Miss Mabel's School for Girls by Katie Cross

Let's welcome Katie Cross to the blog to celebrate the release of her YA fantasy, Miss Mabel's School for Girls, which releases March 27th, 2014!

For me, writing a book involved a lot of staring at a computer screen, slapping the delete button, pulling my
hair out, and Pinterest.

Oh, yes. You heard right. Pinterest.

The power of Pinterest comes from the images. I always find photos that I want to remember and have access to, so I pin them to a board for later reference. So, I thought to myself, Hey, I'm releasing my first book, Miss Mabel's School for Girls. Why don't I give the readers something to look at in anticipation of the book?

So instead of a boring interview where I talk about how great I am, I'm here today to take you on a visual tour to give you a few ideas of what you can expect to find in this exciting new young adult fantasy novel, Miss Mabel's School for Girls.

Wrought iron fence:
There's a wrought iron fence around the outside of the ancient manor that is Miss Mabel's School for Girls much like this one. It's known for creaking in the wind.

Potions bottles:
Potion bottles hold oh-so-many possibilities. Witches love potions, and the witches in Miss Mabel's School

for Girls are no exception. These particular bottles contain a variety of spices and herbs, all of which you can win during the launch giveaway March 27th-30th!

Peacock feather:
Miss Mabel loves peacock feathers. They represent beauty and vanity: her two favorite virtues.

Green mossy tree:
Miss Mabel's School is located in Letum Wood, a lush, expansive forest that hides many secrets. Some of these secrets catch up with Bianca Monroe, our sixteen-year-old heroine, in the dark of the night.

Trees/forest:
This is another view of Letum Wood as you'll expect to find it in the summer. It's lush, gorgeous, and a little on the dangerous side.

Old book photo:
A grimoire is a book filled with magical spells, a kind of magical diary passed through generations. This grimoire is available to win during the launch day giveaway! Head over to www.missmabels.com to find out how you can participate.

Hopefully these photos gave you an idea of the exciting adventure you'll find in Miss Mabel's School for Girls! Now, get your Pinterest on and start spreading the word! Visit www.missmabels.com to find out how to enter the giveaway and win lots of free stuff!

About the Book:

Never underestimate the power of a determined witch.

Letum Wood is a forest of fog and deadfall, home to the quietly famous Miss Mabel’s School for Girls, a place where young witches learn the art of magic.

Sixteen-year-old Bianca Monroe has inherited a deadly curse. Determined to break free before it kills her, she enrolls in the respected school to confront the cunning witch who cast the curse: Miss Mabel.

Bianca finds herself faced with dark magic she didn’t expect, with lessons more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. Will Bianca have the courage to save herself from the curse, or will Miss Mabel’s sinister plan be too powerful?

Miss Mabel’s School for Girls is the first novel in The Network Series, an exciting new fantasy collection. A gripping tale about the struggle to survive, it will take you to a new place and time, one you’ll never want to leave.

Website |  Facebook  |  Pinterest  |  Goodreads  | Amazon

About the Author:

My world revolves around my husband (who is a major hottie), my Vizsla's, and the mountains.

I wear hiking boots instead of heels when I need to feel powerful, and on a bad day, I love a weightlifting workout. Actually, I love it on a good day.

I don't eat bread because my thyroid doesn't like it, although there are days I miss it. Especially ciabatta. Sweet potatoes are kind of my thing. Cookies too.

I write because I never stopped.

Visit me at www.kcrosswriting.com

Giveaway:

Go to www.missmabels.com and click on the 'giveaway' tab for more information. Enter to win a potions chest, an apothecary bag of herbs and spices, an old spell book that opens to hide apothecary herbs, amazon gift cards, and more! The giveaway lasts from March 27th at 7am to March 30th at 10 pm

Cover Reveal: Mine to Spell by Janeal Falor‏

Today we have something different for you.  Instead of just revealing a cover we are asking YOU to help us choose WHICH cover to use!   Mine to Spell by Janeal Falor is the second book in the Mine series. This is a YA fantasy and it is scheduled to release May 5th, 2014.

Do you like cover choice #1:

Or do you like cover choice #2:

Cast your vote here:

Cover #1 or cover #2?
	Cover #1
	Cover #2
pollcode.com free polls

Be sure to stop by the authors website on March 6th for the final reveal of which cover was chosen!

MINE TO SPELL Description:

Cynthia has always hidden from her father’s hexes behind her older sister. When her family gains independence unheard of for women, she’s relieved that her days of harsh punishments are over. But as her seventeenth birthday approaches—the typical age to be sold to a new master—death threats endanger her sisters. She now faces two options: run or meet society’s expectations.

For once, Cynthia isn’t going to let her older sister shield her from the problem. She’s going to prove to herself, her sisters, and society that her family isn’t a threat to their traditions. She willingly chooses to be purchased by a new master. A bold step that takes her somewhere she never thought she would go and to a man she might possibly fall in love with. With his help, she may just find a way to save her sisters while discovering how to stand up for herself. If she lives long enough.

MINE TO SPELL on Goodreads

 

YOU ARE MINE on Good Reads | YOU ARE MINE on Amazon | YOU ARE MINE on B&N

MINE TO TARNISH on Good Reads | MINE TO TARNISH on Amazon

About the author:
Amazon bestselling author Janeal Falor lives in Utah with her husband and three children. In her non-writing time she teaches her kids to make silly faces, cooks whatever strikes her fancy, and attempts to cultivate a garden even when half the things she plants die. When it's time for a break she can be found taking a scenic drive with her family or drinking hot chocolate.

Find the author:

Website: janealfalor.com

Twitter: @JanealFalor
Facebook

Author Page on Goodreads

Giveaway:

 Ten Giveaway Combo Packs: ebooks of YOU ARE MINE and prequel, MINE TO TARNISH
Open INT
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was put together by CBB Book Promotions.

 

Cover Reveal: Journey to Lanadran by Judy Goodwin

 

I'm excited to reveal the cover for the YA Fantasy, Journey to Landaran by Judy Goodwin.  This book is scheduled to release February 1st, 2014.

This stunning cover was designed by  Katt Amaral.

Book Description:

Aidah and her twin brother Tavish have always had a knack for getting into trouble. From pie stealing and pranks to hunting for magical creatures, they have always escaped notice in their tiny mountain village.
Until now.
Aidah begins seeing visions through her brother’s eyes. He’s a Firestarter, gifted with the Talent to control light and heat, destined to become a Sun Mage in the great city of Landaran. But he doesn’t want to leave without his sister. As storm clouds gather, Aidah dreams of a beautiful man, a frightening man, calling to her.
She fears the truth. That she may developing a Talent of her own, one that will change their lives forever.
The power to read minds. To possess bodies. To travel inside dreams. In the world of Ernid, Spirit is the ultimate power.
Nations will go to war over them.

 Add it to your Goodreads shelf!

Excerpt:

Aidah's movement was too sudden. The branch she stood on snapped, and she fell back, tumbling down the nest towards the brink of the ledge. Tavish reached out and caught hold of her tunic as her legs slipped over the edge.

 

“Grab my arm! Pull yourself up,” he commanded as the fabric in his hand began to tear.

 

She tried to grab for his arm, but her body was turned awkwardly. At least her predicament seemed to have one benefit. The roc, startled by her fall, wheeled away.

 

Aidah didn’t have time to see if there were any other flying creatures down there, such as a few frightened wyrret parents. The tunic tore. Aidah scrambled to get hold of something, anything,. She felt herself falling, and then Tavish’s fingers clamped hard around her wrist, his short nails pinching into her skin.

 

“Sis, don’t move. I’m not secure here. Just stay still and let me pull you up.” She looked up at her brother holding her with one hand, trying to get a foothold or any kind of handhold on the cliff to brace himself in order to pull her back up. The fact she was looking up at him alarmed her--she was truly hanging off the cliff, her shoulders rubbing the hard granite of the edge, her lower body dangling.

 

Tavish found a rock to hold onto and pulled, but while the cords in his neck jutted out and his arm trembled with effort, he couldn’t pull her up even a little before his feet began to slip. She very carefully grasped his arm with her other hand, but still he was not quite strong or secure enough. Aidah’s heart pounded through her rib cage, as fear began to sink in. If she fell, it would be a messy death. Death wasn’t something she ever really thought about, yet here it suddenly was, glaring at her. The two of them struggled, trying to get her up, but it was useless. She swallowed back a moan as tears burned in her eyes.

 

“Gods, if I knew a spell to fix this!” Tavish gasped.

 

His words seemed to trigger something within her. Strength, that was what he needed. If only she could somehow lend him strength . . .

 

A blinding pain tore at the base of her skull, and she could suddenly hear Tavish muttering to himself, although his lips were firmly pressed shut. She didn’t have time to listen to what he was saying, however, before a pressure wave suddenly went through her body, traveling from the soles of her feet up through her torso and out through her hands where she gripped Tavish’s arm. As the wave passed, strength left her, darkening her vision. She opened her mouth to scream, thinking perhaps she was dying.

 

With a cry, Tavish pulled hard at her, and she found herself on the cliff again, in Tavish’s arms lying at the very back of the ledge. Apparently he had pulled so hard he’d sent both of them back several paces. Even now he looked ready to do it again--there was no trace fatigue. She, on the other hand, felt pale and sickly. The world spun, and she was afraid her knees wouldn’t hold her up. Trembling, she tried to get up and failed, falling back against her brother.

 

He set her down and got up, brushing snow and dirt from his trousers. “Wow, where did that come from, I wonder? I feel like a fresh ox! I think I could move a mountain right now! Did you do something, Sis?” He paced around stretching out his arms and legs, as if unable to stand still.

 

The world was graying out to Aidah and she found it difficult to follow what Tavish was saying. Her head was pounding with one of the worst headaches she’d ever had. “I don’t . . . think so. Maybe your magic helped you. Can we go home? I’m not feeling so well . . .” The world suddenly tilted and fell into blackness.

About the Author:
Judy Goodwin developed a passion for writing at a young age, creating picture books from the time she

could read and write. She continued this passion throughout her schooling, earning her BA degree in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. In her day job, she works as a technical writer in the healthcare field. She enjoys sharing her love of books and fantasy with her daughter and partner. They live in Gilbert, Arizona, with two Shiba Inu (Japanese) dogs, one wiener dog, and four black cats.
Ms. Goodwin has published short stories in small press and online magazines including Space and Time, Dreams and Nightmares, Alienskin, and Beyond Centauri. With the advent of eBooks and indie publishing, she decided to move into the brave new world of publishing with the debut of her first novel, Heart of the Witch.
Journey to Landaran is her second full length novel, the first installment of the Spirit Mage Saga.

Author Links:

 Website | Blog | Twitter | Amazon Author Page

 Giveaway:

$20 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
2 e-Arc winners (INT)
2 Paperback ARC winners (US) 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Susy Asylum by Michael Pierce

SUSY Asylum (Lorne Family Vault #2)
by Michael Pierce

Blurb
In SUSY Asylum, there is no release. There is no escape. No hope.

Oliver and Desiree are introduced to the writings of a mysterious blogger, Commodore Chaos, when
they return to Provex City to indulge in what the sublime city has to offer. The blogger claims the Lornes are collecting people venturing between the higher planes of awareness and locking them away in a mythical asylum. But are these legitimate concerns for inter-plane travelers or just the ramblings of an anonymous conspiracy blogger?

Oliver looks to Provex City as his only connection to his father while Desiree looks to the city as an escape from the torment of losing her best friend—again. Provex City is a wonder of beautiful treasures, entrancing them to continue returning. But behind the beauty, wolves have continued hunting Oliver, a boy who is still unaware of his importance in the rebellion.

Oliver’s belief is waning. Desiree will not always be by his side. Mr. Gordon will not always come to his aid. Oliver finds himself alone, forced to confront his biggest fears, fight his inner demons, and face the very cold reality that no one is coming to save him.

Welcome to SUSY Asylum.

Review
Susy Asylum is the second in a series that began with Provex City. In the first book, Michael Pierce does a fantastic job giving Oliver a voice that really draws the reader into his life so I was excited to get more from him. Just like the first book, Susy Asylum  leaves you with a ton of questions that you just can't wait to have answered, so I'll definitely be picking up book three (well played, Mr. Pierce, well played).

The world building in this series is fantastic - every detail is thoughtful and well-described and you can't help but being drawn into Provex City and feeling like you're right there with Oliver and Desiree as the grow as characters throughout their journey. And what a journey! Susy Asylum picks up just a few weeks after Provex City ends, but it takes a darker turn than the first book and parts of it do leave you feeling raw (in a good way).

I give this one 4 cupcakes out of 5!

About Michael Pierce
I believe in a future where I will be able to write full-time, a picture I already hold vividly in my mind. It all starts with my debut young adult novel, Provex City. I love Harry Potter & The Marbury Lens, Tool & Elliott Smith, Dexter & Donnie Darko, bold coffee & amber ale. I also love dabbling with writing music and recording, with no illusions of ever making it a career. I am ecstatically married and the lucky father to a beautiful baby girl.

Find the author: Website/Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway: $50 Gift Card (INT)

 Rafflecopter giveaway