Book Release: "Blood of My Sisters" by Mel Chesley

Hooray! It's here, it's here, it's here!

My book is now available on Amazon as a paperback and a Kindle! I'll leave the links to each below.

I'm so very excited to have my first BREED book out. This has been an amazing process and project. The other authors I work with are so great at brainstorming. I'll share their book links below, too!

I'm so very excited. We'll be having a huge book signing in Airway Heights, WA, Feb. 8th and 9th at Ghost Quarter Games. If you live in the area, please at least drop by!

And watch this space. After the book signing, I won't be so frazzled and will do a giveaway here on the blog.

Okay, okay, on with it! Here are the links to not just my books, but all those currently from The Breed world:

For Kindle, click here.

For Paperback, click here.

 For Kindle, click here.

For Paperback, click here.

For Kindle, click here.

For Paperback, click here.

For Kindle, click here.

For Paperback, click here.

And that's it for now! All of these books will soon be made available in other formats, and as soon as that happens, I will post links. Thanks, everyone, for your support and happy reading!

Don't forget the book signing:

IWSG...

I'm back to the IWSG post! Woohoo! If you want to know more about this or want to find the list of other participants, please visit Alex J. Cavanaugh's blog here.

This month, the optional question is:

How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing?

I am choosing to do my own insecure thing this month.

Over the last few years, I have quietly been working with Midian Entertainment on a massive project. It hasn't been until recently that we've been allowed to share, do book cover reveals, etc.

My role in all of this is basically a writer, an editor, a publisher, and an adviser. I'm also currently acting as a marketing manager, trying to build a following on Twitter without really having given the public much to look at and go all on faith.

I wear a lot of hats. My writing has sort of come to a standstill due to multiple reasons. I'm not complaining, I'm just wanting to get back to it.

My constant fear is, will everything I've done be good enough? Will this just bomb entirely and if it does, how will it affect me? I'm pretty sure I know how it will affect me...  and it won't be good.

I have grown as a writer over the last several years. I've worked to hone my craft. I just haven't been able to put anything out into the world until now to prove that. So will I still be viewed as a hack fantasy writer who couldn't cut it so she self published? I still don't have the third book finished! Which... is in the works.

See? Lots of insecurities as I step into these new roles in my writing career.

How about you? Comment down below. And don't forget to visit the other participants!

Have a great day!

This Is Halloween...

Okay, it's not Halloween yet, BUT it is the month of Halloween.

Hey, if Christmas gets to take over Thanksgiving, Halloween gets its own month!

I'm going to be posting on Twitter the rest of this month until Halloween with three different flash fiction stories from David Rex Bonnewell (@WickedlyWritten), John H Howard (@JHHoward) and Midge Cline (@ClineMidge).

I have a flash fiction piece up as well, but it was something I wrote a few years ago on Writing Dot Com for a contest. So it may be familiar to you. But I am also taking pictures and artwork that I feel relates to The BREED, and writing flash fiction for that as well.

If you'd like to follow me on Twitter, I'm @MLChesley and I am currently posting on the Midian Entertainment @MidianEntertain. I'm still kind of geeking out about all of this. It's amazing to have a great group of people all working together, writing, and creating this world.

I hope you all drop by and see what's going on and get to know us if it is your kind of thing. If not, pass it on to people you know who might like it.

Have a great rest of your week!

Cover Reveal: Deadeye...

Hey all!

Well, as promised, here is the cover reveal for David Rex Bonnewell's book, Deadeye! Artwork was done by Carlos Villas. You can find more of his art here.

To follow all things Deadeye and get to know Dave's character, you can find the page for it here, on Facebook.

So the coolest thing about this is, Dave has written a three part series. Each cover will go together and become a panoramic scene! But this one right here, with the Razorback, I think he wants to jump off the cover and kill me. Lol!

Tell me what you think about the cover in the comments below! And don't forget to check out more artwork by Carlos Villas!

More Life...

My intentions to get back to blogging were solid. But then, I learned how difficult it is to get internet to my house! My goodness. I love my house and won't give it up for anything... except maybe internet!

Just kidding. But I am doing what I can with what I have between now and then. I hope you all enjoyed my guest post yesterday from Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc. (I love her name! LOL!)

Things are moving along around here where Midian Entertainment is concerned. I have one novel that won't make it for the January release, but lucky for me, I had another waiting in the wings.

I did a cover reveal on Twitter for my fellow author, David Rex Bonnewell, and I will be sharing that cover here on Friday! So watch this space! I have a couple more covers that will be coming out soon.

We'll be setting up pre-orders for all books in December. It's getting so close and we're all getting so excited. There's been very few details we've been allowed to share due to our NDA. But soon... Soon we'll be able to share with the world!

Have a great rest of your week, and I'll see you tomorrow with Dave's cover!

5 Books That Left A Mark, Part Five...

This is it! This is the number one book of my top 5 countdown! I hope you've enjoyed this series of posts. You get to know a little more about me with each one. And if you've left comments, I get to know more about you, as well!

Here we go!

Author: David Eddings

Book Title: The Belgariad (series!)

Why it left a lasting impression on me:

Oh my, again, like with Elf Quest, where to start? Again, another author I discovered in high school. I couldn't read these books fast enough, but never wanted to read TOO fast, because that meant it would all end. Garion and Pol, they were like extended family. The world Eddings created was a rich environment and painted many a great picture in my mind as I read.

I have tried to maintain having all of these books in my library as well, even if I did have to get rid of them to move, I always got them back. This is a series I love to read over and over. I don't usually do that. Once I've read a book, I don't typically pick it back up. But these, I do.

I think it was Eddings, more than any other author, that inspired me to write fantasy. I wanted to create a world just as enticing, characters that felt like family, and when the story was over, you felt as if you were saying goodbye to familiar friends until the next time.

Leave me a comment and tell me about the books that left a lasting impression upon you! I'd love to hear from you!

I Did A Thing...

Hey guys!

Hope you all like the little update I did to my blog. It's starting to get there.

So I did a thing last week. I signed up for Patreon. I'll have my own personal page over there, but I will also be launching one for Midian Entertainment.

I think it will be fun. At the very least, interesting.

It's not like I don't have a million other projects to do. Half finished house, production manager for Midian, writing 3 novels at once. ( I know, right?!?)

Crazy.

Anyway, I'd love for you to drop by. If you are on Patreon, let me know in the comments below. I'll follow you until I'm able to become a Patron. I know some pretty talented people in this world!

Also, feel free to tell me how you feel about Patreon.

Have a great week! I look forward to seeing your comments!

Old Friends, New Posts...

Wow!

I spent Wednesday scrolling through my blog reading list and tried to visit as many of you as I could. It's been forever since I have read any IWSG posts! (Insecure Writer's Support Group). I will certainly be signing up again for that.

It was great to hear from some old friends. It was amazing to catch up and see how things have been going. I've been gone for a very long time. Longer than I expected.

It's getting easier to get back into this habit of blogging. Especially after reading posts and leaving comments. I felt MUCH more like my old self. I missed you guys!

But it is Friday! And now I will leave you with something else a little familiar:

Funnies and Favorites!

You can find this book by clicking here

So, I have certainly found some new favorites over time.

If you ever saw any of my book reviews for Jill Nojack, you'll know she's now a favorite author. I love her Bad Tom series.

And this book here

And the third one here

I have done reviews for all of them on here. But if you'd rather just take my word for it, there you go!

She's got a very clever wit, the books are pretty well paced and the story is just purrrrfect!

Sorry, totally could not help that AT ALL!

All right, now on to another favorite. I have discovered a love for (and this has nothing to do with books!) recycling in my crafts!!

I'm not kidding. I have taken making my own paper clay to a whole new level. I've been doing a lot of things lately that have been really cool!

And my final favorite thing today: my new place. We found a house last April that hubs and I just fell in love with. It had good, solid bones and structure, so we talked the owner into a sweet deal. We've been doing a lot of the remodeling on the place ourselves. We took it all the way down to the bare bones and built it back up again. I can't begin to tell you... that's a lot of damn work! But well worth it. That, of course, has been the biggest reason for me to not blog these last few months.

But now I'm back. I'm rambling as usual and I know you all just want to get to the funnies. So here they are! Have a super weekend and see you soon!

5 Books That Left A Mark, Part Four...

Ooh, we're getting down to the wire, here. I'm counting down the top 5 books that left a lasting impression on me, and we're now at #2!

I won't kill you with a ton of commentary, we'll just get right to it.

Author: Melanie Rawn

Book Title: Dragon Prince (Series!)

Why this left a lasting impression on me:

I love, love, love this series. I stumbled upon Melanie Rawn all on my own, again, in high school. I took to her stories like a duck to water. such an intriguing story, unique spell-casters, and of course, DRAGONS!

You become part of the story right from the beginning. You follow Rohan and Sioned's lives intimately (no, not THAT intimately!) and watch as they grow as a couple, as rulers, as parents. Then you are drawn into the lives of their children as they grow as well.

These books stuck with me so much that I have bought the entire series, had to get rid of said series, then bought it all over again, just to have it. It made me sad when she started her new series, Exiles, didn't complete it, and has since gone on to other things. According to her website, though, the last two books of Exiles should be nearing completion.

Aside from all that, the Dragon Prince series will remain in my library.

Tell me about a book that has left a lasting impression on you in the comments!

5 Books That Left A Mark, Part Two...

Hi gang!

I'm continuing on this week with my top 5 books that left a lasting impression on me. I gave fair warning last week, that some of the books that impressed me were part of a series. This is true!

Without further ado, here is #4 on my list as we countdown!

Book Title: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings

Author: J. R. R. Tolkien

Why this book left a lasting impression on me:

Oh, so, so many reasons! First of all, let me explain that I never read these books until just before the second movie came out. Yes, yes, I know. I've gotten a lot of flack about that over the years. I mean, seriously, I'm a gamer and touted about writing fantasy and never read these books??

Yes.

One of the biggest reasons these books left a lasting impression on me, is my mother in law. She's passed away a few years ago, but I always think of her when I think of these books. She gave me "The Hobbit" to read. She knew I was writing a fantasy story, asked if I had ever read them and didn't give me grief when I said no. She simply handed me her copy.

After she returned from vacation, she mailed me the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. By then, the movies were out and all of my friends and my husband were so excited to go see it, so I went as well.

I swear, I sat through the whole thing with my jaw dropped the entire time. How? How had I never read these books?!? I kept asking myself.

By the time the second movie had come out, I had read the entire trilogy along with "The "Hobbit".

The richness of the stories, the writing, the world that was created and cared for, it blew me away. I think I will always cherish these books no matter what.

So leave a comment and tell me what book left a lasting impression upon you!

5 Books That Left A Mark...

As writers, we hope that our books will make someone's top 5 or top 10 list of books that made a lasting impression. As readers, though, we have our own list. I'll be posting each week, my top 5 books that left a lasting impression on me.

I might cheat a bit... lots of the books that inspired me were in a series.

So on that note, we're going to start with #5 right off the bat!

Book Title: Pet Sematary

Author: Stephen King

Why this left a lasting impression on me:

Stephen King, without a doubt, was one of my go-to authors when it came to horror way back when. Up until I read Pet Sematary, I had read "Christine" and "Carrie". Sure, those were great creepfests, but they didn't impact me like Pet Sematary did.

I could NOT sleep!!! It scared the ever loving beejeezus out of me. Seriously. I was nineteen when I read the book. When I was through, not only was I thoroughly freaked out, but I was inspired. I wanted to write a horror story!

I did attempt to write one, but gave up. I thought, I'll never be as spooky as Stephen King. However, I think that is about to change! I've lately been dipping my toe... ok, my whole right leg, into the horror pool.

So thank you, Mr. King, for giving me inspiration, nightmares and a genuine love for horror!

Leave me a comment and tell me one of the books that left a lasting impression.

Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror: Author Interviews ~ Jenna Miller

It's November 1st. Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror 2017 is now available! So today, I have an interview with the creator of the anthology, Jenna Miller. Not only is she the one responsible for this wonderful, creepy collaboration of chills and thrills, she's also a contributor as well. Let's get on with the interview! Her answers will be in green.

What inspired Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror? 

Way back in 2007, just after I’d published my first fantasy novel, I was invited to contribute to a horror anthology (Concrete Blood: Dark Tales of the City) – it was so much fun and I wanted to do my own anthology. We were also just starting Word Weavers (a writer’s group) at the time, and doing anthologies through there … I wanted one that was just for women, and more importantly, just for women in horror. When I approached people about it, I got mixed responses. A lot of women didn’t want to do it. I got a lot of flak about exploiting women and how it wasn’t “positive.” I also had a few guys who joked about not having a men only anthology.

So I decided to do both, a Ladies and a Gents, and a combined.

How often have you contributed to the anthology? 

I contributed in 2008, 2013 and 2016.
What are the titles of the stories you’ve contributed? 

Addiction, Bitch and Slither (respectively).

What was one of the hardest scenes you’ve ever had to write? 

The rape/cannibal scene at the beginning of Addiction.

How does your family feel about the production of the anthology? 

They’re encouraging, but hate that they essentially lose me for the few months I work on it.

Why do the proceeds go to the American Cancer Society? 

The anthology doesn’t make enough money to pay each contributor much at all, so in 2013 the group decided that donating the profits to charity would be best. As a group we chose breast cancer, but finding a charity that actually puts your donations towards the cause is hard, and that’s why, after much research, we chose the ACS.

I’ve asked all the authors, now I’ll ask you, too. Do you Google yourself? 

Sometimes, and while I have one of the most common names ever in the history of ever, I’m always in the top ten or so. Which is scary.

What is your preferred genre for writing? 

Horror, though I do love the occasional dabble into fantasy and sci-fi.

How do these contributors make you feel? 

I love my contributors. Each and every one has taught me something and helped both me and the anthology grow. I’ve developed long lasting friendships and also learned a few hard lessons working with people from all over the world over the last nearly ten years.

Has the success of the anthology grown over the years? 

Yes. Bit by bit, I see its popularity growing. Even now I’m booked up for the next two years in both the fantasy and the horror—which is hard to fathom, considering as I used to have to sell my soul, and seduce or otherwise entice people in order to get contributors.

How does one contribute to the anthology? 

By sending a query of interest (details can be found in the “notes” on our websites (Queries or Submission Queries) or on the FB pages ( Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror or Ladies and Gentlemen of Fantasy ) or to Email (horror) or Email (fantasy).

*~*~*

Thanks so much for your time, Jenna! I wish you much success with these anthologies as time goes on.

Don't forget, you can purchase your copy of the anthologies now!

What I'm Working On: The BREED

Hey everyone!

So I finally get to tell you a little more about that project I've been working on. It's called The BREED. About two years ago, I was approached by a couple of people to help get a project off the ground. One of these people I have known for some time as we used to game together in that text based RPG I've mentioned way back in the day called Legends of Cosrin. The other person was a complete stranger.

That complete stranger had this idea for a multiverse world full of your usual horror creatures; vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, etc. He wasn't a writer, but still had this idea that he worked on with my gaming friend. His names is Charles and my gaming friend is Ray. Ray knew my writing skills due to lots of posts I had made and role plays I had designed in game. For whatever reason, he felt I was the one who would be able to help get this project off the ground. I'm not only an author on this project now, but I'm the Creative Director as well.

So I was allowed to recruit authors as long as they signed a non disclosure agreement. Let me tell you, that was more difficult than you realize because I couldn't give these authors much information until they signed that NDA. I posted on here looking for people, I scoured my author friends list and I only got a few bites. But let me tell you, those few bites have panned out and we are so close to being able to tell everyone so much more!

In the meantime, all I can say is we have a few stories ready for editing and publication, plus a couple of screenplays. There are about half a dozen more stories in the works. When all is said and done, we're looking at having books, movies, video games, brand merchandise, graphic novels and so much more. It's been a very interesting past couple years!

If you'd like to learn a little more, there is an old article on the Horror Society site here.

You can also check out one of our many pages on Facebook here.

If you think you'd like to be a beta reader, here is the Facebook page for that here.

If you think you'd like to be an author and want more information, contact me here.

More links:

Facebook page for the movie, "Feeding on Fear".

Facebook page for "The Midnight Carnival".

So there it is. That's just the tip of the iceberg of what I can reveal at the moment. I hope it piques your interest enough! Have a good Monday!

Actively Seeking Beta Readers

Hey everyone! I'm going to post this today, then again next week depending on response.

MIDIAN ENTERTAINMENT, LLC

Midian Entertainment, LLC is actively seeking people, age 18 or older, to be Beta readers for a project currently in creation. This is an unpaid, voluntary position in which, you would read novels and short stories ready for pre-release and give a short, honest review. You will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please email me (paridzule dot keep at gmail dot com) for details.

Fantasy Book Reviewers...

Of course, with Book Two being out now, I find I have more time. That and grandkidlet is in daycare. Hooray!

More time = more posts. I hope!

So back to the topic.

I'm looking for reviewers for book two, Veritas. It is preferable if you have read book one, Adversarius. It's sort of a pre-requisite.

With that being said, if you would like to review book two, but have not read book one, I'll happily supply it.

In the past, I have asked for reviews and have offered up the book for free. I'm still willing to do that. I don't mind. But if you're just looking for a free e-book, hey, I don't mind that either. If you are truly interested in my books and don't have pocket change to buy a ton of e-books, please contact me. I am not looking to get rich, here. I've had this story in my head for well over 20 years now. (20 years!!!) I want to share it with everyone.

You're talking to a person who subscribes to BookBub to find the free deals. I have a whole series of books waiting to be read because I'm only missing one or two. If I find a series I REALLY like, I try to reach out and find out if someone can lend it to me.

I'm not a penny-pincher. Okay, well, I am. I honestly just don't have cash to throw out to get books I want to read. People don't understand that my family lives paycheck to paycheck. One bad week of sickness, we're pretty much S. o. L.

I truly understand those who can't afford books. Again, drop me a private message, we'll work something out.

Again. Back to the topic.

In the meantime, if you are honestly willing to do a review, please leave me a comment and I'll get you a copy of either book two or both of the books to get you up to speed. But PLEASE leave a REVIEW! Okay. Thanks. You can go about your business now.

Have an awesome rest of your week, everyone!

*****

Contact me: Paridzule (dot) keep (at) gmail (dot) com.

Cover Reveal: Veritas, Shadow of the Rose: Book Two...

Okay, this is it. I've finished book two and all that is left is to get it formatted and up for sale. Easy peasy!

This will currently be an e-book only format, available on Smashwords for $2.99. This is the second book in my Shadow of the Rose trilogy.

I'll be holding some contests, giving away some e-books, hopefully some swag, but that will be later on. In the meantime, as promised, here is the cover reveal:

TADA!

Now, book two will be available July 31, 2015. Again, it will only be available as an e-book for awhile.

I'll also be making a change to the Adversarius cover, simply because I found 3 images that work so well with each other and it only makes sense to have all the covers in the trilogy look similar.

At least, that's what my OCD is telling me.

All right! I hope you enjoyed my cover reveal. Have a great rest of your week!

My Awesome, Talented Sister-In-Law...

Most of you know my sister-in-law, Cheri Chesley, is a writer as well. I love having a sounding board for stuff and she loves to bounce ideas off of me.

And, not that it's a competition or anything, but she does have a lot more out there than I do.

Darn it.

I'm kidding, I love that she has so much out there. I thought I would help her with a little promotional stuff and do a cover reveal for her Christmas short story that will be available on Friday. I'll reveal THAT cover at the end of this post. You'll have to get through some other links, first.

She has her Peasant Queen series going, which include:

The Peasant Queen:

"After running away from home, Krystal is transported to a faraway kingdom where an evil tyrant is bent on taking the crown - and Krystal's hand in marriage. But when she falls in love with the rightful heir to the throne, she must make an impossible choice: sacrifice her one chance at happiness or face the destruction of an entire kingdom."






The Wild Queen:

"In the exciting prequel to The Peasant Queen, Roweena is the crown princess of Norvallen, a tiny kingdom with only one thing of value—the Healer’s Grove. The trees in this small section of forest are enchanted, giving a sap that can be mixed into potions or salves to heal almost any wound.

And it’s in high demand.

Lucien, the young king of neighboring Demarde, comes to Roweena’s father seeking an alliance, but comes away with a marriage contract for young Roweena’s hand. Furious and stubborn, this untamed beauty vows he will never conquer her. But the contract purposely gives her time to come to terms with her fate.

Before Lucien can return, Roweena’s home is attacked and her parents are murdered. The Healer’s Grove is also attacked—burned to the ground. With nothing more than her horse and the clothes on her back, Roweena goes to the only person she knows can help her. Lucien."


The Tyrant King:

 "Krystal’s peaceful life as queen of Fayterra is shattered when a stranger arrives with a connection to Jareth that threatens to change everything. Soon her loved ones are threatened, her people are under attack, and Krystal must face a devastating loss.

As the future becomes bleaker and the mystery continues to unravel, Krystal’s enemies will learn just how far she will go to defend the people she loves."



She also has a short story called Ghost Bride:

 "Arianne died on her wedding night, but her ghost can't rest in peace."






 And now she has a new short story out called A Haunting Love:

 "When her fiancé, Drew, suggests having their wedding at his family home in the Highlands of Scotland, Alita only thinks about the beauty and romance awaiting her. She’s unprepared for the frosty greeting she and her sister receive from each member of his family, particularly his domineering mother.

But nothing shocks Alita more than the odd, menacing dreams she begins to have her first night at MacColum House. Over and over again she dreams of a grisly murder—with herself as the victim"

She has a children's book out as well, called Lizzie Lilac and the Left Socks, which the proceeds go to the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Utah:

"Little Lizzie treasures her socks, especially the ones her mommy made. When some of her socks start to go missing, Lizzie is determined to find the culprit and get her treasures back. Author’s note: A few years ago, K.C. Rose and I got some devastating news: a sweet friend and mother had an extremely aggressive form of breast cancer. Since I had just launched my first novel into the world, I decided to donate all my royalties for a period of months to the family to help them fight this horrible invader. But it wasn’t enough—we knew we could do more. That’s where the concept of the Lizzie Lilac book was born. This book is not only dedicated to our friend (who is now cancer free!!) and her family, but also to all the families who struggle with this disease. K.C. and I make no profit from sharing this story—everything we raise will go to the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Utah to help them help others. Thank you for being part of our fight. ~Cheri Chesley"

Okay, finally, the one you have been waiting for! This is the cover reveal for her latest short story, which will be available on Friday!

So, see? She's pretty awesome and talented, that sister-in-law of mine. Hmm... now I just need to catch up!

Hope you are all having a good week. What new books do you have out? Please drop a link in the comments!

Book Review: Gravity's Revenge by A. E. Marling

Title: Gravity's Revenge

Author: A. E. Marling

Pages: 378 File Size: 2336 KB

ASIN: B00DO6BSU8

Purchase: Amazon

Summary (from Amazon):

A magic school. A heist. And enchantresses falling from the sky.

In the Mindvault Academy, magic imbued within the stone reroutes the flow of gravity. The school's enchantments allow for architectural wonders that inspire the empire's next generation of great minds.

Now those minds are falling. The Academy's spells are collapsing, its keystone jewels stolen. Saboteurs have invaded the magic school in a political heist a year in the planning. The attackers make but one mistake: Getting between Enchantress Hiresha and her research.

Hiresha, Provost of Applied Enchantment, endures her own pathological sleepiness to study unorthodox magic. Now twelve warriors have invaded the Academy, the only home she has ever known. Hiresha plans to expel them with the help of a dangerously charming illusionist, her loyal bodyguard, and spells by no means in the approved curriculum.

My thoughts:

I'm going to sing nothing but praise for this latest installment of A. E. Marling's series. From the first book I read, (Brood of Bones) I have loved Enchantress Hiresha. The magic system in this book has always intrigued me.

Marling's writing, once again, flows like an elegant river. To read one of these books is pure joy for me. There is something about the way Marling writes that is intelligent, captivating and delightful. Yes, I used the word 'delightful'.

You are finally introduced to several things in 'Gravity's Revenge'. First, Hiresha's Mindvault Academy. The school of magic where Enchantresses are trained. You get a glimpse of her room, her home and the other teachers and leaders. The other thing you are introduced to in this book are illustrations! You're finally shown what Marling's world looks like. You also learn the source of the magic, and that when removed or tampered with, can fail.

Enchantress Hiresha becomes the target of Bright Palms, priests dedicated to ridding the world of Feasters. They'll do anything to get the Lord of the Feast, including sacrificing Hiresha's Elders. The issue is made more complicated when they strip Hiresha of her own, personal power. The power of her gems. But most everyone is on Hiresha's side, wanting to help, even the little Fennec fox.

You can either start with this book or at the beginning, with 'Brood of Bones'. There is an order to the stories, but they stand alone rather well. You won't get lost if you start here. So kudos to Marling for yet another enjoyable read that I could not put down!

My rating:
5 out of 5 skull and crossbones.

'Holly and Ivy' by Selah Janel...

Looking for a holiday read? Try this:

Blurb

After losing her job and her boyfriend, Holly returns to her parents’ farm. Embarrassed and hopeless, she doesn’t expect to bump into a forgotten childhood friend that wasn’t supposed to exist. Ivy is not only a dryad, but she lives in the pine trees Holly’s family grows to sell at Christmas. As the old friends reconnect,Ivy not only shares her strong opinions, but gives Holly a charm that will change both their lives. As days melt into weeks and the seasons change, Holly’s life magically turns around. Christmas not only brings surprises, but a choice for the human woman. What’s more important: stability, success, and love, or keeping a promise to an old friend?

Excerpt:

“What do I do with it?” I asked. I told myself I was just playing along, suspending reality to make Ivy feel better. Although if that was the case then perhaps I should have really examined the fact that Ivy was real and not me suspending reality to make myself feel better.

“You hold it now until it gets to know you. You keep it safe in your possession and it shall bring you ease and grace,” the tree sprite giggled.

“And that really works?” No matter how I tried I couldn’t hide my skepticism.

She turned up her pointed nose. “How else would I have survived so well with murderers on the loose? It’s worked for a good long while.” I raised an eyebrow as a sly grin spread just a little too far across her face to make the smile look human. “Do you remember when I snuck to school with that sapling you took for show and tell?”

The next smile didn’t hurt quite as much as I traced the delicate edge of the tiny plant with the pad of a finger. The petaled head shivered and softly brushed against my calluses. “I thought everyone was going to have a heart attack when you burst out of the thing and started singing to everyone! Mrs. Robinson finally played it off as the whole class playing a trick on her. We had to go without milk time for a week.” I’d gotten in so much trouble with my parents for lying in school and saying that I had a magic plant. Given that I was adamant that I’d been telling the truth, it was a hell of an ordeal for a six-year-old.

“’Twas so much fun!” Ivy paused mid-pirouette. It was downright disgusting that she could hold the arabesque for so long and not even wobble or suffer a leg cramp. “Though I would not want to live in such cold halls all the time.” She paused and took a long breath, much longer than I or any other human could possibly inhale. Before my eyes her skin became greener, infused by the crisp clean air. “You need to be in the trees, Holly. Mortals refuse to understand that they must live where things grow. Now that you’re home, let’s play!” She leapt over my head and landed effortlessly beside her home tree, staring at me expectantly.

Maybe it was being back home or maybe it was just being back in the good fresh air, but her suggestion made me giddy. It suddenly sounded like the exact prescription I needed, the one thing I’d been missing through all those frustrating years. My fragile mind and heart demanded an escape. They couldn’t take any more disappointment, any more expectations or responsibility, and they especially couldn’t take any more reality. I nodded and tucked the strange clover deep in my pocket. The breeze had dried my tears and the heavenly scent of grass and pine put the sudden urge to run in my feet. Suddenly the heavy air and the blazing sun didn’t matter so much and my anxieties were willing to take a momentary backseat to the chance to goof off for an afternoon. “Are you sure you’ll be okay?” I hesitated, hand still at my pocket.

Ivy flashed a bold grin and stretched up on her toes; her fingers wiggled over her head, making her resemble an odd, scrawny plant. “With you here? Of course! Just remember to come look after my tree when the murderers come around the winter harvest time. You can even help me choose which tree will be my final home so you’ll know where I’ll be.” The words were no sooner out of her mouth when she tore off, dodging branches and bark as quick and swift as a deer. I groaned as I pulled myself to my feet and tumbled after her, muscles screaming at the sudden exercise. Still, I found myself laughing the entire time.

Holly and Ivy available at:

Mocha Memoirs Press Store: http://mochamemoirspress.com/holly-and-ivy/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Holly-and-Ivy-ebook/dp/B00AGIIIUU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1354733167&sr=8-4&keywords=selah+janel

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/holly-and-ivy-selah-janel/1113879563?ean=2940015795950

Author Bio:

Selah Janel has been blessed with a giant imagination since she was little and convinced that fairies lived in the nearby state park or vampires hid in the abandoned barns outside of town. Her appreciation for a good story was enhanced by a love of reading, the many talented storytellers that surrounded her, and a healthy curiosity for everything. A talent for warping everything she learned didn’t hurt, either. She gravitates to writing fantasy and horror, but can be convinced to pursue any genre if the idea is good enough. Often her stories feature the unknown creeping into the “real” world and she loves to find the magical in the mundane.

She has four e-books with No Boundaries Press, including the historical vampire story ‘Mooner’ and the contemporary short ‘The Other Man’. Her work has also been included in ‘The MacGuffin’, ‘The Realm Beyond’, ‘Stories for Children Magazine’, and the upcoming Wicked East Press anthology ‘Bedtime Stories for Girls’. She likes her music to rock, her vampires lethal, her fairies to play mind games, and her princesses to hold their own.

Catch up with Selah and all her ongoing projects at the following places:

Blog – http://www.selahjanel.wordpress.com

Fandom Scene Column – http://www.fandomfestblog.com/blogs/selah-janel

Facebook Author Page – http://www.facebook.com/authorSJ

Facebook Book Page – http://www.facebook.com/intherednovel

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5622096.Selah_Janel

Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/Selah-Janel/e/B0074DKC9K/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1346815995&sr=1-2-ent

Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/SelahJanel

 

Friday Favorites, Fantasy Art & A Funny...

Well today you get two posts from me. This one and the one telling you of my sister in law's book launch blog tour for The Tyrant King. While there are four in one day, that can't be helped with the holidays looming. If you can make all four stops, share the links. If not, do what you can.

Okay so on to the favorites!

Favorite Books/Authors:

I remember reading lots of books when I was a kid and I recently came across one of my favorites. 'The Island of the Blue Dolphins' by Scott O'Dell. I read that book a couple of times as a kid and I'm half tempted to read it again. Those are the kinds of books I liked reading as a kid. I would pick up just about anything that looked interesting, regardless of the genre, even back then.

Favorite Movies:

I just saw Brave the other night and have to add this to my list of favorites. And it has nothing to do with me being half Scottish. Okay, sort of. Heh! No, it was a really good movie. I enjoyed it and am glad I got to see it.

Favorite Music:

This may shock some of you, considering my favorite list in the past and all the bands I listed at one time for the A-Z Blog Challenge, but I'm going to list The Statler Brothers today. I was raised on Country music and while I don't care much for it these days, there are some artists I still enjoy. And look, I'm mentioning it for the whole world to see! I saw the Statler Brothers in concert once when I was a kid. It was at a fairgrounds and it was rainy. My mom and I had on our el cheapo rain slickers that they handed to everyone before the concert. It was fun.

Fantasy Art:

And the funny:

Okay, that's it for this chick. Have a great weekend and see you all on Monday!