Monday, April 13, 2015

Spotlight Among Friends

We're creeping up on conference next week (Pikes Peak Writers Conference, for which I volunteer), so today I thought I'd just spotlight a couple friends' books. This is my last post until after conference.

I should be posting as usual by Wednesday, the 29th (if not Monday, the 27th, but we'll see if I'm conscious enough to put together a post then).

This isn't an official blog tour.

Today I'm giving you a quick peek at Alex J. Cavanaugh's recent release, Dragon of the Stars, Ashley Hodges Bazer's newest, Once Upon a Heist, Jennie Marts' cover reveal for Tucked Away, and Chris Mandeville's cover for Seeds. So we've got science fiction, a fairy tale, romance, and a post-apocalyptic adventure.


The ship of legends...

The future is set for Lt. Commander Aden Pendar, son of a Hyrathian Duke. Poised to secure his own command and marriage to the queen’s daughter, he’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

But when the Alliance denies Hyrath’s claim on the planet of Kavil and declares war on their world, Aden finds his plans in disarray. Entrenched in battle and told he won’t make captain, Aden’s world begins to collapse. How will he salvage his career and future during Hyrath’s darkest hour?


One chance remains–the Dragon. Lost many years prior, the legendary ship’s unique weapon is Hyrath’s only hope. Can Aden find the Dragon, save his people, and prove he’s capable of commanding his own ship?

Now available for purchase at Amazon on Kindle and in paperback. Find more information at Alex J. Cavanaugh's blog.


Emberly is a simple girl, leading a simple life of servitude to her stepmother and stepsisters. But when her friend Gwyn shows up at her doorstep, proposing a scheme that would free her and a ragtag bunch of fairy tale heroines from their unsatisfactory lives, Emberly accepts.

Their mission? Steal jewels from the kingdom’s six princes.

Each heist involves danger and mystery, and soon Emberly discovers a secret that could finally free the kingdom of Paladia from the clutches of evil queen Venefica. Or utterly destroy them all.

Now available in e-book and paperback from Amazon. Get more information at Ashley Hodges Bazer's website.



Forty-eight years after a catastrophic solar event destroys all life and technology on the planet’s surface, nineteen-year-old Reid Landers lives in the old NORAD facility deep inside Cheyenne Mountain with other descendants of Originals, barely subsisting on canned food and rats. For all they know they are the last hundred souls on Earth...until Reid meets the first stranger he has ever seen, a stranger with a grown apple. This catapults him on a journey to California to find seeds for his people, an adventure fraught with skin-carving pirates, twisted missionaries, and mercenaries on Rollerblades. Even if Reid can outwit the despot leader of “Lost" Angeles and resist the siren’s song of a beautiful con artist, there may not be any seeds left to find. And his people—including the woman he secretly loves—might not take him back.

Available for pre-order at $.99 through the 18th, at which time the price increases. Kindle and paperback (obviously, discount price is only for e-book) via Amazon. For more information, visit Chris Mandeville's website. Release date April 18.



Sometimes you find what you need in the most unlikely places...

Charlie Ryan's cheating fiancé left her with a broken heart and even broker bank account. She's hit rock bottom, but everything is about to change. Suddenly, she's inherited a Montana farm named Tucked Away from a grandmother she never knew existed. A fresh start is just what she needs - and no men in her future this time, even if the local vet is as hot as a Montana summer.

Zack Cooper is content with his simple life. Running his veterinary practice and raising his daughter are enough to keep him busy, and he doesn't need a high-maintenance city girl like his ex who plans to sell her grandma's ranch and split faster than a setting sun. So why can't he stop thinking about Charlie and her hot-pink cowboy boots...and the way her eyes say she wants to stay while her lips tease him with plans of leaving?

Just when both start to believe love might be worth the risk...one night will change everything.

Available for pre-order on Kindle and paperback from Amazon. Release date April 28. For more information, visit Jennie at her website.

All of these folks except for Alex J. Cavanaugh are Colorado Springs authors, who I will be seeing at the conference next week!

What do you think of these covers? Don't these stories sound good? Are you attending any conferences this year?

May you find your Muse.





19 comments:

A Beer for the Shower said...

Already have Alex's book, and so cool to see Chris's book finally come to life. We're not attending any conferences this year, but I assume we'll probably be the unintentional hosts of an intervention at some point.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks, Shannon! Appreciate that.
Cool you'll be seeing the other authors at the conference next week.

Michelle Wallace said...

I already won Alex's book a while back. Now the problem is finding time to read...
Have fun at the conference, Shannon!

Unknown said...

Loved the Jennie Marts cover, with the faces tantalisingly hidden. ps I think my muse at the moment is as tired as I am :0)

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Have fun at the writing conference. I'm sure you'll share some good info.

Susan Kane said...

the covers are excellent! Alex's book must be wonderful, since that is the way he writes.
Have success at the writing conference.

Tyrean Martinson said...

Those covers and blurbs are all excellent! I don't have a writing conference figured out this year - I keep looking for one that will fit in my budget and the "big" one in the region is $500 for a weekend, which is out of range for me at the moment.

klahanie said...

Hey Shannon!

Great news about my starstruck fan, Alex. Nice covers and thoughtful burps, sorry, blurbs.

Have a good time at the conference. I shall be attending the "Shannon appreciation" conference, scheduled for the beginning of May. That would be after that stupid alphabet challenge finally ends, forever!

Gary

Liz Blocker said...

Congrats to Alex, Ashley, Jennie, and Chris! What a great idea for a post :) Have fun at the conference!!

Shannon Lawrence said...

I have yet to grab a copy of Chris's book. Missed her signing this weekend. It's selling like hotcakes, though.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Too bad you couldn't be there, too.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Oo, congrats on winning a copy! Yes, it's the finding time to read that's the problem.

Shannon Lawrence said...

I figure when the muse is that tired, it's time to do some reading under a blanket with some hot tea. I do like that the faces are hidden. It lets you create your own image of the characters.

Shannon Lawrence said...

I had fun and got thoroughly exhausted on a daily basis!

Shannon Lawrence said...

Oh, I'm sure it is! It's on my TBR pile. (The figurative e-pile).

Shannon Lawrence said...

Writing conferences are so expensive. I'm able to do this one annually because I volunteer with them, though they're better priced than others I've looked at. I got some good advice from someone on looking at fan cons that are writer-centric, as well. Those typically run about $40 for a weekend, and you still get useful information and elbow-rubbing time with other authors.

Shannon Lawrence said...

So how was the Shannon Appreciation Conference?

Shannon Lawrence said...

It's a good time of year to release books, I guess! I didn't want to skip posting entirely, so thought I'd use it to spread the word for some friends.

klahanie said...

Ah, Shannon, the conference is ongoing. Nobody wants to leave. Your thrilled beyond belief fans are chanting for you to come on stage for yet another encore.