Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! 

What am I thankful for? A whole day to spend with the people I love...My husband has the day off, my eldest is home for the weekend from her university, my two live-at-home teens have no activities, and the fridge is full to the brim of goodies for us to eat (although I had a bit of a time trying to find a turkey in the US in October...). My cup continually runs over, and I am so blessed to have all of the opportunities I do. 

To celebrate all of this largess, and as a toke of my gratitude to you, my readers, I've lowered the price of both SKIN and TREASURE IN THE FLAME Kindle ebooks for a whole week! Just $2.99! This week is also #TeenReadsWeek, and yesterday was #IndieAuthorDay, so what better time to have a sale on my indie YA's? If you haven't read them, now is your chance.

If you are in the US, click here. In Canada? Try here. Elsewhere in the world? Check out your local Amazon. :) 

Hope you all have a good book to read, a comfy couch to snuggle into and a thankful heart today. 

With love,

Brenda

CITADELS OF FIRE Cover Reveal!

Day two of COVER REVEAL MADNESS!

 

Today's cover reveal is a historical fiction written by the fabulous LK Hill.

CITADELS OF FIRE is described as follows:

In a world where power is paid for in blood, no one ever aspires to more than what they were born to, and danger hides in plain sight, Inga, a maid in the imperial Russian palace, must find the courage to break the oppressive chains she’s been bound with since birth.

Inga’s life in sixteenth century Russia is bleak until a man she crossed paths with as a child returns to the Kremlin. Taras is convinced his mother’s death when he was a boy was no mere accident and has returned to try and discover what really happened, all during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the most brutal and notorious ruler ever to sit the throne of Russia. While Taras finds only lies and silence where he seeks truth, Inga struggles with the feelings of oppression that have plagued her for most of her life. Taras gives her the chance to leave her loneliness behind forever, but the cost and future of such a liaison is uncertain and Inga is afraid.

Up against the social confines of the time, the shadowy conspiracies that cloak their history, and the sexual politics of the Russian imperial court, Inga and Taras must discover their past, plan for their future, and survive the brutality that permeates life within the four walls that tower over them all, or they may end up like so many citizens of ancient Russia: nothing but flesh and bone mortar for the stones of the Kremlin wall.

So with out further ado...

Here it is!

 

 

 

 

Beautiful! Love the flames and the ominous sky. What do you think?

 

 

You can find more about LK Hill and her book on her blogs...

 

lkhill.blogspot.com

musingsonfantasia.blogspot.com

 

...or on the Jolly Fish Press website!

 

Tune in on the 9th to see the next cover reveal...for CONFESSIONS OF THE VERY FIRST ZOMBIE SLAYER (THAT I KNOW OF)  by F.J.R. Titchenell!

 

Brenda

Quick Update

Hi fabulous followers et al!

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter/Passover/Spring Break or whatever you celebrate!

Sorry I've been so quiet on the blog as of late, but life has been very busy with a new day job (which I love), crazy edits (which I'm, ah-hem, learning to love), chats with my agents (who are AMAZING), book signings (so much fun!) and the regular day to day insanity that is the life of a working mom, writer, and military spouse. Things should be quieting down for a few weeks, and I'm hoping to focus on getting some new words down on at least one of my projects.



At Chapters Pinecrest, Ottawa. A great day!

I spent Easter at home with family, and managed to fit in a few book signings at Westminster Books in downtown Fredericton and at Chapters Regent Mall. I had a great time, met some wonderful people, chatted with some potential young authors and even sold a few copies of TREASURE! It's truly rewarding to hear the feedback from readers, and I had several people pop by just to tell me how much they loved reading my book.

One of the biggest compliments I've recieved--and now I've heard it twice--is that reading TREASURE was not only enjoyable, but that it encouraged the reader to read OTHER BOOKS. That reading my book gave them so much pleasure, it made them want to read more--to "get back into reading". Now THAT is a compliment! So happy to reunite readers with the wonders of a good book!

My PR guy has been working overtime, and I've also been in several papers in both the Ottawa area and the Fredericton area over the past few weeks. My favourite was an interview for the EMC. You can find a link to the story here.

One quick note: I've had a couple of people comment that when they go to a Chapters store, my book comes up as "0 copies in this store" on the store computers. TREASURE is IN STOCK at the Chapters stores listed on the tab above. Self-published books do not show up on their computer system because they are stocked differently. Go to a store clerk/employee and ask them. They'll help you find where they are! If you have any other problems, please comment below, and I'll happily connect you with a copy.

Have a great week! Brenda

Christmas is coming!

Christmas preps are in full swing and I've been having a great time sharing my story with others this week! I hired a PR guy (*cough* my husband *cough*) and he has been a huge help in getting the word out to everyone! He even got me a spot in the local paper!

On Thursday morning I was fortunate enough to have a chance to talk to Drew and Diana at Star 97.5 in Kemptville on their morning show! It was a lot of fun chatting about my book and how it came into being. I even left a signed copy for them to give away, so stay tuned if you live in the Kemptville area! You can find out more here.  I also did a taped interview for 1310 news/ Y101 in Ottawa. My PR guy had suggested I call them and set up a time...so I did so from the side of the road on my cell phone. I was completely cought off guard when the call turned into an interview! Y101 covers most of Eastern Ontario...so if you heard it, please know that I was in my truck on the side of the road as I spoke with them. Yeah, I learned my lesson! Always be prepared when talking to the media! I believe they ran it yesterday, and again this morning.

Today, December 1st, I will be signing books from 11:30 to 2:30 at Mirick's Landing in Merrickville as part of Christmas in Merrickville celebrations.  You can find out more here. And tomorrow I will be doing the same thing at the Jack Purcell Centre in Ottawa (just off of Elgin street) as part of the Ottawa Authors and Artisans Fair. Info is here. I'm looking forward to attending both events-- and maybe get some of my Christmas shopping done!

Also a gentle reminder...If you'd like to buy a book off of my website (Paypal button to the right of this post), the best time to do so is before December 7th. I can't guarantee that the books will get there before Christmas if you order later than that, and I'd hate for it to arrive late!

Hope you are all enjoying the build up to the holiday season. I'm really looking forward to spending some time with my favourite people in the world...my family...as the big day approaches. And maybe even read a book that I didn't write! Any good suggestions? 

Brenda

Treasure for Christmas

How did it get to be November 5th? The insanity of life continues but yay! I finished the first draft of DEPENDENT! Woohoo! Happy dance! Cannot tell you how good it feels to close the cover on that story for a few weeks. I'm slowly picking away at the sequel to TREASURE for NaNoWriMo, but I've realized that (gasp!) Christmas is coming, and I'm not ready. November always seems to roll through like a freight train with all of the busy-ness of life. So for those of you in the same boat, I thought I'd make a wee suggestion...

Why not give TREASURE IN THE FLAME to your friends and family for Christmas? It's a perfect, fun little story for anyone 12 years and older, and you can even give a SIGNED COPY if you live in Canada! How can you get your hands on a paperback copy of my wee bookie? Well let me give you the low down:

ONLINE:

Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk,  and Amazon.de all have copies of Treasure available for purchase. If you are penny pinching, Amazon often offers free shipping, and has the cheapest purchase price of all of your options. Final Christmas shipping dates are available on the websites.

IN STORE:

Currently available for purchase at the following locations:

*Ryan's Pharmacy in the Nackawic Shopping Centre, Nackawic, New Brunswick (Canada)
*Westminster Books in Fredericton, NB (Canada)
*Mirick's Landing in Merrickville, ON (Canada)

If these places run out, they'll order more, and they should be open right up to Christmas eve. :) If you would like to sell TREASURE in your venue, please comment below and I'll get them to you.

FROM ME:

See the "BUY NOW" box on the right? If you click on the button, it will offer you a PayPal purchase option. This method is currently only available in Canada. If you would like your book SIGNED, please fill out the special instructions box BEFORE you click on the PayPal BUY NOW button. I'll happily sign it and send it through to you.

Last date to order for Christmas via this method is DECEMBER 7th.

UPCOMING SIGNINGS:

NOVEMBER 17th: Currently working on acquiring a table at St Michael Catholic High School's Craft Fair--I'm hoping to be there all day (in Kemptville, ON) selling and signing. Pop buy and say hello! More info to follow.

DECEMBER 1st: I'll be in Merrickville, ON in the alleyway between shops at Mirick's Landing. More info to follow.


And there you have it. If you still don't have an option to purchase TREASURE from the above possibilities, comment below, and I'll see what I can do.  Will be posting this info permanently on my website, and updating as things change. Thanks and Happy Christmas Shopping!

Brenda

Launch Week Recap

Six days, 2500km of driving, numerous meetings, two signings, a school presentation and a whole lot of learning later, TREASURE IN THE FLAME is now well and truly launched into the world. What a fabulous time! And what better place to launch my book than in the place that gave birth to the story itself, my home province of New Brunswick? And even better, I got to spend Canadian Thanksgiving weekend with family and friends in my home town.  Wonderful.

Rather than bore you all with the details, I'll share some of my favorite pictures of the day below.  I'm sad I didn't get a picture of the students and teachers at Woodstock Middle School (who were so welcoming and fun), but believe me when I say it was a great place to visit...and my dry throat after speaking to two consecutive classes (for 48 minutes straight each) gave me a new respect for teachers!

Hanging out with owner Greg MacFarlane of Ryan's Pharmacy in my hometown of Nackawic!

I spent a few fantastic hours signing books at Ryan's Pharmacy on Friday morning (October 5th).  They have generously offered to sell my books there! Met up with many, many familiar faces from the past, and a few new ones. So nice to see everyone!

After the morning at Ryan's I drove to Westminster Books in Fredericton, who have also agreed to sell TREASURE.  Hope to get back there to do a signing sometime soon.

 

LAUNCH DAY!



October 6th "Launch at the Landing"...me all ready to sign and say hello!

Launch day dawned a bit dreary, but what better way to spend Thanksgiving weekend than to visit a historical settlement?  Not sure how many people came through the door, but I had visits from friends I hadn't seen in YEARS and met so many wonderful, interesting visitors.  The staff at Kings Landing are FANTASTIC. So kind, helpful and supportive of my book. 

The Printmaster

One of the great things about launching a historical fiction in a living, working museum is the fact that the staff not only know history, they live it every day.  When I asked if Jim, the Printmaster, would mind making up a bookmark with his fancy 1890's hand press, he knew just what to do. It's mind boggling how many little bitty metal letters, numbers and symbols are in his shop. But the result was gorgeous... See?

Beautiful bookmark!

I have hundreds of other pictures, but I leave you with one last shot...and save a few for another time.  This is a picture taken in the Ingerham house...hot fresh baked biscuits (from a dutch oven heated by coals at the fireside) and handcrafted raspberry butter.  YUM. You cannot know how good this was. I'm sure Caroline couldn't have done much better herself.  It was warm and cozy in the kitchen with the hearth fire blazing, and the ladies were working on needlework and knitting as we snacked.  A perfect afternoon in a 19thC kitchen. 

 

All in all it was a great week!  Thank you so much to everyone who made it possible.  I couldn't have done it without you.  And now to finish my work in progress and prepare for NaNoWriMo (ie-writing a sequel to TREASURE)...  Have a great week!

 

Brenda

 



Launch at the Landing!

Where: King's Landing Historical Settlement in New Brunswick (more information HERE)

When: October 6th, 2012 (opening hours from 10-5, best time to catch me is between 2 and closing at the Visitor's Centre)

Who: ME!

What: It's Thanksgiving weekend at the Landing, so it will be a great time to pop by, have a look around, try some apple pie and enjoy the atmosphere.  I'll be in the Visitors Centre, so say hello on your way in, and buy a book (and have it signed) on your way out! Or join me at the King's Head Inn for lunch, where I might just crack open a book and read a bit while I sip some yummy apple cider. Can't wait to see you all there!

Paperback Now Available!

Hooray! Yahoo! Dance for joy!

TREASURE IN THE FLAME is now available to purchase in beautiful paperback format from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and Amazon Europe (.it, .sp...)! I am so excited to share it with you!

Don't live in the USA, UK or Europe? Amazon will ship to most other countries (including Canada!). The shipping charge is small for one book.

If you are wondering... Amazon.ca will eventually carry TREASURE, but they lag a few weeks behind the other Amazon companies. In the meantime, I have books on hand, and will be offering them for sale for anyone in the local area. If there is enough interest I may also offer a purchase option via my blog using PayPal. (please comment below if you like the idea of this option.)

In the next few weeks I hope to bring my book to gift shops in several historical places, to indie bookstores, and to other places of interest. I am also planning a trip to beautiful New Brunswick for signings and maybe even a 'Late Launch at the Landing'. Please keep checking back for more information.

Don't forget to 'Like' me on facebook (Brenda Corey Dunne-Author) and 'Follow' me on twitter (@overdunne) for up to the moment updates!

Happy reading!

Brenda

HERE IT IS!

TA-DAAAA!

Presenting the fabulous results of Streetlight Graphics cover magic! I am absolutely over-the-moon excited about this. They have done a fabulous job of taking an image and making it shine. A little bit of mystery, little bit darkness, and a whole lot of don'tchawannagobuyit? I love how we managed to stay true to the time period (the story is set in the early 1800s) and yet jazz up the picture with flame-inspired color.

Thank you so much to my father, David Corey, for the image taken at Kings Landing Historical Settlement in New Brunswick, Canada. A native New Brunswicker, I've seen this mill many, many, many times...and it serves as the main setting. Want more information about Kings Landing? Check out this link-- their brand spanking new website. Want more information about my book and when/where it will be released?  Stay tuned!

So what do you think? Like it? Let me know what you think. See the little comment box down there? Click it and type in your thoughts! I'd LOVE to hear them!

Brenda

EBOOK Cover Reveal...FRIDAY!

This week is gearing up to be absolutely fantabulous!

Firstly, I will be attending WriteOnCon for my third year in a row on Tuesday and Wednesday! If you haven't heard, WriteOnCon is a FREE (yup, FREE. I like free...) online conference for writerly peeps who write for the younger crowd--that is 18 or under. As my SKIN manuscript is YA, I've already posted a few snippets in the forums and am getting some amazing feedback. On Tuesday the conference goes live, with free live chats with agents/authors/publishing people, key note speeches, video forums... It's basically a real conference that you follow at home. That means you can sit in front of your laptop, in your pjs, drinking coffee and absorbing information without leaving your house. What's not to love?  Check it out at writeoncon.com !

But that's not all. While SKIN is out there in the big world searching for love in the traditional publishing world, TREASURE IN THE FLAME is nearing it's self publishing debut! To celebrate the awesomeness, I'll be revealing my ebook cover HERE, on Friday! How cool is that?

Do you like historical fiction? Do you like adventure? Romance? Treasure? Magic? Maybe even a zombie? Then hold on to your seat, because  TREASURE IN THE FLAME is coming soon to an e-platform near you!

Brenda

Cover in progress.

The folks at Streetlight Graphics are working away at the cover for TREASURE IN THE FLAME! So exciting, but so stressful. I want it to look good. I want it to look like a novel should, not something just thrown together to slam on an epub site. And I want it to give a hint of the story, but not too much. Not an easy task! I will say that what I've seen so far is amazing. Can't wait to reveal the end result to you!