute, young woman who has no idea that her father has given her to the Vampire King Krieger. Walter Ayres is the King’s Keeper and part of a secret society of historians who unearth, preserve, and attempt to understand relics of long forgotten civilizations.

Lily has never felt comfortable in the human world, but after she suspiciously falls down a flight of stone steps, and is healed and claimed by Krieger, she realizes there is another world. In this Other Realm she feels a sense of belonging, and begins to untwine the mysterious event which left her mentally and psychologically damaged. When Walter disappears in England, Lily works with human and supernatural beings to uncover his whereabouts. With each new discovery, she is pulled deeper into the vortex of magic, intrigue, and dark desires that permeates the supernatural world. The revelations revealed unfold a story of deception and betrayal that threaten to tear the thin veil between the supernatural and human world asunder.

About the Author:

Rebecca Trogner lives in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia, and frequently crosses the Blue Ridge Mountains that were the inspiration for Krieger’s home. She always dreamed of being a writer, but got sidetracked by the day-to-day adventures of life. With the encouragement of her family, she has finished her first novel and is currently writing the next book in The Last Keeper’s Daughter series. Rebecca lives with her husband and son, and a rescue dog named Giblet. To find out more about the author visit www.rebeccatrogner.com.

Twists and turns of the writing process

Well, here we are in deepest winter and this snow lover is disappointed yet again in the lack of Maryland snowfall. There’s still hope, though. Sometimes February can be our lucky month. The good news is that after a Nov/Dec writing slump/holiday frenzy, I am back to writing and once again excited about working on Thief of Destiny. I’ve had ideas for future scenes flitting through my head, which is exciting and energizing. I hope this will give me the boost to finally finish the book because I really want to find out what’s going to happen. I envy those people who say that when they start writing a book they know how it’s going to end or even the exact last line. I have a general idea of how I think the book should end, but it’s not exact. Right now I’m giving Sydney and Willem a 50-50 chance and I’m not sure what they are going to do when I get to where I think I’m eventually going to end up. All the more reason to hurry up and get there, right?

The interesting thing is that I just wrote one of the few scenes that had been in my head when I began the book. And it turns out this scene was influenced by Journey to Hope, the prequel I wrote that came out last month. It’s nice that Crescent Moon Press has given their authors the opportunity to write short spin-off stories of their novels. At first I wasn’t sure what story I might want to write. I even polled my critique groups to see, as readers, whose story they might like to read about and got some varied answers. The story I ended up writing about Edgar’s past was not what I first had in mind. I wanted to be sure I didn’t have too many spoilers in case someone read the prequel before reading Thief of Hope. I think I mostly succeeded in that, although there are a couple spoilers but I don’t think they would detract from someone’s enjoyment of the novel. But writing this piece about Edgar fleshed out some important bits that show up in book 2 (how’s that for a vague teaser?) and I wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t written the prequel. Would book 2 have taken a different course? I’m quite happy with the way things are going, so I think it all happened for a reason. It’s funny how writing works out that way.

I’m hoping to do more reading in 2013 also. I just finished Clash of Kings (thoughts to come soon) and have book 3 of the Dark Tower series waiting on my shelf. I’m currently reading War of the Seasons: The Human, a young adult fantasy by Janine Spendlove, who I met at Balticon last year. What are you all reading so far this year?

Happy 2013 and a new writer’s wish list

Hope you all had happy holidays and wishing you joy and peace and success for 2013. I’m emerging from the whirlwind of December and trying to get things back on track and do some planning for the upcoming year. The nice thing about January is the blank slate. Anything is possible. I hope there will be big things to come this year.

I did a writer’s wish list post last year and I thought I’d do another for this year. I’m feeling a bit more introspective this time around. Stuff doesn’t seem as important as the ability to spend time with loved ones.

The 2013 Writer’s Wish List

1. Time

This was on the list last year. I think it’s a given. We all need more time. I hope to prioritize more in 2013 and make time for the things that are really important to me. Life is too short to waste it.

2. Confidence

I’m working on this one. Sometimes it’s hard to have confidence in myself as a writer. I’m probably my own worst critic. My wonderful critique groups aren’t shy about telling me when something needs work and giving praise when something is good, but I need to remind myself also that yes, I can write and sometimes I even write well.

3. Better networking skills

I’m working on this one also. I did Balticon this year and was a panelist and survived. I even talked to a few people. I’m hoping to participate again in 2013. I’m planning to do some book festivals and other events, so this will also help build on #2.

4. An ending to my current work in progress

I admit, I’m envious of the Crescent Moon Press authors who already have sequels out. I’m working hard on Thief of Destiny and I’m determined to finish it this year. Thief of Hope has had a pretty positive reception, and Journey to Hope, a short prequel, just came out in December. I hope book 2 will help bring more fans to the series.

5. Good health and happiness to friends and family

This isn’t writing related, but I’ve found that my mental health really does impact my writing. 2012 was a tough year for a lot of people. When bad things happen, it puts into perspective what is really important. I wish I could be closer to my family and my dearest friends, but at least technology makes it easier to stay in touch. I want to send out healing thoughts to a good friend who was recently diagnosed with lymphoma and is undergoing chemo. He expects to be in remission this year, but it’s going to be a challenge getting there. His wife and I have been friends for ages and I was lucky to be able to attend their New Year’s Eve wedding a number of years ago. Please check out his blog (http://myrepochbattle.wordpress.com) where he’s sharing his experiences and could use some support.

More than anything, 2012 was a reminder that we all need to be there for each other. If nothing else, I hope this is one wish that will be fulfilled this year.