Wednesday, February 25, 2015

The King’s Scrolls Blog Tour—Conclusion

BlogTour-TKS2What a week it has been! Thank you to everyone who made this my biggest and best book release ever! There were so many fun and exciting moments. For one thing, The King’s Scrolls hit #1 in Christian Fantasy on Amazon after the first day of release!

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And then, on Thursday, I woke up to discover that Resistance was #1 in at least 3 categories, even beating out Left Behind! :D

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It has been at #1 in Christian Fantasy ever since then, which is really cool. Again, a huge thank you to everyone who helped make it happen. It would have been a pretty boring release week without you. If you haven’t started the adventure yet, you can find Resistance and The King’s Scrolls on Amazon for both Kindle and paperback. And if you missed the tour, here’s a recap.

Reviews

“Let me just sit here wordlessly and think about the thrilling adventure I just finished.” ~ Shantelle at A Writer’s Heart

“A bittersweet story that is quintessentially satisfying, which will ignite a spark of hope in any reader’s heart.” ~ Miranda at To Be A Person

“This book took me on an emotional roller-coaster that took me some time to recover from … in a good way.” ~ Sara at The Destiny of One

“Jaye has outdone herself with this book; I loved Resistance, but TKS is my new favorite.” ~ Meagan at Crumpets 'n' Cream

“I could not put it down from the minute I got it to the minute I read the last sentence.” ~ Morgan at Spreading the Word

“A beautiful book that brings glory to God, I would definitely recommend this to Christian Fantasy lovers.” ~ Athelas at Red Lettering

“There’s only a few books I get excited enough about to post about multiple times. But this is definitely one of the top of my list.” ~ Erika at Written Rest

“After loving Resistance, I found that The King’s Scrolls was just as fantastic.” ~ Emily at Zerina Blossom

“It has everything that I loved about Resistance. The strong message of faith, the exciting plot, the setting reminiscent of the Roman Empire, and the characters who wormed their way into my heart.” ~ Ghost Ryter at Anything, Everything

“The characters in this book were amazing, both the ones that we already knew from the first book, and the new faces.” ~ Kendra at O. Scarlett! Reviews

“After loving Resistance, I found that The King’s Scrolls was just as fantastic.” ~ Emily at Zerina Blossom

“This book challenged me (Jon) to think about what my reaction would be if the US follows (or continues to follow) the same course.” ~ Jonathan at Leah’s Bookshelf

“This series has quickly become some of my favourite fantasy books I have ever read.” ~ Alyssa at The American Anglophile

“This book is the reason why Hollywood created special effects. The story is screaming for the big screen.” ~ Vic at Vic's Media Room

“I was amazed how all of the shocking plot twists in this book worked together seamlessly to strengthen the plot in the end.” ~ Tialla at Tialla’s Tellings

“Get this book. Now. It is amazing and well worth the  money. As soon as autographed copies are available, I plan to order mine to add to my bookshelf next to Resistance. Even if you don’t usually like Fantasy (like me) you should at least try Jaye’s series.” ~ Faith at Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections

“Even in the bleakest moments the characters’ faith in God weaves threads of hope through the story. Amazing Christian fantasy! Highly recommended!” ~ Claire at Claire M. Banschbach- Thoughts and Rants

“It’s an excellent new book from a promising young author.” ~ David at Reality Calling

“The storytelling was fantastic and beautiful as always, and along with all the adventures of the recurring characters, I really loved reading about Timothy and Aaron's story.” ~ Melody at Melody Jackson, Author

“Kyrin and Jace are great characters and the Knight has done an awesome job of building their back stories.” ~ Rebekah at Backing Books

“Seriously, every book I've read by Jaye/Molly has been better than her previous book.” ~ Morgan at Shire Reviews

“The King's Scrolls is a fabulous sequel to my favorite book in the world,Resistance.” ~ Alea at Elvish Pens, Fantastical Writings

“New characters, new tests, new adventures, and dragons! A book doesn’t get better than this!” ~ Tricia at The Pen of a Ready Writer

“The characters are very fleshed out and feel like someone you’ve known forever.” ~ Jodi Woody at Musings of a Middle Age Author

Author Interviews

Character Interviews

Character Spotlights

Book Spotlights

One Servant's Heart

Character Q&A Sessions

Giveaway Winner!

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The winner of the TKS Winter Prize Pack choosen randomly by Rafflecopter is . . . Gillian Bronte Adams! Congratulations, Gillian! I’ve sent you an email to get your address so I can ship your prize.

And for everyone who didn’t win this giveaway, you can still enter to win one of 3 autographed copies of TKS over at Goodreads!

The end of one journey, but the beginning of another.

Now that The King’s Scrolls is finished and out there for the world to discover, it feels like the end of a journey for me. However, it is only the beginning of a new journey as I look ahead to preparing book three for its release. What better way to end this blog tour than to officially announce the book’s title? Some of you know it already since I put it at the end of The King’s Scrolls, but here is my official announcement and temporary cover. Ilyon Chronicles – Book Three is called . . .

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When an imminent threat rises against the country of Samara, those in Landale must face two desperate struggles—one on the walls of Samara’s mighty stronghold and the other on the battlefield of Jace’s heart where victory might only be achievable through great sacrifice.

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I am incredibly excited to share this book. It answers many of the questions I get most often. It’s a big turning point in the series. While I don’t have a release date for it, I would very much like to release it yet this year. But only time will tell. It all depends on how editing goes. Your prayers as I soon start the editing process are very much appreciated. I have one more thing to leave you with as I end this tour and look ahead to the next book. This song, On My Own by Ashes Remain, was my number one source of inspiration while I was writing Samara’s Peril. If the book were ever made into a movie and then had a music video, this would be the song I’d want for it. It fits the story perfectly.

Saturday, February 21, 2015

The Wildcat of Braeton—Cover Reveal

Today I’m taking a step away from my own blog tour to be part of the cover reveal for Claire Banschbach’s upcoming book, The Wildcat of Braeton!

WoB Cover

About the Book

“If you’re fighting our battle, we’d best make you look like a champion,” Tam said to Aiden. Tam and Blair began to apply the war paint the Clans had worn into battle since before they arrived in Braeton.

“You ready?” Tam asked when they finished.

“As I’ll ever be,” Aiden replied. “Tam, if everything goes wrong, you take charge after me.”

“I’m praying nothing goes wrong,” Tam said. “Just remember what Diarmad said when he built this place: ‘In times of trouble, a Champion shall rise up and Scodra shall not fall.’”

His term of service to Lord Rishdah now complete, Aiden returns to his home in Braeton. As he travels he hears rumors that trouble plagues Braeton. Clan Canich is being attacked from within. He arrives, determined to save his father, his brothers, and his Clan from the treachery of one man.

A year has passed since the Calorins were driven from Aredor and Corin is struggling to rebuild his country. Despite the peace, a fear haunts him that the Calorins aren’t far away. The Hawk Flight takes to the forest again to defend the borders against a possible attack from the neighboring country of Durna and its Calorin ally.

As Aiden and Corin struggle to adapt to their new lives they know one thing for certain - war is coming to the North!

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Sounds cool, right? I haven’t had a chance to read any of Claire’s books, but they are definitely on my reading list. Make sure to add them to yours!

About the Author

Claire Banschbach was born and raised in Midland, TX, the fourth of eight children. She was homeschooled through high school and is now a proud member of the Texas A&M University class of 2014. An avid reader of Lord of the Rings, Narnia, and many other adventure novels, Claire was prompted to begin writing her own fantasy novel at seventeen after several years of daydreaming. She continues to write in her spare time (and often when she doesn’t have spare time). When not scratching out stories and homework with pen and pencil, Claire partakes in the joys of watching the Boston Red Sox, Aggie football, playing volleyball, and horseback riding. She hopes her faith and strong foundation in God will continue to help guide her writing. She is currently working on her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the Texas Tech University Health Science Center.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

The King’s Scrolls Has Arrived!

*throws ginormous amounts of snowflake-shaped confetti in the air* It’s here! :D The official release day has finally arrived! It seems to have come so quickly, yet took forever at the same time. I am so excited to share the next installment of Ilyon Chronicles with everyone. I can’t believe I now have two books of the series out. I still remember wondering when I’d be ready to publish Resistance. Below you can find the purchase links for TKS, but don’t stop there! Keep reading. I have lots planned to celebrate the release for the next week!

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If you haven’t had a chance to enter the world of Ilyon yet, you’re in luck! For the next seven days, Resistance (Book 1) will be available on sale for only 99 cents for Kindle! Just click on the banner to go to the Amazon page.

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For those of you who have been following me for a while, you may remember the awesome blog tour last May to celebrate the release of Resistance. Well, it’s happening again for The King’s Scrolls! There is an epic number of over 30 stops on the tour involving interviews, character spotlights, reviews, and Q&A sessions between me and my characters that you won’t want to miss! Check out the schedule below and join in on the fun.

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Tuesday, February 17
Wednesday, February 18
Thursday, February 19

Friday, February 20
Saturday, February 21
Sunday, February 22

Monday, February 23
Tuesday, February 24

Wednesday, February 25

But wait, there’s more! (And yes, I totally had an infomercial advertiser’s voice in my head when I wrote that.) I’ve also put together a giveaway that I’m very excited about. So make sure you sign up using the form below. I’m also giving away 3 autographed copies of TKS over at Goodreads where you might want to enter as well! Thanks so much for celebrating and sharing in the excitement of this release with me!

Giveaway
TKSPrizePack

Enter to win a themed Epic Winter giveaway! Prize pack includes an autographed copy of The King’s Scrolls, a CD by Future World Music (some of my favorite writing music), a dragon bookmark, a stone hawk pendant (much like the ones mentioned in the book), and a few packages of Twining’s Winter Spice tea to sip while you read! (Giveaway is open to US residents only. Cannot be shipped internationally.)



Saturday, February 14, 2015

My Kingdom for a Quest—Blog Tour

Happy Valentine’s Day! Or perhaps not, if you’re single. :P Which I am, but instead of being too cut up over it, I’m here with a special blog tour post! ;) (Cool swords and adventure novels are even better than chocolate anyway . . . most of the time.) Turns out The King’s Scrolls is sort of sharing a release week with a new release from my author friend, Kendra K. Ardnek! So allow me to introduce you to My Kingdom for a Quest (The Bookania Quests Book 3), which releases today! As part of the tour, I’m also sharing a fun interview with Kendra!

My Kingdom Cover front image (4)

About the Book

Arthur is the rightful king of Briton, but his Uncle Mordreth refuses to give up the regency.   Arthur and Grandfather are now returning with allies to wrestle the kingdom from his uncle's grasp.  But not all is as it seems among his allies, and everyone has secrets.  New loves, old loves, lost loves, kingdoms conquered and kingdoms stolen. Who is the real "rightful heir" and will the nearly forgotten sword in the stone finally answer this question?

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Interview

1. What inspired you to write The Bookania Quests?

I’ve always loved Fairy Tales, I’ve been rewriting them since I was introduced to them, but they’d fallen to the back burner for a few years while I was working on other projects. One day, when I was fifteen, my mother suggested I write sequels to various fairy tale, and despite the fact that my WIP list was already staggering (including, but not limited to, two seven-book series, two trilogies, and a half-dozen standalones), I was all gung-ho and let’s start with Sleeping Beauty. Except … I couldn’t get the Sleeping Beauty story to go anywhere.

A few weeks later, I was folding laundry, fairy tales on my mind, when I had a brilliant idea for a character – a girl who, due to the mistake of a fairy godmother, had the gift of best swordsman in the world. Not wanting to add yet another book to my list of WIPs, I decided to add her to the Sleeping Beauty story. She proceeded to take over and mold the entire series around her.

2. Which of your characters would you most love to spend the day with?

A character who likes me, that’s for certain. In that case, it’s a toss-up between Maryanne and Laura. Maryanne is a multi-linguist, questing expert, and owner of two mythical pets (one of them a dragon). Laura is capable of creating and controlling doors between worlds. I’m looking forward to releasing their books within the next few years.

3. Creating and working with characters is my favorite part of writing. What is yours?

Characters are fun … but I think I enjoy world-building a little bit more. I have created several worlds, all different and completely interesting. I love getting into the nitty-gritty logistics of a world. Bookania exists within a book, with a repeating history that is interesting to work with. Rizkaland (which will be debuting later this year) is a cylindrical world with rainbow water. Dialcia (In a book I’m coauthoring with Miss Jack Lewis Baillot), exists within an inverted sphere where light controls gravity.

Possibilities are endless when you world-build. I love exploring all of those possibilities.

4. I love it when I can find just the right “casting” choice for my characters because it helps clarify them in my mind. Do you have any casting choices for your characters? If so, who are some of the main ones?

Thanks to Pinterest, I have a few.

I’d like the guy who plays Eregon for Arthur. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/94646029644247352/

The girl who plays Denyrs (or something like that) from Game of Thrones for Shira. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/94646029640277621/

And this girl from Vampire Diaries for Joan. (Joan is a minor character in this particular book … but I do have someone cast for her, so I’m including her) http://www.pinterest.com/pin/94646029640388946/

I haven’t seen any of these movies/TV shows, but that’s beside the point.

That’s about all of the characters I have cast specifically … though if I could get Rosamund Pike for Rosamond, I think that’d be neat.

5. For me, actually getting my stories written is the hardest part of writing. Planning, rewriting, and editing are much easier. What is your least favorite or hardest part of the writing process?

I’m going to agree with you and say the first draft. I know a lot of people like them for the freedom they give, but they’re just so intimidating! I much prefer the freedom of the blazed path in draft 2.

6. Can you tell us a little about your current work in progress or what’s next for your writing and publishing plans?

My currently writing list contains an average of ten to twelve books on it at any given time. Currently, it includes, though isn’t limited to: Book 3.5 and 4 of the Bookania Quests, the second book of my Rizkaland Legends (fifth draft – this was the story that taught me how to write), the first two books of my Super Hero Boarding School Dystopic trilogy, and the book that I’m coauthoring with Jack (the one set in the inverted sphere world). So, lots of interesting stuff on my plate.

However, for publishing plans, which are far more certain and concrete, I intend to release the first book of the Rizkaland Legends at the end of August. I’m really excited about this, I’d planned for the book to be my debut (didn’t happen, obviously), as it is, it will be my seventh book. This is the story of two teens who are thrust into another world, declared its prophesied heroes and rightful rulers, and forced to work together. It was such a fun book to write, I adore the world and the characters, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.

If I can get book 3.5 written, as well as a few extra short stories, I also hope to release a Bookania collection around Christmas time.

7. What hobbies do you have outside of writing?

Despite popular belief among my characters, I do have a life beyond meddling with theirs. I read, knit, crochet, run around the yard like a crazy person, cook spaghetti (and other food when my family demands it), pretend I’m an artist, organize my bookshelves, collect giraffe and nutcracker figurines, and put together 500 piece puzzles.

8. What are some of your favorite books?

The Chronicles of Narnia, The Space Trilogy, and The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis.

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Ella Enchanted and The Princess Collection by Gail Carson Levine

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Pride and Prejudice and Emma by Jane Austen

Dragons in our Midst and Oracles of Fire by Bryan Davis

Tales of Goldstone Woods by Anne Elizabeth Stengl

And, of course, your own Ilyon Chronicles and Makilien Trilogy.

The list could go on, but you said some. I'll stop there.

9. What are three random facts about you that most people probably wouldn’t know?

Um … 3 facts. Let's see …

-I have a scar on my throat from when a hot water tank attacked me when I was seven.

-And a scar on my leg from when I stabbed myself with a pencil the year before.

-I should probably get off the subject of scars. Let's see … Despite the fact that we never watched the shows as kids, my sister and I collected My Little Ponies (Generation 3). Since we didn't see the show, we made up our own stories about them, adding in all sorts of other figurines, both horse and not. We had quite a complicated society …

10. And finally, what advice would you give other authors seeking to publish?

Edit, rewrite, and then edit again. Competition is fierce these days, and whether you go traditional or indie, make sure your story is polished to the best of your ability, then find a GOOD critique group, and have them look it over. If you feel it's necessary, hire an editor. Refuse to have mediocre writing.

About the Author

100_1992Kendra E. Ardnek loves fairy tales and twisting them in new and exciting ways.  She's been practicing her skills on her dozen plus cousins and siblings for years, "Finish your story, Kendra", is frequently heard at family gatherings.  Her sole life goal has always been to grow up and be an author of fantasy and children's tales that also glorify God and his Word. You can read more about her on her blog,knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com.

To celebrate the tour, Kendra is sharing the following books for free for Kindle! Make sure to check them out!

Sew, It's a Quest (The Bookania Quests Book 1)
The Woodcutter Quince and Other Stories
The Ankulen

Click here to visit Kendra’s blog and see the rest of the stops on the tour!

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Get an autographed eBook!

Firstly, guess what?! Only one week left until the release of The King’s Scrolls and the start of the blog tour. *flails* I can’t believe it’s almost here! It came so quickly!! But I guess that’s what happens when you’re super busy—time flies.

Anyway, the whole point of this post. Have you ever wanted one of my books autographed but only have the Kindle copy? Well, good news! I’ve signed up with Authorgraph, which is a website where you can request an autograph for your ebooks! :D It’s pretty cool. So if you want an autograph for Resistance or The King’s Scrolls when it comes out, just use the widget below to go and make your request! Isn’t technology amazing these days? Oh yeah, and it’s completely free. :)

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Where Trains Collide Cover Reveal + Giveaway!

Today I bring you a new cover reveal, which are always so much fun! So allow me to present the cover of Amber Stokes’ upcoming new adult novella, Where Trains Collide!

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Oh my goodness, isn’t it gorgeous? I love the softness and the cover. This just might be my favorite cover of all of Amber’s books. Now I can hardly wait to read it. Here’s more about the story.

About the Book

New Adult Contemporary Romance Novella

Two hearts racing in different directions will meet where trains collide.

Burned out and disillusioned with her chosen career path, Trisha Knolane gives in to impulse and hops on a train bound for Oregon, eager to escape the stress of college for a few days. But what begins as a fun little adventure suddenly collapses into a nightmare when she discovers that her ex-boyfriend is also on board.

All her hopes and dreams had once centered on Paul Benson. Now, when Trisha doesn't know where her current track will lead, Paul’s questions only complicate matters and spark a few of her own.

Questions that could change the course of her life.

A heartfelt and thought-provoking contemporary romance novella, Where Trains Collide faces the uncertain season of new adulthood head-on and shows that sometimes a path of broken dreams can lead to life's best destination.

Coming April 2015

Add to Goodreads

About the Author

Amber Stokes Author PicAmber Stokes works in marketing for a Christian publisher. On the side, she writes 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. The next step in her career has her happily settled in the Pacific Northwest—a part of the world she's always considered home. Learn more about her indie-author adventure at www.seasonsofastory.blogspot.com.

About the Cover Designer

Lena GoldfinchLena Goldfinch writes romance and fantasy for adults and teens. She’s a sucker for a good old-fashioned romance, whether it’s a novel, novella, or short story, young adult or adult, fantasy or realistic, contemporary or historical. Elements of romance, fantasy, and mystery have a way of creeping into her writing, even when she's writing historicals or something light and contemporary. Lena has been a finalist in several national writing contests, including the RWA Golden Heart and ACFW Genesis contests. She lives in a scenic small town in Massachusetts with her husband, two kids, and a very spoiled Black Lab. Visit Lena at www.LenaGoldfinch.blogspot.com.

Giveaway!

Autumn Earrings - Belle on a Budget

Fall in love with gorgeous autumn earrings by Belle on a Budget (perfect to set aside as a gift for yourself or a friend later on!) and treat yourself now to a little something on Amazon.com with a $5 gift card. This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only, and you can enter using the Rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway