Shadow Embraced Release

Yay!!! A lot of work has gone into preparing Shadow Embraced for publication and I'm pleased to announce that today it is officially available :D

Get from Amazon (Paperback & Kindle)

Get from Smashwords (ebook)

No escape. 

Those words haunt Scar's dreams. She thinks the creature that terrorises her while asleep isn't real, but when she's abducted and taken to a reform school meant to contain creatures too dangerous to function in society, she starts to wonder whether she isn't some monster. 

 She turns to an underground fight club full of vampires, werewolves and witches established by the students to control her urges, and who is she kidding, she loves to fight. When fighters begin to disappear, turning Scar into the prime suspect, she must race to prove her innocence before her true nature is exposed. 

The only problem is that she's not entirely sure she's innocent.

As a release day promotion I'm giving away a coupon to get Shadow Embraced for free from Smashwords. So, what's the catch? No catch, except that the coupon is only available until Wednesday 1st May.

Coupon: VW77B

Don't forget to add Shadow Embraced to goodreads:

A new website!

With the release of Shadow Embraced, I have been working frantically on updating my website, especially since the lovely Silvia Paoletta over at Dark World Books designed this gorgeous header for me. Let's face it, with the header, I couldn't have an ugly or boring looking site.

This has not been no easy feat. Whenever I do anything I always like to think that I am able to find the hardest possible method and go with that, and that's exactly what I did. Although I did spend a whole day learning advanced CSS and html (which I may use at a later time), I just did not like the design aspects of that method. I turned to a piece of software that enabled me to create the whole site right in Photoshop, and boy did it work... that was until I found out my server did not support it.

So, after finding another server, swapping my domain name over, swapping all the files from my old server and trying to setup FTP, I am finally able to reveal my website to you.

http://www.chereesmith.com

Let me know what you think. Add your comments below.

WiP Wednesday

This week I thought I'd be able to get a lot of writing done, with it being school holidays and all. Well, that hasn't happened. I have been slowly writing the sequel to Shadow Embraced. I did actually learn that it's not the best thing to watch heartfelt dramas while trying to write violent fight scenes though (my characters wanted to stand around staring at each other).

Instead of writing I've been quite busy with finalising the formatting and proofing of Shadow Embraced so that it is ready for it's big debut on Monday.

Next week, even though school does return, I plan to get more writing done. I really need to get the sequel written so I can work on one of the other ideas that are really nagging me to be written at the moment. One thing I can conclude: I really need to be more organised!

So, how's your writing going this week? If you don't write, what have you been up to?

Trailer Reveal: Shadow Embraced

I can't believe it's already been a week since the cover for Shadow Embraced was revealed, and today I have another special reveal. The wonderful Silvia Paoletta over at Dark World Books has done a fantastic job in creating a little trailer for Shadow Embraced, which I am pleased to be able to reveal today.

Add Shadow Embraced to your Goodreads list!

Don't forget Shadow Embraced will be available 29th April.

Cover Reveal: Nightmare's Dream by SM Blooding

Today I have the pleasure of revealing such a gorgeous cover for author, SM Blooding, Nightmare's Dream.

Nightmare’s Dream

(A Dreamland Stories Novel)

Harley’s been fighting Dreamlander society since the day she was born to a family of fixers, Dreamland’s janitors, with the abilities and gifts of a mechanic. She can see how to fix anything. That doesn’t matter though. As soon as she graduates, she’s scheduled to go to the Clink, Dreamland’s high security prison, for daring to be different.

Nightmare Keme has been a loner since the day he was pulled from death, and dumped into the Lake of Dreams to be reborn a nightmare. However, the day he walks into his quarters and discovers a woman mumbling about “killer glitter”, his heart does something it hasn’t done in over a century. It warms.

The Nightmare Realm is in trouble. Nightmares are dying. It soon becomes something much bigger when Harley stumbles onto the masters’ Compound, the location of their secret experiments to combine a dreamer’s body with all the powers of their barely used brain, with the world bending gifts of a Dreamlander’s soul.

Soon, glitter overtakes all Dreamlander places; Fixer’s Fairway, the Center, the Eat’s Market, the Burbs. Dreamlanders everywhere are falling to the virus; the more powerful the gift, the harder and faster they succumb.

Harley and Keme are the only ones who can save them. Keme, the nightmare who dared to dream, and Harley, the woman who defied her world.

Nightmare’s Dream will be published on July 5th by Blooding Books.

Praise for the Dreamland Series

“I fell in love with the characters and the universe she has created immediately. It was imaginative and unique, well thought-out and well presented. I look forward to reading future works by this author!“ —Christina M. Colombo “samuraisloth82″

“The story itself is wonderful, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I remember the stories of the sandman my own mother would tell me as a child. There are times when I wonder if it has anything to do with being such a dreamer myself. Dreamers will enjoy the story as it’s painted before your eyes, but adults who have taken the hard road of life – and who hasn’t?- will enjoy seeing how we can change things with just a bit of faith in ourselves. Better yet, we can set good examples for those around us when we don’t let the bad things in life tie us down.“ —Mother/Gamer/Writer

“Dreamland . . . a place of magic and wonder, powered by the hopes and dreams of those who believe.This was such a delightful story. I enjoyed every minute of it.“ —Lisette’s review

“You can feel the escape as the journey spins around you with the lush scenery and magical moments. Ms. Blooding takes the reader on a magical journey that is captivating. The Dustman is a most delightful read. Frankie pens a story that touches the heart and makes the reader feel forever young again.“ —Coffee Times Coffee Time Romance

“Wow, what a great story. It just sucked me right in and practically held me captive. You’ve got to get it.“ —Enchanted Romance

Dreamland Stories

SM Blooding

SM Blooding lives in Colorado with her pet rock, Rockie and Ms. Bird. No. She did not eat the Chicken. killed her. She’s taken a break from the piano since it’s currently packed, which Ms, Bird is quite happy about, and now knows more than one word in Arabic. Basically, she can say hello, good-bye, give it to me, and hurry up! Though, on every other Tuesday and Wednesday, she forgets how to sayany of those. She’s dated vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, weapons smugglers and US Government assassins. Yes. She has stories. She’s also an investigator with a local paranormal investigation group, Colorado Paranormal Rescue!

Website/Blog – Twitter – Facebook – Goodreads

Don't give up...

Since it's school holidays I'm staying at my parents and they have two dogs, one small and one four times its size. It's often fun to watch them play tug-a-war with their toy ropes or the doggy footballs to see who will win, but the outcome is always the same. The small dog ALWAYS wins.

As you can see from the picture, even when we try to take the rope off him he refuses to give it up, he can often hold that position for longer than a minute. That's what I call determination.

So, for this post, I'm dedicating to 'determination': The dedication not to give up when challenges seem so strong.

And now, here are some quotes about determination:

• “If plan A doesn't work, the alphabet has 25 more letters - 204 if you're in Japan.” ― Claire Cook, Seven Year Switch 
• “Determine that the thing can and shall be done and then... find the way.” ― Abraham Lincoln 
• “Everything great was accomplished by fools who dreamed.” ― Emily Dana
• “I don't give up. That makes me incredibly resilient or maybe stupid or just plain stubborn. Whichever...” ― Destiny Booze
• “If there’s any girl in the world more determined than you, I’ve yet to meet her.” ― Chloe Gadsby-Jones

What about you? Do you have any quotes or stories about determination? 

Cover Reveal: Shadow Embraced

It's been a long time coming, but today, with the help of the fantastic ladies over at Dark World Books,  I am pleased to be able to reveal the cover for my upcoming YA urban fantasy, Shadow Embraced.  Check out the other fantastic blogs helping me to spread the word of my cover reveal today by clicking on the banner above.

Shadow Embraced (Haven #1) 

No escape.

Those words haunt Scar’s dreams. She thinks the creature that terrorises her while asleep isn’t real, but when she’s abducted and taken to a reform school meant to contain creatures too dangerous to function in society, she starts to wonder whether she isn’t some monster.

She turns to an underground fight club full of vampires, werewolves and witches established by the students to control her urges, and who is she kidding, she loves to fight.

When fighters begin to disappear, turning Scar into the prime suspect, she must race to prove her innocence before her true nature is exposed.

The only problem is that she’s not entirely sure she’s innocent. 

Add Shadow Embraced to your Goodreads list!

With everything happening, I have also set up a Facebook page which will also have some fun activities happening over the next couple of months as well.



I want to say a big thank you to Silvia Paoletta who worked so hard on the cover. So, stay tuned to both the blog and my Facebook page as there will be loads more of reveals and entertainment in the next few months, including a trailer release, a big tour and an international giveaway I'm working feverishly on with the ladies at Dark World Books.