Bonus Friday: Author Update

/ Joan Hall

Happy Friday, SEers! This month is one of the few this year that has five Fridays rather than four. It doesn’t happen often enough for us to have a “themed” post scheduled, so we decided these special Fridays will become group posts.

This particular fifth Friday we thought we’d catch you up on what we currently have going on in our writing lives.

In first-name alphabetical order:

Craig

The Enhanced LeagueOddly enough, I have something going on right now. I’m holding free days for my book, The Enhanced League. This is a collection of short stories and micro-fiction, that carries an overarching story. It’s set in a professional baseball league where performance enhancing drugs are not only allowed, but encouraged. You can pick up your free copy here.

The Hat is still doing well, but sales have slowed. If a paranormal superhero kind of The Hatstory, filled with tons of snarky banter appeals to you, this may be the one you’re looking for. This one will cost you a whole 99 cents.

I’ll have a new novel out soon, but it isn’t quite ready. This one is called The Yak Guy Project, and I’ll give a bit more detail as I get closer.

Beyond that, I’m typing away at my pirate story, tentatively called The Voyage of The Lanternfish. It’s one of my stories, so of course there will be some magic and monsters involved.

Harmony

Hello SErs! Today, my latest novel releases on Amazon. It is called Backstage, and is an Erotic Romance that deals with some of the sexual scandals that have hit the acting industry recently. You can find it HERE. I finished this one in just 15 days of writing! Here is the blurb:

SHE’S A HOPEFUL ACTRESS

Just when Emma thinks she’s found love. Just when her big chance comes.  Just as she finds a little confidence at long last. Right then, it all goes horribly wrong.

HE’S HER MENTOR

John believed he had found ‘the one’. But the demons of his past wouldn’t allow him to break the leash, and when he gets the wrong end of the stick, it just confirms all his old prejudices and hurts.

THEN THERE’S THE BIG MAN WHO CAN MAKE OR BREAK A CAREER, AND THE DEMANDS HE MAKES

Derek Prentis is his name. Coercion is his game. He’s the man with the money. The big man who wants to keep Emma under his control and who will do anything to keep it that way.

THE PERFECT STORM OF ROMANCE, PASSION, AND GREED.

AWAY FROM THE LIMELIGHT, IT’S ALL HAPPENING BACKSTAGE.

This is a stand-alone read. My next project is a sexy thriller/suspense novel with a Stephen King kinda feel to it … my working title is The Switch, and here is a possible cover, which is still a work in progress–I’d love to know what you think! So, yes, I’m keeping busy and will have this new book out later this year if all goes to plan … watch this space 🙂

Joan

Hello, SE Readers! I recently released Unknown Reasons, the second book of my Driscoll Lake series. The first book, Unseen Motives, was also re-released through AIW Press, complete with a brand new cover. (Click on the titles for purchase links.)

I’m currently writing the third and last book, Unclear Purposes. Here are the blurbs for the first two novels:

Unseen Motives

Stephanie Harris is no stranger to mystery and suspense. The author of several best-selling thrillers returns to her hometown of Driscoll Lake twenty years after her father’s suicide when her great-aunt Helen dies.

She hopes to settle Helen’s affairs as quickly as possible and leave behind the place where she suffered so much heartache. Soon after her arrival, Stephanie stumbles upon information that leads her to believe that all is not as it seems.

When she digs deeper into secrets long buried, she begins to receive warning notes and mysterious phone calls. The threats soon escalate into deliberate attempts to harm her. Stephanie soon finds herself caught in a web of deceit and danger.

Undaunted, Stephanie searches for clues about the scandal surrounding her father’s death. But discovering the truth places her in the path of a cold-blooded killer.

Unknown Reasons

Rachel Jackson hails from one of Driscoll Lake’s wealthiest families. Like her father, she became a doctor and is now a respected physician. But despite her successful career, Rachel feels something is missing from her life—until she crosses paths with Brian Nichols.

The son of a hard-working mother and alcoholic father, Brian acted out when he was young, earning a reputation as a troublemaker. As an adult, he’s worked hard to clean up his act and now owns a burgeoning construction company.

Rachel and Brian form an unlikely friendship which begins to blossom into something more. But a series of structure fires—determined to be arson—puts Brian in the hot seat. The properties are all associated with his work, making him the prime suspect. Toss in his juvenile history, and he finds himself the focus of a tenacious investigator. Even Rachel starts to have doubts.

Brian struggles to save his relationship, his company, and his reputation. But unless the real arsonist is caught before striking again, everything Brian holds dear may go up in smoke.

Mae

Hello, wonderful SEers! I’m currently gearing up for the release of my mystery/suspense novel, Cusp of Night. The first book of my new Hode’s Hill series, Cusp of Night releases on June 12, but is already available for pre-order from all major booksellers. In addition to gearing up for Cusp  promo, I’m also hard at work finishing up book two, End of Day, which has an April deadline. No panic here!  🙂

I’m pretty jazzed about Cusp of Night because it has two mysteries, spanning two timelines. It’s the first time I’ve attempted working with dual plotlines, a bit of a challenge as they both have to tie together at the end. One storyline is set in present day, the other in the late nineteenth century.  I’ve included lots of shivery stuff too—an old urban legend, a few restless spirits, and treasure trove of dark family secrets.

Cusp of Night blurb:

Book cover for Cusp of Night, a mystery/suspense novel by author, Mae ClairRecently settled in Hode’s Hill, Pennsylvania, Maya Sinclair is enthralled by the town’s folklore, especially the legend about a centuries-old monster. A devil-like creature with uncanny abilities responsible for several horrific murders, the Fiend has evolved into the stuff of urban myth. But the past lives again when Maya witnesses an assault during the annual “Fiend Fest.” The victim is developer Leland Hode, patriarch of the town’s most powerful family, and he was attacked by someone dressed like the Fiend.

Compelled to discover who is behind the attack and why, Maya uncovers a shortlist of enemies of the Hode clan. The mystery deepens when she finds the journal of a late nineteenth-century spiritualist who once lived in Maya’s house–a woman whose ghost may still linger.

Known as the Blue Lady of Hode’s Hill due to a genetic condition, Lucinda Glass vanished without a trace and was believed to be one of the Fiend’s tragic victims. The disappearance of a young couple, combined with more sightings of the monster, trigger Maya to join forces with Leland’s son Collin.

But the closer she gets to unearthing the truth, the closer she comes to a hidden world of twisted secrets, insanity, and evil that refuses to die . . .

We rarely, if ever, promote our own work on Story Empire, but if Cusp of Night sounds like your type of read, I’d happily do cyber cartwheels should you consider pre-ordering. Sorry, but I lost the ability and the agility to execute the real McCoy decades ago. 🙂 Whatever your pleasure, happy reading and happy Friday!

P.H.

Hello and thanks to all the Story Empire followers for your support of our little collaboration. I’ve recently signed with audiobook publisher, Podium Publishing. My epic fantasy series, The Bow of Hart Saga, has now shifted into production for audiobook as an addition to the ebooks. I’ve already sent the publisher the manuscripts and artwork while they have begun their work casting a narrator. Additionally, I’m at work on a few hybrid fantasy novels that are under proposal as well as another series that I intend to self-publish entitled, The Broken Shield Chronicles. I’m also considering expanding several short stories into novellas for publication. I also hope to release The Bow of Hart Saga in print. It’s a very busy year but one that I’m enjoying.

Staci

Ciao, SEers! Hope all is well with you. I’ve been busy lately.

Click cover for more information.

I recently released the second installment of my new Nightforce Security Series. It’s a novella titled Gamble, and it primarily takes place in, you guessed it, a casino. I’m working on revisions for the third release of the series, Overboard, another novella. (I’d love to share the cover here, but I haven’t revealed it yet. I think it’s quite eye-catching, though.)

Here’s the opening of Overboard:

Declan hung his sunglasses over the collar of his t-shirt and turned in the life jacket and key to the guy at the rental counter. A couple hours on the Jet Ski was just what he’d needed to unwind. It was nice to be on the water recreationally instead of professionally.

Of course, he wasn’t a frogman anymore, so recreationally was the only option now.

He hung his towel around his neck and walked over to the rail. Man-made scents of hot dogs and fried dough mingled with the natural petrichor of the lake, and the call of seagulls floated on the wind. Sunset was probably about an hour away. The sun was low in the sky, but the horizon hadn’t started to turn.

Must be happy hour.

Finding a lakeside bar sounded like the perfect segue from afternoon aqua sports to evening dinner. Maybe after he’d find a nightclub. Oh, who was he kidding? He’d rather go back to the cabin after dinner and binge-watch something on Netflix.

He was turning from the rail when a motor—louder than any a Jet Ski—caught his attention. Declan looked out over the lake. Two Coast Guard crafts buzzed through the water. A rescue copter flew overhead.

Someone wasn’t having a good day.

Click cover for more information.

As you might imagine, Declan’s day takes a turn for the worse, too.

I’m having a lot of fun writing this series. It was supposed to be for a Kindle World, but I didn’t want to give up control and ownership of these guys, so I’m working on something different for KW and keeping Nightforce all to myself.

My new KW story doesn’t have a title yet, but the plot is outlined and the main characters are set in my mind. It’s another military thriller with a kiss of romance to it. A little steamy, but not enough romance to turn off fans of the thriller genre. I’ve got about two-thousand words so far. When I have more to say about it, I’ll let the world know.

So, obviously we’ve each been busy. Hopefully you’ll take a second or two to leave a comment telling us what you’ve been up to.

Have a great weekend!

95 thoughts on “Bonus Friday: Author Update”

  1. I love reading what all of you are doing! Harmony, I love the new book cover and title! It’s awesomely creepy! lol! PH, I just finished an audiobook with ACX. I’d love to hear about your experiences with Podium. Staci, what is Kindle World?

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    • Hi, Yvette. I typically wouldn’t link to another of my sites here, but I recently did a Q&A for Romance University all about KW, and it’s quite comprehensive. You can find it here: http://romanceuniversity.org/2018/02/28/kindle-worlds-by-susan-stoker/

      Basically, Amazon asks certain successful authors if they’d like to open their series up to other authors. If they agree, a Kindle World is created. (I’m writing for Susan Stoker’s Special Forces Operation Alpha World.) Other authors write what are essentially crossover stories—a single plot with characters owned by the series originator and characters the other writer creates. In my case, I choose one or more of Susan’s characters, then I write my own story with my own characters that involve hers in some way. There are a lot of specific rules, but they’re easy to follow. The big benefit, though, is exposure to an already-devoted fan base. It’s a great way to find new readers.

      If you still have questions after looking at the RU post, I’ll be happy to talk with you further.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

    • Yvette, thanks for leaving the comment. I think I’ll do well with Podium and it’s a good option for me just now as I won’t have to put anything into the production so I can work on the new projects. I’m thrilled with the opportunity. How is your audiobook doing?

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

  2. I was offline last week, but I wanted to stop in and say thanks to everyone for commenting and for the support. Hope you all had a wonderful holiday or will have a happy one if you’re celebrating this week instead.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  8. Authors on the move!! You all have so much going on. Thanks for sharing as a group. Harmony, I LOVE the possible new cover for The Switch! Wow!! Mae, can’t wait to read Cusp of Night. I know it will be good as are all of your stories. Happy Easter, gang!

    Liked by 6 people

    Reply

  11. Congratulations to each of you. I consistently enjoy reading your work, which is always topnotch. And today, I had a special treat, because Backstage arrived on my Kindle. All the best!

    Liked by 6 people

    Reply

  15. Pingback: Bonus Friday: Author Update — Story Empire | Fantasy Gift Sources: Book Reviews, Article Resources, News

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