New Pride and Shifting Pride are ON SALE!

Hey gang! My publisher (for New Pride and Shifting Pride) have listed the pride series ebooks at a lower price. Act fast, because I’m not sure how long this will last!

NEW PRIDE

Now 99 cents! ($2 savings)

 

 

 

Description:

New town, new love, new terror…

Kicked out by his alpha father for nearly exposing their secret, seventeen-year-old Richard Leone is a shape-shifter without a pride. Alone, homeless, and hungry, he forms a tenuous friendship with Derek, a power-hungry shifter from an unstable rogue pride. It’s either that, or starve. Until they encounter a gorgeous brunette, Molly, partying with friends around a campfire. Richard immediately feels a connection with her, and something about her calls to him. Almost as if she was supposed to be his mate.

But when Molly is kidnapped, Richard must take on the entire rogue pride to save her and keep his human town safe from harm. Derek offers him a deal: he’ll help Richard take on the pride to rescue Molly, but only to secure his place as alpha. And once that happens, the humans could be in even more danger…

 

SHIFTING PRIDE

Now $3.99! ($2 savings)

 

 

Description:

Curiosity brings out the Kitty… 

Sixteen-year-old Nickie Leone has proof her father is still alive. His watch arrives in the mail, with a note telling her to “keep it hidden,” and her curiosity is piqued. She obeys the request, even keeping it hidden from her mother. But when an email from her father disappears before her very eyes, she begins to question her own sanity.

And things get even more complicated when she meets Xavian Katz, the blue-eyed, blonde hottie whose contagious smile and ridiculous sense of humor make her want to tell him all her secrets. But there’s a current beneath his charm that she can’t quite read. He’s hiding something.

When Nickie grows pointed ears and whiskers…and then a tail!…Xavian (who always seems to knows the right time to be around) seems unsurprised. He’s a shapeshifter too, a coincidence that Nickie can’t deny or ignore. She needs his help to master her new abilities, because her father’s rival, Derek, wants her to join his tribe. The last thing she wants is to be under his rule, but Derek’s got something to do with her dad’s disappearance—she knows it. And maybe letting herself be captured is the best way to find out…

 

 

Please share this post, spread the word, and if you’ve read the books, please leave an honest review. It just takes a few minutes, but it really means a lot. Thanks for your support! 🙂

Buh bye 2013, Hullo 2014!

Phew, 2013 is almost over! Gotta say, it’s been a pretty tough year on multiple fronts. BUT, it’s ending on a high note–YAY!!

After several months of negotiating, I’ve started a new day job. It’s been a huge shift moving from a job where I had to juggle acute inpatient stabilization of folks, outpatient medication management, hospital psychiatric consultation, and mental health medication management in collaboration with the HIV specialists to a more focused role working with patients in the crisis intervention unit and crisis inpatient unit. It’s a different aspect of the continuum of psychiatric care and I see people in the most acute (high level of symptoms) stages of their illnesses. Since my first year of residency (8 1/2 years ago!), I knew I wanted to do Psychiatric ER work and I’m finally able to do it!

My new schedule (second shift, AKA evenings) allows me to be free of the alarm clock (except for Saturday mornings, LOL) AND I have more energy to write in the morning. After only a couple weeks, I feel much more refreshed and energized. Talk about a relief!

On the writing front, I struggled with burn out. Like SERIOUS I’m-gonna-quit-writing burn out. It was after writing and re-writing THREE novels in a FOUR month period of time. I met all my deadlines and polished up the manuscripts until they sparkled, but by the end, all my creative juices had been used up. *sad face*

Looking back, I can say the hard work paid off. But LORD, I wouldn’t want to have to do it again!

Anyway, born out of this revolving door of drafts, edits, and copyedits are:

TSAVO PRIDE (a self-pubbed, YA paranormal romance/horror short story spin-off to NEW PRIDE and SHIFTING PRIDE)

ENDURE ( YA Dystopian pubbed July 2013)

EVOKE (YA Dystopian; sequel to ENDURE; coming January 20, 2013 by Renegade YA)

THE ZODIAC COLLECTOR (YA adventure coming May 2014 by Spencer Hill Press)

 

PLUS, I have an essay in the Indie-pubbed collection titled: INDIESTRUCTIBLE: INSPIRING STORIES FROM THE PUBLISHING JUNGLE. 100% of proceeds are donated to BUILDON.org, a movement which breaks the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, and low expectations through service and education.

So, what’s in store for 2014?

• I somehow got my writing mojo back in late 2013 (like Nov/Dec late, LOL!), so I’m not quitting. 😉
• EVOKE and THE ZODIAC COLLECTOR will hit the virtual shelves as E-books and paperbacks.
• SUNSET MOON, a YA novella, will go through editing and polishing for a LORE anthology.
• BEAT, a YA thriller will be drafted (hopefully I’ll finish it by the end of February).
• I *might* try querying agents again. *bites fingernails*
• I NEED to get through my gargantuan (and still growing) TBR pile.

Ok, so it’s your turn to share. How was your 2013 and what’re working on in 2014?

Is Blogging Still A Thing? Maybe Not For Me…

I’m sure you’ve heard the statement, “Blogging is dead.” It seems to circulate the interwebz every few months. I gotta say, I never thought it to be the case. Until now.

My change in perspective has to do with my own approach to blogging. Most of you have no doubt noticed the change in my blog. Since summer, I’ve cut waaaaay back on posting. Part of it had to do with juggling three novels at once (never want to do that again–talk about skirting the edge of burn out!!!!) and some struggles I was having at the day job. Initially, I thought I’d be back in business by fall. Well, that didn’t happen. Deadlines got pushed out for various reasons, the day job stuff didn’t lessen, and my creativity took a nose dive. I pulled back to completing the essentials while letting the extras slide.

I hate the idea that my blog became an “extra.” I know I’ve lost readers. I know it’s because I’m not actively reading and commenting on others’ blogs. I also know I can’t keep it all up anymore. The momentum I’d gained with my first releases, New Pride and Shifting Pride, has ground to a halt.

And I don’t know where to go from here…

Sure, I’m still actively writing and will have 3 new publications in the coming year (Endure’s sequel, Evoke, with Etopia Press, The Zodiac Collector with Spencer Hill Press, and a sekrit project). WOOT!

I love my stories. I’m proud of my publications. And I’m hopeful for the future.

Getting back to blogging…

One thing is for certain. I’m going to have to reinvent part of myself. And when I say myself, I mean my online presence, my platform. I’ll have to try new ways of connecting with readers.

I’m not sure what that’s going to look like, but I’m considering it part of the process, part of the journey, if you will.

How about you? How do you keep your blogs going? Have you reinvented yourself? How’d you do it? What’s your favorite strategies for reaching readers?

 

I’m Visiting SA Larsen Today!

I know I said I was on a blogging break–and I totally am–but wanted to pop in and tell you that YA/MG/PB author SA Larsen is hosting me on her blog today. Please check it out for info about me, my writing, Shifting Pride, and my upcoming YA dystopian, ENDURE!

I’d love to hear from you!

LINK TO SHERI’S POST

Some upcoming info:

Next Monday, I’ll have deets about Kimberly Ann Miller’s debut, TRIANGLES. I’m super excited for Kimmy. She’s written a FAB story!

I just got the final cover art for ENDURE, so might be giving all y’all a gander next week!!! SQUEEE!!!!!

(Looks like I can’t stay away even when I’m staying away, LOL!)

***hugs***

SHIFTING PRIDE PAPERBACK IS HERE!

Hey gang!

I’m super stoked to share good news with ya’s!

SHIFTING PRIDE is now available in PAPERBACK!!! WOOT!!!!

Can’t wait to hold my debut YA novel in my hands. My fingers be twitchin’!

***SQUEE!***

Tell me friends, what’s it like when you hold your book baby in your hands? 😉

Amazon

Amazon UK

B&N

****To celebrate, I’ve decided to GIVE a PDF copy of my spin off short story, TSAVO PRIDE, to every person who purchases a copy of Shifting Pride (ecopy or paperback)!****

Send proof of purchase to: laurabdiamond@yahoo.com 😉

Please spread the word–It’s MUCH APPRECIATED!

Come back on SATURDAY, May 25 when I help Heather Van Fleet celebrate the release of her latest YA contemp romance, When It’s Least Expected! 😉

TSAVO PRIDE BLOG BLITZ–Going Full On Indie ;)

HI GANG!

I’m soooooo excited to share my new short story, TSAVO PRIDE. It’s a spin off based on the man-eating lions of Tsavo, so it has a decidedly horroresque bent. For those of you who read Shifting Pride, you know that the lions of Tsavo made a cameo appearance. Now, they have their own story.

Here’s a teaser trailer on YouTube:

Blurb:

Rogue shapeshifters, Santamo and Legeny, believe they are kings blessed with the power to shift into lions. Using that strength, they brutally defend their land from the British building the Ugandan Railroad that threatens their way of life. On a particularly ruthless raid, Santamo meets his match—Naserian. He spares the girl’s life, a move that fractures his relationship with Legeny and blurs his visions of cleansing his territory of invaders.

While the pile of bones in Santamo and Legeny’s cave grows, so does Santamo’s attraction to Naserian. When she challenges him to give up his murderous ways, will Santamo stay on the path of death he believes is his duty, or will he choose Naserian, and love?

TSAVO PRIDE is NOW AVAILABLE via Amazon for $0.99! Amazon Prime members can borrow it for free. 😉

 

Several blogging buds are helping me spread the word, so I’d like to thank them by linking to their sites. Feel free to check ’em out.

Do check out Danielle Fine’s website. She designed the cover and edited Tsavo Pride. Thanks, Danielle!

I have a special interview post on Gareth Young’s blog. It was a lot of fun to put together, so head on over to learn more about me and my writing. 😉

Links to my blogging buds:

Karen Y Bynum

Lydia Y Kang

MPax

VB Tremper 

Ally Shields

Dani Lyn Alexander

Theresa McClinton

PT Dilloway

LM Preston

Lynn Rush

Lacey Wolfe

Elizabeth Arroyo

Catherine Cavendish

Ellie Garratt

Catherine Johnson

As a final send off, this Wednesday is another edition of the Indie Life. I’d just like to point out that I would have never attempted to self publish anything if it weren’t for this fabulous group of authors. They took the plunge into the deep, vast waters of publishing and have steered their own course to success. Thanks for being an inspiration! 😉

What is Indie Life?
How: Sign up on the Linky at the bottom of this page
When: Post on the second Wednesday of the month (starting 1/9/2013)
What: Write anything indie related: something that will inspire or help a fellow indie; something that celebrates a release or a milestone; something that talks about the ups and downs, joys and heartaches of Being Indie.
Grab: The banner above to include in your posts!

Because being Indie doesn’t have to mean going it alone.

Glynis Smy–helping promote Shifting Pride

Historical romance author and poet Glynis Smy is graciously spotlighting Shifting Pride on her blog today. Thanks, Glynis!!!

Here’s the link to her post.

Check out her work RIPPER, MY LOVE on Amazon.com.

Shifting Pride Review

 

I was thoroughly surprised and flattered by a lovely review of Shifting Pride by Ashley Torbeck and wanted to share it with you.

Click HERE if you’d like to check it out.

Here’s how to find Ashley on the interwebz:

www.ashleytorbeck.webs.com

www.drunkenspacepenguin.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/ash.torbeck

www.twitter.com/ash_torbeck

www.amazon.com/author/ash.torbeck

 

 

 

Book Review Darkness Comes This Way

I’m a sucker for vampires. I don’t care if they sparkle, if they are ugly, if they are moody, whiny, or even grumpy. I especially love ’em if they’re HOT, but that goes without saying, right?

I met author Pixie Lynn Whitfield on Twitter and we decided to exchange books for reviews. Here’s her take on Shifting Pride (it involves My Little Pony. WIN.).

Luck was in my favor because her book, Darkness Comes This Way, is about VAMPS! YAY!

Zarah is a Guardian vampire, part of a group of immortals who keep humans safe by killing Rogue vampires. (Let me tell you, I’d very much enjoy that job, LOL!) She’s a kick-ass heroine with a cold exterior. But she’s got a tender heart inside.

She’s paired up with Draven, another Guardian, and they’re both charged with redoubling their efforts, because the Rogues are becoming more powerful and more deadly.

What I love about this story is that Zarah and Draven dislike each other and that tension kept me interested. Despite their butting heads, they are able to form a strong partnership and they work really well together–something that’s difficult to create, IMHO.

Another bit I liked was that Zarah ends up having to face her past head on, and she risks exposing her secret as a result.

The action is non-stop, the twists frequent, and the tension high. All must haves in my book.

The downside: I’d like to see more editing for streamlining. That being said, Pixie Lynn is a strong writer and I fully expect her skills to grow. I’m gonna keep an eye on her for her next projects!

I give Darkness Comes This Way 4 out of 5 stars.

Pixie Lynn Whitfield’s Blog

Darkness Comes This Way on Amazon

Darkness Comes This Way on Goodreads

INDIE Life–It’s About The Human Experience

Time for another post on the INDIE Life!

While surfing the web yesterday, I noticed posts about the debut of Bridget Zinn’s YA fantasy, POISON. For those of you who haven’t heard, Bridget passed away from cancer in 2011–two years before her book published!

Her story, while tragic, is also inspirational. Bridget’s goal was to share humor and happiness with her teen readers. And she did just that. Now, her friends and family are picking up where she left off. They’re sharing her story. And her amazing life.

So how does this tie into the INDIE Life?

It ties in because the INDIE Life is about supporting your fellow authors. It’s about coming together as a community to hold up one another. It’s about hearing a story, feeling it on the inside, and doing something about it. It’s about commemorating the life of another author who reached her dream…even from the beyond.

Thank you, Bridget.

About Bridget Zinn

Bridget grew up in Wisconsin. She went to the county fair where she met the love of her life, Barrett Dowell. They got married right before she went in for exploratory surgery which revealed she had colon cancer. They christened that summer the “summer of love” and the two celebrated with several more weddings. Bridget continued to read and write until the day she died.
Her last tweet was
“Sunshine and a brand new book. Perfect.”

Bridget wanted to make people laugh and hoped readers would enjoy spending time with the characters she created. As a librarian/writer she loved books with strong young women with aspirations. She also felt teens needed more humorous reads. She really wanted to write a book with pockets of warmth and happiness and hoped that her readers’ copies would show the watermarks of many bath time reads.

 

 

About the novel

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart…misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

Poison on Amazon

Poison on B&N

**********

How you can get involved as detailed on Bridget’s website:

During the week of March 11, blog about the release of your first novel (if you’re an author) or any other momentous first.

The release of my debut novel, SHIFTING PRIDE, was both thrilling and terrifying. I remember the excitement of finally being able to share my heroine, Nickie’s, story with the world. I also remember the fear that I didn’t do her justice and that people would miss what a great character she was.

At the same time, it was a milestone that demanded a celebration all of its own. Whether SHIFTING PRIDE flopped or flew off the electronic shelves, I’d accomplished a goal, a dream–I’d become a published author.

It’s a moment in my life that I shall never ever forget.