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Thursday, December 19, 2013

Sleeper by S. M. Johnston - Blog Tour: Dream Cast and Giveaway

Today is my stop for the Sleeper tour and I'd like to welcome author S. M. Johnston to the blog. Sharon is one of the Aussie Owned and Read girls, and a great friend. Today she's going to tell us about her Sleeper dream cast...

Main Character, Mishca: 
Amandla Stenberg or Keenan Macwilliam: Amandla is a little young at the moment, but in a few years time she’d be perfect. It’d be whether she could do the Aussie accent. My other choice would be Kenan from The Saddle Club, but I don’t think she’s still acting.

Love interest, Ryder: 
Robert Sheehan, but only with his Mortal Instruments haircut and he’d need to beef up just a little and be able to lose the accent.

Second love interest, Colin: 
Ryan Gosling *drools* Originally I had a younger Colin Firth in my mind, but to have him playing the role would be a bit creepy now, too big of an age gap. Ryan Gosling, however, has the right amount of vulnerability and charm. But if I went with an Aussie it would be Joel Edgerton.

The best friend, Nerissa: 
Indiana Evans. She’s got the perfect baby blues and has that sweet, innocent look about her. And by book three, this choice will make a lot more sense.

Ryder’s best friend, Finlay: 
Brenton Thwaites. Finlay is a bit dark and broody, but at the same time he has a wicked sense of humour. I think Brenton’s looks are a good match.

Mishca’s Mum, Alicia Richardson: 
Naomi Watts. It was a tough swap up here between Naomi, Cate Blanchet and Nicole Kidman. Elle McPherson is also a good match.

Mishca's Dad, Tom Richardson: 
Eric Bana. Tom is still in good shape for his age. So while Eric is a bit younger, it can still work.

Ryder’s hot chick friend, Sophitia: 
Abbie Cornish . Sophitia actually has green hair, but I think Abbie can pull it off. She’s also a very sensual being with just a touch of snark.

Ryder’s side-kick, Connor: 
Callan McAuliffe. Not trying to stereotype Callan as a side-kick after I-Am-Number-Four, but he has this innocent nerdy look that is so Connor.

Mysterious hot priest, Markus: 
Chris Hemsworth. He can even keep the long hair to fit in to his Thor filming commitments!

So that’s my wish-list cast for the main characters and supporting characters in Sleeper. A girl can dream.

To check out Sharon's celeb cast picks click the logo to go to her Pinterest board.

http://www.pinterest.com/sharonmjohnston/sleeper-dream-cast/

a Rafflecopter giveaway


About the book:

A new heart should mean new life, not a living nightmare.

Mishca Richardson’s life is at an all-time high after her heart transplant. With new boyfriend, Ryder, the two of them have the perfect summer romance. Even the nightmares that have been plaguing her sleep since her operation can’t dull the high she’s on.

Things start to unravel as Mishca develops superhuman abilities. She does her best to hide them so as not to end up a science experiment in a lab. But she can’t ignore the instant attraction she experiences when she meets her university professor, Colin Reed.

Torn between the blossoming love and the obsession, Mishca must decide if she wants Ryder or Colin. But the organization responsible for her changes and her connection to Colin, is moving to secure Mishca for himself so that she can be the weapon he always intended her to be. If Mishca can’t resist her programming she’ll have a lot more to worry about than romance.


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17837453-sleeper?from_search=true 

http://www.amazon.com/Sleeper-Toy-Soldiers-SM-Johnston-ebook/dp/B00H1IKYXW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1385962411&sr=1-1&keywords=Sleeper
 
About S.M. Johnston:

Sharon is a writer from Mackay in Queensland, Australia who has short stories published in anthologies and was also runner-up in the Australian Literary Review's Young Adult short story contest with KARMA.

By day she is a public relations executive and by night she writes weird fiction and soulful contemporaries while her husband, two sons and cat are fast asleep.


You can stalk Sharon at the following links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

K x

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

COVER REVEAL: True Fate by Shayna Varadeaux

Today I have a very special cover reveal for you because this is a cover that I designed. Yay!

Shayna and I have become good friends over the past few months. She is a very sweet and supportive person, and I am so grateful for everything she has done for me along my self-publishing journey.

Check out the awesome... (but I might be biased).


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18372442-true-fate

Title: True Fate
Author: Shayna Varadeaux
Publication Date: January 6th 2014
Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy

Book Blurb:
Strange things have always happened to Nia, and until now she’s written them off as flukes. At nineteen she has seen her fair share of odd occurrences and just feels lucky.

When Nia unknowingly spoke a prophecy on her eighteenth birthday she freaked out her best friend, Rhea. Nia realizes she needs to find some answers. Rhea makes her promise to go and see her Great Aunt Amarie, but she isn’t sure if her crazy aunt could really help.

Nia finds herself unexpectedly drawn to a stranger and begins dreaming of people who seem to know everything about her. They offer little in the way of information as to how and why. It all feels too real but Nia is unsure, at least until she wakes up with a trinket from the encounter.

When dreams and reality collide Nia will have to face dangers she never knew existed. Ready or not she will have to discover her True Fate.

Author Bio:
Shayna is a happily married mom of three teenagers and a native Texan. She is a highly addicted reader and an avid reviewer with a love for generating buzz for other authors.

“Life is chaos and reading is my relaxation. Writing comes second only to my family and my music. I love playing the bass and singing backup vocals for my husband. A tattoo artist turned author, following my dream and loving it!”

“I am currently writing True Fate, my first YA Paranormal Fiction! I hope to publish by the end of the year or the beginning of next year. Luckily I have my best friend who is also my supportive husband to cheer me on. I'm definitely looking forward to the painful journey of becoming a self-published author!”

Author Links:
Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

K x

Monday, December 16, 2013

COVER REVEAL: Stakeout by Nikki Jefford

I love the Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter series, and Nikki Jefford is one awesome girl. We've become good friends over the past year, even though we're on opposite sides of the world. So when I get a chance to support Nikki, I jump at it.

Now feast your eyes on this totally awesome cover! I think this is my favourite in the series so far.

Stakeout (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter #2.5)


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18269815-stakeout

Publication date: January 14th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Book Blurb:
Noel Harper got a second chance at life when the government recruited her as an undercover vampire informant. Since the day they brought her back from the good-as-dead, she has wanted to prove herself worthy.

When a member of her investigative unit is murdered, Noel is paired up with a vampire hunter named Dante to spy on a suspect in Fairbanks. The problem? They’re not the only ones on stakeout. Taking down murderous vampires is one thing. Dealing with the past is another. But this time, Noel isn’t letting fear win. She’s calling in help from the other side and learns a shocking secret along the way.

STAKEOUT is an Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter novella told from Noel Harper’s POV. Approximately 40,000 words.)

Click the covers to purchase
books 1 and 2 from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Aurora-Sky-Vampire-Nikki-Jefford-ebook/dp/B00AEGD5XY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=    http://www.amazon.com/Northern-Bites-Aurora-Sky-Vampire-ebook/dp/B00E7G0210/ref=la_B00792AE5I_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385958949&sr=1-6


About Nikki:
Nikki Jefford is a third generation Alaskan who found paradise in the not-so-tropical San Juan Islands (Wash.) where she is once more neighbors with Canada in a town without a single traffic light. She loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt.

When she's not reading, writing, working, or out on a nature walk, she's out riding her Suzuki DRZ400SM.

You can stalk Nikki at the following links:
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

K x

Friday, December 13, 2013

15 Days of Christmas Massive eBook GIVEAWAY!



I've joined a stack of Indie authors to bring you a fantastic Christmas giveaway. There are lots of eBooks to win from all of us. Go on! Enter now...

Good luck.

K x

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Indie Life - I Get Knocked Down, But I Get Up Again


Welcome to my Indie Life post for December. This is a monthly feature posted on the second Wednesday of the month and hosted by the Indelibles. The aim is to promote, encourage, and support indie authors.

I actually missed my post for this month, but better late than never!

The past couple weeks have not been good for me for a long list of reasons. I was late to work two days in a row because of the wonderful Sydney traffic (notice the sarcasm there). Immagica was deleted from Goodreads the day before the map reveal and I lost all the adds, ratings and stats. Their answer was, oops sorry! I've emailed a complaint but I'm yet to hear back. I fractured my nose playing netball, so now my face hurts. And lastly, the A3 Immagica map for the giveaway I'm running got damaged in transit and had to be reprinted.

That's a lot of things gone wrong in a short space of time.

But when I sat down and took a deep breath, I realised that it's nothing in the scheme of things. I'm lucky I have a job to go to in the first place. I'm lucky I have supportive fans who banded together and helped spread the word about the mishap with Immagica. I haven't retrieved all the adds the book previously had, but it's getting there. My nose hurts, but at least it was just a crack and not a full-blown crooked break. It's still straight! Swollen and a little bruised, but straight. And my wonderful printer has reprinted the map at no charge.

Some really great things happened as well.

I had the Immagica map printed onto canvas, and it is totally awesome! My illustrator Lawrence Mann is totally awesome as well.


My seven-year-old daughter received a citizenship award at the end of year presentation day yesterday, and I'm so proud of her.

So, even when things go wrong, there is always a positive side.

Has anything happened to you lately that's forced you to look for the good in a bad situation?

Have a great month.

K x

Monday, December 09, 2013

Fantasy Map - Immagica - it's Here!

Over the past few months there have been numerous times when I've felt as if Immagica was never meant to be published. I've had quite a few set backs with this book, and on more than one occasion I've wanted to throw my hands in the air and just let it go. But then I stop and think about all the hard work I've put into this story, and how much I love it, and I can't let it go. I'll see it through even if it kills me.

Today I'm really excited because I'm releasing the Immagica map into the world. To celebrate I'm having a giveaway with some really great prizes. You have to be in it to win it so make sure you enter via the rafflecopter below.

The list of prizes includes:
• An A3 printed Immagica map (yay!)
• A signed paperback of Sacrifice
• $10 Amazon gift card
• Finding Home by Lauren McKellar (eBook)
• Sleeper by S.M.Johnston (eBook)
• Choice of KIYA 1 or KIYA 2 by Katie Hamstead (eBook)
• The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard (eBook)
• Choice of any of Nikki Jefford's titles (eBook)
• What Kills Me by Wynne Channing

My totally awesome illustrator, Lawrence Mann, has once again wowed me with his talent (and patience). So, here it is...


Make sure you click the image to enlarge it.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19281638-immagica




Book Blurb:
Immagica
Where anything is possible.
Enter at your own risk.


The night before her fifteenth birthday, Rosaline Clayton uncovers a deep family secret. She receives an amulet from her deranged father, and he tells her she must find the book in order to save him. Rosaline is used to her dad not making any sense, so she dismisses their conversation as another of his crazy rants.

When Rosaline’s brother, Elliot, drags her to their Nana’s attic to explore, they find the old leather-bound book tucked away in a chest. It sucks them into its pages, transporting them to a magical world. Along the way Rosaline and Elliot are separated, and the only thing she wants is to find her brother and go home.

The creatures of Immagica have other ideas. After years of war their land lies in ruin. Using the amulet’s power, they want Rosaline to defeat the dragon and restore Immagica to its former glory. But Rosaline is bound to Immagica in ways she doesn’t understand, and when she discovers the truth about her family, she must follow her heart to save them all.

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck!

K x

Friday, December 06, 2013

eBook Piracy is stealing, just like shoplifting is stealing

WARNING: this post may spiral into a rant...

I don't usually talk about the negative things that go on behind the scenes of being an Indie author. Complaining about stuff (in public) is not really my style. I like to try and take everything with a grain of salt, move on through the rough patches, and see the good in any given situation. But I feel as if I need to say this...

I'm one of those people that would rather pay the $8 to hire a movie than watch some crappy rip-off for free. Better still, I'll pay the exuberant cinema price to see a movie on the big screen. I'm also the kind of person that loves to hold a CD in my hands, flick through the booklet and read the lyrics.

Most people would argue that there is nothing wrong with piracy. Everyone does it. It's just the way things are now with the internet and the digital age. But I think there is a lot wrong with piracy, and it has unfortunately become an acceptable practice.

The first time I found my book available as a free download, I wanted to cry. I think I actually did cry. Then I emailed a good author friend and asked her what to do. She basically told me that other than emailing them and asking them to remove my book from their website, there was nothing else I could do.

Nothing.

Which sucks.

Because I can't afford to hire a lawyer.

After a while I made peace with the fact that my book was available for free without my consent. On the upside people are reading my work. Maybe they'll like it so much they'll want to pay for a copy, or write a review.

Maybe...

Hopefully...

I also figured that I was one little fish in a gigantic ocean of sharks, and fighting the sharks would get me eaten alive. So, I let it go. It was all good.

Until...

This week I discovered my book was available on another download website FOR SALE!

Now, having your hard work, blood, sweat, and tears distributed for free is one thing, but having someone use your work to make money—money that I will never see—is a totally different ocean.

I'm aware that some of these sites put items up for sale as a farce to steal your credit card details, so I'm asking you—pleading actually—don't buy from any site that isn't reputable. Authors don't distribute their books to dodgy sites that can't even spell or use basic grammar. Big corporations are big for a reason.

I posted on Facebook this week about my experience with eBook piracy. I know by far that I am not the only one affected. My heart breaks for every single author, musician, and artist out there that has, or ever will have, their work ripped off. I also said that if for any reason you can't afford to pay the few dollars to buy my work legitimately, I would gladly gift you a copy. I understand that not everyone is in the position to afford luxuries such as books and movies. Financially the world has been through some tough times. But I'd rather you ask me if you can read my book than use an illegal download website. I'm nice, I won't bite.

I'll finish my rant by saying, ask yourself this...

Would you walk into a bookstore and take a paperback without paying for it?

Would you stick a CD under your shirt and walk out of the store?

Would you take a DVD off the shelf in a department store and walk out without paying?

Piracy is stealing, just like shoplifting is stealing.

Please remember the people behind the work before you make the decision to steal from us.

K x

Monday, December 02, 2013

Giveaway - I'm Celebrating 1000 Facebook Likes and ... Immagica Has a Map!

A few weeks ago I promised my Facebook likers I'd give away a signed copy of Sacrifice when the page reached 1000 likes. Well, that happened on November 22nd, but I've held off until now because I knew I'd have something else really special to share with you all.

My wonderful illustrator, Lawrence Mann, has been working on a map for Immagica. He finished it last week, and I can tell you, it is so fantastic and full of awesomesauce that's bubbling over and running down the sides of the bottle that I wanted to cry tears of joy and happiness. He is so magical when it comes to deciphering the stuff that's in my head.

So, to celebrate both of these amazing events, I have put together a giveaway that is equally as awesome as the map. It will run for two weeks. One week to celebrate reaching 1000 likes, and a second week to celebrate the big map reveal which is happening on December 9th. If you want to be part of the reveal, you can sign up HERE.

Now, for the giveaway. There is a printed copy of the map up for grabs. Yes! I'm giving away the first ever print of this map. Yay! I'm really excited about that.

Plus, there's a heap of other prizes to be won.

Special thanks goes to Lawrence for donating the gift card, and the following authors for donating their awesome books: Lauren McKellar, Katie Hamstead, S. M. Johnston, Laura Howard and Nikki Jefford. Love you girls :)

Go, quick ... enter below.

K x

a Rafflecopter giveaway