I have ‘Isla’s Oath’ news – and an excerpt to celebrate!

So it’s all happening at once in the world of my second release, Isla’s Oath. Here’s a summary in case you missed it…

Preorders are now available
(for everyone)

Isla’s Oath preorders for the ebook are now available from the following retailers: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon Australia | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

If you’re a Smashwords aficionado, the link is here. But they don’t do preorders; instead you can add the book to your preorder and I think view a sample? I confess I’m not 100% sure. (I expect the aficionados will know this already.)

Advanced Reader Copies are now available
(for book bloggers)

If you’re a book blogger, Isla’s Oath is now available for review on NetGalley. If you are going to request it and haven’t yet read the first book in the series, Isla’s Inheritance, contact me and I’ll get you a copy of that too.

Book blitz sign-ups are now available
(for bloggers)

Again, this is one for bloggers (for now!). The Isla’s Oath book blitz is running from 23–29 January (you may have guessed that from the fabulous banner above, courtesy of XPresso Book Tours!) — you can pick a day in that range to post. There will be excerpts and an interview provided, and perhaps other things if I get struck with inspiration. There’ll also be a grand giveaway of a $50 Amazon or B&N gift voucher.

Phew. I’m exhausted just thinking about it!

Here’s an excerpt from the first chapter of Isla’s Oath, to celebrate!

“Ready?” Jack asked, standing beside me. He was wearing board shorts and a tank top, his feet bare on the sandy path. Blond hair stirred in the evening breeze, brushing his shoulders. He looked like any Australian male on holiday at the beach.

Except your average male didn’t have four-inch-long ears protruding from sun-bleached hair.

“I guess.” I took a deep breath, savouring the briny smell that evoked memories of vacations with my father. I picked my way down the path to the beach, sandals clicking against my heels as I stepped between the weathered log retainers. Jack followed. The plastic bag he was holding rustled.

When we reached the beach, I shook off my shoes and picked them up, hooking them over one finger. The sand was cool under my feet; the radiant heat of the hot February day had faded into a mild summer evening. “Where to?”

Jack pointed towards the worn, even stones scattered at the feet of the towering headland. The water pounded, working patiently to undermine the rocky bluff and send it crashing into the sea. A deep rock pool shimmered in the moonlight, connected to the ocean by a winding channel that surged and retracted with the tide.

We picked our way across the stones to the empty pool. I glanced at Jack. “This is the place,” he assured me.

I nodded, trying not to feel nervous. Jack seemed calm—his aura a uniform light blue, like a winter sky—and I resolved to emulate him. Or at least try.

I could have taken a sample of that light blue calm to help me relax, but I didn’t know how to do it without damaging him. That was, after all, why I was lurking on a beach on the south coast of New South Wales in the middle of the night.

One of the shadowy rocks in the pool moved, floating towards us. I jumped, staring. The shape drifted from the shadows into the moonlight, revealing it wasn’t a rock but a head, hairless and with tiny, round ears. Two solid black eyes opened wide, examining us for a long moment before their owner stood.

Water streamed off his naked body, splashing into the pool. His skin gleamed silvery blue and his chest was broad and flat, tapering to a narrow waist. He didn’t have a bellybutton. Mercifully, the water was opaque and reached the middle of his taut belly, so I didn’t have to avert my gaze from an ironclad confirmation of his sex.

“This is your half-breed master?” The creature spoke to Jack with a watery hiss, slow and deliberate.

Jack bristled. I stepped forward. “I’m Isla.”

‘Isla’s Oath’ excerpt (and other things)

It’s been just over a month since Isla’s Inheritance was released, and it’s received some lovely reviews, especially on Amazon and Goodreads. If you’ve left a review, I LOVE YOUR FACE! To say thank you, I’m going to share an excerpt from the start of the sequel, Isla’s Oath. Because I know Dominic has some fans out there. 😉

A couple of admin things first, though.

If you’re a book blogger and are looking for some young adult urban fantasy to review, Isla’s Inheritance is now on NetGalley.

Also, [INSERT OBLIGATORY LINK TO AMAZON PURCHASE PAGE HERE]. That’s for the ebook. There’s still no word on the paperback (I know a bunch of people are holding out for papery goodness). When I know, you’ll know.

Isla’s Oath is on track for its 22 January release date. I’m proofing the galley now (well, not right this second — but when I’m finished writing this!).

Disclaimer: this excerpt is from an unedited proof and may differ from the final, published version.

The others were halfway to the sand. I followed them down the dunes, trying not to look too hard at the rock pool, suspended high above the waterline due to the retreating tide. Empty. At least Mako wasn’t lurking in there, watching. My gaze drifted out to the vivid blue ocean. Was that a shape, out beyond the waves? A watching face? It vanished with the next swell, and I chided myself for paranoia. But I wasn’t sure—despite Jack’s reassuring words about the sirens’ oath—that I wanted to go into the water. Visions of sentient sharks flashed behind my eyes.

Ryan spread his towel high up the beach, placing his sketchbook carefully in the centre. He started a fresh one every year. The pages on this one still sat flat and didn’t have little smudges of lead on their edges from twelve months of handling.

Gazing at the rolling waves as though mesmerised, Sarah shed her tank top, shorts and shoes, placing them in a messy pile. Her emerald swimsuit stood out like a jewel in the bright sun, bringing out the flecks of green in her eyes. I hesitated, feeling my ears burn with embarrassment, before doing the same.

Dominic stared at me, eyes wide and mouth agape. I hid a smile behind my hand, pleased he didn’t give my taller cousin more than a passing glance. Scarlet flashed in his aura. Did it represent what I thought it did? I turned my face away to hide the blush that warmed my cheeks.

Sarah squirted a generous amount of sunscreen into her palm before offering the bottle to the rest of us. Ryan and I, with painful experience to urge us on, took similar portions and made sure we didn’t miss an inch of exposed skin—although Ryan was careful not to get too much on his fingers so he didn’t smear his sketchbook.

That was going to make for an uncomfortable sunburn if he wasn’t vigilant.

Dominic hesitated. He’d removed his T-shirt and thrown it down on the pile with the rest of our clothes. “I want to work on my tan a little.” His skin already gleamed golden brown.

“Don’t be an idiot,” Sarah said, one hand on her hip. “We’re not going to baby you if you get burned.”

“I won’t!” he protested, offended.

I squeezed some more sunscreen into my palm and, before Dominic guessed what I was about to do, splatted it onto his bare chest. He squeaked and drew a breath to object. When I started to rub the white lotion across his chest, he smiled and held his arms out. His skin was warm and smooth under my fingers. I glanced up; he was gazing down at me, eyes hot.

My stomach fluttered.

“Lucky bastard,” Ryan muttered.