Here it is. I’m so excited!
And, as noted yesterday, the release date for the expanded, special edition is October 17th.
Category: Annoucenments (Page 1 of 9)
With the final touches being put on the new cover for the expanded version of Vengeance from Ashes, the release date has been set. I’m excited about it and, in a lot of ways, terrified. I loved the book as it originally appeared but I think this new version is a stronger book. It will be released as an e-book and, very shortly after that (on that day if all goes according to plan), in paper. I’m hoping to have an audio version available shortly as well.
In case you missed it yesterday when I posted the revised first chapter of the book, the expanded edition adds approximately 20,000 words to the story. There are some new chapters as well as several new scenes.
So, when is the release date?
October 17th. Mark your calendars.
What’s going to happen is I will take the original version down from after October 10th. For those of you who have already bought it, it will still be in your library (or so Amazon has assured me. But you might want to make a backup copy. You should anyway on all your books.) On the 17th, the expanded version will go on sale. The description, as well as the new cover, will make it clear that this is a special expanded edition and that it includes new material.
Around that same time, the original version of the book will be released in the other stores. I’m not yet ready to give up on KU but I do want to see if I can get any play in the other stores. In the past, when I’ve released books across the board, I didn’t make enough sales from the other bookstore sites to make up for the lack of KU downloads. This is a new way of seeing if that still holds true.
I’ll be posting the updated cover once I get it. In the meantime, please mark your calendars for the 17th and spread the word.
Until later!
I’m doing my happy dance right now. One of my favorite authors has a new book out. Insurgents, by Margaret Ball, is the first book in the Harmony series. Here’s the blurb:
Harmony, one of the first settlements from Earth’s Age of Expansion, has a totalitarian government which uses the bleak continent of Esilia as a dumping ground for political dissidents. Now they’re surprised that the dissidents want to secede.
Gabrel is totally devoted to his colony’s battle for freedom. Isovel, daughter of the enemy’s invading general, knows exactly why Harmony should continue to rule the exiles. When she is taken hostage by his guerrilla group, he has to draw a line between his personal inclinations and his duty to the insurgency, while Isovel has to remember her duty to escape. There can be no future for two people on opposing sides of this war – so Gabrel will just have to win the war. And the peace.
I know what I’m going to be doing this weekend — reading Insurgents!
The title says it all. The last 24-hours have been very busy. Between work around the house (mainly painting), getting started on Light Magic (the next book in the Eerie Side of the Tracks series) and blogging, I felt like I was meeting myself coming and going. The results are more than satisfying, however. Of course, Myrtle the Evil Muse being evil, the opening of Light Magic changed from what I thought it would be but I think it works. At least I hope it does. Anyway, here’s what I’ve been up to.
Yesterday was my regular day at Mad Genius Club and I blogged about why some people really do want heroes with human flaws over superheroes suffering from the Mary Sue syndrome. It led to some great discussion in the comments.
I also did a piece over at Victory Girls blog about a “new” form of microaggression. This one, called invisible microaggressions, came from a study of a whopping 13 women of color at 5 universities. Apparently that was a large enough sample pool to not only “discover” this new form but to break it down into 5 different forms. Riiiiiight.
This morning, I have two more posts up. The first, over at According to Hoyt, discusses the controversy over removing Confederate statues and the PR debacle Six Flags Over Texas created for itself by removing not only the Confederate States of America flag (and not the battle flag so many object to), but also every other flag except for the U. S. flag. It is more than ironic for a park named for the six national flags that have flow over the state, including the Republic of Texas, now flies only one.
The last is another post at Victory Girls. This one discusses the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision to stay the lower court order tossing out parts of Texas’ Voter ID law. This decision will allow the state to proceed as usual with the November election. What pleased me about the decision is how the court not only looked at the law but also applied common sense in coming to its ruling.
Now it’s time for another cup of coffee and then it’s to work. I’m excited about getting back to Mossy Creek and the characters that inhabit that most unusual town. Besides, it keeps me from worrying about how the beta readers are liking the expanded version of Vengeance from Ashes. Hopefully, I’ll hear back from them in the next few days. (To be fair, I told them I didn’t need to know until next week. Whimper.)
I am excited to be part of the Victory Girls blog. The women I blog with come from all over the country and aren’t afraid to give voice to the conservative point of view. To be included with them is an honor. While I will still talk politics here, most of my posts about politics, President Trump and similar topics will take place over there. But don’t fret. I’ll announce those posts here and on Facebook. In the meantime, please take a few minutes to check the blog out if you aren’t already familiar with it. I think you’ll find it well worth your time.
While you’re there, my first post is now live. As a Texan, it was only natural for that post to be one about the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Specifically, about President Trump’s visit to the state yesterday as well as notice that the Department of Transportation has already freed up monies to help repair roads and bridges damaged by the horrific flooding in Harvey’s aftermath.
President Trump and Melania, his wife, listened during a briefing on Tuesday about Hurricane Harvey relief efforts with local leadership and relief organizations at Fire Station 5 in Corpus Christi, Tex. (Photo Credit: DOUG MILLS / THE NEW YORK TIMES)
I was even good. Hey, it was my first post after all. I didn’t laugh at the reporters and social media mavens who were appalled by the First Lady’s high heels as she left the White House yesterday. I didn’t point out the very appropriate white tennis shoes she wore when she and the President landed in Corpus Christie. I didn’t even tell them to get a life when they got all butt hurt over the President’s ball cap or made fun of the cap Mrs. Trump wore. If that is all they can do, well, it shows how pathetic mainstream media has become.
Now I hear a cup of coffee calling my name. Until later!
I’ll be back later with a full post, but there are a couple of notes I wanted to share this morning.
First, since it’s Tuesday, it’s my day to blog over at Mad Genius Club. As a Texan, my mind is on Houston and all the other communities that have been — or will be — impacted by Harvey. As a writer, I can’t help but look at what has been happening and drawing inspiration from it.
Second, and this is really exciting, I am going to start blogging over at Victory Girls. My first regularly scheduled post will be tomorrow. If you’ve never visited the blog, take a few minutes and head over to look around.
Before I go for the morning, my thoughts and prayers are with the citizens of Houston and all those impacted by Harvey. Please keep them in your thoughts as well and, if you are the praying kind, add a prayer.
Until later!
Oh, crap! Now I’m going to have that tune running around in my head all day. It’s not that I don’t like Les Miz, but that’s not what this post is about. Worse, I know what my evil muse is like. She will take a song about the French Revolution and decide I need to write something “worthy” of that people’s revolution. Nope, not on the charts. Not right now, at any rate.
Here’s the blurb:
All she wanted was a simple murder case, one uncomplicated by shapeshifters or interfering IAB investigators. What she got instead was much, much more.
Now three cops are dead and Mac’s world will never be the same again. It is up to her to find the culprits and bring them to justice. But what justice? That of cops and attorneys and criminal courts or that of the shapeshifters where there would be no record and a quick execution of punishment, whatever that might be?
As she walks that fine line, Mac walks another tightrope as well. Shapeshifter politics are new to her and, as she has learned, more complicated than anything she ever encountered as a cop. One misstep can lead to not only her death but the deaths of those she cares for. Like it or not, she has no choice because she has learned there are other things just as inevitable as death and taxes. Sooner or later, the world will learn that shapeshifters aren’t just things of legend and bad Hollywood movies. If that happens before they are ready, Mac and those like her will learn the hard way what happens when humanity learns monsters are real and living next door.
In the meantime, I’m back to work today. Next up is an entry in the Eerie Side of the Tracks series. I haven’t figured out if this is a short story or novella, mainly because this one ambushed me not long ago with an opening that won’t let go. The main character is Amy Duchamp, Lexie’s best friend and Miss Serena’s granddaughter. We first met Amy in Skeletons in the Closet.
My gut feeling is this will be the next installment in the Skeletons story arc. At least that’s the way it feels right now. Anyway, here’s what hit me and what isn’t letting go:
“I still say you should have named it Bell, Book and Candle.”
I grimaced. We’d had this discussion before. “Absolutely not. No self-respecting witch would ever name her bookstore after that movie!”
The only problem was I was more than a self-respecting witch. I was a self-respecting witch with bills to pay and who liked really nice shoes. Maybe Lexie was right. Not that I’d ever tell her. . . .
Many of the cast of characters — and I do mean characters — from Skeletons in the Closet, Witchfire Burning and Slay Bells Ring will be making appearances. And, yeah, Lexie’s mom still has her undead problem and her mother-in-law problem. I’m not sure if she will ever learn her lesson.
Whenever I finish a book, there’s a short period of time when I don’t necessarily grieve but when I feel the loss of the characters. After all, they’ve been alive for me for months. Now, suddenly, they won’t be a part of my every day life. It’s as though my best friends decided to move away and we can’t get together whenever we want.
I’m feeling that and more right now. Rebellion marks the end of the current story arc for Mac and company. There are more stories to tell but thing have changed in major ways for Mac, not only in the previous books but most especially in this one. Her life, as a cop and as a shapeshifter, will never be the same. Most of the changes are for the good but some, well, you’ll have to wait and see.
So, before you ask, yes, there will be more stories in this world. I need to take some time later this year and figure out exactly what they are and start planning them out. Mac is already tossing ideas out there — of course, because my muse is evil, it might not be Mac but her jaguar doing the tossing. 😉
Next up will be a new installment in the Eerie Side of the Tracks series, probably something to follow up Skeletons in the Closet. I say probably because my muse is EVIL. I never really know until I start working what she is going to make me do. For today and the rest of the weekend, however, I’m going to be helping with the book sale at our local library.
I’ll be back to regular blogging Monday.
Oh yeah, don’t forget about Nocturnal Rebellion and help spread the word that release date is the 15th. Thanks!
Last week, I asked Murphy to go home. Unfortunately, he’s decided he likes it here. The fallout from his prolonged visit is that blogging hasn’t happened. For that, I apologize. After a day filled with nothing but repairmen yesterday, I’m hoping today is better. Writing has been happening, in between service calls. That’s what is important.
I’ll try to be back later with a real post. In the meantime, don’t forget that Nocturnal Rebellion is currently available for pre-order. Release date is Aug. 15th. You can click on the image or follow the link above. Thanks!
Now three cops are dead and Mac’s world will never be the same again. It is up to her to find the culprits and bring them to justice. But what justice? That of cops and attorneys and criminal courts or that of the shapeshifters where there would be no record and a quick execution of punishment, whatever that might be?
As she walks that fine line, Mac walks another tightrope as well. Shapeshifter politics are new to her and, as she has learned, more complicated than anything she ever encountered as a cop. One misstep can lead to not only her death but the deaths of those she cares for. Like it or not, she has no choice because she has learned there are other things just as inevitable as death and taxes. Sooner or later, the world will learn that shapeshifters aren’t just things of legend and bad Hollywood movies. If that happens before they are ready, Mac and those like her will learn the hard way what happens when humanity learns monsters are real and living next door.
Whew, finally!
Nocturnal Rebellion is now available for pre-order.
All she wanted was a simple murder case, one uncomplicated by shapeshifters or interfering IAB investigators. What she got instead was much, much more.
Now three cops are dead and Mac’s world will never be the same again. It is up to her to find the culprits and bring them to justice. But what justice? That of cops and attorneys and criminal courts or that of the shapeshifters where there would be no record and a quick execution of punishment, whatever that might be?
As she walks that fine line, Mac walks another tightrope as well. Shapeshifter politics are new to her and, as she has learned, more complicated than anything she ever encountered as a cop. One misstep can lead to not only her death but the deaths of those she cares for. Like it or not, she has no choice because she has learned there are other things just as inevitable as death and taxes. Sooner or later, the world will learn that shapeshifters aren’t just things of legend and bad Hollywood movies. If that happens before they are ready, Mac and those like her will learn the hard way what happens when humanity learns monsters are real and living next door.
