My book release party for TURQUOISEBLOOD was last Saturday. I had a great time showing off my shiny new novel to friends and family. Here are a few pictures:
Learn more about Turquoiseblood here!
Author: Cecelia
Interlude: Turquoiseblood reviews!
Some reviews have come in for Turquoiseblood! Check them out:
Jaffa from Jaffalogue says:
“In a word–brilliant. This novel deftly weaves 2 narratives of adopted albino women separated by 200 years…Each thread is its own political thriller touching on like locations and motivations across mountainous Rak.
Nothing about this premise should work. And yet it slays.”
Shotobhisha from Booksandblah writes:
“I enjoyed [Kiri and Anya’s] dynamic and their banter…Their relationship was very captivating.”
Full disclosure: I provided free copies of the novel for review purposes. Click on the links for full reviews. Check out TURQUOISEBLOOD for yourself here!
And after reading, please post a review on Goodreads or Amazon! Reviews really help indie authors!
Interlude: Book Release Party
Putting the finishing touches on everything I’ll need for Saturday’s party! This isn’t my first book release party, what with the anthology (and attending author friends’ launches) but it’s my first solo event.
With physical books costing so much to print, I’m not making TURQUOISEBLOOD available for wholesale distribution, nor do I expect a flood of fans I’ve never met showing up at my party. To me, a book release party is really for my friends and family to understand what I’ve been working toward all these years. It’s going to be fun!
Stay tuned for pictures!
My YA fantasy novel TURQUOISEBLOOD is out now! Get your copy here!
When the dangerous rogue dragon Anya crash lands in an isolated mountain village during a snowstorm, Kiri saves her life. Anya awakens seemingly cured of her madness and in thanks offers to show Kiri the country outside her village.
What starts as a simple pact quickly becomes something more as Kiri becomes embroiled in the intrigue of the royal court and the hunt for a murderer.
Meanwhile, 200 years in the past, Pristina fights to stop a rising civil war.
Interlude: Turquoiseblood review up!
The first review for TURQUOISEBLOOD is up now on HerStoryArc.com! Read it here!
Interlude: Turquoiseblood available now!
Finally! TURQUOISEBLOOD is up and available for purchase! So many people helped make this happen and I’m so thrilled to share this labor of love with the whole world.
If you’re thinking of self-publishing and want a little guidance, feel free to contact me, I’m happy to share everything I did to make it here.
No time to rest on my laurels though–new installment of St. Paul Grimoire will be up later today! Check it out!
Interlude: Turquoiseblood updates
I moved the release date of Turquoiseblood back to February 1st to allow for more time proofreading (not something you want to rush!). Bookmark this page so you’ll know the minute it’s available on Amazon!
Interlude: Cover reveal
It’s finally here! The cover to my forthcoming novel, TURQUOISEBLOOD!
Isn’t it BEAUTIFUL?!
For this cover, I worked with Glendon Haddix of Streetlight Graphics. I was very impressed by the professional-looking covers in his portfolio and I was not disappointed with this striking design!
I sent the plot of my novel and my requests for the cover look/feel over to Streetlight Graphics and was very pleased with their quick responses. I definitely recommend them to other authors looking for cover art (they are very reasonably priced as well).
TURQUOISEBLOOD will be out soon. Keep checking back here for updates!
St. Paul Grimoire Preview!
Something moved in the dark.
Pete started, dropping the leather journal she’d been holding. “Val?”
It was too dark to see. Had she imagined it?
No—another shuffling step out of the shadows, revealing the dim outline of someone huge filling the space between the row of shelves.
“Icarus,” he said in a great deep voice.
Pete screamed.
The others came running, pulling up short when they saw the shape of the giant man. He stumbled, catching the top of a shelf to steady himself.
“Icarus,” he said again. Not angry or anything, Pete realized, but maybe a little urgent.
“Ike’s not here,” Dakotah answered, pretty bravely, Pete thought.
“Where?” asked the hulking man.
“He…died,” said Dakotah. “A few days ago.”
The giant man paused. “Then,” he said in a strained tone, “I need Dakotah.”
~*~
Dakotah thought he was inheriting an antique shop. Instead, he is chosen to be a Guardian—the keeper of a sanctuary where magic and magical beings congregate. Together, Dakotah and his friends struggle to learn the secrets of this new world—but they must do it quickly, for a dark force is rising to challenge them.
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IndieReCon Recap: Cover Best Practices
If you’re anything like me, the existence of a free online indie writing con thrilled you to bits. Fortunately (unfortunately?) the videos are up all the time, so unlike a live-action con you have no limitations on how many sessions you can “attend.”
I’ve decided to post some short recaps of a few of the interesting videos I’ve watched so far. Please share your own recommendations below!
Cover Best Practices: Finding the Right Designer for You
Summary: Guido Caroti, an art director and graphic designer, lays out the in the simplest terms how to find and work with a cover designer–or how to go it alone.
Grade: A. The post was very sparse (I’m not clear if there was a video at some point. There’s only text there now) but it answered my questions and was a good primer to read before beginning my search for a cover designer.
Quotes:
“Make a trip to the local book store. Review recently published books [and] look up the designer’s name in the credits section.”
“Having a wider pool of choice candidates will enable you to shop around and negotiate [prices].”
“A lot of people in publishing will disagree with me on this, but I think the cover should only be true to your story and avoid clinging to visual cliches typically associated with the genre. A cover that doesn’t resemble other titles in the bookshelf will stand out among the herd.”
Takeaway: My burning question was answered about halfway through the post: What should I do if I already know exactly what I want my dream cover to look like? Answer: Talk it out with potential designers and stay flexible. A designer has a better idea of what will work on a cover. In fact, whether you have a design in mind or not, open communication is the best way to get a satisfying result. Make sure your designer knows your specs, your schedule, your target audience, your competition, your story synopsis, and your personal vision.
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HerStoryArc Post: Forget Pride and Prejudice, Watch Belle
Check out my writing on Her Story Arc! In Belle, Dido just wants to lead the normal life of an upper class Englishwoman, but her mixed race heritage stands in her way. Eventually, she starts to draw parallels between the forms of oppression in her world. Read the whole review in “Forget Pride and Prejudice, Watch Belle.”
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Cecelia Isaac, Fantasy Writer 