Blog Posts

Freebie from Tricia Copeland ~ Kingdom of Embers

8/5/2022

Title: Kingdom of Embers
Author: Tricia Copeland
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: True Bird Publishing LLC
Editor: Jo Michaels, Indie Books Gone Wild
Hosted by: Lady Amber's Reviews & PR

Blurb:

Her pale skin and weird diet make her a target at school. If only they knew the truth about her feeding habitsâ€¦

Seventeen-year-old Alena Scott is tired of pretending to be something sheâ€™s not. As an outlawed vampire-witch hybrid, sheâ€™s forced to abide by the oppressive secrecy imposed by her Vampire Chancellor mother. But sheâ€™ll have to ignore the rules when she comes face-to-face with a handsome, full-grown version of her childhood imaginary friend.

Shocked that he recognizes her as his own pretend play pal, the two embark on a quest to solve the mystery of their fantasized companionship. And as they unravel their entwined destinies, Alena realizes she holds the key to a curse which could free them allâ€”or condemn witchkind to eternal suffering.

Can Alena and her impossibly familiar partner reverse an ancient spell before theyâ€™re sent to a mortal grave?

Kingdom of Embers is the first book in the enthralling Kingdom Journals YA urban fantasy series. If you like intriguing characters, shadowy magic, and a fresh twist on modern vampire storylines, then youâ€™ll love Tricia Copelandâ€™s heart-stopping tale.

Buy Kingdom of Embers to embrace a prophetic fate today!

FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME!

An avid runner and Georgia native, Tricia now lives with her family and four-legged friends in Colorado. She believes that magic infuses every aspect of our lives, whether it is the magic of falling in love, discovering a new passion, a beautiful sunset, or a book that transports us to another world. You can find all her titles from contemporary romance and fantasy, to dystopian fiction at www.triciacopeland.com.

Author Links:

FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME!

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Revival by Teri Kay

8/4/2022

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Title: Revival: An ABCs of Love Novel
Author: Teri Kay
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Designer: Cover Lovin' Designs
Editor: Russo's Editing Services
Publication Date: August 4^th, 2022
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR

Blurb:

"The ABCs have never been sexier..."

Life was a set of well-laid plans for Andrea Raffield. She married her high school sweetheart, raised their twins, and planned to grow old with the love of her life. But now, with an empty nest and a divorce she never saw coming, sheâ€™s alone for the first time in her life. When the opportunity presents itself to purchase an RV and travel the country, Andrea throws caution to the wind and takes a chance on herself. But is it really possible to start over at forty?

Daniel â€œRomeâ€ Abrams was on his way to building his tattoo empire. Fresh off of a win from Tattoo Genius, Americaâ€™s top tattoo competition show, Rome had the ink world in the palm of his hands; money, fame, and success were his for the taking. But when a tragedy turns Romeâ€™s dreams into his darkest nightmares, heâ€™s left with nothing but the broken pieces of his tattoo shopâ€”and the life heâ€™d been building.

When a chance meeting brings these two together, Andrea and Rome do everything they can to fight the attraction. But two souls searching for revival are hard to ignore, and their broken pieces will either fit together perfectlyâ€”or shatter them both completely.

**Revival is a complete stand-alone in the ABCs of Love series where each author delivers a brand-new story for you to rediscover your ABCs.

NOW LIVE!

I am an obsessive romance reader turned writer. An amazing group of indie writers have inspired and encouraged me to pursue this crazy dream and now I canâ€™t imagine stopping. Born and raised, I have always lived in Southern California. I am happily married, with two small fur babies. I love my job as a teacher and wouldnâ€™t want to do anything else. Except maybe be a full-time writer. Between reading, writing, and teaching, I have little free time. But in those rare moments, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, binge-watching reality television and baking.

My stories dip into the pools of various troupes. I write contemporary romance with second chances, rockstars and single parents. My characters are beautifully flawed wrapped in a wonderous romance.

Author Links:

NOW LIVE!

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The City Wife by R. M. Carpus

8/2/2022

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Title: The City Wife
Author: R.M. Carpus
Genre: Dystopian, Thriller/Drama
Cover Designer: Robin Johnson of Robin Ludwig Design Inc.
Publication Date: Aug. 2, 2022
Hosted by: Lady Amberâ€™s PR

Blurb:
A displaced mother and daughter embark on a quest for refuge in this absorbing women's sci-fi family saga for fans of slow-burn suspense and page-turning domestic drama.

A crushing betrayal. A transcendent bond. Three thousand miles to the Isle.

My mother loved the city, and it loved her. Until the Turn. Until leaving became our only hope of survival. Sheâ€™s slipping away more each day. I can feel it. The tide threatens to take me with her, but Iâ€™d be lying if I said Iâ€™d rather be anywhere elseâ€”with Florence is where I belong.

Now uprooted and on the run, we have to choose: surrender to a new beginning and leave our delicate past behind, or salvage the remains and try to find our way back.

Either way, I just want to go home.

But if home really is where the heart is, what happens when you lose heart?

Buy it now! Immerse yourself in Florence and Joannaâ€™s harrowing journey to the Isle.

NOW LIVE!

A former Floridian and Seattleite, R.M. Carpus now writes fantasy and science fiction from Philadelphia, her birthplace and current home base. She is co-founder of Impossible Things Publishing (ITP), a collaborative anthology project, and a student and tutor at Saint Josephâ€™s University. The aftermath following the tragic loss of her mother led her to return to her Catholic faith, which she today counts as her greatest gift and joy in life, along with her family, friends, and love for storytelling. She speaks a little French, dreams of living in the English countryside, and like most writers, runs on coffee. She's happiest outdoorsâ€”especially in the Pacific Northwestâ€”or cuddled up at home with her animals while reading, writing, or watching classic movies.

- Don't miss a new release! FOLLOW me on BookBub for updates: https://bit.ly/3uAPeUN

- Join my VIP Reader List for a FREE READ: https://bit.ly/2VO1015

- Join my Advance Review Team: https://bit.ly/3zjS2q4

Author Links:

Twitter | Instagram | Bookbub | Goodreads | Website

NOW LIVE!

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Cover Reveal & Preorder ~ Wolf Protector by Harper A. Brooks

7/14/2022

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Title: Wolf Protector
Author: Harper A. Brooks
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Cover Designer: Ryn Katryn
Publication Date: Sept. 29^th, 2022
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR

Blurb:

In this world of magic and secrets, nothing is as it seems.

Edmund, the vicious ex-alpha and Reidâ€™s father, is back from the dead. And now, heâ€™s set on expanding his tyrannical reign beyond the packâ€™s territory of Buson, Maine.

Even more shocking is that Edmund has brought a new friend with him: Carmen, Tashaâ€™s sister and the one person sheâ€™s dedicated her life to bringing home. But the young witch doesnâ€™t want to be saved. In fact, Carmen and Edmund have been working together to take out the Redcliff Pack and put their bloody plans into motion.

To save their future, Tasha and Reid must fully embrace their mate-bond and Tashaâ€™s witch powers, while battling their pasts head on.

With claws, teeth, and magic.

Love, betrayal, and magic fill the pages of the final book of the Moon Kissed Series! Read the epic conclusion to Tasha and Reidâ€™s story today!

Wolf Protector is book three of the Moon Kissed Series.

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

Harper A. Brooks lives in a small town on the New Jersey shore. Even though classic authors have always filled her bookshelves, she finds her writing muse drawn to the dark, magical, and romantic. But when she isn't creating entire worlds with sexy shifters or legendary love stories, you can find her either with a good cup of coffee in hand or at home snuggling with her furry, four-legged son, Sammy.

She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

RONE Award Winner

USA TODAY Bestselling Author

International Bestselling Author

Author Links:

Amazon | Twitter | Goodreads | Website

Instagram | Facebook | Bookbub | Reader Group | TikTok

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

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Author Spotlight on Rebecca McKinnon

7/13/2022

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I love cozies. They are fun, quick reads. And let's be honest, they help me pad my Goodreads goal when I am falling behind. But seriously, i do enjoy these quirky stories. You can snag Book 1, The Yarn That Binds, for FREE in KU.

Title: A Hill to Dye On
Clear Creek Mysteries, Book 2
(can be read as a standalone)
Author: Rebecca McKinnon
Release date: October 13, 2022

PREORDER

Summer has made its way up the mountain to Clear Creek, and with the new season, the town is offering a slew of summer classes at the community center. Happy to participate, Jemma and her yarn shop sponsor a fiber-dying class taught by her oldest friend, Kitty.

When a mysterious man walks into class, something about him pulls Jemma into a tangle. Learning Kitty once knew him, Jemma has questions — but her friend is staying mum. Then Jemma goes on an early-morning walk and discovers the man dead.

This time, Jemma’s determined to stay out of the investigation — until she learns that because of a past she’s been hiding, Kitty is the main suspect! Unwilling to turn her back on her friend, Jemma starts looking for a dropped stitch.

Because somewhere, there’s a person with dye on their hands.

Meet the Author

Rebecca McKinnon enjoys playing with her imaginary friends and introducing them to others through her writing. She dreams of living in the middle of nowhere, but has been unable to find an acceptable location that wouldn’t require crossing an ocean.

Stalk me...

FB ~ Website ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads

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Shift by Karina Espinosa

7/13/2022

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Title: Shift
Author: Karina Espinosa
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Hosted by: Lady Amberâ€™s PR

Blurb:
It's hard enough being an undergraduate student, an intern at Downtown Manhattan's police station, and a bouncer at a local bar. Add her now ex-boyfriend who recently dumped her for the school's resident bimboâ€”oh, and she's a werewolf.

Mackenzie Grey meets her match when she is kidnapped by the Brooklyn Pack and tossed between Sebastian and Jonahâ€”the Alpha and the Beta. Being a lone-wolf in the city is dangerous, and now that the Pack has found her, so can every supernatural being in the Tri-State area. And not even her sarcastic, smart mouth can get her out of this.

When a string of kidnappings involves Mackenzie in supernatural politics, she questions her new acquaintances and finds unlikely allies. Can she escape Pack law and keep her freedomâ€”or will she be condemned to an unwanted path?

99 CENTS FOR A LIMITED TIME!

Karina Espinosa is the Urban Fantasy Author of the Mackenzie Grey novels and The Last Valkyrie series. An avid reader throughout her life, the world of Urban Fantasy easily became an obsession that turned into a passion for writing strong leading characters with authentic story arcs. When she isn't writing badass heroines, you can find this self-proclaimed nomad in her South Florida home binge watching the latest series on Netflix or traveling far and wide for the latest inspiration for her books. Follow her on social media!

Author Links:

Web | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Reader Group | Instagram | Bookbub

99 CENTS FOR A LIMITED TIME!

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Emmie and the Tudor King by Natalie Murray

7/13/2022

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Author: Natalie Murray
Narrator: Shakira Shute
Length: 9 hours 37 minutes
Publisher: Natalie Murray⎮2021
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Series: Hearts and Crowns, Book 1
Release date: Oct. 27, 2021

Listen Here

One moment, Emmie is writing her high school history paper; the next, she is lost in 16th century England, where she meets a dreamy but dangerous Tudor king who is destined for a dreadful fate.
Able to travel back to her own time but intensely drawn to King Nick and the mysterious death of his sister, Emmie finds herself solving the murder of a young princess and unravelling court secrets while trying to keep her head on her shoulders, literally.
With everything to lose, Emmie will come to face her biggest battle of all: how to cheat the path of history and keep her irresistible king, or lose him - and her heart - forever.

Buy Links
Buy on Amazon⎮Audible⎮iTunes⎮Kobo⎮Nook

About the Author: Natalie Murray
Natalie Murray is the award-winning author of Emmie and the Tudor King (2021), Emmie and the Tudor Queen (2021), and Emmie and the Tudor Throne (2022) from Midnight Tide Publishing.
A cross between Outlander and The Other Boleyn Girl, the romance trilogy follows a high school girl to a reimagined Tudor England, where she meets a doomed – but dreamy – Tudor king destined for a dreadful fate.
Emmie and the Tudor King was an award-winning finalist in the 14th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards in the New Adult Fiction category and has received acclaim from Foreword Reviews, YA Books Central, and popular authors Brigid Kemmerer (A Curse So Dark and Lonely) and CJ Flood (Infinite Sky), among others.
Website

About the Narrator: Shakira Shute
Shakira Shute is a full time audiobook narrator and voice actor and is an alumni of the internationally acclaimed National Youth Theatre of Great Britain.
In a previous life (before relocating with her family to Canada 7 years ago), Shakira was a commercial litigation lawyer in London, England.
Shakira has had the privilege of narrating projects for Penguin Random House, Tantor Audio, Dreamscape Media, Findaway Voices, Orange Sky Audio, Audio Sorceress and East House Productions. She has also narrated books in collaboration with Oxford University Press and MIT.
She is able to perform character voices, multiple UK regional accents, as well as a general American accent.
Website

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A Fallen Hero by Sara A. Noe

7/13/2022

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Author: Sara A. Noë
Narrators: A.J. Shuck, Mia Hutchinson-Shaw
Length: 18 hours 50 minutes
Producer: Audiobook Empire
Publisher: On the Cobblestone Road LLC Audio⎮2022
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Chronicles of Avilésor: War of the Realms , Book 1
Release date: Apr 9, 2022

Listen Here

Cato is the only true half-human, half-ghost hybrid in existence. He's powerful and unique with two divine powers instead of one.

The United States government believes he is the key to developing a devastating weapon that will give humankind an advantage when war inevitably erupts between the Human Realm and Avilésor, the Ghost Realm.

After being an unwilling test subject in Project Alpha for two years, Cato and the rest of his "lab-family" survive a transport accident to find themselves stranded and powerless in the middle of the wilderness. Hunted every step of the way by ghostly Shadow Guards with supernatural abilities and human Agents desperate to recapture their prisoners, the eight young fugitives are drawn to Cato's hometown where the Rip between Realms connects the worlds.

Cato wants nothing to do with his past, but as his enemies close in, he realizes he's willing to do anything to protect his lab-family . . .
even kidnap the daughter of a ghost hunter and make a dangerous deal to become a mercenary.

Buy Links
Buy on Audible⎮Author’s Direct
Kobo⎮Scribd⎮Nook⎮Audiobooks.com

A Word From The Author

Why Did You Decide to Turn Your Book into an Audiobook?

I want my stories to be discoverable and accessible to everyone, regardless of personal taste, convenience, time limitations, travel, or physical restrictions.
Personally, I always prefer to read print books. There’s something about holding an actual book in my hands, turning the pages, being able to flip back to earlier sections, and visually seeing my progress (and how many pages are left) that completes the experience for me. My imagination takes hold, and I’m fully immersed. Also… the smell of books. Fellow bookworms know exactly what I mean!
But publishing is about more than my own personal tastes. Even though I don’t read ebooks myself, I know that’s a format many people enjoy. I can certainly see the appeal of having your entire library digitized in one convenient device that’s easy to store and carry. For this reason, I always release my books in hardcover, paperback, and ebook options to cover all bases. I want readers to be able to enjoy my stories in whichever format they prefer.
Audiobooks are a separate, rapidly growing market. As much as I wanted to release A Fallen Hero as an audiobook so every format option was available to readers, that wasn’t feasible early in my writing career. Audiobooks are expensive to produce, especially when hiring a good narrator. I knew recording the audiobook myself wasn’t ideal. I didn’t have the time, training, experience, equipment, recording space, vocal range, or editing software to produce a high-quality audiobook. I needed to save up and hire a professional who could handle various character voices and read the book in a compelling, entertaining way.
Thanks to the Indiana Arts Commission, I recently received a state grant as part of the On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program. This phenomenal opportunity broke down the financial barriers for me and finally opened the door to an audiobook.
I’m so excited to tap into the audiobook market and open my story up to new readers who need or prefer audio! Not only do audiobooks provide an opportunity for people who are visually impaired or simply don’t have time to sit down and focus on a book, but they also change how people experience the story when a talented narrator puts on a performance.
Partnering with Audiobook Empire, A.J. Shuck, and Mia Hutchinson-Shaw to make this project possible was such an insightful learning experience! I really didn’t know what to expect with the audiobook, and I’m so amazed and impressed by how my extremely talented narrators brought the characters and story to life with unique voices, dramatic storytelling abilities, and pure passion for what they do. The first time I listened to the audiobook, I found myself on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next chapter even though I knew what was going to happen next in the story. They elevated A Fallen Hero to a whole new level, and I can’t wait to share this new rendition of the award-winning book with the world!

About the Author: Sara A. Noë
Sara A. Noë is an award-winning author, artist, and photographer. She has had poetry, short fiction, and memoir works featured in various anthologies and journals since 2005, and her poetry is now available in the Indiana Poetry Archives. Notable art achievements include her photograph "Aftermath" published on the cover of Voices Literary Journal in 2018, photograph "Spiraling" awarded Best Still Life in a 2019 juried gallery exhibit, and charcoal artwork "The Raven" displayed in the Uptown Arts District of Michigan City, Indiana.
A Fallen Hero, the first novel in the Chronicles of Avilésor: War of the Realms series, was published in 2018 and has been critically acclaimed by NAM Editorial, The Prairies Book Review, Literary Titan, and Chronicle Focus Editorial, among others. The novel made book reviewer Lauren Gantt's list of Top 10 Favorite Books of 2019 and won the Literary Titan Gold Book Award in 2020. The series sequel, Phantom's Mask, was released in July 2020 and won the Literary Titan Gold Book Award less than two months after its release.
As an artist, Sara creates her own covers and graphics. She lives in a little cottage with her calico cat, Calypso, who has a fondness for chewing pens and being as loud and sassy as possible.
Website

About the Narrator: A.J. Shuck
A.J. Shuck is an Audiobook Narrator and Producer with 3 years of experience in Audiobooks and more than a decade of experience in stage acting and musical theatre. He fell in love with performing at the age of 13 when he premiered as Nerd #3 in a local production of High School Musical. He has a passion for books and reading especially YA Fiction and Mysteries. He believes strongly that the right words at the right time can change the world, certainly, they've changed his world. He is a proud member of the APA (Audio Publishers Association). He currently lives in Oklahoma City with the love of his life and their 3 beautiful daughters who have him wrapped around their little fingers.
Website

About the Narrator: Mia Hutchinson-Shaw
Mia Hutchinson-Shaw is an actor and narrator based in NYC. Mia creates soulful, saucy, and lovable characters with her arsenal of accents and flare for the fun. Mia comes to narration with her background in classical and period-drama theater Off Broadway and Regional Stages. She trained in the UK at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, BA Acting with Honors (UK Equivalent to BFA) and was raised between Massachusetts and Montana. When not working as an actor, Mia is thrifting for her next outrageous, colorful clothing item, getting on her soap box about low-waste living, or hunting handmade jewelers for a new item for her collection of giant earrings. Her favorite is a pair of hot pink Galahs (a bird from Australia).
Website

About the Producer: Audiobook Empire
At Audiobook Empire, audio reigns supreme, narrators are hailed as heroes, and headphones are worn with pride.
Marrying pomp and circumstance with quality you can count on, Audiobook Empire is a full-service production house that produces and promotes audiobooks with gusto.
Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Instagram

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Author Spotlight On Savanna Loy

7/11/2022

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Debut Release...

Disgusted by a world with no moral compass, “Resetters” decide to clean things up. They start the world over with just 500 people who they deem “good” enough.
The catch: Every bad action is monitored and goes against you. Too many bad actions and the whole town will meet its doom. The plan has worked, until now…
The model city, Utopian, can’t seem to keep the new kid Tommy out of trouble. The unthinkable happens and Utopian is set for a full ReSet, but when the ”Resetters” arrive, the town has already vanished. Tommy must unite with his foe, perfect Charlie, to save themselves and everyone else.
Grab your copy to dive into the world of adventure with Tommy, Charlie and the Utopian

Genre: Dystopian
Pre-order/Releases Oct 15th: ReSet: Be Good Your Life Depends On It

Who am I?
Foster momma with 6 kiddos ...all ages 7 and under ...yes you read that correctly. Married to my hero, my RN husband. Breeder of Bernedoodles. I run on Jesus and Coffee and most recently, a published author who needs a fan base of followers. I want to give you books that let you escape life, even briefly. Whether that be an escape from extreme stress, an annoying boss, or just 10 minutes of alone time to ReSet :) I want to be that for you. This has been my dream since I was 9 years old and the boxcar children did it for me!
Happy Reading

Stalk me:
FB @Authorsavyloy
IG @savy_loy

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MUTE by ML Nystrom

7/9/2022

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Author: ML Nystrom
Narrator: Annalee Scott
Length: 5 hours 22 minutes
Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing⎮2022
Genre: Motorcycle Romance
Series: Dragon Runners, Book 1
Release date: May 4, 2022

Listen Here

“He loves long, loves hard, but he don’t love easy.”
Katrina Vega is set on one thing: finishing college. She's determined not to let anything or anyone distract her, especially not hot, brooding bikers. On her mission to stay focused, she doesn't expect to be pulled into the fold of a motorcycle club, let alone into the arms of Alec "Mute" Stillwater.
Unable to keep her guard up, Katrina soon discovers that beneath the hard and rough exterior of a family she's grown to care for, there's also loyalty and passion she's envious of. But falling for the club's enforcer will not only threaten her plans, but quite possibly her life.

Buy Links
Buy on Audible⎮iTunes⎮Google⎮Audiobooks.com

About the Narrator: Annalee Scott
I grew up in a small town in New England home to renowned authors like Louisa May Alcott and Henry David Thoreau. I also lived next to a library until I was 18. This instilled in me a love of stories that lit the path toward my career as an actor and audiobook narrator. I'm available for hire as an audiobook narrator and audiobook producer through ACX, findaway voices, fiver, and upwork.

Books are my passion! I'm part of a book club that I adore and review ARC's for fun so you could say reading goes beyond being a casual hobby for me. My experience as a professional actor in LA and my formal training from Emerson College inform my work but it's my love of reading that really drives my narration.
Website

About the Author: ML Nystrom
ML Nystrom had stories in her head since she was a child. All sorts of stories of fantasy, romance, mystery, and anything else that captured her interest. A voracious reader, she’s spent many hours devouring books; therefore, she found it only fitting she should write a few herself!
ML has spent most of her life as a performing musician and band instrument repair technician, but that doesn’t mean she’s pigeon-holed into one mold. She’s been a university professor, belly dancer, craftsperson, soap maker, singer, rock band artist, jewelry maker, lifeguard, swim coach, and whatever else she felt like exploring. As one of her students said to her once, "Life’s too short to ignore the opportunities." She has no intention of ever stopping... so welcome to her story world. She hopes you enjoy it!
Website

Interview with ML Nystrom

Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
There’s not much to tell. I’d been thinking about audiobooks already when my publisher, Becky Johnson, the executive editor from Hot Tree Publishing, emailed me about the possibility. I’m still relatively new to the world of writing and publishing, and I believe it’s best to rely on the people in the industry who know what they’re doing. I signed the contract with HTP and let them handle everything. I was included in the process of choosing a narrator, deciding on Annabelle because of her fabulous voice and tone, listening to the samples, and approving the recording, but the heavy-lifting was done by HTP and Findaway Voices, who I believe were supportive and user friendly..

Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
Not even close. The story behind writing Mute is simple. When I turned fifty, I had an epiphany. For years, I’d thought about someday projects. Someday-I’ll-do-this, someday-I’ll-do-that, someday-I’ll-get-to-it; all of those somedays needed to be turned into todays. I’ve wanted to write a book for years, decades to be exact. Mute came to me in complete form. He and his story popped into my head one morning during my daily commute to work. I got him on paper and started the journey into the author world. The original goal was to publish a book. I had no idea Mute would go this far.

How did you select your narrator?
The nature of the book helped to determine the best voice type. The setting, the main female character, the fact that the main male character has no speaking voice, all pointed towards a single female narrator, young soprano, slight American Southern accent without being annoying, and some diversity in voicing characters. It wasn’t hard to determine what sound would fit the book best. We heard some samples and found exactly who fit the book.

How closely did you work with your narrator before and during the recording process? Did you give them any pronunciation tips or special insight into the characters?
I didn’t have to do a lot. Annalee Scott is very professional and did such a good job, there was very little I had to say. Her pacing, her understanding of the characters and the story, her voicing, all of it was wonderful.

Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
There’s always a real life inspiration as many of the characters in my books are modeled after real life events or people. For instance, Mackie’s character in Mute, was modeled after my late step-dad, Mr. Donald Fields. He was an army veteran of Vietnam who lost his right arm in order to save his fellow soldiers, and developed Parkinson’s as a result. He spent his life as an inspiration to many even through the disease which took his life. Mackie’s character pays homage to Don.

How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for writing?
My writing time waxes and wanes, but I’ve not lost my enthusiasm yet. My occupation as a band instrument repair technician has passed the thirty-two year mark and I’m still passionate about what I do in this field. I think that’s because there is always something new to learn, a new challenge, or a new skill set to develop. I love what I do as a tech. I believe the same is true of writing. There’s always a new story, a new character, a new genre. So far, my passion for writing hasn’t hit burn-out, but if it does, I’ll take some time off, then come back when it’s fresh and new again.

What do you say to those who view listening to audiobooks as “cheating” or as inferior to “real reading”?
No, I don’t believe listening to an audiobook is cheating any more than I think reading a paperback is better than using an e-reader. It’s up to the reader which format works best for their lives and lifestyle. I’m thinking of sales reps who spend hours driving their cars, workers at repair benches or assembly lines, moms who only get a break while running errands or grocery shopping, and other such situations. I love reading nightly, but it’s also nice to listen to a book while I’m folding laundry or digging in the garden.

In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a stand-alone novel vs. writing a series?
Tough one. I think readers prefer series over standalones, but I believe the characters dictate the story. When I write a secondary character, I ask “does he/she have a tale to tell.” In the case of Mute, Stud was born, then Blue and Table. Brick came from a reader who wrote to me asking about a prequel, and I found one. However, there are some stories that are completed in one book. So far, I’ve not published a standalone, but that may come one day.

What bits of advice would you give to aspiring authors?
The same advice that was given to me by another author.
Write something everyday.
Do not finish what you write.
That keeps the ideas flowing and your progress moving forward. Other tips would be to research your publishing options carefully, get a good editor, and be open to your beta readers. Don’t try to do everything on your own. Getting the book on paper is the easy part. It’s the publishing part that gets hard.

Do you have any tips for authors going through the process of turning their books into audiobooks?
Matching the narrator’s voice to the main character and setting of the book is essential. Annalee’s light soprano was perfect for Mute. An older woman’s smoky alto would not have fit well. Pronunciations of names, accents, character diversity, pacing are all important, but the underlying vocal tone is what sets it all up.

What’s next for you?
Right now, I’m revisiting my first series with some new material, then I have another new series sketched out. Perhaps I’ll try a different genre. Whatever pathway hits my head and draws my attention is where I’ll go. We’ll see where I end up.

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Forward>>

Freebie from Tricia Copeland ~ Kingdom of Embers

Revival by Teri Kay

The City Wife by R. M. Carpus

Cover Reveal & Preorder ~ Wolf Protector by Harper A. Brooks

Author Spotlight on Rebecca McKinnon

Meet the Author

Stalk me...

Shift by Karina Espinosa

Emmie and the Tudor King by Natalie Murray

A Fallen Hero by Sara A. Noe

A Word From The Author

Author Spotlight On Savanna Loy

Debut Release...

MUTE by ML Nystrom

Interview with ML Nystrom

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