Whiskey and Angelfire Book Birthday!!

It's here!

Zyan Star Book Two! Lovers of urban fantasy, your 4th just got a lot spicier :) 

"I'm seriously considering selling my soul to Lucifer so I can read the next book right now..." Top 100 Goodreads Reviewer Emily Seamir

**blushes furiously**

This is what Zyan's doing in the second book:

Can Zyan avert the war that's brewing before her past catches up to her, quite literally?

When one of the angelic warriors goes missing, Zyan and Eli head off to Dublin to join the search. As soon as they arrive, they're swept into rising tensions between the angelic forces and the other supernatural races. As more supernaturals go missing, Archangel Michael will stop at nothing to put the perpetrator behind bars, even if it means placing the city under martial law.

To add to the mess, Zyan's sister Anna is in Dublin, and where Anna is, Lucifer is only a step behind. Not to mention Alexander, Zyan's sworn enemy. Zyan has more than a sneaking suspicion they're at the heart of a spree of recent demon invasions. But something is odd about these demons, and if she doesn't figure it out before Lucifer reveals his ultimate plan, the price could be catastrophic.

As if things couldn't get worse, being back in Ireland where she was turned immortal has dredged up the worst from her past. Including her maker, Olga, who's none too pleased that Zyan's come back.

Plus, I'm trying something new for this book: leave a review and get a free download of the prequel novelette to the Zyan Star series! Just email me or leave a comment here (include your email if you don't have responses set up), and I'll send you a Book Funnel code to download it for free. 

Plus, you can vote on which Zyan backstory novelette I release later this year. Either Zyan in the 1920s, or when she met Riley and Quinn (or you can throw in another idea)!

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
iTunes
Smashwords
Kobo

I'm SOOOO excited to share Zyan's story with everyone, and I can't imagine a better day than a day of fireworks and fun. Happy 4th of July everyone!! 

Two Awesome Book Birthdays!!

Hi, friends! I am very excited to share TWO awesome new books that released today, both from very talented and experienced writers. Let's jump right in!

The first is Cloaked in Blood by T.F. Walsh. I love her steamy paranormal romances! They'll get your heart pumping for sure :) This one is #3 in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone.

The daughter of a sultan alpha, Selena Kurt agrees to an arranged wulfkin mating to protect her sister from a dangerous alpha from the enemy clan. To her surprise, her match is Marcin Ulf, the next in line for the Hungarian throne . . . and the wulfkin who broke her heart years ago.

Marcin is just as shocked to learn he'll be matched to the enemy's daughter and the woman he's never forgotten. Before they can be paired, however, they're drawn into a tournament where Marcin will compete to free his estranged imprisoned brother, while Selena battles for the life of another wulfkin alpha. Both intend to seize this chance to save those they're fighting for - even if it means facing off with one another just as their romance rekindles.

Will tribe loyalty triumph, or will they realize they're better off as a team before it's too late?

Sign up here for T.F. Walsh’s newsletter to keep up to date with latest releases, giveaways, and exclusive content. 

Add to Goodreads or Purchase at: Amazon     Kobo      B&N     Googleplay      iTunes 

Plus, a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Next up is The Haunted Stepsister by Medeia Sharif. It's a super fun middle grade horror for the younger crowd! Very creepy and with a nice twist at the end :)

Sixth grade isn’t easy for Jesenya Moradi, especially since her father’s recent remarriage and tension with her new stepsister, Kammy. After an incident at school that nearly destroyed Kammy's life, Jess has been desperate to get on Kammy’s good side. But a fateful trip to an allegedly haunted bathroom changes both girls’ lives forever.

The rumors about the bathroom are true, and now Jess is convinced a demon's possessing Kammy. Eerie things happen whenever she's around – flying objects, flickering lights, not to mention the fact that something, or someone, is making people into its puppets.

Worse, the demon seems fixated on making Jess confess her part in ruining Kammy's reputation. Sticking to her Muslim faith, Jess enlists the help of an imam to exorcise the demon from Kammy. But can they get rid of the demon before it destroys her new family?

Add to Goodreads  or purchase at Amazon    Barnes and Noble    Smashwords

Help me in wishing these two ladies a happy book birthday!!

Zyan Star Series, Character Profile: Pan

Hi, friends! A quick note before we dive into the juiciness of Pan: Martinis with the Devil Part 2 is now out! I will run some free days this week, otherwise it'll be 99 cents at all the retailers. Check my Goodreads links in the right sidebar. Also, if you missed my previous character profiles of Quinn and Riley, check them out.

Now on to Pan!

Name: Pan

Supernatural powers: The Faerie God of Nature

Appearance: Pale skin, long red hair, bright green eyes, tends to wear boots, breeches and vests

See my Pinterest board here for a pic. I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for, they're all too young, but you'll get the general idea

Favorite drink: Faerie mead

Weapon of choice: Magic, though he does have a badass silver staff

Pan comes into the story in part two of Martinis with the Devil (so, perfect timing for release day - I actually didn't plan that). Zyan and Eli convince him to help them find some people that have been abducted and taken to the realm of Faerie (can't say more or it'll spoil it). But his help comes at a high price - they will each owe him a favor, any favor he desires. Pan would just as soon kiss you as kill you, and it merely depends on his mood. He's an incredibly fun character to write :)

Here's one of my fave Pan excerpts from the book. I had to modify it ever so slightly to remove spoilers. Zyan, Eli and Pan are in Faerie, and Zy has just fought in their gladiatorial competition.

“Since my champion has defeated the reigning champion,” Pan called for everyone to hear, “I invoke the right of victor’s challenge.”

A resounding gasp of surprise mixed with delight rang from the crowd. Apparently this was an infrequent treat. After a few moments of heavy silence, a figure walked to the edge of one of the balconies. I recognized him immediately. Taryn Blackflame.

“Our friend Taryn was the master of Jintara, who you have defeated,” Pan said softly to me. “And since I am the—” he paused as I turned to glare at him, “Let’s just say ‘manager’ of you, I am entitled to challenge Taryn to a fight.”

“What are your terms?” Taryn called to Pan.

“I am here for the three that you abducted.”

“I have other plans for them,” Taryn said with a smile. “They are to fight in the stadium.” 

The audience cheered in approval.

“Am I to understand that you are refusing the right of victor’s challenge?” Pan called, pleasantly enough.

“I will battle you Pan, but my new toys are not available as the spoils.”

“Well in that case, I withdraw my victor’s challenge.” I stared at Pan as he gave a little bow to Taryn. His green eyes sparked. “If you won’t offer them as prizes in a fair fight, I suppose I’ll just have to take them.”

As the words fell from his mouth, Taryn’s face twisted in rage, the crowd began to yell in a mixture of excitement and disapproval, and the earth rolled beneath our feet. Sand flew up into the air as something sharp penetrated the floor of the arena. As it rose further up, I could see a point of stone, granite or something similar. It pushed further and further, a small mountain forcing its way out of the ground.

I saw Taryn gesture to several faeries I assumed were his guards. He was going to move his prisoners. I dashed forward and sprang up to the balcony, knocking a surprised Taryn out of my way. A rush of wings at my back told me Eli had joined the fight. At that moment I heard a gasp from the audience and turned to see what was transpiring in the arena.

The mountain now shimmered and moved, elongating in some places and shortening in others. After a moment during which my eyes struggled to see what shape it was taking, I saw what definitely looked like a head. And from that head came a deafening roar. The form rippled, and two huge wings stretched out. The gray stone glowed orange for a moment as if turning to molten metal, and then cooled back down to a glistening gray. A tail whipped around, bashing in one of the columns of the arena.

Holy shit. Pan had created a dragon.

Ah, I love Pan. Hope you enjoyed that, and have an awesome week. TTFN!

Martinis with the Devil Release Day!!!

I am thrilled to announce Martinis with the Devil Part One is now available!! And it's FREE for two weeks on Smashwords and Barnes and Noble (99cents on Amazon).

Smashwords     B&N     Amazon

About the book:

When offered a job on the Holy Representative’s special security team, bounty hunter Zyan Star couldn’t be less interested – until she finds out it’s her most hated of exes that they’re trying to track down. He broke her heart and dumped her, which in turn led to the loss of her soul at the hands of an immortal soul thief. Now she too exists on a diet of souls, with the occasional martini thrown in for good measure, and she’s had over two hundred years to fantasize about revenge. She just didn’t quite imagine it playing out alongside the emissaries of Heaven.

Working with Eli, the uptight angel that heads up the HR’s security, is just about as much fun as Zy expects. He of course wants her vampire ex brought to justice through legal avenues, which is very inconvenient and incredibly boring. As she dives into the case, however, she realizes there’s more at stake than her plot for payback. Like, the free will of mankind, and preventing the minions of hell from taking over the sovereign dimensions.

This job is going to push her to the limits of her abilities, and there’s just a slight problem with that: the powers she’s suppressed for centuries after losing control of them are exactly the powers she’s going to need to save the HR, end her millennia-old ex and stop Lucifer’s little plot to join the party and invade Earth.

Savior of humanity? Not so much. Or so she thought.

Sound fun? If you like urban fantasy, kickass women with swords, foul language, cocktails, humor, and sexy bits, this might be up your alley.

So let's throw some confetti and raise a toast to Zyan!! Thanks for stopping by to celebrate with me :)

Almost Here!!!!

Hi, friends! I'm posting with the IWSG (Insecure Writer's Support Group) today. And my insecurity of the month is classic. I have a book releasing Monday - how will it do??? Unless you're Neil Gaiman or something, I think all of us have that butterfly feeling in our stomach for weeks before and after one of our books releases. You're exposing a piece of your soul to the world and hoping everyone likes it. Plus, making a pinch of money would be nice, right?

Well, Martinis with the Devil is definitely a piece of my soul. It was the second book I wrote, and I wrote it in 2012. It went through a major rewrite and dozens of rounds of edits over the next couple years. It had some near misses with agents that liked it a lot, but urban fantasy is a hard sell in the traditional market now. So I decided to self-publish it last year. And then I got an agent for a different series, and postponed its release. But now the time is nigh - it's coming out Monday, April 11th!!

It's going to be free for the first couple of weeks, so if you want to stroke my ego, download a copy, check out Zyan's fan page (link on the menu above), or add to Goodreads. Or all of the above and you'll be on my rock star list forever!

Also, show some love to the other IWSG bloggers, and of course the IWSG captain Alex Cavanaugh. See the other posts here!

What's up in your literary world this month?

Werewolves and Genies, Oh My!!

Hi friends, today I get to announce book birthdays for TWO good writer friends! That's always such fun :) I have read the first books in both of these series, and loved them! Wulfkin Legacy is super steamy paranormal romance and Once Upon a Djinn is sassy urban fantasy. Check them out!

First up:

Cloaked in Secrecy by T.F. Walsh 

(The Wulfkin Legacy #2) 

What better way for a pack of wulfkin shifters to remain in seclusion than to hide in plain sight?

Death has followed Alena Novac’s circus family for years, but when the police arrest her brother for murder, she must rescue him before he transforms behind prison walls. With less than a week to execute her plan, a member from the Varlac family who murdered her mother reappears. Now, Alena has to decide whether to make good on her promise to avenge her mother’s death or risk rescuing her brother.

Enre Ulf has one mission – prevent Alena’s father from claiming his territory and slaughtering his wulfkin pack in Transylvania. Enre may have turned his back on his Varlac heritage, but that doesn’t mean he won’t impersonate one to infiltrate the circus clan and take out their alpha. Knowing that his secrets will lead to his demise, Enre takes the risk in order to save his home. What he never planned on was his wolf claiming Alena as his mate.

Now with the police closing in, and the real Varlac threatening them, Alena and Enre must overcome their pasts to save their packs’ futures.

Add to Goodreads or buy on Amazon     B&N     Kobo     iTunes     Googleplay

There's also a giveaway for a $10 Amazon Gift Card and  two Cloaked in Secrecy ebooks:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And next up:

In Deep Wish by B.E. Sanderson

(Once Upon a Djinn Book Two)

The conspiracy to devastate Jo Mayweather’s life is growing like blue fuzz on last month’s leftovers. Her ex-lover, Zeke, is missing. Her friends are under attack. Her livelihood is in jeopardy. But whoever’s behind the turmoil doesn’t realize they’re messing with the wrong genie. Jo will do whatever it takes to blow their plans apart, recruiting the help of old friends and new allies. She’ll even enlist the aid of some crazy gods if she has to. Anything to stop these bastards from their ultimate goals—her death and the enslavement all of djinn-kind.

Add to Goodreads or buy on  Amazon or B&N!    

Help me wish these ladies a happy book birthday!!

Here, There and Everywhere!

Hi, writer peeps! I've had the fortune of being featured on several blogs this week, so I figured I should throw up some links so you can come say hi :)


DL Hammons and I did a really fun interview in his blog-cave here.


Cherie Reich read and reviewed Black Magic and Mojitos and gave it five stars! Here's her review (scroll down a bit).


And last but certainly not least, Alex Cavanaugh gave a shout out to Mojitos on his blog! Also scroll down a bit.


What a fun week! I have awesome writing buddies :)

Book Birthday! Welcome to the World, Black Magic & Mojitos

My title mostly says it all. Today my FIRST book is released into the world. Not the first one I wrote, for sure, but the first one to step forth into the literary arena! I am now a published author. Super surreal.

If you'd like a copy at 99 cents, hop on over to Amazon and wish Mojitos a happy, happy birthday. A HUGE thanks to all of my writer friends and my awesome family for supporting me through the years leading to this day. You all ROCK.

Black Magic and Mojitos Cover Reveal and Pre-Order!!

Today is absolutely surreal. My first book, Black Magic and Mojitos, is available for purchase!!!

This day is the culmination of many years and many, many words written. I've known I wanted to be a published writer since I was twelve. And now I can finally reveal my book baby to the world! I gave a little sneak peek of my cover a few weeks ago, and now, without further ado, here is the whole shebang:

Isn't it gorgeous??!! I have the very talented Steven Novak to thank for its loveliness. It's up on Amazon now for pre-order at 99 cents, with a release date on August 7th! Pre-orders help bump me in the ranks on release day, so I'll give you a big cyber hug if you click here to order. Also, check out my Amazon author page! I'm now searchable by book title and my name on Amazon - such an amazing feeling! If you don't have a Kindle or other e-reader, you can download the Kindle app to your phone or PC for free really easily. 

I would greatly appreciate any help with promoting my debut book, from something as simple as a tweet or Facebook share to a mention on your blog or a review on Amazon or Goodreads. It takes a village and you guys are my village! 

In a few days, pop on back and I'll be sharing some of the amazing pictures from my epic Seattle trip, which I took in part to do setting research for Martinis with the Devil, the next book I'll be releasing. It was a fantastic trip, and my son and I had a blast.

Questions? Comments? Any exciting news to share? Let me know! And a big THANK YOU for stopping by here and helping me celebrate this HUGE breakthrough moment in my life.

Schism Book Release Tour!

Today I'm super excited to welcome fellow writer Laura Maisano to my blog! Laura is one of my critique partners and a wonderful writer and editor, and I'm super happy to share in her book release tour. I've had the pleasure of reading Schism, so I can attest to the awesomeness of the product :) If you like fantasy and want a fresh, unique story, look no further! Plus, there's a giveaway!

I'll pass the reins to Laura now...

Character Interview

Today I’ve asked the main characters from SCHISM, my debut YA contemporary fantasy, to come share a little about themselves. They’re plucked right from around the beginning of the book. Take it away guys!

Who are you and can you tell me a little about yourselves?

GABE: Hi, I’m Gabe Jones, or at least that’s what the ID card says. Can’t really say much about myself since I only have nine months of memory after the car wreck.

LEA: *Face palm* Ignore him, he’s got a lot more going on than that. I’m Lea Huckley, resident general studies major with an unhealthy number of credits in physics and math.

GABE: You’re an English class from graduating with both degrees.

LEA: Yes, that’s true. But you know why I’ve been lingering in school. I have to finish my research about the fourth-dimension. I have to find proof.

How did you two meet?

GABE: *chuckles* That’s a funny story actually. I was walking back to the dorm from the art building when I saw this lunatic scaling the student union. In the middle of the night, too. She slipped, and I broke her fall with my spine.

LEA: I was scared he’d call the police on me, but instead he helped me get my sprained ankle taken care of. He was really nice, except for the fact he wouldn’t stop badgering me about why I was on the roof.

GABE: There were these weird lights, and I dunno, it made me feel something familiar…like déjà vu. I had to know.

LEA: Long story short, I ended up spilling my guts eventually, and that I wanted his help finding proof of the fourth-dimension. If he helped me, I’d do anything I could to jog his memory.

That’s interesting, so you decided to help each other. How’s that working out?

LEA: It’s certainly interesting. I’ve never worked with anyone on the ED Project before, and Gabe’s brought some really good insights.

GABE: There’s never a dull moment with Lea leading the way. I didn’t really believe her at first, but now I’ve seen enough weird stuff to know she’s right, there is another world out there.

LEA: I couldn’t have gotten this far without his help too. I do promise to help get your memory back, I swear it.

Gabe, have you remembered anything?

GABE: Not really. I’ve had a strange dream, and I get feelings of familiarity, but I don’t know anything concrete.

Lea, how are you so sure this other world really exists?

LEA: When I was eight, beings from this world came and attacked my parents. I didn’t see it, but they were wounded. When they told the authorities about the attacks, they were locked up in a psychiatric facility to protect themselves and others. I know they’re not crazy, that they spoke the truth. I’ve seen enough paranormal oddities that line up with my hypothesis that I’m one-hundred percent sure I’m right.

So, that's all with Gabe and Lea for now, but more deets below, including an excerpt!

SCHISM (Illirin Book One)

By Laura Maisano

Art therapy hasn’t done squat for Gabe Jones. A thousand sketches of his fiancée can’t bring his memory, or her, back to him. Nothing on Earth can. His past lies in another dimension, a world just out of sight.

Another student on campus, Lea Huckley, unknowingly shares Gabe’s obsession with the fourth dimension. The monsters from the other side attacked her parents and fled, getting her folks locked up in the loony bin. Proving this other world exists is the only way to free them. Lea and Gabe strike a deal to help each other, and together they manage to open a door to the world of Gabe’s true origin. She’d use him for proof—if she didn’t already care too much.

While Gabe tries to reconcile his feelings for Lea and his rediscovered memories of his fiancée, a much more sinister plot unravels. He uncovers his history just in time to become the unwilling lynchpin in a conspiracy to start a war. His memory holds the secret to the final riddle the would-be conqueror needs to get the upper hand. Gabe must protect the riddle at all costs, even if that means leaving Earth, and Lea, behind forever.

Amazon   Barnes and Noble   Goodreads   MuseItUp Publishing

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Excerpt

Lea packed light. Other than her phone’s GPS and a flashlight, she kept a small notepad, her lucky pencil, and the thermometer in her cargo pocket. She didn’t need to find data, now she needed proof.

She led the way down the alley where skyscrapers blocked the glowing moon and the lamps from the highway. Yellowed fixtures above each back entrance threw faint cones of light onto the cement, like holes in Swiss cheese.

Lea checked the coordinates on her phone while she walked, and the little red arrow crept closer to the flag icon she placed to mark the interaction point.

Gabe spent his time surveying the area for anything that might be a danger. He kept fidgeting behind her and turning around every few seconds, a twitchy meerkat on patrol.

“We’re only between buildings. It’s not the end of the world.” Lea checked her phone again to make sure they were headed in the right direction.

He glanced over his shoulder. “I still don’t like it. It’s night, people do get mugged, you know.”

“The statistics of that are so low. We’re really not in any danger, considering the population and how many times that sorta thing happens.”

He shifted uneasily behind her. “Whatever, we’re raising the chances by being out here at night.”

Lea rolled her eyes. “I’m not missing this opportunity.”

“I know that. Neither am I.”

“Good.”

They came to a cross section behind two major offices where the loading docks and dumpsters sat for both of them. A stream of water trickled down the concave cement into the large sewer grate. Old garbage left a fume hanging around, and the humidity only made it worse.

Lea double- and triple-checked her coordinates, cross-checking with her notes. “This is it. Within I’d say, a fifteen foot diameter, low to the ground.” She shoved the phone in her cargo pocket. “Perfect.”

“How long?”

“Roughly ten minutes.”

Ten minutes may as well have been six hours. She paced back and forth, her sneakers scuffing the gritty pavement.

Gabe continued to keep a watchful eye out for muggers or vagrants. What a dork.

She snickered quietly. For someone who didn’t know his own experiences, he sure seemed paranoid. She watched him standing straight, darting his eyes to the entrance and even up to the windows above them. Watch out bad guys, Gabe’s on to you. She smiled and turned to see what looked like heat waves rising from the cold cement. Crap. The interaction had already started.

“Gabe…” She waved him over next to the loading dock.

This interaction provided no shining lights or obvious movement. Not much stood out visually, except maybe the air glistening like summer heat waves if she squinted hard enough, but her digital thermometer found the coldest point.

“Here,” she whispered, not wanting anyone or anything on the other side to hear. She stretched her arms forward, and Gabe did likewise.

“On the count of three.” She waited for him to nod. “One…two…three.”

They both reached through the interaction point and grabbed at the thicker air. Nothing. They tried again, pulling, grasping, and making any sort of motion to trigger a rip. Finally, Gabe leaned in and pulled out at just the right angle, because the light tore across like a jagged line. Lea grabbed the edge of it and tugged, opening the tear wider until they both fell through.

About the Author

Laura has an MA in Technical writing and is a Senior Editor at Anaiah Press for their YA/NA Christian Fiction. She’s excited to release her debut YA Urban Fantasy SCHISM, and she’s finishing up the sequel UNITY.

Her gamer husband and amazing daughter give support and inspiration every day. Their cats, Talyn and Moya, provide entertainment through living room battles and phantom-dust-mote hunting. Somehow, they all manage to survive living in Texas where it is hotter than any human being should have to endure. Check out her blog at LauraMaisano.blogspot.com.

Website: http://www.LauraMaisano.Blogspot.com

Twitter: @MaisanoLaura

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraMaisanoWriter

Google + https://plus.google.com/+LauraMaisano


A big thanks to Laura for stopping by today (with Gabe and Lea)! Congrats on the release of Schism in a few days!


As for the rest of you glorious writer friends, I hope everything is wonderful for you. TTFN!

Urban Fantasy Picks for July...And Other Random Stuff

Hi, writer friends! I wanted to share the link to this month's issue of my urban fantasy newsletter as usual - here it is. I've listed 31 new releases for July, as well as a book review of one of the very first urban fantasy books from 1987. My top picks are listed below.

In other news, it's my birthday on the 12th! Four days left in my twenties, then I'll be moving on to a new decade. My festivities kicked off last night with a party at my Dad's house, and will continue through the week. On my actual birthday I'm having lunch at one of my fave restaurants, drinking champagne in the middle of the day, and then going to see Spiderman.

And in writing news, I'm still querying Martinis with the Devil, and entering the final third of my MG fantasy, which I plan to finish by the end of the month. Also, check out Writer Unboxed, which is having a series of flash fiction contests each Sunday for the next few weeks. I love flash fiction, so I'm going to enter as many as I can, just for funsies. And let me know if you enter so I can check it out. One more also - there's a Christmas in July agent contest starting tomorrow at Ruth Lauren Steven's blog (who I just discovered on Twitter a couple days ago). I don't do a lot of those, but this one is the week of my birthday, so it seems kinda perfect, you know? Maybe I'll have extra birthday sparkle/karma/luck or something.

Okay, so on to my UF picks for July:

A war is brewing—the first battle has been waged and Savannah Levine is left standing, albeit battered and bruised. She has rescued her half brother from supernatural medical testing, but he’s fighting to stay alive. The Supernatural Liberation Movement took him hostage, and they have a maniacal plan to expose the supernatural world to the unknowing.

Savannah has called upon her inner energy to summon spells with frightening strength, a strength she never knew she had, as she fights to keep her world from shattering. But it’s more than a matter of supernaturals against one another—both heaven and hell have entered the war; hellhounds, genetically modified werewolves, and all forces of good and evil have joined the fray.

Uniting Savannah with Adam, Paige, Lucas, Jaime, Hope, and other lost-but-notforgotten characters in one epic battle, Thirteen is a grand, crowd-pleasing closer for Armstrong’s legions of fans.

I love Kelley Armstrong, and this just sounds super fun. Epic indeed.

It begins with a dead body at the far end of Baker Street tube station, all that remains of American exchange student James Gallagher—and the victim’s wealthy, politically powerful family is understandably eager to get to the bottom of the gruesome murder. The trouble is, the bottom—if it exists at all—is deeper and more unnatural than anyone suspects . . . except, that is, for London constable and sorcerer’s apprentice Peter Grant. With Inspector Nightingale, the last registered wizard in England, tied up in the hunt for the rogue magician known as “the Faceless Man,” it’s up to Peter to plumb the haunted depths of the oldest, largest, and—as of now—deadliest subway system in the world.

At least he won’t be alone. No, the FBI has sent over a crack agent to help. She’s young, ambitious, beautiful . . . and a born-again Christian apt to view any magic as the work of the devil. Oh yeah—that’s going to go well.

They had me at their quippy one-liner 'A whole new reason to mind the gap', since I'm assuming they're playing off Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. This sounds funky and full of Brit humor. I'm down.

"What's the first thing you think of when I say 'angel'?" asked Mallory. Alice shrugged. "I don't know... guns?"

Alice isn't having the best of days. She was late for work, she missed her bus, and now she's getting rained on. What she doesn't know is that her day's about to get worse: the epic, grand-scale kind of worse that comes from the arrival of two angels who claim everything about her life is a lie.

The war between the angels and the Fallen is escalating; the age-old balance is tipping, and innocent civilians are getting caught in the cross-fire. If the balance is to be restored, the angels must act - or risk the Fallen taking control. Forever. That’s where Alice comes in. Hunted by the Fallen and guided by Mallory - a disgraced angel with a drinking problem and a whole load of secrets - Alice will learn the truth about her own history… and why the angels want to send her to hell.

What do the Fallen want from her? How does Mallory know so much about her past? What is it the angels are hiding - and can she trust either side? Caught between the power plays of the angels and Lucifer himself, it isn't just hell's demons that Alice will have to defeat...

So this sounds irreverent and fun, and I really dig angel stories.

The undead matriarch of a Britain where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath), Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day, and leeches are considered a delicacy. And a world where technology lives side by side with magic. The year is 2012 and Pax Britannia still reigns.

Xandra Vardan is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it is her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But when her sister goes missing, Xandra will set out on a path that undermines everything she believed in and uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire. And she is the key-the prize in a very dangerous struggle.

Okay, so I'm assuming you agree that a supernatural aristocracy is as awesome as I think it is, and no further embellishment from me is needed...

That's the round up for this month! Lots of fun stuff going on. I hope you have an amazing week!

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Urban Fantasy New Releases for June

Hi, writer friends! I'm writing this post with my new Toshiba. Since my old laptop bit the dust, I'm having to get used to a new one. The keyboard is a bit differently spaced, so I feel really clumsy when I'm trying to write. However, before I switched to the new laptop, I finished my writing goal for May and am at about a third of the way through the MG fantasy I'm drafting. Yay for meeting self-imposed deadlines! No new query news on Martinis with the Devil.

Anyhow, below are my fave June UF new releases. Click here to see the web version of the newsletter, which has another 33 new releases to check out! And click here if you want to get this straight to your inbox. Also, this month for my author feature I chose fellow blogger Rachel Morgan, who writes YA paranormal. All three of her gorgeous novels are shown in the newsletter, as well as purchase links. I realized I was a goof and accidentally referred to her series as 'Spooky Hollow', instead of 'Creepy Hollow', so please disregard the typo. And have you checked out her book trailer? If not, it's right here. Click, follow her blog, check out her books!

Here are the new releases this month:

In this bewitching collection, nine of today’s hottest paranormal authors tell all-new, otherworldly tales. Spellbinding stories featuring bigfoot, albino vampires, professional wizards, resurrected boyfriends and even a sex droid from the twenty- third century named Silicon Lily. But as our conjurers are about to discover, it’s all fun and games until someone gets hexed. And sometimes, even the best spun spells can lead to complete and utter mayhem.

I just love the name of this one. Lots of great authors, hard to go wrong!

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Check out the rad book trailer in my newsletter! This one sounds a bit different than the typical urban fantasy... I'm excited about it!

When a visit to the Tower of London triggers an overwhelmingly real vision of a beheading that occurred centuries before, Cole Ryan fears she is losing her mind. A mysterious boy, Griffon Hall, comes to her aid, but the intensity of their immediate connection seems to open the floodgate of memories even wider.


As their feelings grow, Griffon reveals their common bond as members of the Akhet—an elite group of people who can remember past lives and use their collected wisdom for the good of the world. But not all Akhet are altruistic, and a rogue is after Cole to avenge their shared past. Now in extreme danger, Cole must piece together clues from many lifetimes. What she finds could ruin her chance at a future with Griffon, but risking his love may be the only way to save them both.

So, there are two reasons I am stoked about this. First, I love reincarnation stories. My first book is about reincarnation. Second, I think this cover is beautiful. It reminds me that we don't see a lot of diversity in mainstream fiction, and that we should see more.

Sarah Jane Beauhall, the blacksmith turned dragon slayer, has it all figured out—little things like dealing with the political intrigue of dragons who secretly run our world, and learning to wield the magic that she has been given by none other than Odin, who has been fighting the dragons for millennia. And then there is the matter of coming to terms with who she is…and how to build a life with her partner, Katie.

All these things are forced into the background however when a magic-wielding serial killer starts prowling the Pacific Northwest. And all of his victims have ties to Sarah. Sarah must unravel the web she finds closing around her as a powerful necromancer and a crazed blood cult known as the Dragon Liberation Front work to tear apart everything she holds dear.

Blacksmith turned dragon slayer... dragons running the world incognito? Necromancy? Enough said.

When a fifteen-year-old girl is abducted by vampires, it’s up to U.S. Marshal Anita Blake to find her. And when she does, she’s faced with something she’s never seen before: a terrifyingly ordinary group of people—kids, grandparents, soccer moms—all recently turned and willing to die to avoid serving a master. And where there’s one martyr, there will be more…

But even vampires have monsters that they’re afraid of. And Anita is one of them…

One of the queens of urban fantasy, so couldn't leave this one out!

So, what new releases are you excited about? Any of these on your list, too?

Urban Fantasy Releases for May and Other Fun Stuff

Happy Monday! I sent out the May issue of my urban fantasy newsletter last week. For those of you who don't get it directly by email, here's a link. And here are some of the ones I think look extra cool:

You guys know I love True Blood, so this choice is obvious. I do need to catch up on a bunch of books in this series, though... this one is book 12. It seems Sookie and Bill are trying to solve a murder pinned on Eric.

I just love the title of this one. The little catch phrase on the front says: A novel of the good, the bad, and the enigmatic. Sounds fun to me!

This is the sequel to the hugely popular book, Divergent. Which I haven't read yet. And is very high on my TBR list. And the trailer for this rocked (click the link for my newsletter if you want to watch).

I am behind on this series, too. But I loved the first three.

This is about a girl obsessed with getting struck by lightning. Super cool premise.

I absolutely ADORE the cover art for this series. And the books are pretty good, too :) Well, I only read the first one, but it was good. Back to the covers - whoever designed these, can you please design the covers for my books when they come out? Pretty please with a cherry on top? Not that I have any control over that, but a girl can dream...

In other news: I got my first rejection for Martinis with the Devil last week. It's funny how much I've changed since I start querying Countless a couple years ago. I got that first rejection, and I cried (a LOT) and ate massive quantities of junk food. But now, with a lot more experience under my belt, the first one this time around barely phased me. So, that's cool in my book (pun not intended).

I also continue to procrastinate on starting my new middle grade fantasy. I think I'm afraid I won't get the voice right. I can tell I'm going to have to experiment with it a little. I am planning on locking myself away and starting on it tonight. I'll tweet everybody later if I succeed.

So, what new releases are you excited about? Who else is querying out there? And what about my fellow procrastinators?

Urban Fantasy New Releases for April

Hi, blog friends! My April urban fantasy newsletter went out yesterday, and I've listed some of my top picks below. I love fresh content for my newsletter, so if you are an urban fantasy writer or know an urban fantasy writer who'd like to be featured in some way in an issue, please let me know! Here's a link to this month's issue, with way more new releases, a book review, an author profile and a really well-done book trailer. I hope you enjoy!

I met Holly Black at World Fantasy Convention, and she was super cool. The book sounds cool, too:

Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy.

But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love. 

I like the choice of New Orleans for an urban fantasy... and there's a vampire pirate. Groovy.

As the junior wizard sentinel for New Orleans, Drusilla Jaco’s job involves a lot more potion-mixing and pixie-retrieval than sniffing out supernatural bad guys like rogue vampires and lethal were-creatures. DJ's boss and mentor, Gerald St. Simon, is the wizard tasked with protecting the city from anyone or anything that might slip over from the preternatural beyond.

Then Hurricane Katrina hammers New Orleans’ fragile levees, unleashing more than just dangerous flood waters. While winds howled and Lake Pontchartrain surged, the borders between the modern city and the Otherworld crumbled. Now, the undead and the restless are roaming the Big Easy, and a serial killer with ties to voodoo is murdering the soldiers sent to help the city recover.

To make it worse, Gerry has gone missing, the wizards’ Elders have assigned a grenade-toting assassin as DJ’s new partner, and undead pirate Jean Lafitte wants to make her walk his plank. The search for Gerry and for the serial killer turns personal when DJ learns the hard way that loyalty requires sacrifice, allies come from the unlikeliest places, and duty mixed with love creates one bitter gumbo.

This sounds creepy and fun:

Miriam Black knows when you will die. She’s foreseen hundreds of car crashes, heart attacks, strokes, and suicides.

But when Miriam hitches a ride with Louis Darling and shakes his hand, she sees that in thirty days Louis will be murdered while he calls her name. Louis will die because he met her, and she will be the next victim.

No matter what she does she can’t save Louis. But if she wants to stay alive, she’ll have to try.

So, I'm still working on line edits, on target to begin querying in 10 days. Otherwise, nothing new. How about you guys?