The Samurai’s Inro Cover Reveal

Here it is! The Cover for “The Samurai’s Inro,” the fifth book in the Harmony Duprie Mysteries. Coming June 1, 2020

Trouble has a long memory and is stalking Harmony Duprie.

Harmony Duprie has it made. Or so she thinks.

New job.

New routine.

A quiet life in the quiet little town of Oak Grove.

Oh, and Eli.

But trouble has a long memory and it’s playing a deadly game.

Friends’ cars stolen.

Her apartment ransacked.

The duplicate of a stolen Japanese antique carved box left behind.

Trouble follows wherever she goes, including the parking lot of the police station. Not even the want-to-be bodyguard brought in by Police Chief Sorenson can end the harassment. All her research leads to dead ends.

Can Harmony identify the face of trouble before she loses and the winner takes her life as the final prize?

Let the games begin.

Thanks to K.M Guth for another great cover design.

Scroll down for a bonus.

 

Watch this space for buy links, coming soon.

 

Bonus! Just for you, a quick excerpt.

“Not unless Marly comes with me. You coming, Marly?” Kody asked. His angry eyes locked on mine.

“No. I’ve told you no before and I’m telling you again. No.”

I read his intentions and was prepared when he reached for her shoulder. With a quick thrust, I knocked his hand away. “She said no.”

If he had known what was good for him, he would have backed down. He wasn’t that smart. He swung at me. In a classic move, I grabbed his arm and used his own power to toss him to the floor. “Not cool,” I said.

He should’ve stayed down but wasn’t that smart. He wobbled as he half-rose and lunged at me. I moved aside and kicked him in the rear as he sailed by. The alcohol didn’t do him any favors.

“Enough is enough. Give it up. Go home.” I wondered how everyone else was reacting and if I’d need to defend myself from any of his friends, but didn’t dare take my eyes off him. I backed up until I bumped into the bar.

It took him longer to get up the second time. For a minute, I thought he’d finally gotten smart and was giving up. I was wrong.

 


99¢ Book Sale Event

Check out the N.N. Light 99¢ Book Sale and giveaway.  One lucky person will win an e-nook bundle of all 41 books featured. The Marquesa’s Necklace, the first book in the Harmony Duprie Mysteries, is one of the featured books. HERE

Enter the giveaway here: HERE

Open Internationally

Runs April 16 – 19, 2020

Winner will be drawn on April 27, 2020


Welcome to The Samurai’s Inro

I’ve been working hard on the next Harmony story and it’s getting close! I haven’t set an official release date, but it likely will be the early part of May. No cover to share just yet, but I’ve got the tagline and description. And of course the title! It’s called The Samurai’s Inro.

Tagline:

Trouble has a long memory and is stalking Harmony Duprie.

 

Doesn’t that sound like fun? Here’s the description:

Harmony Duprie has it made. Or so she thinks.

New job.

New routine.

A quiet life in the quiet little town of Oak Grove.

Oh, and Eli.

But trouble has a long memory and it’s playing a deadly game.

Friends’ cars stolen.

Her apartment ransacked.

The duplicate of a stolen Japanese antique carved box left behind.

Trouble follows wherever she goes, including the parking lot of the police station. Not even the want-to-be bodyguard brought in by Police Chief Sorenson can end the harassment. And all her research leads to dead ends.

Can Harmony identify the face of trouble before she loses and the winner takes her life as the final prize?

Let the games begin.

 


Interview With My Cover Designer #OpenBook Blog Hop

 

March 16, 2020

Interview your cover designer (even if it’s you!) (Talk about other covers they have worked on, what you love about their work, etc.)

I got lucky in having a personal acquaintance with a graphic artist (okay, she’s my sister!) to design my covers. I’m always astounded by her skill in being able to interpret my books’ characters and bring them to life. Although she’s on the road this week, she took some time to answer a few questions for me. I’m tickled to finally get her on my blog. Please welcome K.M. Guth.

*****

Describe your process for designing a book cover.

I work closely with my authors to make sure they get exactly what they want for their cover. We trade images and ideas back and forth, starting with the front cover. After that’s been drafted out, I move on to the spine and back cover. Because I often do covers for series of books, I try to use the same fonts and color families for each cover in the series so it all has a cohesive look while still maintaining individuality for each book.


I love what you’ve done for each of my books and the overall design of  each series. It amazes me how well you can take different elements and put them together in a total design.

*****

Do you have a favorite among the covers you’ve designed?

This one is easy! “Wolves Knight”, the second book in the “Free Wolves” series. Everything went together perfectly and the image turned out so badass we used it to make a large banner for the table at conventions and signings!

I love that cover too! Tasha is such an interesting personality, and the cover reflects it. The intensity in her eyes  gets me every time.

*****

Do you ever look back at one of your covers and wished you’d done something different?

Always! I don’t think any creator of any type will look back at something they’ve created and not want to change *something*. Whether it’s how I spaced pieces of imagery or the fonts or colors I chose … I’m always wondering how a cover would have looked if I’d done something differently. Even small changes can make a big difference!

I’ve watched you play with fonts until you get the “look” you want. No Times New Roman for you!

*****

Have you ever designed a cover for someone besides me? How was it different?


I have! I’ve done a couple of covers for another independent author whose books have a completely different audience and topic. The books were non-fiction and didn’t feature any people. Designing them was a totally different experience because I had to figure out where to focus the elements of the cover since there wasn’t a face to concentrate on. I had to be more creative with the text to really draw the audience in.

Thanks for taking time out of your busy week to ‘talk’ to me. May your travels go well. We’ll talk again in a few weeks when you’re ready to tackle the cover for “The Samurai’s Inro!”

On an off-topic and personal note…I hope each and everyone of you is safe and well. Please pay attention to the professionals in your area and wash your hands often!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
[fresh_inlinkz_code id="3f3fef4af27149348daaa7873f0de69a"]

March 16, 2020

Interview your cover designer (even if it’s you!)(talk about other covers they have worked on, what you love about their work, etc.)

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 


New Postcards!

Check out this great new postcard my graphic artist made for me. Thanks, K.M. Guth!

If you come to an event I’m at, you can get your own copy. Check out the calendar on the front page. (So far, none of them have been cancelled.)

I apologize for the poor photography. I tried about five different ways to get a good shot, and nothing I worked. I kept getting shadows or glare no matter how hard I tried.


Audiobooks #OpenBook Blog Hop

March 9, 2020

Are audiobooks considered reading?

I don’t listen to audiobooks.  I have, but only a few, and never while driving. I know myself well enough that it would be a distraction. Heck, the other day, I parked on a different floor than normal in the parking garage and didn’t realize it until I entered the building because I was so deep inside Harmony’s head. (For those of you who don’t know, Harmony Duprie is the main character in my mystery series.)

Now, I have listened to a few audio books in my distant past. I was devouring the James Bond books, and there were some the library didn’t have on the shelves. I found an audio download of the books and grabbed the ones I needed to fill in the gaps. (Back in the day when audiobooks were on cassette or CD.)

And quickly realized how big of a difference the narrator makes. And that listening just didn’t cut it for me. I didn’t get the same satisfaction from listening to someone tell the story as I did from holding a book in my hands and reading it. 

When I read, I like to take my time and savor some parts of the story and rush through others. (I’m looking at you, sex scenes. The rushing part. Most of you are boring. I can’t imagine listening to sex scenes.) I can’t do that when someone else is reading the book and I’m listening. I have to move along at their pace.

But just because it’s not my preferred method of reading, doesn’t mean it isn’t a valuable experience to someone else. And if it works for them, I’m good with it. Different people learn in different ways, I see reading is the same way. I wouldn’t say that someone who reads braille isn’t reading, only that they use a different medium. Same with audiobooks, in my opinion.

So, is listening to an audiobook reading? I’ll come down on the side of yes. Information is being exchanged, just in a different format. The reader is being entertained or informed. In a way, it hearkens back to the days of the village bar, when most people couldn’t read and only the very wealthy could afford to own a book.

That’s my take on it, anyway. Now I’m going to hop on over to the other authors and see what they have to say. You can go too, by following the links below. And don’t forget to leave a comment and join in the discussion! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

March 9, 2020

Are audiobooks considered reading?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 


Readers Lounge Giveaway

Because I know you love #freebooks, check out the Fantasy and Sci Fi Readers’ Lounge Anniversary party on Facebook Jan 2-26. The #FSFRL is having an anniversary giveway! Join us for #freebooks #fantasy #scifi! https://www.facebook.com/groups/FantasySciFiReadersLounge #fantasy #scifi #bookworms

Chances to win books, kindles, wooden puzzles, tshirts, signed copies, books! . Come join us and meet your new favorite author! http://bit.ly/2SL9eTN 

 


New Year, New Books Fete

Calling all readers! It’s a brand new year and I’m ringing in 2020 with N. N. Light’s Book Heaven New Year, New Books Fete. 39 books from multiple genres featured plus a chance to win one of the following:

Enter to win a $50 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

Enter to win a $50 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

Enter to win a $25 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

Enter to win a $15 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

Enter to win a $10 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

I’m thrilled to be a part of this event. My book, Wolves’ Pawn, will be featured on January 20th.  You won’t want to miss it.

Bookmark this bookish get-together and tell your friends:

https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/bookpromos/categories/new-year-new-books-fete

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Welcome Kasper Beaumont & Her New Release

I am tickled pink to welcome Kasper Beaumont on the occasion of her new release, Captive of the Darkness. For my readers that aren’t familiar with you and your stories, introduce yourself, please.

Hi everyone, so nice to be here with PJ on the blog today. I’m Kasper, a dragon-loving, lightsaber-wielding fangirl who likes to write.

I guess things are quiet here in my sleepy little town in Australia, which causes my imagination to run wild. I write high fantasy books about a quest to restore the stolen Elven Jewel. And my new Captive of the Darkness book is an adult paranormal one about angels and demons in a strip club. Something for everyone in the family, I guess.

What book was most influential in your decision to become a writer yourself?

These kind of questions are always hard because I read so widely. Probably have to name Enid Blyton as an early influence. The Magic Faraway Tree and the Famous Five series.

What sorts of conditions are most conducive to your productivity?

Quiet times when no-one is around to distract me. I like to write in the wee hours of the morning or late at night. Also, I put a ban on Facebook until I finish a chapter. It’s a good incentive.

In your experience, what is the best thing about being an author?

Two-fold in my book. One, is bringing happiness to others when they read it. Two, is a lasting legacy after I’m gone. I like my family to be proud of me and the thought that a piece of me will live on.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Hand down it’s gotta be revisions. I do several self-edit passes on every book before they go to the editor. Only thing is, I’d much rather be writing.

Are you a plot driven or character driven writer? Why?

Do I have to choose? You’re being mean. Well sometimes I have a certain place to get to in the plot and I coerce my characters into behaving.

Other times there is total anarchy and the characters definitely call the shots. I had planned for the plot to veer a certain way but one of the characters becomes difficult to fit the script and we take a new tangent. That is sometimes where the best writing is discovered,

Tell us a little about your new release. Where did you get your inspiration?

It’s confession time, I see. The type of books I read is always subject to change on a whim or a good recommendation. Someone gave me the Fallen series to read and I loved it. The idea of angels and demons sprang into being there and soon morphed into the new Hidden Angel series. So far, I have finished book one: Captive of the Darkness. I also have book two written in draft form and the bare bones of a plot for book three. This series both excites and terrifies which is a thrilling way to write.

Thanks, Kasper. May your sales be plentiful!

Title: Captive of the Darkness

Author: Kasper Beaumont

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Captive-Darkness-Hidden-Angel-Book-ebook/dp/B081MW4D1P/

Release date: December 14th.  Preorder is now available.

In Kasper’s own words: 

On Riley’s 18th birthday, she is told she’s a demon hunter, like the rest of her family.  She shrugs the news off in disbelief but that very night she unwittingly enters the lair of a powerful demon and her whole world is turned upside down.

She meets a stripper nicknamed Cupid, who states he is prisoner of the demon.  He is a graceful ballet dancer forced into slavery but yearning to escape his dangerous master.  When she sees a glowing aura around this young man, she realizes he isn’t just any ordinary lad, but something very special.  She knows she must try to save him.

Blurb
Can an angel be hiding here on Earth?

A veil of secrecy is lifted on Riley’s 18th birthday. She thought she knew the world, but now discovers she is a demon hunter. It doesn’t seem real, but then she meets Him, a charismatic young dancer with special powers.
He is a prisoner of a powerful demon.

What secrets does this stranger hide? Will Riley risk her own family to save Him?

 
Excerpt:

Small sandy feet pounded the warm pavement along the beach.  His heartbeat thrummed in his ears, faster than he ever thought possible.  The whispering kept getting closer, no matter how far or fast he ran.  He swiped a cap from outside a shower cubicle.  It was rather large for his head, a perfect disguise.  This covered most of his blond hair and shaded his eyes.  He hoped to outwit whoever was chasing him.  Turning a corner, he dove into a shaded alleyway and bent over to catch his breath.  An aching side-stitch now caught his attention, winding him.  His hands trembled as they rested on shaking and weakened knees.  Turning his cap backwards, he held his breath and peeked a look around the corner.  There was no sign of pursuit.  He let his breath out and wiped the sweat cascading down his cheeks that had soaked his swim shirt.  Fear drove him on.  It was instinct, not a rational decision on his behalf.  Then all the hairs on his body stood up on end.  A cold shiver ran down his spine.  A shadow passed over him.  A whisper, quiet and close.  Warm breath could be felt on his neck.  He turned around slow.  His eyes widened as his hands grasped for the wall at his back.  There was nowhere left to run.  “Oh please no…”

Biography:

 
Kasper J. Beaumont was born and raised in Australia and lives a quiet life with the family in a seaside town. Combining a love of fantasy and a penchant for travel in the Hunters of Reloria trilogy, she started to write on the urging of friends and family and enjoys watching readers become immersed in the magical world of Reloria. Kasper is a pen name for a rather shy author who is happy to remain unnamed.

 

The Hidden Angel series is a urban paranormal fantasy involving Angels and Demons in the seemingly ordinary city of Brisbane. Riley discovers she’s a demon hunter on her 18th birthday and enters a dangerous new world.
Book 1: Captive of the Captive, published 2019.

The Hunters of Reloria trilogy is about the magical world of Reloria where halflings and fairies share a lifelong bond. Dwarves, elves, knights and dragons inhabit this country, but their world is about to be invaded by scaly lizardmen and giant Cyclops.

Prequel: Fandri’s Adventures, published 2016.
Book 1: Elven Jewel, published 2012.
Book 2: Hunters’ Quest, published 2013
Book 3: Dragon’s Revenge, published 2014.

 
Kasper’s links: