Meet the Characters of Stain...

Stain's characters have been called kaleidoscopic, unique, spiritually deep, and elaborately drawn by reviewers. If you've yet to read my fairytale / fantasy hybrid, here's an insider's look at the seven most important players in my gritty and Gothic retelling inspired by The Princess and the Pea, with quotes from the book to pique your interest:

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Stain's Pinterest Board Reveal + INTL Giveaway!

***GIVEAWAY ENDED*** 

I'm on tour this week for #Stain's launch so will announce the winners after January 21st. Thanks to all who took part!

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Only a week to go until Stain finally hits the shelves on January 15th, so it's time for an international giveaway to celebrate!

First, for some insight into the story itself, here's a trade review from School Library Journal:

Although that gives you some small idea, a picture is worth a thousand words -- so today I'm revealing the secret pinterest board filled with characters, creatures, moods, songs, and settings that helped inspire my gothic fairytale. 

Click here to visit the board where you can find all the images along with Stain's official playlist.

Want to sample the story? You can read the entire first chapter here.

And remember, for readers in the U.S., there's an awesome preorder incentive going right now that will guarantee you an enamel rose pin, a signed bookplate, and the Morpheus prequel story, Alice the Absent. 

You can find the details for that swag pack here.

Now, let's get to the international goodies that everyone has a shot at winning!

Prizes are as listed:

#1- Signed Stain hardback

#2 - Signed Alice the Absent short story

#3 - Silvered maple leaf ornament representing Prince Vesper's frozen kingdom of Nerezeth

#4 - Moths and music 8x11 print (frame not included) representing Lyra, her moth friends, and her birdsong voice

#5 - Sun, moon, and stars brooch representing both the day and night kingdoms

#6 - Hand-painted fox postcard, representing Elusion, the shape-shifting sylph

#7 - Secret gift packet (filled with a handful of fairytale freebies)

That's a chance for seven people to win a prize. So go forth and enter, and may the rafflecopter odds be ever in your favor!

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Stain's first trade review...

So thrilled with this glowing Kirkus review for my upcoming gothic fairy tale!

Don't forget the preorder incentive going on now through 1/14/19:

For details and order options, follow this link.

Peek inside my upcoming fairy tale fantasy...

Here's a glimpse of the prologue + gritty gothic fairy tale interior of Stain, as showcased in the limited-edition sampler. 

Click to enlarge

***BONUS*** 

For anyone living in the Lubbock area who missed Hub City Con 2018 last weekend, head over to B&N (Slide Rd location), buy any of my young adult autographed books, and receive a signed sampler (there are only 10 samplers left, so first come first served!).

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STAIN cover reveal giveaway!

***GIVEAWAY ENDED***

Welcome to the Stain cover reveal! If you haven't yet seen the beautiful cover by Nathalia Suellen, here's a sneak peek. 

To see the whole image in all its magical fairytale glory, follow this link. 

And here's the updated book description:

A gothic fairytale inspired by The Princess and the Pea. 

After Lyra—a princess incapable of speech or sound—is cast out of her kingdom of daylight by her wicked aunt, a witch saves her life, steals her memories, and raises her in an enchanted forest . . . disguised as a boy known only as Stain. Meanwhile, in Lyra's rival kingdom, the prince of thorns and night is dying, and the only way for him to break his curse is to wed the princess of daylight, for she is his true equal. As Lyra finds her way back to her identity, an impostor princess prepares to steal her betrothed prince and her crown. To win back her kingdom, save the prince, and make peace with the land of the night, Lyra must be loud enough to be heard without a voice, and strong enough to pass a series of tests—ultimately proving she’s everything a traditional princess is not.

Now onto the international giveaway for a chance at these pretty prizes!

Each prize has something to do with the story. As for the arc, those will be available later this year, so this is your first chance to win one! I'm also offering a signed Splintered collector's set. What does that have to do with the story? Much like Splintered, this book is filled with magic, mystical characters, fantastical creatures (some creepy, some cute and funny, and some beautiful), and intricate world building. So if you liked all those things in my Alice in Wonderland tales, you'll like it in Stain. What about the other prizes? Here's a hint as to what they represent:

The sun and moon bookmark signify our prince and princess and their destiny to reunite a world that's been split in two by a curse. The moon has been torn from the sky and banished to a wintry night kingdom deep beneath the earth, leaving the sun and kinder seasons to the day kingdom above ground:

You can find the rafflecopter for the prizes at the end of this post. If you want to know more about Stain and the symbolism behind the cover art, read on!

By looking at the cover, you can see Lyra (aka Stain) isn't a typical princess. She's in fact an anti-princess. She's tinged blue with moonlight, causing her aunt to dub her a "stain upon the family name" in their kingdom of perpetual sun. The night prince, on the other hand, is copper-complected in a realm of moonlit people. Each is foretold to balance the other, and together, they're to unite their broken world.

 What's up with the princess's crazy-long eyelashes? Here's an excerpt from the book, when the wicked aunt first sees her niece, the crown heir:

"It is startling.” Griselda observed the babe around her brother’s sturdy shoulder; the tiny princess wriggled within her ivory-lace blanket, a faint, bluish-tinged creature that resembled a curdled shadow on a saucer of cream. “Her lashes . . . they’re bone-white. And longer and more numerous than a centipede’s legs. There’s no denying she’s been touched by moonlight. She’ll have no shield from the sun.  It must be the illness from the queen’s blood. A contagion from the cursed land of eternal gloom and ice.”

On the cover, my princess wears a crown of barbed wire, representative of the thorns and nails that contribute to her scars. Scars are something she shares with the prince. Here's an excerpt from the book highlighting their flaws:

“I wonder how many that is now?” Vesper patted the raised welt. “Perhaps enough I can double as a patchwork quilt.” The edges of his mouth twitched in a teasing smirk. “Let’s play a trick on the castle’s seamstresses . . . hang me on the wall naked beside their finest creations. See how long it takes them to notice.”

Stain stifled a surprised laugh at his attempt at levity. Her own scars stared back at her, providing an intimate awareness of how desecrated he must feel. Though some of her wounds had been made through experiences and adventures she chose, there were others inflicted upon her, robbing her of any choice. 

As for the colors of the cover, gold and purple both play pivotal roles in the story. 

And of course there are the spiderwebs and moths surrounding the princess. Nighttime creepers are her attendants in this tale, as are shadows. 

Stain is due to launch January 2019! I'll have more reveals and giveaways along the way, but until then, be sure to enter the rafflecopter below, and thanks for partaking in the cover reveal festivities!

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The Infinite Blog Tour

I'm so honored to be a part of The Infinite blog tour! If you want a shot at a swag pack and a chance to win a poster of this beautiful cover, be sure to check out the giveaway below!

Now, onto our post.

Ever since I read Gates of Thread and Stone, Lori M. Lee has become one of my fave new fantasy authors, and today, I get to feature an exclusive excerpt from the sequel I've been dying to read. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Although I must admit, it's only making it that much harder for me to wait...

(Beware, the last line is guaranteed to induce heart palpitations and puddles of drool for Avan and Kai fans)

Excerpt: 

 “Do you remember any of this?” I asked. As far as I knew, this was Avan’s first visit to the North District since Kalla had brought him back from death, and I could see his answer in the way he stared a little too long at his surroundings. 

His gaze followed a jagged pothole in the street to a web of cracks that fractured the sidewalk. The ruptured stones were left from Rebirth, when the frenzy of a magical and technological war had shaken the world, leveling mountains, scorching the oceans, and cracking open the earth. His brows pinched as he tilted his head back to study the lines of laundry strung above. His hesitant observations were strange to watch. He’d once known these crooked buildings and dark nooks as well as I did. Probably better. 

“No,” he said softly, but there was a note of uncertainty that lit the barest ember of hope in me.

 “What do you remember?” I’d been hesitant to ask this question, not wanting the specifics of how lonely he must feel. I didn’t need to imagine what it must be like, to know nothing of yourself other than what you could touch and see and feel in that exact moment. 

 He took his time replying. “I remember too much and too little. There are memories from the Conquest before me and the one before him—images of things I’ve had to look up in the history texts in order to understand, as well as moments with a strong emotional connection. It’s all jumbled,” he murmured, “like pieces from separate puzzles tossed together, and no way of ever forming a complete picture.” 

 “What about your life before? Not as Conquest, but as . . . Avan?” 

 He took even longer to answer. “It’s hard to describe,” he said finally. “It’s like . . . looking at storm clouds and knowing what’s to come—the cold shock of the first few raindrops striking skin, the crack of thunder and the way it can shake the ground beneath your feet when it’s right on top of you—but not being able to recall where the knowledge comes from.” He glanced back at me. “Or how, even before Kalla introduced us, I could have described to you the exact color of your eyes.”

Want to know more? Here's all the deets:

  About the Book: The walls of Ninurta keep its citizens safe.

Kai always believed the only danger to the city came from within. Now, with a rebel force threatening the fragile government, the walls have become more of a prison than ever. To make matters worse, as Avan explores his new identity as an Infinite, Kai struggles to remind him what it means to be human. And she fears her brother, Reev, is involved with the rebels.

With the two people she cares about most on opposite sides of a brewing war, Kai will do whatever it takes to bring peace. But she’s lost her power to manipulate the threads of time, and she learns that a civil war might be the beginning of something far worse that will crumble not only Ninurta’s walls but also the entire city.

 In this thrilling sequel to Gates of Thread and Stone, Kai must decide how much of her humanity she’s willing to lose to protect the only family she’s ever known.

Add The Infinite on GoodReads

Gates of Thread and Stone Purchase Links: IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble The Book Depository | Brilliance Audio | iTunes 
  The Infinite Purchase Links: IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble The Book Depository | Brilliance Audio
Praise for Gates of Thread and Stone:

 “Lori M. Lee excels in building a world of intrigue, oppression, and magic amidst a Labyrinth setting as twisted and winding as the secrets hidden inside her characters’ hearts. Fans of strong heroines who don’t need a boy to hold their hands, action-packed fighting scenes, and whispers of steampunk and mythology, will find themselves wishing they, too, could manipulate the threads of time, if only to stay inside the story a little longer.” A.G. Howard, New York Times bestselling author of the SPLINTERED series

 “A fast-paced, heart-wrenching whirl of a story full of magic, immortals, and a romance that will leave readers gasping for more. I adored the tough, scrappy narrator and fell in love with the boy chasing after her heart. Lori M. Lee introduces us to a fantasy world unlike any other and gives us the first taste of an epic love story in the making. I can’t wait for more!” Mindee Arnett, THE NIGHTMARE AFFAIR series and AVALON series

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The Hundred: Fall of the Wents -- epic fantasy, at its best!

Today, I'm so honored to host an interview with the masterful and talented Jennifer Prescott, author of the newly released The Hundred: Fall of the Wents.

 

 If you love fantasy, especially epic and creature fantasy, you HAVE to get this book. I've already gushed about the amazingness of the story on GoodReads, so hop over here if you'd like to see my review.

Check out the synopsis and gorgeous cover:

Millions of years in the Earth’s future, humans have long vanished from the planet. Evolution has produced a host of wondrous and intelligent beings: shape-shifting Fantastic Grouts with globes of light atop their skulls; creatures descended from flowers; and massive swarms of bees that can bore perfect holes through metal or bone.
  

But some seek a way to bring the humans back into the world—a world filled with creatures like twelve-year-old Tully, a young, amphibious Eft who imagines humans as nothing more than old bones and fairy stories. When his beloved guardian is stolen by a menacing black shadow, Tully must embark on a journey to a cruel, northern land to save her and his entire species. In an adventure that blends time travel, magic, and science, Tully learns whom he can trust, and who will betray him—for the price of reawakening the Hundred.
 

 

 

 

You can buy the book as an eBook or paperback on Amazon here.

Now, let's hear the story behind the story... 

1. Tell us about The Hundred.

The book was really inspired by the dire thought of human extinction. I had read A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson and was blown away by descriptions all the species that had ruled the planet once upon a time and then vanished, as if they had never been. In addition, I understood that we could be wiped out by one of many cataclysms in the future. Our time on this planet is fragile. And so I asked myself: What might a future planet look like without humans, and what if we mixed in some magic and time travel into that?

2. What sparked the idea for the book?

I had a really terrible fever a few years ago, such that I was almost hallucinating. I slept and dreamed. When I woke, I wrote down one sentence in my journal that became the seed for the entire book. Flipping through the journal several months later, I encountered that sentence and knew the book had to be written. That sentence was: “What if there were a world in which it took three creatures (Ells, Efts, and Wents) to reproduce, rather than two?”

3. What compelled you to keep going?

My husband read the first 30 pages and told me he would divorce me if I didn't finish it. I’m not sure if he was kidding or not.

4. Are you afraid the book will get banned because it features creatures who don't reproduce, um, traditionally?

Of course! I urge you to send it to any knee-jerk zealots in your address book. They may find the prospect of creatures who reproduce through an intricate system of pollination to be repugnant and anti-American, and will get my book featured on talk shows. In reality, the way the Trilings carry on their species is about as asexual as it can get. The Trilings include Wents (flower-like creatures who bear the young), Efts (pollen generators who seed the young), and Ells (pollen carriers who distribute the pollen from Eft to Went). Pretty dirty, eh?

4. Why is the book so durned long? Don't young readers have short attention spans?

People underestimate the ability of kids, tweens, and teens (and adults, for that matter) to read and digest books that are not only long but complex. And The Hundred is challenging. It asks the reader to pay attention and to really think. Young adults who read it said that they liked how it made them ponder some serious questions. Kids are smart. I loved that TV show Lost, which made me ponder and wonder what was going on and what would happen next. Having questions is a good thing. Books like your own Splintered aren’t short, simple reads. People love to dive deep. And kids do and can, and they love it!

5. Will there be more after The Hundred?

My nine-year-old, an avid reader who read the book two years ago, used to ask me that question every night. I was at the time working on two other books concurrently, so I told him "soon." Soon is now "now." I have plans for a first book in the series which takes place, in time, before the events in The Hundred. A third book will take place after the events in The Hundred and will bring back Tully,  Aarvord, Copernicus, and other familiar characters. Completing the trilogy is a daunting task but, in a way, I feel as if all the books have already been written by my subconscious and are just waiting to hit the paper.

6. Why did you choose independent publishing?

I wanted to do things my own way, after much soul-searching. The book may have flaws, and I expect readers to point them out, but I put my whole heart into every page. Because in this marvelous age, no one has to ask permission from anyone to share their heart with the world. I am lucky to have wonderful and talented friends who designed the cover, edited and read, and typeset the book for me. I do know, however, the enormous effort that goes into producing a book. Traditional publishers earn their due! And I have many friends who chose the traditional route and have seen enormous success.

7. What authors inspired you?

Every author I've ever read, even the so-called claptrap ones. Everyone offers a piece from which you can learn. But my heroes are Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Philip Pullman. Even these brilliant writers aren't perfect. I was reading The Hobbit aloud to my three young boys and I thought, "Man, some parts of this are really repetitive and boring, but the language is so beautiful!" And they were mesmerized all the same. I don't always read YA and middle grade. My favorite writer of all time is Annie Dillard, who writes nonfiction—much about the natural world. I think everything informs you as a writer, especially the genres that are not your own.
 

Okay, now let's get to know Jennifer better!

***5 for Fun!***

 

1. How many hats do you have in your home?

 

I have an astounding amount of hats. I seem to collect them! I dislike having a cold head in the winter, and a jaunty hat can perk up one’s mood. I would estimate we have 56 hats within the house.

2.   What’s your favorite breakfast?
I don’t like traditional breakfast foods as things like pancakes and cereal don’t hold me at all; I crash from eating things like that. I would love a nice filet mignon as my ideal breakfast.

3.   Are you Team Dog or Team Cat?

I am Team Squirrel. They are so fecund that there are hundreds of them scampering about my lawn.

4.  What video games do you play?

My boys play incessant Minecraft, but I don’t play many video games myself. I do love a game called Fire Boy and Water Girl. You really have to think strategically in order to get both characters to safety. It’s like a game of Chess.

5.   When would you go to if you had a time machine, and why?

I think I’d have to choose millions of years in the Earth’s future, just to see if any of my sentient creations from The Hundred were there waiting for me!

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Thank you, Jennifer! If you have any questions for our debut author, please feel free to leave a comment below. I know her pretty well (considering she's one of my fave peeps in this world) and I know she'd love to chat with you about her writing journey and this incredibly imagined book!

 

Want to stalk Jennifer online? Here's her haunts:

 

Twitter
Blog
Facebook

 

Step inside my fantasy...

Those of you who were lured over by my sultry voice and come-hither title, shame on you! This isn't one of THOSE kinds of blogs. But just to keep everyone satisfied, here's a crumb for any first-time naughty visitors:

Today I want to share the fantasies that keep my publishing dream alive, and also find out what you do to keep the faith while you wait. Because as we know, it's all about waiting in this biz.

(And no matter what you hear from Kalen, he SO did not think of this post first. Rookstar can attest that I emailed her with this idea the night before he posted on a similar subject. All I have to say to that is: collective consciousness.) Hee ;-)

When the writing well runs dry and the patience runs thin, I have to find an escape. But because I live and breathe my characters / stories, even my fantasies revolve around them.

I have a wonderful program called Adobe Fireworks that allows me to blend and doctor photos to fit any motif I choose. I used it to make the pictures for my Splintered Book Trailer, as well as my Writing is Like trailer.

And I also use it to make mock-up book covers.

This is for one of my early dark fantasies. Inspired in part by the movie, “Memoirs of a Geisha”, Nocturnus introduces a powerful clan of female halfling vampires who dress as geishas and hold galas to entrance men and siphon small amounts of blood, curbing their thirst without resorting to murder.

And this is the imagined cover for my YA Alice in Wonderland spin off about Alyssa Gardner, the great-great-great granddaughter of Alice Liddell (real life inspiration for the heroine of the famed Lewis Carroll novel). This is what Alyssa looks like after she stumbles into Wonderland. And everything in the above mock-up plays a part in the actual storyline: the bloody roses, the sparkles in the distance, even the mutilated teddy bear. But you'll have to read the story to understand. :)

Your turn! What do you do to feed your writing dream and keep it alive while you wait? Do you think up character questionnaires or interviews? Maybe you sketch your characters, or the settings they inhabit, even draw maps. Could be you're one of the lucky few who actually gets to travel to the locale of your story. Daydreaming of your characters also counts! I even met a writer once who made "movie posters" for her novels.

I shared my secret playground. If you're willing, share yours. I'd love to hear about it!