Wednesday, September 18, 2013

A Zebra Like Me Cover Reveal

Thanks so much, Elizabeth, for hosting me today. I'm excited to announce that I have a new YA book coming out this winter! It's a stand alone YA contemporary entitled, A Zebra Like Me. It's my first stab at contemporary and the subject matter hits close to home so I am more than a little nervous about it. 

The cover art is by Kelsey Keeton of KKeeton Designs and it is gorgeous but you don't have to take my word for it, see for yourself! 


Here's the blurb on the back of the cover.

Maybelle Dawson longs for normalcy and belonging. Often misunderstood, she struggles with a rare disorder, labeling her a Medical Zebra.

Maybelle’s happiness and well-being threaten to slip through her fingers as she battles to take control of her life. She faces a never-ending battle on her journey to find love, courage and friendship in a world lacking acceptance.

With the guidance of her guardian angel, Maybelle finds her way out of emotional and physical isolation to discover lasting love and amazing friendships.


A Zebra Like Me is the story of one teenager’s battle with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a disorder affecting one in five thousand people. 

Sneak Peak - Here's a glimpse into Maybelle's world in pre-edited form. Please forgive my typos. It will be edited professionally prior to publication.


Maybelle

I sat on the soft, green grass staring out at the lake behind my house. The breeze was cool and soothing against my sun kissed skin. Tomorrow is the first day of school. A sour feeling invades my stomach. I barely passed last year. The pressure of my reality is consuming. Now, in the waning heat of August, after a summer filled with rest and relaxation, it’s easy to pretend this year will be better, but I know the truth. Soon, a daily routine of torture will overwhelm me. Pain-filled days spent trudging up and down concrete floors and flights of stares. Agonizing hours of stillness trapped in the unforgiving frames of wooden desks. Neck-breaking, never ending minutes straining to see what my teacher wrote on the board and overhead projector. And, the paralyzing stress of knowing it’s getting worse and I can’t handle it. I feel helpless and defeated and have yet to step through the school’s front doors.
            “I’m a zebra. No one understands me.” I whisper to myself.
            I take a deep breath as the air stirs. My focus is distracted by a shimmering glint of light. A silvery, white slip of paper floats down from the clear, blue sky. I stretch out my open palm and clasp my fingers around it. It’s folded neatly into quadrants. I unfold the square of paper to find out what is written inside.
            You’re not alone, Maybelle.
            I search the empty space around me and find nothing out of place. Everything is the same. My grandmother’s ferns dangle from their baskets on the back porch. The heavy, faded wooden rocking chairs are still, immune to the feeble breeze. The vegetable garden and the locked shed beyond it are undisturbed. An occasional boater drifts by on the lake but otherwise all is quiet. I am alone.
I reach for my backpack and retrieve my make-shift diary, a simple spiral-bound notebook. I tear out a piece of paper.
“Prove it.” I say the words as I scrawl them onto the slip of paper, fold it into a square, and toss it toward the heavens.

If you'd like to learn more about me or my books you can find me here:




Join author Kristina Circelli today in the release of her new book, Fade into the Woodwork! I had the honor of reading this book and it was so intense and so well written! This nail-biting novella is now available on the Kindle and Nook, as well as in paperback.


Synopsis:

Abducted in broad daylight, locked away in a basement cage, starved for food and light - how would you escape your prison?

Valentina Murdoch finds herself asking that same question after she is attacked and kidnapped one ordinary morning. Brought to a secluded hideaway in the middle of the woods to await her fate at the hands of "the boss," she has but days to survive.

Utilizing her love of action movies to create a plan, Valentina plots her escape while battling a crippling fear of the dark - for the dark is where her childhood nightmare lurks, waiting for her one moment of weakness. But as the clock winds down and her husband's search for her threatens his own life, Valentina realizes that her true fight lies within herself.

Will she have the strength to survive, or will the dark - and all the figures that haunt it - finally win?


Meet the Author:

Night owl, Dorito lover, and quiet eccentric - Kristina Circelli is the author of several fiction novels, including The Helping Hands series, The Whisper Legacy, The Never, and The Sour Orange Derby.

A descendent of the Cherokee nation and niece of a Cherokee elder, Circelli holds both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English from the University of North Florida, where she teaches creative writing. She also heads Red Road Editing, a full-service editing company for independent authors and commercial clients.

She currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband, Seth, and cats, Lord Finnegin the Fierce and Mr. Malachi the Mighty.



Connect with Kristina:
Email 


Twitter: @KCircelli





Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Heather Lyons Fate series cover reveal

It's Cover Reveal Day for Heather Lyons and the third book in her The Fate Series,

A MATTER OF TRUTH!

Not only that, but the first book in the series, A MATTER OF FATE, has gotten a redesign too! See below for the new covers and to read all about this amazing fantasy series! Reading with a Contemporary feel, this fantasy series is full of romance, mystery and fantastic characters.
And, for a limited time only, the first two titles in the series are on sale right now for just $.99! If you haven't read The Fate Series, now is the time to get started! Book 3, A MATTER OF TRUTH, will be releasing in November 2013.

And now for the covers...

Book 1 in The Fate Series, A MATTER OF FATE
Book 1 in The Fate Series, A MATTER OF FATE[/caption]

ABOUT A MATTER OF FATE (Book 1):
Chloe Lilywhite struggles with all the normal problems of a typical seventeen-year-old high school student. Only, Chloe isn't a normal teenage girl. She's a Magical, part of a secret race of beings who influence the universe. More importantly, she's a Creator, which means Fate mapped out her destiny long ago, from her college choice, to where she will live, to even her job. While her friends and relatives relish their future roles, Chloe resents the lack of say in her life, especially when she learns she's to be guarded against a vengeful group of beings bent on wiping out her kind. Their number one target? Chloe, of course. That's nothing compared to the boy trouble she's gotten herself into. Because a guy she's literally dreamed of and loved her entire life, one she never knew truly existed, shows up in her math class, and with him comes a twin brother she finds herself inexplicably drawn to. Chloe's once unyielding path now has a lot more choices than she ever thought possible.

A MATTER OF FATE 


Book 3 in The Fate Series, A MATTER OF TRUTH
Book 3 in The Fate Series, A MATTER OF TRUTH[/caption]

ABOUT A MATTER OF TRUTH (Book 3):
No longer in high school, Chloe Lilywhite is now living and working in Annar, the Magicals’ city-state plane of existence. Since moving, she’s joined the Council, gone on missions with the Guard, moved into her own apartment, and enrolled at the University of Annar. Plus, she’s happily engaged to be married to Jonah Whitecomb, the literal man from her dreams, not to mention her Connection. While she still struggles with aspects of her craft, Chloe feels like she’s finally coming into her own, especially after a difficult year that had her questioning nearly everything in her life. After a brutal attack by the Elders, her life is turned upside down once more. Accusations fly throughout the Council and Guard, forcing Chloe to confront her worst fears about what’s she’s capable of as a Creator. And then there’s the matter of Kellan Whitecomb, Jonah’s twin brother and Chloe’s ex, who resurfaces after disappearing months before. Although Chloe chose Jonah, and despite their best efforts, the two find it hard to stay away from one another. But no matter what Fate throws at her, Chloe is determined to take charge of her life, even as it begins to spiral out of control.

 *This is a New Adult title, suitable for readers 18+*

 A MATTER OF TRUTH 

And just so you can see the whole series all together...

TheFateSeries
And just so you have all of the information for the entire series, here is the information on Book 2 in The Fate Series, A MATTER OF HEART, and author Heather Lyons!

ABOUT A MATTER OF HEART (Book 2):
 Not long ago, Chloe Lilywhite seemingly had it all: a prized spot on the Magicals’ Council as lead Creator, a loving fiancé and Connection, and a wealth of good friends. But the poised young woman she projected was nothing more than a façade. Her parents all but disowned her. Power plays and accusations of murder within the Council rocked her confidence. And most difficult of all, her secret, a secondary Connection to Jonah’s twin brother, Kellan, became painfully impossible to resist. Desperate to gain control over her rapidly unraveling existence, Chloe did the unthinkable: she ran away. Now living and working in Alaska under an alias, Chloe is slowly discovering who she is and, more importantly, who she wants to be. But the more she tries to leave the Magical world behind, the harder it becomes to stay hidden. The Elders are back with a vengeance, and the stakes have never been higher. Chloe finally has to make a choice: embrace her pre-ordained Fate or pave her own way in the worlds. One thing’s for sure, though—she’s finally up for the challenge. *This is a New Adult title, suitable for readers 18+

A MATTER OF HEART 




Heather Lyons, author of The Fate Series
About Heather Lyons: Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

Links:
Website
Author Goodreads
Twitter
Facebook