On the day that a new book is released, people often wish its author "Happy Book Birthday!" It is indeed an eventful moment--the culmination of months or years of effort. Whether sitting at a keyboard or scratching away in a notebook or simply mulling story points and character traits while trying to sleep, taking a shower, or sitting at a stop light, the author has put a lot of work into that book. Then publication day comes, and the big questions loom: will people buy the book? Will they like it? Will they post reviews and tell their friends?
I had two books released this week, one on Tuesday (the traditional release day for books from the so-called Big 5 publishers) and one on Wednesday (the standard release day for medium-sized publisher WordFire Press--they call it WordFire Wednesday). Neither is brand new, but in some ways, both are.
First up was YEAR OF THE WICKED, a teen horror/romance novel from Simon Pulse, the young adult (YA) imprint of publishing giant Simon & Schuster. I got author copies a couple of weeks ago (as you might have seen here), and it's even prettier in person than in the pictures. This book combines four previously published novels, originally published as Witch Season: Summer, Witch Season: Fall, Witch Season: WInter, and Witch Season: Spring. The second book, Fall, was a finalist for the Horror Writers Association's Bram Stoker Award, and all four have been some of my most popular books. They were updated prior to being republished as Dark Vengeance, in two volumes, and now they're back for a new generation of readers (and despite inflation, less expensive than ever!).
Here's what the publisher says about it:
n the tradition of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Riverdale, this magical bind-up includes all four novels in the Witch Season series filled with spellbinding romance, revenge, and of course, witches!
A witches’ war is brewing…
And it’s coming straight towards Kerry and her friends at their summertime home. Along with it is Daniel Blessing. Mysterious, charismatic, and handsome Daniel is on the run from a powerful witch named Season.
Kerry and her friends don’t believe in witches and spells, but Kerry can’t help believing in Daniel…and falling for him.
But falling for Daniel pulls Kerry into a feud his family has been waging for generations. A dark feud of passion, magic, and revenge. Suddenly it becomes clear that Season isn’t after just Daniel, she wants Kerry and her friends dead too. Because, though Kerry doesn’t know it yet, she might just be the only one with the power to uncover the truth—and end the witches’ war once and for all.
Should you be so inclined, you can buy it from Indiebound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Books a Million, or directly from Simon & Schuster. Or, of course, from your local bookseller.
The second book released this week is SEASON OF THE WOLF. It's part of WordFire Press's celebration of my 20 years as a novelist, wherein they're releasing beautiful uniform editions of five of my horror novels in hardcover, paperback, and ebook.
Again, here's what the publisher says:
In the mountains around the small town of Silver Gap, Colorado, bark beetles--aided by a warming climate--are decimating the pine forests. That environmental degradation has brought Alex Converse, wealthy heir and would-be documentary filmmaker, to town. And his arrival coincides with another--the reappearance of wolves, long thought to be extinct in the state.
But these are no ordinary wolves. They're big, cunning, ferocious, and very, very hungry. As the town grapples with that danger, an even more terrifying predator emerges, one without fur and fangs...one wearing a human face.
Season of the Wolf is a heart-stopping supernatural thriller about the nature of evil, the evils of nature, and the epic struggle between a small town's residents and impossible creatures from the dawn of history.
And at The Arched Doorway, Rebecca Lovatt wrote, "Season of the Wolf is a quick read, but it’s one that imparts an important message about the delicate balance between our actions and nature. Mariotte turns the tables, and shows us what it’s like to be among the hunted, not one of the hunters — having our safe havens invaded and taken away, friends and family killed and shown no mercy. It’s a great read, and while it doesn’t fit into my usual genre, I believe that any reader, whether they enjoy mystery, thrillers, fantasy or just fiction in general will find something in Season of the Wolf that will draw them in."
An assortment of ebook sales links can be found here. You can find physical copies at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.
Finally, Saturday is my birthday. I can't think of a better present than for you to pick up one or both of these books, enjoy it (or them), and write a review for one of the online booksellers, or on your own blog or social media site. Word of mouth is critical.
And, as always, thanks for reading!
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