Today we have a guest post from Ami Blackwelder. She is here to talk about her Shifter Evolutions Saga. Some of you may remember that I reviewed The Hunted of 2060 here in Bookland awhile ago. If not, you can read that review here! Without further ado, here is Ami's post!
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The Shifters of 2040 is the third book from the shifter Evolutions saga. Third? you might ask, what happened to book 1 and 2?
The series actually begins in the middle. The reader starts with Book Three and then they chose to read the past or future next.
Interesting concept, huh?
I know each read will enjoy this six part saga, made up of Invasion of 2020, SCM of 2030, Shifters of 2040, Hybrids of 2050, Hunted of 2060, Revolution of 2060.
What is this book about?
Alaska 2040.
Three Species. Divided Lovers. The Race is on for Planet Earth.
Summary: Set in Alaska in 2040, Melissa Marn and Bruce Wilder must work under the iron fist of the SCM, while still trying to maintain humanity. Discovering a world of shifters and hybrids, the scientists must struggle with human prejudice and betrayal.
With the original ancestors, dubbed shifters, still living on earth, humans are in the midst of a fifteen year old war. As the eldest hybrids, Unseen and Diamond, learn about humans the hard way, with the loss of loved ones and sacrifices, love on planet earth proves challenging.
With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the pages.
THE PITCH:
“I’m pregnant. Her eyes peered over the edge of the cloth and confronted her mirrored reflection with that truth. I’m pregnant…by a SHIFTER. Oh, god!”
In “The Shifters of 2040,” Scientist Melissa Marn finds her world swirling on its axis with that one revelation. Shifters — a sentient alien species of light — look to Earth for refuge. In doing so, both shifters and humans are forced to confront prejudice, betrayal, adversity and oppression.
Methodical scientist, Melissa Marn, and her coworker, Dr. Bruce Wilder, conduct experiments on the shifters. Through her pregnancy, she becomes more compassionate and humane and finds herself defending the very species she’s supposed to eradicate.
One of the hybrids, Diamond, falls in love with Keenan, a soldier trained to kill her. Between the four, the reader is led from conflict to resolution, from despair to hope, from loneliness to love.
Much of the book’s originality lies in the shifters, common characters in science fiction, but whose origins are rarely explained. In this series, their alien DNA allows them to metamorphose into not just wolves, but a variety of animals. As the plot unfolds, the shifters discover they can have children with humans — hybrids.
Strengths of the novel include the complex characters, its writing style of poetic prose and rich description, and the well developed, thought-provoking, yet highly entertaining plot.
This fast paced book will appeal to the young adult and adult market. It fits nicely into the paranormal romance and science fiction romance genres and would make a great movie, a captivating TV series and an intriguing video game.
Readers will enjoy the fresh approach and original concept of the world thirty years from now, and will find the characters come to life in their minds. This story will stay with them long after they read “The End.”
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Thanks so much to Ami for stopping by! You can check out her website here.
What route I chose and why?
ReplyDeleteI began writing fiction novels at the start of 2009. I wrote short stories, poetry and non-fiction before that time. After completing my first novel The Gate of Lake Forest I pursued epublishing and found an epublisher www.ireadiwrite.com with Michelle. She accepted me and took my sequel novel Prisoners of Pride as well. I then wrote my first historical romance title The Day the Flowers Died and submitted it to Whiskey Press. They accepted it. But at that time, I was really looking into self-publishing and noticed a trend in that direction with many writers, good writers, successful writers. After learning a lot from Michelle, I decided to go my own route and said no to Whiskey Press.
I discovered something all writers should know!
epublishers, small publishers, indie publishers cannot do anything for your brand and your novel that you cannot do better. With minimal promos, they will take at least 50% of your profits.
I don't sign with publishers now unless they offer non-exclusive rights, so that I may publish/distribute with whomever and wherever I wish. The only exception to this rule is if you are accepted by a BIG-House-Publisher who is also willing to put Money behind the Promos for your book. Which usually means you need an agent.
If you can get an agent-great! Make sure they get you a good deal with a big publisher who has the vision you have so they see the potential and are willing to money where their mouth is.
Otherwise, do it yourself! You can learn!! You will have total creative freedom, get to work intimately with an editor you chose, chose the cover design you want, distribute to where you want, and get all the profits while having the ability to distribute the book as soon as you want as well as stop distribution and make changes whenever you want. No such luck with a publisher.
So, make sure you pay attention to how much you are giving up in exchange to how much you are getting before you sign the dotted line.
That is What and Why. Perhaps many of you are asking...HOW?
Tips:
Find a good editor or two! Find an illustrator or graphic artist!
Createspace.com
Lulu.com (ipad)
dtp.amazon
pubit.com
Promote on a few sites you've researched and like and build your loyal base of fans from there
Get a website on blogger, or wordpress or weebly (all for free)
Have a presence online on twitter, facebook, kindle and nook forums and pick a few more forums you like related to your book genres.
Build a fan base in your local area with distribution of your books to schools, universities, libraries, and book events everywhere! Ask and you'll be surprised how many say "yes" !
Learn more on my website: http://amiblackwelder.blogspot.com very Sunday!