Hale Maree Tour, Mercy teaser, & BIG Book Giveaway

Hey gang! Really exciting stuff today ...

A few weeks ago, I believe I shared the cover for author Misty Provencher's debut Adult novel, Hale Maree. Well, she (the story) is now out in the world (HERE and HERE), and to celebrate Misty is touring and giving away some sweet prizes.

More on the prizes below but first--Misty ALSO (lady is crazy busy!) has a new, New Adult story slated to debut next week. It's called Mercy, and it's all about gargoyle shenanigans. Here's a sneak peak: (Excerpt provided by author.)

I have seen this thing in a book once.  A photo that was not this, but similar enough to identify it.  It is out of place here, but as the thing scrapes to grip the rock, I am almost certain I am looking at a gargoyle.

"Surprised? Disappointed?" The thing says. "That a grotesque, an ugly would be sent to save you?  Not the beautiful, not the angelic?  Haughty Slip.  What is the matter with me?  I have wings."

And the thing spreads out hideous, thin wings, darker gray than it's body and spiny as the backbone of a starving child.  He pushes them down so hard that the water churns around me, bashing my body against the rock, over and over again.

Enough! I scream inside.  Leave me for the angels to find!

The gargoyle's giggle escapes in charred wisps, but the thing tucks in its wings with one sticky, awkward fold.

"Strength is not exclusive to beauty, darling."  The gargoyle growls, hovering closer to my face.  "You will exist, Slip.  And you will do it knowing that these ugly claws were the only ones that reached out for you.  They are what came to save you, and not those celestial beings."

It's finger, pointy as a stinger, swoops down to prod me, but at the last second, all of the gargoyle's claws spread wide.  The tines of its fingers clutch my skin and my soul is thrust back into my soft bread cage body.  A caustic scream awakens from my bloodless shell and echoes among the milky-eyed fish that stare up at me as I am carried away.

Mercy sounds pretty epic, right? And another home run cover to boot. I'll definitely be looking for it when it lands next week...

Now for the giveaway! Below are two Rafflecopter forms where you can enter for a chance to win this pile o' booty:

So be sure to enter, and check out Hale Maree, too. The early reviews have been stellar. Best of luck on both Misty! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bury the Hatchet Winners AND Hale Maree Cover Reveal

Hey gang! Lots of good news to share today, so I'll get right to it ...

Bury the Hatchet Giveaway Winners

First, everyone who participated in the blogfest, giveaway shenanigans, etc.: YOU ARE UNBELIEVABLY COOL! If we ever meet at a writing conference or something just say, "Hey, I took part in your Bury the Hatchet thingy" and the drink and/or coffee is on me. 

Seriously, it meant so much to have so many of you jump in and share Blood Fugue on your blogs, tweets, and the like. I know, there were prizes to be had, but many of you have helped me out in the past without even being asked (or poked with sharp things), so I know you would've done it regardless. 

So I'll end this with: I appreciate it, and I'll happily return the favor if you ever have a need. Now for the winners ...

Two $10 Barnes & Noble Gift Cards:

Hart Johnson
Shannon Lawrence

Four 4 GB, custom painted USB drives:

Michael Di Gesu
Siv Ottem
Brinda Berry
Julie Flanders

GRAND PRIZE - One Nook SimpleTouch with GlowLight:

Melissa Maygrove

Congrats to all! I've been in touch with all of you, and heard back, so your prizes will be forthcoming.

Hale Maree Cover Reveal

Such a fantastic cover, right?

Couldn't be more excited to share the cover for author Misty Provencher's NA debut, Hale Maree. Misty is no stranger to this blog, and me being the New Adult cheerleader that I am, I was thrilled to hear she is venturing into NA (though she'll still write YA, I'm sure). Plus, the story just sounds dang-amazing (at least that's how I'd put it in Texas terms):

Hale Simmons dreams of climbing out of her impoverished life, going to college, and getting herself a titanium crash helmet, so she can eventually bust through the Plexiglas ceiling of her crappy life. But for now, she’s just a 17-year-old girl with a flimsy hope, barely getting by with her alcoholic father, Jerry.

But for Hale, ‘crappy’ suddenly takes a nosedive, when Jerry becomes the sole witness to a horrible accident. It is an event which means to effect everyone, especially Hale, who wasn’t even involved.

While the depth of the accident has just begun to unfold, Otto Maree, a prominent business man and old family friend, stands to lose everything because of it. Otto is desperate for Hale’s father to stay quiet about what occurred the night the two men met for a drink. Out of mutual moments of desperation, the two fathers forge a deal. Jerry is desperate to gain financial stability for both himself and Hale, and Otto Maree is more than willing to pay to keep his secret just that.

But deals like this need to be made of the strongest vows and bound with the most faithful of loyalties. Otto proposes a marriage between Hale and his playboy-son, Oscar, in order to assure that the secret remains ‘in the family’. The mystery surrounding the accident continues to grow and Hale struggles against her own mysterious feelings that begin to develop for Oscar, who turns out to less of a playboy, but just as fiercely loyal and dedicated as his father.

As the pressures around her continues to escalate, Hale realizes that she’s got to decide if this arranged marriage is really just a big mistake or an amazing twist of fate, that has been waiting around for this particular accident to happen.

You'll be able to read Hale Maree this Holiday season...

As I mentioned above, Misty is also the author of the YA para-rom Cornerstone series:

CORNERSTONE is the story of Nalena Maxwell,
a girl who receives the wrong dang sign of an ancient
community that is responsible for maintaining the intellectual
evolution of the human race. And if the choices coming aren't
tough enough, there's a boy...one with liquid blue eyes...that
understands exactly who and what Nalena is.
Cornerstone & Keystone, the second book in the Cornerstone Series, are now Available in paperback and ebook at: 

Barnes & Noble Amazon Smashwords

~EJW~

She's Got Stones: Author Interview - Misty Provencher

Hey gang! Another fabulous interview coming your way today...

Like my previous interviewee, author Misty Provencher is a woman of action. She's a fine example of how your writing dream isn't necessarily waiting for you in the bedroom, smelly-candles burning, and wearing those naughty knickers you bought her for Christmas. No, she may play hard-to-get. You may have to chase that dream down, club in hand, like the cave-people of yore. 

Seriously though, Misty is an absolute pal, and as funny and real as it gets. I hope you'll enjoy getting to know her as much as I have.

Interview - Misty Provencher 

Author of Keystone & Cornerstone

Gorgeous cover, right?

EJ (ME) - A bit about her latest book, KEYSTONE, first:

"There’s a man-made storm coming, like a rip in the world, and it’s called the Cusp.

Struggling to fit into the destiny she’s accepted, Nalena Maxwell has been left with one objective: she must find her murdered grandfather’s Memory. Stolen and hidden away by her own father over seventeen years ago, the Memory could be the key to ending the Cusp and destroying the Ianua’s rival community, The Fury.

Driven by each individual’s selfish desires, The Fury has always lacked the loyalty and organization it needs to be an actual force of power.

Until now.

Someone masterminded the Fury’s massive attack on the Ianua, slaughtering twelve of their thirteen community leaders, the Addos. Now there are rumors that the 13th Cura, to which Nali belongs, has gone to the Fury, manipulating the last Addo in order to control the other 12 Curas.

As the Cusp brings the Fury and their own communities against them, Nalena’s Cura must preserve the Ianua, but finding the key to the Cusp isn’t as simple as it seems."

Keystone is book 2 of the Cornerstone series ( YA paranormal romance). Both books have gotten outstanding reviews, and you can learn how to find them at the end of the interview...

ME - Tell everyone why I'm awesome. (Okay, this wasn't a question in the interview, but Misty needlessly heaped some praise on me anyway...)

MISTY PROVENCHER (MP) - I am so honored and grateful and excited to be on your blog today, EJ. Your blog has always had the latest and greatest of the goings-on in the writing world and I’ve long enjoyed your posts. AND, you were one of the first writers to read my blog, back when I first started out, and I’ve always appreciated and remembered that too. You’re an awesome writer friend to have and I’m happy to have your friendship!

ME - This isn't your first rodeo (Keystone being the second book in the Cornerstone series) did the writing process change from book 1 to 2? How? Why?

MP - I opened your questions and almost spit my coffee, EJ. “This isn’t your first rodeo”…I had literally just written something VERY similar to that line in my upcoming stand alone draft and it took me a minute! I love coinkydinks!

Ok, I’m here to answer questions, so I better quit screwing around, right? LOL. You want to know the difference in writing processes and yes, there was a HUGE difference between Cornerstone and Keystone. Cornerstone was a blast from start to finish. I wrote it just to amuse myself and my bff, Laura, so there was no pressure, no expectation. I wrote just to hear Laura shriek or laugh or beg me for the next chapter each night. (I read her each scene/chapter each day, after they were written).

While querying and playing with myriad agents, I was writing Keystone. I got about half way through it when the agent that signed me suggested strongly that I work on other projects, in case Cornerstone didn’t fly. So, I put Keystone to bed for a bit and tiptoed away.

However, after jumping out of the traditional publishing stream and into the Indie one, the requests started pouring in. I was blown away by how many people wanted the next story and wanted it NOW. I went into sophomore shock. I mean, you know what they say about sequels. I struggled with Keystone and worried every step of the way that the voice wasn’t right or there wasn’t enough this or that or whatever else. I rewrote Keystone so many times, lumberjacks had to go on overtime to keep up with my demand. I sticky-noted and plotted and unplotted and rewrote and reworked and re-wallpapered the entire project at least five times over. I changed perspectives and openings and tenses and yikes. It has to be right, you know?

But I’ll tell ya, when I got to the moment of hitting the detonate button to release it to the world, I did it with one hand over my face. I was petrified. I know what went down with The Matrix Reloaded and the Jurassic Park sequels…

Thank God the feedback has been favorable. It taught me to muscle on, buck up and to keep on keepin’ on. It was a horrible and priceless lesson in the career of writing for me.

ME - You're an independent author now, but had some experience with traditional publishing. How did that transition happen? You happy with the results?

MP - The transition wasn’t one I expected or wanted initially. I was as scared of being downed as a ‘worthless’ Indie as most writers are. The Traditional process is often hailed as validation of real writing, but the truth is that there’s a whole lot of Emperor’s New Clothes being sewn out there. There’s excellence and crap in both channels. There are writers who get picked up or spit out for a multitude of reasons that can have little or nothing to do with their caliber of writing.

When my agent and I parted ways, I had to decide if I wanted to continue with Traditional and I decided against it. What I actually decided was to give Cornerstone away, a few chapters a week beginning in October, until Christmas. It was a gift to me, actually. I just wanted to be read.

I jumped into Indie publishing because of threats of piracy. I mean, I wanted readers but I didn’t want them claiming to have written my book. I published like my publishing pants were on fire and that was that.

Happy? Yes, but that’s a funny question. Traditional and Indie publishing each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Right now, I’m enjoying the many freedoms of being an Indie, but it’s not to say that I won’t try Traditional again. I mean, it might be necessary if I’m going for world domination, right? LOL

ME - Speaking of being independent and rodeos... Learning to manage all the aspects of the publishing process (covers, editing, etc.) is a crazy ride! What did you learn from publishing book 1 that helped you with book 2? Any tips you can share with other authors considering the indie leap?

MP - Hmmm, I’ve learned to make ridiculous mistakes and laugh like mad about them and to do what I like. Anyone who’s followed me for any amount of time knows how much I fall on my face and drag along on it sometimes. The saving grace is that I do eventually get back on my feet again. I’m learning that the stumbles come when I don’t trust my gut, so I’m hoping eventually I’ll have just scars to show for my efforts, instead of open wounds. Make your mama proud and GO WITH YOUR GUT, for goodness sake.

ME - The Cornerstone books are YA paranormal romance. We love 'em, but there's a LOT of 'em. What makes Cornerstone and Keystone special? (And they are special folks, read the reviews...)

MP - I guess that at the paranormal romance table, what makes the Cornerstone Series stand out is that you haven’t read this story or explored this world before. I can guarantee it. I thought up this whole new world to escape all the vamps and werewolves and zombies that were flooding the book shelves. Based on the idea that you are never forgotten so long as your memory is shared, the Ianua are a group that keep the intellectual evolution of the human race pumping along. There is a whole spiritual stew going on under the romance (that I think we can all connect to), along with a lot of action bubbling away on top of it. I figure the readers will let me know in their reviews and word of mouth if the books are good enough to earn a spot on their ‘special’ shelves.

ME - Enough chat, tell us where we can get the books!

MP - You can grab the books on-line almost everywhere:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords  

There’s probably a few places you can get it that aren’t even legal, but seriously- it’s only $3.99, guys.  Please help a sister out and help me to keep writing by paying for the book!

Hey, and I’m all about connecting with readers!  If you want to check out my giveaways, breaking news and blog tours, or just share in my general happiness, you can always throw a post on my blog  .  

Or we can tweet each other up with the standard 140 on Twitter – I’m @mistyprovencher

Or we can be friends on FB 

If you prefer, you can ‘like’ my FB Cornerstone Series page where I also run contests and whisper tidbits.

Oh, and I’m on Goodreads sharing thoughts on other books too.

Or, if you just want to blah blah with me, you can always email me at misty_pro@msn.com

I mean, guys…I’m kind of everywhere, so feel welcome to say hello!

Thanks so much again, EJ, for a lovely stop and a wonderful last day on the Keystone Tour.  I look forward to hearing good things out of you (and your readers!)!!