Hilary Thompson's Blog

Cover Reveal! *swoon*

I've always liked the villains better - they have such interesting backstories. Maleficent, anyone? 

In case you've forgotten, Aitan is Lexan's older brother. The one who works for Keirna? Yeah, nobody really liked him. But I kept thinking - what would be happening in Asphodel when Astrea and Lexan were away?

Aitan would be exacting revenge, of course. Because he's an Iago character, at times. He doesn't mind working for Keirna because it serves his true purpose. (Comment if you get that reference!)

Here's the dedication for Aitan's Revenge - set to release by the end of this month! And the beautiful cover, designed by Najla Qamber, of course.


for those who believe villainsare sometimes heroes too

Add it to your Goodreads list!

What do you think? I especially like how the black implants look, as compared to Astrea and Lexan's sparkly ones.
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Happy #YASH hunting! (I love Easter egg hunts, and this is SO much better. I mean, you can't fit a book in a plastic egg.)

For my Stargazers and my new visitors from other worlds, I'm so excited to present author Krystalyn Drown!

In addition to writing,
Krystalyn Drown is a website support technician who spent thirteen years working at Walt Disney World in a variety of roles: entertainer, talent coordinator, and character captain. She is also a former Sea World zoologist and an elementary school teacher. She lives in Davenport, Florida.

I heard a rumor that Krystalyn got to swim with dolphins 34 times when she worked at Sea World! I don't know if that's right, but doesn't it sound awesome?


To learn more:Check out her websiteVisit her Facebook Author Pageand obviously,Buy LEGASEA on Amazon!
LEGASEA
When sixteen-year-old Aileen Shay sees a dead girl floating in the bay during a midnight yacht party, she never imagines Jamie Flannigan, her new boyfriend, may be involved. The only thing she knows about Jamie is that he personifies the one thing she has been drawn to her entire life – the ocean. But as she grows closer to him, she realizes he knows more about the murder than he's telling. When another girl is attacked, and Jamie refuses to answer her questions, Aileen searches for answers on her own.
Aileen learns that Jamie's family belongs more to myths and legends than they do in the real world. They are selkies, and after the Flannigans threaten her family, Aileen suspects they are responsible for both attacks. 


But they aren't the only ones in her small fishing town who can keep a secret. 


As Aileen uncovers the truth about the murder, the selkies, and her own family, she learns why her soul is bonded to the sea. But with that revelation comes a choice – to permanently sever her connection with the water, which comes at a painful cost, or embrace a legacy that just might get her killed.

And now...the BONUS CONTENT!Krystalyn has provided an alternate ending for LEGASEA, and even though I don't usually read the end before the beginning, she has me hooked!
A little intro...
In the original draft of Legasea, the killer was someone completely different. However, I realized there weren't enough players in the story, and the ending was too predictable. Here is the original climax where Aileen learns the identity of the killer.

***

I cradled the pack in my arms and worked my way back to the bright orange raft and finally to Mont's boat.

He stood at the back, waving me in and grinning from ear to ear. As he pulled me up into his boat, he said, “You found it, eh? Good work.” He patted me on the back, then pulled the anchor up. “Let's get you home.”

“Okay.”

Mont put the boat in gear and eased us around the tip of the larger island. As my house came into view, I squinted to see if anyone was home. In the time I'd spent retrieving the skin, the sun had disappeared altogether, and my house was a faint outline against the darkening sky. No lights though. That was a good sign. If no one was home, I would have time to find a place to stash it until I could get something arranged with Mr. Glenn. I didn't want to use Jamie's spot in that cave on the beach. What if he came back? What if he found me there? What if he – “Oh, no!”

“Something wrong?”

“Look.” I pointed to Jamie's house. There was a light in the living room window and a Jamie shaped shadow staring out of it.

“Damn selkies! Can't just leave a person be.” Mont yanked the steering wheel and turned the boat hard to the left, away from my house.

“Wait! Where are we going?”

“Anywhere but here. You ain't going home with them poking around.”

“Oh.” I held tight to a cleat on the back of the boat as it swung around. The light went out in Jamie's house, and his shadowy figure stepped out onto the porch. I shivered, though whether it was the salt water spraying into my face or the sight of him, I couldn't tell. Was it always going to be like this? Me watching over my shoulder, running from him? I rubbed the goose bumps from my arms and headed toward the cabin.

As I passed by Mont, he asked, “Something wrong?”

“I'm cold. I'm just getting a blanket.”

He nodded, and I couldn't help but notice the fear in his eyes. I had always humored him about his obsession with mythical creatures, but now I understood. There was nothing funny about them. Us? Did I even want to include myself in their category? No, I decided, definitely not.

“Hurry up, then,” he said.

“I will.”

When I got down in the cabin, I noticed the bed was stripped clean. That's when I remembered his blankets were all piled in a stack by our front door. Dad was supposed to return them, but with Mont gone, he hadn't had the chance. Oh, well. There was probably a jacket in the closet. It would smell like fish, but I wasn’t gonna be picky.

The closet itself was tiny, about two feet wide and three feet tall. I punched the button on the wall light by the door and opened up the closet. A bunch of balled up rags covered in questionable slime came spilling out.

“Fish guts. Awesome.”

I knocked the rags to the floor, then dug around through the rolled up newspapers and mismatched boots, unsure if I even wanted a coat anymore. As I shoved aside the last pieces of crap, I saw a small metal loop flush with the floor of the closet. Another compartment? Maybe that's where he kept the nicer things. Or the grosser things. Only one way to find out. I hooked my finger through the loop, swung open the hatch, and saw...

I clasped my hands to my mouth and stumbled backwards, falling onto the bed. The hatch slammed closed, but I knew what I had seen.

“What you doing down there?” Mont called from above.

“Um...nothing. I'll be right there.” I jumped off the bed. My heart beat a million beats a minute as I reopened the hatch. Inside, nestled in something gray and spotted, was the lighthouse statue that had sat on our living room table for as long as I could remember. At Christmastime, we'd flick on the little light inside the dome. I always loved the way the windows sparkled as the light spun in circles. Now, the windows were caked in something brown and grotesque.

My eyes blurred, refusing to see what was there in front of me. I blinked, and it was still there, begging for me to do something. I swallowed down the bile in my throat and moved the statue to the side, using one of the rags to pick it up. I couldn't bear touching something that had been a part of such violence. Then I reached in and found one, two, three seal skins. My grandmother and two girls were dead, and another one badly injured, stuck who knew where because they'd been forced to leave town. And it wasn't because of the Flannigans. I'd always known Mont was crazy, but I hadn’t known he was crazy crazy. That he was capable of killing my...

I sank onto the bed, clutching my stomach. I was the one who told him she was a selkie. And now he had me and the skin. What was he planning to do with me?

***
Whew! Exciting stuff! Now, are you going to keep hunting, or do you need a minute?
Here, while you catch your breath, let me direct you to my giveaways! I have two Rafflecopters for you to enter.
The first one is for any one of my ebooks - winner's choice! I'll have three separate winners for this. Enter by subscribing to my newsletter (exclusives and more giveaways!), visiting me on Facebook, tweeting, or commenting on this post.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The second one is for a $10.00 gift card, so you can buy any of the books you don't win! I'll have two separate winners for this. Just enter by following any or all of the authors from #TeamPurple on their Amazon author pages. This helps authors gain visibility on Amazon - yay!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Both giveaways will end when YASH ends, on April 5. Winners will be randomly drawn, and notified by email.
Thanks so much for stopping by to see Krystalyn's new ending, and entering to win prizes! But now it's time to move on - off with you!
The next stop is Shauna Granger, author of AGE OF BLOOD, book three in the Ash and Ruin Trilogy. Happy hunting!

Happy weekend, my Stargazers!

I'm so excited to introduce to you the Spring 2015 YA Scavenger Hunt Authors!

There are an incredible eight teams this season. This is my first time with the hunt, and I get to be part of #TeamPurple!



The Scavenger Hunt runs from April 2nd through April 5th beginning and ending at noon Pacific time on those days.  If you've never been a part of the hunt before you should give it a try. It runs like a giant blog hop, introducing you to new YA authors and books along the way.

There are tons of prizes including a grand prize for each team. If you win one of the grand prizes you will get a book from each author on that team!

For more information and to make sure you get hunt updates, sign up for news on the #YASH website.

For the hunt, I'm hiding an exclusive, brand-new bonus scene that bridges JUSTICE BURIED and STIAN'S MISTAKE.

Plus, I'll be revealing the cover of AITAN'S REVENGE, the next novella in my series!

Here on my website I'll be giving away ebook copies of all my books, as well as a gift card to buy books from my Purple Team members!

You don't want to miss out on this fabulous and fun event, but play fast because the hunt is only live for three days. And now, here are the teams!

(Hint: If you click on the image you can get a close up)


I hope you are all as excited as I am! THE HUNT BEGINS 4/2/15!

Come visit me today on Gin's Book Notes, where I discuss Polyvore as a marketing tool.

You'll find a tutorial, pretty pictures, and a giveaway!

You can win ebook copies of Stian's Mistake, my newest release, or Justice Buried, the first in the Starbright series.

*psst* Add to Goodreads today, buy tomorrow - ebook will be free at midnight! (free from 2/19-2/23)
Haven't started the series yet?Stian's Mistake is written as a prequel story for the astrology-infused dystopia of the Starbright world.

Buy on Amazon USBuy on Amazon UKAdd to Goodreads
All Stian wants is to be seen for who he is. 
Not just an orphaned wanderer or a skilled warrior, but someone worthy of belonging to the Tribe of Hebron. He dreams of fulfilling his father’s broken legacy - leading the Tribe to the Garden. 
Zarea understands him, but her future is tied to a secret past that could tear the Tribe apart. Her father Abraham is determined to keep this past buried, so he awards Stian the Hero’s Mission. If Stian lives long enough to succeed, he will secure the Tribe’s loyalty and gain a chance to marry Zarea one day. 
But Stian isn't the only one to accept this mission - and only one man can become a hero.

Subscribe to my Author Newsletter* indicates requiredEmail Address * (for giveaways, new release and sale information, and author exclusives)

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Releasing February 18!
ADD TO GOODREADS
Special thanks to Najla Qamber, for another (ahem)  beautiful  cover!
If you've been following the series, this novella will answer a few of your questions about Stian and Zarea, and just how their relationship became so strained.
The story takes place in the months before Stian finds Asphodel - before he has even accepted the mission that forces him to find the Starbright maiden or die trying.
If you haven't picked up the series yet, this is a great place to start! Chronologically, this is the first book of the series. There is enough background that you won't be lost, but enough mystery that I hope you'll want to continue the series!

Chronological Order Reading List:
Stian's Mistake: summer, 2184 (Stian's point of view)Justice Buried: spring, 2185 (Astrea's point of view)Lexan's Pledge: spring, 2185 (Lexan's point of view)Balance Broken: summer 2185 (Astrea's point of view)

Publication Order Reading List:Justice Buried: published January, 2014Lexan's Pledge: published March, 2014Balance Broken: published October, 2014Stian's Mistake: published February, 2015


Subscribe to my Author Newsletter* indicates requiredEmail Address * (for giveaways, new release and sale information, and author exclusives)

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Stian's Mistake is releasing in mid-February, and A Book So Fathomless is hosting my vision of the setting for Stian's home, as well as an excerpt. 
Here's a corner - check out the full version here!


Watch out for the release, and don't forget to sign up for my mailing list to ensure you don't miss a starry thing!

Thanks to all of you who have journeyed with me through the books I've published this year - here's to many more to come!

So, I still consider myself a newbie author – 2014 being my debut publishing year and all. But I’ve been writing and learning tricks for much longer than that. I even teach high schoolers now and then, although we tend to focus on nonfiction. But this past year, I've been interviewed formally and casually on the same topic numerous time: How does someone START that thing called story?Here are a few of my favorite tricks. I hope you enjoy, and may the creative force be with you!1. Start in the middle.When I teach, a common problem with any writing my students do is not knowing what words should go first. This is the same in fiction – we’re told to make the first scene dynamite – the best you’ve got. This can be paralyzing! You see that blank page and it scares the words right out of your brain.
So I tell students to start wherever your idea leads you. Write the parts you know NEED to be there, then you can go back, rearrange if necessary, and fill in the rest. I do this all the time, just by blocking out my chapters in Word, then filling in the scenes as I have inspiration. I also put scene ideas on index cards, then use a wall and some sticky stuff to rearrange the timeline as much as needed!

2. Start an idea file.In high school, I had an accordion folder with magazine pages, random notes, poems, etc. Now I’ve graduated to Pinterest, which is so cool for inspiration! I have boards for each book I’ve written, and also those I’m just brainstorming. Here’s my board for Balance Broken. Here’s my board for a book I haven’t even started yet, that for now, I'm calling soulShifter .
You can also use Polyvore to create tools like mood boards and scene layouts. These are great for people like me, who think in images. Having these concrete images helps me translate my ideas into words.

3. Start thinking like a cinematographer.Not because your book could someday be a movie, but because it’s already a movie – in your own head! I spend time in each scene blocking out the characters in my mind. I imagine where they might stand, the movements they might make, the way the lighting would look on their hair. This can go into your writing or not, but ultimately your scenes will have that punch of appeal that readers want. Readers like the drama – so think like a movie-maker! Analyze some of your favorite movies and try to determine why a particular scene is so spectacular, then try using that technique with words.

4. Start calling yourself an author, or writer.This was a problem for me for a long time. I never gave myself the mental permission to take myself seriously, and here I am in my thirties, doing something I could have done in my twenties. Every now and then, I still have to remind myself to introduce myself as a teacher AND author, not only teacher.
Confidence can be one of the major blocks to creativity. Too much, and you don’t leave yourself room to grow and improve. But too little, and you might never carve out that time necessary to chase your dream right up into the stars. Tell yourself that you can do this, and you are allowed to do this.
Now go do the thing!

Follow along here for interviews, reviews, dream casts, and more!Oh, and don't forget to clickety-click for the giveaway!

Buy on AmazonBuy on Barnes and Noble(other sellers coming soon)
10/27/14
Mom With a Kindle
Interview: "Can you share a little about the current title you are working on?"

10/28/14
My Nook Books and More
5-Star Review! and Dream Cast
"Trea is a great character – she’s young so I understood her insecurities but she has really matured and is determined to help her people."

Bethany's Writing Journey
Special Halloween Interview!
"Who would you like to bring back as a zombie?"

10/29/14
Mythical Books
Interview
"What do you and your characters believe about destiny vs. free will?"

10/30/14
Words I Write Crazy
5-Heart Review!
"things just start steam rolling over anything they could - including but not limited to my heart, my blood pressure, and my head!"

11/3/14
All in One Place
5-Heart Review! and Favorite Quotes
"Hilary Thompson has taken her original story from Justice Buried and perfected it in Balance Broken, adding more romance, mythology, uncertainty and suspense."

11/5/14
Feedmeinbooks
Review and Dream Cast

Deal Sharing Aunt
Spotlight

11/6/14
Ashley's Paranormal Book Blog
Review

The Book Lovers' Lounge
Review

11/7/14
Literary Meanderings
Interview

The Book Addict's Bookshelves
Guest Post

Reading Addict
Guest Post

You meet so many nice people in this funny thing called the writing world...especially in the UtopYA section!

Some of my new favorite people have written a fascinating idea of a book, which I can't wait to read. Check out the info and lovely cover below!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hello all! Welcome to the cover reveal for Fractured Glass! Before we get into the covers, how about a little information on the book?

Expected Release Date: Late December, 2014
Pre-orders: Late November, 2014
Title: Fractured Glass
Author(s): Tia Silverthorne Bach, Jo Michaels, Casey L. Bond, Kelly Risser, and N. L. Greene
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction with five sub-genres (paranormal, horror, fantasy, magic, and romance)
Length: ~100k words
Synopsis:
What if other worlds existed alongside your own? What if you could travel through them and truly escape reality?

Sloan and Harley Glass were born moments apart; but, despite their differences, the sixteen-year-old twins couldn’t be closer. They’ve held their tongues each and every time their mother has uprooted them—often moving across the country with little notice. They’ve learned to accept change. But what is Mom running from?

They discover they’re travelers—half-descendants of those who can traverse an entire universe of parallel worlds known as fractals. When the past catches up, Harley is kidnapped and taken to one of those distant worlds. Now, Sloan must garner her courage and find a way to rescue her sister. Traversing the worlds isn’t the hard part; it’s surviving the elements and the creatures lying in wait to destroy everything in their path.

Will the Glass sisters be able to save the fractal worlds from the kidnapper, or will everything fracture and crumble around them?

*****
Sounds good, eh?

Why is this novel different? Well, because it's a novel anthology. Each of the authors endeavored to use the same characters, and to guide those characters through five sub-genres of 20k words each in the same storyline. You've never read anything quite like it, and we do hope you enjoy the Glass sisters' adventures.

Now we'll get to the good stuff! First, the digital cover:


Now, for the full wrap:


We can't wait to release this puppy out into the world for all to read and be entertained. Thanks so much for stopping by to check out our cover. We'll have some giveaways when the book goes live, so be looking for that post, too!

If you'd like to visit the authors, you may do so via the links below:
Tia Silverthorne Bach
Jo Michaels
Casey L. Bond
Kelly Risser
N. L. Greene

What do you think? Pretty? Interesting? Leave a comment and let us know.