Thursday, November 27, 2014

Holiday Sales!

First of all, happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I am incredibly thankful for all my old writing friends and readers who have followed me since back in my Molly Evangeline days as well as the amazing people I’ve met and heard from since the publication of Resistance. It’s been an amazing few months being an author and seeing how the interest in Ilyon Chronicles has grown.
Now, if you’ve known me for a while, you probably know this is not my favorite time of year. I hate the cold. I’m the type of person who would have a winter home down south (or somewhere on a Caribbean beach) if I could.
 
Still, the holidays are exciting. And while material things are definitely not the most important things in life, all the sales going on at this time of the year are fun. Especially if you’ve been waiting and hoping to get certain items when they’re more affordable. To add to the fun holiday sales, I’m offering two of my own and have joined up with several other authors offering their books for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. First of all, from today until Monday, December 1st, you can get the Kindle version of Resistance for only 99 cents! This is the lowest price I’ve had on the book so far. So if you haven’t read it yet, now is the perfect time to check it out in preparation for the upcoming release of The King’s Scrolls!
 
I’m also offering free U.S. shipping on everything in my Etsy store from now until Christmas. I have a bunch of writer themed jewelry that made very popular gifts at this time last year. So come check it out! Just click on the banners below to see my sales and make sure to look through the list of all the other great books! And be sure to share with your friends!

Click to see the sale!

Click to see the sale!

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Kendra E. Ardnek
The Ankuluen: Cyber Monday
Saffron's Big Plan and Other Stories: Cyber Monday
Do You Take This Quest?: Cyber Monday

Faith Blum
A Mighty Fortress: Black Friday [V4Y5K36D -- 10%] and Cyber Monday)
Be Thou My Vision: Black Friday [7626YZAK -- 20%] and Cyber Monday

Sarah Brown
The Prodigal Pup: Black Friday and Cyber Monday [SB14CP31 -- 25%]
Learning Lessons from Furry Friends: Black Friday and Cyber Monday [SB14CP31 -- 25%]

Kelsey Bryant
Family Reunion: Black Friday [YFY84GHU -- 20%]

Elizabeth Ender
Ransomed: Black Friday [GNE6VUXY -- 30%]

J.J. Francesco
Blood Chain: Cyber Monday

Julie Gilbert
Nadia's Tears: Cyber Monday

Leah Good
Counted Worthy: Black Friday [K7CVNEER -- 40%] and Cyber Monday

Melody Grubb
The Land of Calais: Black Friday and Cyber Monday
The Warmth of His Eyes: Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Send Me, Lord Jesus: Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Rachel Heffington
Anon, Sir, Anon: Black Friday [9MTYHSX3 -- 25%] and Cyber Monday

Rebekah Jones
Journeys of Four: Cyber Monday
Grandmother's Letters: Cyber Monday
A Year with the Potters: Cyber Monday

Jaye L. Knight
Resistance: Black Friday [Q45HN6G9 -- 25%] and Cyber Monday

Tina M. Neely
Diamond Hair Princess: Black Friday

Joel A. Parisi
Shadow Play: Cyber Monday

J. Grace Pennington
Radialloy: Black Friday [Y2XHGYDN -- 25%] and Cyber Monday
In His Image: Black Friday [KXNZ7PYN -- 25%] and Cyber Monday
Machiavellian: Black Friday [UFXGUYMM -- 25%] and Cyber Monday

Jennifer Sauer
Why Rodney Never Should've Gone to the NAPIC: Black Friday [F76DDR7S -- 45%] and Cyber Monday

Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer
Touch My Tears: Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Third Side of the Coin: Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Cara Simmons
The Haven: Black Friday and Cyber Monday
The Leviathan: Black Friday and Cyber Monday
The Champion: Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Jordan Smith
Finding the Core of Your Story: Black Friday [NL4NJXWS -- 30%]

Rachel Starr Thomson
Reap the Whirlwind: Cyber Monday
Lady Moon: Cyber Monday
Angel in the Woods: Cyber Monday

Therese Heckenkamp
Past Suspicion: Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Frozen Footprints: Black Friday

Melika Dannese Lux
City of Lights: Black Friday [FNB98MY6 -- 35%] and Cyber Monday
Corcitura: Black Friday [GU46WHKT -- 55%] and Cyber Monday

T.R. Lykins
Last Heartbeat: Black Friday and Cyber Monday
The Life Gift: Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Melanie D. Snitker
Calming the Storm: Cyber Monday

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Introducing New Sewing Themed Jewelry!

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I’ve spent a lot of time over the year crafting fun writer and book themed jewelry, which has been very popular. Then, the other day, I was looking at supplies and came across some adorable sewing themed charms. Since I’ve been doing a lot of sewing lately, it occurred to me that sewing themed jewelry might be just as popular as writer themed jewelry. So I have now added an entirely new section to my Etsy shop with the jewelry you see above! All the pieces are customizable with your choice of bead color. Which is your favorite piece? My personal favorites are the thimble and Singer sewing machine necklaces. :) I only have one of each necklace at the moment. I’m going to see which ones turn out to be the most popular before I put in bulk orders. So if you see one you especially like, you might want to snatch it up. ;)

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

How a Star Falls Blog Tour + Giveaway!

Today I am taking part in another great blog tour! You may remember in August I was part of the cover reveal for How a Star Falls. Well, now the novella has been released! And it is a wonderful story! I’ll share my review in a moment, but first a little about the book. Also, don’t forget to visit the rest of the blogs on the tour!













About the Book

Sweet NA Contemporary Romance Novella

How does a star fall?

Quickly. Completely. Unexpectedly.

Derrick Knolane escapes to Trinidad Head most evenings, avoiding his apartment and planning for the day he'll break free of Humboldt County. Working in a music store might be fine for a while, but it's far from the goal he had in mind when he got his college degree. Not to mention the fact that his roommate is a jerk and his family won't stop trying to run his life.

Then Brielle falls into his world.

She claims to be a star. Not from Hollywood, but from heaven. He thinks she's crazy. Certainly delusional. Yet, he can't just leave her alone on the cliffs. So he takes her home.

And his whole world falls apart.

A heartfelt and fanciful contemporary romance novella, How a Star Falls explores the uncertain season of new adulthood and shows that sometimes the worst inconveniences make for the best miracles of all.


My Review: 5 Stars
I almost never read contemporary fiction. It just doesn’t interest me the way fantasy or historical do, but I was intrigued by the premise and mystery of Amber’s story. Once I started, it drew me right in, and I read the whole thing in one sitting. It is wonderfully written, and the romance is adorable. I loved that it was written almost all from the guy’s point-of-view. Derrick was a great character, and Amber did a great job fleshing him out. She also perfectly captured how, when you reach adulthood, things don’t always turn out the way you dreamed when you were young, but it can still lead to a bright and even better future. I highly recommend How a Star Falls. It’s both cute and real. I wish there was more clean new adult fiction like this. Don’t miss out on reading this lovely little story!

Endorsements
"Perfect for when you want a whimsical, heartwarming read, How a Star Falls is more than an inspirational romance...it's a wink and a smile." - Joanne Bischof, award winning author of This Quiet Sky

"Amber Stokes has perfectly expressed the challenges of twenty-something life in her sweet contemporary new adult novella, How a Star Falls. Brielle and Derrick's journey reminds us all of the search to find ourselves in the midst of young adulthood. Their story is charming and wistful with emotions we can all relate to experiencing at some point in our lives. It is a tale about letting go in order to find yourself once again while never losing the importance of who you are...and who you can be." - Cerella Sechrist, author of Gentle Persuasion and The Paris Connection

Author Bio
Amber Stokes works as a content writer (marketing services) for a Christian publisher. On the side, she self-publishes inspirational fiction depicting the seasons of life and love. Her passion for books compelled her to earn a bachelor's degree in English and to run her own freelance editing and publicity business for over a year. Happily, this new chapter of her career takes place in the Pacific Northwest—a part of the world she's always considered home. Learn more about Amber’s books at www.SeasonsofaStory.blogspot.com.


Social Media
Twitter: @SeasonsHumility
Blog: www.seasonsofhumility.blogspot.com
Website: www.seasonsofastory.blogspot.com
Pinterest: pinterest.com/seasonshumility
Goodreads: Amber Stokes
Google +: +AmberStokes

Giveaway
Share in the excitement of Amber’s new release with a special starry giveaway! You can enter to win one of three prize packs using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to U.S. residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, November 14, 2014

The King’s Scrolls Cover Reveal + Giveaway!

The day has arrived! Allow me to present to you the cover of
The King’s Scrolls (Ilyon Chronicles – Book Two)!

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000040_00026]
I am absolutely ecstatic to be at this point in publishing again where I get to show you the next book in Ilyon Chronicles! As you can see, if follows Resistance in being simple, bold, and hopefully capturing the overall theme of the story. Here with the cover, I also have the official back cover text (though it may be subject to some slight tweaking between now and publication), as well as an excerpt from the book!

About the Book
Following the harrowing events that brought them to Landale Forest, Jace and Kyrin have settled comfortably into their new lives and the mission of protecting those under the emperor’s persecution. The fast approach of winter brings with it the anticipation of a quiet few months ahead. That is until the arrival of four mysterious, dragon-riding cretes who seek aid in a mission of great importance—not only to their own people, but to all followers of Elôm.

Hidden in the vast mining valley north of Valcré, a faithful crete has spent years sharing his knowledge with the destitute miners and their families and is known to possess what may be Arcacia’s last surviving copies of the King’s Scrolls—the Word of Elôm. Joining the cretes, those in Landale must find the crete teacher and bring him to safety, but it is a race against time. Should Daican’s men find him first, execution and the destruction of the Scrolls is certain.

When disaster strikes, all seems lost. Could Elôm have a plan even in the enemy’s triumph?



Excerpt
     The other younger crete took a swig of his coffee and set his eyes past her. Kyrin peeked over her shoulder at Kaden who, of course, was staring at the dragon. The female creature stared back in mutual interest.
     “Go ahead,” the crete said suddenly. “You can touch her. She loves attention, and she’ll only attack if I tell her to.” A sly glint sparkled in his spring-green eyes.
     Besides Jace, Kyrin had never seen anyone with such bright and colorful eyes as these cretes.
     Kaden looked at him, his brows rising. “You can do that?”
     The crete nodded. “Dragons are highly intelligent. You can teach them almost any command. Storm here is young, but she learns fast.”
     Kyrin smiled at the delight in her brother’s eyes as he stepped closer to the dragon and ran his hand over her bluish-gray neck scales. A grin split his face.
     “She’s so smooth. Kyrin, come and feel it.”
     Kyrin stepped to his side and laid her hand on the dragon. The scales were indeed very smooth, reminding her of the polished marble stair-railings in Auréa Palace, but they weren’t cold. Warmth radiated through them. The dragon, still watching them, let out a little rumble, almost like a giant cat’s purr.
     “I told you she liked attention,” the crete said, grinning.
     Kyrin chuckled and glanced at Jace to see if he wanted to touch the dragon, but he made no move to come closer. This certainly had more to do with the crete than the dragon. He was very fond of any type of animal. She faced the crete again.
     “So they can breathe fire?”
     “For short bursts, but that’s usually all it takes to deter any threat.”
     “That’s incredible,” Kaden breathed.
     While he continued admiring Storm, Kyrin observed the dragon’s rider. He appeared to be in his early to mid-twenties—about ten years younger than Captain Darq—though his exact age was impossible to guess. Cretes were said to mature faster than humans, so he could be anywhere from seventeen to twenty-five. He too wore a sleeveless jerkin. Brown tattoos, a little darker than his skin, marked both shoulders. Darq and the other cretes had them as well, but Kyrin hadn’t taken a good look at them until now. This man’s were a complicated pattern of spirals and dots, but the shape of a fox stood out in the center of his right shoulder.
     Though she tried to be discreet, he must have caught her studying him and suddenly extended his hand to her. “I’m Talas, by the way. Talas Folkan of the Fox Clan.”

Giveaway
QuillNecklaceTo celebrate the revealing of the cover, I’m giving away one of my handcrafted quill pen necklaces (which is so perfect in matching the cover!) and a $5 Amazon gift card! Enter for a chance to win using the form below! U.S. entries only please.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Make sure you visit all these awesome blogs who have participated in my cover reveal and see what they are saying about it!

Monday, November 10, 2014

Golden Daughter Release Day

SeriesAd

Today marks the release of Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s newest novel, Golden Daughter! And as part of the celebration, she is offering a special 99 cent promo sale on her novella, Goddess Tithe! Be sure to check it out before the end of the week when the sale ends! Here is a bit about the stories.

eBookPromo

Golden Daughter: Sairu vowed to protect her mistress from all harm. But when assassins and deadly phantoms set out to hunt down Lady Hariawan, can one young bodyguard protect against enemies she can neither see nor touch? With only a Faerie cat and a handsome slave to help her, Sairu's skills and loyalty will be tested to the limit.

Goddess Tithe: When a stowaway is discovered aboard the merchant ship Kulap Kanya, Munny, a cabin boy on his first voyage, knows what must be done. All stowaways are sacrificed to Risafeth, the evil goddess of the sea. But Captain Sunan vows instead to protect the stowaway . . . and a curse falls upon the ship

Monday, November 3, 2014

Becoming Nikki Cover Reveal

Becoming Nikki Cover 8 Front

And today I bring you yet another cover reveal! (I’m meeting so many new authors this year! :D) Check out this lovely cover of Becoming Nikki by soon-to-be published author Ashley Elliott! Becoming Nikki is her debut novel. It is contemporary Christian fiction and will be published on December 8th (and will include a fun blog tour, of which I will also take part in). While I don’t read a whole lot of contemporary fiction, the story sounds great. Here is the synopsis:

What would you do if you were given the opportunity to rebuild a broken relationship?

Alec and Nikki Scott are the perfect ice dancing duo, executing flawless technique and brilliant performance abilities each time they compete. No one doubts their camaraderie, not even their closest friends.

But looks can be deceiving. Off the ice, their relationship is in shambles. Ice dancing is the only thing they have in common anymore... and Alec wants to quit.

Just as Nikki feels like their relationship can't get any worse, an unexpected tragedy crashes into her life. She's left struggling with a difficult choice as her opinion of her brother slowly starts to change.

Whatever she decides, she knows her life will never be the same.

Interesting, yes? :) You can find out more about Ashley on her blog. And make sure you add Becoming Nikki on Goodreads!

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