BETWEEN SHIFTS: Offical Preorder Post

Posted under Preorder, The City Between on September 5th, 2018 by

Well, here it is! The official preorder post for BETWEEN SHIFTS! September 30th is D-Day, but you can preorder now to set and forget–until the book downloads to your Kindle, of course…

There’s a body beneath the skip bins. Fae on the forklift. A vampire in the manager’s office. And there’s definitely something skeevy going on in the locker rooms.

Hi. I’m Pet. Well, not exactly Pet. I am a pet.

I was meant to stay out of it, but somebody’s gotta do something when humans are being killed by Behindkind creatures.

Lucky for me, my owners are just as dangerous and inhuman as the bad guys…

…maybe more.

Male/Female Platonic Friendships: A Guest Post by S. Usher Evans

Posted under Guest Posts on January 12th, 2018 by

So today, I have a special guest! S. Usher Evans, author of The Madion War Trilogy, is visiting The WR(ite) Blog…

She’s going to be talking about male/female platonic friendships (something I love to put in my books as well), and maybe point out that, in fact, she has a book coming out really soon, too, so kindly go preorder it…

–oOo–

In my new book, Resurgence (preorder now), there’s a fantastically platonic friendship between the two main characters, Jack and Cam. Theirs is a relationship I had no shortage of joy writing, especially as there was absolutely ZERO sexual tension between them. No jealous best friends here, folks (well, Cam does get jealous, but for other reasons).

Male/female friendships are so hard to come by in media. Most often, they dissolve into sexual tension or kissing or whatever. Below, I’ve listed a few of my absolute favorites in books and other media:

Leslie and Ron, Parks and Rec

Leslie and Ron are diametrically opposed to pretty much everything philosophically. Leslie, if you’ve never watched the show, is a diehard government bureaucrat who’s sole focus is to get the government to do as much as possible for the citizens of her town, Pawnee. Ron, on the other hand, is a canoe-building, bacon-eating libertarian, who thinks government should be nonexistent.

While they’re on opposite sides of many arguments, it’s clear that Ron respects Leslie—and Leslie considers Ron a fun challenge. Leslie leans on him when she needs guidance, and Ron goes to Leslie to help him battle his ex-wives Tammy 1 and 2. All in all, it’s a beautiful relationship.

Liz and Jack, 30 Rock

Image result for liz and jack(Girl loves herself some NBC shows…) Much like Ron and Leslie, Jack and Liz are complete opposites in terms of philosophies and life choices. Liz is a television writer who eats her night cheese, Jack is a sharklike executive. At first, you watch their relationships ups and downs as Jack becomes more acquainted with television life and Liz learns how to become a better manager.

I love their relationship even though it’s mostly lopsided. Liz is a hot mess of problems and Jack is there to listen and provide prospective. But it’s also fun when Jack is the crazy one and Liz is there, like with her actors, to talk him out of his dressing room. For them, it’s a give-and-take, which always strikes me as a healthy relationship.

Harry and Hermione, Harry Potter

Image result for harry and hermione

Harry and Hermione should have ended up together (fight me). But since they DIDN’T, I’ll throw them on my list of favorite platonic friendships. As probably everyone on the planet knows, the trio’s friendship withstood a ton of challenges, from trolls and hippogriffs to teenage angst and crushes to actually fighting an evil monster. Although Ron is there (meh), the real magic happens between Harry and Hermione.

Harry’s no slouch, but Hermione is the one with the brains and the drive. In fact, the whole series could actually be called “Hermione Saves the Day (Harry helps a little).” I think Harry and Ron take advantage of Hermione’s brilliance a little too often, but he also gives credit where it’s due. I actually modeled Jack and Cam on these two, playing with the idea of what happens to the golden children once they become adults.

Jack and Cam, Demon Spring Trilogy

Okay, so why do I love them so much? Jack and Cam started out as rivals at the demon hunting academy—both from prominent families, Cam with an insecurity streak and Jack with an ego trip—and eventually through trial and tribulation became friends, then best friends. Jack even marries Cam’s sister, but it’s clear they have their own special bond. They’re closer than siblings, having seen each other at their best and worst. Jack would do anything for Cam, and she, him. Their banter was hands-down the most fun to write.

What are your favorite M/F friendships?

About the Book

Resurgence, the first book in the Demon Spring trilogy, is an urban fantasy novel.Demon hunter Jack Grenard’s life changed three years ago when his wife was brutally murdered by the very demons he’d been hunting. At the urging of his partner Cam Macarro, he’s starting a new life in Atlanta, hoping he’ll find the man he used to be. But on a routine hunt, they come across a new type of demon–one that saves instead of kills.

Meanwhile, demons across Atlanta are preparing for the quadrennial uprising of their Underworld brethren. Worse yet, there’s a rumor the so-called king of the demons, Bael, will appear for the first time in over a century. Jack and Cam must uncover the truth about the mystery woman before all hell–literally–breaks loose.

Resurgence is the first in a new Urban Fantasy trilogy from S. Usher Evans, author of the Madion War Trilogy, Razia, and Lexie Carrigan Chronicles. It is available for eBook exclusively in Kindle Unlimited, and in paperback and hardcover.

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound
Book Depository

A Preorder, a Sale, and an Excerpt Walk into a Bar…

Posted under A Time-Traveller's Best Friend, Book Recommendations on September 2nd, 2017 by

Well, not really.

But I really do have a preorder, a sale, and an excerpt to share.

Memento Mori is now officially up for preorder, and looks absolutely GORGEOUS with its cover from Seedlings Design Studio.

To celebrate that, I’ve put A Time Traveller’s Best Friend at 99c for this weekend, over all store-fronts.

Amazon||Kobo||Smashwords||iBooks||B&N||Google Play

(It will be a part of Patty Jansen’s 100 99c SciFi/Fantasy books promo, too, so check out the others! I can particularly recommend Suzannah Rowntree’s Pendragon’s Heir, and A.K.R. Scott’s Inharmonic—both of which I own).

Memento Mori will be out September 26th, so don’t forget to preorder! And finally—have an excerpt!

–oOo–

“Good news, sir!”

Mikkel looked up warily. Arabella sounded cheerful, which was nothing out of the ordinary, but her idea of good news and his were often so radically different that he couldn’t help feeling the first dragging tendrils of dread close around his chest.

“Don’t look like that, sir; you’ll like this.”

“Will I? Is it something that’s likely to get me arrested?”

Arabella appeared to think about that. “I shouldn’t think so, sir. Actually, it’s Marx and Kez who’ve been arrested.”

Mikkel sat bolt upright. “When? Where? And who managed it?”

“A small Time Corp cruiser. They were making their normal patrol to show a few new ensigns the ropes and stopped to investigate something fishy. They’re requesting help because, and I quote: ‘This is too big for us and we don’t want to make a mess of it.’”

“Wait.” Mikkel’s eyes flicked to Arabella’s face. There was no sign of the prim smile that meant mischief, but he was still suspicious. “What about being hit on the head? Am I likely to be hit on the head?”

“No, sir,” Arabella said, slightly reproachfully. “Didn’t I promise I wouldn’t let them hit you on the head?”

“Only because you said you’d knock me out first. I don’t like this.”

Arabella blinked. “Really? I thought you’d be pleased!”

“Marx and Kez managed to be captured by a glorified baby-sitting cruiser?”

“Ah. I see what you mean.”

Mikkel sighed and brought up the vector controls on the pad beside his chair. “We’d better get down there before they scar the new ensigns beyond repair…”

***

“I don’t like this job, Marx.”

“Whose fault is it that we’ve got to do it?”

“Ain’t mine!” instantly said Kez. “An’ I don’t wanna be messin’ wiv stuff Marcus wants!”

“Marcus is dead.”

“Yeah, well, ’e’s got an ’abit of turning up when you don’t expect ’im. Wot if he’s in this time as well?”

“I checked in the Core,” said Marx patiently. “No, shut up, kid; I checked. I killed him thousands of Relative Year Units ago, and the Core says he’s safely in the Institute this year. He won’t travel out for another year.”

“Yeah, well—”

“Shut up, kid,” Marx said again. “He’s not here. And if he shows up, I’ll blast his flamin’ head off again. Happy?”

Kez sounded gruff. “Yeah. Orright. You better.”

“Then get a wriggle on. That cruiser’ll be by in a few RMUs; we want to be done before it shows up.”

“Oi. Shove over. This is my bit.”

“What does it matter who does what bit?”

“It don’t, but this is my bit.”

“I should have left you in the Upsydaisy.”

Kez blew a raspberry at him, showering him with a fine mist of spit. “Yeah? How you gonna get this done wivout me, then?”

–oOo–

Enjoy! And if you want to know what job it is that Kez and Marx are currently engaged upon…well, you’ll have to preorder, won’t you?

 

It’s Raining Books!

Posted under A Writer's Life, KDrama on May 10th, 2017 by

Well, not quite…but swiftly following the publication of BLACKFOOT and the paperback thereof– Kindle Press has made a preorder page for LADY OF DREAMS, my Korean-based fantasy.

In case you didn’t already catch it on my FB and Twitter feeds, LADY OF DREAMS will be released on June 6th, and can be preordered HERE!

Eeek! Such excite!

Confined to her couch, Clovis Sohn spends her days and nights dreaming, drifting further away from the outside world with each passing day. But Clovis’s dreams are also real, giving her a glimpse into the lives of those around her…

When Clovis begins to dream of publishing assistant Ae-jung’s complicated life, it brings a momentary interest to her pale existane between dream and waking. Mistress of many secrets, Ae-jung is dedicated, hard-working, and beset by three very different suitors: famous writer Hyun-jun, well-known composer Yong-hwa, and Clovis’ half-brother Jessamy.

When a moment of unthinking sympathy twines Clovis’s dreams with the bored, playful Yong-hwa, she must decide whether to keep dreaming in the comfort of her chaise lounge, or to awaken into a reality that is by no means so sure or familiar as her dreams.

Preorders and Formatting and Editing, Oh My!

Posted under A Writer's Life on January 25th, 2017 by

Okay, so I expected it to be a busy month.

I just didn’t expect it to be THIS busy…

So this is mostly a post where I’m going to whinge and complain about how much I hate formatting, editing, and preorders.

First, preorders…

(…totally NOT a smokescreen to showcase the fact that Shards of a Broken Sword: The Complete Trilogy (Amazon, Kobo, B&N, iTunes, Smashwords) is on preorder special for JUST 99c guys!)

Eeek! Just 99c!

I love preorders. I love that I can upload a draft as a placeholder and have people one-click to preorder so that they don’t forget about my new release. I do. I love it.

But I’m an obsessive-compulsive little writer with easy access to my KDP (and other) accounts. Which means that I’m in there every half hou–haha, did I say half hour? I meant every half DAY. Every half DAY, guys, I swear, hahahaeeeerrr–checking how many preorders there are now.

Soooooo…well, that one’s a mixed blessing.

Formatting…

…kill me now.

Enough said.

Editing.

This one’s another mixed blessing. I love the fact that by the time I’m editing, I’ve written a whole book. It’s done. It just needs polishing. I mean, it needs a LOT of polishing, but the foundations are laid. There’s hope.

Only, at the moment, I’m formatting SoaBS, doing last, frantic edits for SoaBS, editing BatEoY, and trying to finish writing Blackfoot…

I’m kinda edited out.

So I’m alternating editing with my Korean studies. That’s right, I’m taking a break from editing by studying.

That should tell ya something.

Anyhoo-

I hope you all enjoy the SoaBS omnibus, and don’t forget that if you wanna read the exclusive short story of Carmine & Fancy, and you already own all three of the SoaBS trilogy–sign up to my mailing list! There’s a free book to be had, but more importantly, peeps on the mailing list will also get access to that exclusive story.

If you’re already on the list–congrats! You’ll get access to the story in my next mailing!

Happy reading, you blokes.

Preorder Is Up: AKA, Git Yer Novella Heeeeere!

Posted under Novella, Preorder, Shards Of A Broken Sword on September 24th, 2015 by

Hey guys 🙂 This is just a quick, mid-week note to let you all know that TWELVE DAYS OF FAERY is up for preorder on Amazon. So go preorder now!*

*Or don’t. I’m not the boss of you.

1

In Twelve Days Of Faery, King Markon of Montalier is at the end of his tether. His son, Prince Parrin, is afflicted with a rather nasty curse that slaughters, maims, or brutally attacks any woman with whom he so much as flirts. After the rumour that sweeps around the kingdom, promising that any woman breaking the ‘curse’ will be eligible to marry the prince, there is no shortage of willing volunteers. Unfortunately, there is also no shortage of bodies piling up.

Markon needs to do something, but what? Can a visiting enchantress from Avernse help, or is she simply another accident waiting to happen? And will Markon be able to give her up to his son if she does break the curse?

Behold The Beauteous Cover Art!

Posted under A Writer's Life, editing, Growing as a writer, New Things!, Self-Publishing, Two Monarchies Sequence, writing on December 4th, 2014 by

I’ve been very busy these last few days, finishing final edits of my MS Masque. Likewise busy has been the very talented Joleene Naylor, finishing up the cover of Masque for me.

Happy mortals, feast your eyes on the beauteous cover art! Then go ahead and preorder Masque from Amazon or Kobo. Publication date is set for 1st February, 2015. Two months, guys!

MASQUE - 2500

And if you’re like me and need a blurb to read, scroll down. Adieu. I’m off to gloat a little more over my cover art.

 

    Beauty met the Beast, and there was . . . bloody murder?

            It’s the Annual Ambassadorial Ball in Glause, and Lady Isabella Farrah, the daughter of New Civet’s Ambassador, is feeling pleasantly scintillated. 

In the library is Lord Pecus, a charming gentleman whose double mask hides a beastly face, and who has decided that Isabella is the very person to break the Pecus curse. 

In the ball-room is young Lord Topher, who is rapidly falling in love with an older woman. 

And in the card-room, lying in a pool of his own blood, is the body of one of Isabella’s oldest friends: Raoul, Civet’s Head Guardsman.  The papers sewn into his sash seem to suggest espionage gone wrong, but Isabella is not so certain.

Lord Pecus, as Commander of the Watch, is of the opinion that Isabella should keep out of the investigation and out of danger.  Isabella is of the opinion that it is her murder to investigate, and that what a certain Beast-Lord doesn’t know won’t hurt him.  . . .    

Will Isabella find the murderer before Lord Pecus does, or will she end her investigation as a bloody spatter on the parlour floor?

 

Note: I’m currently sending Masque out for review, so if you’re interested in getting your hot little hands on a free review copy, email me at gingellwrites (AT) gmail.com. I’ll send a digital or physical copy of Masque to you for the purposes of a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads, etc. All honest reviews are welcomed, and I understand that not everyone is going to love me and my books. (Odd, but there it is . . .)

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