TALES OF THE LONELY SUN | BLOG SPOTLIGHT

Hey, folks! I’m sharing a blog launch today… in the form of a blog tour, Tales of the Lonely Sun is launching. 😉 Super excited to spotlight it today (even if I am late). Let’s get straight to the spotlight!

TALES OF THE LONELY SUN

 

ABOUT US

We’re four girls who love reading, writing, and most importantly, Jesus. The Lonely Sun emblem symbolizes the Light amidst the Darkness, an illustration of the world and how it’s always been.

We hope to focus on reading and writing books that are full of light opposed to books centered around darkness. The Tales of the Lonely Sun team are spreading the word about good moral books, and how to write them.

We host a seasonal writing contest for writers looking to share their work, and offer book reviews for the book dragons among us.

THE TEAM

Carlye Krul

Carlye is a teenager who lives in fictional worlds. She is a fangirl and when Carlye isn’t writing or reading, she’s listening to music and dreaming about books. She’s a follower of Jesus and hopes to spread the Word through her writing. Carlye resides in the southwest of Canada with an unhealthy amount of books. You can check her out on her blog Carlye’s Camera and her instagram.

 

Merie Shen

Merie Shen is an artist at heart, a daughter of ministry, and a Chinese-Korean spy. Thanks to a lifetime surrounded by three very different and very strange cultures, her love for world folkways and folklore constantly infiltrates her writing. From the beginning, her stories have been inspired by C.S. Lewis instead of Tolkien, Lewis Carroll instead of Harry Potter, fairytales instead of Disney, and Kung Fu Panda instead of Marvel (don’t ask). She also spends time drawing what appears in her mind or in nature, discovering and rediscovering the magic of books, and staring off into space. Her mascot changes with her daily moods and she blogs at Imperial Scribis.

Merie lives in the fascinating city of Beijing, with her missionary family and their cat, whose name is either Kipling or Mimi or maybe both.

 

Jorja Ayres

Jorja Ayres (pronounced Georgia Airs) is a 15 year old Christian writer, reader, and fangirl. Her hope is to help the readers of Tales of the Lonely Sun navigate around some of the beginner mistakes that she has made, as well as share some writing hacks that made things simpler for her. Her dream is to one day be able to give her readers the same feelings that she has experienced when reading some of her favorite books, as well as share positive themes that shine bright in this dark world. She lives in Southern Arizona with her family, dogs, and hedgehog.

 

Mya Gray

Mya Gray is a Christian teen with a love for imaginary worlds and fictional characters. While she spends the majority of her free time reading and writing stories, she also enjoys photography, blogging, and playing piano. Mya is an online high school student who resides in the Midwest with her parents, younger siblings, and cats. She blogs at Life from Behind a Camera.

 

SHORT STORY CONTEST

Every two months we at TotLS hold a short story writing contest. Every contest sports a different theme, and sometimes we collaborate with other influential blogs/bloggers for special prizes and guest judges. Abigail Harder is the official story judge, but she never works alone! Expect to see familiars around the writing community who will comprise the rest of the judges and select which one of your stories will be the winner.

For our first official contest, the TotLS team will be judging. If you want to enter the contest, choose from the following prompts for this season. You can pick one, or combine multiple for an extra challenge.

Short stories submitted to Tales of the Lonely Sun for any contest must follow all guidelines listed below. Please review these guidelines carefully before submitting; we don’t want to turn your story down! That can only be avoided if you make sure your story meets these specifications.

For submission, your story must…

• Be at a maximum of 5,000 words. All of us have lives and busy schedules, and we’d rather not go through hundreds of pages of work! Writing a great story under a low word count is part of the challenge.
• Follow the guidelines for the Lonely Sun emblem. Our goal is to spread stories with hope, not doom. While we have nothing against dark stories in general, we do not accept them if they are purely grim and dark and contain no mention or possibility of hope.
• Be CLEAN. We do not accept stories with explicit or inappropriate content. We expect all stories submitted to be family-friendly, which means no language, graphic violence, or innuendos.

How to Submit:

• When you finish writing your story, email us at talesofthelonelysun@gmail.com
• Make sure the subject of your email is “Short Story Submission.”
• Your email can include a Google Doc link, a PDF or simply the text of your short story, but however you submit it, make sure it is something we can access!
• The judges for the season will read and judge your short story, and the winner’s short story will be published in one of our blog posts. They then have the choice to help judge the next set of stories. Additional prizes change every season as well!

 

GIVEAWAY

The giveaway runs from December 8 to the 15th. This giveaway, by the way, is U.S. and Canada only.

This giveaway is not affiliated with or endorsed by Nadine Brandes. (But it is with Mya Gray.)*

ONE WINNER WILL RECEIVE

• A SIGNED COPY of Hide and Seek by Mya Gray (yes, our very own Mya!)
• A hardcover copy of Romanov by Nadine Brandes
• Bookish & TotLS stickers
• A $10 Amazon gift card
• Assorted tea bags 

Giveaway link: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/690be0241/? 

 

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, Dec. 9

INTRO @ Tales of the Lonely Sun

Angela Watts: Blog Spotlight @ The Peculiar Messenger

Jenna Terese: Guest Post by Merie @ Jenna Terese

Kellyn Roth: Blog Spotlight/Guest Post by Merie @ Reveries

Kim: Blog Spotlight @ The Writing Process

Kristen Hogrefe: Guest Post by Jorja @ Kristen Hogrefe

Jennifer Guyer: Interview with Merie @ Fantasy Ordinary

M.H. Elrich: Interview with the Team @ M.H. Elrich

Tuesday, Dec. 10

Sabrina: Blog Spotlight/Interview with Jorja @ Confessions of a Writer

Elizabeth Dragina: Guest Post by Merie @ Elizabeth’s Corner

Mark Borne: Interview with the Team @ The Mark Borne Nexus

Wednesday, Dec. 11

Abigail Harder: Blog Spotlight @ Books, Life, and Christ

Grace: Guest Post by Merie @ Grace M. Morris

Thursday, Dec. 12

~ ANNOUNCING SHORT STORY CONTEST WINNER ~

Friday, Dec. 13

Diamond: Interview with the Team @ I Have 12% of a Plan

Abigail Harris: Guest Post by Merie @ Read Write Breathe

Saturday, Dec. 14

Ash Ronnel: Interview with the Team @ Ash Ronnel

Jo: Blog Spotlight/Interview with Merie @ Pananaw

Maya: Blog Spotlight/Interview with the Team @ Wandering Wordsmith

Isabel Olivetti: Blog Spotlight/Guest Post by Mya @ Chasing Fantasia

~~~

 

HOW COOL IS THIS?! I sincerely hope y’all give them a follow and enter the giveaway. ♥

God bless,

Ang

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DARK IS THE NIGHT BLOG TOUR | AUTHOR INTERVIEW with MIRRIAM NEAL

I’m back with another blog tour post but this one is unlike any I’ve done before. Why? Because Dark is the Night is an urban fantasy, something I rarely read, though I’d like to. So this will probably be one of my first novels in the genre when I read it. Exciting, right?

I’m also pals with Mirriam so obviously, an author interview was in order. Let’s get right to it!

ALSO: I read this book in a day, spur of the moment, so you can find my review here!

BLURB

Skata only has one goal in life—to seek out the vampire who turned his wife and kill it. When he finally tracks the vampire to the small nowhere town of Salvation, South Carolina, he realizes he has stepped foot into something bigger than himself. He’s going to need help—and that help may come in many forms. Between the vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters, and an unusual preacher, Skata may be in over his head.

AMAZON | GOODREADS

AUTHOR BIO

MIRRIAM NEAL is an author frequently masquerading as an artist. When she’s not scrubbing paint off her hands, she’s thinking about writing (actually, if she’s being honest, she’s always thinking about writing). A discovery writer, she tends to start novels and figure them out as she goes along and likes to work on several books at the same time—while drinking black coffee. She’s a sucker for monsters, unlikely friendships, redemption arcs, and underdog protagonists. When not painting fantasy art or writing genre-bending novels, she likes to argue the existence of Bigfoot, rave about Guillermo del Toro, and write passionate defenses of misunderstood characters. 

To learn more about her fiction and art, visit her website: https://mirriamneal.com/, where you can find a full list of all her social medias, or join the Citadel Fiction newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/b1h5v9

 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

MIRRIAM NEAL

Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions shared by the following author are not my own and I do not necessarily endorse them. Thank you.

Welcome to The Peculiar Messenger, Mirriam, I’m honored to have you here. Let’s break the ice, yeah? Tell us a bit about yourself. 

I love ice but I also enjoy breaking things. I’m an author (obviously) but also a full-time artist and the book I reread every autumn is Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. I’m extremely (extremely) attached to Frankenstein’s Creature, and if you haven’t seen the BBC Miniseries, you have to. It’s a requirement. All due respect to Boris Karloff, but that’s not Adam.

Dark is the Night sounds insanely intriguing. In your own words, what is this novel about? Why should I read it? (Besides, y’know, the snark and the fact you wrote it…) 

It’s full of my favorite elements: preternatural happening/creatures, moral questions, life-threatening situations, unlikely friendships, redemption, and brotherhood. If you like any of these elements, I’m gonna suffocate you with them because they are what I, personally, like being suffocated with.

OK, you’re not being funny, you know I love those things as much as I love coffee. *grabby hands*

Everyone asks, “What inspired you to write *book title*”, so I’m asking, “What about this novel brings fire to your spirit?” 

I wrote it because I felt there was an enormous gap in the market. Christians were either completely avoiding vampires, werewolves, etc. for whatever reason, or they were, occasionally, writing a really bad one. Generally tying it back to Cain somehow (which frankly I find as offensive as some people find the idea of ‘vampires in Christian fiction’). The ‘secular market’ (air quotes) was providing supernatural vampire fiction in the forms of True Blood (excessive sexual content), The Vampire Diaries (lots of sketchy spirit-communication elements), or Twilight (which, while it has a very fond place in my heart, is achingly stupid). I wanted to write a good vampire book, as a Christian author, without turning it into a sermon or being preachy. Writing good fiction, especially good fiction which is unexpected from a Christian author, is something I’m incredibly passionate about. I often go back to the Martin Luthor quote where he claimed that a Christian shoemaker’s calling isn’t to put tiny crosses on shoes, but to make good shoes.

Popping in to say (well, first, you forgot Hemlock Grove so, *nervous chuckle*…) YEP. Dracula is one of my favorite classics, honestly, and the elements of Christianity in it were quite spiffy. It’s the only “vampire” novel I’ve read because of the very reasons you mentioned. There are few novels about shifters/etc that aren’t 1.) trashy 2.) awful. I’m grateful you’re helping fill that gap!

Let’s chat about “shifters”. As a Christian, how do you deal with these elements in your fiction, while many Christians title such things as sacrilegious? Is it a struggle? And, since we’re on “hot topics”… I’ve noticed it isn’t easy to be a Christian who doesn’t write what the Christian market prefers, so do you have encouragement for authors struggling with their peers? 

I’ve never had a problem with the concept of shifters. I think people who do have a problem with the concept are coming from a fundamentalist viewpoint that’s taking things wildly out of context. Therefore I’ve never really ‘struggled’ with that element in my fiction. There are things I used to firmly believe were Not to be Touched, but as I matured (not only in my faith, but as a person) I realized I was way off-base, and responded accordingly—many ‘fantasy elements’ being one of them! Your second question is trickier, though. I’ve never had an issue being a Christian author who doesn’t write what the Christian market prefers. I have more of an issue with many fundamentalist Christian readers who fall in the ‘Harry Potter is Straight From Satan’ camp (and yes, as a kid, I was one of them—despite the fact I was also reading myths, watching the Twilight Zone regularly, and ingesting heavy doses of Narnia). I’m fine with publishers—and readers—not wanting my books if they’re not your cup of tea; I only get frustrated when they approach it from an unfounded or fearful viewpoint. We are, as Tolkien coined it, sub-creators. If you’re concerned about werewolves putting a dent in your faith, maybe you should check your faith; not the werewolf.

 

Writing takes a lot of discipline. How do you stay motivated? (Pst, Five Finger Death Punch often does the trick, does it not?) 

Five Finger Death Punch is definitely the icing on the cake. Honestly, for me, writing doesn’t normally feel like a discipline. My art is a discipline; it’s what I do for a living, it’s a ‘have to.’ Writing remains in the ‘get to’ part of my mind, and since I can’t write full-time, I’m always excited about it in one way or another. I suppose the discipline really comes into play when I don’t necessarily feel like writing for long periods at a time, in which case I have to sit down and make myself work that muscle whether I want to or not. The right music is key.

How long have you been writing, and did you ever think you would be where you are today? 

I’ve been writing as long as I can remember, but the first time I took it seriously, I was twelve. I wrote a short story about a Pegasus for a site called Girls Horse Barn, and then I forgot about it. When I finally checked back, I was notified that I had won the contest, and that kicked off my desire to write not only for myself, but for other people, too. I’m an extremely private person by default, and writing has always been a way for me to communicate more than I could ever say in a conversation.

From what I’ve heard, DitN has a good dose of humor. Do you laugh or cry easily while writing (or reading)? 

I laugh while reading all the time, but I almost never cry while reading. I’m trying to remember the last time I shed any tears while reading a book and nothing is coming to mind. It’s pretty rare. I don’t laugh or cry while writing; I feel deep emotions, but it’s more encompassing and less reactive.

Do you enjoy the Indie publishing community, or are you secretly begging the agent gods to drag you into Traditional Land? What are some things you like best about being an Indie author?

 I’m bizarrely inactive in the Indie publishing community. I write books, I publish books, but my knowledge of the Indie publishing community is secondhand. I would like to be dragged into Traditional Land, absolutely, but I love having control over what happens with my books. There’s a certain amount of freedom in being an Indie author that you don’t get as a Traditional author, or so I hear.

Last, but not least… what is one of your future publishing dreams?

 Absolutely to see one of my large-cast novels turned into a TV show. Does that count as a publishing dream? Because that’s essentially the Best Thing I can imagine. That would really throw me over the moon.

OK but now you have to tell us who you would CAST personally for said show… because… reasons.

~~~

While I wait in agony to see if Mirriam returns and tells me the List Of People, let’s give her a hearty thanks for being here! I’m super excited to read Dark is the Night, and I hope y’all enjoyed this interview.

God bless, and may you always carry a stake (or wolfsbane)…

Angela

13RW BLOG TOUR | AUTHOR INTERVIEWS

Today, in honor of the 13 Reasons Why blog tour, I will be interviewing Faith Potts and Kaitlyn Krispense. These two have released their novels during Suicide Awareness Week. If you’re curious about the blog title, here’s an explanation…

“13 Reasons Why is a Netflix TV series centered around a young girl’s suicide. There’s debate about whether it promotes suicide or simply raises awareness, but the undeniable fact is that this show has persuaded others to take their own lives. Each episode explains a reason for the girl’s suicide—13 episodes, 13 reasons. Since both Freedom and Beloved deal with the topic of suicide, we decided to name our blog tour the 13 Reasons Why tour—but each day, we are giving reasons to choose life. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, loved beyond measure by our Creator. And that makes every day worth living.” ~ Kaitlyn Krispense

I don’t know about you guys, but the glorifying of suicide needs to end, and to do that, we must speak up. I’m honored to be part of this blog tour in effort to show life as the precious gift it is.

REASONS TO LIVE…

New song releases.

Seeing happy dogs while out in town. 

Funnel cakes during festival seasons.

Bringing a smile to a stranger’s face in the store.

To learn to do something new.

To see another sunset and another sunrise.

Saving the turtles who wander into the road.

Laughing over silly things till your stomach hurts.

Late night conversations with the stars.

;

~~~

FREEDOM

Having just returned to American soil from the desert sands of the Middle East, James Greene is done with his life. ‘Double amputee’ doesn’t seem like a strong enough phrase to label the physical and emotional pain he bears. Add the lack of love and communication with his family members, the demons that haunt him day and night, and he can find nothing worth living for. Ending it all is the only way out. 

Alexandria Lorance is a not-so-ordinary physical therapist, content with aiding in her patients’ recoveries. Her work gives her fulfillment, but alone in the silence, she still endures the hidden scars of a past, unhealthy relationship. Reminding herself that true healing is found in Christ alone, she seeks to show kindness and love to everyone she meets.

When these two broken ones’ paths intersect, the spark of friendship is ignited, bringing hope and joy to both. Can they step out of the darkness of suffering and into the freedom of grace? 

A Marine, broken by war. A therapist, scarred by words. A chance meeting in a parking lot bonded them together. But can love grow in these two hurting hearts? Or are they truly too broken to ever find lasting happiness? 

Amazon

Goodreads

 

ABOUT FAITH POTTS

Saved by God’s grace, Faith Potts is a teenage writer and homeschool graduate, living with her family and beloved yellow labs in the North Carolina mountains. When she’s not weaving stories, consuming large amounts of coffee, reading stacks of books, or studying American Sign Language, she can be found laughing harder than is healthy, daydreaming, and—of course—blowing dandelions.

Blog

Goodreads

Facebook

Instagram

 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH FAITH

Welcome to the blog, Faith, I’m super excited to have you here. Let’s jump right to it… Have you always wanted to write about harder topics, or are these subjects something God slowly presented to you over your author career?

Writing about the difficult topics is something that I didn’t plan on. A few years ago, I never would’ve expected to be publishing a book centered around suicide and the heartache that accompanies it. I started playing around with a story of a suicidal veteran, having no clue where it was going. And over the course of the very wild, very messy first draft, I realized that this was the story God wanted me to tell—regardless of how much it hurt and even when I cried through entire scenes. No matter how it’s accepted, I know this is the story that He wanted me to write. ❤

What part of Freedom most resonates with you? Have you ever related to certain elements in the story?

The element dearest to me—and one I can personally connect with—is the worthlessness and purposelessness experienced by several of the characters. Whether it’s thinking you “don’t deserve better” because of past mistakes or feeling like your life has no purpose or value, it’s a crippling mindset and a painful place to find yourself in.

Publishing a novel that tackles hard topics is not easy. What has pushed you on this far, despite the backlash and/or ignorance from others?

Although I love this story from the bottom of my heart, I would still be okay if no other soul on this earth found it to be worth their time. Why? Because I didn’t write this story for them. I wrote the story God placed on my heart. I said early on that if just one person realizes how serious and massive the suicide epidemic is because of this story, then it was all worth it. But now I can look back and see that that’s already been accomplished. Without writing this story which forced me to dig deep into the darkness of suicide, I never would’ve realized for myself just how horrible it is.

Writing a novel like this one isn’t easy, either. What did you do to ensure you didn’t wipe your emotions out? What kept you focused on the hope of the story, too?

I have been wiped out, beat down, and discouraged. But I’ve also prayed more over this book than any other story I’ve written. Jesus has kept me focused on the Hope, the Light, and the greater purpose. Reading stories of people who’ve lost loved ones to suicide and seeing how they’re able to cling to grace and push on through unimaginable pain—those people have unknowingly kept me mindful and grounded.

What can readers expect from the books to come in this series?

More hard topics. More pain. More Faith-tears… *ahem*  Lord willing, there will be two (maybe three?) more books in this series and each will deal with harsh realities that Christian fiction prefers to steer clear of. Abortion, teen pregnancy, drug addiction, doubting your faith… and whatever else God throws at me.

I absolutely loved this interview, Faith, you are right on the mark. I’m so grateful you shared this story with the world and continue to be on fire for Chris. ♥

 

~~~

BELOVED

Life without love is hopeless.

Foster teen Cara Richards is unloved. With nothing left and nowhere to go, she is determined to find peace, no matter the cost. But despite her intentions, she’s tossed into another foster family and this time, there’s no going back to who she used to be. To make matters worse, one of her five new foster brothers is a Jesus freak, and she refuses to believe that God actually cares.

Her world is thrown upside down in a way she never expects. Though she prides herself on a resilient heart, her mind is lost adrift among a sea of questions: Is death really the answer? Does God care about someone as unworthy as me? Can everyone truly be loved, no matter what?

Amazon

Goodreads

 

ABOUT KAITLYN

Kaitlyn is a farmer’s daughter and a born-again believer in Christ with an obsession for books and music. It is these obsessions that led her to write her own stories. Psalm 46:10 gives her inspiration, her brothers make her laugh, and there’s nothing quite like the excitement of opening an unread book for the first time. Her passion is to share the steadfast love of her Savior through the writing that takes up much of her free time, whether actual writing takes place or writer’s block, in which case she’s probably browsing Pinterest.

Blog

Goodreads

Instagram

 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH KAITLYN

 

Welcome, Kaitlyn! I’m glad to have you here. I’ll avoid asking “what inspired you” to write this novel… How about the tougher version. What made you tackle the tough topic of suicide and actually finish the novel despite the difficult element?

Thanks . . . I think?! So, when I first got the inspiration for this story, I was going through a time of depression. I wasn’t suicidal myself, but when I started the story, it just kinda . . . went that way? Honestly, the suicide aspect didn’t bother me as much as it probably should have.

What part of Beloved resonates with you the most? A character or a certain aspect..?

The message. The fact that we are loved by our Creator, and that makes us utterly priceless. Many people—including me—need to be reminded of this fact over and over. And if I can have a part in helping spread that, then this will all have been totally worth the hours I agonized over poorly-structured sentences.

How long did you have the idea for Beloved before you wrote it, and how long have you been writing before? What made you decide to publish this specific project?

About two hours. I actually would’ve started it sooner but I was working in the garden, haha! Before that, I’d been writing for . . . three years? Give or take. I was into writing fan fiction back then, and then I wrote my first novelette—one that will stay locked up forever, muahahaha. But yeah, that got me into really loving it.

What is your opinion of the “stigma” behind suicide? Do you still see it in existence, or do you think we have surpassed a healthy awareness, perhaps even become a society who worships the heartbreak?

We live in a fallen world. There will be people who see suicide as a sad a heartbreaking thing, and others as the opposite. But I can only speak for myself—life is a precious gift from God, and when we take that away, it’s going against everything that He created us to be. What’s important is that we never forget the seriousness of it, and that we spread the love of Christ to everyone. Who knows? A simple hug could keep someone from ending it all.

What can readers expect from you after Beloved? Do you have any more novels in store for us? I hope so!

I’ve got a couple of ideas that I’ve been working on off and on . . . one in particular being an urban fantasy that I’m rather excited about. Not sure where it’ll go, or if it’ll get published—we’ll have to wait and see! I’ve also written several flash fiction stories that I’m thinking about compiling into a collection.

Amen, Kaitlyn! Life is a precious gift and I pray Beloved inspires someone to choose life. ♥ Thank you!

~~~

GIVEAWAY

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE!

Three lucky winners will wrap-up the party with anywhere from a ebook copy of one of the books to paperback copies of both.

Giveaway closes midnight September 13th, winners will be announced on the 14th. International entrants are welcome, but should they win first or second place, ebooks will be substituted in place of paperbacks.

~~~

That’s all for today, folks! Check out Faith and Kaitlyn’s blogs for the full HUGE schedule! I hope this post encouraged you and PLEASE comment at least ONE reason to live below. ♥

God bless,

Angela

THE DIVIDED NATION LIVES ON | BLOG TOUR, DAY 8

This is the last day of the tour! The giveaway is going to last all day today, small change of plans after technical difficulties (I have a lot of those, it seems), so I’ll draw winners TOMORROW on this blog. I’m also still taking questions for the live video which I’m probably waiting to do when I get allll my books in… Which’ll take time. But send your questions over anyway. I love them.

I’ve tried to push this blog tour in a huge “bang” in the spirit of The Infidel Books. Lots of deep thoughts, lots of kind words, lots of humor throughout the pain. But this post won’t end in another bang or another sad tear. It will end with a smidge of hope and a whole lot of thanks. Stay tuned.

Don’t forget to leave an Amazon review for this beastie! I’m still crying over reviews. AND for those curious, hardback IS COMING. Just not yet and it’s taking some time so I’ll post and alert y’all when it is finally available. Thanks!

THE DIVIDED NATION

WHEN THE NATION DIVIDES, THE INFIDELS MUST RISE.

The United States has fallen. Three years after the 2024 presidential election and the declaration of martial law, the nation is at war against itself. Gangs battle, civilians struggle for survival, and officials of the United Nations  thrive. West Johnston, heir to the most powerful ganglord in the country, refuses to continue the family legacy. But, in order to defeat his father, he must become him: bloodthirsty and willing to do whatever it takes for control.

West gains control by helping fellow gangsters, Nate and Simon, when they form an alliance with one of the last remaining townships in America. After years of surviving and winter fast approaching, Springtown is in desperate need of supplies from the two teenagers. When the town leader’s daughter, Rene’, is kidnapped by an unknown rival, Nate and Simon risk their reputations to save her and the town they now love. But without help from West, their rescue mission will fail.

Told in multiple bold, abrasive narratives, THE DIVIDED NATION steps into a future where brotherhood bonds must be stronger than iron to survive a broken world, and faith without courage is dust in the wind.

PAPERBACK!

Goodreads | Amazon

GIVEAWAY

US shipping only. If an international winner is drawn, they will receive an ebook only.

1st place: hardback copy of The Divided Nation. A custom mug with a quote from the book, bookmark, and an exclusive snippet from The Infidel Books.

2nd place: paperback copy of The Divided Nation, bookmark.

3rd place: ebook copy of The Divided Nation.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SCHEDULE

 

August 12th

Author Interview @ Taking Up My Cross

Book Spotlight @ Unicorn Quester 

TODAY’S STOP | August 13th (RELEASE DAY)

Author Interview @ Coffee, Classics, and Craziness

I had a BLAST being interviewed by my dysto loving pal, Eva!

Author and Character Interview @ HauntingGhostTown

Shine is a delightful interview and I think y’all will like the answers to these questions… 😉

Character Interview @ Imperial Scribis 

Merie is a fantastic friend and I ADORED watching Gideon respond to her questions. Chaos ahead!

Character and Author Interview @ FaithLaneAuthor

Another FANTASTIC interview, though I’m not sure if the character isn’t still traumatized… *spoilers*

August 14th

Book Spotlight @ The Writer’s Song

My dear friend (and I met her at Realm Makers and we had a BLAST) shared about TDN on her blog! Give her a follow!

Guest Post @ Jaye L. Knight

I had the honor of guest posting for Jaye L. Knight. I met her at Realm Makers and she is officially a huge inspiration, y’all.

August 15th

Book Review @ Kaitlyn Krispense, Author

A great review from Kaitlyn (who has a book coming out, so give her a follow)! It’s funny, I actually tackle one note she gave about faith in this post. 😀

August 16th

Book Review @ We’ve Got Pockets 

A unique review that was so nice!

Book Spotlight @ Bella Putt: Writer. Reader. Follower of Christ.

Bella was going to review but switched to spotlight, due to LifeTM, so be sure to give her some love because she’s so sweet.

August 17th

Author Interview @ Gabriella Slade

I loved being interviewed by my friend Gabriella so much, go check her blog out!

Book Spotlight @ Stories by Firefly

Faith and I have a lot in common regarding tackling tough topics in fiction. She’s so sweet. Give her a follow. You won’t regret it.

Book Review @ Scribes and Archers 

I will update this once the review is posted! ♥

August 18th

Author Interview and Guest Post @ Tangled Up In Writing

Guest Post @ Read Write Breathe

August 19th

Book Review @ Reveries 

Kelly is a bestie and this review makes me cry so go read it. She puts up with a lot (I’m me, remember? I’m surprised she hasn’t flown from Oregon to Tennessee to smother me with a pillow…) and her helpfulness while writing this novel was fabulous.

Book Review @ Just Writing

A super sweet review and just ahhhh all the flails.

Author Interview @ Allison’s Well

ALLI INTERVIEWED ME! It was SO fun and she’s a delight!

Book Review @ Books, Life, and Christ

I’m soooo emotional over this review. ♥ THANK YOU! Guys, this is a great example of what this book is all about.

THE DIVIDED NATION LIVES ON

The blog tour is over. The reviews are coming in. My readers are messaging me and supporting me still. I’ve had a blast and y’all have told me you have, too. And though the tour is over, The Infidel Books are not. The Divided Nation lives on, wild in the world, free to be loved and hated.

I gotta admit, it’s awesome.

And it wouldn’t have happened without you.

Thank you. Thank you for joining the blog tour, reading the posts, commenting, messaging me, buying the book, reviewing… All of it. Every bit y’all have done has meant so much to me. I knew God had a purpose for this novel and I have a feeling… it has only just begun.

No matter how many things I publish, this internal feeling of tumbled emotions probably will never change. I’m relieved this book is out of my hands and I have the rest of the series to tackle. I’m overjoyed this book has already helped people.

God is Good and He has a purpose for all of us. I took a huge jump with this novel. It has been worth it. I grew, learned, and changed as I wrote, but it is worth it all because of you, too. Not to be gushy, but you guys are amazing.

I’m off to write Covenant and book 2 of The Infidel Books and God only knows what else… what are YOU off to do? If you want to freak out with me because The Divided Nation is published, feel free. 😛

As West would say… keep on fighting, friend.

Ang

AFTER THE DIVIDED NATION | BLOG TOUR, DAY 7

I could cry. I could cry reading the precious reviews on Amazon and Goodreads about The Divided Nation. If you want to join the madness, and make me cry happy tears, don’t forget to leave your Amazon review for The Divided Nation. The giveaway ends at 12 AM and I will draw winners tomorrow… so review ASAP for those extra entries! Oh, yes, and if you wanna make me happy cry.

The support I have received for this novel has blown me away. It started in a fury: “no one will like this novel”, “no one will read it”, and I watched things change in my life as I published. Change can be scary. But you, every single one of you, make it worth it. Thank you for joining this blog tour, this journey, this change.

THE DIVIDED NATION

WHEN THE NATION DIVIDES, THE INFIDELS MUST RISE.

The United States has fallen. Three years after the 2024 presidential election and the declaration of martial law, the nation is at war against itself. Gangs battle, civilians struggle for survival, and officials of the United Nations  thrive. West Johnston, heir to the most powerful ganglord in the country, refuses to continue the family legacy. But, in order to defeat his father, he must become him: bloodthirsty and willing to do whatever it takes for control.

West gains control by helping fellow gangsters, Nate and Simon, when they form an alliance with one of the last remaining townships in America. After years of surviving and winter fast approaching, Springtown is in desperate need of supplies from the two teenagers. When the town leader’s daughter, Rene’, is kidnapped by an unknown rival, Nate and Simon risk their reputations to save her and the town they now love. But without help from West, their rescue mission will fail.

Told in multiple bold, abrasive narratives, THE DIVIDED NATION steps into a future where brotherhood bonds must be stronger than iron to survive a broken world, and faith without courage is dust in the wind.

PAPERBACK!

Goodreads | Amazon

GIVEAWAY

US shipping only. If an international winner is drawn, they will receive an ebook only.

1st place: hardback copy of The Divided Nation. A custom mug with a quote from the book, bookmark, and an exclusive snippet from The Infidel Books.

2nd place: paperback copy of The Divided Nation, bookmark.

3rd place: ebook copy of The Divided Nation.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SCHEDULE

 

August 12th

Author Interview @ Taking Up My Cross

Book Spotlight @ Unicorn Quester 

TODAY’S STOP | August 13th (RELEASE DAY)

Author Interview @ Coffee, Classics, and Craziness

I had a BLAST being interviewed by my dysto loving pal, Eva!

Author and Character Interview @ HauntingGhostTown

Shine is a delightful interview and I think y’all will like the answers to these questions… 😉

Character Interview @ Imperial Scribis 

Merie is a fantastic friend and I ADORED watching Gideon respond to her questions. Chaos ahead!

Character and Author Interview @ FaithLaneAuthor

Another FANTASTIC interview, though I’m not sure if the character isn’t still traumatized… *spoilers*

August 14th

Book Spotlight @ The Writer’s Song

My dear friend (and I met her at Realm Makers and we had a BLAST) shared about TDN on her blog! Give her a follow!

Guest Post @ Jaye L. Knight

I had the honor of guest posting for Jaye L. Knight. I met her at Realm Makers and she is officially a huge inspiration, y’all.

August 15th

Book Review @ Kaitlyn Krispense, Author

A great review from Kaitlyn (who has a book coming out, so give her a follow)! It’s funny, I actually tackle one note she gave about faith in this post. 😀

August 16th

Book Review @ We’ve Got Pockets 

A unique review that was so nice!

Book Spotlight @ Bella Putt: Writer. Reader. Follower of Christ.

Bella was going to review but switched to spotlight, due to LifeTM, so be sure to give her some love because she’s so sweet.

August 17th

Author Interview @ Gabriella Slade

I loved being interviewed by my friend Gabriella so much, go check her blog out!

Book Spotlight @ Stories by Firefly

Faith and I have a lot in common regarding tackling tough topics in fiction. She’s so sweet. Give her a follow. You won’t regret it.

Book Review @ Scribes and Archers 

I will update this once the review is posted! ♥

August 18th

Author Interview and Guest Post @ Tangled Up In Writing

Michaela is an absolute dear and an inspiration, so I had a blast guest posting (worldbuilding, anyone?) and answering questions!

Guest Post @ Read Write Breathe

A super fun guest post for the amazing Abigail!

August 19th

Book Review @ Reveries 

Book Review @ Just Writing

Author Interview @ Allison’s Well

Book Review @ Books, Life, and Christ

 

WHAT IS YET TO COME…

What comes next? My readers ask and scream at me. Where’s book two? What happens?

As you’ve probably heard, I made the chose to release The Infidel Books one at a time in a progression, no rapid fire release. Why? Because I like hearing beta feedback and changing things as I go. I like the freedom and the boldness of releasing things once a year. A year, did I say? Yes. The Infidel Books #2 will, God willing, release in 2020. I will currently tackle Covenant, Whispers of Heaven #2, which comes out 2020. 2020 is going to be a wild, wild time…

But enough of time. What of The Infidel Books #2, the unnamed enigma that my readers are yearning for? I didn’t come to smother “HAHA, you have to WAIT” in your face. This post will have some hints of what you WILL or MIGHT see in the future Infidel novels… Prepare yourself. And yes, I’m leaving you guessing. Gotta leave myself creative freedom, aye?

• Healing. The Divided Nation leaves quite a few characters broken. Numb. Searching. This series will keep going… characters will find healing… As we do in life.
• Redemption. Vengeance isn’t the end and self loathing does not seal our fate. Can these characters find redemption? Do they even want it?
• Broken glass and bruised bodies trying to see past the reflection they cannot stand.
• A bearded dragon.
• Forgetting when all they want is to remember, remember, remember. Remembering when all they want to do is forget, forget, forget.
• Watching a nation divide… and maybe… just maybe… a reconstruction unlike the last.
• ANOTHER DOG!
• There are about two female characters I am DYING for y’all to meet. I miss the gals but they’re about to make their grand entrance…
• Fire, hot, killing flames that laugh at the ones who flee.
• MORE DEATH?!
• Nate Savage is dying for pizza. Think he’ll get it? We’ll see.
• Con jobs gone awry….
• Big Hawaiian man who is too good for this world.
• Cold weather and broken faces and tear stained letters.
• West facing more demons.
• Reuniting… and goodbyes.
• What makes George Johnston cry?
• What it is like when the world collapses on you but you still cannot let go.
• MORE AUSSIE SLANG!
• Advanced technology.
• A BABY!?
• Elements of family bonds thicker than the dark that struggles to suffocate all love.

I SHOULD STOP HERE. Will these things happen? We shall see. I’ll keep you updated on this blog as I write TIB #2… Till then, yes, Covenant is coming. And probably other writing surprises NOT having to do with any of my series… But, spoilers, sweetie.

God bless,

Angela