With the release of Priestess Under Fire so close I decided to let Bridget run her own FB page to keep everyone informed and add a little fun. Right now she's brainstorming prizes for her very first giveaway.
If you're interested in keeping up with the latest news and maybe winning a contest or two then go to Bridget's page and give her a like! Bridget Feblood's Facebook page. And maybe if you're super lucky there might be a the occasional guest appearance by Felix, Conlan, and the rest of the wild cast that make up Bridget's world. I know for a fact Bridget's had to veto several ideas for 'giveaways' that Jake Stray has suggested. They were deemed too 'inappropriate' for the casual viewer. Yes, you heard right! If everything goes as planned you can find Priestess Under Fire for sale at your favorite ebook vendor later this year. Look for a cover reveal event sometime this month as well as a book trailer! How exciting is that?
Again, I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported not only me but Bridget on this wonderful journey: including the wonderful women who preread her debut for me and gave me plenty of helpful input. I couldn't have done this without your encouragement and wonderful creativity. I also want to thank everyone who's visited the page and followed me on Twitter or Facebook by setting Priestess Under Fire's price to free for the first week of its launch. Back when Bridget was just coming to life I let her write a letter to Santa. She was skeptical at first, being a teenager and coming from a not-so-glittery childhood, but she complied on the basis that it couldn't hurt to cover all your bases. The following was the result:
Dear Santa, I really, really hope you're real. Okay, I admit I never actually believed, but lately my life has taken some not-so-silent twists. Let's just say compared to the creatures camping out in my cramped apartment a big, fat man in red flying through the night on a sled pulled by reindeer doesn't sound so impossible anymore. Anyway, I'm a little rusty on the details. I know some sort of pact is made. I promise to be good and bribe you with sweets and then you grant a wish. (You're not a genie, are you? Do you know about Eidolon? Never mind.) If battling demons and avoiding the urge to squash a particularly annoying goblin duo doesn't count as good then I really have no idea what does. Here's the deal, jolly guy, I've got a major evil baddie after me. He wants my name, my life, and he doesn't care who he destroys to get it. Don't run off yet. I'm not expecting some ho-ho-ho smackdown, but I do have one big request. Help me keep Conlan, Felix, and everyone else I care for safe from this monster. All right, Felix can probably take care of himself. The others still need protection. If you can do this then feel free to help yourself to the culinary feast in my kitchenette. Simone, the ghost currently haunting it, made a lot more than a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. Remember, if you eat anything you seal the pact. Signed, Acantha P.S. Sorry I can't tell you my real name...and about the cookies I ate! P.P.S. If anything looks slimey then feel free to turn Ryf and Raf into coal. While I'm waiting for everything to come together I can't help thinking about my potential readers. What will attract them to Priestess Under Fire the most? As a bookseller I know the majority of readers pick up a new book/author on one of the two following conditions: the cover or the blurb on the back. I've never really fallen into those categories. Instead, I like to flip a book open to a random page and see if the writer can make me want to turn that page to see what happens next. If they do, and if the price is right, I'll buy the book.
With the decision to turn Bridget Feblood's debut into an electronic book I wanted to focus on having a cover that would stand out as well as the perfect synopsis to draw people in. Only time will tell if I succeeded, but I'm confident those who take the time to read Bridget's story will fall in love with "Bridge" and the crazy people that surround her. A story doesn't come to life unless the characters who populate it reach out and grab hold of you. Here's hoping Bridget becomes as much your friend as mine. Sorry for the break. Took a few days off to celebrate my birthday with family and friends. I just wanted to express my thanks for everyone who has taken the time to visit the site and learn about Bridget Feblood's nightmarish world. Also, I know I keep saying this, but look forward to a cover reveal in the near future as well as a book trailer right before Priestess Under Fire is launched! Once I have the exact date I'll get back to everyone--I don't want to be one of those people who give a date and then have to push it back!
If you haven't stopped by our FB page then what are you waiting for? Like and add it to your author list so you can get updates straight from the author as they become available. I know the artist doing the cover and the book trailer and I can't wait for everyone to see her work! I'll give everyone a little hint: the covers will be tied in to Bridget's sketches...as well as other things. But you'll have to read the books to find out the rest. Some might be wondering where I got the title Priestess Under Fire for Bridget Feblood's first book.
Of course, there's a bit of "trial by fire" since Bridget is forced into a world she's only ever dreamed of very early on. There's a lot she's forced to come to terms with and accept--without giving too much away. Fire is also a special component since it plays into Bridget's new life. :) Again, you'll have to read to find out how. Since Bridget is an avid Tarot lover I thought it might be interesting to put a bit of that into the titles as well. A brief overview of the High Priestess card in the Major Arcana is as follows: Upright: Intuition, Higher powers, mystery, subconscious mind Reversed: Hidden agendas, need to listen to inner voice Right way or wrong, these play an extremely important part to the story. And not just in Bridget's POV either. It's the theme which ties everyone together. That's pretty much how Priestess Under Fire came to life. Will the Tarot continue to impact the titles in future Feblood novels? Most likely. I already have a strong hunch for the second book running through my head. But that's for another time. With 2/3 of the proof readers having turned in their suggestions for Priestess Under Fire I can now enter the last round of editing. So far they've done a great job at catching little things I've missed--one reason why having people you trust is such a necessity when writing--and they've absolutely loved Bridget's story.
In fact, one had this to say about Bridget herself, "I love her! ...If she was real I would try to be her friend." In regards to the action the best replies were: "The action was spot on and kept you on your toes guessing what was going to happen next." "I have to give you a big HUZZAH on the action scenes!!" I couldn't have asked for a better early birthday present if I tried. I'm thrilled to be so close to publishing my first novel and I can't wait for Bridget to make her impact on the rest of the world. Here's looking forward to the very near future! Elsewhere I mentioned more would be coming and we're working hard to get it out for you. Currently you can look forward to a book trailer for Priestess Under Fire as well as the very exciting cover reveal!
I'm also looking into different sites that can promote Priestess Under Fire. If you have a favorite place you'd like to see Priestess Under Fire show up then feel free to comment below or send me an email. Meanwhile I have to continue writing not just Bridget's next adventure but Rogue, the first in my Shield against Nocturnal series, as well. I can't wait to introduce you to the shadow world of Shield and the men and women who risk their lives to keep humanity safe and ignorant of the creatures who roam among them. I have an artist working on the cover for Priestess Under Fire now. We're looking through concepts and trying to decide which one would be more visually appealing to a wide range of people. I love this woman's work and I can't wait to share it with all of you!
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