Amplifier 4: Paisley wants to play.

I’m working through the editor’s line edit on Idol and Enemies (Amplifier 4) and since I’m refining the text, etc, I thought it would be fun to share a short snippet. When I asked for requests over on Facebook and Twitter, the overwhelming majority voted for more Paisley content. So here you go!

Warning: it’s rather difficult to pull chunks out of Amplifier 4 without spoilers, so there are characters in this snippet that you haven’t met yet.

Aiden released my hand, stepping over to the kitchen island. “Whose turn is next?”

Khalid cleared his throat, eyeing Paisley and then glancing over Aiden’s shoulder at me. “Mine. If I step back, will Paisley try to rip my throat out?”

“I never really know,” I said casually. “Shall I ask her not to eat you, sorcerer?”

“You haven’t already?” Ocean cried. Then she blushed fiercely.

I didn’t answer.

So apparently, I could play games. For my own pleasure, at least. Though by the look Aiden angled at me, I’d managed to amuse him as well.

Aiden took Khalid’s spot at the island. Paisley hooked paws that were too big for her current body on the edge of the speckled quartz counter and pulled herself up. Her nose skimmed the low edge of the magical grid. Sickled claws shot out from her paws.

Across from the demon dog, Sky meeped.

I wasn’t certain I’d ever heard a human make that particular sound before.

“Paisley,” I said in a warning tone.

The demon dog retracted the claws, laughing at me with her eyes.

– Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4)

Amplifier 0: book cover and a giveaway

As we ramp up to the release of Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4) on September 29, 2020, I thought it might be fun to take a closer look at the gorgeous book covers that Gene Mollica Studios has designed for the Amplifier series. BTW, for authors and/or artists, Gene Mollica Studios has just launched a new stock photo service as well!

The art for the Amplifier Series all began with casting – Devon Ericksen was absolutely perfect for the uber-powerful Amp5/Socks/Emma. Then we discussed costumes and hair/makeup, and Gene and Sasha gathered their crew for a photoshoot that resulted in hundreds of amazing shots.

Every time I need another book cover I scroll through the photos and send my favourites into Gene and Sasha. I let them know a little bit about the book, such as the title, etc, with possible location ideas or background extras (the barn, the chickens, the Mustang, etc). Gene takes all of those raw details and makes art.

This is the shot I selected for the prequel, The Amplifier Protocol (Amplifier 0).

*Photo:* Gene Mollica Studios *Model:* Devon Ericksen

Gene turned Devon’s amazing capture of an (imagined) pivotal moment into this piece of utter magic:

*Cover design by:* Gene Mollica Studios *Model:* Devon Ericksen

Resulting in a shelf worthy paperback! *Sigh.*

BONUS!! The Amplifier Protocol, bundled with the novelette, Close to Home, is now free on all retailers for a limited time!! Click here for download links.

Want to win an autographed copy of the Amplifier Protocol? Yes?! Just comment below to enter to win.

The Amplifier Protocol paperback* surrounded by oracle cards. *The giveaway paperback won’t be the one pictured but I WILL throw in a few oracle cards (both are currently on order, and as you know, shipping isn’t reliable right now).

Notes/Rules: OPEN INTERNATIONALLY. One entry per person. One winner will be selected by random number generator. Email addresses are not collected for any purpose other than to contact the winner. No purchase necessary. Giveaway closes WEDNESDAY, SEPT 2, 2020 at 8pm PDT. Likes and shares are always welcomed and appreciated.

Are you new to the Adept Universe series? Click here for the reading order. Or click here for the Welcome! sequence.

Me. Today so far …

Honestly, some days I’m not sure I should be in charge of my own schedule. For example, this is me today so far:

The plan: Add at least 2k to Misfits 2 before lunch, then chat with my mentee about branding, etc, in the afternoon.

The reality: Oh, wait! I need to set The Amplifier Protocol to free on all stores so Amazon will price match before I launch all the other marketing stuff* leading up to the release of Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4). *Yeah, the fact that I call it ‘stuff’ probably doesn’t bode well.

Okay, done! Now new words!

Wait, it’s time for coffee? Where the hell is the morning going? I should wash and sort this box of blueberries. Okay, Leo needs attention (snap a picture, post to Instagram, play with a mouse and his new blueberry box). And I really should wash and freeze the flat of strawberries as well. I also need to make some vanilla ice cream.

No. I can do that tomorrow.

Back to work! *Noting the pile of items cluttering the dining table as I walk by.* I really should at least take pictures of Cindy’s (aka my sis-in-law’s) new picturebook and get a giveaway posted on my blog. *takes pictures* Ugh, the internet connection sucks today. I’ll do that tomorrow.

Now new words!

Hmmm, maybe I’ll share another chunk of the first draft of Misfits 2? That would be fun. Let’s see if it is ready to read … *scrolls back and starts rewriting, getting completely caught up adding 500+ more words of extra sass, baring of teeth, and werewolves games.*

OMFG! It’s time for freaking lunch!??

Wolf moon sketch purloined from Nature’s My Friend‘s 2017 calendar. I have it tucked into my notebook for Misfits 2 (aka Kandy’s book) for inspiration.

So, um, yeah. No ‘new’ words.

Misfits 2: A tiny bite.

So … I’m supposed to be writing Amplifier 5. Instead, needing to work on something playful (with a whole lot of bite) and distracting, I wrote the opening scene for Misfits of the Adept Universe – book 2. No release date yet, but I’ll probably keep working on it for the next while.

I tugged at the stiff collar of my light blue dress shirt, trying to ignore the miasma of scents emanating from the crowd gathered around the international arrivals gate at the Vancouver Airport.

The guy nearest me had just come in from the parking lot dragging the scent of asphalt, gasoline, and a lingering crispness with him. The woman rocking her kid in a stroller, cradling flowers in her free arm, was way too fond of pineapple and coconut. It was in her skin cream and conditioner. Well, fake coconut and pineapple. The bartender in the open bar behind me pulled draught after draught of pilsner and amber ale for the customers lining the bar stools and the waitstaff slinging burgers and garlic-riddled Caesar salad.

Three days from the December full moon, aka the Cold Moon, and my skin was already itching under the suit I’d been forced to stuff myself in.

Apparently, it wasn’t appropriate for the head of security for a shapeshifter summit to wear a sports bra, leggings, and an obscenely printed T-shirt while on duty. I’d capitulated on the clothing — finding a black pant suit with as much lycra as possible and pairing it with shiny zippered ankle boots that added a much needed three inches to my height — but I refused to dye my currently florescent pink hair back to its natural mousy brown.

And there was no way I was removing the ridiculously-out-of-place runed-etched, raw diamond gold cuffs that perpetually adorned my wrists. The Wolf’s Bracers, the Adept snobs were prone to calling them. I’d deliberately rolled up the sleeves of the dress shirt and the jacket to display the artifacts. Even though doing so made me look like I was posing for the cover for some fashion magazine. Not that I was pretty enough to actually book such gig. My nose too slim and straight, jaw too angular, and teeth too pointy to pull print media off.

Okay, so, the teeth only got pointy when I was being nasty.

I adored being nasty.

But only when someone pissed me off.

Which was, admittedly, often.

How the hell had I wound up being the head of security for this stupid wedding and pack status hearing?

Right.

My lord and alpha, and the head of the Godfrey coven, had conspired against me.

– untitled, Misfits 2, first draft

Fresh Fruit Sherbet

I’m sharing this recipe because I took the time to write it out and have gotten multiple requests. But, again, I’ve only made this a few times (with blueberries, tayberries, and strawberries) and it’s not connected to my actual work (I should be writing right now) so I cannot put extra time and energy into ‘recipe support’. Just FYI.

My filmmaker friend Karen got me started making my own ice cream, etc, with her recommendation of The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz (which is fantastic and definitely worth buying) and her initial tweaks to make the sherbet, etc, dairy and conventional sugar-free.

Blueberry sherbet – churned and ready to freeze for a few hours.

I usually use a whole half of a lemon because I’m lazy.

So simple, but so, so tasty!!

ATV: the evolution of a book cover and giveaway

In between writing (apparently, I’m randomly working on an Opal short story that falls after Amplifier 4) I’ve been thinking about branding because it’s a topic I’m discussing with my SFWA mentee, Natasha. We’ve been chatting about book covers and finding something simple but evocative to convey the genre and tone of your story in a single image. Which made me think about my very first novel, After The Virus.

So … here is the evolution of the book covers for After The Virus with some thoughts on each and why I rebranded at each stage. At the bottom of the post I’ve made some copies of After The Virus free via BookFunnel just in case you haven’t had a chance to give it a read. I’ve capped the giveaway at 50 copies.

Late-Spring 2011. Self-designed. My first foray into self-publishing,

This was the first cover for the ebook. I designed it myself, which I’m sure you can tell at a glance. Lots of mistakes here, including that I didn’t need the ‘by’ (a holdover from writing screenplays for 12 years prior to writing a novel). My author name is WAY too small. And overall the cover isn’t dynamic enough.

Summer 2011. Designed by Scott Fitzgerald Gray.

My absolutely brilliant editor Scott Fitzgerald Gray asked if he could take a stab at the cover and he came up with this tweak. Instantly, so much more dynamic. And the lighter colour really popped whenever ATV was grouped/listed with other post-apoc or horror novels. But still not really conveying the themes of the novel itself …

Summer 2012. Designed by Irene Langholm.

Then I commissioned an original book cover from Irene Langholm. And I absolutely, utterly adored it. The art/photo manipulation is outstanding. But, in hindsight, my name and the title of the book are far too small. It definitely conveys genre, but it doesn’t ultimately fully express the main aspect of the book – that it’s a love story. If you happen to have (a typo-ridden) paperback of After the Virus from way back when it had this cover.

Fast forward to January 2017. Designed by Elizabeth Mackey.

I decided I wanted to refresh a bunch of my older book covers in early 2017, and I asked Elizabeth Mackey to take a crack at After the Virus, adding in the tag ‘a post-apocalyptic love story’. This cover is much simpler and utterly evocative. It nails genre and tone. The title and my name are much more prominent. Readers know exactly what they are getting when they buy based on this cover. And, in my opinion, fulfilling expectations (while entertaining) is a writer’s ultimate goal.

After The Virus. The evolution of a book cover, from 2011 to 2017.

So there you go!

Interested in reading After The Virus? Yes? Well, that is cool because I’m giving away 50 copies!

>> Grab After The Virus for free from BookFunnel <<

Synopsis: “Plunge headlong into a decaying world of ruined cites, ruined lives, and ruined aspirations.” After the virus decimates 99.9% of the world’s population and all traces of humanity along with it, Rhiannon and Will are forced to move beyond their past fame, fortune, and personal demons to rescue a mute girl from the clutches of two warring cults.

Amplifier 4: cover reveal

*Cover design by:* Gene Mollica Studios Models: Devon Ericksen and Jonathan Cannaux

COMING SEPTEMBER 29, 2020

PREORDER NOW

– AMAZON – KOBO – APPLE BOOKS – BARNES & NOBLE – SMASHWORDS –

Idols and Enemies is the fourth book in the Amplifier Series, which is set in the same universe as the Dowser, the Oracle, the Reconstructionist, and the Misfits of the Adept Universe series.

The Amplifier Protocol (Amplifier 0)
Close to Home (Amplifier 0.5) (bundled with Amplifier 0)
Demons and DNA (Amplifier 1)
Bonds and Broken Dreams (Amplifier 2)
Mystics and Mental Blocks (Amplifier 3)
Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4)

Mass giveaways coming throughout August and September!!! Including a chance to grab The Amplifier Protocol (Amplifier 0) for free (coming very soon) and dozens of download codes for all the audiobooks, starting August 30. I’ll send a newsletter with all the dates, etc, soon.

New to the Adept Universe? The first book Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 1) is currently free on all platforms. Click here for the full reading order.

Waiting on the next book in the Adept universe? Subscribe to my mailing list to make sure you never miss a new release!

Adept Universe Bible: Peggy

Margaret “Peggy” Talbot: Telepath. Truth seeker. Customer service at Cake in a Cup. Willowy. Straight blonde hair. Sky blue eyes, brown spot in left eye. 20 in Misfits 1. Moonstone ring on left index finger. She favours lighter colours, and skirts. Into astrology. Loves mani/pedis. Training with Pearl. Peggy can easily sense moods, but excepting her ongoing two-way connection to her twin, she usually needs to touch people in order to read their minds. Younger twin of Gabrielle aka “Gabby”. Adopted daughter of Angelica and Stephan. Adopted sister of Liam, Tony, and Bitsy. Adopted at age eleven, birth parents unknown. The twins were rescued by the witches’ Convocation from a child prostitution ring, where they’d been bred and sold for their ‘magic.’ Still considered ‘spell damaged’ from this childhood trauma, Gabby and Peggy have been denied entry into the Academy. According to Jade, her magic tastes like blackberry jam. Magic manifests as a shade of white.

Gabby first appeared in Champagne, Misfits, and Other Shady Magic (Dowser 7). She also appears in Dowser 8, Dowser 8.5, Dowser 9, and Misplaced Souls (Misfits 1).

Peggy. Telepath. Effervescent. Eager to please, to be helpful. Utterly truthful, because she can sense lies with an extremely high accuracy. *Sketch by* Memo.

Peggy. Telepath. Once followed Jade into an alley, ready to help track an elf without a moment of concern for her own safety (Dowser 8). Has a massive, unrequited crush on Drake, a fledgling guardian dragon. Sketch by Memo.

Adept Universe Bible: Gabby

Gabrielle “Gabby” Talbot: Amplifier. Baker at Cake in a Cup, studying bookkeeping at night. Willowy blonde, 5’10”. Sky blue eyes. Usually wears her hair in a simple ponytail or bun (while baking). 20 in Misfits 1. DOB: June 8, 1999 (Gemini). Favours dark or black jeans. Moonstone ring on her right index finger. Goth look. Also owns a perfect, slightly felted charcoal cashmere ‘boyfriend’ sweater that she found while thrift store shopping with her friend, Mory. Afraid of snakes. Learning to wield the knife she keeps in a sheath on her right ankle during physical training sessions with the other misfits. Magical training with Pearl and Scarlett. Eldest twin of Margaret aka “Peggy”. The adopted daughter of Angelica and Stephan. Adopted sister of Liam, Tony, and Bitsy. Adopted at age eleven, birth parents unknown. The twins were rescued by the witches’ Convocation from a child prostitution ring, where they’d been bred and sold for their ‘magic.’ Still considered ‘spell damaged’ from this childhood trauma, Gabby and Peggy have been denied entry into the Academy. According to Jade, Gabby’s magic tastes like raspberry jam.

Gabby first appeared in Champagne, Misfits, and Other Shady Magic (Dowser 7). She also appears in Dowser 8, Dowser 8.5, Dowser 9, and Misplaced Souls (Misfits 1).

Gabby. Amplifier. Whipping up a batch of Allure in a Cup (her contribution to the Cake in a Cup menu, see Misfits 1). She once helped thwart an elf invasion, nearly draining all of her magic to help Mory close an other-dimensional portal. *Sketch by* Memo.

Gabby. Amplifier. Quick, clever, stalwart. Still figuring out her place within the Misfits. Would do anything for her family and few chosen friends. *Sketch by* Memo.

Dairy-free Chocolate Ice Cream

I’ve been testing dairy and sugar-free ice creams and sherbets for the last few weeks for a combination of reasons (see my Instagram feed for more photos, etc). I’m sharing this recipe AS IS because a lovely filmmaker friend of mine asked for it and she did me so many favours in my past life as a filmmaker that I couldn’t bring myself to refuse her.

So since I took a picture of my notes for my friend, I thought I’d share it with the blog as well. I offer this with the caveat that I’ve only made it once, and that I am not in the position to offer any recipe ‘support’ or clarification.

My other filmmaker friend, Karen got me started with my ice cream making ~~obsession~~ … err … journey, recommending The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz and offering me her modifications. I’ve added my own tweaks as I’ve tested/adapted the recipes to my taste.

I will say that the key to any great dessert (or meal, really) is the quality of ingredients. If the cocoa you use isn’t good or the chocolate is waxy, then the ice cream will be as well. But! The benefit of being dairy-free? No milky aftertaste!!