Showing posts with label Shawn McGuire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shawn McGuire. Show all posts

Monday, March 28, 2016

New Release - Tick Tock: Seven Tales of Time Anthology



Seven Fantasy and Science Fiction authors have twisted time into tales of adventure, mystery, horror, and romance. It is time to present you the Tick Tock: Seven Tales of Time Anthology.


A serial killer returns years later to finish what was started. 

A coffee shop offers a respite for the cursed. 

A hangover masks the horrors of the previous night. 

A princess’s wedding gift comes with a price. 

A locked apartment door hides a chilling secret. 

A girl wakes up in an asylum and must survive, and escape. 

A young woman must protect the past to thwart a thief from the future. 

All it takes is a second . . . a minute . . . an hour . . . for everything to change. 






Presents
Tick Tock: Seven Tales of Time Anthology


Suicide High by Corinne O’Flynn
People think being psychic is cool or exciting. That being able to get messages from the other side gives us an edge somehow. I can see where they’re coming from—I totally get it. When you don’t understand, you fill in the gaps with what you’d want it to be. There’s an entire industry built around people’s need to tap in to the ethereal and know.

But it’s not like some cosmic vending machine. A psychic can’t pull specific details from the transcendental top hat on a whim. We don’t control what we get. It’s given to us, directed. We don’t wake up knowing which sports teams will beat the spread on a daily basis. And it’s not true that we have the answers to everything. Most people don’t get that.

*************
Countdown Café by Kristi Helvig
Six Days Before

Six months is considered the acceptable amount of time for grieving. Anything over that allotment pushes your parent-mandated therapist to change your diagnosis from the rather blasĂ© and benign sounding Adjustment Disorder to the more somber and serious Major Depressive Disorder. The elusive happiness fairy neglected to wave her magic wand over me by the deadline, so here I am—again—sitting on the scratchy couch across from Dr. Debbie.
While she drones on about the stages of bereavement, which I’m apparently failing worse than senior year trigonometry, I stare at the painting behind her. Ocean waves lap at a deserted seashore while a lighthouse juts out over craggy rocks.
“What are you thinking?” Dr. Debbie asks.I shrug. “I guess I’m wondering why you have an ocean scene in your office when the Midwest is nowhere near the coast?”
She peeks over her shoulder at the painting behind her. “I thought it would be relaxing. Do you like it?”
A deep sigh escapes me. “It makes me wish I were somewhere else.”
Dr. Debbie’s eyes light up like she can sense an impending breakthrough. She leans forward in her cracked, faux leather chair.

*************
Jesse’s Girl by Rebecca Taylor
Her fingers. The barest brush of her touch trailed down his bare back. Like ice crystals at the base of his neck that melted down his spine. Her lips whispered so near his ear he could feel her breath as she questioned him, “Jesse?”
He rolled over. She was so close to him, he pulled his head back across his pillow until he was able to focus on her features. She didn’t look right, pale and lost, her eyes locked on something behind him. Her stare was blank, unblinking.
“Andrea?” he whispered.
Her eyes shifted unnaturally to meet his and a cold panic rushed his body, left him weak.

*************

Duo'vr by Sue Duff
 Her father’s disgruntled stare was more than she could stomach, and Ciara turned toward the railing. An urge to jump was senseless, thanks to the curvature of the outer sphere. She would probably suffer nothing worse than scrapes and a ripped gown on her rapid slide to the bottom. Her imagined escape came to a halt when Thul took her hand in midconversation.
“We are merging more than royals,” Thul said. “I, for one, understand what’s at stake.” He leaned in and kissed the back of her hand with soft lips. “Do you?” he asked for her ears only, and gave Ciara a piercing stare.
She jerked her hand out of his grasp to stave off the goose bumps bubbling across her arms. She shuddered. Was it from his conspirator’s tone, or something else?

*************
The Door by Shawn McGuire
Luck was with me on this find. Everything else I could afford was miles away and in parts of town I probably didn’t want to live in.
“Technically, it’s a two bedroom.” Mrs. Abercrombie finally settled on a key.
“What do you mean, ‘technically’?” My chest tightened, and my voice raised an octave. A two-bedroom would cost more. I pulled the flyer from my satchel and held it up to her. “This says a one bedroom for six-twenty-five a month.”
Mrs. Abercrombie reached inside her sweats to scratch… something and then nodded at the flyer.
“This is the same place. The price is what it says there. I ain’t pulling no bait-n-switch. The blueprints I got show two bedrooms. You’ll see when we get up there that there’s a stuck door. I figure that second bedroom is what’s behind it. Can’t say for sure ‘cause I can’t open it. No how, no way.” She sucked on her teeth. “Just explaining the door is all.”

*************

The Fate Stone by Wendy Terrien
It didn't make sense for her to run wearing only a nightgown. But if she could just get somewhere fast, maybe a convenience store or even a police station, she could get help. She'd be okay.
She started down the stairs, but the door opposite the one she'd come through opened wide. Genna pressed herself against the wall. It kept her hidden until the door closed. She dashed down the steps.
"Hold on there." A boy called out to her. His footsteps followed.
Genna kept going. She reached the bottom landing. Her hand clutched the doorknob but he grabbed her arm.
"You don't want to do that."
Genna swung around. "Don't tell me what to do."
He let go of her and stepped back. He smiled. "I didn't exactly tell you what to do. Just strongly suggested you don't go through that door.”
She crossed her arms. "And why not?"
"Well, first because there are plenty of people on the other side that will take you back to your room, or worse. And second, if by some chance you made it outside, you'd freeze before you got very far."

*************
Untimely by A.G. Henley
“You’re trying to get rid of me,” I said.
Dad’s face closed up. “We have some things to discuss.”
Mom sat down, avoiding my glare. Richard’s thick eyebrows wrinkled apologetically.
“Okay, fine,” I said.
“Whatever you’re trying to figure out,” I said to my parents, “I might be able to help. If you’d ask.”
They didn’t respond. I stalked toward the door that Alec held open for me, but something solid appeared between us.
Not something; someone. Neat blond hair, dark clothes. Jonah.
“Lovely. Just the girl I was looking for.” He smiled, like we’d met by chance on the street, and wrapped his hand around my arm. To Alec, he said, “You don’t mind if I borrow her, do you?”
And he yanked my world out from under me.

*************





BIO
CORINNE O’FLYNN is a native New Yorker who now lives in Colorado and wouldn’t trade life in the Rockies for anything. She loves writing flash and experimenting with short fiction. Her novel, THE EXPATRIATES (Oct. 2014) is a YA fantasy adventure with magic and creatures and lots of creepy stuff. She is a scone aficionado, has an entire section of her kitchen devoted to tea, and is always on the lookout for the elusive Peanut Chews candy.
When she isn’t writing or hanging with her family, Corinne works as the executive director of a nonprofit. She is a member of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. You can find her online at corinneoflynn.comFacebookTwitterGoodreadsPinterest, and Instagram.


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BIO
KRISTI HELVIG is a Ph.D. clinical psychologist turned sci-fi/fantasy author. Her first novel, BURN OUT (Egmont USA/Lerner Publishing), which Kirkus Reviews called “a scorching series opener not to be missed,” follows 17-year-old Tora Reynolds, one of Earth’s last survivors, when our sun burns out early. In the sequel, STRANGE SKIES, out 4/28/2015, Tora makes it to a new planet only to discover a whole new host of problems—and the same people who still want her dead. Order Kristi’s books through Amazon or your favorite local retailer. Kristi muses about Star Trek, space monkeys, and other assorted topics on her blogFacebook, and Twitter. Kristi resides in sunny Colorado with her hubby, two kiddos, and behaviorally-challenged dogs.


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BIO
REBECCA TAYLOR lives in Colorado with her husband and two children. In addition to writing, she works as a psychologist and teaches creative writing at Regis University. If you are interested in having her visit your library or school, please email her directly at: rebecca@rrtaylor.com and put AUTHOR EVENT in the subject line.
Connect with Rebecca on FacebookTwitterGoodreadsAmazonwebsite




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BIO
SUE DUFF dreamed of dragons and spaceships before she could read and it’s only natural that she combines both fantasy and science fiction as her favorite writing genre. She is the author of The Weir Chronicle series. When she’s not writing she can be found walking her Great Dane, getting her hands dirty in her garden, or creating something delicious in her kitchen. She calls Colorado home and, when not saving the world one page at a time, is a speech therapist in an inner city school district.
Check out her website and blog, A Cook’s Guide to Writing and other musings, follow her on FacebookTwitterGoodreads, and Instagram.
Sign up for her newsletter or connect with her through email.

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BIO
SHAWN MCGUIRE is the author of young adult novels that blend contemporary settings and issues with a touch of fantasy and magic. She started writing after seeing the first Star Wars movie (that’s episode IV) as a kid. She couldn’t wait for the next movie to come out so wrote her own episodes. Sadly, those notebooks are long lost, but her desire to write is as strong now as it was then.
Her books deal with harder topics (dating violence, death of a sibling, divorce, substance abuse, runaways, bullying, teen suicide, etc.) because she believes it is important to talk about these things. Those kinds of topics can be hard to handle and a bit overwhelming, so she infuses a bit of humor in her work as well because she also believes that a sense of humor can help you get through just about anything.
Shawn lives in Colorado with her family where she loves to read, cook and bake, craft, practice yoga and meditation, and spend time hiking and camping in the spectacular Rocky Mountains.
LEARN MORE AND CONNECT WITH SHAWN! 
WebsiteEmailFacebook,  Newsletter,  Pinterest,  TwitterInstagramGoodreads,  Amazon Author


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BIO
WENDY TERRIEN has been writing stories since she was in grade school. Her debut novel, The Rampart Guards, is the first in her intriguing urban fantasy series. Inspired by an episode of Bones that suspected a killer to be a fabled chupacabra, Wendy was fascinated and dove into research about cryptozoology, the study of animals that may or may not exist, or cryptids. Pouring over stories, videos and photographs of creatures others had seen all over the world, Wendy developed her own story to share with middle grade, young adult and grown-up readers.
Raised in Salt Lake City, Wendy graduated from the University of Utah and soon transplanted to Colorado where she completed her MBA at the University of Denver. Having applied her marketing expertise to the financial and network security industries, it wasn’t until a career coach stepped in that she fully immersed herself in her passion for writing. Wendy began attending writers conferences, workshops and retreats.
She regularly participates in two critique groups and is the Secretary of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and a member of Pikes Peak Writers and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. In 2014, she was a finalist in the San Francisco Writer’s Contest.
Connect with Wendy via her websiteFacebookTwitter, and Instagram

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BIO
A.G. HENLEY is the author of the BRILLIANT DARKNESS series. The first book in the series, THE SCOURGE, was a finalist for the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Award.
A.G. is also a clinical psychologist, which means people either tell her their life stories on airplanes, or avoid her at parties when they’ve had too much to drink. Neither of which she minds.
When she’s not writing fiction or shrinking heads, she can be found herding her children and their scruffy dog, Guapo, to various activities while trying to remember whatever she’s inevitably forgotten to tell her husband. She lives in Denver, Colorado. Learn more at aghenley.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.








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Wicked Ink Books 
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Friday, June 12, 2015

New Release Info and Excerpt - Had a Great Fall by Shawn McGuire



Back Cover Blurb

Everyone deserves happiness. Is Robin the exception?
A cross-country move to a new state offers Robin Westmore the chance to get away from the relentless bullies and reinvent himself. But on the first day at his new high school Robin finds himself in front of Zane, the school’s star pitcher and chief tormentor, at the exact wrong moment and right back into the role of victim. Hopeless, he wishes for it all to stop.

When Desiree, the new leader of the genies, grants Robin’s wish he’s sure things are finally going his way. But problems in the magical realm have made Desiree equally hopeless and too distracted to give Robin the attention he needs.

As Desiree hides from her responsibilities, Robin disappears into the video game he’s created. There he finds excitement, adventure, and control. When the game presents him with a real escape from his tortured life, will he take it?


Excerpt

“You stayed up late again?” she asked as she took a box of tea from the back of the cabinet.
“Lots of homework,” I said. She knew I spent my summer developing the game. She didn’t know I spent at least two hours a night, after homework, still working on it.
She never protested when I said the dark circles under my eyes were studying related. Usually that was the case. Sometimes, though, Zane’s harassment got really intense and the circles came from lack of sleep due to nightmares.
There were days when he would stop in the middle of whatever he’d been doing and charge at me from across the lunchroom to slam into me or sneeze on my lunch. Once he even stood in front of me flapping his arms and making birdcalls. In the middle of the lunchroom. Why didn’t someone record that and put it up on the web? He looked ridiculous. Didn’t anyone else see that?
“Are you feeling all right?” Mom put the back of her hand to my forehead and I resisted the urge to swat it away. It was a caring touch. One of the few signs lately that someone gave a damn about me.
If I told her what was happening, would she do something? Maybe I could do online schooling. She knew I was a self-motivator and that she never had to check to see if I’d done my homework. Grades were everything to me. I’d never had less than a 3.8 GPA. The only reason it fell below a 4.0 was because of gym class. I could barely lift my backpack let alone do a pull-up. Maybe online school was the answer to my problems.
“Mom—”
Her phone rang just as I was about to ask.
“Hello… Oh, I’m so sorry.” She glanced at the clock on the microwave. “I was thinking there was a one hour time difference. Five months and I’m still adjusting to being in the Mountain Time Zone. Let me get to my office and I’ll call you right back.”
She was already heading out of the kitchen when I said, “Bye.”
“Oh, sweetie.” She came back and kissed my forehead. “If you’re not feeling well you can stay home. Or call if you need to come home early. I’ll give permission for you to leave.”
She knew I got motion sick on the bus. If I said I was nauseous, would she still make me ride the bus or would she take twenty minutes off of work to come and get me?
I toasted a piece of cinnamon-raisin bread and spread on a thick layer of butter. Then I tugged on my coat and headed out the door. With every step I thought of how Zane would be waiting for me and that single bite of toast turned into a little rock in my stomach. I paused at the garbage can next to the garage and lifted the lid to toss in the barely-eaten piece when someone came around the corner, making me jump.
“Are you Robin?” A girl with long dark hair that looked kind of like dreadlocks but kind of not stood at the corner of my garage. “Wait. You’re not throwing that out are you? That’s so wasteful. There are hungry people who would gladly eat that.”
I looked from her to the toast and then shoved it in my mouth. I couldn’t handle a lecture right then.
“Who are you?” I asked through the mouthful of bread-covered raisins.
She made a disgusted face. “Manners. Heard of them?”
I chewed, swallowed, and brushed the crumbs off my hand. “Sorry. Yes, I’m Robin. Who are you?”
She smiled then. She had a great smile, one that made her eyes crinkle at the corners. “I’m Dara.”
“Nice to meet you. Can I help you with something?”
“I don’t know. Possibly.” Dara put her hand to her mouth and tapped a navy blue-painted fingernail against her blindly-white teeth, like she was contemplating the question. “Teasing. Nothing you can do for me, thanks, but I can sure help you.”
I shook my head. “You’ve got the wrong person. I don’t need help.” At least none that she could give. I doubted she could take on Zane.
“You’re Robin Westmore.”
She knew my name. Whatever that meant.
“You just moved here from Wisconsin.”
“Five months ago. So not just but yes, I’m from Wisconsin.”
“You’re being bullied by some kid named Zane and you want it to stop.”
I stood there, next to my garbage can, wondering who this girl was and what she was up to. It was common knowledge that I was Zane’s favorite target. Of course I wanted his harassment to stop, anyone would, but what could she possibly do about it?
“Look, I don’t know who you are but if Zane sent you—”
“Zane didn’t send me.” She paused, just for a beat. “I guess you could say the universe did.”
I didn’t need this. I had enough drama in my life. I didn’t need this chick adding crazy to it as well. Marijuana was legal in Colorado. Maybe she’d been dining on pot gummies or something. The universe sent her. Yeah, right.
“I’ve got to get going,” I said. “I’m going to miss my bus.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Dara said. “I can take care of that.”
I started walking. I had to go six blocks in about two minutes. If I wasn’t there I’d have to either wait for the next bus, which wouldn’t be for half an hour, or beg my mom for a ride during which I’d have to listen to her chew me out about responsibility.
Dara followed, her arms wrapped tightly together. She wasn’t wearing a jacket.
“Let me try again,” she said. “This is my first time and I’m not sure how to do this.”
What was she saying? “Are you a prostitute?”
“What? God.” She made a face. “No, I’m not a prostitute. What kind of hooker comes up to someone by their garage first thing in the morning?”
“I wouldn’t know. I’m not privy to the methods of the, uh, working class.”
She said nothing for half a block and then started laughing. Probably at the thought of me soliciting a hooker.
“Let me try this again.” She cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. “Yesterday afternoon around three-forty-five you made a wish.”
“I did what?” Oh yeah, the dandelion. “Do you live next door or something? How could you know that?”
“I told you, the universe sent me. Your wish has been granted.”

Bio
 
Shawn McGuire is the author of young adult novels that blend contemporary settings and issues with a touch of fantasy and magic. She started writing after seeing the first Star Wars movie (that's episode IV) as a kid. She couldn't wait for the next movie to come out so wrote her own episodes. Sadly, those notebooks are long lost, but her desire to write is as strong now as it was then.
Her books deal with harder topics (death of a sibling, divorce, dating violence, bullying, and teen suicide) because she believes it is important to talk about these things. Those kinds of topics can be hard to handle and a bit overwhelming, so she infuses a bit of humor in her work as well because she also believes that a sense of humor can help you get through just about anything.

Shawn lives in Colorado with her family where she spends her time reading, cooking and baking, practicing yoga and meditation, and hiking and camping in the spectacular Rocky Mountains.


Author Links

Newsletter signup - http://eepurl.com/V21k1

Author’s Other Works

The Wish Makers Series

Buy Links:
Book 4 in The Wish Makers series will release in June 2015. Please go here to purchase your copy.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, May 1, 2015

Cover Reveal - Had a Great Fall

Happy Friday for the second time, everyone! Today, I'm bringing you the cover reveal and an excerpt from Had a Great Fall by Shawn McGuire. If you remember Shawn, one of her novels was picked up by me for an R&R this year when I had my big request party back in December. That novel was Sticks and Stones, the first in the Wish Makers series. You can check it out on Kindle for FREE here. Go grab a copy of that book, then pop on back to continue reading!

I'll wait...

You're back? Awesome! Let's get going.

Here's the blurb:

A new home in a new state. The chance to get away from the relentless bullies and reinvent himself. Then on the first day at his new high school, Robin Westmore finds himself in the exact wrong place at the exact wrong time and right back into the role of victim. All Robin can do now is wish for the harassment to stop.

Being the leader of the genie world is not what Desiree expected. The Guides aren’t happy with her or any of the decisions she makes. The only thing they all agree on is that they want their old boss back, but Kaf has vanished, leaving the Guides in shock and Desiree with a broken heart.

While Desiree hides from her responsibilities, Robin disappears into the video game he’s created. There he finds excitement, adventure, and control. When the game presents him with an escape from his tortured life, will he take it?

Here's an excerpt:


Chapter One
Robin

Maybe I could call in sick. With something fatal. Something so contagious the entire high school would contract it just by looking at me. Was there such a thing? I took out my phone. “Okay, Google. What is visual contagion?”
“Good morning, Robin.”
For half a second I thought my phone had learned my name. And had started speaking in my mom’s voice? I entered the kitchen and found Mom in her pink bathrobe with the tea stain down the front, waiting for me. She must’ve heard me talking to my phone.
“Morning.” I set my messenger bag by the back door and took a seat at the kitchen bar.
Google had only come up with only one direct hit and was now blinking at me, waiting for something that would challenge its storage banks. The ‘contagion’ it presented wasn’t even a disease. It was some company in Vancouver that spread positive messages on organic hemp or bamboo T-shirts. Great. I ask for science, I get hippies.
“Do you think Visual Contagion would be a good name for a band?” I asked Mom as I scrolled through a few of the t-shirt pictures.
“Hmm,” Mom said, tapping her fingernail against her teacup. “A band that plays music?”
My turn to sit and blink. “What other kind is there?”
“Plenty. A wrist band. Hairband. Wedding band. Waistband.”
“Okay, okay.” She’d go on and on and then open the thesaurus app on her tablet if I didn’t stop her. “I’m a guy. I don’t think about hairbands or jewelry. Yes, I meant a band that plays music.”
“Then I’d say no. Visual Contagion, great a name as it is, would not work for a musical group.” She took a sip of her tea, Irish breakfast according to the tag hanging from the string, as she contemplated. “Auditory Contagion could work. Audio? Audial?”
Auditory Contagion would indeed be a damn cool name for a band. Almost made me want to form one. Except I couldn’t play a single instrument. Not even that plastic flute-thing they made us play in elementary school. Maybe I could compose something on my computer. I needed music for my video game anyway.
“Okay, Google. Popular music software.”
“Would you like some breakfast?” Mom asked. “Or are you just going to play with your phone until it’s time to leave?”
My mom wasn’t the most domestic person. She did like to feed people though, and when she took the time to make an actual meal, she was a great cook.
I set my phone in my lap and analyzed my hunger level. “Juice and toast with butter and jam. Two slices.”
“Two? You’re hungry today. What kind of tea?” She held up her Irish breakfast to me with a questioning look and wiggled the box as if that would lure me to the Celtic side.
English breakfast, please. With cream and two sugar cubes.”
 “Off to the range,” my dad said as he entered the kitchen and set a black case—smaller than a briefcase, larger than a lunchbox—on the gray marble counter.
“Before work?” Mom asked.
“I don’t have any meetings until ten today. I want to try out my birthday present.”
Who knew a guy could get so excited over a handgun? Then again, this one did have a built-in laser. Guns weren’t my thing, but if presented with a laser-operated piece of technology I’d be all over it. So, I could understand his enthusiasm to a point.
“Want to come with me, Robin?” Dad asked as he plugged the first of two coffee pods into the machine to fill his travel mug.
“Thanks, but I do have a meeting before ten,” I said. “I have that test first thing.”
“Finally,” Dad said. “I don’t understand the holdup on allowing you to take a placement test. You studied?”
“Of course he studied,” Mom said as though nothing could be more unthinkable than me not studying.
“I did,” I told them. “Don’t worry, I’ll pass.”
“They should put him directly into Calculus and Differential Equations,” Dad said.
“He could handle it,” Mom agreed, “but AP Calculus will be an easy A for him.”
“Good point,” Dad said and clapped me on the back, nearly knocking me off my stool. “Build that killer GPA. Get into the college of your choice and academic scholarships as well.”
“Don’t pressure him,” Mom said, setting a plate with my buttered and jammed toast on the placemat in front of me.
~  
And, lastly, here's the cover!


I love the covers for these novels. So amazing! Now, a little word about Shawn McGuire:

Shawn McGuire is the author of young adult novels that blend contemporary settings and issues with a touch of fantasy and magic. She started writing after seeing the first Star Wars movie (that's episode IV) as a kid. She couldn't wait for the next movie to come out so wrote her own episodes. Sadly, those notebooks are long lost, but her desire to write is as strong now as it was then.

Her books deal with harder topics (death of a sibling, divorce, dating violence, bullying, and teen suicide) because she believes it is important to talk about these things. Those kinds of topics can be hard to handle and a bit overwhelming, so she infuses a bit of humor in her work as well because she also believes that a sense of humor can help you get through just about anything.


Shawn lives in Colorado with her family where she spends her time reading, cooking and baking, practicing yoga and meditation, and hiking and camping in the spectacular Rocky Mountains.

Website - www.Shawn-McGuire.com
Newsletter signup - http://eepurl.com/V21k1
Amazon Author - http://www.amazon.com/Shawn-McGuire/e/B00L0FJDFW/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1420552843&sr=1-2-ent


Here are the other books in the series:




Don't they sound cool? What are you waiting for?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo