Philippa Ballantine - Author

Award-winning Author of fantasy, science fiction, and steampunk

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DragonSoul

So the month of summer madness is really kicking off…

The sequKindred and Wingsel to Hunter and Fox, Kindred and Wings, is coming in this general direction rather fast—and to celebrate I’ve written a short story set in the same world, which is right now being offered for free by Pyr Books.

So hurry on over to Pyr’s website and download the epub version of this story. It fills in a small portion of the history of Conhaero, and also…yes…dragon.

Here’s the pitch for Kindred and Wings, which is due out August 6th and available for pre-order now!

On the back of the dragon Wahirangi, Finn the Fox flees the world he has known. As he sets out to find the brother he never knew of, he still holds in his heart the memory of the Hunter. He has denied his love for her, but he cannot deny it forever.

In the halls of the Last Believers, Talyn begins to uncover her own mysteries, but her lust for the death of the Caisah is still strong and clouds her vision. She must choose her path, as the Seer of her people or as the assassin of the overlord.

Meanwhile, Byre, Talyn’s brother, must venture into the fiery world of the Kindred, to rebuild the pact that his ancestors made. He will risk everything he is as he forms a new pact that will change his people forever.

Dragons and myths will be reborn, as the Hunter and her Fox face each other once more.

Cover Reveal – Ghost Hold

As many of you know, Ripley Patton’s first novel, Ghost Hand, is also the first book in a series known as The PSS Chronicles. While Ghost Hand has been getting rave reviews on Amazon and was recently chosen as the June Book of the Month for a Goodreads Book Club with over 1300 members, Ripley has been hard at work writing the second book, Ghost Hold.

Ghost Hold is in the final stages of publication, which will ultimately be funded through the GHOST HOLD KICKSTARTER PROJECT, just as Ghost Hand was funded last year. The current Ghost Hold Kickstarter project was 41% funded in the first week, and when it reaches the halfway mark of $1250, Ripley is going to release the first chapter of the new book to all backers, with more chapters to come later as funding builds.

So, in order to celebrate, and perhaps entice you to back the project and help make Ghost Hold a reality, Ripley is revealing the cover of Ghost Hold this weekend here and all over the internet.

AND HERE IT IS!

Ghost Hold

 

 

This compelling cover, featuring main characters from the book, Olivia Black, Marcus Jordan, and Passion Wainwright, was designed by Scarlett Rugers Designs of Australia.

Curious to know what the book is about? Here’s the blurb:

Olivia Black is back.

Only this time she’s not the one in need of rescue.

Samantha James, rich, popular, and an award-winning composer at age seventeen, is the next target on the CAMFers’ list. And in order to convince Samantha to come with them, Olivia and Passion must pose as cousins, blend into the most affluent high school in Indianapolis, and infiltrate a mysterious cult known as The Hold.

Olivia doesn’t expect it to be easy, even with the PSS guys backing them up. But what she discovers over the course of the mission will call into question everything she ever believed about herself, her ghost hand, and especially about Marcus, the guy she is undoubtedly falling in love with.

Be sure and visit Ripley’s Kickstarter Project and let her know what you think of the cover there, or here in the comments. But don’t delay. The project ends July 1st and is the only way to pre-order the book before its September release.

Haven’t read the first book, Ghost Hand, yet? Well you’re in luck. Ripley’s gift to you, 6/14/2013-6/18/2013, Ghost Hand is FREE for Kindle, so please go grab a copy.

Book Birthday- Clockwork Fairy Tales

The next few months are going to be intense for me. Between June and August I have three novel projects coming out, and an anthology.

It’s a curious thing, so many projects coming to fruition at one time, but I am just hanging on and hopefully going to enjoy the ride.

The first off the block is coming at the end of the month, and already is getting some fine buzz.

Clockwork Fairy Tales has already been reviewed by PW.

Take a few of the Western world’s best-known fairy tales, toss in a generous helping of gizmos and steam, and you get one of the most inspired mash-ups of the year.

I am lucky enough to be sharing the anthology with the likes of K W Jeter, Jay Lake and a wonderful writer I met in person Steven Harper. My story is a take on the somewhat lesser known story by Hans Christian Andersen, Wild Swans.

It was a lot of fun to do, and I look forward to seeing the anthology on the shelf. Here’s the link to order it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Mysterious Galaxy. It is also available in audio.

Clockwork Fairy Tales

Cover Reveal- Dawn’s Early Light

Hot on the heels of the German cover for Spectyr…comes the moment where I can actually show the world another delight.

The cover of Dawn’s Early Light. Ace’s creative department knocked it out of the park. Eliza is attractive, but look capable, Wellington’s face continues to remain hidden, and there is a deathray lighthouse! Airships! Explosions!

Phew…how they fit it so skillfully on one cover is a mystery to me. I also adore the new decorations, fonts and stylings they have used.

The release date is a funny thing. I was originally going to be March 2014, then we got bumped forward into late 2013, and then moved back to January/February 2014. I’m not sure if it will change, but let’s for the moment go with that. You can pre-order here.

I know some of our readers will be disappointed at the slightly later date, but honestly, if it means a better book then I hope they will bear with us. In the meantime there is always the Kickstarter for the anthology and the roleplaying game. We are two weeks from the end, and 45% funded. If you want to see the amazing stories, and play as agents in this world, then help make it happen. Go here and check out the awesome rewards!

But feast your eyes….

Dawns Early Light

Divine Vengeance

As I prepare to say goodbye to the novels set in the world of Sorcha, Merrick, Raed and the Rossin, they are having a whole new life in Germany.

This August Geist will be re-born as The Cursed Prince ( Der verfluchte Prinz ), and I just found out that Spectyr will be out in February 2014 as Divine Vengeance ( Göttliche Rache )

Feast your eyes on the brand new German cover. Although the hair color is once again not-quite red…I love the Sorcha on white and grey background thing. I think the Rossin looks rather eerie and/or melancholy in this different cover.

divine_vengence

 

So thanks Germany, I hope you enjoy the characters and the world as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Cover reveal- MAVEN

I am very lucky to be part of my good friend Starla Hutchon’s cover reveal. Starla is not only a talented voice actress, and cover designer, but on top of it all, a great writer. On June 3rd this new Science Fiction Romance, Maven  (The Endure Series, book 1), by S.A. Huchton will be available.

So here it is….along with a sneak peek of what awaits behind this lovely cover!

Maven

How far would you go for love?

Since losing her parents at 14, young prodigy Dr. Lydia Ashley has focused on one thing: an appointment on the Deep Water Research Command Endure. Now 21, she’s about to realize that dream, but nothing is how she imagined it would be. Her transitional sponsor forgets her, her new lab is in complete chaos, and, as if that weren’t enough, she’s about to discover something so horrific it could potentially destroy all life on the planet.

Daniel Brewer, a noted playboy and genius in his own right, may be exactly what she needs… Or he may make everything worse.

Has she finally found a puzzle she can’t solve?

MAVEN on Goodreads

http://www.starlahuchton.com

http://www.designedbystarla.com

Facebook Author Page

Twitter: @riznphnx

The Excerpt

She sat on the couch and curled her knees up, her arm slung across the back, looking at him. “So, happy about the win?”
It took him a minute to realize she was talking about the match. “Oh, definitely. It’s always fun when we trounce Man U.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Trounce? You call three to two a trouncing?”
“Absolutely.”
She smiled and shook her head. “I don’t get it, but maybe it’ll grow on me.”
He could’ve sat there staring at her for hours, taking in the way her hair draped around that exquisite neck of hers, the self-conscious way she fidgeted with her nails, the movement of her mouth as she spoke, but there were other things to discuss, and they were running out of time. “I have something for you.” Daniel removed the black wireless drive from his pocket and slid it across the seat to her. She reached for it, but he put his hand over hers as she touched the device.
“It’s encrypted, so you’ll need the passcode.”
He watched her. Every time.
He marveled at the discovery. Every single time he touched her, she held her breath for a fraction of a second. He’d first noticed it as he helped her out of her sweater earlier and then again when he’d worked up the nerve to take her hand. That he had that effect on her was amazingly endearing. She always looked so in control, to see that small vulnerability in her was exhilarating. Did she realize it was happening? He hoped not, because she might try to hide it if she did.
“So what’s the passcode?” she asked.
Was he really brave enough to tease her?
He decided yes, he definitely was. With a hammering heart, he drew in close. At the last moment, he shifted to the side to whisper in her ear, “8272050”. Very slowly, he backed away.  
Her eyes fluttered open. He had poured it on thick there, but he couldn’t help himself.
“What’s the significance?” she asked, her voice breathy.
Daniel shrugged. “That’s the day I realized you didn’t hate me.”
“Hate you?” Her mouth formed an ‘o’ shape as she took it in. “Daniel, I never hated you. It was more…”
“What?” he asked.
She shifted on the couch, nestling into the soft fabric. “Disappointment, I guess.”
And there it was. He had suspected maybe that was the case, but it was unconfirmed until she said the words. It was hard to swallow, but he supposed it was better than her actually hating him.
“You were…” She was struggling for the right words. “I was expecting more, I think, when I first met you. You didn’t seem interested in anything more than the way I looked. I’ve never gotten much of that, and the few times I have, well, it wasn’t a good experience.”
He thought back to their first meeting. He had taken her for a new intern, looked her up and down, and made a superficial judgment. After that, no wonder she had felt that way.
“Even now,” she continued, biting her lip. “Even now I’m not sure what it is you’re here for. I want to believe that all your efforts this past week were to prove you’re capable of better, that you want to be respected and treated as one of the best in your field, and more than some shallow guy only here for a good time. I think there’s more to you than your first impression led me to believe. Keeping an open mind about people has served me well in the past, but…”
She fell silent and didn’t meet his eyes.
Nothing she said was untrue. Daniel knew how other people saw him. He never said or did anything to make them think differently. Lydia looked so sad sitting there, not sure if her words even registered with him. A pang of guilt shot through his gut.
“But, what?”
Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at him. “But I don’t want this to be the time I was wrong.”
He swallowed. He knew what she meant. More than anything at that moment, he wanted the exact same thing.

Author Bio

Starla Huchton released her first novel, The Dreamer’s Thread, as a full cast podcast production beginning in August 2009. Her first foray went on to become a double-nominee and finalist for the 2010 Parsec Awards. Since her debut, Starla’s voice has appeared in other podcasts including The Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine, The Drabblecast, and Erotica a la Carte. She is also a voice talent for Darkfire Productions, and narrates several of their projects, including The Emperor’s Edge series, This Path We Share, and others. Her writing has appeared in the Erotica a la Carte podcast, a short story for The Gearheart, and an episode of the Tales from the Archives podcast (the companion to Tee Morris and Philippa Balantine’s Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series), which garnered her a second finalist badge from the 2012 Parsec Awards. Her second novel, a Steampunk adventure entitled Master of Myth, was the first place winner in the Fantasy/Science Fiction category of The Sandy Writing Contest held annually by the Crested Butte Writers Conference. Maven is her third completed novel and the first in a planned series of four.

After completing her degree in Graphic Arts at Monterey Peninsula College, Starla opened up shop as a freelance graphic designer focusing on creating beautiful book covers for independent authors and publishers at designedbystarla.com. She currently lives in Virginia where she trains her three Minions and military husband.