Cover Reveal: Azriel by Lee James (Laurie)

Hi friends! I hope everyone had a very happy Fourth of July weekend! I was originally going to share a Story Snippet with you today from my Peter Pan-inspired short story, "Threshold," which was published in the Mythical Doorways anthology put together by the Fellowship of Fantasy...

...BUT, then I saw the cover for Azriel by Lee James, which is being revealed TODAY, and I knew I had to share that instead! I know I'm a little biased since Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing is also my publisher, but their covers are just *so* gorgeous!!! First, here's a little bit about the author, Lee James:

Lee James writes stories of hope and redemption. Whether she creates fantasy, mystery, or historical fiction, her beautifully awkward characters traverse a dark labyrinth on their journey to a hopeful end. Her work is dedicated to sharing the beauty of Christ, one faith-infused project at a time. Keep up-to-date with all of her stories at www.leejameswrites.com.

Now, here's the back cover blurb for Azriel, which will release sometime this fall. I can't wait!!

Bree Faro learns early in life that she has only herself to depend on. Due to her feisty nature and unusual ability with a sword, she is educated in every fighting style imaginable and excels at them all. When she’s sent to infiltrate the city of Azriel, she does not expect to find her place among the Watchmen of the Keep, but they welcome her as one of their own. 

Little does Bree know that her new companions are in danger. 

An immortal creature lies in wait for any Keeper of the Flame, the city’s water source has dried up, and they are under constant attack from the Yirtzi—former Watchmen reduced to vengeful spirits, who sold their souls for power only to realize the enemy of Yahweh does not translate to the friend of mankind. Not only that, but the Watchmen are fraying. Hostilities come to a head when a Watchman is murdered. 

Only a Watchman can kill another Watchman, and all eyes shift to Bree. 

Bree finds herself faced with a choice. Does she engineer the betrayal of the powerful city, or does she embrace her destiny as a true Watchman of Yahweh and find the killer before it’s too late?

And finally, here's that amazing cover you've been waiting for! 

So many congratulations to Lee James and the L2L2 Publishing team for creating such a stunning book!!

See you next time!

Laurie

P.S. If you're interested in more than a snippet of "Threshold," you can get the entire story FREE! Find just "Threshold" here, or read the entire Mythical Doorways anthology here. Happy reading!

Top 3 Small Presses (Laurie)

A few weeks ago, Katie shared her Top 3 Benefits of Being in the Bookish Community, and I completely agreed with everything she said! Her post led me to reflect on how I've changed as a reader since becoming a writer. In addition to knowing more about writing techniques (which can be both a plus and a minus as a reader!), my to-read pile has practically exploded as I've met and interacted with so many fellow authors at conferences, in my writing group, and online. As a result, I've gone from reading mostly popular, big name books to many self-published and small press stories. And I love it! There are so many gems out there I would've never found out about if left to my own devices. So today, I want to celebrate my three favorite small presses! For each graphic, I included only the books I've actually read, which it turns out, are quite a few! :)


3. Pelican Book Group (PBG)

You may notice a theme in this first graphic - Pelican Book Group (PBG) made my list in large part because they made the excellent decision to publish the sweet and talented Katie Clark! Her Enslaved series (the three books in the middle of the top row) was my first introduction to PBG, and I was hooked! I absolutely fell in love with the characters, and the mysteries and suspense in her dystopian world kept me on the edge of my seat. Since then, Katie's released two books in her Beguiled series (so fun and creative!), The Rejected Princess (one of my favorite books last year!), and a few sweet romances. PBG also releases a set of Christmas novellas each year, of which I've especially enjoyed A Match of Sorts and The Widow's Captive by Lucette Nel. I so appreciate that PBG is publishing quality, entertaining Christian fiction!



2. Uncommon Universes Press (UUP)

I've had the opportunity to get to know a few of the amazing ladies involved with Uncommon Universes Press, so it came as no surprise that the books they produce are fabulous! I love that their books are clean with great messages but aren't specifically Christian. And the writing and world-building in every one of these books has blown me away! Cool fantasy / steampunk settings, swoony romances, plus such gorgeous covers - what's not to like? I very much look forward to seeing what UUP has coming up next!

1. Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing (L2L2)

Okay, so maybe I'm a little biased since this happens to be my publisher :) But seriously, the covers alone are enough to catch anyone's attention! And the stories inside are just as incredible! I read a few Love2ReadLove2Write titles before I submitted my manuscript and was so impressed by their depth and creativity. There's something about L2L2's stories that makes for really engaging, immersive reads no matter the author or genre. Following the publication of Common, I've had the opportunity to endorse many of their subsequent books and have been whole-heartedly enthusiastic about every one! It's such a blessing that my story found such a wonderful publishing home.



How about you? Do you read books from mostly big name publishers, or have you explored some self-published and small press titles? Do you have any favorite small presses?



Thanks for reading!
Laurie