Cover Reveal: Sled Dogs, by Kendall Bailey

Since I started this game, I've been fortunate to meet some really amazing, friendly, and supportive authors. Kendall Bailey is one of those folks. We hit it off right away.

It's a tough reality that we can't always do everything for our fellow writers that we would like. Happily, Kendall's and my stars aligned, and today he's stopping by to share a little bit about his new novelette, Sled Dogs, as well as his journey into writing a female protagonist.

Without further ado, I give you Kendall Bailey.

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I'm a little ashamed to say that I spent the first thirty years of my life not being interested in books with female protagonists. Only three stand out: Diary & Invisible Monster, both by Chuck Palahniuk and Carrie by Stephen King. Then I wrote a novel.

Writer's hear, far too often, how important it is to build a solid writing platform. In my effort to do that I found many indie authors, all women, who wrote stories with incredible ladies leading the way. In my search for an agent I discovered Red sofa Literary Agency, specifically Laura Zats. It was Ms. Zats who introduced me to the Mako Mori and Bechdel tests (if you don't know what they are, Google 'em!) which changed the way I approached writing characters.

I wanted to write a story with a strong female lead. Sled Dogs was an exercise, or warm up, for my 2nd novel which involves a woman investigating an attack on her daughter. I liked the result so much I decided to publish it.

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EXCERPT

The furry mass appeared on the opposite river bank. They sped down one side, straight through the water, and up the other without breaking pace.

"Come on boy! Come on!"

When the dogs were about fifty yards away Alia noticed the red stains around their mouths. Each dog's white underbelly was tinted pink, from this distance it looked like they'd done a sloppy job applying lipstick. Alia stifled a laugh at the image.

They were moving too fast and frantically to tell who was who. As they approached Alia squinted with concentration, trying to tell them apart. The dog at the head of the pack made a desperate full-speed grab at Alia’s left ankle. The dog lost its footing and went tumbling past.

The next one made the same attempt and succeeded in tearing out a small chunk of skin. Alia gasped and fell backwards into the kennel. The rest of the pack was moving too fast to adjust course and ran right past.

It felt like someone had poured molten iron over her leg. She scrambled to her feet and slammed the kennel gate closed, locking herself inside.

The pack came back to the gate. Dogs pressed their noses through the holes and sniffed loudly, lapping their tongues at nothing but air. Others stood back and bared their fangs; the fur on their necks bristling. Low, guttural, growls rumbled in their throats. Their eyes weren't the same, Alia saw; there was madness in them.

I need to keep them here. They can’t get to me and if I keep them here they won’t get Dad or those nice people.

Alia stood as best she could, being careful to keep weight off her left leg. The view wasn’t great from inside the kennel but there was no sign of her dad or the tourists. She did notice Chicago, however. He was going berserk. Throwing his weight from side to side, jumping around, doing anything he could to get free of the harness.

Alia wasn’t sure if he meant to help her or hurt her. He'd been friendly with the tourists.

If he tries to help me the others will…

It was like the dogs had followed her gaze. The pack noticed the commotion behind them and turned as a group. They headed for Chicago at a trot.

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Want to stalk Kendall and Sled Dogs on the Web?

Sled Dogs on Amazon

Kendall's blog:
http://kendallbaileywriter.blogspot.com/

Kendall's Facebook Author Page:
https://www.facebook.com/kendallbaileywriter

Kendall's Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8420968.Kendall_Bailey

Twitter:
@KBaileyWriter

Cover Reveal: A World Apart (Shades Below, #1)

It's that moment you've all been waiting for!

Okay, maybe not. But I'VE been excited for this moment ever since my lovely and talented friend and cover artist sent me her newest creation.

If you're a writer, there are all kinds of questions you face when starting a new series. Questions about characters, questions about theme and plot and story arcs. If you're a self-publishing writer, you have even more questions.

To blog tour or not to blog tour?

Pay for publicity, or try to drum up buzz on your own?

Perhaps most importantly, the cover. What is your cover going to say, not just about the book it's gracing, but about the rest of the series? The first cover in a series is arguably the most important one. It's the first face people see. It's what sells your anchor book long before readers (hopefully) fall in love with it.

A World Apart--and by extension, the Shades Below series--now has a face. And might I just say, I think it's a pretty bitchin' one.

But enough talk.

"There are things that go bump in the night, Mr. MacMillian.  It's my job to bump back."

Private investigator Jesper MacMillian was sure he'd seen it all.  After all, in a city like San Francisco, strange is what's for breakfast.  Following a long  recovery after a horrific accident, his life is finally the way he wants it- or at least, close enough.  The only monsters on his radar are the ones that keep him awake at night.

All that changes the day he meets Lena Alan.

Before MacMillian has a chance to brace for impact, Lena drags him into a world where monsters aren't just real, they're hiding in plain sight.  Suddenly, everything he knows is suspect, starting with his current case.  For Lena, a medium since childhood, it's just another day at the office.

For MacMillian, it's the beginning of the end of everything he thinks he knows.

Excerpt:

Before

It was cold in the small concrete chamber.

A draft whistled through the tunnels, carrying with it the smell of liquid garbage and roast meat.  Duck, if he wasn't mistaken.  The man drew a deep, cleansing breath.  Minutes earlier, the only thing he'd been able to smell was fear.  All he'd been able to hear were screams.

Not anymore.

Now, the slight, dirty figure on the table before him was still and silent.  Now, if he listened closely, he could hear the sounds of traffic, the buzz of the street car lines embedded in the concrete overhead.

The young man's pleas still grated in his ears.  Poor fellow.  He'd tried to end it quickly, but there were certain things required for the ritual, things necessarily obtained while blood still pumped through his unwitting assistant's veins.  He pressed a hand to the man's pale forehead and reminded himself --not for the first time-- why he was doing this.

He glanced at the other table in the far corner of the chamber.  The figure that lay on it was covered with a shroud, but he could picture the face as clearly as if it were his own.  In a way, it almost was.

It would all be worth it in the end.  For the sake of his soul, it had to be.

He moved quickly.  The young man's chest was already laid open, the smooth, white ribs carefully cracked and pried apart.  The entire cavity was brimming with blood.  Its coppery stench hung heavy in the air, like some rare and forbidden perfume.

The rest of the ingredients waited in stinking repose on the cart beside the table: magical elixirs distilled under the full moon.  Marrow.  Stones.  Various entrails of various profane animals.  The ashes of a bird, so long extinct its very existence had passed into the realm of myth.

He'd poured his life's savings into obtaining it all, but after countless failed attempts, his supplies were dwindling.  He glanced at the other table again, and his chest tightened.

He couldn't fail again.  He wouldn't fail again.

The incantation was so familiar now he could recite it by rote.  The ancient words twisted and flowed over his tongue.  As he spoke, he began to move.  All great spells started with movement; he knew that now.  He knew many things now, many more than when he'd begun.  Movement was meditation, a journey into oblivion, a way to connect with the divine.

And so he moved.  He flailed his arms and stomped his feet and whirled around in a circle, again and again and again.  His rational brain started to recede.  Foam flecked the corners of his mouth.  He slipped further and further into the frenzied zen he'd come to know so well.

He was still reciting the incantation, screaming it now.  Just before he lost himself completely, he shrieked out the final, blasphemous word.  The energy abruptly sapped from his muscles.  He collapsed to the ground.  Waited.

Nothing.

He curled his fingers into the cold floor.  The sound that rose from his throat was hardly human.  Of course, after everything he'd done, he was fairly sure he'd sacrificed his humanity long ago.  What was he doing wrong?  He had followed the spell to the letter, every time.  And every time, he had failed.

He sighed, and hauled himself to his feet.  His bones creaked, and he had fresh bruises on his knees.  Failure wasn't enough; now he would be reminded of it for days to come.  He dusted off his trousers and cinched his tie closer to his throat.

At least he still had options.  He reached under the table, retrieved the pocketknife and the blank strip of leather he already had waiting.  Then he gritted his teeth, and drew the sharp edge of the blade across his palm.  Blood sprang to the surface.

He smoothed the leather flat on the table, dipped one finger into the wound, and started to write.

###

Release Date: March 21, 2015!

This is a blog train, and there are more excerpts to read!

I have some awesome friends I'd like you to meet! Each of these fabulous bloggers has volunteered to host a different excerpt from A World Apart on their blog. Stop by, give them some love, and read what happens next!

1st Stop: L.J.K. Oliva Books <<You Are Here

2nd Stop: MadhuriBlaylock Writes

3rd Stop: Home of A.L.Kessler

4th Stop: In APursuit of Publishness

5th Stop: MiaBishop- Author, Artist, Dreamer

6th Stop: The Self-PublishingExperiment

7th Stop: The DarkerSide

8th Stop: Write Bitches

Hit all the stops to read A World Apart up through Chapter 2!

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Cover Reveal: Twisted Redemption, by Alexandra Webb

It's a marvelous day for a Cover Reveal!

Book Two of the Ever After Series is coming out this week- THIS WEEK, people! In case you are new to this erotic romance fairytale series from Ellora's Cave, let me give you the rub (no, not that kind of rub):

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis draws more than tourists. Unbeknownst to the people visiting every day, its hidden magic also draws fairy tale creatures from your childhood who embark on wickedly sexy adventures in pursuit of their happily-ever-after. They battle curses, secrets, and other things that go bump in the night, as well as a new evil lurking in the wings.

The first book in the series- Twisted Revenge, by Mia Bishop -is currently available. You can get yourself caught up here.

Ever After Series, Book Two: Twisted Redemption

Behind the Gateway Arch lies a secret world and Belle will discover there’s more expected of her than she’d thought when she’d agreed to work for Sean. Dragged into a land she’d only read about in storybooks she quickly discovers Sean’s dark side and the beast lurking within. Though Belle swore she’d keep a professional distance from Sean, their instant attraction to each other is undeniable. Belle not only finds herself participating in hot sex with the man she holds responsible for her father’s death but suddenly everyone is telling her she’s the one who can break an ancient curse.

When the Pied Piper sets his sights on the couple and Belle’s life is threatened, Sean must defeat his beast and win Belle’s heart…not just her body.

But twists of betrayal, lies, and death cause events to spiral out of control. Belle struggles to navigate her way through a paranormal land populated by shapeshifter wolves and other strange creatures, inside her own dangerously passionate fairytale.

* Buy Twisted Redemption here (no, seriously, go now)
* Add Twisted Redemption to your Goodreads TBR list here (again, go now)

And now, without further ado...

I know. What a cover, right?!

Want to connect with (*cough* stalk) Alexandra Webb? Well, you didn't get it from me, buuuuuuttttt...

Alexandra Webb site

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Alexandra Webb Facebook fan page

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Twitter: @Webb_Alexandra