OMG! I Can Hardly Stand the Wait....A Drop of Night by Stefan Backmann

This post was inspired by an article I read on Itching for Books. Thank you, Shane. I'm so excited I want to share it too! Yes I know the cover was released in June, but it's new to me, so there.

I am huge fan of Stefan Bachmann. I love his writing style, snarky tweets, The Peculiars, and his contributions to The Cabinet of Curiosities. A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of meeting him at Wordstock in Portland Oregon. While there he was promoting the upcoming The Cabinet of Curiosities, and his most recent release, The Whatnot. During his Q & A session he briefly talked about a YA novel that he was writing. Being that YA is my favorite genre, my interest was piqued. Without further ado, I share with you, A Drop of Night. Available March of 2016.

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Five gifted teenagers are selected out of hundreds of other candidates to fly to France and help with the excavation of a vast, underground palace buried a hundred feet below the suburbs of Paris. Built in the 1780's to hide an aristocratic family and a mad duke during the French Revolution, the palace was sealed after the aristocrats fled there. No one has set foot in it for over two centuries.

Now, in the present day, the teenagers enter with cutting-edge technology, state-of-the-art security, scientists and chaperones. And then a brutal accident occurs. No way out. Caught in the dark.

They will have to fight to survive. But are they really alone in the depths?





Doesn't it sound wonderful. I would pre-order it, but I can't decide if I want it on my Kindle, or hardback. Decisions, decisions. Here is a link to Stefan's blog where he revealed the cover for the first time, and he talks about how he hated the title! (Only at first, though. It is quite common for the publisher to choose book titles, despite what the author wants. Who knew? Now all of you do.)

From left, my friend, author Victoria Lindstrom, Claire Legrand, Stefan Bachmann, and Emma Trevayne (and a random lady who had no idea she photo bombed this awesome pic)

My personalized copy of The Whatnot

Introducing...Tattered Page Ink Interior Book Design and Formatting

For the last year I've been working on two things, publishing Ensnared, and working as a book designer. I've been keeping the book design thing on the down low until I was established and had a permanent online presence.

Tattered Page Ink has its own blog where I will talk about the publishing world, as well as offer helpful information for self published writers to help bring their future best sellers to life. Here are a couple examples of my most recent work. I'm also offering a giveaway for a free design.

by yours truly

The Tale of Willaby Creek by Victoria Lindstrom

It's Finally Live

Finally! After two long years I present to you Ensnared. It has been a long time coming. I'm so excited that I can finally share Jade's fate with the world. (Buy links in the side bar.)

Facing monstrous demons, a ravenous dragon, and a malicious faerie queen are the least of Jade’s worries. 

It has been a fortnight since Jade confronted Draven, and he has emerged from the battle more terrifying than ever. Armed with a new plan and fueled with unrelenting determination, Draven casts a dark spell and calls forth new players that no one ever expected, bringing him one step closer to opening the portal to The Fathom.

Jade vows to bring an end to the madness she feels responsible for and works to harness her elemental power, but unforeseen consequences arise. Her power is growing beyond what she can control, and it’s on the verge of destroying her from within. 

Was learning to use her magical ability the beginning…or the beginning of the end?

New To My Shelf...The Witch Hunter

Back in the olden days my favorite thing to do was visit my favorite real life book store, Borders. It was a time before Amazon and book bloggers ruled the kingdom and publishers were forced to win me over with nothing more than a snazzy cover and catchy summary. It was always a surprise to see what I could find and I loved scouring the shelves and hunting for treasure.

Now I probably shouldn't admit this, but some time back I quit following book blogs and stopped reading reviews on Amazon. I wanted to get back to what I loved while I still have an actual brick-and-mortar store to frequent. The newest and most popular books still pop up in my Twitter feed, but I go out of my way not the read about them, unless a friend makes a point to recommend it.

So after spending a half hour walking up and down the YA aisle in Barnes & Noble, this is what I decided to give a try. The Witch Hunter, by Virginia Boecker. I've never heard of the book or the author, but I liked what I read on the flap copy and thought  I would give it a try.

The Witch Hunter~

Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear.

Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake.

Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.

But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.

Virginia Boecker weaves a riveting tale of magic, betrayal, and sacrifice in this unforgettable fantasy debut.

We're Almost There!

A quick update on Ensnared. All I need to do is approve the proof and we're in business! I estimate that Ensnared will be available for sale in about one week!

For those of you with the Kindle subscription service, Awakened will be free until August 21st. I am pulling it from the program so that it will again be available on all platforms. So if you've been waiting to download, you better hurry!

NW Book Festival and New Books To My Shelf

Book Modeling. It's totally a thing.

Last Saturday I attended the 7th annual NW Book Festival in downtown Portland. As luck would have it, it was the first weekend in twelve weeks that Portland had seen rain. But being that I've lived the Pacific Northwest my entire life, doing things in the rain is something I'm quite used to. Thanks to fellow writer and friend, Victoria Lindstrom, we had a canopy with walls to protect us. Thanks again, Vic!

I met loads of new people and I look forward to attending next year.

Oh look, there's Blue. How did he get in there?

I did not leave empty handed, and both of these books were written by authors local to me! I got to meet Margaret at the festival and I came home with this gem. Dulci's Legacy is a YA mystery and I cannot wait to dive in it. And of course I can never go downtown without visiting Powell's City of Books. There I walked away with The Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It's been on my TBR shelf for years and I found for only $5.00. What a deal.

Two Weeks and Counting!!

In exactly 14 days Ensnared will be in the hands of my most awesome editor for its final proofread. If everything goes according plan, which I am confident it will, Ensnared should available by the end of July!

I'll keep you posted!

And Introducing...The Tale of Willaby Creek Release Event

Welcome to the release event for The Tale of Willaby Creek by Victoria Lindstrom! This is a middle grade adventure fantasy that has just released! 

About the Book:

A magical tale of amazing sacrifice...

When a violent windstorm strikes an enchanted rain forest many of the woodland creatures of Willaby Creek are stranded, injured, or lost forever to the frenzied force of the tempest. Basil, a black bear full of doubt and fear, becomes the unlikely leader to head the woodland creatures' rescue. He is joined by Daphne, a spunky blue dryad; Oliver, a wise horned owl; Elbert, a noble elk; and a host of other creatures that inhabit the enchanted rain forest.

Dangerous twists and turns in this animal adventure fantasy cause Basil to discover a courage, and a conviction, he never knew he had. The answers to the ancient mysteries in this magical tale emerge in an extraordinary finale under the tall timbers of the hidden hinterland.

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Buy from Amazon Hardcover | Amazon Kindle | Nook  

A Note From the Author:

For seven years my husband and I owned a cabin on the shore of Lake Quinault, near Willaby Creek. We spent many weekends enjoying the beauty and tranquility of the Olympic National Forest. While there, we saw: Black bears, Roosevelt elk, eagles, herons, river otter, raccoons, one bobcat, and a host of other little critters.
In December 2006 the Hanukkah Eve Windstorm hit the Pacific Northwest causing severe damage to parts of the Olympic National Forest. One afternoon following the windstorm I wondered: What happened to all the animals? After that, a seed of the story that was to become The Tale of Willaby Creek tumbled into my mind.

As writers, we are told to write what we know; the setting for The Tale of Willaby Creek is definitely a familiar place to me!

Willaby Creek Falls

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About the Author:

VICTORIA LINDSTROM is a full-time writer, a voracious reader, and the author of the children's picture book, The Scandinavian Santa. She loves to wander through the woods, capture the beauty of Nature in photographs, and visit museums and fine art galleries. She and her husband, Michael, live near the shore of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. You may visit Victoria at: www.victorialindstrom.com

Facebook | Twitter @AuthorLindstrom | Goodreads | Pinterest 

Giveaway:
One $50 Amazon gift card (INT), One hardcover copy of The Tale of Willaby Creek (US) and an ebook of The Tale of Willaby Creek (INT) as well as 3 bookmarks (US)
Ends 7/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.