It wasn’t so bad, though, and everyone knows I love digital publishing with my grubby little heart, so it was fun to get to tell people some of the reasons why.  (Yes, we do see our first royalties within a 45 days of most of our ebook releases! Mmmmm. Speedy.)  I also got to meet some very nice people, including Kym, who did the line edits for Crux.  All in all, it was a pretty awesome time.

Speaking of Crux, you can head on over to Lauren Dane’s blog for a chance to win a copy. Ebook or print, your choice!

Devin writes urban fantasy with a twist of romance and a little bit of naughty loving.  I had the pleasure of reading Darkness at Dawn early, and now I get the bonus pleasure of giving someone else the same chance!  This is a short story that I think has enough resolution for the romantics out there, but enough action for the urban fantasy fans.  Want to know more?

“Darkness at Dawn” by Devin Harnois

Read An Excerpt Online
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romantic SciFi-Futuristic

ISBN: 978-1-60928-065-9
Length: Short Story
Price: 2.50
Publication Date: June 29, 2010
Cover art by Kanaxa

Letting her live was bad enough. Wanting her is much worse.

Richard Everson has seen too many people die, killed by the nightmare creatures that have overrun the world. Every night he leaves the protection of the walled city to hunt the nasties alone. He likes his job. Maybe a little too much.

By day, Jennifer lives in her human skin. By night, the wolf takes over, a legacy forced upon her by the nasties who made her one of them. Everson is a tenuous link to what’s left of the human world. Despite the danger to them both, she hungers for his touch.

Each encounter sends the heat spiraling higher, until it burns away all control. And Richard realizes too late his heart has crossed a line punishable by death…

Warning: This book contains strong language, nightmarish creatures, a violence-loving hero, a very naked woman, werewolves, forbidden desire, and post-apocalyptic monster-killing mayhem.

So…who wants to read about a badass soldier shooting nasties after the end of the world?  For your chance to win, tell me what about the blurb makes you most want to read this story.  (Me? Who doesn’t love a loner hero who likes killing monsters more than is healthy?)

There are now 53 places you can leave a comment for your chance to win a kindle (or $275 to spend at the online book retailer of your choice.)  All you need to do to enter is go to one (or all!) of the following blog posts and join the fight.

PARTICIPATING BLOGS

1. fictionvixen.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
2. wickedlilpixie.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
3. smexybooks.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
4. paranormalhaven.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
5. simpleloveofreading.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
6. literaturelyspeaking.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
7. mizadventurez.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
8. flightintofantasy.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
9. leilanilovesbooks.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
10. kindlevixen.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
11. nancyg1950.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
12. intensewhisper.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
13. cattheredreaper.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
14. blackraveneroticcafe.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
15. book-faery.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
16. googlebrat.livejournal.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
17. thebookbinge.com: Team Werevamp Lumberlegger (She’s a cheater!)
18. skyla11377.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
19. insanehussein.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
20. reenajacobs.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
21. diana-book-of-secrets.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
22. ellzreadz.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
23. loveromancepassion.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
24. vampsrus.blogspot.com: Team…Werewolf Bootlegger?!?! (I’m shocked!)
25. braintasia.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
26. myspace.com/sasluvbooks: Team Vampire Lumberjack
27. kilanowski.us: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
28. literaryescapism.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
29. visonarydruid.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
30. bookloverandprocrastinator.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
31. wordsrollon.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
32. secretsecretcloset.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
33. lilumsrealm2.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
34. norarobertsismyqueen.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
35. stella-exlibris.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
36. lifeaccording2nicole.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
37. kindleliciousreads.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
38. hlflutterflysreview.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
39. mamakittyreviews.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
40. jeanette8042.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
41. devinharnois.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
42. thedowdybookdork.wordpress.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
43. bookaddictpatti.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
44. cherrymischievous.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
45. sweetvernalzephyr.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
46. mariecarlson.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
47. sweepstakesbox.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
48. book-savvy.blogspot.com: Team Switzerland (I just made that up. HA!)
49. elisajankowski.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
50. thebookvixen.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
51. teenagegossipguy.webs.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
52. goodchoicereading.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
53. aliseonlife.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
54. amysmith98.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
55. jacobsbeloved.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
56. olsonden.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
57. mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
58. kishazworld.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
59. thefictionenthusiast.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
60. j-rabbits-corner.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
61. sapheyerblu.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
62. bookcrazyscrapbookmama.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
63. denzramblings.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
64. busymomswholovetoread.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
65. seductivemusings.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack

If you’re a blogger and want to join the fight (and maybe get a chance to win the $50 bonus blogger prize) then check out the details here.

LEAVING A COMMENT ON THIS POST WILL NOT ENTER YOU TO WIN. Leaving a comment on this post saying, “Please enter me!” or “I’d love to win” will, however, let me know that you’re either a smartass or are not reading the rules. (I love smartasses. People not reading the rules…not so much.)

Welcome to our newest crazy blog shindig! This one is a little different than anything we’ve done before, so make sure you read the directions closely. We’re not just trying to get people to comment on our blog for this contest…we want the epic battle to be fought on multiple fronts!

Sanctuary Unbound goes on sale tomorrow (or today, if you shop at My Bookstore & More!) and A Safe Harbor goes on sale July 13th. The former features a badass vampire lumberjack. The latter, a devious werewolf bootlegger.

The obvious question is: well, who has the potential to be the awesomest?

We want YOU to decide! And if you fight for your side valiantly, you could win a kindle, or one of several gift certificates to the online bookseller of your choice. (You don’t need to be familiar with the characters to fight…you may pick a side based on the theoretical awesomeness of vampire lumberjacks and werewolf bootleggers. In fact, creativity is encouraged.)

So how does this blog battle work?

Step One: Bloggers/Journalers Only

Choose your side! At the end of this post you’ll find graphics and code. Pick one of the headers (vampire lumberjack or werewolf bootlegger) and post it on your blog with a link back to this post, the disclaimer text, and an explanation of why you picked that side. (The more crazy, off the wall and entertaining, the better.)

Important: Once you’ve made your post, come back here and leave a comment with a link. That’s important for step two!

Step Two: Everyone

As people leave comments, I’ll be updating this post with a list of participating blogs. Visit other people’s posts and leave comments, agreeing or disagreeing! Fight for your side! Not only will you get a chance to visit different blogs, but the more blogs you visit, the better your chances of winning.

And how do you win?

Step Three: VICTORY!

On June 14th, I’ll make a list of all of the blogs and how many comments are on each one, and use a random drawing to pick one comment to win the kindle. The owner of the blog holding the winning comment will also get a $50 gift certificate to the online bookseller of their choice. (If the winning comment belongs to the blog owner, a second random number will be picked to decide an alternate winner for the $50.) We’ll also have a few digital books & one or two autographed books to give away!

PARTICIPATING BLOGS

Leaving a (meaningful!) comment on any of the following blog posts will enter you in the kindle contest. You are encouraged to visit as many posts as possible!

1. fictionvixen.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
2. wickedlilpixie.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
3. smexybooks.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
4. paranormalhaven.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
5. simpleloveofreading.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
6. literaturelyspeaking.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
7. mizadventurez.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
8. flightintofantasy.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
9. leilanilovesbooks.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
10. kindlevixen.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
11. nancyg1950.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
12. intensewhisper.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
13. cattheredreaper.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
14. blackraveneroticcafe.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
15. book-faery.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
16. googlebrat.livejournal.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
17. thebookbinge.com: Team Werevamp Lumberlegger (She’s a cheater!)
18. skyla11377.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
19. insanehussein.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
20. reenajacobs.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
21. diana-book-of-secrets.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
22. ellzreadz.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
23. loveromancepassion.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
24. vampsrus.blogspot.com: Team…Werewolf Bootlegger?!?! (I’m shocked!)
25. braintasia.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
26. myspace.com/sasluvbooks: Team Vampire Lumberjack
27. kilanowski.us: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
28. literaryescapism.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
29. visonarydruid.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
30. bookloverandprocrastinator.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
31. wordsrollon.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
32. secretsecretcloset.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
33. lilumsrealm2.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
34. norarobertsismyqueen.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
35. stella-exlibris.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
36. lifeaccording2nicole.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
37. kindleliciousreads.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
38. hlflutterflysreview.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
39. mamakittyreviews.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
40. jeanette8042.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
41. devinharnois.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
42. thedowdybookdork.wordpress.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
43. bookaddictpatti.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
44. cherrymischievous.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
45. sweetvernalzephyr.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
46. mariecarlson.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
47. sweepstakesbox.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
48. book-savvy.blogspot.com: Team Switzerland (I just made that up. HA!)
49. elisajankowski.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
50. thebookvixen.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
51. teenagegossipguy.webs.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
52. goodchoicereading.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
53. aliseonlife.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
54. amysmith98.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
55. jacobsbeloved.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
56. olsonden.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
57. mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
58. kishazworld.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
59. thefictionenthusiast.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
60. j-rabbits-corner.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
61. sapheyerblu.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
62. bookcrazyscrapbookmama.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
63. denzramblings.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
64. busymomswholovetoread.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
65. seductivemusings.blogspot.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack
66. melissawatercolor.blogspot.com: Team Werewolf Bootlegger
67. vvb32reads.blogspot.com: Team Switzerland
68. bookworminginthe21stcentury.com: Team Vampire Lumberjack

Headers & Banners & Code

Below you’ll find images & code for linking! Use one of the header images in your contest post. If you want a sidebar image to lure visitors to your comments, feel free to snag one of the sidebar pics!

Disclaimer Text:

This post is a part of Moira Rogers’ Creature Feature Kindle Throwdown Contest. By leaving a (meaningful) comment, you will be entered to win a Kindle from Amazon.com, or an alternate grand prize of $275 to spend at an online book retailer. For a full list of rules and more ways to win, visit the contest page.

Link back to this post: http://moirarogers.com/blog/archives/2261

• Get Hooked on a Series
• Win an ARC of Sanctuary Unbound
• Facebook Backlist Contest

And hey, good Tuesday at Samhain Publishing!  (Good for them. Less good for my wallet.)

• Stormchild by Vivian Arend – Paranormal romance short story! (only $2.25!)
• Wasteland: The Wanderer by Crystal Jordan – Part of a post-apocalyptic series with 3 other authors.
• Two Lives in Waltz Time by Vivien Dean – Time travel to the 1940s. <3 (<3 <3 <3)

Okay, stopping here before I put anything else in my cart. *whimper* I

“Dragonborne” by Chandra Ryan

Read An Excerpt Online
Genre: Fantasy Romance

ISBN: 978-1-60504-990-8
Length: Novella
Price: 3.50
Publication Date: April 27, 2010
Cover art by Kanaxa

For her people, she’d sacrifice anything. For her, he’ll sacrifice everything.

When the children of her village start dying of a mysterious plague, Sophie refuses to believe it’s the will of their deity. As the town cleric, she’s always followed the church’s strict rules, but enough is enough. She vows to do anything to find a cure—even if it means defying the church.

The giant black dragon she finds injured and poisoned near the abbey seems beyond her ability to heal. Until he suddenly shifts into a dangerously handsome man who, even in his weakened state, is a temptation beyond her ability to resist.

Reuel has never trusted humans, but this delicate young woman entrances him with more than her beauty. Her bravery, devotion and passion call to his wounded heart, and he’s moved to lend his magic to her cause. Magic that is not only powerful, it’s all too tempting to abuse—something his family has never let him forget.

Sophie is hopeful when Reuel solves the secret of the plague, until one healing uncovers a sickness that runs far deeper than the children’s vulnerable bodies. Now she is being persecuted, and to save her, Reuel may have to become the monster his family believes him to be…

Warning: Contains a stubbornly sexy cleric who’d rather have her hands tied to a headboard than exhibit any self-control, a shape-shifting dragon who’s too busy running from himself to see where he’s going, an epic dragon battle, and sex in the great outdoors.

You know the drill, people!  I’ll buy one lucky winner a copy of this book, now you have to tell me what part of the blurb makes you want to be that lucky person!  (Me? I have a thing  for badass female clerics. WooHOO!)

• Our editor, Anne Scott, is holding a drawing to highlight some Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Urban Fantasy books published by Samhain Publishing.  Check out her blog for details.
• We’re still running our contest to win a copy of the fabulous Before the Storm by Marian Perera.  Enter here!
• I’m giving away a LOT of books over at Scribbling Ninjas!  Print copies of our Sanctuary and Blood Vice by Keith Melton as well as Glutton for Pleasure by Alisha Rai.  Not only that, but a runner up gets their pick of any title from Ann Aguirre or Vivian Arend’s backlists!  Get in on the fun here!

Fun fun everywhere!

There are a few contests floating around. Like:

• Win a print copy of Crux!
• Get in on ARe’s HUGE Spring Contest! We’re the featured author today!
• Book Chick City’s having a Men of Urban Fantasy week and Keith Melton is giving away a copy of Blood Vice. For all of Keith’s many evil faults (like the fact that he’s bribing Alisha Rai to turn against me. HARUMPH) he writes a damn good book.

Also, random kitten picture!

Give stuff away!!!

I’ve got a little bit of cash in my promotional budget, so I’ll let this one run through Monday and we’ll go for 12 winners–2 digital copies of the first book in each of the six ebook series we have.  If you’ve got the first book in all six, well THANK YOU and also YAY, but if you don’t, just read the descriptions below and leave a comment telling me which series you’d like to try.

(For the curious, Sanctuary/Red Rock Pass & Southern Arcana are longer and slightly less explicit, the other books tend to be a bit shorter and a whole lot more erotic.  Choose wisely!)

Southern Arcana

The Southern Arcana books are novel-length paranormal romance set in a contemporary world where shapeshifters, psychics and spellcasters of all sorts live secret lives beneath the radar. The paranormal world of Southern Arcana is not always a pretty place, so books contain their share of violence and death, but if you make it through to the other side you’ll always find a happy ending.

The books are published through Samhain publishing, which means they’re released first as ebooks and then ten months later in print editions. Samhain ebooks are multi-format and can be purchased at multiple places without DRM, so you never have to worry about losing your copy! If you have any questions about current or upcoming releases, drop a note using the site’s contact form! Otherwise click on the titles below to read reviews and excerpts from the various books, current and forthcoming!

Sanctuary Universe

For there was one thing the werewolves couldn’t fight: change. The wizards adapted and grew stronger as the wilderness shrank, and the New World became a beacon of hope for werewolves tired of watching their backs. But the New World was not a good place to hide from change…

One by one the old traditions died. As cities grew, the alphas who took control became less concerned with protection and more concerned with power. Those who followed the old ways retreated to the mountains and plains, to the remotest areas of a country growing less remote every year. Those left behind in the cities suffered under the cruel tyranny of alphas who took what they wanted and killed any who stood in their way. The only way to stay safe was to find a Sanctuary Town and beg the protection of the alpha.

Carnal Powers

Long before the rest of the world caught on to the fact that there were, indeed, creatures and beings beyond their comprehension, the citizens of Mystic Ridge, Texas, knew about them. They’d been sharing their small border town with supernaturals for a hundred years.

Mystic Ridge is nice enough, if you stay inside the town limits. If you cross the bridge over the Rio de Lobos and head down into Mystic Valley…. Well, that’s a whole different story. The once-upscale suburb has been given over to the paranormal. Shapeshifters, wizards, witches, psychics, vampires… The Valley belongs to them. Any human who goes there, especially after dark, probably won’t come back. And no one will go in after you.

Last Call

Welcome to Last Call, New York City’s premiere paranormal bar. To enjoy the bar’s more exclusive services, take your time to peruse our specialty menu. Whether you’re a werewolf in heat or a vampire in need, our comfortably appointed rooms are more than adequate, and have the very best in both magical and mundane security measures.

Down & Dirty

War on Earth ended fifty years ago with the Sickness, a nanite plague that killed without prejudice and set the human race back two hundred years. The only ones immune to the Sickness are the werewolves, who have been forced out of hiding in the aftermath. Now human and werewolf must form an uneasy alliance and find a way to rebuild a new world.

Temple of Luna

Werewolves and humans have been at war for more generations than either can remember. The only way for werewolves to withstand the superior technology of the humans is by making themselves the ultimate warriors.

Every able werewolf spends the years from twenty to forty serving his king on the front lines, but constant battle takes its toll on man and beast alike. The only way to recover ones balance is by visiting the Temple of Luna, where the strongest and brightest women serve their goddess by gentling warriors–by any means necessary.

The usual necessary disclaimers: Books are digital copies, not print. Winners are chosen arbitrarily from those who followed instructions.  I reserve the right to not tell people that they didn’t follow instructions.  Contest runs through next Monday.  No zombies were harmed in the making of this contest–I’m saving that for later.

Come and chat with us at…

http://www.bittenbybooks.com