Monday Mishmash 10/20/14

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. Curse of the Granville Fortune Releases Tomorrow!  I can't believe tomorrow is the big day! My middle grade fantasy will be available 10/21.
   
2. Out of the Ashes on Goodreads  You can now add Out of the Ashes, book two in the Birth of the Phoenix Series, on Goodreads.
3. #IntotheFireChallenge  Halloween will be here before you know it, so get your review of Into the Fire up on Amazon to be entered for a chance to become a phoenix in the third book in the Birth of the Phoenix Series. You could also win signed copies of all three books in the series.
   
4. Beth Fred's Writing Class  My friend Beth Fred is teaching another class through Colorado Romance Writer. It's called The Art of Blurb Writing. Sign up here.
5. Witches Three Tour  I signed at Books-A-Million in Exton, PA last Saturday along with Jennifer Murgia and Molly Cochran. Jen and I will be signing at BAM in the Stroud Mall in Stroudsburg, PA this Saturday from 1-3pm. Come see us if you're in the area.
   

Here are some fun pictures from last Saturday.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 10/13/14

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. #IntotheFireChallenge Extended!  I've decided to extend the #IntotheFireChallenge until Halloweeen. That means you have until midnight on Halloween to post a review of Into the Fire on Amazon for a chance to become a Phoenix in the third and final book. Get your review up!
   
2. Monster Madness Blog Hop  Vicki Leigh and I are hosting a fun Monster blog hop on Halloween. We'll be talking about our favorite monsters, and of course there will be a giveaway. Want to join the fun? Sign up below and we'll send you all you need for your Halloween post, plus some fun questions for you to answer on your blog. 
   
3. Signing The Monster Within at Books-A-Million in Exton, PA on Saturday.  As part of the Three Witches Tour, I'll be signing The Monster Within with Jennifer Murgia and Molly Cochran from 1-3pm.
   
4. Vitamins and Death Cover Reveal  Check out the cover of Medeia Sharif's upcoming YA, Vitamins and Death. This book will release December 10th through Prizm Books.
    
   Deidra Battle wants nothing more than to be invisible. After her mother, a public school teacher, engages in an embarrassing teacher-student affair at Lincoln High, they relocate to a different neighborhood and school. Being her mother’s briefcase, Deidra joins her mother at her new workplace, Hodge High.
   
   
   Since her mother has reverted to her maiden name and changed her appearance, Deidra thinks no one will figure out they’re the Battles from recent news and that they’re safe. Neither of them is. Hodge brings a fresh set of bullies who discover details about the scandal that changed her life.
   
   
   Feeling trapped at home with an emotionally abusive, pill-addicted mother and at school with hostile classmates who attempt to assault and blackmail her, Deidra yearns for freedom, even if she has to act out of character and hurt others in the process. Freedom comes at a price.
5. Meradeth Houston's An Absence of Light  I'm happy to share the cover of Meradeth's upcoming release.

Leah’s always seen the shadow creatures. She thought she was immune to their evil—until now.

She’s walked into a massacre, stolen a BMW, and is running from the law for a crime she didn’t commit. Nineteen-year-old Leah’s life just went from mildly abnormal to totally crazy at lightning speed. But no one will believe that the shadow creatures are framing her for the murder, because she’s the only one that can see them. At least that’s what she thought.

When Leah stumbled across a group who share her ability, she discovers they have something she doesn’t: a way to fight back. When the group offers to teach her how to kill the shadow creatures, Leah jumps at the chance. But something is brewing with the creatures. They’re tracking down the hunters like there’s no tomorrow. Leah suspects that maybe there won’t be, and it’s up to her to make sure tomorrow comes. Because she’ll do anything to stop the shadows, including risking her life—and the life of the one she loves—to keep the world from being lost to darkness forever.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 9/29/14

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. Into the Fire Hit 3 Amazon Best Seller Lists!  So, I'm still smiling over this one. Just look! And thank you a million times over to everyone who bought a copy of the book. This means so much to me.
   
2. Just Kelly-New YouTube Video Series  I've decided that in addition to my usual videos with book teasers and such, I'm going to do a series called "Just Kelly" where I'll share things about myself. Here's video number one, which happens to be my useless talents. Enjoy!
3. I joined Instagram  Okay, so I didn't realize that this is the place for YA readers to hang out, but that was recently shared with me. So I thought I'd give it a try. You can find me here.
4. Linking Accounts  For a while I've been tossing around the idea of linking my social media accounts so when I post to one, it posts to multiple accounts for me. Well, it was a great idea until I forgot which account posted to which other account and wound up with multiple posts in the same place. *sigh* I think I've gotten it straightened out with the help of a cheat sheet. ;)
5. The Darkness Within Cover  Guys, I got to see the finalized cover for The Darkness Within (the sequel to The Monster Within) and I'm so in love with it. I can't wait until this cover reveal!

That's it for me. What's on your mind today.

Friday Feature: Into the Fire

If you've been following my blog for a while, you've probably noticed a book called Into the Fire in my side bar. You may have also noticed that the cover has changed slightly.

Yes, that's right. It now has my Ashelyn Drake romance pen name on the book as well. Why you ask? Well, to answer that question, I'd like to share the Dear Reader letter I wrote at the start of the book.

Dear Reader,

When I set out to write Into the Fire, I thought I was writing a paranormal novel. But after I witnessed Cara and Logan together, I soon realized I wasn’t just writing a story about a Phoenix trying to save her kind. I was writing a love story. And the further I got into the novel, the more it became obvious that the book was equal parts paranormal and romance. In essence, you could remove the paranormal and have a straightforward romance, or remove the romance and have a full-fledged paranormal novel. Honestly, I prefer the blend of the two, but the tricky part became how to brand this particular series.

As many of you know, I write under two names. Kelly Hashway is my speculative fiction name, and Ashelyn Drake is my contemporary romance pen name. When it came to deciding which name should be on the cover of Into the Fire, there was really only one answer: both. For a book that is so clearly two genres, I need both my names. I hope that everyone who reads the book will agree and see why I chose to blend the names I write under.

So for the Kelly Hashway fans, I can promise you will get a Kelly Hashway paranormal novel that you are accustomed to, and Ashelyn Drake fans will get the kind of romance they are used to. It’s the best of both worlds, something for everyone.

Thank you for picking up Into the Fire. I hope you fall in love with Cara and Logan the way I have, and that you root for Cara and the Phoenixes as they fight for their lives against the Hunters.

Yours truly,
Kelly Hashway/Ashelyn Drake 

The ebook will actually release through Swoon Romance, while the paperback edition will release through Month9Books. We're embracing both genres fully, and I love it. Another change is that it was previously listed on Goodreads as a Kelly Hashway title, but it now appears as an Ashelyn Drake title. If you'd like to add it, you can find it here.

Friday Feature: Daughter of Chaos by Jen McConnel (Review)

Witches must choose the path they will follow, and Darlena Agara is no exception. She’s been putting it off long enough, and in her case, ignoring it has not made it go away. In a moment of frustration, Darlena chooses to follow Red Magic, figuring she had outsmarted the powers that be, since there’s no such thing as Red Magic. But alas, Darlena’s wrong (again) and she becomes a newly declared Red Witch.

Her friends are shocked and her parents horrified by the choice Darlena has made. As a Red Witch, she now governs one third of the world’s chaos. She is the walking personification of pandemonium, turmoil, and bedlam, just as the patrons of Red Magic would have it to be.

But Darlena believes there must be more to Red Magic than chaos and destruction, and she sets out on a journey to achieve balance. Only doing so puts her at odds with the dark goddess Hecate, who simply will not allow Darlena to quit. She encourages Darlena to embrace who and what she is and to leave good magic to the good witches. If only Darlena could, life would be simple, and she would not be the Daughter of Chaos.

My thoughts:
I liked Darlena from the start. She thinks she can outsmart Hecate, and for me that just spelled guts right there. Of course it backfires and she winds up pledging herself to Red Magic, which she didn't even know existed. Still, Darlena seems suited for Red Magic and the fact that Hecate wants her means she has a lot of power. Unfortunately, that power makes her a very sought after witch. Darlena doesn't know who to trust or how to use her Red Magic for good, and she winds up on a journey she never could have imagined.

Witches and Greek gods! This seriously couldn't get any better. I have a weird obsession with Hades, and he was awesome in this story. I tore through this book, loving every second and being totally invested in Darlena and her future. McConnel has a winner with Daughter of Chaos and in my opinion, book two can't get here fast enough. If you enjoy witch books, go get Daughter of Chaos now!

Writer Wednesday: Book Expo America 2014

BEA!!! Okay, I still haven't come down from my BEA high. This is seriously my favorite event. Why? Because I always get to hang out with really awesome writers and bloggers and publishing people. Man, I love my job.

So, here's a recap of my BEA 2014 experience:

First, check out the awesome Spencer Hill Press signing chart. (Do you see my name?)

And here I am signing The Monster Within ARCs. Photo courtesy of the very awesome Miss Dvora Gelfond.

Fellow horror writer Charles Day stopped by to get an ARC of The Monster Within.

I got really amazing triquetra necklaces for my book, which we raffled off in baskets and during the signing. I don't think I'm ever taking mine off. It's so pretty!

And here's the beautiful Jennifer Allis Provost who made the triquetra necklaces for me because she's that awesome.

Brooke Delvecchio is one of the most adorable people ever. I love her.

Here I am with Richard Shealy, one of my copy editors.

Here I am with Jessica Porteous, Lisa Amowitz, and Elizabeth Langston.

My agency sister, Vicki Merkel, attended my signing. 

Vikki Ciaffone is not my editor at SHP but I love her.

And I got to meet Eliza Tilton in person finally too! And I met J.A. Ward.

I also had a signing as Ashelyn Drake for my upcoming YA contemporary Perfect For You. Swoon Romance was awesome about getting people to stop by my booth to pick up signed postcards and talk about the book. I also had two amazing dancers (Yes, I said dancers.) bringing people in. A special thanks to Dorothy Dryer and Dan Cohen. You two are the best cheerleaders ever! 

After knowing Rachel Harris online for years we got to meet in person!

Okay, and this has nothing to do with my signings or meeting people, BUT… I finally got to see Rick Riordan!!! Thank you to Dan Cohen for making sure I got a picture of Rick this time. 

AND…I got Becca Fitzpatrick's new book! Yay! I'm so excited to read it. I loved the Hush, Hush series. I have to thank Dan Cohen for this one too because he totally snagged me a copy early and I didn't even have to wait in line.

I had to leave early on Saturday because the train schedule changed and we are having work done on our house and had to be home for it. I was sad to go and am already counting the days until BEA 2015!

Monday Mishmash 4/28/14

1. Monroe County Book Expo  Thanks to everyone who came out for the Monroe County Book Expo. I had a great time. This was my third and final author appearance this month and it was a great way to close out April.

2. The Monster Within Goodreads Giveaway  Spencer Hill Press is giving away TWO copies of The Monster Within on Goodreads. Enter here.

3.  The Monster Within Monster Giveaway  To celebrate the upcoming release of The Monster Within, I'm hosting a Monster Giveaway! Want to be part of it? The giveaway will run from May 16th to June 17th and you can post anywhere within those dates. Sign up in the form below.

4. Stone of Destiny by Laura Howard  Congrats to Laura Howard on her newest release, Stone of Destiny. Isn't this cover gorgeous?

Allison thought it was crazy enough when she found out her father, Liam, wasn't entirely human. But now she has to join his magical allies to unravel his former mistress's plans. Aoife wants to keep Allison's parents apart forever.

Despite Allison's efforts to keep Ethan, the only guy she's ever cared about, out of this supernatural mess, fate keeps throwing him back into the mix.

Will Allison be able to find the amulet that holds the enchantment Aoife placed on Liam and destroy it? Are Ethan' s feelings for Allison strong enough to endure the magic of the Tuatha De Danaan?

5.  Snip, Snip Revenge by Medeia Sharif  Congrats to Medeia on the release of her latest YA novel!

Beautiful, confident Tabby Karim has plans for the winter: nab a role in her school’s dramatic production, make the new boy Michael hers, and keep bigoted Heather—with her relentless Ay-rab comments—at bay. When a teacher’s lie and her father’s hastiness rob her of her beautiful hair, her dreams are dashed. The fastest barber in Miami Beach has made her look practically bald. 

With all her pretty hair gone, Tabby doesn’t believe she fits the feminine role she’s auditioning for. Michael is still interested in her, but he’s playing it cool. Heather has taken to bullying her online, which is easier to do with Tabby’s ugly haircut. Tabby spearheads Operation Revenge, which proves satisfying until all of her problems deepen. After messing up, she sets to make things right.

Join Medeia's giveaway to celebrate the release of her latest novel.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 4/21/14

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. YA Fest  On Saturday, I attended YA Fest with 49 other authors. It was crazy awesome. I got to meet my Month9Books family who I've talked to online but never met in person before.

Pab Sungenis, Jackie Kessler, Me, Jen McConnel, Janice Bashman, and Donna Gallanti

I also finally met Jennifer Armentrout in person, which was awesome since she blurbed my Touch of Death series for me.

Kate Kaynak photo bombed a picture, giving Lisa Amowitz bunny ears. ;)

So, I took a picture with Kate.

The lovely Kimberly Miller was nice enough to take a picture of me at my table.

I got a nice surprise when my friend and fellow author, Beth Consugar, showed up. We'd never met in person before.

Here's me with YA Fest founder, Jennifer Murgia, who happened to blurb The Monster Within for me.

And here I am with the totally sweet Jen McConnel. Seriously, what a sweetheart!

And that's probably way more pictures than you wanted to see, but I had an absolute blast and had to share. 

2.  Monroe County Book Expo  I'll be at the Hughes branch of the Eastern Monroe County Library on Saturday from 10am-3pm signing copies of all my books, PB through YA, and my Ashelyn Drake title, Campus Crush.

3.  Editing  I'm editing for clients this week along with working on revisions for two of my books. April has been such a busy month for me.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather Reid (Review)

Summary:
It’s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent. When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.

My thoughts:
First, how gorgeous is this cover? I love it. From the moment I saw it, I knew I had to read this book. In fact, at BEA I pushed my way through the crowd to get to Heather's signing, and not a moment too soon. She was out of books in three minutes flat. No lie. Gone. And now I know why.

Quinn is tormented by demons. She can't sleep, and they are ruining just about every aspect of her life. She's hung up on her ex-boyfriend Jeff, who I wanted to hit so badly. You'll easily see why if you read the book. Then there's Aaron. I loved him. He's so head over heels for Quinn, but their relationship is complicated in so many ways. I can't give details without being spoilery, but I didn't see the ending coming at all! And I loved that. Quinn resists the demons as much as she can, but when they threaten her friends and family, she can't help but give in, even for a little while. But demons don't play fair, and they are out to get Quinn.

Honestly, I'm not sure where book two will go. The ending sort of shocked me, but I'm eager to see where Reid takes us next.

Just for fun:
Quinn sees and hears demons, but she's afraid if she tells anyone and seeks help that they'll just think she's crazy. What would you do if you were in her shoes?

Book Expo America=Heaven!

I'm not posting a Monday Mishmash because the one thing on my mind is BEA! I don't even know where to start because BEA blew me away. First, I have amazing publishers. Everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) from both houses was absolutely sweet and personable. I'm going to explain things with some photos for you too. :)

I met some really awesome Spencer Hill Press people, like:

Me with Kate Kaynak, owner of Spencer Hill Press
Yes, it's blurry, but I swear it's because Kate is so busy she never stands still. ;)

Timothy Miller signing his book Awoken for me!

Me with Sherry Ficklin, author of Extracted

Me with Tyler Jolley, Author of Extracted with Sherry Ficklin

Dan Cohen with me at my signing for Stalked by Death

Rich Storrs (A.K.A. "The Closer") with me at my signing

Me with Trisha Wooldridge, my editor for the Touch of Death series

Lisa Amowitz, Kimberly Miller, Michelle Pickett, Jennifer Allis Provost, me, and Dorothy Dreyer (the Scene13 girls)

My signing was surreal. When I showed up after my author breakfast (which was also extremely cool) I had a line of people waiting for me. I sort of stared in disbelief for a while. I wish I took a picture of the line. The awesome ladies at Swoony Boys Podcast showed up with a gift for me, which was so sweet of them. Also, Donna from School Library Journal came to get Stalked by Death. She introduced herself and I profusely thanked her for the great review she did for Touch of Death in the March issue of SLJ. She took a picture with me and said she'd review Stalked by Death, too. I got a little choked up over that.

George Klutz, fellow ICL member, came to see me

Me with Brooke DelVecchio, who was awesome enough to get Stalked by Death on Friday and come back with her copy of Touch of Death on Saturday to have me sign it. :)

And my Month9Books family was there too!

Heather Reid (author of Pretty Dark Nothing) and me

Me getting a signed copy of Gabriel Stone from Shannon Duffy

Georgia McBride (owner of Month9Books) and me

Dorothy Dreyer (author of My Sister's Reaper), Lisa Basso (author of A Shimmer of Angels), and me

And here are some other awesome people:

Lauren Hammond (my agent) and me

LM Preston, Lauren Hammond, me, and Lisa Amowitz

And I got in trouble for trying to get this picture of Jim Carrey, but this was my third shot and I got him!

And here's my view as I sadly exited the building. I'm already counting down to next year. I will definitely be back.

Since it's Monday, please let me know what's on your mind.