Unclean Sneak Preview

I'm finally ready to share more about my next novel, Unclean.  It's the sequel to Hexborn, and it finds Silas and Shiloh in a heap of trouble.  Here is a sneak peek at what is in store for them at the beginning of Unclean.  This excerpt is from the end of the first chapter.  Enjoy!

Notice of Annulment. Silas hoped his grinding teeth were not audible. “And they plan to tell me when?” he managed to ask. “Before or after they clap me in irons?”

“I don’t know,” Kiven admitted. “My visions of your forthcoming doom are not dated for our convenience.”

“I appreciate the warning,” Silas told the Academy’s Master of Farsight. His eyes burned hot. He stared at the paper, irritated that it did not catch flame with the heat of his displeasure. “I feared this was coming when the Patriarch brought back the Cleanliness Laws.” He closed his eyes and opened them again. “I had a month of happiness with her. I suppose that was more than I deserve.”

“It was foolish to fall in love with her, though I can hardly fault your taste. I would not consider this development a positive sign with respect to your long-term safety. Yours or hers,” Kiven pointed out, unnecessarily.

“I know that, Kiven. I’m not an idiot,” Silas snapped. “Esta probably has my shackles already picked out.”
“Well, then, do forgive me for trying to help you,” Kiven retorted, easily affronted as ever.

Silas sighed. “I’m sorry, Kiven. I appreciate your help, truly. Will Shiloh be permitted to return to school, at least?”

Kiven shook his head. “She’s ordered Headmaster Markas to declare her graduated. Her Grace is frightened that the girl’s power grows too great. The thousand acres Shiloh healed in the Frontier, her work containing the fever, her handling of the incident with the Gernish raiders—it’s all fueled the queen’s paranoia. The Patriarch is only too willing to encourage her fear.”

“The Gernish Raiders? She and her men killed a half dozen wandless thieves. It was hardly anything to be frightened of,” Silas protested, throwing his hands into the air. “It was barely even worth notice. And the fever? Was Shiloh supposed to let it spread? Thousands would have died.”

“I know, I know,” Kiven replied. “But the tales are growing in the telling. Shiloh is becoming known as a defender of the common folk. And that won’t do with a weak queen on the throne.”

“Then what is Shiloh to do? Take holy orders and stay on at the monastery at Northgate?” Silas asked. At least there he could see her and know she was reasonably safe. His lips pressed together until they almost disappeared.

Kiven shook his head. “Rumor has it that Patriarch Vinsen has sent some of his priests north to fetch her.”

Silas felt his stomach turn to ice. “To make her join the Elder’s Order? To force her to serve him?” he asked.

Kiven swallowed grimly and placed a hand on Silas’s shoulder. “I’m not certain what the Patriarch intends. But I fear that would be the best of the possible outcomes.”

How do you suppose Shiloh will get them out of their predicament?  I'm afraid you'll have to wait until February 19th to find out--unless, of course, you would like to join the ARC Team.

You can pre-order Unclean now on Amazon Kindle.  And if you haven't gotten around to reading Hexborn yet, it's currently available for only $0.99!

Judging a book by its cover: Hexborn

It's finally time to show off my new book: Hexborn, a "sword and sorcery" fantasy novel set in the imaginary country of Bryn.  Just as with the November Snow series, the main character is a strong young woman in a dangerous world.  And just as November was the heart of my vampire series, Shiloh is the heart of this new story.

I knew that Hexborn was going to be special before I even finished writing it.  I knew I needed to put some thought and money into the cover in order to give it the best chance of succeeding.  So, I turned to the indie guru Eeva Lancaster at The Book Khaleesi to do the cover design.  She is amazing-- the perfect combination of creativity, professionalism, and, occasionally, brutal honesty. I am thrilled with what she and her team put together.  I think it will give me a good shot in my Kindle Scout campaign.  (Don't forget to vote and spread the word!)

I knew that I wanted my protagonist, fifteen-year-old Shiloh, to dominate the cover.  This is her story, after all.  I wanted to include the detail that she covers her head for religious reasons.  I thought that the hood would also help convey the epic fantasy genre a bit.

One detail that was particularly crucial to me was her hair and eye color.  In the book, you learn that hair and eyes of unnatural colors are signs that a child was exposed to too much dark magic in the womb.  Such children are called “hexborn” and suffer a kind of chronic illness.  The condition is highly stigmatized in their society, and nearly impossible to hide.  Living as an outcast obviously has a major impact on Shiloh’s development as a person, so I wanted her hexborn status depicted on the cover, along with her strength and determination.  My designer did a fabulous job retouching the photo to match Shiloh’s description from the story.

The perfect choice of frame and the title font help complete the magical/fantasy feeling:

What do you think of the cover?  What are some of your fave fantasy covers?  Please don't forget to pop over to Kindle Scout to give Hexborn a nomination!  Many thanks, and happy reading.

New November Snow Covers

You may have noticed the little makeover I've given my November Snow series of paranormal fantasy novels.  Thanks to Eeva Lancaster over at The Book Khaleesi, my favorite doomed psychic has a new look for the new year.

I just love the colors on this one!  There is an innocence about it, which seems appropriate as November enters a new and dangerous world.  It also has a bit of a romantic feel, which makes sense to me because there is something very seductive about the supernatural powers and individuals she encounters in Book 1.

This one communicates heat and danger as November copes with all the changes to her existence.  I love how the background reflects the Gothic feel of the church where she hides at the start of the book, and the way it looks like she is heading into danger.

I love the regal power this one communicates, as November strides into danger with her head held high.  The details of the scepter and the trees correspond so well to the story.

All in all, I'm pretty thrilled with the new look.  Hopefully a few new readers will be enticed to leap into the story.  Happy reading!

Everyday inspiration: the making of a cover

I want to tell you guys a little bit about how I created the cover for my upcoming release She Lights Up the Dark (November Snow Book 2).

I knew before I started designing that I wanted something involving a bright light in the sky.  I needed it to be reminiscent of the sun, but not close off the possibility of a different source for the light.  I started glancing through stock photos on Canva, my go-to for all design needs.  I just couldn't find the right picture.

Then, a minor miracle occurred.  I was biking with my son to school early one morning, and the sun was rising through the fog.  It was bright, but partially obscured.  I whipped out my phone and took this picture:

From that starting point, I began playing with filters, cropping, rotating, brightness, transparency, etc.  Eventually, I wound up with this:

But it wasn't quite right.  It needed something more.  It needed a November.  So I started going through all the Canva stock photos of woman's faces.  I probably tried a half-dozen and rejected them before I found the perfect one.  I tried a few different versions and tested them out on my friends.  This, to me, is a crucial step.  You don't necessarily have to take their advice if you have a strong feelings about an artistic decision, but you need another set of eyes to help you gauge a reader's reaction.  After much trial and error, this was the result:

I'm pretty pleased with it.  I hope you are, too.  It's amazing how randomly inspiration can strike.  One minute, you're taking your kid to school with no idea what to do for your next book cover.  The next, you're having a blast turning a hastily snapped phone photo into something special.  Keep your eyes open, everyone.  You never know when inspiration will strike.