My 2018 in review
Posted: January 1, 2019 Filed under: On Guardian Angel, On Rheia, On writing | Tags: a hand of knaves, guardian angel, new year's resolutions, Rheia, shadows and spellcraft Leave a commentHAPPY NEW YEAR! (Well, it is here — though maybe not there, where you are. And if it isn’t, why are you reading this right now? Bookmark it and come back to it later!)
Like 2017, 2018 wasn’t a stellar year for me on the writing front. Or at least, that’s how I feel when I think about it — but I’m measuring that purely against the number of words I’ve written on my current novel manuscript. I’m maybe a third of the way through, and have been for a month or more. Everything has kind of … ground to a halt.
Still, one of my two resolutions for 2018 was not to be so hard on myself when I fail to meet my goals, so — in that spirit — I’m going to go over my accomplishments for the year. There have been a few firsts in there, which is actually kind of exciting when I think about it.
I released two new books: Guardian Angel and Rheia
Guardian Angel is a novella, and it’s maybe a quarter of the length of Rheia, so the grumpy cynic in me says it’s cheating, but she can go sit in the corner and sulk. Aside from anything else, urban fantasy is my jam and my comfort place, and working on Guardian Angel really helped me when I got stuck on other projects.
On the subject of Rheia, I love this book and am very proud of it. A friend told me she thought it was my best book yet, and I quietly agree with her (even as this fills me with terror regarding the next book, ahahahahasob). If you haven’t already grabbed a copy and you love the ancient world, creeping doom and/or steampunk, then may I urge you to check it out? 😉
(Actually, I technically released three books, as I also released an erotica novella, Kiss of the Succubus, under my Tammy Calder pen name. If you’re an adult and not related to me in any way, you can learn more about it here.)
I had a story published in the A Hand of Knaves anthology
Being a part of a multi-author anthology is something I’d always wanted to do, so it’s super awesome to be able to cross that off my bucket list. This one was published by the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild, and working with the editors — Leife Shallcross and Chris Large — was a joy. 10/10, would do again.
I was part of the Shadows and Spellcraft book bundle
Again, this is something that had been on my bucket list. This urban fantasy book bundle has fifteen ebook novels and novellas, including Isla’s Inheritance — and it’s around US$4 for all of that, which is great value. And, again, working with this wonderful team of authors was both inspiring and educational. Seriously, I learned a lot.
I went out into the world and did author-y things
Okay, that’s not the best summary in the world, but bear with me. I went to the A Hand of Knaves book launch — a real-world launch, not the online ones I favour — and met new people and signed stuff. I also had a signing at BookFace here in Canberra, and signed even more stuff (mainly copies of Rheia). Given I never organised face-to-face promotional events because the awkwardness it inspires in me isn’t great, this was a pretty big deal for me.
See? Photographic proof! (Also, check out my low-key signing pen.)
A resolution round-up
At the start of 2018, I made two resolutions (one of which I’ve already mentioned):
- Do better.
- Forgive myself at times I don’t do better.
Comparing 2018 to 2017, I can definitely check the first one off the list. The second one … eh, it’s a work in progress.
This year, I want to finish the sci-fi draft that I’ve been wrestling with for the last few months. I’ve also got another idea that I plan to work on — stay tuned for more as the year progresses. Beyond that, my resolutions are the same as for 2018.
Do you do new year’s resolutions? Tell me in the comments below!
Shadows and Spellcraft feature: ‘The Awakening’ by Tanya R. Taylor
Posted: October 21, 2018 Filed under: My Books | Tags: shadows and spellcraft Leave a commentShadows and Spellcraft has your copy of The Awakening (Real Illusions Book 1) by Tanya R Taylor plus over a dozen more reads at the amazing pre-order price of US$0.99! Order your copy today!
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
Trent Matheson fights to keep his true identity a secret from all those around him, including the love of his life. After losing the only one privy to his secret and who had guarded it his entire life, Matheson now has to contend with a sinister force so powerful that seeks to destroy him. A fierce battle is imminent and the future of the world, as we know it, is in jeopardy.
Author Bio
She is the author of several #1 bestsellers on Amazon and published her first book titled A Killing Rage as a young adult. Tanya writes in various genres including paranormal romance, fantasy, thrillers, science-fiction, mystery and suspense.
She has a passion for the welfare of children. Her hobbies include: reading, writing, and researching. She’s also keen on documentaries and is planning to pursue a degree in Psychology.
Shadows And Spellcraft
The Ultimate Urban Fantasy Binge Collection
A boxed set with over a dozen amazing reads, that will take you to lost worlds, fall in love with unlikely heroes, and kick some butt with no-nonsense chicks. With a collection that includes New Adult romance, urban fantasy, and Young Adult, there’s something for everyone.
Each story is exclusive to this collection, and includes some shiny new stories from USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors.
If you love to binge on stories that take you away from the ordinary, this boxed set of fifteen books will keep you reading for days. It’s stuffed with vampires, shifters, mages, fae, ghosts and more in everything from modern day Earth to Apocalyptic settings. Bury your nose in this box set now. Order your copy of SHADOWS AND SPELLCRAFT NOW
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
Shadows and Spellcraft feature: ‘Primal Nature’ by Monique Singleton
Posted: October 17, 2018 Filed under: My Books | Tags: shadows and spellcraft Leave a commentShadows and Spellcraft has your copy of Primal Nature by Monique Singleton plus over a dozen more reads at the amazing pre-order price of US$0.99! Order your copy today!
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
Known simply as subject 336, she was the unwilling subject of sinister and brutal experiments designed to replicate her enormous strength, healing powers, and apparent immortality. It didn’t work that way. They unleashed her primal nature.
Now they’re dead and she’s lost.
From the sweltering heat of the Mexican desert, her journey leads her to the tropical jungle of the Columbian Amazon. Against the backdrop of the Third World War, she fights her own grueling battle to come to terms with what she is: a killer, a monster, or maybe worse.
The world is at war, and she is caught up in the middle.
Joining the revolution, her newfound talents sway the balance of war in their favor.
But is she a blessing, or a curse.
Primal Nature captivates you from the first page and plunges you deep into the struggles and terrors of a random woman cursed with immortality
Warning: 18+ Adult content.
Author Bio
Monique Singleton writes compelling stories that mix fantasy with realistic psychological suspense and unique insights into the mind of the main characters.
As the daughter of a British soldier and his Dutch wife, Monique was born in an English military hospital in Germany. The family toured the world where she was exposed to different cultures in many countries. Finally settling down in the Netherlands she pursued a career in Art and later in ICT.
About six years ago Monique started to put the scenes she had running around in her head, down to paper.
Scenes led to a story, the story to a book, and the first book to a series.
In addition to her writing, Monique still holds down a full-time job as a business consultant. She lives in a beautiful old farmhouse in the south of Holland with her two sloppy monster dogs, some horses, and a cat.
The cat is the boss.
Shadows And Spellcraft
The Ultimate Urban Fantasy Binge Collection
A boxed set with over a dozen amazing reads, that will take you to lost worlds, fall in love with unlikely heroes, and kick some butt with no-nonsense chicks. With a collection that includes New Adult romance, urban fantasy, and Young Adult, there’s something for everyone.
Each story is exclusive to this collection, and includes some shiny new stories from USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors.
If you love to binge on stories that take you away from the ordinary, this boxed set of fifteen books will keep you reading for days. It’s stuffed with vampires, shifters, mages, fae, ghosts and more in everything from modern day Earth to Apocalyptic settings. Bury your nose in this box set now. Order your copy of SHADOWS AND SPELLCRAFT NOW
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
Shadows and Spellcraft feature: ‘Fall For Me’ by K. A. Last
Posted: October 14, 2018 Filed under: My Books | Tags: shadows and spellcraft Leave a commentShadows and Spellcraft has your copy of Fall For Me (The Tate Chronicles #1) by K. A. Last plus over a dozen more reads at the amazing pre-order price of US$0.99! Order your copy today!
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
Some rules are made to be broken.
Grace is a Protection Angel and Vampire Hunter, and she has always followed the rules. Until now, fighting evil has been simple: kill the bad guys, keep the good guys safe. Falling in love was never part of the plan.
When she least expects it, Grace falls for the wrong guy. Her worst enemy becomes her most important ally, and amongst the love and betrayal, Grace must make a life changing decision.
Blood will be shed, lives lost, and friendships tested. Can Grace save those closest to her? Or will she pay the ultimate price for breaking the rules?
Fans of Buffy, Fallen, and Twilight will love this fast paced young adult read. Fall For Me will make your heart race, but it will also break it along the way.
Author Bio
Shadows And Spellcraft
The Ultimate Urban Fantasy Binge Collection
A boxed set with over a dozen amazing reads, that will take you to lost worlds, fall in love with unlikely heroes, and kick some butt with no-nonsense chicks. With a collection that includes New Adult romance, urban fantasy, and Young Adult, there’s something for everyone.
Each story is exclusive to this collection, and includes some shiny new stories from USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors.
If you love to binge on stories that take you away from the ordinary, this boxed set of fifteen books will keep you reading for days. It’s stuffed with vampires, shifters, mages, fae, ghosts and more in everything from modern day Earth to Apocalyptic settings. Bury your nose in this box set now. Order your copy of SHADOWS AND SPELLCRAFT NOW
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
Shadows and Spellcraft feature: ‘Evil’s Unlikely Assassin’ by Jenn Windrow
Posted: October 10, 2018 Filed under: My Books | Tags: shadows and spellcraft Leave a commentShadows and Spellcraft has your copy of Evil’s Unlikely Assassin by Jenn Windrow plus over a dozen more reads at the amazing pre-order price of US$0.99! Order your copy today!
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
Vampire Alexis Black is on a mission – to rejoin the human race.
But how does a vampire become human again?
She signs an iron-clad contract with an angel-with-an-attitude. A contract that requires her to kill one vampire, werewolf, or creepy-crawly every night for fifty years.
The reward for killing without conscience – her humanity. The punishment for refusal – her death.
Too bad the contract didn’t mention the badass vampire who now rides shotgun in her brain. Her new insatiable bloodlust. Or the I-hate-everything-with-fangs human sidekick.
But when a revenge seeking bloodsucker tries to turn her city into an all-you-can-suck buffet, Alexis has to fang up to ensure there is a humanity to return to.
Author Bio
Jenn Windrow loves characters who have a pinch of spunk, a dash of attitude, and a large dollop of sex appeal. Top it all off with a huge heaping helping of snark, and you’ve got the ingredients for the kind of fast paced stories she loves to read and write. Home is a suburb of it’s-so-hot-my-shoes-have-melted-to-the-pavement Phoenix. Where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and a slew of animals that seem to keep following her home, at least that’s what she claims.
Shadows And Spellcraft
The Ultimate Urban Fantasy Binge Collection
A boxed set with over a dozen amazing reads, that will take you to lost worlds, fall in love with unlikely heroes, and kick some butt with no-nonsense chicks. With a collection that includes New Adult romance, urban fantasy, and Young Adult, there’s something for everyone.
Each story is exclusive to this collection, and includes some shiny new stories from USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors.
If you love to binge on stories that take you away from the ordinary, this boxed set of fifteen books will keep you reading for days. It’s stuffed with vampires, shifters, mages, fae, ghosts and more in everything from modern day Earth to Apocalyptic settings. Bury your nose in this box set now. Order your copy of SHADOWS AND SPELLCRAFT NOW
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
Shadows and Spellcraft feature: ‘Expelled Reaper’ by Robyn Jenkins
Posted: October 7, 2018 Filed under: My Books | Tags: shadows and spellcraft Leave a commentShadows and Spellcraft has your copy of Expelled Reaper by Robyn Jenkins plus over a dozen more reads at the amazing pre-order price of US$0.99! Order your copy today!
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
Lara is a reaper, locked out of Heaven, and the worst part is she doesn’t even know why. She’s not even sure if she’s still an angel anymore. On the bright side, she can still see the dead which makes her think that she hasn’t been fired. However, with each passing year, she realizes she’s been naive to think Heaven would make a mistake of this magnitude.
Lara finally starts thinking about accepting her situation and making plans for the long term. Then she witnesses a young woman die in a car accident. It’s one thing to arrive after the fact to retrieve a soul, it’s another to actually see someone killed in person. Since Lara is the only one who can see the dead, she feels compelled to console the woman. But something is wrong. Since when are reapers late to pick up souls?
Convinced that her eternal soul may be at stake, Lara is pulled back into the life. She’s died once already. Now, flesh and blood, she’s worried about what will become of her if this new vessel is mortally wounded. Will she gain access to Heaven again, or will she plummet into a fiery Hell?
About the Author
Robyn is the author of Expelled Reaper and the Into the Ether trilogy. She enjoys writing when she’s not at her day job, Zumba to release, and when all else fails, a glass of pinot and a good suspense novel at the beach
Shadows And Spellcraft
The Ultimate Urban Fantasy Binge Collection
A boxed set with over a dozen amazing reads, that will take you to lost worlds, fall in love with unlikely heroes, and kick some butt with no-nonsense chicks. With a collection that includes New Adult romance, urban fantasy, and Young Adult, there’s something for everyone.
Each story is exclusive to this collection, and includes some shiny new stories from USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors.
If you love to binge on stories that take you away from the ordinary, this boxed set of fifteen books will keep you reading for days. It’s stuffed with vampires, shifters, mages, fae, ghosts and more in everything from modern day Earth to Apocalyptic settings. Bury your nose in this box set now. Order your copy of SHADOWS AND SPELLCRAFT NOW
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
Shadows and Spellcraft feature: ‘Alfheim Seoul’ by Chris Coleman
Posted: October 3, 2018 Filed under: My Books | Tags: shadows and spellcraft Leave a commentShadows and Spellcraft has your copy of Alfheim Seoul by Chris Coleman plus over a dozen more reads at the amazing pre-order price of US$0.99! Order your copy today!
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
When fifteen-year-old Alecia starts a job at Grandpa Dan’s Asian imports store in downtown Seattle, she didn’t expect much from it.
But one night, a powerful Fae creature begs her to save him and promises unimaginable rewards for doing so.
Bargains are made, and powers are granted, launching Alecia into a magical adventure she isn’t prepared for.
This is the first novel in the Magic Parcel Service series.
About the Author
Chris Coleman started writing after attending a writing conference, which included an opportunity to pitch a book to an editor/agent. Even though he hadn’t yet written a single word of fiction, he pitched an idea he came up with on the elevator ride down. After a couple of editors requested to read more, he realized he needed to put the story to paper.
He has a love for reading started when he was four and blossomed in 7th grade when a friendly librarian introduced him to The Wizard of Earthsea. Now he enjoys urban fantasy like The Dresden Files and the Mercy Thompson series.
When he isn’t writing young adult urban fantasy stories, he programs PHP, practices Korean, and listens to K-pop.
He currently lives in the greater Seattle area with his wife and their children.
Shadows And Spellcraft
The Ultimate Urban Fantasy Binge Collection
A boxed set with over a dozen amazing reads, that will take you to lost worlds, fall in love with unlikely heroes, and kick some butt with no-nonsense chicks. With a collection that includes New Adult romance, urban fantasy, and Young Adult, there’s something for everyone.
Each story is exclusive to this collection, and includes some shiny new stories from USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors.
If you love to binge on stories that take you away from the ordinary, this boxed set of fifteen books will keep you reading for days. It’s stuffed with vampires, shifters, mages, fae, ghosts and more in everything from modern day Earth to Apocalyptic settings. Bury your nose in this box set now. Order your copy of SHADOWS AND SPELLCRAFT NOW
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
Shadows and Spellcraft feature: ‘Expelled Reaper’ by Sadie Moss
Posted: September 30, 2018 Filed under: My Books | Tags: shadows and spellcraft Leave a commentShadows and Spellcraft has your copy of Expelled Reaper by Sadie Moss plus over a dozen more reads at the amazing pre-order price of US$0.99! Order your copy today!
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
The only thing that talks louder than magic is money… Too bad I have neither.
My name is Lana Crow, and I’m one of the Blighted—a non-magical person in a world ruled by magic.
There aren’t many chances to get ahead when the people in power think you’re trash. So my boyfriend Corin and I steal for a living, hoping to one day buy our way out of this dusty Blighted settlement in Wyoming and into a better future.
And then it falls in our lap. The perfect score. A ruby the size of my fist.
Sure, stealing from the magically Gifted is always a risk. But some risks are worth taking, right?
Right?
About the Author
Sadie Moss is obsessed with books, craft beer, and the supernatural. She has often been accused of living in a world of her own imagination, so she decided to put those worlds into books.
When Sadie isn’t working on her next novel, she loves spending time with her adorable puppy, binge-watching comedies on Hulu, and hanging out with her family.
She loves to hear from her readers, so if you’d like to say hi, feel free to email her at sadiemoss.author[at]gmail[dot]com.
Shadows And Spellcraft
The Ultimate Urban Fantasy Binge Collection
A boxed set with over a dozen amazing reads, that will take you to lost worlds, fall in love with unlikely heroes, and kick some butt with no-nonsense chicks. With a collection that includes New Adult romance, urban fantasy, and Young Adult, there’s something for everyone.
Each story is exclusive to this collection, and includes some shiny new stories from USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors.
If you love to binge on stories that take you away from the ordinary, this boxed set of fifteen books will keep you reading for days. It’s stuffed with vampires, shifters, mages, fae, ghosts and more in everything from modern day Earth to Apocalyptic settings. Bury your nose in this box set now. Order your copy of SHADOWS AND SPELLCRAFT NOW
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
Shadows and Spellcraft feature: ‘Taken’ by Victoria DeLuis
Posted: September 26, 2018 Filed under: My Books | Tags: shadows and spellcraft Leave a commentShadows and Spellcraft has your copy of Taken (Book One of the Rune Witch Mysteries) by Victoria DeLuis plus over a dozen more reads at the amazing pre-order price of US$0.99! Order your copy today!
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
There’s always a price to pay with magic. The question is, who pays?
I’m Summer Daniels. Friend. Foe. Witch.
It was never going to be a simple day: visiting my childhood home and finding the murderer of a house fairy. Whose master happens to be a heartless goblin… Yet, as it turns out, the goblin is the least of my problems.
A lover endangered. A friend betrayed. A memory taken.
The cards are stacked against me but hell hath no fury like an angry Witch.
I’m Summer Daniels and my life is about to change.
Author Bio
Shadows And Spellcraft
The Ultimate Urban Fantasy Binge Collection
A boxed set with over a dozen amazing reads, that will take you to lost worlds, fall in love with unlikely heroes, and kick some butt with no-nonsense chicks. With a collection that includes New Adult romance, urban fantasy, and Young Adult, there’s something for everyone.
Each story is exclusive to this collection, and includes some shiny new stories from USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors.
If you love to binge on stories that take you away from the ordinary, this boxed set of fifteen books will keep you reading for days. It’s stuffed with vampires, shifters, mages, fae, ghosts and more in everything from modern day Earth to Apocalyptic settings. Bury your nose in this box set now. Order your copy of SHADOWS AND SPELLCRAFT NOW
Amazon / iBook / Kobo / Nook
A couple of book-release-related announcements: ‘Shadows and Spellcraft’ and ‘Rheia’
Posted: September 24, 2018 Filed under: On Rheia, On the Isla's Inheritance trilogy | Tags: Isla's Inheritance, pinterest, Rheia, shadows and spellcraft Leave a commentShadows and Spellcraft giveaway announcement
As you’ll have no doubt have guessed by now, given all the posts on my blog lately, the Shadows and Spellcraft book bundle (which contains, among other things, Isla’s Inheritance), comes out on 30 October. Pre-orders are only $0.99 (US), which is such an awesome bargain that I’ve already pre-ordered my own copy for the books in there that I haven’t read — there are fifteen books total.
One of the authors in the bundle, Laura Greenwood, is giving away a Kindle Fire stuffed with ebooks (including another of mine, because yay!) to celebrate the release of the bundle. You can find the giveaway here. Check it out!
Rheia Pinterest page
As I do with all my books, as I was drafting Rheia I kept a Pinterest page for the book. Now that we’re getting closer to the release day, I’ve made the page public so that those of you who want to get a taste for the aesthetic of the book can do so. The link to the page is here. It’s no Kindle Fire, but I hope you enjoy anyway!
(Note that the usual caveats apply: I don’t own any of the art in the lefthand screenshot above.)
Cassandra Page 