Cover Reveal - HOLIDAY MAGICK

Lately, I've been talking about my upcoming release, COPPER GIRL, the first installment in my new urban fantasy series. You know, you can preorder it here

But, today is all about the cover reveal for the latest anthology from Spencer Hill Press, HOLIDAY MAGICK. It just happens to feature my short story, Paper Hearts.

Here's the GoodReads link 
And, you can preorder it here

Here's the jacket copy:

People don't usually question holiday traditions or their origins, but
maybe they should. Over centuries, explanations of how and why
holidays exist may have been lost or changed.
Some holiday histories might only be known by a few individuals.
Ancient magic spells could have influenced how we celebrate today.
Fairies, zombies, or demons may have shaped our holidays.
Consider the following...
Why do people give red roses and cards on Valentine's Day?
Is there more to the story of Purim than is traditionally told?
Why do people wear green on St. Patrick's Day?
What happens to spirits that are captured during the Japanese Doll Festival?
Where does Santa get his helpers?
You may think you know the truth, but you can't be too sure.

ISBN: 9781937053499
Available May 2013 from Spencer Hill Press

Without further ado, here is the cover

 

 

The Coworker Files, Episode 1: I've Been Challenged To A Mouse Off

As my regular readers are no doubt aware, this blog centers on books and book-related things. It's a logical choice of topics, being that I am a writer, and the Marketing Coordinator for Spence City.

However, I also have a day job. (cue ominous music) While I'm not going to tell you what company I work for, or even what I do for this day-work, suffice it to say that it's a desk job. Instead of being surrounded by customers, I'm surrounded by coworkers.

You'd think that would be a good thing.

For the most part, it is. I have no real complaints, and my employer is nice enough to pay me on a regular basis. Still, the interections I have with my fellow desk jockeys makes me wonder if there's anyone this place won't hire.

I mean, they did hire me.

To celebrate the special lunacy that only comes from working in an artificially lit, climate-controlled environment, I am starting a new feature on this blog: The Coworker Files. Some stories will be new, some years old, and some will be stories that others shared with me. I will always change names to protect the innocent - and keep myself from getting in trouble. Or fired.

Our first tale happened to me just a few days ago. A coworker was showing me how to access a certain system. While doing so, she revealed that, should I not want to use my mouse to paste information into the desired field, I could hit CTRL-V instead. She went on to explain that "they added CTRL-V to all the computers, so people who can't mouse can still get their work done". Then she smiled sweetly and added, "I'll understand if you only use CTRL-V."

Okay…what? What does that even mean? Who are they? Why did they put all this stuff in the computers? When did they do it? Furthermore, do I present as an individual who lacks the cognitive ability to point and click a fricken 'mouse?

I totally need to work on my image.

In the end, I understood what had really happened: she was challenging me to a mouse off. Well, sister, I can point and click like a champ. I've been burning up my ergonomically designed desk with my super mouse skills ever since.

There you have it - our first coworker file! Say, do you have any funny stories about that lunatic that sits a few cubes over from you? Would you like it featured here? Email it to me at jenniferaprovost@gmail.com.
Because really, you can't make this stuff up.

Cover Reveal: The Other Tree by DK Mok

Well here it is, folks, Spence City's latest cover reveal!

This time around it's for The Other Tree, the debut novel of Australian author DK Mok. here's the jacket copy:

It’s been four years since Chris Arlin graduated with a degree that most people think she made up, and she’s still no closer to scraping up funding for her research into rare plants. Instead, she’s stacking shelves at the campus library, until a suspiciously well-dressed man offers her a lucrative position on a scientific expedition.

For Chris, the problem isn’t the fact that they’re searching for the Biblical Tree of Life. Nor is it the fact that most of the individuals on the expedition seem to be fashionably lethal mercenaries. The problem is that the mission is being backed by SinaCorp, the corporation responsible for a similar, failed expedition on which her mother died eleven years ago.

However, when Chris’s father is unexpectedly diagnosed with inoperable cancer, Chris sees only one solution. Vowing to find the Tree of Life before SinaCorp’s mercenaries, Chris recruits Luke, an antisocial campus priest undergoing a crisis of faith. Together, they embark on a desperate race to find Eden. However, as the hunt intensifies, Chris discovers growing evidence of her mother’s strange behaviour before her death, and she begins to realise that SinaCorp isn’t the only one with secrets they want to stay buried.

 

Available in print and ebook

 December 2013 from Spence City

Women and the Apocalypse: Guest Post by Gail Z Martin

In my new novel Ice Forged, a medieval post-apocalyptic story, I find that women of every circumstance play a very important role in what happens after the world “ends.”

Blaine McFadden, my main character, sacrifices his title, lands and fortune to protect his sister and aunt from Blaine’s abusive father.  He’s sent to a prison colony in the arctic, There, he meets women from every class and circumstance whose ill fortune caused them to be exiled.  One of those fellow prisoners, Kestel Falke, is a courtesan, spy and assassin who becomes part of Blaine’s inner circle.  Among the prisoners who have survived long enough to become colonists, the women are shopkeepers and merchants, trades people and seers, farmers and trollops.  They play an important role in the economy of the self-sufficient colony, and emerge among the leaders when a devastating war cuts the colony off from the supplies and oversight provided by the kingdom.

Regardless of their previous social class or the circumstances that caused their imprisonment, the older women colonists emerge as the “wise women”, an important force in the social cohesion of the colony.  Far from the land of their birth, torn from their families and loved ones, these “wise women” preside over the births, marriages and deaths, and keep the customs and culture of their homeland alive through the celebration of religious and seasonal holidays.  The magics of vision, foresight and prophecy seem to fall more often on women than men, giving women with these gifts status and standing among their fellow colonists. 

When war destroys the kingdom that exiled Blaine and his fellow colonists, the after-effects of war fall especially heavy on the women who survive the devastation.  With a generation of men lost to the battlefront, and many of the surviving men either too old, too young or too injured from the war, it falls to the women to piece together a subsistence living from the wreckage, harvest and plant the crops, gather the scattered livestock, and patch up their damaged dwellings.  Since the Cataclysm also destroyed the kingdoms’ trading partners, the survivors are on their own for the necessities of life.  And since magic was one of the casualties of war, those who survived the conflict must shoulder the burden of rebuilding without magical help.

Blaine’s Aunt Judith, his sister Mari and his former fiancé, Carensa, each find a different path to survive in the harsh new reality.  Without the strictures and conventions of class and in the midst of a society torn asunder, they have the opportunity to make decisions for themselves and step into leadership roles in ways that would not have been possible under old norms.

I found it very interesting to think about the tension that the power vacuum creates after the apocalypse. Some of the women survivors will seize the moment to assume roles for which they are qualified but which social pressures would have denied them before the breakdown of society.  Others will attempt to regain a sense of control and normalcy by attempting to replace familiar cultural, social and family roles and take consolation in the familiar. 

I’ve had a lot of fun getting to know the women of the apocalypse in Ice Forged and as I work on the sequel.  And I’m looking forward to seeing more of them as future stories come together.  I hope you’ll join me for the adventure.

Gail Z. Martin’s newest book, Ice Forged: Book One in the Ascendant Kingdoms Saga (Orbit Books), launched in January 2013.  Gail is also the author of the Chronicles of the Necromancer series (Solaris Books) and The Fallen Kings Cycle (Orbit Books).  For more about Gail’s books and short stories, visit www.AscendantKingdoms.com. Be sure to “like” Gail’s Winter Kingdoms Facebook page, follow her on Twitter @GailZMartin, and join her for frequent discussions on Goodreads.

Read an excerpt from Ice Forged here: http://a.pgtb.me/JvGzTt

Top Ten Books of 2012

As you may know, I read a lot. I read texts for work, submissions, and the occasional blog posting or Twitter feed, and I am at my local library and book store on a weekly basis.

Still, I wasn't going to do a Top 10 post, until my forthcoming novel, Copper Girl, was featured on Top 10 posts here. And here. And here.

So, with out further ado, here are my Top 10 Books of 2012.

1. Palimpsest by Catherynne Valente



In a word, amazing. This is the story of four people who each find their way to a dreamland, via a tattooed map they acquire in a most interesting way. The prose is lush, the imagery vivid, and I just wanted to sink into this world and stay a while.

2. Fire/Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

 

Ok, so this is two. It's my list, and I can put whatever I want on it.

Anyway, these  are the prequel and sequel, respectively, to one of my all time faves, Graceling. In Fire, we are introduced to a land filled with monsters so beautiful you almost don't mind when they rip you to pieces. In Bitterblue, we watch a young girl grow into her birthright as Queen. And, we get bonus Katsa and Po scenes.


3. The King of Elfland's Daughter by Lord Dunsany



By far the oldest title on this list, this should be required reading for anyone who enjoys fantasy; even Tolkien counted Lord Dunsany as an influence. This is the tale of a fairy princess, loved and lost by a mortal man, and his quest to get her back.

4. War for The Oaks by Emma Bull



Some say that this was one of the first urban fantasy novels, back before it was a genre. It tells the story of Eddi, a guitarist in a rock band who falls in with the fey. And, a phouka!

5. Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews



Let's take a moment to discuss this awesome cover - what we don't have is a bimbo contorting herself to show off her boobs and butt. What we do have is a beautiful woman dressed for fighting, which is what Andrea does best. I worried that this would be one of those sidekick novels, but Andrea Nash has proved to be every bit as badass as Kate Daniels.

6. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater



The author has described this book as the one she was meant to write, and I cannot disagree. It has racing, water horses that might eat or drown their riders, and the requisite kissing.

7. Faery Tales and Nightmares by Melissa Marr



A collection of short stories set in and around her Wicked Lovely series. A must read for fans of Aisling and Seth, not to mention Keenan and Donia.

8. Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien



It's no secret that I love all things Tolkien, and this collection of his letters gives one an invaluable peek at the man responsible for so many beautiful stories.

9. Fair Game by Patricia Briggs



Patricia Briggs does it again, with Charles, werewolf assassin, and his Omega mate Anna, tracing serial killers in Boston.

10. Changing Planes by Ursula K. LeGuin



Interesting concept - when one is waiting at the airport to change planes, if the right conditions are met one can change planes - as in take a trip to another dimension. These dimensions include one full of holidays, another where royalty obsessively reads about the lower class in gossip magazines, and many others. All in all, great fun.

Honorable Mention - Inanimate Objects by Kendra Saunders



This gets an Honorable Mention because I personally know the author, so I suppose I could be accused of bias. But, take my word for it, this book rocks. We've got Leo, a glitter covered London artist, his much more rational sister Helen, and a muse that wants to make Leo a star. And, there's Elisha, beautifully broken Elisha, whom I just adored.

Well, there you have it. What were your favorite books of 2012?

Spencer Hill Press Holiday Cheer Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We (authors, editors, publicists - all of us) of the Spencer Hill Press/Spence City/ Spencer Hill Contemporary family decided to spread our own version of holiday cheer! Of course, it involves books, swag, chocolate, jewelry, you know, the good stuff.

Check out the prizes you can win:

GRAND PRIZE Holiday Cheer Away Holiday Giveaway Bag

Books:

TOUCH OF DEATH

One Spencer Hill Press book (winner's choice--can include soon to be release selections)

Jewelery:

Bracelet

TOUCH OF DEATH Handcrafted Pendant- www.stainedglasscreationsandbeyond.com

Handcrafted Necklace and Earrings

So Many Books, So Little Time Necklace

Giftcards:

$20 Amazon or Barnes and Nobel (Winner's Choice)

$15 Starbucks

Two $10 Amazon

Critiques:

First Chapter Critique-Mary Gray

First Chapter Critique-Rhys A Jones

Query Letter Critique-Trisha Wolfe

Cool Stuff:

GUARDIAN T-shirt

BETRAYED Fridge Magnet

Flashlight

Ornaments

Holiday Towel and Potholder

Candy

Swag:

BREAKING GLASS Handcrafted Bookmark

FINN FINNEGAN Handcrafted Charmed Bookmark- www.stainedglasscreationsandbeyond.com

PERFECTION

TOUCH OF DEATH

FINN FINNEGAN

BETRAYED

ANGELINA'S SECRET

COPPER GIRL

OTHER TREE

PODs

 

 

SECOND Prize Holiday Cheer Away Holiday Giveaway Bag

Books:

ANGELINA'S SECRET - 1st edition signed copy

Jewelery:

Bracelet

TOUCH OF DEATH Handcrafted Pendant- www.stainedglasscreationsandbeyond.com

Earrings

Giftcards:

$10 Amazon or Barnes and Nobel (Winner's Choice)

$15 Starbucks

$10 Amazon

Critiques:

First Chapter Critique-Trisha Wolfe

First Chapter Critique (2500 Words Max)-Elizabeth Langston

Query Letter Critique-Kimberly Ann Miller

Cool Stuff:

BETRAYED Fridge Magnet

Flashlight

Ornaments

Holiday Towel and Potholder

Candy

Swag:

FINN FINNEGAN Handcrafted Charmed Bookmark- www.stainedglasscreationsandbeyond.com

PERFECTION

TOUCH OF DEATH

FINN FINNEGAN

BETRAYED

ANGELINA'S SECRET

COPPER GIRL

OTHER TREE

PODs

 

 

 

THIRD PRIZE Holiday Cheer Away Holiday Giveaway

Critiques:

First five pages--Sarah Guillory

First 250 word-DK Mok

Either query or first 250 word critique (your choice)--Michelle Pickett

 

 

I know, it's pretty awesome. Here are the rules:

Contest is opened to entries from Dec. 3rd to Dec. 16th

Contest is open to all ages from 13 to any adult age. ( I love to promote reading and writing with young readers.)

Contest is opened to US and Canada residents only. Sorry :(

I am not responsible for anything unless it is fun.

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway, so - go for it! Good luck!

***Update*** My thingamajig wouldn't work (must be an id 10 t error) so follow this link to enter:

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MDhiMTUxOWEzOWE1YWRmNWRmYWQ4NWRlYTQxMzViOjY=/

 

 

 

Cover Reveal: COPPER GIRL

 

 

Finally, I can show everyone the amazingly gorgeous cover for my upcoming novel, Copper Girl!



 



 

 

Here's the jacket copy:

Sara had always been careful.

She never spoke of magic, never associated with those suspected of handling magic, never thought of magic, and never, ever, let anyone see her mark.  After all, the last thing she wanted was to end up missing, like her father and brother.

Then, a silver elf pushed his way into Sara's dream, and her life became anything but ordinary.

Available in print and e-book June, 2013 from Spence City
ISBN: 978-1-939392-02-2

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What's that, you want to see the back too? Well, here it is: