From the Author Pages

Every week, I try and update the author pages with whatever new info or covers have come out, etc.  I thought I might just summarize what I did this past week in a post.

• Alexandra Ivy‘s next Guardians of Eternity book, Fear the Darkness, will be out a couple of weeks earlier than planned.  It is now an August 28th release.  Also, on her official blog, there is a small excerpt from the first book of the new series she is starting up called The Sentinels.
• There has been some question about what is up with the very slow release schedule of C.L. Wilson.  Well, turns out that illness forced a delay to her schedule, but things are still on the go for The Winter King, and then Bel and Galen’s Tairen Soul books.
• There will be another Bound novella from Cynthia Eden.  Bound by the Night will be released next week, but the cover and blurb have been upped HERE.
• Ilona Andrews is re-releasing Magic Dreams, the short story originally published in last years Hexed anthology, in e-format on June 26th.
• From what I can tell, it looks like Jacquelyn Frank will be releasing the first book of a Nightwalkers spin-off series on October 30th.  Forbidden is part of the Bodywalkers series.  Amazon still lists it as Seduce Me in Shadows, but the write up is correct.
• Jeaniene Frost is also re-releasing a previous anthology in e-format.  Night’s Darkest Embrace was originally in Haunted by Your Touch, and was set in the new world of Nocturna.  It should be out on November 13th.
• The future of the Midnight Breed series from Lara Adrian was sort of up in the air, but it appears that now a bit of info is starting to come out about book 11.  Edge of Dawn will be out later this year, and will feature a now grown-up Mira.
• oh, and I did a bit of a switch around.  I deleted the author section for Rhyannon Byrd, but I also created a new one for Cassandra Clare, which can be found HERE.

Cover Lover – 7 New Titles

Thanks goes to All Things Urban Fantasy, from where I totally nabbed a couple of these puppies.  Now that Rhyannon Byrd‘s main Primal Instincts series has come to an end, things get tricky.  There was supposedly a spin-off series starting up featuring the Deschanel vampires, but now it appears that March 20th’s Deadly is the Kiss will be considered a single stand alone book.  Not sure where that leaves Gideon and the gang – perhaps their stories will come later.

Next up is…one I have never heard of before (I am totally slipping).  Author Karen Duvall will continue her Knight’s Curse series with the release of Darkest Knight on March 20th.

April 3rd, 2012 will see the release of the next Hunters book from Shiloh Walker.  Hunter’s Rise is I believe the 13th story in the series.

This one is a prequel novella.  Rebecca Zanetti will release Tempted the month before the third Dark Protectors book, Hunted, is released next May.

All Things Urban Fantasy tracked down a new series starting up with the release of North of Need.  It is the first book of Laura Kaye‘s Hearts of the Anemoi series, due out on November 1st.

Two from the YA world next.  Spellcaster is the new one from author Cara Lynn Shultz, due out next March 27th.

And finally, the cover is out for the next Rachel Caine  Morganville Vampires book, Black Dawn.  Look for this one next May 1st.

New Release Dates…

Looks like I have a few more to add to the New Release pages…

• Keri Arthur‘s third Dark Angels book, Darkness Devours, will be released next June.
• Undercurrent is the title of the second book from Tricia Rayburn‘s Siren series, due out on May 22nd.
• May 1st is the scheduled date for Zoe Archer‘s Demon’s Bride, the second book in her Hellraisers series.
• Yay.  Karin Tabke‘s second of three books from her Blood Moon Trilogy is now up for pre-order.  Bloodright will be out next February 7th.
• This was originally supposed to be a spin-off series, but now it looks like a stand alone book.  Rhyannon Byrd will release Ashe Granger’s story, Deadly is the Kiss, next March 20th.
• This is a new one to me, but Cara Lynn Shultz will release a new book, called Spellcaster, next March 20th.  I will be looking around for details.
• Been wondering where this one was.   The links are now up for Gena Showalter‘s The Darkest Seduction, which is Paris’ story, will be available on February 21st.
• Darkness Awakening, the second book in Devyn Quinn‘s Vampire Armageddon series, will be released next August.
• and from what I understand, the final book in Christina Dodd‘s Chosen Ones series will be called Wilder (probably featuring Alexander Wilder and Charisma Fangorn), and will be available sometime next August.

Spin-off Mania

Ok.  I am a combination of bored, OCD, and nosy.  Not a pretty combination.  Anyhow, today I came across a blurb about Gena Showalter starting yet ANOTHER series – this one a spin-off of the Lords of the Underworld.  Huh.  Didn’t see that one coming, for some reason.  And that got me thinking about how many other authors seem to be going the spin-off way.  Not long ago, it seemed as if author’s just kept going on, and on, and on with their successful series (sometimes well after they should’ve stopped).  But the spin-off is brilliant.  A chance to expand and explore new ideas, while pretty much keeping a built in reader base.  There are a few coming up that I am looking forward too, as well.

• As mentioned above, Gena Showalter is working on a new series set in the LotU world.   At her blog, she has said that the first book will debut sometime in 2012, and the main characters will be the angels (I wondered why they were getting so much time in the last couple of books).  There will be cameos by the various Lords.
• Showalter buddy Kresley Cole is also branching out from her Immortals After Dark series.  Plus a YA series, but I am not sure if that is IAD connected (helloooo, Thad).  Sorry.  The first book will be out next August, and the YA will follow in the fall.  I have been trying to dig up some info on these, but no luck as yet.
• Bloodlines will be a six book series from Richelle Mead.  Book one, also called Bloodlines, is out this month with the release of The Golden Lily following next March.  But all of this traces bad to the Vampire Academy series.  Actually, depending on how things go, I could totally see another series after that featuring Jill.  She would be old enough then to carry her own story, if all goes well.
• Rhyannon Byrd ended her Primal Instincts series just last week with the release of Rush of Pleasure.  But the very hot vamps featured in the latter books, especially the Granger brothers, are now getting their turn.  Some are saying this is a series, some say stand alone, but Ashe Granger will be featured in Deadly is the Kiss next April.
• and Jeaniene Frost‘s Night Huntress series is getting even more complex.  Aside from the main Cat and Bones books, and the two Night Huntress World books already released, Vlad is getting his story told in at least two books in the Night Prince spin-off series.  We are still waiting on the official title of the first book, but whatever it is called it will be hitting the shelves on March 27th.

I went through my books to track down some authors who had already made the jump successfully…

• Christine Feehan is just finishing up her second Sisters of the Heart book, featuring Judith.  Spirit Bound has a December release date, and got its start way back in the Drake Sisters books.  But instead of the seven magical sisters, we have six very hot magical Russian brothers (little brother Ilya already had his turn in the Drake books).
• Although Patricia Briggs has said that the Alpha and Omega series is supposedly set slightly behind the Mercy Thompson series in terms of timeline, there is no doubt it followed the popular Mercy books.  In this case, I actually read and loved the spin-off before the main series, which is strange for me.
• Larissa Ione will be releasing the second Lords of Deliverance book, called Immortal Rider, this November.  And details are starting to emerge about Lethal Rider, book three.  But who doesn’t look forward to cameos from the whole Demonica gang every book?  I do.

Apparently, however, a solid base does not a popular spin-off automatically make.  These two, from what I have seen around, have in no way lived up to the originals…

• Sherrilyn Kenyon, from what I understand, is meeting with mixed success in her Chronicles of Nick books.  These Young Adult hardcover books feature a character that isn’t that well liked as an adult in the Dark-Hunter series.  So who wants to read about him as a kid, I guess.
• Even J.R. Ward has made the jump with her Fallen Angels books.  I am a faithful BDB reader, but the new series just hasn’t grabbed me and made me want to read it, as yet.  The best I have heard about them is that they are “different”.  Not really a glowing recommendation.

Have I missed any?  Does anyone have any info I haven’t?  What is everyone’s feelings on the whole spin-off trend?  I myself would rather see a spin-off than the end of a series I love, or see one go on long after it should have been put to rest (yes, Dark-Hunter, I AM looking at you).

New Series Alert

Three authors are firing up new series this week, and one has theirs coming to a close.

From Christine Cody, aka Chris Marie Green, comes a vampire/western trilogy starting with this week’s Bloodlands, from the series of the same name.

Synopsis…

It was called the New Badlands, home to the survivors of a cataclysm that altered the entire nation. Then the vampires arrived, and it was rechristened the Bloodlands. Not because of the vampire, but because of the gun-for-hire who’d decided to slay every monster in the country by any and every means necessary.

It will be followed by Blood Rules at the end of August, and In Blood We Trust this September.

Next up is a Young Adult entry.  Reviews for Jennifer Estep‘s Touch of Frost have been very positive so far, and I am looking forward to diving into this one.  There was a cover change from the original a while back, so this is the final, official version.  For some reason the cover model reminds me of Scarlet Johansson.

Synopsis…

My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Acad­emy — a school of myths, magic and war­rior whiz kids, where even the lowli­est geek knows how to chop off somebody’s head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spar­tan guy in school, also hap­pens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jas­mine Ash­ton was mur­dered in the Library of Antiq­ui­ties. Then, some­one stole the Bowl of Tears, a mag­i­cal arti­fact that can be used to bring about the sec­ond Chaos War. You know, death, destruc­tion and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I’m deter­mined to find out who killed Jas­mine and why – espe­cially since I should have been the one who died…

Kiss of Frost will be coming next November 29th.

The final new entry is from author Caridad Pineiro.  The Lost is the first book of her new Sin Hunters series.  It will be followed by The Claimed, release date TBA.

Synopsis…

Adam Salvatore is no ordinary millionaire. The heir to an ancient race possessing a dark, powerful magic, he can shapeshift and create energy. His gifts make him a living weapon and have forced him to live in seclusion. But now an inhuman force hunts down Adam-just when he finds someone who makes him feel more human than he ever imagined possible . . .

Home from combat in Iraq, Bobbie Carerra wants only peace, yet soon joins Adam in a terrifying battle against paranormal enemies who hide in plain sight. She’s drawn to his strength of mind and body; he’s attracted to her courage and intoxicating energy. Their scorching passion can either transport them to the heights of ecstasy or-if Adam’s powers rage out of control-destroy them. But when an invisible brotherhood tightens its nets and someone Adam trusts betrays him, only a heartrending decision can save them.

And Rhyannon Byrd is changing gears…sort of.  Rush of Pleasure is the final book in her Primal Instincts series, but she will be heading into spin-off territory with her next release.  The Deschanel vampires were introduced in the latter books of the Primal Instincts series, and will now be the focus of her next books.

Synopsis…

With his sinister good looks, Noah Winston is the one man—a human with Casus ties—who Willow Broussard has never been able to resist. Once enemies, then lovers, Noah broke her heart. Yet the powerful witch and paranormal private investigator can’t turn him away when he needs her help in protecting his family, him—and the world—against their enemy…

As Noah and Willow work together, the secrets of their turbulent past are slowly exposed, each startling revelation drawing them closer. But when the enemy finally makes a move, Noah will need more than witchcraft and magic to survive. He’ll need his friends, one hell of a plan…and the undying devotion of a tenacious witch whose love is eternal.

Deadly is the Kiss will be the title of the first spin-off book, featuring Ashe Granger.  No word yet on release date.

Cover Lover – 2 New Titles

Just two covers this time around.  Rhyannon Byrd upped the cover for her eighth and final Primal Instincts book, Rush of Pleasure.  I have been waiting for Noah’s story since he was introduced, but it is also sad to see a series you enjoy end…sort of.  There will be a spin-off series featuring the Deschanel Vamps that I can’t wait to get my hands on, so it does make the “end” easier.  This one will be out on July 26th.

 

And the cover for the first book in Rachel Caine‘s Revivalist series was posted at Dark Faerie Tales today.  Working Stiff has a release date of August 2nd.

Pick of the Week

This one was actually a tough call.  As a fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Lover Unleashed is high on my auto-buy list, and having to wait a year for the J.R. Ward book made the anticipation that much more.  Also, this week also sees a new Lords of the Underworld book from Gena Showalter released.  And, on top of that, there is the all new Eternal Rider from Larissa Ione (but that was already featured in the post below).  But, I had to go with a favorite of mine, Rhyannon Byrd, and her seventh Primal Instincts installment, Rush of Darkness.

Synopsis…

DESTINED TO BE ENEMIES…

Raine Spenser is on the brink. Held prisoner because of her abilities, Raine—a powerful psychic as well as vampire desperately needed a savior. But the last one she expected was the green-eyed soldier who’d once hunted her kind.  Since her rescue, she’s tried to forget Seth McConnell, unable to cope with the strange, simmering attraction that draws her to the compelling human.

But their goals—find the Kraven who held Raine captive and destroy him—are the same. The ever-growing web of danger surrounding them draws these two unlikely allies closer together, and anger slowly turns into an explosive passion they’re finding harder and harder to deny…

The eighth and final title before the spin-off series, Rush of Pleasure, will be released on July 26th.

DESTINED TO BE ENEMIES…

Raine Spenser is on the brink. Held prisoner because of her abilities, Raine—a powerful psychic as well as vampire desperately needed a savior. But the last one she expected was the green-eyed soldier who’d once hunted her kind.  Since her rescue, she’s tried to forget Seth McConnell, unable to cope with the strange, simmering attraction that draws her to the compelling human.

But their goals—find the Kraven who held Raine captive and destroy him—are the same. The ever-growing web of danger surrounding them draws these two unlikely allies closer together, and anger slowly turns into an explosive passion they’re finding harder and harder to deny…

Spotlight on…Rhyannon Byrd

Rhyannon Byrd has updated some of her info.  Her Primal Instincts series is coming to an end this summer…sort of.  She will be starting a spin-off series, featuring the Deschanel vampires from the PI stories.  First up will be Deadly is the Kiss, featuring Ashe Granger.  No word on release date, as yet.

The seventh Primal Instincts book is Rush of Darkness.  This one is Seth and Raine’s story, and should be available on March 29th.

Synopsis…

Raine Spenser is on the brink. Held prisoner because of her abilities, Raine—a powerful psychic as well as vampire desperately needed a savior. But the last one she expected was the green-eyed soldier who’d once hunted her kind. Since her rescue, she’s tried to forget Seth McConnell, unable to cope with the strange, simmering attraction that draws her to the compelling human.

But their goals—find the Kraven who held Raine captive and destroy him—are the same. The ever-growing web of danger surrounding them draws these two unlikely allies closer together, and anger slowly turns into an explosive passion they’re finding harder and harder to deny….

The eight and final book will be Rush of Pleasure, due out on July 26th.  The back cover copy has just been released.

With his sinister good looks, Noah Winston is the one man—a human with Casus ties—who Willow Broussard has never been able to resist. Once enemies, then lovers, Noah broke her heart. Yet the powerful witch and paranormal private investigator can’t turn him away when he needs her help in protecting his family, him—and the world—against their enemy…

As Noah and Willow work together, the secrets of their turbulent past are slowly exposed, each startling revelation drawing them closer. But when the enemy finally makes a move, Noah will need more than witchcraft and magic to survive. He’ll need his friends, one hell of a plan…and the undying devotion of a tenacious witch whose love is eternal.

The cover for Rush of Darkness should be available soon, so I will post it as soon as I track one down.

Cover Lover – Rush of Darkness

I am always happy to get my hands on one of Rhyannon Byrd‘s Primal Instincts books.  This one is going to be the seventh of eight total in the series, leading into a spin-off series about the very hot vamps introduced in the last couple of books.  Rush of Darkness has a release date of March 29th, and Rush of Pleasure will follow on July 26th.

DESTINED TO BE ENEMIES…

Raine Spenser is on the brink. Held prisoner because of her abilities, Raine—a powerful psychic as well as vampire desperately needed a savior. But the last one she expected was the green-eyed soldier who’d once hunted her kind.  Since her rescue, she’s tried to forget Seth McConnell, unable to cope with the strange, simmering attraction that draws her to the compelling human.

But their goals—find the Kraven who held Raine captive and destroy him—are the same. The ever-growing web of danger surrounding them draws these two unlikely allies closer together, and anger slowly turns into an explosive passion they’re finding harder and harder to deny…

Random Updates

A few thingies came out this week…

• Susan Krinard‘s Code of the Wolf, originally scheduled for March of 2011, has been pushed back to August 1st, 2011.
• Juliana Stone‘s His Darkest Salvation is now scheduled for July 26th, 2011.
• The next Argeneau Vampire book from Lynsay Sands will be called The Reluctant Vampire, and should be out on June 28th, 2011.
• Kristina Douglas‘s second book in her Fallen series, Azazel, has a release date of May 31st, 2011.
• The Unbearable Lightness of Dragons from Katie MacAlister finally has a release date, which is May 3rd 2011.
• The next installment of Christine Feehan‘s Leopard series, Savage Nature, is available for preorder.  It will be out on April 26th.
• Rush of Darkness, the seventh book in Rhyannon Byrd‘s Primal Instincts series, will be available on April 1st, 2011.  The final book in the series should be out the following June.