Friday, March 20, 2015

Number's Game by Rebecca Rode - Author Interview, Quiz & Giveaway



Numbers Game

Rebecca Rode

YA Dystopian
March 16, 2015

Amazon | Goodreads

Treena can’t wait for Rating Day. Her high score will mean a life of luxury, showing the world that she’s a valuable member of society, not a pathetic waste of space. It won’t hurt her chances with her top-Rated boyfriend, either. But when the big day arrives, her true number shocks everyone.

To get her life—and boyfriend—back, she must go undercover and expose a military spy. Doesn’t sound too hard, except that someone seems to want her dead. And then there’s the mysterious soldier with a haunted past and beautiful brown eyes. Together, they discover a dark numbers conspiracy, one that shatters the nation’s future. They must band together if they are to survive the dangerous game of numbers—and the terrible war that rages within Treena’s heart.

Interview with Rebecca Rode

Will you tell us about Numbers Game?

Absolutely! In the New Order Republic of America, 16-year-olds are given a Rating, a number that encompasses what they’re worth to society. It determines their career, living conditions, and potential partners. This is the story of Treena, who gets a different Rating than the one she earned. She decides to fight for what is rightfully hers, determined to get her boyfriend back in the process.

Meanwhile, she meets Vance, a mysterious prisoner-turned-soldier who has his own agenda. When someone tries to kill Treena—twice—they uncover a dark conspiracy that risks much more than Treena’s Rating.

Great. You probably get this question a lot, but the concept is so unique that I have to ask—where did you get the idea for Numbers Game?

I love this question! My husband sent me to the bank to finalize the loan on the truck he was buying. I looked at my credit score and thought how strange it was that one number was supposed to incorporate everything about me—my purchase history, how reliable I’d been, whether they could trust me to make payments, that sort of thing. And then I thought how strange it was, that we as citizens are so trusting of the accuracy of that little number, and how important it is in our lives. It spiraled from there—what is someone was manipulating the numbers? What if the number included appearance and intelligence rather than just financial history? It didn’t take long for the plot to unfold in my mind.

What type of reader would like this book?

I tell people that it’s like a thriller version of The Scarlet Letter, but set in the future. With bombs. And kissing. Dystopian fans who like Divergent, Hunger Games, and Matched would love it.

Who is your favorite character and why?

At first, Tali was my favorite. She knows exactly what she wants and doesn’t put up with anything. But now that the book is done, I think Vance has overtaken her as my favorite. The way he sees the world and struggles to survive while torn between two worlds really resonates with me.

What was your favorite part of the writing process? What was the hardest?

I really enjoyed taking an idea and running with it. Once I had the world solidified in my head, it was fun to explore all the different aspects of it—political, social, financial, emotional, etc. I wrote myself into a dozen corners because I was just having too much fun.

The hardest part? Probably the time it took to finish it. When I began writing Numbers Game in 2012, I was also juggling a journalism career and three kids, and then my nonfiction book was accepted for publication, so that took all my remaining hours. When my fourth child was born, everything came to a screeching halt for a while. It wasn’t until Numbers Game won first place in a statewide writing contest in that I decided to buckle down and get serious with it.

Why did you decide to make it a series instead of a stand-alone book?

You know how some authors say that their characters grab hold of the story and steer it in a different direction without their permission? That’s kind of what happened here. It just couldn’t end with this book. There was so much more that needed to be explored. Besides, Treena had a little more growing to do, and I think you’ll love the person that she becomes.

Thanks for joining us. Where can we find out more?

Visit my website at www.AuthorRebeccaRode.com or sign up for my monthly newsletter at http://eepurl.com/bdwUKL. I give away free stuff sometimes, if you’re into that type of thing. But remember, Numbers Game is only discounted on Amazon for a few days, so you may want to snatch it up quick.



About the Author

REBECCA RODE is an award-winning author, journalist, and mother of four. She is the author of the YA dystopian novel, NUMBERS GAME, and the inspirational book, HOW TO HAVE PEACE WHEN YOU'RE FALLING TO PIECES. She also writes for Deseret News, KSL.com, FamilyShare, and Provo Daily Herald. However, her true love is writing for teenagers. She enjoys traveling, reading, and martial arts, and she has a ridiculous addiction  to chocolate-banana shakes. Visit her at www.AuthorRebeccaRode.com.

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Thursday, March 19, 2015

The Darkling Lord by Shona Husk - Excerpt & Giveaway




Book Description

A darkling with a lust for power…
Henry Saint shouldn’t exist. Every year on his birthday, he kills someone and takes their soul so that he may live another year. He is a darkling, not fairy… but not human either. Yet he is bound by the laws of both worlds. With a new King on the throne of Annwyn and the mortal world trying to rebuild after plagues killed so many, Henry seizes the opportunity to carve out a place of his own. He wants Detroit.

A spy without a soul…
Darah was Felan’s spy before he became King of Annwyn. Now he has one last mission for her. He wants her to join the darkling’s Court and discover what Henry’s endgame is. No one trusts the Banished when they gather in great numbers. As Darah gets drawn into Henry’s world she realizes he can give her the one thing she could never find in Annwyn—love. But is love worth betraying her King?

Excerpt:

This time, though, he’d have fairy magic on his side. Or at least in his possession, if not exactly on his side. He glanced at Darah.

“So, Darah, what did you do to end up here?” The cup warmed his hands. Summer was fast becoming a memory as autumn took hold.

She paused, the cup almost to her lips. After being surrounded by humans and the ugly and awkward Greys for so long, her beauty was like a rose growing among the weeds in sidewalk. Something rare that made him pause.

Her tongue darted over her lip. He shivered, unprepared for the spark of lust the thought ignited. He’d spent a long time keeping those kinds of thoughts deeply buried, and he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to release them. Certainly not with a woman he barely knew and didn’t quite trust.

Although to be fair, most of his encounters had involved women for whom kissing wasn’t part of the job. It was safer for everyone, even if it didn’t satisfy the ache. Darklings didn’t get to love. Any human he did love would eventually die. And Greys, he’d tried once. It was easier to go without.

“I stole from the old Queen.”

“If you were exiled before the power shift and the change of Kings, you’d be dead.” All fairies caught on the wrong side of the veil had died, only the Greys had survived because they were already cut off from the magic. “Don’t lie to me.” He wasn’t a mortal fool who knew nothing of Annwyn.

“That wasn’t a lie.” And she sounded offended that he would accuse of stooping so low. That revealed a little more about her; at least she wouldn’t lie to him…merely mislead. “I was a shadow servant for a year and day as punishment. However, the taint of being one of the mad Queen’s ladies has stained my reputation.”

Henry narrowed his eyes. Her words were too careful. She had never once actually said that she was exiled, merely agreed with the assumption. “You aren’t exiled, are you?”

She sipped her soup but didn’t answer. No confirmation or denial. He was taking that as an affirmative.

He leaned back. This one had teeth and cunning; he was going to have to watch her closely. It had been a long time since anyone had roused the thrill of a hunt and the chance of a good game.

Damn his fairy blood for that one too.

“Why Detroit?” He smiled, and plucked some of the bread. It was always made fresh, but it really needed butter.

“I could ask you the same question.”

“Very well, a truthful answer for a truthful answer.” All fairies loved a deal. Was she enjoying the idea of a game as much as he was? How far was he willing to take it? It was a delicate dance and he couldn’t afford to gamble too much, nor get too distracted.

“That’s an acceptable deal.” She smiled and her gaze sharpened.

He exhaled as lust traced a razor edge over his skin. If he mis-stepped, dancing with Darah was going to hurt.

Author Bio


SHONA HUSK is the author of the Shadowlands Series and the Court of Annwyn Series. You can find out more information about Shona and her edgy romances at www.shonahusk.com or follow her on Twitter @ShonaHusk, Facebook www.facebook.com/shonahusk or join her newsletter. 

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Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Author Guest Post - Loribelle Hunt - The Southern Belle's Guide to Witchcraft

I'm pleased to welcome author Loribelle Hunt. Ms. Hunt is a big fan of paranormal creatures (as am I). Here's list of the paranormal beings you'll find within the pages of The Southern Belle's Guide to Witchcraft.

Thanks for letting me visit, Kimber Leigh! I'm thrilled to talk about my new book, The Southern Belle's Guide to Witchcraft. I began writing this book years ago for my mother to combine elements of the fiction she loved. A gift for being so supportive of my efforts over the years to become an author. She read widely and at various times I wasn’t sure if I was writing horror, comedy, gothic, romance, or mystery. Thankfully, it all somehow came together.

One of the suggestions I received for a possible blog topic was a top ten list of my favorite paranormal creatures. I'd have a hard time choosing though. I have a particular love of werewolves (I've written several books featuring them!), but how can narrow down all the possibilities out there to just ten? Luckily, I have an option two. Again, thanks to my mother who also wouldn’t have been able to stick with only ten. Every time she read new parts of the book she had a new suggestion for a creature to add. Several of them made it into the final book. After all, why stop with werewolves and vampires when you can also have demons and elves and whatever else might be fun? So I give you a list of ten types of paranormal characters mentioned in The Southern Belle's Guide To Witchcraft (a couple aren't actually introduced but will be in future books).

1. Witch
2. Werewolf
3. Vampire
4. Demon
5. Elf
6. Dark Fae
7. Brownie
8. Ghoul
9. Ghost
10. Dwarf

About Loribelle Hunt

Loribelle Hunt is a beach bunny at heart, but in a pinch she’ll settle for a pool. An Atlanta native, the Army relocated her to southern Alabama more years ago than she cares to remember. Since it only snows once every two decades or so, she decided to stay. She lives with her husband of twenty years, their three kids, and way too many English Springer Spaniels. She writes science fiction and paranormal romance often with a Southern accent.


There you have it. In my opinion, the more creatures the merrier :)




Book Description:

There’s a new evil in town, and it’s gunning for Scarlet...

Scarlet Burke isn’t an ordinary witch. She comes from a long line of Burke witches, whose job it is to protect the good folks of Purgatory, Alabama from things that go bump in the night—and things that might slip through the portal in Fool’s Wood. Normally, it’s an easy gig that doesn’t take much time from her day job. Until her ex-husband turns up dead in a ritualistic killing no one recognizes. William, a mundane, had high-tailed it out of town years ago after getting Scarlet’s baby sister pregnant. So why had he come back? Better yet, who (besides Scarlet) had wanted him dead badly enough to lure him to the forest, stake him, skin him, and drain his blood? It wasn’t a vampire kill, but she was damned if she could determine what it was.

Werewolf Jake Mills, the bossy and possessive chief of police, can’t believe anyone in his town could commit such a brutal crime. And Scarlet can’t believe she’s still trying to avoid his advances. Jake has been chasing her for years, and if he wasn’t so charming—and so drop dead sexy—she might try harder to outrun him. Or at least summon a bit of self-control. But the man simply refuses to stay in the “Just Friends” box she’s placed him in.

But when the killer targets Scarlet’s family, ghouls, demons, and dark fae all come under suspicion. And when her daughters become the targets of an ancient dark ritual, Scarlet and Jake are forced to make an impossible choice. Fight evil with evil, or watch Scarlet’s daughters die...

Excerpt:

Although the house wasn’t as haunted as the local kids claimed, it did have a minor spirit hanging about. But it wasn’t a ghost that put Scarlet on edge when she parked her car. One powerless little haint was not the problem. She and the spirit had a deal. As long as it didn’t try to scare anyone into a heart attack, she wouldn’t blast it into oblivion. It sure as heck wasn’t what made her senses tingle with the anticipation of a good fight. She swept a cautious gaze around the lawn before stepping out. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, but that didn’t mean a damned thing in her hometown. Good thing she’d come to check up on the place before her new renter arrived.

Purgatory, Alabama, was a crossroads between worlds. Deep in Fool’s Woods was a portal that connected Earth and another land, Terra. Mirrors of each other, she’d heard it said, yet opposites. She sent back anything unwanted that came through. Well, her and her family, Guardians all.

The small hairs on the back of her neck stood on end when she stepped onto the walk. Something supernatural skulked nearby. She’d known that, but damn it, it was midafternoon and too hot to deal with things that went bump in the night. Though whatever lurked obviously wasn’t limited to darkness.

She took her time approaching the house, letting her senses flare out as she walked. Azaleas created natural boundaries up both sides of a lawn dotted with dogwoods and huge old magnolias. Big terra-cotta pots overflowing with flowering perennials were spaced evenly along the deep front porch. The place was a Southern belle’s dream, built for balls and garden parties. Its utility bills were a cheapskate’s nightmares, though.

Despite the picture-perfect scenery, the prickling on her skin grew as she paced forward. Halfway up the walk, she spotted the culprit, a stout-looking brownie perched under a tree. Unease morphed into irritation in two seconds flat. Damn it, she was wearing a new skirt. And heels. Any other day of the week, she wouldn’t have worn them. She should have known better. Today’s outfit was a far cry from her usual day-job clothes: jeans and sturdy shoes. But it was Monday, which meant a town council meeting, which meant getting lectured by her mother for not taking her duties seriously enough to dress the part. Like she normally went hunting down the creepy-crawlies in anything but jeans and boots?

Too late now. She could hear Momma in her head saying the same way she’d done hundreds of times: as soon as you let your guard down the bogeyman comes out to play. But oh hell no. She was not chasing that little hellion down while wearing heels. Somehow her mother always seemed to pull it off in pearls and fancy shoes and pencil thin skirts, ending victorious with not one hair out of place. Not Scarlet. Even with no chasing she’d probably end up a red-faced, bedraggled mess.

Author Bio:

Loribelle is like the South she calls home. Hot and sultry. Languid and sexy. Magnolias and gardenias scent her silk lined boudoir, and men and children alike bow to her magnificence...



Okay, maybe it isn't quite that glamorous. She does have two smart and lovely daughters who give her a run for her money and a son that will one day be someone's model of a romance hero. (She promises.) Her husband is a real life hero, and Loribelle just tries to keep up with the demands of military life. In between, she writes a book or two. 


She's had every job under the sun, but haven't most writers? That Army military police, bookstore manager, waitress, wedding photographer, website designer experience has to come in useful sometimes. As they say in the South, it all washes out in the end.

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Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Luck of the Irish Giveaway - $250 Cash Prize

Feeling lucky? Head to Vegas!
Yeah, that's not an option for me either :(
Second best option-- enter to win $250 Cash in the Luck of the Irish Giveaway


Luck of the Irish
Luck of the Irish - $250 Cash Giveaway

An Amazing Group of Authors & Bloggers have joined with me to bring you 1 fabulous prize!! Need a little extra luck this year? Here is your chance to win some cash! 1 lucky winner will receive $250 in Paypal Cash!

Sponsor List

Giveaway Details $250 Paypal Cash Ends 3/31/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

The Witch of Painted Sorrows by M.J. Rose - Excerpt & Giveaway

TWoPS RDL Banner
 
 We are absolutely captivated by THE WITCH OF PAINTED SORROWS and so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for M.J. Rose's amazing new novel. THE WITCH OF PAINTED SORROWS is a historical gothic romantic suspense published by Atria, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Check out the excerpt below, buy a copy for yourself (and a friend!), then check out the giveaway M.J. Rose is holding to celebrate the release!!

The Witch of Painted Sorrows - cover


Excerpt:

Four months ago I snuck into Paris on a wet, chilly January night like a criminal, hiding my face in my shawl, taking extra care to be sure I wasn’t followed.

I stood on the stoop of my grandmother’s house and lifted the hand-shaped bronze door knocker and let it drop. The sound of the metal echoed inside. Her home was on a lane blocked off from rue des Saints-Pères by wide wooden double doors. Maison de la Lune, as it was called, was one of a half dozen four-story mid-eighteenth- century stone houses that shared a courtyard that backed up onto rue du Dragon.

I let the door knocker fall again. Light from a street lamp glinted off the golden metal. It was a strange object. Usually on these things the bronze hand’s palm faced the door. But this one was palm out, almost warning the visitor to reconsider requesting entrance.

The knocker had obsessed me ten years before when I’d visited as a fifteen-year-old. The engravings on the finely modeled female palm included etched stars, phases of the moon, planets, and other archaic symbols. When I’d asked about it once, my grandmother had said it was older than the house, but she didn’t know how old exactly or what the ciphers meant. Where was the maid? Grand-mère, one of Paris’s celebrated courtesans, hosted lavish salons on Tuesday, Thursday, and many Saturday evenings, and at this time of day was usually upstairs, preparing her toilette: dusting poudre de riz on her face and décolletage, screwing in her opale de feu earrings, and wrapping her signature rope of the same blazing orange stones around her neck. The strand of opal beads was famous. It had belonged to a Russian empress and was known as Les Incendies. The stones were the same color as my grandmother’s hair and the high- lights in her topaz eyes. She was known by that name—L’Incendie, they called her, The Fire.

We had the same color eyes, but mine almost never flashed like hers. When I was growing up, I kept checking in the mirror, hoping the opal sparks that I only saw occasionally would intensify. I wanted to be just like her, but my father said it was just as well my eyes weren’t on fire because it wasn’t only her coloring that had inspired her name but also her temper, and that wasn’t a thing to covet.

It wasn’t until I was fifteen years old and witnessed it myself that I understood what he’d meant.

I let the hand of fate fall again. Even if Grand-mère was upstairs and couldn’t hear the knocking, the maid would be downstairs, organizing the refreshments for the evening. I’d seen her so many nights, polishing away last smudges on the silver, holding the Baccarat glasses over a pot of steaming water and then wiping them clean to make sure they gleamed.

Dusk had descended. The air had grown cold, and now it was beginning to rain. Fat, heavy drops dripped onto my hat and into my eyes. And I had no umbrella. That’s when I did what I should have done from the start—I stepped back and looked up at the house.

The darkened windows set into the limestone facade indicated there were no fires burning and no lamps lit inside. My grandmother was not in residence. And neither, it appeared, was her staff. I almost wished the concierge had needed to open the porte cochère for me; he might have been able to tell me where my grandmother was.

For days now I had managed to keep my sanity only by thinking of this moment. All I had to do, I kept telling myself, was find my way here, and then together, my grandmother and I could mourn my father and her son, and she would help me figure out what I should do now that I had run away from New York City.

If she wasn’t here, where was I to go? I had other family in Paris, but I had no idea where they lived. I’d only met them here, at my grandmother’s house, when I’d visited ten years previously. I had no friends in the city.

The rain was soaking through my clothes. I needed to find shelter.

But where? A restaurant or café? Was there one nearby? Or should I try and find a hotel? Which way should I go to get a carriage? Was it even safe to walk alone here at night?

What choice did I have?

Picking up my suitcase, I turned, but before I could even step into the courtyard, I saw an advancing figure. A bedraggled-looking man, wearing torn and filthy brown pants and an overcoat that had huge, bulging pockets, staggered toward me. Every step he took rang out on the stones.

He’s just a beggar who intends no harm, I told myself. He’s just look- ing for scraps of food, for a treasure in the garbage he’d be able to sell.

But what if I was wrong? Alone with him in the darkening court- yard, where could I go? In my skirt and heeled boots, could I even outrun him?

Necklace

Make sure you visit M.J. Rose's website to enter to win this gorgeous necklace to celebrate her release!


THE WITCH OF PAINTED SORROWS

Synopsis: Possession. Power. Passion. New York Times bestselling novelist M. J. Rose creates her most provocative and magical spellbinder yet in this gothic novel set against the lavish spectacle of 1890s Belle Époque Paris.

Sandrine Salome flees New York for her grandmother's Paris mansion to escape her dangerous husband, but what she finds there is even more menacing. The house, famous for its lavish art collection and elegant salons, is mysteriously closed up. Although her grandmother insists it's dangerous for Sandrine to visit, she defies her and meets Julien Duplessi, a mesmerizing young architect. Together they explore the hidden night world of Paris, the forbidden occult underground and Sandrine's deepest desires.

Among the bohemians and the demi-monde, Sandrine discovers her erotic nature as a lover and painter. Then darker influences threaten--her cold and cruel husband is tracking her down and something sinister is taking hold, changing Sandrine, altering her. She's become possessed byLa Lune: A witch, a legend, and a sixteenth-century courtesan, who opens up her life to a darkness that may become a gift or a curse.

This is Sandrine's "wild night of the soul," her odyssey in the magnificent city of Paris, of art, love, and witchery.

Witch small teaser

"Haunting tale of possession." —Publishers Weekly

"Rose's new series offers her specialty, a unique and captivating supernatural angle, set in an intriguing belle epoque Paris — lush descriptions, intricate plot and mesmerizing storytelling. Sensual, evocative, mysterious and haunting." —Kirkus

"Mixes reality and illusion, darkness and light, mystery and romance into an adult fairy tale. [Rose] stirs her readers curiosities and imaginations, opening their eyes to the cultural, intellectual and artistic excitement that marked the Belle Epoque period. Unforgettable, full-bodied characters and richly detailed narrative result in an entrancing read that will be long savored."—Library Journal (Starred Review)

TWoPS Teaser 1


Author photoAbout M.J. Rose: New York Times Bestseller, M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother's favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice... books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it.

Rose's work has appeared in many magazines including Oprah Magazine and she has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, WSJ, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Reincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and currently serves, with Lee Child, as the organization's co-president.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Secrets & Doors Anthology Benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation




First, let's introduce you to all these fantastic authors!


ANGELA HARTLEY spent much of her childhood being shuffled from house to house with only books for companionship. The magic she found in the written word saved her in many ways, transporting her into worlds far more enjoyable than the one she resided in. Literature became a passion and the idea of writing carried her through years of uncertainty. Following her father’s tragic death in 2005, she decided it was time to let go of the past and pursue her dreams. With the love and support of her family, she’s built worlds of her own full of procreating angels and demon rock stars. Her debut New Adult horror novel, Copper Descent, was released through Fox Hollow Publications in May 2014. Angela currently resides in Midway, Utah with her three children and husband.

www.angelahartley.blogspot.com



TERRA LUFT is a speculative fiction writer and prolific blogger. An overachiever by nature, she
tackles every project with coffee and sarcasm and believes all rules exist to be broken. She works full-time by day and writes by night, always searching for that ever elusive work/life balance people tell her exists. She lives in Utah with her husband and two daughters, their naughty dog, and a cat who stole her heart.
www.terraluft.com   





CHRISTINE HAGGERTY, author of The Plague Legacy series, grew up in rural Utah with three brothers, a sister, several chickens, a goat, and an outhouse. She always loved the escape of fantasy and the art of writing, and her life's passion is to craft stories of strength and survival. As a former high school language arts teacher and a black belt in karate, Christine has found a niche
combining both skills to help authors write effective fight scenes.

www.christinehaggertyauthor.com




MERIANN BOXALL resides in the mountains of Northern Utah with her husband and two children.
A work-at-home mom she has a Master’s degree in Business Administration. She finds herself teaching college courses online and writing grants for nonprofit organizations. Growing up in a small town rich with culture she developed a love for the art of storytelling. She is an avid reader who loves being outdoors, boating, and trail-running in the mountains that surround her home.
www.meriannboxall.com



C. R. ASAY joined the Utah National Guard at the age of seventeen. After spending time in the 625th Military Police Corp she transferred to the 19th Special Forces group as a counterintelligence agent. She retired from the military after marrying her best friend, and graduated from college so that she could embark on the most exciting adventure of all; being a
mom. The short story version of her first novel, Heart of Annihilation, earned an honorable mention from the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future contest. C. R. Asay currently resides in West Jordan, Utah, with her husband, four children, and a dog. There is always a dog. www.crasay.com


MICHAEL DARLING has been a butcher, a cartoonist, and an award-winning magician. He fell in A Wrinkle in Time. The synergistic mingling of words, art, theater, and magic have led to many projects in the years since. Michael’s fiction was first published in college and his non-fiction has appeared in the book Teach by Magic and MAGIC Magazine. Death by Magic and The Mystery of Dr. D’Arq have been produced for the stage along with radio scripts for The Faith and Families Report that aired in more than 80 markets worldwide. As an actor and singer, Michael has appeared in more than 15 plays and musicals. As Michelangelo, he has entertained audiences with his own brand of magic and illusion in hundreds of shows and has appeared with the Utah Symphony and toured with Odyssey Dance Theatre’s Thriller production. Michael is currently working magic with an urban fantasy novel as well as an epic fantasy series for young adults. His short stories have been accepted for publication in 2015.
love with science-fiction after reading Madeleine L'Engles’ 




JOHNNY WORTHEN is the tie-dye wearing author of the nationally acclaimed young adult paranormal Eleanor, the Unseen, and the adult occult thriller, Beatrysel, and Dr. Stuart's Heart. His short story, The Point, appears in the Dark Fiction anthology Little Visible Delight, and look for his genre-bending comedy noire, The Finger Trap in 2015. Trained in modern literary criticism and cultural studies, Johnny writes upmarket multi-genre fiction. “I write what I like to read,” he says. “That guarantees me at least one fan.” Johnny lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with his wife and sons.


SAM MCCLENDON is a world championshipmartial artist and Science Fiction/Fantasy enthusiast.
Having survived cancer, he now pursues his dream of becoming a published writer, and works to help build a community of support for aspiring writers in Utah. Currently living in Salt Lake City, Utah, he works in the IT field for a local software company

LEHUA PARKER is the award-winning author of the MG/YA series the Niuhi Shark Saga: One Boy, No Water; One Shark, No Swim; and One Truth, No Lie. Originally from Hawaii and a graduate of The Kamehameha Schools, Lehua is currently an author, book doctor, public speaker, soccer mom, and playwright. An advocate of literacy and indigenous cultural narratives, you can find her at www.LehuaParker.com, lurking on Facebook when she should be finishing her next novel, or folding laundry.

JESSICA PARKER is a fantasy author currently working on a fairytale series. Her adventures in the
written word have occurred as long as she can remember; reading stories of dragons, magic, romance, and the power of one person inspired Jessica to write stories of her own. Aside from reading and writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, camping, swimming, movies and cooking.







ADRIENNE MONSON is the award winning author of the Blood Inheritance trilogy and a paranormal Regency novella, Eyes of Persuasion. She resides in Utah with her husband and two children where she works on more stories to share with the world. She also enjoys reading, kickboxing, and cooking.

The Editor
CALLIE STOKER gained a love for stories early in life. Her first favorite series was The Indian in the Cupboard. The idea of a boy's toy coming alive in a magic cupboard gripped her imagination and never let go. In the past decade, Callie has honed her editing skills by studying the writing craft and defining the elements that make a story work. She can read any story, any rocky first draft, and provide the first aid it needs to live off the page, and resonate in the minds of readers. She works with new writers and published authors by treated editing as an opportunity to teach and encourage, instead of just correct. Her business, The Manuscript Doctor, offers several services dedicated to help stories at every stage reach their potential and change their readers forever.

The Cover Designer
FAUN JACKSON began her career in photography when her four children were young. She has been involved in multiple art forms for 21 years, and her extensive training and experience as an artist has allowed her to transform her photographs into works of art. She and her husband enjoy living in a beautiful Southern Utah town, and are the grandparents of four children. Faun continues to develop her talents and establish her career in fine art photography.

The Publisher
JOSHUA ROBERTSON, CRIMSON EDGE PUBLISHING COMPANY, is a small publisher specializing in Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopian Fiction, Horror, and Tabletop Game Guides. It is our mission to publish quality, progressive fiction to meet the literary needs of the book community. It is our goal to adapt and evolve with market trends and competition, pursue effective communication with our authors, and provide exceptional service that will ensure our clients and readers are satisfied. Please check out our website to learn more and to check out our other publications. 
www.crimsonedgepublishing.com


Awesome, right? Now for the book:

Synopsis:

Open the door and unlock the secrets in eleven short stories from The Secret Door Society, an organization of fantasy and science fiction authors dedicated to charitable work. All proceeds from this anthology benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in their quest to cure Type One Diabetes (T1D).

In these pages you’ll discover a modern woman trapped in an old fashioned dreamscape, a futuristic temp worker who fights against her programming, a beautiful vampire’s secret mission disrupted by betrayal, a sorcerer’s epic battle against a water dragon, the source of magical mirrors—and more. There are tales for every science fiction and fantasy taste, including new works from award-winning authors Johnny Worthen, Lehua Parker, Christine Haggerty, and Adrienne Monson.
Join us in the fight against T1D as you peek into a world of magical and mysterious doorways—if you dare.


Room 517 
By: Angela Hartley Head
strong, quirky Elise is always leaping before she looks. This time she’s landed on an accidental time-travel adventure. Running from her controlling ex (who also happens to be a wizard), she discovers what put the ‘evil’ in medieval, and that snakes are always better as handbags. Join Elise on this wacky journey of self-realization, and you too will unlock her secret.

Reflection 
By: Terra Luft
Jadayell is devoted to abolishing the ban on reflections, but her family is responsible for upholding it and protecting the real reasons behind it. In her quest to satisfy her personal desires, she uncovers a secret with the power to destroy the world. Will she choose the greater good of the people, or her own selfish needs?

Simple Magic 
By: Christine Haggerty
After Soria and her companion are sent by one of the Five Elders to the earth’s surface to kill a human family, Soria discovers that a deeper secret lies beneath the command.

The Red Portal 
By: MeriAnn Boxall
Isabelle is tired of hiding what makes her unique. She is ready to stand out and stand up. As the Princess of Aylan it is her duty to lead her people by exposing the biggest lie of all. In order to do so, she must face her past and her mother’s abandonment head on. What she discovers may be more than her kingdom can handle.

Good Enough to Die For 
By: C.R. Asay
Molly, an unwanted shelter dog, is given a second chance when she bonds with a lady, carrying the tangy scents of otherworldly fear.

Temp 
By: Michael Darling
A futuristic temp worker finds romance and a terrible secret in her new crew. To preserve the truth that could change her life, she’ll have to overcome the programming used by the UP corporation to control her. But the price may be more costly, and personal, than she bargained for. True Sight




Pick up an eBook of Secrets & Doors here   

And it will be available soon in paperback here

 Follow along to find out fun facts about the Authors and to get sneak peaks into the book.






Inside Peek!

Inside look at Secrets & Doors

The Red Portal
By: MeriAnn Boxall


Isabelle is tired of hiding what makes her unique. She is ready to stand out and stand up. As
the Princess of Aylan it is her duty to lead her people by exposing the biggest lie of all. In order
to do so, she must face her past and her mother’s abandonment head on. What she discovers
may be more than her kingdom can handle.

Excerpt:
“We were once a great, happy people. We had freedom. We had courage. I want to bring that
back. Today, I return that to you by bringing back what we thought was lost.” I looked around,
“Mother?”

Unique Thing
MeriAnn loves pushing herself to the limits through trail running and an Ironman Triathlon laterin 2015.

Room 517
By Angela Hartley


Head-strong, quirky Elise is always leaping before she looks. This time she’s landed on an
accidental time-travel adventure. Running from her controlling ex (who also happens to be a
wizard), she discovers what put the ‘evil’ in medieval, and that snakes are always better as
handbags. Join Elise on this wacky journey of self-realization, and you too will unlock her
secret.

Excerpt:
“Kill the witch! Kill the witch!” Villagers chanted. They gathered around the house.
Great! Now they resorted to name-calling. Really mature. So I did what any strong, capable
twenty-year-old would in my position. I opened the window and shouted. “Seriously?!”


Interesting author tidbit:
Room 517 was my first attempt at writing humor, but Diabetes is no laughing matter for me.
My oldest daughter has lived with Type 1 for over 9 years. She’s my hero and my heart.

True Sight
By: Jessica Parker


Rothe has strived for twenty years to complete the spell to fix everything. Summoning a
dragon to gain the final ingredient is only the beginning.

Excerpt:
A loud sucking noise sounded from below. Rothe hurried to the cliff edge to see
a whirlpool opening a doorway into the ocean depths. A dark shadow shifted
under the surface and Rothe moved away from the edge.
 
Interesting tidbit:
I have insulin resistance. While not the same as diabetes, many of the effects are
similar. That being said, it hasn't stopped me from enjoying the outdoors where
I drew inspiration for my story. I'm happy to support such a great cause


Tour Schedule:

March 12
March 13
March 14
March 15
March 16
March 17