April 19, 2013 by Angela Wallace

LOL Cat Contest Results

Thank you to everyone who played our little LOL Cat game here this week. I had a blast reading your caption suggestions and it was hard picking the final winner. But here it is! Thank you, Suzie, for the Princess Bride classic!

To read all the other great suggestions, check out Monday’s post here.

Congratulations are also in order to Alina for being the winner of the book drawing!

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DREAMSTEALER is now available on Amazon, B&N, and Kobo!

When her kingdom’s former enemy suspects their princess is a budding dreamwalker, Lexa is drafted out of retirement and sent to Teltania to train the twelve-year-old girl. But hidden agendas complicate her mission, and Lexa doesn’t know whom to trust. Meanwhile, her own dreamwalking powers are waning when she needs them most. Can Lexa decipher the mysteries at every turn, or will the dreamscape claim yet another dreamwalker?

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March 25, 2013 by Angela Wallace

Cover Reveal: Dreamstealer

I am so excited to share with you all the cover for my next release, Dreamstealer, the sequel to Dreamwalker. It looks AMAZING. But first, here’s some fun info about the upcoming book.

1. Where did the idea for Dreamstealer come from?

Well, it’s the sequel to the novella, Dreamwalker, which was supposed to be a single book, but readers kept threatening begging me to write another one. So I did.

2. What genre does your book fall under?

Fantasy. Kick-ass fantasy, I might add.

3. Who’s the main character?

Lexa is an ex-special forces soldier who knows how to kill a man half a dozen ways with her bare hands. She also has the rare ability to transcend from her mind into the dreamscape, an otherworldly realm somewhere between dreams and the heavens, and then to also enter other people’s dreams. Lexa is a tough, no-nonsense kind of woman who tackles challenges with either sharpened sarcasm or well-aimed right hooks.

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Jennifer Garner as Lexa (definitely with the sai from the movie Elektra, but not the leather outfit):

Hugh Jackman for Sir Neil Duram (think from Kate & Leopold):

Child actresses are really hard to find, so let’s say we’d cast an unknown, brand new girl for Princess Taryn and she’d become a star.

Hector Elizondo for, well, Hector, the Steward:

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Lexa is once again called out of retirement, this time to help her country’s former enemy when they suspect their twelve-year-old princess is a budding dreamwalker.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

It will be self-published, represented by me.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The first draft…two months. But it was bare bones. The second draft and fleshing out took another month, and the real magic happened in the next two. From the first draft to final, the word count more than doubled. So those of you who were sad when Dreamwalker was so short…buckle your seat belts.

8. Does this book have a soundtrack?

Not a very long one, but “Skyrim” by Peter Hollens & Lindsey Stirling is perfect for every fight scene, and “Set Fire to the Rain” by Adele is the backdrop for a very specific, very romantic, scene. (Yes, that’s right, Lexa is getting a shot at romance.)

9. Who or What inspired you to write this book?

My readers. They loved Lexa so much, they wanted more of her. And really, who could blame them? She’s now my favorite character (don’t tell the Elemental Magic women).

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Everything readers loved about the first book—action-packed scenes with plenty of combat, intrigue, snarky Lexa humor, and a quirky guy attempting to sweep her off her feet—you’ll find in this one. And just when I thought I’d already thrown Lexa through the ringer in the first book, well, let’s just say Dreamstealer is one hell of a ride.

And now, drum roll please….

Cover Design by Amber Shah at BookBeautiful.com

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January 30, 2013 by Angela Wallace

Phoenix Feather Gets A New Look!

I’ve decided to change the cover for my first novel, Phoenix Feather. Don’t get me wrong, I love the original cover, even designed the concept myself, but I’m afraid it doesn’t shout, “Look at me!” So I’m giving this one a try. With Valentine’s Day next month, I’m hoping this sweet romance will get a little more love.

Cover art by Char Adlesperger at Wicked Cover Designs

November 19, 2012 by Angela Wallace

Dreamwalker—The Ball

Featuring “Take Me On” by Richie Sambora (Click the space between the title and “Share” to play without opening a new window.)

Image via Kay Adams under Creative Commons

Lexa’s got her hands full at the state ball. Not only is she working security for the city’s officials, but she’s doing it all glammed up at their insistence on blending in. To make matters worse, her boss literally throws her into the arms of a rich merchant in the hopes of buttering him up so he’ll donate more funds to the war effort. Not that Sir Duram minds; he’s quite taken with Lexa.

Image via LHG Creative Photography under Creative Commons

…And then Dirk comes along, the dream assassin. Why risk showing his face, unless it was to sweep Lexa off her feet…

Image via Dennis Khun under Creative Commons

A faster song picked up, and before she could remove herself from the dance floor, another caught her up in his arms and began twirling her across the room. Lexa looked up and her eyes flashed with fury.

“You,” she hissed.

Dirk smiled, keeping step but not letting her go. He still wore all black, but a tailored silk shirt this time with the first couple top buttons undone, and his hair was smoothed back into his hair tie.

Image via Imelda Whitfield under Creative Commons

“What, you’re not going to talk to me?” he asked, and dipped her backward. His face loomed inches above hers in the pause as they hung suspended in the air. “I’m making an effort.” He brought her upright again, but the migrating ceiling made her slightly dizzy.

“What do you want? Are you here to kill someone? I’m not going to let that happen.”

He sighed. “While the challenge of taking out a target under everyone’s nose would be interesting, it would also be messy.”

Lexa gritted her teeth. “You prefer dream killing?” She tugged to get her hand back, but he squeezed tighter and wrapped his other arm in a secure hold around her waist.

“Must we talk about work?”

“You can always throw yourself out a window,” she said, and bent his wrist back until it cracked.

Dreamwalker is available on Amazon and other e-store retailers. And in response to popular demand, I am now writing the sequel: Dreamstealer.

~~~

September 17, 2012 by Angela Wallace

PonyFest12 Entry—Cetus!

It’s time for PonyFest 2012! Last year Rebecca Enzor hosted a contest on her blog for writers and authors to submit custom pony designs based on their novels. Lots of creative characters were posted and then people voted for their favorite. The winner’s drawing was then made into a real custom! The contest was so much fun, Rebecca has decided to make it annual. Visit her post for the rules if you want to participate! And be sure to come back in October to visit other participating blogs and vote for your favorite!

Last year I submitted Phoenix Feather, which came in second. This year I’ve got a brand new pony—Cetus from Elemental Magic!

Cetus is a sea dragon from the Mediterranean, though in the book he’s been sleeping off the coast of Washington until a sinister alchemist awakens him to go on a rampage. He’s not all bad though; he befriends the main character, Aileen, and she works to save him from the evil alchemist’s influence. This pony’s got the serpentine cutie symbol, colors of the deep ocean, and some scales on his legs.

The silhouette against the backdrop of stars was tall and thin, at least compared to the width of a whale. That wasn’t to say it wasn’t incredibly large. It loomed at least seven feet over the top of the ship. Keenan swept the spotlight over it, and I caught a flash of teeth bared in a menacing sneer and bright, blue-green scales. Eyes glowered gold with the reflection of the light… Hot breath spewed from its nostrils into the chill air. I supposed it most closely resembled traditional renditions of Chinese dragons: its body was definitely serpentine and lined with spicules. Two tusks sprouted from the back of its head, and it seriously looked like it had two whiskers of a mustache, except they were more like the spines of a lionfish. Its eyes were hardened and possessed a chilling intelligence that even the smartest dolphin didn’t have.

Sunken treasure guarded by a sea dragon. Sure, no problem.

You can read about Cetus in Elemental Magic on Amazon!

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July 30, 2012 by Angela Wallace

Treachery on the High Seas

A body was discovered at sea by the Coast Guard yesterday. Though the identity has not been released, inside sources say the forty-year-old man was a crew member of the cargo ship, Allegro, which went missing three days ago.

Official statements say they can’t be sure what caused the ship to disappear and stop transmitting GPS coordinates, though anything from a malfunction to bad weather has been hypothesized. Before getting caught and thrown out of the morgue, our esteemed reporter managed to glimpse the body of the crewman recovered from sea—perhaps officials would like us to believe a stray bullet simply hitchhiked through a windstorm. Stranger things have happened.

Pirates seems a plausible theory. We approached the owner of the ship, Christophe Irons, to ask what would be valuable enough to steal. The Fortune 500 businessman has holdings in oil, textiles, and is quite the avid collector of rare and priceless artifacts. He also owns several states and a couple islands. Unfortunately, Mr. Irons declined to comment. It begs the question: what is he hiding? We can only speculate that perhaps he sunk his own ship for the insurance claim. That, or there’s more to this pasty, Eastern European than meets the eye.

In any case, salvagers have been arriving in droves, all drooling over the imagined treasures to be found on the missing Allegro. Many of the men, after a few beers, were happy to share their theories: gold bricks, Chinese terracotta army soldiers, rare jewels or pearls. Some of the more unusual theories included Pandora’s box or the Holy Grail. One man hoped to find a captive magical creature. (No more beer for him.)

Though Mr. Irons’s PR representative made it clear that Mr. Irons wants his rightful property returned to him, his lawyers won’t have much luck against salvager’s law: finder’s keepers. One wonders just what is on that ship that he wants back so badly.

This report comes to you from the Examiner, where everything deserves a closer look.

Curious about the adventure? You can read how it all turns out in Elemental Magic.

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July 2, 2012 by Angela Wallace

Dreamwalker Launch Party

I’m excited to announce Dreamwalker is now available on Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords! If anyone wants to join the party and help get the word out, I’ve typed up some pre-written content you can simply copy and paste in your Facebook or Twitter streams. Or you can fiddle with them as you like. And at the bottom, enjoy another teaser from the book!

Facebook Posts (or G+)

Angela Wallace’s latest fantasy novella, Dreamwalker, is now available for purchase as an e-book! Two dreamwalkers: one a devout soldier, the other a rogue assassin. Last one standing wins. http://www.amazon.com/Dreamwalker-ebook/dp/B008EDE2JU/

My good friend and author Angela Wallace has released the e-book edition of her latest book, a fantasy novella entitled Dreamwalker. The dreamscape is a perilous place, a world of ever shifting shadows. And if you see the murky brown fog—run. http://www.amazon.com/Dreamwalker-ebook/dp/B008EDE2JU/

Like fantasy, sword fights, and a mysterious rogue in black? Check out Dreamwalker on Amazon Kindle! http://www.amazon.com/Dreamwalker-ebook/dp/B008EDE2JU/

Excited to get a copy of Angela Wallace’s latest book, Dreamwalker. Two dreamwalkers: one a devout soldier, the other a rogue assassin. Last one standing wins. http://www.amazon.com/Dreamwalker-ebook/dp/B008EDE2JU/

The links above and below are for Amazon, but if you’re a B&N fan, here’s the link for there too: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dreamwalker-angela-wallace/1111793701?ean=2940014613941

Twitter Tweets

Author @AngelaRWallace released the ebook edition of her fantasy novella #Dreamwalker! Get it for $2.99! http://www.amazon.com/Dreamwalker-ebook/dp/B008EDE2JU/

Excited to get the Kindle Edition of @AngelaRWallace ’s fantasy novella #Dreamwalker. Newly released for $2.99! http://www.amazon.com/Dreamwalker-ebook/dp/B008EDE2JU/

Congrats to @AngelaRWallace for her Kindle release of her fantasy novella #Dreamwalker. Get it for $2.99! http://www.amazon.com/Dreamwalker-ebook/dp/B008EDE2JU/

#Dreamwalker, @AngelaRWallace ’s fantasy novella is now available as an ebook! http://www.amazon.com/Dreamwalker-ebook/dp/B008EDE2JU/

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Teaser

The horizon on all sides faded into a gray haze, blurring any sense of direction. Vines snaked along the ground, alternating between full blossoms and bare, gnarled branches, an infinite river of plants that stretched further than Lexa could see.

After half a mile, the trees on her left turned barren and the riverbed ran dry into a bare expanse. The sterile landscape branched out into a murky haze, like brown and black shadows writhing together. Lexa frowned. Things did not tend to appear so dead in the dreamscape. Usually life and blossoms were mixed, like the vines, reality and possibility twisted together. This was pure ugliness.

She came to a sudden stop as recognition hit. She’d been here before. Dread washed over her and she forgot herself in the impact of the one memory she tried to forget—this stretch of land and the terrible creatures that came from the nearby curtain of dark fog. Blood began seeping up from the dirt around her, spreading and pooling like red oil. From the looming blackness ahead floated the Nightmares, bobbing blobs of thick darkness. They loomed in various sizes, from the smallest ones the size of a fist, to huge, fat globs that could engulf a man’s chest. Lexa knew they were coming, yet all she could do was stand frozen, gaze locked on the familiar face emerging through the film of blood with its empty eyes staring up at her. The Nightmares sensed her terror and were drawn to it.

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June 25, 2012 by Angela Wallace

Special Sneak Peek: Dreamwalker

The release is looming closer! And to give you a taste, here’s an excerpt I hope you enjoy.

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Lexa’s eyes snapped open at the barest touch of a cold steel’s sharp edge against her neck. She reached behind and grabbed a collar, swinging its bearer over her shoulder. The man in black rolled to his feet with ease, an intrigued grin on his face. Lexa stared at him in surprise and uncertainty—she had never met another person in the dreamscape before.

“You’re quick,” he remarked with strange satisfaction.

Lexa narrowed her eyes and circled him like a wary lioness. “Who are you?” He sidestepped to match her movements. His all black get-up, from his simple shirt down to his somewhat faded boots, gave him the look of a poor pirate, though not as filthy. Long, light-colored hair tied at the nape of his neck framed rugged features and a sharp jaw line. A slight accent colored his voice, but was too diluted to tell its origin.

“And rather attractive.” He took a moment to look her up and down, his brows lifting in appreciation. “I’ve heard there was another walking the dreamscape. You’re much more appealing than I expected.”

Lexa cocked her head to the side. “Wait till I draw blood.”

“Ooh, feisty, too,” he said while waggling the knife in his hand. “At the moment, I’m the one who’s armed.”

She smirked. “At the moment.”

Lexa raised her arms into a defensive stance and dealt him a swift sidekick to the face. Her boot connected with his jaw and knocked him back. His arms shot out to break his fall and the knife fell into a clump of grass. Still leaning over, he kicked at Lexa’s leg, sending her to her knees. He jumped to his feet again and bounced on his toes as though he found this an entertaining workout. Lexa glowered at him. Rolling onto her hip, she swung her legs around to knock his out from under him. He landed on his back with a grunt, and she arched her leg down to jam her heel on his throat.

He caught her foot, softening the blow, and still he didn’t lose his haughty grin. Around a cough, he smiled and said, “You must tell me your name.”

She snorted in disgust and tried to pull her leg back, but he held fast and yanked her toward him. They both rolled, grappling with each other and laying in well-aimed strikes. Lexa’s elbow brushed the knife lying in the grass and she grabbed it, slashing at his chest. He rolled into a crouch out of reach. Both combatants were breathing heavily from the exertion, but neither lost their air of confidence.

The man got to his feet and backed away. “It was nice meeting you, my lady. I’m sure I’ll have your name soon.”

“Not if you always give up this easily.” Lexa took two steps forward.

He laughed and pressed a hand to his chest. “We’ve only just met. Let’s not rush things.” He bowed with a flourish and tipped an imaginary hat. “And for your pleasure, I am called Dirk.”

Lexa hurled the knife at him, but he vanished into the waking world. It struck the wall before melting into mist.

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Watch for Dreamwalker, out June 30th. Two dreamwalkers: one a devout soldier, the other a rogue assassin. Last one standing wins.

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June 11, 2012 by Angela Wallace

Cover Reveal: Dreamwalker

I’ve been working furiously the last several weeks on a special project, even though I haven’t mentioned it. So consider this the first announcement of my soon to be released fantasy novella, Dreamwalker. If all goes according to plan (when does it ever?), it should be out as an e-book this summer.

After Lexa’s comrade died saving her life, she retired from the special forces and retreated to a sanctuary in the mountains. A year later, war is brewing with the neighboring country, and Lexa discovers a threat even the army can’t stand against—a dream assassin. As the only other dreamwalker in known existence, Lexa returns to the capital of Artasia and her old post to protect her country’s leaders. But is the cocky, mysterious dreamwalker who seems to be stalking her the true mastermind? Or is something even more sinister threatening not just Artasia, but the dreamscape as well? As Lexa fights to protect those she loves, she discovers a power that can transcend worlds, and a destiny she never could have imagined.

Add the book on Goodreads.

Cover by Fantasia Frog Designs

April 11, 2012 by Angela Wallace

Super Sneak Peek: Elemental Magic 3

Last week I posted an excerpt from Dry Spell, Elemental Magic 2. This week, I’m finishing up the Lucky 7 Meme with a super sneak peek of my current work in progress, the third book in my Elemental Magic series.

For a refresher, the basic rules of this meme:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS/WIP
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines, sentences, or paragraphs, and post them as they’re written.

4. Tag 7 authors
5. Let them know

I was tagged by Virginia Ripple, Cassia, and Lena Corazon. Go check out their excerpts!

Elemental Magic 3

Excerpt

He nodded, rocking back and forward like a kid chanting there’s no monster in the closet. I stayed still, not wanting to give the wolf side any more reason to feel threatened. Matt could do this. I had to believe he could get it under control.

It felt like almost an hour had passed when Matt finally let out a long exhale and leaned back against the cushion. I hadn’t realized how taut my muscles were until the tension bled out of them, leaving me feeling even more exhausted than before.

“I’m sorry,” Matt said in a low voice.

Watch for it this fall. And, for another excerpt, be sure to check out Marcy Kennedy’s blog this Friday when she’ll be interviewing me.