Feb 232012
 

Okay. We’re finally ready to announce a winner!

And our winner is….

DAWN!

Who said, “Sounds like an interesting read. Will have to check out her work.

Well, now you can, Dawn! Please email me at: kiara at Waiting for Fairies dot com with your mailing address so that I can get it to the appropriate people. Congratulations!

Full disclosure:

In order to draw the winner of this giveaway, I combined the comments from the two Magic Most Foul posts here and here, in the order in which they were posted. I numbered them from oldest to newest. You cannot see it on the front end, but rest assured I have the time stamps down to the minute here on the back end of things. Then, I had Random.org spit out the following chunk of numbers:

77	69	65	36	3
43	54	2	89	31
75	1	89	97	11
26	62	3	31	83
28	47	31	68	22
32	62	44	39	58
63	100	34	61	33
86	98	87	49	55
53	83	60	94	57
79	73	96	94	37
11	88	59	11	90
2	75	57	61	27
65	58	97	50	75
95	68	71	82	43
64	25	87	66	2
99	78	89	3	97
25	37	100	57	100
4	36	27	18	2
36	4	36	26	37
85	61	93	76	16

Timestamp: 2012-02-23 23:04:36 UTC

The first number that was an actual comment (left to right, top to bottom) was our winner. That was comment#3, which was Dawn. :)

Again, congratulations, and I hope you’ll stop back as we still have more giveaways for you to win! And you still have time to enter the Knits for Nerds Giveaway!

Feb 142012
 

Annnd… Because I’m a huge dork who forgot to include it in the previous post. There is a giveaway attached to the lovely Leanna Renee Hieber’s guest post, sponsored by her Greatness and courtesy of her dear publisher, Sourcebooks Fire.

Giveaway is for one (1) copy of Darker Still and is open to any human person on the planet Earth who leaves a comment either here or on the previous post (I’ll combine them) before midnight in the Eastern (my) time zone on February 19th.  

Thank you all and sorry that didn’t get included on the original posting. February has left me flabbergasted this year.

Sep 242011
 

One week from today, on October 1st, Waiting for Fairies will be hosting Dorchester author L.J. McDonald. She is the author of the Sylph series, consisting of The Battle Sylph, The Shattered Sylph and the recently released Queen of the Sylphs. L.J. will discuss with us how she chooses names for her characters, the likes of which are Solie and Heyou. WFF will also be giving away a download code for a digital copy of Queen of the Sylphs to one lucky commenter – so stay tuned!

If you’ve never heard of L.J. McDonald before, that’s okay. I hadn’t either until I was contacted for this guest blog. Since that time, I’ve read The Battle Sylph, courtesy of Dorchester, and I thought it was pretty darned nifty. This is a fantasy romance about a girl who escapes being used as a virgin sacrifice by a rescue from the very demon whose summoning was supposed to be completed by her death.

Regular readers here will know that if there’s one genre I’m prejudiced against (At least I’m self-aware and working on my flaws, okay?), it would be romance. I find most romance novel plots weak, contrived, and the sugary-sweet HEAs (Happily Ever Afters) nauseating. If you’re like me, I think The Battle Sylphs would be a pleasant surprise. (And if you’re not like me, then you’ll probably enjoy this series even more than I did.)

The world was original; the plot was engrossing. Secondary characters were more than mere cardboard cut-outs. The best part? Reading the series digitally means there are no “man-candy” covers to be embarrassed about if you’re reading in public!

This series reminds me of Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera, with less focus on the military aspects and more on the relationship and human interactions. It also, unexpectedly, says quite a bit about misconceptions and prejudice, if you’re paying attention. And if you’re not, it’s still an entertaining read that left me frankly shocked at how late it kept me up. I’ve come to the conclusion that Dorchester publishes some damned good stuff!

Jul 212011
 

I am insanely late with announcing these winners, since the contest ended on — what? the 14th?

I can only apologize profusely. I forgot. No excuses — I just completely forgot.

So here’s what I’m going to do. I only had 3 comments on this giveaway. So everybody wins!

Christine, Pamela (Spaz), and Blaise please send your mailing addresses to kiara (at) waitingforfairies (dot) com. I will send each of you a copy of Diana Rowland’s wonderful White Trash Zombie  and probably a bonus or two as well. I have some extra copies of things lying around, and you guys deserve it for being so patient.

So get your info to me and I’ll get your prizes out all lightning-like!

Jul 072011
 

My Life As A White Trash Zombie

White Trash Zombie #1

Written: Diana Rowland

Published: July 5, 2011

Publisher: DAW

ISBN: 9780756406752

Obtained via: Purchase

Blurb:

Teenage delinquent Angel Crawford lives with her redneck father in the swamps of southern Louisiana. She’s a high school dropout, addicted to drugs and alcohol, and has a police record a mile long. But when she’s made into a zombie after a car crash, her addictions disappear, except for her all-consuming need to stay “alive”…

My Review:

For a hot pink book featuring a wonderfully white-trashy, Louisianna-bayou-living redneck heroine with a pill addicion, this book has it’s surprisingly deep moments. I loved it to pieces (pun intended).

Underneath the decomposing bodies, blood, and brains is the story of a girl with mentally ill and alcoholic parents who has hit rock bottom via a horrific accident that left her wandering overdosed and naked on the side of a swampy road. A mysterious benefactor has saved her life and gotten her a job at the local morgue (and – oh, yeah – turned her into a zombie!) Except a serial killer starts depriving people of their brains, and Angel suspects a fellow zombie has gone rogue. Since the cops don’t even realize zombies exist, it’s up to Angel to stop the killer. In the meantime, Angel has to deal with a selfish, criminal boyfriend; her alcoholic dad; her own pill addiction; as well as avoid arousing the suspicion of her co-workers as she steals the brains she needs to survive.

Rowland manages to mix the macabre with the sincere in this book, balancing the grotesque with the sarcastic, and the desperate with the ordinary. In case you can’t read between the lines: this book has its revolting and hilarious moments. I mean, we’re talking about a zombie who’s a morgue tech. If you can’t assume we’ll have some blood and guts and some callous disregard for the dignity of corpses, then you probably shouldn’t be reading at all, okay?

This is a fun book, with a bit of depth if you care to look for it. The romance plot line is subtle enough for us anti-romance-ers (okay, me), at least until the bottom of the ninth when it kind of smacks you in the face. But it’s a gentle smack, at least, and I give Rowland props for not using the “in love in less than two days” scenario that so many books do. The “twist” ending isn’t very twisty but it’s enjoyable, if a smidgen on the abrupt side. The book is worth buying just for Dan Dos Santos’ amazing cover (even if it is pink!), but happily the inside is just as yummy as the outside.

I’m going to give it 4 and 1/2 stars, not because it isn’t awesome, but because I think it will get even better as we go along.

Oh, and I almost forgot…. If you’ve read this far, you get a special surprise! I promised the author herself I’d give away two copies of this book on my blog. And I’m fulfilling that promise. Comment on this post if you want entered to win your very own copy of WTZ. Contest closes July 14, 2011 at midnight in the US Eastern time zone. I’ll ship anywhere in the US, mostly because I can print that postage online. (If it requires a trip to the post office, it won’t get done for a very long time. I’m lazy. Sorry. Just ask my previous contest winners!) Note: I don’t care where you actually live, as long as you give me a US address to mail to. If you have a friend who’ll forward it, that’s good enough for me!

“Zombie Super Powers, Activate!”

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Mar 052011
 

My most sincere apologies for being a few days late with this. My Darling Husband, the Artist, had surgery this week so one or two things sort of slipped through the cracks. Here are the winners of our Kiaras Festivus contests:

The winner of spragusj‘s copy of BLACKVEIL:

~ap~

The winners of Leanna Renee Hieber’s giveaway of 1 copy each of STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL:

spragusj

Matt White

And the winner for the copy of N.K. Jemison’s ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS:

Reyna-nana

Winners – please email me your shipping addresses at kiara at waiting for fairies dot com, even if you think I might already have it. Please get them to me by this Monday, March 7th at noon Eastern, or I will chose a backup winner for your contest.

Feb 242011
 

Blackveil cover artKristen Britain’s fourth Green Rider novel, Blackveil, came out February 1. Having now read through it I am extremely happy to have gotten a new novel. Before I get started though, a blurb:

Viewings at a masquerade ball celebration before the King’s wedding give us glimpses of events that may have a huge impact on Sacoridia. Karigan gets sent to Blackveil on a joint Eletian and Sacoridian expedition. Alton meets Karigan’s best friend and minstrel, Estral, and they start making progress on fixing the D’Yer wall. Meanwhile, the Second Empire’s leaders continue to do their utmost to bring about the downfall of Sacoridia.

The High King’s Tomb also introduced Lord Amberhill to us, and he plays an interesting, almost bit part in this novel. I have a feeling he’s going to turn out a big part of this story in the end, but I don’t currently know just how big. He also makes some rather unfortunate decisions in his stint throughout these couple novels.

I also feel I’ve got a bit of a handle on Karigan. She’s bad at relationships. Just about any of them. I can think of only two times when her bad assumptions are not her fault. And she’s decidedly selfish when it comes to some of these things. I know she’s a stubborn girl, but seriously, when you already know you’re lonely, why in the world would you push away your closest friends? That loneliness is part of why I think she makes those bad decisions, but I guess if she made all the right ones all the time, she’d be a less interesting character. I do wish she’d make better decisions at least on occasion! At least she and Stevic made up at the beginning of this one! :D Also, Stevic was finally back in the book! ;)

Another thing I’ve noticed is that Karigan herself seems to be the deus ex machina of these books. I think most of the things she’s done as such have been explained (which I suppose makes her not much of an actual deus ex machina), but I wish we could see more of her out of the box thinking and skills saving the day instead of who she is being the Big Thing.

And the ending. I don’t know if it’s come across in my collection of posts, but endings really help make a book for me. They’re extremely important in making a book feel like a finished product, in particular when the author only comes out with a book once every 4 years or so. (Seriously, 1998, 2003, 2007, and now 2011.) This is the first time I’ve been disappointed. Matter of fact, I very much liked the way the other books ended. Don’t get me wrong, there’s an ending, and even a good one for some of the characters (with high hopes and potential drama insinuated for the next book in those endings), but the very end of Blackveil, with the likelihood of it being another 4 years till the next book definitely leaves something to be desired.

All that being said, I really enjoyed this book! So many things happen (Estora gets to be a badass), and it seems that the world might start being a somewhat less dark place than it seemed in the last couple, though I’m sure there are still many dire straights left in store for our favorite Sacoridians, and I can’t wait until I get to read of their continued exploits! (Please, please let it be less than 4 years.)

Feb 092011
 

Sometime back in 2009, I received a review request via email from an author. She introduced herself quite politely, identified herself as a fellow Southwest Ohioan, and asked that I give her book an honest review. Having less than a year of book blogging under my belt, at that time I never turned down a review (I’ve since learned better), and I readily agreed. I’m sure any book blogger out there could tell you that sometimes these review requests turn out well, and other times they do … not.

This is one of those times that it turned out very, very well and today I’d like to introduce you to her and her beautiful, haunting work.

Meet Leanna Renee Hieber, author of The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker, and the upcoming The Perilous Prophecy of Guard and Goddess (out May, 2011).

Photo: www.taraleigh.com

She is not only an award-winning, best-selling author but also an actress and a playwright. Further, she co-founded Lady Jane’s Salon, a romance fiction reading series in NYC whose proceeds go to organizations that benefit women in need. She is a Renaissance Woman, by talent — although it seems she is Victorian Gothic by temperament.

I won’t re-hash my reviews of her work. You can find them here and here. However, I will say that if you would like a dark Victorian romance with a hefty helping of Greek mythological figures, ghostly hauntings, and dangerous situations then you should give this series a try.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To facilitate that, the author has most generously donated 2 copies of the first book in the series, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker for me to give away. The contest will open today and will end at midnight February 28th. Comment here to enter. Any comment on this post will be an entry. If you’d like an extra entry, follow Leanna Renee Hieber on Twitter. For a second extra entry, like her Facebook page as well. Make sure you note in your comment that you have done these things, so that all your entries can be counted. Winners must have a United States shipping address. (Sorry, international folks.)

For more Gothic Victorian goodness, come back this Friday for my review of Strangely Beautiful #2.5 – the novella A Christmas Carroll. And be sure to check back on Monday, for the crown jewel of our Kiaras Festivus celebration — an exclusive new Valentine’s Day short featuring two of our (okay, my) favorite Guard characters!

Feb 012011
 

A Note From Kiara: This review & giveaway is written and sponsored by one of my dear friends who posts as Spragujs and has been cross-posted with the author’s permission from The Double Phoenix blog. Please stay tuned for the giveaway at the end of this post!

To celebrate Festivus Kiaras, Kiara has asked for some guest reviews.  In honor of my friend’s birthday month and the release of one of my favorite author’s newest books, I’m doing a reread review of the associated series as well as a give away of the newest book.  It will be a hardcover copy that I’ll have read before sending it out, so it’ll be slightly used and you won’t get it in time for the release, but maybe if you haven’t read any of the series yet, this give away will entice you to go out and give the others a shot.  :)  And with no further adieu…

I recently finished rereading Green Rider, the first book in Kristen Britain’s Green Rider series, in preparation for the fourth book, Blackveil, which is coming out today. The blurb:

Karigan G’ladahon has fled from school following a fight which would surely lead to her expulsion. As she makes her way through the deep forest, a galloping horse pounds up to her, its rider impaled by two black-shafted arrows. With his dying breath, he tells her he is a Green Rider, one of the legendary magical messengers of the King, and makes Karigan swear to deliver the message he’s carrying, giving her his green coat, with its symbolic brooch of office. This promise given to a dying man changes Karigan’s life forever. Pursued by unknown assassins, following a path only her horse seems to know, she unwittingly finds herself in a world of deadly danger and complex magic, compelled by forces she cannot understand.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I wish more of my friends had read these books.  I remembered the stories very vaguely as feeling very otherworldly, which was pretty funny to me after reading an article about the upcoming release party for Blackveil, that ”while the stories are fantasies, the characters and settings are not fantastical or otherworldly.  There is an appealing familiarity about them, and they are so convincingly drawn that they could be real.”  I agree, but at the same time still stand by my statement.  The world is extremely vivid and easily imagined.  I think it’s the layer of magic that blankets everything combined with the very easily imagined setting that gives me the otherworldly feeling.  It should feel extremely familiar, but the magic also makes it very different.

Green Rider introduces the reader to the world of Sacoridia and its surrounds, to the characters of the story, and to the idea that there’s a very big story arc coming up in this series.  The characters are great, and even if they do tend to fall to the black and white, they’re still individuals with their own strengths, weaknesses, and personalities.  I’m always impressed that Britain has made me feel for even the briefly mentioned characters when things (often bad) end up happening to them.  Very brief descriptions bring them fully to life.  I will say that her attempts at romance in this novel were a little less than fully developed, but that’s really the only complaint I can think of at this point.  With more novels out, there’s plenty of time for them to become more believable.

I also think that Karigan may be one of the few protagonists I’ve run into that I can remember that wasn’t whiny.  Yes, she starts out pretty spoiled and of course she complains about a few things and makes wishes about others, but not to the point where I’d describe it as whiny.  Just in case that’s a pet peeve for any interested readers out there!  ;)

Check The Double Phoenix soon for a review of book 2, First Rider’s Call!

Another note from Kiara: If you’d like to enter the giveaway for a copy of Blackveil, please leave a comment on this post. Giveaway is open to International readers and will close February 28th at midnight EST. One entry per commenter, regardless of the number of comments left. Winner will be drawn at random.

Feb 012011
 

Hello, darlings, and welcome to the kick-off of my 2nd annual Kiaras Festivus party, also known as “Melissa likes to celebrate her birthday for a whole entire month!”

Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I do. And I’m hoping you’ll be excited to celebrate with me because I have so much awesome stuff in store for you this year! That’s right — as usual, we’re going to be celebrating MY birthday, but YOU’RE the ones who get the presents!

I’ll have some new authors to introduce you to, lots of great reviews, a half dozen or so giveaways, and best of all – NEW fiction from award-winning author Leanna Renee Hieber! That’s right. We’ll have a shiny new short piece featuring my favorite Guard couple going up just in time for Valentine’s Day! I hope you guys get even halfway as excited about this as *I* am right now, ’cause boy am I psyched.

On top of that, our first guest review and giveaway will go up THIS AFTERNOON, so stay tuned.

It’s time to PARTY!

Sep 192010
 

This is the situation: Some guy thinks a rape scene is pornography, and wants to keep the book out of the hands of “impressionable teenagers”.

Myra McEntire has already said everything that I was thinking about on the subject.  (McEntire has a YA of her own, due to be released in May of 2011, which I’ll be putting on my ‘To Get” list based purely on the linked post).

Then I realized that next week is Banned Books Week, and ideas began to form.

You see, Speak was recommended to me nearly a year ago, and I did buy myself a copy, but I’ve still not read it. It’s partly because I have so many other things on my shelf (about 100 at last check) and partly because I sort of have a feeling this book is going to be painful.

I’ve not been through the same events as the main character has, but high school was not easy for me (is it for anybody?) and I don’t revisit those days by choice. There’s a reason most of the YA I’ve read has been fantasy or urban fantasy in nature.

I think it’s time to stop being afraid. So for the next two weeks (through the end of Banned Books Week on October 2nd), I’m going to be reading Speak and discussing it here. I’m not sure what I’ll be talking about, because I haven’t read this book before, but we’ll all think of something.

On top of that, and in support of Laurie Halse Anderson and this book, I’m going to be running a giveaway. Comment on this post before 12:01 am EST on October 2nd and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a copy of Speak. And I’ll ship it anywhere The Book Depository delivers.

Jun 132010
 

I apologize for the delay, as I said I would draw the winner on Tuesday. And I completely forgot.

This is what working 6 days/50 hour weeks at Ye Olde Day Job (henceforth to be known as YODJ) does to me.

To choose the winner, I numbered each entrant’s comment (skipping over any replies). By my count, we had 5 unique entrants.

So, according to Random.org, our winner is:  *brazen fanfare, please* (Drumrolls are so ’80′s.)

Commenter #1 or jacabur1. Congratulations, Jackie B, you are our winner! Please email the address where you’d like the book sent to kiara [at-squiggle] waitingforfairies [dot] com.

I  hope the rest of you will stay tuned, as I know I at the very least have an extra copy of Mark Henry’s Battle of the Network Zombies to give away as well! (And probably more than that – I need to check my shelves again…)

Jun 052010
 

Okay, folks. Diana Rowland is posting some gems over at her Twitter feed tonight, and she’s inspired me. So I’m holding an impromptu contest. I have an extra copy of her latest Blood of the Demon (Review here.) and I’m giving it away.

All you have to do to win is vent here. It can be about anything. What’s frustrating YOU lately? Get it off your chest and maybe win a free book*.

*Anyone can vent but I can only ship to within the US. Sorry. I’m poor & international shipping is expensive.

Edit: Contest will stay open through Monday evening EST.

Mar 042010
 

Okay, folks. Now that the dust has cleared, the hangovers are cured, and I’ve passed a milestone of birthdays we can now announce the winners of our Kiaras Festivus giveaway. Which author took the lead and was most requested? We’ll soon find out!

Our winners were chosen via the ultra scientific ‘Put-Names-In-A-Hat’ method and my dear husband was present to ensure there were no shenanigans. (There was a margarita or two involved, but it was my birthday after all!)

Winner #1 is: @jacabur1 aka Jackie B who chose Rob Thurman’s Roadkill as her prize.

Winner #2 is: Zombie Joe who also chose Rob Thurman but went with Madhouse. Apparently he has some reading to catch up on! :)

Winner #3 is: Joanna who’s our oddball (with excellent taste!) and chose Jaye Wells’ Red-Headed Stepchild as her prize!

That’s right. No love for Diana Rowland in this contest, but that’s okay folks. We’ll be running a special Demon-ized contest next month (after I’ve had a chance to build my prize fund back up again!).

I hope you all had fun reading up on some under-rated authors. If you didn’t win, I urge you to give one (or more!) of these authors a try anyway. If you are one of our winners, your prize has been ordered and is on its way to you!

I hope you’ll all join us again next time for another contest!

Feb 222010
 

Well, we’re up to our final post in our Kiaras Festivus party. In less than a week, the Dreaded Event* will occur and I will console myself with red meat, margaritas, and fried cheesecake. But before that, I would like to introduce you all to the talented Jaye Wells.

Urban fantasy author Jaye Wells is a self-proclaimed ‘plantser‘¹ who lives in Texas with her “saintly husband and devilish son”, the latter of which she fondly refers to as ‘Spawn’. Read the rest of her bio here. Ms. Wells’ second book will be released on April 1st, 2010. Amazon has it listed as March 30th – which is why she fits in with our February/March party. That, and because it’s my birthday and I’ll invite whoever I want!

I very recently re-read the first book in the Sabina Kane series: Red-Headed Step Child, and – while my husband still pokes fun at the title – it’s still quite possibly my favorite vampire story of all time. In Sabina’s world, vampires are descended from Lilith and carry the mark of Cain in their red hair. Continuing with the Biblical theme, these vamps are highly allergic to apples (Much more pleasing to the nose than garlic, in my opinion!) and can be killed with a stake of apple wood to the heart.

There also seem to be (so far) three other varieties of supernatural creatures in this world: fairies of assorted flavors, mages, and demons. The mages are the vampires’ rivals; any unions between the two races are forbidden. Which explains why half-vampire, half-mage Sabina Kane has such a terrible temper.  (You can read what I thought of Red-Headed Step Child here.)

My final word on this series? It’s worth the read just for Giguhl, the sarcastic, home shopping addicted, shape-shifting demon in (hairless) cat form.

*The ‘Dreaded Event’ being my 25th + n birthday.
¹ A correction, with a hat tip to the author herself.

A look at RHSC:

In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina doesn’t really fit in. And being an assassin – the only profession fit for an outcast – doesn’t help matters. But she’s never brought her work home. Until now.

Her latest mission is uncomfortably complex, and threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races. As Sabina scrambles to figure out which side she’s on, she uncovers a tangled political web, some nasty facts about her family and some unexpected new talents. Any of these things could be worryingly life-changing, but together, they could be fatal …

This time, it’s personal.

Read the 1st chapter of RHSC here.

But at Indiebound or Barnes & Noble.

The new release: Mage in Black

Sabina Kane doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to family. After all, her own grandmother, leader of the vampire race, wants her dead. So when she arrives in New York to meet her mage relatives, the reunion puts the fun in dysfunctional. Not only is mage culture completely bizarre, but everyone seems to think she’s some kind of ‘Chosen’ who’ll unite the dark races. Sabina doesn’t care who chose her, she’s not into destiny.

But the mages aren’t Sabina’s only problem. In New York’s Black Light District, she has run-ins with fighting demons, hostile werewolves and an opportunistic old flame. Sabina thought she’d take a bite out of the Big Apple – but it looks like it wants to bite back.

Pre-order Mage in Black at Barnes & Noble.

And check out the cover for the next release at Jaye Well’s blog.

Follow the author on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jayewells

And just for fun follow Giguhl the demon, too. http://twitter.com/giguhl

Don’t forget that you can comment on this post for an entry into our Kiaras Festivus giveaway! Details on this post.
Feb 152010
 

With seven books and an anthology under her belt – and 2 of those books releasing this year – you’d think that Rob Thurman would almost be a household name by now. But nay, gentle reader, this is far from the truth. Ms. Thurman – and it is Ms. Thurman, sorry to disappoint you – needs our help! I’d say this is probably the most under-rated author in the urban fantasy genre today. She does amazing work, folks, and she’s not getting the exposure she so justly deserves – so spread the word!

She’s also offering a sneak peek at chapter 1 of the next book (currently in progress), #6 of Cal & Niko, if you purchase book 5 at a brick-and-mortar store between the release date on March 2nd and March 6th. Jump on this, folks. It’s exceedingly rare to get a peek at a work that hasn’t even made it to the galley stage yet! Also remember that you can win a copy of book 5, Roadkill, from me at the end of our Kiaras Festivus contest!

Please note that if you win my contest and choose Roadkill as your prize, I will do my utmost to make sure the book is purchased from a brick-and-mortar store and to provide a receipt so you’ll be eligible for the sneak peek! (No guarantees, sometimes life gets in the way. But I’ll try my best.)

Now, let’s take a look at her back list, shall we?

Book #1 of the Cal & Niko Leandros Brothers series: Nightlife

There are monsters among us.   There always has been and there always will be.  I’ve known that since I can remember, just like I’ve always known I was one…


…Well, half of one, anyway.


Welcome to the Big Apple. There’s a troll under the Brooklyn Bridge, a boggle in Central Park,  and a beautiful vampire in a penthouse  on  the  Upper  East  Side—and  that’s  only  the beginning.  Of  course,  most  humans  are  oblivious  to  the preternatural nightlife around them, but Cal Leandros is only half human.


His  father’s  dark  lineage is the stuff of nightmares—and he and  his  entire otherworldly  race  are after Cal.  Why?  Cal hasn’t exactly wanted to stick around long enough to find out.

Click here to read blurbs for books 2, 3 and 4. You can also read the blurb (and chapter 1!)  for Thurman’s Trickster novel, Trick of the Light here.

Now that we’re all introduced. Here’s the blurb for Book 5 – Roadkill. Releasing March 2nd!

Niko could have died because of her.  I don’t forget things like that…not ever.  I wanted a little payback for those she’d cheated in the past.  For those she’d cheat in the future.


For what she’d allowed to happen to my brother.


For good old fashion revenge.


Once, while half-human Cal Leandros and his brother Niko were working on a case, an ancient gypsy queen gave them a good old-fashioned backstabbing.  They barely made it out alive.
Now, as their P.I. business teeters on insolvency, guess who shows up with a job?


The gypsy crone wants them to find a stolen coffin. Cal would rather help her into one, but this coffin contains an evil known as the Plague of the World–and it makes the Black Death seem like a fond memory.
But the thief has already left town, so the Leandros brothers are going on the road.


And if they’re very, very lucky, there might even be a return trip…

So, as you can see, there’s some awesome stuff here to read. I’ve personally been pushing the series on all my Supernatural fan friends. With the disclaimer that I’ve never seen more than 2 episodes of the show myself, I have been assured that though both stories have two brothers who kick some evil monster ass (and both are “awesome!” says my friend), the books really aren’t that similar to the show. (In my experience, Cal is much snarkier and foul mouthed than anything they could show on TV. Which just makes it better, in my opinion!) But my point is: fans of the one have been known to be fans of the other. Just sayin’.

Other items of interest: My review of Trick of the Light.

*Remember! You can comment on this post for an entry into our Kiaras Festivus contest!
Feb 012010
 

Welcome to Festivus Kiaras - or the Festival Known as the Month-Long Celebration Before My Birthday! Yes, that’s right – it’s my birthday and I’m hitting a milestone this year. Although. I’m still maintaining that I’m turning 25 (for the 5th time, of course). Shh… I won’t tell if you won’t.

And in grateful recognition of no one mentioning my real age, I’m going to give away a few books. Yes, that’s right. It’s my birthday but I’m going to give you the gifts!

I also thought it was high time that a few authors I feel are under-appreciated are given the spotlight. They all have new releases coming out this month or next, and we’re going to pour on as much publicity for them as we possibly can this month. Then, after the heady glow of my new birthday presents has worn away*, I’ll be giving away copies of YOUR CHOICE of book from each author’s stable.

*This means on or about March 1st or 2nd. I reserve the right to be hung over for far longer than that, though. It is, after all, my birthday. (My birthday being the 28th of February, of course. I keep forgetting it’s not a national holiday.)

The authors are:

  • Diana Rowland (@dianarowland) who’s 2nd book, Blood of the Demon is due out February 23rd.
  • Rob Thurman (@Rob_Thurman) whose new release Road Kill (Leandros Brothers Book 5) is coming March 2nd.
  • Jaye Wells, (@jayewells) also with a book #2, Mage in Black, releasing on March 3oth.

Here are the rules:

  • Contest is open to those with an available continental US address only. I know. I’m very sorry, ye olde International Readers, but I don’t have the funds to ship overseas. However, if you have a friend who’s available inside the US to forward your winnings to you, then more power to ya.
  • I will draw three names at random from the eligible entries on or about March 1st, 2010 to win one book each.
  • If you’re chosen the winner, you may choose any one (1) book from any of the three authors as your prize. Yes, that includes their newest releases – but you will need to wait until the book’s release date. Sorry, but I don’t have an in with the authors or the publishers. (I have to wait on my copies, too, you know!)
  • Your book will be purchased from the online retailer of my choice and then shipped directly to you. Once the item is purchased, I am no longer responsible for ensuring the item reaches you.
  • Your email address, mailing address, etc. will not be used for anything but this contest.
  • I decide what constitutes an eligible entry. Don’t like that? Go play in someone else’s sandbox.

How to enter:

  • Post a (well written, contributing, not-spammy) comment on any post on this website with a ‘Posted on’ date in February 2010. Including this one.
  • Write a review of one of these authors’ books and post it anywhere. (Some suggestions: your blog, Amazon, B&N.com, GoodReads, Shelfari, etc.) Then come back here to either this thread or one of the ones that will be posted for each other and leave the link to your review. (Review must have been posted after Jan 1st, 2010.)
  • Haven’t read any of these authors? You can also tweet this contest on Twitter or post it on Facebook. These links should trackback automatically, but you might want to come back and link them just in case. (Please don’t Tweet or FB this contest more than once a day. WFF is not about spam.)

And I think that’s it. If there are any questions, please post them in the comments.

Aug 132009
 

We here at Waiting for Fairies are very pleased to take a small break from our usual fantasy and urban fantasy faire to give some much-deserved publicity to an upcoming work from Philippa Gregory called The White Queen. (And to host a contest!)

I’m sure you’ve all heard of Ms. Gregory’s previous novel – the critically acclaimed novel (and movie) The Other Boleyn Girl. I’ve been a big fan of the lurid love life of Henry VIII since my 8th grade history class, so I’m pleased to give some page space to another worthy tale from this author.

Here’s the blurb:

Philippa Gregory, “the queen of royal fiction” (USA Today) Presents the first of a new series set amid the deadly feuds of England known as the Wars of the Roses.


Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen.


The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills.


With The White Queen, Philippa Gregory brings the artistry and intellect of a master writer and storyteller to a new era in history and begins what is sure to be another bestselling classic series from this beloved author.

Follow updates about The White Queen on:   Facebook or twitter_standing.

Pre-order the book on Amazon here.

Or read the excerpt here.

Or here’s a lovely book trailer for your viewing pleasure:

About the Author

Philippa Gregory is the New York Times bestselling author of several books, including The Other Boleyn Girl and The Boleyn Inheritance. A writer and broadcaster for radio and television, she lives in England.  She welcomes visitors and messages at her website, www.philippagregory.com.

Doesn’t that sound delicious?

Okay, and now for the contest!

We’ve generously been allotted two copies of The White Queen to give away. Even better – the copies are coming straight to your hot little hands (and not through mine), so this contest will be open to our international readers! I’m so excited to be able to give our overseas visitors a chance at one of our contests, so I expect all of you to enter!

How To Enter

There are 3 ways to enter the contest -

  1. Post a comment here stating that you’d like to be entered. That’s it, no tricks or hoops to jump through. Please remember to leave an email address or a link to your Twitter profile so that I can contact you if you win!
  2. For more entries, you can post a link to this contest on Twitter. Please use the hashtag #wffgiveaway so that I can find your entry. Feel free to enter multiple times but I ask that you please limit your tweets to once per day. [We have no love of spam here at WFF.]
  3. If you’re not on Twitter, you can also post a link at your blog or another website [where you have permission to post]. You must provide a link to the post in a separate comment for your link to be counted. (This is for ease of counting entries.)

We’ll run the contest for roughly 10 days or so, to give me time to count up the entries and choose the winners. The contest will end at midnight everywhere on Sunday 8/23/09. I’ll choose winners sometime Monday morning, so be sure you’re entered before then!