Guys. GUYS. This is so exciting. A bunch of Spencer Hill Press Teen and Young Adult ebooks are discounted via Amazon’s The Big Deal NOW through May 24 AND The Zodiac Collector is one of them!
Please check it out if you haven’t already purchased The Zodiac Collector, and please share the news!
If you’ve read The Zodiac Collector, please consider writing a review–it’s SO important for authors to get reviews because it helps improve visibility and outreach.
Three full length novels in one supernatural collection.
Book blurb:
Three full length novels in one supernatural collection.
In THE BIRD WITH THE BROKEN WING, a guardian angel finds herself trapped in Purgatory with a young soldier she was assigned to watch over. She knows the terrible secret that’s keeping him trapped in limbo, but can’t understand why she’s stuck with him.
In FEEDBACK, three teenagers receive the organs of deceased CIA agent and take on the task of completing the mission the spy died midway through, that of deactivating bacteria bombs threatening millions of lives.
In LITTLE RED GEM, bad advice from a ghost, magic courtesy of an unsuspecting half-sister, and a televised music talent show see this teen make more of a mess in death than she ever made in life.
That’s over 500 pages of action, drama, adventure, teen issues, and romance in one unputdownable book.
Thanks for all who entered The Zodiac Collector Tour! I hope you enjoyed learning about my favorite witch-y type movies and about how astrology inspired me to write the story.
I’ve emailed the winners, so be sure to keep an eye out for it.
As mentioned during the tour, I’m gifting an e-copy of my shifter short story, TSAVO PRIDE, to everyone who purchases The Zodiac Collector. Simply send proof of purchase to authorlauradiamond@gmail.com and I’ll send an e-copy of TSAVO PRIDE.
Today kicks off the week long blog tour for The Zodiac Collector, hosted by Bewitching Book Tours. Thanks, Roxanne, for all your hard work and thanks to all the bloggers willing to help spread the word about The Zodiac Collector!
Here’s what you’ll see on the tour:
An interview where I share my favorite books, why you should read The Zodiac Collector, and what I’m working on next
My fascination with astrology
My top ten favorite witchy-type movies
The radical differences of twins Anne and Mary
Why you’re never too old to read YA
An excerpt from The Zodiac Collector
There will also be FOUR PRIZE PACKS (click on the links below to get to the Rafflecopter):
Prize pack 1: Autographed set of Shifting Pride, Endure, & Lore (an anthology) and swag bookmarks
Prize Pack 2: Autographed copy of Lore (an anthology) and swag bookmarks
Prize Pack 3 &4: Swag postcards of books, a zodiac ring, & a zodiac bracelet representing main characters from The Zodiac Collector (Libra & Gemini)
Bonus: I’ll give an ecopy of my short story, Tsavo Pride, to everyone who purchases The Zodiac Collector!!! Simply email me proof of purchase and I’ll send the short. My email: authorlauradiamond@gmail.com
Here’s the tour stops (some days have multiple spots):
The Zodiac Collector Tour Schedule
Oct 20-27
October 20 Interview Mom With A Kindle
When I first started writing, I never really believed I’d see a book with my name on it resting on a shelf in Barnes & Noble, but I fantasized about what it’d look like. It only took five years to see it come true, lol! And here it is, The Zodiac Collector, available at my local Barnes & Noble: After the initial shock wore off of seeing my book under the “New Teen Fantasy and Adventure” section (I kind of stood staring for a while, then I snapped a few pictures, then I stared some more, then I took more pictures–God, I wonder what people thought!), I snatched the copies off the shelf and autographed them. The store manager added The Zodiac Collector to the other autographed books they have at the Info Desk under Noteworthy Selections and invited me to schedule a book signing (which will likely be next year). She and another employee took my picture to commemorate the occasion. Super sweet, right? They totally made my day! I’ve got a TON of folks to thank for helping me realize this dream, from beta readers, other writers, family, friends, supportive co-workers, and, of course, my editor, publicist, and the team at Spencer Hill Press. MOST importantly, I send a huge
THANK YOU
to my readers. I hope you enjoy The Zodiac Collector. 🙂
Make sure you come back next week when I kick off a week long blog tour with Bewitching Book Tours for The Zodiac Collector!
Click HERE to check out a giveaway on Chandara Writes blog.
It looks like Zodiac is earning some FIVE star reviews–thank you!!!!
“FIVE STARS. I knew this novel was promising when I read the blurb on Goodreads, and it far surpassed my expectations. A dystopian with mounting suspense, tons of conflict, and an interesting theme, this novel was hard to put down! Anything but predictable, Laura Diamond had me guessing what was going to happen next, throughout!” ~April Wood, blogger of A Well Read Woman
In case you haven’t seen it, here’s what THE ZODIAC COLLECTOR is about:
For almost-16 year-old Anne Devans, the annual Renaissance Faire means three things—her dad spending weeks in the smithy, her bipolar mom doing some manic costume making, and another ruined birthday for her and her twin sister, Mary.
This year, Anne wants things to be different, and she’s going to do things her way.
On the eve of the Faire, Anne (along with a reluctant Mary) conjures up a spell that will make their 16th birthday party a whirlwind event. Little do they know that it’s a literal request.
After the mini tornado in their room subsides, the girls realize they’ve invoked the power of the Gemini Twins, Castor and Pollux. That’s the good news. The bad news is they also caught the attention of a sorceress named Zeena who has been collecting children born under each Zodiac Sign to enhance her power. Once she captures Anne and Mary, Gemini twins, the entire Zodiac—and the world—will be hers.
Anne leads the fight against Zeena, but her one-sided decisions could throw them into a world so far from home, even the Renaissance Faire would seem like a brilliant vacation. Between managing their new Zodiac powers, dodging their manic mother and trying to stop Zeena, they’ll get a 16th birthday they’ll never forget.
So I thought it would be fun to share information about our zodiac signs (you’ll see me posting on Twitter and FB about it!). Please add your zodiac sign and a couple characteristics in the comments. 😉
I’m LIBRA–fair, indecisive, and must have balance!!!
I’m SO excited to be taking part in Spencer Hill Press’s author signings this week at Book Expo America. This will be my first ever signing and I’ll be signing ARCs of ZODIAC COLLECTOR!
I’ll be signing at the Spencer Hill booth #2567 on Saturday at 1PM. I hope to see you there–don’t hesitate to stop by, introduce yourself, say hello, & grab an ARC. I can’t wait to sign a copy for you! 😉
I’ll also have fun swag: bookmarks with the *original* cover art.
I’m so excited to have Ally Shields here today to talk about her latest book in the Guardian Witch Series, Burning Both Ends. This is definitely a series to check out if you haven’t already.
Welcome, Ally!
Thanks so much, Laura, for inviting me to your blog for a little BSP (Blatant Self-Promotion)!
I love talking about my books, but I was a reader first. From the time I was first introduced to urban fantasies about fifteen years ago, I fell in love with it. But I find there are readers who don’t understand why some books are just labeled paranormal and others are urban fantasy. The lines are definitely becoming blurred, but the simple distinction is in the word: urban. A city setting, and in particular a contemporary city setting, where the real world and the supernatural world both exist. It makes for very interesting cultural conflicts while blending the everyday world we know with another world that only exists in the writer’s and reader’s imaginations. I hope you’ll take a moment to step inside the urban fantasy universe I’ve created.
Burning Both Ends (Guardian Witch #3) Blurb:
Friend or lover. Life or death…
Supernatural cop Ari Calin arrives at the hostile Toronto vampire court with an ultimatum from the Riverdale vampires: Sebastian, Toronto’s vampire prince, must stop his unprovoked attacks—or else. Ari wasn’t expecting a fight—the “or else” was typical vampire grandstanding. But even with vampire Andreas De Luca by her side for a show of strength, things get ugly fast. Toronto’s vampire world is in crisis, and surrounded by enemies, Ari and Andreas find themselves under attack.
Then Ari gets the call from the Magic Council ordering her home. Steffan, a good friend and leader of Riverdale’s werewolves, has gone missing during top secret negotiations with the US government, and is believed to have been kidnapped—or killed.
Andreas can’t abandon the Toronto vampires, and Ari can’t leave him to face impossible odds alone. Neither can she disobey her orders from the Council, or leave her friend Steffan to be tortured and killed. Ari’s loyalties pull her in two directions—the closest thing to love she’s ever known on one side, and friendship and duty on the other. If she can stay alive long enough for the choice to matter…
Excerpt:
Fangs flashed where her cheek had been an instant before. Ari whirled, crouching to meet the vampire’s return charge, and her fingers sparked, witch blood clamoring for action. Refusing its urgent call, she threw the magic powder as he wheeled and sped toward her in a blur. Green particles sparkled. A loud thump. The vampire recoiled from the invisible barrier and took two staggering steps. A direct hit. Before a smile more than touched her lips, the dark figure recovered and leaped. Ari backpedaled, but his weight drove her to the hard ground.
He grinned down at her, a lock of dark hair falling across his forehead. Trapping her arms above her head, he leaned close, his dark eyes glittering. He brushed her lips with his and whispered, “Better—but not yet good enough.” Andreas shifted his six-foot, muscled body, sprang up, and offered her a hand.
Ignoring the courtesy, Ari scrambled to her feet. Getting pinned by your boyfriend wasn’t always a good thing. “Back off, bloodsucker,” she grumbled. She shook out the fallen leaves and pine needles that clung to her long, honey-colored hair.
Andreas chuckled. A rich, warm sound. “Touchy tonight. Did I put your nose out of joint, little witch? And here I was, trying to help with your training.” Andreas glided across the forest clearing with the smooth grace of a natural predator. He collected their cell phones from under a park bench where they’d stashed them earlier in the evening and handed her one.
“Thanks.” Ari avoided his eyes. Damn right she was annoyed. She was competitive, and second place wasn’t good enough—even against a master level vampire. Especially one who wasn’t really trying to kill her.
Andreas studied her face, his voice pragmatic. “I am glad you are taking this seriously. Other combatants will be less charitable than I, less mindful of breaking your pretty neck. I can almost guarantee Sebastian will continue his fight with Prince Daron, and next time he may lead the attack. You might have to face him again.”
“Oh, come on. You can’t really believe he’d come to Riverdale. He’s too comfortable lording it over everyone in Toronto.” Andreas shrugged. “It is unlikely, but a sobering thought. With Sebastian, anything is possible.” He frowned, obviously thinking about the brutal vampire leader. “He has grown more aggressive, erratic, perhaps less sane, as sometimes happens with the elder ones. Our defeat of his minions will only fuel his rage and make him more determined.”
“Minions? What kind of word is that?” Ari demanded. “You really should update your vocabulary. Being born in seventeen hundred and something is no excuse for using words no one understands.” She was just being bitchy. In truth, she wouldn’t change a thing about Andreas’s speech or sexy voice. The archaic words, the faint accent of Italian aristocracy, and the shivers of sensation it produced were all part of him. She never got used to the seductive effect…even when she wanted to be annoyed.
Ally Shields was born and raised in the US Midwest, along the Mississippi River, the setting for her urban fantasy series. After a career in law and juvenile justice, she turned to full-time writing in 2009, and Awakening the Fire, the debut novel in her Guardian Witch series, was released in September 2012. Ally still lives within driving distance of the Mississippi with her Miniature Pinscher, Ranger. When not writing, reading, or spending time with family and friends, she loves to travel in the US and abroad. Way too often she can be found on Twitter.
Awakening the Fire (Guardian Witch #1), published September 2012
Fire Within (Guardian Witch #2), published Marsh 2013
Blood and Fire (Guardian Witch #4), coming in the fall of 2013
Wonderful excerpt and trailer, Ally! So cool!!! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful series with us!
MR Polish is a Young Adult Paranormal Romance author. Her debut novel, WOLF SPELL, is an action-packed, enjoyable read, with undpredictable twists.
The main character, Arabeth, has no idea that she’s a witch. A very special witch. After her mother dies, she’s taken to another country to learn about her true identity…and is taught how to control her powers. The pressure is on because an evil warlock wants her for himself. This warlock will do anything to capture her, including turning to vampires for help.
Thankfully, Arabeth–as Esmerelda–has a loyal guardian, Jarak (who gets his power from a spirit wolf).
And he’s totally hot.
She needs his help–and love–to fight an army of vampires.
Here’s the blurb:
With a death starts a new beginning…
Eighteen-year-old Esmerelda thinks she’s just a normal girl, but all of that changes the day of her mom’s funeral, when a warlock, intent on using her special powers, kidnaps her. Powers she didn’t know existed. Thrown in the middle of a magical battle, Es struggles to learn her magic while fleeing both vampires and warlocks, at the same time, hunting for the witches that can help defeat her adversary. The only problem is that they are dead.
Thankfully, she has the help of Jarak—her Guardian—who quickly captures her heart, but she wonders if she can win his? Just when she thinks Jarak is the one for her, Ian appears with daggers drawn to save Es from a vampire attack. Ian is cocky and rude, but there is something magnetic about him—something that attracts her to him. With her heart torn between two men, she faces the foes that are out for her blood. Can Es do the unthinkable and awaken them from their graves before time runs out?
I’m so excited to bring information about a collection of novellas based on the best selling novel, Witch Hunt. A writing bud of mine, Krista Walsh, has a story in the collection–WOOT! So, read on and see if this strikes your fancy. (Ain’t the cover GORGEOUS?!)
Today’s post highlights which character each author would be.
If you could be any character from the WITCH HUNT series, who would you be and why?
Keri Lake:
Of course I like my character Miranda, but if I had to choose another it would be Margaret Hawthorne. I admired her strength not only as a witch but a mother as well.
K.L. Schwengel:
I think I would be Melanie. Not that I want to be that young again, but because there is something special about her. She needs to find her path yet, but I think she’s stronger than she knows.
Krista Walsh:
I would want to be Cordelia, Vivian’s grandmother. She’s wise, compassionate and very respected for her abilities, which are themselves very impressive.
Suzanne Hayes Campbell:
I would definitely be Rose. She’s a strong pragmatic woman who makes the best of a bad situation. Several bad situations, really. She doesn’t stand on ceremony, and really doesn’t give a flying buffalo chip what people think of her. She boldly goes where lesser women fear to tread. Her fearless, can-do attitude is inspiring.
Devin O’Branagan:
Leigh. She begins as a timid, insecure woman who fights to claim her inner strength. Ultimately, she discovers The Goddess within and becomes incredibly powerful. Very inspiring!
Five novellas based on Devin O’Branagan’s bestselling novel, Witch Hunt!
You’ve closed the cover on Witch Hunt, but the story isn’t over … yet! Devin O’Branagan has handpicked writers to take up her characters’ stories and explore what happens next.
The anthology begins with O’Branagan’s own novella about Hawthorne matriarch, Vivian. Vivian and her fellow British witches work together to prevent a Nazi invasion during World War II. Then there is Colonial maiden, Bridget, who struggles with the guilt of failing her family in Salem, 1692. Her younger sister, Prissy, mysteriously disappears and finds another magical world. Julia, torn by family loyalties, love, and her spiritual quest, pays a huge price to continue the bloodline. And Miranda uses her powers against the great influenza outbreak of 1918—but finds the ultimate foe is prejudice against her kind.
Discover what was left out of Witch Hunt and revisit your favorite characters with these exciting novellas. The story isn’t done until the battle’s lost and won.
This anthology contains novellas by Devin O’Branagan, Suzanne Hayes Campbell, Keri Lake, K.L. Schwengel, and Krista Walsh.
All five authors of the anthology are available for discussion at Devin’s writers’ forum. This is the link to chat with them: Chat With The Authors!
Witch Hunt: Of the Blood is available in both print and eBook formats and may be found atAmazon, B&N, and Smashwords. (Smashwords provides copies compatible with almost all types of eReaders including Sony, Apple, Kobo, etc.) It is also available internationally via Amazon worldwide!
Two of the stories in this anthology are bridges to the upcoming sequel, Witch Hunt: Resistance, which will be released in 2013.
The original Witch Hunt is an international bestseller first published by Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books. It has been translated into German and Turkish and is consistently on the bestseller lists. It is the story of 300+ years in the history of a family of witches, from the time of the Salem trials to a modern-day witch hunt. It begs the question: could it happen again?
Witch Hunt is available as both a paperback and an eBook. It is available at Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords.
PS: I’m reading it now. I love how the authors have created a world that draws you in and refuses to let you go until you reach the end.
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Heather McCorkle is releasing a fantasy novel and I’m pleased to be a part of the cover reveal (even if I’m late to the party).
The Dragon Empire by Heather McCorkle — February 2013 / Compass Press
On Yacrana, dragons stand at the top of the evolutionary ladder instead of humans. Such an advanced species is not without its issues though.
There’s trouble in the Dragon Empire, the kind that could start a war between dragons and the races of people. Hidden factions of dragons believe they should rule the lesser races, not simply stand aside and allow them to develop as they will. Having lived so long in peace, the Emperors turn a blind eye, many oblivious that such attitudes even exist.
Despite being only an architect class, emerald dragon, Grendar is willing to risk banishment and death to stop that which his rulers refuse to see. The hope of peace lies not within the scaled breast of a dragon however, but within the hands of a group of people. But if the hidden factions have their way, these people won’t live to fulfill such a destiny. With a reluctant seer at his side, Grendar must leave his precious Empire for the outside world to save those that will one day save his kind.
I am an author of fantasy, in all its many sub-genres. Living green, saving endangered species, helping other writers, and supporting fabulous authors are a few of my passions. I am also a volunteer for the IS Foundation which works to make the world a greener place. When I’m not volunteering, writing, or surfing my social networking sites, I can be found on the slopes, the hiking trails, or on horseback. As a native Oregonian, I enjoy the outdoors almost as much as the worlds I create on the pages. No need to travel to the Great Northwest though, you can find me here, on my blog, and Monday night’s on Twitter where I co-moderate the #WritersRoad chat.
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Author Laura Diamond--Lucid Dreamer 