Jewel of Shaylar & The Neumarian Uprising

Happy Monday, all!

I hope everyone had a great weekend. I am excited as I actually got some work done on a sequel to Polar Night over the weekend, so that made me feel great. I've been wanting to get that started for a while and couldn't get anywhere, so I'm hoping I'm finally on track now. Fingers crossed!

I was also happy to see that Argo won Best Picture at the Oscars last night. I totally loved that movie and was completely engrossed in the story from start to finish. So I thought that was the right choice.

But on to the bigger news, as today is a big day for two great writers here in the blogosphere! Laura Eno is revealing the cover of her upcoming book and Ciara Knight is gathering all Neumarian rebels together to celebrate the release of her latest, Escapement. Congratulations to both Laura and Ciara!

First up, the cover for Jewel of Shaylar by Laura Eno:

Here is the blurb for the book:

Archaeologist David Alexander investigates the cave where his father disappeared and hurtles into another world, one filled with magic and bizarre creatures. The mad ravings in his father's journals of icemen and dragons may not be fantasies after all.

Convinced his father may still be alive, David begins a treacherous journey to find him and discover a way home. Along the way, he encounters a few unlikely friends. A Dreean warrior, a beautiful thief and a satyr join him as he searches.

David's arrival into this new world sets off an explosive chain reaction of events. Faced with powerful adversaries and few clues, he may not get the chance to rescue his father before disaster strikes, condemning both of them to death. Or worse.

To learn more about Laura and her wonderful books, visit her here:

 Website - Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads

I'm also very excited to be one of the rebels participating in Ciara Knight's Neumarian Uprising today. This is the first time in my life I've ever been a rebel!  Before I get to the details of the uprising, let me just say that I read Weighted, Ciara's prequel to Escapement. and was amazed at what a powerful punch she packed into such a short story! I'm really anxious to see what is coming next for the Neumarians.

Here is all the info:

We need your help! Thanks to our spy, Ciara Knight, we are able to communicate with you today via blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

The Neumarian uprising has begun. We are fighting for freedom and equality for all, but we need your help. Ciara informed us that you might want to know more about the uprising and why we ask you to risk your lives for our cause. To answer these questions I’ve agreed to let Ciara tell my sister’s, Raeth’s, story about her captivity. It will be free for you on a site called Amazon until March 1, 2013.

Our spies have told us this will help spread the word and find more recruits for our rebellion against the tyrannical queen. You can help by simply downloading a free copy of Weighted. If you are intrigued and wish to follow our uprising, Escapement, book I of The Neumarian Chronicles, will be available for only $2.99 until March 1, 2013.

Escapement is told by Princess Semara. Don’t hold the fact Semara is a princess against her like I did, there is more to her than you can possibly imagine.

Here is a brief explanation of her telling of our uprising:

Ten years after the great war of 2185 the queen’s reign is threatened by uprisings and fear. In celebration of my sixteenth birthday it is my duty as princess to sacrifice a slave to be initiated into the ruling council, solidifying my mother’s empire. When my own erratic powers surface I’m captured and tried for treason. Slaves hate me, my mother wants me executed, and my only chance of survival rests in the hands of a young man, Ryder Arteres, whose sister I sentenced to death.

What people are saying about Escapement:

“A heady mix of action adventure and steampunk -- leavened with a dash of romance -- ESCAPEMENT offers up its fair share of thrills, horrors and heart-pounding moments. A strong start to a captivating new series.”

-- Jana Oliver, author of The Demon Trapper's Daughter

“A riveting tale of justice, mercy, honor and love. Take a deep breath and hold on, because you'll be turning the pages of Escapement quickly. Three unlikely comrades, Princess Semara, Ryder, and his sister Raeth, embark on a journey that will alter their lives forever. The beautiful love story nestled into these action-packed scenes will make you sigh and remember why you love to love. After reading the prequel Weighted, I knew this story would be amazing, and it was. Ciara Knight truly has a gift for creating awesome worlds and characters you won't forget.”

--Lindi Peterson--Award winning author of Summer's Song.

“Betrayal, secrets, and a rebellion send readers on a grand adventure, caught in the plight to discover Semara’s gifts and purpose.”

--Alex J Cavanaugh, author of Amazon best sellers CassaStar and CassaFire

"A courageous heart-stopping journey by young people to save their kind."

--Hildie McQueen, bestselling author of Where the Four Winds Collide


If you’d like to see a peak into our world, please view this short clip on YouTube.

If you are now ready to join our fight, please add Escapement to your TBR shelf on Goodreads here.  

Shout out on all your social media sites, and tell everyone you know to stand up and fight.

Be Bold.

Be Brave.

Be Free.

In the name of the rebellion,
Ryder Arteres

Congratulations again to both Laura and Ciara!