Sisters of the Shadows launches into the light

SOTS cover on whiteBlast the trumpet and sound the cymbals: The fabulous Sisters of the Shadows anthology launched overnight and is now available on both Amazon and Smashwords.

This particular eBook, a collaboration of novellas by WriteFest buddies Sue-Ellen Pashley, Shelley Russell Nolan, Christina Craig and myself, includes the first-time publication of my beloved “The Pool of Rathorne”, a magical story very dear to my heart.

In this post-apocalyptic/steampunk tale, Tasha Severin is a woman in hiding on an impossible quest. (You know how much I love impossible quests, right?)

The Pool of Rathorne’s healing waters promise a cure in a world where the crippled are shunned and the Cursed are imprisoned. Concealing her hideous affliction beneath a witch’s robes, and casting an illusion spell, Tasha boards a steam train bound for Rathorne where her life collides with the daring and enigmatic Raoul Duberger. But beneath his expensive cloak and aristocratic presence, Raoul is also hiding his true identity. His lies are a foil for deadly truths, some of which may change her destiny forever. In a kingdom where secrets are worth killing for, does Tasha have the courage to trust a stranger and risk her life for the sake of a prophecy and an oppressed land?

For the past year, I’ve rather felt like Tasha, living in the shadows, battling the everyday challenges of work, family, sickness and our constantly-changing, ever-chaotic lives.

But maybe the launch of this anthology will remind me to return to the light, to spend more time each day in the sunshine, knowing that when we embrace our magic, it changes other people’s lives – not just our own.

Now tell me… What are you hiding from?

New fantasy lovers necklace & bracelet giveaway

Small TBSB pendantAn exquisite, one-of-a-kind necklace was designed by Moore Park artist Chris (Ekko Glass Designs) last year to celebrate the launch of The Blood She Betrayed.

The red, white and gold mirrors the shades of the TBSB cover: the red represents Shahkara and her Taloner blood; the gold the spritz of the Twilight Mists; the silver-white is the tail spines of Shahkara’s dragon key – and the many paths she must take to find the Elnara.

The Ekko Glass necklace and a gorgeous heart bracelet made by The Bling Thing, Hervey Bay, were to be the prizes at The Blood She Betrayed FaceBook launch party, but were withdrawn when the eBook was unable to be launched on the night.

bracelet1Instead, I’ve held these two prizes over until early this year when I knew the eBook would be available (and I’d be back from my physical author tour and able to give it some attention again).

To enter, all you have to do is buy a copy of The Blood She Betrayed and email your proof of purchase (Amazon or Dymocks receipt, etc) to me at cheryse (at) quietdawn (dot) org

Two separate winners – one for the necklace and one for the bracelet – will be drawn.

Those who have already bought a copy of The Blood She Betrayed in 2013 (either eBook or paperback) are also eligible – just email me your proof of purchase – and/or remind me where I signed your book for you during the physical author tour.

Winners of the Hearts & Talons giveaway 2013:

September: $AU50 Clan Destine Press book pack: C Prowse, Townsville, Aust

October: $AU50 Amazon gift voucher: M Black, Paterson, NJ, US

November: $AU130  9ct gold crystal pendant: Ian G. Blackwell, Bundaberg, Aust

Name a Character winners announced

Taloners fightingThe Name a Character after a Reader contest was conceived in September last year with the goal of stimulating The Blood She Betrayed eBook sales prior to the Bundaberg paperback launch. Since Clan Destine Press was unable to release the eBook until after the September Facebook party and the Brisbane and Bundaberg launches in October, Iopened the contest up to all readers who bought copies of the eBook or paperback during October.

The winner is… *drum roll* … ex-Bundy writer Emma Gough, who attended one of the Brisbane book launches.

The brilliant plot twist to this contest is that I had *already* created an Emma character in The Ghost She Killed so, even though Emma’s happy to have a multi-layered characters as her namesake, I have also drawn two more names – just to make it a little more fun. I will weave these two names into my current manuscript in the coming months.

I’d originally hoped to draw out a man’s name as the winner as I have a few fabulous new male characters in The Ghost She Killed, but that didn’t happen so my little mind is now working out what roles Shaye and Krystal will play in my work-in-progress. I’m almost certain one of them will become the namesake for one of the sword-wielding Goth girls, introduced to readers in The Blood She Betrayed. We’re resurrecting a few of those assassins for the next book.

The namesake character may not have large roles in The Ghost She Killed, but they will certainly play a part – even if it’s just as a dead body 🙂

Name a Character winners:

1. Emma Gough, Brisbane, Aust

2. Krystal Sardelich-Mcnutt, Greymouth, NZ

3. Shaye Campbell, Yarraman, Aust