The Big Deal

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.

Thanks so much!

THE BIG DEAL

The Zodiac Collector ebook for $2.99 

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The Zodiac Collector Tour

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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)

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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

October 20 Spotlight
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! 

October 21 Guest blog
Kaitlin Sivley

October 21 Spotlight
BabyCakes Book Blog

October 22 Guest blog
Fang-tastic Books

October 22 Spotlight
Roxanne’s Realm

October 23 Guest blog
Accepted Wisdom

October 23 Spotlight
Cassandra M’s Place

October 24 Spotlight
CBY Book Club

October 24 Spotlight
Fantasy Book Lane

October 24 Spotlight
Book Bliss

October 27 Guest blog
Mythical Books

October 27 Spotlight/Excerpt
JeanzBookReadNReview

October 27 Spotlight
The Review List

Looking forward to seeing you around the Interwebz!

I Have A Book In A Bookstore

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: IMG_1225 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. IMG_1230 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). FullSizeRender She and another employee took my picture to commemorate the occasion. Super sweet, right? They totally made my day! IMG_1232 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!

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It’s THE ZODIAC COLLECTOR’s Birthday!!!!

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It’s finally here–ZODIAC’s birthday!!!! *throws confetti*

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.

Book Details:

Young Adult Fantasy/Paranormal

Paperback, 328 pages

Published by Spencer Hill Press

Publication Date: September 23, 2014

Purchase Links:

Amazon.com

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

Goodreads 

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!!! 

THE ZODIAC COLLECTOR Comes Out In ONE WEEK!!!

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Hey gang! I’m SUPER STOKED about Zodiac’s release next week. On Tuesday, September 23, 2014, The Zodiac Collector is officially available in ebook and paperback. YAY!!!

Here’s an early review from a reader:

5 stars

A well-written and very unique story, with smart and likable characters, unlike any other book I’ve read. Since I read so much, it doesn’t happen very often that I come across a truly unique book, which captivates me from the first page. There was nothing I didn’t like, and lots that I liked a lot.

SQUEE!!!!

Here’s info on Zodiac, in case you want to take a gander:

Goodreads

Amazon

B&N

As a bit of a pre-release celebration, I’m going to be signing at Chapter By Chapter Book Rave (The Big Apple Author Signing!) in New Rochelle, NY on Saturday, September 20. It’s hosted by Jennifer L. Armentrout!!! Lots of FAB authors will be there–can’t wait to meet and greet everyone!

Another update: I recently received rights back for my shifter series (New Pride and Shifting Pride) and my YA dystopian duology (Endure and Evoke), SO they’re temporarily unavailable at this time while I ponder what do do with them. 😉

Tsavo Pride (A Shifter Short Story) is still available on Amazon.com. And my novella, Sunset Moon, is still in LORE.

Bookstock, Woodstock, VT

On Saturday, I traveled to Woodstock, VT to take part in Bookstock, a weekend festival dedicated to art and books. I joined some Spencer Hill Press peeps (author & editor Jennifer Carson, author & publicist Jennifer Allis Provost, & author & editor TJ Woolridge) and got my signing on. Since Zodiac isn’t officially released yet (it’s coming in September!), I signed ARCs. It was super fun chatting with readers & other authors (one press had turned classics like Shakespeare, Mary Shelley, Mark Twain, etc books’ into graphic novels–so cool!). I mean, who doesn’t like to talk about reading and books and writing?

My Drabbit friend, Julian, also had a fun time meeting & greeting readers. 😉

Have you been to book festivals? What’s your favorite aspect?

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