Fallen Angels and Random Pitfalls: An Update

Once in a while things get very overwhelming and I tend to shut down and focus on the bare minimum tasks I feel are most important, and one of the things that falls by the wayside is this blog which very few of my readers actually keep up with - on the one hand, it means a lot of people don't actually read this information, but on the other, it means I get to post as many of my insane rantings and ravings as I like without being chased down with torches and pitchforks, and I'm okay with that.

That said, last time I posted a blog here it was NaNoWriMo, and I was very much looking forward to writing my sci-fi book The First Instinct. But since then plans have changed. I switched novels during NaNo to a paranormal romance called Sharp Hollows, but right now that's taken a backseat too. Mainly because NaNoWriMo was a total bust.

Also because I decided I should probably edit and release some other things before I start working on brand new full-length novels. For example, my short story Be Not Afraid!

Be Not Afraid was written, like, last November or December. It's a year old, and I'm kicking myself for not editing and releasing it sooner. I wrote two angel/demon themed short stories back to back, and this is one of them. You can find its Goodreads Page here. It's a very anime vibe coming from me, which I had fun with. It's got a giant spooky monster, a cool epic fight scene, and it feels very episodic/monster of the week, even though it's a standalone. At least for now.

Here's the cover:

I also added a page for it here on the blog. It will be up on Wattpad for free and maybe on this blog too, on it's official book/title page. I am looking to put out a couple more free stories in the coming weeks just because I have two or three I think would be really suited to it, and since right now I can't publish on certain retailers before the New Year (I've gotta get some new documents, rectify all my information on all my accounts, set up accounts with new distributors, etc) I might as well share things the only way I can.

Be Not Afraid, Digital Demon, and CerbIm: Blackout are the stories I'm thinking will be free, but for now keep an eye peeled for an update post where I share Be Not Afraid with official links and stuff.

I had a computer problem the other night and had to reset my PC and while I was doing so I decided I should upgrade to the new version of Scrivener because I was stuck on an outdated one. Scrivener 3 is amazing so far. I'm just hoping my payment actually goes through (it's still processing, and it should be fine, but these things make me nervous, lol) but so far I'm having fun exploring it! Even the thumbnail/taskbar icon is prettier.

In any news I'm spending Christmas morning editing this story and getting it ready, while I drink a little too much vodka, so I wanted to share the cover, aesthetic board, and some more news. I'm sure I've mentioned Be Not Afraid on this blog before, but it felt only proper to give it a real, focused introduction.

I hope your writing and reading goals are all successful and fun this holiday season! Much love, and Merry Xmas from me and mine. :)

 

Blood of Midnight is free for the next two days!

Blood of Midnight is going to be free in the Kindle Store for the 24th and 25th! If you're looking for a fast read with some dark subject matter, intense action scenes, and vampire court intrigue, pick it up!

You can find the book here! And here's a quote;

Desperation Book + Cover Reveal

I feel bad for dropping the blogging ball there for a while. It's going to happen again, and I can't avoid it, because when it comes to book vs. blog post, I choose book every time.

Right now I'm stretched pretty thin, and I just started serializing a new book on Wattpad.

When seventeen year old Valentino ‘Val’ Crenshaw’s father dies, he’s sent to live with his estranged grandmother, a reclusive novelist holed up in the decaying family manor in a tiny town called Bronzewood.

But what Val doesn’t know is that the town he left behind at birth has been waiting for him, that his father took him away to keep him safe. Now, as Val attempts to settle into his new life, a vicious world of courtly intrigue, dangerous immortals, and ancient magic that lurks in the forest, waiting and watching, begins to emerge from the shadows. . .

As Val starts to unearth family secrets that might be better off kept hidden, and discovers a secret world that could cost him his life. When Rowan, a faerie knight with a dangerous past, and Malcolm, a Sightwielder wise beyond his years, both vow to protect him, Val realizes that he has more to worry about than being accepted in his new home; both of the faerie courts are after him and they will stop at nothing to claim him.

The forest is alive with the world of the fey, and they all want the same thing. . .Val’s life.

Make of that what you will. It's a boyxboy romance with court faeries and magic flowers and small towns and fancy mansions. It's got sass and hot boys and all of my favorite paranormal romance things.

Did I mention it's gay romance?

I'm really excited to be back to my favorite genre. Writing about straight people tires me out sometimes. There's just. . .so much of it out there. It's hard to feel like I'm doing anything original or interesting writing about those relationships, and while I don't mind the extra challenge, I just have more fun writing about queer people.

So, boys kissing, daggers flying, butterfly and spider imagery, ancient forests, and more!

And I'm serializing it on Wattpad. Read it here!

Frenzy & Rage (Free Books!)

So. I wrote some things. Some things I would like to get more exposure and mainly, more feedback on. So I thought I would offer up some freebies! As you do, right?

Rage & Frenzy are both paranormal novellas. They're set in the same universe, and while they can each be read as standalones, they work best when read together, and are available in a single collection, as well as individually;

 

They feature racially and sexually diverse characters, as well as action, romance, comedy, and horror elements. And I want you to read them for free.

So, if you're a book blogger, or if you rate books on Amazon or goodreads, comment on the blog with your email - or shoot me an email at ApolloBlake@mail.com with the subject line 'rage and frenzy' and I'll send you a free epub!

I would love to see more reviews and ratings - it's always fun to hear feedback - and I'd love to share Myra and Evelyn's stories with more readers.

(Note: I know the blog has been slightly dead in the last few weeks - that's because I'm working on editing Shadows of Ourselves for publication, and getting ready to interview some fellow indie authors here on the blog! I'll be posting updates about those soon! And, if you're an indie interested in being interviews, feel free to email me!)

Frenzy is Out!

GUYS! FRENZY IS OUT!



In case you missed my previous post about it, Frenzy is a young adult urban fantasy novella with a diverse cast of characters, cute romance, and a healthy helping of paranormal beings, so in celebration of its release I thought I’d share some facts about the book;

1) It's Full of Monsters. From Harpies to Goblins, Faeries to Undine, Werewolves to Reapers, this first glimpse at the Menagerie world is. . .well, it’s a menagerie of paranormal creatures. What else could you want?

2) . . .& Lesbian Romance! Yup, it's an LGBT romance. Again, what else could you want?

3) The main character is a Gnome. I feel pretty good about this one, since I haven't seen anyone else doing it (yet!) and I love elementals.

4) It's Got Pop Culture References. . . Because we all know at this point that I can't write a book without them.

5) It's a standalone Novella! Which means it's short, sweet, and simple. The book works both on its own, or as a prequel to Maelstrom (out later this year), which means you can get attached to the characters knowing you'll see them again in future books, but feel content knowing that you never need to read the other installments unless you really want to, as they each have different main characters and only loosely connected plots.

So, yeah. That's that. This is a fun little sneak peek at an exciting world that will be explored in more depth in Maelstrom and I'm really excited that it's out in the world now.

You can get the book on amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B81HGQ0

Or add it on Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28600479-frenzy