Showing posts with label perilous prophecy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label perilous prophecy. Show all posts

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Leanna's 2017 Round Up! New Books, Announcements, TV Appearance and more!

2017 was a difficult year in so many ways, it was a trying time for me, my loved ones and many artists and figures I admire, but I don’t want to shortchange accomplishments of the year and provide an in-case-you-missed-it round up of my publications, features, essays and acclaim that provided many bright spots and affirmations of creativity, hope and spirit. All posts and books I mention are linked in blue for further reading and engagement.

1. I turned in the draft of MISS VIOLET AND THE GREAT WAR (Strangely Beautiful # 4) to my editor at Tor Books in February, its publication date isn’t yet set, but drawing Strangely Beautiful to a close was a heartbreaking and soulful process. I simply cannot wait to share this spirit-filled family legacy with you.

2. As many of you know, the publication journey of the Strangely Beautiful saga has been long and fraught, so the return of The Perilous Prophecy of Guard and Goddess, reissued this spring by Tor Books as PERILOUS PROPHECY was pure joy. To have it again available in print is such a blessing. This book, a prequel to the also freshly revised and reissued Strangely Beautiful, delves deeper into the myth, the magic, the tragedy and the passionate, redemptive love that I want to wrap my readers up in; bundling them with lyrical, lush prose.   
3. One of the most wonderful reviews of my work I’ve yet received, written by Shana DuBois for Barnes and Noble’s Blog, really captures what I hope readers will take from this book, penned with every ounce of my heart and soul. "There is something truly magical about Leanna Renee Hieber’s writing. Every page of Perilous Prophecy is infused with it, and it will seep into you, changing you as you read."
4. The wonderful Fantasy CafĂ©, after graciously hosting my Penny Dreadful rant last year in which I excoriated the show for its character failings and for its senselessly regressive endings, had me back for their Women in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Feature to discuss The Gothic as a sort of Canary in Fear’s Coal Mine; a discussion of psychological aspects that make the genre so important.
5. Tor.Com had me on to discuss the one book that, if I were to pick one, most changed my life. The Collected works of Edgar Allan Poe. A writer and historical figure that most profoundly made me who I am today, Poe remains an inspiration that has always helped me navigate my own rough waters…
6. In July I guest starred on The Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum! I was in what was called the "Kennedy Wedding Disaster" episode (I speak about the Eddy Brothers and 19th Century Spiritualism, one of my favorite subjects). The episode is available via YouTube or on Hulu. This was so exciting! It was such a treat to speak, for a TV audience, on a subject I know and love so well!

7. In celebration of my ETERNA FILES finale, I stopped by Terrible Minds, Chuck Wendig’s fabulous site, to talk about the Five things I learned (and relearned) writing THE ETERNA SOLUTION.

8. I stopped by the inimitable and generous John Scalzi's domain. For his WHATEVER blog I talked about The Big Idea behind the Eterna Files series as a whole.
9. This November saw the close of my Eterna Files series with THE ETERNA SOLUTION, an exciting conclusion to this Gaslamp Fantasy trilogy, showcasing the importance of localized magic and personal power to fight the last stand of a horrific, violent cabal.

I had wonderful launch parties for this book, just like I did for PERILOUS PROPHECY at Barnes and Noble West Chester, OH and the incredible Morris-Jumel Mansion in New York. Writing this book my inclusive cast of quirky characters endeared themselves to me so deeply, I was sorry to see them draw this part of their narrative to its close but I know I will see many of these fine folks again in future novels, as many of the cast will appear in upcoming books, my extant series all dovetailing in parallel worlds.
Meghan Harker wrote the loveliest review of THE ETERNA SOLUTION for Criminal Element and she put into sharp focus why I do what I do, helping fill my well to continue. "The sheer joy of reading Hieber’s work reminded me of what I strive for as an artist and the power that love and friendship have in fighting against the darkness—which, incidentally, is the culmination of her Eterna Files series."
10. I signed on for a new trilogy with Kensington Books! THE SPECTRAL CITY will release late 2018 from the new Rebel Base imprint. THE SPECTRAL CITY is a bit like if the show Medium were to meet The Alienist. The year is 1899. Eve Whitby, a talented nineteen year old Medium, daughter of Lord Denbury and Natalie Stewart of my Magic Most Foul saga, leads The Ghost Precinct; a small team of Mediums and Ghosts who help solve crimes and in some cases prevent them as Gilded Age New York City, and all its dark undercurrents, are about to tumble into a new century. Spiritualists, Escape Artists, Charlatans, Spectres and High Society all mix in heady, deadly brew. The Ghost Precinct loses its most vital spectral assets and the hunt is on for what in the world could have killed the already dead...   
As always I do many conventions and events throughout the year, check in with my Appearances page on my website and follow my Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for regular updates! Feel free to ask any questions on any of my platforms and I'll try to respond as soon as I can to any reasonable query.
Cheers, Happy Haunting and Happy New Year! May the spirits guide you beautifully into 2018!

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Barnes & Noble glowingly reviews PERILOUS PROPHECY, a Strangely Beautiful novel

Hello Darlings!

Barnes and Noble has always been a brilliant supporter of me and my work, and I couldn't be more honored by this glowing review from The Barnes and Noble Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog's review of PERILOUS PROPHECY, a Strangely Beautiful prequel.

This is a very cross-genre work that will appeal to fans of YA, Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Suspense, Gothic, and light Horror. As with all my work, it would be rated "PG-13" in content.

If you're interested in this series and haven't begun it yet, this reviewer started right here with this first edition and found it a fantastic place to start. I hope you'll join her in reading (and reviewing) this book, a testament to hope and love in dark times.

From The Barnes and Noble Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog:

"Perilous Prophecy Is a Magical Journey into a World of Power and Light.
There is something truly magical about Leanna Renee Hieber’s writing. Every page of Perilous Prophecy is infused with it, and it will seep into you, changing you as you read.

Here is the story of the goddess Persephone, imprisoned within the darkness of the Whisper-world, a place born of the misery of humankind, only able to travel to the mortal world for brief restorative periods. To maintain the Balance, a Guard chosen to fend off the dark tendrils of that other place, to prevent them taking too strong a hold on the earthly realm.

Again and again, Persephone’s murdered love, Phoenix, along with five loyal muses—Heart, Intuition, Memory, Art, and a Healer—possess six mortals who will fight as the Guard. Every cycle, the Guard takes up the fight in a different time and city. This round falls on Cairo in the 1860s.
Beatrice Smith, chosen by Phoenix, and thus the Guard leader, must cast aside self-doubt and become someone her newfound companions can depend upon. Her second-in-command, Ibrahim, Intuition’s chosen vessel, is a source of compelling strength for them all. Now able to see the ghosts infesting Cairo, the Guard must work quickly to master their gifts and prepare for the coming darkness, for an ancient prophecy has been set in motion.

At the heart of Perilous Prophecy is one of the deepest love stories I’ve encountered in fantasy in some time. Actually, there are love stories woven throughout this exquisite novel—the bond between Persephone and Phoenix is more powerful and deeper than mere mortals could ever experience, but the love we see forming between Beatrice and Ibrahim, and the fraternal love growing within the Guard itself—these are loves we mortals can only dream of experiencing. Hieber deftly wields the power of words to create a world and a calling you’ll long to experience first-hand.

Ahmed, Heart’s chosen mortal, had visions of a great war on the horizon, even before becoming a member of the Guard. Yet the joy he feels in his heart is infectious, to both his companions and the reader. Despite battling menacing ghosts and watching Persephone’s painful time in the Whisper-world, this novel is overflowing with hope and light. A prequel to Hieber’s Strangely Beautiful, it’s laced with ominous threads of a prophecy still to come. But the encroaching darkness does not weigh down the beauty of this story.
I fell in love with the cast of characters. The strength of this story is bolstered by the strength of the bonds they form. Yes, there are ghosts, but this is more a story of living people, and the choices we all must make as we navigate our lives and responsibilities. Meanwhile, Hieber captures what feels like the purest essence of 1860s Cairo through the small details that brush the senses, but also through the acknowledgement by the characters of the harsh realities a motley Guard comprised of members from European and Egyptian backgrounds might face during the 1860s.

I am delighted to admit I have not yet read Strangely Beautiful, because it means I get to read it now, and spend more time in this world.
Perilous Prophecy is available now." - Shana DuBois, Barnes and Noble

Sunday, July 2, 2017

PERILOUS PROPHECY is here! And so is ETERNA AND OMEGA in paperback!

Perilous Prophecy is here! So is Eterna and Omega in paperback and reduced price digital!
 

Overview: Winner of the Prism Award for Best Fantasy Novel

“Tells a love story with exquisite detail.”—TrueBlood.net

Cairo in the 1860s is a bustling metropolis where people from all walks of life mix and mingle, mostly in complex harmony. When evil ghosts and unquiet spirits stalk the city’s streets, the Guard are summoned—six young men and women of different cultures, backgrounds, and faiths, gifted by their Goddess with great powers.  While others of the Guard embrace their duties, their leader, British-born Beatrice, is gripped by doubt. What right has she, a bookish, sheltered, eighteen-year-old, to lead others into battle? Why isn’t dark-eyed, compelling Ibrahim, who is stronger of will than Beatrice, the one in charge? Ghosts maraud through Cairo’s streets, heralding a terrible darkness. Beatrice and her Guard have little time to master their powers; a great battle looms as an ancient prophecy roars toward its final, deadly conclusion.
This enchanting prequel to Leanna Renee Hieber's gaslamp fantasy, Strangely Beautiful, returns to print after many years, edited and revised for Tor's publication

--

If you enjoyed Strangely Beautiful, be sure not to miss this prequel, filled with love and tenderness, amidst difficulties and darkness. This book is my father's favorite of mine (and he's a distinct critic so this means something), and it has a special place in my heart as something lyrical and transcendent. I hope you'll find it moving. It gives a sense of why and how to the origin of the series. This edition was barely out in print before its original publisher closed, so please take a moment and order a copy, digital or in paperback, and please help support it as while it was critically acclaimed, it never was able to gain any audience traction or sales when first released. Order a signed copy from WORD in Brooklyn (put personalization requests in the notes of the order), Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, Amazon, or wherever books are sold. If your local library doesn't have it, request that they buy a copy for their collection! If you can post a review on Amazon or any retailer sites, it helps a lot!

ALSO out this week is the mass-market paperback edition of ETERNA AND OMEGA! The digital price is lowered to match the mass-market so be sure not to miss this thrilling sequel to the Eterna Files, where love trumps hate in a battle between epic, dark forces and localized magic on the haunted streets of New York and London in 1882. Order from Barnes and Noble or your favorite book outlet!

While you're at it, you can PRE-ORDER the finale in the ETERNA series, THE ETERNA SOLUTION, coming November 14th from Tor Books!

Thanks, feel free to share with others, and as always, happy haunting!
 

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Exclusive Perilous Prophecy Excerpts, Book Launches, Events and more!

Darlings!

Under one month away until PERILOUS PROPHECY, the Prism Award winning prequel to my acclaimed STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL saga with Tor Books! This book is lyrical and mythical, following the beleaguered and dangerous paths of The Guard, a secret band of spectral arbiters tasked with bringing Prophecy to bear in 1867 Cairo and London. Shifting between mortal and the Whisper-world of the dead, ancient vendettas come to bear in an eerie, gaslit age.

Read Exclusive Excerpts posted by THE BOOK SMUGGLERS

STEAMPUNK CAVALIERS

FANTASTY CAFE

And Now for the LAUNCH PARTIES!
JUNE 20TH, 7PM CINCINNATI, OH, STREETS OF WEST CHESTER BARNES AND NOBLE
I return to my Cincinnati Hometown Barnes and Noble on June 20th, release day, at 7pm for a reading, discussion and signing!

COME TO MY BOOK EVENTS AND BUY MY BOOK FOR MY BIRTHDAY! Release week falls on my Birthday so if you want to get me a birthday present, supporting my new book is everything I could ever ask for! If you can't make it to an event, don't worry, WORD BOOKSTORES in Brooklyn is doing signed, personalized pre-orders that will ship release day!! Order by June 18th and they'll go right out, please note any personalization requests in the notes section of the order. You're supporting a great local bookstore that is very active in the community and this very important release all in one!

JUNE 24TH - PORTLAND, OR - THE HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY CONFERENCE is open to the public for a book signing and events!

JUNE 27TH, 6:30-8:30PM, NEW YORK, NY, THE MORRIS-JUMEL MANSION - Signing, discussion and fashion presentation by Wormwood and Gall!

Hope to see you there!

Cheers, Blessings and Happy Haunting!

Thursday, March 16, 2017

PERILOUS PROPHECY signed preorders, Launch Parties and appearances!

Hello darling readers! Sorry for the lapse in updates, I've been very hard at work on two new books, the last of the Eterna Files and Strangely Beautiful sagas as originally intended- yes that means Miss Violet and The Great War- as well as working on multiple proposals for new projects! So I promise the reason I've been quiet is a good one; I've been very hard at work on very pressing deadlines on stories that I hope you'll all love as much as I do!

BUT, as PERILOUS PROPHECY will be here before you know it, I hope you'll take a moment and pre-order a copy! If you'd like it personalized, I'm very thrilled to again partner with the wonderful independent bookstore WORD in Brooklyn, NYC, a great place to support both yours truly and an incredible, vibrant and community oriented place all in one! Their kind, enthusiastic, caring staff is handling the signed preorders, just click here! If you're missing one of my Eterna Files or other Strangely Beautiful signed titles, you can order one of those too and they'll go out together!
Please note any personalization requests in the notes/comment form of the order, thanks!

If you're not one for signed preorders and want to take advantage of Barnes and Noble and Amazon's amazing sale $10 preorder pricing, go now and take advantage of the sale!

2017 Appearances Scheduled so far!

OHIOANA Book Festival
Columbus, OH
April 8th
Featured Guest & Panelist
-
Cincinnati, OH
April 27-31
Literary Director, Guest Author
-
Piscataway, NJ
May 4-7
Literary Guest
-
Laconia, NH
May 18-22
Literary Director and Guest
-
PERILOUS PROPHECY LAUNCH TOUR: Cincinnati, OH, Portland, OR and New York City! There will be a chance for each of you fine cities to get a signed copy IN PERSON at one of my three launch events!

June 20th, 7pm at Barnes and Noble West Chester, OH (Streets of West Chester Complex):
Hometown Book Launch!
This is always an incredible party, where I'll do a little theatrical reading, answer a little questions, do a lotta signing, and we all enjoy some wonderful company!

June 24th, Open-to-the-Public Book-signing of the Historical Novel Society Conference:
Portland, OR
Portland Hilton: 621 SW 6th Avenue
Readers Festival begins at 12:15
Booksigning: 3:30-5:15

June 27th, 6:30 at the Morris-Jumel Mansion, New York City:
My Morris-Jumel Mansion Launch Parties have become the stuff of Legend!
Come visit NYC's oldest mansion (a haunted one, no less), drink wine and devour food, listen to a theatrical reading, enjoy a fashion presentation and launch of the Perilous Prophecy additions to the Strangely Beautiful line curated by Wormwood and Gall, get a copy of Perilous Prophecy signed, hear local ghost stories and more!
6:30 Reception begins
7:00 Reading and Fashion Presentation
7:30 Book Signing and House Tours
Tickets are $15 at the door, $10 if utilizing a Group Discount, proceeds go to the ongoing restoration process of this incredible historic treasure. Ticket includes wine and food!

Motor City Steam Con
Detroit, MI
July 14-16
Literary Guest, Panelist

DRAGONCON
Atlanta, GA
Labor Day Weekend
Guest, Panelist

More to come: See You There!

--
In Case You Missed It:
If you missed my over-the-holidays reissue of A Christmas Carroll: A Strangely Beautiful novella, it's out now in digital and trade paperback!
--
I've also joined Instagram! http://instagram.com/leannareneehieber
-
I'll be back soon with some insights on events and more this year, cheers and stay tuned for excerpts from PERILOUS PROPHECY as we count down to the release!

Blessings and as always,

Happy Haunting!

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

PERILOUS PROPHECY: A Strangely Beautiful series prequel is up for Pre-Order via Barnes & Noble!

DARLINGS! Behold! The gorgeous, spectacular cover of PERILOUS PROPHECY, A Strangely Beautiful Novel, the prequel previously known as The Perilous Prophecy of Guard and Goddess has now arrived. Newly revised and refreshed, Barnes & Noble did an exclusive cover reveal and it is NOW AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER! Releasing 6/20/17 from Tor Books! Isn't it beautiful! Be sure to preorder a copy in trade paperback or digital!