Tag: The Firebrand Chronicles

Exciting News: I’ve got a cover!

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It’s been awhile since I’ve had any news to share about Book Two (aka Flare) of the Firebrand Chronicles. It was submitted to the publisher, then I had to wait because other books were in the pipeline for release, then we had the holidays. Absolutely everything stops at that point, which is just as well, because it gets crazy-busy at the Hackman household in December.

Anyway, when a book is prepared for print, my publisher is thorough — I have to do three rounds of editing. I received  and completed the first round of edits, then I (recently) finished the second round. And that’s when I received the approval to share the cover with you. From the beginning, I was in love! I’ve always been impressed with Sara Helwe’s work (check her out at https://sara-helwe.com/), and she outdid herself — again! (And although Sara doesn’t know, purple is my favorite color, so I was very excited about this beautiful cover. 🙂 )

So I won’t torture you. Find a comfy chair and feast your eyes. I’ll even share the blurb with you.

 

Heartbreak. Kidnapping. Political rebellion. Best summer vacation ever.

Brenna travels to Linneah via portal to visit her boyfriend Baldwin, only to find heartbreak. Betrayal. A serious case of never, ever wanting to see him again.
Worst summer vacation ever.
So when her best friend Tiny invites her on a road trip to meet Tiny’s fiancé, Brenna jumps at the chance. Even if her mother disapproves. Even if it’s through a dangerous travel portal. Even if Tiny has never met this fiancé handpicked by her dad. Anything’s better than staying in Linneah.
But the trip disintegrates into disaster. The two friends are separated, Brenna is kidnapped, and not only are Brenna’s Firebrand skills tested to the limit, she must participate in the dangerous event, Starfall . . . or go home. Broke. Alone. With a shattered heart. So not fun.
And then as if that’s not bad enough? Brenna discovers a plot that could spell disaster for everyone she holds dear. And no one believes her.
Can she prevent a bloody government takeover? And what will become of Brenna’s broken heart?
There you go! I’m so excited (*cartwheels and confetti*) This is scheduled for a February 26 release so you have to wait a bit longer. Thanks for reading this post — enjoy your weekend!

Inspiration for “The Greatest Adventure” (and a GIVEAWAY!)

The Fellowship of Fantasy has released their fourth anthology, Tales of Ever After! I was thrilled to discover my short story, “The Greatest Adventure,” was accepted for this book, especially since it takes place in the same world as my debut novel Spark, just at a much, much earlier time.

“The Greatest Adventure” features the famous Firebrand Aideen Siriol. If you’ve read Spark, maybe the name sounds familiar. Two-thirds of the way through Spark, Brenna James receives Aideen’s sword when she needs it the most. Its hilt is set with beautiful Fire Diamonds, gathered during Aideen’s greatest adventure. After writing that little piece of information, I nodded in satisfaction and forgot about it.

But as time went on, I realized the reader might want to know more. So what happened during Aideen’s greatest adventure? Good question. I had no idea, but I began writing anyway. I assumed this would be a short filler piece. Surprisingly, it grew longer and longer. Hmm, this wasn’t a simple flash fiction story.

While I wrote, I also grappled with another question: what would the greatest adventure look like for Aideen? While others like to jump out of perfectly good airplanes or swim with sharks, I’m a homebody. I’m content to go on hikes in the mountains and watch sunsets. Not exactly high-octane adventure. But the most exciting adventures of my life have been emotional ones—falling in love.

Adventures of the heart are exciting no matter the gender, and I wanted Aideen and the slave Rivka to experience it. I added some enchanted stones, as well as a few dragons, and came up with a new fairy tale that was a lot of fun to write. I enjoyed spending more time in my created world of The Jasper Territory — and I hope the reader enjoys it, as well.

More about Tales of Ever After:

Rescue a princess, meet a mermaid, win your reward.

The authors of the Fellowship of Fantasy tackle fairy tales from once upon a time to happily ever after. Explore twists on old tales and brand new magical stories. Meet feisty mermaids, friendly lampposts, and heroes who just might be monsters themselves.

This fourth anthology from the Fellowship of Fantasy will lead you on a quest for entertainment and storm the castle of your imagination. So make a wish and enter the deep dark woods to find stories that will make you laugh, shiver, and maybe even fall in love.

Amazon Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Ever-After-Fellowship-Anthology-ebook/dp/B07FFMHM8M/

Books2Read Universal Link: https://www.books2read.com/u/bwYKry

Goodreads Listing: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40788623-tales-of-ever-after

Would you like to learn more about these fantastic stories? Follow this link to find the blog tour schedule.

And finally would you like the chance to win a prize or two?

For our US readers, follow this link to win a paperback book (possibly signed by the author!)

and for our International fans, follow this link to win an ebook in your format choice.

The person who leaves the most comments across the blog tour will receive the chance to read special sneak peaks from several of the authors’ upcoming works!