Showing posts with label CBB Promotions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CBB Promotions. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Monday, October 26, 2015
{Review} AMERICAN GHOUL by Walt Morton
The tour runs October 19-30th with reviews, interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.
Monday, August 24, 2015
{Excerpt with Giveaway!} STRIKING OUT by Scarlet Bennett
Striking Out is an adult Australian contemporary. The dialogue and and characterizations are distinctly Australian. Check out the tour page for more information.
Monday, August 17, 2015
{Tour with Review} Tori Centanni's "IN THE DEMON'S COMPANY" with CBB promotions!
Welcome to my tour stop for In the Demon's Company by Tori Centanni. This is the second book in The Demon's Assistant series and is a young adult urban fantasy. The review tour runs August 17-28th. Check out the tour page for more information.
Friday, January 16, 2015
Monday, December 15, 2014
{Blog Tour} NERO'S FIDDLE by A.W. Exley -- with review and giveaway
Welcome to my tour stop for Nero's Fiddle by A.W.Exley.
This is the third book in the Artifact Hunters series.
This is the third book in the Artifact Hunters series.
This is a New Adult Mystery Steampunk series with a good dose of adventure and romance. The tour runs Dec. 15-19. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.
Friday, December 12, 2014
Thursday, November 20, 2014
{Blog Tour} HENGE by Realm Lovejoy -- with review and giveaway!
Henge by Realm Lovejoy is a YA Fantasy that is a modern spin-off of the Arthurian legends featuring Morgan Le Fay as the protagonist. This tour will consist of reviews, interviews & guest posts. Check out the full schedule for more information.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Friday, October 10, 2014
{Teaser Tour} WHO R U REALLY? by Margo Kelly
Today we have a teaser tour for Who R U Really? by Margo Kelly. This is a young adult thriller and is available for sale now.
Margo Kelly’s Debut Who R U Really? was Ripped from a Real Life Event
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Xena: Warrior Princess 20th Anniversary and coming soon, BILLY BOBBLE MAKES A MAGIC WAND
The 20th Anniversary of Xena: Warrior Princess – From Ancient Scrolls to E-Books.
By RS Mellette aka Xenastaff
Next year is the 20th anniversary of the first airing of the TV show Xena: Warrior Princess, but for me the anniversary is now. I was the writer's assistant from 1994 to 1997. Besides doing normal office work, I monitored the net forum as Xenastaff, wrote any dialogue that needed to be added after an episode was cut together, and wrote The Xena Scrolls for Universal's website. When an episode based on the online characters aired in 1997, it became the first intellectual property to move from the web to television.
Now, 20 years later, I'm about to publish a novel as an e-book. Oh how far we've come. I remember a Xena fan posting on the forum that he discovered the show online when he did a search for "Amazon." I thought, that makes sense. I mean, Xena isn't technically an Amazon, but what else should turn up when you search on that? Someone then explained to me that there was a new online bookstore called Amazon.com. That was 1995.
You would think the anniversary would make me feel old, but that happened the first time I heard a co-worker say, "I loved Xena when I was a kid." Instead, I'm looking back on Xena, and forward to the release of my novel, Billy Bobble Makes A Magic Wand. It might shock some in the literary world, but I learned a lot about being a novelist from my work as an apprentice writer on a TV show.
One of those things was how to write a story for all ages. Xena was "syndicated for broadcast." Syndicated meaning it was sold directly to independent TV stations and Broadcast meaning it had to adhere to FCC rules (unlike subscription channels: HBO, Showtime, etc.).
Independent stations could play Xena any time they saw fit. In some cities it screened at midnight for adults. Other cities showed it on Saturday afternoons for kids. That's a wide age range, and believe it or not, the show's numbers were even across the board. We had as many men & women between 18 and 49 as we did girls & boys between 12 and 17 and 55 & over.
In the publishing world, the insistence to declare what age range a book is targeted to clashes with what I learned on Xena. Every time I hear someone say their book is "Middle Grade" or "Young Adult" all I think is, Why have you cut out the majority of the people on the planet?
Billy Bobble Makes A Magic Wand is a book for the whole family – which is probably why it's being published independently. The majors love to find a book "with crossover potential," but at the same time, don't want to hear that your book isn't targeted for a certain age range. They seem to think that crossover potential is rare, but anyone who knows their literary or theatre history – or who has worked in Broadcast TV – can tell you how to create a crossover work. Stick to these three rules:
1) Include characters of various ages, or follow the life of one character from young to old
2) Keep sex to what one may see in public and language to what your mother would approve of
3) Target age ranges in beats within the story, not for the whole piece.
Independence was one of the things we all loved on Xena: Warrior Princess. In addition to being syndicated for Broadcast, the series was what the industry called "first run syndication," meaning it never ran on a major network. For a brief time in the 1990's to early 2000's, Xena, Hercules, Baywatch, and many other shows were possible because the business model worked. There were enough independent TV stations to buy shows that had never been on the big three networks. The shows sold for more money than it cost to make them. They were as good as anything on the Big 3 (or 4) networks but without the hassles that came with network standards and practices (aka sensors) or network executives. If the creative team liked the script, and it was affordable, then that's the script that was shot. It was a fun way to work.In publishing today there is a similar paradigm. E-books and Print On Demand (POD) have made it possible to bypass the Big Six publishers without sacrificing quality. As long as the independent publishing house keeps its standards high, and doesn't become a self-publishing hack, they can provide books of the same quality as the old-fashioned publishers and still make a profit for both themselves and the authors.
In trying to sell my first book I went through the majors. My agent gave notes – which were good, but intended to please editors. Some editors gave notes that were just bad. We passed on those. Some editors gave notes that were okay, but intended to please acquisitions. It's a frustrating process. Not a bad one, mind you. The Big Six publishers are great and completely necessary, but not a lot of fun.
With Billy Bobble, I'm having a blast! Matt Sinclair is both my editor and the publisher for Elephant Bookshelf Press. He and I are in complete agreement about the style and tone of the book, so his notes make the story better, period. If he and I like it, it's in. If we don't, it's out, period. There is no, "I like it the way it is, but…"
It is a fun way to work.
I had a hand in choosing Kirbi Fagan to design the cover. She friended me on Facebook and the three of us have exchanged a few ideas. Her early drafts have been fantastic! Unlike a major publishing house, I've been kept in the loop on each draft. I can't wait to see to see the final product.
It is a fun way to work.
I think fans of Xena will agree that the whole production team put the fun on the screen. I hope readers of Billy Bobble will feel the same way about what we have done with the page.
It's a fun way to read.
About the Author:
Robert Mellette has written, directed, designed and acted in theatre, film, television, and publishing for over 30 years. His credits in various jobs include XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, NUTTY PROFESSOR II: THE KLUMPS, BLUE CRUSH, and his own JACKS OR BETTER, which won Dances With Films Best Screenplay award in 2000. He has been working with the festival ever since.
Upcoming events: In the real world, Robert will appear at the 2014 Conjecture Con in San Diego Oct. 10-12.
Online, there will be a cover reveal for Billy Bobble Makes A Magic Wand in October. If you would like to be a part of that, please contact Candace Robinson. If you would like to interview Robert please contact him at mellette@earthlink.net.
Giveaway:
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Friday, September 12, 2014
{Teaser Tour} THE FORSAKEN HEART by Brenda Gayle -- with giveaway
I'm excited to announce the release of The Forsaken Heart by Brenda Gayle. This is the third book in The Heart's Desire series. Each book is stand-alone, although there is a story arc that runs through them and culminates in this book.
Title: THE FORSAKEN HEART
Genre, Age: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Description/Blurb: When Anna Graham marries Callum Hart she'll get both the man she loves and her uncles' agreement to take over the family ranch. Will the return of Jackson, her long-lost first love–and Cal's brother–throw it all in jeopardy?
Cal has been in love with Anna for as long as he can remember. It was he who picked up the pieces of her broken heart when Jackson disappeared years ago. His brother’s sudden reappearance, just when it seems Anna is ready to love again, is mysterious–as is his father’s casual acceptance of the prodigal son’s return.
But is something more sinister going on? Someone seems determined to prove Anna incompetent to her uncles and insincere to Cal. With an arsonist on the loose and cattle dying, old secrets are exposed, and Anna and Cal face a challenge that will test their love far more than Jackson's unexpected homecoming.
About the Author:
I've been a writer all my life but returned to my love of fiction after more than 20 years in the world of corporate communications--although some might argue there is plenty of opportunity for fiction-writing there, too. I have a Master's degree in journalism and an undergraduate degree in psychology. A fan of many genres, I am drawn to contemporary romance and enjoy creating deeply emotional stories with elements of mystery and suspense.
I live in eastern Ontario with my wonderful husband, two fabulous children, a rescued cat, two Siberian Huskies, and assorted aquatic wildlife.
Giveaway:
ebook of The Hungry Heart by Brenda Gayle, the first book in the Heart's Desire series (INT)
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
{Cover Reveal} HENGE by Realm Lovejoy -- with giveaway!
I'm excited to share the cover reveal of Henge by Realm Lovejoy. Henge is a YA Fantasy that is a modern spin-off of the Arthurian legends featuring Morgan le Fay as the protagonist. It is due to release this fall. The cover art is by the author, Realm Lovejoy.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Monday, September 1, 2014
{Cover Reveal} DEAD NEW WORLD by Ryan Hill
Hooray! I'm excited to be part of this cover reveal via CBB Promotions and Curiosity Quills Press!
Check out the description of Ryan Hill's newest book DEAD NEW WORLD and be sure to click the link for the Goodreads giveaway!
Check out the description of Ryan Hill's newest book DEAD NEW WORLD and be sure to click the link for the Goodreads giveaway!
Description:
Zombies aren’t mindless anymore.
Before the world fell into chaos, the undead existed only in the imagination. Now, more of them walk the earth than living. Zombies move about freely, while humans entomb themselves inside concrete barricades to stay alive.
All that, while the leader of a powerful cult - known only as Reverend - becomes the next threat to the rebuilding United States. Believing zombies to be God’s latest creation, making humanity obsolete, he wants to give every man, woman, and child the chance to become one. With his combined army of humans and zombies, he may well get his wish.
Best friends Holt and Ambrose went up against the Reverend once. Holt lost a foot and a zombie bit Ambrose…though he survived the virus, only to become a human-zombie hybrid, reviled by the living and unwelcome among the dead. When the Reverend kidnaps the woman Holt loves, the race is on to save her from a fate worse than death.
Add on Goodreads
Enter the Goodreads Giveaway!
Excerpt:
I tried to get a good look at him, but the lack of light made it impossible. “They said most people don’t last a day after being bitten. You’ve made it four. I guess I should congratulate you.” Surviving this awful disease longer than most. What a terrible silver lining. I bet he wished the virus would get it over with and turn him.
“Yeah, lucky me.” Ambrose coughed into his bed sheets. “Maybe they’ll give me a prize, like some bacon or something.”
“What… what does it feel like?”
Ambrose shrugged. “Kind of like being sick. Had a fever at first, then some numbness over part of my body.”
“Is it getting any worse?”
“No.” Ambrose sniffed. “Some parts still feel like me, others… like these gray parts, nothing.” He pointed at his arm where the skin had turned a sickly gray. “They’re dead, I guess.”
Nancy loudly cleared her throat. “We need to get you back to your room. They patrol this place pretty regularly, especially when we have… guests.”
I nodded to her, then turned my attention back to Ambrose. “I have to go. I’m sorry. I wish it was me in there, instead of you.”
Ambrose stepped up to the window. The light from the hallway revealed his face. For the first time, I got a glimpse of what his loyalty to me cost him. I froze, unable to take a breath for a long beat. One of his eyes remained normal, but the other took on that awful redness. Patches of dead skin were all over his face. The guilt rising up seemed almost too much to bear. What kind of hell had I sent my friend to?
About the Author:
Growing up, Ryan Hill used to spend his time reading and writing instead of doing homework. This resulted in an obsession with becoming a writer, but also a gross incompetence in the fields of science and mathematics. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Ryan has been a film critic for over five years. He lives in Raleigh, NC, with his dog/shadow Maggie. Ryan also feels strange about referring to himself in the third person.
Find him at: www.ryanhillwrites.com | Facebook | Twitter @J_Ryan
Friday, August 15, 2014
{Blog Tour} STORMS OF LAZARUS by Karen Kincy
Welcome to my tour stop for Storms of Lazarus by Karen Kincy. This is the second book in the Shadows of Asphodel series. This is a new adult dieselpunk romance and is now available! The tour runs August 11-22 with reviews, interviews & a few guest posts.
Check out the tour page for the schedule and more information.
Check out the tour page for the schedule and more information.
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