Songkeeper 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. :)

 

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 15^th 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 15^th. 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!

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!

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.

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