Announcing: Local Author Wednesdays

Before sharing the announcement I hinted about last week, I wanted to take a moment thank those of you who have purchased PIAO. I am so blessed! It's hard to know how many books have been purchased exactly due to numerous vendors, but at times both the paperback and Kindle version have moved from low to quite far up in the rankings (for me, anyway) so I can tell it is definitely being purchased! Thanks, everyone!

And now for my exciting news: 

I am very, very excited to announce that I will be hosting a new theme called Local Author Wednesday starting May 1st. 

In the four plus years that I have been writing it has become blatantly obvious how much easier it is to connect with writers online than it is to connect with writers locally. When Pity Isn't An Option was released in February, that lack of knowledge and means to share this information actually made me quite sad. There are so many authors! So many books! Books eager to be held and read by readers who know nothing about them! 

So, this is for you, local readers (and any other readers interested in participating). Each Local Author Wednesday will feature an author, one of their books, and a giveaway!

*throws coffee bean confetti*

Here's the genre/author lineup (not in any particular order):

Young Adult fiction -- Kasie West (link), author of Pivot Point (you might have noticed me dropping her book last Thursday at Superior Dairy during #rockthedrop)

 

Blurb: Knowing the outcome doesn't always make a choice easier. . . .

Addison Coleman's life is one big "What if?" As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It's the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie's parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the "Norms," or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it's not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback's girlfriend. When Addie's father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she's unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she's willing to live through . . . and who she can't live without.

***

Non-fiction -- Michael J. Semas (link), author of Kings County (Postcard History Series)

If you're into local history (or history in general) this book is perfect. I love reading books like this because they inspire me while I'm writing, not to mention it's awesome to know how the area you live used to be. (The fact that I can tell my daughters this info as we drive around, therefore, driving them nuts, is just a bonus!)

Blurb: Kings County is slowly becoming modern, as California's urban areas continue to expand into rural and formerly agricultural land. Still the open skies here look down upon copious amounts of historical significance. From the dwellings of the early Yokut people, ferries across the Kings River, the arrival of the railroad, and the subsequent Mussell Slough tragedy to the expansion of Highway 198, modernist buildings in Hanford, and the military presence at Lemoore, Kings County boasts compelling stories and a diverse group of people and places. In this engaging retrospective, readers will enjoy fantastic images of a Kings County that some say no longer exists.

***

Romantic Historical Fiction -- Sharon Lathan (link), author of The Darcy Saga series (a continuation of Pride & Prejudice) and most recently released, The Passions of Dr. Darcy

Blurb: You never know where a life of purpose may lead...

Master storyteller Sharon Lathan explores a fascinating and unique aspects of the Regency period, when the British Empire offered the young noblemen of the day promising adventures all over the world.

While Fitzwilliam Darcy is enjoying an idyllic childhood at Pemberley, his vibrant and beloved uncle, Dr. George Darcy, becomes one of the most renowned young physicians of the day. Determined to do something more with his life than cater to a spoiled aristocracy. George accepts a post with the British East India Company and travels in search of a life of meaning and purpose.

When George Darcy returns to Pemberley after many years abroad, the drama and heartbreak of his travels offer a fascinating glimpse into a gentleman's journey of self-discovery and romance.

***

Paranormal (think PG13) -- James Garia, Jr. (link), author of Dance on Fire and Flash Point

Blurb: Each May, the Central California town of Kingsburg celebrates its Swedish heritage with the annual Swedish Festival: a weekend event where the town puts on its traditional dress, culminating with a dance around a Maypole on Friday, and a Swedish pancake breakfast and parade on Saturday. The town with a population of over 11,000 residents draws thousands more to the event. This year, two uninvited guests also converged upon the unsuspecting town.

Nathaniel is a vampire. He wandered into town, bothering no one; feeding upon stray cats and other vermin, wanting nothing more than to have a place to rest his head. Vincent is a second vampire, and the one responsible for making Nathaniel. He has been searching for his long lost “son” for well over two centuries. Vincent’s goal is to take Nathaniel home or kill him. Nathaniel has often wished for death, wondering why God ever allowed this punishment: to walk the earth undead and unable to be redeemed. Does God remember the little boy from Romania who watched his parents die, was raised by the murdering vampire, only to become one himself? What does God think of Nathaniel and could there yet be redemption for one outside of heaven?

Ten days before the start of the Swedish Festival the most tumultuous week in the history of Kingsburg has begun with two vampires leaving death and destruction in their wake. Kingsburg Police Detectives Mark Jackson and Michael Lopez, Barbara and the entire Lopez family find themselves drawn into something that threatens to destroy them all or leave them scarred forever.

In a marriage of the classic horror story and the Christian themes of good conquering evil and redemption, Dance on Fire is the account of characters being drawn into the fire and the supernatural forces around them watching as they burn.

***

So there you go. One author will be featured each Wednesday through the month of May, and along with giveaways, there will be cool facts to give you an idea of what each book is about. Feel free to share this post and spread the author love!!! :)

Be blessed,

Jessica