Book Blast: Immerse by Tobie Easton @TobieEaston

Immerse
Tobie Easton
(Mer Chronicles, #3)
Published by: Month9Books
Publication date: March 19th 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Immerse is the spellbinding and breathless final installment of the Mer Chronicles series where descendants of the Little Mermaid must face deadly magic, shifting alliances, and the dangers of forbidden love.
Lia can’t wait for her parents’ coronation. Now living in the sparkling palace beneath the waves, she sneaks off to Malibu whenever possible to see Clay. Tucked away in an abandoned seaside mansion, Lia and Clay devise a plan to ensure they can stay together forever.
But when an old enemy resurfaces and Lia is restricted to the palace for the safety of all Merkind, she and Clay are ripped apart once more.
She fears not only for Clay, but for her best friend Caspian, who seems to be swimming down a dangerous path. He has invited the conniving Melusine to the coronation ball, convinced she’s capable of change. And no matter how hard Lia fights it, showing up on Caspian’s arm is just the start of Melusine’s insidious return to her life.
With threats Below growing more ominous by the day and a powerful ancient ritual looming, soon the two girls can’t escape each other. As their fates grow increasingly intertwined, Melusine might be the only one who can help Lia find the answers she desperately needs to save everyone she loves and to achieve her happily ever after. But can Lia trust her?

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Previous books in the series:

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EXCERPT:

The library doors are my favorite in the castle. Unlike all the other doors, made of sculpted sea glass in colors ranging from pastels to deep jewel tones, the doors to the varellska (Mermese for library) are made of the coated wood of a sunken Victorian ship. Mounted to the frame between the double doors is a handcrafted mermaid from the ship’s prow, her wooden hair blowing around her in carved curls, her face proud. She puts a smile on my own face as I open one of the doors and swim into the room that may hold the answer I need among its secrets.
Shelves stretch up the walls high above my head, each lined with shells of every conceivable size and pattern, from short volumes of poetry in tiny sundial shells to hours-long research tomes in giant diadema shells. Between the shells stand various treasures for decoration: an antique spyglass, a bronze-rimmed compass, an old brass lantern. I inhale the scent of shell polish and whalebone styluses.
I’ve come on the librarian’s day off and have the whole place to myself. I swim up to the highest shelves, where there rests a large, gilded starfish, the symbol of balanced justice. What’s happened to Clay at the hands and fins of Merkind has been anything but just. I’m hoping that means justice is on our side throughout our quest to make him a Merman. I rub the starfish for luck. “Help me find a way,” I murmur into the varellska’s quiet stillness.

Author Bio:
Award-winning author Tobie Easton was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where she's grown from a little girl who dreamed about magic to a twenty-something who writes about it. Her debut novel, Emerge, is a Gold Medal Winner (Young Adult - Sci-Fi/Fantasy) of the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards and is Book 1 in the acclaimed Mer Chronicles series. The trilogy follows the descendants of the Little Mermaid and offers fans a peek into a world where Mermaids aren't just real, but live secretly among us on land.
She and her very kissable husband enjoy traveling the globe and fostering packs of rescue puppies. Tobie loves chocolate chip cookies and Oxford commas. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Southern California, Tobie splits her time between Los Angeles and Boston. Learn more about Tobie and her upcoming books on www.TobieEaston.com.

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Book Blast: The Witch's Tower by Tamara Grantham @TamaraGrantham

The Witch’s Tower
Tamara Grantham
(Twisted Ever After #1)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: March 11th 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Gothel is a witch. Punished for the actions of her mother, her choice is simple: either she stands guard over Princess Rapunzel—or she dies. But just because a choice is easy doesn’t mean it’s pleasant. Protecting Rapunzel means watching as the princess lays trapped in a tower, bedridden by hair that is so long and heavy it’s slowly driving her insane. Gothel’s life has become one of imprisonment and solitude as well—until a prince and his handsome squire appear at the tower.
Only one object can cut Rapunzel’s hair and end the curse: a pair of magical shears. But the shears are guarded by the most terrifying witches in the land, who also happen to be Gothel’s aunts. As Gothel and the prince’s squire, Raj Talmund, work to form a plan, she finds herself more and more drawn to the mysterious young man from the Outerlands. Unfortunately, his destiny is far more dangerous than she wants to admit: to save a princess, he must kill the witch who’s been forced to guard her.
THE WITCH’S TOWER is the first in an inspired new series of fairy-tale retellings from award-winning fantasy author Tamara Grantham.

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99¢ on release week only!

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EXCERPT:

Moonlight illuminated the tower as Raj and I crossed into the meadow. The handcart’s wheels squeaked as I pulled it to a stop at the base of the tower. Raj had been true to his word and purchased all the supplies we needed for winter. I couldn’t complain—I was grateful he’d done it. I only hoped he didn’t expect a miracle in return.
Now I had the chore of transporting everything into the tower. Luckily, I’d brought my largest knapsack. As I loaded vessels of lentils, bags of flour, and a few jars of syrup into my bag, Raj stood over me.
“You’re bringing all that up there?” he asked.
“It’s better than leaving it down here.”
“You really live up there all the time?”
“Yes, I only ever come out to gather edibles, or when we’re desperate for supplies.”
“But how do you get water?”
“We have a well inside the tower. Can you help me?” I tossed him an empty burlap sack. If he was so insistent on being here, he might as well help me.
“It seems like a lonely existence.”
I eyed him. Lonely? What did he know of loneliness? I didn’t feel like admitting to this stranger how desperately lonely the past five years had been, how I lay awake at night wishing I had someone to talk to, feeling as if the silence would drive me to insanity. No, he didn’t need to know any of that.
“It’s not that bad. Rapunzel isn’t one for talking, but we have a cat. His name is Jester. He keeps me company most of the time.”
“A cat?”
“Yes. He’s mostly feral. But he’s friendly enough, and he comes and goes as he pleases. He’s even learned to climb the vines to get in and out of the tower. He’s quite clever.” I adjusted the pack’s straps on my shoulders. “Now, let’s get up there before Rapunzel…” I stopped myself. “Let’s get up there.”
With the pack strapped to my back, I turned to the tower. Wind rushed past, battering my hair against my cheeks, as I prepared to speak the spell.
“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!” My words carried on the wind, echoing through the forest.
I waited, nervousness making my hands grow clammy as I held to the pack’s straps, but why did I feel so uneasy? Was it because Raj was with me?
I turned to him. He stood with haunting dark eyes as he watched a coil of ropy, matted hair drop from the tower’s only window high above us. I stepped to the length of hair and grabbed it, holding my breath against the scent of unwashed scalp. I never got used to that smell.
“Should I follow you?” Raj asked.
“Yes. But let me enter first.” Gripping the hair tightly, I started the climb. I made my way toward the window at the top of the tower. Halfway up, my muscles burned, and I focused on breathing to make it the rest of the way. This part was always the hardest, and the sack of supplies weighing me down wasn’t helping. Why did Varlocke have to put his daughter into such an impossibly tall tower?
When I reached the window, I grabbed the ledge. The worn stones felt smooth under my palms as I climbed over, then landed inside. As I straightened, I pulled off the pack and left it on the floor, then focused on the room. Moonlight illuminated the bare stones walls, the well sitting at the room’s center, the wooden chairs, roughly-hewn tables, huge bookcases cluttered with dusty spell journals and vials, and the bed where Rapunzel lay.
I stepped over the matted coils of hair. Pieces of rat and bird bones lay trapped in the knotted strands, seeming to glow white against the dark hair. The sound of gnawing stopped me.
She wasn’t.
“Rapunzel,” I said quietly. “What are you doing?”
The gnawing continued. I approached her on quiet feet, afraid of what I might find. Behind me, Raj scrambled inside the room.
Please don’t let it be the prince.
When I reached her side, her pale, skeleton-white skin glowed in the moonlight. She held a rat.
I exhaled, grateful it was only a rodent and not something—someone—else. A crust of bread and a handful of wild beets sat on the bedside table, but they were untouched.
Raj’s footsteps echoed, and I turned to face him. His tall, lean frame looked so out of place. Only the high sorcerer ever visited, and to have an Outlander squire inside my home unnerved me.
“Is she eating something?” he asked. “What is that?”
“Sorry. It’s the cat’s fault. He catches them and leaves them on her lap. He thinks he’s giving her a prize or something. Rapunzel does that with them sometimes—with the rats—eats them, I mean.” I stumbled over my words, feeling immeasurably mortified that Raj had to see it. But it could’ve been worse.
I approached her. She looked up, as if only seeing me now, and she hissed. With her red-rimmed eyes, it looked as if she hadn’t been sleeping, and her collarbones seemed to be protruding more than I remembered. Her white gown hung off her meatless frame, but at least it was the clean one I’d left for her. She’d managed to change clothes—at least there was that.
“Where is the prince?” Raj asked.
“I don’t know.” I scanned the room. With the large piles of hair covering the floor, he could’ve been hidden, but we should’ve seen some clue he was here—his feet or a hand poking out. Something. “You’re certain he came up here?”
“Yes, positive.”
I studied the tower more thoroughly but didn’t see anything that resembled the prince. Odd. Where was he?
“Rapunzel,” I said, turning to her, “we’re looking for a prince. Have you seen him?”
She shook her head, clutching the rat, her fingers digging into the carcass.
“Please,” Raj said. “I need to find him. His father is the king. He’ll be very sad if he loses his only son. Can’t you tell us where he is?”
Rapunzel focused on the man, but she remained silent. Outside, the sky lightened. Pink streaked through the gray as dawn approached. As the sun rose, sunlight streamed into the room, giving light to the dark places. Something thudded inside the well, and Raj followed me as I maneuvered around the coiled hair toward the raised ring of stones surrounding the deep drop that went straight through the bottom of the tower.
“Is there something in the well?” Raj asked.
“Someone probably.”
I pried open the lid. Sitting atop the wide-mouthed bucket was the prince, who stared up at us with a vacant expression. Hair coiled around him as blue bands of magic wrapped his wrists and ankles. I grabbed his tunic with both hands and attempted to lug him out. He was heavier than he looked.
“How’d he get in there?” Raj asked.
“Rapunzel. She tried to throw him down, I assume.”
“She can do that?”
“With her hair, yes. She’s clever when she’s motivated.”
“He was looking at me!” Rapunzel yelled. Well, at least she was finally speaking.

Author Bio:
Tamara Grantham is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books and novellas, including the Olive Kennedy: Fairy World MD series and the Shine novellas. Dreamthief, the first book of her Fairy World MD series, won first place for fantasy in INDIEFAB’S Book of the Year Awards, a RONE award for best New Adult Romance of 2016, and is a #1 bestseller on Amazon with over 200 five-star reviews.
Tamara holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Lamar University. She has been a featured speaker at multiple writing conferences, and she has been a panelist at Comic Con Wizard World speaking on the topic of female leads. For her first published project, she collaborated with New York-Times bestselling author, William Bernhardt, in writing the Shine series.
Born and raised in Texas, Tamara now lives with her husband and five children in Wichita, Kansas. She rarely has any free time, but when the stars align and she gets a moment to relax, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, taking nature walks--which fuel her inspiration for creating fantastical worlds--and watching every Star Wars or Star Trek movie ever made. You can find her online at www.TamaraGrantham.com.

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Blog Tour: The Sandbox by JW Patrick @SandboxNovel

The Sandbox
by J.W. Patrick
Genre: YA Sci-fi
Release Date: October 2018

Summary:

What would you do? After a mysterious impact in the dry Oklahoma landscape, three teenagers discover a world where they can do anything they want. Anything at all: Play. Explore. Fly. Destroy. But as a ripple of consequences impact on reality, Sonny, Isla and Dan realise this is far from a game. Do they now have the power to change the real world? Because if they do, they know exactly what they want to do first. Dirt-poor Sonny Monroe blames the oil company that fracked his family ranch for his problems. Dan Hawk, a Native American from the Chickatawa tribe, has never forgotten who stole his native Homelands. Idealistic Isla Duncan, a Scottish Paralympian junior on a charity handcycle tour, would just like to make the world a better place. As the three teens attract global enemies and the killings begin, grave doubts divide them: Do they control this new-found power? Or is it controlling them? If so, what on Earth does The Sandbox want?

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Purchase Links can be found here: https://bit.ly/2EV6En0 or Kindle: https://amzn.to/2RilKpR

editorial review quote:

Editorial Review Self Publishing Review:

"A memorable new work of YA science fiction. The focal characters of this novel make for a brilliant trio of protagonists wrestling with powers they had previously thought were impossible. The true beauty of the writing comes in the development of these central characters. This is a patient, timely, creative and thoughtful book that discusses key social and environmental issues within the framework of a thrilling adventure. Fascinating and thought-provoking, the book and the magical realm of The Sandbox are well worth exploring." Self-Publishing Review, ★★★★

“In ​The Sandbox, the stakes are high as alien technology and three, over-excited teenagers take the lead in this fun adventure story. Fantasy meets science fiction to create an action-packed plot that will keep readers guessing all the way through. With whimsical imagery, Patrick’s imaginative novel is entertaining, stimulating, and captivating.” Rating: ​​5 out of 5 stars. www.bookreviewdirectory.com 

Excerpt from The Sandbox

“So what are you doing in Oklahoma? Isla Duncan from the Kingdom of Fife,” asked Dan, competing for her undivided attention. 

“I’m doing a sponsored handcycle for charity. The more miles I rack up, the more funds we raise. My dad’s driving my support van, a camper van, you guys call them RVs. He’s writing a book on the Scottish diaspora where all the Scottish emigrants ended up in America, so we’re visiting libraries all over. Tracing family names, contacting descendants. That sort of thing. Oh and our route takes in as many of the Wild West movie sites as possible. We’re driving down to Texas next.” 

“You a big Cowboys and... Indians fan, huh…” said Dan. 

She nodded hesitantly, “My dad is.” She threw him a sidelong glance, uncertain if that was OK or not. Dan busied himself nursing their nascent fire, neither judging her or letting her off the hook. Sonny returned to the cave mouth to watch nature’s spectacular demonstration of raw power outside, his eyes shining with excitement as he stood as near to the entrance as he dared. 

Settling on to the ground mat, tracing out the pattern of a glorious sunrise with her fingertip, Isla took time to assess her predicament. As her eyes became accustomed, she realised the cave was the size of a large basement, with a wide entrance and several smaller caves off-shooting in other directions, into ever deeper, darker areas.  

Sonny, hair rippling in the wind, grinned at Isla, but startled by a sudden, especially large gust, he staggered backwards, then quickly regained his composure to prove he wasn’t scared. No sireee. But Isla didn’t care.  

The incessant howling wind, and the intense whistling outside began to worry itself deep into Isla’s skin. She shivered — then looked up. Even the massive walls and ceilings of solid stone now seemed vulnerable. Each boy was trying to be brave but when one spectacular gust reached deep into the cave as if some invisible giant was groping for them, Sonny scurried back to join them by the campfire. Dan grinned at Sonny’s failure to keep his cool.  

Isla covered her ears from the incessant roar of the beast and stared at the cave mouth as if some horrific monster was about to burst inside at any second. Now the wall etchings of birds flickered in the firelight and she felt surrounded, and watched, by crows and by hawks. 

Dan shuffled closer to her and put an awkward arm around her back which she accepted gratefully and spoke in her ear: 

“This is quite unusual. A really big one!”  

“No kidding!” she yelled back, eyes wide with fear.  

“You couldn’t ask to be in a safer place though.” 

Isla didn’t seem at all convinced. Behind her back, Sonny and Dan exchanged another rapid-fire series of glances and expressions: 

Do something.  

What?  

I don’t know!  

You do something!  

No!  

You! 

“So what happened to your legs?” asked Sonny, finally. 

Dan rolled his eyes. Dude! How could you? 

What? What did I do? 

“Car accident when I was four. My mum died. It was me that killed her.”

About the Author
JW Patrick lives in Scotland and has written voice-over scripts for television in the UK and USA.

My novels include The Invincibles, The Sandbox

I most recently completed a non-fiction book called Why have Adventures? for parents of young teens exploring the benefits of outdoor education.

Author Links: Website | Goodreads | Twitter

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Book Blast: Right Girl Wrong Timing by Natalie Decker @AuthorNatDecker

Right Girl, Wrong Timing
Natalie Decker
(Offsides, #3)
Published by: Swoon Romance
Publication date: March 12th 2019
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Adaline Frost’s life officially sucks. Now that her BFF has found her true love, Addy is constantly stuck being the third wheel. On top of that, she hasn’t started her junior project yet, so her advisor pairs her up with what could only be described as the “Reject Breakfast Club.” Instead of the weirdo and the troublemaker, Addy is forced to work with two stoners, a popular girl, and her crush, Austin Reed, the jock who broke her heart.
Austin Reed is sick of being labeled “dumb jock.” If he doesn’t get an A on this project, he can kiss his future goodbye. Austin thought he’d gotten lucky being partners with the very nerdy Adaline Frost, but boy was he wrong. Addy jumps down his throat about his being late and calls him names like “manwhore” on the daily. She has no idea Austin works before and after school in order to help his mom with the bills. Yeah, he’s made mistakes and has had lots of girlfriends, but he doesn’t need Adaline Frost to remind him of it every time he sees her.
Can Austin and Addy ever be a thing?
Right Girl Wrong Timing is book 3 in the Offsides series by Natalie Decker.

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EXCERPT:

I’m about to go forward and talk to her, but I divert from that plan as soon as I see Greg stepping up next to her. He’s blocking her from my view with his douchiness.
She said they weren’t dating at the dance. That was weeks ago, so why the hell is he still hanging around her? Why are his fingers clasping wisps of her hair? He shouldn’t be touching her.
This feeling is not sitting right with me at all. Fact is, I’ve never been jealous. Have I been a little envious of the people who go here recently? Maybe. I mean, a few months ago I used to be just like them. New clothes, shoes, going to parties, not having a care in the world. Then my mom lost her awesome job at the hospital due to cuts, Dad left, and shit just went downhill. Now, I have to make sure my mom and I don’t get kicked out of the dump we live in or have anything shut off because of the lack of funds. I’ve never been jealous of a guy dating a girl I was interested in, though. Until Adaline, and I swear this is going to be a problem. It’s already cost me my childhood home. I can’t afford to lose any more.
My fingernails dig into my palm as my hands ball into fists at my sides while I watch Adaline tip back her head and laugh. I need to get a grip. I’m losing it. This shouldn’t bother me. In fact, I shouldn’t even give a shit that they’re hanging out. Adaline and I can’t be anything.

Author Bio:
Natalie Decker is the author of RIVAL LOVE series and the Scandalous Boys series. She loves oceans, sunsets, sand between her toes, and carefree days. Her imagination is always going, which some find odd. But she believes in seeing the world in a different light at all times. Her first passion for writing started at age twelve when she had to write a poem for English class. However, seventh grade wasn't her favorite time and books were her source of comfort. She took all college prep classes in High school, and attended the University of Akron. Although she studied Mathematics she never lost her passion for writing or her comfort in books. She's a mean cook in the kitchen, loves her family and friends and her awesome dog infinity times infinity. If she's not writing, reading, traveling, hanging out with her family and friends, then she's off having an adventure. Because Natalie believes in a saying: Your life is your own journey, so make it amazing!

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Book Blast: Kingdom of Salt Sirens Boxed Set

Kingdom of Salt & Sirens Boxed Set
Publication date: March 5th 2019
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult

The Little Mermaid but not as you remember it…
Beneath the turbulent seas, beyond the smokey depths, lies a Kingdom that exists in your wildest imagination. A world where mermaids swim, sirens sing and shipwrecks hide mysterious creatures.
Make waves with our 11 magical retellings of the timeless classic, The Little Mermaid.
Dive into a world filled with adventure, love and magic!
One click now for your happily ever after.

Authors include:

J.A Armitage
R. Castro
Jennifer Ellision
Mira Crest
K.M Pyne
Laura Greenwood
Jacque Stevens
Scarlett Kol
Anne Stryker
Nikki Landis
Tracy Korn

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SNEAK PEEKS:

Balanced Scales by Laura Greenwood:
“What happens at the end of your version of the story?”
I shrugged. “Much the same as in your version, I guess. She falls in love with the Prince, he with her, they get married and live happily ever after.”
Erickson’s face fell. “That’s not the same as our version,” he responded. “Ours is a lot more sinister. She loses her chance to marry the Prince. When her sisters find out, they barter for a dagger. The mermaid could return to the sea if she stabbed the Prince through the heart with it.”
I shuddered. “That’s horrible. Did she do it?” If she had, then maybe it would explain why humans seemed to be so against the mer.
“No. She turned into sea foam and disappeared into the air. Some versions say she’s taken pity on by some sylphs and became one of them.”
“Sylphs?” I’d never heard of them and had no idea what he meant. They certainly weren’t part of the stories I’d been told as a child.
“I don’t know how to explain them. They’re made of air and hang around in the atmosphere.”
“And what do they do to her?”
“I’m not sure. In our version of the story, mermaids don’t have souls. When they die they turn to sea foam and just cease to exist.”
I laughed lightly as we turned down another street. “I can assure you, that’s not what it’s like.”
“I guessed. You can’t have a soul stolen if you didn’t have one to begin with.”
“Which do you think is the true version of the story?” My words came out barely above a whisper. Part of me didn’t want to ask at all. Especially if it would mean he said he thought his version was the right one. If that was true, then how had my people gotten souls to begin with…
“Neither. I think it’s nothing more than a story. Each side will tell it the way that puts their own people in the best light. Just like with every other legend like that.”
“I suppose…” Though I didn’t like to think of the mermaid I’d heard so much about as nothing more than fiction. She’d been an inspiration to so many young mer who wanted adventure. Not so much on land, but out in the open sea.
“You never know, maybe one day they’ll be telling our story like they do hers,” he said jovially.

—

From The Little Monster by Jennifer Ellision:
“Wait!” The little human lurched forward, a single hand outstretched, the other anchored firmly to the ship’s railing. It swallowed as the little monster raised a brow to her. The hand fell lamely back to her side.
“I… don’t even know your name.”
“Name?”
“What are you called?”
“I don’t understand.” What was she called? She was a predator, a hunter, a Mordgris, a…
“I am a monster,” she said simply.
“You’re all monsters,” the human breathed. “But you’re not quite like the rest. How am I to call you and you alone?”
Her. Alone.
A thrill spiked through the little monster. Why hadn’t she thought of this before? She deserved her own name. She was the best of her kind. There was nothing in the sea that could best her except, perhaps, the sea itself. And that made choosing a name simple.
“You may call me Mara,” she said.
“Mara,” the human repeated slowly. “Mara… for the sea?”
Another thrill surged within her as she nodded, knowing the word belonged only to her. The little human had understood the meaning instantly. In a way that prey was not meant to understand its hunter.
“I am Amista,” she said, lifting her full lower scales to cross the bottoms of her fins and bob on deck. “And it has been a pleasure to meet you, Mara.”
Mara dove back into the cool embrace of the sea, feeling Amista’s eyes on her back as she swam away.
The little monster had become Mara.
The little human had become Amista.

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Blog Tour: Whispers from the Depths by C.W. Briar @CW_Briar

Whispers from the Depths
by C.W. Briar
Genre: YA Dark Fantasy
Release Date: February 19th 2019
Uncommon Universes Press

Summary:

Joyful and blessed are Voice-bearers, for the Heavens have set them apart.

As Whisperers gifted with the Voice, Betka and her people are enslaved. Only they can control the dangerous spirits that haunt the waters, but they are forced to serve under cruel taskmasters. Betka has little hope of freedom from her service or her own bitterness.

They toil for the goodness of others.

A powerful water spirit terrorizes the castle where Betka’s sister is serving. Betka is assigned to the crew sailing to face the foe, and she fears for the only family she has left.

Rage is found nowhere in them.

In the beleaguered, flooded castle, a new threat awaits—a magic more powerful and horrifying than anything they have ever seen. Loyalties will be tested, and enemies will become desperate allies.

Betka is their only hope of escape—if she can subdue the wrath that endangers them all.

She who wields the waters for revenge drowns herself tenfold.

Uncommon Universe Press

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About the Author
C. W. Briar writes fantasy that’s dark but hopeful, filled with wonder and humor along with suspense and creepiness. His favorite stories are the ones that make him both smile and perch on the edge of his seat. By day, he works as a systems engineer, testing or even riding on trains, airplanes, and helicopters. At night, when not writing, he prepares fancy dinners and shows off his awesome corgis. He’s a graduate of Binghamton University and lives in Upstate NY with his wife, three kids, and secret stashes of chocolate.

Author Links:

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Blog Tour: AngelBound: Lincon by Christina Bauer @CB_Bauer

Lincoln
Christina Bauer
(Angelbound Origins #1.5)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: February 24th 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

***Experience the events of Angelbound from Prince Lincoln’s point of view…And then enjoy an all-new part of his story!***

When it comes to fighting demons, Prince Lincoln is the greatest warrior in the history of his people, the thrax. Now Lincoln faces his hardest fight yet…and it’s not on a traditional battlefield.
Lincoln is falling in love. And the girl is part demon.
Between a fated dance at the Ryder mansion…a life-changing walk through a hedgerow maze…and a massive battle with none other than the King of Hell…Lincoln realizes that he wants to share his life with Myla Lewis, the part-demon girl who has captured his heart. However, an evil thrax noble—the powerful Earl of Acca—is prepared to do anything to stop Lincoln and Myla from having a future.
But Lincoln won’t give up on his Myla. Ever.
To fight Aldred, Lincoln works to create a different kind of marriage—an Alliance of the lesser thrax houses against Acca. Sadly, just as Lincoln starts to makes some progress, the nobles who’ve joined his Alliance begin to vanish. Is Aldred behind the disappearances, or is someone else vying for power? When Lincoln discovers the truth, it upends his entire world, threatening his future with Myla in ways no one could ever have imagined.
“I absolutely love Christina Bauer’s style, full of action, intense scenes, and characters that will test one’s imaginations to the max!” – Tome Tender Book Blog

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Christina Bauer is the author of more than fifteen books that combine fantasy, romance, and kickass chicks. We caught up with her on her launch tour for her new book, LINCOLN, the latest addition to her Angelbound Origins series.

1. Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or did you want to be something else? 

I pretty much always wanted to be a storyteller. Even in first grade, I’d just stand up in class and start telling things I made up. The nuns loved that, by the way!

Over time, I got sick of hearing people tell me it was impossible to make a living as writer, so I began lying and saying I wanted to be a nurse. Everyone seemed almost creepily happy with that change, so I secretly decided I wanted to write stories about chicks who kick ass in battle.

2. How long does it take you to write a book from start to finish?

It’s changed over time. When I first started writing, it took me two years to finish a 40,000 book. Now, I can do a 90,000 book in three months. The more I write, the more I can write, if that makes sense.

3. How do you come up with themes for your stories?

I go through short periods of time where I brainstorm a bunch of ideas and create inspiration boards for them on Pinterest. Then I wait. Some take a while to percolate. Others sort of raise their hand and say I’m ready now! When that happens, I take the Pinterest boards out of stealth mode and get to work. I have about five or six ideas in my secret Pinterest queue right now, in addition to my four active series: Dimension Drift, Magicorum, Angelbound, and Dimension Drift. 

4. Do you have a schedule of when you write? 

I write five full novels each year, so I’m basically chained to my computer all day long. It’s hard work, but I love what I do.

5. How are you able to balance other aspects of your life with your writing?

:::Laughs maniacally:::

Not sure I do a super-awesome job, actually. I can get really caught up in my mental worlds so that even if I’m beside you physically, my mind is off planning dragon lore or whatever. It’s something that I have to keep an open dialogue about with my family and friends. Otherwise, I’ll just disappear into my head, which isn’t really a great choice over the long haul

6. What elements do you think make a great story line? 

Personally, I enjoy stories with lots of action and feels. I also follow the Save the Cat model by Blake Snyder. It’s actually a format for writing movie scripts, but I think it works well for novels too. I don’t always follow this format, but I find that for me, it’s good to have some rules. Then I can make smarter choices about when to break them.

7. What was the hardest thing about writing a book?

Early on in my career, I was writing nine chapters for every one I kept, so at that point, the hardest part was being patient. Now fifteen-plus books later, I write much more cleanly. Now, the hardest thing is digging deep into my soul and putting that on the page. I believe readers know when you’re really opening up and that’s just hard to do, period.

8. How many books have you written so far? Do you have a favorite? 

LINCOLN marks my ninteenth published book and my fifth major series. Picking a favorite book is like choosing a favorite child. Not possible!

9. Do you have a favorite character?

Well, since I don’t have a favorite books or characters, I will say this: I just love writing in the voice of Myla from Angelbound. Being inside her head is simply too much fun. When I don’t do it for a while, I always find a way to go back.

10. Where do you write?  

I spend an awful lot of time in Starbucks or on my favorite spot on the living room couch. Most recently, Monster House Books has gotten new office space so I’ve also been there quite a lot.

11. When deciding on how to publish, what directed you to the route you took? 

In the end, I’m too much of a control freak to be satisfied with a traditional publishing model. I’ve been really happy with founding my own publishing company, Monster House Books.

12. Have you gotten feedback from family about your book(s)? What do they think?

I used to discuss my writing all the time, but now I leave it alone and just try to be very present in the space where I’m at, whether it’s with a friend, family member, or coworker. My world building is pretty intense and can quickly overwhelm others, so I save that part of myself to share with folks like you.

13. What kinds of things do you like to do outside of writing?

I enjoy reading, going to the movies, and spending time with my family.

14. What kinds of advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing? 

Here’s my advice: in the beginning, you’re going to suck. Hard. Everyone does. Honestly. Even Shakespeare was a literary pile of dung when he started out. Stick with it, work hard, and it will pay off in the end. The stories in your mind can only be brought to life by your pen. Respect that truth.

15. What is your favorite book? favorite author? Do you have an author that inspired/inspires you to write? 

JRR Tolkien is my all time favorite author. His Lord of the Rings series helped me survive being a teenager, giving me a light break from some pretty harsh realities. Today I hope my work can do that for others as well.

16. Do you have any go to people when writing a book that help you with your story lines as well as editing, beta reading and such? 

Over the years, I’ve learned that—for me—no one is a tougher editor than I am. I’ve had to step back from helping other writers because it was pulling too much energy from my own work. I use outside editors for proofreading and so on, but at this point, I just kick my own ass all the time!

17. Are you working on anything now? 

Right now, I’m working on THE BRUTAL TIME, which is another adventure for Myla and Lincoln from the Angelbound Origins series. After that, I do some more work on my Dimension Drift books, which are an adventure that’s set in a dystopian future. I’ve got another Angelbound Offspring book in the works called ZINNIA (due out the summer of 2019) which focuses on Myla and Lincoln’s grandchildren. And finally, there’s Book Three of my Fairy Tales of the Magicorum Series which releases this fall. It’s called SLIPPERS AND THIEVES, and it’s a new twist on Cinderella. Fun!

18. Tell us 5 things that make you smile

1 - my son, 2 – my husband, 3 – chocolate mochas, 4 – chocolate shakes (seeing a pattern here), 5 – finished manuscripts

19. Tell us 5 things that make you sad

1 – negative reviews, 2 – type-os, 3 – man colds, 4 – boy colds, 5 – mom colds (lo! another trend!)

20. If you could travel anywhere in the world to visit a place so you could use it as a background for a book, where would it be?

I’d like to visit Bali because here’s how it would work in my fantasy travel scenario: the flight would be like twenty minutes long and I could stay in a 5-star hotel for free. I’d figure out the book part later. Bali!

Thanks for asking me to participate in this interview—it was a TON of fun and I hope to chat again during my next book launch!

To find out more about Christina Bauer, please visit her website at www.bauersbooks.com

Author Bio:
Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.
Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
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