Weekly Recap

Last week got a little crazy near the end, what with edits coming back, a new website being made, and news about a future short story collection, and while I didn't exactly get everything completed, I passed the major obstacles:

• Format Midnight Sky for print and order author copies
• Complete and launch website (Completed but launch date is hesitant)

• Plot remaining books for the Iron Gargoyle series (create a map)
• Minor plot alterations and continue writing The Iron Gargoyle

• Edit Storm of the Gods 
• Make list of publishers accepting new authors and sending queries for Storm of the Gods 

This week, I'm determined to cross off the remaining items on my list:

• Launch website

• Plot remaining books for the Iron Gargoyle series (create a map)

• Continue editing Storm of the Gods (finish first chapter)
• Make list of publishers accepting new authors and sending queries for Storm of the Gods

Yes, it's time to keep forging ahead. I'm still working out the kinks for my new website (tentative launch on Thursday), and I'd like to assume the Iron Gargoyle series will be plotted out soon. I want to say that Chapter One of Storm of the Gods will be edited by the end of the week, but there's a lot to be done. Not that I'm complaining. Editing is a key part in being an author, and I actually kind of like doing it since once it's over, I know that my story is stronger and more polished. 

Damnation's Door has mostly winded down in terms of promotion, though it will still pop up on Kindle and Kobo for deals from time to time. I'm also thinking about doing a giveaway when my new website launches.  

Demons are free. Angels are fallen. Hope is dying...

Constance Ramirez and her adopted sister, Andromeda, have stopped Lucifer’s plan– They have closed the Heaven Gate and kept the demons out. But their choice came with brutal consequences, and now every angel on earth is trapped in their mortal body.

All that remains is closing the Hell Gate and establishing a balance once and for all. That means returning to the city of Constance’s nightmares, which has become a haven for murderers and monsters. But even more dangerous than their hunt is that Andromeda’s powers and instincts are turning darker, and this time Constance doesn’t know how to protect her.

Constance is ready to fight for her life, but her enemies have plans she can’t begin to imagine, and they’re prepared to make her suffer...

Trust is lost and hearts are broken in the epic conclusion in Amy Braun’s Cursed trilogy...

Media Kit

Chapter One

Buy it here:

Amazon Kindle | Paperback | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Nook | iBookstore |  Goodreads | Smashwords 

***

Starting this weekend, I'm going to work on promoting Dark Sky and its sequel, Midnight Sky.

There are secrets, there are betrayals, and there are sacrifices… 

The Behemoth has been destroyed, and the bloodthirsty Hellions seem to have left Westraven. But Claire Abernathy’s mind is not at ease. A terrible disease plagues her sister, appearing to have been brought on the Vesper, the leader of the Hellions beyond the tear between worlds– the Breach.

To save Abby and stop the Hellions for good, Claire must find the machine her parents built before the attacks, and fix it before the monsters return. To do so, she needs the help of her crew, and must ignore the secrets and rivalries between her captain and the man she saved.

Because the Hellions are not the only dangers following Claire. Twisted humans and old enemies surface to stop her and destroy all she loves. While she is determined to endure the trials, a single betrayal could shatter the hope of a better world, and force Claire to make a choice that will cost her dearly…

Media Kit

Chapter One

Preorder Links

Kindle | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Smashwords | Goodreads

Book bloggers interested in promoting/learning more about Crimson Sky and/or Midnight Sky can now signup for reviews and/or the release day blitz and blog tour:

Blogger Signups

Review Opportunity For Crimson Sky and Midnight Sky

Midnight Sky Release Day Blitz

Midnight Sky Blog Tour

Onto other writing news. Last week, Mocha Memoirs Press, my first professional publishers, emailed me with plans to combine four of my short stories– Call From The Grave, Hotel Hell, Lost Sky, and the upcoming Engineered Deceit– into a single collection called The Shadow Omnibus! I'm jumping all over myself with excitement for this, and couldn't be more thrilled about the September release. I think it'll be a great way to not only promote myself as an author, but to help promote the Dark Sky series since two of the stories in the collection coincide with it. 

And that's what's happening! Hopefully Thursday's post will be on my new website, but regardless, I'll keep everyone posted about what's going on. Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers!
Amy

Progress Report (And A New Collection Coming Soon!)

Things are finally moving forward for this author! The printed proofs are finally on the way for Midnight Sky, now that I know the limitations of Scrivener for print formatting. So note to anyone thinking about buying a paperback for Midnight Sky– you get some bonus content! I'll go more into it when I officially launch my new website next week. It will likely happen Monday (possibly Tuesday, depending on some other tweaks I want to do), and it's come together really well. The newsletter signup isn't quite ready yet (though I can't wait to do that), and the shop isn't ready, but I'm still very excited about its look. The blog will stay up to redirect traffic, but nothing new will be posted.

I'm definitely looking forward to the Midnight Sky promotions starting in July. I'm really excited for this novel and have heard some good feedback from early reviews, so hopefully the pre-order sales will go up. *hint hint wink wink nudge nudge look below*

There are secrets, there are betrayals, and there are sacrifices… 

The Behemoth has been destroyed, and the bloodthirsty Hellions seem to have left Westraven. But Claire Abernathy’s mind is not at ease. A terrible disease plagues her sister, appearing to have been brought on the Vesper, the leader of the Hellions beyond the tear between worlds– the Breach.

To save Abby and stop the Hellions for good, Claire must find the machine her parents built before the attacks, and fix it before the monsters return. To do so, she needs the help of her crew, and must ignore the secrets and rivalries between her captain and the man she saved.

Because the Hellions are not the only dangers following Claire. Twisted humans and old enemies surface to stop her and destroy all she loves. While she is determined to endure the trials, a single betrayal could shatter the hope of a better world, and force Claire to make a choice that will cost her dearly…

Media Kit

Chapter One

Preorder Links

Kindle | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Smashwords | Goodreads

If you're a book blogger/reviewer interested in reading Crimson Sky and/or Midnight Sky, you can enter the signup sheet below! 

Review Opportunity for Crimson Sky and Midnight Sky

Now, updates on the new projects, since there's quite a bit. First, I'm super excited to announce that I'll be working with the wonderful team at Mocha Memoirs Press again. I was ecstatic when they emailed me with news that the four short stories I have published with them– Call From The Grave, Hotel Hell, Lost Sky, and the upcoming Engineered Deceit– will be put together in a single collection! I've always wanted to do this, and to have it offered is nothing short of awesome. The collection will be called The Shadow Omnibus and is scheduled for an early September release in both ebook and paperback. I can't wait to see the result!

That's the most I have to say for now. I'm a little stuck in a scene for The Iron Gargoyle and might want to sneak a few minutes of editing in for Storm of the Gods before I have to go to the Real Job. There will be a couple more posts on the blog before I move to my new website, so stayed tuned for a little while longer!
Cheers!
Amy

Weekly Recap (Upcoming Plans And New Website Coming Soon!)

I wish I could say I was very productive last week, but the major stuff I wanted to do wasn't accomplished. Mostly because I'm having issues with it. Of course they're little simple things that must have an easy fix I'm just not seeing *frowns*. That said, I still managed to get some goals crossed off, or at least started:

• Format Midnight Sky for print and order author copies

• Plot remaining books for the Iron Gargoyle series (create a map)
• Continue writing The Iron Gargoyle, the first Iron Gargoyle novel

• Beta read edits for Storm of the Gods  (Finish them up)
• Formal edits and minor tweaking for Storm of the Gods (Finish them up)
• Make list of publishers accepting new authors and sending queries for Storm of the Gods 
• Look through Scrivener tutorials and begin working from there

And here's what I want to do this week, bullets one and two being the most important:

• Format Midnight Sky for print and order author copies
• Complete and launch website

• Plot remaining books for the Iron Gargoyle series (create a map)
• Minor plot alterations and continue writing The Iron Gargoyle

• Edit Storm of the Gods 
• Make list of publishers accepting new authors and sending queries for Storm of the Gods 

I'm still going to promote Damnation's Door, though the tours I had going on have winded down, though I recently did my first ever character interview, which was even more fun than I thought it would be. Recently, I've been using Kindle and Kobo's services to promote my books, which is a trial and error thing I need to get better at. 

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I fully completed a book series. How crazy is that? I definitely learned a lot from the Cursed series and couldn't be happier that I put in the effort to see it through to the end. 

Demons are free. Angels are fallen. Hope is dying...

Constance Ramirez and her adopted sister, Andromeda, have stopped Lucifer’s plan– They have closed the Heaven Gate and kept the demons out. But their choice came with brutal consequences, and now every angel on earth is trapped in their mortal body.

All that remains is closing the Hell Gate and establishing a balance once and for all. That means returning to the city of Constance’s nightmares, which has become a haven for murderers and monsters. But even more dangerous than their hunt is that Andromeda’s powers and instincts are turning darker, and this time Constance doesn’t know how to protect her.

Constance is ready to fight for her life, but her enemies have plans she can’t begin to imagine, and they’re prepared to make her suffer...

Trust is lost and hearts are broken in the epic conclusion in Amy Braun’s Cursed trilogy...

Media Kit

Chapter One

Buy it here:

Amazon Kindle | Paperback | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Nook | iBookstore |  Goodreads | Smashwords 

***

As things wind down with Cursed and Damnation's Door, I'm turning my energies to Dark Sky and the upcoming sequel, Midnight Sky.

There are secrets, there are betrayals, and there are sacrifices… 

The Behemoth has been destroyed, and the bloodthirsty Hellions seem to have left Westraven. But Claire Abernathy’s mind is not at ease. A terrible disease plagues her sister, appearing to have been brought on the Vesper, the leader of the Hellions beyond the tear between worlds– the Breach.

To save Abby and stop the Hellions for good, Claire must find the machine her parents built before the attacks, and fix it before the monsters return. To do so, she needs the help of her crew, and must ignore the secrets and rivalries between her captain and the man she saved.

Because the Hellions are not the only dangers following Claire. Twisted humans and old enemies surface to stop her and destroy all she loves. While she is determined to endure the trials, a single betrayal could shatter the hope of a better world, and force Claire to make a choice that will cost her dearly…

Media Kit

Chapter One

Preorder Links

Kindle | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Smashwords | Goodreads

I've heard very positive feedback so far, but if you're a book blogger/reviewer interested in reading Crimson Sky and/or Midnight Sky, feel free to enter the sign-up sheet below! 

Review Opportunity for Crimson Sky and Midnight Sky

Looking at those covers rocks my world, and I can't wait to see what they'll look like when they're placed next to the prequel novellas in the fall and the final novel next year. 
Now, onto the news. I've been keeping it under wraps for a couple months, but I should let frequent readers of the blog know that I'll be moving to a brand new website *hopefully* at the end of the month. I'm familiar with Blogger and it's been working so far, but the simple fact is that I have a new novel I want to send out in another month or two. I want to show publishers that I take my career seriously, and what better way than to have a crisp new website? I'm using Wordpress and while it's been throwing me for some loops (seriously, it should not be that hard to make more than one drop down menu under the main header!), I love the way the site is coming together. I don't know if they'll be on their when the site launches, but I'll be working on setting up a mailing list with occasional, exclusive bonuses for those who sign-up, and an online shop for readers to buy my books. However, I intend to spend less time blogging and focus on my writing. I won't continue doing weekly/month recaps or Thursday posts (GIAM bloggers, you'll get the basics). That said, when something big happens, it will go on the blog, and I'll likely continue with review posts and will definitely keep up with Weekend Writing Warriors. 
I've started the edits for Storm of the Gods, which will need way more work than even I expected. That said, I'm looking forward to working with the new world and have so far been very impressed with my new editor. I'm hoping this new series goes far, and will be working hard to give it all the promotion and spotlight it deserves, regardless of whether it gets accepted by publishers or not. I'm hoping that will be the case *dreams about writing as a full-time hybrid author* but if not, then Storm of the Gods will be written, fully edited, and potentially formatted for a new release in 2017. I'm even thinking about adding graphics to the chapter pages. I know– it'd be pretty cool. 
Also gaining ground is The Iron Gargoyle, another new post-apocalyptic urban fantasy series that will go through the same process Storm of the Gods and the Areios Brothers series is currently undergoing. I recently discovered that I needed to alter the world history and therefore my plot, but thankfully it hasn't really affected what I've written so far. Still, the sooner I make the changes, the better and stronger the story will be.
So that's what I have coming up! I'm really hoping to have at least the paperbacks for Midnight Sky or the final version of my website finished today. It's killing me that I have to do all that boring stuff when I'm actually aching to write, but I do need to prioritize my time, and both of those tasks have been nagging me for weeks, and the sooner I have them done, the more time I'll have for my writing! Which means I need to get to work! 
Cheers!
Amy

Sunday Snippet: "A single snap in battle could get him killed."

Welcome to 8Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly blog hop where indie authors get to share their work in 8-10 sentences. I couldn't really find a snippet appropriate for Father's Day, so instead, I decided to use a snippet featuring a character who acts like a father figure for Constance in Damnation's Door. She seeks Sephiel, a former warrior angel, for counsel and advice about the mass murders in her old hometown, but as expected, doesn't get the answers she wants to hear...

“Seph,” I asked the ex-angel, who stood across from me on the other side of the curtain, watching the opposite end of the street. “These killings, the major ones... do you think Lucifer is behind them rather than Mateo?”

Sephiel went very still. Talking about Lucifer always made him tense, and I had to remind myself not to push him. He was human now, and his emotions weren’t so tightly reined anymore. A single snap in battle could get him killed.

“It is likely they are working in collaboration,” he finally said. “Perhaps Lucifer is feeding Mateo Rocha’s thirst for vengeance, and your former lover is constructing the circumstances for the slaughter. His men are nearly always there, are they not?”

***

Still got lots going on. Damnation's Door is still on its blog tour, and one particular stop features an author interview, a character interview, and a giveaway. I've never done a character interview before, and it was a lot of fun to get back inside Constance's head and have her answer questions not typically posed for her. I'm still working on formatting Midnight Sky, editing Storm of the Gods, and rebuilding the world/writing The Iron Gargoyle. I would go into more detail, but I'm half-falling asleep at my desk. Not as comfy as a bed.

Be sure to check out the other Weekend Writing Warriors and leave some love and wishes in the comments of their blogs. You have no idea how much that means to us!

Speaking of love and wishes, I hope everyone enjoys their father's day! Love you, Dad!

Amy

Progress Report (And First Character Interview!)

It's been a little bit of a chaotic (though productive) week. I've started writing exclusively with Scrivener, and aside from some formatting issues, I really enjoy it. I'm still fiddling with the paperback version of  Midnight Sky, though I hope to have it sorted out by the end of the week or early next week. I really want it in my hands!

Onto the cool stuff. As part of the Damnation's Door release, I did my first ever character interview! It was way more fun than I expected. It was nice to get inside Constance's mind again.

Demons are free. Angels are fallen. Hope is dying...

Constance Ramirez and her adopted sister, Andromeda, have stopped Lucifer’s plan– They have closed the Heaven Gate and kept the demons out. But their choice came with brutal consequences, and now every angel on earth is trapped in their mortal body.

All that remains is closing the Hell Gate and establishing a balance once and for all. That means returning to the city of Constance’s nightmares, which has become a haven for murderers and monsters. But even more dangerous than their hunt is that Andromeda’s powers and instincts are turning darker, and this time Constance doesn’t know how to protect her.

Constance is ready to fight for her life, but her enemies have plans she can’t begin to imagine, and they’re prepared to make her suffer...

Trust is lost and hearts are broken in the epic conclusion in Amy Braun’s Cursed trilogy...

Buy it here:

Amazon Kindle | Paperback | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Nook | iBookstore |  Goodreads | Smashwords 

***

I really can't wait to start the promos for Midnight Sky. It's going to be a lot of fun setting up all the blog tours, reviews, and giveaways. I had so much fun writing this novel and can't wait to share it. 

There are secrets, there are betrayals, and there are sacrifices… 

The Behemoth has been destroyed, and the bloodthirsty Hellions seem to have left Westraven. But Claire Abernathy’s mind is not at ease. A terrible disease plagues her sister, appearing to have been brought on the Vesper, the leader of the Hellions beyond the tear between worlds– the Breach.

To save Abby and stop the Hellions for good, Claire must find the machine her parents built before the attacks, and fix it before the monsters return. To do so, she needs the help of her crew, and must ignore the secrets and rivalries between her captain and the man she saved.

Because the Hellions are not the only dangers following Claire. Twisted humans and old enemies surface to stop her and destroy all she loves. While she is determined to endure the trials, a single betrayal could shatter the hope of a better world, and force Claire to make a choice that will cost her dearly…

Media Kit

Chapter One

Preorder Links

Kindle | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Smashwords | Goodreads

***
As far as usual writing goes, I'm still searching for time to edit Storm of the Gods so I can send it to my editor. I dread all the work that will go into it, but I look forward to sending out the final product. The Iron Gargoyle is also going great. I'm still toying with ideas and the world and haven't finish some of the details, but I'm learning more about the world the more that I write it.

That's all I've got to share for now. I admit I'm rushing a little since I want to get writing, but what can I say? It's part of the job!

Cheers!

Amy

Weekly Recap (So Much Work!)

I know I missed this last week, but I was out of town for my best friends birthday party, and when we came back into town, all we wanted to do was see X:Men Apocalypse and go out for drinks. That's my excuse, and I think it's a damn good one! But don't assume I wasn't working. Granted, I got almost no new words in, but I managed to get a lot completed in the last couple weeks:

• Send out Midnight Sky media kit and pre-order links for promotions
• Format Midnight Sky for print and ebook (test out Scrivener) (Just need to do the print versions)

• Series outline, and plots for the Iron Gargoyle series (create a map) (First novel is plotted)
• Start writing The Iron Gargoyle, the first Iron Gargoyle novel

• Finish the sequel to Storm of the Gods 
• Beta read edits for Storm of the Gods (if they come in)
• Open contests for Damnation's Door (released next week!)

This week, the key word will be editing. The bane of every writer's existence, but if I want people to take me seriously as an author (meaning agents, publishers, reviewers, and readers), I need to work my ass off. So here's what I need to do this week:

• Format Midnight Sky for print and order author copies

• Plot remaining books for the Iron Gargoyle series (create a map)
• Continue writing The Iron Gargoyle, the first Iron Gargoyle novel

• Beta read edits for Storm of the Gods 
• Formal edits and minor tweaking for Storm of the Gods 
• Make list of publishers accepting new authors and sending queries for Storm of the Gods 
• Look through Scrivener tutorials and begin working from there

Yup. All of this for me. Still, I'm riding high for the release of Damnation's Door, which happened last week and is coming to the end of its two blog tours and release blitzes put together by XPresso Book Tours and En Pointe Author Services, which have contests and promotions open for 24 more hours!

Demons are free. Angels are fallen. Hope is dying...

Constance Ramirez and her adopted sister, Andromeda, have stopped Lucifer’s plan– They have closed the Heaven Gate and kept the demons out. But their choice came with brutal consequences, and now every angel on earth is trapped in their mortal body.

All that remains is closing the Hell Gate and establishing a balance once and for all. That means returning to the city of Constance’s nightmares, which has become a haven for murderers and monsters. But even more dangerous than their hunt is that Andromeda’s powers and instincts are turning darker, and this time Constance doesn’t know how to protect her.

Constance is ready to fight for her life, but her enemies have plans she can’t begin to imagine, and they’re prepared to make her suffer...

Trust is lost and hearts are broken in the epic conclusion in Amy Braun’s Cursed trilogy...

Media Kit

Chapter One

Buy it here:

Amazon Kindle | Paperback | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Nook | iBookstore |  Goodreads | Smashwords 

Giveaways:

The Bookish Crypt Damnation's Door and Cursed series giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sign Ups:

Book Blitz for Damnation's Door
Release Blitz and Blog Tour for Damnation's Door

With the end of the Cursed series now upon us, all my attention is turning to Dark Sky and the novels and novellas taking up my schedule for the rest of the year, starting with Midnight Sky, the sequel.

There are secrets, there are betrayals, and there are sacrifices… 

The Behemoth has been destroyed, and the bloodthirsty Hellions seem to have left Westraven. But Claire Abernathy’s mind is not at ease. A terrible disease plagues her sister, appearing to have been brought on the Vesper, the leader of the Hellions beyond the tear between worlds– the Breach.

To save Abby and stop the Hellions for good, Claire must find the machine her parents built before the attacks, and fix it before the monsters return. To do so, she needs the help of her crew, and must ignore the secrets and rivalries between her captain and the man she saved.

Because the Hellions are not the only dangers following Claire. Twisted humans and old enemies surface to stop her and destroy all she loves. While she is determined to endure the trials, a single betrayal could shatter the hope of a better world, and force Claire to make a choice that will cost her dearly…

Media Kit

Chapter One

Preorder Links

Kindle | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Smashwords | Goodreads

I cannot get enough of that cover or that artwork. Seriously. I can't keep gushing about it, and for any bloggers/reviewers interested in reviewing the novel, you have your chance here:

Review Opportunity for Crimson Sky and Midnight Sky

Alas, promotion isn't the only thing I'll be working on in the coming weeks. Storm of the Gods has gotten its Beta edits back, and holy smokes, do I have a lot of work to do if I'm going to send it to publishers. I meant, that should be a given, really, but I'd rather it just be accepted and then I don't have to work any more! Why can't anything be easy? Sigh... 
Still, I'm testing out a new editor who is mega-detailed, and I think Storm of the Gods and the Areios Brothers series as a whole will gain a lot from working with her. I've never feared editing, and even if the series isn't accepted for a book deal, I'll be thrilled to publish it myself knowing it will be polished to a pristine finish. 
The Iron Gargoyle is still going strong. I haven't found the time to work on the other plots for the novels, but I'm hoping to do that within the next week or two so I have a better understanding of what I might need to add to the first novel to affect later novels, if that makes sense. That said, I'm loving the way thing are playing out and can't wait to see where it ends!
So, yeah. Every time I think I've caught up on my work, more tumbles down the line. Still, it makes me happy, and the massage I'm getting in a couple hours is destined to do wonders. Worst comes to worst, if my chosen career becomes too much to handle, I have a backup plan...

Hey, all the great authors did it, right? Cheers!

Amy