Well, ladies and gents, March is here. BOOK TWO of the Songkeeper Chronicles has been turned in, Out of Darkness Rising is about to release, and I’m about to start the initial writing stages for BOOK THREE.

I’m not entirely sure why March and Allegorical Fantasy seem to go together, though I think perhaps it has something to with how the expression below reminds me of both names and allegorical representations of Jesus. “In like a lion … out like a lamb.” The Lion of Judah. The Lamb of God. Aslan.

Perhaps it’s just me.

In any case, I settled on Allegorical Fantasy for March and decided to start off the month with another giveaway for Out of Darkness Rising, my allegorical fantasy novella that’s releasing in less than two weeks! So, if you missed out on a chance to win Out of Darkness Rising last time, this could be your lucky day! Enter through the Rafflecopter below. I’m offering a paperback copy for the US and ebook copies for any international winners. But first, make sure you read through the end to get a sneak peak into the book … Yes, my lovelies, you did read that right!

Darkness reigns unchallenged.

For the villagers on the accursed Island, life has only one meaning – death. Bound to the Island by the curse, the villagers suffer beneath the iron claw of the Serpent, daily breathing the poison of his breath and dying to appease his insatiable appetite.

When Marya’s parents are slain by the serpent for their belief in a legendary king, she becomes an outcast. Struggling to survive and avoid the vengeance of the Tribunal, Marya is torn between legend and the harsh reality of the Island. Yet when a forgotten promise springs to life, she cannot help wondering if the old stories might in fact be true. And if they are, will the promise prove stronger than the curse?

Meet the Author

This is where I would normally introduce you to a new author, but since you’re here on my blog, I assume you already know at least a little bit about me. So instead of my usual bio, I thought it would be fun to share a few things you may not know about me. Warning: expect randomness and much tongue-in-cheek to ensue …

• Dr. Pepper is the way to my heart. Not seriously. But almost. Hand me an ice cold Dr. Pepper on a hot day (or a cold day for that matter) and we will almost certainly be friends.
• As a member of a little bitty volunteer fire department in a little bitty rural area, I’ve learned that fire and the 4th of July tend to go together, which in Texas means a lot of sweating in your gear.
• I cannot count the number of times I’ve fallen off my horse … on purpose! *grins* Really! My horse and I have a penchant for drama, so in the past, I’ve taken to using him in western skits where I enjoy playing the bad guy who gets shot off and dies dramatically at the end. So much fun!
  (The first time we did the skit, my horse started nudging me while I was lying on the ground – so cute! After that, he figured it out and just gave me an annoyed look whenever I came off. Yes, he has a lot of personality.)
• I would be perfectly happy living in a tiny cabin in the woods. If I wasn’t a writer, I wouldn’t even care so much about whether it had electricity or not. I once fell in love with a house that had a roof full of … unplanned … skylights. Cutest thing ever. In need of much tender loving care.
• I think you folks are the coolest people ever!

Betrayal. The word had a pleasant ring to it. Arientyl could become accustomed to the shape of it on his tongue, the ring of it in his ears, the tint of it covering his clothes and staining the skin of his sword-hand. After centuries of bowing and scraping and smiling through gritted teeth, the freedom that came with finally allowing the mask to fall was pure relief.

Who could have imagined betrayal could be so sweet?

The wet thud of his boots echoed before him down the stone hallway toward the massive hardwood door that led to the King’s chambers. So close now… so close. His hand involuntarily tightened about the grip of his sword. He allowed himself a quickening of breath as he envisioned driving the blade into the King’s heart and feeling the strong form that had ever stood in his way finally crumble, the breath of opposition finally release in vain.

He halted before the door and lifted his hand to the latch. A whisper of movement behind sent him spinning into a defensive position. The figure of a warrior stood in the center of the hallway, surrounded by the bodies of the slain, cloak hem soaking up the blood that was Arientyl’s handiwork. There was no mistaking that sword stance. Or the one it belonged to, the King’s own son.

Add on Goodreads // Watch the Book Trailer

This giveaway is super easy to enter! Since I’m trying to spread the word about Out of Darkness Rising before its release, all I ask is that you share the book somewhere online – whether you mention it in a blogpost, link to the giveaway or book trailer on facebook, or tweet about it is up to you.

If you’ve already mentioned Out of Darkness Rising in a blog post, you may count the original post as long as you share the link to your post somewhere online after the start of the contest. You can do this once a day until the end of the giveaway! Easy way to rack up those entry points and increase your chances of winning. :) I’m offering a paperback copy for the US and ebook copies for any international winners.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’d like to get to know you better too. If you could share one random fact about yourself, what would it be? Share in the comments!