Escapist Newsletter (Vol 4 Issue 4)

Check out the gorgeous cover Anya Bast has unveiled for her new novel, Jeweled. This is the first I’ve been hearing of this novel, but I can definitely tell you that I am intrigued.  Amazon has it coming out November 2nd.  That seems entirely too far away.

Defined by magic. Ruled by desire.

In the Court of Edaeii, magic-imbued Evangeline is rewarded for her gift with a sapphire stone set in the perfect curves of her flesh. Her greatest rival in the royal court is the enigmatic Anatol, instilled with his own powers to manipulate illusion. He may better her in magic, but he is her absolute equal in a ferocious sexual energy begging for release.

They share something else—they’re both targets of low-born revolutionaries bent on over-throwing the palace of the privileged few. Rescued from the mobs by Gregorio, a brilliant insurgent, they’re given sanctuary. But in this warm refuge, Evangeline soon finds herself torn between the magic of one man she has always desired, and the excitingly new and radical moves of another. For her, there is only one choice.

Evangeline, Anatol and Gregorio come together as one to explore the possibilities of love beyond reason, and to indulge—for as long as they can survive—in pleasure without limits.

News from LE

In February we had the League of Reluctant Adults NAC Mini-Challenge and this month we have the Battle Royale between the Deadline Dames and Fangs, Fur & Fey. Have you signed up yet?  At the end of the month, I’ll be giving away one novel to a lucky reviewer from whichever sites ends up with the most reviews posted.  It should be a lot of fun.

Speaking of the League of Reluctant Adults NAC Mini-Challenge, did everyone see the final results from it?

Here are the contests still going:

  • A signed copy of Firespell by Chloe Neill. Contest ends April 1st.
  • A signed copy of Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison. Contest ends April 8th.

The last couple of weeks I’ve been running a Reader’s Recommendation series and this weeks theme is Science Fiction Romance.  I’m still fairly new to this genre, but I’ve been getting some great recommendations.  The previous themes have included: vampire & shapeshifter, demons, fae & magic and young adult paranormal.  I still have one coming for Fantasy, but if there’s a theme you would like to see, let me know and I’ll add it in.

One last thing and then I’ll get on with the real news that you’re here to see.  I’m getting ready to do a site redesign for LE and I want to know, what changes would you like to see?  There are a few areas that totally bug me (the formating on the main page and the sidebars), but I’m curious to see what others think.  So let me know.

New Releases

April 1st:
Her Vampire Husband by Michele Hauf (Wicked Game #3)
Ghosts of Manhattan by George Mann
Inside Out by Maria Snyder
The Mage in Black by Jaye Wells (Stepchild #2)

April 6th:
Hell Fire by Ann Aguirre (Corine Soloman #2)
Beyond The Darkness by Alexandra Ivy (Guardians of Eternity #6)
Touched by an Alien by Gina Koch (Alien #1)
Strange Fate by LJ Smith (Night World #10)

April 13th:
The Desert Spear Brett V. Peter

April 20th:
Silent Truth by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr (Fae #4)

April 27th:
Ghosts & Echoes by Lyn Benedict (Shadow Inquiries #2)
Song of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy
Amazon Queen by Lori Devoti (Amazon #2)
Stealing Kathryn by Jacquelyn Frank (Gatherers #2)
Feed
Newsflesh #1 by Mira Grant
Chaos Bites by Lori Handeland (Phoenix Chronicles #3)

April 27th:
Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay
Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis
Marked by Elizabeth Naughton (Eternal Guardians)
Black Blade Blues by JA Pitts
Circus of Sins by Natasha Rhoades
Bewitched & Betrayed by Lisa Shearin (Raine Benares #4)
Lover Mine by JR Ward (Brotherhood of the Black Dagger #8)

All Things Urban Fantasy has her own list of April releases.

New Release Dates:

  • 2/22/2011 – The fifth Night Huntress novel, currently untitled, by Jeaniene Frost
  • 9/2010 – Vampire Trinity by Joey W. Hill (Vampire Queen #6)
  • 11/2/2010 – Magic at the Gate by Devon Monk

From the Author Sites

Karen Mahoney has some exciting news.  She is now officially tied to a new Smart Pop anthology that will be coming out this fall.  The anthology will feature various essays written about the Vampire Diaries show on the CW.  Smart Pop is the same publisher that just released Ardeur: 14 Writers on the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Series.

Erica Hayes has the cover for her third Shadowfae  novel, Poison Kissed.  Is it me or is this a big difference from the first two novels in the series?  Poison Kissed will be released September 28th.

Carrie Vaughn has assured us that there will be a sequel to her YA novel, Voices of Dragons; however, it’s not written yet so don’t expect it any time soon.

Katie MacAlister is also doing the assuring bit with her Dark Ones series.  Yes there will be more and the next one, In the Company of Vampires, will be out November 2, 2010.  While it will give a beginning to a new spinoff series, it is not the end to the Dark Ones.  So never fear.

Marjorie Liu has announced that the Dirke & Steele novels are getting a cover makeover done.  The series was recently purchased by Avon, which means all the old editions are getting the “out of print” tag and the new covers will start appearing in January with Tiger Eye.

Jocelynn Drake has posted the cover blurb for her upcoming Dark Days novel, Pray for Dawn, which releases June 29, 2010.

Murder has pulled Mira out of the shadows and back into the living world…

As the fire-wielding enforcer of the Nightwalker Coven wrestles with the mind-destroying ghosts of her dark past, the slaying of a senator’s daughter in Savannah threatens to expose her kind to the brilliant light of day. The dawn of chaos has come. The naturi have broken free of their eternal prison to feed on the defenseless and unbelieving of an unprepared Earth.

Mira and Danaus—vampire and vampire slayer—must unite to prevent the annihilation of their separate races. But for Danaus the challenge is intensified, for he must also fight the bori who covets his soul. And Mira, the Nightwalker he must protect—whose power is the Earth’s last hope—is rapidly going insane.

Yeah, totally not digging the cover for Jeaniene Frost’s second Night Huntress World novel, Eternal Kiss of Darkness.  It looks too recycled for me.  Like I’ve seen it someplace else already (maybe a Kerrelyn Sparks novel?) and I’m just not a fan.  I love the covers for the Cat/Bones novels, and First Drop of Crimson had a different cover too, but this one just seems…off somehow.

Lili St. Crow has a tentative title for the fourth Strange Angels novel.  Defiance is currently written, but just done, so don’t expect it too soon.

Maria Snyder has unveiled the official Inside Out website.  It’s pretty shiny, so head over and check it out.

Stephenie Meyer isn’t stopping with the Twilight saga, according to MTV.com, The Host is currently in it’s third script write and already has Andrew Niccol signed on to direct.  It’s possible that The Host will hit theaters before the second half of Breaking Dawn does, but they are still in pre-filming stage so who knows.

Karen Chance has announced that the third online novella will be featuring Mircea and will be titled Masks.  The first installment won’t be available until September, but there’s already a snazzy cover for it.  Am I the only one who missed the announcement for the second online novella?  Maybe as I haven’t seen it anywhere else yet.  The second novella is called The Queen’s Witch and features our favorite spy, Kit Marlowe.  The first chapter will be available for free download beginning June 30th.  In awesome news, the first novella, Shadowland, featuring John Pritkin, is available and I’ll definitely be getting it once the ebook version is available (which it will be soon, but not yet).

Have we seen that the blurb for Waking the Witch has been posted?

I’m not really sure if this is the title of the first book or the series title, but Dark Angels has been sent to the beta readers.  I’m talking about the first Risa novel by Keri Arthur, the new spinoff series from the Riley Jensen novels.  The way Keri is talking, I’m going to say it’s the title – so yeah!

Check out the cover hotness Jory Strong has for the third Ghostworld novel, Healer’s Choice.  This series has just been rip with fantastic covers and I’m stoked to see it continuing.  I love it!  What do you think?  Healer’s Choice will be out in September.  Jory has also posted the blurb for it and it sounds amazing.

Jory also has news that she’ll be contributing a story to a new anthology being released by Berkley in April 2011.  Other contributing authors include Ava Gray, Lora Leigh and Michelle Rowen.

On Lara Adrian’s upcoming page, it appears that the ninth Midnight Breeds novel has a title – Deeper than Midnight – and will feature Hunter.

New Excerpts or Reading for Free

SciFiGuy has found out that the first chapter for Jim Butcher’s Changes has been posted.  Changes is the 12th Harry Dresden novel and will be released April 6th.

Jill Myles has posted a snippet from her upcoming novel, My Fair Succubi.

Harper Collins has the first eight chapters to Kelley Armstrong’s The Reckoning up for your pleasure.

The first chapter to Carrie Vaughn’s upcoming Voices of Dragons is available.

Suvudu has posted an excerpt for China Mieville’s Kraken.

Orbit has also posted the first chapter to Jaye Well’s The Mage in Black and the first chapter to Gail Carriger’s Changeless.

Voyager Online is showing off Stacia Kane’s Unholy Ghosts by posting the first chapter.

Melissa Marr’s has posted a list of where you can find the first half of her story, Stopping Time, as well as another a bunch of links to where you can find the second part.

Just in from Harper Collins:

For two weeks beginning on April 6th, Wicked Lovely, the original gritty tale of faery intrigue, mortal love, and the battle between Summer sun and Winter ice, will be available online for FREE. Don’t miss Stopping Time, the exciting original sequel to Ink Exchange, now available as a two-part e-book. Click here for details and to download.

Melissa Marr has posted an excerpt from Radiant Shadows, specifically where the title came from.

PC Cast has posted the first chapter to the upcoming House of Night novel, Burned.

Ilona Andrews has posted a part of chapter 11 from Magic Bleeds.  I think we’ve seen a portion of it before, but not this much.  Hehe.

Jenna Black has posted the prolouge and the first chapter to Glimmerglass.

Janet Evanovich has posted an excerpt for Sizzling Sixteen, the next Stephenie Plum novel.

What Bears Repeating

Patricia Briggs has announced her tour schedule for Silver Borne and unfortunately, she won’t be back in Michigan.  However, she is making stops in Seattle WA, Beaverton OR, Huntington Beach CA, San Diego CA, Houston TX and Minneapolis, MN.  For the details, check out Fantasy Dreamer’s Ramblings post.

For fans of George RR Martin’s Game of Throne series, you’ll be happy to know that Suvudu has found that it will be coming to HBO sometime next year.  Shooting is going to start in June and 10 episodes have been requested.  For more news, check out The Hollywood Reporter article.

Maria Snyder released the title for her follow-up novel to Inside Out.  Everyone can be on the lookout for Outside In sometime next year.

Richelle Mead announced the title to her sixth and final Vampire Academy novel.  We’ll be able to pick up Last Sacrifice on December 14, 2010.

Jeaniene Frost let it slip that she’s contributing a story to anew anthology called Haunted By Your Touch.  Two other contributing authors are Sharie Kohler and Shayla Black and it looks to be due out October 26, 2010.

Maggie Stiefvater has announced the title to her third Shiver novel, which will be Forever, which will be out sometime in 2011.

Congratulations are in order for our wonderful Katiebabs at Babbling About Books.  Katie just sold her first novel, Lovestruck, to Noble Romance Publishing. Yea Katie!

Julie Kenner will be writing a new paranormal romance series titled The Shadow Keepers and the first novel, When Blood Calls, will be released September 28, 2010.

The winners and honorable mentions for the 2009 PEARL Awards were announced and quite a few of my favorites made the list.  Did yours?  And speaking of rewards: Congratulations Kelly Gay, Eileen Wilks, JR Ward, Marjorie Liu and Kresley Cole for their RITA nominations! To see the complete 2010 Rita Finalist list, click here.

Melissa Marr had a movie update for us.  She’s seen the screenplay!  Melissa says writers did an amazing job conveying the story to the screen and even made a few improvements.  They are also on schedule with the production.  Next up is finding a director and cast, so no release date yet, but it’s closer.

Featured Book

I know I’m probably just adding to the Twilight craze, but The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer sounded like it could be a departure from where the Twilight novels went.  Granted, news of this novel has probably been splashed around, but I found out on io9 that a portion of the book sales will go to benefit the American Red Cross, so it’s definitely worth another plug.

Fans of the Twilight Saga will be riveted by this story of Bree Tanner, a newborn vampire first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the world she inhabits. The novella chronicles the newborn vampire army’s journey as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

This Month’s Reviews

Happy Hour of the Damned by Mark Henry
Haunted Destiny by Kelley Abell
Black Magic Sanction by Kim Harrison
Outstretched Shadows
by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
Flirting with Forever by Gwyn Cready
Angelology
by Danielle Trussoni
Born of Fire by Sherrilyn Kenyon
The Last Map to the Throne of God by Trularin
Little Critter by Mercer Mayer
The Darcy Cousins by Monica Fairview
The Devil’s Playground by Jenna Black
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

From the Reader

The Galaxy Express has a great list of 20 free downloads for science fiction romance.  It’s a combination of short and long stories, so if you’ve never tried a SciFi Romance, now is the perfect time.

Grasping for the Wind has another fabulous edition of his Inside the Blogosphere feature.  This time around, he asked fellow bloggers how they organized their book collections.

New stills from the upcoming Eclipse have surfaced over on SciFi Wire.  Seriously, what is up with Jasper’s hair in the second one?

Io9 has more news on the much anticipated anthology collection featuring new Firefly tales from the shows original writers.  So far, there are four stories confirmed for the anthology (one of which is titled Fun with Dick and Jayne) as well as some behind the scenes memories with the cast.

Bitten by Books has a new poll up on their site and this time they are looking to see how much sex you like in your novels.  Are you all about the story or the sex? They want to know, so head over and make sure you let them know.

The Book Smugglers have another addition to their Covers Matter feature and this time they are talking about the oh-so cliched Fantasy covers.

Babbling About Books is showing off a bunch of new covers, one of which is for a new Arcane Society novel, Burning Lamp, by Amanda Quick.  She’s one of my favorite romance novelists and I really need to check out this series.  She does such a great job with fantastic elements in regency times (or is it victorian?).

Patricia’s Vampire Notes has found a new collection of vampire stories that were published in (or around) the Victorian era.  Dracula’s Guest: A Connoisseur’s Collection of Victorian Vampire Stories is edited by Michael Sims and will be releasing June 22, 2010.

This is just too cool not to share.  With all the talks of libraries needing funding, where to go for good used copies or anything to do with book sharing; the residents of Somerset, England have come up with a beautiful idea.  They are now in possession of the World’s Smallest Library and the whole idea of it is brillant!  I just love it.

Book Chick City is getting ready to conclude her Men of Urban Fantasy week and has found a ton of great male UF authors.

SciFiGuy has another fabulous Weekend Report posted and here are a couple of things you might learn by checking it out:

  1. Guess who is on the contributor list for Those Who Fight Monsters, a new urban fantasy anthology edited by Justin Gustainis.  There’s quite a few names on there that might ring a few bells.  Those Who Fight Monsters will be released March 2011.
  2. Walker of Worlds will be appreciating Science Fiction during the month of April.

Ink and Paper is hosting the Bookworms Carnival and Jo is looking for reviews of high or epic fantasy novels.

I call for submissions! If you have ever reviewed a high/traditional/epic fantasy in your whole book reviewing life, please please email me (joannestapley[at]googlemail[dot]com) the links! The whole point of the Bookworm Carnival is to introduce each other to new blogs and new books, so it’s win-win for everyone involved. Please get your links to me ASAP, and there is no limit on how many you send – though I may pick and choose, depending on how many I get.

In honor of National Poetry Month, Savvy Verse & Wit will be featuring daily poetry novel reviews as well as showcasing various poets all month long.  Serena has managed to gather quite an impressive list of bloggers to help her celebrate, so make sure you head over and see what everyone is talking about.  There is always time for a poem after all.
Lurv a la Mode has found a potential cover for The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook. There hasn’t been any official release of it yet, so changes could occur, but regardless, this is pretty shiny. Don’t you think?

New Interviews

For the full listing of this month’s interviews, click here.

Contests

Nicole Peeler is giving away copies of Richelle Mead’s Succubus Shadows and Jaye Wells The Mage in Black.  I’m not sure when it ends, so head over soon.

Nalini Singh is giving away copies of her PEARL winners.  Contest ends April 4th.

Jackie Kessler is giving away the first two novels in her (and Caitlin Kittredge’s) Icarus Project – Black and White and Shades of Gray. Contest ends April 4th.

All Things Urban Fantasy has her fabulous list of UF Giveaways.  This week there are over 150 different contests to explore.

Shiloh Walker is giving away the fabulous novels Moon Called by Patricia Briggs and Half Past Dead by Zoe Archer and Bianca D’Arc (so want to read this one).  Contest ends next week.

GoodReads is giving away 15 copies of Jenna Blacks Glimmerglass.  Contest ends April 17th.

Cover Extravaganza

This month, there were 52 different covers revealed, so needless to say, I’m not posting them all here.  Sorry guys, but I did save them all over at the Facebook Fan page.  So if you want to see all of them, head over here; however, that doesn’t mean I won’t paste some of them here.

http://www.jennablack.com/excerpt_glimmerglass.htm
About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

4 Comments

  1. Actually, on that Iron Duke cover, it was featured in one of Penguin’s most recent catalogs, but they didn’t say in there that the cover was being altered, found that out via Meljean. Maybe they decided to change it after the catalog went out.

  2. I’ve got a few new releases on my list that you don’t have, so I figured I’d post them in case you were interested.

    04/06/10: Demonkeepers by Jessica Andersen (PNR), The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong (YA), Wicked Lovely: Desert Tales, Volume 2: Challenge by Melissa Marr (Graphic Novel)

    04/13/10: Tales of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong (UF)

    04/27/10: Burned by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (YA), The Sweet Scent of Blood by Suzanne McLeod (UF)

    • Mmm….The Reckoning must have had a date change. My notes have that one coming out in May.

      Is Tales of the Otherworld the new Women of the Otherworld anthology or is it completely different? I keep hearing about it, but I haven’t seen much on it yet. Granted, I haven’t been doing a lot of searching the last couple of months either.

      Burned is another one with a new release date. I have that one coming out a month later than you do (5/27). Looks like I’m going to have to go through my list again and check the dates.

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