The summer sun is scorching the earth and driving the world indoors to air conditioning. Trapped indoor, we are presented with a great chance to get some reading done. If you're looking for something new to read, but don't have a lot of money to spend on e-books, let me point you in the direction of some great deals that can be found.
First, I've got to direct you toward a few of my own stories. Right now, I've got FOUR stories you can download for $2 or less.
The Dark Days series:
Bound to Me -- prequel novella to the Dark Days series ($0.99) -- Kindle or Nook
The Dead, the Damned, and the Forgotten -- prequel novella to the Dark Days series ($0.99) Kindle or Nook
Nightwalker -- first full-length of the Dark Days series ($0.99) -- Limited time pricing for Kindle
The Asylum Tales series:
The Asylum Interviews: Bronx -- prequel novella to the Asylum Tales series ($1.99) -- Kindle or Nook
Here are a few other great authors that I think you should give a try at an inexpensive price:
Dani Worth
Do you like your romance with a little extra spice? These out-of-the-ordinary stories are hot and tender, with excellent storytelling. Check them out!
Kithra --Book 1 in her Kithra series -- Approx. $3 -- Kindle or Nook
Replicant -- Book 2 in her Kirtha series -- Approx. $3 -- Kindle or Nook
Urban Fantasy meets superheroes, check out Vicki's Zodiac series! Her first novel in the series, The Scent of Shadows, is currently available on the Kindle for only $0.99. If you haven't started this series yet, this is a great way to jump in.
Jeaniene Frost
Need some sexy vampires in your life? Then you should definitely be reading Jeaniene Frost! She's got a handful of wonderful short stories available at an inexpensive price. This is a great way to get a taste of her world.
That's 11 stories for you to try this weekend for just a few bucks a piece! Great deals on some awesome escapes from the burning summer heat. Have a great weekend and happy reading!
The celebration of the release of The Asylum Interviews: Bronx continues today. On Tuesday, the first story for my new series, The Asylum Tales, launched, introducing you to Gage and Bronx. I've been doing a mini-blog tour the past few days and we continue today with another character interview. Would you like to meet the characters of Low Town?
Meet Gage at Literary Escapism
Meet Parker at All Things Urban Fantasy
Meet Bronx at Tynga's Reviews
And today is your chance to meet Trixie over at A Great Read. This is a brief intro to Trixie, as she will be enjoying a much better introduction when her story, The Asylum Interviews: Trixie, comes out on September 4.
For this celebration, I've been giving away free copies of the novella, but you've got to do a little work for me. Here's the task: Go to A Great Read and check out the interview of Trixie. Then email me at JocelynnDOTdrakeATgmailDOTcom and tell me how long Trixie has been tattooing. Also, tell me whether you want the e-book as a Kindle or a Nook should you win the contest.
The contest ends at midnight Eastern time. I will draw two winners randomly from those who submit the right answer.
Don't forget that there's still one more day to enter the Literal Addiction drawing for The Asylum Interviews: Bronx. Don't worry. You don't have to do any work for this one.
In addition, I discovered that Nightwalker is available for only $0.99 on the Kindle. Do you need a copy of Nightwalker for your Kindle? Do you know a friend who needs to start reading the Dark Days series? For only a dollar, you can start reading a great urban fantasy series!
It's a quiet day.
Well, quiet other than the bulldozer running next to my house, but you know what I mean. It's just me and the computer as I push through the book, trying to decide which city to destroy and which person to kill and which to save. My main character Gage and I have been spending a lot of time staring at wall, thinking. It seems that I've created quite a mess for him and we're both sitting around, thinking WTF?!?! We'll find our way out of this dark wood, but it may take a little time.
While we're fumbling about, I've got a few reminders:
It is my understanding that today is the last day to pick up the Nightwalker e-book at its reduced price of $0.99. Spread the word! Tap your friend! Tell a total stranger. The world needs to be reading this book and what better way than to pick it up for less than a dollar. Here are some links if you're interested:
In addition, there's a prequel novella that was released last week called "The Dead, the Damned, and the Forgotten." It originally appeared in the Unbound anthology, but it is now available as a stand-alone e-book for only $0.99. If you haven't read the anthology yet and need a little more Mira, this is a great way to get your fix! The novella is a something of a murder mystery set roughly a month before the events of Nightwalker in Mira's home domain of Savannah. A nightwalker has been murdered and Mira must quickly discover the identity of the killer before her domain descends into chaos. The story was a lot of fun to write and gives readers a sneak peek at some of the characters that appear in the series in later books. Her are some links if you're interested:
Also, regardless of whether you're just finding the series now or have been a fan from the beginning, you can always stop by The Dark Room discussion board to leave comments and questions. I haunt the board several times a day and try to respond when I see a comment. I will be posting information on the board at the end of the week about the new series that will be hitting shelves and e-readers later this year. The discussion board is also a great place to chat with other fans of the series.
And finally, don't forget that I'm doing a book signing and discussion at Joseph-Beth Booksellers on Thursday, February 9 from 7pm to 9pm. We'll be talking about the Dark Days series and giving information on the new series as well. In fact, I will be giving both the title and date of the release for the final Dark Days novella, featuring Mira and Valerio. I don't currently have any other plans to travel this year, so this may be my only time out and about signing books. If you're anywhere near the Cincinnati area, please stop by for the fun!
Now, I'm off to write my blog entry for Supernatural Underground, which will appear on the site tomorrow, Tuesday, February 7. If you're not checking out this blog, it's a great place to keep up with some great urban fantasy/paranormal romance authors.
The wading through the muck and mire continues. I am making progress on the book, but it has started fighting me a bit. I'll beat it back down and take control again shortly. I love a book that's got some spunk and spirit to it!
I just remembered that I should remind you that the Nightwalker e-book will be on sale for only a little while longer. In December, my publisher marked down all e-book editions of Nightwalker to $0.99. Yep, you can have the first book to the Dark Days series for only $1! Do you have a friend that needs some vampires in his/her life? This is a great way to get them hooked on Mira and the gang for a great low price.
Nightwalker will remain $0.99 until February 6, so hurry up and add it to your e-reader now!
Also, don't forget to pre-order the prequel novella to the Dark Days series, "The Dead, the Damned and the Forgotten". It is also just $0.99. Two great stories about vampires, werewolves, and dark creatures of the earth for less than $2.
The holidays are a time of getting together with family, eating too much food, and finding great deals on e-books! I am excited to report that Harper Voyager and Avon are running some fantastic deals right now on some awesome e-books, and you don't want to miss out.
Do you have that friend who has yet to start the Dark Days series? Do they need a copy of Nightwalker, but haven't bought it for their e-reader yet? Well, the book is now available for only $1.99. Such a small cost for the start of a great vampire series.
Also, don't forget that The Dead, the Damned, and the Forgotten will be coming out at the end of January and it is only $0.99 for the novella (previously released in the Unbound anthology). This prequel is a great way to get someone hooked to the series.
Do you need some other fantastic sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy books to read? I thought you did. Harper Voyager is offering great books from Kim Harrison, Richard Kadrey, Vicki Pettersson, and more for $1.99 or less. So hurry over and treat yourself or a friend to some fantastic books!
Wait! You need a little romance to get through the holidays. I completely understand. Avon is hosting a 12 days of Christmas sale and you don't want to miss it! They are also releasing several e-books for only $1.99. These books are from authors such as Kerrelyn Sparks, Terri Garey, Johanna Lindsey, Lynsay Sands, and many more.
With your holiday shopping done, the tree is trimmed, and the pantry is filled, why don't you load up on some great books. You can snuggle up and lose yourself for a few hours (or days) in a world of magic, danger, and love.
Every family has their holiday traditions. They could be big or small, but they are always treasured.
Yesterday, I enjoyed one of my all-time favorites: a trip to the Krohn Conservatory to see their holiday display. The Krohn Conservatory is an exquisite glass hothouse that contains a vast collection of delicate and exotic plants. I have been going to the Conservatory since I was very young. My parents would take us every year and my brothers and I would get a new ornament we picked out for the Christmas tree. I looked forward to it every year; more so than the trips to the zoo for the Festival of Lights and walks through downtown Cincinnati to see the window displays.
There's something so peaceful about the Conservatory. Voices aren't raised and the whole place has a hushed, almost reverent feel to it as you walk through, looking at the displays. When I step into the Conservatory, I can feel just a warmth in my soul. It's beauty. It's good memories. It's home.
As you walk in the door to the Conservatory, there's always a giant Christmas tree that is covered in hand-made ornaments. Most of the ornaments are made from leaves, nuts, and bits of twigs. I find myself standing before the tree for several minutes, trying to see each ornament on the tree, but my family is always anxious to move along to the main exhibit hall, where they have the giant poinsettia tree and trains.
This year's exhibit was entitled: Trains, Trestles, and Traditions. For several years, the Conservatory displayed a giant rotating music box that depicted places in Cincinnati. It wasn't there this year, but the display they had was absolutely beautiful. They had several trains running around the exhibit hall and little buildings made to resemble places that were well-known around the city. The small incline trolley is a replica of the incline that use to run up Mt. Adams many years ago.
Also, here's another well-known building for Cincinnati. The rounded building in the background of this picture is Union Terminal. Long ago, it was one the main train station for the city. Many people were shipped out to fight in World War II from this terminal many year ago, and some say it is now haunted. The Union Terminal is still a train station, but it also houses the local history museum and Omnimax theater. It's an exquisite building to visit if you're ever in town.
And a few places that aren't quite a part of Cincinnati, but beautiful all the same. I'm not quite sure why they included this unless it's supposed to be a replica of the Tower at King's Island, which is a smaller replica of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Regardless, it is cool all the same.
From the exhibit hall, you find into the desert exhibit, which is filled with beautiful cacti and spiked plants. This room is fun because I've seen the occasional little animal squirreled away during the summer. The summer sees doors opened, allowing birds to flit in. I've seen little lizards creeping along between the cactus and even a small family of what looked to be quails (Take this with a grain of salt, I don't know anything about birds. They were at least small and quail-like.) Throughout the desert room, they have little hand-made ornament hanging from some of the larger plants, adding a little color to the thick green room.
The desert room leads to an enclosed Orchid Exhibit. This is the newest room of the Conservatory, being less than a decade old, I believe. It is humid and warm, making you regret your winter coat, but it is worth the short jaunt through. Filled with delicate orchids, this room is an explosion of color. I love orchids, but I would never attempt to grow one. I'm sure that if I killed the plant, I would be heartbroken, so I happily visit the Conservatory to get my fill of the lovely plants.
The Orchid Exhibit leads to the Bonsai Room, which is also relatively new. The local Bonsai society allows the Conservatory to display their collection and it is amazing. They have some plants there that are over fifty years old and have been in training for more years than I have been alive. I have included the picture of the one bonsai that I look forward to seeing every time I visit Krohn. I believe it is called The Grove. My mind just explodes with fantastical ideas when I see it. I can so easily imagine a little pixie or faerie living among the tiny trees.
From the Bonsai Room, you walk out and can then visit the two rainforest rooms. Both have water displays containing enormous koi fish as well as a few turtles. At the end of one room, there is a large waterfall that you can walk behind through this stone tunnel. There's also a banana tree. When the world is cold and gray, the Conservatory is a place within the city you can go and be enveloped in a world of warmth and green. It's stepping into another world, like stepping into a safe jungle where you can explore without the worry of contracting malaria or getting eaten by a jaguar.
After you're done with the Conservatory tour, you can stop outside to see the nativity scene with real animals and life-sized wax figures. This nativity scene first appeared in Cincinnati in the late 1930s and was moved to the Krohn Conservatory in 1967. Regardless of your religious beliefs, it is a neat exhibit. I just like to stand outside the exhibit and "baaa" at the sheep.
If you've enjoyed my tour of Krohn Conservatory and live relatively close to Cincinnati, Ohio, I suggest that you go check it out! Make this a part of your family's holiday traditions. If you don't live close, but would like to see more, here's a video I did a few years ago to show off the Conservatory, which was included in Pray for Dawn.
Tonight, my mother's side of the family is gathering for their Christmas celebration. There will be food, gifts, games, and lots of laughter. My O.H. is cooking a cheesy potato casserole to take and I've been baking a little bit all week. The presents are mostly wrapped and I'm getting ready to start the self-beautification process.
To close for the week, let me leave you with a few links.
First, pay a visit to Literary Escapism. This post not only includes updates on many great authors, but it appears that Avon Books is running an awesome sale that you want to check out! I'll be picking up a few books myself.
Speaking of book deals, I heard from my editor today. She said that Voyager (my imprint publisher) is going to be running an e-book sale starting on Monday. Nighwalker will be included, selling for $0.99 until early February. I'll post more details soon!
Second, be sure to stop by Supernatural Underground everyday until Christmas as the authors there will be giving away lots of books! You don't want to miss out!
