Monday, February 3, 2014

Valentines Giveaways, like Elephants on Stampede

Do you totally geek out over Valentines day? Flowers, candy, hearts and romantic candles? And BOOKS. (Of course.) Well, this is the day of giveaways. LIKE SERIOUSLY.

So first...

MOONLESS is releasing to print NEXT WEEK!!!
!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I'm a little excited. Can you tell?)


To celebrate, I'm giving away a SIGNED PRINT COPY. Not only that, several wonderful authors have agreed to offer their amazing books along with mine in a VALENTINES GIVEAWAY. (Winners will be announced Valentine's morning.)

Check it out and enter below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

But the awesome doesn't stop there!
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What is Steampunk with Heart?
8 Authors, 5 Blog Posts, and an Abundance of Steampunk Giveaways
**see bottom of post for steampunk giveaways**
**see Steampunk With Heart Page for Facebook Party schedule**

Below is an introduction to eight authors, a peek at one of their steampunk books (many of our authors have several), and what "Steampunk with Heart" means to them.

"Steampunk with Heart is a romantic look backward at a bygone Victorian era (or entirely fictional analogue of one), where we alleviate some of the oppressive ideas of the past while keeping the lush aesthetics and romantic ideals about relationships and love."

Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, which is young adult science fiction. The Dharian Affairs trilogy is her excuse to dress up in corsets and fight with swords. She also has a dark-and-gritty SF serial called The Debt Collector and a middle grade fantasy called Faery Swap. It's possible she's easily distracted. Her business card says "Author and Rocket Scientist" and she always has more speculative fiction fun in the works. You can subscribe to her newsletter (hint: new subscribers get a free short story!) or stop by her blog to see what she's up to.

Third Daughter (The Dharian Affairs #1) Kindle | Nook | Print

The Third Daughter of the Queen wants to marry for love, but rumors of a new flying weapon force her to accept a barbarian prince’s proposal of a peace-brokering marriage.

"Steampunk With Heart is for those whose steampunk tastes lean more to the romantic than the gadgetry."

Scott Tarbet is the author of A Midsummer Night’s Steampunk from Xchyler Publishing, Tombstone, in the paranormal anthology Shades & Shadows, and the forthcoming Lakshmi, Dragon Moon, and Nautilus Redux. He writes enthusiastically in several genres, sings opera, was married in full Elizabethan regalia, loves steampunk waltzes, and slow-smokes thousands of pounds of Texas-style barbeque. An avid skier, hiker, golfer, and tandem kayaker, he makes his home in the mountains of Utah. Follow Scott E. Tarbet online at his website or on Twitter

A Midsummer Night's Steampunk  Kindle | Nook | Print

Immerse yourself in this Steampunk retelling of Shakespeare’s classic, replete with the newfound wizardry of alternative Victorian technology, mistaken identities, love triangles, and deadly peril, set against the backdrop of a world bracing itself for war, and Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

"Steampunk is all about questioning authority and challenging conventions. That's where the PUNK aspect of Steampunk comes from."

Jay Noel: After doing some freelance writing and editing for more than a dozen years, Jay decided to stop procrastinating and pursue his dream of being a novelist. He's been blogging since 2005. Jay spends his days working in medical sales, but he can be found toiling over his laptop late at night when all is quiet. He draws inspiration from all over: H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Shakespeare, Ray Bradbury, Douglas Adams, and Isaac Asimov. You can find Jay at his website.

Dragonfly Warrior Kindle | Nook | Print

The tyrannical Iberian Empire is bent on destroying his kingdom, and Zen must live up to his nickname, the Dragonfly Warrior, and kill all his enemies with only a sword and a pair of six-guns. He is called upon to somehow survive a test of faith and loyalty in a world so cruel and merciless, it borders on madness.

"Steampunk is the genre where the oober nerd is the hero, and the athletic type gets to be the laughed-at sidekick. LMAO! Science geek trumps the strong brute. How could you not love that?"

SM Blooding lives in Colorado with her pet rock, Rockie, and Ms. Bird who is really a bird. The guitar and piano have temporarily been set aside. She's learning to play the harmonica. The bird is less than thrilled. Her real name is Stephanie Marie (aka SM), but only family and coworkers call her that, usually when they’re screaming at her. Friends call her Frankie. You can find out more about her and her writing at her website.

Fall of Sky City (Devices of War) Kindle | Print

When Synn El’Asim is captured, his Mark is brutally awakened. He finds himself the most powerful Mark, and quickly becomes a coveted weapon in the war between the Great Families and the Hands of Tarot. However, only he can decide how he will be used to shape the lives of all the tribes.

"To me, Steampunk is an alternate look at a period of history that fascinates almost everyone. What would have been different if technology had taken a slightly different direction? And it is fun to play with the gadgets."

Rie Sheridan Rose's short stories currently appear in numerous anthologies. She has authored five poetry chapbooks, and collaborated with Marc Gunn on lyrics for his “Don’t Go Drinking With Hobbits” CD. Yard Dog Press is home to humorous horror chapbooks Tales from the Home for Wayward Spirits and Bar-B-Que Grill and Bruce and Roxanne Save the World...Again. Mocha Memoirs published the individual short stories "Drink My Soul...Please," and “Bloody Rain” as e-downloads. Melange Books carries her romantic fantasy Sidhe Moved Through the Faire. Zumaya Books is home to The Luckless Prince as well as her newest novel, The Marvelous Mechanical Man. You can find her at her website.

The Marvelous Mechanical Man (A Conn-Mann Adventure) Kindle | Nook | Print

Josephine Mann is down to her last two dollars when Professor Alistair Conn hires her to work on a wonder--a 9-foot-tall automaton Jo dubs Phaeton. When an evil villain steals the marvelous mechanical man, Jo's longing for adventure suddenly becomes much too real...and deadly.

"Steampunk is being able to mix together all the things you love from the Victorian, modern and all eras in between, along with the addition of future tech and fantasy."

Cindy Spencer Pape firmly believes in happily-ever-after and brings that to her writing. Award-winning author of 18 novels and more than 30 shorter works, Cindy lives in southeast Michigan with her husband, two sons and a houseful of pets. When not hard at work writing she can be found dressing up for steampunk parties and Renaissance fairs, or with her nose buried in a book. You can find her on her website.

Ashes and Alchemy (The Gaslight Chronicles) Kindle | Nook | Audio

London, 1860
Police inspector Sebastian Brown served Queen and country in India before returning to England to investigate supernatural crimes. Minerva Shaw is desperately seeking a doctor for her daughter Ivy who has fallen gravely ill with a mysterious illness when she mistakenly lands on Sebastian's doorstep. Seb sniffs a case and musters every magickal and technological resource he can to uncover the source of the deadly plague, but it's he who will need protecting—from emotions he'd thought buried long ago.

"Steampunk with Heart is all about freedom of expression. The opportunity to create unique and diverse characters in unprecedented and unusual worlds. It's about adventure and inventions and romance...oh my..."

I'm Jacqueline Garlick. Author of YA, New Adult, and Women's Fiction. I love strong heroines, despise whiny sidekicks, and adore a good story about a triumphant underdog. I love to read, write, paint (walls and paper) and plan cool writing events for cool writers (check out niagarawritersretreatandconference (dot) com.) I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate, grammar, and technology.You will always find a purple wall (or two) in my house (perhaps even a door) and a hidden passageway that leads to a mystery room. (Okay, so you won’t find a hidden passageway but a girl can dream, can’t she?) Oh, and tea. There will always be tea. I love specialty teas...and collecting special teacups from which to drink them. (See website for collection, plus Facebook and Goodreads.)

In my former life, I was a teacher (both grade school and college-don't ask) and more recently, I've been a graduate of Ellen Hopkin’s Nevada Mentor Program and a student of James Scott Bell, Christopher Vogler and Don Maass. An excerpt from Lumière earned me the 2012 Don Maass Break Out Novel Intensive Scholarship. Lumière—A Romantic Steampunk Fantasy—is my debut novel, Book One in my young adult The Illumination Paradox Series.

Lumiere (The Illumination Paradox) Kindle | Nook | Print

One determined girl. One resourceful boy. One miracle machine that could destroy everything. After an unexplained flash shatters her world, seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth sets out to find the Illuminator, her father’s prized invention. With it, she hopes to cure herself of her debilitating seizures, but just as Eyelet locates the Illuminator, it’s whisked away by an alluring thief. She follows the boy, enduring deadly Vapours and criminal-infested woods in pursuit of the Illuminator, only to discover the miracle machine they both hoped would solve their problems may in fact be their biggest problem of all. 

"Steampunk is at least in part a yearning for technology on a more human, intimate scale--handmade, ornate and wondrous."

MeiLin Miranda writes literary fantasy and science fiction set in Victorian worlds. Her love of all things 19th century (except for the pesky parts like cholera, child labor, slavery and no rights for women) has consumed her since childhood, when she fell in a stack of Louisa May Alcott and never got up.
MeiLin wrote nonfiction for thirty years, in radio, television, print and the web. She always wanted to write fiction, but figured she had time. She discovered she didn't when a series of unfortunate events resulted in a cardiac arrest complete with electric paddles ("clear!") and a near-death experience. She has since decided she came back from the dead to write books. MeiLin lives in a 130-year-old house in Portland, Oregon with a husband, two teens, two black cats, a floppy dog and far, far too much yarn. You can find her at her website.


The Machine God (The Drifting Isle Chronicles) Kindle | Nook | Print

Folklore Professor Oladel Adewole leaves his homeland for the University of Eisenstadt to pursue his all-consuming interest: the mysterious island floating a mile above the city. The first survey team finds civilization, and Adewole finds a powerful, forbidden fusion of magic and metal: the Machine God. The government wants it. So does a sociopath bent on ruling Eisenstadt. But when Adewole discovers who the mechanical creature is--and what it can do--he risks his heart and his life to protect the Machine God from the world, and the world from the Machine God.

ENTER TO WIN
a Rafflecopter giveaway


What are you doing for Valentines day? Any awesome movies or books you'll be watching/reading?

86 comments:

  1. I have to tell you. I think I'm as excited about your paperback release as you are. My 15yr-old daughter is really into the setting you've written in. I wanted to purchase it for her before, for my Kindle, but she won't read eBooks. Needs paper in hand.

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    1. Aw! That just makes me happy. Thanks, Sherry. It's amazing to me, just having the proof copy in hand, how many people I've shown it to, and then they're like, "Ooh! Where can I buy it?" That vs the, "Here's a card with the cover image and smart phone code." People get excited, but their eyes don't light up until they handle the paper copy.

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  2. Congratulations on your upcoming release! And I think I've gone through all the phases in my love/hate affair with valentines day:) Now, I pretty much look forward to eating chocolates with the hubs in our pj's in front of the tv.

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    1. That totally works. I'll take chocolates and a movie date any night! (Beats the socks off of killing myself to be social... Wait, did I just type that out loud? Oops.)

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  3. Print book! YAY! I look forward to truffles from the hubs on Valentine's Day. Love them and love him.

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    1. Oooh...truffles... You just reminded me that I need to hint how desperately I need some truffles for Valentines day.

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  4. These are some great books Crystal, good luck to everyone who enters :)

    I hope you have an amazing week ahead :)

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    1. Thank you, Launa! And with your current mentality in mind, I WILL. =)

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  5. Congratulations on the print book! Find group of authors featured there.

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  6. Congratulations Crystal. Exciting news. Enjoy your success.

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  7. Congrats on having a book coming out in print!! I could only imagine. And I am super excited to participate in your blogfest next Monday. :D

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    1. Yay, Chrys! It's going to be a blast, right?

      Hey, it will happen for you one day. I've only been working toward it MY WHOLE LIFE. You'll get there too.

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  8. I'm SO excited for the print book! I have been waiting for it since you wrote the book on your blog!

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    1. *happy dance* Thank you, Ashley. It's been a long time coming, eh?

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  9. Wow, this is epic! Look at all these awesome books, including yours. I'm going to have to enter when I'm in a place with better Internet.

    What am I doing Valentine's Day? My husband and I just bought 4 steaks at Costco. My family is going to have a fun dinner feast.

    Good luck with your paperback!

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    1. Yay! Thank you, Theresa. I think steaks sounds like a great idea. In fact, we had some last night. Mmm....

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  10. I want to write a steampunk Jamaica book one day. Plan to get Joel's book this month and now Lumiere too. Congrats on getting in print Crystal.

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    1. There are so many awesome ones here I'm dying. I really need to just freeze time and read them all!

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  11. Woo hoo!
    So much goodness in this post!
    Heather

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    1. I know! It's like the most epic cheese platter, ever, right?

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  12. I wasn't going to sign up because my book was in, but there are so many other good ones, I had to. I just have to try and win!

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  13. Congrats on your book! It looks beautiful and interesting too :)

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  14. Oh my goodness! So many good books to read! So many ways to win. Oh... and congratulations, Crystal! YEAH!

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  15. Holy bananas there's a lot to click on! Must be so exciting to have Moonless coming into print, too!

    We celebrated Vday on Friday because of baby scheduling. But it was a lot of fun!

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    1. Lot's of chances to win, eh? ;)

      Yay! And I'm really hoping you have a new little one cuddling in your arms for the the big day. =)

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  16. I'm loving Moonless so far. Grats on getting it into print (next week) and best of luck with it!

    I <3 steam punk.

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  17. How exciting that Moonless is going to be in print next week. :) Yeah!

    Thanks for the awesome giveaways. :)
    ~Jess

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  18. Crystal, this is almost too much for my little brain to handle!
    I wanna read Susan's and Jay's books, plus there are other that have caught my eyes. You're a whiz at this stuff.

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  19. I look forward to holding your book in my hands.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. It's pretty epic. My daughter confiscated the "proof" and has been claiming it's her book. Cracks me up.

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  20. Congrats on your release. Sounds like a great giveaway.

    But Feb. 14th. That's Singles Awareness Day. As long as I'm single, that heart day that you all are celebrating is dead to me.

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    1. My single sister in law always adopts a nephew for that day. I think that's a good move. =)

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  21. Congrats on your release. I'll be shouting out about it for you on Monday.

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  22. Wow, what a great giveaway!

    Congrats on your release, very exciting times! :D

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  23. Wowee!!! What an incredible giveaway! Congrats on your book - SO exciting!! :)

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  24. Sooo exciting about the print book coming out! In a store...that I can walk into and buy. Too cool.
    (small voice: I'm not finished reading yet. I promise I will.)
    Regular voice again... Valentine's Day holds no fascination for me at all. How do you enjoy the day when you can't eat chocolate? That's what the day is really all about, right? LOL

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    1. Yay! I'm excited too...but you might be waiting a while if you hope to find it in your local book stores. My book seller will be working on getting it placed, but that's a much more difficult task these days. It will definitely be available online, and in some retailers, but it will take time to get out there.

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  25. It's sooo exciting to see your book in print! Congratulations!! What a great giveaway!

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  26. Congratulations, Crystal! As for Valentine's Day, I am usually pretty bad, but this year I am taking my wife to a B&B in Mount Dora. She wants to go to the antique extravaganza.

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    1. Mount Dora? That's literally like 20 minutes away from me. Beautiful area. I love their boutique downtown area. Very cute. Way to do something awesome!

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  27. Oh wow. What a lot of great giveaways. Thank you for finding them.

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  28. For Valentine's Day, we usually keep it pretty simple. My husband and I will go out to dinner and exchange cards with funny poems we write for each other. (Hey, I'm a writer, and sometimes that includes bad poetry.) Congratulations on your release!

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    1. Funny poems? I LOVE it. That's the kind of thing we'd do...if we weren't so brain dead after work and taking care of the kids. *shrugs* Seasons, right? There are seasons of life.

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  29. Congrats on your release. This post is full of book goodness!

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  30. You must be so giddy! How exciting to see it in print! And two great giveaways too.

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    1. Yups. And I think the word you were searching for is "epic." =)

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  31. Here's to another super release, Crystal! Great giveaway you've organized.

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  32. That is a seriously awesome giveaway you've got going on there!

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  33. Celebrating Valentine's Day in style, Crystal! Those are awesome giveaways!

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  34. Congratulations on having 'Moonless' in print. I'd be excited, too.

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  35. Hey Crystal,

    Aha, my Moonless celebrity friend. A fantastic giveaway, for sure. You are a superstar. As for Steampunk, I have no idea what the heck that is.

    On Valentine's Day, I shall be swamped with cards from my adoring fans all over the world.

    Gary :)

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    1. LOL! We need to educate you on the finer aspects of strange and amazing fiction. ;)

      Wait, people still send cards? I thought everything had gone digital...except for the candy of course.

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  36. My goodness, what a lot of great books you've got featured here. I've only read the occasional Steampunk but a couple of these really caught my eye. For Valentine's Day, my husband used to cook me an incredible meal, but now friends through our kids invite us for waffles and ice cream for dinner. Yum!

    Best of luck with Moonless!

    -Vicki

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    1. A couple of them really caught my eye too, and I'm loving it.

      My hubby usually cooks for me too...or takes me out where we have more money. And a babysitter. Which is a lot, lately.

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  37. I like to bah humbug Valentine's Day, but you made it extremely difficult with your awesome enthusiasm! (Just don't tell anyone I got all excited and thought of chocolate hearts and romantic picnics with my hubs, okay?)

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    1. Watch out, the cheese is contagious. ;) (--Not to worry, your secret is safe.)

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  38. Wow! That's a lot of Steampunk! Good luck to all the writers and their works!

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  39. Hi Crystal - adopting a nephew or god-daughter's brother in my case sounds like an excellent idea for Valentine's Day .. fun ...

    Well done - release day is not far away .. congratulations and good luck with the sales - sounds like one happy little girl will get her paper version! Cheers Hilary

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Hit me with your cheese!