Soul Savers Release News

Did you see the news about the last two Soul Savers books? Check it out at my NEW HOME - www.KristieCook.com.

Surprise! A New Release! (Oh, and I've Moved)

SURPRISE! I have a new release!!!

Before I get into that, you should know that I've officially moved my website and blog. You can get to my new website at www.KristieCook.com. You can find my blog at www.KristieCook.com/blog I'll copy my posts from over there for a few weeks, but then this place goes away. So be sure to pop over there and subscribe to that blog.

Now onto the news!

Remember those collections of short stories I wrote and released last year for the holidays? Well, they're back! So if you didn't get to read them, you can now. PLUS there are 2 Halloween stories added, including a CHOOSE-YOUR-OWN-ADVENTURE. Remember those from the good ol' days? AND, holidays are all about the food, right? This new edition of Wonder includes 48 holiday recipes from myself and members of my amazing street team. ***EXTRA BONUS: Proceeds from October sales will be split for donations to causes for Domestic Violence and Breast Cancer Awareness Months.

Get your copy of Wonder: A Soul Savers Collection of Holiday Short Stories & Recipes today!

***Proceeds from October sales will be donated to causes for Domestic Violence and Breast Cancer Awareness***

New Adult Paranormal Romance ** Mature Content ** Recommended for ages 16+ due to sexual situations and language

Short Stories for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s – Including a Choose-Your-Own-Ending

A fun collection of holiday short stories and recipes from Kristie Cook’s internationally bestselling Soul Savers Series. Last year’s shorts for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s have been rewrapped into one big gift, along with NEW content. Bonus material includes two stories for Halloween – including a choose-your-own-adventure-type ending! Also, find recipes for each holiday, submitted by the most avid of Soul Savers fans. That’s 11 short stories and 48 recipes in one neat package ready for the holiday season.

Enjoy your Halloween treats with a scary story from Tristan and Alexis and a choose-your-own-adventure where you get to decide your fate—supernatural or human.

Stuff yourself full with three Thanksgiving stories about a baby vampire yearning for a traditional feast, a lost werewolf who finds love, and Tristan, Alexis, and the crew struggling to enjoy dinner when the enemy attacks.

Open three gifts that include a Daemoni warlock finding her own way to celebrate anti-Christmas, a vampire converted to the good side who discovers the miracle of Christmas, and a special, fan-inspired story from Tristan – winner of multiple best hero/best book boyfriend awards, including UtopYA Con 2014 Best Supernatural Hero.

Finally, ring in the New Year with a were-romance, a party that tests four witches’ resolutions, and your favorite couple struggling to grab their midnight kiss. Available in ebook currently and coming soon to print: Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU Nook US Kobo iBooks

This Life Is a Dream (So Get Over Yourself)

There's been a bit of author drama on the interwebz again this week. I'm not sure if they've been temporary meltdowns or more cases of Authors Behaving Badly, but either way - dude, be nice to your readers!

I love my readers! I adore each and every one of you. I would write even if I had no readers, but ya'll make it so much more fun. You give me inspiration. You motivate me to put my butt in the chair and write. And most of all, you give me friendship. Even if I've never met you or communicated with you, we love the same books and characters, so I know I like you. And since they're my books and characters, I know you're extra awesomely amazing. Haha!

Yes, there are times I feel like I answer the same questions over and over again when the answers seem to be everywhere you find my name. There are times when I want to run to my bed, hide under the covers, and cry, "I don't care that you're just a mean old troll, you're so right that your dog could excrete a better story out of his butt." (OMG, thank God I never got a review like that! I'd seriously die!)

The most common question I get: "When is the next book coming out? I'm dying here!!!!" I answer it several times a day, although it's on my website (look over in the sidebar), on Facebook in multiple posts and comments, and everywhere else because people are always asking me. At least, I feel like it's everywhere because it's such a big piece of my life. And I admit that each time I'm asked, it makes me feel all kinds of pressure, and fear, too. Fear that I'm letting my fans down because I can't write fast enough and they're hating me for it. I don't want to disappoint!

But go off on a public rant about readers or their reviews? Insulting my fans? Hell, no! Because I know the reality is that each and every review means a stranger read my book. Even if they didn't like it, they gave me a chance, and I really can't ask for more than that. Each and every question is someone showing that they love my books. And I can only be grateful for that because I never expected to be living this dream that I do. I never expected a single fan, especially one who cares enough to take time out of their busy lives to write me a message.

Yes, we put blood, sweat, and tears - and a part of our souls - into writing a book. It's not an easy thing to do, and it's often life-changing. We feel we are a part of our books and our books are a part of us as human beings. Our characters are real people, and we feel their emotions along with them, even when we're not writing. Their stories leak into our daily lives as we're trying to fulfill our other roles of employee, spouse, parent, child, sibling, church member, and overall contributor to society. Writing a book takes so much out of us because we put so much into it. It's hard work, but it comes out of a passion and a need in our souls.

But it does not put us up on some holier-than-thou pedestal just because we accomplished finishing a novel.

And here's the thing - once our book is published, and especially when readers like it and we start to build a fan base, we have crossed over into another place. We are now living a dream. We are experiencing what kids fantasize about - what we once fantasized about. We have reached a place that we've ached to be in with every fiber of our hearts and souls. We are writing stories and getting paid for it.

Although our books might change someone's perspective on life, we are not soldiers, EMTs, firefighters, cops, doctors, nurses, or anyone else in life-or-death situations. Our books don't protect people's safety and security or ensure they can provide another week of food and shelter for themselves and their families. We are a lot closer to Hollywood entertainers than we are to the heroes on the front lines. And that most definitely means we cannot stand on a pedestal, believing we're better than everyone else, slinging mud in their faces simply because we feel justified to go off on a rant every now and then.

Yes, we all need to vent to release some pressure. That's what the privacy of our own homes is for. Not in public. Not at the grocery store and not on the interwebz. And most certainly not to the very people who allow us to live this dream.

This my rant. Send out love and love will come back. And whether it comes back to me or not, I'm sending out the love to all of you. You are my world, and I'm so grateful to have you here with me. I wanted to make sure you knew that.

7 Books for Under 7 Bucks

This is happening:

In case you don't understand my 'lovely' *ahem* infographic - Curses, Fates & Soul Mates: 5 Paranormal New Adult Novels is on sale for only 99c! That's 5 books from authors R.K. Ryals, Raine Thomas, Lynn Rush, Rachael Wade, and me - including The Space Between, Part One of The Book of Phoenix trilogy. That's 5 (FIVE!!!!) full-length novels for only 20c each!

AND...

The Space Beyond, Part Two of The Book of Phoenix trilogy, is also on sale for 99c. The Space Within, Part Three, sells for $4.99.

Add it all up and you get 7 books for under 7 bucks. But hurry...only lasts through this Saturday!

The links are below. Feel free to pass this info around to anyone you think would be interested in any of these books. I'm telling you - I'm so impressed by the quality of the stories in the Curses, Fates & Soul Mates box set. Those girls are talented.

Curses, Fates & Soul Mates:
Amazon US: http://tinyurl.com/ZonUSCurses
Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/CFSMAmazonUK
Amazon CA: http://tinyurl.com/CFSMZonCA
Nook US: http://tinyurl.com/CFSMNook
Nook UK: http://tinyurl.com/CFSMNookUK
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/CFSMKobo
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/iBooksCFSM

The Space Beyond:
Amazon US: http://tinyurl.com/ZonBeyondUS
Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/TSB2-AmazonUK
Amazon CA: http://tinyurl.com/ZonCABeyond
Nook US: http://tinyurl.com/NookTSB2US
Nook UK: http://tinyurl.com/NookUKBeyond
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/KoboBeyond
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/iBooksBeyond

The Space Within:
Amazon US: http://tinyurl.com/ZonWithinUS
Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/ZonUKWithin
Amazon CA: http://tinyurl.com/ZonWithinCA
Nook US: http://tinyurl.com/NookWithinUS
Nook UK: http://tinyurl.com/NookWithinUK
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/koboWithin
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/iBooksWithin

Coming Up

Tomorrow kicks off some exciting stuff for the next couple of months! First, The Space Beyond goes on sale for only 99c through next Saturday, 9/6. So if you haven't read The Book of Phoenix trilogy yet, you can get all three books for less than $6.

OR...

Curses, Fates & Soul Mates: 5 Paranormal New Adult Novels also goes on sale tomorrow through 10/14 for only 99c. That's 5!!!! books from 5 authors for less than a buck! Including The Space Between. So with this deal and the rest of The Book of Phoenix trilogy on sale, you can get 7!!! full-length novels for less than $7! Nice, eh? Grab it while you can!

Also, starting Monday, I'm doing my first blog tour in a long time (not counting promo blasts and review-only tours). There will be guest posts, interviews, excerpts, and reviews.

October has a few surprises in store, too. And throughout all of this, I'm working away on Soul Savers Books 6 and 7. Yes, I'm writing them together so you can read them almost back-to-back. Stay tuned for more news about the Soul Savers.

Then we have the holidays coming up, starting with Halloween. Yay!

So what's going in your world for the next couple of months? Anything exciting? Looking forward to the cooler weather?

Do You Listen to Your Books?

Do you listen to audiobooks? There's a growing trend of people who do and not only during work commutes anymore. They're a convenient way to "read" more books when you don't have time to sit and actually read or for when you get motion sickness from reading in a car or on a train. People have told me they listen to them while doing housework, cooking, giving themselves a mani/pedi, sitting in school pickup lines, grocery shopping, taking their daily walks, and even during more strenuous workouts.

I'm not personally a huge listener of them. My commute from bed to office is about 30 steps across my house - about long enough for a narrator to spit out a sentence. Maybe two. That would take forever to finish the book! When I'm actually doing something actively, I try to be in the present since so much of my time is spent in other worlds with "fictional" (don't tell them!) people.

But I am intrigued by this idea of listening while working out. I usually like fast and hard music to boost my excitement and energy levels, but people who listen to audiobooks say they end up working out longer because they're so involved in the story. Hmmm...that's intriguing, especially for someone who watches the minutes for when I can finally be done. Of course, this wouldn't work for certain types of workouts, like zumba, tennis, or swimming. Haha! But for a run? On the treadmill, step-climber, or bike? I can see the possibilities...  Or should I say "hear" them? I might have to give it a go.

How about you? Do you listen to audiobooks? If so, when? What are you usually doing? Any recommendations? I need to download some and give this idea a try.

If you didn't know, all of my Soul Savers books to date (except Genesis) are on audiobook, available at Audible.com, Amazon.com, and iTunes.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

I was challenged and gladly accepted!



As you can see in the video, ALS hits close to home for me, and I'm thrilled to see the awareness of this disease spreading like wildfire the last few weeks. And the challenge has raised upwards of $53.3 million! (Figure as of this afternoon as reported by ALS Association.) That's a nice shot in the arm of funds for research for a disease that barely gets noticed beyond the friends and family members of PALS (People with ALS).

What many people may not realize is that there are enough similarities in ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and other degenerative diseases that scientists believe finding the cause and cure in one will lead to finding the causes and cures to them all. My dad has Parkinson's. A cure in his lifetime would be truly amazing.

I know there are haters on this challenge, which I just don't get. Awareness is spreading and money is being raised. Everyday people are realizing that you don't have to be a celebrity to make a difference. How can this possibly be a bad thing?

Even the claim of wasting of clean water kind of baffles me - that's like my parents telling me there are starving children in Africa, so I need to clean my plate. How does my clean plate help those kids? Unless you're in a drought area, how does conserving a bucket of water here help those who don't have it elsewhere? If anything, it soaks into the ground, evaporates into the air, and creates rain that falls elsewhere. And the good that it's creating rather than being flushed down the toilet exceeds the waste. If you're worried about supplies of fresh water, stop flushing and taking showers every time you feel like it.

Anyway...the ice bucket challenge is a good thing. I hope you will take it. And whether or not you let freezing-cold water be dumped on your head, I hope you will make a donation. Just $10 helps. $10 x millions of people makes a HUGE difference, as we have seen. Here's the link: http://www.alsa.org/

The Deepest, Darkest Pit

Today I mourn Robin Williams' death with a heavy heart. He was such a blessing to this world, a true legend who had a way of touching our hearts and lifting us up. Just the mention of his name, a picture of his face, or a clip of one of his movies or stand-up acts brought smiles to our faces. Millions of people around this world adored him, but what everyone else feels doesn't matter when it comes to depression. The size of your house and bank account, the kind of car you drive, the number of people who admire you - none of that matters. Only one person does - the person suffering. Not in an egotistical, self-centered way, but in the very aloneness we feel while battling major depression.

I've been there, and I wish I could share just how horrible it is. Depression is hard to describe, though, for those who have never been drowning in it before. Even those who've had their short-term, minor bouts don't understand suicidal thoughts. It's a very dark, very lonely place that messes with your mind, leading you to do things you'd never thought yourself capable of. You lose touch with reality as the dark thoughts eclipse everything else until they become your only thoughts. You find yourself believing only the negativity and discounting anything anyone else says about your worth, about how much they love you, about everything you have to offer to your loved ones and the rest of the world. You become convinced that nobody else truly understands or cares. You can only believe that their words are all lies. That the only truth is the darkness within you. You know that there may be a few people who will mourn you, but you also know they will go on with their lives. They may be sad for a while, but you just can't believe that they'd be forever changed by your death. You simply don't matter enough.

You don't matter enough.

That's how someone who seems to have everything, who has fought so many battles with depression, addiction, and self-destruction in the past and hidden his pain behind humor, can come to this final decision. No matter how many people claim to appreciate and need you, to be touched by you, to feel blessed to have you in their lives, you can't believe that you really matter that much to them. Because you are really, deep down, nobody. Nothing. Unworthy. A dark stain on the world.

Asia, in The Space Within, says it like this:

A deep sadness settled over me, and I began to wonder what it would feel like when the Darkness took over completely. Would it be painful? I couldn’t imagine any worse emotional pain than I was already in—a pain so deep and thorough, it felt physical. Worse than the utter misery of major depression.

I remembered too easily my bout of depression and the feeling it brought that nothing in the world could ever be right again. All I could see then were days and months and years ahead of me of living at the bottom of a black pit that I could never climb my way out of. Where every day consisted of the exact same desolation because nothing would ever change. I didn’t deserve anything different anyway, I’d thought then. I was too weak and ignorant and ugly and skinny and selfish and vain and irresponsible and bitchy … and just plain stupid to deserve happiness. I belonged at the bottom of that pit, far away from the intelligent, beautiful, happy people of the world who shouldn’t be subjected to the damage my presence would do to them. I didn’t deserve their love or any kind of joy of my own.

I walked the rim of that pit every day, always fearful of falling back in, and I felt now that same weight of negativity and despair tugging me downward again, heavier than ever.

Depression is a pit of darkness. And it seems to have a gravity force fifty-million times stronger than that of the Earth, trying to keep you at its very bottom and never letting you out. At that bottom is liquid hopelessness, soaking into your every pore, filling all of your cells, pulling you under, and pressing on your chest so you can't breathe. Even when your brain knows you should be reaching for the air and light at the top, the bottom pulls stronger at your heart and soul until you are drowning under the liquid blackness. And you feel like the dark depths are exactly where you belong. When you finally convince yourself otherwise and begin to pull yourself up to the light, to where you can breathe again, the tiniest of dark tentacles can grab ahold and whip you back down and under again.

I wish I could tell you how to climb out and stay out - and how to help your loved ones do the same. I've been out for several years, but I never once can believe that I'm free from the pit for good. Yes, it is easier and becomes even more so every day I stay out, but I know there is always a chance of falling back down, and I remain alert for the signs. All I can say to you is never give up if you know someone suffering with depression. Even when they seem to be in the light and doing great, you never know when one of those tentacles will lash upwards and take them down again. Make sure they know that they are loved, and not only when they're sad. Reaffirm their worth in the good times, too. Remind them that they are missed when they're not around and that lives will be forever changed when they are gone for good.

Make sure that they know they matter enough. And that they're not alone.

Everyone deserves to know this, regardless of their battles (and we're all facing something). So be sure to show - not just tell - all of your friends and loved ones that they matter, that you truly care, that you love them. Do it as often as possible. You never know when it might be the last time - or when you might be saving their lives. I have to thank my children for making sure I knew this, even if it was in their own ways of reminding me that they needed a mother. I also have to thank God and my Savior, whom I finally learned to turn to. They have all been my lifeline.

If you are suffering with depression, I pray that you find your lifeline. If you know someone else who is, I pray that you can be theirs. Wrap yourself around them and hold on for as long as it takes, even when you feel their grip slipping or think they don't need you any more. You don't need to fix their problems - their problems may not be fixable. You only need to be there - to be their lifeline to hold onto.

We all need each other to get through this thing called life...and to keep each other out of the deepest, darkest pit. We all need to feel that we're not completely alone in this world, regardless of the number of people surrounding us - we just need to know one person truly, honestly, genuinely cares. Be that person.

Sending my thoughts and prayers to all of you who suffer with depression, as well as to loved ones of those who have taken their own lives, whose wounds have likely been ripped back open. There is no grief that compares to losing a loved one to suicide. You will always wonder why and what more you could have done. But sometimes there is nothing more. Sometimes there is never enough. Sometimes people make irreversible decisions regardless of anything anyone else does. And that is their decision and not a reflection of what you did or didn't do. No matter where you are and what you're suffering through, know that God is with you and will take your pain - if you give it over to Him.

Much love and {{{hugs}}} to all of you.

It's LIVE! The Space Within, Part 3 of The Book of Phoenix

The Space Within, the explosive conclusion of The Book of Phoenix series, is LIVE! Get yours at these ebook retailers:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Nook US

Nook UK

Kobo

iBooks

The print edition will be available in the next few weeks.

When Darkness threatens, what matters most lies in The Space Within 

Completing a mission that reunites Guardian Twin Flames turns devastating when the Book of Phoenix throws Leni and Brock into a Dark world, leaving Jeric and Asia behind. They count on their other halves to rescue them, but when that doesn’t happen, they must fight through the Darkness and find a Gate that will take them home. 
  
Except all of Earth’s Gates are sealed. 
  
Enyxa, ruler of Darkness, and her horde of Dark souls storm the Gates to push their way through to Earth. While Leni and Brock fight Enyxa on their side, Jeric and Asia must figure out how to save their Twin Flames without jeopardizing all of Earth’s souls. Through it all—and with a little help from Enyxa—Brock and Asia begin questioning their relationship and whether they’re truly meant to be together…or if they’re two Lost souls forced to become one. 
  
If the Broken dyads don’t find each other fast, they’ll be lost to the Dark forever. But to reunite means choosing themselves over all of Earth’s souls. Can Jeric make that decision? And will Brock and Asia find the love they both desperately crave? Or are they all doomed to perpetual Darkness? 
  
Discover how it all ends in The Space Within, the explosive conclusion to The Book of Phoenix trilogy.

Show Your Love of NA Paranormal

Going in to last week's NA Crush Tourney, Tristan of my Soul Savers Series was the last supernatural hero remaining in the tournament. As someone who loves the New Adult age category for books, I found this disheartening. There is so much potential for the category to expand into all of the genres, not just contemporary romance and erotica. That's for another post, though.

For Tristan's next round in the Tourney (Tuesday, July 15), my team and I want to make it all about YOU and the NA paranormal world. Specifically, Tristan's world. Announcing...

SINK YOURSELF INTO THE SOUL SAVERS WORLD

• Have you always wanted to tell a story that takes place in the Soul Savers World?
• Are you an artist and would like to share how you see the Soul Savers World and/or the characters in it?
• Do you have special talents in photography or creating awesome videos?
• Are you a songwriter, poet, crafter, etc., who's been inspired by Tristan, Alexis, or any part of the Soul Savers World?

Submit your work and win!

Share your love for NA paranormal and the Soul Savers World and showcase your talents, too! We will have a special Facebook event to share the submissions so people can vote on their favorites. There will be multiple prizes awarded, including a Kristie's Choice Award picked by me (in case that wasn't clear) and an Authors' Choice Award selected by the authors who will be participating and offering up prizes at the event.

Top prizes will include:

• A signed paperback of Promise with annotations throughout the book (handwritten notes by me)
• A replica of the pendant Tristan made for Alexis
• A Soul Savers Ultimate Fan Swag Bag full of signed books and awesome swag like a coffee mug, t-shirt, sachet of Tristan Scent Chips and more
• A signed set of the Soul Savers books (including Books 6 & 7 when they release)
• Gift cards and more!

HURRY! SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY
MIDNIGHT ET, SUNDAY, JULY 13TH!!!!

Possible Categories (subject to change depending on submissions received):

• Short Story Fan Fic (no more than 5,000 words)
• Poetry
• Songs
• Photography
• Videos
• Drawings
• Paintings
• Digital Art
• Tattoos
• Crafts

Rules:

• All entries must take place in, tie into, or be inspired by the Soul Savers World. Can be characters (current ones or ones you make up as long as they're in the world), settings, objects (i.e., Alexis's pendant, Vanessa's trunks), symbols and logos (i.e., Amadis mark, Daemoni symbol/logo) or anything else you come up with that's relevant to the world.
• All entries must somehow tie into the New Adult age category (defined here: http://naalley.blogspot.com/p/about.html). If there are people/characters, they need to be appropriately aged. If you're submitting a visual art piece, music, or a video, make it so that it would appeal to this age group.
• All entries must be submitted to inga.kupp@gmail.com no later than Midnight Eastern Time, Sunday, July 13, 2014.
• Written word entries (fan fic stories, poetry, songs, etc.) cannot exceed 5,000 words.
• All entries become the property of Kristie Cook, and she may share it publicly with credit given.
• All entries will be posted anonymously for fair voting. Entrants' names will be announced at the end of the event.
• Entry categories, prizes, and prize categories are subject to change prior to the event starting on Tuesday, July 15, 2014, depending on submissions received.
• Entrants will be notified by email if there are any significant changes to the event.
• Open internationally.

It's All About Tristan

This happened...

I am back from utopYA Con 2014 on a total high. It was such an amazing experience, even without the award. If there is any possible chance you can make it next year, I recommend it to all writers (published or not), bloggers, and readers. It's not just a conference - it's an experience.

Anyway, THANK YOU to everyone who voted for Tristan! This wouldn't have happened without you, the readers and fans. You all amaze me and totally rock my world. You all have my heartfelt love and appreciation.

In related news, Tristan is once again part of the New Adult Crush Tourney at NA Alley. Eek! He went to the second round last year. How far can we get him this year? He gets a bye for the first round, so his first match is on July 8. If you're interested in helping out, our advocate, Inga at Me and Reading, has formed a special street team - #KnightRiders. Anyone can join. Here's the link: http://www.ingasilberg.com/2014/06/nacrushtourney-advocate-for-tristan.html

And talking about hot fictional men, S.T. Bende, author of the super-amazing Elsker Saga and creator of the to-die-for Ull, and I are hosting an event tonight on Facebook that you must come to. Seriously. It's going to be epic, especially if you like hot guys. And prizes. There will be giveaways. Join us for a fab and fun time that will lead to incredible dreams. SHH...Super Sekrit Hottie Event

I'll be keeping you up-to-date on the Crush Tourney. If you want to follow the brackets, here's the link: http://naalley.blogspot.com/ Thank you in advance for your votes! *big unabashed grin*

Release Day! The Space Beyond is LIVE!

Release Day Blitz!

Today is release day for The Space Beyond (Part Two in the Book of Phoenix)!! If you haven't read The Space Between (Part One in the Book of Phoenix), it's on sale for 99c! (Links below) - Join me, along with author Lynn Rush, whose book Absolute Zero releases on May 21st, in our 3-day DUAL RELEASE CELEBRATION starting TONIGHT with several guest author appearances! https://www.facebook.com/events/509122122526573

We also have a GIVEAWAY to share with you!! Look for how to enter down below!

The Space Beyond 

Part Two of the Book of Phoenix

Author: Kristie Cook

Release Date: Currently Available

Where:
Amazon US: http://tinyurl.com/ZonBeyondUS
Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/TSB2-AmazonUK
 Amazon CA: http://tinyurl.com/ZonCABeyond
Nook US: http://tinyurl.com/NookTSB2US
Nook UK: http://tinyurl.com/NookUKBeyond
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/KoboBeyond
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/iBooksBeyond

Hearts break, souls shatter, love lies in The Space Beyond...

As members of the Phoenix, Jeric and Leni are thrust into their new lives, expected to lead Earth’s Guardians. But Leni struggles with trusting her own soul, and Jeric is more concerned about keeping Leni safe than meeting others’ demands. When Darkness swarms Lake Haven, they embark on their first mission with little preparation and no idea which soul the Dark hunts.

Born and raised in Lake Haven, Bex hopes to escape her small-town life, ideally in the arms of her soul mate. She knows he exists, and her heart aches with the need to find him. When her long-lost mama calls to announce she's knockin' on death's door, Bex reluctantly makes the trip to see the uncaring bitch (bless her heart), only to be knocked off her feet by the sexy and charming Dr. Mason Hayes. Is he really The One?

Leni’s soul felt an instant connection to Bex, but if Bex found her soul mate, she isn’t their mission. So who is, and why does Leni instinctively feel drawn to her? Can Leni even trust her intuition? And will Jeric step up and lead when the time comes or continue to hold them back?

If they don't learn to trust themselves and each other quickly, Darkness will claim them all…along with the rest of Earth’s souls.

Other books in the series:

The Space Between
Part One in the Book of Phoenix
Author: Kristie Cook

Currently Available

Where: Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iBookstore | Kobo

When life falls to pieces, answers lie in The Space Between...


Leni Drago can't make a smart decision on her own, according to her mother anyway--the few times she's tried resulted in disaster. When her uncle sends her on a dance tour in Italy to find her real self, she returns to an empty home and any evidence of his existence wiped out. Then things get even stranger, like the mysterious appearances of Jeric Winters--inked, pierced and a hit-'em-and-quit-'em type. He's one decision that should be easy for Leni. Or is he?


Jeric doesn't do girlfriends. Unless they're someone else's. He left the fighting cage and modeling for a reason, and girls who want more than a night of fun are distractions he doesn't need. Especially when they come with as much baggage as Leni carries. But he can't shake the gut feeling that he needs to know her. All of her.


To discover the truth behind their connection and their ties to a journal from 1989, they must face painful secrets from their pasts. And they must do so quickly because their own existences are falling to pieces.


This first part of The Book of Phoenix takes you on a heart-wrenching ride as you discover the answers that lie in The Space Between.

The Space Within

Part Three in the Book of Phoenix

Author: Kristie Cook

Release Date: July 14, 2014

here: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo (all countries)

When Darkness threatens, what matters most lies in The Space Within...
Completing a mission that reunites Guardian Twin Flames turns devastating when the Book of Phoenix throws Leni and Brock into a Dark world, leaving Jeric and Asia behind. They count on their other halves to rescue them, but when that doesn’t happen, they must fight through the Darkness and find a Gate that will take them home.

Except all of Earth’s Gates are sealed.

Enyxa, ruler of Darkness, and her horde of Dark souls storm the Gates to push their way through to Earth. While Leni and Brock fight Enyxa on their side, Jeric and Asia must figure out how to save their Twin Flames without jeopardizing all of Earth’s souls. Through it all—and with a little help from Enyxa—Brock and Asia begin questioning their relationship and whether they’re truly meant to be together…or if they’re two Lost souls forced to become one.

If the Broken dyads don’t find each other fast, they’ll be lost to the Dark forever. But to reunite means choosing themselves over all of Earth’s souls. Can Jeric make that decision? And will Brock and Asia find the love they both desperately crave? Or are they all doomed to perpetual Darkness?

Discover how it all ends in The Space Within, the explosive conclusion to The Book of Phoenix trilogy.

About the Author:

Kristie Cook is a lifelong, award-winning writer in various genres, from marketing communications to fantasy fiction. She continues to write the Soul Savers Series, a New Adult paranormal romance / contemporary fantasy, with Promise, Purpose, Devotion, Power, and the latest release, Wrath, book five, available now. She’s also written a companion novella, Genesis: A Soul Savers Novella, which details the compelling history of her Soul Savers mythology. Over 300,000 Soul Savers books have been sold, with Promise peaking at #54 on the Amazon Top 100 Paid list and at #1 in the Amazon Fantasy category.

Kristie’s second series, The Book of Phoenix, is a New Adult paranormal trilogy. The Space Between is currently available, and The Space Beyond is releasing May 19, 2014, andThe Space Within will be available Summer 2014.

Besides writing, Kristie enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, and riding on the back of a motorcycle. She has lived in ten states, but currently calls Southwest Florida home with her husband, three sons, a beagle, and a puggle. She can be found at:

Author's Website & Blog: http://www.KristieCook.com
UK Fan Site: http://www.kristiecookfansite.co.uk
The Book of Phoenix Website: http://www.TheBookofPhoenix.com
Soul Savers Series Website: http://www.SoulSaversSeries.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristieCook
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kristiecookauth

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Teaser Tuesday - The Space Beyond

Less than a week for The Space Beyond to release. Yippee!!! This book has become near and dear to my heart because it covers a subject that's important to me. There's also a character who I love so much, and I'd like you to meet her today. I've posted a few things from her here and there, but here's the first chapter from her point-of-view. Meet Bethany/Bex:

“Butter my butt and call me a biscuit. I can’t believe that just happened,” Elizabeth said as I stomped into the kitchen. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” I muttered. My hands gripped the bus tray as I called out to the cook, “Aunt Faye, we need another fried chicken platter. Green beans instead of collard greens.”

Aunt Faye wasn’t my aunt—she was Elizabeth’s and they owned the diner together—but we all called her Aunt Faye anyway. Memaw’s Diner was opened decades ago by Aunt Faye’s actual memaw, and the building itself had been in their family since it was built in the 1800s. The place was definitely haunted, but what just happened was no ghost. That chick was off her flippin’ rocker. And no bless her heart added to that. Not in my head, anyway. I didn’t give a shit about her heart or anything else at the moment.

As I pushed my way through the swinging door, I wished I could shoot arrows out of my eyes at the girl. Instead, I remembered Grams’ words I heard every morning for years before walking out the door: “Don’t forget to put on your smile, the mos import’nt thang you can wear.” Of course, if I walked out the door with nothing but a smile, she would have eaten her words, God rest her soul, but that was the Southern way. So I grinned ear to ear as I headed for the mess on the floor in front of the table with Mr. Hawtness and his nutters girlfriend.

Even now, she wouldn’t stop staring at me.

Weirdo. I hadn’t blamed her when she thought I’d messed with her boyfriend that one time, and I actually thought she was pretty cool in a daring kind of way when I saw her dance on the mechanical bull out at Sullivan’s Bar at the truck stop. She’d seemed pretty normal then. Now? She freaked me out. Why did she keep staring at me? I swear, there was hunger in her eyes, as if she wanted to devour me rather than the food she’d pretty much thrown on the floor. Were they wanting a threesome or something? Is that what was up?

Wow. That was new for me, and I’d done some pretty kinky shit. Girls weren’t exactly my thing, although if I did do a girl, I guess I’d do her. She was gorgeous, with big green eyes, smooth, bronze skin that I would kill for, and light brown curls that fell past her shoulders. A little curvier than mine, her body was pretty hot, too. And him? Yeah, I’d taken advantage of his drunken state before for a reason—talk about a body to die for, and those blue eyes and dimples melted bones—but I’d never been rejected by a guy before, especially not a drunk one. If she hadn’t made my day go from bad to worse, maybe I would have considered a roll in the hay with both of them. Or maybe not. Damn. I was going to hell just thinking about it.

“Here, let me help you.” Crazy girl was on her knees next to me, reaching her hands out to scoop the pile of chicken, taters and gravy, greens, and broken plate.

I moved my arm in front of her, blocking her hands. The last thing Elizabeth and Aunt Faye needed was a lawsuit because she cut her hands open. Yankee out-of-towners would be all over that shit.

“Oh, no, I’ll take care of it,” I insisted. “You just sit down and don’t worry your pretty little head over it. Your food will be out in a minute.”

The bus tray was pulled away, though, as a new pair of jean-clad legs knelt down beside me.

“I got this,” said a familiar male voice that made my belly quiver and my throat tighten even though I hadn’t heard it in years. “Go get her food.”

My eyes slowly lifted, taking in the jeans that strained across thick thigh muscles, the wide belt buckle at the narrow waist, the Stu’s Bait and Tackle tan t-shirt that stretched over pecs, shoulders, and biceps that had been smaller when the shirt was bought, and up to full lips spread into a smile and hazel eyes framed by dark lashes longer than Sissy’s fake ones staring at me from under a red baseball cap. As if I didn’t have a thing for guys in baseball caps. As if I hadn’t once had a thing for this particular guy. As if I’d thought my day couldn’t get any crappier.

“Go on now,” Ty Daniels insisted. “You’re lettin’ her food get cold.”

Without a word, I stood and strode for the kitchen, and not because crazy girl’s plate was ready yet or because I was following Ty’s orders, but because I needed a moment. Lots of moments.

“What the hell is he doin’ back?” I seethed out loud as soon as the kitchen door swung closed. I leaned against the wall and stomped my foot. Yeah, I actually stomped my foot. And my hands formed fists at my sides. My eyes stung, but with tears of anger and frustration. I will not cry over him. I will not cry over him.

“Oh, baby girl, I meant to tell ya,” Elizabeth said as she wrapped her arms around me. She’d been my boss for years, as well as a friend—as good a friend as a boss could be. Since Grams died two months ago, she’d kind of taken on a mama role because my own mama had run out years ago. Well, she’d found a way to wiggle herself back into our lives recently, but she hadn’t been a real mama to me since … since I was born, really. Grams, God rest her soul, pretty much raised my sister and me the best she could. “I heard he came in overnight.”

How had I not noticed? He lived next door to me. Was he staying somewhere else? Of course, I’d left home before the butt-crack of dawn this morning, so his trailer was probably still dark. It didn’t matter. I drew in a deep breath and forced my heart to slow to normal.

“It’s okay,” I said through another breath. “I’m not gonna let him get to me. I’m over him. His loss. I’ve moved on.”

“That’s my girl,” Elizabeth said as she gave me another squeeze before letting me go. She lifted my chin with her knuckles and scrutinized my face.

“I’m serious, Liz’beth. I’m done with him.” And I was. Ty Daniels was no longer a prickly thistle stuck to my heart.

Having grown up in the same trailer park, we’d known each other for as long as we could both remember. There’d been those couple of years Mama had moved us away, but as soon as we came back, Ty was knocking on the door, ready to play, no questions asked. That’s what I’d liked about him. We’d been buddies for years, and then in high school, it became something more. But he was never right for me and I wasn’t right for him, which he pretty much told me right after his graduation and right before he took off for the Army. He left me back home to finish my own schooling a year later, never sending word, even when he went off to Afghanistan. It took me a while to realize he was right. Ty Daniels wasn’t good for me. He wasn’t The One I was sure was out there, somewhere, looking for me.

So why did I have to react to him the way I had? If only my body would realize just how bad he is … and forget just how good he is.

“The big stuff’s all cleaned up, but I need a mop to get the rest,” Ty said as he came into the kitchen with the bus tray under one arm.

Elizabeth gave him a warm smile and took the container from him. “Thanks, Ty, but you don’t need to do that. You don’t work here anymore, remember? In fact, it’s been some time since you did.”

“Yes, ma’am, but I never forgot what you taught me. Never ignore a pretty girl’s needs.” His eyes cut over to me as one corner of his mouth lifted in a grin.

I snorted and rolled my eyes before taking the plate Aunt Faye had just placed on the counter. I’d rather put up with crazy girl than Ty and how my body betrayed me around him. My damn belly quivered with that one crooked smile. Quivered! But even with the threat of going to hell hanging over my head, a threesome with these guys would be much better for me than anything with Ty Daniels. They’d be on their way again afterward, and so would Ty, but only he would leave me with another broken heart.

Ty took a seat at a two-top table, and although Elizabeth waited on him, I was completely and fully aware of his presence. I’d barely even noticed when Mr. Hawtness and his girlfriend scooted out, although I did notice the nice tip they left me. I half expected a note to meet them at their camper, but there was none. Maybe I’d misread their intentions. Thank God and baby Jesus. The girl’s craziness had been enough to deal with when it came to those two. And with Sissy’s phone message she’d left here during this morning’s breakfast rush, then Ty’s sudden appearance, I really didn’t need anything more added to my plate today, thank you very much.

“Bethany, sweetheart,” Ty said after Elizabeth had cleared his table and disappeared into the kitchen. I’d been too busy wiping tables and checking condiments to notice we were the only two left in the dining room.

“Don’t call me that,” I said, and it came out harsher than I intended. The “sweetheart” part made my knees weak, which annoyed the crap out of me, and the “Bethany” part was like nails on a chalkboard. He was one of those bad memories tied to that name, but only a minor one. Mostly I hated it because it reminded me of the daddy I’d never really known, who’d given the name to me, and my mama, who used it against me every chance she got. I was sure she blamed me for his not being with us anymore. The way she used to draw out my name but cut it short at the same time—Bettttth’neeee—because she was too trashed to say it right still made my skin crawl. I’d gotten over it for a while—suppressed the memories, a fancy head doctor would probably say—until she called two months ago. That’s when I decided to never go by that name again. Unfortunately, in a small town, it was hard to get people who knew you all your life to change their ways. “It’s Bex now. And if you call me Bethany again, I’ll punch you in the nose.”

Ty chuckled. “I miss your feistiness.” He paused, and not until I turned to face him and he could look into my eyes, did he add more quietly, “I miss all of you, sweetheart.”

Oh, dear Lord. Don’t fall for it. DON’T fall for it.

I strode over to his table and stood across from him. I placed my hands on the edge and leaned forward. “You left me.”

He nodded. “I know. And I was stupid for it.”

“No, you weren’t. You were right.”

“I was wrong, boo. Totally wrong.”

I gritted my teeth at his term of endearment. “Ty, it took me a long time to get over the hurt—”

“I’m so sorry, Beth—Bex.” His hand reached out for mine, but I moved before he could grasp it.

“Don’t be. It sucked, and I hated you for a long time, but it was the best thing for me.”

“Don’t say that, sweetheart. Please don’t say that.”

I stood up and shrugged, even though my heart was pounding painfully against my ribs. Saying this all out loud was much harder than I thought it would be, but he didn’t need to know that. “Why not? It’s the truth. You made me realize we weren’t right for each other. We never were and never will be.”

“I don’t believe that. Not anymore.” He stood and reached for my hands again. I stepped backwards, and something in his eyes seemed to crack with the rejection. “I came back for you. For us.”

I swallowed against the lump that had formed in my throat. “Well,” I said, my voice barely more than a whisper, “you shouldn’t have. It’s over, Ty. There is no us.”

“Be-ex, please, boo.”

My eyes closed for a brief moment before I opened them to look into his. I had to clench my jaw and make my spine like a steel rod to say my next words. “Don’t beg, Ty. You’re not a dog.”

He stared at me for a long moment as multiple emotions passed through his expressive eyes. Then he pulled his cap down further over his forehead, threw some money on the table, and strode out the door. I stood there for a moment, trying to pull myself together. Hopefully, that was the end of the suck for the day. I’d had enough, and I needed it all to follow him out that door. But if it did, it blew right back in with the next person to walk through. Sissy.

“Ty Daniels?” she asked as she looked over her shoulder at the old, beat-up, black Ford truck leaving the parking lot. She turned back to me with her dark brows raised over big blue eyes that were just like mine. Her raven hair was pulled back in a clip, and she wore little makeup, revealing the purple half-moons under her eyes. I couldn’t believe she was out in public like this—that wasn’t the Sissy I knew. She looked as exhausted as I felt. She may have been younger than me, but she’d always had an old soul, and right now, no way did she look only nineteen years old.

“Yeah, he’s back home, but don’t worry. I sent him packin’, at least from me. You look like hell.” My sisterly way of trying to change the subject.

She didn’t take my eggin’, though. “He’s probably the best thing for ya, sis. You probably shouldn’t let him go a second time.”

My eyes narrowed at her as she stepped to the table nearest the door and hesitantly sat down. She’d seen the hot mess I’d been when Ty left. She’d claimed to hate him as much as I had.

She looked up at me and rolled her eyes at my expression. “Oh, come on, sis. Settlin’ down with Ty is a lot better than you runnin’ around and gettin’ it on with a different guy every month. Aren’t you tired of that yet?”

My nostrils flared as I blew out an angry breath before yanking out the seat in front of her and dropping into it hard. I crossed my arms on the table and leaned toward her.

“I do not get it on with a different guy every month! Quit makin’ me sound like a two-bit whore!”

She only stared at me with her brow raised again.

“Four guys, Sissy. I’ve been with four guys since Ty left me three years ago.”

She still stared silently. I squirmed and leaned back.

“Okay, maybe it was five. That’s still a long shot from one a month.”

“And is that countin’ the carnie from Atlanta?”

“I didn’t get it on with him! We made out a little, but that’s all. He kissed like a fish attacking a worm on a hook.” I shuddered at the memory.

“Still another man. And what about the surfer from Daytona? The cowboy whose truck broke down on the way to the PBR finals? Oh, and let’s not forget Punk Roberts.”

I sighed. If she counted them, her list could go on, but I’d actually slept with Punk. I really thought he’d been The One. He’d graduated as Michael Roberts several years before me and went off to become a nearly famous rock star. No doubt he would be there one of these days. He’d come home for a break for a couple of months, and we’d hit it off right away. I’d never told Sissy because she would have talked me out of it immediately, but I’d been ready to pack my bags and hit the road with him, glad to say goodbye to this Podunk town forever. Until I found out he’d succumbed to the typical rocker lifestyle on the road, fueled by drugs that hyped him up and more that forced him to sleep. I’d had enough of that bullshit in my twenty years at the time. I wasn’t about to go there with him.

Sissy fell silent, and when I looked up at her, sadness filled her eyes. She reached out for my hands and took them into hers.

“I’m sorry, Be—Bex.” That was the first time she’d called me that, so she must have meant it. “I didn’t come here to pick on you. I’m just worried about you, is all. And I know you hate Ty for what he did to you, but maybe you can find it in your heart to love him again.”

The problem was I’d never stopped loving him. But only as a friend. He’d been the rock in my life, but now I couldn’t count on him anymore. Maybe that was it—I couldn’t trust him. And if there’s no trust, there’s no relationship.

“So you knew he was comin’ back home and you didn’t tell me?” I asked, bitterness filling my voice. I yanked my hands away from her. “Left Mama’s side and came all the way here to convince me to take him back? Did he put you up to this?”

Sissy pressed her hand to her chest and shook her head.

“I had no idea he was back, I pinky swear. I just saw him and thought he’d be good for you. He’s always been a good friend to us, and we kinda need that right now.” She folded her hands on the table and dropped her gaze as she picked at her fingernails. “But no, there’s somethin’ else. Did you get my message this mornin’?”

“Yeah, Liz’beth told me. I was goin’ to call you back before I went to my other job.”

Sissy’s face lifted, looking even more exhausted than she had before, and I felt bad for my jab at her. Sorta bad. I thought she sometimes forgot who was working her ass off to support us and pay for at least some of Mama’s medical bills. Someone had to do it after all, and sometimes she became quite the martyr, never letting me forget who does the caretaking of Mama.

“You need to see her,” Sissy said, her voice soft and quivery.

“I’ve got no need to.”

“Beth …” She sighed. “Bex … she only has a few more weeks. Maybe a month or two, but the doctors reckon it’ll be shorter.”

I stared at her for a long moment, and then looked away, out the window, although my mind barely registered the trucks and cars passing by on Central Street. It was trying to process everything that Sissy’s words meant, but failed.

“She’s your mama,” my baby sister reminded me.

“We may have came out of her hooha, but she’s never been a mama,” I whispered. Sissy was only eighteen months younger than me, but she may as well have been five years sometimes. She’d been younger enough to not remember a lot, and I’d sheltered her from most of the rest. And, I’d admit, she had a bigger and more forgiving heart than I did.

“Don’t be like this. Not now. Mama needs you, just to see you again, to say her apologies and goodbyes, so she can go peacefully.”

My heart squeezed, and my throat suddenly felt like a peach pit had lodged in it. I didn’t know that she deserved to go peacefully, but I also knew that was a shitty thing to think.

“I don’t think seeing her will give either of us peace,” I managed to say.

Sissy reached for my hands again and grasped them firmly. “I need you to do this. If you can’t bring yourself to do it for her or for yourself, then at least do it for me.”

My gaze came back to Sissy’s face and her pleading eyes. My heart contracted again. I’d always done everything I could for her, but I didn’t know if I could do this.

“I don’t know when my next day off is,” I said. “Working three jobs doesn’t really give me time to drive all the way to Orlando, you know.”

Sissy closed her eyes and inhaled a long breath that caused her ample chest to lift—at least Mama had given us something to work with. Our looks and figures came from her. Of course, they hadn’t really been her gift, since she had no say in the matter. That was all God’s doing.

Apparently, Sissy’s calming method didn’t work. She stood up and glared at me with her hands on her hips. “Where’s your common decency? Your mama is dying! Maybe you should make your family a priority for once!”

I jumped to my feet, too, knocking my chair over. “Oh, hell no! Don’t you pull that one on me. The only reason I work three jobs is for you and that bitch who’s done nothing but hurt us and leave us for dead. You really think she’d give two shits if the tables were turned?”

Sissy huffed out a breath then stomped for the door. As soon as she grasped the handle to pull, she looked over her shoulder at me. “Well, in a few weeks, she’ll never be able to hurt you again. And for that matter, I’ll be outta your hair, too.”

I stared after her as she left with my mouth hanging open.

“You tryin’ to catch flies?” Elizabeth asked behind me. I snapped my jaw shut and went back to work cleaning tables and checking condiments.

Elizabeth stepped behind the register and flipped through the lunch tickets. “She’s right, you know.”

I let out a low growl. “I don’t need it from you, too.”

“I know how you feel about your mama, including that you’re torn right now on what to do. Which means you know what’s right, but you just don’t wanna do it.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head, daring me to call her a liar.

“There’s been a dark energy around this place for months,” she said.

“Maybe it’s Papaw Willy angry at your music again,” I half-joked, trying to relieve the tension. Papaw Willy was the original owner of the building and one of the ghosts that hung around to mess with us. That’s what Elizabeth thought, anyway. We’d all witnessed a few bizarre happenings that convinced us someone was around who shouldn’t be, but only Elizabeth could feel his presence and put a name to him. He tended to throw his fits when Elizabeth played her heavy metal rock.

 “It’s definitely not Papaw Willy. I don’t know what’s causin’ it, but it’s heavy and full of sorrow. And I’m sure any of us showing some extra love and forgiveness wouldn’t be a bad thing. Maybe give a little light to the blackness hanging over us.”

I had no idea what she spoke about and figured she was just trying to take a different angle to talk me into doing the right thing. The dinner shift distracted me well enough, at least until afterward, when I went into the bathroom to clean it. A little, red plastic dinosaur sat on the edge of the sink, left by one of the kids who’d been in earlier, and it taunted me with its reminder of childhood. I picked it up, turned it around in my hands, and blinked back the tears that threatened.