Three Reasons to Pre-Order The Courtesan’s Avenger

Can you believe we’re just FIVE days away from the launch of The Courtesan’s Avenger? I can’t!

After working on this book for nearly a year (nine months, if you don’t count procrastination), it feels surreal that it’s finally going out into the world for everyone to read. On one hand, I’m really excited. As my second book, The Courtesan’s Avenger is (in my humble opinion) leaps and bounds ahead of The Cogsmith’s Daughter. I’ve grown so much as a writer, and I am thrilled to share the wonderful world of Desertera with you all once again.

On the other hand, releasing a sequel comes with a lot a pressure. Though The Cogsmith’s Daughter has only received little ripples of attention, most of it has been positive. What if no one likes the second book? What if it’s not as good? What if everyone hates that Aya isn’t the narrator this time? Well, there’s only one way to find out …

Pre-order your copy of The Courtesan’s Avenger today.

Why pre-order?

1. The book will be downloaded straight to your reading device on next Tuesday, September 20. So it’s ready to read when you are.
2. It gives me a little boost in the rankings on release day (aka puts one jab in the obscurity monster), but most importantly …
3. It comes with a SPECIAL BONUS! A 20-question interview with me, revealing info you’ll won’t find anywhere else. Like …

Will the rest of the books in the series star new protagonists?

What is your favorite scene or moment from The Courtesan’s Avenger?

Often, writers know things about their worlds or characters that are never shared in the books themselves. Can you divulge any of those tidbits?

What can readers expect from the third Desertera novel?

… and so many more that I can’t share here (thanks, spoilers!).

If these questions intrigue you, be sure to pre-order your copy BEFORE next Tuesday.

And if you’re waiting on those pesky paperbacks, don’t fret. I’ve approved them through my printing company, so it’s out of my hands now. They should be available on time. Signed copies, of course, will take longer, as they must get to me to sign before shipping to you!

Read Chapter One of The Courtesan’s Avenger

Want a preview of The Courtesan’s Avenger (Desertera #2)? Click the link below to read the first chapter now.

SPOILER ALERT: This chapter contains spoilers for The Cogsmith’s Daughter (Desertera #1). If you have yet to read TCD, I highly recommend you do it first — it’s only $0.99 until September 20th.

Read Chapter One of The Courtesan’s Avenger now!

And remember: you can pre-order the ebook today. It comes with an exclusive Q&A with me about the novel and my plans for the rest of the Desertera series. Click here to pre-order yours.

Paperbacks will be available in two weeks.

Happy reading!

Sick of the Presidential Election? Vote for Books!

No matter how you feel about the coming U.S. presidential election, I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all earned a break. So, if you’re tired of deciding for whom to cast your vote (or simply tired of seeing all those outrageous clips on the international news), here’s something we can all get behind: books!

The inaugural Summer Indie Book Awards are on! This is a great effort to recognize deserving independently or small-press published books that are not eligible for traditional awards. To my surprise and honor, The Cogsmith’s Daughter (Desertera #1) has been nominated in TWO categories: Dystopian and Contemporary.

First and foremost, thank you to whoever nominated me! I really appreciate your support for the series.

Second, there are literally hundreds of books nominated, so I doubt I have a shot at winning. But hey, I’ve got to try! If you’d like to help, here are the links at which you can vote for The Cogsmith’s Daughter. HINT: These documents are super long. Hit CTRL+F and search Colby.

VOTE HERE:

Dystopian – http://www.poll-maker.com/poll533523xe37d4b0E-22

Contemporary – http://www.poll-maker.com/poll533535x82a34755-22 

Want to see if any of your other favorite authors were nominated? You’ll find all the categories here.

HURRY: Voting ends September 11, 2016!

And if I can ask for one more teensy favor, three of my friend Kara Jorgensen’s novels have been nominated as well! She deserves your vote, too.

Historical (The Earl of Brass and The Earl and the Artificer) – http://www.poll-maker.com/poll533529x7C28e4CB-22

Paranormal (The Winter Garden) – http://www.poll-maker.com/poll533491x44200b87-22

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Have YOU been nominated? Put the info in the comments, and I’ll return the favor!

Five Things You Need to Know About The Courtesan’s Avenger (Pre-Order Available!)

The title of this one says it all, folks. As regular readers will know, I have a new book coming out this month: The Courtesan’s Avenger (Desertera #2). If you’ve been living under a rock (or in more interesting corners of the Internet), here are five things you need to know to get up to speed. Read them, then pre-order your copy on your favorite online retailer.

It’s a sequel!

As you’ll see in the title, The Courtesan’s Avenger is the second book in the Desertera series (aka Desertera #2). It’s the sequel to The Cogsmith’s Daughter (Desertera #1), and a continuation of the story. It picks up about a month after the action of TCD, only with one major change to the storytelling …

It’s written from Dellwyn’s perspective.

For those of you who have read The Cogsmith’s Daughter, you’ll likely remember Aya’s best friend and roommate, Dellwyn. In The Courtesan’s Avenger, our witty friend takes center stage, and we join her as she solves the mystery of grotesque murder. Along the way, Dellwyn tackles her own ambitions, plays big sister to a new brothel worker, and grapples with her feelings for the dashing Lord Collingwood.

The main theme is vengeance vs. justice.

The Cogsmith’s Daughter centers on revenge. Aya’s mission is to take vengeance on King Archon for ordering the wrongful execution of her father. Dellwyn doesn’t do vengeance. In The Courtesan’s Avenger, she’s all about justice. True, lawful, legitimate justice. This is especially important as we begin to see the social and political fallout from the first book and Dellwyn’s reactions to it.

It’s a novel about friendship.

Despite living in the underbelly of Desertera, Dellwyn’s quite a popular gal. Friendship is very important to her, as her friends are her family. You’ll see how the dynamics of her relationship with Aya have changed, meet her allies and enemies at the brothel, and watch her make a few unlikely new friends. As the author, I really enjoyed tackling this topic in The Courtesan’s Avenger. After all, what really makes a true friend?

You have plenty of ways to read it!

If you’d like to read The Courtesan’s Avenger, you have several options:

Preorder the ebook NOW through your favorite online retailer. It comes with a special pre-order bonus: a Q&A with me about my writing process, my thoughts on the novel, and my future plans for the Desertera series.

Paperback lovers can grab their copy on Tuesday, September 20. And yes, signed copies will be available on my books page!

My Reader List subscribers have the option to receive advance review copies. Keep your eyes on your inboxes!

PSST … If you haven’t read The Cogsmith’s Daughter yet, now is the time. It’s on sale for $0.99 through September 20. Download your copy today.

The Courtesan’s Avenger (Desertera #2) Cover Reveal

Hello, everyone! Today, I’m pleased to present the cover and book description for The Courtesan’s Avenger (Desertera #2).

A courtesan on a mission. A brothel ravished by greed. A murder to avenge.

Dellwyn Rutt loves her life as a courtesan. For years, she has enjoyed the simple pleasures and lavish gifts of her trade. Now she wants more: the title of madam.

But Madam Huxley, the brothel’s current proprietor, refuses to name a successor—a problem that is amplified by the legalization of adultery. As the new law sends lusty clients flocking to the brothel, Madam Huxley’s greed grows unchecked at the workers’ expense. Only one outsider seems to care: a self-proclaimed prophet who won’t rest until the unholy institution is abolished.

After weeks of abuse, Dellwyn desperately seeks a way to subdue Madam Huxley’s tyranny. But when another courtesan is murdered, Dellwyn must set her struggles aside and solve the crime. The only problem? All evidence points to Dellwyn’s friends… and to her.

Driven by twisting turns, peppered with witty dialog, and shadowed by unrequited love, The Courtesan’s Avenger is a cozy mystery in a steampunk fantasy world.

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You can add The Courtesan’s Avenger (Desertera #2) to your Goodreads shelves today. It’ll also be available for pre-order soon, but the official launch date is Tuesday, September 20. Stay posted for more info!

Also, if you have a WordPress account, blog, or other social media, I’d appreciate a quick reblog or share! With every new reader who finds my books, I get closer to my dream of full-time authorship. Thank you for your support!