Thursday 30 June 2016

Goodbye Blogger, Hello Wordpress!

Yes, the title says it all– I'm moving from this blog to a brand new website. I'm still having challenges with Wordpress, so it's safe to say that what I've uploaded won't be the final website. I'd like to add a bunch of other features but as I've learned recently, Wordpress is very stubborn about what you can't and can't do.

Anyway, the site is cleaner and a lot more organized, and I'm happy with it design wise! Check it out below!


I will be keeping the blog open to redirect traffic, and potentially open my book shop. Once I understand more of what I have to do (website creation is not my forte), I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks for stopping by this final time!

Cheers!

Amy

Monday 27 June 2016

Weekly Recap

Last week got a little crazy near the end, what with edits coming back, a new website being made, and news about a future short story collection, and while I didn't exactly get everything completed, I passed the major obstacles:

• Format Midnight Sky for print and order author copies
• Complete and launch website (Completed but launch date is hesitant)
• Plot remaining books for the Iron Gargoyle series (create a map)
• Minor plot alterations and continue writing The Iron Gargoyle
• Edit Storm of the Gods 
• Make list of publishers accepting new authors and sending queries for Storm of the Gods 


This week, I'm determined to cross off the remaining items on my list:

• Launch website
• Plot remaining books for the Iron Gargoyle series (create a map)
• Continue editing Storm of the Gods (finish first chapter)
• Make list of publishers accepting new authors and sending queries for Storm of the Gods

Yes, it's time to keep forging ahead. I'm still working out the kinks for my new website (tentative launch on Thursday), and I'd like to assume the Iron Gargoyle series will be plotted out soon. I want to say that Chapter One of Storm of the Gods will be edited by the end of the week, but there's a lot to be done. Not that I'm complaining. Editing is a key part in being an author, and I actually kind of like doing it since once it's over, I know that my story is stronger and more polished. 

Damnation's Door has mostly winded down in terms of promotion, though it will still pop up on Kindle and Kobo for deals from time to time. I'm also thinking about doing a giveaway when my new website launches.  



Demons are free. Angels are fallen. Hope is dying...

Constance Ramirez and her adopted sister, Andromeda, have stopped Lucifer’s plan– They have closed the Heaven Gate and kept the demons out. But their choice came with brutal consequences, and now every angel on earth is trapped in their mortal body.

All that remains is closing the Hell Gate and establishing a balance once and for all. That means returning to the city of Constance’s nightmares, which has become a haven for murderers and monsters. But even more dangerous than their hunt is that Andromeda’s powers and instincts are turning darker, and this time Constance doesn’t know how to protect her.

Constance is ready to fight for her life, but her enemies have plans she can’t begin to imagine, and they’re prepared to make her suffer...

Trust is lost and hearts are broken in the epic conclusion in Amy Braun’s Cursed trilogy...



Buy it here:



***
Starting this weekend, I'm going to work on promoting Dark Sky and its sequel, Midnight Sky.


There are secrets, there are betrayals, and there are sacrifices… 

The Behemoth has been destroyed, and the bloodthirsty Hellions seem to have left Westraven. But Claire Abernathy’s mind is not at ease. A terrible disease plagues her sister, appearing to have been brought on the Vesper, the leader of the Hellions beyond the tear between worlds– the Breach.

To save Abby and stop the Hellions for good, Claire must find the machine her parents built before the attacks, and fix it before the monsters return. To do so, she needs the help of her crew, and must ignore the secrets and rivalries between her captain and the man she saved.

Because the Hellions are not the only dangers following Claire. Twisted humans and old enemies surface to stop her and destroy all she loves. While she is determined to endure the trials, a single betrayal could shatter the hope of a better world, and force Claire to make a choice that will cost her dearly…





Preorder Links

Kindle | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Smashwords | Goodreads


Book bloggers interested in promoting/learning more about Crimson Sky and/or Midnight Sky can now signup for reviews and/or the release day blitz and blog tour:




Onto other writing news. Last week, Mocha Memoirs Press, my first professional publishers, emailed me with plans to combine four of my short stories– Call From The Grave, Hotel Hell, Lost Sky, and the upcoming Engineered Deceit into a single collection called The Shadow Omnibus! I'm jumping all over myself with excitement for this, and couldn't be more thrilled about the September release. I think it'll be a great way to not only promote myself as an author, but to help promote the Dark Sky series since two of the stories in the collection coincide with it. 
And that's what's happening! Hopefully Thursday's post will be on my new website, but regardless, I'll keep everyone posted about what's going on. Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers!

Amy

Saturday 25 June 2016

Sunday Snippet: "I couldn’t leave her trapped in her nightmare."


It's Sunday, which means it's time for Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly blog hop where indie authors get to share their work in 8-10 sentences. This will be the last 8Sunday snippet I post for Damnation's Door (Midnight Sky will start next week), and it was tricky to pick a final teaser, but I thought I'd pick something exciting, dangerous, and of course, cliff-hanger-y:

I couldn’t see Dro, and with a broken ankle, there was no way I could get back up the stairs to her without being set on fire.

The flames wouldn’t hurt her, but I couldn’t leave her trapped in her nightmare. She wasn’t in danger, but she was trapped in a different kind of torture.

A trap that only Lucifer could create for someone like Dro.

I will destroy you.

No– he didn’t want to hurt Dro. Not after going through so much to find her. I had to believe that. I couldn’t imagine he would try to kill her.

But now the thought was there, and it wouldn’t fucking leave.


Demons are free. Angels are fallen. Hope is dying...

Constance Ramirez and her adopted sister, Andromeda, have stopped Lucifer’s plan– They have closed the Heaven Gate and kept the demons out. But their choice came with brutal consequences, and now every angel on earth is trapped in their mortal body.

All that remains is closing the Hell Gate and establishing a balance once and for all. That means returning to the city of Constance’s nightmares, which has become a haven for murderers and monsters. But even more dangerous than their hunt is that Andromeda’s powers and instincts are turning darker, and this time Constance doesn’t know how to protect her.

Constance is ready to fight for her life, but her enemies have plans she can’t begin to imagine, and they’re prepared to make her suffer...

Trust is lost and hearts are broken in the epic conclusion in Amy Braun’s Cursed trilogy...



Buy it here:



***
There will be a few more sales and promos for Damnation's Door and the Cursed series over the next few days, but I'm also going to dive deeper into the Dark Sky world due to the upcoming release... 


There are secrets, there are betrayals, and there are sacrifices… 

The Behemoth has been destroyed, and the bloodthirsty Hellions seem to have left Westraven. But Claire Abernathy’s mind is not at ease. A terrible disease plagues her sister, appearing to have been brought on the Vesper, the leader of the Hellions beyond the tear between worlds– the Breach.

To save Abby and stop the Hellions for good, Claire must find the machine her parents built before the attacks, and fix it before the monsters return. To do so, she needs the help of her crew, and must ignore the secrets and rivalries between her captain and the man she saved.

Because the Hellions are not the only dangers following Claire. Twisted humans and old enemies surface to stop her and destroy all she loves. While she is determined to endure the trials, a single betrayal could shatter the hope of a better world, and force Claire to make a choice that will cost her dearly…


Blogger Signups



I'm super excited for this new book, but I'm equally excited for the other projects I'm immersing myself into. My new website is set to launch sometime next week, but the official date has changed. Wordpress is giving me grief with plugins and an online shop because Heaven forbid I choose a .com domain name instead of .org *rolls eyes*. Regardless, it will be up in July! 

I also received news that Mocha Memoirs Press, my first professional publishers, are planning to combine the four short stories I have written for them– Call From The Grave, Hotel Hell, Lost Sky, and the upcoming Engineered Deceit in a single collection called The Shadow Omnibus! It's set for an early September release, and I can't wait to see the final product!


I want to say more, but I'm up past my bedtime (again), and didn't have the best day with my assistant manger. Long story short, she likes to do pointless meaningless tasks that force the rest of us to drown in work that actually has to be done, then gets snippy when she doesn't get her way. Still, I had some chocolate, co-worker support, came home, and got to look at this:


Yup. New books. That I wrote. Can't be upset when I have that.

Be sure to stop by the other amazing Weekend Writing Warriors blogs and leave some love in the comments! Cheers!

Amy

Review: Drowning In The Dark

When I read the massive Gods and Mortals collection a month or so ago, I came across the first novel in Pippa DaCosta's The Veil series. I liked the story a lot and wanted to see what it was all about. The answer? It's one of the most exciting, fun, kick-ass urban fantasy series' I've read. And I read a lot of urban fantasy. This is the kind of series you kick yourself for skipping out on. I've been speeding through all of the books (just started the fifth and final instalment today), and Drowning In The Dark is by far the darkest in the series, which is saying something. If you're looking for a new urban fantasy series that takes demons and puts them in the new light, trust me, this is what you're looking for. The world-building is unique, the characters are strong and complex, the action is wickedly intense, and the stories are freaking fantastic. Don't miss out on this one.

All these covers are absolutely gorgeous, and there's a bonus one inside the ebooks!
“I wasn’t demon enough to defeat my brother before. Things have changed.”

As the veil begins to fall, and the demons bleed through onto the streets of Boston, Muse knows the battle is lost before it’s even begun. 

To make matters worse, Adam and the Institute have captured Akil at a time when the city has never needed him more. Muse believes Akil’s incarceration is a ruse, because if he truly is at the mercy of the Institute, she must choose which side she’ll fight for. Human or demon? 

The princes are coming. Valenti, Muse’s immortal half-brother, leads the charge. The Institute is not ready, the people of Boston are not prepared, but one man is. Stefan knows what it will take to beat back the netherworld. Will his demon allow him the freedom to right his wrongs?

Muse’s loyalty will be tested. To save those she loves, she must give up that which she cherishes most. Her humanity.

The Mother of Destruction is about to go nuclear.


***
Our main character, Muse, just can't catch a break, and Drowning In The Dark is no exception to her ongoing struggles. The story kicks off at the speed of sound (as they usually do, a style that I love), and doesn't slow down even when the characters aren't fighting for their lives– and their humanity.

There's so much to talk about, but let's start with the world. I love stories that take their own twist on demon hierarchy, and the version DaCosta takes is one I haven't seen before. It's brutal, violent, and damages those who get to close to it.

Speaking of damaged, Muse is one of the strongest female characters in the genre. Having started from the very, very beginning, it was clear she'd been through hell– literally– and back. Watching her grow as a character into the powerful force she is now is nothing short of breathtaking, and she has never been stronger than she is in Drowning In The Dark. She's packed full of emotions and turmoil, doing what she can to protect those she loves, facing her fears, losing herself to darkness and drawing herself out when to be even stronger than before. I love strong female characters, but they are even more incredible when they're not Mary Sue's. Muse is an epic character, and I'm genuinely going to miss her when the series is over.

I'm also going to miss the side characters– Stefan, Akil, and Ryder. Ryder had a lot more character development, which is great because I love him. A stubborn, tough human you don't want to mess with, I genuinely wanted to know more about him. He better make it to the end! I like Akil a lot, though I don't agree with him as a romantic interest. Yes, he's helped Muse time and time again, and his development was thorough, but in my view, he's betrayed Muse's trust too many times. And Stefan? Stefan I love. I loved him the moment he entered the series, and will likely love him when it's over. He's battled his own demons– literally and figuratively– and has come so far. I find his relationship with Muse, while complicate to say the least, is more genuine and deserves to have its day.

The action is wicked. Muse has formidable enemies, and DaCosta knows her way around a magical action scene. Every battle is visceral and nail-biting, the kind of thing that keeps my eyes glued to the page and begging for more. I can only imagine what the final battle will be like, and I doubt I'll have any nails left when it's done.

There's so much to these books, genuine works of heart that are clearly loved by the author. I fell into them immediately, and will be buying the paperbacks as part of my newly restarted book collection. I could honestly go on on and on about all the things I loved about them, but we'd be heading to major spoiler territory and I don't want to do that. I want urban fantasy lovers to seek this series out, start from the prequel novella, and enjoy the same wild ride that I have. All of DaCosta's other books are now on my To-Be-Read List, and I can't wait to see how she rounds out Muse's adventures.

Amy