Book Blitz: COPPER VEINS by Jennifer Allis Provost

Copper Veins
Jennifer Allis Provost
(Copper Legacy #3)
Publication date: July 26th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

Sara’s pretty sure her life is perfect.
Not only are she and Micah finally married, her father, who’d been missing since the Magic Wars, has been found. Actually, he just strode up to the manor’s front door, but whatever. Sara knows better than to look a gift horse in the mouth.
But Baudoin Corbeau isn’t content to return to family life. He’s decided that he will be the force of change in the Mundane world, and lead the Elemental resistance to victory with his children at his side. What’s worse, Baudoin doesn’t approve of Sara’s marriage, and makes every attempt to separate her from Micah.
After a visit to the Mundane realm leaves Sara, Max and Sadie imprisoned by the Peacekeepers, Sara’s doubts creep to the surface. Is her father right? Does she belong in the Mundane realm, not the Otherworld? Is Micah really the right man–make that elf–for her?
Was marrying him a mistake?

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Previous books in the series:

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EXCERPT:

We walked all the way back to the manor instead of traveling by the much faster metal pathways. While he didn’t say as much, I understood that Micah wanted the extra time to clear his head, and I was content to while away the rest of the morning with him. “I’m still a bit… grumpy about being cheated out of our wedding night,” I muttered as we walked.

“Grumpy?” Micah repeated. We’d stopped beside a stream to relax and splash some cool water on our faces. “That is not quite the word I would have chosen.”
“Really?” I’d found a stubby branch, and was doodling in the mud while I sat on a rock, my back to the water. “And what word would you choose, General Silverstrand?”
“Hush. I have not filled that role for a long, long time.” He leaned over and nuzzled the soft spot behind my ear. “Lonely. Bereft. Frustrated. Unmarried.”
“Micah, it’s only been one night.”
“Yes, but until our marriage is consummated, we are not as one. The officiant said as much during our ritual.”
I recalled the actual words of the ceremony—at the time, I’d been too elated to dissect their meaning, but Corporal Rawson had said, “And once you know her as your wife, you are forever joined as one.” I hadn’t realized that that was what they meant, but I suppose it made sense. At least it was an easier requirement than babies.
“Are all marriages like that?” I asked. I felt Micah’s mouth curl into a smile.
“I don’t know. I have only been married once.” He nipped at my ear and added, “As for this marriage, I know that I must lie with you to seal our vows.”
“Well,” I murmured, stretching my neck for more kisses, “I guess we’d better get on that.”
“I agree.” Micah leaned forward to kiss me on the mouth, but he halted when he saw the result of my mud doodles. I had stabbed and slashed at the ground until it looked like a rabid buffalo had churned up the soil. “Sara, what is troubling you?”
Normally, I would have denied any troubles in favor of more kissing, but that’s pretty hard to do when the evidence is right in front of you. “Do… do you think it’s weird that Dad just showed up? I mean, we’ve been looking for him forever, and he just walks right up to the front door?”
Micah pursed his lips, taking a deep breath before he replied. “Weird? Perhaps. However, your father’s return is an unprecedented turn of good fortune. And on our wedding day, no less.”
“I love it when you say that.”
“What?”
“‘Our wedding day.’”
Micah took the stick from me and pulled me to my feet. “Soon, I will be telling you about our wedding night.” He tossed the stick into the stream and tugged me back toward the road and the manor. “Come, my love, my wife, and let me bring you home.”

Author Bio:
Jennifer Allis Provost writes books about faeries, orcs and elves. Zombies too. She grew up in the wilds of Western Massachusetts and had read every book in the local library by age twelve. (It was a small library). An early love of mythology and folklore led to her epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Parthalan, and her day job as a cubicle monkey helped shape her urban fantasy, Copper Girl. When she’s not writing about things that go bump in the night (and sometimes during the day) she’s working on her MFA in Creative Nonfiction.

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GIVEAWAY!
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XpressoBooks: Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Party!

Hi, there! Rebecca Hamilton here to tell you how SUPER excited we are to bring you this MEGA giveaway! First place prize is a $1,000 Amazon Gift Card, but we also have 12 runner up ebook and paperback prizes! Entering will connect you with 21 paranormal romance and urban fantasy authors for more great deals, freebies, and giveaway, so in a way, everyone wins!

Before you enter the giveaway, check out an excerpt of MANIPULATOR OF ELEMENTS: EARTH by Jae Vogel, one of the authors sponsoring the giveaway!

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“Have you ever faced something so horrible in your life?” Dion asked Lilly. “Have you ever been in a situation where any decision you made could turn out bad? I worry I’m approaching this whole thing wrong and I need some guidance. But the only guidance I get is from my dead grandparents and they don’t seem to stick around very long.”

“At least I can smoke outside.”

They turned to see the funny little Englishman, this time in a tailored business suit, with a pipe in one hand. He inhaled the fumes one final time and placed it back in his pocket.

“No one seems to mind pipes so far. This tobacco is beastly; I need to get a better variety. They say it will be the death of me, you know. This tobacco. Can’t understand why. I thought it was invented by the natives in this country and they seemed to be a healthy people.”

“You have a way of appearing at the most charming times,” Dion said. “Did you know that that floor polisher almost had me arrested for theft?”

“But it worked, didn’t it? The ghouls couldn’t stand the noise created by it. They’re sensitive to light and noise. I almost gave you a camera with a flash to take down there, but I felt it would be better to let you have the floor polisher since the operation of it was simple. By the time you solved the method of using a flash on a camera, it would’ve been too late.”

“It did work to keep the ghouls at bay,” Lilly pointed out. “Besides, the ghouls had mirror shades.”

“So now have you shown up to give me some wisdom?” Dion asked Edward.

“I can’t dispense what I lack,” Edward laughed.

“Then what ever shall I do?” Dion asked with a fake southern accent.

“Both of you are talking in circles,” Lilly said. “Edward, why can’t you just get to the point?”

“Because it would be too easy. And the longer I drag this encounter out, the longer I get to wear this suit and smoke my pipe. It’s the little things you miss once you’ve passed over.”

“You’ve never told us why you are involved,” Dion snapped. “Why didn’t they send Isaac Newton or Julius Cesar to help out?”

“Well, Mr. Newton would spend the entire time tracing out sun patterns. And what good is Julius Cesar without an army? I’m sorry, you are stuck with me. I made many mistakes the first time around. This is their way of giving me a chance to fix what I broke.”

Dion folded his arms. “We’re going to walk through those doors and Officer Karanzen and his good squad will be waiting for us. What do I do when that happens? I need to get to the Earth Element Grandmaster and have her blessing. I can’t approach the next element grandmaster until I have done it.”

“It’s not Karanzen you have to worry about; it’s the earth elementals who don’t want you obtaining full power. The ghouls in particular. They’re furious you’ve made them look bad to the mall owners and will do everything they can to keep you from reaching the elemental grandmaster.”

Lilly took a step forward. “Are they going to pull that cleaning crew stunt again?” she asked him. “Because I don’t want to deal with it again. Our friend Emily will never come back to this mall and I think she may be scared for life.”

“They’ll try something else this time, and they may be very direct how they do it. I would watch out because you have no idea where they will strike. And, rest assured, the security guards will be nowhere to be found if you need their help.”

Dion looked at the doors and took Lilly by the hand. “Okay,” he said to them both. “I can do this. It looks like I’m the only one who can get my parents back, and prevent even worse things from happening.”

Edward raised a hand. “You can’t even conceive what you’re up against. I would tell you more, but they only let me share so much information. But I’m sure you’ll come through, dear boy. In fact, you must…”

Edward pulled out his pocket watch again and looked at it. “Oh, lovely, time is up. You two take care and I will see you again.”

Then he vanished.

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Don't forget to also check out the complete list of books included in this promotion! Some of the authors have even put their books on sale just for you! Click any book to check it out on Amazon!

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Enter the Giveaway - Click Here!

Review: Hunted: Cycle Thirteen Book 1, by Jill Kaelin

Way way back, many centuries ago, possibly as early as the 1980s, but I'm not sure I want to admit to my venerable age, I used to watch The Last Unicorn. I loved the notion of this fabled species and the unicorn who looked like a woman, and her battle to save her species from extinction. It augmented an already solid love for unicorns. Yes, I had the full unicorns bedding ensamble, including the canopy. I don't know how many times I've watched Legend, just for the unicorns. I grew up loving stories that contained them, but as a rule, they were high fantasy or written for children. Unicorns in YA are not exactly the most common thing. Angels? Yep. Vampires? Sure thing. Witches? You betcha. Dystopian futurism with technological wonderment? Whole shelves at the library. Unicorns? Not so much, well, except maybe Harry Potter. So, when I had the opportunity to read Jill Kaelin's take on one of my beloved mythical creatures (right up there with mermaids, I kid you not), I was excited, but cautiously so. I mean, really, how are you going to do YA about unicorns that doesn't involve a stable and possibly gallivanting through a high-fantasy background?

Well, Kaelin did it. Chronicling the thirteenth life of a modern day teenage girl, Skye, Jill Kaelin's novel Hunted: Cycle Thirteen Book 1 reintroduces the anthropomorphic unicorn and their unusual mystical powers in a story which creates urgency and an appreciation for the finer points of the unicorn mythos, such as the strong link between unicorns and virginity with a nod to Skye's purity ring and the notion that most unicorns are created, not born.

If you love tales of unicorns, shapeshifters, classic myths reimagined for today, and a good old fashioned girl meets boy meets insurmountable odds and no small amount of danger, it's a good book for you.

Happy Book Birthday: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Today is the launch of THE DREAM THIEVES, the sequel to The Raven Boys, by Maggie Stiefvater. Unless you've been living under a rock—a rock sitting very far away from a book store or library—you know how amazing Maggie Stiefvater is. I'm currently reading The Raven Boys, and I snatched an ARC of The Dream Thieves when I was at BEA in May. You have to check this series out!

The second installment in the all-new series from the masterful, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater!

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after....

Available EVERYWHERE! Get your copy now!

Review: Kiss of Fire by Rebecca L. Ethington

Kiss of Fire, the swift moving first book in the Imdalind series by Rebecca Ethington made me smile, a lot. From the begining, Jocyln, the 16 year old protagonist, comes off as a full fledged character full of strengths, quirks, insecurities, and an unusual combination of self assured boldness and a deeply ingrained compulsion to avoid notice. Throughout the Kiss of Fire, I enjoyed watching Jocyln overcome the walls she's built around herself and begin to learn how to let people in and even trust.

Of course, a paranormal/urban fantasy  novel wouldn't be complete without the complicated love interests, social drama, strained family relationships, and magic: Kiss of Fire more than delivers.

Estranged from the father who walked away after her mysterious childhood coma, seemingly because of the bizarre scar that was the only physical reminder of that time, and living with the hardworking mother who still loves her ten years absent husband, Jocyln spends a lot of time home alone or hanging at her mom's workplace, the kitchen of an outrageously wealthy man whose son became her only friend.
Of course, even best friends keep secrets, and Jocyln is hiding more than her fateful scar under her hoodie. She's also hiding the burden of her missing father's apparent madness, her own fears regarding her sanity, and the feelings she knows can come to nothing. Of course, those are small secrets compared to Ryland's.

Ethington's approach to the ubiquitous wealth and privilege endemic to the genre surprised me. As soon as I read that Jocyln's world lies tangent to the extremely wealthy and powerful family for whom her mom works, I worried that the story would devolve into a tag-along tale in which a regular girl from a working family background gets to spend her time with the extremely privileged. Let's face it, we all read Twilight, and as a reader, I can only take so much "I'm not worthy." That's why I was delighted that in Kiss of Fire, while there are times when they come out and say "you're not worthy," Jocyln never took that notion into her personal world view, and neither did her best friend, said wealthy, handsome, smart, funny, able bodied Ryland. I was even more delighted as the plot unfolded and the heavy cost of Ryland's privilege unfolded.

I'm a big fan of leading ladies who make their own decisions, and while just about everyone tried to boss Jocyln around, and though she did, ultimately, tend to comply, she did so with agency. I liked the way that Ethington dealt with Jocyln's emotions, particularly dealing with her transition from living in the world as we know it into one in which magic is not only a very real force, but a part of who she is. I enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to the second in the series.

Author Update: Dorothy Dreyer

Yes, you read that correctly. It's about me!

I'm very happy to announce that I've signed a two-book publishing contract with Month9Books! My young adult urban fantasy novel, MY SISTER'S REAPER, will debut May 29, 2013. The sequel will be released May 28, 2014.

I'm so very excited about this, I can't even tell you. The news has even been announced in Publishers Marketplace. What!? OMG, that makes it real!

*thud*

Interview with R B Wood

Today we're chatting with author R B Wood. Richard is a technology consultant and a writer of urban fantasy, science fiction and quite frankly anything else that strikes his fancy.  His first novel, The Prodigal's Foole, the first installment of The Arcana Chronicles, is available now from Pfoxchase Publishing.

Welcome to We Do Write, Richard. Tell us a bit about yourself.

My 'day life' is extrodinarily mechanical and detail-oriented. For my entire life, I've loved (and needed)  creative outlets. I was an artist when I was younger, earned my bachelors degree in mathematics by playing in bands and by being good enough for music scholarships. But mostly, I love to tell stories, and writing lets me do that.

How long have you been writing?

Been doing it off and on since the eighties. The final push to really produce a novel began in 2007. My kids told me I 'Should write my stories down,' and my partner was fully behind it. Never underestimate the support from those closest to you!

Tell us about The Arcana Chronicles. What¹s the story about?

The Prodigal's Foole is an Urban Fantasy novel—the first of The Arcana Chronicles. The premise is simple: 'What if religions were created, not for the salvation of the masses, but to control magic?'
I often thought, if magic existed, would the general public be completely clueless as the muggles are in Harry Potter? Or would magic be an asset—a power to be controlled? And who would control that power?

How did the idea of the story come to you?

Quite frankly, the idea came about because all the 'magic stories' out there had a similar throw-away  comment—something to the effect of  'Normal people can't know about magic' or 'Normal people aren't observant enough to see magic.' The whole premise of the series (along with it being a good old-fashioned 'good vs. evil') is what would happen if normal folk started paying attention? All that power, who would control it (Religions, in my book) initially? What would the impact of the last 50 years of technology do to a magical world? This will be explored throughout the series.

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

Oh I have crit partners, who are my 'alpha' readers. I use a fantastic editor and have a group of 'Betas' as  well. I'm not confident enough in my writing yet to go it all alone, and I LOVE the feedback I get.

Are you a planner or a pantser?

Planner with pantser tendencies. :-)

What's the hardest part of writing for you?

Letting the book sit for a while between the first draft and the second. Absolutely necessary, but I hate the time it takes.

Me too. Let's get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

My partner Tina, my music and my MacBook.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Super-memory. That would be very helpful!

What's the weirdest thing you've ever googled?

Heh. "Demonic possession Orchids and Koi." Don't ask.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: hedgehog, uncloak, and overattentive.

The hedgehog-shaped star cruiser uncloaked above the repair depot orbiting Titan where overattentive maintenance 'bots immediately swarmed around the craft to assess the battle damage...

Here's the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

Oh dear. There are SO many. Leah Petersen, Bill Kirton, Steve Umstead (in fact the ENTIRE #pubwrite crew), my publisher, Diane Nelson, my editor Charlie Wood, good lord. I should make a list some day. My family, friends and my partner Tina.

And finally, where can people find you online?

Loads of places!


My blog: http://www.rbwood.com
My Amazon Page:
http://www.amazon.com/R.B.-Wood/e/B005X0IAF4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
My Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5025975.R_B_Wood
My Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/rbwoodwriter


And of course The Prodigal's Foole can be found on Amazon, B&N, iBookstore, Smashwords and Omnilit All these links can be found on the 'my novels' page.


Richard, thanks so much for chatting with us. I wish you lots of success with your books!

Interview with Philip Ejike

Today we're chatting with author Philip Ejike, who is represented by Foladé Bell at Serendipity Literary Agency of Brooklyn. Philip's novel IF LEAVES WERE BLUE is currently on submission to editors.

Filled with a various mixture of interesting characters from a controlling best friend to a fantastical god-like being, IF LEAVES WERE BLUE takes the reader on a magical journey of identity through the eyes of a teenage girl who believes herself to be the ideal human.

Welcome, Philip. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I've used this line before, but I think it sums me up nicely: “My opinions, philosophies and curiosity about life exist most honestly in the forms of fictional characters.” Aside from that I'm twenty-five and from Pennsylvania.

How long have you been writing?

Since I was seven. I began filling notebooks with three-panel comic adventures about a Mussaurus named Sam. A full-length novel followed shortly after, when I was eleven, and has long-since been justly forgotten.

How did the idea of IF LEAVES WERE BLUE come to you?

The story started with the idea of purity; whether a universal definition exists, or, more accurately, can exist. I then decided to force it into existence through the eyes and mind of my protagonist, who is very certain of what purity is, and that she possesses it, and is furthermore unable to acknowledge that there are other perceptions and opinions beside her own.

What do you feel is the importance of such a tale?

If anything, it reinforces what we already know about each other as people: we're each and every one a universe of layers. Maybe we're not endlessly deep, but a significant amount of time spent with any person (including yourself) is bound to reveal some surprises.

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I self-edit. And extensively. I do, however, have two people who are usually always up for reading my stories. The first person is my brother, who is never hesitant to tell me if something is garbage. The second is a dear friend who is a fantastic young composer, and is inspired by my work. I'm inspired by him as well, so we've a tidy symbiotic friendship between us.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Editing. But it's also the most necessary part, isn't it. It seems that every bit of the fictional world is eager to breathe, to let the real world know that it exists and has character and function, but in actuality this is just the vanity of the writer speaking.

Who are your inspirations?

A group of names that are constantly vanishing and reappearing and shuffling in order of importance. But I can for certain name Nabokov as one inspiration—to him language was putty, and you can tell he had such a grand time playing with it. And then there's Yukio Mishima for his psychological explorations, Dostoevsky for his philosophical ones; Dickens for all of those wonderful characters and incubatory prose...and Alan Moore, who is a genuine champion of the imagination.

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Nothing in particular. What I need, however, is a blue pen and a notebook.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Hmm, well, I suppose at the moment it would be in vogue to say something about having the ability to flit through other people's dreams, what with Inception still being in theatres, but my ideal super power is far more simple. I'd want the ability to age myself—temporarily—so people will stop asking me about which high school I attend. It happens much too much for comfort.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: sorceress, umbrella, and alligator.

An alligator with an umbrella is most likely a sorceress.

And there we have it, short and sweet.

Indeed! Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Lets hear your shout outs.

My parents, certainly. And my terrific agent.

And finally, where can people find you online?

For now at http://pchiedu.wordpress.com/

Thank you so much for chatting with us, Philip. I wish you much success with your novel. Be sure to let us know when it's out.

Interview with Kristi Helvig

Let's beat the summer heat by partaking in a cool interview with a very active member of the writing community. ;) We're talking with aspiring author Kristi Helvig.

Welcome, Kristi. It's great to have you here. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a clinical psychologist by training and work part-time in private practice—like, really part-time. I’m working 4 hours/week right now, so that I can be with my kiddos. They’re growing so fast that I don’t want to miss this time with them. After everyone is asleep and the house is quiet, I write. I’m working on my second YA manuscript right now.

It's true, they grow fast. I totally respect your schedule. Tell us, what is the name and genre of the manuscript you're currently pitching?

The one that I’m about to query full-force, once I have my crit partners read it again, is a YA urban fantasy called BOUND.

Love urban fantasy! What’s the story about?

Here’s my 1-sentence pitch:

When wings of a murdered faerie fetch big bucks on eBay, a teenage girl realizes her kind aren’t only being ostracized—they’re being hunted.

What an intriguing premise! How did the idea of the story come to you?

This will sound so lame but it’s true—a dream. I’ve always been a vivid dreamer. My current YA is also based on a dream, as is a 3rd that I’d started but put down to work on BOUND. I had a great story idea from a dream last week, but I had to write it down to save it for later, because I can only write so many stories at once.


I hear you. Are you a planner or a pantser?

Total pantser. I get the general idea from the dream, and immediately know the MC’s name and title of the book, but that’s it. I have no idea what will happen next, which makes it fun to write but crazy to edit.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Revising. The first draft is magical for me, but the 10th revision makes me want to bang my head against a wall. I love the end result of course, but the process is definitely not its own reward for me.


I'm sure many writers feel the same. So who are your inspirations?

My husband. He doesn’t write, but he’s an amazing singer/songwriter who creates the most beautiful songs. I’m in awe of him and would be happy with one tenth of his talent. Aside from that, I’m inspired by every great book I read, by the great community of bloggers and writers out there, and by my super-supportive critique partners and beta readers.

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. Can you name three things about yourself that people might be surprised to find out?

That’s a tough one. Since no one who reads this knows me well, I’m guessing it would all be a surprise, but here goes:

1. I worked the overnight shift at a diner one summer while in college, mainly serving people whose blood alcohol levels were in the toxic range. I think that’s when I decided to get my Ph.D.— I never wanted to waitress again. I didn’t.
2. Spiders freak me out. I can watch any horror movie and not be bothered at all, but a tiny eight-legged creature crawling in my direction makes me scream like the girl I am.
3. I don’t do dishes. I’m fine with laundry, cleaning, vacuuming, dusting, etc. but I have a thing about dirty dishwater so my husband has always done the dishes—and we once lived somewhere that had no dishwasher, so everything had to be done by hand. We’ve now been married 14 years, so I’m guessing he’s used to it.

Sounds like a fair deal as far as housework is concerned. *makes a note to try the dirty-dishwater line on hubby, lol*

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: microscope, avalanche, and hula skirt.

If he’d known that wearing a hula skirt to the annual Science is Sexy costume party would garner such an avalanche of attention, he would’ve played it safe and come as a microscope.

Hahaha, now there's an original sentence. Very clever. Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Whom would you like to give a shout out to?

My hubby, my two fabulous critique groups: The Critiquers and Sisters in Scribe, Carrie Seidel-beta reader extraordinaire, and all the wonderful bloggers like you out there who make writing such a fun adventure.

And finally, where can people find you online?

Most of the time, I can be found blogging at Sisters in Scribe.


I’m on Facebook every day (under Kristi V. Helvig), and I also have a Twitter account but don’t use it. Figuring out Twitter is on my to-do list for the year!

Thank you so much for chatting with us, Kristi. I wish you much success with BOUND and all your future publishing projects.