T.C. Mckee

Monday, March 23, 2015

Cover Reveal for Sweet Madness

SWEET MADNESS

Coming September 18, 2015 from Merit Press

Lizzie Borden took an axe,

And gave her mother forty whacks.

When she saw what she had done,

She gave her father forty one.

BLURB:

Who was Lizzie Borden? A confused young woman, or a cold-hearted killer? For generations, people all over the world have wondered how Andrew Borden and his second wife, Abby, met their gruesome deaths. Lizzie, Andrew’s younger daughter, was charged, but a jury took only 90 minutes to find her not guilty. In this retelling, the family maid, Bridget Sullivan, shines a compassionate light on a young woman oppressed by her cheap father and her ambitious stepmother. Was Lizzie mad, or was she driven to madness?

Mark it to read on Goodreads

Preorder Sweet Madness:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Trisha Leaver lives on Cape Cod with her husband, three children, and one rather irreverent black lab. She is a chronic daydreamer who prefers the cozy confines of her own imagination to the mundane routine of everyday life. She writes Young Adult Contemporary fiction, Psychological Horror and Science Fiction and is published with FSG/ Macmillan, Flux/Llewellyn and Merit Press. To learn more about Trisha’s books, upcoming shenanigans, and her quest to reel in the perfect tuna, please visit her website: www.trishaleaver.com

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Lindsay Currie lives in Chicago with her three awesome children, husband, and a one hundred and sixty pound lap dog named Sam. She has an unnatural fondness for coffee, chocolate and things that go bump in the night. She spends her days curled up in the comfortable confines of her writing nook, penning young adult psychological horror, contemporary fiction and science-fiction and is published with Flux/Llewellyn, Merit Press and Spencer Hill Contemporary. Learn more about her at www.lindsaycurrie.com

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To celebrate, we are giving away four AMAZING books from our publisher Merit Press.

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Wednesday, March 4, 2015

An Interview with S. Usher Evans

*Waves* Hi there, I'm S. Usher Evans, author of the Razia series, and taking over Tammy’s blog today. Don't worry, she'll get it back.

Maybe.

I'm here promoting my new book Alliances, the second book in the Razia series, which is available for pre-order on Amazon Kindle. Book 1, Double Life, is out and is abso-toot-ly free. (Obvs, you should read that first…)

The Razia series is about a woman dealing with a lot of inner demons while trying to balance lives as a scientist and space pirate bounty hunter. In Double Life, she comes to understand that she has to accept both sides of herself in order to be happy. Alliances is all about trust and friendship between Lyssa and another very strong-willed woman. In the spirit of their friendship, I've swapped blogs with Tammy for the day (be sure to check out her post here). But before you do, stick around for my author interview:

Fill in the blank: If you like ________, you'll love my book.
If you're a fan of Joss Whedon, specifically Firefly (my new favorite show) or Buffy, you'll totally dig this series.

Why did you choose to go indie?
I decided to go independent initially because I just wanted to publish something. I realized about halfway through the process that I was enjoying it immensely, and that I was able to use my day job skills as a consultant and really do it right. Two months after I published Double Life, I set up a publishing company, Sun's Golden Ray Publishing, LLC, which I now use to publish all of my work.

What's the worst part about being an indie author?
Screaming in a vacuum that is social media, and having to be patient.

Twitter is a vacuum, and most of the time, I'm tweeting (screaming) into it and I feel like no one hears me (or if they do, they don't process it). It's very frustrating to put forth all of this effort and to not see a return on the investment.

The patience thing is more about being measured in responses and sticking to timelines. I'm a mega-uber planner, so every book release or event has a vision, goals, and objectives, a detailed timeline of activities to be completed, from the writing of the book, to the cover design, to when I'm going to write the blogs associated with the release.

But that doesn't mean I don't have the strong urge to release everything all at once.

Coupled with the frustration mentioned above, I have to remember to stick to the plan, because the plan is working.

What's the best part about being an indie author?
All of those plans I mentioned above? I get to plan them. And I don't have to ask for approval.

What is the hardest part about publishing (to include writing, editing, marketing, branding, etc)
FOR
MAT
TING

In the Razia books, there are pirate tables. You do not know the pain in my ass that is formatting tables for Print.

And multiply that by 10,000,000 for Smashwords.

What's your opinion on bad reviews?
1-2 star reviews happen, but this is generally my standpoint

Where do you see the publishing industry going in the future?
I don't knock anyone who opted to go traditional publishing, but I think the model will have to change. Traditional publishers don't have the money to continue supporting unknown authors (back to that return on investment idea), and so I think you will see them lean more heavily on the indie author market, those with a proven track record of understanding not only how to write, but the market they're writing in.

I think the indie market rush will die down as well. It's no longer about just having a quality product - almost every book I've read this year was perfectly formatted and edited. Marketing becomes even more crucial, because there's so many people vying for readers' eyes and dollars.

What advice would you give your younger self?
Everything happens exactly when it is supposed to. Just hang on.

What advice would you give to other writers?
Everyone has an opinion about everything you have done or will do. People bring their own hang-ups and histories to the table, and every person that reads your book will walk away with something different.

It's up to you and your inner compass to know what is a real, legitimate criticism, and what is just noise.

But when two or more people say the same thing, that's a hint that you need to listen. :)

Don't forget to pre-order Alliances for Kindle today!

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Soulless Blog Tour

I'm just thrilled to be reviewing Crystal Collier's newest book in The Maiden of Time series...Soulless. Yep. And it was just as amazing as the first book in this series. I fell in love with it immediately. Previously, I'd described Moonless as a book filled with a darker Mr. Darcy. I continue that sentiment with Soulless to a degree, but let me tell you... Mr. Darcy (Kiren) loosens up a tad and becomes a little less dark, and a little more drool worthy. I love me some drool worthy men. Okay, before I go on here's a little bit about the story and it's wonderful author. Crystal Collier.

Tag Line: The Soulless are coming.

Log Line: When Alexia's wedding is destroyed by the Soulless—who then steal the only protection her people have—she's forced to unleash her true power and risk losing everything.

Short description:

Alexia manipulated time to save the man of her dreams, and lost her best friend to red-eyed wraiths. Still grieving, she struggles to reconcile her loss with what was gained: her impending marriage. But when her wedding is destroyed by the Soulless—who then steal the only protection her people have—she’s forced to unleash her true power.

And risk losing everything.

Title: SOULLESS

Author: Crystal Collier
Publisher: Raybourne Publishing

Series: Maiden of Time, #2

Publication: October 13th, 2014

Category: Young Adult (YA)
Genre: Paranormal Historical

My review: Soulless sweeps you into Alexia and Kiren's world and doesn't let you go. Short chapters hurl you into the minds of the characters, allowing you to feel what they feel, see what they see. The descriptions are beautifully written. Crystal Collier has a way with words, a prose that is unmatched in this category. I hate spoilers so I'm not gonna spoil the story by giving too much away. But I do have two words. Chapter. Sixty. Whoa. Okay, so that was three words. Sorry. I've been waiting for that chapter. The ending left me with somewhat of a broken heart, but then with the turn of a page I saw hope...Timeless. Book three in this series is coming soon. Thank you Crystal. My suffering will end. Eventually.

Now for some other words on Soulless.

Praise for SOULLESS:

What people are saying about this series:

"With a completely unique plot that keeps you guessing and interested, it brings you close to the characters, sympathizing with them and understanding their trials and tribulations." --SC, Amazon reviewer

"It's clean, classy and supernaturally packed with suspense, longing, intrigue and magic." --Jill Jennings, TX

"SWOON." --Sherlyn, Mermaid with a Book Reviewer

Author Bio: Crystal Collier is a young adult author who pens dark fantasy, historical, and romance hybrids. She can be found practicing her brother-induced ninja skills while teaching children or madly typing about fantastic and impossible creatures. She has lived from coast to coast and now calls Florida home with her creative husband, four littles, and “friend” (a.k.a. the zombie locked in her closet). Secretly, she dreams of world domination and a bottomless supply of cheese. You can find her on her blog and Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.

Author Tag Line: ❀ Unleashing the dream world, one book at a time ❀

Website: www.crystal-collier.com

Blog: http://crystalcollier.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/crystalcollier1

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2598146-crystal

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/crystalcollierauthor

Buy link: http://crystal-collier.com/buy

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Moonless-Maiden-Time-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00FADL0A6
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/soulless-crystal-collier/1120428254

And now for some pretty awesome giveaway potential. I'm all about some freebies. Good luck and thanks so much for stopping by.

Friday, October 24, 2014

BLOG INTERVIEW WITH ERIN RHEW

Erin Rhew has stopped by the blog today to talk about her new book, The Outlanders which is book two in The Fulfillment Series. Is that not the coolest cover, ever? And she let me ask her some questions. Talk about trust.

1. What are you currently working on?

I am currently retrofitting the third book in the Fulfillment series, aptly named The Fulfillment (heehee), to fit some changes made to The Prophecy and The Outlanders. I have a project sitting on the backburner, a futuristic thrilled called Number 25589, but I just can’t see to get that one the way I want it. And finally, a short story I wrote called “Volatile” is stalking me, begging to be turned into a full-length novel.

2. How many books have you written? What’s out now and where can we get it? Grabby fingers.

I’ve written several books, but only two are currently published: The Prophecy and The Outlanders. You can get them here:

The Prophecy: http://www.amazon.com/The-Prophecy-Fulfillment-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B00O1IVMPO/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kstore_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0C3CXD48HV37JVYY6SY6

The Outlanders: http://www.amazon.com/The-Outlanders-Fulfillment-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B00O2I8X50/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_img_1

3. What's your latest book about?

SPOILER ALERT (read The Prophecy before you read this)

With King Jesper dead and Prince Wilhelm mortally wounded, Halfling prince, Nash, and the Fulfilment, Layla, assume the throne of Etherea. They must contend with a new Prophecy Candidate who asserts her position, and Layla is surprised to find her fate intertwined with this challenger. Facing a myriad of choices, Nash and Layla’s decisions affect not only their own futures but that of two kingdoms.

Unbeknownst to the Ethereals or the Vanguards, a slumbering menace stirs in the south, awakened after centuries of slumber. The mysterious Outlanders, a force shadowed in mystery, sit poised to tip the balance of power, sending ripples of fear throughout both warring kingdoms.

Elder Werrick proved a formidable foe, but Layla may yet meet her match in the monstrous Outlander queen. This mistress of the dark’s plans, rooted in revenge and ancient lore, now threaten the livelihood of all three kingdoms.

Racing against time, Layla travels to the Borderlands—home of the Voltons and Ecclesiastics—to discover as much as she can about the war, the First Ones, and the prophecy itself. Lives teeter in the balance, kingdoms sit on the cusp of ruin, and a beast, greater than any she’s ever faced before, plots a catastrophic attack.

4. If you could have lunch with one of your characters, which one would it be and why?

I’d have lunch with Samson. He’s my homage to Percy Jackson and probably as close as I would be able to get to the actual Percy, though I still hold out hope he will crawl from the pages of the book and come for me… ;) I like Samson’s snark and wit. I definitely think he could entertain me at lunch. Entertain meeeeee!

5. Would you make him or her pay, or would you take care of the bill? I think it's a valid question.

I would take care of the bill. After all, I yanked him from the pages of a book to have lunch with me, so it’s the least I can do. ;)

6. When did you discover that you were a writer, and it was time to write a book?

I think I’ve always been a writer. I wrote my first poem at the age of four on my grandparent’s typewriter. Dudes, they didn’t get an actual computer until the early 2000’s!! Wut, wut? I used to write novels in middle school. My friends would gather around me at lunch time to read the next installment of whatever fantastic tale I was writing at the time. After college, I took a break from novel writing to pursue my love of acting. I ran a local theater group and wrote a lot of plays for them. Seeing my written work performed proved most gratifying. But my first love, fictional novels, cried out to me. I resumed writing, created The Fulfillment series, and here we are! WOOT!

7. If you could have a super power, what would it be? Again. Valid question. Super power preferences can tell you a lot about a person. My husband has always wanted a be a fire truck. Clearly, he knows nothing about super powers. I married him out of sympathy. It works.

ROFL!! I would be invisible. I’m super nosey, and given the chance, I’d totally spy on conversations. It’s better than being a fly on the wall, which means risking the business end of a swatter. With invisibility, I’m there, I’m in the know, but no one else realizes I’ve arrived.

8. What's your favorite part about being a writer, besides the pajamas?

Besides the pajamas? Hmmmm… LOL! Definitely meeting all the amazing readers, authors, bloggers, and reviewers! The writing community is just the BEST!

9. What is your favorite book in the world?

My favorite book in the world isn’t technically a book; it’s a play. I am a major Shakespeare nerd (tragedies, not comedies), and I love, love, love Romeo and Juliet.

10. What's your favorite social media site and why?

For my writing life, definitely Twitter. That’s where the action is. It also holds a very special spot in my heart because that’s where I met Deek!! For my personal life, Facebook. I love being able to interact with my friends hundreds of miles away with the click of my mouse. Ain’t modern technology amazing?? ;)

11. Can we have all your follow links so we can stalk you legitimately?