Release Spotlight: Out of the Ashes by A.M. Heath

Out of the Ashes is the third book in A.M. Heath's Ancient Words series and today is release day!

Out of the Ashes by A.M. Heath

Ancient Words #3

Goodreads Blurb:

"Sometimes peace is won through battle.

Haunted by the memories he can't escape, Ralph Williams wants to be left alone to lick his wounds. He doesn't understand why he's forced into the company of the one woman he least desires. Can God bring him healing through such uncomfortable circumstances?

Frank Harper thought he had left the war and its turmoil behind, but the home to which he has returned is anything but peaceful. When racial tensions arise in Maple Grove, Frank finds himself on a battlefield once more. He's desperate for peace, but at what cost?

When George Chandler heads off to wed his beloved bride, things don’t go as expected. Just as George starts to get comfortable with what he believes is God’s new plan for his life, history threatens to repeat itself. Will he fight for the woman he’s come to love, or will he let her go?

The War Between the States has destroyed more than just a nation. In four years, it has damaged bodies and wounded souls until the people think that nothing is left. Will they find the healing they so desperately need from the God that loves them?"

50/50 Friday (43): Place You Buy the Most/Least Books

50/50 Friday is a meme hosted by Carrie @The Butterfly Reads and I and focuses on the opposite sides of books (best/worst, differing opinions, etc).  Every week will have a new topic and several advance topics will be listed in the tab labeled 50/50 Friday!

I AM GETTING BACK ON TRACK FINALLY!  (can you hear the conviction in the all caps?)

Today's Topic: Place You Buy the Most/Least Books

Review Sunday: Post-High School Reality Quest by Meg Eden

Amazon  Goodreads  Book Depository  Barnes and Noble

Standalone to date

Goodreads Blurb:

"Buffy is playing a game. However, the game is her life, and there are no instructions or cheat codes on how to win.

After graduating high school, a voice called “the text parser” emerges in Buffy’s head, narrating her life as a classic text adventure game. Buffy figures this is just a manifestation of her shy, awkward, nerdy nature—until the voice doesn’t go away, and instead begins to dominate her thoughts, telling her how to life her life. Though Buffy tries to beat the game, crash it, and even restart it, it becomes clear that this game is not something she can simply “shut off” or beat without the text parser’s help.

While the text parser tries to give Buffy advice on how “to win the game,” Buffy decides to pursue her own game-plan: start over, make new friends, and win her long-time crush Tristan’s heart. But even when Buffy gets the guy of her dreams, the game doesn’t stop. In fact, it gets worse than she could’ve ever imagined: her crumbling group of friends fall apart, her roommate turns against her, and Buffy finds herself trying to survive in a game built off her greatest nightmares."

Guest Post: Publishizer's Novel Contest (bringing to light the route of non-traditional publishing)

About a month ago I got an email from a company called Publishizer asking me to post a guest post about a new contest.  Normally, I dismiss many of these emails as guest posts normally aren't my cup of tea (as you've probably noticed by the distinct lack of said posts in my corner of the blogosphere).  However, they're running a contest that I think is rather relevant to most aspiring (and already semi-established) authors.

Publishizer is running a contest until the 31st of July that's part crowdfunding campaign and part novel viability assessment.  Anyone can submit their proposal and during this process, readers can view your proposal and preorder your novel if they so choose.  Based on the number of preorders, a winner will be chosen and will receive $1,000 (US).  If you aren't chosen for the prize, you'll still be queried for major publishers.  I'll let Publishizer take it from here!

ARC Review Monday: Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave

Amazon  Goodreads  Book Depository  Barnes and Noble

Standalone to date

Goodreads Blurb:

"From Laura Dave—the author of the “addictive” (Us Weekly), “winning” (Publishers Weekly) and critically acclaimed bestseller Eight Hundred Grapes—comes a new novel about the secrets we keep…even from ourselves.

Sunshine Mackenzie has it all…until her secrets come to light.

Sunshine Mackenzie is living the dream—she’s a culinary star with millions of fans, a line of #1 bestselling cookbooks, and a devoted husband happy to support her every endeavor.

And then she gets hacked.

When Sunshine’s secrets are revealed, her fall from grace is catastrophic. She loses the husband, her show, the fans, and her apartment. She’s forced to return to the childhood home—and the estranged sister—she’s tried hard to forget. But what Sunshine does amid the ashes of her own destruction may well save her life.

In a world where celebrity is a careful construct, Hello, Sunshine is a compelling, funny, and evocative novel about what it means to live an authentic life in an inauthentic age."

An Update: I Am Rising From the Dead

Yes!  I was, for all intents and purposes, 6 feet under.  The past month has been the definition of unremitting.  Let me tell you all about it and my plans to get back on track.