Kara's Book Craving: A Court of Thorns and Roses

 

After reading and enjoying Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, I decided to really give romantasy (romance + fantasy) a shot, and so I asked in several groups for recommendations on other series to try, especially for someone so new to the genre. And let me tell you... I got a LOT of great recommendations! 

The one that seemed to come up more than anything else was the A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES (ACOTAR) series by Sarah J. Maas. People warned me that the first book isn't all that great, and that it's slow, but I really need to push through to get to the second book, and then the series is one of the best they'd ever read. 

And so, I dove in head first...

I'm still very new to this genre, but I know that Fae are huge within fantasy, like vampires are in paranormal. I've never liked Fae, though. I don't know why, but something about them--especially as leads and heroes--just never set right with me. Maybe it's the pointy ears... 

Anyway, this series is all about Fae and the various courts they rule. The heroine is a human, and she's unwillingly sucked into this world. 

Was this book slow like everyone said? Yes. Did I skim read a lot of sections that were heavy with descriptions? You bet I did! But I don't think this book was as bad as people say, nor do I think it's a weak start to the series. Is the second book better? Without a doubt! Still, I really enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would! 

I'm sucked into the world Maas has created and the politics with all the various Fae courts. How the human world clashes with the Fae is really intriguing, too! I liked Tamlin, though something about him felt off at times, and my suspicions were confirmed in the second book. 

Rhysand -- who is portrayed as the "bad guy" is a heck of a lot deeper and more complicated than he appears, and I absolutely adore him! He's my new Xaden from Fourth Wing. lol. I seriously love Rhys, and I can't wait to read more of him.

Overall, this first book did its job and sucked me in. I'm hooked and will continue to read the rest of the series. 

Anyone else read this? 

What did you think?

Kara's Book Cravings: Camp Sylvania

 

I love to browse thrift stores and antique shops, and I always take time to peruse the books they have available. I've found a lot of great gems doing this -- though I always feel a twinge of guilt that the author isn't getting paid for a secondhand sale like that, but I also know if I like the book, I'll go on to buy more of their books or the rest of the series. 

Anyway, I found this book at a local thrift store: 

CAMP SYLVANIA by Julie Murphy is another middle grade book set during summer camp, so naturally, I was immediately intrigued. This one had some twists though. First, it's set at fat camp, which was a new one for me. Second, it has vampires! And y'all know how much I love vampires!

At first, I was so angry with the parents in this book, because they just drop the bomb on the main character (Maggie) that she's going to fat camp instead of the acting camp she had her heart set on. The fatphobia disguised as loving / concerned parents really got under my skin. Thankfully, by the end of the book, Maggie found her voice and stood up to her parents -- who were already having a change of heart. But the shift to "love the body you're in" was really nice. 

The vampires were an added bonus to this story, and I really enjoyed how they were handled. We don't get too much of the lore, but we get enough to understand what's happening. 

I really, really enjoyed this one, and read it in a day. Even though this is aimed at younger readers, there's so much in here that appeals to readers of all ages. I highly recommend everyone read this book!

Has anyone else read this book? 

What about any other books by this author? 

{TEASER TUESDAY}: A Desperate Kiss

Only 1 week left until you can get your hot little hands on Everlasting Hope! So, just for you today, I'm sharing a scene that was quite unexpected, not just for the characters involved, but for me as well. I had toyed with the idea of letting his happen, but as I was writing, it just didn't feel natural. Then BAM! 

Read on and enjoy :-) 

FULL EXCERPT: 

I had no idea what possessed me to kiss Jax. Maybe loneliness. Maybe the lack of physical contact I’d had recently. Or maybe I did it because I was so certain that he’d push me away, tell me we couldn’t do this. I never in a million years expected him to kiss me back, but that’s exactly what he did.

He tangled his hand in my hair at the base of my neck, holding me in place as his other hand trailed down my arm and side until his fingers curled around the curve of my waist. I shivered at his touch, but I didn’t pull away. Neither did he.

His tongue flickered across my bottom lip, and I didn’t hesitate to part my lips and welcome his kiss. With a groan, he backed me up until I was pressed firmly against the car, and then he kissed me hard and deep. I snaked my arms around to the back of his neck and locked my fingers. I whimpered, and he kissed me even harder until I was certain I’d pass out from a lack of oxygen.

Then, he released me, and my body sagged. If not for the car at my back, I would’ve crumpled to the ground. Jax’s chest heaved with his hard breaths, and I focused on that rather than risking a look at his face. I wasn’t sure I wanted to see whatever emotion would be reflected in his eyes.

The only sound louder than the creatures in the bayou was my pounding heart. Why had I kissed him? Why had he kissed me back? What did any of this mean? I swallowed the lump in my throat and licked suddenly dry lips. Slowly, I released my hold on the back of his neck and let my trembling hands trail down his arms.

“Are we done here?” he asked, his voice raspy.

Pre-Order Now!

Haven't started the series yet? No problem! 

You can get Eternal Curse: The Cursed Series, Book 1 for FREE!

{TEASER TUESDAY}: Time to Move On?

 Only two weeks until Everlasting Hope releases into the wild! Who else is excited?? 

As I mentioned in last week's #TeaserTuesday post, this is Abby's story, and there's a lot happening with all of the characters that you've grown to love. But poor Abby is really struggling, and she's drowning in grief. Chloe tries so hard to help her, but Abby's a bit... resentful of her cousin. So, of course, Jax jumps in and offers his unique brand of help. Read on ;-) 

FULL EXCERPT:

“Want to tell me what’s going on around here?” Arms crossed, I slouched back and stared at the TV.

“What do you mean?” Jax’s gaze never wavered from the game.

“Don’t play stupid. You suck at it.”

He glanced over at me, the corner of his mouth lifting in an almost smile, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. Whoa. The breath rushed from my lungs at the sight of him looking at me like that. Anyone with half a brain would agree Jax was sexy, but when he gave that look? I had to refrain from fanning my face with my hand. Chloe told me once that this very look Jax was currently giving me was his I’m-going-to-say-something-to-piss-you-off look, but it had never failed to make Chloe’s heart race. I could totally understand why.

“Seriously, Jax. What’s going on?”

“We’re all wondering the same thing.” He returned his attention to the TV.

“What?” I asked, confused. “Please just stop with all this... whatever this is. It’s not cute or funny.” I huffed and glanced up at the ceiling to collect my thoughts. “Chloe once told me that you were the only person who wouldn’t sugar coat things, that you always told her how it was, even if she didn’t want to hear it. Can you please do the same for me right now?”

Jax paused the game, tossed his controller onto the table next to Wyatt’s, then twisted to look at me. “Chloe talked to you about me?”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re pathetic, you know that?”

He laughed, and despite my mood, I laughed, too. Jax leaned back so we were shoulder to shoulder, and the physical contact set off a chain reaction of conflicting emotions. The touch was both comforting and disconcerting. On one hand, I missed the intimacy of having someone—a guy—close to me like this. On the other hand, I couldn’t shake the guilt and awkwardness. For so long, Isach had been the only man to touch me, and this was Jax, the guy who was still very much in love with my cousin.

“We’re just worried about you. That’s all,” he said.

I shifted to put some space between us but didn’t say anything.

“We know you’re not handling things very well, but we have no idea how bad it really is because you refuse to talk to anyone about it,” he continued.

My chest constricted at his words. Chloe hadn’t been lying when she said Jax would lay it all out with blunt honesty. I was no longer so sure I wanted to know what was going on.

“I tried to talk to you this morning, and you barely said anything. Chloe’s tried every day since Isach’s death, and you’ve shut her out. Even Trent tried to offer some help.” Jax shook his head. “We’re at a loss how to help you, Abby.”

I swallowed around the lump in my throat. “You mean you haven’t asked Whitney or Wyatt to read my thoughts?”

“They offered, and Chloe threatened them with severe bodily injury if they invaded your privacy like that.” His lips twitched with a smile. “She even made me fear for my life, and I wasn’t the one doing anything wrong.”

“For once,” I muttered, which earned me another deep laugh from Jax. “I really do appreciate everyone’s concern. I do. But I need to deal with this in my own way. When Rachel died, I locked myself in my room and didn’t come out for days. Same thing when Marc died. But eventually, I came around. I will this time, too, but it’s going to take a little longer.”

Jax nodded. “What helped after Marc and Rachel died? What made you want to start living again?”

“Isach,” I whispered and closed my eyes. “He made it so easy to forget all the pain. Of course, back then, he’d been using me. Probably used his magic, but at least it had helped.”

“So, is that what you need this time, too? A guy to pay attention to you, help you forget?”

I gave Jax a dirty look. He wasn’t serious, was he? Replacing Isach wasn’t going to suddenly make everything better.

“Why? You offering to be that guy?” I asked.

Pre-Order Now!

Haven't started the series yet? No problem! 

You can get Eternal Curse: The Cursed Series, Book 1 for FREE!

{TEASER TUESDAY}: A Story of Hope

Everlasting Hope is set to release in exactly 3 weeks, and I couldn't be more excited for this book. I mean, I'm excited for every book I write and release, but this one is like the cherry on top of a sundae.

This book is Abby's story and how she's dealing after the events in Eternal Life. (Hint: she's not coping well.) At the core, this is a story about hope and not giving up, which is fitting for a lot of people, I think. Especially authors who are constantly told not to give up, to keep going and trying and persisting. It was fun to explore these same concepts in a different context. 

Abby's book really is the culmination of so many things. We get to see a lot more of Jax (YAY!) We meet some new and highly interesting characters (more YAY!) We reunite with some prior characters, and I think the reasons why will be surprising.  We learn that not all alliances are created equal, and you can't always trust those closest to you. 

Needless to say, there's a LOT going on in this book. So, who wants a teaser??

FULL EXCERPT:

“What’re you cooking?” I asked.

“Bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast.” He moved gracefully from the stove to the toaster. Even though he wasn’t exerting himself, his muscles still strained beneath his blue T-shirt.

No wonder Chloe had been torn between him and Trent. They were both gorgeous in their own ways, and they were good guys, too. Kind, compassionate, funny, loyal. They’d both move heaven and earth for those they loved. They were like Isach in that respect. God, I missed him so much.

Jax set a plate of food in front of me, and I inhaled deeply. My stomach rumbled. He planted his hands on the counter and shifted his weight forward as he studied me.

“What?” I asked.

“You’re not as gray as you were last night.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He shrugged, straightened, then crossed his arms over his chest. “You tell me.”

I rolled my eyes. I’d forgotten he could see a person’s aura and determine their emotions. Talk about annoying. Between him being able to do that and Whitney and Wyatt being able to read thoughts, I was walking on proverbial eggshells. Maybe moving in here wasn’t such a great idea.

I grabbed my fork and scooped eggs into my mouth. Swallowing, I said, “Everyone keeps telling me things will get easier with time. Maybe that’s finally happening.”

“Hmm.” Jax turned away from me, fixed himself a plate, then returned to sit beside me.

Head down, I focused on my food so I wouldn’t have to say anything, or risk him figuring out what I was trying to keep hidden.

“I don’t believe that, by the way,” he said.

“Believe what?” I glanced over at him, and he met my gaze. His eyes were full of compassion.

“That loss and grief gets easier with time. It doesn’t. We just get better at handling the pain.” He averted his gaze and shoved a slice of bacon into his mouth.

Momentarily stunned, all I could do was stare at him. What did he know about loss? I opened my mouth to ask him, then snapped it shut. Chloe had told me all about Hannah, how Jax had loved her and how tragically he’d lost her. He’d also lost Isach, too, though I wasn’t sure those two were quite as close as Isach and Trent had been.

“Morning.” Chloe walked into the kitchen. Her gaze landed on me and Jax, and her steps faltered. “What’s going on here?”

The corner of Jax’s mouth lifted in an arrogant smirk. “Someone’s jealous.”

Chloe narrowed her eyes. “I’m not jealous.”

“The aura doesn’t lie,” he said in a sing-song voice.

Chloe huffed and shook her head, but I didn’t miss the almost smile she fought to hide. Only then did it hit me that Jax, in his own bizarre way, was mourning the loss of Chloe. He loved her, and she hadn’t chosen him. He’d lost the woman he loved. My heart softened toward him and what he was going through. I wondered what was worse—knowing the person you loved was dead and you’d never see them again, or seeing the person you loved every single day as they went about their life in love with someone else. 

Pre-Order Now!

Haven't started the series yet?  No problem! 

You can now get Eternal Curse: The Cursed Series, Book 1 for FREE!

{COVER REVEAL} Everlasting Hope: A Cursed Series Novel

 That's right! The Cursed Series continues with Abby's story in Everlasting Hope... And today, I'm revealing the gorgeous cover! Ready??

When all magical hell broke loose and the vampires fought the witches, the very human Abby Benson was the one who had to pay the ultimate price. Devastated by an unexpected loss, she spirals into grief—until she realizes she has the one thing no one can take from her: hope. 

Determined not to give up, and with the help of an unlikely ally, she sets out to reclaim what was taken from her. But to get what she wants, she and her family will once again have to wage war with the witches. This time, though, the stakes are higher, and there won’t be another second chance. 

Coming June 1, 2021

PRE-ORDER NOW!

READ CHAPTER ONE!

ADD TO GOODREADS!

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT: 

“What’re you cooking?” I asked.

“Bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast.” He moved gracefully from the stove to the toaster. Even though he wasn’t exerting himself, his muscles still strained beneath his blue T-shirt.

No wonder Chloe had been torn between him and Trent. They were both gorgeous in their own ways, and they were good guys, too. Kind, compassionate, funny, loyal. They’d both move heaven and earth for those they loved. They were like Isach in that respect. God, I missed him so much.

Jax set a plate of food in front of me, and I inhaled deeply. My stomach rumbled. He planted his hands on the counter and shifted his weight forward as he studied me.

“What?” I asked.

“You’re not as gray as you were last night.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He shrugged, straightened, then crossed his arms over his chest. “You tell me.”

I rolled my eyes. I’d forgotten he could see a person’s aura and determine their emotions. Talk about annoying. Between him being able to do that and Whitney and Wyatt being able to read thoughts, I was walking on proverbial eggshells. Maybe moving in here wasn’t such a great idea.

I grabbed my fork and scooped eggs into my mouth. Swallowing, I said, “Everyone keeps telling me things will get easier with time. Maybe that’s finally happening.”

“Hmm.” Jax turned away from me, fixed himself a plate, then returned to sit beside me.

Head down, I focused on my food so I wouldn’t have to say anything, or risk him figuring out what I was trying to keep hidden.

“I don’t believe that, by the way,” he said.

“Believe what?” I glanced over at him, and he met my gaze. His eyes were full of compassion.

“That loss and grief gets easier with time. It doesn’t. We just get better at handling the pain.” He averted his gaze and shoved a slice of bacon into his mouth.

Momentarily stunned, all I could do was stare at him. What did he know about loss? I opened my mouth to ask him, then snapped it shut. Chloe had told me all about Hannah, how Jax had loved her and how tragically he’d lost her. He’d also lost Isach, too, though I wasn’t sure those two were quite as close as Isach and Trent had been.

“Morning.” Chloe walked into the kitchen. Her gaze landed on me and Jax, and her steps faltered. “What’s going on here?”

The corner of Jax’s mouth lifted in an arrogant smirk. “Someone’s jealous.”

Chloe narrowed her eyes. “I’m not jealous.”

“The aura doesn’t lie,” he said in a sing-song voice.

Chloe huffed and shook her head, but I didn’t miss the almost smile she fought to hide. Only then did it hit me that Jax, in his own bizarre way, was mourning the loss of Chloe. He loved her, and she hadn’t chosen him. He’d lost the woman he loved. My heart softened toward him and what he was going through. I wondered what was worse—knowing the person you loved was dead and you’d never see them again, or seeing the person you loved every single day as they went about their life in love with someone else. 

Need to get caught up? 

Start The Cursed Series now for FREE!!!

The Journey to Self-Publication, Part 18: Skipping a Month or Two

  I've gotten quite a few questions about why I finally decided to delve into self-publishing and how I'm doing it, so I figured why not create a new blog series!

Every Monday, I'll be sharing a piece of the self-publishing puzzle---from how I came to this choice to writing, editing, marketing, sales, and everything in between. Please remember that this is simply my experience, how I chose to do things. Others do things differently, and that's fine! So, your mileage may vary, but in the end, I hope seeing yet another way of tackling self-publishing will help you on your path. 

Need to catch up on previous posts? Find them here:

Part 1: Making the Choice

Part 2: Creating an LLC

Part 3: Writing the Book(s)

Part 4: STILL writing the Book(s)

Part 5: CPs, Beta Readers, and Editors

Part 6: Cover Art!

Part 7: Formatting and Distribution

Part 8: Pre-release Marketing

Part 9: Release Week Marketing

Part 10: First Month Sales and Efforts

Part 11: Marketing Book Two

Part 12: Audio Books

Part 13: What Now?

Part 14: Defining Success

Part 15: Building a Publishing Team

Part 16: Book Trailers

Part 17: Facebook Takeover Events

I published the first book in The Cursed Series in September 2020, and I've had a new book releasing every month for 6 months straight. Until now. I do not have a new book ready to release in March, and at first, I was panicking. I'd built all this momentum, and now I was going to lose it because I didn't have something new to promote. But then I realized, so what? Skipping a month or two without a new release is not the end of the world, nor is it the end of my Indie career. In fact, this is actually a good thing!

Every book in this series is connected. You can probably read book 2 without having read book 1 first and it will make sense, but trying to jump into this series with any other book, and you'll be lost. They were written and meant to be read in order, so even though all 6 books have released, I still very actively promote book 1 more than all the others because that's where I want readers to start. And if I can get them started with book 1, the hope is they'll become hooked and then follow through with the rest of the series. 

My next planned release is a spin off to The Cursed Series. It follows a couple of the secondary characters from the main series, but it picks up right after book 6 ends, and the events of book 6 are crucial to understanding the events in this spin off. So, once again, the series needs to be read in order. Now, I could have this new book ready to go by early April, and originally, that had been my plan.

But then it hit me!

I had no real reason to rush getting another book ready for release. Because all the books need to be read in order, I'd be essentially selling this new book to my already established readers, which is fine, but the ultimate goal is to always be finding new readers, right? And the only way to do that is by promoting the series as a whole, and that's now what I'm doing. 

I have decided to not publish this new book until May, which will give me March and April to promote the series, gain new readers, and plan and implement an effective marketing strategy for the next book. With a little luck and a lot of hard work, I'll have even more readers willing and eager to buy my newest book. So, HOW am I going to do this? I'm glad you asked ;-) 

1. Facebook Takeover Events -- I already have a few booked, and I'm actively scheduling more. These are great, fun ways to interact with readers and share information about my books. 

2. Interviews -- I'm booking interviews on blogs and podcasts that are geared toward

3. Consistent Social Media Presence -- I'll continue this blog series and sharing it on social media along with steady, consistent posts across all platforms. To be clear, these are not "buy my book" posts, but fun memes, questions, teasers, etc. Things that are interesting, fun, and of value to readers. If they get to know me as a real person (and actually like me), they'll be more apt to invest in my books.

4. Gathering More Reviews -- I've signed up to participate in a massive reader review event in March that encourages participants to not just review on Amazon, but Goodreads and Bookbub as well. When someone reviews on Goodreads, it shows up in their activity, which means their followers will see it, and that means an organic reach to other readers. And on Bookbub, if a reader reviews a book, they can recommend it to their followers, which again, is organic reach. 

5. Pricing, Freebies, and Paid Ads -- I'm not going to go into too much detail about this right now because this is the topic of next week's post, but I'm playing around with the price of the books in conjunction with a newsletter push and paid ads. 

Will any of these actually work? No idea, but I'm going to find out, and I'll share my results in a few months.

Got questions?

Drop them in the comments!

{RELEASE DAY}: Eternal Life, The Cursed Series Book 6

  

Eternal Life is LIVE!!

Wow -- I can't believe it's the release day for the final book in The Cursed Series. 

Way back when I first started this series, I never dreamed it would blossom into what it has: 3 books turning into 6. Readers from all over the world falling in love with Chloe, Trent, and Jax just as much as I have. Bloggers sharing my books. Libraries and indie bookstores ordering copies. The outpouring of love and support has been amazing, and I'm not sure there are enough words to express my gratitude. 

Finishing this series has been bittersweet. I'm still riding the high of accomplishment (and disbelief) that I actually did it. I'm sad to say goodbye to these characters (though it's not truly the end 😉). Yes, tears were shed while writing this book. No, I won't tell you why. You'll have to read it and find out...

Here's everything you need to know about Eternal Life and where to get your copy: 

Book Title: Eternal Life (The Cursed Series, Book 6) 

Author: Kara Leigh Miller

Genre: Young Adult paranormal romance 

Content Warnings: Heavy kissing / non-descriptive sexual situations /  violence

Publisher: FireChicken Press, LLC 

ASIN: B08QJLRDQN

Print ISBN: 978-1-7354336-5-3

Release Date: February 9, 2021

Blurb: A violent attack during their honeymoon left Chloe fighting for life and Trent missing. Now, Chloe returns home—alone and devastated and clinging to the hope that Trent is alive and will come back to her, but as days stretch into weeks, her optimism wears thin. And with mounting pressure for her to break the centuries old curse haunting her very existence, time is running out.

Trent finally returns, but he’s a changed man. Having endured unspeakable torture at the hands of his captors, he’s more determined than ever to ensure Chloe and the rest of his family stay safe, even if that means living on the run for eternity.

But the timer has zeroed out on Chloe’s human life, and she must break the curse if she’ll have any hope of saving her loved ones. As her enemies advance, Chloe has no choice but to face them—and not everyone will walk away alive.

Digital Buy Links: Amazon 

Add to Goodreads

Read Chapter One for FREE!

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT: 

“What about you?” I asked, marching up to Colt. “You spent a lot of time with Dante, and you’ve been running from him. Why not offer yourself up as bait? Draw him out so we can find Trent.”

“Chloe,” Jax said, his tone a mix of shock and anger. “We are not using Colt as bait. Trent wouldn’t want that.”

I whipped around to glare at Jax. “Do you think for one second if it were me missing that Trent wouldn’t do exactly that? He made a deal with a Zoya for crying out loud, just so he could find me. Find us.”

Jax’s eyes darkened.

“Trent did whatever it took to get us back. We owe him the same,” I said, my voice trembling.

“And how do you think he’s going to react when he finds out we sacrificed our brother for him? He’s going to be pissed, Chloe, and then he’s going to spend eternity looking for Colt,” Jax said, his tone hard. “Is that what you want?”

“I want my husband back!” I screamed.

The table shook, and several glass vials tipped over and shattered. The lights in the room momentarily dimmed. I froze, my heart lodged in my throat. My pulse pounded in my ears, and I glanced around at everyone else, who looked as confused as I was.

“What just happened?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” Ivy said, brows furrowed.

“That felt like a magical burst,” Isach said.

“What the hell is a magical burst?” Colt asked.

“It’s something that often happens to new witches who don’t know how to control their powers. They become emotional, and their magic literally bursts out of them,” Ivy said, her gaze lingering on me.

My skin crawled. Why was she looking at me like that?

Digital Buy Links: Amazon 

Add to Goodreads

Read Chapter One for FREE!

The Journey to Self-Publication, Part 16: Book Trailers

I've gotten quite a few questions about why I finally decided to delve into self-publishing and how I'm doing it, so I figured why not create a new blog series!

Every Monday, I'll be sharing a piece of the self-publishing puzzle---from how I came to this choice to writing, editing, marketing, sales, and everything in between. Please remember that this is simply my experience, how I chose to do things. Others do things differently, and that's fine! So, your mileage may vary, but in the end, I hope seeing yet another way of tackling self-publishing will help you on your path. 

Need to catch up on previous posts? Find them here:

Part 1: Making the Choice

Part 2: Creating an LLC

Part 3: Writing the Book(s)

Part 4: STILL writing the Book(s)

Part 5: CPs, Beta Readers, and Editors

Part 6: Cover Art!

Part 7: Formatting and Distribution

Part 8: Pre-release Marketing

Part 9: Release Week Marketing

Part 10: First Month Sales and Efforts

Part 11: Marketing Book Two

Part 12: Audio Books

Part 13: What Now?

Part 14: Defining Success

Part 15: Building a Publishing Team

Today, I'm talking book trailers! As one of those people who hate to miss movie previews, it's a no-brainer that I also love book trailers. They give a unique look at a book or series that you simply can't get by reading a blurb. Are they effective in actually selling books, though? I honestly have no idea. I know I personally have purchased a book before because of a clever book trailer, and so it stands to reason other readers have done the same. 

So, with all of this in mind, I set out to have a trailer created for The Cursed Series. A close friend of mine is in the process of creating a company (AleWin Entertainment) that will specialize in a lot of things, one of those things being book trailers. I hired her to create mine. I also hired my audio book narrator (Andy Garcia-Ruse) to do the voice over. And I am blown away by the finished product. I get goose bumps every time I watch it (and we won't talk about how many times I've seen it. LOL). 

But now that I have this finished trailer, what am I supposed to do with it?? Share it, obviously, but how? How could I get the most from this investment? Well, here is my game plan: 

1. Create a YouTube channel where I can upload the video and have an easily shareable link. 

2.  Upload the video and schedule a premiere date. Now, I could have just uploaded and started sharing willy nilly, and believe me, I'd thought about it. But as I said, I want to get the most return on investment, so I had to be smart about this. I picked a live premiere date (Tuesday, February 16th at 8:15 pm EST). I will be on YouTube during this live premiere where I'll be chatting with other viewers and answering questions. I also have a large giveaway planned (more on that below) that I'm announcing exclusively during this premiere. My hope is this will entice people to show up and view the trailer. 

3. I've partnered with Maia at Silver Dagger Book Tours to host a two-day blitz where bloggers share both the book trailer and the giveaway, along with the series covers, blurbs, and buy links. 

4. The giveaway which will include an entry to share the trailer. The goal with this (and #3) is to get as many people as possible sharing this video. 

Will any of this actually work? Or am I wasting more time and money? I honestly have no idea, but I figure if this doesn't work, I'll know what not to do next time around. And if it does work? Well then I'll have something to celebrate :-) 

I have another big marketing event planned for March, which I'll discuss in a future post, and once both of these events have been completed, I'll let everyone know the verdict. I also plan to discuss timing of releases, skipping a month (or more), and how to stay relevant when you don't have a new book to promote. 

Got questions?

Drop them in the comments!

{Teaser Tuesday}: Eternal Promise

A promise of eternity ends in disaster...

“I didn’t even hear you come in,” I said, wiping my tears. “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough,” he said, his voice deep and raw.

“What do you still need to ask me?” I asked, my voice shaky. The letter was clutched tightly in my hand, the paper crinkling in my fist.

A hint of a smile ghosted across his face, then disappeared. “The one thing I’ve never actually asked you before. I’ve begged, pleaded… hell, I even yelled at you about it once.” He shook his head and dragged his hand through his hair. “But I’ve never actually asked you. Not like I should have.”

I stared at him, my emotions too much of a jumbled mess to comprehend what he was trying to tell me, so I stood there silently, tears still trickling down my face.

He gently took my face into his hands, his thumbs stroking the tears off my cheeks. “I know all of this probably seems dramatic and unnecessary, but it’s important that I do this the right way.”

Ever so slowly, his lips brushed across mine. My mouth parted on a contented sigh, and my eyes fluttered closed. I leaned into his embrace, but he only grazed my lips again. Then once more.

“Will you change for me, Chloe? Will you become a vampire and spend eternity with me?” he whispered.

“Yes,” I said. And there was no hesitation. No fear. No weakness. Not this time.

ETERNAL PROMISE: The Cursed Series, Book 5

Coming January 12, 2021

PRE-ORDER NOW!

{RELEASE DAY}: Eternal Love: The Cursed Series, Book 4

   

Eternal Love is LIVE!!

The Cursed Series continues with ETERNAL LOVE. This book was completely unexpected, and so much happened that I hadn't ever planned. Chloe and Trent really just took over, and they both have to ask themselves: How far are they willing to go for love? Where will they draw the line? It was fun to explore these questions, and very surprising in that the answers are completely different for each of them. Their inability to agree on where that line is leads to a lot of complications for them. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do :) 

Here's everything you need to know about Eternal Love and where to get your copy: 

Book Title: Eternal Love (The Cursed Series, Book 4) 

Author: Kara Leigh Miller

Genre: Young Adult paranormal romance 

Content Warnings: Heavy kissing / non-descriptive sexual situations / mild violence

Word / Page Count: 125,000 words / 299 ebook pages / 452 print book pages

Publisher: FireChicken Press, LLC 

ASIN: B08LMMMBLX

Print ISBN: 978-1-7354336-3-9

Release Date: December 15, 2020

Blurb: As if having an unbreakable bond with Jax isn't hard enough, Chloe’s now forced to work with him on a major school project, and the more time they spend together, the stronger the bond becomes. Fighting it will most certainly drive her mad. But if she ever wants to have a future with Trent, she has no choice but to resist. Unfortunately, any hope she has of ever becoming a vampire and spending an eternity with Trent hangs on breaking the bond, which is an impossible feat.

Until an unlikely source offers them a solution to their problem. There’s just one catch—in order to fully break the bond, Trent’s immortal life will be linked to her mortal one. And with two of the most powerful covens in the world hellbent on killing her, the decision is a no-brainer. Not even the promise of eternal love is enough to make Chloe risk Trent’s life.

Digital Buy Links: Amazon 

Print Buy Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble 

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT: 

I tossed my phone onto my bed and scrambled around to find clothes and my shoes. Less than five minutes later, I was sneaking downstairs. I was getting good at the whole sneaking out thing.

Pausing to make sure no one had heard me, I opened the door and slipped out. A blast of frigid air hit me, and I shivered as I very carefully and quietly pulled the door closed. When I turned around, I slammed into something hard. Fear paralyzed me.

I’d been caught!

I opened my mouth to scream, but Trent’s lips came down on mine, silencing me. Sighing, I wrapped my arms around him, and the next thing I knew, we were off the porch and standing in the tree line on the side of the house.

“What’re you doing here?” I whispered.

He spun me around so my back was to his chest, his arms wrapped firmly around my stomach. “It’s snowing.”

“I can see that.” I glanced up, watching, letting the cold flakes hit my face.

“I wanted to see your face the first time you saw snow,” he whispered, his voice low and close to my ear. “Sorry I woke you up.”

“Don’t be,” I said. “This was totally worth waking up for.”

The moon was high in the sky, offering a clear view of everything around us. The tiny white flakes twisted and swirled toward the ground and glistened like diamonds on the tree branches. It was absolutely breathtaking.

I tilted my head and closed my eyes, letting the snow hit my face. As soon as they landed, they’d melt, leaving my hair and lashes damp. Soon, I was shivering. I was definitely going to need warmer clothes.

“So, what do you think?” Trent asked, his voice full of excitement. He loved the snow.

“It’s cold. And wet.”

He laughed. “Did you know that no two snowflakes are the same? Each one is unique.”

“Really?” I couldn’t tell if he was being serious or not.

“Mm-hmm.”

Shivering harder, I turned around to face him and tucked my hands between our bodies. He covered my hands with his, warming them as best he could. My teeth were now starting to chatter, too. I was going to freeze to death out here.

But everything was so pretty and untouched, like Mother Nature had wiped the slate clean, covering the earth in a fresh canvas that was waiting to be disrupted. And Trent was here—that alone was enough to make me want to stay put.

“Did you leave your window open?” he asked, and I nodded in response. “Good. Hold on.” 

Digital Buy Links: Amazon 

Print Buy Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble 

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{COVER REVEAL}: Eternal Promise and Eternal Life

 For today's Teaser Tuesday, I'm going to share the covers and blurbs for the final two books in The Cursed Series!! Ready??

ETERNAL PROMISE: The Cursed Series, Book 5

With graduation looming, and her wedding fast approaching, Chloe is fully focused on her future with Trent. She’s finally so close to having everything she’s ever wanted, and she won’t let anything—or anyone—stand in her way. 

When a mysterious rogue witch arrives in town and starts causing trouble, Chloe ends up in the hospital, and it becomes clear that the Zoya are getting desperate. But are they really the ones behind the attack? The answer has the power to bring her entire world crashing down around her and destroying her happily ever after. 

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ETERNAL LIFE: The Cursed Series, Book 6

A violent attack during their honeymoon left Chloe fighting for life and Trent missing. Now, Chloe returns home—alone and devastated and clinging to the hope that Trent is alive and will come back to her, but as days stretch into weeks, her optimism wears thin. And with mounting pressure for her to break the centuries old curse haunting her very existence, time is running out. 

Trent finally returns, but he’s changed. Having endured unspeakable torture at the hands of his captors, he’s more determined than ever to ensure Chloe and the rest of his family stay safe, even if that means living on the run for eternity. 

But the timer has zeroed out on Chloe’s human life, and she must break the curse if she’ll have any hope of saving her loved ones. As her enemies advance, Chloe has no choice but to face them—and not everyone will walk away alive.

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    Being human in a world of vampires and witches is problem enough, but when two covens of witches are hellbent on killing her, things are unbearable. 

{COVER REVEAL}: Eternal Bond and Eternal Love

 Have I got something exciting for you today! Not one but two cover reveals! That's right -- I'm sharing the official covers and blurbs for books 3 and 4 in The Cursed Series. Ready??

ETERNAL BOND: The Cursed Series, Book 3:

Chloe is in a fight for her life. Literally. Held prisoner by the Rose Coven, they are desperate for her to break the curse and restore the magical balance, but Chloe adamantly refuses—until a nearly starved Jax Halstead is tossed in the room with her. Now, hanging on to her humanity might be next to impossible.

When one act of mercy creates an unbreakable bond that threatens to destroy everything she’s ever wanted, getting away alive—and still human—is more important than ever.

Once freed, her love and devotion to Trent is at war with the bond she shares with Jax, a bond that’s only growing more intense by the day. And now she must decide which is stronger. All while navigating her senior year of high school, college applications, and waiting for the Rose Coven to return. If that isn’t bad enough, Isach Zoya is back. He knows the truth, and he’s watching her every move. What else could possibly go wrong?

Coming November 17, 2020

Pre-Order NOW!

Add to Goodreads

Read Chapter One for FREE

ETERNAL LOVE: The Cursed Series, Book 4:

As if having an unbreakable bond with Jax isn't hard enough, Chloe’s now forced to work with him on a major school project, and the more time they spend together, the stronger the bond becomes. Fighting it will most certainly drive her mad. But if she ever wants to have a future with Trent, she has no choice but to resist. Unfortunately, any hope she has of ever becoming a vampire and spending an eternity with Trent hangs on breaking the bond, which is an impossible feat. 

Until an unlikely source offers them a solution to their problem. There’s just one catch—in order to fully break the bond, Trent’s immortal life will be linked to her mortal one. And with two of the most powerful covens in the world hellbent on killing her, the decision is a no-brainer. Not even the promise of eternal love is enough to make Chloe risk Trent’s life.

Coming December 15, 2020

Add to Goodreads

Read Chapter One for FREE