Monday, March 26, 2012

Guest Post and Giveaway: Trish Milburn

So I've been meaning to start this blog theme ALL MONTH LONG and now it's near the end of March. So let's call it...dystopian April...starting a few days early. (Wow, this year is flying by!)

Anyway, I'm going to be posting guest posts from other authors about their love for dystopia. And you'll be able to win copies of their books! First up we have the lovely Trish Milburn who writes adult romance for Harlequin and paranormal young adult books for Bell Bridge Books. Her latest YA release, White Witch has an amazing quote from one of my favorite authors, Sherrilyn Kenyon. When Sherri says something is "Fresh, fun and dangerous! I can't wait til the next one!" You know you gotta read it.

So go ahead - read Trish's blog below and then comment to win your own copy of White Witch. The question of the day is:

Do you like post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction? If so, what are some of your favorite titles?
(Bonus points if you say Tomorrow Land...just kidding!)

 
The Fraidy Cat and Her Love-Hate Relationship with the Dark
By Trish Milburn

Have you ever met someone, thought you had them figured out, only to learn something about them that surprised you? Take me, for instance. I’m what one might call a, uh, fraidy cat. Or a weenie. I’m afraid of the dark to the point where I can’t walk into a dark room, even if I was just in that room with a light on. Dude, how much sense does that make? I routinely freak myself out when I’m home alone. So it might be surprising to also learn that I love darker-themed movies, TV shows, books and music. I listen to goth/hard rock/metal (Lacuna Coil, anyone?), The Walking Dead is one of my favorite shows (along with Lost Girl, Supernatural and Game of Thrones), and I absolutely love dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction, especially young adult fiction.
So why would someone who is a self-confessed fraidy cat like stuff where the characters are facing the end of the world or at least the end of the world as we know it? I think it’s because those stories really distill things down to basic survival. Some people have what it takes to survive, perhaps even thrive, in a survival-of-the-fittest scenario. Take Daryl Dixon on The Walking Dead. Before the zombie apocalypse, he was probably someone a lot of people looked down on, a potentially uneducated “redneck” who liked to hunt. During the zombie apocalypse? Suddenly, he’s catapulted to someone you want with you, him and his mean crossbow, zombie-killing skills. And because he’s no longer looked over or looked down upon, his better qualities can be seen by those who wouldn’t have noticed before.

It’s also interesting to see people who might have been weak or soft or just normal prior to an apocalyptic even find an inner strength and will to survive they never knew they possessed. This could be said of Andrea on The Walking Dead. She went from someone who wanted to commit suicide at the thought of having to live in a world full of zombies to one bad-ass sharpshooter who is more than happy to dispatch zombies to their once-and-for-all deaths. I’d like to think I’d find that type of inner strength should I be faced with an apocalyptic event, but I wouldn’t bet money on it. :)

With the release of The Hunger Games in theaters only a day away as I write this, heroine Katniss Everdeen also comes to mind. Hers is world where the government is the enemy, and it’s a world of polar opposites – haves and have-nots. Katniss lives in the have-not end, a world that looks a lot like Appalachia with its poor residents, deep seams of coal and dangerous mining jobs. While those who live in other districts have easier lives and some even live in lavish excess, for Katniss, her family and friends in District 12, it’s very much a fight for survival each day. That fight is magnified a zillion-fold when she enters the Hunger Games and literally has to fight for her life.

Since I was young, I’ve loved survival stories – Robinson Crusoe, The Swiss Family Robinson, Julie of the Wolves. While these are tales of survival in our world, one free of any sort of apocalypse or cataclysmic event, I think it’s a natural step to also enjoy stories that magnify the fight for survival. And since they don’t have to be based in the world’s realities, it opens up a fantastic array of possibilities.

Some of the great reads from the past few years:
  • Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
  • The Maze Runner trilogy by James Dashner 
  • Midnighters series by Scott Westerfeld 
  • Ashfall by Mike Mullin 
  • Across the Universe by Beth Revis (also sci-fi)
  • Shipbreaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
Do you like post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction? If so, what are some of your favorite titles?

 ~ ~ ~
The first in Trish Milburn’s Coven trilogy about dark witches, White Witch, is out now from Bell Bridge Books. Book 2, Bane, will be out in early summer, and Magick, the final installment in the trilogy, will be out this fall.


Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Autographed Copies of my Books

If you're looking for autographed copies of any of my Blood Coven books, look no further. An awesome Austin-based bookstore has made them available. And they allow you to order online.

The Book Spot is an amazing indy bookstore in Round Rock. They're the kind of cozy bookstore where you can hang out and read, talk books with the owners and other customers, or even just pet their adorable dogs who wander around the store. Just a feel good, friendly type of shop. They have all the Blood Coven books and also Gamer Girl, autographed and will deliver anywhere in the country. You can pay by credit card, PayPal or Google wallet.

Here's a link to my storefront on their website. You can also email them or call them to place an order as well. If you want the book personally autographed - to you specifically or someone you know, please specify in your order.

Happy reading!
Marianne

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Tomorrow Land now available on the Nook


New for you NOOK lovers! Tomorrow Land, the post-apocalyptic zombie YA, is now available for your Nook reader. Go to BN.com to order. As with all my ebooks, it's just $3.99.

It should also be on iBooks later today or tomorrow. Will keep you posted on that! iBooks is great because you can read it on the iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, etc.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Cover Reveal: Blood Forever!


And here it is! The very last Blood Coven cover! Blood Forever is the 8th and final book in the Blood Coven Vampires series. It will be told from the points of view of BOTH Sunny and Rayne. (For the first time!) I won't give any spoilers away--since I'm sure many of you haven't read Soul Bound yet. But I'm excited to introduce the conclusion to the series!

It'll be out in September.

MARI

Friday, March 09, 2012

Tomorrow Land Now Available on Kindle!


I'm very excited to announce that Tomorrow Land, my post-apocalyptic, zombie YA (previously published in paperback as Razor Girl) is now available for purchase for the Kindle. (Which means you can read it on the actual Amazon Kindle, or download the Kindle ap onto your PC, iPad, iPhone, Droid, etc.)

As with my other ebooks, it's only $3.99.

Here's the description:


Can true love survive the end of the world?

Imagine finding your first love, only to be ripped apart by the apocalypse. Peyton Anderson will never forget the day she was forced to make a choice--between her family--and Chris Parker, the boy she'd given her heart. And now, four years later, as she steps from the fallout shelter and into a dead and broken world, he's the only thing on her mind.

All Chris "Chase" Parker wanted was to take Peyton away and keep her safe from harm. But he waited for hours in the rain on judgment day and she never showed--breaking his heart without ever telling him why.

Now the two of them have been thrown together once again, reluctant chaperones of a group of orphan children in a post-apocalyptic world where the dead still walk...and feed. As they begin their pilgrimage to the last human outpost on Earth, can they find a way to let go of old hurts and find the love they lost--all the while attempting to save what's left of the human race?

Reviews

"A high-stakes, high-octane tour through a devastating and deftly imagined future. This is Mancusi at the top of her game."
Diana Peterfreund, author of For Darkness Shows the Stars
"An apocalyptic coming of age futuristic romance that does the horror film genre proud."
PNR Reviews

"There is action, there is love and there are zombies. What more can you ask for?"
Book Binge

"Marianne Mancusi has returned with an edgy all-new tale, filled with fast-paced action and a heroine strong enough to mold her own destiny."
--SF Scope

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Tomorrow Land Buzz



I know I promised Tomorrow Land would be out March 1st and here it is--the 7th--and it's not up for sale yet. ARGH! We had a little issue with conversion and so there's been a small delay. But I'm told it'll definitely be up for sale on Amazon by this weekend. I'll keep you posted!

To tide you over -- some great reviews and some guest posts from me about the book!

Over at Dark Faerie Tales, they gave Tomorrow Land a FIVE STAR (or 5 skull!) review. It's a very comprehensive well thought out review, but here's an excerpt.

"I really enjoyed this novel, and the depth that Mancusi put into all of her characters. I kept thinking throughout it that even if it was a minor character, they still felt like a real person. The plot and how Mancusi uses flashbacks to tell the story are really strong and consistent. The emotional battle that Peyton and Chase face with reconciling their past love felt so real. How the characters and plot are crafted together is beautifully done. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who loves an action packed, zombie filled, romantic tale of human strength."



They also added Tomorrow Land to their Dystopian Reading Challenge 2012. Which is awesome!

I did a guest post over there today. And there's a copy of Tomorrow Land AND a copy of Soul Bound or Blood Coven Vamps Volume 1 up for grabs! So go read and enter to win!

Speaking of giveaways, there's another two copies of Tomorrow Land being given away over at the Book Nerd blog, where I guest blog about vampires vs. zombies.

And then last, but certainly not least!!!, I'm over at Donna's "BITES" blog talking about my favorite zombie things. (There are some AWESOME zombie things out there.) I'm giving away one of these fabulous things and also a copy of Tomorrow Land. Go read that post - here.

Donna also has an AMAZING 4.5 star review of Tomorrow Land! She says:

"Overall, totally epic. I loved every second of it. The world, the characters, their lives, I wanted more. TOMORROW LAND is a stand-out edition to the world of post-apocalyptic fiction and I hope everyone gets a chance to read it. I can't say enough good things about it."

So there you have it! Lots of Tomorrow Land fun and lots of chances to win! And soon you'll be able to have the hot little book, downloaded to your ereader! In the meantime, feed your GoodReads TBR pile here.

Monday, March 05, 2012

Blood Coven #7 - Soul Bound - Out Tuesday!!


Eep! Tomorrow is the official release date of Soul Bound -- otherwise known as Blood Coven #7! It's hard to believe there have actually been seven books in the series--when I originally thought it would stop after three. I'm so grateful to all the readers who demanded more books and to my publisher, Penguin, who allowed me to write them. I'm particularly proud of Soul Bound and how it came out and I hope readers enjoy it. It has a bit of a shocker of an ending--so don't worry, there WILL be a Book 8, called BLOOD FOREVER that will tie everything up.

Soul Bound is told from Rayne's point of view. But it's what happens to Sunny that's particularly crazy. I don't want to give anything away, but I'm excited to hear what you all think! Try not to put spoilers in the comments or on my Facebook page--don't want to ruin it for everyone else!

Thanks and I hope you love Rayne's next adventure!!
MARI

PS I'm doing a giveaway over at GoodReads this week. Three copies of Soul Bound up for grabs!




Goodreads Book Giveaway





Soul Bound by Mari Mancusi



Soul Bound


by Mari Mancusi



Giveaway ends March 09, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.




Enter to win