Beyond the Western Sun give-away!

Readers - now is your chance to get Kristina Circelli's Beyond the Western Sun for FREE! This great giveaway only lasts April 13th - 17th, so get your copy today by clicking here.

Get Your FREE Copy Here!

Beyond the Western Sun is Book One in The Whisper Legacy, a thrilling adventure into Native American lore. Filled with otherworldly creatures, incredible journeys, and a powerful woman who embraces her dark destiny, this novel is the read you've been looking for. And did I mention it's free?

Check out the blurb below!

A gripping journey into the heart of Native American legend, "Beyond the Western Sun" follows the epic struggle of Whisper, a young female Cherokee apprentice, on a harrowing adventure into the Land of the Dead to save the captive son of Ian Diavya. Together they face insurmountable odds, conquer terrible demons, and in the process, find a strength and courage within themselves neither knew possible. What they don't know is that these early adventures are only tests, for to save Ian's son, they must also stop the evil-minded Raven-Eater from unleashing his Army of the Dead to destroy the living world.

As the Army of the Dead marches closer to the Western Sun, as Whisper leads them deeper into the Land of the Dead, and as the truth behind Cole's death is slowly revealed, Ian discovers that the fate of both worlds depends on his courage, his humility, and the life of his son.

An epic saga of hope, redemption, and undying love, "Beyond the Western Sun" is what all fantasy adventures must strive to be: a complex, intricate examination of human emotion set within the context of worlds known only in our imagination. And in this regard, "Beyond the Western Sun" is a stunning achievement. Melding fantasy and legend in an epic quest, the third novel of her young career signals the arrival of Kristina Circelli as a master storyteller. Creating the indelible character of Whisper, vividly portraying the worlds that she and Ian must traverse to accomplish their goal, and capturing their human frailties, hopes and fears with depth and touching sincerity, Circelli reminds us with stunning precision the greatness we are all capable of, and the heavy price our actions can rend.

Meet the Author

Kristina Circelli is the author of two series, the Helping Hands Legacy and the Whisper Legacy, as well as stand-alone novels, "The Never" and "The Sour Orange Derby", and "Dungeon", a short story. A descendant of the Cherokee nation, Circelli holds both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English from the University of North Florida.

First in the Whisper Legacy series, "Beyond the Western Sun," is steeped in the spoken narratives of Native American lore, and is at once a gripping story of a father's love and his search for redemption as well as a written record of a Nation's belief system. Part adventure, part myth, and altogether riveting, the third novel from Kristina Circelli signifies the emergence of an important voice in Native American literature.

From her extraordinary ability to vividly create heretofore-unknown worlds to her engaging prose, Circelli's "Beyond the Western Sun" is a landmark novel from one of the freshest new voices in all of contemporary American fiction.      

Where to Contact

Email: Website: Blog: An Awfully Big Adventure

Twitter: @KCircelli

Character Spotlight - The Aos Si

    The Aos Si, or Sisters of Mourning, are three women who reside in the rocky cliff of Steinbrekka. Cursed to a life within their stone prison, Sorella, Nina and Leora lament the evil that has spread over the realm of Kaldalangra. They have made it their calling to watch over the souls of the damned, people sent to their deaths by the evil King Verikhan.

    While their silver-white hair, porcelain skin and piercing blue eyes give the Aos Si a spectral appearance, the sisters are, in fact, alive. Trapped within their curse, they cannot die, but instead are doomed for an immortal life of pain and grief for the souls they could not save.

    Immediately loved by the sisters, Rhea stumbles into their lair after the King sends her to Steinbrekka to break her sanity, or end her life. After stumbling through a strange door in the rock wall, she meets the sisters and gains strength from their song.

    The story of the Aos Si will be continued further in the fourth book of the Kaldalangran series, Grace of Kaldalangra, due to be released summer 2014.

Why Indie rocks - Andrea Heltsley

Today our special guest in the Why Indie Rocks feature is the marvelous

Andrea Heltsley!

1) When did you first begin to write as an Indie-author/self-published author?

2012, but I am redoing several of my books and giving them fresh editing and some additional bonus material.



2) Why did you decide to go the Indie-author/self-publishing route?

I like the freedom to make my own choices without all the red tape


3) What are some advantages to being an Indie-Author/Self-published author?

I get to be involved in making my cover art, which is my favorite thing! I don't have to write a certain way. I am free to express myself in any way I feel like.


4) What are some of the disadvantages to being an Indie-Author/Self-Published author?

Publicity. It's hard to build a name for yourself as an indie author. It takes a lot of time and effort to put yourself out there.

5) What is your best advice to someone who wants to break into the Indie world?

Find some already published Indie authors to help show you the ropes and the tricks of the trade. Edit!!! Have an appealing cover to grab readers. Know your platforms and where to publish.

Want to know more about Andrea? Here she is, in her own words :)

I’m a biologist turned writer. I write YA/NA paranormal romance books mainly. I’m the author of Devour and have several more books scheduled to come out later in 2013. I book blog for fun. I also have a strong addiction to caffeine and fruit snacks. You can find me in Tennessee with my husband and two Italian greyhounds.

If you ask anyone, I’m a total fangirl! I love the entertainment industry. I love Revenge and the Vampire Diaries on television. My favorite movies are Elektra and P.S. I Love You. I have a definite weakness for Tim Burton movies too. I’m beyond a huge fangirl for Shakira, both her English and Spanish music; Jack’s Mannequin comes in a close second. I have too many favorite authors to list, but Kelley Armstrong and Rachel Vincent are two of them. I’ve read all their books J

If you would like to contact Andrea, here are several ways. She doesn't bite, I promise.

http://andreaheltsley.blogspot.com
https://www. twitter.com/andreaheltsley
http://www. facebook.com/andreaheltsley
http://pinterest.com/aheltsley/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5766043.Andrea_Heltsley

And her latest release, Devour

He wasn’t supposed to remember.

Callie is a royal vampire. She hunts by taking the blood from her victims and erases their memories afterwards. She goes undetected until a victim named Chase approaches her with all his memories intact. He is intrigued and attracted. She is terrified. What happens when a human mixes with the immortal world? Chaos.

Callie’s 18th birthday has passed and she is coming out at the annual blood ball. Will she find a mate or will she suffer the repercussions of her indiscretion? She is brought to the Vampire council and they must decide what to do with Chase. Do they kill him, or turn him to protect their secret?

Bethany Lopez awesome give-away

Have I got a present for you guys! Make sure to enter this awesome Rafflecopter give-away from the amazing Bethany Lopez! This great opportunity will only be open April 1st to April 14th, so don't delay and enter today!

To promote the release of the Friends & Lovers Trilogy, Bethany Lopez is giving away a Nook, an autographed skin for the Nook, and an autographed paperback of Friends & Lovers. Enter through the Rafflecopter, and earn more chances to win by following everyone who is participating in the promo on Twitter!

Friends & Lovers is Make it Last, I Choose You, and Trust in Me, and includes a bonus ending for each couple.

Check out the Awesome cover by  

You can buy Friends & Lovers here: Amazon Barnes & Noble a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bethany Lopez

Friends & Lovers Trilogy/Stories About Melissa Series

IAN

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Teaser time!

That's right, folks. It's time for the Indi-Licious teaser blog hop!


This week we are going back to Kaldalangra, but we will be visiting Soul of Asimina, due to be released winter 2013.

~ * ~ * ~

Sabina stood in the orchard, still as a rabbit caught in the sight of one of her father’s hunting hounds, and quickly ticked off her options.

Too close for me to run, she calculated. The strange man was over a foot taller than her, and looked to be athletic enough to overtake her before she escaped the orchard. Her friends had turned and were coming back, but too slowly, not realizing the danger. She could yell, but there was no assurance that help would come quickly enough.

She looked into the blue eyes and saw a feverish hope there, a longing so intense that it frightened her. He was covered in dust, covered in mud, and his shaggy hair was tangled with twigs and thorns.

“Hello. Are you lost?” She said, carefully backing up as she spoke, observant that he stepped closer with every step.

“I’m here. Don’t you recognize me? I’m here.” The man stretched out a hand towards her face, the movement smooth and unthreatening.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t. Are you from the court? Are you from the other world?” Sabina glanced to her right, saw her friends approaching, and saw the shift from carefree friends to young warriors as the men approached.

“It’s me. I came back to save you. I came back to help you. Now we can find our way back again, together.” His eyes were shiny with unshed tears of relief that he had finally found her.

“Why don’t you come back to the village with me? We can get you some food, some clean clothes, and then we can talk.” Sabina slowly reached out a hand for the man, heart pounding in her chest, eyes subtly tracking her friend, Nastasio, as he moved behind the stranger.

“We should leave now, before they trap you again.” He stepped forward to grab her hand, preparing to flee with her into the woods.

Nastasio moved as soon as the stranger’s hand touched his friend, and a quick elbow to the temple sent the man crumpling to the floor.

~*~*~

Be sure to also check out these other tantalizing teasers from the incredible authors in this weeks Indie-licious blog-hop

Why I love Indie - Guest Christie Rich!

Today is our first guest author, Christie Rich, talking about why she goes the Indie route for her fantastic books. With her stunning covers and creative story-lines, she is a great inspiration for anyone who loves to write.

Just who is Christie Rich? Here is a glimpse into the person behind the Elemental Enmity series.


I grew up daydreaming about fairytales, and my love for discovering new worlds has never died. I am not one of those writers who always knew I would write. I thought that was what other people did until one day a few years ago, I took a challenge from a friend and typed my first words. My journey has been wonderful, and I cannot imagine a day where I would ever give up writing. My love for reading is what fueled my imagination in the first place and still does. When I am not writing or reading, I am enjoying family time with my husband and two children. I also dabble in painting but writing has taken over my creative time right now. I hope to get back to it at some point in my life, but I'm not sure when I'll have time for it. My family and I live in a quiet community in Northern Utah, and I am so thankful for the rich life I have been blessed with.

Where you can find Christie:

Website l Blog l Goodreads l Pinterest l Twitter l Facebook

Now, here we go!

1) When did you first begin to write as an Indie-author/self-published author? 

I published my first novel, Five (Elemental Enmity Book I) in August 2011. I just released the final book in the series in January.


2) Why did you decide to go the Indie-author/self-publishing route?

I'd shopped around for agents for a while with my manuscript with a bit of interest and more rejections. For me, my decision came when I found Dean Wesley Smith's blog and started reading "Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing". Mr. Smith opened my eyes to the world of Indie publishing. I had no idea that I could do this all myself, and maybe a few years ago, it would have been harder, but things are opening up for writers. We have more choices than ever before, and I love the control of the product. I love being able to change something from the blurb to the cover if something is not working.


3) What are some advantages to being an Indie-Author/Self-published author? 

As above, control. When I hire an editor, I get to decide if I agree with suggestions for change. When I hire a cover artist, I get to decide when the cover is complete. I've worked with some amazingly talented people who love their work and do a great job. They are just as interested in making the product great as I am. My cover artist, Amber McNemar, of eThink Graphic Solutions has gone above and beyond to make my covers great. She takes pride in her work and it shows. I give her a guideline of what I want and she always blows me away with the finished product.


4) What are some of the disadvantages to being an Indie-Author/Self-Published author?

Control. Everything is my responsibility. If I don't keep things straight, it's my fault. That's the only down side I can think of. There are just so many great things about being an indie writer.


5) What is your best advice to someone who wants to break into the Indie world? 

Do your research. Don't take anyone's advice without checking into things. Make sure you know the difference between a copy editor and a developmental editor and a proofreader before you hire anyone. Realize this is a long process, whether you decide to go indie or traditional. Even if you signed a contract with a trad publisher tomorrow, it would most likely be a year or more before you would ever see your book in print. Realize you can beat this time frame on your own, and produce a product that rivals any trad publisher. Realize you are starting a business and learn all you can about it. It's okay to hire people to help you, but make sure you know what the going rate is and what to expect when you hire someone. At that point they are your employee for services. You are in charge.

~    ~    ~    ~

Thank you for for participating in the Why I Love Indie blog series, Christie! (Now...off to buy some of these books....)

Why I write Indie

Welcome to my first installment in the “Why I write Indie” series. I will be featuring a weekly interview and/or guest blogs with some Indie writers I know, who have some amazing novels.



I am an Indie writer, and self-published, for several reasons. First and foremost, because while writing is my passion, it is not enough (yet?) to pay my bills. Most days I cannot devote more than one hour to my novel creations, due to my lovely 2 hour work commute, 8 hour work day, and then my other full-time job as a toddler wrangler (aka, mom to an almost 2 year old). You can imagine that this schedule would not fly with the traditional publishing needs for quick edits and solid deadlines.

My writing is also very personal to me, and I like having very little hands in the pot, if you will. Over the year that it takes me to write/publish a novel, the characters become like my children, and I cannot imagine handing over control of their lives (aka plot-lines) to someone who doesn’t know the plot for the next book in the series, or the ideas banging around in my head for a 4th book.

Self-publishing allows me to do what I can, when I can. Yes, in some ways it is much more difficult since I have no marketing team other than myself, but I can deal with that. I am able to schedule events for when it fits my family’s schedule, and go past a self-imposed deadline without huge fall-backs. I am able to meet an incredible array of people who help me to create covers, bookmarks, web banners, and all the things I don’t have the talent to achieve. Until I started researching the Indie world, I had no idea about the incredibly talented men and women who work in the Indie world.

It’s not laziness, but simply accepting the reality of my life, and being able to merge my life as an author with my life as a computer tech, wife, and mom.