MCD’s Fav Things: Birthdays, 2024 Edition

GIVEAWAY CLOSED. THE (FIVE) WINNERS HAVE BEEN EMAILED!

Hello, my lovely readers! Today is my 51st birthday (and yes, though I just sailed through 50 without a blip, I’m seriously trying to not freak out about this milestone). If you follow me on Facebook, you know I usually do flash giveaways on my birthday, mostly of my favourite things, and therefore mostly about books! Unfortunately, Facebook is a very uncomfortable platform on which to host giveaways now, and my posts often get hit with a lot of scammers and spam. Hence the move here to the blog.

Also! I collected a bunch of autographed books from fav authors for my book club (etc). But having stepped back from that for the foreseeable future, I can’t just have these pretties collecting dust in my cupboard. So now you all get a chance to win them. YAY!

Are you ready?

😜

Of course, you are!

Well, I’ll get to it. See the ‘rules’ at the end for more info, etc. Presented in alphabetical order, here are some of my favourite books/authors:

Content Note: all of these books contain ‘on the page’ sexual situations and some darker themes, please check trigger warnings.

Giveaway A. An autographed copy of Amanda Bouchet’s A Promise of Fire (Romantic Fantasy/Romantasy), three postcards from the series, a chocolate bar from Kasama Chocolate, and a hand poured by MCD chocolate candle.

Giveaway B. An autographed copy of Jennifer Estep’s Only Bad Options (Sci-Fi Fantasy/Space Opera), a bookmark, sticker, and an autographed bookplate, plus chocolate bar from Kasama Chocolate and a hand poured by MCD chocolate candle.

Giveaway C. An autographed copy of Jeffe Kennedy’s Dark Wizard (Dark Fantasy Romance/Romantasy), a chocolate bar from Kasama Chocolate, and a hand poured by MCD chocolate candle.

Giveaway D. An autographed copy of Kathryn Moon’s Baby and the Late Night Howlers (Omegaverse/Why Choose), a chocolate bar from Kasama Chocolate, and a hand poured by MCD chocolate candle.

Giveaway E. An autographed copy of Lola Rock’s Park Darling (Omegaverse/Why Choose), series branded bookmark, stickers, and quotes, plus a chocolate bar from Kasama Chocolate, and a hand poured by MCD chocolate candle.

To enter, simply comment below and tell me which birthday book box (A, B, C, D, or E) you most desire (or AOTA: all of the above)!

Please be honest, for example, unlike me 😁, not everyone enjoys Omegaverse aka Why Choose, or darker themes (kidnapping, rejected mate, etc), and I would prefer these special books go to the perfect homes!

Happy birthday to me!

Notes/Rules: OPEN INTERNATIONALLY. One entry per person. Five winners will be selected by random number generator. Only entries that follow the stated requirements will be valid. Email addresses are not collected for any purpose other than to contact the winner. No purchase necessary. The comments are moderated. I will approve your entry just as soon as I have a moment to do so.

Neither the authors nor the chocolate maker are affiliated with this giveaway. This is not a sponsored post, I purchased (or made) all the items included above.

Giveaway closes SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2024 at 11:59 pm PDT.

Dowser Anniversary Kickstarter: Tier 1

I had been planning to do these ‘detail’ posts earlier in the week, but the Tenth Aniversary Dowser Series Kickstarter has done so, so well (THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH) that all my extra sharing has been derailed by stretch goals and questions, etc. But, now that the ‘big ticket’ items have all been snatched up, the $10k between the stretch goals will likely take longer to reach, so I can take a breath and delight in everything I’ve already put together for the upcoming anniversary!

First, let’s start with the surprise (at least it was for me)! aka a brand new Dowser novella, narrated by Jade herself with Kett and Kandy tagging along for the ride! It was only after I came up with the idea of doing a Kickstarter to help me fund the new audiobooks, that the idea for this fun romp came to me. At first, I thought it was a short story (so under 7k), but then I outlined and I’m fairly certain it’s going to be a short novella (17k-40k). Though you never know what happens when the editor gets his hands on it. 😂

This novella (and all the extras I’ll list below) is only available via the Kickstarter campaign. It will be for sale on all retailers in mid2024. Dowser 9.5 will drop into backer’s inboxes on June 18, 2023, just in time to celebrate the actual tenth anniversary of Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 1). Watch for more details about activities that day coming closer to the date.

Tier one also includes a brand-new recipe (which Jade is actually baking in the story), an Anniversary eCard, and (to be confirmed) an invitation to an online group event (this is just in the planning stages). Remember to vote for your fav cupcake!

Tier 1/Dowser 9.5 FAQ:

Can I get/preorder Dowser 9.5 from my regular retailer? No. Not until mid2024. The novella is exclusive to the Kickstarter for a year. It also won’t include any of the extras once it goes up for sale, just FYI.

Can I get the new recipe any other way? No. It might eventually show up in the Adept Universe Cookbook, maybe mid2024.

Do I get the stretch goals if I pledge at the Tier 1 level? No.

Can I get an invite to the Dowser Anniversary party on June 18, 2023 any other way? Unlikely. Though again the details are still being sorted out for this event. Except, generally, the guest list needs to be limited in some fashion due to the technical aspects, so the easiest way is to limit it to backers only. I’m sure it will be recorded though.

I will, of course, do some other fun things on June 18, 2023. Maybe some ‘Lives’ on Facebook and Instagram, etc. Some giveaways, of course and always. The giveaways, however, will not include any of the exclusive Kickstarter content.

Why are you doing a Kickstarter? Click here for a detailed explanation.

Bonus! All tiers automatically receive the tier 1 items. So if you want the limited-edition eBook, or paperback, or hardcover, you also get everything listed above. Tier 2 and up also automatically get the stretch goals – three of which have already been unlocked. Yes, that’s how a robust Kickstarter works (and it has already been so fun!). You pledge, say, $17 CDN, for the limited edition eBook, and (as of Fri, Jan 13) it now comes with extra art and two audiobooks! So that’s Tier 1 + Tier 2 + 2 Audiobooks (at $15/each) = a $54 value. #MathByMeghan

Thank you for your continuing support! Let me know if you have any questions!

The full reading order of the Adept Universe, as of June 2023

If you are new to the Adept Universe, you might want to start by reading the novels, then the shorts and novellas. Click here for just the main novels (with the book covers and extra info about characters, etc).

If reading from the beginning is too overwhelming, possible entry points into the Adept Universe are set in bold and marked with an asterisk.

Or DOWNLOAD THE ADEPT UNIVERSE READING ORDER PDF.

THE READING ORDER OF THE ADEPT UNIVERSE

(as of June 2023)

Novelette: In But A Moment (Moments of the Adept Universe 0.1) (Kandy 0.25)

Novelette: In Less Than a Moment (Moments of the Adept Universe 0.2) (Kandy 0.5)

Novelette: At Just the Right Moment (Moments of the Adept Universe 0.3) (Gabby 0.5)

Short: From One Moment to the Next (Moments of the Adept Universe 0.4) (Kandy 0.75)

Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 1)*

Short: Anchored in the Moment (Moments of the Adept Universe 0.5) (Audrey 0.5)

Short: A Difficult Funeral (Dowser 1.5)

Trinkets, Treasures, and Other Bloody Magic (Dowser 2)

Treasures, Demons, and Other Black Magic (Dowser 3)

I See Me (Oracle 1)*

Shadows, Maps, and Other Ancient Magic (Dowser 4)

Maps, Artifacts, and Other Arcane Magic (Dowser 5)

I See You (Oracle 2)

Artifacts, Dragons, and Other Lethal Magic (Dowser 6)

I See Us (Oracle 3)

Novelette: The Graveyard Kiss (Reconstructionist 0.5)

Catching Echoes (Reconstructionist 1)*

Short: Dawn Bytes (Reconstructionist 1.5)

Tangled Echoes (Reconstructionist 2)

Short: An Uncut Key (Reconstructionist 2.5)

Unleashing Echoes (Reconstructionist 3)

Champagne, Misfits, and Other Shady Magic (Dowser 7)

Misfits, Gemstones, and Other Shattered Magic (Dowser 8)

Novelettes (collection): Graveyards, Visions, and Other Things that Byte (Dowser 8.5)

Gemstones, Elves, and Other Insidious Magic (Dowser 9)

The Amplifier Protocol (Amplifier 0)*

Novelette: Close to Home (Amplifier 0.5)

Demons and DNA (Amplifier 1)

Bonds and Broken Dreams (Amplifier 2)

Mystics and Mental Blocks (Amplifier 3)

Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4)

Short: The Music Box (Amplifier 4.5)

Instincts and Impostors (Amplifier 5)

Endings and Empathy (Amplifier 6)

Misplaced Souls (Misfits 1)

Novelette: A Momentary Misunderstanding (Moments of the Adept Universe 0.6) (Burgundy 0.5)

Awakening Infinity (Archivist 0)*

Invoking Infinity (Archivist 1)

Short: A Momentary Retrieval (Moments of the Adept Universe 0.7) (Archivist 1.5)

Compelling Infinity (Archivist 2)

Revealing Infinity (Archivist 3)(Coming Soon)

Novelette: Soulmates, Doorways, and Other Unruly Magic (Dowser 9.5)*

Notes:

The Moments of the Adept Universe shorts 1 through 7 can be found collected in Moments of the Adept Universe 1.
The Dowser Series is written in trilogies: Dowser 1-3, Dowser 4-6, and Dowser 7-9, so please expect the overall story arcs to take the full three books to resolve.
A Difficult Funeral (Dowser 1.5) is a free ‘flash fiction’ found on MCD’s blog under Extras and Freebies.
The Reconstructionist Series is a complete trilogy.
The Reconstructionist shorts are bundled together in the Reconstructionist Short Story Bundle.
The Amplifier series is an ongoing series.
Close to Home is bundled with Amplifier 0.
The Music Box is bundled with Amplifier 4.
The Misfits of the Adept Universe series contains standalone novels that tie back to the main universe and are therefore best read in order. It is an ongoing series.
The Archivist Series is an ongoing series.
Dowser 9.5 is technically set outside/beyond the current timeline.

MCD’s Most Anticipated Releases of 2020 (so far)

Because I like to include pretty pictures and a ton of links, I’m posting an expanded version of my February newsletter content – which will include the two giveaways I also just posted – on my blog. So for those of you who follow my blog and subscribe to my newsletter you’re getting some doubled content today, my apologies.

The links below lead to books on Amazon.com (simply replace the .com with .ca or .co.uk to find the book in your region). Also, most if not all of these books are available on all retailers, but linking to every store would take me hours, sorry!

MCD’s Most Anticipated Releases of 2020

(so far)

First, I need to mention a couple of books that just released because if I’d gotten this post written last week they would have still been on my preorder list!

Age of Deception (Firebird Chronicles 2) by T.A. White.

Intriguing world-building and driving plot! The first book in this space opera series (aka urban fantasy in space) is Rules of Redemption.

I also really enjoyed the first three books in T.A. White’s Broken Lands series (Pathfinder’s Way) (I haven’t read book four yet as it’s the beginning of a new story arc).

Alone in the Wild (City of the Lost 5) by Kelley Armstrong.

The next chapter in the City of the Lost series doesn’t release in Canada until February 11, so I haven’t gotten my hands on it yet but it’s available everywhere else. I’m a big, big fan of Kelley Armstrong’s work and absolutely adore the romance in this thrilling series.

MCD’S CURRENT PREORDERS

Releasing March 17. Smoke Bitten (Mercy Thompson 12) by Patricia Briggs.

I’ve just gotten all caught up on this urban fantasy series (Moon Called) via audiobook (likely my third full re-read) and pretty much love every single book!! I just need to re-read the Alpha and Omega series before March 17!

Releasing April 28. Starbreaker (Nightchaser 2) by Amanda Bouchet.

I really enjoyed the first book in this space opera series (Nightchaser) and am looking forward to the next. I also loved the author’s sexy, action-and magic-infused fantasy series, Kingmaker Chronicles (Promise of Fire).

Releasing May 5. Aurora Burning (Aurora Cycle 2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff.

I enjoyed the multiple POVs and the world-building in this YA space opera (Aurora Rising). Bonus: the book covers are outrageously gorgeous.

The authors’ The Illuminae Files (Illuminae) made my favorites list in 2019.

Releasing May 19. Chaos Reigning (Consortium Rebellion 3) by Jessie Mihalik.

Each book in this sexy, sexy, intriguing space opera series (Polaris Rising) is written from the POV of one of three exceedingly accomplished but very different sisters. Book 1 and 2 made my Best of 2019 list and I can’t wait to read book 3!!

Releasing July 28. Spells for the Dead (Soulwood 5) by Faith Hunter.

I’m a massive fan of everything Ms. Hunter writes. This is an offshoot of her Jane Yellowrock series (Skinwalker) and I thought it was going to take me a while to fall in love with the characters (I was never a fan of Rick’s) but I fell for Nell pretty quickly in book one, Blood of the Earth.

Releasing August 25. Emerald Blaze (Hidden Legacy 5) by Ilona Andrews.

ALL THE ANTICIPATION!! August is far too far away. I adore everything these authors write!! The first book in this action-filled, dreadfully sexy urban fantasy is Burn for Me.

What are your most anticipated releases of 2020? Comment below and let me know. I will most definitely be adding to my preorders steadily throughout the year!

Click here for A Completely Incomplete List of MCD’s Favourite Books.