Best selling authors offering their favorite books to their loyal fans at Free-bookshop!

www.free-bookstore.com
Several of your favorite authors have joined together to offer you free copies of their best selling novels. Visit Free-Bookshop.com from March 7, 2013 to March 11, 2013 to pick up kindle and nook versions of these must read books. Paranormal, YA, Fantasy and more. Titles will change daily. Check back all week so you don’t miss any of these fabulous ebooks.Authors featuring free books on one or more days include:Nancy Straight
Charlotte Abel
Leia Shaw
Laura A.H. Elliott
Samantha LaFantasie
J.H. Walker

Monday Muse: The World of Moon Killers, Shadow Series book 3

Mayfield moon

Mayfield moon (Photo credit: Bill Collison)

I’m really excited to be writing Moon Killers the third book in the Shadow Series. The characters haven grown and changed, and deepened so much since book 1. I love writing this series because we meet Roxie O’Grady in book 1, 13 on Halloween, when she’s twelve and about to turn thirteen. She’s in eighth grade, the last year of middle school. Roxie isn’t the kind of eighth grader who has the feeling like she rules the middle school, though. Far from it. She’s trying desperately to get on the social map somehow. So, she throws her first ever birthday party and invites all the popular kids. They all come and give her a birthday gift that’s literally out of this world. I love this book because it takes a humorous, sometimes scary look at one girl’s quest for popularity––no matter what the cost.  In book 2, Shadow Slayer, Roxie is fourteen and finds the agony of fitting in at high school nothing compared to falling for the hottest guy at school and saving the world from the shadow onslaught. In book 3, Moon Killers, due out this spring, Roxie’s powers are growing as she learns to harness the power of killing the moon to help her battle the shadows that want to take over our world. In Moon Killers, the stakes are higher. Roxie is fifteen and life is getting more and more complicated. Pirates and Venice and explorers have been my inspiration for the third book in the series. 13 on Halloween is free here and Shadow Slayer is available here and here and here. Like audiobooks? You can give the stories a listen here and here and on iTunes too.

Welcome to Monday muse. Each Monday I hope to share a little bit about what’s been inspiring me. Lately, I’ve been inspired by the little things. Did you see the moon last night? OMG. Amazing. I saw the moon super early this morning, washed in a golden light. It’s hard to sleep when the moon is so beautiful. I went to our local farmer’s market last Friday and bought some tulips and fresh flowers for the house. It’s great to have the flowers everywhere. I love going to the farmer’s market but hadn’t been in so long, and while I was there I ran into a very dear friend :) I’ve been very inspired by the movies I’ve seen lately too. Les Miserables and Zero Dark Thirty have been the ones that stand out for me.

What’ s been inspiring you lately?

The making of a book trailer


It’s a very rainy day here on the central California coast, and I haven’t had a heart-to-heart with you in a while, so I thought I’d wrap up in the afghan and hope you have time for a chat as I’m putting the finishing touches on the Shadow Slayer (Shadow Series #2) book trailer. You can read all about The Shadow Series here. The book trailer will debut on The Shadow Slayer book tour that’s coming up next week Dec. 3-15, put on by the fabulous SupaGurl Books. (Every day of the tour be sure to check here on Laurasmagicday for an additional daily giveaway.) Anyway, back to the making of a book trailer. I’ve blogged about the nuts & bolts of trailer making before, and if you want to check out how you can make your own book trailer, you can click here for the article I wrote for Bubble Cow called How To Make Your Own Book Trailer. My process has stayed pretty much the same.

Today, though, I want to talk about the heart of my books’ trailers. I love making them. Maybe it’s because of my fabulous movie debut….LOL! Continue reading

Shadow Slayer audiobook coming soon & a giveaway!

I’m so excited to share the news that Shadow Slayer will be available as an audiobook by Thanksgiving. I can’t even begin to mention all people I’m thankful for this holiday season. There are so many, including you. One person I’m truly thankful for is my amazing sister and her constant source of inspiration, support and encouragement.

The wonderful Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz interviews me on her blog today and there’s a giveaway too, click here to check out the interview & enter the giveaway of 1 copy of 13 ON HALLOWEEN’s audiobook [open internationally]! I’m super-stoked that Jeanne O. Whitehouse is also the voice for Shadow Slayer. She makes such a great Roxie. At 14, all Roxie wants to do in Shadow Slayer is fit in at her high school, but she’ll have to save the world instead. And, no worries if you don’t win the giveaway, for a limited time, 13 on Halloween is available for $1.99!

YA Indie Carnival––Happy Halloween: Spooky, Scary, Eerie Excerpts

This week at the carnival all the carnis are sharing their spooky, scary, eerie excerpts! Soooo…join in on the fun and share some of your spine-tingling stories too. Did you break into a cemetery as a kid and SWEAR you heard moans and groans when no one else was around? Comment with your scariest memories, and I promise I’ll make your heart race even faster if you listen to 13 ON HALLOWEEN, available now at Audible.com ($1.99 for a limited time). In 13 ON HALLOWEEN (Shadow Series #1), Roxie is afraid of her attic. With good reason. In SHADOW SLAYER (Shadow Series #2) Roxie has a lot more to be afraid of. Here’s a blood-curdling Zombie excerpt:

I turn another corner in the labyrinth. Every leaf, every twig, and even the grass changes colors. Unnatural colors. I startle at a huge rustle beside me and bite my nails.

Two disembodied arms stick out of the bush next to me. My heart beats hard against my chest. I try to wriggle out of his grip but whoeveritis clamps down on my arms making it hard for me to get any leverage.

“AAAAAHhhhhh!” I scream, writhing back and forth. I fight to free my arms but he’s already wrestled them to my sides. I can’t move. He lifts me a few inches off the ground. I kick and stare at my useless hands and spot the long nails with black nail polish that begin to dig into my skin. There’s a tattoo on each finger. All the same. Stars, I think.

“I want to suck your blood!” he says laughing, lowering me to the ground. As soon as my feet get a little traction I kick and try to run away.

“Ouch! Drew, control your woman!” One of the guys says, a familiar voice. A football player steps out of the bushes. He loosens his grip and places an arm, the size of my thigh, over my shoulders. He marches us out of the labyrinth. I twist around, searching the maze. There’s no sign of the sword, my sword.

Drew doubles over, laughing and the prankster takes my hand and places it in Drew’s. My gaze falls on the spot of fabric where Drew’s boutonniere isn’t. We’re surrounded by a bunch of homecoming zombies. Sixteen-year-old zombies. Their tuxedo coats all ripped and fake-aged with chalk or something. The black make-up around their eyes smudge into their white make up, their faces so pale they kind of glow in the moonlight.

“Zombies don’t suck blood!” Drew says between laughs.

“I know it just sounds so much better than I’d like to eat your brains,” the guy says. “Who’s this tasty morsel?”

“Roxie, this is everyone,” Drew says. In the middle of a circle of homecoming zombies, I immediately breathe easier. “Everyone, this is Roxie,” Drew gives my hand a little squeeze. I sink into his hug, floating my fingers over the spot where his boutonniere should be.

“Finally. Hey, I’m Franklin.” A large guy, the guy who had me in his grip and the size of a line backer, exactly the size of a line backer, pulls me away from Drew and buries me in a bear hug.

“That’s enough,” Drew says, taking a hand to Franklin’s shoulder, separating us.

“This is the one, huh?” another guy, smaller than the rest, says. “I’m CeCe.” He kind of scowls as he puts his hands in his pockets and rubs his chin with his shoulder. A little of his undead makeup rubs off on his brown suit coat.

“Hey,” I say. “What’s with the whole Halloween homecoming get up?” It’s all I can manage. I get super shy when I’m around people I don’t know, let alone football players who are years older than me who I barely know. Guys who just tricked me.

“She totally fell for it guys!” Another of the guys says.

“This is Randy,” Drew says, using his whole arm to point him out.

Randy makes like he’s going to run into me and dodges me at the last minute. “May I have this dance?” he says in a made-up English accent. He doesn’t wait for an answer and twirls me around then dips me and says, “I am you know… randy….” with a mischievous smile.

I turn to face Drew. “So what? All that was a joke?”

Drew gazes at the ground before he walks over and wraps me in his arms. His lips meet mine in a forceful kiss. “All of that,” he says. It’s like the best date ever, aside from the fact he made me believe I’m a Shadow Slayer and have to save the world. 

For another excerpt and for the Shadow Series playlist, dream cast and more click here.

Shadow Slayer (Shadow Series #2) is available at Amazon. 13 on Halloween (Shadow Series #1) is free at Amazon.

I dare you to check out the other spooky scary & erie excerpts from my fellow carnis! Click here for more!

 

Freaky Friday! Win a free copy of 13 on Halloween (shadow series #1) audiobook :D

One of my favorite things to do is to sit around the campfire and tell scary stories, really scary stories! Audiobooks remind me of that.

So, I’ve decided to have some fun this weekend. I need this. Here’s my problem. I have no clue what to be this Halloween.

This year, I’ve been having trouble getting into the spirit for this, one of my favorite holidays. So help me out, and enter to win a copy of 13 on Halloween audiobook! 

 

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Tweet: Trick-or-Treat! Enter to win a 13 on #Halloween #audiobook by @Laurawriting. Enter today! http://wp.me/1J9jx #ya

2. Comment on this post with a link to a photo of either you dressed up on Halloween or a very cool costume that you found online.

Every comment is an entry. Every Tweet is an entry.

On Monday, October 15th I’ll pick a random winner! Because Mondays can epically suck & how fun would it be to find out you’ve won an audiobook?

I’ll go first:

Hubby and I as hippie vampires at a friend’s party in LA

Hope you have a fabulous October 13th tomorrow:D

If you want to join in the TOMORROW ONLY FUN on Facebook, like my author page and join us if you dare!

Read more about the Shadow Series here.

The Shadow Series Dream Cast

With the release of Shadow Slayer (Shadow Series #2) I thought I’d share my Dream Cast for the series. Read more about the series here :)

Here’s The Shadow Series Dream Cast:

Chloe Moretz as Roxie O’Grady :

Roxie SpeakTarantulas- scares the heck out of people Hamsters- hops from one thing to the other without really doing anything Cats- annoys the heck out of me Owls- knows everything Zebras- thinks everything is black and white Anteater- big-nosed Dodo- fail Condors- barely survives Dodo Gauntlet- how geek brothers turn little sisters into nerds without said-sisters even knowing Peacock- a popular boy or girl Peacock Nectar- Red Bull

Ty Wood as Hayden, the boy Roxie has a crush on in 13 on Halloween:

Shadow Slayer’s Drew:

 

Lia Marie Johnston as Ally, Roxie’s best friend:

Jenna Boyd as Adrianne, Peacock Queen:

Chase Crawford as Mitch, Roxie’s oldest brother:


Jason Dolley as Brian, Roxie’s other older brother:

Drew Barrymore as Roxie’s Mom:

Seth Rogan as Roxie’s Dad:

Top Secret Project Reveal: 13 on Halloween (Shadow Series #1) now available on Audible & iTunes!!

Click the image to hear a sample!

Roxie has the best night of her life until the popular kids decide they want to celebrate her birthday in a way Roxie never expects––in her attic, with a gift that’s out of this world, and a pact to never tell a living soul what happens next.

13 on Halloween (Shadow Series, #1) is now available on Audible & iTunes! Writer/Voice Over artist Jeanne O. Whitehouse and I teamed up on this project and it’s been so much fun. It’s such an amazing experience to hear how Jeanne’s made Roxie, Hayden, Adrianne, Ally, Brian & Mitch come to life in new ways :) Soon we’ll be doing a post about our process and what we learned. Jeanne’s voice is FABULOUS and I hope to have her read the entire series. If you’re an audiobook lover, or know someone who is, we’d sure love it if you could help spread the word by tweeting or FBing the links. Coming SoonBook 2 in the Shadow Series! Cover reveal is Aug. 17th! To watch the 13 on Halloween trailer, listen to the playlist or read an excerpt click here

Twelve-year-old Roxie wants to be like Adrianne, the popular girl who gets everything she wants––a trampoline, a flock to prowl around the mall with, and most especially invitations to parties. When Roxie invites all the popular kids in the eighth grade–she calls the peacocks–to her first ever thirteenth birthday party on Halloween they all come and give her a gift that’s literally out of this world. Roxie astral projects to Planet Popular where she becomes seventeen instantly and gets everything she’s always wanted, but nothing is as it seems. Being a high school peacock is complicated. Roxie will risk everything on Planet Popular to be who she thinks she wants to be. Oh yeah, there’s Prom, doppelgangers, and lots of bad peacocks too.

Buy: KINDLE | NOOK | PAPERBACK | SMASHWORDS | AUDIBLE | iTUNES

 

YA Indie Carnival: Listopia Demystified

Today at the carnival we’re all posting about Listopia. What’s Listopia you say? Well, if you’re on Goodreads, as I am, you’ve heard of it, right? Listopia is a great way to beef up your TBR list, mine is literally overflowing with amazing books, but I’m always looking for a great read. Listopia lists are one of the ways I find that perfect read for the beach, for a broody fall day, for a little something scary, etc…

Here’s how it works. Click on any book, for this example I’ll use 13 on Halloween. Scroll past the friend reviews and if a book is on a Listopia list, it will be listed in the section “Lists with this book” 13 on Halloween is listed in Best Cover Fall/Winter 2011 and Middle Grade Novels 2011  once a book is on a list, the more votes it gets the higher up on the list it is. It’s that simple. It’s a win-win for authors & readers. Authors get some great exposure for their books and readers get some great ideas for what they might like to read.

Some of the lists are hilarious too. Winnemucca is on the Feet! list:) LOL! And it’s also on the Adopt an Indie November 2011.  Check out all these lists to find some amazing reads for the beach this summer. And when you do, there’s a great box for you to search for the exact list you want, just enter your search term, say beach reads and a whole bunch of fun lists will appear for you to check out. Have fun in Listopia Land :)

Check out what the other Carnis have to say about Listopia here.

Check out what’s new at the carnival this week here.