house of gammen

The scoop on House of Gammen, Literacy Leaders, and everything else I can think of

Busy.

This year has been a roller coaster—fast, frantic, and at some points, yes, it even made me nauseous. So I’d like to take a moment to step off the ride and give you all an update.

This summer, I started Bryna’s Literacy Leaders. At its core, it’s a monthly e-newsletter for teachers and youth librarians with ideas for book-inspired snacks, classroom activities, and downloadable worksheets, and a bunch of giveaways. But it’s more than that. My vision for Bryna’s Literacy Leaders is that it becomes a resource hub for those out there looking for innovative and engaging ways spark an interest in reading for the next generation. If you know of a teacher or librarian that’s feeling a little uninspired lately, I urge you to direct them to the Literacy Leaders page where they can learn more and subscribe for free.

In September, I released my first audiobook. Posted a bunch about it on Facebook, so you might be tired of hearing about it, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop gushing over it. For Wrong Side of the Grave, the narrator’s voice is just soo dreamy. He makes rocker Eric come to life. You can sample the book here.

I’m starting to book engagements for next year. I’ve already made commitments to appear at the Roanoke Author Invasion and Utopia in Nashville (formerly UtopYA).

And there’s some big news, but it’s not quite ready to release yet. Like super big news, and it’s killing me to keep it all in. Let’s just say that it all coincides with the release of House of Gammen, the 6th and final installment of the Midnight Guardian series.

Okay, so that’s my most received question, isn’t it? When is House of Gammen going to be released? I’ve been promising it for a very long time. All I can say is, YES, it is coming, NO, I don’t have a date, and YES, it is going to be epic. Sorry, the mogdocs won’t let me say more at this time. But soon. Subscribers to my New Book Alert will be the first notified when a release date is set and will even get a sneak preview at a chapter or two.

That’s all for now. See you across the barrier.

Random Ramblings

Update

Here we are with the first quarter of 2015 already behind us. That was fast. Like really, really fast. So in case it all went by in a blurred flash of Facebook posts and indecipherable tweets, here’s an update on what’s been happening and what’s to come.

Wrong Side of the Grave

It’s out, and first reviews have been crazy good. I can use all the reviews I can get, so if you have not yet posted a review (especially to Amazon or Barnes & Noble) please do so. Pretty please, with whipped cream and a cherry one top!

If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, you can pick it up at the usual online bookstores: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, BAM, Kobo, and Apple iBooks among others. I’m also offering signed paperback editions for sale through my website (see below). For those in the Huntington, WV, area, it should be available at Empire Books at Pullman Square by this weekend.

Will there be another? Yes, Wrong Side is just the first book of the Mothman Mysteries. These will be standalone mysteries with the same characters so you can read them in any order. I plan to write them until I run out of ideas. It is my hope to have the next one out by the time the Mothman Festival rolls around in September, although that might take a miracle or two to pull off.

Signed Books

Recently, my website was updated to include a Store area where you can buy signed paperback editions of your favorites. You can also “buy” (in quotes because it’s free) an e-version of the Midnight Guardian short story Siren’s Call, a short that was originally included in copies of Shadows Rising. Go directly to the store, here.

Appearances

Due to a family conflict, I have cancelled my scheduled talk and appearance at the Dayton Book Expo later this month. I also will not be at the Southeastern Ohio Tourism Expo which has been re-scheduled for the same day as the Dayton event. Sometimes you just need to step up and be a Mom. I found myself in that situation. Family will always come first for me. I hope you understand.

My next scheduled appearance will be at UtopYA Con in Nashville in June. So excited about that event. This year’s theme is time travel. YES!

Everyone’s asking, so here’s the update. House of Gammen, the sixth and final installment of the Midnight Guardian series WILL come out in 2015. I promise. I do not have a date yet, as I’m still writing. However, I can tell you that it will be my next book published, and I am getting very close to starting editing. It’s the last one. I want it to be everything it can be for you and that takes time.

To help make it up to you, here’s a first look at the draft of the cover.

The Chosen Ones

I’ve been tossing around some ideas for providing rewards for my most loyal readers. If you fit this description and have some ideas of your own, please share! Also looking for a fun name for this very special group. You can comment on this post, drop me a line on Twitter or Facebook, or use the Contact form.

Excerpts, YA Storytellers

Fun Friday: Fireworks

Every other Friday, the novelists of The Society of YA Storytellers blog on a common topic for fun or education, but mostly for fun. It’s called “Fun Friday” after all!

It’s Fun Friday! This week is about FIREWORKS; excerpts that explode with all sorts of feels. Drama…gotta love it!

I thought I’d share with you a scene from my current work in progress, House of Gammen. Oh yeah, that’s right. The FINAL book of the Midnight Guardian series. I love this scene, but it might not make it into the final draft. I thought I would share it here just in case. Continue reading “Fun Friday: Fireworks” →