Days of Fantasy for Christmas: Morgan Wylie

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Welcome to today's stop! Today Morgan Wylie is sharing her dream cast for her young adult epic fantasy series. Currently four books are available, with the fifth one coming soon. Check out the series and enjoy the giveaway!

Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Morgan Wylie for

Days of Fantasy for Christmas

The Age of Alandria series is a coming of age story of a heroine as she is awakened to her magical powers and a destiny she never saw coming.

**The Age Of Alandria book series is a YA epic fantasy written by Morgan Wylie. There are currently four books in the series with a fifth and final installment due out in the next year. This is an epic, world building fantasy series in the vein of Lord of the Rings and the Shannara Chronicles on MTV. There are Humans, Faeries, Shifters, Elves and many other magical elements along with many dark creatures and evil antagonists.

Silent Orchids

(The Age of Alandria #1)

A dying realm.
The ancient evil of the Droch-Shúil has been unleashed.
The Orchids have been silenced… but for how long?

Daegan, elite of the Ferrishyn warrior tribe of Faeries, is charged with a mission to find the Sol-lumieth, a mysterious new power that could change the fate of all in the realm of Alandria. But he is conflicted by his purpose, and he cannot trust the motives of those he serves. He has too many questions and they must be answered.

Kaeleigh, a girl abandoned as a small child just outside Missoula, Montana, is now 18. She is trying to discover who she is and where she belongs. In her heart, she feels she has family out there… somewhere. Desperate to unravel the mysteries of her past, she embarks on a journey that will forever change her along with her two best friends, Finn and Chel—who have secrets of their own.

Veiled Shadows

(The Age of Alandria #2)

Shadows linger where light is obstructed, and truth is veiled.
Evil is an untreated disease in the once beautiful realm of Alandria.

Kaeleigh is faced with a revelation that she must reconcile. She will decide if discovering the truth is worth the unknown consequences to both herself and her friends.

Daegan, the Ferrishyn warrior, is conflicted by more than his loyalties, and is confronted with emotions he doesn’t know how to deal with. A choice must be made. A choice… that may cost him more than he ever wanted to give.

The Droch-Shúil—enforcers and servants of the ancient darkness—continue to cast their shadow over Alandria seeking those who can be turned to their side.

The magic of The Orchids is growing, but not everyone will survive what is to come.

Fractured Darkness

(The Age of Alandria #3)

The darkness in Elnye is growing.
There is screaming in Exhile.

The mysterious woman, known only as “She”, is in a rage. Her pawn, Maleina has made a dangerous move and severed her communications with the dark mistress. Now as dueling dark forces, master and willing initiate, they begin to jockey for power as the stage is set for the coming war.

Kaeleigh and her small band of loyal companions have escaped the dungeons of Elnye and found their way to the secret home of the Ehsmia. After breaking the vicious bond that enslaved Daegan to Maleina’s will, the walls between Kaeleigh and her Ferrishyn warrior begin to fall, as their feelings for each other begin to give way to passion.

The darkness is fractured, but its relentless quest for power goes unabated. A war is coming. However, the power of the Sol-lumieth has finally come together and found its light. A blinding light of freedom, that may be the salvation for all of Alandria.

Fading Light

(The Age of Alandria #4)

Kaeleigh, Daegan, Finn, and Ella have just escaped the Forest of Lumei, surviving with the help of the Dryad Priestess, Andreinna. Now, focused on getting to one of the few portals leading to the mortal realm, they continue their journey together through the desolate lands of Alandria. They witness the truth of the land’s fading magic before making it to the portal, and their help is needed in the small town of Kandri where the darkness has infiltrated in mysterious ways.

Pairing up, they set out on three missions: Finn with Ella, seek allies amongst the Twined residents of Tylínyth. Kaeleigh and Daegan search for a map to lead them to the Book of Lenoria in order to reach The Orchids. Meanwhile, Chel and Hal seek allies among the Shifters of Mandü tré Lan with a few surprises of their own.

She—the mistress of darkness who resides in the mountains of Exhile—has tried time and again to free herself from captivity. The Orchids unknowingly provide her a source of energy to accelerate her plan for freedom, but how much more will be required? Her power is growing and She is amassing forces of her own.

The allies are gathering, but will they come together in time?

Will Maleina’s plans for ultimate power in Alandria be her own undoing?

The light of Alandria is fading.
But the fight is far from over, in fact, it is just the beginning.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository

Book Trailer

Dreamcast

About the Author

Morgan Wylie is an award-winning and USA Today Bestselling author with several genres published from YA fantasy to adult paranormal romance and other things in between. Morgan published her first novel, Silent Orchids, one year after moving across the country with her family on a journey of new discovery. After an amazing three years in Nashville, TN and the release of two more books, Morgan and her family found their way back to the Northwest where they now reside. Still working everyday with great optimism, Morgan continues to embrace all things: "Mama", wife, teacher, and mediator to the many voices and muses constantly chattering in her head... where it gets pretty loud!

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│YouTube│Instagram│Pinterest│BookBub

Tour Schedule

(Links won't work until the posts go live.)

December 1st: Launch

December 2nd: Gillian Bronte Adams - The Songkeeper Chronicles

December 3rd: Morgan L. Busse - Mark of the Raven

December 4th: Evangeline Denmark - Curio

December 5th: Kate Avery Ellison - A Gift of Poison

December 6th: J.M. Hackman - Spark

December 7th: Ronie Kendig - Embers

December 8th: C.E. Laureano - Oath of the Brotherhood

December 9th: Belle Malory - The Twelfth Keeper

December 10th: Melissa McShane - Voyager of the Crown

December 11th: J. Ellen Ross - The Remembered Queen

December 12th: Jennifer Silverwood - Silver Hollow

December 13th: Melissa Wright - Blood & Brute & Ginger Root

December 14th: Morgan Wylie - The Age of Alandria Series

December 15th: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

Grand Prize #1: Winner will receive a FIRE HD 8 TABLET along with the following ebooks (open to those who are eligible for the Fire Tablet in their area can receive Kindle gifted copies of ebooks):

- CURIO, MARK OF BLOOD and ALCHEMY (The Curio Prequel), and THE ICE CHILD (a holiday novelette) by Evangeline Denmark

- A GIFT OF POISON by Kate Avery Ellison

- THE TWELFTH KEEPER by Belle Malory

- SERVANT O THE CROWN or VOYAGER OF THE CROWN (winner's choice) by Melissa McShane

- THE REMEMBERED QUEEN by J. Ellen Ross

- SILVER HOLLOW by Jennifer Silverwood

- THE FREY SAGA (Books 1-3) ebook box set by Melissa Wright

Grand Prize #2: Winner will receive the following print books (open to continental US residents):

- ORPHAN'S SONG by Gillian Bronte Adams

- MARK OF THE RAVEN by Morgan L. Busse

- SPARK by J.M. Hackman

- ABIASSA'S FIRE 3-book collection by Ronie Kendig

- The complete set of SONG OF SEARE TRILOGY by C.E. Laureano

- SILENT ORCHIDS by Morgan Wylie

Ends December 19, 2018

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pros and Cons of Being a Writer/Author by CB Samet, author of Gray Horizon

Welcome to the Name Before the Masses Tour for Gray Horizon by CB Samet. Today she is sharing her pros and cons of being a writer/author. Do you agree? Want to know more? Leave her more questions and comments. Be sure to also follow the tour. And of course check out the book before you download your copy and enter the giveaway.

Please note that affiliate links are present in this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Pros and cons of being a writer/author

Pros …
I love creating a world into which people can escape. Life is crazy and hectic and filled with the insecurities, uncertainties, and worries we battle every day. Novels allow us to escape our own reality and our own troubles for a short time. We immerse in an adventure and can be swept away by the trials and tribulations of a fictional character with whom we connect.

Writing is my own escapism. My daily stress is cleansed when I have those few minutes or hours to myself to write. The flow of ink onto the paper is a cathartic release as I build a story scene by scene. No matter how rough that first rough draft is, it is still something I created—born of my own hopes, dreams, frustrations, humor, despair, and imagination.

Transitioning from the first word to the printed product gives me a sense of accomplishment. I’ve published ten books now and the thrill of holding my own novel or knowing others are doing the same hasn’t subsided. The final product of a finished book transitions the intrinsic motivation of writing to an extrinsic satisfaction of seeing the fruits of my labor and knowing others are enjoying it.

I enjoy supporting the writing industry. I’m part of several author groups. I have read and given feedback on a dozen fictional works in 2018. I have done full review of books, and I have promoted other authors in my newsletter. Knowing how much reviews matter, I also leave a review (Amazon, Bookbub, Goodreads, etc) on all books I’ve read and enjoyed.

I write in different genres. I get to enjoy creating series in different genres, but I stick to one theme: strong women overcoming intimidating obstacles.

Cons …

Marketing myself is hard. Getting people to take a chance on author whose name isn’t on a billboard or hasn’t had a movie made from her book (yet!), is hard. There is a great deal of competition out there and so many talented writers. My track record for awards and positive reviews lends credence to the quality of my work. My favorite review was a Readers’ Favorite reviewer on Whyte Knight who said, “CB Samet is a master of the craft.” Currently, Gray Horizon is in a book competition, and I hope to see continued positive feedback.

That’s it for the cons. I enjoy everything else about being a writer. When I stall for a while on one book, I work on a different genre in a different series. I’m currently working on book 4 in The Rider Files series and book 4 in The Avant Champion series as well as a paranormal romantic suspense novelette.

“She needed a hero so she became one.” –Robin Reed

Gray Horizon

Sworn enemies. A stolen nuclear weapon. And the clock's ticking.

When Dr. Lillian Whyte learns a nuclear weapon is on the loose in Europe, she collides with a ruthless mercenary from her past. Isolated from her husband, a former CIA operative, Lillian tries to covertly help track the weapon. As she he joins the race to stop the bomb, she is drawn into a deadly game of chase. Despite her efforts, those intent on global catastrophe remain one step ahead of her.

As Lillian faces the fears of her past and deadliness of the present, can she secure the future of the world?

Read an excerpt:

“Dr. Whyte,” a guttural voice greeted her.

Her blood turned frigid and her stomach lurched as her heart thudded against her ribcage. As long as she lived, she would never forget that deep German accent—the voice of one of her captors nine years ago in Kenya.

The one that got away.

She was fairly certain Ivan Kleist would have only one reason for tracking her down: revenge.

Springing from the bench seat, she lashed a leg out into his gut. She saw a brief look of surprise on his pale face before she took off in a sprint.

Why now? Nine years he had waited.

The calculating killer had waited until she was out of the United States and away from Sean to corner her. She dashed in the direction of her hotel. Would she be safe in the lobby? In her room?

She slung her purse over her shoulder. Her phone was in the outer pocket, but she would have to slow down to make a call. Not happening. She would not slow until she reached the hotel.

Could she beat him to the hotel? His legs were longer, but she was ten years younger. But he probably hadn’t already logged twenty-six thousand steps for the day, as she had.

From her peripheral vision, Lillian saw an enormous object barreling toward her like a freight train. She barely had time to brace herself before Ivan plowed into her. She felt like she had been tackled by a linebacker. His large arms encircled her as she sailed to the ground. They rolled through the grass, her body encased by his.

He was so large he could probably crush the life out of her with his arms. She gasped for air. He wasn’t crushing her, but his grip was immobilizing.

Grunting, he hauled her to her feet. “Settle down, hase. Little white rabbit.”

Lillian, still dazed and sucking wind after her sprint, hardly put up a fight as he dragged her into an alley. Looking around frantically, her eyes couldn’t focus long enough to see anyone within shouting distance. She clawed at his large hand blocking her mouth from screaming.

About CB Samet

Christina is a practicing physician, mother of two boys and a terrier, and wife to a caring and supportive husband.


“I grew up reading Tom Clancy, Michael Crichton, and the Bourne books. I write seeking to create that level of action and intrigue but with female heroines. I love the quote, ‘She needed a hero. So she became one.’ My novels have empowered women overcoming powerful obstacles and the strong men who support them.”

LINKS
Author Website
Amazon Author
Goodreads
Facebook

CB Samet will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Days of Fantasy for Christmas: Melissa Wright

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Here's a paranormal stop for you on this Days of Fantasy tour. Read an excerpt from this novella before you download your own copy and follow the rest of the tour to enter the giveaway. It's a big one!

Melissa Wright for

Days of Fantasy for Christmas

Blood & Brute & Ginger Root

(A Bad Medicine Novella)
By Melissa Wright
Paranormal
ebook, 121 Pages
July 21st 2019 by Melissa Wright

Diana Coulton doesn’t have time for love. She’s got Bad Medicine—the family herb & book shop—to take care of, not to mention her chaotic sisters and censorious cat. No matter what Diana might want, romance is on the back burner for this Coulton sister.

Until the night well-meaning Bernadette decides to fix all that. Bernie knows better. Magic used to spur romance has a tendency to go haywire, all witches know that. She’s going to have to stop it.

If she can only remember how.

Before long, the local fire marshal shows up on Diana’s front step. But he’s not there to inspect the shop. He’s been caught in Bernie’s spell, and worse, he doesn’t even believe magic exists. Miles tries to get away from Bad Medicine, but he’s bewitched, and providence is not on his side.

Forces of nature conspire to throw Miles and Diana together, and time is running out to cure the enchantment. If they can’t figure out how to undo the magic hexing them, Diana could lose everything. But if they do, she might lose Miles.

Goodreads│iBooks│Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

You did not focus intent. You did not point. It was far too dangerous, even for little girls.
From a grown witch of Bernie’s caliber, it could be deadly. 

Diana stepped forward, crunching a wayward twig beneath her shoe. At the sound, a hundred moths took flight, coming from under shelves and out of foliage in a swarm of wings and dust. They’d transformed, in a matter of hours, and fluttered like a moving cloud through the shop, circling Diana where she stood before shifting and coursing toward the open front door. They swarmed closer together, a dark mass, and then disappeared into the night. 

How had it become night already? 

Belle followed the path of the moths, swinging wide past Bernie to slam the front door closed and drive home the locks. 

She turned, and each of them stared at the man at Bernie’s feet. 

Diana inched closer, and finally, when she felt brave enough, squatted beside the body. He had a handsome face, but his chin was a little scruffy and shadows ringed his eyes. She wondered what the spell had wrought on him. She reached gingerly toward his jacket, pinching the edge of it between the tips of two fingers, and flipped it to the side. 

She sucked in a breath and stood straight up, nearly knocking Bernie off balance where she waited leaned-in to see what Diana might find. 

Staring back at them was an embroidered badge that read Fire Marshal. 

Diana groaned, suddenly sick. “No,” she whispered. “No, no, no!” Her eyes found Belle, pleading. “This has got to be Abby’s doing. She hates us! She sent him to find a reason to shut us down and now we’ve…” She gestured helplessly toward the body on the floor. 

Her arms came in again to wrap around her middle. “This is going to cost us our business license.” 

Belle’s lips pursed, shifted sideways as she tilted her head. She nudged the body with the toe of her boot. “I don’t know. I mean, if she hates you so much why did she send you a hunky fireman?” 

Diana’s fisted hands snapped down at her sides. “He’s not a fireman!” She took a breath through her teeth. “This isn’t a joke. He is a fire marshal. As in, enforcing code.” She took a sudden step back, hand flying over her mouth. Her sisters were staring at her, so she let her fingers curl slowly into her palm to whisper, “Are caterpillars against code?” 

Belle sighed, waving her hands. “Okay, let’s all just take a second to regroup.” 

Leave it to Belle to have the clear conscience and level head when they’d just killed a man. 

“He’s not dead,” Belle said. 

Diana’s gaze snapped to hers. 

“All I’m saying, is it will all be okay. We have done nothing illegal thus far.” 

Bernie snorted. “Thus far.” 

Belle shrugged. “Look, I’m not going to rule anything out. But we need to have a plan and panic will get us nowhere.” She looked at Bernie. “What was your intent?” 

“Stop. That was basically all I had time to think.” 

Belle nodded. “Great. So, nothing permanent.” 

Bernie bit her lip, unsure. 

Belle rubbed her face, took hold of Diana’s shaking hands. “Tea. Tea first, then a plan.”

About the Author

Melissa is the author of the Frey Saga, Descendants Series, and KING OF ASH AND BONE. She is currently working on the next book, but when not writing can be spotted collecting the things she loves at Goodreads and Pinterest. Contact her through the web at www.melissa-wright.com or follow her blog at authormelissawright.blogspot.com.

For info on contests and new releases, sign up for the newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/zbisj.

Website│Blog│Goodreads│Twitter│Pinterest│Instagram│BookBub

Tour Schedule

(Links won't work until the posts go live.)

December 1st: Launch

December 2nd: Gillian Bronte Adams - The Songkeeper Chronicles

December 3rd: Morgan L. Busse - Mark of the Raven

December 4th: Evangeline Denmark - Curio

December 5th: Kate Avery Ellison - A Gift of Poison

December 6th: J.M. Hackman - Spark

December 7th: Ronie Kendig - Embers

December 8th: C.E. Laureano - Oath of the Brotherhood

December 9th: Belle Malory - The Twelfth Keeper

December 10th: Melissa McShane - Voyager of the Crown

December 11th: J. Ellen Ross - The Remembered Queen

December 12th: Jennifer Silverwood - Silver Hollow

December 13th: Melissa Wright - Blood & Brute & Ginger Root

December 14th: Morgan Wylie - The Age of Alandria Series

December 15th: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

Grand Prize #1: Winner will receive a FIRE HD 8 TABLET along with the following ebooks (open to those who are eligible for the Fire Tablet in their area can receive Kindle gifted copies of ebooks):

- CURIO, MARK OF BLOOD and ALCHEMY (The Curio Prequel), and THE ICE CHILD (a holiday novelette) by Evangeline Denmark

- A GIFT OF POISON by Kate Avery Ellison

- THE TWELFTH KEEPER by Belle Malory

- SERVANT O THE CROWN or VOYAGER OF THE CROWN (winner's choice) by Melissa McShane

- THE REMEMBERED QUEEN by J. Ellen Ross

- SILVER HOLLOW by Jennifer Silverwood

- THE FREY SAGA (Books 1-3) ebook box set by Melissa Wright

Grand Prize #2: Winner will receive the following print books (open to continental US residents):

- ORPHAN'S SONG by Gillian Bronte Adams

- MARK OF THE RAVEN by Morgan L. Busse

- SPARK by J.M. Hackman

- ABIASSA'S FIRE 3-book collection by Ronie Kendig

- The complete set of SONG OF SEARE TRILOGY by C.E. Laureano

- SILENT ORCHIDS by Morgan Wylie

Ends December 19, 2018

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Days of Fantasy for Christmas: Jennifer Silverwood

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

What's in a name? For today's stop, Jennifer Silverwood tells us more about the reasoning and meaning behind the names of her characters in Silver Hollow. You can also look up your own name for fun. But first you'll want to download your own copy and enter the amazing giveaway.

Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Jennifer Silverwood for

Days of Fantasy for Christmas

Silver Hollow

(Borderlands Saga #1)

By Jennifer Silverwood
Contemporary Fantasy, Magical Realism
Paperback & ebook, 429 pages
May 31st 2018 by SilverWoodSketches

Amie Wentworth trusts books more than people. After her parents' deaths ten years before, she writes fiction to escape reality. A timely invitation from her long-lost uncle arrives, but she's used to ignoring the mysterious surrounding her life.

Until she is stabbed in an alley and brought back to life by a handsome stranger. Soon Amie is dragged into the very sort of tale she is used to selling. To make matters worse, the man who saved her life keeps turning up and her would-be-murderer is still at large.

After crossing the Atlantic to her father’s homeland, she discovers a world beyond imagining. Silver Hollow is a place of ancient traditions and supernatural dangers, where everything is the opposite of what it seems and few escape sane. Faced with an impossible choice, Amie is forced to confront a deadly family legacy while remembering a life she soon wishes to forget.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository

Book Trailer

Guest Post: What's in a Name?

I remember reading articles that said Tolkien, when he was writing his Lord of the Rings saga, began with names. A linguist himself, it’s not surprising that he believed that our history can be told through our words and names.

Let me state for the record I am not J.R.R. Tolkien, nor am I Robert Jordan or any of the brilliant fantasy authors who made me want to write. But I am proud to admit they taught me a thing or two about characters, places and the meaning behind the name. If you read their stories, particularly Tolkien, you can almost feel the connection between the name and what that place or person truly is. If only we had a guide to duplicity in real life, right?

For Silver Hollow, I wanted to give my characters a little extra meaning and give some hints as to their true nature. After all, you’ll soon discover that everything in Silver Hollow is only the surface above hidden layers.

(Due to the location of Silver Hollow in the Borderlands, most of the names below are taken from Scotch-Irish/Celtic origin, while a few below are old Germanic.)

Welsh

Emrys- Welsh form of Ambrose, who was a Romano-British military leader they later based the character of Merlin from.

Highland/Old Irish-Celtic

Morcant- Morcant is my nod to a modernized Morgan le Fay. Her updated name is derived from Old Welsh, a form of “Morgan.”

Elisedd- Celtic for “kind.” (Her last name, Underhill, was my direct nod to Tolkien)

Slaine- Scottish in origin, typically a feminine name meaning “good health.”

Iudicael- An old, Breton form of Judicael.

Drustan- A much older, Breton form of the name, Tristan. (My nod to Tristan & Isolde)

Old German

Grim- Simply means “grim” (however older Norse variations also mean “mask”)

Dearg- flame or red haired.

I’ve made you want to look up your name haven’t I? Well since you didn’t ask, I’ll tell you the meaning behind my name. Jennifer is a Cornish version of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar or Guinevere and means pure spirit/fey. And just because I’m that nerd, I’ve included a link in the pic below to find the meaning behind your name too. Have fun and see you at the next tour stop!

About the Author

Jennifer Silverwood was raised deep in the heart of Texas and has been spinning yarns a mile high since childhood. In her spare time, she reads and writes and tries to sustain her wanderlust, whether it's the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania, the highlands of Ecuador, or a road trip to the next town. Always on the lookout for her next adventure, in print or reality, she dreams of one day proving to the masses that everything really is better in Texas. She is the author of three series--Heaven's Edge, Wylder Tales and the Borderlands Saga--and the stand-alone titles Stay and She Walks in Moonlight. She recently released her first serialized Urban Fantasy, Angel Blue in August 2018.

Website│Blog│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Tumblr│BookBub

Tour Schedule

(Links won't work until the posts go live.)

December 1st: Launch

December 2nd: Gillian Bronte Adams - The Songkeeper Chronicles

December 3rd: Morgan L. Busse - Mark of the Raven

December 4th: Evangeline Denmark - Curio

December 5th: Kate Avery Ellison - A Gift of Poison

December 6th: J.M. Hackman - Spark

December 7th: Ronie Kendig - Embers

December 8th: C.E. Laureano - Oath of the Brotherhood

December 9th: Belle Malory - The Twelfth Keeper

December 10th: Melissa McShane - Voyager of the Crown

December 11th: J. Ellen Ross - The Remembered Queen

December 12th: Jennifer Silverwood - Silver Hollow

December 13th: Melissa Wright - Blood & Brute & Ginger Root

December 14th: Morgan Wylie - The Age of Alandria Series

December 15th: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

Grand Prize #1: Winner will receive a FIRE HD 8 TABLET along with the following ebooks (open to those who are eligible for the Fire Tablet in their area can receive Kindle gifted copies of ebooks):

- CURIO, MARK OF BLOOD and ALCHEMY (The Curio Prequel), and THE ICE CHILD (a holiday novelette) by Evangeline Denmark

- A GIFT OF POISON by Kate Avery Ellison

- THE TWELFTH KEEPER by Belle Malory

- SERVANT O THE CROWN or VOYAGER OF THE CROWN (winner's choice) by Melissa McShane

- THE REMEMBERED QUEEN by J. Ellen Ross

- SILVER HOLLOW by Jennifer Silverwood

- THE FREY SAGA (Books 1-3) ebook box set by Melissa Wright

Grand Prize #2: Winner will receive the following print books (open to continental US residents):

- ORPHAN'S SONG by Gillian Bronte Adams

- MARK OF THE RAVEN by Morgan L. Busse

- SPARK by J.M. Hackman

- ABIASSA'S FIRE 3-book collection by Ronie Kendig

- The complete set of SONG OF SEARE TRILOGY by C.E. Laureano

- SILENT ORCHIDS by Morgan Wylie

Ends December 19, 2018

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Days of Fantasy for Christmas: J. Ellen Ross

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Today is our first new adult fantasy novel, coming from J. Ellen Ross. Read an excerpt from The Remembered Queen. Download your copy and follow the rest of the tour! And best of luck entering the giveaway. It's amazing!

J. Ellen Ross for

Days of Fantasy for Christmas

The Remembered Queen

(The Mad Queen's Massacre #1)
By J. Ellen Ross
New Adult Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 364 Pages
June 29, 2017

"They've started calling me the Remembered Queen. Because no one will ever forget what I did."

Jon grew up a petty criminal, picking pockets and running dice games in Anhalt, the cosmopolitan capital of Forint. Now, he lives in a tiny backwater, hiding from his past and trying to forget a tragedy so large it nearly destroyed him.

His boring, quiet life is shattered when a strange girl appears – a young woman claiming to be Aviana, Queen of Tolar.

The girl is haunted, confused, destitute and half-starved. On her back, someone carved a tattoo to hide a powerful spell, but she has no memory of who cast it on her. Hunted by men and nightmare creatures, she might be the Remembered Queen. And as he's drawn to her, Jon knows he's either taken responsibility for a mad, troubled girl or solved the greatest mystery the Ivory Kingdoms have ever known.

Goodreads│Amazon

Excerpt

Sitting upright, the girl shifted on her stool and waved to Marit. “Another, please,” she said, tapping her mostly empty mug. Her voice came low and smoky, with a hint of slurring. 

From behind the bar, Marit raised her eyebrows and then shrugged. She snagged a smaller clay cup from a shelf and filled it. Then she slid it across the bar top. 

The girl seemed to ponder over the drink, weighing what she should do with it. Then, without warning, she turned to face Jon. Bleary eyes focused on his face and she asked, “What would you do if you met a monster?” 

Jon felt his lips twitch up in a smile. Her accent was foreign, odd and lilting and he could see how young she was. Early twenties? Drunk and in a strange tavern, all alone. “A monster, my lady? I guess it would depend on the sort of monster,” he said, trying to keep the amusement from his voice. She had not had all that much to drink, but perhaps she did not drink often. 

The girl nodded, as if his answer made all the sense in the world. She pressed her lips together and frowned before continuing. “What if you met someone who started a war and killed everyone they loved?” 

Something about her words, or the tone of voice, the certainty, it chilled him. “I don’t think I’m likely to meet someone like that.” Jon returned to his drink, hoping she would lose interest in talking. He certainly had.

She searched his face and he saw a strange intensity hidden in her eyes, below the surface. Buried there, he saw a weary soul, exhausted by its burden, and Jon wondered who sat next to him at the bar.

But then she spoke again, her voice a strained whisper, and her words broke the spell.
“History has already begun calling me Aviana, the Remembered Queen. Because no one will ever forget what I did.” 

Ah, Jon thought as a hand squeezed his heart. He did not need to hear more to understand. Even here in Forint, tales of Aviana, the mad queen of Tolar, had spread. Minstrels sang songs and wrote poems about her. Still, on rarer occasions, men arrived to announce new rewards for the missing queen’s capture. For the first year after the events in Tolar, the tragedy of it all, all anyone could talk about was the young queen’s rise and shameful fall. In the intervening years, people had lost interest in her as other scandals, real or imagined, emerged.

But, ever since the happenings in the neighboring kingdom two years ago, young, troubled women had appeared, claiming the identity of the vanished queen. Sometimes, they were beggars, hoping to profit from the unwise or unwary. But, Aviana’s crimes, heinous and hideous, the tragedy of her wedding, the romance of her disappearance. It seemed to enchant the mad and disturbed. Sad business that. 

The girl did not notice the uncomfortable silence settling between them. “Aviana the Mad. Because for the six weeks I was queen of Tolar, the streets were filled with blood, the rivers ran red. Men died.” 

Tears welled in her eyes, then slid down her cheek, spilling on to the bar.

Jon shifted on his stool, unsettled by her sadness. “I doubt you’re a monster,” he said, trying to catch Marit’s eye as she chatted with a couple near the door. The girl did not need any more drink. She needed a place to sleep off the alcohol and someone to fetch the town priest.

Other Books in the Series

The Forgotten Queen

(The Mad Queen's Massacre #2)

By J. Ellen Ross

New Adult Fantasy

Paperback & ebook, 555 Pages

August 23rd 2018

Jon and Aviana’s luck has run out.

Once a petty criminal and hay-mower for hire, Jon’s quiet life was shattered when he found Aviana, the Remembered Queen, on a barstool in a tavern. 

Aviana, who ordered the slaughter of hundreds during the Mad Queen's Massacre.

Aviana, who fled her throne and vanished two years ago.

Convinced the confused, haunted girl had been a pawn in a deadly plot, he rescued her and for a year, he has hidden the queen of Tolar from the mage who once controlled her. In tiny villages and run down cottages, he's helped Aviana rebuild a life. But the mage isn’t done with her and his bounty hunters are scouring the countryside, hunting for her.

Freed from the spells used to enslaved her, Aviana wants nothing more than to fade into obscurity - to disappear and be forgotten. But she’s a deposed queen, a pawn for powerful men who would give anything to find her, and her luck has run out.

Swept away to the High King’s city of Alabaster, Aviana will face her old enemy and their confrontation will shake the foundations of the Ivory Kingdoms.

Goodreads│Amazon

About the Author

I'm a Texan living in Wisconsin who loves fantasy, dragons, and magic. I have two rescue dogs who cuddle with me when I'm writing and who wonder why I moved them to the frigid north. When I'm not writing, I like to draw and paint and hike in the pretty forests nearby.

Website│Goodreads│Facebook

Tour Schedule

(Links won't work until the posts go live.)

December 1st: Launch

December 2nd: Gillian Bronte Adams - The Songkeeper Chronicles

December 3rd: Morgan L. Busse - Mark of the Raven

December 4th: Evangeline Denmark - Curio

December 5th: Kate Avery Ellison - A Gift of Poison

December 6th: J.M. Hackman - Spark

December 7th: Ronie Kendig - Embers

December 8th: C.E. Laureano - Oath of the Brotherhood

December 9th: Belle Malory - The Twelfth Keeper

December 10th: Melissa McShane - Voyager of the Crown

December 11th: J. Ellen Ross - The Remembered Queen

December 12th: Jennifer Silverwood - Silver Hollow

December 13th: Melissa Wright - Blood & Brute & Ginger Root

December 14th: Morgan Wylie - The Age of Alandria Series

December 15th: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

Grand Prize #1: Winner will receive a FIRE HD 8 TABLET along with the following ebooks (open to those who are eligible for the Fire Tablet in their area can receive Kindle gifted copies of ebooks):

- CURIO, MARK OF BLOOD and ALCHEMY (The Curio Prequel), and THE ICE CHILD (a holiday novelette) by Evangeline Denmark

- A GIFT OF POISON by Kate Avery Ellison

- THE TWELFTH KEEPER by Belle Malory

- SERVANT O THE CROWN or VOYAGER OF THE CROWN (winner's choice) by Melissa McShane

- THE REMEMBERED QUEEN by J. Ellen Ross

- SILVER HOLLOW by Jennifer Silverwood

- THE FREY SAGA (Books 1-3) ebook box set by Melissa Wright

Grand Prize #2: Winner will receive the following print books (open to continental US residents):

- ORPHAN'S SONG by Gillian Bronte Adams

- MARK OF THE RAVEN by Morgan L. Busse

- SPARK by J.M. Hackman

- ABIASSA'S FIRE 3-book collection by Ronie Kendig

- The complete set of SONG OF SEARE TRILOGY by C.E. Laureano

- SILENT ORCHIDS by Morgan Wylie

Ends December 19, 2018

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Days of Fantasy for Christmas: Melissa McShane

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Sometimes as good as the story is the story behind the story.  For today's stop, Melissa McShane tells us more about Voyager of the Crown, the fourth book in her The Crown of Temontane series. Enjoy and then download your own copy before you enter the giveaway!

Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Melissa McShane for

Days of Fantasy for Christmas

Voyager of the Crown

(The Crown of Temontane #4)
By Melissa McShane
Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 312 Pages
September 7th 2018 by Night Harbor Publishing

Zara North, Queen of Tremontane, has the ability to unconsciously heal herself—a magic that also keeps her from aging. Faced with the reality that public knowledge of her magic could destroy her family’s dynasty and cost them the Crown, she faked her own death and set out to make a new life for herself, far from the capital and the family she loved. Never settling anywhere for long, Zara became an exile in her own country.

Now, sixty years after her “death,” Zara’s ageless face forces her to leave her home yet again. Wanting something different from the quiet life she led for decades, she sets sail for the distant continent of Dineh-Karit, reclusive and alien. When unexpected catastrophe strikes, it strands Zara and a handful of her fellow voyagers in the jungles of Dineh-Karit. Far from civilization, their only guide a reluctant Tremontanan expatriate who has his own reasons for being there, the castaways struggle for survival and to return home.

But Zara, entrusted with a secret by a dying man, finds herself caught between the woman she has become and the Queen she used to be. As an implacable enemy bent on retrieving the secret—a mysterious magical object—draws ever closer, Zara realizes her companions’ survival depends on Zara’s ability to lead them as she once did a nation. With an identity and a magical secret she still cannot reveal, Zara discovers depths in herself she thought were long gone—and gains a future she never expected.

Book Four in The Crown of Tremontane series about extraordinary women facing extraordinary challenges, Voyager of the Crown can be read as a standalone novel or as part of the series.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository

Guest Post: Voyager of the Crown by Melissa McShane

The Crown of Tremontane series began as a bedtime story I told myself that grew over time: the story of princess/spy Telaine, of the beautiful but bookishly shy Alison, of tough warrior Imogen. But I have no memory of how Zara North, heroine of Voyager of the Crown, came to be. Because I wrote the series back to front, starting with book three (Agent of the Crown), Zara’s character developed in a sideways manner. I always knew she had the magical ability to unconsciously heal herself, and I knew that would be a devastating ability for a queen to have—because it meant healing the damage of aging so she would never grow old or die, and that kind of eternal reign struck me as potentially terrible for a kingdom. She fascinated me from the beginning, even though she was a side character, great-aunt to Princess Telaine North Hunter whose story Agent was.

But in Agent, Zara was already long past the time when she had been queen, and she had been in hiding for forty-plus years. It took writing the first book, Servant of the Crown, to discover who she’d been before she learned about her magic: a tough, take-no-prisoners lady who stole every scene she was in (she is not the main character in Servant, but she provides an essential backbone for the novel). And in the bonus short story attached to Servant, “Long Live the Queen,” I finally got to tell a story from Zara’s perspective and set her free to discover who she was meant to be.

That short story intrigued me enough that I wanted to write a whole book with her as the main character. Unfortunately, the story eluded me for years. At one point, I wrote a sequence of short stories about Zara’s life after faking her death and going into hiding, and those were fun, but I despaired of ever discovering what her happily ever after was. And yet I couldn’t bear to think of her going on for another century or more, unable to settle down permanently, always alone.

It was the “alone” part that finally gave shape to Voyager of the Crown. Zara, in setting off to make yet another new life for herself, is shipwrecked with a handful of other passengers in a distant land—and suddenly she’s not alone as she and her chance-met friends struggle to survive. Add a handsome stranger named Ransom—tetchy, sarcastic, and every bit as smart as Zara—a mysterious magical artifact, and pirates, and I had the novel I’d given up on ever writing.

Voyager of the Crown can be read by itself or as the culmination of the Crown of Tremontane series, but it’s richer if it’s read as part of Zara North’s character arc. I love how it turned out, and that Zara finds both true love and the sense of self she thought she’d left behind a lifetime ago.

Other Books in the Series

About the Author

Melissa McShane is the author of twenty fantasy novels, including Servant of the Crown, Burning Bright, and The Book of Secrets. She lives in the shelter of the mountains out West with her husband, four children and a niece, and two very needy cats. She wrote reviews and critical essays for many years before turning to fiction, which is much more fun than anyone ought to be allowed to have. You can visit her at her website www.melissamcshanewrites.com for information on other books and upcoming releases.

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Pinterest│BookBub

Tour Schedule

(Links won't work until the posts go live.)

December 1st: Launch

December 2nd: Gillian Bronte Adams - The Songkeeper Chronicles

December 3rd: Morgan L. Busse - Mark of the Raven

December 4th: Evangeline Denmark - Curio

December 5th: Kate Avery Ellison - A Gift of Poison

December 6th: J.M. Hackman - Spark

December 7th: Ronie Kendig - Embers

December 8th: C.E. Laureano - Oath of the Brotherhood

December 9th: Belle Malory - The Twelfth Keeper

December 10th: Melissa McShane - Voyager of the Crown

December 11th: J. Ellen Ross - The Remembered Queen

December 12th: Jennifer Silverwood - Silver Hollow

December 13th: Melissa Wright - Blood & Brute & Ginger Root

December 14th: Morgan Wylie - The Age of Alandria Series

December 15th: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

Grand Prize #1: Winner will receive a FIRE HD 8 TABLET along with the following ebooks (open to those who are eligible for the Fire Tablet in their area can receive Kindle gifted copies of ebooks):

- CURIO, MARK OF BLOOD and ALCHEMY (The Curio Prequel), and THE ICE CHILD (a holiday novelette) by Evangeline Denmark

- A GIFT OF POISON by Kate Avery Ellison

- THE TWELFTH KEEPER by Belle Malory

- SERVANT O THE CROWN or VOYAGER OF THE CROWN (winner's choice) by Melissa McShane

- THE REMEMBERED QUEEN by J. Ellen Ross

- SILVER HOLLOW by Jennifer Silverwood

- THE FREY SAGA (Books 1-3) ebook box set by Melissa Wright

Grand Prize #2: Winner will receive the following print books (open to continental US residents):

- ORPHAN'S SONG by Gillian Bronte Adams

- MARK OF THE RAVEN by Morgan L. Busse

- SPARK by J.M. Hackman

- ABIASSA'S FIRE 3-book collection by Ronie Kendig

- The complete set of SONG OF SEARE TRILOGY by C.E. Laureano

- SILENT ORCHIDS by Morgan Wylie

Ends December 19, 2018

a Rafflecopter giveaway