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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

The Sapphire Flute is FREE!



Rasann is a world in dire need. The net of magic that has held her together for eons is eroding and the magi can’t patch it fast enough to prevent disaster. Volcanoes spew, waters rise, famine and flood and desolation threaten the world as they desperately await the coming of the Wolfchild to heal their home.

Three women begin quests for identity and freedom from the ties that have held them: Ember, from her overbearing and prejudice mother; Kayla, from the rigidity of the caste that has oppressed her family; C’Tan, from her dark and evil master, the Guardian S’Kotos. One will discover she is the first white mage born in three millennia, another will become guardian to the a keystone, the sapphire flute, and throughout it all the third will try to destroy them both.

FREE 


Tuesday, June 24, 2014

The original beginning of Only Half Alive

This is the original beginning to Only Half Alive. Sadly it was unusable in the final version but I still love it to death! 

Please know it is completely unedited! 

Copyright © 2013, Konstanz Silverbow

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to a real person, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

One:
It was a night much like this one . . . the moment when humans found out that we are real. That vampires exist. Werewolves exist. That dragons breathe more than fire, but more importantly, that they are real. It was a cold fall evening that humans discovered the world is filled with supernatural beings.
It was a cold night as the rain hit against the window panes like rocks, sharp and creating a haunting echo that filled each room of every house.
It was a night so dark that no one dared leave home. This night was the night that changed many lives. Including mine. Not because I am human, but because I am what changed so much. For this night so many years ago, was the night that humans found out my kind exist. Demons are real.
This night, seventeen years ago, I was born. And with my birth came great darkness, great sadness where there should have been happiness.  But there wasn't. I am feared, hated, and humans and supernatural beings alike will stop at nothing to kill me.
But I wish they would succeed. Because I am not what they think I am. Yes, it is my nature to create and control the shadows. To haunt dreams and create nightmares. But it is not in my heart. For all I want is to be able to step into the light and feel warmth.
But my story isn't the only one that humans have gotten wrong. Because every story out there is a lie. Vampires are real and yes, they drink blood. But they do not hunt humans. There is only one occurrence in a vampire’s lifetime that will make them drink human blood. Vampires don't normally do such a distasteful thing. They much prefer the blood of a werewolf. But should they fall in love with one, they cannot spill another's blood. And so they turn to humans to survive.
And though creatures born of darkness, they do try to not be evil.
Werewolves are born of light, and do not transform shape under moonlight, but sunlight. Which is why they avoid it as much as possible. For werewolves are creatures of light and so they become their true form under it.  But in the darkness they can hide among humans, undetected.
Witches crave attention, mischief, and pain. They long to make others suffer in a way that would seem only as a joke to someone who do not know them. If ever facing a witch, don't trust a word she says.
And then there are Faeries, who much like Vampires, Werewolves, and witches, can appear as human. But do not be fooled, or afraid. Despite popular belief, Faeries are very kind and caring which is rather funny considering witches created them. But that does not matter. Being of the light, their soul was born to match that of the sun. If ever in the dark, hope that a faery is nearby and all will be light and never again will you be lost.
And though some believe the same of Unicorns, do not trust them. Unicorns may very well be the most evil of all. Unicorns by nature long to kill. If not, they would have no need for a weapon upon their head, a way for all to see that they cannot be harmed.
Whereas dragons are the kindest and most noble of creatures. They do not so much long for gold as something they can look upon in adoration and know that it cannot harm them. If a dragon is willing to save you, you are being watched over and never again will you be in harm’s way so long as the dragon remains alive. And that they do, for a very long span of time.
Then there are beings such as Elves who love the darkness they pretend to not be a part of and Dwarves who crave for the light they hide from. Necromancers who wish you no harm and the worst of all . . . humans.  Beings that believe they should be over the others. Beings that wish to strip away our powers and make us like them so that they are not the weak ones. Little do they know just how powerful they are.
So why then, is the world fighting over me, a simple and lonely girl who wants nothing but to break the curse that haunts me, escape the shadows that bind me.
Why is the world determined to destroy me, believing that I am evil when I am the most careful being alive? Never will I hurt another being intentionally. Never will I kill or lie or use my powers to harm others. But the world refuses to listen to me because of what I am.
Perhaps this world would be better off if more would listen rather than look. Because the eyes can lie but the heart cannot.
But even as much as they want to kill me, destroy me, I cannot hate them. I cannot wish harm upon them. And I cannot act on the feelings they stir in me when I hear them plan on ways to destroy me. Because that would only be proving them right. Because doing that would mean that this isn't a curse. This isn't something I can change. It would mean that deep down, I really am a demon.
And that is a thought I refuse to believe.
If I am a demon shouldn't I hate everyone and everything? Shouldn't I long to watch the world burn at my hand? That is what a demon is. I look like the others. I have no horns or tail. I am not a being of black shadow that flies about cursing and haunting others.
I am a girl who has long black hair and light pale skin. With deep blue eyes the color of the ocean. I am a being that looks much like a human and speaks and walks like a human. I am seventeen and bound on finding a way to be just that; human.
And from years of searching, years of hoping, there seems to only be one answer. Love. My issue lies with the fact that I am a seventeen year old female. Where am I supposed to find my soul-mate? Better yet, what boy is going to be searching for me? Would he believe me if I told him it were meant to be?
And more importantly, how am I supposed to know if it is meant to be?
The quest for love is a doomed one and so I avoid all thoughts of it. There must be another way. A way for me to find freedom. A way for me to stop the war bound to happen if I continue to exist.
The world is an unfair place, and each story out there is twisted every way. Rarely are the stories told correct.

My name is Christina, and I am here to set the record straight. 
~ ~  The end ~ ~
Get your copy of the published version and see what changed! :) 
~ Amazon ~ B&N ~ Smashwords ~ Etsy

Monday, June 23, 2014

You're all invited to the Newtimber: Fractured RELEASE PARTY on Facebook!


You're all invited to the party!! Come celebrate the release of Fractured by Karen E. Hoover! 

Giveaway Galore! 

Prizes include: 

Mugs
Jewelry
Journals
SWAG
E- Books
Paperback Books
Gift Cards
and MORE! 

Did I mention all giveaways will be open internationally? 

Join the Facebook party HERE

Don't forget to invite your friends. The more people who come, the more prizes we'll give away!

If you are an author or blogger looking for more exposure/advertising and are willing to donate prize(s) to the party, comment here with your contact information, send me a PM on Facebook, or e-mail me. 

nothought2small(at)gmail(dot)com




Wednesday, June 18, 2014

The Princess and the Prom Queen by Jaclyn Weist ~ Blog Tour Sign Ups!




Book: The Princess and the Prom Queen
Author: Jaclyn Weist
Release Date: April 29th 2014
Tour Schedule: August 16th - September 16th
Publisher: Trifecta Books
Genre: YA Fantasy

Book Synopsis:

Jenny’s had it with her life. Six siblings in an overstuffed house are enough to drive anyone crazy, and sometimes she dreams of escaping to some fantasy world. When she suddenly wakes up to find herself being kissed by a strange—but very handsome—prince, Jenny knows her life just got a lot more exciting. Now stuck in a medieval land of castles and royalty, when Jenny learns that the queen has agreed to marry her off to the prince, it’s time to take matters into her own hands. She goes on a quest to find out who dragged her to this time while trying to keep from falling in love with either of the boys vying for her attention.

Princess Genevieve has only known life under her mother’s rule. She wants to do more than go to battle or deal with suitors. She wakes to find herself in a new world filled with gadgets, electricity, and moving carriages. She finally has the freedom to be who she wants to be with a family who cares deeply for her and a boy worth any sacrifice. It’s more than everything she always wanted.

As Jenny and Genevieve settle into their new lives, they face an unknown evil which threatens everything they care about and makes them face tough questions—like who they are and what they really want their lives to become.


Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Dancing with Black by Laura Bingham ~ Blog Tour Sign Ups!!





Book title: Dancing with Black
Author: Laura Bingham
Release Date: June 21st
Tour Dates: July 14th - August 14th
Genre: YA contemporary
Publisher: Trifecta Books


Book Synopsis:

Dancing is Cami's escape from her dark home life. It's the only thing that gives her hope - until she meets Adam Black. A talented dancer in his own right, he asks Cami to be his partner, and she gains strength and confidence as he unlocks whole new possibilities for her.

When Cami's abusive mother overdoses and her already-broken family falls to pieces around her, dancing with Adam helps Cami pull through. But he has secrets of his own, and someone wants him found at any price. Cami gets dragged into a web of danger and deceit. Now she must make a choice between familiar darkness and uncertain light.



Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Spread The Cheer ~ Giving you a reason to smile!

Recently I had a giveaway on my Facebook page. To enter you had to nominate someone who needed a pick-me-up! There were so many heart breaking entries. So many people needing a reason to smile in their hard times!

As I went through each entry I couldn't help but want to help everyone! And there was my light bulb moment! And so, though I won't be able to do it all at once, I have created a form just for that!

If you know someone in need, if you need some good news or a reason to smile, please take a moment and fill the form out! <3


Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Five Corners: The Marked Ones ~ Cover Re-reveal!

Cover re-veal! 




Growing up in a sleepy village untouched by distant wars and political conflicts, it was easy for Thia, Mina and Kiara to forget such horrors existed in the Five Corners. That is until the dead child is found; a child that bears the same strange birthmark that all three sisters possess. A Mark their mother had always told them was unique to the girls. Kiara's suspicions grow as their Inn is soon overrun with outsiders from all walks of life. Strangers, soldiers and Elders who all seem to know more about what is happening than the girls do. After Mina barely survives an attack in the forest, the sisters are faced with a shattering secret their mother has kept from them for years. As danger closes in around them, the sisters are forced from their home and must put their trust in the hands of strangers. With more questions than answers, Kiara finds herself separated from everyone she loves and reliant on an Outlander who has spent too much time in army. She doesn't trust Caedmon but she needs him if she has any hope of being reunited with her sisters and learning what the Mark might mean.

 ~ Goodreads ~ B&N ~ Amazon



 ~ Meet the author ~ 





Cathi Shaw lives in Summerland, BC with her husband and three children.  She is often found wandering around her home, muttering in a seemingly incoherent manner, particularly when her characters have embarked on new adventure. In addition to writing fiction, she teaches rhetoric and professional writing in the Department of Communications at Okanagan College and is the co-author of the textbook Writing Today.

 ~ Facebook ~ Twitter: @CathiShaw   ~ Tumblr


Friday, June 6, 2014

Sticks and Stones may break my bones but your words can't ever hurt me . . . unless they're in the form of a book review!

September 2013 I published my first book, Only Half Alive. I was so ecstatic to send this book into the world (and stressed, but that's beside the point). I hit publish and then I proceeded to refresh Amazon every 2.5 seconds to ensure I didn't miss it when the book actually went live.

After the book went live, I didn't stop refreshing. I was going crazy waiting for the reviews to come in. Literally, I was consumed with this idea that I was going to get a hundred five star reviews that first day! Oh how silly I was!

Reviews did start coming in. Slowly, they trickled onto Amazon. A few were good, a few were bad, some were great, and some made me want to quit writing. But despite the bad reviews getting me down, I KEPT CHECKING them! Why? Why did I keep reading them?!

But no, it gets worse! As if the bad reviews on Amazon weren't enough, I made the very terrible decision to look at the reviews on Goodreads. To say I was upset was is an understatement. I cried. For days! I just couldn't understand how people could be so mean. Sure, the book has some mistakes! It isn't perfect, but to rip it apart in such a horrifying manner? Would I ever be able to write again?

Well, yes! It took a few weeks but I did recover. And you know what happened? I stopped reading reviews. I kept writing. And I stopped reading reviews all together. For weeks, I'll go without checking rankings or reviews.

And it has been wonderful! My own worst critic is myself so why would I torture it further by allowing a strangers opinion to tear me down? And you know what else happened? I learned! Though harsh, some of the reviews were quite helpful in pin pointing exactly why they didn't like it. What made them give it a bad review. And I have learned from those mistakes because some of the complaints, were actual things that should have been *avoided/fixed in the first place.

*Some people have asked me if I ever plan on re-releasing the book so I can fix the errors and to this my answer is a **definite no. Not because it can't be done. But because I don't believe in hiding my mistakes. I made them, I learned from them, and now I have moved on.

**By definite no I mean, not any time soon. Hopefully, eventually, I will go back through and at least edit the book and re-upload it.




Thursday, June 5, 2014

Newtimber: Fractured by Karen E. Hoover ~ Blog Tour Sign Ups




Book title: Newtimber: Fractured
Author: Karen E. Hoover
Release Date: June 21st
Tour Dates: July 15th - August 15th

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Trifecta Books
Tour Host: Silverbow Promotions 

Book Synopsis: 

There was absolutely no way a black dragon hovered outside of Newtimber. Sianna rubbed her eyes, but the dragon was still there, clutching a round object that looked like a spotted egg. And then the egg fell, hitting the ground like an atomic bomb, sending out waves of a slow-moving fog that distorted everything it touched.

The citizens of Newtimber change. The old man down the street stretches into a screaming tree. Sianna’s skateboarding friend, Matt, transforms into a giant green dragon. Pegasus. Sirens. Griffins. Vampires. Zombies. Creatures from the myths of every culture come to life through the people.
Even Sianna changes, her skin becoming stone hard, and she gains the ability to travel from the human realm into the dimension of the fae, using it to free her father from prison and enlist his aid in battling the evil bent on taking over the world.

One person to heal a family, a town, and save the world. It seems an impossible task, but with the help of her new friends, it could happen.

Right?