I participated in a panel of fantasy authors over the weekend, and you may want to check out some resources on the urban fantasy genre that I posted on Operation Awesome today.
Also, if you weren't able to come see the panel in person, I've uploaded a video of it. We had some issues with our backup battery failing, so we didn't quite film the entire thing, but there are some gems in it! This video unfortunately lost some video resolution, so I'll post a highlights reel later. (Update: the highlights reel has been added below the full video)
Since it may be hard to recognize us on sight, the panel is (L to R): Moderator Jen Garrett, Author Christina Mercer, Author Angelica R. Jackson, Author Jessica Taylor, Author Heather Marie.
And if you can't quite commit to that 1-hour-plus video, here's the highlights reel
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Save the date for my premiere as part of a panel of fantasy writers! And...the book trailer for Crow's Rest will be making its debut at the panel! It's happening at the Placerville branch of the El Dorado County Library:
Fantasy Authors Unveil Writing Secrets Placerville Library
Saturday, Jan. 3, 1:00 pm
Are you a fan of the world of fantasy in all its many forms, spectrums and realms? Are you an aspiring author looking for advice from those who have come before, those who have battled in the trenches of book publishing and emerged victorious? Join our four published authors as they answer ALL of your questions about writing the fantasy genre and share with you their writing journeys.
OUR AUTHORS:
Urban Fantasy: Angelica R. Jackson – In keeping with her scattered Gemini nature, Angelica R. Jackson has far too many interests to list here. She has an obsession with creating more writing nooks in the home she shares with her husband and two corpulent cats in California's Gold Country. Fortunately, the writing nooks serve for reading and cat cuddling too. Other pastimes include cooking for food allergies (not necessarily by choice, but she’s come to terms with it), photography, and volunteering at a local no-kill cat sanctuary. @angelicarjaxon
Magical Realism: Jessica Taylor - A young adult novelist who adores sleepy southern settings, unrequited love, and characters who sneak out late at night. After earning Bachelor’s degrees in English and communication studies, she decided to go all out and get her law degree too. She soon realized her one true love had always been writing young adult fiction. She lives in Northern California with a sweet-yet-spoiled dog and many teetering towers of books. Her young adult magical realism debut, Wandering Wild, is slated for fall 2015 release from Egmont USA. @JessicaTaylorYa
High Fantasy: Christina Mercer - An award-winning author of fiction for children and young adults. Honored titles include Tween Fantasy Arrow of the Mist and its sequel Arms of Anu, and Young Adult Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance Honey Queen. She is also an accountant and certified herbalist, enjoying life in the foothills of Northern California with her husband, two sons, a pack of large dogs, and about 100,000 honey bees. For about her and her writing visit www.christinamercer.com @cwritebuzz
Dark Paranormal: Heather Marie - She spends the majority of her time at home reading. Before she followed her dreams of becoming a writer, Heather worked as a hairstylist and makeup artist for several years. Although she enjoyed the artistic aspect of it all, nothing quite quenched her creative side like the telling of a good story. When the day had come for her to make a choice, she left behind her promising career to start another, and never looked back. @HeatherMarieYA Sponsored by Friends of the Library.
Thanks so much to Jen Garrett and The Writer's Bloc writing group for inviting us, and hope to see you all there!
P.S. Myu publicist is getting together a mini-blog tour for the book trailer (after Jan 3), so if you'd like to participate let me know, and I'll forward your info to my publicist.
Fantasy Authors Unveil Writing Secrets Placerville Library
Saturday, Jan. 3, 1:00 pm
Are you a fan of the world of fantasy in all its many forms, spectrums and realms? Are you an aspiring author looking for advice from those who have come before, those who have battled in the trenches of book publishing and emerged victorious? Join our four published authors as they answer ALL of your questions about writing the fantasy genre and share with you their writing journeys.
OUR AUTHORS:
Urban Fantasy: Angelica R. Jackson – In keeping with her scattered Gemini nature, Angelica R. Jackson has far too many interests to list here. She has an obsession with creating more writing nooks in the home she shares with her husband and two corpulent cats in California's Gold Country. Fortunately, the writing nooks serve for reading and cat cuddling too. Other pastimes include cooking for food allergies (not necessarily by choice, but she’s come to terms with it), photography, and volunteering at a local no-kill cat sanctuary. @angelicarjaxon
Magical Realism: Jessica Taylor - A young adult novelist who adores sleepy southern settings, unrequited love, and characters who sneak out late at night. After earning Bachelor’s degrees in English and communication studies, she decided to go all out and get her law degree too. She soon realized her one true love had always been writing young adult fiction. She lives in Northern California with a sweet-yet-spoiled dog and many teetering towers of books. Her young adult magical realism debut, Wandering Wild, is slated for fall 2015 release from Egmont USA. @JessicaTaylorYa
High Fantasy: Christina Mercer - An award-winning author of fiction for children and young adults. Honored titles include Tween Fantasy Arrow of the Mist and its sequel Arms of Anu, and Young Adult Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance Honey Queen. She is also an accountant and certified herbalist, enjoying life in the foothills of Northern California with her husband, two sons, a pack of large dogs, and about 100,000 honey bees. For about her and her writing visit www.christinamercer.com @cwritebuzz
Dark Paranormal: Heather Marie - She spends the majority of her time at home reading. Before she followed her dreams of becoming a writer, Heather worked as a hairstylist and makeup artist for several years. Although she enjoyed the artistic aspect of it all, nothing quite quenched her creative side like the telling of a good story. When the day had come for her to make a choice, she left behind her promising career to start another, and never looked back. @HeatherMarieYA Sponsored by Friends of the Library.
Thanks so much to Jen Garrett and The Writer's Bloc writing group for inviting us, and hope to see you all there!
P.S. Myu publicist is getting together a mini-blog tour for the book trailer (after Jan 3), so if you'd like to participate let me know, and I'll forward your info to my publicist.
J.L. Spelbring, a fellow author member of the Spencer Hill Press family, is running the 3rd Annual Holiday Cheer Giveaway--and I've put in an Advance Readers Copy of Crow's Rest!
You could be one of the first to read it (it will ship once the ARC comes out), and there are SO MANY fantastic prizes in this giveaway: books, swag, editor and author critiques, gift cards, etc.
"Three lucky winners will win one of the three baskets filled with books and candy and books and even more candy, along with gift cards, swag, critiques, and just awesome stuff...You can enter every day! The giveaway runs from Dec. 5th to Dec. 19th, 2014, central time."
No purchase is necessary, and you can enter through the Rafflecopter below. Happy holidays from all of us at Spencer Hill Press!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I've had a sneak peek at Crow's Rest's layout for book form, and I wish I could share some screen captures with you all! Such great detail on the interior pages. :)
I can't share just yet, but it does look like ARCs are coming soon, yay!
So if you're a book blogger, book reviewer, teacher, librarian, etc and want to request a review copy, you can do so through Spencer Hill Press's form here. If you're not a blogger or reviewer but would still like to score an ARC, we'll be doing some giveaways, so watch for more info on that!
And here's a picture of the full wrap again, just because it gives me all the feels.
.jpg)
I can't share just yet, but it does look like ARCs are coming soon, yay!
So if you're a book blogger, book reviewer, teacher, librarian, etc and want to request a review copy, you can do so through Spencer Hill Press's form here. If you're not a blogger or reviewer but would still like to score an ARC, we'll be doing some giveaways, so watch for more info on that!
And here's a picture of the full wrap again, just because it gives me all the feels.
.jpg)
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Crow's Rest is getting close to ARCs, so I think I'll wait to post any teasers from it. ;)
BUT, I'm working on the sequel, No Man's Land, and thought I'd share something from it that I wrote last week:
The Court was one of the few fixed points in Faerie, a trait I was cursing right now since it meant an actual journey instead of willing ourselves there. At least the Queen took advantage of the approach to give travelers a hint of what they could expect: the way wound between dark and thorny trees, with sinister limbs crowding the road, until sudden clearings of breathtaking beauty opened before you.
And just when you were lulled into a sense of wonder and awe, you’d come around a bend and find a gibbet bearing the corpse of a unicorn—its dazzle rotting away into tufts of felted hide.
What the hell could a unicorn have done to deserve that? Farted a rainbow in the queen’s direction, perfuming the air like fruit candy?
Not a single view on the way to the Court was straightforward—always a flash of unbearable loveliness among the dark leaves, or a touch of blight among the delicate blooms. But where her design sense really held its own was the fanciful wall of briar roses that surrounded the Palace proper—a Rococo explosion of carven figures cavorting among the crepe blossoms and thorny vines.
A closer look—which I’d only braved once—revealed those figures weren’t so much cavorting as writhing in agony, as the briar rose slowly absorbed them and made the creatures part of its barrier. Why let your enemies’ heads shrivel on a pike, when this is so much more lasting? Preserved for every one of the victim’s families to pass by on their way to Court—a reminder of what it means to displease Queen Maeve.
Thanks for stopping by to read the teaser! :)
BUT, I'm working on the sequel, No Man's Land, and thought I'd share something from it that I wrote last week:
The Court was one of the few fixed points in Faerie, a trait I was cursing right now since it meant an actual journey instead of willing ourselves there. At least the Queen took advantage of the approach to give travelers a hint of what they could expect: the way wound between dark and thorny trees, with sinister limbs crowding the road, until sudden clearings of breathtaking beauty opened before you.
And just when you were lulled into a sense of wonder and awe, you’d come around a bend and find a gibbet bearing the corpse of a unicorn—its dazzle rotting away into tufts of felted hide.
What the hell could a unicorn have done to deserve that? Farted a rainbow in the queen’s direction, perfuming the air like fruit candy?
Not a single view on the way to the Court was straightforward—always a flash of unbearable loveliness among the dark leaves, or a touch of blight among the delicate blooms. But where her design sense really held its own was the fanciful wall of briar roses that surrounded the Palace proper—a Rococo explosion of carven figures cavorting among the crepe blossoms and thorny vines.
A closer look—which I’d only braved once—revealed those figures weren’t so much cavorting as writhing in agony, as the briar rose slowly absorbed them and made the creatures part of its barrier. Why let your enemies’ heads shrivel on a pike, when this is so much more lasting? Preserved for every one of the victim’s families to pass by on their way to Court—a reminder of what it means to displease Queen Maeve.
Thanks for stopping by to read the teaser! :)
The contractors just finished a major flooring re-do in our house, and our living/dining room area is now carpet-free and tiled, yay! We also replaced the couch that "cut" the room in half with two comfy reading chairs, plus we added a YA bookcase since I outgrew the first one so quickly (and if my ebooks were on there too, we'd need another two, lol). I even had enough room to face a few titles out, and to save a space for all the editions of Crow's Rest when they come out!
Here are some pics--and don't worry, I included closeups of the bookcases because I know how fun it is to browse other people's bookcases! (to see pictures of the new flooring in my office, go over to Operation Awesome today)
Here are some pics--and don't worry, I included closeups of the bookcases because I know how fun it is to browse other people's bookcases! (to see pictures of the new flooring in my office, go over to Operation Awesome today)
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I've never done a TBT, but I came across some photos while I was moving my office and these just begged to be posted. I also put them on Facebook, and that pleated shirt is causing some envy. I think I'll put them in order of age:
This is about 2 seconds before I took my dress off. I hated dresses until I was in my teens, and my poor mum had been waiting so long for a little girl she could dress up. Well, she could--for about the length of a camera shutter.
Sadly,
this pic had some damage on it, but I've mostly fixed it. And if you're
wondering why some of the pics have rectangles cloned out, when my mom
scanned these she put labels on the front. And in a stroke of passive
aggressiveness, she put the name she gave me on it--not the name I've
been using for 3/4 of my life, lol
Every TBT needs an awkward pic, and what's hilarious about this one is that I look so much like my oldest brother in this that people have asked "When did he wear a shirt like that??"
This
is the kind of Olan Mills photo you get when you make a goth girl get a
formal portrait. Though I did go light on the makeup for it.
This is about 2 seconds before I took my dress off. I hated dresses until I was in my teens, and my poor mum had been waiting so long for a little girl she could dress up. Well, she could--for about the length of a camera shutter.
Every TBT needs an awkward pic, and what's hilarious about this one is that I look so much like my oldest brother in this that people have asked "When did he wear a shirt like that??"
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