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Okay, so maybe the photographer cut off half my face. It’s still proof that I was there. This was one of my favorite panels, with a couple other great authors, a NYT bestselling author and a literary agent. Oh, and they proved that they cannot only write well, but speak well too. I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard in a long time.
In addition to panels on topics from Young Adult literature to avoiding mistakes first-time authors make, I interviewed with several podcasts and shows, including Residual Hauntings, talking about “The Last Archangel”. You can listen here:
http://residualhauntings.podomatic.com/entry/2013-02-17T21_55_15-08_00
I even won a free shirt from Epic Puzzles and Games in Lehi, UT because I correctly answered a question about zombies. I surprised even myself when I came up with the name “revanant”.
I’ve also taken up the cause of the Author’s Think Tank and their awesome new podcast “by authors, for authors” called Forever Writers. I wrote the lyrics at the beginning of the podcast, and will hopefully be a host on future installments. They will be posted soon here:
http://www.foreverwriters.com/
If you didn’t go this year, I would definitely check it out next year. Visit http://www.ltue.org for more information. It usually happens in February and is a wonderful value for your money. If you are an author and present, you can even get in for free.
I will appear next at Write Here in Ephraim on March 4th at Snow College in Utah, and then at the LDStorymaker’s Conference in mid May. See you there!
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Okay, just hear me out. I know romance isn’t my typical fare. It is Valentine’s Day and even though I don’t write a lot of love stories, love is pretty great when you find it. “The Last Time” is being featured as the Valentine’s Day special for BigWorldNetwork.com, which is a great digital content distributor of ebooks and audio books. You can listen to an audio version done by myself, or read it digitally. It is a modern fantasy tale, which I promise involves no sparkly vampires or werewolves.
Check in next week for my first contest with “The Canticle Prelude”. Five books up for grabs!
A happy Valentine’s Day, everyone. May you find love, or grow the love you have already found.
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Phantom by Laura DeLuca
The “Phantom” was a musical phenomenon that Rebecca had always found enchanting. She had no idea that her life was about to mirror the play that was her obsession. When her high school drama club chooses “Phantom” as their annual production, Rebecca finds herself in the middle of an unlikely love triangle and the target of a sadistic stalker who uses the lines from the play as their calling card.
Rebecca lands the lead role of Christine, the opera diva, and like her character, she is torn between her two co-stars—Tom the surfer and basketball star who plays the lovable hero, and Justyn, the strangely appealing Goth who is more than realistic in the role of the tortured artist.
Almost immediately after casting, strange things start to happen both on and off the stage. Curtains fall. Mirrors are shattered. People are hurt in true phantom style. They all seem like accidents until Rebecca receives notes and phone calls that hint at something more sinister. Is Justyn bringing to life the twisted character of the phantom? Or in real life are the roles of the hero and the villain reversed? Rebecca doesn’t know who to trust, but she knows she’s running out of time as she gets closer and closer to opening night. Only when the mask is stripped away, will the twenty first century phantom finally be revealed.
Excerpt
The orchestra tuned for its virtuoso, and Justyn stood ready. But no one else was ready for the magical performance he began. Beside her, Carmen was rambling on about something mundane. Rebecca elbowed her to silence so she could listen to the perfectly thrilling tenor. As she listened to the song unfold, the world around her started to slip away. Gone was the high school auditorium. Gone were the rowdy teenagers. The Gothic stranger on the stage had become the embodiment of Erik, and Rebecca watched him in all his dark glory, belting out his tormented love through the words of his song. And she was as breathless with wonder as Christine herself must have been when the masked stranger serenaded her in the candlelit labyrinth of the opera house. In that moment, Justyn wasn’t just portraying the phantom. Justyn was the phantom.“Let the music touch your soul.Let the darkness make you whole.Do not fear what is unknown.Your true path has now been shown.Listen to the words I sing.Embrace the peace that night will bring.”As he continued to sing in his deep but somehow angelic voice, Rebecca found that she couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. With every line, her heart began to beat faster. She truly felt the arms of night wrapping her in a warm embrace. She could almost feel the hands of the phantom glide along her body as the words poured forth. The music caressed her. It possessed her—mind, body and soul. Each word left her longing, yearning for more.She was gawking so obviously, it was hardly surprising when Justyn felt her eyes on him and steadily met her gaze. She realized her mouth was hanging open in stunned awe, and she quickly snapped it shut. His lips moved into just a small hint of a smile. He never took his eyes off her while he sang the final verse, making her cheeks flush to the point that she felt almost feverish. But it wasn’t embarrassment but excitement, arousal even, which was sending her mind spinning in so many directions.When the song was over, and Rebecca had recovered just a hint of her composure, she couldn’t help but burst into a healthy round of applause. A few scattered people joined in, including Debbie and Carmen after she nudged them in the ribs. But only Miss King seemed to truly appreciate the brilliance of his talent as much as Rebecca did.“That was amazing, Justyn!” the teacher gushed.“Lord Justyn,” he corrected as he stepped down from the stage.A few others complimented him as well, but he took in all in stride. In fact, his serious expression never faltered as he stepped down from the stage. He seemed almost bored, like it was all he could do to hold back a yawn, despite the smiles and words of encouragement.But not everyone in the crowd was pleased as Justyn glided down the aisle, so ethereal in his dark garments that he still resonated the spirit of the Opera Ghost. Miss King might have been excited about the newest male addition to her cast after being limited for many years, but Tom and his group of boisterous companions glared at him as he passed them by. Jay sneered and tossed a balled up piece of paper in Justyn’s direction, but the Goth was quick, and caught it in his hand without missing a beat.“I think you dropped something,” he said.His speaking voice was no less melodic than his singing voice, but something about his tone made Rebecca shiver. He tossed the paper back at Jay, who was nowhere near as coordinated as Justyn. He practically fell off his seat in his efforts to catch it.“Hey vampire,” Tom called when Justyn went to walk away. “Are you sure you can handle the competition?”Justyn smiled, a cool, sarcastic half-smile, and crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you?”Miss King didn’t notice the short confrontation, and Justyn vanished from the auditorium as quickly and mysteriously as he had appeared. Only Rebecca had noticed the very real tension between the two boys. She wondered if it was a bad omen for them to start off the production with hard feelings and envy. That could only lead to trouble. The kind of trouble that could end with someone getting hurt. The kind of trouble that Rebecca would do whatever it took to avoid.PurchaseAuthor Laura DeLuca
Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult genre because it keeps her young at heart. In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the sole author of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years.

BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 2/22/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. -

What’s more fun that two Presidents and a Groundhog? That’s right! The annual LDStorymakers Conference Show Your Love contest! Here is the post reposted from the Conference blog, thanks to author Don Carey.
We’ve held this contest for several years now, and those who participated will tell you – it was fun and the prizes were well worth it.
So let’s break this down a little bit. What’s at stake here? What are we playing for?
Prizes: Three lucky people will win seats at a star-studded VIP table for Friday night’s dinner. Dust off your best manners, because you could be breaking bread with the special-est of our special conference guests. We’ll post the full list once we’ve gotten confirmation from everyone, but trust me-it’s going to be awesome!
But that’s not all – let me break it down for you.
First Place Prize: Seat at the VIP table, a query critique, and two-page manuscript critique
Second Place Prize: Seat at the VIP table and a two-page manuscript critique
Third Place Prize: Seat at the VIP table
Fourth Place Prize: Query critique and 10-page manuscript critique
Fifth and Sixth Place Prizes: Query Critiques
So, what must you do to enter to win?
Rules:
Blog about the LDStorymakers Writers Conference and link to the conference site. And be sure to mention to your non-writing friends that we have Keynote Only admission seats available to hear international best-selling author Anne Perry. This is worth 5 entries.
Blog about the Show Your Love contest and link back to this post. This is also worth 5 entries.
Become a fan of the LDStorymakers Conference Facebook page and invite 5 friends to become fans. This is worth 1 Entry (limit 5 entries).
Mention the conference, the contest, and Anne Perry’s keynote on Twitter. Either post the link in your tweet, or use the hashtag #storymaker13. This is worth 1 entry per day, up to 5 per week. (NOTE: The correct hashtag is #storymaker13 – without the trailing ‘s’ to give you use of that one extra character!)Post the conference attendee badge on your site or blog. This is worth 3 entries. You can get the code for this on the sidebar, to your right. Here’s what the badge looks like:
Leave us a comment in the original blog’s comment trail (http://ldstorymakerauthors.blogspot.com/2013/02/ldstorymakers-2013-show-your-love.html) and tell us everything you’ve done. You have from now until the stroke of midnight Utah time on February 28th to rack up as many points as you can. You must be a registered attendee of the conference to participate – and if you haven’t registered yet, you can do it right here. Attendees and presenters are eligible. We will announce the winner at the beginning of March. If your e-mail isn’t accessible through your Blogger profile, please leave it with one of your comments so we can contact you. Winning, and not knowing it, would be pretty rotten.
All right, people! Get busy! Win the dinner of a lifetime! Show your love, help us spread the word about the conference and Anne Perry’s Keynote!
I’ll be there, teaching classes and signing books. Hope you can be too! -
Don’t get me wrong–I love my Kindle and my iPhone, but there’s still something about a real book. All of the prizes in this blog hop are actual books, so enter away! This time, a copy of my first novel, “The Canticle Kingdom” is up for grabs. Remember, there’s just one month left to submit for the second Advent Anthology, with the proceeds this time going to Autism Speaks. For more details, click “Current Projects” above.
Enjoy!
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Jack Templar: Monster Hunter
Orphan Jack Templar has no memory of his parents and only the smallest details from his Aunt Sophie about how they died. The day before Jack’s fourteenth birthday, things start to change for him. At first it’s great: A sudden new strength helps him defend his nose-picking friend “T-Rex” from the school bully, and even his crush, Cindy Adams, takes notice. But then a mysterious girl named Eva arrives and tells him two facts that will change his life forever. First, that he’s the descendent of a long line of monster hunters and he’s destined to be in the family business. Second, that there’s a truce between man and monster that children are off-limits…until their fourteenth birthday! Jack has only one day before hundreds of monsters will descend on his little town of Sunnyvale and try to kill him.
As if that weren’t enough, things get even more complicated when Jack discovers that the Lord of the Creach (as the monsters are collectively known) holds a personal grudge against him and will do anything to see that Jack has a slow and painful death. To stay alive and save his friends, Jack will have to battle werewolves, vampires, harpies, trolls, zombies and more. But perhaps the most dangerous thing he must face is the truth about his past. Why do the other hunters call him the last Templar? Why do they whisper that he may be the “One?” Why do the monsters want him dead so badly? Even as these questions plague him, he quickly discovers survival is his new full-time job and that in the world of monster hunters, nothing is really what it seems.
Author Jeff Gunhus
Jeff Gunhus grew up in Cyprus, Greece, and Saudi Arabia where there was a distinct lack of television. He quickly found books were the gateway to incredible adventures, fascinating characters and unbelievable discoveries. Now, with five children of his own (all who watch too much television, in his opinion), he has enjoyed revisiting his old books and reliving those adventures all over again.
Kirkus Reviews
“Gunhus brings young readers a monster-filled romp to read at their own risk. In the first few pages, Jack, the storyteller and main character, warns readers not to read about these real-world monsters that would seem to only exist in fiction. The tone is set–sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek and likable; rooting for Jack is easy…Gunhus masterfully introduces fully realized characters with whom readers can connect almost instantly. The pacing is quick but not rushed, and events seamlessly progress, complete with action, cliff-hangers and surprise reveals. “
Amazon Reviews
Watch out Percy Jackson here comes Jack Templar
Move over Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, there’s a new kid in town – Jack Templar, and he will take you on a wonderful adventure of good vs evil, with friends and enemies at every turn. The twists and turns keep the reader on a roller coaster of entertainment in the way of JK Rowling and Rick Riordan. ~ Penny BreinFast paced adventure through and through
Written for middle school aged students, this book is action-packed from the beginning and will hold the attention of young readers. Not only that, as an adult reader, it was hard to put down, so parents will enjoy it as an easy read. ~ bluejellybeanKids will love it!
Not only will kids love it, adults will too! I don’t want to give the plot away but this is a book worth reading. This book is creatively written drawing in the reader to be a participant in the story. There is lots of action with enough blood and guts to be interesting without being gross. Girls will like it too with the strong female role models and the hint of romance. Even though this is a children’s book, I couldn’t put it down. I will definitely be adding this to my classroom library. I am looking forward to reading the book in this series and sharing it with my students. Awesome book! ~ pixiepPurchaseBook Trailer
WARNINGYeah, you read it right. I’m a monster hunter. Back before I actually became one, I would have thought that sounded totally awesome. And don’t get me wrong, in a lot of ways it is. But most of the time, I’m either running for my life or hiding in the shadows, praying the monster chasing me doesn’t pick up my scent. And I’m almost always scared to death. In a few pages, I think you’ll see why.
But there are a few things I need to warn you about before I tell you my story.
First, this isn’t a cartoon. These are bloodthirsty creatures who will stop at nothing to kill. They are scary. Very scary. Second, the only way to stop them is to kill them first…and that gets gross and messy. Third, this is all real.
You think I’m kidding, don’t you? I can almost see you smirking as you read this. But this isn’t a joke. Monsters are real and the story I’m about to tell you really happened. If you’d rather walk through life believing that monsters are only found in books or on the movie screen, then you should shut this book right now and go do something else.
I give you these warnings because the story I’m about to tell you isn’t for everyone. Not everyone can handle it. The blood. The gore. The monsters.
This life was thrust onto me. I had no choice but to take up a sword and fight. But you can still walk away and pretend this dark world doesn’t exist. Or you can walk through the door that I’m about to open and find out the truth about the world around you.
But I warn you (and this is a big warning), if you read this book, if you learn about the monsters that roam among us and the hunters who fight them, if you decide to learn the truth, then you will become fair game for the monsters to chase.
Make sure you understand what I’m saying.
If you read this book, you will be part of this world and the monsters will come after you too. You will start to see things that no other humans can see. The shadows will move when you walk near them. The creatures of the night will seek you out, testing the doors and windows of your house, looking for a way in.
And, at some point, they will find you, just like they found me, and you will be forced to defend yourself.
So, think carefully before you turn the page, because once you do, there’s no turning back.
Ever.
Once a monster hunter, always a monster hunter.
See you on the other side.
If you’re brave enough.
Tour Schedule Book Blast $50 Giveaway
Ends 2/15/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. -
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Happy New Year, everyone!I’m feeling very blessed and glad to have a fresh start at life. The end of 2012 was not the brightest point in recent memory. However, in 2013, things are already looking up.In 2012, I achieved my goal of writing 600,000 words in a year. This was a growing experience. This year, I do want to focus on revision. I produced a lot of content, and I want to make sure that all that effort gets seen by actual people sometime. So most of 2013 will be dedicated to both revising current projects, and mapping out future projects. But that’s not to say that I won’t be producing some new material.Last year, I experimented with the idea of putting together a self-published anthology. This was a wonderful experience in which I got to interact with a host of wonderful authors, editors, and artists. We are all very pleased with the finished product and so I’ve decided that we need to create other such projects. Our first anthology has already raised over $1000 for charity alone. I think that is an excellent first step. I foresee doing two other anthologies in the series to make it a trilogy. All of the stories will be based on Christmas carols, and hopefully some that are new and interesting to all of you.I’ve also come up with two additional ideas for anthologies for which I would like to collect over the long run.The first of these will be called “Silver Linings”. This is an anthology that collects true stories of people who experienced trials that turned out to be blessings. Hence the name. I’ve already had some submissions and they have been excellent. Please keep them coming!The other anthology for which I would like to collect is a collection of modern fairy tales similar to the style of the Brothers Grimm. If the brothers went out today and asked people for their stories , what would they tell them? I am coming up with a few stories of my own for this anthology, but I would love to hear what the rest of you have in mind!If you would like information on any of these projects, simply click on “current projects” above.As I will be doing a lot of revising this year, I’m also interested in people who would like to be beta readers for my manuscripts. Many of my manuscripts are either fantasy or science fiction, so I would like you to be well-versed in that genre if you would like to become one of my beta readers. If you are interested, please just send me an e-mail. I could use quite a few. I have a lot of projects on various stages of completion and really would like to see some of them out on the shelves.For those of you who are fans of The Canticle Kingdom or The Last Archangel, I have good news for you. Not only will I be continuing my audio series with Big World Network that links to both of these franchises, but I have developed two more books for each of the series, full-length novels that bring the stories started in the first books to a satisfying conclusion. I’m working on revising them now, and hope to get them out soon, possibly through Big World Network. I will post more information as it becomes available.I’m also hoping this coming holiday season to put together a concert for charity in conjunction with my two anthology releases. I am still looking for people with which to collaborate on this. I’m hoping to partner with at least one high school choir or any other musical group out of the community. They will perform carols based on the carols that are highlighted in the anthologies.Please contact me if you know anyone who might be interested.That’s all I have for now, folks! I’d love to hear from you now. What are your writing goals this year? What do you hope to accomplish? All the best in all your endeavors, and please let me know if there is anything that I can do.
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Gracier by Milissa R. Bailey
Everyone around her knows. Everyone she trusts has lied. And the one man who held the key to Jessica McCabe’s past is dead.
Welcome to Gracier, Iowa, a well-kept community with even better kept secrets. Lives are peaceful, streets are quiet, but behind the tranquility is many a tale to be told. Veterinarian Jessica McCabe has returned, but it is not the homecoming she had expected. Her grandfather, Jonas McCabe and Gracier’s longtime vet has died, leaving behind the practice they had hoped to share.
The reading of Jonas’ will sets off a series of events that bring into question Jessica’s birthright, the truth surrounding her mother’s untimely death and her grandfather’s sanity. With her world turned upside down she is thrown into a partnership with Matthew Cassidy, the man who chose his family’s wealth over Jessica’s love.
Her determined spirit leads Jessica to stay, continue the veterinarian practice and return to the life and the community she loves. But a secret loft and a box filled with a hidden past change the course of her life once again.
Longtime family friends, Dr. Andrew Harrison and retired Sheriff Chester Caughlin know the truth. A promise made to a dear old friend to protect the girl they helped raise is one they intend to keep. But the wheels of fate have been put in motion. The people entrusted with protecting Jessica from the past are losing control. The small town of Gracier, Iowa holds many secrets and those who have kept the truth hidden are about to discover that not everything has been laid to rest.
Book Trailer
Praise
“Milissa Bailey has set the perfect stage for the next book in the series with her intriguing characters that are as unpredictable as an Iowa tornado and as genuine as the county fair. The labyrinth of their lives makes you want to learn more about the secrets of Gracier”. – D. Bahrenfuss – Editor“I was pulled in with the depth of this story and couldn’t stop myself from finishing the second half in one sitting. GRACIER is a beautiful reminder of all that is important in life. Bailey has a wonderful gift and I hope she will continue to “breathe”!”
–Leisa Anslinger, author of Forming Generous Hearts, Here Comes Everybody“…think Jennifer Chiaverini or Jan Karon” – Burlington by the Book
“It was one of those books that I stayed up late reading and picked back up the minute I woke up! ” -Mari Kait
“Milissa Bailey’s depiction of small town Iowa is both charming and mysterious–the perfect combination to captivate readers.” -C.G.Reader
“Add to that a group of supporting characters you can’t help but love. Gracier is a must read.” -Shari
“I couldn’t put the book down…can’t wait for book #2!!!!” -RJW
PurchaseAmazon * Barnes & Noble * Google Play * KoboAuthor Milissa Bailey
Milissa Bailey grew up among the rolling fields of rural Iowa, where she continues to live with her husband, and three children. In her debut novel she draws upon her rich knowledge of the Midwest as she welcomes us to Gracier, Iowa, a well-kept community with even better kept secrets. Readers are introduced to a cast of characters they will come to know, love and hate. Vivid descriptions, palatable anguish, forbidden romance and touches of humor lend itself to the stories weaved in this idyllic setting. The small town of Gracier holds many secrets and those who have kept the truth hidden are about to discover that not everything has been laid to rest.
Milissa, along with her husband, own a marketing firm located in Iowa. She is currently at work on the second book in the Gracier series.
Author Interview
$100 BookBlast Giveaway (starts January 9th)
Ends 1/20/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.













