Gillian Bronte Adams

YA Epic Fantasy Author

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You’re Invited to … a Facebook Launch Party for Songkeeper!

April 18, 2016 by Gillian Bronte Adams 1 Comment

Songkeeper - collage - ready for an adventureSongkeeper has been released into the wild, and I don’t know about you, but I think book releases call for celebration. And what better way to celebrate than with a Facebook party, complete with prizes, giveaways, behind-the-scenes chats, and plenty of splendid company. Including you, right?

*grins*

I sure hope so.

We’ll be holding the party on Tuesday, May 3rd at 7 PM Central Time. You can visit the event page here to find out more information or join the party. And to show you just how much I’m hoping you can be there, I created a special video invite, just for you. Enjoy. :)

Sound like fun? Don’t forget to invite your friends. With Facebook parties, the more the merrier!

Have you already ordered Songkeeper? Don’t forget to send me a copy of your receipt to be entered to win one of these awesome prizes. :)

 

Songkeeper - preorder prizeSongkeeper - prize for week 1 orders

Filed Under: Novel News Tagged With: Songkeeper, Songkeeper Chronicles

One Day More – Songkeeper is coming …

April 14, 2016 by Gillian Bronte Adams Leave a Comment

Songkeeper - promo header

This is it.

The breath before waking. The stillness before the thunder breaks. The sense of peace before the plunge.

Songkeeper comes out tomorrow.

I can’t help but grin at the thought of it. In only a few short hours, Songkeeper, the reservoir of a year of night dreaming, heart aching, white-knuckled typing, and boggswoggling hard work, will be turned loose into the world.

It’s always a terrifying moment.

And a glorious one.

But what to say about this book?

Where to begin? (A writer at a loss for words? Horrors!)

This book was incredibly hard to write. The story it tells is that of the characters—of Birdie, Ky, Amos, and Gundhrold—and not my own, of course, and yet it springs from the many of the struggles and fears and hopes that have wrestled their way through my mind over the past year.

Compared to Orphan’s Song, Songkeeper may seem somewhat more intense. I think it remains true to the overall feel of the first story, but times are hard, war has broken out, and things get ugly … and rightfully so. War is not a beautiful thing. It is a somewhat weighty book, but there are still plenty of lighthearted moments thrown in, and the brokenness is balanced by glimpses of beauty and hope.

Not long after writing Songkeeper, I wrote these words for the “why I do what I do” section of my website:

“In my novels, you can expect battle and bloodshed, but bravery and beauty as well. Heartache and hope. Sorrow and sacrifice, but also courage and peace.

I write about broken characters muddling their way down broken roads. Though my heroes and heroines may not be clad in shining armor, they are willing to stand to the fight even when their armor is battered and torn and simply standing requires what strength they have left.

They are the forgotten, the wounded, the outcasts. They are us. And so often, I have found, it is the thorn-riddled paths that yield the greatest beauty in the end.”

These words I think accurately describe Songkeeper. As Samwise Gamgee (dear Sam!) says in the Two Towers movie, “In the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines, it’ll shine out the clearer.”

Songkeeper may seem intense at times, perhaps even painful to read, but my favorite scene in the entire book—actually, I think my favorite scene that I have ever written—is the final scene. Read on to that scene.

I hope you’ll see why.


SONGKEEPER

War ravages Leira and the Song has fallen silent

Freed from the hold of a slave ship, Birdie, the young Songkeeper, and Ky, a street-wise thief, emerge to a world at war. Hordes of dark soldiers march across Leira, shadowed by whispers of plague and massacres, prompting Ky to return to his besieged home city in hopes of leading his fellow runners to safety.

Desperate to end the fighting, Birdie embarks on a dangerous mission into the heart of the Takhran’s fortress. Legend speaks of a mythical spring buried within and the Songkeeper who will one day unleash it to achieve victory. Everyone believes Birdie is the one, but the elusive nature of the Song and rumors of other gifted individuals lead her to doubt her role. Unleashing the spring could defeat the Takhran once and for all, but can she truly be the Songkeeper when the Song no longer answers her call?


Pre-order Songkeeper on Amazon

Be sure to check back on the blog tomorrow as the book release celebrations begin!

Songkeeper has been with advance readers for several weeks now, and the reviews are starting to come in!
Check out what readers are saying about Songkeeper on Goodreads.

Filed Under: Novel News

Join the Songkeeper Launch Team Today!

February 24, 2016 by Gillian Bronte Adams 21 Comments

Songkeeper Launch Team promo graphic

Well folks, it’s time …

I am searching for a few brave warriors for a dangerous mission from which all (or at least most) should return alive. Warning: there may be monsters ahead. Don’t want to miss out on the fun? Apply to join the Underground and be a part of the launch team for Songkeeper, book two in the Songkeeper Chronicles.

Epic adventures (and perils) await …

Oh … you want more information?

Okay.

Why the Underground?

To be honest, I like the sound of it, and given the importance of the Underground to Ky and the rest of the crew, well, I thought it only fitting for it to serve as the structure for our competitive launch team. That’s right. It is a competition, albeit a friendly one. So while it’s not quite like facing Cade in the Ring, you can earn points to win super cool prizes for helping spread the word about Songkeeper.

Still game?

What is a launch team?

A launch team is a group of amazingly brave individuals who band together (like Robin Hood’s Merry Men … or the Fellowship of the Ring) to accomplish a great mission (being “burdened with glorious purpose” and all that jazz). In this case, that mission is spreading the news about Songkeeper.

You see, books are a bit like diamonds in the rough. They tend to stay in the rough so long as no one knows that they’re there. You guys are here to help get Songkeeper out of the rough and into the hands of readers everywhere.

Or you know how objects at rest tend to stay at rest? Well, Songkeeper is currently at rest, like a ship waiting to take sail, and your job is to sprinkle the magic fairy dust (by spreading the news) to allow the ship to launch and fly.

Enough bad analogies? (In my defense, I have been reading Brandon Sanderson’s The Reckoners series and bad similes and metaphors abound!)

Anyway, you guys get the picture, right? Moving on.

Are there any requirements?

There are always requirements.

But we’ll keep them fairly simple. Answer yes to the following questions, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a member of the Underground. In addition to the requirements, there’s also scads of optional tasks that you can complete to earn points to win some of those super cool prizes I mentioned. But more about those later.

  • Are you willing to read Songkeeper before April 15th and post a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and at least one other site? If you have a blog, that one other site could be your blog. If not, it could be Barnes and Nobles, CBD, etc.
  • If you have a blog, are you willing to participate in the blog tour?
  • Are you willing to talk about Songkeeper on social media, whether through Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, etc? I’ll provide team members with some sample tweets and statuses, but if you can add your own flavor so that it actually sounds more like you and less like me, that usually turns out better.

After that, the options are limitless … and so are the number of points you can earn!

Perks and Rewards

Yes, there are both perks and rewards in this game, brave warriors. You will not venture into battle for naught. Like Bilbo, you shall receive your fourteenth share of the treasure … except not a fourteenth share and not treasure …

  • Every member of the launch team will receive a digital copy (PDF) of Songkeeper that they agree to read and review before April 15th. So yes, you get to read it before the rest of the world … and you get to read it for free. Wait … was that the magic word I heard? Music to my ears …
  • You will have access to a top secret Underground Launch Team Facebook Group. While Facebook is not a requirement to be a member of the launch team, a lot of the behind-the-scenes discussions will take place there, so you will miss out on those if you don’t have an account. Did I say “Behind-the-scenes discussion?” Oh yeah. Including “How It Could Have Ended” chats, definitions and backstory on Amos’s insults, and backstage information on your favorite characters. Not to mention a fun place to hang out with incredibly awesome people.
  • And don’t forget the super cool prizes! Which will be both super and cool, and which I am terribly excited about revealing to you … Just not yet. *grins*

Sound like fun?

Fill out the application to join the Launch Team. Spaces are limited, so don’t delay! The application will close out one week from today, unless the spots fill before then, after which the chosen will receive the launch team guidelines an invitation to join the Top Secret Facebook group.

Adventure, my friends, awaits!

Filed Under: Novel News Tagged With: Songkeeper, Songkeeper Chronicles

Songkeeper is coming …

February 15, 2016 by Gillian Bronte Adams 21 Comments

Things have been a bit quiet on the blog front lately. Apologies, my friends. I swear, this generally only happens when things have been anything but quiet on the western front that we call life. But I am back … and I have exciting news.

Songkeeper is coming.

Houston, we have a release date. So it’s time to mark your calendars and stash your pocket change in a safe place for launch day on April 15th. That’s right. Only two months from today!

photo (32)

Yep, that’s a photo of me positively thrilled to find the final galley for Songkeeper in my inbox yesterday morning. One final read-through to catch and destroy those last persistent typos and then its off to press. Meanwhile, I’m also conquering my way through book three and brainstorming a whole slew of ideas for Songkeeper‘s launch.

On that note, keep your eyes peeled for another post in the next few weeks, because I am going to be seeking out an army of brave souls to strap on their battle armor, throw in their lot as members of the Launch Team,  and help get Songkeeper off the ground. More details will be coming soon, but for now, I have a question for you!

Three questions rather.

  1. Would you be interested in participating in a Launch Team and helping spread the word about the book in exchange for some fabulous perks, including a chance to read Songkeeper early?
  2.  Would you be more interested in a competitive Launch Team – where you strive to earn points and prizes through your participation – or would you prefer a Launch Team where everyone happily does their part? (I lean toward the competitive side myself …)
  3. Are you still confused about what a Launch Team is?

If you answered yes to the third question, never fear, all your questions will be answered in the next post.

For now, you can once more enjoy the cover and find out a little bit more about the book! Warning: If you have not yet read Orphan’s Song, there are spoilers ahead.

SONGKEEPER

War ravages Leira and the Song has fallen silent.

Freed from the hold of a slave ship, Birdie, the young Songkeeper, and Ky, a street-wise thief, emerge to a world at war. Hordes of dark soldiers march across Leira, shadowed by whispers of plague and massacres, prompting Ky to return to his besieged home city in hopes of leading his fellow runners to safety.

Desperate to end the fighting, Birdie embarks on a dangerous mission into the heart of the Takhran’s fortress. Legend speaks of a mythical spring buried within and the Songkeeper who will one day unleash it to achieve victory. Everyone believes Birdie is the one, but the elusive nature of the Song and rumors of other gifted individuals lead her to doubt her role. Unleashing the spring could defeat the Takhran once and for all, but can she truly be the Songkeeper when the Song no longer answers her call?

COMING APRIL 15, 2016

 

 

Filed Under: Novel News Tagged With: Songkeeper, Songkeeper Chronicles

Give the Gift of Books this Christmas … and My Christmas Gift to You!

December 14, 2015 by Gillian Bronte Adams 3 Comments

Christmas promo

For me, Christmas and books go hand in hand. Every year when I was growing up, my parents would ask me what I wanted. And every year, I asked for books. And more books. I recall one or two old snapshots in the photo album where I’m sitting behind a stack of books that’s nearly as tall as I am.

Books are one of those rare gifts that keeps on giving. They’re not something that you use once and forget about. Every time you pick up a book and re-read it, it’s like visiting an old friend. And Christmas and gifts books also carry the added draw of nostalgia and special memories.

I am a notorious book-gifter. There was one Christmas a few years back when I realized only after my family had started unwrapping their presents that I had given every single one of them a book of some sort. (Since then, I’ve tried to broaden my horizons a wee bit. There’s nothing so dull as predictability after all.) But honestly, it does make sense. Gifts are meant to come from the heart, and when you love books enough to hunt down just the right sort of book for each person, it’s that much more special.

And when you guys decide to give your friends one of my books, well, that just makes me all sorts of ridiculously happy and honored and humbled too. So, I decided that I wanted to give you a gift as well.

My Gift to You

The one thing that people ask me about the most is a map of Leira. I’ve had a sketch drawn up for several years now, and it’s been through almost as many revisions as the books themselves. But I decided that it was time for me to grit my teeth, dive into the work, and turn my sketch into something worth sharing …

That’s right, Houston we have a map.

So between now and the end of the year, if you purchase a copy of Orphan’s Song or Out of Darkness Rising to give as a gift, I will mail you your very own copy of this luverly beauty below (granted, this is just a sneak peek) printed on gorgeous natural paper and a MP3 song of your choice!

Because music and the Songkeeper Chronicles and Christmas go hand in hand.

photo (24)

How do you claim your gift?

It’s easy. Simply send me an email at thesongkeeper@gmail.com with a copy of your receipt and your mailing address, and I will ship it off to you.

But there’s more. Not only will you get a copy of the map and a brand new song to grace your ipod, your name will also be entered into a drawing for one of the first digital ARC copies of Songkeeper, book two. *grins* High stakes, my friends. High stakes.

SONGKEEPER FRONT COVER

Now on to my real Christmas gift …

If you haven’t yet joined my newsletter, now is the time to do so, because on Christmas Eve, all of my newsletter subscribers will receive a bright, new, shiny email in their inbox delivering a sneak peek at the first chapter of Songkeeper!

That’s right, my dears, you could be one of the first readers of chapter one.

If you haven’t read Orphan’s Song yet, I should probably warn you that there will be some simply lovely spoilers in chapter one of Songkeeper. So to save yourself from the peril of discovering something simply dreadful, read Orphan’s Song first and then sign up for my newsletter before Christmas Eve in order to read chapter one of book two.

Christmas Eve chapter one

Now that I have (hopefully) whetted your appetite for Christmas Eve, I’m curious, what is the best bookish Christmas gift you have ever received?

Filed Under: Giveaway, Updates Tagged With: Orphan's Song, Out of Darkness Rising, Songkeeper, Songkeeper Chronicles

Cover Reveal for Songkeeper

December 3, 2015 by Gillian Bronte Adams 21 Comments

SONGKEEPER FRONT COVER title

Things have been quiet around here lately … which generally only happens when things are anything but quiet on the homefront. I promise, I do try not to go dark unless I absolutely must, which is usually caused by exciting things like impossible book deadlines, dreaded pirate attacks, undercover editing missions, and cover designs.

This time, it was the latter two.

Edits.

And cover designs.

So I am thrilled to finally be able to show you the long-awaited cover for SONGKEEPER, book two in the Songkeeper Chronicles. More information – like the delicious back cover blurb and launch team sign-ups – will be coming soon, so don’t go far!

In the meantime, feast your eyes on this!

SONGKEEPER FRONT COVER

What do you think? Drool worthy? Thrilling? Get-me-that-book-immediately-so-I-can-devour-it? Whatever it is, I’d love to hear your impression in the comments.

SONGKEEPER is COMING SPRING 2016.

Don’t want to miss out? Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to find out when the pre-orders are available … and to get occasional behind-the-scenes goodies … and first looks inside new books.

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: Songkeeper, Songkeeper Chronicles

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