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Judith Sterling

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Judith Sterling

Tag Archives: YA series

Fall Into These Great Reads Bookathon

01 Thursday Sep 2022

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Amazon gift card, autumn reads, Fall Into These Great Reads Bookathon, fall reads, Guardians of Erin, Judith Sterling, N. N. Light's Book Heaven, paranormal fantasy, The Spear Alight, YA series

Welcome, September! I’m excited for fall and thrilled to participate in a huge autumn-themed event this month. N. N. Light’s Book Heaven is celebrating books from all genres in their annual Fall Into These Great Reads Bookathon. Thirty books will be featured, and there’s a chance to win a $75 Amazon gift card.

The Spear Alight, the fourth and final installment in my young adult paranormal fantasy series, Guardians of Erin, will be featured on September 6. I’ll be sharing what inspired me to write the book and what I love most about fall.

Bookmark this event and tell your friends:

https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/fall-into-these-great-reads-bookathon

Enter the giveaway here!

Open internationally. You must have a valid Amazon US or Amazon CA account to win.

Runs September 1 – 30.

Drawing will be held on October 3.

Good luck, and have a great month! 🙂

Trick or Treat Book Bonanza

04 Monday Oct 2021

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Amazon gift card, Guardians of Erin, Halloween, Halloween costumes, Judith Sterling, N. N. Light's Book Heaven, paranormal, supernatural, The Stone Awakened, Trick or Treat Book Bonanza, YA series

Trick or Treat! ‘Tis the season to celebrate all things supernatural, suspenseful, and mystical. If you’re like me, you’ll want to accept this special invitation to join the festivities at N. N. Light’s Book Heaven’s third annual Trick or Treat Book Bonanza. 27 authors–including yours truly–share what their Halloween costume would be, and there are 32 books featured, with a chance to win a $75 Amazon (US) gift card.

I’m thrilled to be a part of this event. Today, The Stone Awakened (the second book in my YA paranormal fantasy series) is the featured title. Check it out here!

Bookmark this event and tell your friends:

https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/trick-or-treat-book-bonanza

The drawing will be held on November 1st. Enter to win here. Best of luck! 🙂

DRAGONS WALK AMONG US by Dan Rice

05 Thursday Aug 2021

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

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Dan Rice, debut novel, Dragons Walk Among Us, promotion, publishing, The Wild Rose Press, writing, YA series, young adult fantasy

Today, I’m excited to welcome Dan Rice, whose recent release, Dragons Walk Among Us, has garnered some great reviews! He’s here to tell us all about this young adult fantasy, writing, publishing, promo, and the second book in the series. Take it away, Dan!

I often read the advice for authors that the best career move is to write the next book. Lately, along with all the promotional work to launch my debut Dragons Walk Among Us, I’ve been hammering away at the next installment of Allison Lee’s adventures. Although I readily admit it may prove a pipe dream, my goal is to have book two in The Allison Lee Chronicles turned in to my editor by December of this year––fingers crossed!

Before having Dragons Walk Among Us picked up by The Wild Rose Press, I had been drafting an epic fantasy. I continued working on that book while at the same time incorporating feedback from my editor on Dragons Walk Among Us. About the time I finished correcting the initial galley––the galley is the document sent to the printer––I gleefully realized that I hadn’t been dreaming; I actually had a book coming out! Hopefully, the first book in a four or five-book series. I knew the time was right to set aside the epic fantasy, despite having written 60,000 words or more, and start writing the further adventures of Allison Lee.

I quickly outlined the plot for book two and started writing. At the same time, I was correcting the final galley of Dragons Walk Among Us and trying to unravel the secret of “promo”. As best I can tell, like many things in life, the secret to promoting your writing is diligently putting in the time and effort, just like when you’re crafting a story. With my debut released only two short weeks ago, I’m a hair over 60,000 words into the second book. I’m shooting for approximately a 90,000-word novel, so I have about a third left to write. Sometimes I feel like I will easily make my December goal, but then I remember the numerous hours I will spend at the editorial chopping block hacking the first draft into a manuscript worthy of submission.

With any luck, readers who enjoy Dragons Walk Among Us will read Allison Lee’s continuing exploits next summer. She will travel from the rain-soaked streets of Seattle to sun-drenched islands in Southeast Asia to encounter mystery, magic, and creatures ripped straight out of the myth.

More about Dragons Walk Among Us:

Shutterbug Allison Lee is trying to survive high school while suffering the popular girl’s abuse. Her life is often abysmal, but at least her green hair is savage. Her talent for photography is recognized by the school paper and the judges of a photo contest.

While visiting her friend Joe, a homeless vet, Allison’s life irrevocably changes after an attack leaves her blind. All her dreams as a photojournalist are dashed as she realizes she’ll never see again. Despair sets in until she is offered an experimental procedure to restore her vision. But there are side effects, or are they hallucinations? She now sees dragons accompanying some of the people she meets. Can she trust her eyes, or has the procedure affected her more than she can see?

A peek between the pages:

Biting my lower lip, I cross the threshold into the room. To my left, I see the glittering scales of a gargantuan golden dragon with its leathery green wings pressed tight against its sides. The beast shimmers and fades in and out of existence. One second the serpentine neck looms overhead to nearly touch the vaulted ceiling and in the next second fades away. The same is true for the rest of the serpent’s body.

There is a click, and a desk lamp flares to life. I breathe in sharply and hop in place. Sitting in a chair at the table, bathed in the lamplight, is Dr. Radcliffe. His elbows are propped up on the table, and his hands are steepled.

“Ah, Allison Lee,” Dr. Radcliffe says and checks a golden wristwatch. “You, young lady, have an impeccable sense of time, so unlike most of your generation.”

I gulp, only barely registering what he just said to me. I gawp at his draconic companion.

“Well, Allison, you want to talk to me. Here I am.”

“Why…why is there a translucent dragon looming over you?” I stutter and fumble with my sling bag’s zipper.

“Hmmm,” he says and, placing his fingertips against the table, stands. “A fascinating question. Do I take that to mean that you do not know what I am?”

“How would I know what you are?” I get hold of the zipper and start opening the bag.

Dr. Radcliffe, lips forming a hard, grim line, marches around from behind the table and approaches me. The dragon that almost seems to project from him follows, a forefoot that should crush the table passing through the wood as though insubstantial.

My hand wraps around the barrel of my camera lens. I hear a door slam from outside in the atrium. Good. My friends have arrived. Even if I can’t get a shot off, they will. Dr. Radcliffe stops in front of me and places a hand that feels very human against my hand that holds the camera lens.

“Now, now, Allison. I think it is best if you come with me, my dear. Your friends in the hall. They will come also.” He sniffs me, like a predator scenting prey. “Odd. I do not recognize your scent.”

“You’re sniffing me? You sicko! I’m not going anywhere with you.”

I pull away, but he clenches my wrist. His grip is shockingly strong for a spindly old man.

Buy the book:

Amazon | B & N | Apple

More about Dan:

Dan has wanted to write novels since first reading Frank Herbert’s Dune at the age of eleven. A native of the Pacific Northwest, he often goes hiking with his family through mist-shrouded forests and along alpine trails with expansive views.

Dragons Walk Among Us is his debut novel. He plans to keep writing fantasy and science-fiction for many years. You can explore his blog at https://www.danscifi.com.

Where to find him:

Twitter | Facebook | BookBub | Instagram

Thanks so much for joining us today, Dan. Wishing you all the best and continued success with Dragons Walk Among Us!

Binge-Worthy Book Festival

02 Monday Aug 2021

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Amazon gift card, Binge-Worthy Book Festival, Guardians of Erin, Judith Sterling, N. N. Light's Book Heaven, paranormal fantasy series, The Cauldron Stirred, YA series

Calling all readers! Feed your book addiction with the Binge-Worthy Book Festival at N. N. Light’s Book Heaven. 41 books featured, plus a chance to win a $75 Amazon gift card.

I’m thrilled to be a part of this event. The Cauldron Stirred, the first book of my young adult series, will be featured on August 9.

I’ll even talk about the first binge-worthy book I ever read. You won’t want to miss it. Bookmark this get-together and tell your friends:

https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/binge-worthy-book-festival

Open internationally. You must have a valid Amazon US account to win.

Runs through August 31.

Drawing will be held on September 1.

An important tip: if you buy a book featured in the festival, you’ll get 5 bonus entries into the giveaway. Best of luck!

My books are Author Shout Recommended Reads!

02 Tuesday Mar 2021

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Tags

Author Shout Reader Ready Awards, Guardians of Erin, Judith Sterling, Night of the Owl, paranormal fantasy, Recommended Read, The Cauldron Stirred, The Novels of Ravenwood, The Spear Alight, time travel romance, YA series

 

Woohoo! Two of my books–Night of the Owl (The Novels of Ravenwood, #4) and The Cauldron Stirred (Guardians of Erin, #1)–were chosen as Recommended Reads in the 2021 Author Shout Reader Ready Awards. I’m honored and grateful to see my books alongside other wonderful reads.

Check out all the winners here!

Now I need to get back to writing the fourth and final book of my Guardians of Erin series: The Spear Alight. With St. Patrick’s Day (and my deadline) fast approaching, I’m feeling inspired. Have a beautiful day!  🙂

5++ stars for RETURN OF THE RAVEN, plus best seller news!

25 Thursday Feb 2021

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

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Tags

Amazon best seller, Booksprout, Diana Gabaldon, Flight of the Raven, Guardians of Erin, medieval romance, Night of the Owl, paranormal fantasy, Paranormal Romance Guild, PRG Reviewer's Choice Awards, read and review, Readers' Favorite, Return of the Raven, Shadow of the Swan, Soul of the Wolf, The Novels of Ravenwood, The Spear Alight, time travel romance, YA series

N. N. Light’s Book Heaven has given my new release 5++ stars! I’m so excited! Here’s a bit of the review:

“This is the crown of excellence…A brilliant conclusion to the series, [it] is a must-read. It can be read as a standalone, too. Fans of Diana Gabaldon will swoon over Return of the Raven.”

If you’re interested, you can read the whole review here.

Wonderful things have happened recently with this series. In previous posts, I mentioned Shadow of the Swan‘s five-star review from Reader’s Favorite and Night of the Owl‘s second-place win in the Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewer’s Choice Awards. But a couple of weeks ago, Flight of the Raven had some real success at international Amazon stores. It became the #1 best seller in medieval historical romance in Canada and Australia, and it reached #2 in the UK. It was also #82 in Canada’s whole Kindle Store. I couldn’t believe it!

Flight of the Raven is still available to reviewers on Booksprout for a limited time. If you’re interested, check it out here.

That’s all for now. I need to get back to writing The Spear Alight, the fourth and final book in my Guardians of Erin series. Have a beautiful day!  🙂

 

 

FLIGHT OF THE RAVEN and THE CAULDRON STIRRED ~ Available on Booksprout!

09 Tuesday Feb 2021

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Booksprout, Flight of the Raven, free reads, Guardians of Erin, Judith Sterling, medieval romance series, paranormal, read and review, The Cauldron Stirred, The Novels of Ravenwood, YA series

Good morning! I just wanted to let you know that the first books in my two series–The Novels of Ravenwood and Guardians of Erin--are available on Booksprout for a limited time. Grab your free copies now! As a reminder, Flight of the Raven is “spicy,” and The Cauldron Stirred is sweet. Here are the links to both:

How eager would the bridegroom be if he thought he could never bed the bride?

Find out here!

Ashling Donoghue never dreamed moving to Ireland would rock her perception of reality and plunge her into a mystery that brings legend to life.

Learn how here!

Happy reading, and have a beautiful day!  🙂

FREE AUDIOBOOKS!

03 Saturday Oct 2020

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Benjamin Fife, Bill & Mia Belew, Charity Bradford, coming of age, Emily Heebner, free audiobooks, Guardians of Erin, Halloween read, Jean M. Grant, Judith Sterling, Laura Heffernan, listen and review, new adult romance, Seneca Lake, Shereen Vedam, Story Origin, The Cauldron Stirred, Uvi Poznansky, women's fiction, YA paranormal fantasy, YA series, young adult

What’s better than audiobooks? Free audiobooks! I’ve teamed up with several authors in a month-long event on Story Origin, featuring the following genres: young adult, women’s fiction, coming of age, and new adult. All of the audiobooks in this promo–including The Cauldron Stirred, the first book in my YA paranormal fantasy series, Guardians of Erin–are FREE for listeners willing to review.

I have US and UK audio codes to give away, so don’t be shy about requesting a copy!

This event will run through October 31. (Halloween, my favorite holiday!) Coincidentally, the climax in The Cauldron Stirred takes place on Halloween, so it may just be the “listen” you’ve been looking for to put you in a magical mood. Here’s a little about the story:

Ashling Donoghue never dreamed moving to Ireland would rock her perception of reality and plunge her into a mystery that brings legend to life.

At seventeen, she’s never had a boyfriend, but she feels an immediate connection to Aengus Breasal, the son of the wealthy Irishman who’s invited her family to stay at his Killarney estate. For the first time in her life, a guy she likes seems attracted to her.

But Aengus is secretive, with good reason. He and his family are the Tuatha Dé Danann, ageless, mythical guardians adept at shifting between this reality and the magical dimension known as the Otherworld. Evil forces from that world threaten the Breasals, the Donoghues, and all of Ireland. Ashling must open her heart, face her fears, and embrace a destiny greater than she could ever have imagined.

Request it and/or other titles you’d like to review on Story Origin (free account needed) by following this link.

Happy listening, and have a great weekend!  🙂

THE SWORD UNSHEATHED ~ Worldwide Release

01 Monday Jun 2020

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

Amazon gift card, excerpt, Guardians of Erin, Ireland, Judith Sterling, new release, paranormal fantasy, Silver Dagger Book Tours, The Cauldron Stirred, The Spear Alight, The Stone Awakened, The Sword Unsheathed, worldwide release, YA series

Today’s the day!  It’s the worldwide release of The Sword Unsheathed, the third book in my young adult paranormal fantasy series, Guardians of Erin.  I’m excited to share it with you, and I’ll soon start writing the fourth and final book, The Spear Alight. 

Remember, the first two books–The Cauldron Stirred and The Stone Awakened–are currently on sale for 99 cents, so there’s never been a better time to catch up on the story.  You’ll feel like you’ve traveled to Ireland, while still enjoying the safety and comfort of your own home.

I’m also kicking off a month-long blog tour with Silver Dagger Book Tours, featuring not just the new release but all three books in the Guardians of Erin series.  There’ll be excerpts and more, and you can enter to win a $20 Amazon gift card.  Check it out here!

Now, here’s a little about The Sword Unsheathed:

Ashling Donoghue is no closer to finding her parents than she was the night they disappeared. But hope returns as her brother Kian channels the Sword of Light, revealing past-life secrets and truths long suppressed.

The more she learns, the greater she fears the darkness that drowns the Netherworld also drives her. Is Aengus her true love, or is it Lorcan? Does her future wait in shadow or the light?

One point is clear: the threads of her past-self are woven inextricably into the tapestry of her soul. An impossible choice looms before her, and all the while, evil is poised to strike.

A peek between the pages:

“Close your eyes, and don’t open them until I tell you.”

Nerves atwitter, I did as Aengus asked. A brief, subtle tingling sensation swept through my body as we slipped into the Otherworld.

A moment later, he released one of my hands but held fast to the other. “All right. You can look now.”

I opened my eyes. We stood before an immense, grass-topped mound surrounded by a multitude of tightly-packed, white stones.

It looked familiar. “Wait a minute. This is a famous prehistoric tomb. What’s it called? Newgrange?”

Aengus nodded. “I call it Sí in Bhrú, and it’s part of Brú na Bóinne, or the ‘Palace of the Boyne’ in County Meath. We’re in the valley of the River Boyne.”

I gave him a sideways glance. “Did you say ‘palace’?”

“In the physical world, this is an ancient temple and passage tomb, more than five thousand years old. Here in the Otherworld…well, it’s best to show you.”

The next instant, we stood inside a grand, circular hall, far larger than the mound we’d viewed outside, with a high, domed ceiling. Tri-spiral designs covered the walls, but the space was empty except for a five-tiered fountain at its center.

My gaze locked onto the trickling, golden liquid. A feeling of déjà vu overwhelmed me, and I shivered. “Is that…mead?”

“You remember!”

I turned to him. “Remember what exactly?”

“This fountain flows eternally with mead. My parents gave it to us as a wedding gift.”

“To you and Caer, you mean.”

He squeezed my hand. “Does anything else spark your memory?”

“The spirals seem familiar.”

His blue eyes shone. “They should. We lived here for centuries.”

“Caer lived here, not me.”

“But you were Caer.”

My insecurities ganged up on me and knotted my stomach. Is that the only reason why you want me? Because of who I once was?

Could I ask that out loud? What if he said yes?

Yes or no, I had to know. A lasting relationship required honesty and communication. My parents’ love had taught me that, and I wanted nothing less.

I pulled my hand from his grasp and took a step back. “Maybe you wish I still was Caer.”

His blissful expression devolved into a frown. After a heart-stopping moment, he found his voice. “What?”

“Sometimes I wonder whether you like me or just who I used to be.”

“You can’t fight your soul’s history.”

“Especially when everyone keeps shoving it down my throat.” My gut tightened further.

“Who’s everyone?”

I huffed. “Kian. Robin. Deirdre. Lorcan. And now—”

“Lorcan?” There was an edge to his voice.

“Yes, Lorcan. I’ve seen him a couple of times, but not because I went looking…” I couldn’t finish that sentence. My soul had obviously sought Lorcan the night I traveled to Dun Aengus.

“Ashling, you know how I feel about him.”

“Yeah, well, you weren’t around to stop me, were you?”

His frown deepened. “What do you mean?”

“It’s hard to have a relationship with someone who’s never around.”

“And Lorcan is around. Is that what you’re saying?”

“He’s always there, waiting in the wings, ready to take your place.”

Aengus slammed a fist into his other hand. “It’s time I showed him—”

“No! It’s time you showed me whether you want me or Caer, because I’ve had it with ghosts from the past messing up my—”

He grasped my arms and pulled me close. His mouth came down on mine in a searing kiss. Releasing my arms, he stole his own around me, and I responded in kind. Bodies and tongues entwined, we rode the wave of the kiss for a blissful moment that seemed as eternal as the bubbling fountain beside us. Nothing else mattered.

When at last he pulled back, he gave me a tender smile. “Does that answer your question?”

“Um…” My head still spun from the kiss.

“I kissed you, not Caer. I brought you here tonight because I wanted to share a piece of myself with you. It’s only natural I wondered if you’d remember it. After all, a part of your soul lived here for ages.”

I scanned the vacant, cavernous space. “If we lived here so long, where’s all the furniture?”

The light in his eyes dimmed. “Once upon a time, this place brimmed with beauty…with rare treasures, music, poetry, and the laughter of friends and courtiers. But when you left…when Caer left…nothing was the same. I couldn’t stay.” He squeezed his eyes shut, as if to block out painful memories.

Thick tentacles of worry and guilt wrapped around my heart as though a legendary kraken sought to drown me in a sea of regret. I placed a hand on Aengus’s cheek. “I’m sorry.”

His eyes opened, and he covered my hand with his. “Don’t be.”

Buy the book:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | B & N | Apple Books

That’s all for now.  Wishing you a great start to the week! 🙂

Booklovers’ Pot o’ Gold Event ~ N. N. Light’s Book Heaven

13 Friday Mar 2020

Posted by Judith Sterling in Uncategorized

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Booklovers' Pot o' Gold Event, Guardians of Erin, Ireland, Judith Sterling, literary giveaway, N. N. Light's Book Heaven, romance, St. Patrick's Day, The Stone Awakened, YA paranormal fantasy, YA series

N. N. Light’s Book Heaven has cooked up a special giveaway in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.  Over the next few days, they’re featuring 17 books which feature–or take place in–Ireland.  The Stone Awakened (the second book in my young adult paranormal fantasy series, Guardians of Erin) will be spotlighted on St. Patrick’s Day itself.

One lucky winner will win all 17 books featured.  Visit the event here!

Open internationally.

Runs March 13 – 17, 2020.

Winner will be drawn on March 23, 2020.

Enter to win here.  May the luck of the Irish smile upon you!

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