Musings & more….
Kobo Writing Life sent me an ‘official’ badge this morning for the book cover of Unleashing Echoes (Reconstructionist 3). Best Cover – FINALIST 2017. Whoot!
Thank you to everyone who voted. It was lovely to be selected, especially among some seriously gorgeous covers.
To my extraordinarily patient/understanding/thorough/supportive editor (and I’m not just saying that because you’re currently working on Dowser 7):
Yep, that’s another freaking year!!
Please join me in wishing Scott Fitzgerald Gray the happiest of birthdays. Without him my novels would be clunky, at best, none of the characters would be dressed (at least not consistently) and you’d never know what anything – be it a weapon, an artifact, or a room – looked like.
Me: *getting a drink of water from the kitchen, and – lets be honest – some chocolate.*
Michael: How is the writing going?
Me: *introspectively, speaking mostly to myself* Ah, good. I know how the rest of the chapter unfolds, I just have no idea what complication occurs in the next chapter. But, I had this idea last night when we were putting the chickies to bed, about this really … well, about this really horrible moment that happens when … *I look up to see Michael grinning to himself gleefully* What? Did I say something funny?
Michael: *shaking his head, still grinning gleefully as he rubs his hands together in anticipation* Oooo, a horrible moment!
Me: *indignant* I don’t write them for the shock value, you know! It’s just how the story unfolds sometimes.
Michael: *grinning even wider, his eyes beginning to twinkle.* Sure, sure.
Me: *narrows eyes at him* I’m going back to the office.
Michael: *laughing*
So yeah.
I’m writing.
Dowser 8.
Releasing January 18, 2018
PREORDER NOW AVAILABLE
PREORDER NOW
AMAZON – iBOOKS – KOBO – BARNES & NOBLE – SMASHWORDS
I’m exceedingly pleased to announce that Kobo Writing Life has selected the book cover for Unleashing Echoes (Reconstructionist 3) as one of their top ten sci-fi and fantasy covers of 2017.
YAY!
And now KWL would like you to vote on your favourite for the top spot.
The other book covers are breathtaking and it’s an honour to have Unleashing Echoes (Reconstructionist 3), designed by damonza.com, included among them. Clicking on the screenshot below will take you to the voting page, where you can click to enlarge the individual covers, and then vote.
Thank you to Kobo Writing Life for including Unleashing Echoes in your top ten sci-fi and fantasy book covers of 2017!!
Are you ready for another taste?
January 18, 2018
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Have you met the misfits yet? Yes? No?
Click here for the reading order of the Adept Universe.
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Cover by Elizabeth Mackey Design
Because I periodically go a little loopy (approximately once a year, it seems) and because Bookbub is featuring the Dowser Series Box Set #1 this upcoming Sunday, the first three books in the Dowser Series are available for $0.99 on all retailers for a limited time.
AMAZON – B&N – iBOOKS – KOBO – SMASHWORDS
If you have any friends or family that you think might be interested, please share. Just warn them about stocking up on chocolate before they dive in … it’s like the opposite of waiting an hour after you eat to go swimming. 😀
FYI: Dowser 1, 2, and 3 are also books 1, 2, and 3 of the Adept Universe. Click here to find the full reading order.
GIVEAWAY CLOSED. WINNER TBA
I’m clearing out my cupboards, including these six audiobooks. I’ll keep a few sets to give away when Dowser 7, 8, and 9 release but I thought I give this set away randomly and another set in December.
These are actual CDs, so you need a CD player to play them (or to download the files into iTunes, etc). Sorry about the glare (the plastic covers are annoyingly shiny).
Are you interested in winning six Dowser Series audiobook CDs? Yes? To enter simply comment on this blog post.
Are you new to the Dowser Series and/or the Adept Universe? Begin reading for free, starting with Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (click for synopsis and retailer links).
And here is the complete reading order of the Adept Universe.
Notes/Rules: OPEN INTERNATIONALLY. Each comment will be assigned an entry number. ONE winning entry will then be selected via random number generator. One entry per person. Please make sure to fill out a valid email address in the comment form. Email addresses are not collected for any purpose other than notifying the contest winner.
If you haven’t commented on the blog before, or you comment from a different IP address, the comments are moderated. So don’t worry if you don’t see your entry right away. I will approve it, then assign it an entry number.
Giveaway closes THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2017 at 8 p.m. PST
[updated: August 2023]
I often get asked about my favourite books/series/authors, specifically in the urban fantasy genre (which I read almost exclusively these days). And since I find myself repeating myself a lot – I’m a rather loyal reader – I thought I’d start a list here, then add to it as it becomes necessary.
To make it easier on myself, the links below lead to book one of the series on Amazon.com (simply replace the .com with .ca or .co.uk to find the book in your region). FYI these are affiliate links. I reinvest any $$ I make into paperback (etc) giveaways.
Favourite authors:
Authors who I preorder the instant I know they have a new book coming, and who I reread.
Ilona Andrews – Kate Daniels (Magic Bites), Hidden Legacy (Burn For Me), and my favourite (by a terribly slim margin), The Innkeeper Chronicles (Clean Sweep).
Patricia Briggs – Mercy Thompson (Moon Called) and Alpha & Omega (Cry Wolf).
Faith Hunter – Jane Yellowrock (Skinwalker) and Soulwood (Blood of the Earth).
Kalayna Price – Alex Craft (Grave Witch).
Kelley Armstrong – my current favourite is the Casey Duncan thrillers (City of the Lost), but also any of her Otherworld novels, including the YA offshoots, starting with Bitten. Kelley gets bonus points for being a fellow Canadian. 😀
Hailey Edwards – I loved her Foundling series (Bayou Born). Also her Beginners Guide to Necromancy (How to Save an Undead Life) and her newest series, Black Hat Bureau (Black Hat, White Witch).
Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I’m absolutely in love with her The Inheritance Games series but I have now read her entire backlist.
And new to the list: Tracy Deonn. Her Legendborn Cycle (Legendborn) is actually life-altering. I can’t wait for the next book!
Favourite series:
The Psy/Changeling Series (Slave to Sensation) by Nalini Singh. I was late picking up my first Nalini Singh book (Why? Such a terrible oversight on my part!) but I’m now all caught up and have book 21 preordered! I’ve reread Mine to Possess, Kiss of Snow, Heart of Obsidian, and Shield of Winter. And loved all of the off-shoot series. I’m also a fan of her Guild Hunter Series (Angel’s Blood).
Terry Pratchett – any Discworld book with witches in the lead POV with Wintersmith being my favourite. I own but find myself unable to read, The Shepherd’s Crown, which was published after Terry passed away. I got to a certain plot point, lost it, and had to put the book away so I could continue to function in my everyday life.
Sookie Stackhouse (Dead Until Dark) by Charlaine Harris – one of my first entry points into ‘modern’ urban fantasy. I recently picked up her Gunnie Rose Series (An Easy Death) and absolutely adored it.
The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Illuminae). Also their newest collaboration, The Aurora Cycle (Aurora Rising).
The Consortium Rebellion (Polaris Rising) by Jessie Mihalik. Also, I’m really enjoying her newest, Starlight’s Shadow (Hunt the Stars).
A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses) by Sarah J. Maas. I’m also enjoying her newer Crescent City series (House of Earth and Blood).
InCrypid Series (Discount Armageddon)[ongoing] and October Daye (Rosemary and Rue)[ongoing] by Seanan McGuire. Seanan also writes as Mira Grant, and I LOVED her Newsflesh Series (Feed).
Kingmaker Chronicles (A Promise of Fire) by Amanda Bouchet
The Firebird Chronicles (Rules of Redemption) by T.A. White [Ongoing series]. I’m obsessively in love with this space opera.
Forgotten Empires (The Orchid Throne) by Jeffe Kennedy [completed trilogy]. And Bonds of Magic (Dark Wizard) [ongoing].
The Scholomance (A Deadly Education) by Naomi Novik. Loved! I reread, bought the audiobook, and I instantly preordered book two. Then I read that and instantly preordered book three! Big fan.
The Bonds That Tie (Broken Bonds) by J Bree. This series totally sucks you in and keeps you guessing, full of sexy times (Why Choose!!), magic, enemies to lovers, and traumatic histories. I also enjoyed J Bree’s Hannaford Prep series (Just Drop Out).
The Legend of All Wolves (The Last Wolf) by Marie Vale. Love this very different take on werewolves/magic/etc. The first and the fourth book are my favs. Sexy, emotional reads.
Influential books/series/authors:
William Gibson – his sci-fi Sprawl Trilogy (Neuromancer). The character of Molly Millions has definitely influenced how I perceive/write/create my own superhero females. [Also the namesake of my chocolate Shar Pei). I’m also a big fan of Pattern Recognition (just adding that link makes me want to reread it).
Stephen King – favourites: The Talisman, The Stand, and more.
Jane Austin – Pride & Prejudice and more.
Anne Rice – all of her early books, starting with Interview with a Vampire (of course!! and probably goes without saying). But I also really enjoyed The Mummy.
More recent great reads:
Messenger Chronicles (Shoot the Messenger) by Pippa DaCosta [Complete series.]
Shadowspell Academy (The Culling Trials) [complete] by K.F. Breene and Shannon Mayer
All three books in the Galactic Love series by Ann Aguirre. But the first book, Strange Love, had me in tears because I was laughing so hard. Also sexy! Sexy!
The Crownchasers duology (Crownchasers) [complete] by Rebecca Coffindaffer.
The Guild Codex: Demonized (Taming Demons for Beginners) [complete] by Annette Marie. Fellow Canadian!
Mercenary Librarians (Deal with the Devil) by Kit Rocha.
Gargoyle Queen (Capture the Crown) by Jennifer Estep. This is an offshoot of Jennifer’s Crown of Shards (Kill the Queen) series but I think it can also be read separately.
Fourth Wing (Empyrean 1) by Rebecca Yarros – definitely worth the hype and I’m looking forward to book 2 in Nov 2023.
Baby & the Late Night Howlers (Sweet Omegaverse 1) by Kathryn Moon as well as books two and three, Lola & the Millionaires (Part One). Sexy, Why Choose, with bites, knots, and a plot! Fun, Fun!
The two-volume, Pack Darling (Part One) by Lola Rock is a great omegaverse (knots, butes, Why Choose) as well.
And, if I’m listing fun Why Choose romps, I’d be seriously remiss if I didn’t mention the epic (21 books and counting) Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon. Blue aliens, mating bonds, and seriously sexy times. I’ve currently tapped out at book 10, but don’t doubt I’ll pick it up again at some point.
Find my current reads on Bookbub and Goodreads.
What are some of your favourites?
I contacted Elizabeth Mackey about doing a book cover for the upcoming Dowser 7 last week. At same time, I mentioned that I’d been thinking about revamping or rebranding all the covers, but that I was hesitant to do so because the books had done really well with the lighter, simple covers.
Then I just left it with her – no guidance or specific image ideas or anything. And Elizabeth, with her killer eye and sense of all things graphic design, decided that an extreme rebranding probably wasn’t necessary but maybe the series just need a tweak, a freshening. A bit more depth and little more magic.
This is what she came up with. And I love it.
You know my favourite part? Well, of course you do … MORE CHOCOLATE!!
I’ll be rolling out all six covers over the next couple of days. And soon … so soon now, it will be time for the cover (and title) reveal for Dowser 7!!