We’ve been busy!

We have been so busy around here, between DMP stuff and "real" life (yes, I do occassionally have one of those!) that it's been a while since I've posted anything. So here we go... a long awaited update!

Crescent by Phil Rossi. We're making a run on Amazon on this one July 9, 2009. If you'd like icons, posters and other materials to help us spread the word, please visit the website.

Now we know you want to order, and we know some of you have but please... we're asking PLEASE don't order until the 9th! (It's really not that far away now!)

If you need a fix earlier than that, you can listen to the free podcast at the website.

Not to be outdone, we've two others heading your way.

The Necromancer's Bones by Deby Fredericks bring us back to the world of The Magister's Mask. And like the 'Mask, you'll find the book full of fun characters and interesting mysteries, all wrapped up in the gorgeous world of the magisters.

Intrigue, romance and a world of fantasy... really, what more could you ask for?

And last, but not least! Silver and Gold by David Sakmyster. A tale of the yukon during the gold rush, Silver and Gold has all the earmarks of a great tale. Adventure, romance and gold! (with a few hungry abominable snowman thrown in for good measure!).

I love all my books, and all my authors—they do a good job, the stories are always fun, and we’ve got enough variety in styles and stories that anyone can find something good to read.

All titles will be available via the Free-Read(tm) program around their release dates. If you want to be notified of their release, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter and befriend us on Facebook.

Bump in the Road for Nina Kimberly the Merciless

Attention everyone!

Nina Kimberly the Merciless here, star of Nina Kimberly the Merciless, by Christiana Ellis. As I am sure you are all aware, the battle has run into an unforeseen interruption.

The campaign on Friday the 15th started off extremely well, and my book rose from a sales rank of 2 hundred Thousand to number 533 overall by 11:40 AM Eastern Time. Although the book had not yet been posted to the specific genre charts, that sales rank would have been Number #11 in Fantasy, #2 in “Epic” Fantasy, and #1 in “General” Fantasy. That was before noon eastern time! There is no doubt in my mind that that was only the beginning.

But the Inertians must have been afraid, because they then resorted to a desperate tactic that we had not forseen. It is still not clear exactly what happened, but the Inertians have caused some kind of an error in the Amazon system that resulted in the book being reported as out of print. When that happened, loyal barbarians could no longer purchase the book, thus preventing us from rising any higher in the rankings.

Right now, we don’t know yet when this will be fixed. We didn’t foresee this strategy. However, we have our best spies and shield-breakers working on this as we speak and hopefully we will be through their defenses soon.

In the meantime, I know that there are a lot of you out there, just like me. Spoiling for a fight! You thought you were going to fight some evil spirits, only to have a door slammed in your face! If you’re like me, that ticks you off and you want to do something about it! Well, here’s the new plan. Right now, the Amazon issue requires a scalpel, not a broadsword, and so I have different orders for you, my loyal horde!

Although continuing to attack Amazon is satisfying, right now, it is counter-productive, so instead, I want all of you to focus on finding and converting new recruits! The Inertians specialize in disrupting momentum, preventing changes from ever happening. Now that they have interrupted our campaign, we must work all the harder to be ready to resume as soon as we breach the shields again. We must find anyone and everyone who has not yet heard the call, and prepare them to join our cause!

We have several tools available, the videos, the promos, but your best weapon is the pdf version of the book. It is easily distributed on blogs, websites, forums, and Podcast feeds. It has the complete version of the story, so people unfamiliar with the story can determine whether or not they will like it, and most importantly, it contains links to the Amazon storefront page. The people who click those links now will not be able to purchase it yet, but every click-through will be one more hit, showing the Inertians that their tactic has not eliminated demand for the book.

So go, help spread the word, spread the pdf version of the book far and wide, and when we once again break through the Inertians defenses, we will be ready. I know I can count on all of you, and thank you for your loyalty and support. Now get out there, and be merciless!

Christiana Ellis

Nina Kimberly the Merciless Free-Read(tm) Now Available

On the right hand side -----> over there and down just a bit!

Nina Kimberly the Merciless, by Christiana Ellis, is up as a Free-Read. Grab your copy today.

She's fighting her way up on Amazon... give her a hand today!

Nina Kimberly the Merciless takes on 'sparkly vampires!'

In a bold move, Nina Kimberly the Merciless is lifting her sword, pointy stick and all her friends to take on the 'sparkly vampired' and 'new-age werewolves' found on Amazon.com May 15. Need a little laugh? Watch the videos, spread the word and get your copy this friday. Let's show the vamps they aren't so... all that.

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWlpL7CfC2g

Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfDiTlnuUIk

May 15, 2009 Nina Kimberly the Merciless is taking on those vamps and werewolves in her way... help us spread the word please! And help her out by ordering your copy on May 15. Here's the link to the page.

As always, thank you for your support! Go Team!

Dark Moon Seasons Goes Live

Dark Moon Seasons, a Dark Horseman Novel, by Valerie Griswold-Ford went live today. The Free-Read(tm) is here, and copies are available for purchase through regular channels. Of course, we'd appreciate it you'd hop on over by our links to Amazon.com for your copy :^) We're a struggling publisher... every bit helps!

Dark Moon Seasons is the second installment, and resulted in the first, Not Your Father's Horseman getting a new cover. And a bit of an interior facelift. That resulted in the interior italics randomly disappearing... so we're working on that. Those who get copies with the italics missing on the occassional line, well, you've got a cursed, collectors edition. See not ALL of them are missing, and it seems to vary from book to book... truly a one-of-a-kind book. Val and I've decided it's a plot by the shhhh... "other side".

Last Rites, the final book in the trilogy is well under way and should be out next year. Barring incidents.

So what is Dark Moon Seasons about?

The Cleansing has begun.

Nikki, the Horseman Death, is lost in the Chaos storm that is sweeping through the world. No one knows where the other three Horsemen are. The Council of 9 is in tatters. And the StarChild has sealed herself off in a corner of Vermont for unknown reasons.

She has to find the other three, or the World Walls will completely disintegrate. Alex Masterson, the renegade billionaire geneticist who created her, has the key to find them.

She’s just got to find him first.

Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

We thought so, but just so you know we're not entirely biased, we went out and got a blurb/review:

Dark Moon Seasons is an apocalyptic marvel and an explosive read that gallops though a multifaceted web of lies, treachery and hope.

Tamara Siler Jones, author of the Dubric Byerly Mysteries

There, if you need any more reasons to get a copy, let me know! I think you'll enjoy the read. And of course, you can always try it for free first. (and apparently, in cursed fashion, line-breaks disappear in Blogger... be very carefull where you read the book!!)

Solomon's Grave, Live!

From our Free-ReadTM program, Solomon's Grave by Daniel G. Keohane will be heading to the printer's shortly. You can enjoy the book now by downloading an electronic copy. But please do go and preorder your copy today!

Solomon's Grave, by Daniel G. Keohane
Nathan Dinneck's new role as pastor may be shorter than he expects.

For thousands of years a secret has been hidden from the world and protected from those who covet its power. Popes and Kings have sought it. Theologians and historians have debated its very existence. In every generation since the days of Solomon, one person is chosen to keep its secret, protect it from an ageless group claiming the treasure for their own dark god. After millennia of searching, they are finally closing in on their prize.

Evil has followed Nathan home to Hillcrest, Massachusetts.

Nightmares of temples and blood sacrifice, visions of angels and cemeteries foreshadow a dark battle to come. In the balance hangs the lives and souls of those chosen to protect history's most holy relic, perhaps even the gateway to heaven itself.

The German edition received great reviews, and you know it will be just as good, if not better in english! (Yup, it was published in Germany first)...

"A fascinating occult suspense novel, fluent to read, for all those who prefer subtle suspense and finely woven characters over bloody murders and hardcore action..."

~Media Mania, (German edition)

Save 40% -- Preorder your 2009 DMP Frontlist in one easy step

I've put a "Buy Now" button over there to the right which will allow you to purchase this years Frontlist* collection of DMP titles.

25 books is what we're planning (should we not quite get there, you'll get a total of 25 guaranteed, we'll just carry it over to next year until we've hit 25!). At $399 it's a 40% savings over ordering them individually. They will be delivered to you over the course of the year as they are released! You'll be among the first to recieve them, and you'll never miss a book.


* Frontlist is an industry term meaning the new books coming out this year.

Twilight of the Fifth Sun goes International!

The Spanish version of Twilight of the Fifth Sun, by David Sakmyster, released today in Spain.

Now how cool is that?

Further details (and if you really need a copy in spanish) can be found here.

Nina Working Cover

It's been a while since I posted anything, and figured you might all think I wasn't actually doing anything, but I have been working hard! We have a giant list for this year and to get them all out and more-or-less on time (and get the day job done) it's head down and clatter clatter on the keyboard.

Solomon's Grave and Dark Moon Season are also in mad production mode and are very close.

But here's the working cover for Nina Kimberly -- we're NOT done yet (rather obviously by the fake text) but we're getting closer.

Happy 2009!

Wishing you all a happy 2009.

May it be a year full of good words, good energy and prosperity. May you all be published by a publisher who loves you as much as I love my authors, and may you make the bestseller lists.

Joy and peace to all.

A Very Merry Christmas Season to All

It's the time of year when folks get the warm fuzzies (as long as one is indoors, its possible - outside, all the warm fuzzies in the world not make a dent in the temperature!). It's a time about family and friends. About joy and celebration. About things religious and non-religious. Mostly it's about love. The new year will come soon enough, so let's take the time and really live in the moment. Live today like there is no tomorrow. It's good advice we usually forget. Live for the smiles of friends, family and especially little kids lit by the wonder of the holidays. Really enjoy the faces of the sleeping children (the only quiet parents get for the next few days!)

So, I would like to wish you all of those things the season represents.

I hope this holiday season is jammed with the warm fuzzies. With family and friends, with food and thoughtful gifts. With joy and celebration. With religion, if that's your thing, and not if it isn't.

But mostly I wish upon you love. A world of love. You've got mine.

Celebrate life, love and enjoy the moment. Have a very merry holiday season!

A Funny Thing Happened...

This is about one of our 2009 books which I am thrilled to be doing - Nina Kimberly the Merciless by Christiana Ellis.

Before you continue reading, please swallow any liquids you've been drinking, set down your cup and take a deep breath. You'll need it.

This is the long blurb...

Nina Kimberly the Merciless

She's on a mission to kill the man who loves her.

Why? Because he's an idiot.

Ten years ago, Nina Kimberly the Merciless was cheated out of the life of adventure that she truly deserves. Her father, the fearsome barbarian conqueror Marcus the Merciless, met his first and only defeat at the hands of, well... a gopher hole. Ever since this epic humiliation, she and the rest of the horde have been stuck in the rural backwater kingdom of Langia. Now Francis IX, the idiotic king, has decided that he and Nina should be married. She can't kill him without starting a succession war, but the alternatives? Eww!

Nina has long yearned for a hero to sweep her up on a glorious quest, but Francis' unwanted affections have forced her hand. No more waiting for a quest to find *her*, it's time to get proactive.

She sets off into the big wide world, but the King decides to tag along, complete with a security spell to alert the Kingdom if he's killed. Nina is forced to swallow her pride and keep him safe... at least until she can find a way to break the spell. But nothing is ever simple in the life of a barbarian princess, and nothing is ever quite what it appears. The dragon is a pacifist (sometimes). The handsome rogue is a con-artist, but who is he conning? And even the wizard has a few surprises in store. While seeking the answer to all her problems, Miss the Merciless discovers that what she's always wanted may not actually be what she *wants*.

*Nina Kimberly the Merciless* is a comic coming of age story filled with magic, mayhem and mercenaries, but mercy? Never.

I just about ruined my computer, so I hope you took my advise and swallowed first :) But doesn't it sound like a fun read? Look for it in spring. If you absolutely can't wait (like me) visit the website www.ninakimberly.com