Book Release Schedule for 2014 + SHARD OF ICE Goodies Giveaway!

Yar. You read that right, matey. Head ter shore for and find the hidden chest, for thar be where the booty rest!

(I'm only talking like a pirate because apparently I'm like Captain Hook from Once Upon a Time, or so says some Facebook quiz. Kind of digging it. Might rock some eyeliner and write a pirate novel for giggles. Kidding. Sort of?)

Last week, I promised all you scoundrels a post on all the release schedules and details on each book releasing in 2014. And of course, if you were hanging out on my Facebook page last night, you'd know I also promised a chance to win some more of those neat little collector cards for A Shard of Ice, the very same ones that have a unique website on the back to an upcoming website for the new series. 

So I thought, why not put the two together? Yar? YAR! 

So without further adieu, here's a release schedule with details you can sink yer teeth into;

February 17th - An Ice Princess Kiss: A Shard of Ice Novella #2

- This one has been pushed back twice. Once by me being sick, and once by me realizing it needed editing, badly. You think the first draft of Illumine was bad (it was, it really was) you did not want to read this in the state it was. February 17th it will release (finally) and you'll get to read so much more than the first draft carried.

SYNOPSIS (from Goodreads): The first time Lilix Morgan met Kyle Ambrose, she knew her life would never be the same. Captivated by his gentle charm and curious itch to know about her shrouded past, she struggles to keep him at arm's length before he discovers her true nature. But when a power outside force seeks to end Kyle's life, Lilix may have to do more than reveal herself if it means saving his soul.

March 4th - An Ice Princess Symphony: A Shard of Ice Novella #3

- Following the second novella, this one I had to re-work a little bit, so it was pushed back twice, too, for the same reasons. A lot more was added to this one, giving readers a chance to see not just who Lilix is, but also see the other four primary characters that haven't had much time yet. 

SYNOPSIS (from Goodreads):  Nearly a year has passed since the events that transpired between the five Originals in Ice Princess Kiss, and Lilix is still no closer to finding their missing link than the day she began to look. One evening while returning home, she stumbles across a girl in the street, a girl who cannot remember the last year, only the frightening knowledge that she was held captive by an immortal enemy Lilix had thought long dead.

March 25th - An Ice Princess Dream: A Shard of Ice Novella #4

- Still on schedule as planned! 

SYNOPSIS (from Goodreads): When Lilix begins to experience frightening nightmares of their tragic deaths, she races against the clock to save them all from a final fate. But the unlikely turning of someone closest to her will put all five of them in jeopardy in ways she never thought possible. 

April 14th - A Shard of Ice (The Black Symphony Saga #1)

- I have been getting asked a ton about ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) for this book, both in paperback and ebook (and some in hardback), so I'm here to let you all know what is up with that. I will have a really tight number of paperback ARCS, and they will be going strictly to bloggers who agree to review and sign up for the ASOI Blog Tour that will be running all April. Readers have the chance to win two ARCs currently on Goodreads here, and I will probably have one more to give out with a signed swag pack mid-February, but that will be it. No hardback ARCs. Ebook ARCs will also only be given to bloggers who agree to review and sign up for the ASOI Blog Tour. The sign-up sheet for the A Shard of Ice Blog Tour will go up in a blog post at the end of this week; bloggers are encouraged to sign-up immediately if they want to be considered for an ARC, but more details on all of that will be posted in the blog post this week. 

May 20th - Alacrity (Illumine #4)

- I've been very hush-hush about this until I posted that little teaser picture on Facebook for the new banner, and I still have to be pretty hush-hush, but here's what I can share with you:

1- Alacrity is NOT the final book to the series. 

2- There will be several chapters from Kayden's POV, and it is very important. 

3- Someone to the central point of the plot WILL die.

4- Alacrity will be released with two different covers at the same time.

Two covers?! Yar, two covers, matey. Readers who have the older Illumine style cover with the blue fire and white pendant will be able to continue their series with the same set of covers, and readers just getting into the series with the newest covers courtesy of Mae I Design will be able to collect them steadily as well. I'm not leaving any one hanging on this, promise. 

June 16th - Lucid Echelon (Dream Chronicles #1)

- This is going to be a new, but short, trilogy releasing steadily over the summer. I can't share too much information on this one, either, but what I can tell you is that it involves Elves in a different twist then you typically see, and takes a curious approach to the idea of dreams and how we interact with them. Each book in the series will release one month apart, so readers will be able to devour this series in a very short time with no wait at all. At this time, the second and third book do not have titles, and will be released July 17th and August 18th, respectively. 

November 17th - Untitled (Illumine #5)

- Yes, you're reading that right. Six months after Alacrity, the newest book in the Illumine Series will release. It is NOT a novella, and it is NOT a spin-off novel; it is a full-length novel following what happens in Alacrity continuing with the center cast. 

December 12th - The Unwanted (Unwanted #1)

- I know, I know. What about Unwanted, it released in July, right? Well, yes and no. Some of you might have noticed, but Unwanted was pulled from all areas shortly after release. To make a very painful story short, I didn't think it was ready, the story is a little out of my element for my pen name of Alivia Anders, and it was more than a stand-alone. I decided to take this back to the drawing board, work on it a little bit, and re-publish it under a separate pen name called Silver Roxen. I'm not going to hide the pen name, I'm just not going to tie it directly to my Teen YA writing because the divide is so great, a lot of readers were confused by the obvious difference in style and reader level. Expect to see this in December. 

Looking back, that's a heck of a lot of think about in the near future. But hey, it'll be so worth it, right? Now, you made it this far, and I promised some Shard of Ice cards, right? 

This time, I have 50 cards to give out for US and INT! 

This is what you need to do to get one of those cards:
Go to Facebook (specifically here) and read the pinned post! 

Now off with ye! Walk the plank! Swab the poop deck! Why is the rum always gone? Oh right, because I found this scalliwag on me way out of port...

Guess What's Getting A Cover Re-Vamp?!

I feel like this blog post would best be described in a combination of Minion and RDJ gifs.

When I first published Illumine in 2012, there wasn't enough feel-related pictures or quotes to show how excited I was to dive head-first into the tricky waters of indie publishing. I had waited so long to share this story to the world, that I ended up growing pretty impatient and, well, shooting myself in the foot with the first things readers see when they check out a book.

The cover.

How was Illumine's original cover? Good, right?

To be perfectly honest, the original cover really, truly, stank. It was cute... for an 8-year-old learning an above-average program similar to MS Paint. But I still wasn't quite ready to go cover artist hunting, so I kept the cover, only to later run into the problem of the second cover not matching the first. As an indie author, branding early means ALL THE THINGS. It's like if Apple didn't brand with an apple, but a pear, and still called themselves Apple. Can you say 'hello confusion'?

I went back to the drawing board, only this time with a few more tricks under my belt, errr, up my sleeve. Hours of screaming matches at the computer, music that never fit my mood, and I-lost-count how many microwave burritos and coffee later, the second and current cover to Illumine was finished. It matched the second book, the third cover that I had been silently prepping between writing the first two books, and the novella I had drafted.

This cover was better, right?

Well, sort of. It was good, definitely a step up, but nothing a crowd of wild minions would go ape-nuts over. That's probably when the epiphany struck me right over the head. Illumine would forever be one of those books, one of those series, that I simply could not un-attach myself from. As a result, I couldn't create a cover worthy of describing the tale inside its flap. 

So I went cover artist hunting, and contacted one woman who's name was whispered in alleyways, traded like gold in a tight market, a woman who's work reached so far and wide you can see her work on shelves in B&N. (Ahhh, the dream spot.) 

Who? Regina Wamba, aka miracle worker of Mae I Design. 

We talked, and within seconds of Facebook messages, I knew she was the one. Deposit down, time booked, and some emails later, and I got the cover of my dreams in my inbox. 

Want to know how a minion would react upon seeing the new cover? 

And inside I'm like- 

That's not even the best part. Best part? The entire series is getting a re-vamp of super shiny, smoldering, oh-my-goddess covers. 

When will you get to see them? Uber soon. How soon? Well, how about as soon as we get some sign-ups on this awesome series cover reveal sheet right here? Then you'll see them everywhere! 

Illumine's massive, explode-all-over-the-place cover reveal is set for December 6th, 2013!

Want to take part in the cover reveal and see it before everyone else?

Here's how:

You must be signed up by 9:00PM EST on December 3rd, 2013 in order to join the cover reveal!

And now, we wait for December 6th!

Authors Blog Hop and Giveaway

Hey, another hop, yay! I seem to be ignoring my blog lately, I'm sorry. No, seriously, I'm sorry. Pretty sure my body is in survival mode right now as I hyperventilate my way to Unwanted's release at the end of the month, so it keeps cutting off anything that isn't immediately in front of my face. 

Like my blog. Ahem.

So here's the sad part: I don't have any crazy excerpts or reveals right now for you guys. Bummer, I know, but please hold the torches and pitchforks, please. I do, however, have a signed and limited edition print of Illumine in hardback to give away to one lucky peep in the US. And if the hardback doesn't get you jumping, maybe one of the other giveaways on the Authors Blog Hop will! 

So do your thing; share this blog post around with your friends, make sure you enter, and keep those fingers and toes crossed!

About Illumine:

Every action comes with a price.

Let the flames begin.

For the past five months Essallie Hanley has been trying to forget about the frightening murder of her boyfriend. Haunted by vivid nightmares and hallucinations of the event she does anything she can to pretend she's like every other normal girl in High School. 

Only Essallie is far from normal. Able to conjure blue fire and a shimmering silhouette of wings from her body, she seeks the only known solace left to her name; her first home in Belfast, Maine. 

But she soon realizes that her return home is only the beginning of a long and twisted road taking her as far from her humanity as possible, with Kayden, the demon originally summoned to slaughter her, leading the way. Unable to touch her but oddly curious, he joins Essallie in her search to find out just what she is. But neither of them were prepared for the secrets they've begun to unravel, secrets that will change Essallie and everyone around her forever.

Want it in ebook?

Amazon US Link | Barnes & Noble Link

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Note on Following Your Dreams

Late last night, I had a moment of heart-stopping nervousness. Today, my brother graduates from High School. It's a day of caps and gowns, of celebrations with valedictorian speeches, diplomas and certificates. Tomorrow, the start of a new chapter will mark his life. 

Originally, I wrote this down (thought it out in my head) for him, and had planned on putting it in his graduation card. But I realized what I had to say to him could be said to many others, not just grad students. It's something I wish had been said to me when I graduated in 2009, thrilled I managed to pass yet terrified of what was yet to come. Anyone who feels stuck, lost in the middle, or unsure of their footing in life, this is for you. Print it out if you must, write it down and tack it on a wall, or read it and move on. Either way, I'm glad you took a minute to read it.

_____

There are only a few things you need in life. Happiness is one of them. 

By now, you know pretty well how the story of my High School nightmare went. The transcripts of my grades, hidden somewhere in this house, would show you a different side of things. Yes, I failed classes. Failed them miserably. Yes, I took Summer School, and Dad paid a whopping $150 for it, $135 of which I still need to pay back. But this isn't a lecture about trying not to fail school, or to not bite off more than you can chew. This is a message about finding happiness in the gray areas. I'm living proof that if you dream it hard enough, and you never quit no matter how much it hurts, that you can achieve anything.

In High School, junior year, I failed English. 

You already know that, but I feel the need to repeat it. Maybe you're asking, "Why? You're an author, you've won awards, made countless friends and fans along the way. How did you do that if you failed English?" 

I'll tell you why; because I was lost. I was not happy. Junior year of High School is one of those pivotal moments when people like to shove their thoughts down your throat. You'll be pressured into career ideas you don't care for, harassed by everyone who thinks college is the only way to get anything done, snubbed for the idea of taking an alternate route. Junior year is 'The Year'; you either make it, or break in half trying. 

Ten dollars says you know what happened to me. 

I broke. All around me, things were falling to pieces. I wasn't comfortable in my skin, and even though I had friends I didn't feel like I fit in anywhere. The same questions always came up- "What colleges did you apply to? What are you going for?" Imagine the nightmare when, shocker, I had to tell everyone I failed Junior Year, and by the skin of my teeth and Dad spotting me the cash for Summer School, I managed to still advance to Senior Year, but only if I doubled on the failed classes from Junior Year to make up those credits. 

You'd think, after that scare, I'd become a model student. Straight A's, perfect attendance, exemplary child. Not even close. 

Senior Year was just as hellish as Junior, only worse in some ways. Like Hell, the fire burned deeper than a superficial wound as I fell out of love, lost friends over trivial things, and became even more self-conscious about myself. By a miracle beyond all miracles, I graduated in 2009 with my class. I'll never forget sitting in those chairs, sobbing after I walked down the aisle to my seat, and everyone around me asking why I was crying. 

It was because I managed the impossible. It was because I graduated against all odds that said it wouldn't happen. It was the first time I had a taste of what happiness felt like, and I started on the path to where I am now. 

From 2009 to 2011, things moved up and down in wild highs and lows. I wish I could tell you that, post-graduation, I had a happy fairy-tale style ending and went off to achieve perfection. But I can't, that would be lying. Instead, I'll tell you the truth. For roughly two years, I struggled in a weekend job that stole 31 hours of my time, and carried the taste happiness from graduation in the back of my throat like a wild dream nearly forgotten. 

Somewhere in 2011, something snapped. I was tired of trying to be put into this box of what others labeled as 'okay'. I wasn't built for college, that much was obvious; I was built to write, dammit, and write I would. My declaration wasn't met with the round of applause you'd hope for, but I pushed on, and in January of 2012, Illumine made its first appearance. 

Why am I giving you a play-by-play? Not because I feel you need it, but because I need to stress something, something I wish one person had stressed to me in those critical years. You can be anything you want in life, you can get anything you want out of life, you just need to keep pushing forward and find happiness. 

Look, if anyone can say there's a happy ending along the way, it's me. I freaking bombed English, graduated with some of the crappiest grades known to mankind, and here I am living the dream. I refused to quit no matter how hard it hurt, and no matter how painful it got. And now it's your turn to do the same. 

So go off to college, or go right into the work force. Start drafting that new novel, or planning a house design. Build a website, build ten of them. Just remember to do what makes you happy, because without happiness, it's going to be an empty, dark place. 

ALACRITY Cover Reveal and Teaser!

(Well hey, look at that. I'm posting a teaser on a Tuesday! That counts for Teaser Tuesday, right?!)

Yesterday I shared the little secret I've been sitting on since Christmas-time. The glorious cover to the end of the Illumine Series. Kind of fitting it gets some time on the blog too, right? 

As of right now, Alacrity does not have a set-in-stone release date, it's definitely TBA. I'm putting this one through a series of betas and editors to make it the best of the best, while wrapping up everything in the series because this is definitely the end to it all. I do have Kayden's novella still in the works, but his story takes place long before Illumine, and the other novella highlighting on the history of Lucretia and others is also working through my brain, but that too takes place long before Illumine. So once this story ends with Alacrity, that'll be it. Don't worry, I've made sure the last book will be the biggest of them all. 

And I'm stalling. 

Here's the cover!

And because I oh-so-love you all, I might as well toss this teaser out. This is a clip from Alacrity, and was featured in the back of the Illumine Series omnibus.

___

Jayson was on Kayden faster than a missile to its target. His fingers wrapped expertly around Kayden’s neck, locking him in place against the frame of the entryway.

His voice was like acid hissing through skin. “What kind of sick game are you trying to play?”

“He’s not,” I sighed. Back pressed against the wall, I decided to do the one thing I had wanted to the night I learned the truth. “Playing a game.”

Jayson’s hands didn’t budge. “You’re kidding, right? Did you not hear what he said? This jackass said you were dead, Essallie, dead. And somehow you’re standing in our childhood home, in the kitchen we shared breakfast for years, very much not dead.”

Like a backhanded slap, his words stung my face, forcing me to blink. I could feel the nerve to snap back at him building on my tongue, but bit back. My brother was acting out of fear, a rope of panic and worry choking him for weeks since our last, tense phone call. All this time he probably tossed and turned, wondering if I was dead or alive, where I was, or if he’d ever see me again. To be so close like that to someone you love, only to have them torn from your world, it leaves a scar on your soul.

“Jayson,” I pled softly, reaching out and wrapping my hands around his. Little by little, I inched his fingers out of their iron-grasp around Kayden’s neck. “I’m right here. Let him go, and look at me.”

His neck twisted, head and eyes shifting over until they landed on my shoulder, chin, and finally landing on my eyes. One look into his shattered stare nearly brought me to my knees; my brother was broken, grappling with the thought of a dead sister.

“I’m right here, I promise,” I said, hoping the words would spark the charming, vibrant flame in his eyes. “I’m right here Jayson, alive and well. I promised you I’d come home.”

The exhale barely left his lips before he flung himself at me, crushing my shoulders and chest in a bear-hug that lifted me clean off the ground. He buried his face into my hair and shoulder, squeezing with the strength of a hundred. 

“It’s you, it’s really you,” he breathed, pulling back a fraction to stare at me in between strands of hair. “But not. You’re... different somehow.”

Killing demons, battling soul consumption, and learning you have a half-sister can do that to you. At least, that’s what I could have said, but I figured this sort of information dump needed a 12-step system.

Running my tongue over my teeth, I made sure to choose my words carefully. I gave him a faint, lighthearted smile. “Let’s say I’ve seen the world, and then some?”

He pulled back a little further, scrutinizing. “No, no. It’s more than sight-seeing. You’ve grown.”

“Taller?”

“More mature,” he substituted, half-shaking his head. “But with the way you keep blabbing, I might have to eat my words.” He paused, leaning in and sniffed. A sour look crossed his face. “Yuck! How can you not smell that? What have you been doing, rolling in rotting fish?”

I closed my eyes, sinking my teeth into my lip to keep from laughing out loud. Good to know hanging with Sirens can make one smell... fishy. 

“You like fish,” I quipped.

“Uhhh, yeah, when it doesn’t smell like it’s been decaying underwater for centuries.” He pinched his nose and took a step back. “Okay, so everything is okay, for now. I’ll forgive Kayden’s slip of tongue-”

I pointedly glared at Kayden, who did his best to look apologetic.

“-after you tell me what’s really going on, Essallie.”

Silence fell over the room. Beside me, Ari shifted uncomfortably, Kayden following. Rinae and Tegen exchanged knowing glances, a mixture of pain and sorrow. And I knew exactly why. Those who knew the truth about us typically didn’t live to see a long, healthy life. The idea of being honest to Jayson in exchange for his longevity weighed heavy on my heart. Could I really condemn him like that over a few words?

Eyes on Ari, I gave him a curt nod. “Make the vow.”

“You have my word. As long as I live.”

“What,” Jayson cut in. “Is going on?”

Looking back at my brother, the weight in my chest only seemed to multiply. I hadn’t so much as formed a single word on my lips before my eyes started to water at the corners, building with each thought. 

I placed a hand on his upper arm. “Let’s go to the living room. You’re going to need a place to sit after I tell you this.”

Title and Cover Reveal for the Final Illumine Novel!

Yes, it's finally time. I can't keep hiding this gorgeous cover and title from you all one more minute. Okay, maybe for a few more minutes. But I promise, it's only because I want to make sure everyone sees this beautiful cover and know the title to the end of the first series that started everything for me. 

So, without adding any more weird, random fluff bits, here's the sign-up sheet if you want to help reveal the cover and title. Both cover and title will be revealed on May 18th, so sign-ups are only going to be up for a few days. If you're a blogger and you sign up, please feel free to see if any of your book-blogging buddies want to help with the cover and title unveiling, it would mean the world to me. 

Want to take part in the cover reveal and see it before everyone else?

Here's how:

You must be signed up by 9:00PM EST on May 16th, 2013 in order to join the cover reveal!

And now, we wait for May 18th!

Random 1900 Follower Giveaway!

I'm in-between book releases right now, so I don't really have anything sparkling and new to show you all. Yet. We're slowly inching to the release of Unwanted on July 30th, and then later on the first novella to A Shard of Ice, titled An Ice Princess Heart, releases October 28th.

Sooooo while I continue to stare at my screen and slowly go blind, I figured there might as well be a little happy giveaway of some sort when my Facebook hit 1900 peeps. We're sitting pretty at 1906 now, so dun dun dun dunnnnn, crack out the burritos and sour cream, I've got goodies for you guys and gals to win!

Here's the goodie list:

(2) Two delicious swag bags with signed bookmarks of Illumine, Obumbrate, Riven, and A Shard of Ice

(1) Mini-heart pendant replica of Essallie's white heart from the Illumine Series

Ready, set, go!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We Interrupt Your Standard Program For...

This! 

Just learned that my name and quote is going in the re-print of Keeper of the Black Stones by PT McHugh! Can you say, HOLY HOT BURRITOS?! Should I crack out another Supernatural gif? 

How about a Sailor Moon one? 

And now, back to the world of books, and writing, and prepping for more beautiful quotes and mentions. 

Oh, and don't forget the winning cover reveal for A Shard of Ice is this Thursday, April 11th. You'll finally get to learn more about the mysterious project I've been hiding in my back pocket. (insert well-deserved cackle here.)

ETHEREAL (Illumine, #3.5) Teaser!

Okay, so I seem to keep forgetting that not everyone is stalking me on Facebook, I know, shame on me! But I'm making up for it, I promise!

Ahem. Enjoy! Here's a peek at Ethereal, which will be here on February 28th. ♥ 
___________________

“Hold up, Slayer,” came a low, coarse voice. Rinae paused for a fraction of a second, wondering if she could get away pretending not to have heard him. But Jake always knew when she was lying. He had since Day One.

Nervously, she turned around, suddenly self-conscious in her own skin. A little voice in her heard reminded her that there was nothing to be nervous about, it wasn’t as if she was forbidden from leaving the group’s underground home. Maybe it was her clothes? She did a quick once-over, noting her black pants, black top, shit-kicker thrift boots, and maroon hoodie. Nope, definitely not the clothes.

Jake came up to Rinae, slowing his pace until he inched his way toward her. Out of the dozen or so that roughly lived in their hideout, Jake was both the person you wanted in your back pocket, and the person you wanted to avoid at all costs. He stood at average height, his short blonde hair shocking and naturally bright, the same way his blue eyes glowed on their own. Rinae thought back to the first time she had joked he soaked up all the radiation from a power plant, and how he’d punched her so hard in the shoulder she had sworn it was dislocated. Over time, he came to warm to Rinae, as all the others had carefully done, too. In some ways, she viewed him as an older brother more than their unspoken group leader. He was their dark angel, the protector of their small, tight-knit group to the city’s cruel and unforgiving streets.

“Leaving so soon?” His voice was smooth, but gritty, like sand polishing your feet at the beach. “Del said you only just got back.”

Fighting the mechanical urge to sneer at the mention of Del, she gave a short, jerky bob for a nod. Opening her mouth would have the same effect as pulling the plug to a bathtub full of water; rushing of words that couldn’t be said.

Reaching with a pale hand, Jake touched the hem of Rinae’s sleeve, slipping a finger in the thumbhole. A small frown dashed his lips. “Guess it’ll be the clubs. Kickin’ it out tonight?” Jake probed. He had a terrible habit of sticking his nose where it didn’t belong, but Rinae never could bring herself to say something. “What, are we not good enough for your precious time?”

She knew it was meant to be a friendly jab, still since winced. “You know me,” she offered, shrugging off the verbal sting. Her free hand flexed in and out of a fist, starting to shake. “Can’t sit still for more than a few seconds.”

Jake studied her for a moment, then nodded. She thought back to the first time they met, and how he’d made a passing comment of her visible shaking. In an act of desperation, Rinae had claimed she suffered from some kind of ADD. Couldn’t bring herself to sit still, never kept her mouth shut. And yet somehow he managed to tolerate her, smooth talk the rest of the gang into accepting her like a little sister while she kept the real reason hidden. Now it was her calling card, an excuse she could slap on anything in case she got out of hand.

“So which club are you thinking of crashing?” His hand moved from her sleeve to the ends of her hair, twirling a strand around his index finger. 

Rinae ignored the urge to bite the inside of her cheek, that would be the quickest way to tell she was about to lie. She could feel the tears stinging her eyes, working a wall of liquid that would spill if she didn’t control herself, fast. 

Forcing herself to stop twitching for a moment, she let the lie slip effortlessly from her lips. “Nowhere special. Was thinking about Slash.” She paused, long enough to fake contemplation. “Maybe Glitz & Bitz if I’m feeling edgy.”

“The lesbian bar?” Jake arched a single blonde eyebrow in true, classic cartoon form. Confusion and amusement riddled his voice as he spoke between two chuckles. “Funny, you don’t take me for the gay type.”

She made a move to turn and look away, but it was too late. A fresh, strawberry red blush tinted the upper half of her cheeks. The shakes riddling her body stopped, replaced by a new kind of jittering that swallowed her stomach and rattled her heart. Memories of his lips, brief and strong as he kissed her lips and palms, only made the quivering worse. Against all odds, she kept her cool. “Hey, you never know. Maybe that’s where my true love is at. You know, true love’s kiss can take form in a variety of ways.”

A knowing, come-on-now look settled in his eyes. “So can a chicken’s egg. Scrambled, sunny side up, hard-boiled, deviled, the list goes on. Just picture freshly made deviled eggs, laid out on your naked-”

“Jake Mathews, you finish that sentence, and I’ll-”

“You’ll what?” He pressed his body closer, stealing the space she had been keeping between them instinctively. Heat flamed her cheeks brighter, a twisting sensation in her gut making her brain go hay-wire. She could feel the beginning of her control unwinding, stripping away like paint to a wall. Or clothes to a body.

“What happened, Rinae? What happened to us?” His breath tickled the side of her neck, teeth grazing the edge of her earlobe. Hands found themselves on her hips, holding her tightly in place. “Tell me, Slayer, tell me you miss it. Tell me you miss us like I do.”

Rinae could feel her jaw forcing itself to lock. Her tongue rammed into the roof of her mouth. Sure, she could have told him she missed being together, missed it like a flame misses wood when it burns to ashes. But that would have been a lie. A beautiful, hopeless, damning lie.

He couldn’t be with her, just as she couldn’t be with him. For more reasons than he’d ever know.

Seconds ticked by, slow and silent. Each moment felt like a painful gunshots to the chest. It sealed her fate. Jake’s hands, having moved up and wrapping in her hair, withdrew carefully until they hung to the sides of his body in defeat.

She sighed. “Jake...”

“Be safe.” Red tinged the white in his eyes, hurt wavering inside them. He quickly blinked both eyes, the hurt dissolving with each blink. She could hear the faint wavering of his voice as he fought to keep himself in check. “I’d hate to break someone’s face if you didn’t come home in one piece.”

RIVEN Is Here!

Yes, I am afraid I cannot tell a lie. #RIVENDAY has been ENGAGED! 

(You know, that means it's out and all. Huzzah!)

Both buttons will take you to their respective spots to grab an ebook copy of this delicious read. 

Oh, and the awesome part. 

For the release day, and ONLY THE RELEASE DAY (DECEMBER 7TH, 2012), Riven will be priced at $0.99

After that, it will return to normal pricing.

What does this mean, you ask? Grab that sucker today, don't wait, and show a little love for #RIVENDAY! 

Hold onto your hats, all you Kayden fans. 

Try not to cry too much, all you Ari fans. 

And Essallie fans? Just pray she makes it through this book alive. 

Illumine Gets A Facelift (And Riven, Sort Of)

As the months are winding down, and we're slowly (not slow enough) creeping towards Christmas and ultimately the end of the year, we're getting to my favorite time. 

Riven's Blog Tour! 

There's roughly a month solid until the mass event happens online, and all I can really say is, I'm so excited the urge to type in wild caps is starting to consume me. I'm holding back, but barely. BARELY. 

Oops. 

But in a semi nice way of me trying to tie you all over until the tour, I have three nifty things for you. One, ILLUMINE'S pretty facelift (with an author blurb from upcoming author PT McHugh! SQUEE!) RIVEN'S quote from another upcoming author Linda Foster, aaaaaand the blurb that's going on the back of the RIVEN paperbacks! 

It has a quote, ohmygosh. 

I'm in love. Utter, complete LOVE. 

But if you think that's cool, check out this one. 

Another quote! LOVEEEE.

And the blurb that I'm positive will probably have you Kayden-Essallie (would that be Eyden fans, or Kallie fans? I kind of dig Eyden) up in arms. 

One, Ari swerved into the clouded mass, knocking me aside and onto my shoulder. 

Two, an army of Vens ascended from the ceiling, surrounding us in our small defense. 

Three, Kayden’s eyes turned a violent, bold white, and he lunged for my throat.

RIVEN Official Blog Tour List and Info

So lately I have been doing a mixture of working with the lovely Megan from Reading Away The Days and emailing a few of you personally for a little 'event' of sorts I have coming up. Now with RIVEN's cover having been revealed and all, I can happily begin madly promoting the event with a festive flurry reminiscent of peacock feathers. Because seriously, who doesn't love peacock feathers?

If the button above isn't quite your fancy, or if you aren't a fan of reading grey font on black backgrounds (yikes!) then read on, I'll fill you in! Thanks to Megan, RIVEN will be doing a hefty blog tour this winter, just in time for its wild release. And I'm making sure to pull out all the stops for this one. That's right, I'm not holding back any punches. 

A few of you have already emailed me from seeing some earlier posts and hints that I was looking for bloggers for the event- if I haven't emailed you back, check your box today or email me again. I get a cluster-mash of emails daily and things have been known to go to the wrong box, miss me entirely, I miss it, etc. Mainly it's me who misses the email, and then I feel like a shmuck afterwards for not seeing it, and inserting tons of apologies into a single email. But this time, I've got it all worked out. Those participating in the RIVEN tour will be marked here, in this post, updated daily if I need to. They'll also be on my calendar on my desktop, laptop, and highlighted with purple in my inbox tags. I want to be sure no one is missed this time! 

So let's say you want to participate in the tour and you're an author, or book blogger, or rabid fan who totally just wants to be in with the awesomeness. Email me with the subject line 'RIVEN Blog Tour Info' and I'll send you back the same email everyone else is getting. Currently I have the following spots filled: 

NOVEMBER 26TH - Book Excerpt via Reading A Little Bit Of Everything

NOVEMBER 27TH - Guest Post via Reading Away The Days!

NOVEMBER 28TH - Guest Post on being an Indie Author via Stan Brookshire AND Interview via We Do Write

NOVEMBER 29TH - Character Interview with ______ via Reading Under the Stars

NOVEMBER 30TH - Post via BelleBooks

DECEMBER 1ST - Book Reviews via Book Briefs

DECEMBER 2ND - Review of ILLUMINE via Roland Capablo

DECEMBER 3RD - Review of either ILLUMINE or OBUMBRATE via Just Me, Myself and I 

DECEMBER 4TH - Character Casting, Possible Review of ILLUMINE and OBUMBRATE via Michelle's Paranormal Vault Of Books

DECEMBER 5TH - Character Interviews with Essallie & Kayden via Hopelessly Devoted Bilbliophile AND Guest Post via Frankie Rose, Author of SOVEREIGN HOPE

DECEMBER 6TH - Post via Mademoiselle Le Sphinx

DECEMBER 7TH - RIVEN Release Day Party via Facebook + Twitter 

DECEMBER 8TH - Post via Uniquely Moi Books

DECEMBER 9TH - Guest Post on Writing Process + Reviews of ILLUMINE and OBUMBRATE via My Guilty Obsession

*List above is subject to change at any given time.

My #1 goal is to fill all those spots so at least one thing is going on every single day, two things if I can figure it, three if I get enough requests. And that list will change with every email I get and send out, so please don't wait if you're curious about anchoring a spot for the day. 

That being said, notice where it says DECEMBER 7TH? That's RIVEN's release date, and throughout that whole day, I'll be slamming Facebook, Twitter, probably post on Tumblr (still trying to figure that one out) and I'll even share some stuff through Google+ and Goodreads. But if you want to be right front and center for the release day (and possibly grab some seriously awesome winnings) you'll want to join the event on Facebook.  

And with that, I'm off to answer some emails! 

*UPDATE- December 2nd is now taken. 
*UPDATE- December 4th is now taken.
*UPDATE- November 26th, 28th, and December 1st, 3rd, and 6th are now taken.
*UPDATE- Blog names and more details have been added, and November 27th is now taken. 
*UPDATE- November 30th is now taken. 
*UPDATE- December 8th is now taken. All spots are filled! If you're reading this now and interested in booking along with someone on a certain date, I'm willing to take a few more on for the tour. 
*UPDATE- Frankie Rose joined in on the tour, HOW COOL IS THAT?! Seriously, mindblown over here.