HUGE February Follow GIVEAWAY

Just One Week Left in the February Follow Giveaway . . . and Just 10 Followers Away From a Second Giveaway!

Like a lot of bloggers, I watch the numbers, keep an eye on the statistics, and observe the measures. I'm always looking to expand my audience, increase my traffic, and build my exposure. Part of it is pure vanity, of course (I like to know that somebody out there is watching), but a larger part of it is an honest desire to help the authors I cover reach a broader audience.



At the same time, I want to say thanks to everybody who does stop by on a regular basis, so I figure why not combine those two goals and offer up a HUGE February Follow GIVEAWAY! I've accumulated some fantastic books over the last six months, including a few ARCs, which are always an interesting addition to the bookshelves. So, as part of my giveaway, I'm offering up:

• Wonders of the Invisible World by Patricia A. McKillip (ARC)


• After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall: A Novel by Nancy Kress


• The Duchess of the Shallows by by Neil McGarry & Daniel Ravipinto


• Magic: An Anthology of the Esoteric and Arcane edited by Jonathan Oliver


• The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson (ARC)


• Faithful Shadow by Kevin J. Howard


• Shades of Souls Passed by Teresa R. Andrews


• Three Graves Full by Jamie Mason (ARC)


• The Donors by Jeffrey Wilson


• Steampunk III: Steampunk Revolution edited by by Ann VanderMeer


• A Murder of Crows by David Rotenberg (ARC)


• Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews (ARC)


• Shadow of a Dead Star & Bone Wires by Michael Shean (e-book)

To make it fun and fair, I've decided that YOU will help determine how much I give away:

500 GFC followers - 1 winner will receive a book of his/her choice

525 GFC followers-  2 winners will each receive a book of their choice

550 GFC followers-  3 winners will each receive a book of their choice

 +

175 Facebook likes - 1 winner will  receive a book of his/her choice (maximum value $15) from Amazon.com.

The fun starts tonight and runs all month, so be sure to follow . . . tell your friends to follow . . . and keep spreading the word for more entries. On behalf of the authors who call Beauty in Ruins home from time to time, and on behalf of myself, THANK YOU.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Darkside by T.A. Miles (REVIEW)

It's hard to describe Darkside without making comparisons to other works. It is a story that immediately stuck me as having a Blade Runner type feel to it, but which ultimately put me in mind of a dark, sci-fi twist on something like The Fast and the Furious . . . complete with the alternative sensibilities of a Nicola Griffith and Melissa Scott.



T.A. Miles has done a superb job here, crafting a tale that stands on its own, despite drawing those comparisons. It's a cross-genre, cross-culture kind of read that plays entirely by its own rules. Don't expect it to head in any particular direction, and don't look for the usual genre cliches - unless its to discover how Miles avoids them.



The characterization is strong here, although it does take a while for some of the central characters - Calen and Luka, specifically - to begin showing any significant development. I had some early concerns regarding both, but once the other elements of the story began to be layered upon one another, their own inner layers began to be revealed. As for the setting, I suspect there's greater detail to be revealed in subsequent volumes, but what's established here makes for an interesting backdrop.The dual themes of alienation and occupation play well against one another, so well in fact that you tend to forget we're reading about human resettlement of an occupied alien world.



While there were a few scenes that felt oddly crafted for YA appeal, this is a far more mature novel than they would lead one to expect. Miles does not shy away from the darkness with her characters, telling a tale of their struggle for survival against increasing odds. Well-paced, with a nice scattering of action and horror, it's a great novel that establishes promise for the series to come.

αωαωαωαωαωαωαω

Get your Kindle copy for free, today only, over on Amazon - courtesy of Raventide Press.

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Mayan Prophecy Averted Giveaway!

We survived! Let's celebrate! (courtesy of Night Shade Books)



Well, we can add the Myan end of the world prophecy to the long list of things that didn't happen. And while it's probably no surprise to most of us that we woke up as per usual, we think it's still worth celebrating! Plus, its the Winter Solstice! Double trouble! So let's nestle into the longest night of the year with some free reading, shall we?



Here is how it works:

Email StillHere@nightshadebooks.com and you'll receive an auto response from us with a username, password and link to our download site where you'll be able to download the .epub or .mobi files of some of our most exciting and appropriately apocalyptic titles:

          

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Serving up a Slice of FREE Fantasy (courtesy of Night Shade Books)

From the Night Shade Books Newsletter:

NSB is Serving up a Slice of (FREE) Fantasy ...   

Howdy, pilgrims. The turkey's been carved, the canned cranberry is jiggling, Uncle Joey's just drunk enough to tell a few dirty jokes, and we're all going round the table saying what we're thankful for. Well, when it's Night Shade's turn, we don't just say it, we show it! This month, we'll be showing thanks by giving you three of our most popular Ebooks, FREE!!!

Here is how it works:

Email happythanksgiving@nightshadebooks.com and you'll receive an auto response from us with a username, password and link to our download site where you'll be able to download the .epub or .mobi files of some of our most exciting and appropriately scrumptious titles:

Of Blood and Honey by Stina Leicht

The Emperors Knife by Mazarkis Williams

Agatha H and the Airship City by Phil and Kaja Foglio

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Kameron Hurley Ebook Giveaway (courtesy of Night Shade)

From the Night Shade Books Newsletter:

Would you like a free ebook? Of course you would. How 'bout two?



In anticipation of the forthcoming release of Rapture, Kameron Hurley's bone-shattering conclusion to the epic Bel Dame Apocrypha trilogy, that's exactly what Night Shade Books is giving away. We don't want you to miss out on any of the "smart, dark, visceral and wonderfully, hectically entertaining" action of this trilogy! So we are giving away the first two titles in the series, the 2012 Nebula Award-nominated God's War and the awesome Infidel, absolutely free!

And, once you're hooked (as we know you will be), be sure to pick up the exciting conclusion, Rapture, available 11/6/12!

Don't believe the hype? Find out FREE for yourself. Just send an email to Beldamegiveaway@nightshadebooks.com. Night Shade will return fire with an email giving you the info you need to download the files for God's War and Infidel. Both Epub and Mobi files are available. 

Rapture is available for pre-order from many of your favorite retailers!

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Interested in collaborating with Clive Barker? Hell yeah!

From the official Clive Barker Facebook page:



Calling all writers, poets and filmmakers. Here's your chance to collaborate with Clive Barker. Take a look! Submissions begin next week!



http://techgnotic.deviantart.com/journal/Odyssey-II-with-Clive-Barker-331804956

400 Word Submissions

60 days

16 Deadlines

8 Chapters

8 Works of Art

6 Short Films

3 Poems

1 Incredible Story



Clive Barker starts us off with the Prologue for Odyssey II and selects the submissions for the final books. The ultimate creative challenge to produce the ultimate deviantART book.





Say all you want about Barker's erratic work ethic (there are several long-gestating works-in-progress he's teased that I would kill to read), but this is a cool concept. As the site says, only *CliveBarker’s prologue has been revealed. Deviant artists, writers and filmmakers are now called upon to conjure the rest of this story to life.

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Little Green God of Agony - Free Online Stephen King Comic

FROM STEPHENKING.COM:



Noted comic artist Dennis Calero (co-creator of X-Men Noir and Devil Inside) has adapted Stephen's "The Little Green God of Agony" for serial instalments to appear Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for the next eight weeks beginning October 15th!



"It rocks most righteously," Stephen says of Calero's finely-drawn adaptation. Calero's take: "I have been a huge Stephen King fan for as long as I can remember. To be able to work on ANYTHING with him is an honor."



Tune in. Stay tuned.



Check it out here, starting tomorrow!

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FREE - Cinema of Shadows and The Exodus Gate

Not 1 but 2 - yes, count 'em, 2 - free Kindle releases this week from Seventh Star Press!

First of all we've got Cinema of Shadows by Michael West, a book I reviewed here:



Welcome to the Woodfield Movie Palace. The night the Titanic sank, it opened for business...and its builder died in his chair. In the 1950s, there was a fire; a balcony full of people burned to death. And years later, when it became the scene of one of Harmony, Indiana's most notorious murders, it closed for good. Abandoned, sealed, locked up tight...until now. Tonight, Professor Geoffrey Burke and his Parapsychology students have come to the Woodfield in search of evidence, hoping to find irrefutable proof of a haunting. Instead, they will discover that, in this theater, the terrors are not confined to the screen. 

But that, as they says, is not all! We've also got The Exodus Gate by Stephen Zimmer:



The Rising Dawn Saga begins with a prologue that calls to mind the imagery of Milton's Paradise Lost, and then introduces Benedict Darwin, the host of a popular late night radio show dealing with the paranormal and the things of myth, legend, and conspiracy. Benedict comes into possession of a virtual reality simulator that turns out to be something far greater, and far more dangerous than he ever expected.



Supernatural powers from the Abyss are aiding humans at the heights of political and economic power in a centuries-old movement called The Convergence. It is focused on bringing the world under one political and economic authority, one that erases borders between nations and governs all populations across the world.



A tale of courage, hope, and adventure, with fantastical realms and exotic characters, The Exodus Gate is a unique story that blends fantasy, science fiction, the paranormal, horror, and military thriller elements into a powerful voice within the realms of urban fantasy. 





Please share this link and spread the word!

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Get H. David Blalock's Angelkiller for FREE!

Get Angelkiller for free on Kindle!



The first book in the Angelkiller Triad from H. David Blalock is available for free on Kindle today and tomorrow!



Why do bad things happen to good people? Simple. In the ancient war between the Angels of Light and Darkness, the Dark won. Now it is the job of an undercover force simply known as The Army to rectify that.



Using every tool available, The Army has worked to liberate our world from The Enemy for thousands of years, slowly and painfully lifting Mankind out of the dark. On the front of the great Conflict are the Angelkillers, veterans of the

fight with centuries of experience.



Jonah Mason is an Angelkiller, and his cell is targeted as part of plot to unseat a very powerful Minion of The Enemy. Mason and his troop are drawn into a battle that stretches from real-time to virtual reality and back. The Conflict is about to expand into cyberspace, and if Mason is unable to stop it, The Enemy will have gained dominion over yet another realm.



Please share this link and spread the word!

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Get Jackie Gamber's Sela for FREE!

Get Sela for free on Kindle!



The second book of the Leland Dragon series from Jackie Gamber is available for free on Kindle today and tomorrow!





Peace was fleeting. Vorham Riddess, Venur of Esra Province, covets the crystal ore buried deep in Leland's mountains. His latest device to obtain it: land by marriage to a Leland maiden. But that's not all.





Among Dragonkind, old threats haunt Mount Gore, and shadows loom in the thoughts of the Red who restored life to land and love. A dragon hunter, scarred from countless battles, discovers he can yet suffer more wounds.





In the midst of it all, Sela Redheart is lost, driven from her home with only her old uncle to watch over her. As the dragon-born child of Kallon, the leader of Leland's Dragon Council, she is trapped in human form with no understanding of how she transformed, or how to turn back.





Wanderers seek a home, schemes begin to unfurl, and all is at risk as magic and murder, marriage and mystery strangle the heart of Esra. A struggle for power far older and deeper than anyone realizes will leave no human or dragon unaffected.





In a world where magic is born of feeling, where the love between a girl and a dragon was once transformative, what power dwells in the heart of young Sela?





Please share this link and spread the word!

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