ELEVATED cover reveal

One of the best things about being in this business is all the friends, and you bond over the strangest things. For Elana Johnson and I, that thing was bacon. We both love bacon to a really insane degree, and our silly conversation over that led to more silly conversations...and then gradually, some serious ones. When I have a triumph...or a problem...she's tops on my list of writer friends to talk to. And to think that pork products brought us together. That should be a title of a book, don't you think?

Anyway, it's with that in mind that I'm excitedly bringing you a peek at the cover of her latest book! ELEVATED is a contemporary romance, which is quite a departure for her. But the thing is that she can write just about anything. I kind of hate her for that, but it's a loving hate. I've told her this already, so no worries. :)

Here's a little about the book, before we get to the awesome cover!

About ELEVATED: The last person seventeen-year-old Eleanor Livingston wants to see on the elevator—let alone get stuck with—is her ex-boyfriend Travis, the guy she's been avoiding for five months.

Plagued with the belief that when she speaks the truth, bad things happen, Elly hasn’t told Trav anything. Not why she broke up with him and cut off all contact. Not what happened the day her father returned from his deployment to Afghanistan. And certainly not that she misses him and still thinks about him everyday.

But with nowhere to hide and Travis so close it hurts, Elly’s worried she won’t be able to contain her secrets for long. She’s terrified of finally revealing the truth, because she can’t bear to watch a tragedy befall the boy she still loves.

And the new hotness...

Buy Links:

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/elevated

On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18947183-elevated

Praise for ELEVATED:

"ELEVATED will take you on an emotionally gripping journey through the highs and lows of first love."

~Carolee Dean, author of Take Me There and Forget Me Not

"Poignant, raw, and intense, ELEVATED is a novel that will grip your heart and linger in your mind long after you turn the last page."

~Stasia Ward Kehoe, author of Audition and The Sound of Letting Go

About Elana Johnson: Elana Johnson’s work, including Possession, Surrender, Abandon, and Regret, published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster), is available now everywhere books are sold. Her popular ebook, From the Query to the Call, is also available for download, as well as a Possession short story, Resist. School teacher by day, Query Ninja by night, you can find her online at her personal blog or Twitter. She also co-founded the Query Tracker blog, and contributes to the League of Extraordinary Writers.

Social Media Links:

Website/blog: http://elanajohnson.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElanaJ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/possessionthebook

Tumblr: http://elanajohnson.tumblr.com/

Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/elanajohnson

League of Extraordinary Writers: http://leaguewriters.blogspot.com/

WriteOnCon: http://writeoncon.com/

Elana on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4044383.Elana_Johnson

Rafflecopter: Enter to win $15 Paypal cash by helping to spread the word about ELEVATED.

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Halloween Excitement! Book Excitement! EXCITEMENT EXCITEMENT!

Too many good things in the world and not enough time to tell you about them fully because I need to go tease my hair. It's Halloween, after all, and since I pretend every day is Halloween, when it's really Halloween, I need to go big to differentiate.

Anyway, let me explain. Or maybe I'll just pull an Inigo.

EXCITEMENT 1: My son turns 10 today! DOUBLE HOLIDAY WITH DOUBLE DIGITS. He's the best. He used to look like this, but now he doesn't. Well, he still makes that face, but it's bigger and with more orthodontia now. Also, he's awesome. I love being a mom in general and his mom in particular.

EXCITEMENT 2: Lots of new Carrie books are coming! The Bad Hair Day paperback releases November 12, and Sally Slick and the Steel Syndicate is starting to ship EARLY from the Evil Hat store. WOOP! Ordering there will net you a free ebook copy along with the printed one, so your ereader won't go hungry. The Young Centurions RPG, which will allow you to play in the same world as Sally Slick and the Steel Syndicate, is in the editing stage, so you should see that in the early stages of 2014! WOOP WOOP! And I just saw the full book jacket for Demon Derby, which means ARCs should follow soon-ish. ALL THE WOOPS!

EXCITEMENT 3: Furthermore, a NEW new Carrie book will be coming out sometime next year! That's right, peeps! I sold another one, and this is a bit of a new direction for me, so I'm crazy excited. I'm writing a tie-in book for War of Ashes, which is currently a miniature game, will soon be an RPG, and hopefully will go in even more exciting directions after that. The War of Ashes world is "grimsical," and let me tell you--after I heard THAT I pretty much prostrated myself on the floor and refused to move until they let me write a book there. The WoA world is kind of like the love child of Tim Burton and Terry Prachett...populated by Muppets with pointy objects.

It's probably important for me to say that this book will be adult in the same way that Terry Prachett is "adult." In other words, it'll be longer than my other ones, and there might be a few swear words in it. There will likely be jokes in it that kids won't get but should generally be safe as long as they're interested. So what's it about? I'm glad you asked! Here's the pitch:

War of Ashes: Off on a Ylark:

Gicca Nummus is the Senior Ylark Handler of the village of Dumas. It’s a prestigious position, and he’d be thrilled if he hadn’t just left a more prestigious position designing Things That Do Things—machines—for the priests of Ilunui. But his elder brother Ficca is the new priest of Dumas, and someone has to keep that cheese-brain from burning down the village where they grew up.

Elani Usus has a similar problem. She’d much rather be anywhere but Dumas, doing anything other than serving unending drafts of kogg in the inn. But her father, Lukkus, is the town elder, and he deals with things he doesn’t understand by faking it. Badly. The idea that his little fawny-wawny might want to do anything other than pour kogg? It doesn’t compute. After all, the blubber-noggin can’t count past three. And uses phrases like “fawny-wawny.”

When the first wave of the Vidaar fleet appears in the great sea to the south, Gicca and Elani have to step up. If they leave the village’s defense to their relatives, the whole town of Dumas is going to explode. Or be enslaved. Or explode, be enslaved, and then explode again for good measure.

His inventions and her leadership skills turn the tide of battle and save the town despite the bumbling efforts of Ficca and Lukkus. All they manage to do is burn down the inn and cover the enemy with cheese curds. But the defense of Dumas is just the beginning. Someone has to get to Ilunui. Someone has to alert the Houselords. And most of all, someone has to keep those dumbasses from burning Dumas.

****

Exciting, right? This should explain why--despite repeated promises that I'll do it more often--I haven't been blogging. I've been writing books instead, and I hope that's cool with you. :)

I have to send out a thank you to Josh at Zombiesmith, creator of War of Ashes, for letting me live in his world for a while. And to my brothers-from-another-mother at Evil Hat, for recommending me to him in the first place and failing to mention the part where I'm an over excitable diva.

So, in celebration of all this awesome, I'm throwing a party! First, we're going to dance like this...

Then I'm going to give out ALL THE BOOKS. Signed copies of Bad Taste in Boys, Bad Hair Day, and Sally Slick and the Steel Syndicate. Enter before November 8th to win!

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The SOUL POSSESSED pre-release blog tour!

One of the best things about being in this whole writing biz is getting to meet awesome people. And Katlyn Duncan is one of them! I remember when she sold her first book, Soul Taken, and I got really overly excited and probably creeped her out. But hey, I like it when good things happen to good people. Anyway, when she asked if I could take part in her Soul Possessed blog tour, I was all HECK TO THE YEAH. So without further ado, here's Katlyn!

PS - Her cover is gorgeouser than gorgeous. That is too a word.

*****

I am so excited to be kicking off my Soul Possessed Pre-release Blog Tour with Carrie Harris! Keeping with the zombie theme of the first book in her series, Bad Taste in Boys, Carrie came up with a great post question.

What four YA characters would you like to hang out with during a zombie apocalypse?

I’m a big Walking Dead fan (and of zombies in general) so I pretty much think about this situation at least once a day. Well, with real people at least. But the YA character theme is very fun!

First off, I would want someone with brains. Hermoine Granger (Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling) hands down. She is extremely intelligent and carries a tiny bag with endless supplies, perfect for keeping anything we find in a safe place. Also her having a bit of defensive magic always helps.

Next, I need a guy with brute strength. You know, just in case we are scavenging for food in a house and Hermione is on a bathroom break. So I picked Jacob Black (Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer). As much as I think Taylor Lautner is adorable, I am talking book Jacob. Six feet seven inches of muscle with the ability to turn into a bloodthirsty creature at a moments notice? Heck yes! And with his abnormally high body heat, I know my toes and fingers won’t fall off if we encounter cold weather.

For strategizing and a great fighter, I chose Prince Ash (The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa). He is smart and calculating, making him the leader of our little group. If he can successfully navigate the Nevernever, I am convinced he can handle a zombie apocalypse. And he’s not hard to look at either. *swoons*

And even though my group is already pretty amazing I thought I’d add a necromancer into the mix. Chloe Saunders (Darkest Powers trilogy by Kelley Armstrong) may be a doe-eyed petite girl but when it comes to things that are dead, having her to control them if needed would be a key to our survival.

So there you have it! The five of us would have many adventures trying to find food, shelter, and possibly a way out of one scary situation. That could be a book in itself! Thanks for having me Carrie!

I am hosting two giveaways below. The international giveaway is for a $25 Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk gift card. All you have to do is pre-order Soul Possessed and email me your pre-order confirmation at duncankatlyn@gmail.com and you are automatically entered! The second giveaway is for U.S. only and it is an eBook of Soul Possessed from Amazon.com. Good luck!
 

Release Date: October 28, 2013
Publisher: Carina UK
Series: Book 2, The Life After Trilogy
Genre: YA Paranormal
ISBN: 9781472044556
Pre-Order Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
iTunes US | iTunes UK
Add on Goodreads

Life after Life

Now Maggie has been given the chance of her after-life to become a Guard, nothing will stand in her way. Not even the undeniable attraction she feels for her trainer and past love—Jackson. But when the battle between Shadowed and Guard begins again which side will she choose?

When her boss, Felix, partners Jackson and Maggie up with Ally and Cooper to investigate terrifying Shadowed activity, she doesn’t think it could get any worse. Jackson and Cooper barely tolerate each other and this time, Maggie isn’t just proving her loyalty to the Guard during one mission...she has a side mission too. One so secret and so dangerous she can’t tell a soul...

Excerpt:


"Margaret!" Gemma shouted with glee. "Come out of there, I know you are trying to scare me!"

I watched the young red-haired girl put her hands on her hips, trying to be brave. She scanned their father's study, narrowing her eyes. The fire roaring in the hearth was the only source of light in the room, casting dark shadows across the furniture.

Maggie hid behind her father's chair, in silent wait for her prey.

"I'm going to tell Mother!"

Maggie's little hands tightened on the chair but she didn't make a sound. I walked over to her, watching her mouth twist up into a sly grin. She was the older of the girls, but she protected her sister fiercely, proclaiming she was the only one who could tease her. Gemma hated when Maggie played games, but it thrilled Maggie no end and I could feel excited anticipation roll off her in waves.

Gemma's bravery faltered as she stepped forward toward the overstuffed armchair, expecting her sister to jump out at her at any moment.

But Maggie waited. She had incredible patience, but I sensed that part of it was stubbornness and a desire to test boundaries. Her head poked out from behind the chair just as Gemma turned toward the love seat. I watched as Maggie slowly came out of her hiding spot and charged at her sister.

Gemma let out a scream but Maggie covered her sister's mouth with her hand.

Both girls collapsed on the floor, Gemma's muffled squeals threatening to break through Maggie's tiny fingers.

"Shh," Maggie cooed.

Gemma managed to wrestle her mouth away from Maggie's hand. "I hate you!" Her indignation faltered into a fit of giggles and Maggie quickly joined her.

As she helped her sister up from the floor Maggie said, "Gemma. You need to always expect the unexpected. You can't go through life being scared all the time." Even though Maggie was a mere nine years old, she spoke as if she'd lived lifetimes before. It was one of the things that drew me to her more than any other Prognatum I'd watched.

Maggie took a handkerchief and wiped her sister's cheeks.

"A lady wouldn't do that to her sister," Gemma said, finally relaxing.

"I don't want to be a lady," Maggie stated firmly. "I want to see the world and not just make babies for the rest of my life."

Gemma shook her head. "That's what we are supposed to do. That's what Mother does."

Maggie's indignation flowed through her and into me. I knew Maggie was born to follow through with her Prognatum duties, she just didn't know it yet. It was rare for a Prognatum to want the Guard position but Maggie would be thrilled when her father revealed it to her at seventeen.

As Maggie reached down to help Gemma up from the floor she whispered, "It's not for me."

Gemma wrapped her sister in a tight hug. "I will love you either way, dear sister."

Maggie rested her head against Gemma's shoulder. "I love you too."

Release date: June 4, 2013, Carina UK
Series: Book 1 in The Life After Trilogy
Genre: YA Paranormal
ISBN: 978-1-472-01709-3

After-life just got a lot more complicated

Maggie is a Soul Collector. It’s her job to transport souls from the Living Realm to the After – but during a mission to find a stolen soul, she ends up stuck in a teen mean girl’s body. Trapped, Maggie’s soul is catapulted into Ally’s life – and the human world she hasn’t experienced for one hundred years. But, as a descendant of the most powerful beings in the After, Maggie must rescue Ally before the girl’s soul dies…

To survive, Maggie must uncover devastating secrets – because with one soul taken by a terrifying enemy, Maggie’s could be next!

Excerpt: I knelt down again next to Ally and reached out to touch her skin. Even though the sensation was unpleasant, I could feel her pulse as it rapidly declined.

"No," I moaned.

I looked up again to see if any of the Guard could help, but no one was around.

I looked back down at Ally. Her face was paling by the second. My soul started to tingle. I leaned closer to her body, reaching my hand out to touch her face again, when her arm moved toward mine.

I jumped back.

Heather pushed through the crowd. “Did she just move? Did I see her move?” Streaks of black mascara ran down her cheeks.

A ringing sensation tickled my ear and I tuned in to the True Soul’s presence. I looked at each human. The True Soul was close, but who had it? They all seemed equally shocked at the tragedy.

An uncomfortable pressure in my chest drew me closer to her body.

My soul slanted toward hers until I was practically on top of her. I helplessly watched my hand morph and stretch toward her body. "What the—?” I tried to pull back but the strength of whatever was happening had other ideas. My hand disappeared first, then my arm, then my torso.

But before I could call for help, my world went dark.

To Purchase: Mills&Boon | Kindle (US) | iBooks (US) |  Kobo | Google Play | Sony Store | Kindle (UK) | Nook (UK) |  iBooks (UK)

Excerpt:

I knelt down again next to Ally and reached out to touch her skin. Even though the sensation was unpleasant, I could feel her pulse as it rapidly declined.

“No,” I moaned. I looked up again to see if any of the Guard could help, but no one was around.

I looked back down at Ally. Her face was paling by the second. My soul started to tingle. I leaned closer to her body, reaching my hand out to touch her face again, when her arm moved toward mine.

I jumped back.

Heather pushed through the crowd. “Did she just move? Did I see her move?” Streaks of black mascara ran down her cheeks.

A ringing sensation tickled my ear and I tuned in to the True Soul’s presence. I looked at each human. The True Soul was close, but who had it? They all seemed equally shocked at the tragedy.

An uncomfortable pressure in my chest drew me closer to her body. My soul slanted toward hers until I was practically on top of her. I helplessly watched my hand morph and stretch toward her body.

“What the—?” I tried to pull back but the strength of whatever was happening had other ideas. My hand disappeared first, then my arm, then my torso.

But before I could call for help, my world went dark.

About the Author: Katlyn Duncan was born and raised in a small town in western Massachusetts. Her overactive imagination involved invisible friends, wanting to be a Disney Princess and making up her own stories. Her bibliophile mom always encouraged her love of reading and that stayed with her since. Even though she works full time in the medical field Katlyn has always made time for books, whether she is reading or writing them.

Katlyn now lives in southern Connecticut with her husband and adorable Wheaten Terrier and she is thrilled to finally share her stories with the world.
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