Monday, May 27, 2013

Fundraiser for Blood Kiss Movie!

So, maybe you've all heard of the upcoming movie Blood Kiss? That's the one that was written by Michael Reaves (who also wrote for this series; oh, and this one too) and stars Neil Gaiman (do I even need to tell you who he is?) and Amber Benson (Tara from this show). Sounds awesome, right? There's only one hitch: it's an indie film. And that means, if it's going to get funded, we're going to be the ones to do it.

Now, I basically grew up on Gargoyles and Batman: The Animated Series, so when I heard that one of the people responsible for those masterpieces was making a movie, I was super-psyched to do my part. I was even more psyched when I heard that Amber gets to sing again!) The problem is that I don't have all that much money of my own. So I decided I'm going to raise it.

Starting on Friday, May 31st and going through Sunday, June 2nd, I will donate the first $1,000 in profits from my book sales straight to the Blood Kiss Kickstarter! This applies for all four of my novels as well as my short story. So if you've been waiting for the right moment to find out what On The Bird Publishing is all about, this is it--get a good book for a good cause!

To recap, the things I've written are:

Atticus for the Undead (Hunter Gamble #1)

A zombie on trial for eating brains? Yes, please!

Hunter Gamble is an idealistic young attorney in a very special area of the practice--arcane defense. Funded by enigmatic billionaire Charles McClain and aided by shy-but-energetic research assistant Kirsten Harper, he's making the world a better place--one vampire, zombie, or werewolf client at a time. After all, they deserve their day in court, too, right?

When a young zombie walks into Hunter's office accused of murder (by brain-eating), Hunter's idealism is tested as never before as he struggles to secure the man's freedom. To do so, he must square off against a savvy and ambitious district attorney, contend with a judge who is deeply biased against arcanes, and stand up to a human supremacist group which will stop at nothing--not even Hunter's own death--to see his client convicted.

"...punchy dialogue, sonic action, and vivid description...." Kirkus Reviews
"...creative genius and exceptional writing." Moonlit Dreams

Identity Theft (Hunter Gamble #2)

A man walks into the Texas Capitol. Shots ring out. A young aide lies dead. Sounds like a job for Hunter Gamble, right?

Wrong. After his disastrous "victory" in the trial of Samuel Pollard, Hunter has turned his back on defending oppressed vampires, mages, and zombies. Having accepted a position at his father's giant litigation firm, he's trying the glamorous cases, working in a corner office, and making a six-figure salary... and hating every minute of it.

As Hunter plots his exit strategy, he finds himself inexorably drawn to the case of the Capitol shooter, who is an old friend from law school. As he works to clear his friend, Hunter discovers that there is much more at stake in this case than whether one man was under a spell. Before long, he finds himself pulled into a magical conspiracy dating back to before the Unveiling--and with a singularly cold-blooded wizard at its heart.

The clock is ticking. The search for answers is on. And the author of Atticus for the Undead invites you to come along for the thrill ride--and get the magic back.

"This is a tale of the supernatural at its core and begs to be given a chance." IHOGeek.com
"Identity Theft is a great read, fast paced and exciting, it definitely keeps the reader on their toes." Lindsay and Jane's Views and Reviews


Weaver (Weaver Saga #1)

Fifteen-year-old Alex Cronlord just met the boy of her dreams. Literally. Unfortunately, the dream involved him killing her. When she encounters him at her school the next morning, Alex understandably freaks out--and her mother's bizarre behavior only makes it worse. What Alex doesn't realize is that she can see the future--which will get her into a whole lot of trouble.

Across town, FBI Agent Moira McBain and her partner Andy Hall investigate a series of house burnings in Dallas, Texas. When a clue leads them to the Cronlords, Moira discovers a disturbing link between Alex's family and her own--which opens an old wound Moira has spent years trying to ignore.

Something is rotten in Dallas, Texas--something involving a secret society, children with extraordinary powers, and human-looking creatures who may literally be out of this world....

Welcome to a different kind of world-wide web.

"Attention fans of The Vladimir Todd Series, Alex Rider, Suck It Up, or even The Reformed Vampire Support Group or James Patterson YA--especially the Maximum Ride series, I've officially met your next obsession...." Ricochet Reviews
"Weaver is one part science fiction, one part paranormal fantasy, and a whole lot of fun!" Candy's Raves

The Void (Weaver Saga #2)

The zombie apocalypse is nigh!

The trouble is, Alex Cronlord is the only person who knows it. She is a Weaver--one of a group of superhuman children who are able to see the future--and she can still remember the vision she had just week ago of being chased by a shambling undead horde. But that's all she's seen of the coming horror, and lately, her visions have mostly been confusing. Dead bodies in dumpsters, a strange place called "Pinnacle," and no sign of a Xorda anywhere. At least, not at first.

As Alex struggles to make sense of these bits of information, a stitch-faced assassin surfaces with a vendetta against Ainsling Cronlord, Alex's mother. Ainsling is a member of the enigmatic Wells Society, a secret order of women who genetically mutate their own children to turn them into fighters against the Xora. She is the person who gave Alex her Weaver powers. And she is the person Alex can least afford to trust.

But when the stitch-faced man steps up his campaign against the Cronlord family, Alex begins to realize she may not have a choice. As she learns the disturbing truth behind her recent visions, Alex must decide how far she is willing to go to save the world.

"It would be a great book to read as a mother with your daughters.... Oh, and anyone who likes Buffy or Angel? You really should read it." Cabin Goddess

"If you're looking for a fun summer read, you can't go wrong with this set." MyMercurialMusings.com


The Antlerbury Tales

A rogue, a bard, and a paladin walk into a tavern....

That sounds like the start of a joke, but it's actually the start of several pages full of them. This short story follows the exploits of a comically mismatched group of adventurers as they embark on a quest for The Dice, mythical objects with the power to change fate itself, and compete for the affections of a beautiful barmaid.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Pipe Woman Chronicles Release Blitz


Release Day Blitz for the 5th and Final Book in The Pipe Woman Chronicles by Lynne Cantwell

Naomi Witherspoon lives in interesting times.  At the winter solstice, she was Seized by a Native American goddess to mediate a power-sharing agreement between all the pagan gods and goddesses and the Christian God.  Then, as her relationship with her new boyfriend Fissured, she Tapped a wellspring of strength – her Native American heritage.
Now, Gravid and due any day, she must conduct the mediation of her life.  Will she succeed?  Or will it all go up in smoke?
The answers to those questions, and more, can be found in Annealed, the final installment in the Pipe Woman Chronicles, an urban fantasy series by Lynne Cantwell.

It began at the winter solstice And it ends Now. 

PWC5 - Annealed
It’s zero hour…
Naomi has just two weeks to find a new home for Joseph's grandfather. The old Ute shaman is fighting for his life against a mysterious injection of toxin he received at the hands of the Norse Trickster god Loki. If Naomi is to defeat Loki once and for all, she must learn what it is he seeks under the old man's wickiup. 
She has just one week before she must mediate between the Earth's pagan gods and goddesses and the Christian God. If her efforts fail, all of humankind will suffer the consequences.
And her baby is due any day.
In this, the fifth and final book of the Pipe Woman Chronicles, Naomi is in a race against the clock to balance the demands of her body, her family, and her friends – and she must do it while the whole world is watching.
A taste of chapter 10: Jehovah sighed. "White Buffalo Calf Pipe Woman, I concede that much of what You have said here is true. Humanity wrestles still with its baser impulses, even as it reaches for the pinnacle of its potential. Math, the sciences, engineering. I never thought they would figure out fractal theory." He chuckled. "I love My children dearly. Soon they will reach the stars. They are ever a surprise and a delight to Me." Lynne Cantwell's take on the excerpt: "Naomi has finally reached the Big Mediation -- the one between the Christian God and all the pagan gods and goddesses that the whole series has been driving toward. In this scene, White Buffalo Calf Pipe Woman has just outlined all the ways humanity has trashed God's Creation: ruining the environment, using Scripture as an excuse to treat other human races like animals, and so on. God acknowledges all of that. But it's also clear that He takes great delight in what He has created -- and He has a sense of humor, too."

About the Author: Lynne Cantwell

Lynne CantwellLynne Cantwell has been writing fiction since the second grade, when the kid who sat in front of her showed her a book he had written, and she thought, "I could do that." The result was Susie and the Talking Doll, a picture book, illustrated by the author, about a girl who owned a doll that not only could talk, but could carry on conversations. The book had dialogue but no paragraph breaks. Today, after a twenty-year career in broadcast journalism and a master's degree in fiction writing from Johns Hopkins University (or perhaps despite the master's degree), Lynne is still writing fantasy. In addition, she is a contributing author at Indies Unlimited and writes a monthly post for The Indie Exchange.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Blood Kiss Kickstarter

So today, I'm going to use this space to promote a project that is utterly not-mine. That would be Blood Kiss, an indie paranormal fantasy movie. Let's review the things about this movie that are awesome:

1.) It's Amber Benson
2.) In a role where she gets to sing (!!!)
3.) Starring opposite Neil Gaiman (yeah, THAT Neil Gaiman)
4.) In a movie written by Michael Reaves, who also wrote for Gargoyles (which might actually be the best show ever), Batman: The Animated Series, and Star Trek: The Next Generation, among others

And that's without having seen a minute of the actual movie! But if it's going to get made, it still needs $30k. Now, I could go on, waxing poetic about the need to support indies and all the awesome projects that go undiscovered because they don't have corporate backing, etc. etc. etc.

But I won't, because:
a.) That shit's boring
b.) You've heard it all before
c.) That shit's BORING
and d.) The movie stands on its own.

So come on. Chip in. You know you want to.