Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Something Wicked Returns With Author Kellie Sheridan!




For those of you who may not know  Kellie Sheridan is the author of the zombified series, the Hitchhiker Strain. I fell in love with this series after reading the first book and let me tell you, that wasn't something easily accomplished on Kellie's part because in general, I am not a lover of zombie books. 
So yeah, it really was that well done.

I talked Kellie into not only giving us a sneak peak at the cover of her new book in the series Duality but also agreeing to a guest post. and, not only that but Kellie has so generously offered up to one lucky winner a digital copy of End Dayz (the prequel to the series) internationally and a paperback copy of End Dayz to a US resident. And if that wasn't great enough already another lucky winner will get a digital copy of Mortality and End of Dayz(the first book in the series and the prequel) as well! 

But before I get into all of that, on to the cover reveal for Duality (isn't it gorgeous?)!



Title: Duality
Author: Kellie Sheridan
Series: Book Two in the Hitchhiker Strain
Expected Publication: December 2013
Genre: YA Post Apocalypse/Dystopian

Book Description:





About the Author:

I have been in love with stories in all of their forms for as long as I can remember. Admittedly, sometimes that means falling into places like Stars Hollow and Sunnydale, but books have always been my true love. In early 2011 I began writing a book blog in order to share my favorite reads with book lovers. From there, the bookish community encouraged me to stop sitting on my own stories and share them instead. Since then I’ve been madly devouring everything I can about digital publishing.

For the past two years I have been mainly obsessed with young adult books, but my favorite stories still come from the adult fantasy genre. As far as I’m concerned, Briggs, Bishop, Vincent and Vaughn are all must reads.

I spent part of my twenties living in Galway, Ireland and swooning after various lilting accents but am now back home in Ontario, Canada. My family includes two Glen of Imaal Terriers and a Green Cheek Conure.



Guest Post:

 YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO ALONE (OR THE INTERNET IS A BEAUTIFUL THING)

As Halloween approaches, and many of us say goodbye to even the memory of daylight hours that seemed to last forever, the act of simply stepping outside gets just a little bit more nerve racking. It’s a big, bad world out there, and sometimes it’s easier just to hide under the covers (with a book, of course). This is a feeling that many writers experience all too often. Every time another one of your titles pops up on Amazon the anxiety begins to build—you check your email constantly, stalk your Amazon book ranks, and wonder for the millionth time whether that plot twist was really the right decision. Usually, the answer is yes, but you’re going to obsess all the same.

Not everyone is going to love the piece of your soul that now lives between the pages of a book, and it’s easy to feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle with no one in your corner—a feeling that certainly isn’t limited to the book community. What we need to remember is that the world is a much smaller place now than it once was. The internet has given us all a whole new network of people to connect with. People who will cheer you on, share your passions, and make the cold winter months seem a little less bleak.

We all suffer from moments—or days, or months—where it feels like your life sorely lacking those people who are willing to cheer you on from the sidelines. Yes, not everyone will love or even appreciate your creative endeavors, but someone out there will. Or already does. You just might need to look a little further than your usual circle of confidants. The internet is a thriving community of nerds, artists, jocks, writers, critics and everyone in between. We’re all here, and we’re all looking to make connections with people who share our passions.

When Twitter first became a thing, I was convinced that it was just a way for people to share the mundane details of their lives. Instead, my Twitter feed is a hodge-podge of writing advice, TV show news, book reviews and okay, the occasional day-to-day life detail (but from people I’m genuinely interested in). I know this isn’t news to anyone… all of our favorite bloggers, authors, and fellow book nerds have become a very real part of our lives. How incredible is that?!

Authors spend a lot of their time hiding from the world as they create new ones on their laptop, and it can sometimes be easy to forget that really there are a lot of people rooting for you to not only succeed, but thrive. The indie author community especially is absolutely teeming with people who bend over backwards to support those like them who are just trying to make a living doing what they love. My favorite emails to get are those from my fellow Patchwork Press authors, my editor, my cover artist(s)… all people who love creating books as much as I do. These people have absolutely changed by life, and I am forever grateful.

So whether books are your true passion in life, or something else entirely, remember to appreciate your extended circle of friends, those who only appear to live on your computer screen. Or take the leap. Make a new connection by telling someone you admire, how much you love their work. Then step out into that cold, autumn air knowing that there is an entire community behind you, cheering you on the whole way.


Giveaway:

Digital Copy of End Dayz (International)




a Rafflecopter giveaway


Paperback Copy of End Dayz (US Only)



Digital copy of both End Dayz and Mortality (International)




a Rafflecopter giveaway



Don't forget to check out the other stops for today as well!

Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings:April Tucholke: Between the Devil and the
Deep Blue Sea

J.A.@J.A. Garland: Dysus Dreamer by J.A. Garland

24 comments:

  1. I have never heard of this author but I can say that I really love the sound of this one. Also I totally agree with the author, it's almost the same for us bloggers or reviewers. You're sharing your thoughts online and at first I felt really shy about it, now it's just wonderful :)
    Great post :)

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  2. This was a fun read I hope you try Tanja!

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  3. Love, love, love zombie books....
    Thanks for the giveaeay!!!

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  4. Oooo very pretty! Love the cracked mirror:) I love the guest post as well, I feel the same way about the book blogging community, everyone here has been so friendly and welcoming and it's so nice to have a group to run to when I've read a book that's blown my mind and tell them they need to read it too:) Thanks for posting about this series Ali!

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  5. I agree Jenny!!

    Traci, thanks for stopping by! :)

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  6. Depends on how it's written. I can either really love the zombie books, or I can get sick of them in chapter one and move on to other things :) I'm not afraid of a zombie attack either, I'm in an apartment complex 17 stories up and rarely leave :-P Even groceries get delivered. At least for a bit, I'd be safe :)

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  7. Great guest post. I like the cover also.

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  8. I'm a real house cat so I really couldn't live without internet. And I felt the same way about Twitter at first, but it's turning out to be much better than I'd thought.

    Anyway, after the NEwsflesh trilogy by Mira Grant, I think I'd be well prepared for zombies. That's what I hope anyway. :)
    Thanks for sharing, I think Duality cover is gorgeous!

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  9. I remember your review on that book :) Zombie books can be interesting heh.. might be a little harder to find. I actually have not read one in a while but I think I have book one for this series somewhere.

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  10. No, I can see the horror and entertainment value, but that is all I believe in Zombies.

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  11. Reading about zombies isn't usually my thing. But I have read one book that I did find enjoyable.

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  12. First I am intrigued by the series and second I enjoyed the guest post. We have moved so many times, to different states and I've had to leave friendships behind. The internet has been wonderful in provided bookish friends who I can chat with and some even have my 6 when I need them.

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  13. First I am intrigued by the series and second I enjoyed the guest post. We have moved so many times, to different states and I've had to leave friendships behind. The internet has been wonderful in provided bookish friends who I can chat with and some even have my 6 when I need them.

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  14. I have gotten to know her a little in the past with blog tours and it was around the time Mortality came out. While I don't read zombie books often this is one I figure I will at least try. It sure has an awesome cover!

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  15. I am only now beginning to read zombie books again, and only now because a favorite author (I'm on her Street Team) wrote a zombie book. I find the rote zombie book (virus, pandemic, zombies, almost end of the world, blah, blah and so on)rather tiresome. I'm hoping to discover that there are newer authors who are more creative in their approaches.

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  16. I think you would like this one Michelle, it is pretty unique as far as how the author approached it all.

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  17. No, I'm not scared of zombies but I like zombie books!
    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  18. What an inspiring post! I'm not an author, but if I was aspiring to be one, this would make my heart warm and make me feel so much more confident. I hadn't heard of this author, but I do love discovering new indie authors and series on your blog. Love the cover for Duality! Thanks for featuring Kellie!

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  19. I have the 1st book. It was a contender for my October reads. I love the cover of the new one.

    Great post!

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  20. No, I don't have a fear of zombies. I do like reading about them though. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  21. OMG thank you for all the giveaways that are listed in this blog. I crossed my fingers for a win on anything in this huge blog hop

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  22. I love the steampunk theme and the pumpkin is great

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  23. I hope that your scapes book will entice my niece to read beyond the school requirements. I know that i will enjoy the books.

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  24. I don't fear zombies I have a gun Just kiding No I don't because if it does happen I probable will not be alive. Not saying that I will die soon i just hope if it does happen there will be no way for me to come back as a zombie

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