Author Archive

I Dream of JINN AND JUICE – available now in e-book!

What’s your dearest wish? In celebration of the recent e-book release of JINN  AND JUICE (US | UK | AUS) , we’re granting wishes! Step right up and rub the magic lamp, but be careful what you wish for….

Jinn and Juice is a brand new urban fantasy novel by Nicole Peeler, author of the wickedly awesome Jane True series. For a limited time, you can pick up the e-book for only $2.99 in the US and £1.99 in the UK

Here’s a bit more about the story:

Cursed to be a jinni for a thousand years, Lyla nears the end of her servitude — only to be bound once again against her will. Will she risk all to be human?

Born in ancient Persia, Lyla turned to her house Jinni, Kouros, for help escaping an arranged marriage. Kouros did make it impossible for her to marry — by cursing Lyla to live a thousand years as a Jinni herself.

If she can remain unBound, Lyla’s curse will soon be over.

Unfortunately, becoming Bound may risk more than just her chance to be human once more — it could risk her very soul…

Praise for Jinn & Juice:

“Peeler is perfect. Jinn and Juice is her best urban fantasy yet with vibrant characters that leap off the page fully formed from the first line. Fast-paced, rowdy, smart, irresistible, and tender, there’s just no one who hits the urban fantasy marks as well as Peeler. Buy this book! Read it! Love it!”—Kat Richardson

“Peeler has done it again! Jinn and Juice is a delightful read filled with action, humor, heart, and a heroine to cheer for. And it doesn’t hurt that there are also sirens, trolls, bugbears, and plenty of Pittsburgh steel.”—Kevin Hearne

“Jinn and Juice is a raucous, raunchy tale well told. One thing’s certain: you’ll never look at Pittsburgh the same way after you’ve taken Nicole Peeler’s mythic joyride up, down, and sideways in pursuit of an abducted teenage girl and freedom from a thousand-year curse. Legend and history, betrayal and love intertwine as the story moves from lascivious sex clubs to the unraveling of a mystery to a magical jinni throw-down which will leave you panting for more. Jinn and Juice is Urban Fantasy at its smartest, naughtiest, funniest best.”—Juliet Blackwell

“Snarky, sexy! Beautifully descriptive and painstakingly plotted. Lyla is a smart, sly and just this side of scary. Peeler’s world-building is clever and complete with every possible fairy folk character! The other-worldly seems familiar and glamorous all at the same time. And I learned how to curse in a few new languages, so it was educational!”—Molly Harper on Jinn and Juice

*The print edition of Jinn and Juice will be available for purchase in April 2015.

The underworld trembles at the rise of the sun – A DANCE OF GHOSTS is available now!

“…a winning combination of A Game of Thrones, sword-and-sorcery RPGs, and vivid description.” –  Publishers Weekly on A DANCE OF CLOAKS

Today is the publication day of David Dalglish’s latest Shadowdance novel – A DANCE OF GHOSTS (US | UK | AUS)!

For longtime fans of the series, today is particularly exciting as it marks the first Shadowdance book that has never been previously published in any format.

What lies ahead for Haern and the city of Veldaren? Nothing but trouble that’s for sure.

A night of fire and blood heralds Muzien the Darkhand’s arrival to Veldaren. With him comes the might of the Sun Guild, eager to spread their criminal empire.

Left blind after being attacked by the Widow, Alyssa Gemcroft struggles to hold together the remnants of the Trifect as the Sun Guild’s arrival threatens to shatter whatever future her son might have left.

Veldaren’s only hope is in the Watcher, but Haern is no longer there. With his father, Thren Felhorn, he is traveling to the Stronghold, an ancient bastion of the dark paladins of Karak. Will they find the answers they seek? Or will the Stronghold be their final destination?

On BuzzFeed, David Dalglish pulls back the curtain on the editorial process. Check out this behind-the-scenes look at the making of a book, while we try and talk his editor out of murdering him.

Listen to a sample from the audiobook below!

Purchase THE CITY STAINED RED and you could be eligible to receive a special gift!

A day in the life of an adventurer is not all fun and games, as Lenk and his reckless band of warriors will surely attest to. Everything wants to kill you; nobody wants to pay you; and it’s just about certain that you’ll die horribly.

But the life does have a certain appeal for the right sort of personality. If you’re that sort of thrill-seeker, step up to the gate and purchase THE CITY STAINED RED by Sam Sykes. The e-book is only $1.99 for a limited time. Plus, if you purchase it now, you could be eligible to pick up a free signed comic book.

Fill out the form HERE (providing proof of purchase) to claim a copy for yourself while supplies last. This offer is only open to residents of  the United States.

If you’ve already bought and are enjoying THE CITY STAINED RED, consider supporting the author further by becoming a supporter on Thunderclap.

To read an excerpt from the novel, visit the author’s website and find out more about the world and its characters. (more…)

War of Shadows: The Battle to Rebuild a Shattered Kingdom

In ICE FORGED (US | UK | AUS) and REIGN OF ASH (US | UK | AUS), Blaine McFadden is sent into exile in an arctic prison colony for murdering the man who dishonored his sister. When a war destroys mankind’s ability to control magic and bend it to their will, out-of-control wild magic brings deadly storms, monsters pulled through rifts from other realms and a madness that drives its victims to violence. Blaine discovers that he might just be the only one who can put things right.

In WAR OF SHADOWS, Blaine and his convict friends discover that plenty of people are trying to kill them. Blaine’s attempts to fully restore the magic affect the new status quo. With the king and nobility gone, there’s a power vacuum, and some ruthless players have decided to fill that gap themselves. As warring factions fight over territory in the kingdom of Donderath, Blaine emerges as a warlord trying to restore the rule of law, amid betrayal, intrigue and opponents who will go to any length to see him dead.

I’m not nice to my characters. It’s true. Blaine’s had a rum go of it. Raised by an abusive father, forced to make a choice no one should have to make in order to save his sister and younger brother, condemned by the king and exiled to the edge of the world—it hasn’t been a good seven years. Yet Blaine rises to the challenge, not because he covets power, but because he doesn’t want to live in the world as it is, and someone has to step up to make the difference.

Blaine doesn’t go looking to be a hero. In fact, when he kills his father, he fully expects to die for the crime to spare his sister and brother from further abuse. An act of ‘mercy’ commutes his sentence from hanging to exile, but the Velant prison colony is known for its inhumane, grueling conditions. But Blaine finds it within himself to adapt, and that ability to change lies at the heart of the series. Blaine and his convict friends, as well as the survivors back in Donderath, find strengths they never knew they had when confronted with challenges they never expected to face.

Blaine’s story is also about the power of ‘the family you make.’ In the brutal environment of Velant, and then later as colonists in the harsh environs of Edgeland, Blaine survives because of the ‘family’ of loyal friends who band together to protect each other. Back in Donderath, his ‘found’ family combines with what remains of his blood family, and several key people are added to the group. Blaine’s companion’s skills, courage and loyalty make the difference for his survival and for having a chance to fix the magic and set things right.

I’m also having fun looking at how a kingdom reacts in the face of overwhelming disaster, destruction of both economic and governmental infrastructure and continued instability. That ‘perfect storm’ combination affects everything from food production to religious identity to social cohesion, turning everything that people thought they knew upside-down. It’s a crucible from which everyone emerges changed—if they emerge at all. And whatever solution is found, one thing is certain: nothing will ever be the same as it was before the disaster.

Depending on your view, that’s either a terrifying statement or the glimpse of hope at the end of the storm.

War of Shadows isn’t the end to Blaine’s story. I’m working on Book 4, SHADOW AND FLAME, right now. So there is more to come. Because surviving is just the beginning of the journey.

My Days of the Dead blog tour runs through October 31 with never-before-seen cover art, brand new excerpts from upcoming books and recent short stories, interviews, guest blog posts, giveaways and more! Plus, I’ll be including extra excerpt links for stories and books by author friends of mine.  You’ve got to visit the participating sites to get the goodies, just like Trick or Treat! Details here: www. AscendantKingdoms.com.

Trick or Treat: Enjoy an excerpt from Ice Forged, and a bonus excerpt from Reign of Ash.

THE CITY STAINED RED by Sam Sykes — out now in e-book!

It’s a rough life being an adventurer. The pay is shit, and every job has the potential to prove fatal, but hey, it beats sitting behind a desk all day!

If you’re looking to escape your own desk, we recommend checking out THE CITY STAINED RED—out today in e-book for a special introductory price! Purchase it now for only $1.99 wherever e-books are sold.

The fast-paced adventure fantasy about a band of battle-scarred mercenaries is really excellent, and bestselling author Robin Hobb says it best about The City Stained Red:

When I first began reading SF and fantasy, back in the Dark Ages when I was a mere slip of a girl, one of the things I most loved about the genre was that often the tales simply engulfed the reader from page one, with no explanation of where one was or what mores to expect. I loved that sensation of sudden immersion and knowing that I knew nothing but had to trust the author to reveal as the tale unfolded.

The City Stained Red does exactly that. From the very first page, I found myself frantically swimming in a very exotic environment, accompanied by some of the most reckless protagonists I’ve ever shared a point-of-view with. I swiftly learned that most of my assumptions about who they were and what they were up to were wrong.

If you’ve followed Sam Sykes on Twitter for any length of time, you are familiar with his “Buy my book” gags. Now you can support Sam, by not only buying his book, but by becoming a supporter on Thunderclap! Details here.

Visit the author’s website to read an excerpt, discover background information on the various races and inhabitants of Cier’Djaal, and much more! Look for the print edition of The City Stained Red online and in stores this January.

New York Comic Con Schedule for 2014!

NYCC

It seems like only yesterday that we were getting ready for San Diego Comic-Con. Now it’s New York’s turn and we could not be more excited! Come see us at booth #2218. We’ll have signings, giveaways, and special promotions throughout the weekend. Below is the full schedule of events and panels.

Thursday, October 9th

SIGNING + GIVEAWAY:  In-booth signing with Nicole Peeler; 2:00 PM at Booth #2218

Friday, October 10th

PANEL: Playing with Magic with Sam Sykes; 1:15 PM in Room 1A14
SIGNING: Sam Sykes and other panelists; 2:15 PM  at Table 19 in the Autographing Area

Saturday, October 11th

SIGNING + GIVEAWAY: In-booth signing with Gail Z. Martin; 11:00 AM at Booth #2218
PANEL: These Are My People/Aliens/Zombies/Vampires/Dragons! with N.K. Jemisin; 12:00 PM in Room 1A18
SIGNING: N.K. Jemisin and other panelists; 1:00 PM at Table 19 in the Autographing Area
PANEL: Not Your Mother’s Fairy Tales with Nicole Peeler; 3:00 PM in Room 1B03
SIGNING: Nicole Peeler and other panelists; 4:00 PM at Table 19 in the Autographing Area
SIGNING + GIVEAWAY: In-booth signing with Andy MacDonald, artist of the graphic novel adaptation of Brent Weeks’s THE WAY OF SHADOWS;  3:00 PM at Booth #2218*

Sunday, October 12th

PANEL: How A Game of Thrones Changed Fantasy…Or Has It? with Gail Z. Martin; 1:15 PM in Room 1A05
SIGNING: Nicole Peeler and other panelists; 2:15 PM at Table 10 in the Autographing Area

*We will be giving away graphic novel samplers of The Way of Shadows at the 3:00 PM signing. The newly released hardcover will be available for purchase from Yen Press at the convention.

Pre-order ANCILLARY SWORD to receive a free signed bookplate!

ANCILLARY SWORD (US | UK | AUS), the sequel to ANCILLARY JUSTICE (US | UK | AUS) and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, British Science Fiction, Locus and Arthur C. Clarke Awards, releases on October 7th!  If you pre-order the new novel now, you could be eligible to receive a free signed bookplate!

This offer is open to residents of the fifty United States and D.C., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Submit your information at www.annleckie.com, and read the first chapter now!

Praise for ANCILLARY SWORD:

“Breq’s struggle for meaningful justice in a society designed to favor the strong is as engaging as ever. Readers new to the author will be enthralled, and those familiar with the first book will find that the faith it inspired has not been misplaced.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Excellently building on the themes of the series while still functioning as a solid stand-alone novel in its own right, Ancillary Sword is a book every serious reader of science fiction should pick up.” — RT Book Reviews

 

On the Case with Bannon & Clare

I have enjoyed the Bannon & Clare books thoroughly. From inception to proofs, even when frustrated at the characters’ insistence on doing what they pleased instead of what I thought was proper, I have felt a secret little thrill of joy at each page.

No little of that joy comes from research—a huge canvas map of 1880s London hanging on my office wall, full of notes and dirty from my fingermarks, a shelf groaning under various Victoriana books and assorted notes stuffed in a binder covered with fleur-de-lis, long emails exchanged with various people about pepperbox pistols and gaslamps.

The other half comes from gleefully throwing research out the window and taking off into the wild blue yonder with only a guess and a prayer.

The longer a series goes on, the more choices one initially makes in the first flush of creation become…well, not quite a straitjacket, but foundation specs that need to be honored if a work is to have any internal consistency at all. In other words, you can have utter lunacy on the page, but it must be consistent lunacy.

I am certain there is much madness in any book of mine, but I do try to make it consistent. Part of that consistency is Emma Bannon’s character. She is female in a time and place that doesn’t allow women a great deal of leeway, and navigating through such a sea is a difficult thing. Her talents and business acumen make it both more and less difficult in varying ways, and she is most often the one to “rescue” Clare. That inversion, and the power dynamics between them, is fascinating for me.

Even though Archibald Clare is a mentath and a gentleman, he is not so much a hero as a socially awkward misfit unable to compromise his honour for advantage, and not really caring what the world thinks of him. Emma Bannon cares even less, but is forced to play the social games of a lady as if she did, because it makes things easier for her and those she protects. Neither of them are quite heroes, and I like that the usual “gendered” roles—rescuer and rescued, logic and emotion—for both of them shift and change all through the series.

Another area of consistent madness is the uneasy relationship between magic and Industrial Revolution technology in the series. I hesitated over calling the Bannon & Clare Affairs “steampunk” because to me, that’s an aesthetic, not a genre. I much prefer the term “alt-history,” especially since I know the exact moment their historical timeline diverged from our own less-magical (perhaps?) one.

Above all, though, I set out to tell some ripping good, exciting yarns. I hope I’ve succeeded. I did have plans for what I called “the traveling books”—Bannon & Clare in America, in Russia, in India during the Raj—but alas, those are not to be.

Yet.

So I hope you enjoy The Ripper Affair—and I hope my madness, so to speak, is consistent.

THE RIPPER AFFAIR (US | UK | AUS)  is available now! Look for it online and in stores everywhere, and check this sample from the audio book read by Moira Quirk.

Start reading THE BROKEN EYE on Wattpad

Hey Lightbringer fans, we know you’re eagerly waiting for the next Lightbringer book. Good news, over the next couple of weeks we’ll be releasing the first 50 pages from THE BROKEN EYE (US | UK | AUS). Follow Brent Weeks on Wattpad to receive an update when new chapters are available, and get a head start on the next exciting installment of The Lightbringer series.

Residents of the US, UK, and Australia can still pre-order THE BROKEN EYE and claim a free signed bookplate, plus gain access to two exclusive short stories written by Brent Weeks!  A couple of reminders:

1.) You must provide proof of purchase. This can be a picture or your receipt or copy of the confirmation email you received if you ordered online from your preferred retailer.

2.) You must fill out this form to qualify. Sending us your information by any other means does not qualify you to receive the bonuses.

3.) If you experienced any technological difficulties during the download of the short stories, please contact us so we can help you out.

4.) Supplies are limited. In fact, supplies are nearly gone. If you haven’t pre-ordered yet but want a bookplate, we suggest you pre-order soon. Once they’re gone, they are gone.

Full details and entry form can be found here.

 

The Rise of the Dragon and the Fall of Kings – THE WIDOW’S HOUSE

“The Dagger and Coin series had this reviewer hooked from day one, but with The Widow’s House, Abraham manages to wiggle the hook and embed it a bit further.” RT Book Reviews

The fourth book in The Dagger and the Coin series, THE WIDOW’S HOUSE (US | UK | AUS), is available now! This latest novel ratchets up the danger and suspense as our heroes move against the tyrannical Geder Palliako.  Have a look at what’s in store for Clara, Cithrin, Marcus and others:

THE RISE OF THE DRAGON AND THE FALL OF KINGS

Lord Regent Geder Palliako’s war has led his nation and the priests of the spider goddess to victory after victory. No power has withstood him, except for the heart of the one woman he desires. As the violence builds and the cracks in his rule begin to show, he will risk everything to gain her love or else her destruction.

Clara Kalliam, the loyal traitor, is torn between the woman she once was and the woman she has become. With her sons on all sides of the conflict, her house cannot stand, but there is a power in choosing when and how to fall.

And in Porte Oliva, banker Cithrin bel Sarcour and Captain Marcus Wester learn the terrible truth that links this war to the fall of the dragons millennia before, and that to save the world, Cithrin must conquer it.

If you haven’t started this series yet, go and read this excerpt from THE DRAGON’S PATH (US | UK | AUS) immediately. Daniel Abraham has crafted an absolutely fantastic series. If you like epic fantasy, you should be reading The Dagger and the Coin.

Praise for Daniel Abraham:

“[Daniel] Abraham just keeps getting better and better… [He] belongs in the first rank of today’s fantasists.”—George R.R. Martin, New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones

“You have to admire ace storyteller Abraham’s skill at building plausible alternate worlds, a trade much practiced, but not often so well, ever since the days of Tolkien and the Shire…”—Kirkus Reviews

“This smart, absorbing, fascinating military fantasy, exciting and genuinely suspenseful, will keep readers on their toes.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)