It's HERE!!!! WATER SO DEEP IS HERE!!! (And adding even more !!!!)

Guys, today's the day. Water So Deep is finally available for purchase!

Only the e-book version for now--there has been a very slight delay in the hard cover release, but I hope that will all be resolved this week, but all of you e-reader addicts, go! Buy! Enjoy! (And then hopefully review!)

I am not having an online launch party this time, but there is a blog tour happening starting Tuesday, February 3, and as soon as the hard cover issues are worked out, I will consider scheduling at least one signing.

In case you missed yesterday's teaser, here it is:

And one more, just because TODAY'S THE DAY!

Thanks for being patient with me and for supporting me as an author. I promise to start blogging about other things now. Thanks!

All theTeasers, Just in Time for Release Week

Guys! Next Monday, Water So Deep is released to the world. That is less than a week from now, and this news is just hitting me. Not because I don't pay attention to the calendar, but because I am currently being pulled in so many different directions that it only just now HIT ME.

Six. Days.

EEK!

So for today's (semi-late) post, I am going to share with you all the teasers I have posted on social media thus far. There will be more next week, I assure you. And celebrating. And some possible flash giveaways. But for now, here is your lead up.

And also, in case you haven't seen it, you can read the first chapter of Water So Deep here.

And in case you haven't taken advantage of the introductory pre-order price, you can purchase your copy in all of these places, and by pre-ordering have the book delivered directly to your device on release day.

Amazon

Kobo

iBooks

Goodreads

Nook: Pending

One more little detail. Water So Deep will also be available as a HARD COVER! I am crossing my fingers that it is also available on February 2, but there have been a few minor delays, so I will update this post if that changes. However, there is no pre-order option for that at this time. But in case you're wondering, this is what the jacket will look like.

What do you think? I can hardly wait to see this baby in person and be able to show it off. So if you are a person who loves ink and paper books that you can put on a literal shelf rather than a virtual one, stay tuned. These will be available as soon as possible. Hopefully, hopefully the same day as the ebooks go live!

Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Teaser #1:

Teaser #2:

Teaser #3:

Teaser #4:

Water So Deep: THE COVER IS HERE!

Guys. This. This is what I've had to keep to myself for the last month-ish. And let me tell you, IT WAS SO HARD! Like, so seriously hard. I can't even tell you.

But now it's here and I can show you and IAMSOEXCITED!

So...

What do you think?

And in case you haven't seen it yet, check out the cover copy.

Water So Deep

Seventeen-year-old Emma Harris is drowning on dry land.

No one knows what’s happening to her, and she’d like to keep her evolution from human to mermaid a secret, but the truth is getting harder and harder to hide. From her adoptive family, from her friends, and especially from the irresistible James Phelps.

Her time in the ocean is spent dodging a possessive merman, while her time on land is split between caring for her special-needs brother and squeezing in every last possible moment of human life. She soon realizes falling for James is unavoidable when he constantly comes to Emma’s rescue and somehow manages to see through her carefully constructed icy facade to the vulnerability she lives with every day. Everything about James makes Emma yearn for a life on land she just can't have.

When Emma’s brother disappears on her watch, James is the only person she trusts to help her save him. But even if they can save her brother, nothing can prevent her return to the sea. Whether she likes it or not, Emma is changing—unable to breathe without yielding to the tide—and it's only a matter of time before she's forced to surrender forever.

And also, guess what else? You can pre-order this book for your kindle already. CLICK HERE to purchase your advance copy of the Water So Deep e-book and get it at the pre-order special price of $2.99.

Guys, thanks for letting me be excited. I can't wait to share this whole book with you.

The Announcement (In Case You Missed It)

Happy December! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving week last week. This is going to be a repeat of information for those who subscribe to my newsletter, but since I'm excited, I want to make sure I share it everywhere. 

For those who read this blog or follow me on social media, you might have already guessed that while the Descendant series has been my primary focus for the last two years, it has not been my ONLY focus, or my only project.  

The result of one of my many other projects is a BRAND NEW BOOK, which is totally and completely separate from the Descendant series, including its characters, and world. This book (which is the first of a two-book series) is a young adult romantic fantasy called WATER SO DEEP, and will be released to the public in paperback and e-book on February 2. (Why yes, yes that is Groundhog Day!) 

The cover is not included here because it hasn't been released yet, but for those of you who are excited about helping me spread the word about this very exciting new release, I will be sure to post sign up links on my blog and FB page as soon as they are available.

I have to be honest here. Of all the books I've written so far, this one is my personal favorite, and I can't wait to share it with all of you. 

Here is a little teaser blurb that is extremely rough and nowhere near final. Probably.

WATER SO DEEP

Seventeen-year-old Emma Harris is drowning on dry land.

No one knows what’s happening to her, and she’d like to keep her evolution from human to mermaid a secret, but the truth is getting harder and harder to hide. From her adoptive family, from her friends, and especially from the irresistible James Phelps.

Her time in the ocean is spent dodging a possessive merman, while her time on land is split between caring for her special-needs brother and squeezing in every last possible moment of human life. She soon realizes falling for James is unavoidable when he constantly comes to Emma’s rescue and somehow manages to see through her carefully constructed icy facade to the vulnerability she lives with every day. Everything about James makes Emma yearn for a life on land she just can't have.

When Emma’s brother disappears on her watch, James is the only person she trusts to help her save him. But even if they can save her brother, nothing can prevent her return to the sea. Whether she likes it or not, Emma is changing—unable to breathe without yielding to the tide—and it's only a matter of time before she's forced to surrender forever.

Exciting upcoming release: Something About Love by Elana Johnson

Guys! I am SO excited about Elana Johnson's newest release, Something About Love. First, I fell completely, totally in love with her contemporary novel-in-verse, ELEVATED, and while this one is not related, it's done in the same style, and I think Elana is a genius at writing in verse.

Lucky me, I get to read it early! It's at the very top of my list this week as a reward for me finishing an edit I need to finish (but I am SO tempted to read it before then!).

Also, look at the pretty! Is this not a gorgeous cover?

About SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE: High school senior Olivia Winging gave up her love of photography when she gave up her boyfriend, Trevor Youngblood, a year and a half ago. She broke things off with Trevor because her mom married his dad, and dating your step-brother? Creepy. 

Livvy hasn’t been on good terms with her mother since, and one of her stipulations for staying at the Youngblood’s every other weekend is that Trevor can’t be there. When she gets nominated for the Junior Photography in Excellence award, Trevor insists she enter. She agrees—only if every photo in the portfolio can be of him. Knowing that Livvy can capture a person’s deepest secrets through her lens, Trevor hesitates before accepting the deal.

As Livvy gets behind the lens of her camera again, her love of photography is rekindled. Unfortunately, the time she spends with Trevor also re-ignites the old flame for him she’s kept smothered for so long.

In order for Livvy to finish her portfolio, she’ll have to face her feelings for Trevor as well as deal with the animosity between her and her mother. Livvy’s always been able to capture a person’s soul from behind the camera—but she’s not sure she likes it when the lens is suddenly focused on her. If she can’t find a way to forgive her mother and admit how she feels about Trevor, Livvy may end up losing more than just the photography contest. She could lose her heart. 

You can Pre-order SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE on Amazon and also talk about it on Goodreads.

And guys, this is very exciting too. ELEVATED, the book I mentioned above and which is my favorite of all favorites by Elana, is FREE on Amazon September 15-19 as a special promo as SOMETHING ABOUT LOVE releases. Make sure you grab it. You will NOT regret it. Promise.

Praise for Elana’s first verse novel, Elevated:

“The taut poetry keeps tension high. The plot is deftly paced, as past intrudes on present, like a photograph emerging in developing fluid.” ~San Francisco Book Review

“Every word Johnson writes carries an emotional heft that lifts readers up to the highest happiness and then sends them crashing down to the depths of despair. It is easy to flow from the first word to the last without ever putting down the book. Johnson shows outstanding talent in this form, and her words are beautiful, important and deeply felt.” ~The Deseret News

About Elana Johnson: Elana Johnson’s work, including Possession, Surrender, Abandon, and Regret, published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster), is available now everywhere books are sold. Her popular ebook, From the Query to the Call, is also available for free download, as well as a Possession short story, Resist. 

Her self-published novels include two YA contemporary novels-in-verse, Elevated and Something About Love, as well as a YA/NA futuristic fantasy series, which includes Elemental Rush, Elemental Hunger, and Elemental Release.

School teacher by day, Query Ninja by night, you can find her online at her personal blog or Twitter. She also co-founded the Query Tracker blog, and contributes to the League of Extraordinary Writers.

Social Media Links:

Website/blog: http://elanajohnson.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElanaJ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorelanajohnson

Tumblr: http://elanajohnson.tumblr.com/

Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/elanajohnson

League of Extraordinary Writers: http://leaguewriters.blogspot.com/

WriteOnCon: http://writeoncon.com/

Elana on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4044383.Elana_Johnson

PARANOIA by J.R. Johansson, a Convention To Do List, and a Giveaway

Okay, first, guys, last week's DESCENDANT / BIRTHRIGHT blast promotion was so much fun. I have a lot of new followers here and also on all my social networking sites, and more new readers than I ever dreamed. DESCENDANT spent the entire week in the #1 spot for Young Adult Paranormal and Urban Fantasy, as well as the #1 spot for Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy, and BIRTHRIGHT sales are climbing like crazy. I'm counting the week as a smashing success. Thank you so much to everyone who participated in any way. I adore you. 

*blows kisses*

For those of you who are new here, you will soon learn that I have a thing for writer's conferences and conventions. I love them. They're exhausting, and expensive, so I do have to limit myself sometimes, but when I attend something, I tend to find all the partying-est parties. And meet the partying-est people. And make the most outrageous memories. Because I think if you're going to do something great, you might as well make it as great as possible. 

One of my very favorite conventions is WorldCON, the world-wide science fiction and fantasy convention. I've been twice now. (I am currently not planning to attend this year as it's in London, but my WorldCON friends are all going, and miracles have been known to happen. *coughcough*) Both times, I spent my week rooming and hanging out with the lovely J.R. Johansson, author of INSOMNIA and this week's new release, PARANOIA. 

Since all the other posts on this blog tour are all about PARANOIA, today, on the day of the PARANOIA launch party (which I can't attend because I'm far away in Texas), we thought we'd take a break from the book-ish posts and instead do one about authors and parties. The following advice is drawn from our experience attending WorldCon together, where we behaved...well, if not like total professionals...then at least like people that were having more fun than is considered legal in 12 states.

So here it is. J.R. Johansson's and my official Convention To-Do list (in no particular order):

1. Find the human outline on the floor in the Klingon party and act panicked, then hurry and lie down to see if it matches your body.

2. Throw cookies off a 19th floor balcony, and then rescue those cookies from the street an hour later. 

3. Sit on George R.R. Martin's lap while wearing tiara, and claiming you have officially WON the Game of Thrones.

4. Hijack a freight elevator with 11 other people, because there's a line to get on the ones meant for "guests." 

5. Go on a quest that results in you being knighted by a highly famous author waving a glowing sword. 

6. Be serenaded by an opera-singer diva who is dying to let the world know it's someone's birthday. 

7. Find the ONLY party with music and a disco ball and start a near-riot by bringing all your new friends from the elevator. 

8. Dress up in corsets to attend the Masquerade, and pretend you're Nevada show-girls along the way.

9. Ride an elevator with lampshades on your heads (not the freight elevator). 

10. Have impromptu dance parties in other people's hotel rooms. Start by doing the Macarena. 

11. Experience late night Aussie renditions of Monty Python tunes.

12. Throw late night rooftop parties complete with ipod battles that involve bands like Imagine Dragons.

13. Become besties with Harry Potter, Westley from the Princess Bride, the Ghostbusters, and Daenerys Targaryen. Also, the Hound. Woof.

14. Steal a Hugo. (And, okay, then give it back.)

15. Take a ride in a Tardis, and learn how to work the controls.

16. Have a sword battle with a Jedi.

17. Sneak into a private publisher party through the back door and then pretend you belong there.

18. Rescue a gentle giant from nearly falling into a bathtub filled with pop cans and ice.

19. Visit Japan, Helsinki, Boston, Texas, New Zealand, and Orlando all within an hour. 

20. Cram 8 people into a car built for four and go for a drive while all singing. Don't get pulled over by police.  

Disclaimer: this list was created by professionals and some of these activities should not be attempted without adult supervision. Or something like that.  

Okay, and now onto bookish stuff and PARANOIA: 

With Every Night of Blissful Sleep Darkness Grows Inside Him.

In the aftermath of the events that nearly killed him, Parker Chipp is trying to learn to cope better with life as a Watcher. And it seems to be working...until he wakes up in jail with a hangover and 12 hours of missing time. Darkness has somehow taken control and Parker doesn't have a clue how to stop him. He finds an unlikely ally in Jack, the mysterious guy in the motorcycle jacket who offers to help Parker master his abilities as a Watcher. But even as they practice, the darkness inside Parker is getting more and more powerful, taking over Parker’s body and doing everything he can to destroy Parker's life.

When Jack reveals that there is another kind of Night Walker, known as a Taker, Parker starts to wonder if the strange things happening in Oakville are more than just a coincidence. After all, people are more than just sleepwalking. They're emptying their savings accounts with no memory of doing so, wandering into strange parts of town and disappearing, they're even killing other people--all in their sleep. If Parker wants to find out what's happening or have any hope of seeing his father again, he’ll have to defy Jack and put his own life in danger...because the more he learns about these other Night Walkers, the more certain he becomes that his life isn't the only one that could be lost.

J.R. JOHANSSON is a young adult thriller author. Her books INSOMNIA, PARANOIA (June 2014), and a third untitled book (June 2015) are with Flux Books. CUT ME FREE (Winter 2015) and another untitled book (Winter 2016) will be coming out with FSG/Macmillan.  She has a B.S. degree in public relations and a background in marketing. She credits her abnormal psychology minor with inspiring many of her characters. When she's not writing, she loves reading, playing board games, and sitting in her hot tub. Her dream is that someday she can do all three at the same time. She has two young sons and a wonderful husband. In fact, other than her cat, Cleo, she's nearly drowning in testosterone.

Jenn’s Links -

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JennJohansson

Blog: http://www.jennjohansson.blogspot.com/

Site: http://www.jrjohansson.com

Tumblr: http://jrjohansson.tumblr.com/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJRJohansson

J.R. Johansson on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5100095.J_R_Johansson

PARANOIA on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12260608-insomnia

                                       

Pre-order Links –

The Book Depository - http://www.bookdepository.com/Paranoia-Johansson/9780738740188

Indiebound - http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780738740188

Books A Million - http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Paranoia/J-R-Johansson/9780738740188?id=5529587671279

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paranoia-j-r-johansson/1117011365?ean=9780738740188

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Paranoia-The-Night-Walkers-Johansson/dp/0738740187

Oh, and let's not forget the fun stuff! A giveaway! Here's where you enter.

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Cover Reveal: Catch Me When I Fall by Vicki Leigh

It’s cover reveal day for Vicki Leigh’s CATCH ME WHEN I FALL! Lots of awesome stuff going on, including a giveaway! But first, here's a special message from Vicki:

And here's what CATCH ME WHEN I FALL is all about:

Recruited at his death to be a Protector of the Night, seventeen-year-old Daniel Graham has spent two-hundred years fighting Nightmares and guarding humans from the clawed, red-eyed creatures that feed off people’s fears. Each night, he risks his eternal life, having given up his chance at an afterlife when he chose to become a Protector. That doesn’t stop a burnt-out Daniel from risking daring maneuvers during each battle. He’s become one of the best, but he wants nothing more than to stop.

Then he’s given an assignment to watch over sixteen-year-old Kayla Bartlett, a clinically depressed patient in a psychiatric ward. Nightmares love a human with a tortured past. Yet, when they take a deep interest in her, appearing in unprecedented numbers, the job becomes more dangerous than any Daniel’s ever experienced. He fights ruthlessly to keep the Nightmares from overwhelming his team and Kayla. Soon, Daniel finds himself watching over Kayla during the day, drawn to why she’s different, and what it is about her that attracts the Nightmares. And him.

A vicious attack on Kayla forces Daniel to break the first Law and reveal his identity. Driven by his growing feelings for her, he whisks her away to Rome where others like him can keep her safe. Under their roof, the Protectors discover what Kayla is and why someone who can manipulate Nightmares has her in his sights. But before they can make a move, the Protectors are betrayed and Kayla is kidnapped. Daniel will stop at nothing to save her. Even if it means giving up his immortality.

CATCH ME WHEN I FALL will be available on October 23, 2014 in both paperback and e-book formats from Curiosity Quills Press. For more information, visit the book’s Goodreads page.

Now, there can’t be a cover reveal without a giveaway, right? Lots of authors stopped by and donated some fantastic books to help Vicki celebrate. You don’t want to miss out on these! Here’s what you can win:

• An e-copy of CATCH ME WHEN I FALL by Vicki Leigh
• A submission package critique (query+synopsis+first chap) from Vicki Leigh
• An e-copy of HEIRS OF WAR by Mara Valderran
• Two query+first chapter critiques from YA author Emily Stanford
• A full manuscript critique from YA author Emily Stanford
• An e-copy of WITHOUT BLOODSHED by Matthew Graybosch
• A paperback of DESTRUCTION by Sharon Bayliss
• An e-copy of KIYA: HOPE OF THE PHARAOH by Katie Teller
• One query+first chapter critique from YA author Katie Teller
• An e-copy of DARKNESS WATCHING by Emma Adams
• A copy of DESCENDANT by Nichole Giles (winners outside the U.S. will receive an e-copy)
• An e-copy package of EVER and EVADE by Jessa Russo
• A signed copy of DIVIDE by Jessa Russo
• A copy of UNHINGED by A.G. Howard

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win! All prizes will be accompanied by a Dreamcatcher swag package from Vicki Leigh.

Thanks for stopping by!

About Vicki:

Adopted at three-days-old by a construction worker and a stay-at-home mom, Vicki Leigh grew up in a small suburb of Akron, Ohio where she learned to read by the age of four and considered being sent to her room for punishment as an opportunity to dive into another book. By the sixth grade, Vicki penned her first, full-length screenplay. If she couldn’t be a writer, Vicki would be a Hunter (think Dean and Sam Winchester) or a Jedi. Her favorite place on earth is Hogwarts (she refuses to believe it doesn’t exist), and her favorite dreams include solving cases alongside Sherlock Holmes.

Vicki is an editor for Curiosity Quills Press, a co-founder of The Writer Diaries, and is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

You can find Vicki at her website and blog and on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube, and Goodreads.

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BIRTHRIGHT COVER REVEAL DAY!! (And a contest!)

Guys. I am so excited because finally FINALLY I get to show you this gorgeous thing:

Designed by the amazing, talented Erin Summerill. What do you think?

Birthright is a follow up to Descendant.

Two months ago, Abigail Johnson saved the life of the boy she believes is her destiny and defeated an army of demons that have pursued her ancestors for centuries. Now, she and Kye should be taking their place as leaders of the new generation of Gifted. But the curse they thought was broken has returned, and every minute together brings them closer to death.

When remaining shadow demons attack again, the Dragons send Abby to Mexico. Being apart from Kye is slowly killing her soul, and it turns out she isn’t any safer here than she was back home. The shadows have tracked her, the locals expect her to help with their own demon problems, and the more time she spends away from Kye, the more she doubts the destiny that ties them together.

When the demons destroy her safe house, Abby has no choice but to take the fight to them. But the arrival of an old nemesis throws their careful plans into disarray, and Abby and her friends find themselves facing new adversaries in a battle that turns fatal. This time, not everyone will make it out alive. 

You can read the first TWO chapters of Birthright here.

You can also read the first two chapters of Descendant here.

Add Birthright to your To Read shelf.

DESCENDANT links (first book in the series. BIRTHRIGHT is the sequel to DESCENDANT):
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

**UPDATE**
Be among the first to grab your e-copy of Birthright for Kindle, Nook, iBooks, or Kobo. (More links to come as the official release date draws ever nearer.) 

And guys, we're giving away $15 in PayPal cash just for helping spread the word about Birthright! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day: ELEVATED by Elana Johnson (and a surprise contest!)

Guys. It's been a very long time since I was so excited about a book. But this one? FIVE STARS. Or diamonds. Or thumbs up. Or whatever you use to rate books. Seriously. 

Here's the scoop. ELEVATED is written all in verse (aka poetry), which doesn't sound all that appealing necessarily, until you open the cover and read the first page. And then the second page. Before you know it, you arrive at the last page and it's three hours later and you missed going to the gym and picking up your kids from school and taking them to sports practice or dance class or whatever and it's past dinner time and you didn't even know it because you were lost in this beautiful story. Really. 

I absolutely loved Elly, and finding out why she clearly loves Trav, but doesn't want to talk to him. I love the emotional impact that hits again and again with each event that leads to the one fateful day when they end up stuck together in an elevator with their secrets and their heartache. I love how it's written. I love the voice. I love the characters. I love how real the world and the conflicts feel. But mostly, I love that Elana has managed to cram SO MUCH story into so few words. If you've never read a book in verse, read this one. You'll be converted. If you've read one and didn't like it, read this one. You'll change your mind. 

By the way, this cover is a tiny bit different from the one that was revealed in January. I like this one better. It rocks! 

Check it out!

About ELEVATED: The last person seventeen-year-old Eleanor Livingston wants to see on the elevator—let alone get stuck with—is her ex-boyfriend Travis, the guy she's been avoiding for five months.

Plagued with the belief that when she speaks the truth, bad things happen, Elly hasn’t told Trav anything. Not why she broke up with him and cut off all contact. Not what happened the day her father returned from his deployment to Afghanistan. And certainly not that she misses him and still thinks about him everyday.

But with nowhere to hide and Travis so close it hurts, Elly’s worried she won’t be able to contain her secrets for long. She’s terrified of finally revealing the truth, because she can’t bear to watch a tragedy befall the boy she still loves.

Buy Links:

Amazon 

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

iTunes

On Goodreads

Praise for ELEVATED:

"ELEVATED will take you on an emotionally gripping journey through the highs and lows of first love."

~Carolee Dean, author of Take Me There and Forget Me Not

"Poignant, raw, and intense, ELEVATED is a novel that will grip your heart and linger in your mind long after you turn the last page."

~Stasia Ward Kehoe, author of Audition and The Sound of Letting Go

About Elana Johnson: Elana Johnson’s work, including Possession, Surrender, Abandon, and Regret, published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster), is available now everywhere books are sold. Her popular ebook, From the Query to the Call, is also available for free download, as well as a Possession short story, Resist. School teacher by day, Query Ninja by night, you can find her online at her personal blog or Twitter. She also co-founded the Query Tracker blog, and contributes to the League of Extraordinary Writers.

Social Media Links:

Website/blog

Twitter

Facebook

Tumblr

Wattpad

League of Extraordinary Writers

WriteOnCon

Elana on Goodreads

And just because I'm so excited about this book, I've decided to hold a little contest. I'm going to give away a free e-copy of DESCENDANT to one lucky winner. To enter, all you have to do is help spread the word about ELEVATED and fill out this form. You can choose to do only one or a few, or all the options on this list. I'll notify the winner by email. Open internationally. 

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Cover Reveal: ELEVATED by Elana Johnson

Guys! I am so excited about this book. I was one of the lucky early readers, and let me tell you, I am SO IN LOVE with this book. Seriously. And it's like, the fastest read ever. Super short, all in verse, and incredibly romantic. If you're a fan of romance (and really, who isn't?) you definitely need to put this on your to read list. 

Now, check out this gorgeous cover! 

Fabulous, right? 

About ELEVATED: The last person seventeen-year-old Eleanor Livingston wants to see on the elevator—let alone get stuck with—is her ex-boyfriend Travis, the guy she's been avoiding for five months.

Plagued with the belief that when she speaks the truth, bad things happen, Elly hasn’t told Trav anything. Not why she broke up with him and cut off all contact. Not what happened the day her father returned from his deployment to Afghanistan. And certainly not that she misses him and still thinks about him everyday.

But with nowhere to hide and Travis so close it hurts, Elly’s worried she won’t be able to contain her secrets for long. She’s terrified of finally revealing the truth, because she can’t bear to watch a tragedy befall the boy she still loves.

Buy Links:

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/elevated

iTunes:

On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18947183-elevated

Praise for ELEVATED:

"ELEVATED will take you on an emotionally gripping journey through the highs and lows of first love."

~Carolee Dean, author of Take Me There and Forget Me Not

"Poignant, raw, and intense, ELEVATED is a novel that will grip your heart and linger in your mind long after you turn the last page."

~Stasia Ward Kehoe, author of Audition and The Sound of Letting Go

About Elana Johnson: Elana Johnson’s work, including Possession, Surrender, Abandon, and Regret, published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster), is available now everywhere books are sold. Her popular ebook, From the Query to the Call, is also available for download, as well as a Possession short story, Resist. School teacher by day, Query Ninja by night, you can find her online at her personal blog or Twitter. She also co-founded the Query Tracker blog, and contributes to the League of Extraordinary Writers.

Social Media Links:

Website/blog: http://elanajohnson.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElanaJ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/possessionthebook

Tumblr: http://elanajohnson.tumblr.com/

Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/elanajohnson

League of Extraordinary Writers: http://leaguewriters.blogspot.com/

WriteOnCon: http://writeoncon.com/

Elana on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4044383.Elana_Johnson

To celebrate the book's upcoming release, Elana is holding a giveaway for Paypal cash (which is the most awesome idea ever). You can enter to win here: 

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Cover Reveal! Blood Crown by Ali Cross

Every so often, I'm lucky enough to get to help share the covers of upcoming new releases for other authors. Usually this happens for books about which I am incredibly excited. Today we're talking about my good friend, author Ali Cross, and her February release Blood Crown.

Isn't it gorgeous? 

Check out the colors and the details. Tell me this doesn't intrigue you! 

About BLOOD CROWN: Serantha is the daughter of the Emperor of the West, who rules over the remnant of humanity who escaped a dying Earth and took to the stars a thousand years ago. With no habitable planets found during their exile, the android Servants who were supposed to care for them rose up, took the name of Mind, and murdered her father. Now the androids amuse themselves by forcing humans like her into mindless drudgery. But flashes of memory hint that Sera is no ordinary human.

On the other side of the galaxy, Nicolai, Son of the East, has abandoned his crown and joined the rebel forces in the war against the Mind. Humans have no real chance... unless the enhanced DNA developed by the Blood Crown scientists can unlock mankind's potential. When Nic and Sera are united, they discover their true potential--and together, humanity just might have a chance. But there's a legion of androids and nine years of mistrust between East and West... and coming together will require more than they ever expected.

Release date: February 20, 2014

About Ali Cross: Ali Cross is the sensei of Novel Ninjutsu where she holds a black belt in awesome. She lives in Utah with her kickin' husband, two sparring sons, one ninja cat, one sumo dog and four zen turtles.

Ali is the award-winning author of young and new adult fiction and moonlights as Alex Cross when she can write wild middle grade adventures set in the faraway places of her imagination.

Social media links:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ali_cross

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoralicross

Blog: http://www.alicross.com

Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19241969-blood-crown

Author on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5188441.Ali_Cross

Tumblr/Pinterest/Etc: http://desolationdiaries.tumblr.com/

Indelibles (indie authors): http://indeliblewriters.blogspot.com/

Emblazoners (middle grade authors): http://emblazoners.com/

Dauntless (authors): http://dauntlessauthors.blogspot.com/

Buy links: coming soon!

A Chat with Michelle Davidson Argyle about her new release CATCH (and a contest)

Hey all! Happy November!

Yes, as a matter of fact, I AM hard at work writing my newest project for National Novel Writing Month. But I had to take a short break to give a shout out to Michelle Davidson Argyle, whose new release CATCH was released this week. I'm a big fan of Michelle's, and not just because we were both Rhemalda authors. I *heart* her work.

This week I got to ask her a few short questions about her newest release, and I always love what she has to say.

1. What were you doing when you had the idea for the main story line in Catch?

Because I have a terrible memory, I honestly can't remember what I was doing. But I do remember trying to come up with the idea over the course of a week. It usually takes a while to fully form all of it. Too bad I can't say I was in Vegas, right? I think I was probably in the car or the shower -- where I get most of my ideas.

2. Have you ever had your purse stolen the way Miranda did? If so, explain a little, and if not, how would you feel if you did?

Nope! I thought my car was stolen once, but it turned out a family member had just taken it without telling me. And I've had a bike stolen once, but never money or credit cards or a purse. I would freak out and probably wouldn't be nearly as level-headed as Miranda. Oh, wait ... she chases after the thief. Maybe I would be smarter than that!

3. What is your favorite part of the setting of this book? 

I've only been to Las Vegas a few times, so I had to do a lot of research for Catch. I think my favorite part of the setting was being able to explore the Strip and going into the Bellagio. One of my favorite movies is Ocean's Eleven,so this made it come a little more a alive for me.

4. If Catch had a theme song, what would it be?

I think a great song that captures the feel of Catch is "I Won't Give Up on Us" by Jason Mraz. It might seem a little slow for Catch, but I really think it fits both characters.

5. You are very good at writing flawed, but redeemable characters, especially antagonists. Do you feel that finding redeeming qualities in others is an important lesson in life? 

Oh, absolutely. I think I'm a really judgmental person (hard to admit) and it has been an important thing in my life to fix that flaw about myself and find something great in everyone. This has naturally moved over into my writing. It's so important to me to make my characters as real as possible, and in reality, everyone is flawed. Nobody's perfect. So I love to explore characters and find their faults, but also find their motivations and look at them objectively so I can understand why they are the way they are. Then I love to show that to the reader and let them make a call on how they feel about a person's flaws. It's quite fun!

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

When eighteen-year-old Miranda chases a purse snatcher on the Las Vegas Strip, the last thing she expects is for the pursuit to turn into an extended game of hide-and-seek. All Miranda wants are the old black and white photographs buried at the bottom of her purse. They’re the only things she has left of the grandmother she never knew. But how much is she willing to put on the line to save them? And is it possible she’s falling in love with a thief?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle D. Argyle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She adores cheese, chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in the time she grabs between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life. Michelle writes contemporary Young Adult and New Adult fiction (and other genres when she feels like it). 

michelledargyle.com | twitter.com/LadyGlamis | facebook.com/michelle.ladyglamis

Visit the CATCH tour page! TOUR PAGE. 

Release date: September 20th 2013
Publisher: MDA Books
Purchase: Amazon

Find CATCH on Goodreads

And now for the contest! Michelle is giving away both paperback and ecopies of CATCH during the tour, and the deadline is this coming SUNDAY, November 3. Don't miss out on your chance to enter and win! 

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by! And now, back to writing.