Excerpt & Giveaway: Freshman Year Freaks by J.A. Campbell

I have been waiting for this book for years. I loved the first two books in this trilogy and I'm both delighted and sad that the final book is out today. I pre-ordered it and now it's on my Kindle. :)  

Untold Press is proud to present Freshman Year Freaks, the third and FINAL book in The Clanless Series by J.A. Campbell. For more Untold Press books, visit our website at www.untoldpress.com. Learn all book related news first by signing up for our newsletter!

EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Saga by J.A. Campbell

I'm thrilled to be part of the release for another adventure by J.A. Campbell. Saga—Legends of the Travelers is the first book in this new series and is sure to excite fantasy fans of all ages with its action and suspense. To find more books by J.A. Campbell stop by Untold Press.

About the Author ~ 

J.A. Campbell Julie has been many things over the last few years, from college student, to bookstore clerk and an over the road trucker. She’s worked as a 911 dispatcher and in computer tech support, but through it all she’s been a writer and when she’s not out riding horses, she can usually be found sitting in front of her computer. She lives in Colorado with her three cats, her vampire-hunting dog Kira, her new horse and Traveler-in training, Triska, and her Irish Sailor.She is the author of many Vampire and Ghost-Hunting Dog stories and the young adult fantasy series Tales of the Travelers. She’s a member of the Horror Writers Association and the Dog Writers of America Association and the editor for Steampunk Trails fiction magazine.

Into the West by J.A. Campbell: EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY

"Into the West" is an edited re-release of a serial that came out several years ago. I enjoyed the original book and am excited to be part of its re-release. The author, J.A. Campbell, has been a guest on the blog many times over the years; I always enjoy her books. Note: Jax was one of the proofreaders for the revised edition and I was for the original edition.

J.A. Campbell has been many things over the last few years, from college student, to bookstore clerk and an over the road trucker. She’s worked as a 911 dispatcher and in computer tech support, but through it all she’s been a writer and when she’s not out riding horses, she can usually be found sitting in front of her computer. She lives in Colorado with her three cats, her vampire-hunting dog Kira, her new horse and Traveler-in training, Triska, and her Irish Sailor. She is the author of many Vampire and Ghost-Hunting Dog stories and the young adult fantasy series Tales of the Travelers. She’s a member of the Horror Writers Association and the Dog Writers of America Association and the editor for Steampunk Trails fiction magazine.

Cover Reveal - Into the West by J.A. Campbell

 

A YA Romantic/Time Travel Adventure -

INTO THE WEST

by

J.A. Campbell

Bea Reviews Summer Break Blues by J.A. Campbell

Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Series: The Clanless #2
Format Read: Kindle book
Source: Reviewer owned
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Buying Links: Amazon* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords*
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Meg managed to survive her senior year of high school as a vampire, and now she’s looking forward to a relaxing summer with her friends before trying to tackle college. Unfortunately, some unfinished business from the previous year rears its ugly head and Meg is forced to deal with the Sidhe who are distinctly unhappy that she killed one of their kind last winter. Then Ann’s parents vanish while they are on their annual summer vacation in Maine and it’s up to Meg and the rest of the gang to come to the rescue. Though she is still trying to figure out who, and what she has become, Meg and her friends feel they are up to the challenge. That is until things really start to fall apart.

Spotlight on Sabaska's Quest by J.A. Campbell

A Young Adult Fantasy

Sabaska's Quest

(Tales of the Travelers, #2)

by

J.A. Campbell

Published with Untold Press

New Cover for Senior Year Bites by J.A. Campbell

Presented by:

J.A. Campbell is a friend of mine and an author whose books I enjoy. She's been on the blog many times and today I'm participating in a reveal for the new cover to "Senior Year Bites". Previously published by Decadent Publishing, it's been re-issued by Untold Press and has been given a new cover. It was supposed to be released this week but it went up early and is available now. I had the pleasure of re-reading it when I helped with the proofreading of the new edition. You can see my review of the earlier edition here.

Quote-Tastic #33 Senior Year Bites by J.A. Campbell

Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed you for one reason or another. Everyone's welcome to join in - authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier! Just grab the button and put up your post :) Don't have a blog? No worries, just leave your favorites in the comment section.  Quote-tastic is hosted by Herding Cats & Burning Soup.

"Senior Year Bites" by J.A. Campbell is a YA urban fantasy about a high school girl who gets bitten by a vampire. In this scene, some of her friends have just found out what she is. Click on the cover to go the book's goodreads page.

Review of Happily Ever Afterlife by J.A. Campbell, et al

Publisher: Untold Press
Format Read: Kindle book
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository* * affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Revisit your favorite childhood fairy tales…with a paranormal twist. Eight classic stories rewritten by eight talented authors with one common theme, they all feature the undead. From angels to vampires and ghosts to zombies, you'll be sure to fall in love with the classics all over again and quickly learn that even the undead can have a happily ever after.

In the Belly of the Wolf by Amanda Carman
Don't talk to strangers. Don't stray from the path. If you do, the wolf will eat you. Once swallowed, you will be trapped forever in the dark and musty limbo of the belly of the wolf, a larger and more crowded world than you ever suspected. You can't blame him, though. After all, wolves will be wolves.

The Glass Coffin by Emmalyn Greyson
When Marianna's stepmother betrays her by having her turned into a vampire, she must flee home and the love of her life. Darren, her werewolf lover, believes he's found a cure. Will it lead to heartache or happily ever after?

Hans and the Best Day Ever by G.L. Jackson
After a seven-year apprenticeship with the Boss Lady, Hans decides it’s time to go home. Accompanied by Gabe, the two boys make their way back to the house in the woods where they hope to find Hans’ mother. Gabe is never at a loss for words but Hans is always quick to act on what might either be a fantastic idea…or the worst idea ever.

The Baron and the Firebird by J.A. Campbell
In the depths of the Russian wilderness, Baron Pyotr Vasilyev does his best to care for his people but his long years weigh heavily and he’s beginning to lose his taste for life. The only things that keep him going are his devotion to duty and his magical cherries. When his cherries go missing the thief turns out to be the Firebird. The desire to hear her sing one last time drives him through the centuries.

Clara and the Coon by M.K. Boise
Clara is born the height of a quarter–an abomination to the village of Fankfret. Left to die in a teapot on the outskirts of town, she learns that her story is far from over. Getting eaten by a raccoon is just the beginning.

Blood Borne Pathogen by Shoshanah Holl
Javier is too young to be waiting for death, but in the hospital battling late-stage AIDs there isn't room for much else in his mind. A mysterious woman begins visiting him and they form a strange friendship. Aurora only comes to visit after the sun goes down, leaving long before dawn. On the Day of the Dead, they both face the choice between life, death...and what comes after.

In Spite of Fire by Tilly Boscott
Alice's husband, Henry, died, leaving her to wander the world alone, searching for a way to bring him back. When she stumbles upon village gossip describing a place where ghosts dwell, she sets off to find her lost love. Instead of her husband, she discovers a ghost with eyes of fire, keen on the contents of a ragged tree. Alice clambers into an adventure of fear, darkness and true love.

The Angel by Troy Lambert
Abel is a poor urchin, trying to survive on the streets with only his wits to protect him and a tiny garden of struggling flowers to bring him pleasure. Zach is a young boy struggling in the fight of his life against the blight of cancer who wants to see the flowers of spring one last time. It seems inevitable that these young souls will soon leave the earth. But what awaits them in the beyond?

Bea Reviews Sabaska's Tale by J.A. Campbell

Publisher: Untold Press
Series: Tales of the Travelers
Format Read: Kindle ARC
Source: from the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 5th
Buying Links: Amazon*
* affiliate link; clicking & purchasing results in a small commission for the blog.

Blurb from goodreads:

To Anna, horses were more than a fascination, they were everything. Luckily, she had the opportunity to spend every summer on her grandmother's horse ranch in Colorado. Life was perfect, until she received the devastating news that her grandmother had been tragically killed. Anna knew she was the only member of her family who could take over the ranch and hopefully find new homes for her grandmother's beloved Arabians.

Anna wasn't alone for long. Her grandmother had hired a local teenage boy to help tend the horses for the summer. Anna didn't stand a chance against Cody's quiet charm and the two rapidly become friends. However, even with the responsibilities of the ranch, Anna quickly discovers the secrets her grandmother had been hiding and a legacy that sends her on an adventure she never thought possible. An adventure in the saddle of a horse that wasn't a horse at all. Sabaska, her grandmother's favorite Arabian, was a Traveler; a magical being that could travel between worlds. With Anna at the reins, they find themselves trapped in a fight against evil with the highest of stakes… Their very survival. 

EXCERPT! Sabaska's Tale by J.A. Campbell & A Giveaway

Well, as you know if you've been following me for a while, I've been impatiently waiting for this book to come out. It was scheduled for next week but released early last week. I'm reading it now and my review will be up soon but in the meantime, here's an excerpt that Julie sent along. Enjoy!

New Cover! Sabaska's Tale by J.A. Campbell

This is a book that I've been waiting for since it was first announced several years ago. It's had a troubled journey, changing publisher's several times for different reasons but, finally it's here! Well, almost. It will be released in one month, on July 15th. On July 9th, I'll have an excerpt, courtesy of the author. I'll also be reviewing it, though I don't have a definite date yet.

Giveaway & Read-A-Long of Brown and The End of The Line by J.A. Campbell

Another read-a-long! I do like excerpts, they're fun. You get a peek at the story, see if you like it and want to read the whole thing. For me, there's no question about today's excerpt. It's a J. A. Campbell story and I read those, she's an auto-buy. But for those of you not familiar with her works, she's touring to promote her Brown the ghost-hunting dog books and she wrote a story just for the tour. The excerpt you'll read today is not for sale anywhere; it's only available by following the tour and reading along. Follow every day and read along and you'll have read the whole story.

Review of Serpent Queen by J.A. Campbell

Publisher: InkWolf Press
Series: Sky Yarns #1
Format Read: Kindle
Release Date: December 4, 2012
Buying Links:  Amazon   Barnes & Noble  

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

Aether gas: lighter than air, and more valuable than gold. It gives the mighty airships the ability to fly. Without it, the delicate balance between magic, technology, and nations would crumble.

The pirate ship Serpent Queen doesn’t much care for the balance of nations, except when it affects her profit. So when Captain Adair is hired to smuggle a load of aether gas into Tribunal lands for a rebel group, the crew is happy to do it-as long as they get paid.

It’s a bonus that most of them have been wronged by the Tribunal in the past and this may be a way to unbalance the tyrants.

 Bea's Thoughts:

This was  a fast paced, action packed, emotion filled story that didn’t stint on character development or story line. It’s short but Campbell packs a lot in. A paranormal pirate story in a universe similar to our own. It’s not quite steampunk as it doesn’t appear to be set on Earth or even in our galaxy. Yet it has dirigibles and other devices that might be found in steampunk or even alternative history. It has species found in urban fantasy – vampires and weres while it also has dragons from fantasy and human folk, the Rom, who are obviously based on Gypsies. I’m not sure exactly how categorize this but Campbell makes all the parts work. It’s fun, fast, engaging and I want more.

It’s hard to discuss it without giving away spoilers but there’s betrayal, friendship, politics, a hint of romance, tragedy and action. There are twists and turns that Campbell hints at but when they happen, you’re still surprised in a , “Oh, that’s what that meant!” way. The ending is not quite a cliff-hanger but it’s a little ambivalent. She’s got two more stories planned and who knows, possibly more if all goes well. There are some copy editing and proofreading errors, more than I like in a book of this length, but not so many as to distract from the story.

Give this a read, you won’t regret it.

I own this Kindle book.

This review first appeared at BookTrib.com

Dragonthology, A New Anthology

 

If you love dragons, this book is for you. It features a range of stories in different genres, each one starring a dragon. One of the contributors is J.A. Campbell, who, as you know, is a favorite author of mine. The other contributors are Jason Andrew, G.L. Jackson, Jay Wilburn, Marian Allen, Sandra Graves, and Troy Lambert. 

I haven't read it yet but it's sitting on my Kindle, impatiently waiting it's turn. I love dragons and I'm a Julie fan so it was a no-brainer for me. I remember Julie posting snippets from her story on facebook, teasing us. Now her story and the book are here and to celebrate its release, the publisher, Untold Press, is giving away a $25 Amazon GC - http://untoldpress.com/contests-and-giveaways/dragonthology-release-tour-giveaway-25-amazom-gift-card

Dragonthology

Authors: G.L. Jackson, Jason Andrew, Marian Allen, Jay Wilburn, Troy Lambert, Sandra Graves, J.A. Campbell

Genres: Fantasy + Mystery, Sci Fi, Humor, Dystopian,

Release Date: Jan 1 2013

Publisher: UntoldPress

Length: 54,552 words, 171 pages, 435 KB 
Format: Kindle

ASIN: B00AVLQZ6G

Buy Link

Amazon US:  http://www.amazon.com/Dragonthology-ebook/dp/B00AVLQZ6G

Amazon UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragonthology-ebook/dp/B00AVLQZ6G

Amazon IT:  http://www.amazon.it/Dragonthology-ebook/dp/B00AVLQZ6G

Jan 1 –March 31- Amazon Prime members can borrow for FREE

Book Blurb (from the publisher):

Enter the pages of the Dragonthology. No single story has ever been great enough to contain the mystical, wondrous creature known as the dragon. We assembled the greatest draconian tales and put them between the covers of a single tome to satisfy your hunger for everything dragon. Seven magnificent stories, ranging from science fiction to mystery, await you within.

The Case of the Bloodstone Dragon by G.L. Jackson

A washed up has been, Private Investigator Clark is down to his last $100. That is, until the night a mysterious femme fatale walks through his door weaving a tale of intrigue in hope of recovering an artifact steeped in mystery and danger. What follows is a raucous ride through a little known human and dragon history, played out on the streets of New York City.

Unto the Breach by Jason Andrew

Jonathan Heller uncovers an unusual secret during one of the bloodiest campaigns of World War One in the middle of horrific trench warfare.  Can he convince an ancient dragon that humanity is worthy of life during their darkest hour?

The Dragon of Sullivan Hall by Marian Allen

A dormitory full of fun loving female students, an angry red dragon with a litter full of hungry whelps, and a particular student of Irish descent. This won’t end well for the dragon.

Egg Hunt by Jay Wilburn

A lonely smuggler must make decisions he never dreamt possible in the darkness of space to elude capture and protect his precious cargo of dragon eggs. When one of them hatches, it threatens to damage his ship. Can a person change enough to save a ship, a dragon, and himself?

The Clan by Troy Lambert

Dragons return to the earth and humanity enslaves them with the last remnants of technology of their dying race. Now the technology of old is fading. Will the dragons be able to rise again? Will the humans declare war, or will a peaceful solution be found? It all rests in the hands of an ancient dragon, and a lowly shepherd and his clan.

Dragon Seeks a Wife by Sandra Graves

What happens when a dragon falls ill and is told he will die in a year and a day unless he finds his one true love? The only thing a dragon can do. He sets out on a quest to win the hand of the perfect mate for a dragon–the daughter of the king. Aided by a Quetzal bird sorcerer, he begins his quest. An old fashioned fairy tale with a Meso-American twist.

Darkness Taken by J.A. Campbell

In a land where children are warriors and the only adults are mythical creatures, all are called to fight the Darkness. Til and her dragon partner, Heliodor, complete the perfect Welcome Ceremony, but their joy is short lived. The Dark has slain a unicorn and taken her foal back to the Darklands. Can Til and Heliodor venture where none go and rescue the young unicorn?

Author Bios:

Marian Allen 
Marian Allen writes science fiction, fantasy, mystery, humor, horror, mainstream, and anything else she can wrestle into fixed form.

Allen has had stories in on-line and print publications, on coffee cans and the wall of an Indian restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky.

Allen is a member of Quills and Quibbles and the Southern Indiana Writers Group, and is a regular contributor to SIW's annual anthology.

Find out more about Marian at  http://MarianAllen.com  and follow her on twitter @MarianAllen

J.A. Campbell 
Julie has been many things over the last few years, from college student, to bookstore clerk and an over the road trucker. She’s worked as a 911 dispatcher and in computer tech support, but through it all she’s been a writer and when she’s not out riding horses, she can usually be found sitting in front of her computer. She lives in Colorado with her three cats, her vampire-hunting dog in training, Kira, and her Irish Sailor.

She is the author of many Vampire and Ghost-Hunting Dog stories and the young adult urban fantasy series The Clanless.

Find out more about Julie at  www.writerjacampbell.com  and follow her on twitter @Pfirewolf

G.L. Jackson 
G.L. Jackson lives in the hills outside Portland, Oregon with her family. She's a licensed massage therapist, but when she's not working at that she's either writing, reading, taking photographs, or indulging in philosophical discussion with the birds, stray cats, raccoons, and other creatures that stop by on a daily basis. Much to the chagrin of her parents, she cut her literary teeth at an early age by writing and performing plays with her two sisters. From there she moved on to stories both short and long, but poetry has remained elusive.  Born and raised on the east coast, she's fallen in love with the Pacific Ocean. The Case of the Bloodstone Dragon is her first detective story.

Find out more about Gwynne at gwynnejackson.wordpress.com  and follow her on twitter @notsuestorm

Jay Wilburn 
Jay Wilburn lives in Conway, South Carolina with his wife and two sons. His novel, Loose Ends: A Zombie Novel, is available now. He has a novella, Circuit Rider, in the acclaimed anthology Realms of the Undead.  He has published a number of horror and speculative fiction stories.

Follow his many dark thoughts @AmongtheZombie on Twitter or at JayWilburn.com. 

Jason Andrew 
Jason Andrew lives in Seattle, Washington with his wife Lisa.  He is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Horror Writers Association, and the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.   His short fiction has appeared in markets such as Shine: An Anthology of Optimistic SF, Frontier Cthulhu: Ancient Horrors in the New World, and Dark Tales of Lost Civilizations.  In 2011, Jason received an honorable mention in Ellen Datlow’s List for Best Horror of the Year for his story “Moonlight in Scarlet”.  Jason also writes for awesome RPG games such as Vampire: the Masquerade and Shadowrun.

Find out more about Jason at www.jasonbandrew.com  and follow him on twitter @jasonbandrew

Sandra Graves 
Raised in Colorado by European immigrant parents who passed on their love for both great literature and great music, Sandra has had her nose in a book since she first learned to read.  When she isn’t reading, she’s either writing fiction or designing her latest artwork project.  She also owns and operates her own business.

Sandra spent her school years in Denver and her summers attending musical events in the mountain valley of Aspen.  Throughout her youth she was a talented cellist, achieving first chair position in the Colorado Youth Symphony as well as a position in a semi-professional symphony while in high school.  She earned an MA degree in Anthropology from Eastern New Mexico University where she met her husband.  They have been married for more than thirty years.

She currently lives in Minnesota, a state far away from her beloved mountains but featuring thousands of lakes and rivers.  She is combating homesickness by writing a novel that takes place in the years of the Colorado gold rush. She’s looking forward to the necessity of doing on-site research within the next year.

Find out more about Sandra at www.IsisRising08.com 

Troy Lambert 
Troy began his writing life at a very young age, penning the as yet unpublished George and the Giant Castle at age six. He grew up in Southern Idaho, and after many adventures including a short stint in the US Army and a diverse education, Troy returned to Idaho, but the north end of the state this time, where he currently resides.

Troy works as a freelance writer and researcher by night, and the Museum Operations Specialist and Head of Research at the Wallace District Mining museum by day. He truly loves to write dark, psychological thrillers and released Broken Bones, a collection of his short stories, last September to great acclaim and with reasonable success. His new thriller Redemption is available now.

Troy lives with his wife of eleven years, two of his five children and two very talented dogs. He is a skier, cyclist, hiker, fisherman, hunter, and a terrible beginning golfer. The sequel to Redemption, titled Temptation will be released early in 2013.

Find out more about Troy at www.troylambertwrites.com  and follow him on twitter @authortroy 

Summer Break Blues by J.A. Campbell: An Excerpt and Giveaway

I am so excited, I have been waiting for this book for a year now! Heck, it's been more than a year since the first book, "Senior Year Bites", came out. BoUnCe bOuNcE BoUnCe. SBB came out on Tuesday and I am being a responsible adult and finishing other commitments (read review book, finish line edits, etc.) before I start this one. *cries* 

But now, you don't have to wait. Julie has shared an excerpt and is giving away a copy. Yes, your very own copy. So, read on and enjoy! Giveaway details are at the end of the post.

*******************************************************************************

I ran, almost flew over the sand. Alexander’s sheer panic drove me to move faster than I ever had before. I didn’t have much time to take in the scene, but he struggled with someone. Not having a better idea, or time to plan, I tackled them. We all tumbled to the ground, and I managed to keep hold of his attacker long enough to get him away from Alexander. We rolled, and I tried to come up on top, but the stranger was strong and pinned me before we even stopped moving. 

“Aww, and here I’d thought you brought me dinner.” I had a brief impression of black eyes and gleaming fangs before he grabbed my shoulders and lifted me up, then slammed me back into the sand.

Pain lanced through my head. I groaned and tried to fight back, but before I’d even formulated a plan, the assailant’s weight was gone. Alexander cried out again. 

“Damn it, why do I have to keep saving you!” I jumped up and plowed into them again. This time I dug claws into his ribcage and jerked him away. I thought I had a good grip, but he twisted free. The smell of blood was overpowering. Some of it was Alexander’s, but much of it was my opponent’s. He backed up, still smiling at me. He didn’t look at all concerned I’d just buried claws into his ribcage. He wasn’t much taller than me, and his dark hair and almond eyes made me think he was Asian. But the fangs he bared were all Vampire. 

Terror lanced through me, making me weak. I wanted to run. The fear I’d felt when I’d faced the Unseelie last winter was nothing compared to my fear now. Vampires were real monsters, and I was certain I was about to die. 

“Well, you do have a little bite to you.” His smile wasn’t friendly.  He wasn’t much bigger than me, but he was a lot faster, and I lost sight of him until he stood right in front of me.

“But you’re young. And dumb. I told you to be more careful.” 

I tried to block his next move, but he caught my arm and twisted me around, trapping me against his chest. I felt strangely exposed and panic turned my limbs,

and my brain, to jelly. I shrieked and tried to pull away.

The Vampire laughed. 

“Meg!” 

“Run! Get out of here!” I thought that’s what I said, but in my panicked state I could have been shouting the periodic table. I kicked backward, and my heel connected with the Vampire’s shin. His grip never loosened. 

Duck!

I wasn’t sure if I actually heard the words or not, but they punched through my panicked fog, and I did the best I could. The Vampire still had hold of me so I twisted my face against his blood-covered chest. 

Light flared and the Vampire screamed. I pulled away from him, small pinpricks of heat searing along my shoulder and back. He was still yelling as I ran away from him. 

*******************************************************************************

Author: J.A. Campbell

Publisher: Decadent Publishing Imprint: Bono

Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy

Format: ebook

Length: 411 KB

Release Date: November 13, 2012

Buying Links:  Bono  Amazon  Barnes & Noble  Smashwords  OmniLit

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Julie is giving away one ebook copy of "Summer Break Blues". The giveaway is open internationally. Already bought the book? You can choose another Decadent/Bono book including any of Julie's. Please leave a way to contact you and your format preference (Kobo, Kindle, etc.) The giveaway ends Saturday November 24th at 11:59PM EST.

It's easy to enter, just leave a comment below, with the requested info. Please read my Giveaway Policy.