The Space Between~Early Release

The Space Between, the first part in my new series, The Book of Phoenix, is ripe and ready for release. The official release date is April 5, but the ebook will come out early. Woohoo! How early depends on how many Likes I can gain over on my Facebook page. I’m hoping this weekend? Maybe even today? Hmm…we’ll see.

Planning a release as an indie is kind of difficult. When we’re responsible for all of the pieces, you’d think making them come together by a certain time would be easy. We’re in control, right? Well, not so much. Especially when the retailers keep changing their parameters for the files that we upload. Or when they decide to take a day or two longer than normal to approve a new title.

Our editors and proofreaders may take longer or shorter to do their parts than we planned for. We ourselves may need more or less time than expected to do last minute fixes. Then there’s all the formatting for the various versions.

I always build in extra time because inevitably there are issues. I’m publishing my sixth title, but new problems still pop up. It’s such an exciting time to be prepping to push that PUBLISH button, but also extremely frustrating because regardless of how smoothly the process goes, it’s never smooth enough. I mean, why can’t everything work perfectly on the first try? Is that really asking for too much?

After the last couple of days of driving myself nutty with syntax coding errors (an extra space in a file name wasted three hours of troubleshooting time and that’s just one example), we’re pretty much ready to publish early. It’s not the first time I’ve been off by a few days, although it’s the first time I’ve been ready a week early.

Of course, now I start thinking, “That’s another week to read through and make any final changes to make it even more awesome.” We writers like to be insane, I do believe. So not to torture myself, we will be hitting PUBLISH very soon. Keep an eye out for The Space Between coming to ebookshelves in the next day or so.

About The Space Between, Part One in The Book of Phoenix:

When Life Falls to Pieces, Answers Lie in the Space Between

*****

Bestselling author Kristie Cook, with over 200,000 books sold, brings you another New Adult paranormal series, The Book of Phoenix

*****

“A completely unique story with a paranormal twist . . . the perfect blend of romance and mystery with a phenomenal plot that will keep you guessing.” ~ Jessica, Confessions of a Bookaholic

“I loved this book! The characters, the romance, the plot, the originality! It had everything to make it an amazing book!” ~ Kendall, Book Crazy

*****

After a month-long dance tour through Italy, 20-year-old Leni Drago returns to Georgia to care for her great-uncle, only to find him gone, the home they shared empty and any evidence he ever existed wiped out. All that’s left is a journal she can’t open.

Jeric Winters has been searching for a piece of his past for over a year, only to reach a dead-end in Georgia. When an urgent and magnetic pull draws him out of his hotel room, he comes face-to-face with the beautiful dancer who’s been haunting his dreams day and night.

Jeric’s one to stay away from—a bad-boy, hit-it-and-quit-it type—but Leni can’t escape the fervent feelings between them. As their own existences begin to crumble around them and shadowy forms that are more monsters than men attack, they realize there’s more to the connection between them than physical fascination.

To solve the riddle their lives have become, they must embark on a journey that requires them to face their pasts and release their true souls. And they must do it fast—dark ones from another world are closing in, intent on killing them. Permanently.

*****

“This is a completely new twist on the idea of a timeless love story with a paranormal twist unlike any other. The connection between the two characters is bone deep and resonates beautifully. I will never forget this novel.” ~ Heather McCorkle, Author of the fantasy Channeler series

“Kristie has done it again! Her Soul Savers series is my favorite by far and yet The Space Between is easily the best book she’s ever written! It's dangerous, suspenseful, and smokin’ hot.” ~ Marissa, Comfortably Read Book Reviews

“The Space Between is an amazing story of life, love and fates. Author Kristie Cook has you hanging on the edge of every page. This book stays in your head well after the last page.” ~ Mindy, Forbidden Reviews

**Mature Content** Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations and language.

About Kristie Cook:

Kristie Cook is a lifelong, award-winning writer in various genres, from marketing communications to fantasy fiction. She continues to write the Soul Savers Series, a New Adult paranormal romance/contemporary fantasy, with the first four books, Promise, Purpose, Devotion and Power available now and the next book coming in June 2013. She’s also written a companion novella, Genesis: A Soul Savers Novella, currently available. Over 160,000 Soul Savers books have been sold, with Promise peaking at #54 on the Amazon Top 100 Paid list and at #1 in the Amazon Fantasy category.

The Space Between kicks off her second New Adult paranormal series, The Book of Phoenix.

Besides writing, Kristie enjoys reading, cooking, traveling and riding on the back of a motorcycle. She has lived in ten states, but currently calls Southwest Florida home with her husband, three teenage sons, a beagle and a puggle. She can be found at:

Author's Website & Blog: http://www.KristieCook.com

Soul Savers Series Website: http://www.SoulSaversSeries.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristieCook

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kristiecookauth

Pieces of Me by Eisley Jacobs

I'm so excited to announce the upcoming release of my Young Adult Science-Fantasy Novel, PIECES OF ME.  

Blurb: Forget everything you know. Forget your name. Forget any memory of your parents. Forget your own face in the mirror. Then, and only then, can you understand my world. My name is Braidan, and I'm seventeen years old. I wake every day with no memory of what happened yesterday. No recollection of who I am. Only a series of sticky notes hint at the life I supposedly lead. But no matter how hard I try, I can't dismiss the thought that this isn't my life or my true identity. Notes plastered all over my room and school books tell me to search for answers. But how can I learn the truth when I'll forget everything the moment my mind drifts to sleep? Ian, the new boy at school, claims he has the key to my walking coma. If what he says is true, I'm far more than just a girl with amnesia... and I've got precious little time to unlock my past. Pieces of Me depend on it.

About the Novel: PIECES OF ME started out as a log line rolling around my head at 1:30 in the morning. I jotted it down in my phone (otherwise I wouldn't have slept) and let it sit there for weeks (maybe it was months, time just seems to zip by these days). Then, after the publication of my first two novels (BORN TO BE A DRAGON and RUNAWAY CHOICES), I came to a lull in my writing schedule and happened to look at my phone one day and WHAMMO, it just sort of happened. The novel flew from my fingertips faster than almost any novel I'd written in my life, but somewhere around 3/4ths of the way, I stalled and stared at the screen, wondering what was next. Wondering how my timeline would work itself out. I charted and charted timeline after timeline, hoping to figure out the algorithms down to the minute. And when I did, I stared at it for days and still wrote nothing. The breaking point happened when I realized I'd come to a stalemate because I didn't want to see the novel end. After I allowed myself time to mourn, and mourn I did, I finished the novel. I cried when I closed the file for the last time and realized (to the tune of Gracie's Theme by Paul Cardall) that my characters have so much to live for and so much hope. The PIECES OF ME that were placed in this novel were now ready for the readers. I sat on this novel a long time, unwilling to open my fists and release it into the wild. So, after a couple months of dragging the feet of indecision, I finally made the plunge and shimmied up the Indie ladder once again. The view from up here is amazing. I can see the book in the hands of the world, and it's exciting. I'm excited about this release and hope it lives up to the reviews I've already received.

About the Author: Eisley Jacobs Eisley Jacobs lives in Shingle Springs, California with her three children and husband. Eisley actively writes the characters that stroll through her head. The first YA Novel she completed was in high school, but somehow got lost in the shuffle into real life. While studying at college, stories began to plague her mind and she tried her best to keep them at bay while she did more important things like... like... Who are we kidding? Her grades suffered because the voices wouldn't stop. So instead of going insane, she wrote. In 2010, a blue dragon named Deglan interfered in her attempts to finish the final book in the YA series and thus the series starter for DRAGONS FOREVER, BORN TO BE A DRAGON, was hatched and has found a home in the hearts of many children. Eisley's first YA Sci-Fantasy, PIECES OF ME, is due out March 27. To learn more about Eisley and her novels click here.

New Indie Elite Release and Tour

My new fantasy novel, The Dragon Empire, is releasing officially in eBook this February (and in paperback in March)! If you'd like to help me celebrate by posting about it (then you rock and I owe you chocolate or a great cup of coffee), please fill out the form below and I'll send you everything you need. Once I've sent the info to you, feel free to post any time you can, in February would be great, but if you can't post until March or April, that's good too. Sorry for the form but it's SO much easier to keep track of than comments. Feel free to drop me a comment too though. :)

~Heather
Author of the paranormal Earth-conscious channeler series: Born of Fire (FREE novella), The Secret of Spruce Knoll, Channeler's Choice, Rise of a Rector, and the historical fantasy, To Ride A Puca. Heather also has stories in the following anthologies: In His Eyes (FREE) and Winter Wonders. 

Turning One Book Into Two

Turning One Book into Two - Why I posted my full novel as two novellas.

 This week marks the soft launch of my two novellas, JARS OF CLAY (volume 1) and BROKEN VESSELS (volume 2).

At first I was going to offer it as one full-length novel, but after much thought, I decided to break it up into two. Here's why:

1.) After publishing a number of books, I've come to the conclusion that readers prefer series to stand-alone books, no matter the length.

2.) The subject matter in this novel may not appeal to all readers, especially the second half. I wanted to have an opportunity (in the book description) to give everyone a heads up--strong religious themes, scenes of sensuality and violence. I wanted to do this for their sake (no surprises since it's very different from my Clockwise brand,) and for my sake (I'd like to avoid bad reviews...) :)

3.) I wanted to offer the first half for free--this gives the reader a chance to sample my writing before committing to paying money for the second half of the book. It's currently free at most e-retailer sites, except Amazon where it is .99 (If you'd like to help me notify Amazon of a lower price, that would be awesome. Click on report a lower price in the product details section.)

Daughter of a wealthy and respected Roman citizen, Helena Vibius is only sixteen when she falls for Lucius, a servant in her father's house. 

Ambitious, Lucius wants to seek his fortune in Rome, and asks Helena to tutor him. She agrees--against her better judgment--and through a series of secret lessons, the two fall in love, knowing if they're caught, Lucius will pay the penalty with his life.

And then there's the unfortunate matter of Helena's pending arranged marriage to an unpleasant man from Carthage.

As her wedding day approaches, will Helena follow Lucius to Rome (risking both their lives), or keep her duty to her father?

*based on a true story*

With no way to prevent Helena from marrying another, Lucius flees to Rome to seek his fortune and mend his broken heart.

In a loveless marriage with a child to care for, Helena finds comfort in the most unlikely place--with her brother amongst the Christians. The religious group is mostly ignored by the Pagan populace, until the Emperor returns to the city and celebrations are planned. There's a shortages of criminals for the games and Christians are now sought out for arrest.

Fate brings Lucius back to Carthage, where his only wish is that he will get a glimpse of the girl he still loves. But when he finally sees Helena, it's under the worse possible circumstance...


 I understood that there were draw back to doing this, too.

1) Most reviewers won't review novellas. Same is true for sites that report free books.
2) There is a danger some might see this as a marketing gimmick (instead of a marketing strategy).
3) Some readers who would've read to the end of a full novel, might stop half way and not read volume 2

In the end the pros out-weighed the cons. I decided the experiment was worth a try and if it fails, I can always repackage it as one full novel. I'll let you know how it goes!

Click here if you want to know why I'm writing under Lee Strauss


~Lee Strauss (Elle Strauss)

The Crossroads Tour

From small to big-gun presses, debut novels to bestsellers, the Crossroads Blog Tour is offering unprecedented (and free!) access to amazing YA authors. This October, thirteen paranormal writers will embark on an exciting blog tour that will hook readers up with great reads and cool SWAG. Three authors in the group are also with Indie E: Judith Graves, Dawn Dalton, and Christine Fonseca.

Here’s the official roster:

  

Judith Graves – Leap Books – Under My Skin, Second Skin, Skin of My Teeth, Killer’s Instinct

Joy Preble – Sourcebooks – Dreaming Anastasia, Haunted, Anastasia Forever. Soho Press (forthcoming May 2013) – The Sweet Dead Life

Stacey Kade – Hyperion – The Ghost and the Goth, Queen of the Dead, Body & Soul

Amanda Ashby – Speak – You Had Me at Halo, Zombie Queen of Newbury High, Fairy Bad Day, Demonosity

Lucienne Diver – Flux – Vamped, Revamped, Fangtasic, Fangtabulous

Kiki Hamilton – Teen / Macmillian – The Faerie Ring, The Torn Wing

Jackie Morse Kessler – Harcourt Graphia – Hunger, Rage, Loss

Christine Fonseca – Compass Press – Transcend, Libera Me

Carrie Harris – Delacorte Books for Young Readers -Taste In Boys, Bad Hair Day

Dawn Dalton – Leap Books - SPIRITED Anthology, Killer’s Instinct

Leanna Renee Hieber- Sourcebooks – Darker Still (Magic Most Foul, #1), The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart (Magic Most Foul, #2)

Ty Drago- Sourcebooks – The Undertakers: Rise of the Corpses, The Undertakers: Queen of the Dead

Janet Fox – Speak – Faithful, Forgiven, Sirens

HOW THE TOUR WORKS

Each day of The Crossroads Blog Tour, a new research question will be revealed on The Crossroad Blog Tour main page:http://judithgraves.com/events/the-crossroads-tour/crossroads-2012/and each day the answer to that question will be found within one of the different blog posts by Crossroads Tour authors. Your job is to get the question, read the blog posts, and collect all answers by the end of the tour.

The GRAND PRIZE you’re vying for? A brand new KINDLE, preloaded with a title from each of the participating Crossroads Blog Tour Authors. That’s right folks, a free KINDLE and 13 free EBOOKS!

Follow the tour on Twitter And Facebook 

Celebrating a New Release

A little over a week ago, my two oldest sons went off to college. Although we’d done this—sent our baby out into the world—once before, it never gets easier. The excitement, the fear and the wonder never go away, whether it’s your first child or your last. Part of you is ready to let go so they can truly become their own people, and part of you wants to keep them close, afraid of what the world will do to them. But, alas, we can’t hold onto them forever.

Last Thursday I sent another baby off into the world—Power, the fourth book in the Soul Savers Series. And like letting go of my human children, letting go of my book-babies never gets easier. I’m always afraid it’s not ready yet, the world isn’t going to like it, people won’t be kind. But as I have to do with my children, at some point, I have to let my books fly the nest.

And regardless of the nerves, it’s a time to celebrate. Because the thrill and the sense of accomplishment of completing yet another book never goes away, either. So I just have to say, “Yay! With a lot of help from others, I did it. Again.” Thank you to everyone, including the Indie Elite, for your unending support!

I invite you to celebrate with me and the Soul Savers fans. The Power release tour is just getting underway, with many stops planned throughout September and into October, including guest posts, interviews, reviews and giveaways. Come join the fun.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, yes, among the tears, there was a little happy dance and celebration for the boys leaving home. 2 down, 1 to go! Woohoo! Um, I mean, boohoo.

~Kristie

Kristie Cook is the author of the popular Soul Saver series. To learn more about Kristie and her books, click here. 

Heather McCorkle Live Interview and Dear Teen Me

As you may know from our earlier post, Heather McCorkle is celebrating the release of her YA historical fantasy, To Ride A Puca with a fabulous blog tour celebration and giveaway. If you didn't know about it, click on over to her place and check it out and enter to win some fantastic books. Today though, she has a bit more going on for the tour. You'll find her over at Dear Teen Me, where she wrote a Dear Teen Me letter for them! To check it out click here.

She's also doing a radio interview hosted by Michelle Cromwell-Jordan that you won't want to miss because. Click here to check it out. 

Heather McCorkle's New Book Has Released

Congratulations to Heather McCorkle whose young adult historical fantasy, To Ride A Púca just released! Though it is young adult it's recommended for mature YA and up. This novel is about the last of the druids in ancient Ireland and is now available in hardback and eBook at B&N, Amazon, and other retail sites. The tour is coming soon as well, beginning May 21st and going well into June. Heather will be giving away signed copies of some of her favorite books by some amazing authors. You won't want to miss it! For more details on the tour go here.

 

Here is a bit about the novel:

Invaders are coming to take what isn't theirs, again.

Neala wants to stand and fight for her homeland, but as one of the last druids, she may be standing alone.

Persecuted, hunted down, forced to live in obscurity, the druids have all but given up. Can the determination of a girl who has barely come into her power bring them together? Or, just when she finally finds her place among her kind, will they end up losing a homeland their very magic is tied to?

You can add it to your Goodreads lists here. Though To Ride A Púca is a channeler novel, it is not part of Heather's channeler series. It's a stand alone novel which explores the history of the ancestors of one of the main characters in the channeler series.

Congrats A.M Hudson

Congratulations to the Indie Elite's own A.M. Hudson who's novel, Tears Of The Broken has made it onto Amazon's top 100 bestselling list! There it is on the same page as Breaking Dawn! Love that. And even more great news, it's currently free on both Amazon and B&N so be sure to grab your copy.

And there's even more excitement. All this is just in time for the release of book two in the Dark Secrets series, The Knight Of The Rose. It's available on Kindle and in paperback and is coming soon to Nook! Isn't that cover to die for? So haunting! Sorry I don't have a higher res image. As soon as we get one we'll post it for you. This is a vampire tale of a very different flavor, one which will make an excellent summer read. 

Coming Soon~Mea Culpa by Christine Fonseca

This June Christine Fonseca (via Compass Press) is bringing us a new short novella in the Requiem series, Mea Culpa. It is a behind the scenes story the comes between her debut full-length novel, Lacrimosa, and it's sequel Libera Me (due out this fall). Here is a bit about it (SPOILER warning! If you haven't read Lacrimosa yet, this blurb contains spoilers):

Everything has a price; and the cost of Nesy’s life may be higher than anyone expected. 

Nesy’s wounds should have been fatal. Fortunately, Mikayel knew something the rest of the Council didn’t—how to counteract Azza’s attack. But it’s Zane that must carry out the task. Will he have the strength to confront something even more frightening than Azza to save Nesy? And will he be able to shoulder the cost?

Christine's books on Amazon and B&N. 

New Book by Eisley Jacobs

The sequel to Born To Be A Dragon by Eisley Jacobs has released! If you haven't read Born To Be A Dragon to your children yet then you're missing out. Here is a bit about book two:

BLINK OF A DRAGON – Dragons Forever Book Two

Discovering she’s connected to dragons is one thing, but when another dragon is caught hanging out in her fifth grade class, Meia thinks things couldn’t get any worse. Is she ever wrong!

The leader of the dark dragons is on the prowl and he’s lured the Clan of Deglan into the Hule caverns. Under Maro’s sinister claw, his minions steal the fire stones and jeopardize Lord Draven’s life. If he dies, dark dragons will destroy everything in their path.

Using a recovered fire stone, Deglan and Meia BLINK out of the caverns into the belly of a volcano to hunt for a mystical creature who is their last and only hope. What they encounter along the way will make the adventure worth fighting for.