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Happy Third Anniversary to Stolen

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It’s hard to believe that Stolen has been out in the world for three solid years! It seems like it was a hope and a dream on my harddrive just a little while ago.

I remember when I wrote the first book I was so scared about sharing the characters with the world. I was worried what people would think about Shaleigh, Mawr, Colin, Teagan, and Talek. It’s one thing to have characters living in your head and maybe know a handful of people who had read your book or know details, but seeing it live in the world where anybody could pick it up and read it… that was a whole different level!

The outpouring of love this series has received over the years has blown me away. I’ve had people message me directly, write incredible reviews, and tell me it’s one of their favorite series. That kind of affection was something I only dreamed of years ago when I was desperately trying to find a home for this intimate tale.

I wanted Shaleigh’s story to be personal, something that would connect with readers, something that would be filled with incredible scenery, beautiful vistas, and faraway lands–but also be a comfort book. I wanted it to be a story that people returned to because they wanted to spend time with the characters again. Or they wanted to reread to see if there were any clues early on. Or a story they pull off the shelf like a warm blanket out of a hope chest.

Three years later and I still have such a love for this world and these characters. I definitely want to return to them again at some point. I’ve been writing occasional shorts and making plans on scraps of paper, but not daring to put too much time into it yet. I know how easy it can be to fall into a new work in progress! But I wanted to take a moment today to reflect on this series because even though the trilogy has ended it is still very much a part of me and my future plans.

Here’s to three more years, Stolen!

Happy Book Birthday to The Seeking

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When I first wrote this book years ago, I never imagined the kind of response it would get. I never thought I would have friends messaging me in the middle of the night telling me how much they loved my work, or readers on Instagram I had never met telling me how they cried at work over my book.

I’ve been absolutely blown away by the response this book has had, and I’m so very happy to see it out in the world.

Today The Seeking is available at your preferred online retailer. It’s available in paperback and soon in hardback. I hope you enjoy it!

The Seeking

Beware the Gray People

Each Seeking, the magic that protects the town of Carra must be renewed, which means the children of the Exalted Family must go into hiding. Whether through disguise or bribe, through trusted friends or perfect hiding places, every child of the Priest family must avoid capture for the full day of The Seeking.

When things go wrong with the renewal, it’s up to seventeen-year-old Dahlia, the middle child of the Priest family, and her girlfriend, Bisa, to escape Carra and find the magical beings responsible for the protection. They must learn who would require such a cruel game every year and if the protection of the Gray People is really worth such a price.

What they will discover is far worse.

Get your copy here.

Grab Some Discounted Books

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Due to Amazon Prime Day, you can now catch up on a bunch of books for a discounted price. All of the books in the YA Fantasy Stolen series are now on sale, including pre-order copies of Chosen, due out March 23, 2021.

This also includes pre-orders for my YA Horror novel, The Seeking, which comes out 10/27 this month! I’ve been getting some incredible reviews so far for this book, and I’m just blown away by the feedback readers have given me on it.

Honestly this is a fantastic chance to load up on books, especially spooky books. All Kindle books from my publisher, Parliament House Press, are on sale through 10/14, so if you want to grab a series for way cheaper, now’s the time!

Happy Spooky Season, folks!

Cover Reveal for Chosen!

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It sure is amazing to get the final cover for a book series. You get to see how the books fit in beside each other, and just by looking at the covers you can tell so much about the storyline and the world. I love each of the covers in the Stolen series so much, I love how they show both light and dark at the same time, and how Shaleigh is always visible.

That said, I never imagined the cover for Chosen would take my breath away the way it has. I literally could barely speak when I first laid eyes on it, and that was before Shayne and I worked out the details! Now I get to share it with you!

The cover reveal for Chosen, Book 3 of the Stolen series

Can she stop what she unleashed?

How in the world did Shaleigh Mallett find herself standing on a volcanic mountain facing the fire dragon, Tanwen?

She isn’t supposed to be here. She’s supposed to be in high school, studying for classes and exploring abandoned buildings with her best friend. But no, she’s stuck on the Peak of Gwern, hoping that the dragon will somehow show mercy and stop the Madness that plagues them.

There is still so much to do, so many wrongs to right. She can’t abandon her friends after she’s come so far. She won’t abandon them. Not even Talek, who is all but consumed by the Madness. She must take down Keriam the Magician, she must face the Bloody Forest, and she must lead if she ever wants to see home again.

Releasing March 23, 2020

Add to Goodreads

Add to Goodreads, share to your friends, post on your social media, whatever you like! This is the last book in the Stolen trilogy, and I’m going to have SUCH a hard time letting go of this world and these characters.

Being an Author in Quarantine [#AuthorToolboxBlogHop]

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Lately it’s been difficult for me to focus on writing sometimes. I had my short story, “La Femme en Rouge” released in Masks on March 31st, and my novel, Broken, was released on April 7th. My mind has felt like it’s been in a million places lately trying to keep up with all of my deadlines, needs, and coping with the “current situation”, as it’s been politely referred to in work meetings I’ve attended.

I recently read Morbid Smile’s article on Bujo and the Art of Staying Sane Through Quarantine, and I thought about how much having a bullet journal has helped me during this perilous and unprecedented time. I wanted to share a few other things that have helped me since I know other authors are struggling with this right now.

This post is part of the Author Toolbox Blog Hop, a monthly hop hosted by authors with helpful information for authors. This can be anything from writing advice to publishing recommendations or even to hosting author booths at conventions. Take a look at some of my previous posts, and make sure you also check out the other author posts this month! I’m always amazed at the breadth of knowledge and the amount of tools and information I didn’t know before.

BuJo

Morbid Smile was absolutely right on the benefit of keeping a bullet journal. Usually I would only lists tasks that I’m trying to get done, like work on edits that have a deadline or writing a blog post, but lately I’ve been adding items to that list like working remotely for my day job, or doing the dishes, or cooking. Even if I don’t get as much done in my writing world as I want, I still feel accomplished because I have done things that need to be done.

Although my event schedule for the year has now been mostly scrapped, I also have trackers for books I’ve read, movies I’ve watched, and words I’ve written. Sure, I won’t get to be a vendor at a number of conventions I was hoping for this year, but I can see what new movies I’ve watched.

Virtual Author Events

You’re not the only author who is dealing with isolation right now, and therefore there is a ton of free material out there to help authors. From free writer conventions you can attend–Smashwords is holding a free Author Day as a virtual convention, for example.

Also this month Camp NaNoWriMo has started up! This is a wonderful way to get thrown into a cabin with other authors and you can all help encourage each other to reach your goals. Also you can set your own wordcount goals, so if you’re aiming for 50k or just 10k, this is a great way to motivate yourself.

I’ve seen authors streaming their word sprints live on places like Youtube, so you can participate along with other people and feel like you’re at your local cafe. I’ve seen authors reading from their own work to help provide options for all the parents teaching from home. The possibilities are really only limited to your imagination and creativity. We’re authors–we can do that.

Reading

Speaking of books, I’ve gotten so much reading done while I’ve been isolated. We just hit day 30 here in our household, and I find myself binge reading more than I used to. I simply have more time and a less pressing social calendar with folks outside of the home. This is great during those quiet times either late in the evening or early in the morning when most people are still asleep. Diving into some good books has tremendously helped my mood especially when I’ve felt really down or frustrated. Many publishing houses, including mine, are having sales on ebooks to help readers deal with the struggle of isolation right now, and I personally really appreciate it!

Talking with Fellow Authors/Artists

Pull up Zoom and open a chat group with a few author friends you know. Schedule a happy hour with them. Bring your current work in progress and read a few paragraphs aloud, or just talk out a snag in your manuscript. Just because you’re not in a physical space together doesn’t mean your meetings have to end.

Our first virtual meeting with our local Horror Writers Association group is this weekend, and we’re doing it over Zoom. It’s great cause now I don’t have to drive an hour to make it to the meeting, and I get to pet my cats while we talk about books. It’s a win-win situation, especially for my cats!

I hope all these ideas have inspired you on ways to help deal with being an author during this time. And if you don’t feel like writing or socializing or even reading, and just want to binge another series on Netflix right now, that’s fine too! There’s no pressure to be productive during this time because we’re dealing with a pandemic that is affecting the entire world. Be kind to yourself and allow yourself to just exist at times. Zone out, look at the trees, pet a cat. Sometimes that’s the best way to help ourselves.

We don’t have to define ourselves by our productivity. Let that sink in sometimes, authors!