Introducing Beautiful Freaks by Katie M. John

#UpperYA #Gothic #Dreadpunk #VictorianLondon #FairyTales #Feminist

#ParanormalRomance #Detective #Murder

Beautiful Freaks: A Serialised Story in 12 parts.

SEASON ONE. Episodes 1-12

A dark and twisted saga that winds its way through the Victorian streets of London like a luxurious and lethal ribbon.

When a series of terrifying and seemingly paranormal murders occur at a rapid rate, panic and fear grip the city.

Still haunted by the ghost of the Whitechapel Ripper case, Inspector Steptree is forced to admit the murderer he now pursues maybe even more wicked and brutal. As the case closes down on the mysterious No.7 club, owned by the enigmatic Evangeline Valentine, Steptree discovers that evil is far from a fantasy.

It is against this backdrop that Kaspian Blackthorne turns eighteen and begins his apprenticeship under the scientific maverick, Doctor Greyson, a pioneer in brain surgery, and human transplantation. Whilst Kaspian is introduced to the horrors and wonders of man’s scientific progress, he also begins an epic adventure of self-discovery and infatuation. Guided into the decadent and luxuriant world of the London West End night scene by his new friend Hugh Denvers, Kaspian tastes the sweet temptation of a life less ordinary, but such a privilege comes at a terrible price.

A cast of timeless characters and dark, grown-up fairy tales interweave to create a rich and haunting tale of fear and desire.

Based on the original novel, ‘Beautiful Freaks’ written and published in 2013 by Katie M John, this series is a development of that world. This is the first season of a planned three seasons. You can find out more about this season and forthcoming seasons on the official site. www.katiemjohn.com 

EPISODE 1 & 2 are now available

Kindle US http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0164JRJYU  

Kindle UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0164JRJYU

GIVEAWAY
For your chance to win a very special Beautiful Freaks Hamper, to include a beautiful Freaks Mug, pen, signed paperback of the original novel, 'Beautiful Freaks' on which the series is based, then follow the Rafflecopter giveaway prompts below.
The giveaway is open to international, but please be aware for places outside of the UK and Europe then prize will be sent surface mail and may take 6-8 weeks to arrive (especially over Christmas period)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christmas Bazaar, Plus Haunted Castle Tours!

How many Victorian/Olde Tyme Christmas Bazaars in California also offer tours of a HAUNTED CASTLE? If shopping for handicrafts (and books from four authors at my booth!), a parade, a gunslinger show, tours of Preston Castle, and holiday lights after dark sound like your idea of holiday cheer, then join me on December 12th and 13th for the Preston Castle's Olde Tyme Country Christmas!

I'll be in Victorian garb both days, but I can't speak for Linda Joy Singleton, Christina Mercer, Author, or Nancy Herman, Author! Guess you'll have to stop by and see whether they come in costume.

October Events

First up is an online event on Facebook:

"Embrace the Darkness" Paranormal Nights (2 Night Event)

Sponsored by the Wordsmithe Book Blog

(who interviewed me back in July)

Looking for some new paranormal reads? Over 40 authors have banded together to hold a two-night event on Facebook, and it's going to be full of chills and thrills! I'll be working the 8:45-9:00 PM (EST) slot on Saturday, October 24--stop by and check it out!

The party is happening on Facebook at

https://www.facebook.com/events/1640573729542675/

 On October 30, at 6 pm, I'll be joining up with some other authors at Face in a Book:

PARANORMAL PAGES: A FOUR-AUTHOR EVENT

October 30, 2015 in El Dorado Hills

El Dorado Hills, CA—In celebration of the spooky season, four accomplished authors of paranormal novels for teens are gathering at the indie bookstore Face in a Book for a night of haunting tales. The free, themed event goes from 6 to 8 p.m. on October 30. Each author will share an eerie excerpt from her book, followed by a group Q&A session. Costumes are encouraged for attendees, but not required. Seasonal, themed refreshments will be served.

The movie industry has spawned a growing demand for supernatural stories, spurring book sales and increasing the number of paranormal titles on store and library shelves.  Halloween is the perfect excuse for buffs of the genre to celebrate their favorite creepy book characters, and this event is one way for them to gather with fellow fans.

About the authors and their novels:

Angelica R. Jackson’s darkly funny, young adult urban fantasy novel, Crow’s Rest, is set in a fictional town in the Sierra foothills, and was partly inspired by a nearby haunted landmark, Preston Castle. She sometimes haunts the Castle’s hallways herself, as she photographs the arrested decay, and will be sharing a real-life ghostly encounter that made it into the pages of her novel. She was featured on Sacramento Access’s Story Connection in April, and the video is at https://youtu.be/JwRtQ3i06Ow. In Crow’s Rest, sixteen-year-old Avery Flynn is determined to reclaim her almost-boyfriend from the Fae, with the help of the creature who stole his body in the first place.

Linda Covella will be reading from the first book in her Ghost Whisperer series, The Castle Blues Quake. This tale of ghosts and friendship for teens and tweens received the Literary Classics Seal of approval and is “highly recommended for home and school libraries.” It’s also a finalist in the Literary Classics Book Award (winners will be announced soon), along with her other published book, Yakimali’s Gift, which  won an honorable mention in the RONE awards, young adult-general category. Recently published, The Ghosts of Pebble Brook Lodge, is the second book in the Ghost Whisperer series; both Ghost Whisperer books take place in Santa Cruz.

Linda Joy Singleton is the author of over 40 books for kids, including  the YALSA honored The Seer series, the Dead Girl Walking trilogy, and The Curious Cat Spy Club. Her latest book, Never Been Texted, is a sweet romance with a touch of magic: When Ashlee’s stepdad completely forgets her birthday she takes matters into her own hands to get the one thing she really wants: her own cell phone. But text messages start rolling in from a broken-hearted boy, and though Ashlee knows not all stories end happily, she’s determined to make hers the best it can be.

Tracy Clark formerly served as the Regional Advisor for the Nevada chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and is currently a contributing writer on the YA Series Insiders group blog. The first book (Scintillate) in her young adult paranormal romance series, The Light Key Trilogy, won the YA category of the 2015 Golden Quill Contest. Kirkus Review said of Deviate, the second book in the trilogy, “Passion and power are the driving forces behind this series that continues to deliver.” The trilogy was completed with the publication of Illuminate in September, and her next offering, Mirage, a young adult thriller, is due in the summer of 2016.

Face in a Book is located in the El Dorado Hills Town Center, at 4359 Town Center Blvd., #113, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762. 916-941-9401.

All authors are available for phone or email interviews.

Learn more:
Face in a Book: http://www.getyourfaceinabook.com/

Angelica R. Jackson: http://www.angelicarjackson.com/

Linda Covella: http://lindacovella.com/

Linda Joy Singleton: http://www.lindajoysingleton.com/

Tracy Clark: http://www.tracyclark.org/

I'll be costuming for this one--will you?

Event this Saturday, September 19th!

I get to stretch my visual artist wings at a show called Literary Palette, viewable at the El Dorado Arts Council gallery in Placerville through October 20. This Saturday, September 19, there is an artist's reception from 5- 8 PM, and I'll be there to share my love of art!

This is a fun show where all the works are inspired by literature, and they've also arranged a fun scavenger hunt where you match up the art with the written work to win a prize. Hint: of my two works in the show, one of them inspired a section of Crow's Rest!


Can you guess which book this one reminds me of?

Some New Additions

First off, are the two sisters we added to our family. Rescued from a hoarder before they found a home where they lived happily with a family for a year before their Mama passed away from cancer, now the Griffon Fauve de Bretagne girls have found their forever home with us.

Chloe

Sophie

They are so good with Pippin, and we couldn't ask for sweeter, more well-behaved dogs. Sophie is unfortunately showing signs of a portosystemic shunt, so we're trying to get her health issues sorted out. But look at those eyes!

The other new addition is a project I've been working on since my birthday.  It's a literary signpost for the garden! You can click on the images to see them larger.

The signpost in its natural habitat

One side of the post

The other side of the post

Can you identify all the novels? We didn't try too hard to be obscure--they're books that I've loved since childhood and into adulthood (or as adult-y as I'm going to get). It was so much fun deciding which ones to include.

Also wanted to say, stay tuned for some news on an addition to the Crow's Rest book family at the end of this month!

Cover for Crow's Rest Got a Star In a Contest!

I entered the cover design for Crow's Rest into a monthly contest put on by Joel Friedlander, and we got a Gold Star! That's basically like a runner-up or a special mention.

There were tons of great cover designs at UtopYA Con, too, and it really got that visual-artist side of me going--I'm already sorting through images that might make a good cover for the sequel to Crow's Rest, No Man's Land.

Of course, I should also put some effort into actually finishing NML, but sorting through visual inspiration is a great way for me to jump-start my writing creativity. If it wasn't for Pinterest's issues with copyright and attribution, I know I'd be a Pinterest addict if I joined!

If you'd like to congratulate the cover designer for Crow's Rest, stop by Kelley York's X-Potion Designs page and leave her a happy message!

DATE WITH A ROCKSTAR Blog Tour!

One of my fellow Spencer Hill Press authors, published through imprint Spencer Hill Contemporary, has a book coming out today!

To help celebrate, Sarah Gagnon has joined me for a Top Ten list, and a giveaway. But first I have to say her book, Date With a Rockstar, has a truly unique premise:

Only one girl will win the cash prize...and a chance at love with Jeremy Bane.

Monet isn’t just another lust-struck teenager trying to win the heart of Rock God Jeremy Bane--she needs the prize money from his new reality show to cure her illness.

Monet has Fluxem, a contagious disease that's spread through saliva. It's completely curable if you have enough money, which she and her single mother don't. Now that she's on the show, Monet has to work harder to keep her Fluxem hidden. She only has to keep the secret long enough to woo Jeremy Bane so he picks her as the winner. She doesn't even care about the love part; the prize alone will change her life.

But the real Jeremy Bane is nothing like she imagined. Monet finds herself fighting against feelings that make her want to give in to her attraction and Jeremy's attempts for a kiss. The further she goes in the competition, the more impossible it becomes to resist him--and when the producers turn the tables and start digging up dirt on the contestants, Monet fears her secret will be revealed before she's ready and ruin everything.

The only way to win Jeremy's heart is to tell him the truth, but confessing her disease could cost her the competition, the prize money, and him.

Doesn't that sound like a great romantic twist? And I think Sarah knows from romance, because she shared a list of Top Ten Kisses:

Sarah says: "I have definitely not read enough to qualify my opinions on top ten. So this is just going to be a list of ten really awesome kisses."

1. The first time Anita Blake and Jean-Claude kissed. That series is one I will never get tired of. If only I could control the dead and have powers that increased through kissing.

2. When Claire and Jamie first kissed in Outlander. Gabaldon had me the first time Claire climbed on the horse behind him, and now the show. He’s just so perfectly cast, I love watching and reading all my favorite scenes back to back.

3. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman. Sigh, this book. So hard not to go total fan girl here. Tarver for me was a perfect hero, and Lilac’s strength was so endearing that when they finally got over hating each other, the romance felt so epic.

4. Alienated by Melissa Landers. I love when characters are closed off emotionally or physically and then all of a sudden a passionate kiss begins to change everything. An emotionally cold alien is the perfect set-up and the dialogue and chemistry leading up to the kiss, wow.

5. Unteachable by Leah Raedar. That whole book is a vortex of sexy from the first kiss to the last. Forbidden kisses are sometimes the best.

6. Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan because when the character development is so complete, every kiss reads right into my heart.

7. Pride and Prejudice, because Mr. Darcy must be added to all lists.

8. The Mind Readers by Lori Brighton. I can only imagine the craziness of being able to read someone’s thoughts while kissing them.

9. Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I was rooting for Cinder so hard, that my brain almost popped when Prince Kai finally kissed her.

10. Losing It by Cora Carmack. I love it when a heroine sets out to do something sexual. That alone is so empowering to me, add in Garrick’s British accent and Bliss’s internal dialogue— I was hooked. 

I have to agree with a lot of those--they are pretty awesome kisses! I'm going to wrap up the post with more about Sarah, and links to where you can find her book

Sarah Gagnon grew up in the frigid woods of Maine amidst snow and animal skins and has now moved back home. As a small child she wrote ship-wrecked romances all while being stared down by a taxidermied duck.

She has a BFA in photography and a minor in writing from the University of Southern Maine. She's the mother of two tiny, feral children and two ill-behaved dogs. For fun she’s taken up construction and interior design. Her first project: moving into a dilapidated farmhouse with her computer-genius husband. 

Website 

Twitter

Facebook

And here's where you can find your own copy of Date With a Rockstar

Goodreads

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

The Book Depository

Kobo

And...I did mention something about a giveaway, didn't I? If you live in the U.S., you could win a DATE WITH A ROCKSTAR t-shirt, and a paperback copy of the book! Enter through the Rafflecopter below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Face in a Book Signing Photos

Still coming down from the signing euphoria--we had a great turnout at Face in a Book for my reading and signing on June 6. My hubby took lots of photos and you can see a full album on the Crow's Rest Facebook page, but here is a nice selection:

My crow mask and wings were a hoot

Glitter Crow watched over the treats while we finished setting up

The line forming for me to sign their books

Talking about A Compendium of the Faer Folke, the illustrated companion to Crow's Rest, and its progress towards release this summer

Reading

"That's a great question!"

I'm off to Nashville in a few weeks, and if you missed out on this event, you can still get a few of the signed copies I left for stock at Face in a Book.