Songs of Destruction and Dating Nerds

Today I’m so excited to let one of my favorite publishing sistas from Curiosity Quills take over my blog to promote her new release!

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Let me just say that I LOOOVED her first book, Fade, and recommended it to anyone looking for a paranormal read.

Let me also say that Ayden has been served a pretty large cup of suffering as of late, and she could really use our help promoting her new book right now. You can visit her blog if you’d like the full story. But as always, Ayden is keeping strong and carrying on . . . . so take it away, Ayden!

Songs of Destruction:  FALL’s Playlist by @AKMorgen

Music is such a big source of inspiration for me. Nothing invokes a certain emotion, memory, or frame of mind quite like the perfect song. Naturally, one of the first things I do when I sit down to write is to create a playlist that reminds me of the story in some way.

In my new release, FALL (The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two), we see this struggle unfolding between Arionna Jacobs and Dace Matthews, our apocalypse stopping heroine and hero, where they both have their own ideas on what’s best for everyone. They end up clashing over those differences of opinion and reacting to this added element of angst in their relationship in some pretty intense ways at times. As a result, this created a sort of dark, melancholy tone for FALL in places.

I’m not exactly a dark and melancholy kind of person, so it was critical that I found music that captured that feeling or it simply wouldn’t have worked. But because FALL took over a year to write, I often reached this point where I literally could not listen to a specific song again without wanting to scream. I had to switch things up for my sanity, so the playlist for FALL evolved and changed a lot while I wrote.

Luckily, there is an endless supply of music out there that really captures the more angsty parts of FALL, so I had a lot of good choices. 🙂

Here are some of my favorite angst-ridden songs from FALL’s playlists:

  • Letters      From The Sky – The Civil Wars      – This song so perfectly captures Ari and Dace’s relationship, and the      whole hopeful yet melancholy apocalypse theme of the series, I added it to      the list the first time I heard it.
  • Closer      – Burn Season –      This song reminds me so much of Dace at times. He’s so screwed up, and yet      so amazingly good at the same time, I always feel a little sad for him.
  • Maybe      Tomorrow – Stereophonics – I      can’t think of any other song that says so much with so little. It’s sad,      it’s hopeful, and just all around powerful.
  • All      Falls Down – Adelitas Way – This song was an early favorite.      I love it for Ronan, who we see a lot more of in FALL, and really start      getting to know. It also perfectly captures some of the darkest points of      the entire Ragnarök series.
  • Radioactive      – Imagination Dragons – This      song has such a great feel to it. There’s that apocalyptic vibe, and then      that self-loathing vibe, and then underneath all of that is the story of      an awakening or desire to change. We see a little of each in FALL.
  • Always      – Saliva – This is      one of my all time favorite pissed off songs. It’s so spot on when it      comes to that “breaking point” of relationship angst. I rocked      it a time or five.
  • One      More Night – Maroon 5      – This is another great dysfunctional relationship song. Plus, I don’t      know anyone who can make dysfunction sound as hot as Adam Levine does.
  • Hold      it Against Me –      Sam Tsui – Speaking of hot, I love, love, love Sam Tsui’s cover of this      song. It’s so raw and lovely at the same time. There’s a specific scene in      FALL where this song fit perfectly.
  • Tears      of an Angel – Ryandan      – If I had to pick a single song to listen to while writing the entire      Ragnarök Prophesies series, this song would be it. It’s haunting,      beautiful, sad, hopeful, and just all around amazing.

You can listen to this playlist, as well as a few bonus tracks, here.

About the Author:

A.K. Morgen lives in Little Rock, Arkansas with her husband, three dogs, and demonic cat. She has a graduate degree in Criminal Justice and Law, and plans to save the world some day. When she’s not writing, she spends her time teaching her niece and nephews how to cause mischief. You can also find her dancing in the grocery store, building a spork army, and fundraising for nonprofits close to her heart.

You can learn more about Ayden at http://akmorgen.com or by following her on Twitter, GoodReads, or Facebook.

FALL – The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two (summary)

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How do you save someone who doesn’t want to be saved?

Those called to stand guard against the end are broken, and Sköll and Hati run free. Now Arionna Jacobs and Dace Matthews face a threat unlike any before. Ragnarök is coming and they aren’t strong enough to stop it.

Arionna thought she understood sacrifice, but she never counted on her destiny tearing Dace apart. Ever since she nearly died, he has been consumed with guilt. Now it threatens to turn him into the monster he always feared.

It’s up to Arionna to stop him before it’s too late, but the path to hell is paved with good intentions, and Dace is hurtling toward self destruction. This time, Arionna isn’t sure she can save him from himself. Can she convince him to let the past go, or is her true destiny to sacrifice her heart in exchange for the lives of the people she loves?

You can read the official prologue to FALL here.

FALL – The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two will be available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble on October 5, 2013 from Curiosity Quills Press.  FADE – The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book One is available now at Amazon US, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

*Thanks for visiting, Ayden! You’ll be in my thoughts and prayers! I loved your playlist! Maroon 5 and The Civil Wars are two of my favs!

What song is at the top of your playlist right now? I don’t know why, but I’m loving Royals by Lorde. I heard it for the first time on the way to my retreat last weekend when I was in the car with teenagers, and now it’s stuck in my head. Sooo catchy . . . .

Last but not least, I’d also like to give a shout out to the hilarious Cassie Mae! Happy Book Birthday, chica! Be sure to pick up her new release on Kindle today for only $2.99!

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The Leprechaun Strikes One More Time!

Today is the last day for the Curiosity Quills Press 99 cent Kindle promotion for 40 of their titles. If you haven’t checked out 18 Things, now is your last chance to do so for under a buck! A girl on Facebook told me she read it in one day and it was the best 99 cents she ever spent, lol. Another book I want to highlight that’s part of the sale is Fade by A.K. Morgen. I read her NA Urban Fantasy book in one day too! 

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Book Blurb:

What do you do when you realize nothing in your life is what you’ve believed it to be?

When Arionna Jacobs loses her mother in a tragic accident, her world is turned upside down. She’s forced to leave her old life behind and move in with her father. Dace Matthews, a teaching assistant at her new college, is torn in two, unable to communicate with the feral wolf caged inside him.

When they meet, everything they thought they knew about life unravels. Dace has intimate access to Arionna’s mind, and something deep within her fights to rise to the surface. They don’t understand what’s happening to them or why, and they’re running out of time to sort out the strange occurrences around them.

Their meeting sets an ancient Norse prophesy of destruction in motion, and what destiny has in store for them is bigger than either could have ever imagined. Unless they learn to trust themselves and one another, they may never resolve the mystery surrounding who they are to one another, and what that means for the world.

 

FADE is available from Curiosity Quills Press at Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo. You can learn more at http://akmorgen.com or by following Ayden on Twitter or Facebook.

 

*Also, don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter on Sharon Bayliss’s site for your chance at winning a $75 Amazon gift card! And on that note, I’m outta here! Today is the official start of my spring break with my daughters and hubby, and I promised them I’d take a break from social media as well. See you on April 1st, and that’s no joke;-) 

 

Getting Lucky in a Wormhole and then Fading Away

Happy Wednesday ladies and gents! I love Wednesdays because Friday is on the horizon, it’s my blogging day, and I get to help lead youth group at my wonderful awesome church!! Oh, did my blog title seem random today? Wellll, that’s because today’s post is full of random fun! I have three special announcements: ANNOUNCEMENT? ANNOUNCEMENT! What a horrible way to die, a horrible way to die, a horrible way to start the day, a horrible way to die. *sorry, can’t say ‘announcement’ without that Scout song popping into my head. My squirrel moment is over . . . for now*
 
Okay, first things first! My publisher, Curiosity Quills, will be running a 99 cent ebook sale starting St. Patrick’s Day!
 
99 cent Lucky Book Sale
 
Here’s a list of the participating books:
 
18 Things by Jamie Ayres *YAHOOOO!!!*
The Charge by Sharon Bayliss
Ever by Jessa Russo
Blow up the Roses by Randy Attwood
Theocracide by James Wymore
Fade by Ayden Morgan
The Green Man and Other Short Stories by Rand Lee
The Gathering Darkness by Lisa Collicutt
Sanity Vacuum by Thea Gregory
Legasea by Krystalyn Drown
The Devil You Know (Nick Englebrecht Trilogy Book 1) by K.H. Koehler
Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish by Andrew Buckley
Nefertiti’s Heart by AW Exley
Paradise Earth: Day Zero by Anthony Mathenia
Death by Chocolate by Johanna Pitcairn
Bone Wires by Michael Shean
Shadow of a Dead Star by Michael Shean
The Green Eyed Monster by Mike Robinson
The Prince of Earth by Mike Robinson
Danger in Cat World by Nina Post
One Ghost per Serving by Nina Post
The Last Condo Board of the Apocalypse by Nina Post
The Last Donut Shop of the Apocalypse by Nina Post
Wilde’s Fire (Darkness Falls Series Book 1) by Krystal Wade
Wilde’s Army (Darkness Falls Series Book 2) by Krystal Wade
World’s Burn Through (Chronicles of Nowhere Book 1) by Vicki Keire
Shadowed Ground (Chronicles of Nowhere Book 2) by Vicki Keire
Wet Dream by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.
The God Particle by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.
The Department of Magic by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.
Christmas in the Morgue by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.
Family Cursemas (The Megamillionaire Murders, Vol 1) by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.
 
I’m pretty jacked up about this since sales for 18 Things have been down, and who couldn’t use some luck of the Irish, right?! I’ve read a number of the books on the list already, and one of them was Fade by A.K. Morgen. And she’s here today to interrupt my regular scheduled programming and give you a special message in honor of Fade‘s six month book birthday, so put on your party hats people, and give it up for my publishing sister!!
 

I don’t know about you, but I love birthdays, and not just because cake is involved (though cake is rather important). I love the companionship involved in birthdays. Friends and family gathering to celebrate one another is never a bad thing. And presents don’t suck either. 🙂 Some of my favorite people and I have put together a great big squishy collection of gifts just for you. Yes, you! Entering is easy as cake. All you have to do is pull up a chair, turn up the music, and click on that pretty little Rafflecopter on my blog. Winners will be announced on March 23rd. Don’t forget to spread the word so all of your friends can join the celebration, too.

Fade

YAY! Happy 6 month birthday to Fade! Now for Numero Tres.  

National Wormhole Day Blog Hop: March 14th Albert Einstein’s Birthday. Brought to you by Laura Eno and Luanne Smith at Bards and Prophets. And mucho thanks to author Stephen Tremp for posting it on his blog, and then sending me an email reminder (because if you don’t know me, I suck at remembering things).
 
National Wormhole Day
 
Here’s the question for the blog hop:
 
What would you do or where would you go if you could traverse a wormhole through space or time just once? One safe round trip passage.
 

I think I’d put on my foil hat and head over to the other side of the universe where the aliens hang out. I’d convince them to give me their super powers like superior intellect and the power to live a thousand years like humans did in Biblical times. How would I convince them? Not sure . . . I’m a writer, so hopefully I could make up some crap. Maybe I could agree to be their human minion. It’d be totally worth it because then I would be smart enough to find cures for all the incurable diseases and create world peace, ect . . .  and would have plenty of time to do it!

WHat*abOUt*You? What the heck would you do if you had a two-way ticket to traverse a wormhole and safely return?