Justice (Deck of Lies, #1)

Get it everywhere online books are sold!

The Tower (Deck of Lies, #2)

Visit the Books page for free samples

Death (Deck of Lies, #3)

Get book downloads on the Free Stuff page

Judgment (Deck of Lies, #4)

Get the boxed set edition to get even more secrets!

Hope's Rebellion

Get it now!

Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts

Secrets in the Sea

Book 2 in the Saltwater Secrets trilogy is coming out soon, so you'd better catch up on the story right now. This weekend only, you can download Saltwater Secrets, Book 1: Song of the Sea. Get it FREE at Dropbox.


I always knew who my mother was. I always knew where I belonged. And I always knew I wanted to be on the water, like my dad.

…Until I was forced to go out into the water, anyway. Out there, you feel really lonely. But you’re never alone. There is more life and emotion under the waves than most humans will ever see, more than I could have ever imagined. Down there, it’s an entire world of rage and hate, love and hope. It’s a world of fear.

It’s a world of war.

Once, my mother told me she would sing me a song of the sea. But under the waves, the only music I ever heard was the sound of screams.

1,000th Post Celebration: 999 Writing Tips, But This Post Ain't One

Jade's Blog has come a long way since we first started in 2011. Together, we've explored punctuation rules and grammar tricks, literary techniques and self promotion. Several guest authors and friends of the blog have stopped by to offer their insights and share their stories. And now, it's time to celebrate all of that -- by giving some free stuff away.


1,000th

Thanks for visiting the blog, whether this is your first visit or your 1,000th. Jade's blog has always been a place for indie and self-published authors, and hopefully it will be here for another 1,000 posts. But without reading, there would be no writing. So to celebrate today's milestone, let's give lots of books and other stuff away!


The Deck of Lies

                                                    FREE sample                        FREE wallpaper



Hope's Rebellion 

                                                      FREE sample                          FREE wallpaper




Song of the Sea (Saltwater Secrets, #1)

Now with an exclusive sneak peek of Book #2! 

                                                      FREE sample                          FREE wallpaper



$5 Amazon Gift Card









Unravel the Deck of Lies FREE

Visit one of my favorite blogs, Reading...Dreaming, and find out how to get Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) free. The sooner you start exploring the lies, the sooner you'll discover all the dirty little secrets. 



Blogger Book Fair Guest Post: What Are Cozy Mysteries?

 Amy Saunders is visiting the blog today to answer a very important question: what are cozy mysteries?


I blame my mom for my mystery fetish. Every day around three, we flipped on the TV and watched reruns of '70's and '80's mysteries. My favorites included Murder, She Wrote, Matlock, Hart to Hart, and McMillan and Wife. All essentially cozy murder mysteries in TV form. So it's no surprise that's what I wound up writing.

But what are cozy mysteries? To unravel what makes a mystery cozy, let's deconstruct my favorite TV mystery series ever - Murder, She Wrote. How does Murder, She Wrote incorporate these basic elements: a murder, a sleuth, a setting, and suspects (one of whom is guilty)? As you'll see, that's key to making a cozy mystery...cozy.  

Somebody Has Got to Die. On Murder, She Wrote, you see some of the players at the beginning and what they're up to (usually not good), and then the chosen Red Shirt of the episode is found dead. You may see the body, but they skip over the actual killing part. That's rarely (if ever) featured in cozy mysteries.
  • Key element one: the murder happens off-stage.  

Leave This Murder-Solving Biz to Me. Jessica Fletcher, lead character on Murder, She Wrote, is a mystery author and therefore knows more about this stuff than the police or FBI or CIA - combined. She means mystery-solving business. And no amount of threats of severe punishment if she doesn't stop interfering will deter her. She is the only one with a high enough IQ to solve this thing!
  • Key element two: leave the case-solving to the least qualified person you can find.  

Welcome to the Smallest Town with the Highest Murder Rate. Ah, Cabot Cove, Maine, the prime setting of Murder, She Wrote. So many people got killed in this town of like 500 people that eventually they had Jessica start traveling to spare CC more atrocities. She even moved to NYC for a while so they had more people to choose from to get whacked. (Those were my favorite episodes, but I digress.)
  • Key element three: cozy mysteries often take place in smaller towns or cities.  

You Murderized Sooooo Much. So Jessica questions the suspects and shakes their business out all over the place, until finally we come to The Confession. The Confession generally happens after Jessica has proven with her Super Sleuth Powers that So-and-So must be the killer. So, naturally, they start blabbing all the details. Then all is right with the world again and Jessica and Friends share a more lighthearted exchange before the end credits roll.
  • Key element four: you have a few suspects, most with deep dark secrets, and a big group confession at the end.

Those are just the basics, but you get the picture. Like my sis says, cozies feature the "lighter side of murder." They don't take themselves too seriously, and that's the fun of it. The fun of reading (or watching) cozy mysteries, and definitely, for me, the fun of writing them!


A note from Jade: Win one of Amy's books, and fall in love with the cozy mystery genre! 



 About the Author
 
Amy Saunders writes cozy mysteries and is the author of The Belinda & Bennett Mysteries, as well as three standalone mystery novels. Auf'd, book two of The Belinda and Bennett Mysteries, just hit virtual shelves in June. Her novels betray her soft spot for humor and romance - and the ocean. When she's not writing, you may find her baking, reading YA sci-fi/dystopian novels, or dancing around to her new favorite alt rock or pop song. 





Blogger Book Fair: Interview and Giveaway with A. K. Taylor

A. K. Taylor is visiting the blog today with her character Neiko to give books away and introduce you to her Neiko Adventure Series. A. K. has won many awards for her writing, so be sure to enter the giveaways and get her books free!


 Escape from Ancient Egypt

Seeking his revenge on Neiko for exposing him, Francesco banishes Neiko into ancient Egypt just like he did her friends eleven years ago. During her stay there, she unravels the mystery of what happened to her four friends. Now she's faced with a bigger problem--how to get home. After a series of unfortunate events, Neiko is now entangled with Pharaoh Ramesses II. Francesco also comes to make sure their fates are sealed. Can Neiko and her friends beat impossible odds and return to Hawote and back to the present?





Neiko's Five Land Adventure
The Indians and the Crackedskulls are locked in the turmoil of war and presently in a stalemate. Her enemies, Raven and Bloodhawk, have come up with a scheme to up the ante and break the stalemate into their favor. Neiko later finds out that a land she thought she had only imagined is actually real and contains a legendary and otherworldly evil within it. After a standoff with the malevolent Ramses the Dark Pharaoh in Hawote, she is trapped in Qari by his strange and powerful magic. Trapped in another universe and in a place that is not exactly the way she imagined it, she must somehow find a way to teleport home. That is easier said than done; the odds are overwhelmingly against her and her scorpion cobra-companion Quickstrike as they must travel to find the answer and avoid Ramses' allies, traps, and tricks. Can she come back home and escape the evil that seeks to claim her and turn the tables on her enemies?


Interview with Neiko, star of the series:


JV: I hear that you still like to play with toys. Do you have a favorite?

Neiko: Yes, you heard right. I guess you can say it’s like a secret (well not any more) guilty pleasure. There are some people that won’t understand why an 18 year old would still do something like that. If King Tutankhamen can do it so can I, I always say. In some ways, he and I have the getting an important job and title at a young age thing in common. It can play havoc on you a little and your maturity level. People will say: It’s not ‘normal’. Nothing about my life is normal really. People who say that didn’t weren’t six years old in warrior training, nor did they fight their first battles at age eight. It’s not like I can go hang out with friends whenever I want to since our enemies can blend in just as easily as we can, and they are always looking for a chance to ambush so they can take me. I also lost a bit of my childhood because of all that, and being a stressed out teenager can make someone do some interesting things to release that stress and unwind—like the Tut thing I mentioned earlier. You can also say I do things like they do on “The Big Bang Theory” way before that show made it cool. I am a nerd at heart, so sue me. I was a nerd before nerd was cool—yeah, kind of like that country song. I heard someone mention something about the chieftains and my friends ‘condoning’ it. We’re all friends and that’s what friends do—understand. The chieftains find the stuff I talk about interesting and just wonder where it all comes from. They do it for my benefit and health so I can continuing to defend them. I don’t perform my best stressed out or ticked off. Who would?

Yeah, I do have a favorite: my Ramses action figure even after I find out he’s real and really, really scary. I found that toy during a battle where I was holing up in a barn trying to elude capture (not in this story—a prequel). I always knew it was special, but later I find out why it is and that it was not sold in stores or even made on my own planet…


JV: Why do you prefer to conduct your adventures in the woods?

Neiko: Hawote is located in the woods of the US, Canada, and Mexico, and it is a hidden land that coexists with those countries. The woods offer cover, so the land an all its workings stay hidden. Truthfully it’s much harder to hide things in an urban area—too many US (or CA or Mex) authorities. Think about that the next time you go into a rural area and come across a large stretch of forest!


 JV: You play the French Horn. What style of music do you play?

 Neiko: I play just about anything—pretty much what the Band Teacher or the Choir director puts in front of me. I am an awesome sight-reader. Jazz, funk, movie themes, classical, church music, blues, marches. I also do concert and marching band. Yes I do field drill and parades and cantatas. I’ve been known to participate in a professional orchestra and a college summer band a few times. Done honor bands as well!

I seem to like doing everything the hard way, so naturally I chose the most difficult brass instrument known to man.


JV: Where did you get the name Neiko?

Neiko: I got my Indian name when I discovered my hidden and ancient heritage, which is a plus to finding out I was the “Chosen One”. I also learned about the ancient prophecy about the Chosen One that actually cost one of my ancestors—Chief Fierce Wind by name—his life and the displacement of my tribe to the Southeast to where we are living today. They fled the wrath of the evil Aztec emperor-warlord Tezcatlipocacoatl who lived way way before Tenochtitlan was ever built—to give you an idea how long ago that was. My author will get into all that in the next few books and a possible prequel (one of two) to Neiko’s Five Land Adventure. Anyway, my name comes from very ancient (even before Fierce Wind and Tezcatlipocacoatl) Greyhawk that means “Strong One”. It seemed like the perfect fit for me and my calling as the Chosen One.


JV: Your mom doesn't seem to "get it." Have you ever thought about involving her in your play time?

 Neiko: *eye roll* Tell me about it. I don’t think there is any way possible for her to get it—sometimes things seem like they are implanted in if you get my drift. When I get to play with my eight-year-old cousin, I can get away with it a little bit more since I’m entertaining a kid. If I’m lucky, maybe my little sister will be into that when she’s old enough to play with more than passies, teething rings, and Duplo blocks.

Not a bad idea involving her, but I can’t even talk about it with her without her getting all bent outa shape. Getting her to play is a lost cause. My friends and even the chieftains understand better about that than she does.

I will eventually be able to lay them down after going to the Five Lands for REAL. That did wonders in jumpstarting my maturity level, but not so much for my stress level.


JV: What's Raven's deal? Why is he determined to have you in his family?

Neiko: It’s more about his son Bloodhawk more than him. But from Raven’s standpoint, there’s a lot going on with that. One, I have been picked by Bloodhawk and approved by Raven as the perfect candidate to carry on the next generation, if you get my drift. I am both strong and beautiful—suitable qualities for a Crackedskull queen, which will make a suitable child to be a prince—before it’s over with they want to make it children, but the curse put a damper on their plans since I would die in childbirth, and Bloodhawk is picky—he didn’t like any of the girls from his own tribe for starters. Guaranteed a son says the mantra of the curse, and he will have wings, eagle feet and eyes, and really large stature just like them. Plus, my resistance is just a turn-on, and that’s just my luck with those type of guys and ladies’ men.

 Two, from a strategic standpoint it would look good for the Chosen One to be married to his son and future heir to the throne. That would make the Seven Tribes buckle down to his rule and then he can carry on in taking over the entire land of Hawote. Yes the ol’ cliché domination thing. He doesn’t care about taking over the world, just Hawote. He might throw in the resident Outsiders on the North American continent as a freebie, if he got bored--but I would think the Outsiders would notice a full-scale takeover and war and might become a have-to. They would be wondering what is happening with all the Indians all of a sudden? I don’t think the government would sit out and let it pan out, do you?

Even at his great stature--yes nine feet--the US military could take him out with a tank, bazooka, RPG, or something (not even titanium armor could stop that), so he might have to resort to some different strategy and finesse in taking on Outsiders than just storming the wall and public attacks like he does with other Indians.


JV: Do you ever plan to stop having adventures?

Neiko: Nope. Don’t plan on it. I plan on being around for awhile. There will be tons of adventures some day; it’s just a matter of AK getting them published. *sigh* Publishing sure is slow and have to be so careful. If I ever quit, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself and would be bored slap outa my mind! I don’t know if I can do ‘normal’!




About the Author

A.K. Taylor grew up in the backwoods of Georgia where she learned about nature. She enjoys hunting and fishing, beekeeping, gardening, archery, shooting, hiking, and has various collections. She also has interest in music, Native American history and heritage, Egyptian history, and the natural sciences. A.K. Taylor has been writing and drawing since the age of 16. A.K. Taylor has graduated from the University of Georgia with a biology degree, and she shares an interest in herpetology with her husband.





Blog Tour Stop: The Oracle of Delphi



Oracle of Delphi Giveaway 
Prizes are listed


Prophecy of the Author's Genius Contest  
Solve the prophecy, win a $25 Amazon Giftcard 
(must guess the classic book title and author)


 




About the Author


Diantha Jones was born the day thousands of turkeys sacrificed their lives to fill millions of American bellies on November 22 which also happened to be Thanksgiving Day (Her mother says she owes her a turkey). She is a Journalism graduate who wants to be a career novelist (of books, not Facebook posts). When not writing or working, she is reading on her Nook, being hypnotized by Netflix or on a mission to procure french fries.  
The Oracle of Delphi fantasy series is her first series. She is also the author of Mythos: Stories from Olympus, a companion series, and there is another fantasy series in the works. She also writes (new) adult fantasy/paranormal romance under the name A. Star. Invasion (An Alien Romance) is her first title released under this pen name. Future releases under A. Star include, the Love & Steampunk series, the Purr, Inc. stories, and more.

Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon  |  Pinterest  |  DJ's Book Corner

Email Diantha Jones at: theauthor (at) diantha-jones (dot) com


Book One

eBook: Amazon  |  Barnes&Noble
Paperback: Amazon

Book Two

eBook: Amazon  |  Barnes&Noble
Paperback: Amazon


Come back to the blog next week for a guest post from author Diantha Jones!


Get a Bunch of Free Books

I'm participating in the vacation extravaganza at Blkosiner's book blog! Enter the giveaway to win a copy of the first book in the Deck of Lies series in any electronic format of your choice. 


You'll also get a $5 (USD) gift card to Amazon so you can buy more books (the rest of the Deck of Lies, maybe?). Don't miss your chance to win!

Start the Search for Truth

I'm giving away Justice, the first book in the Deck of Lies series, at Reading 24x7.


Now's your chance to start the search for the truth free. And if you don't want to wait out the giveaway, you can find Justice at Amazon, B&N, Smashwords and Kobo.

Winning Look

The Deck of Lies Diva Challenge is over, and a winning outfit for Rain has been picked!



Diva crystalstone32 designed this stylish number to win herself a free copy of Justice (Deck of Lies, #1). Thanks to everyone who played the Diva Challenge at Fashion Fantasy Game. All of the outfits looked great. 

For everyone who didn't win the giveaway, you still have a chance to grab a free copy of the book. Look to the left of the blog to find a link to a new giveaway, and sign up for your chance to win!

New Review, Interview and Giveaway

"It's a great read, filled with life-like, credible characters, and to be honest, I found it impossible to put down."



After you read the newest review for Justice at Today in Shenaya, keep going to get a look at an in-depth interview where I discuss the other books in the Deck of Lies series and my writing process in general. While you're there, sign up for the giveaway to get your own copy of Justice, and see if you agree with the review!

Deck of Lies Reviews, and a New Author Interview

"If you have an idea what this book is about you will be rushing to download a copy too...Every chapter bought fresh excitement, and even more questions to light, and I just had to keep reading."

-on Justice (Deck of Lies, #1)

"The question still remains though; who had the means and will to murder one of her classmates? And what were they trying to hide?...I really enjoyed this book. I picked this one up straight after finishing the first one, cause I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next!"

-on The Tower (Deck of Lies, #2)



The Deck of Lies has found a home on Sarah Elizabeth's bookshelf this week. She's kindly reviewed the entire first half of the series. Read both her reviews, and don't stop there! If you keep going, you'll find a new interview with me where I reveal what I think about the characters in the Deck of Lies and what you can expect to find in the fourth and final book of the series. Check out the giveaway at the bottom of the post to find out how you can add the Deck of Lies to your bookshelf!

Month-Long Release Celebration

Death has arrived! To help you get caught up on the story so far, I'm giving away Justice and The Tower all month long free.


Visit my Smashwords page to download both books in the format of your choice. Enter the coupon code SSWIN to get a 100% price reduction. 



About Justice

When you build an entire life on a foundation of lies, it only takes one truth for the whole thing to come crashing down. I never invited the truth in. I never went searching for it. I never had any reason to suspect that the two people I loved most were dishonest with me every second of every day.

I made one bad decision, and in a single day my entire world changed. If I’m ever going to discover the truth about myself and my parents, I have to trace all the lies back to their source. I have to try to find the truth that they’re hiding.

The more I discover about myself, and my past, the more I realize that lies really are better than the truth. But now that I know the lies are all around me, I can’t stop until I’ve discovered them all. I’ll pull each lie away, one by one, and examine it to see what’s underneath…until this house of cards crumbles into dust at my feet.

I just hope I can survive the crash.



 About The Tower

 
Death brings some families closer, but it’s ripped mine apart. I wanted to convince the police that they had the wrong suspect…but I never expected them to start suspecting me. Now, I have no choice but to keep searching for the truth, even if all my relationships fall to pieces around me.

Someone is trying to make me look guilty. I never thought my mission to prove my own innocence would lead me to more family secrets. I thought I had already discovered the truth about myself. But every answer raises more questions, and everything I think I know is about to change…again.

I have to find the truth, no matter how much it hurts -- before I get charged with murder.
 

Get Half the Lies

One of the blogs I follow is celebrating a one-year blogoversary, and I'm participating by giving away half the Deck of Lies series during the month of June.



Sign up to win Justice (Book 1) and The Tower (Book 2) for free, and catch up on all the lies before Death comes out this summer!

Explore Murder and Madness in The Tower

Yes, the sad truth is that Indie Author Month is coming to an end. I've truly enjoyed visiting Aside From Writing every day in May and discovering new, talented indie authors -- and I'm thrilled to say that today is my day! The month has been peppered with wonderful paranormal tales, heart-wrenching romances, chilling suspense and even fascinating historical novels, to name just a few. Now, it's going to end with a healthy dose of madness, courtesy of The Tower.


I'm participating in the event by giving away 5 copies of The Tower, so sign up if you want to win. In fact, there are several giveaways (including the main prize) which are still open. Scads of books are available, not just mine, so don't miss your chance to get some free goods.

An Interview with Jade

Where did I come up with the idea for the Deck of Lies series? Who in my real life inspired an important character in Rain's life? And which one of my characters would I bring to life if I could? I answer all of these questions and more in my latest interview, conducted by Books Books & More Books.


But if you skip all my answers, you'll get to the really interesting part: I'm giving away books! Sign up to win a free copy of Justice, and try to find the truth in the Deck of Lies.

The Indie Author Month Event

Tomorrow marks the first day of Indie Author Month, an exciting event that's being sponsored by the Aside From Writing book blog. Up to 30 ebooks will be given away during the event, and a new writer will be featured every day all May long. I'm one of them! Check Aside toward the end of the month to see my feature and find out how you can win books from the Deck of Lies series.



Each day, a new indie book will be featured on the blog. The daily posts will also include a small interview with each indie author. Month-long and daily ebook giveaways will also feature heavily in the month-long event. To enjoy all the action and find out what makes indie writers tick, you'll have to check Aside From Writing every day in May!

Win Justice and The Tower

Now's your chance to win the first two books in the Deck of Lies series FREE! Click the link and sign up to win. Good luck!