Teaser Tuesday - The Space Beyond

It's 5:30 p.m. my time on Teaser Tuesday. Many of my overseas readers are already in bed. So, I'm being kind of lazy and copying and pasting my newsletter that went out today. I mean, it's stuff you don't want to miss (I think, anyway), so just in case you did...

(The tease is at the bottom.)

Please Vote in the UtopYA Awards! I'm headed to Nashville in June for the exciting UtopYA Con 2014! I'll have a table and will be signing at the public signing, as well. PLUS, big news, and I could use your help even if you can't make it to the conference. The UtopYA Awards Nominees have been announced, and I'm so honored and excited to have been nominated TWICE! Tristan ~ Best Supernatural Hero/Shero Tristan and Alexis ~ Best Couple Please take a moment to vote for them (and any of your favorites in the many other categories). VOTE NOW Thank you! :) ~ ~ ~  Join Us for a Read/Re-Read of The Space Between! We are doing a group read/re-read of The Space Between in preparation for The Space Beyond's release on May 19th. Whether you've read it and need to refresh your memory, haven't read it yet, or have been dying to discuss the book with others, here's your chance for some fun. We'll have challenges, discussions, Q&A and PRIZES! Come join us at The Space Between Discussion group on Facebook. Also, The Space Between is on sale for only 99c! So if you haven't snagged it yet (gasp!) or know someone who needs to, here's your chance! Kindle at Amazon.com Nook at B&N.com iBooks at iTunes.com Kobo at KoboBooks.com ~ ~ ~  Don't Forget to Pre-Order The Space Beyond! The Space Beyond Part Two of The Book of Phoenix Release Date: May 19, 2014 Preorder on iBooks We have an exclusive preorder agreement with iBooks. All other retailers' links will be provided when available. 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 b!tch (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. ~ ~ ~  Thank You for Your Support! Because you're so awesome, and I appreciate your patience with this second newsletter of the month, here's an excerpt from The Space Beyond. This part is told by Jeric: Leni and I had barely settled into the perfect state when we were called. Our soul rose from our bodies as one, then drifted into two clouds of light. One took form as Leni, curls and curves and all, and the other took my form. Although our souls remained connected, we could move as two separate entities. We left our bodies safely in our bed, our physical arms still encircling each other, and floated through the window and outside, where Brock and Asia waited. Or at least their astral selves did, only misty-light forms, like Leni and me. We flew out over the water. “How you doing, bro?” Brock asked as our souls dove into the water by the island with the single weeping willow tree that marked the Gate. Only a few Lakari, what we’d called Shadowmen until we learned better, had been nearby, their black souls floating like dirty mist over the water. Not enough to take us on—our Light would shatter their Darkness easily—but that could change at any time. Thus, our need to guard the Gate below. They wanted in … from somewhere beyond this world. “Pretty f&*cked up,” I muttered. Of course, nobody truly spoke. The energy of our thoughts carried to each other like vibrations through our souls. “Yeah, no sh!t,” Brock agreed. “It kind of explains some things,” Leni mused. “Yeah, like how we feel a connection with each other,” Asia agreed. “Brock and I knew you guys as soon as we saw you. Your souls anyway. We recognized them.” “That could just be because we’ve spent a lot of lives together,” Leni said. “Unc—I mean, Theo told us how some souls draw to each other over several lifetimes even when they’re not Twin Flames. Some best friends always seem to find each other over and over. And some families have that deep connection, too.” Something rippled through us with her last words—a mix of hope and sadness. “Yeah, something like that,” Asia said. “But—” She was cut off by the Gate suddenly glowing a bright white through the sand. The light rose around us, creating a solid wall, and then a hole began to yawn open. Leni’s eyes widened along with the hole. “Whoa. What’s going on?” “Enyxa’s trying to open it!” Brock nearly yelled, and he responded faster than the rest of us, blasting his light toward the Gate to close the gaping hole before any of Enyxa’s Lakari could pass through. “No,” Leni said, shaking her head. She moved closer to the cylindrical wall of light. “It’s something else.” I felt it, too, but how could Leni know it was anything different? “You don’t have enough experience to know anything,” Brock barked, and I momentarily wanted to punch him for talking to us like that, even if he was right. “It is different, though,” Asia said. Like Leni, she seemed drawn to the hole that refused to close. It wasn’t black as it usually was the few times I’d seen someone trying to open the Gate from the other side. Colors swirled inside it now, hypnotizing, like the walls in the Space Between the last time we were there. “Stay back!” I said as Leni moved even closer, tugging at my soul to follow. “Asia, NO—” Brock’s form flew at her, but he was too late. Leni had lifted a hand toward the hole, and Asia reached out for her. Both of them were sucked inside, and the hole closed up. Release Date: May 19, 2014 Preorder on iBooks We have an exclusive preorder agreement with iBooks. All other retailers' links will be provided when available.

Teaser Tuesday - The Space Beyond

Oops! I missed a few Teaser Tuesdays, didn't I? I've been working frantically in the writing and editing cave on both The Space Beyond and The Space Within. The Space Beyond's release is less than a month! EEEEEEEPPPPP! I can't wait! Here's a little tease to whet your appetite:

Jeric

“Why don’t you take a seat?” Mira offered, and she waited for Brock and Asia to sit before continuing. “This won’t take long. We have a few things to share with the four of you. Melinda and Uri wanted a couple of Guides to sit in on this chat, and since Theo and I were here today, we thought now was as good of a time as ever.”

Leni took my hand under the table. I shared her anxiety. Low at the moment, but Mira’s tone had us on edge.

Melinda leaned forward, resting her forearms on the wooden conference table. “Can we see your marks?”

I wasn’t the only one who hesitated, but after a silent moment, we all lifted our arms above the table.

“Have you noticed anything different about your marks from the other Guardians’?” Uri asked.

My brows pushed together.

“I’ve never noticed anyone else’s marks,” Leni said. Exactly.

“Exactly,” Uri echoed my thoughts. “Because everyone else’s is on their necks or heads. Out of sight.”

The four of us on this side of the table each squirmed a bit in our chairs.

“Why are we different?” Asia asked.

Uri and Melinda glanced at each other, then exchanged another look with Mira and Theo. Theo nodded.

“Mira and I are simply Guides, and we only know what’s been passed down to us by other Guides,” he said, “but from what we know and what many of the Guardians are saying, your marks are different because your souls are different. We all believe you’re part of the Sacred Seven.”

We stared at him silently.

“And … what’s the Sacred Seven?” I asked when no one else did.

“We’re not entirely sure,” Mira said, “but—”

“Wait,” Brock said, holding a hand up. “What do you mean you’re not entirely sure? How do you say something like that and not know what it is?”

“Details have been lost over the centuries,” Theo said. “We try to keep records to help future Guides and Guardians, but they’re always destroyed in some way or another. The only thing we know for sure is that the seven are called sacred for a reason. You’re the elite. The leaders of the Phoenix Guardians.”

“And Jacquelena and Jeremicah are the leaders of the Seven,” Uri added.

The Space Beyond

Part Two of The Book of Phoenix

Release Date: May 19, 2014

Preorder on iBooks

We have an exclusive preorder agreement with iBooks. All other retailers' links will be provided when available.

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.

If you are a blogger or admin for a book-related Facebook page and would like to participate in release activities, please complete this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Gz2NdOTHLJoks1qzWTZVNohc6I5xgwgr-QxJ6yzpShU/viewform

Talking About Men Over in the Alley

I'm a Guest in the Alley over at NA Alley today, talking about book boyfriends. More specifically, about alphas and bad boys and why we love them, especially in our New Adult reads.

What are your thoughts about alphas and bad boys? Do you agree with what I say? Chime in here or there.

And while you're over there, be sure to check out their new site. It's all about the New Adult genre and absolutely awesome. And I bet you'll discover some fabulous new reads and authors while you're there.

Release Dates & Preorders

So after yesterday's post, if you didn't get the newsletter, you might be wondering what, exactly, are the release dates for 2014 (or maybe not, which is fine, but I'm gonna tell you anyway). If you didn't read yesterday's post and are confused about what's going on, well, here's what went out in the newsletter for those who don't subscribe:

I am so excited to finally get to share some news with y'all about this year's releases. This might not be the news you were expecting, but I explain it all in a blog post here. It comes down to this: For the best quality writing and story-telling and the best reading experience for you, I'll be finishing and releasing the last two books of each series in succession.

So, instead of getting the next part of The Book of Phoenix, and then Soul Savers 6, and continuing to alternate them, you'll be getting both parts of The Book of Phoenix back-to-back, and then you'll be getting both parts (6 & 7) of the Soul Savers back-to-back. In other words, no waiting forever for the last book!

As I explain in the blog post, exact dates aren't available for everything right now. As each release comes closer, I'll be sharing the dates and other exciting info, like preorders. All of my books will be available on Kindle, iBooks, Nook, Kobo, and other ereaders. On or around the release date, they will all be for sale on Amazon stores throughout the world, iBooks, B&N, Kobo, All Romance eReader and partners of these retailers. Paperbacks will also be available.

Here's what we know now:

The Space Beyond

Part Two of The Book of Phoenix

Release Date: May 19, 2014

Preorder on iBooks

We have an exclusive preorder agreement with iBooks. All other retailers' links will be provided when available.

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.

If you are a blogger or admin for a book-related Facebook page and would like to participate in release activities, please complete this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Gz2NdOTHLJoks1qzWTZVNohc6I5xgwgr-QxJ6yzpShU/viewform

The Space Within

Part Three of The Book of Phoenix

Release Date: July 2014*

Cover & Blurb Reveal: April/May 2014

Preorder info coming soon

*Part Three will be released within 6-8 weeks of Part Two.

Soul Savers Book 6

(yet to be titled)

Release Date: October or November 2014**

Cover Reveal: Late Summer/Early Fall 2014

Soul Savers Book 7

(title yet to be announced)

Release Date: December 2014 or January 2015**

Cover Reveal: Late Summer/Early Fall 2014

** Soul Savers #6 & #7 will be released within 4-6 weeks of each other.

News You've Been Waiting For

What's going on with the Soul Savers Series and The Book of Phoenix series? When's the next book coming out? What have you been doing, Ms. Kristie? Everyone has been waiting for news, and here it is. Sort of.

Let me start by saying, late last year, as I was planning out the rest of The Book of Phoenix series and the Soul Savers Series, I realized I had a bit of a dilemma. Both series needed to have books out this year. Both series have only two more books left to complete them. And for both series, I didn't want readers to have to wait too long for the last book because the second-to-last ones end on cliffhangers. As in, if you think I've left you on cliffhangers before, you have NO IDEA what I'm capable of. Mwahahaha! And although that was my evil laugh, I honestly don't like to be too awfully evil. I didn't want to make you wait 8 months to a year to find out how everything ends, and that's what happens when I alternate between the series.

Soooo...what does this mean? It means The Space Beyond and The Space Within will be released back-to-back, and Soul Savers #6 and Soul Savers #7 (titles yet to be announced) will also be released back-to-back. The Book of Phoenix series will be completed first, and they'll release within 6-8 weeks of each other. Later this year, the Soul Savers Series will be completed, and they'll release within 4-6 weeks of each other.

Yes, this means you have to wait a while for Soul Savers #6. I know. That sucks. BUT, I want to make sure it and #7 are as fabulous as I can possibly make them so that the wait will be worth it. PLUS, you won't have to wait very long between 6 and 7. I hope that makes up for it. Please say that makes up for it.

And while you're waiting for those, you get to finish The Book of Phoenix series. I love this series and the characters in it so much. They go through so much real-life and paranormal heartbreak and mending. If you haven't started it yet with The Space Between, now's a good time to do so. After all, you won't be waiting long for the rest of the series.

So what are the release dates? Heh. Probably my most favorite and least favorite message from fans would be: "When's the next book coming out???? I'm dying!!!" It's my most favorite because I'm thrilled people are actually excited to read more of my writing. Seriously - I never expected such interest and support, and I'm just blown away by it all.

It's my least favorite for several reasons. First of all, I hope nobody is seriously dying to find out what happens next. That would make me very sad. Secondly, I feel like I'm answering the question constantly. People say, "I haven't seen anything anywhere about the next book, so..." and I feel like that's all I'm talking about to the point of thinking I sound like a robot on a stuck program. LOL

And, finally and most importantly, the reason I don't have anything official posted is because I don't know release dates until ... well, I know them. I hate giving a vague answer, but I've learned the hard way to not post a release date until I know for sure that it will be met. This not only means that I can meet my deadlines, but also that beta readers, cover designers, bloggers, editors, proofreaders, formatters, retailers, etc., are able to schedule everything. AND, we have to know we'll meet the release date even if life emergencies happen, which they do. So...I've learned to hold back on sharing specific dates until we know that, barring the zombie apocalypse, we'll be able to release on or very close to that date (I've been to known release early).

With all of that said...I do have release news! Newsletter subscribers get the specifics first, including preorder news, and that will be going out tonight, so if you haven't subscribed, here's the form. Otherwise, I'll be sharing the info here on the blog in the next few days.



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