Happy Holidays!

Limited Time $0.99 Anniversary Sale

November is a special month for me as an author.  Two years ago, November was the month that I started writing Beneath Angel's Wings as my NaNoWriMo novel. Last year, on the anniversary of the first day I started writing, I published the novel. This year I hope to spend November writing the sequel.

Anyway, because November is such a special month, I decided to do a limited time sale in honor of the anniversary of publication and the start of another NaNoWriMo. Today though November 7, Beneath Angel's Wings will be available on Amazon.com, Smashwords and hopefully other sites that Smashwords distributes to (although they sometimes take a few days to modify their pricing) for only 99 cents.  That's 80% off its regular price and the lowest the price has ever been.

If you enjoy the book, please tell a friend and take a few moments to write a short review. Authors depend on readers' word of mouth and it is very much appreciated!

Thank you and happy reading!

LGTBQ YA books can save lives

I came across this very powerful video on YouTube today and I felt this message, even though it was originally posted in 2011, still needs to be heard today. Please note, although the ultimate message of the video is positive, you'd have to be inhuman not to be powerfully impacted by the examples shown of LGBTQ youth who lost the fight against hate and bullying.

 

I wrote "Beneath Angel's Wings" in part as a response to all of the news stories I had read about LGBTQ kids who took their lives because they didn't believe anyone cared about them. I can only hope  my book can help an LGBTQ kid realize that there are people who do care, and maybe they simply haven't met them yet.  I hope even more my book  can show a straight kid how he or she can change another person's life simply by making a decision to help instead of ignoring others' hate and prejudice. 

 

If you know any LGBTQ youth who may be at risk, share your favorite book featuring LGBTQ characters with them. You may be saving a life!

 

And if you only know straight kids, share your favorite LGBTQ books with them as well. As the video says, knowledge is the key to eliminating ignorance.

School's Out For Summer Sale

Summer vacation!  Are there two better words in the whole world? 

When I was young, summer vacation was a time to hang with friends, go on adventures, and read the books I wanted to read, instead of the ones we were assigned in school. Now that I'm older, I miss summer vacation with a vengence. What I wouldn't give for a couple of months to relax and catch up on movies, TV shows and, of course, reading! 

The good news is, e-books make it easy to read just about anywhere, so even without taking the summer vacation off, I can still grab bits of time here and there to get in some quality reading.

Whether you're off for the summer or still reading in your spare time like me, I still want to help you celebrate summer, so for the remainder of the month of June I'm lowering the price of Beneath Angel's Wings to just $2.99*.  For the price of a fancy cup of coffee you can read one gay teen's coming of age story and learn how a run-in with a stranger helped him redefine friendship, family and love.

And don't forget, half of my proceeds will be donated to Project Fierce Chicago to help them establish a shelter for homeless LGBTQ youth!

Spend a bit of your summer with Angel and Adam, now at 40% off.

Beneath Angel's Wings is available in e-book format from the following retailers:

Amazon (kindle format readable across a variety of devices with free reading apps or via browser app)
iTunes (for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Mac)
Barnes & Noble (for Nook and other devices with Nook reading apps)
Kobo (Kobo e-readers and other devices with Kobo reading apps)
Smashwords (available in mobi, epub, pdf, lrf, and pdb formats)

*currently the lower price is available on Amazon, iTunes and Smashwords.  Hopefully B&N and Kobo will catch up soon!

Fundraising for Project Fierce Chicago

Even before I actually published Beneath Angel's Wings, I knew I wanted to donate half of the proceeds from any sales of the book to organizations that helped LGBTQ youth. For the first six months since the release of the book, those funds were designated for Lost n Found Youth, an Atlanta-based organization helping homeless LGBTQ kids get off the streets. I want to thank all the readers who purchased my book between last November and yesterday for helping  me donate to this very worthy organization.  I will finalize my calculations and give you the grand total of the donation in the next few days.

Starting today, sales of the book will contribute to a similar and also very worthy organization, this one in Chicago. Project Fierce Chicago is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to reduce LGBTQ youth homelessness in Chicago by providing affirming transitional housing and support services to homeless LGBTQ young adults.  The group has done a lot of grassroots work and is in the midst of a fundraising campaign to purchase the home that will enable them to accomplish their mission. I am very excited to be able to help, in however a small way.

The best thing about this change is that I know the characters from Beneath Angel's Wings would approve :). So please, help me spread the word about Project Fierce Chicago and their efforts and let your friends know that their purchase of Beneath Angel's Wings will help support this very worthy cause. Thank you!

Beneath Angel's Wings is available in e-book format from the following retailers:

Amazon (kindle format readable across a variety of devices with free reading apps or via browser app)
iTunes (for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Mac)
Barnes & Noble (for Nook and other devices with Nook reading apps)
Kobo (Kobo e-readers and other devices with Kobo reading apps)
Smashwords (available in mobi, epub, pdf, lrf, and pdb formats)

Review of Not Broken, Just Bent

Not Broken, Just Bent by Mia Kerick

ebook, 180 pages
Published November 14th 2013 by Harmony Ink

Synopsis: Braving the start of high school, longtime childhood friends Benjamin Wells and Timmy Norton quickly realize they are entering a whole new world colored by their family responsibilities. Ben is trying to please his strict father; Timmy is taking care of his younger sisters. While their easy camaraderie is still comfortable, Ben notices Timmy growing distant and evasive, but Ben has his own problems. It’s easier to let concerns about Timmy’s home life slide, especially when Timmy changes directions and starts to get a little too close. Ben doesn’t know how to handle the new feelings Timmy’s desire for love inspires, and his continuing denial wounds Timmy deeply.

But what Timmy perceives as Ben’s greatest betrayal is yet to come, and the fallout threatens to break them apart forever. Over the next four years, the push and pull between them and the outside world twists and tears at Ben and Timmy, and they are haunted by fear and regret. However, sometimes what seems broken is just a little bent, and if they can find forgiveness within themselves, Ben and Timmy may be able to move forward together.

Rating: 4 stars

Review: There was a lot to like about this book. I enjoyed seeing the build-up of the relationship between Ben and Tim, being able to watch them grow up together and grow closer and closer. I'd say I thoroughly enjoyed the first two-thirds of the book, right up until the "pivotal moment," where the two boys were separated. The story fell apart for me at that point, mostly because of the way everyone reacted. I get the fact that boys at that age are immature, and that could explain some of the head-scratching reactions to the circumstances, but if the goal was to be realistic then it was directly contradicted by the thoroughly unrealistic plot turns. Somehow both the plotted circumstances and the reactions of not just the main characters, but also Ben's friends and his dad, all felt off. The best way I can explain it is when you have a math problem and you need to show not just the answer but also your "work" - how you got there. The answer is right and the work is right for the first 2/3 of the book, but then some numbers got mixed up so even though the answer still came out right, it wasn't solved correctly. Still, despite some of the problems I had with the story, it was well written and I cared about the characters, so it was a solid 4 to 4.25 star read for me, just not quite enough to take it up to 5 stars.

Tomorrow's the last day of Read an e-Book Week on Smashwords

Don't forget to check out all the book bargains on Smashwords during this awesome sale. Tons and tons of great books are discounted, including Beneath Angel's Wings. Just use coupon code REW25 at checkout to get 25% off the regular price.

I took advantage of the sale to buy Matthew J. Metzger's Vivaldi in the Dark. I'd read wonderful reviews of this book and when I saw I could get it at 25% off, it went straight to the top of my reading list. I'm only 17% done, but so far all the good reviews have been borne out. I'm really enjoying it!

Did you pick up any new books during the sale? It costs nothing to browse and there are a lot of books on offer for free. You can be like me and pick up a book you would have bought anyway or take a chance on a new author or two. Happy Reading!

Read an E-Book Week on Smashwords

In honor of "Read an E-Book Week" on Smashwords, you can pick up a copy of Beneath Angel's Wings in your choice of several formats (including e-pub, mobi and pdf) at 25% off. Simply enter coupon code REW25 at checkout to take advantage of the promotion, now through March 8. While you're there, check out the other books on offer during this awesome site-wide promotion!  Happy Reading!

p.s. If you do buy the book on Smashwords, please leave a review there after you're done reading. Spread the word and help other readers find new independent books :). Thank you!

Two more reviews of Beneath Angel's Wings

Ulysses Diets and Michel Bowler both posted their reviews of Beneath Angel's Wings on Goodreads and Amazon. I'm so thankful for their insights and kind words! I'm very glad they both enjoyed the book, too :)

Reviews of Prime and Morning Rising by Samantha Boyette

I'm really excited tonight to post nor one but two reviews of YA books. Why two?  It's a bit of a story.

Last month Samantha Boyette requested a copy of Beneath Angel's Wings for review.  There was one copy left from the five I had offered up on Goodreads, so I happily sent it her way. Samantha then posted a very kind and enthusiastic review on her blog, Amazon and Goodreads - you'll find the link in my last post.

I contacted her to say thank you and, being a YA author herself, she asked if I would like to read and review one of her books. I was somewhat hesitant, because once someone gives you a glowing review, it can be awkward to be honest if it turns out you didn't like their book as much as they liked yours. Still, I checked out the synopses of Samantha's books and they all sounded appealing, especially her latest release - Prime - which features zombies!  Now, I have not always been a zombie fan, but in the last five years or so I have really learned to love this genre, in movies, tv and books, so I was eager to read Samantha's YA zombie story.

I was not disappointed.  I loved Prime and was eager to post a review. My only regret about Prime was that it had no LGBTQ content.  (Though the fan-fiction author in me desperately wants to write an LGBTQ follow-up for two of the characters, and I think Samantha left the door open for something like it, but that's not part of the story so it can't be part of the review.) However, I noticed that Samantha wrote another series of stories that do feature a relationship between two girls, so to keep the reviews here within the LGBTQ team, I bought a copy of the first book in the series - Morning Rising - and decided to review it as well. Happily, Morning Rising was every bit as good as Prime. I would highly recommend both of these books to YA readers. Read the reviews below for details.



Prime is a zombie apocalypse tale told from the points of view of two siblings - thirteen-year old Simon and his twenty-something sister, Alice - who were in two different locations when the viral contagion spread. Over the course of the story, the siblings eventually discover that they are both among the survivors, and they strive to reunite.  I won't bother with a story synopsis because I don't want to spoil it for other readers.  What I will say is that Samantha Boyette is an excellent writer and storyteller. The back-story of the virus is perfect; the characters (both good, bad, younger and older) are well drawn; and the plot is exciting and fearless. No one is sacred. Characters die, including ones we are rooting for to survive. Survivors are not always nice to each other, and the author shows us the worst of humanity as well as the best. This was a truly gripping read with a satisfying ending. Definitely a five star read!



Morning Rising is fantasy that takes place both in our human world and in a parallel universe which is made up of three separate kingdoms: Daylands, Nightlands and Inbetween. Kara, the main character, starts out believing she is just an average teenage girl in love with another girl, Dylan, who she thinks she met by coincidence. She soon discovers that she and Dylan are not human and that they have been in each other's lives from a very early age, and have been fated to be together through a powerful bond of love which, in fact, makes Kara Dylan's protector. Through Kara's flashbacks we see how the relationship between the two girls developed in the human world, where they had no recollections of their earlier lives. Through her view of current events we see what happens as Kara attempts to rescue Dylan from the ruler of Inbetween, who seeks to harness Dylan's powers to conquer the other two kingdoms. Again, I don't want to reveal too much about the plot, but much like prime, I found the story gripping and felt compelled to read on to see what happened next. I really liked the relationship between the girls, especially since neither was portrayed as perfect, and Dylan in particular made some truly questionable choices. I also loved Baron and other allies who take great personal risks in order to hep Kara in her quest. This is the first story in a series, and I'm very much looking forward to reading the next installment. Another five star read. :)

Another great review for Beneath Angel's Wings

Click here to read Samantha Boyette's five star review of Beneath Angel's Wings. I love that she started out with pretty low expectations and that the boys and their story made her care enough to actually leave work early in order to finish reading :). Thank you so much, Samantha, for your kind words!

Book Review: Here's to You, Zeb Pike by Johanna Parkhurst

Here's to You, Zeb Pike is an excellent book. The title was intriguing and beckoned me in, but it was Dusty's voice and his story that kept me glued to my kindle form start to finish.

The basic points of the plot are revealed in the book blurb. Dusty Porter and his little brother and sister have been, in essence, abandoned by their parents, leaving Dusty to take care of himself and his siblings. Considering Dusty had to teach himself how to do everything, including laundry and budgeting whatever money his parents leave behind on their irregular "visits" with the kids, Dusty is actually doing a remarkably good job. Still, both he and his siblings are losing key parts of their childhood and have to be mature beyond their years.

Dusty doesn't like the situation, but he's determined to do whatever he needs to do to keep all three siblings together. Unfortunately, his sister's appendicitis reveals the scheme to the authorities, and the only family available to tke the kids without splitting them up are an aunt and uncle they never knew existed who live in Vermont. Dusty resents having to leave Colorado Springs and his friends behind, and that's just the start of the storm of change that sweeps Dusty into uncharted territory.

 The book works because Dusty, who narrates much of the story in first person, is very genuine. His confusion, frustration and resentment are perfectly described, as are his feelings for the older brother of his new classmate, who may or may not be gay. While Dusty's more mature than most boys his age, he's still a kid and he reacts as a kid would, including angst-driven episodes of acting out.

My one minor quibble with the book is the inclusion of some big coincidences in the plot that require a bit of suspension of disbelief, but the pace of the action and Dusty's commentary make that pretty easy. The author is so good that I didn't even mind what is normally my pet peeve in books, which is a change in voice. In this instance, the author cleverly used third person flashbacks to show the reader things that Dusty himself could not, a device I found very effective.

I would very enthusiastically recommend this book both to the young adults who are the intended audience and to older readers who enjoy the genre. It was definitely a five star read for me and a nice way to start off 2014.

Beneath Angel's Wings reviewed on My Fiction Nook

Hi Everyone and Happy New Year! I don't know about you, but the holidays were a very busy time and they sure went by fast. I can't believe it's 2014 already, and that January is more than a third over. I find the older I get the faster time flies, whether I'm having fun or not.

Having said that, I do have a lot of reasons to smile. I have a new position at work that is very demanding, but also a great new challenge and I'm fortunate to have joined a very friendly new team of colleagues who have all been uniformly very welcoming. I only hope I can scale that learning curve quickly and be able to contribute as much and as well as my predecessor. The only downside is that, at least at first, I will likely have less time to write, but I hope that will change as I get up to speed.

I'm also happy to let you know that Beneath Angel's Wings was reviewed by Sandra at "My Fiction Nook." I was truly humbled and honored to read that she feels:

Realistic voices, realistic struggles and realistic outcomes make this a wonderful book for any young adult and might even be considered required High School reading.

Wow, right?  I mean, what author wouldn't be thrilled to read that about one of their books? I know I was. A big thanks to Sandra for her kind words.

Click here to read the rest of Sandra's review.

Remember, you can buy Beneath Angel's Wings on Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble (still trying to figure out why they're not showing the cover - Grr), Kobo, and iTunes.

If you enjoy the book, please spread the word! Thank you!

Liz