Happy Secrets, Deadlines, News, and More
Wooot! My YA Victorian gothic fantasy novelette, House of Secrets, is out today!
I wrote this one just for fun, to stretch myself by experimenting with a new style (moody, gothic, and intensely atmospheric)...and, of course, to distract myself from worrying about whether or not a particular book of my heart would sell. (And hey, that book was The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart, which comes out next spring - so, there's a double happy ending there!)
I had so much fun writing this novelette. I hope you guys will enjoy reading it! You can find an excerpt on my website or buy the ebook at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, iBooks, or Smashwords. (And if you don't have an e-reader, you can buy a printable PDF at Smashwords, too.)
In other news, we're hurtling towards the end of the school year over here...and our upcoming trip to America! We're spending our summer holidays there with my family, of course, but Patrick and I will also be doing a public event in August at my wonderful hometown bookstore, Schuler Books, along with fellow authors Jim C. Hines and Merrie Haskell - both of whom are not just great writers but also personal friends. So I really can't wait! You can see the details here.
It's all really exciting, but ohhh is there a lot that has to be done here first, from house-cleaning to child's-birthday-party-hosting, packing and more - and my very top priority is getting a full draft of my MG spies-and-fairies novel finished! I wrote an incredible (by my standards) 3641 words on Monday, racing through the main climax of the book...and then had a horrible realization, Monday night, that I had gone in the wrong direction. Whoops!
So yesterday morning I backed up 3 chapters, re-plotted, rewrote (writing 3175 new words in the process)...and now I have just one scene left. So so so close! I'd love to finish the book today, but my older son has a playdate, the whole house needs cleaned beforehand...etc. We'll see! But no matter what, this book IS going to be finished this week. I am determined!
And there are just two more days until the Congress of Secrets cover will be revealed on USA Today's Happy Ever After blog. I can't wait! Not only is it a great cover (by the same designer who created Masks and Shadows's cover), but I am bursting to share photos of the first 2 ARCs that arrived here yesterday. It's all becoming so real!
So.
I have a book to finish, a house to clean, suitcases to pack, and more...
But because this is House of Secrets's release day, I'm going to be totally self-indulgent and post the blurbs that I've gotten for it here, just because they make me happy. Here they are:
"An atmospheric tale of family, dark magic, and the thirst of one girl to determine her own destiny."
- Aliette de Bodard, author of The House of Shattered Wings
"A romance fit for fantasy and Gothic lovers both! Chilling, suspenseful, and extremely satisfying!"
- Tiffany Trent, author of The Unnaturalists
"A perfect gem of Gothic fantasy."
- Beth Bernobich, author of The Ghost Dragon's Daughter
"With its slowly unfolding mystery and atmospheric magic, House of Secrets kept me entranced until the final page. I loved the moody setting, the dark, unexpected turns in Lily’s story, and Stephanie’s rich and straightforward prose. It’s like a delicious slice of Gothic pie!"
- Page Morgan, author of The Beautiful and the Cursed
Happy Wednesday!
PS: As usual, any reviews on Amazon, Goodreads or elsewhere would be hugely appreciated - but no worries if you don't have the time or energy. Most of all, I just hope that you'll enjoy the story!
I wrote this one just for fun, to stretch myself by experimenting with a new style (moody, gothic, and intensely atmospheric)...and, of course, to distract myself from worrying about whether or not a particular book of my heart would sell. (And hey, that book was The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart, which comes out next spring - so, there's a double happy ending there!)
I had so much fun writing this novelette. I hope you guys will enjoy reading it! You can find an excerpt on my website or buy the ebook at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, iBooks, or Smashwords. (And if you don't have an e-reader, you can buy a printable PDF at Smashwords, too.)
In other news, we're hurtling towards the end of the school year over here...and our upcoming trip to America! We're spending our summer holidays there with my family, of course, but Patrick and I will also be doing a public event in August at my wonderful hometown bookstore, Schuler Books, along with fellow authors Jim C. Hines and Merrie Haskell - both of whom are not just great writers but also personal friends. So I really can't wait! You can see the details here.
It's all really exciting, but ohhh is there a lot that has to be done here first, from house-cleaning to child's-birthday-party-hosting, packing and more - and my very top priority is getting a full draft of my MG spies-and-fairies novel finished! I wrote an incredible (by my standards) 3641 words on Monday, racing through the main climax of the book...and then had a horrible realization, Monday night, that I had gone in the wrong direction. Whoops!
So yesterday morning I backed up 3 chapters, re-plotted, rewrote (writing 3175 new words in the process)...and now I have just one scene left. So so so close! I'd love to finish the book today, but my older son has a playdate, the whole house needs cleaned beforehand...etc. We'll see! But no matter what, this book IS going to be finished this week. I am determined!
And there are just two more days until the Congress of Secrets cover will be revealed on USA Today's Happy Ever After blog. I can't wait! Not only is it a great cover (by the same designer who created Masks and Shadows's cover), but I am bursting to share photos of the first 2 ARCs that arrived here yesterday. It's all becoming so real!
So.
I have a book to finish, a house to clean, suitcases to pack, and more...
But because this is House of Secrets's release day, I'm going to be totally self-indulgent and post the blurbs that I've gotten for it here, just because they make me happy. Here they are:
"An atmospheric tale of family, dark magic, and the thirst of one girl to determine her own destiny."
- Aliette de Bodard, author of The House of Shattered Wings
"A romance fit for fantasy and Gothic lovers both! Chilling, suspenseful, and extremely satisfying!"
- Tiffany Trent, author of The Unnaturalists
"A perfect gem of Gothic fantasy."
- Beth Bernobich, author of The Ghost Dragon's Daughter
"With its slowly unfolding mystery and atmospheric magic, House of Secrets kept me entranced until the final page. I loved the moody setting, the dark, unexpected turns in Lily’s story, and Stephanie’s rich and straightforward prose. It’s like a delicious slice of Gothic pie!"
- Page Morgan, author of The Beautiful and the Cursed
Happy Wednesday!
PS: As usual, any reviews on Amazon, Goodreads or elsewhere would be hugely appreciated - but no worries if you don't have the time or energy. Most of all, I just hope that you'll enjoy the story!