How a Star Falls Blog Tour + Giveaway!

Today I am taking part in another great blog tour! You may remember in August I was part of the cover reveal for How a Star Falls. Well, now the novella has been released! And it is a wonderful story! I’ll share my review in a moment, but first a little about the book. Also, don’t forget to visit the rest of the blogs on the tour!

About the Book

Sweet NA Contemporary Romance Novella

How does a star fall?

Quickly. Completely. Unexpectedly.

Derrick Knolane escapes to Trinidad Head most evenings, avoiding his apartment and planning for the day he'll break free of Humboldt County. Working in a music store might be fine for a while, but it's far from the goal he had in mind when he got his college degree. Not to mention the fact that his roommate is a jerk and his family won't stop trying to run his life.

Then Brielle falls into his world.

She claims to be a star. Not from Hollywood, but from heaven. He thinks she's crazy. Certainly delusional. Yet, he can't just leave her alone on the cliffs. So he takes her home.

And his whole world falls apart.

A heartfelt and fanciful contemporary romance novella, How a Star Falls explores the uncertain season of new adulthood and shows that sometimes the worst inconveniences make for the best miracles of all.

Purchase on Amazon

My Review: 5 Stars

I almost never read contemporary fiction. It just doesn’t interest me the way fantasy or historical do, but I was intrigued by the premise and mystery of Amber’s story. Once I started, it drew me right in, and I read the whole thing in one sitting. It is wonderfully written, and the romance is adorable. I loved that it was written almost all from the guy’s point-of-view. Derrick was a great character, and Amber did a great job fleshing him out. She also perfectly captured how, when you reach adulthood, things don’t always turn out the way you dreamed when you were young, but it can still lead to a bright and even better future. I highly recommend How a Star Falls. It’s both cute and real. I wish there was more clean new adult fiction like this. Don’t miss out on reading this lovely little story!

Endorsements

"Perfect for when you want a whimsical, heartwarming read, How a Star Falls is more than an inspirational romance...it's a wink and a smile." - Joanne Bischof, award winning author of This Quiet Sky

"Amber Stokes has perfectly expressed the challenges of twenty-something life in her sweet contemporary new adult novella, How a Star Falls. Brielle and Derrick's journey reminds us all of the search to find ourselves in the midst of young adulthood. Their story is charming and wistful with emotions we can all relate to experiencing at some point in our lives. It is a tale about letting go in order to find yourself once again while never losing the importance of who you are...and who you can be." - Cerella Sechrist, author of Gentle Persuasion and The Paris Connection

Author Bio

Amber Stokes works as a content writer (marketing services) for a Christian publisher. On the side, she self-publishes inspirational fiction depicting the seasons of life and love. Her passion for books compelled her to earn a bachelor's degree in English and to run her own freelance editing and publicity business for over a year. Happily, this new chapter of her career takes place in the Pacific Northwest—a part of the world she's always considered home. Learn more about Amber’s books at www.SeasonsofaStory.blogspot.com.

Social Media
Twitter: @SeasonsHumility
Blog: www.seasonsofhumility.blogspot.com
Website: www.seasonsofastory.blogspot.com
Pinterest: pinterest.com/seasonshumility
Goodreads: Amber Stokes
Google +: +AmberStokes

Giveaway
Share in the excitement of Amber’s new release with a special starry giveaway! You can enter to win one of three prize packs using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to U.S. residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The King’s Scrolls Cover Reveal + Giveaway!

The day has arrived! Allow me to present to you the cover of
The King’s Scrolls (Ilyon Chronicles – Book Two)!

I am absolutely ecstatic to be at this point in publishing again where I get to show you the next book in Ilyon Chronicles! As you can see, if follows Resistance in being simple, bold, and hopefully capturing the overall theme of the story. Here with the cover, I also have the official back cover text (though it may be subject to some slight tweaking between now and publication), as well as an excerpt from the book!

About the Book

Following the harrowing events that brought them to Landale Forest, Jace and Kyrin have settled comfortably into their new lives and the mission of protecting those under the emperor’s persecution. The fast approach of winter brings with it the anticipation of a quiet few months ahead. That is until the arrival of four mysterious, dragon-riding cretes who seek aid in a mission of great importance—not only to their own people, but to all followers of Elôm.

Hidden in the vast mining valley north of Valcré, a faithful crete has spent years sharing his knowledge with the destitute miners and their families and is known to possess what may be Arcacia’s last surviving copies of the King’s Scrolls—the Word of Elôm. Joining the cretes, those in Landale must find the crete teacher and bring him to safety, but it is a race against time. Should Daican’s men find him first, execution and the destruction of the Scrolls is certain.

When disaster strikes, all seems lost. Could Elôm have a plan even in the enemy’s triumph?

Excerpt

     The other younger crete took a swig of his coffee and set his eyes past her. Kyrin peeked over her shoulder at Kaden who, of course, was staring at the dragon. The female creature stared back in mutual interest.
     “Go ahead,” the crete said suddenly. “You can touch her. She loves attention, and she’ll only attack if I tell her to.” A sly glint sparkled in his spring-green eyes.
     Besides Jace, Kyrin had never seen anyone with such bright and colorful eyes as these cretes.
     Kaden looked at him, his brows rising. “You can do that?”
     The crete nodded. “Dragons are highly intelligent. You can teach them almost any command. Storm here is young, but she learns fast.”
     Kyrin smiled at the delight in her brother’s eyes as he stepped closer to the dragon and ran his hand over her bluish-gray neck scales. A grin split his face.
     “She’s so smooth. Kyrin, come and feel it.”
     Kyrin stepped to his side and laid her hand on the dragon. The scales were indeed very smooth, reminding her of the polished marble stair-railings in Auréa Palace, but they weren’t cold. Warmth radiated through them. The dragon, still watching them, let out a little rumble, almost like a giant cat’s purr.
     “I told you she liked attention,” the crete said, grinning.
     Kyrin chuckled and glanced at Jace to see if he wanted to touch the dragon, but he made no move to come closer. This certainly had more to do with the crete than the dragon. He was very fond of any type of animal. She faced the crete again.
     “So they can breathe fire?”
     “For short bursts, but that’s usually all it takes to deter any threat.”
     “That’s incredible,” Kaden breathed.
     While he continued admiring Storm, Kyrin observed the dragon’s rider. He appeared to be in his early to mid-twenties—about ten years younger than Captain Darq—though his exact age was impossible to guess. Cretes were said to mature faster than humans, so he could be anywhere from seventeen to twenty-five. He too wore a sleeveless jerkin. Brown tattoos, a little darker than his skin, marked both shoulders. Darq and the other cretes had them as well, but Kyrin hadn’t taken a good look at them until now. This man’s were a complicated pattern of spirals and dots, but the shape of a fox stood out in the center of his right shoulder.
     Though she tried to be discreet, he must have caught her studying him and suddenly extended his hand to her. “I’m Talas, by the way. Talas Folkan of the Fox Clan.”

Giveaway

To celebrate the revealing of the cover, I’m giving away one of my handcrafted quill pen necklaces (which is so perfect in matching the cover!) and a $5 Amazon gift card! Enter for a chance to win using the form below! U.S. entries only please.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Make sure you visit all these awesome blogs who have participated in my cover reveal and see what they are saying about it!

• Morgan Huneke
• The Writer's Window
• Fictionally
• Crafty Booksheeps
• The Wonderings of One Person
• Rivershore Books
• Thilly Little Nothings
• Reality Calling
• Backing Books
• Knitted By God's Plan
• A Writer's Faith
• Perry Elisabeth
• Claire M. Banschbach- Thoughts and Rants
• Written Rest
• Elvish Pens, Fantastical Writings
• The American Anglophile
• Writings, Rambling, and Reflections
• Red Lettering
• Tialla's Tellings
• Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima
• Seasons of Humility
• Imagination of a Writer
• A Writer's Heart
• Melody Jackson Author
• The Curried Nut
• However Improbable
• Spreading Smiles
• The Country Homemaker
• To Be A Person (Posting November 15^th)

Golden Daughter Release Day

Today marks the release of Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s newest novel, Golden Daughter! And as part of the celebration, she is offering a special 99 cent promo sale on her novella, Goddess Tithe! Be sure to check it out before the end of the week when the sale ends! Here is a bit about the stories.

Golden Daughter: Sairu vowed to protect her mistress from all harm. But when assassins and deadly phantoms set out to hunt down Lady Hariawan, can one young bodyguard protect against enemies she can neither see nor touch? With only a Faerie cat and a handsome slave to help her, Sairu's skills and loyalty will be tested to the limit.

Goddess Tithe: When a stowaway is discovered aboard the merchant ship Kulap Kanya, Munny, a cabin boy on his first voyage, knows what must be done. All stowaways are sacrificed to Risafeth, the evil goddess of the sea. But Captain Sunan vows instead to protect the stowaway . . . and a curse falls upon the ship

Becoming Nikki Cover Reveal

And today I bring you yet another cover reveal! (I’m meeting so many new authors this year! :D) Check out this lovely cover of Becoming Nikki by soon-to-be published author Ashley Elliott! Becoming Nikki is her debut novel. It is contemporary Christian fiction and will be published on December 8th (and will include a fun blog tour, of which I will also take part in). While I don’t read a whole lot of contemporary fiction, the story sounds great. Here is the synopsis:

What would you do if you were given the opportunity to rebuild a broken relationship?

Alec and Nikki Scott are the perfect ice dancing duo, executing flawless technique and brilliant performance abilities each time they compete. No one doubts their camaraderie, not even their closest friends.

But looks can be deceiving. Off the ice, their relationship is in shambles. Ice dancing is the only thing they have in common anymore... and Alec wants to quit.

Just as Nikki feels like their relationship can't get any worse, an unexpected tragedy crashes into her life. She's left struggling with a difficult choice as her opinion of her brother slowly starts to change.

Whatever she decides, she knows her life will never be the same.

Interesting, yes? :) You can find out more about Ashley on her blog. And make sure you add Becoming Nikki on Goodreads!

The King’s Scrolls Cover Reveal Signup

I am happy to report that The King’s Scrolls is nearing its final phase of editing before publication. I sent it off to my beta readers on October 1st and am getting ready to go through their feedback starting next week. That will begin my rigorous final edit to iron out all the wrinkles. I’m hoping and praying I can have it done, or close to, by the end of the year.

Now, while the publication of the book may still be a few months away, I feel it’s time to finally reveal the cover. :) I’m very excited to let everyone see it and get it up on Goodreads. I am setting up the cover reveal day for Friday, November 14th. If you have a blog and would like to participate, I would be thrilled to have you join in. I will also be hosting a fun giveaway of one of my handcrafted necklaces that matches the cover as well as a $5 Amazon gift card. If you would like to be part of the reveal, just fill out the form below! And if you have any blogging friends who might like to join in the fun, be sure to let them know! The more the merrier. :)

Signups are now closed.

Be Thou My Vision Blog Tour

You may remember the cover reveal for Be Thou My Vision by my friend Faith Blum. (After all, it is only two posts down. Just shows how bad I am at updating my blog lately.) Well, today I get to be part of the fun blog tour to promote its release on October 26th. As part of the tour I get to share a couple interview questions and my thoughts on the book. First, however, a little about the story.

The church was empty when I dragged myself out of the pew and headed out the door. As I opened the door, the corner of my eye caught a flicker of movement which I chose to ignore. I walked down the steps and was nearly bowled over by two wild boys. With arms grown strong and quick from man-handling two brothers growing up, I grabbed the two boys before they had a chance to escape me.

Anna Stuart is comfortable with her life. She may be a 30 year old spinster, but she has her routine and enjoys taking care of her father and older brother. One letter shatters all her routines, comfort, and enjoyment. After learning of her brother’s death, Anna feels like her life will never be the same again.

Then she meets two motherless boys. Did God place them in her life to lead her to a new vision of life? Can she trust God to give her the desires of her heart before she even knows what they are?

My Review

I had the privilege of beta-reading Be Thou My Vision. Since that was a couple of months ago, I admit the story is a little foggy (I should know better than to not write reviews right away), but I did very much enjoy it. I enjoyed Anna’s journey of faith, and while I don’t mind a good fairytale romance, I appreciated Faith’s more realistic approach to the subject. It was also interesting to read a historical novel in first person. There aren’t many written that way, at least not many I’ve read. I look forward to seeing what comes next in Faith’s Hymns of the West series. (And I love how she incorporates hymns into each book’s theme!)

Interview Questions

Q7: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

God’s wisdom is so much greater than ours and we should lean on Him, not ourselves.

Q8: How much of the book is realistic?

I hope all of it is realistic since that is one of the reasons I wrote a romance novel the way I did. I wanted it to be realistic rather than an ushy-gushy, if-we’re-attracted-to-each-other-we-must-be-in-love romance.

Make sure you visit the other stops on the tour (which you can find here) to read the rest of the interview and see what others are saying about the book! Faith is also having a special 99 cent pre-order sale until the book’s release on the 26th, so be sure to take advantage of it!

And don’t forget to stop by the Be Thou My Vision Facebook Launch Party on November 1st at 7-8:30 PM (CST)! Not only will it be great fun, but there will be a bunch of book giveaways!

About Faith

An avid reader, Faith Blum started writing at an early age. Whether it was a story about the camping trip that summer or a more creative story about fictional characters, she has always enjoyed writing. When not writing, Miss Blum enjoys reading, crafting, playing piano, moderating on the Holy Worlds Historical Fiction Forum and playing games with her family (canasta, anyone?).

As a history enthusiast who has been fascinated for years with the Old West, Faith has endeavored to create a clean, fun, and challenging Western story. Faith lives with her family on a hobby farm in the Northern Midwest, where she enjoys the many cats they have.

You can find Faith on her Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Assassins, Costumes, and Updates

I thought it was time for a bit of an update of sorts since my blog has been very quiet as of late. After my crazy busy writing schedule over the summer and then editing The King’s Scrolls, which I sent to my beta readers on October 1st, I’ve sort of taken a vacation the last couple of weeks. I’ve been really bad about doing any kind of updating or keeping up with emails. But I suppose I’ve needed the break. Especially since I’ll be diving back into editing TKS at the beginning of next month after I receive all my feedback. I keep telling myself every day that I should be working on book five. And a have . . . a little. But I keep procrastinating. It’s like when you go on vacation and then really hate going back to work afterwards . As much as I love writing, I kind of feel that way at the moment.

So what have I been doing in my downtime? Video games. I don’t really consider myself a big gamer because I just don’t have the time for it, but I do really like playing sometimes. I spent a couple of afternoons in the last couple weeks playing Minecraft with my brothers. We always have a great time doing that together and munching on gluten free chocolate chip cookies, which have become our official Minecraft snack. :)

I also played through Assassin’s Creed III, which I had purchased a while back but didn’t have a chance to truly play until now. (This is what happens when you grow up with only brothers and no sister. You get into all the action/adventure type games.) It’s probably my all-time favorite video game. I LOVE the historical aspect of it. As most probably know, colonial is one of my favorite time periods. And it actually filled my imagination with inspiration for the new trilogy I briefly mentioned on Facebook. The very first Assassin’s Creed game my brother played years ago was actually the first inspiration for this story that has been in my mind for years now. ACIII gave me all kinds of new ideas. I hope to work on it after I finish Ilyon Chronicles (which is why I should stop procrastinating and get to working on book 5 *sigh*).

Not only did ACIII provide some excellent story inspiration, but I completely fell in love with the outfit worn by the game’s (totally awesome) protagonist, Connor Kenway, and I’ve decided to recreate it. It has been years since I’ve put together a new costume, and I’m terribly excited about this one. It’s completely different from my usual fantasy costumes. I love the fact that it’s colonial inspired. And since I’ve always had a thing for Native American culture, I love how those aspects are incorporated into the outfit. I’ve got my pattern all printed and put together and all the buttons (about 50 of them!) ordered. Now I just need to get the fabric so I can actually start putting it together. I hope to go shopping sometime this week. This is the first time besides my reenactment clothing that I will really go all-out on a costume. I intend to put it together from head to toe. So we’ll see how it goes. I’ll definitely post some pictures when I finish it. That will probably take a while, but hopefully not too long. It’s really fun to do something creative beyond writing and jewelry. Now if only I had a nearby Comic Con to wear it to once I’m finished. I will end this post with a video because the violin music is awesome and it’s really cool to see another female version of this costume. :)