Amazing press for THE SPECTRAL CITY!

Hello dear readers! It's been a great week for THE SPECTRAL CITY, my new Gothic, Gaslamp Fantasy / Supernatural Suspense series! I'm SO thrilled that THE SPECTRAL CITY has been resonating with my steadfast readers familiar with my work as well as new kindred spirits; welcome!

Some lovely SPECTRAL CITY praise so far:

THE SPECTRAL CITY was named an editors pick in Supernatural Suspense by the site BookBub! BookBub joins the sites i09 and Smart Bitches in naming THE SPECTRAL CITY as a book not to miss this season!

Read The Gothic Library's full, rave review: "A New Generation of Gothic Heroines"

"The Big Apple loves its haunts, and Hieber’s work is both haunted and haunting, her spectral characters as developed as those of flesh and ink." - Jaden Terrell for International Thriller Writers

"Personable cast, snappy prose and intriguing premise.” —Publishers Weekly"The product of Leanna Renee Hieber's fascination with the spiritual world and the nooks and crannies of the city that never sleeps, The Spectral City is The Alienist with Ghost Detectives. You get 1890s New York rendered in fine detail, from the sconces around the lamps to the one and only Teddy Roosevelt, but the book also features a smart heroine working with a team of tragic, believable ghosts. There is texture on every page and it's a delight to read." —Jason Henderson, author of the Alex Van Helsing series

"You can tell that Hieber has written a number of paranormal books because her world building was excellent. I loved the amount of historical research and facts she added into this story." - The Lit Bitch

Over at Unbound Worlds I'm really proud of this essay I wrote about how my theatre training informs my fiction. I write about how throwing yourself off balance can create a visceral and incredible character arc, realized and put in practice from my classical and avant-garde theatre training, read my craft insight and advice here!

Interviews:

I had an incredible media tour speaking with radio outlets around the country about the new series, inspiration, my hopes for this series and also sharing some writing advice. One of my favorite interviews was with Travis on Boston's WPKZ radio, you can listen to the interview here.

I'm featured on this month's cover of International Thriller Writers' magazine! What an honor to be next to these industry titans like David Baldacci! In this interview, I discuss craft, inspiration, 19th century issues and more! Read it here.

You can see launch party photos, my favorite quotes from the book and more over on my Instagram.

Tantor Audio has THE SPECTRAL CITY, narrated by the acclaimed, award-winning narrator Tavia Gilbert, available for a wonderful download price of only $6.99! The eBook across platforms is only $3.99!

Cheers and Happy Haunting!

Support The Spectral City via

Barnes and Noble
Audio book via Tantor Audio
Amazon
IndieBound
Kobo

Kirkus Recommends Eterna and Omega, Booksmugglers Giveaway, Launch Parties and more!

Hello Darlings!

I'm thrilled Kirkus Reviews noted ETERNA & OMEGA as an August release not to miss! And I'm in with some incredible company, like Mary Robinette Kowal's GHOST TALKERS, which is a brilliant novel that I utterly adore and I think all of my readership will feel the same way.

And the fine folks at THE BOOKSMUGGLERS have hosted an exclusive video where I discuss my passions for the Victorian era and share some ETERNA tidbits. Plus, Tor Books is hosting a giveaway! Please enjoy these links and go enter to win!

Upcoming Appearances / Launch Parties:

I'm reporting in from the final Authors After Dark convention in Savannah, GA, this convention is so filled with wonderful readers and authors, its always like a family reunion. If you're in the area and not already an attendee, come to the open-to-the-public signing on Saturday from 12-4pm! I'll have Eterna Files, Strangely Beautiful, AND Eterna & Omega available to sign, as well as some of my jewelry!

AUGUST 9TH: Cincinnati, OH, 7PM

Hometown launch at Barnes & Noble West Chester, OH (The Streets of West Chester) 7pm, reading, signing, refreshments, after-party!

AUGUST 11TH: New York City, 7PM

The incredible Morris-Jumel Mansion, New York's oldest house (where Aaron Burr lived, calling all Hamilton geeks!) has recently been restored, and you simply must join us for a grand night of ETERNA & OMEGA reading, signing, the debut of the Eterna-inspired accessory line from Wormwood & Gall, wine, soda, food, ghost stories and a tour of the mansion. Tickets are $15 at the door, and ETERNA & OMEGA will be sold at a discount! Proceeds will go to the mansion's ongoing restoration fund. Please come in your finest Gothic, Neo-Victorian or Fantastical, Steampunk attire to be entered into Wormwood & Gall's costume contest with great prizes!

Can't join us in person? Procure signed copies at WORD BOOKSTORE in Brooklyn, an incredible independent bookstore that is vital to the community and to authors in kind! Please note how you would like the book personalized in the notes / comments section!

Don't forget to check out my FREE Eterna Files prequel novella, THE SPARK! And share with friends to get them hooked on this series!

Cheers and Happy Haunting!

The Eterna Files (Book 1) in paperback is here! With praise!

Happy Paperback Release, THE ETERNA FILES!

Hello Darling Readers! The mass-market paperback edition of THE ETERNA FILES is now available wherever books are sold!

 

In celebration of this happy release week, and the fact that the sequel ETERNA & OMEGA is available for pre-order, I thought I'd share some very nice, lovely things reviewers and magazines have said about THE ETERNA FILES, book one in the Eterna Files trilogy with Tor Books:

 

"Hieber blends historical fact and paranormal fiction with ease, creating a world that is lush and fascinatingly strange, and reveals her secrets sparingly, keeping fans on edge for more information about these intriguingly powerful characters and the ties that bind them. Smart, boundlessly creative gaslamp fantasy." - RT Book Reviews

“A very different but unique book that definitely had me turning the pages wondering what would happen next. A very good start to what looks like a promising series.” – Books of Love

The Eterna Files is an intriguing tale of ghosts, spirits, the occult, politics, and espionage with complex and engaging characters.  Leanna Renee Hieber has brought the Victorian world to life in her novel.  The world in which her characters reside in is both romantic and terrifying.  The late nineteenth-century was on the precipice of immense change--a change that was both intoxicating and terrifying, which is reflected within the novel.  Leanna Renee Hieber knows her history and employs her knowledge well in her novel.  The Eterna Files simply crackles with the energy of the era, and is a haunting, lush, and intelligent fantasy.” – Michelle Hamilton, author of “I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears”: Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln’s White House

“It’s always a pleasure for me to read something that’s not quite like anything I’ve read before. The Eterna Files is just such a book. There are ghosts and murders and kidnappings and dark magic and all kinds of other gothic goings on. Hieber’s prose is well wrought and seductive, and her knowledge of the Victorian era is formidable. The Eterna Files is a darkly gothic concoction, mixing mystery, horror and romance… well worth your time.” – Singular Points

“Addicted. I am officially addicted to Leanna Renee Hieber’s writing. I fell in love with The Eterna Files from the very first page. Hieber has a wonderful way of creating rich historical worlds that draw you in and keep you enthralled. It is difficult to imagine the days when America and Great Britain were enemies, but [the setting] is barely a hundred years after the Revolution and both countries are hunting the same prize. It is easy to see how both would see each other as the enemuy and not the ally they are today. If you love a mystery, gothic fiction, and an all-around good story, you need to read this book.” – RoseReads

"Excellent first installment in a unique new series. Hieber expertly blends intriguing supernatural elements and interesting, quirky characters in an authentic historical setting. Readers who enjoy a skillful mixture of history and paranormal elements will be well pleased." - Carol Malcom for Bitten by Books

 

"An interesting blend of genres with a unique premise." - The BiblioSanctum

"A case study in cliff-hangers. Hieber crafts a wonderful Victorian sandbox to play in, draping it in the fineries of the paranormal and mystical. The Eterna Files is a terrific ride set in a world that you'll want to return to. Fans of all things mystical, Victorian and goth need apply posthaste." - Pop Kernal

"A wonderful premise. Hieber is a great writer! I love her prose; it's romantic, detail oriented, atmospheric and very intelligent." - Talk Supe

"Rich in conceits as anything from Alan Moore, Hieber’s novel mixes action and the emotional lives of its characters into a fascinating stew." - Paul Di Filippo for Asimov's Magazine

“Extremely descriptive; the supernatural plot is intriguing. The author has offered up a rainbow of characters, from the guilt-ridden to the intellectual to the satirical, which will have readers champing at the bit for more.” – Suspense magazine

“Hieber carves out a chillingly reimagined Gilded Age in careful detail.”  - Kirkus Reviews

“The alternating plotlines seem equally urgent, riddled by murders and bearing the taint of madness. Both settings take the time to introduce a fascinating array of offbeat characters.” Faren Miller, Locus

“An incredibly gripping Holmesian gothic story with supernatural undertones that will send a cold shiver down your spine on the hottest of days. I felt instantly close to the main characters on both sides of the battle as the darkening plot twists whisked me toward the thrilling and emotional end. An engaging, fast-paced, mystery-laden story.” – The Found Girl

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I'm very grateful for the lovely praise. I know the cliff-hanger ending of this novel has made some folks very nervous, don't worry, it will all be revealed soon as the series continues in just a few months!

If you aren't already aware, characters from my Magic Most Foul saga as well as my Strangely Beautiful saga appear prominently throughout the Eterna Files trilogy so be prepared to welcome back old friends to new terrors! (The poor dears!)  

I truly hope you'll all go out and support the book in paperback, digital or hardcover edition this week if you haven't already. (Thank you from the bottom of my spooky heart to all of you who have supported the book so far!) The first week's sales of any release are the most important and examined sales numbers we receive, so your support is extra appreciated these release weeks, though it is appreciated and vital at any time. If you like my work, please tell friends, family and like-minded readers as word of mouth is the backbone of any author's career! I have the best readers in the world and I want everyone to know it!

My convention season starts at the end of this month with the fabulous ANACHROCON in Atlanta, hope to see some of you there!

Thank you, bless you, and as always, happy haunting! - Leanna Renee

 

 

Happy New Year! Via Criminal Element, My Thoughts on Penny Dreadful, Crimson Peak and the Importance of Dreadpunk and The New Gothic

Happy 2016 everyone! May your year be beautifully spooky!

I've been in the throes of deadlines, having three - count them three - releases this year, the paperback edition of THE ETERNA FILES coming 2/2/16 (currently on a sweet discount via Amazon and Barnes & Noble), then the reissue of STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL books 1 and 2 in a new volume with new scenes and content, then the ETERNA sequel, ETERNA & OMEGA, coming this August! Whee! I'm involved in just as many other jobs in the arts as ever, so I'll try to keep you all posted as best I can. I've lots of convention appearances already scheduled on my Appearance page, so have a look.

I'm thrilled to have returned to writing some posts for Macmillan's CRIMINAL ELEMENT site, where I previously chronicled my love for things like Anne Perry, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and MI-5.

Due to my career in writing Gothic novels, I recently had the opportunity to speak at length about the importance of The New Gothic, explain a bit of what the new term "Dreadpunk" is all about, and why the show Penny Dreadful and the film Crimson Peak are vital pieces in the new mainstream, so hop on over to Criminal Element and check out this dark-and-stormy-night kind of post.

And STAY TUNED, because in the coming weeks I'm going to have multiple posts in which my ETERNA FILES characters will answer readers' questions as we count down until the mass-market paperback edition release. I'll be doing multiple giveaways of signed copies this month, beginning and ending here with a few blog tour stops to chat with some Gothic and Historical enthusiasts! More details soon, in the meantime, as always, cheers and happy haunting!

Leanna
Your Fairy Gothmother...
THE ETERNA FILES
STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL
MAGIC MOST FOUL

Booklist has lovely words for Twisted Tragedy!

It's always exciting when the major publishing industry publications weigh in on your novel. 2013 is starting off with some lovely gems!

Booklist gives The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart a lovely review!

The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart

By Leanna Renee Hieber, 2012. 336p. Sourcebooks, paper, $8.99 (9781402262036)

"In this second Magic Most Foul novel (Darker Still, 2011), Natalie Stewart has gained her voice and Jonathon Denbury is alive, his soul rescued from a painting by Natalie's newly discovered magical powers. Escaping to Minnesota upon Mrs. Northe's advice, the young couple experiences a few days of happiness before Jonathon decides to avoid the ominous Dr. Preston by returning to London, where he dons the visage of his doppelganger to solve the mystery of his murdered family. Hieber's second YA novel is filled with bizarre evil: a resurrectionist doctor who collects severed hands; a dark, foreboding actor who inserts himself between Natalie and Jonathon in her nightmares; and a deaf-mute friend who hears the tormented spirits of the dismembered dead. Readers, who will benefit from a prior reading of the first book in the series, will enjoy not only the dark, supernatural mystery and then-daring romance but also the Victorian setting of elegant houses, beautiful gowns, and historical yet surprisingly contemporary New York City." - Frances Bradburn

DARKER STILL: ON THE ROAD!



Photo Credit: Jenny at Supernatural Snark



Goodness. What a whirlwind. I think I say that about every book tour, but no, seriously... what a whirlwind. See, I've been going non-stop since World Fantasy Convention at the end of October, right into Strangely Beautiful the musical staged reading rehearsals and performance (it went very well, thank you very much, as soon as I have more specifics I'll tell you but this is not that blog post) and right DIRECTLY the next day into DARKER STILL release day and tour. Whee! (Yes, I'm tired and a little punchy.)

First off, we kicked it all off in NYC. I spoke to school librarians, did stock signings, various bouncings about the city and then we launched at WORD Bookstore in Brooklyn. Which rocks. I mean, it's kind of the best bookstore ever, run by the best people ever. Author and fellow Sourcebooks sister, the awesome Zoraida Cordova did a great RECAP HERE where you can see me in all my regalia and whatnot.



Wall O' Hieber!



Then? Home! Ohio, the land of my birth, and my hometown Barnes and Noble (B & N West Chester) that always takes care of me. A wall of me, in fact, as you see there to your left. I was beyond thrilled that NYT Bestselling author Lori Foster stopped by, Lori not only hosts an amazing conference every year, but she took the time to come and support me at my signing and that meant the world to me. She is one class act, I tell you, and a damn fine author. As many of you know, I am an actress. So the very best part of the whole presentation for me is to read aloud from my work. Accents and all. One of these days I might write a hero who isn't British. Today is not that day. Tomorrow, neither. I've got British heroes stacked up for the next few books, it's a compulsion, what can I say? :)

Hanna of the awesome shirts & talent

And two extremely talented writer gals who I love to cheerlead in their writing journeys, Hanna and Lizzy, were there at the hometown launch to make the night special. Hanna sported one of her amazing shirts she creates for the signings (it's become tradition, and I love it! Lord Denbury is rather flattered too). Thanks also to Hanna and family for the pictures left and above. Huge thanks to Edgewood teachers and alum who made it out to see me, you all mean more to me than I can say. And an extra extra special thanks to my best friend Marijo who came to all of my events and heard all the readings (along with my parents) multiple times. I know, I'm spoiled, they're good to me.

Percy & Alexi by Grace W.

I had the opportunity to do three signings in my home state, the next day I was at Joseph Beth in Cincinnati, (shout-out to my fave Steampunk designer, Angie of Festooned Butterfly, for making it out) and received a VERY special surprise. Remember the awesome artwork of Percy and Alexi I featured on this blog? Grace is from Ohio and I didn't put 2 and 2 together at first, I was too busy complimenting her gorgeous cameo and style, until I was signing the book "To Grace," and she slid this utterly magnificent drawn and painted picture of Percy and Alexi to me upon the signing table. My jaw dropped as I looked at their beautiful adorable-ness in their winter best. "Oh! You're THAT Grace!" I cried, and jumped up to hug her, and said to the crowd of friends, "remember the artist who rendered Percy and Alexi?" (friends and family nodded) This is her!" And I showed off my latest prize and there were lots of 'ooohs' and 'aaahhs'. It's so beautiful! It's now framed on my wall. What an amazing signing present! Such talent!

No rest for the wicked, it was back on a plane to NYC to participate in an amazing panel on fantastical literature at the incomparable Books of Wonder alongside luminaries like Tamora Pierce and Delia Sherman. I had such an amazing time and the store was packed and the crowd was fantastic! Ron Hogan of Shelf Awareness did a fabulous wrap-up of the event. It has always been a dream of mine since I've been in NYC to sign at that store, and with such stars as Tamora Pierce and Delia Sherman by my side, what an honour! (Books of Wonder has all the authors' signed books from this event available for sale!)
In Ohio again, my Dayton signing at Books & Co. was made all the more lovely by the amazing teens I met that day doing presentations at Oakwood Junior and Senior High; some of the most engaging and interesting students I'd ever met. In my first session, there were so many hands raised with awesome questions, I wanted to steal them all and take them with me to any school event I ever do. Some of those eager and intelligent faces showed up that night to the signing, braving a massive rainstorm to do so! The evening at was also made utterly fabulous by the appearance of three of my fave bloggers! Colette of A Buckeye Girl Reads, Dani of Refracted Light and Jenny aka  "Miss Snark" over at Supernatural Snark, click here for an awesome rundown and fab pictures. She's quite a talented photographer, as you can see from that gorgeous first picture!

Then, off to Milwaukee, Chicago and the Twin Cities all in the next three days. It's a bit of a blur, but I was warmed and inspired by talking to two groups of students at Cudahy High School and was thrilled to see some awesomely enthusiastic young folks turn up at my signing that evening at the Cudahy Library along with the "in laws" and my awesomely supportive parner (I really couldn't do all this without him). Then it was an Amtrak train into Union Station, and on to stock signings around and about Chicago, signing the next night at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville. Thanks to the Sourcebooks team for coming out and being supportive and awesome as usual). Cheers and thanks to several high school and to fellow writer/RWA friends in Chicago, blessings and good author Karma to fabulous YA author Stacey Kade for making a two-hour trip to come support the event, and to TRUE-BLOOD.NET for coming in (Mel from a distance) and being AWESOME as usual, but this time in person. Which made it even awesomer! Thanks for the lovely Tweets about the event!

Then the next day it was off to Minnesota sign stock all over the Twin Cities with a reading and signing at The Bookcase in Wayzata, where book blogger and engaging young author Rachel Bongart brought a group of AWESOME fellow writers and readers, the night was made extra special by Rachel and her friends, I was inspired by their drive and story ideas, there's nothing more I love than to see talented young women passionate about storytelling. Kindred spirits, for sure. We all had a great chat about process, ideas, the business, etc, along with Twin Cities friends from my years in area theatre, including members of the Scribblerati Writers' Group. Keep an eye on these writers, they're going places.

Where am I going right now? To take a nice long nap would be nice. But there's no end in sight, really, I've books to write, a musical to revise and deadlines approacheth! Here are the places around and about the country where I have, in the past week, signed stock of Darker Still - if you're in these areas and missed me in person, at least you can pick up a signed book!

Ohio: Barnes and Noble Dayton Mall, Barnes and Noble Beavercreek, Barnes and Noble Kenwood Cincinnati, B and N Newport KY (Only had 1 left on 11/13), Books and Co. Dayton
Milwaukee: B and N Mayfair Mall, B and N Brookfield Mall, B and N Greenfield,
Chicago Area: Barnes and Noble at State and Elm Chicago, Magic Tree Bookstore in Oak Park, Barnes and Noble Oakbrook Center, Barnes and Noble Bolingbrook at The Promenade, Barnes and Noble Naperville, Anderson's Bookshop Naperville
Twin Cities Area: Barnes and Noble Mall of America, Red Balloon in St. Paul (only 1 left), B and N Highland Park, B and N Calhoun Village, Wild Rumpus in Minneapolis, B and N at the Galleria in Edina, B and N Eden Prairie Mall, B and N Ridgehaven Mall
New York City: All Manhattan and Brooklyn Barnes and Nobles, WORD, Books of Wonder, Posmans Grand Central (on 11/22)

Support your Indies! Two great places to get a signed copy of DARKER STILL:
WORD has kindly agreed to keep their special order page up!

BOOKS OF WONDER, the best Children's/YA bookstore in all the land, has a healthy stack of signed books they'd love to get into your hands. With DARKER STILL landing on the Indie Next List, I am reminded how important our independent booksellers are to the life of a new series taking its first steps into the world, and I'm very grateful for them.

And yes, ladies, my invention of the word "Denburylicious" has spawned quite the life on Twitter, prompting Sourcebooks to make a badge. The #Denburylicious blog badge has been quite popular among you (and among a few gentlemen as well) and if you want your own, feel free to lift this here, just please link the image to a bookstore of your choice selling Darker Still! And while you're at it, drop @SourcebooksFire a line on Twitter telling them how much you love it, they did a great job.

Speaking of great things, I'm sorry, but how much do I love this really and utterly fabulous and featured review on SHELF AWARENESS? The reviewer really understands the layers and levels I'm working on. This review is a real honour and is so encouraging as I continue on with the series.

Thanks, dear readers! Stay tuned, I promised a fabulous young lady at the signing at Anderson's that I'd post my DARKER STILL playlist! Coming soon!

Happy reading, happy haunting!




Shop Indie Bookstores

DARKER STILL in Seventeen, the Indie Next List and More!

Shop Indie BookstoresWhat a banner week for Darker Still: A Novel of Magic Most Foul!

First, it's been chosen as a recommended buy by the American Book Association as part of their "Indie Next" list, for the 2011/2012 Kids/YA winter season! YAY! DARKER STILL has also been chosen for Scholastic Book Clubs and also sold Chinese (complex) translation rights via Taiwan!

Then it got an amazing review in SEVENTEEN MAGAZINE!

Then it was featured on the Barnes & Noble Homepage!! (I'm not sure how long this will be up, but as of yesterday, it was. Very excited. Listed under "Cool Books" next to Ms. Oates & Didion. Pretty darn good company! You'll find it these next few weeks on the TOP TEEN PICKS Shelves at B&N! Yay!)

LAST CALL on Preorders! If I won't see you on BOOK TOUR then please get a signed copy of the book via a fabulous independent NYC bookstore, WORD in Brooklyn! Here's the link to Preorder, I'm signing everything this weekend so they need to get their last orders in today so that they'll go out first thing next week!

Here's my DARKER STILL TOUR SCHEDULE! See if Darker Still is coming to a town near you!

Thanks to everyone for your support! I've a bunch of amazing reviews and fun interviews that I've been linking via Twitter and Facebook! I really appreciate the blogging community as a whole, my beautiful Apocalypsies Debut Team, and a bunch of new YA blogger friends who have helped give this book a nice, sweet buzz!

Blessings and as Natalie would tell you... "Find your voice..."

Perilous Prophecy's First Reviews, Steamy Screens and Tour Schedule!

True-Blood.Net weighs in: Updates and goodness! Firstly, I'm beside myself about what True-Blood.Net has to say about The Perilous Prophecy of Guard and Goddess. True-Blood.Net has been a fan of the Strangely Beautiful series from the first, but their support is never given blindly, especially not with a book like this - as so many things can go wrong with prequels... But thankfully, it seems to have quite satisfied! Read the Review - Enter the Contest! True-Blood.Net is kindly sponsoring a Perilous Prophecy giveaway to go along with their amazing words!

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Top Scores: Huge thanks to Grace at Livre de Amour for being the very first to review Perilous Prophecy! 5 out of 5 hearts! (Read the Review).

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The Next Event: NYC! Steamy Screens! April 17th! 4pm! Come on down to a) the coolest bar in NYC, The Way Station, b) support great art & Steampunk projects i.e. The Steampunk Picture Show! d) literary fun: hear an exclusive teaser for The Perilous Prophecy of Guard and Goddess! e) hang with awesome authors like Stella Price and PJ Schnyder and me - and awesome musical acts! Support Steampunk film-making and support us authors while you're at it. You don't want to miss it! View the Invite!

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'Round the Interwebs: Sarah at Pomegranate Ink has lovely thoughts about The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker and what the heck I'm trying to do with the Strangely Beautiful series. She really gets me, bless her, and gets the series. It might be because she rocks the Gothic herself - (please read "Ptomaine" I love it so much... ) I sure appreciate it when I'm not alone.

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Release Week Blog Tour! The Perilous Prophecy Haunted London Blog Tour schedule is posted on the website! Ghost stories, excerpts and giveaways! Join us RELEASE DAY - May 3rd - and all release week for new teasers, giveaways and ghosties!

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Events around the country! I'll be in many states in a small amount of days come the end of this month and into next... Check the BookTour page ... For up-to-the-minute info on the goings on, events, and out-and-about-ness, follow me on Twitter and at the Facebook page... -

A fluffy animal... Because that's sometimes what this is all about too... Cheers!

"A Christmas Carroll" reviews & digital vendor updates for A MIDWINTER FANTASY!

My kind and awesome friends at True-Blood.Net weigh in on "A Christmas Carroll" (Strangely Beautiful 2.5)!

From True-Blood.Net:

"Leanna Renee Hieber is one of our favorite authors here at True-Blood.net. We were introduced to her with her wonderful paranormal romance novel, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, and then The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker. Now Leanna is taking us through the holidays with another heartwarming story in the short story, “A Christmas Carroll”, part of the A Midwinter Fantasy anthology.

Readers of Leanna’s Miss Percy books are already familiar with the lonely headmistress, Rebecca Thompson, and the cheerful, lovesick vicar, Michael Carroll. Rebecca has been in love with Alexi Rychman since first meeting him one haunted night on a bridge in 1800′s London. Michael has loved Rebecca from afar for just as long. Can these two find their heart’s desire? In “A Christmas Carroll”, Rebecca takes a journey into heartbreak and guilt that brings her to the very edge of a world she does not yet belong to, but may never let her leave. With the help of some ‘old friends’, Rebecca faces her guilt and her fears, finally letting her see and accept the love that’s been right in front of her.

Michael is taken on a similar journey, but he must face the heavy mantle of his own guilt and self worth before he takes on the strength of his love for Rebecca. These two stricken hearts are helped and protected by Percy and the Old Guard, including one with a very special Christmas gift for her friends.

This story handles love and its heartaches and triumphs with such gifted tenderness. It’s not often that a book can make me cry, but this one did. However, Leanna is so good to her readers that she never leaves us with sad and hopeless feelings. This is the magic of her books. “A Christmas Carroll” is one of three novellas found in the anthology, A Midwinter Fantasy. The two other stories included in this book are “The Worth of a Sylph” by L. J. McDonald and “The Crystal Crib” by Helen Scott Taylor."

Thanks True-Blood.Net!
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Also please check out Poisoned Rationality's beautiful "A Christmas Carroll" review - it's such a beautifully penned review, and I'm grateful! Thank you, Lexie!
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A Midwinter Fantasy is available as an eBook via the following vendors:

Barnes & Noble
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All Romance eBooks
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Books on Board
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Amazon
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Read an exclusive Alexi / Percy excerpt from "A Christmas Carroll" over at BABBLING ABOUT BOOKS AND MORE!
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You can find an excerpt from Chapter One in the previous post. Cheers!

A Midwinter Fantasy

September 28th, 2010

"A Christmas Carroll" : (Strangely Beautiful #2.5)

Headmistress Rebecca Thompson and Vicar Michael Carroll share in a ghostly, most Dickensian experience, one to warm the coldest of hearts in the darkest night of the year. Join the Headmistress, Vicar Carroll, Professor and Mrs. Rychman, the whole cast and crew of The Guard, plus a few familiar ghostly agents of divine intervention in, "A Christmas Carroll" featured in Dorchester's A Midwinter Fantasy anthology. I'm so excited. Isn't the cover beautiful?

Darkly Luminous love across the interwebs!

* Lovely words from bestselling author Alethea Kontis, reviewing for Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show !

* Maryse's Book Blog

* Thanks to The Book Faery who has awarded both The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker AND The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker the Faerie of Honor! I am thrilled to be a reigning Fey champion here, what an honour indeed!

* And WOW what an in-depth, fabulous review of Darkly Luminous from Christine at PopSyndicate!

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As soon as A Midwinter Fantasy goes on pre-order I'm running a contest for a Doubleday hardcover edition of The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, so stay tuned!

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Light the Darkness!

It's Release Day!

Go forth into the world this day and procure a copy of The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker! Huzzah!
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My CONTEST launches today... DETAILS

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The DARKLY LUMINOUS HAUNTED LONDON BLOG TOUR continues... See the Schedule
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Latest reviews and interviews (note which ones contain giveaways)

Interview at Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Books (one of my fave interviews, with unexpected questions)

Interview at Larissa's Bookish Life (includes giveaway)

Lovely Darkly Luminous review at Anna's Book Blog (includes giveaway)

Interview at Darkly Reading (includes giveaway)

Gorgeous Review at Smokin' Hot Books (includes giveaway)

Charming review at Buckeye Girl Reads - I love how this review is organized

THANKS to these wonderful bloggers and reviewers that I've been linking to these past weeks and will continue to link to as more posts go up - they have given me their time, their energy, are participating in all sorts of release week and Blog Tour festivities with me - They are the reason Strangely Beautiful has flown boldly out into the world and they are such a blessing to me.

THANKS in advance for your support release week! You'll find The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker out in all your major bookstores, likely on Borders new paperback tables and definately on Barnes & Noble's "New Paperback" towers!

LIGHT THE DARKNESS!

Darkly Luminous love...

Ohio sure is keeping me busy! I've spoken to classrooms all over southern Ohio and made a bit of time to visit my Cincinnati Shakespeare Company cohorts and see Tony Kushner's Angels in America in a stunning production at the Know Theatre of Cincinnati.

The Reviews are pouring in! The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker's recent highlights:

THANKS Mel and Liz at True-Blood.Net, the Original Fansite of HBO's True Blood for again proving to be such champions of Miss Percy. (And for being in love with Alexi. Not like he needs the extra ego... But it flatters the author...) They're doing a book giveaway in addition to having written such lovely reviews as these:

From Mel:
"Book two of the trilogy is as beautifully written and intricately plotted as the first, providing a gripping story that’s alternately heart warming, thrilling, sad, funny, romantic, and generally wonderful." ... "Reviewing the Strangely Beautiful series is such a challenge because it not only defies description (is there a word for romance-mystery-Victorian-mythological-gothic-adventure?), but the story is so densely woven that to reveal almost any detail is to spoil something else. Here’s the gist: I cannot recommend this book, this series, or this author enough. If you love a good story, if exquisite writing is your thing, if you want to laugh and cry and feel when you read, then join me in being completely lost to Miss Percy."
From Liz:
"Have you ever read a book that literally filled you up? This book has everything to meet your literary needs: mystery, joy, sweetness, terror and sadness." ... "The story’s climax is everything you could expect from Hieber. Terrifying and heartbreaking and as is always the case in war, costly. Leanna Renee Hieber is an artist and her words paint masterpieces, but don’t take my word for it. Read both books yourself and see if you can escape her magic. I’m betting you’ll be just as enchanted as I am, but fair warning – Alexi is mine, stolen from Ms. Hieber when she wasn’t looking."

-- Alexi has his dance card quite filled, it would seem, come next year's Academy ball...

Thanks to Stacey at Publisher's Weekly Beyond Her Book for this great blurb:
"What I loved the most about this gorgeously written installment of Percy’s tale was witnessing our heroine’s journey from a timid girl to a confident woman. A close second was the peek I got into the lives of the other members of the guard and their predecessors. Leanna’s way of making these characters seem real makes their life and death struggle against the forces of evil that much more compelling. I cannot wait to see what this talented writer does next." - Stacey for PW's BHB

The Darkly Luminous love continues - Thanks to these wonderful reviewers for their valuable time and their kind words:

Fantasy Literature

Smexy Books

Brooke Reviews

Book Faery

Darkly Reading

Lurv a la Mode

Passionate Booklover

Tuesday, April 27th is release day! You know I'll so dearly appreciate your support during that critical time that is release week! The books will be easy to find on Barnes & Noble's new paperback towers and on the new paperback tables around Borders.

Cheers and blessings!

Counting down!

Oh my goodness, it’s two weeks until release day!

I’ve been keeping quite busy, between work on set and in the media tour studio where I had one of the best days ever with Queen Latifah who is straight up the coolest, most wonderful woman EVER – I mean, Tim Gunn, Queen Latifah – I’m getting SO spoiled by awesome celebrities. I was also got paid to ice skate all day in Central Park while filming a day on The Dark Fields. I love my side jobs.

And I love my next book. The Darkly Luminous race begins!
Beginning April 26th the Darkly Luminous Haunted London Blog Tour begins! Come along for the tour to learn about all the real ghost stories I use in the book and read exclusive excerpts! And there’s a new giveaway each day! See the schedule.

I’ll be heading home to Ohio in a week, where I’ll be speaking to my alma maters Edgewood High School (where I get to see one of my favourite young and talented authors Sammi) and Miami University, and also at Lebanon School, where I get to see another of my favourite young authors Hanna – a writing tournament winner who single-handedly lobbied to bring me in to her school and has been running quite the countdown to release day. She rocks.) And then I get to have a party in my hometown Barnes & Noble on April 27th. Then it’s the RT Booklovers Convention! Then it’s back to New York for more events. Then Jersey! Then Arizona! Then the world! *giddy exhaustion just thinking about it*

Strangely Beautiful and Darkly Luminous Honours:
1. I got the call that The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker is a finalist in the “Mainstream Novel with Romantic Elements” category of the Write Touch Awards! Yay!

2. AND The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker ALSO finaled in the 2010 Orange County Book Buyer’s Best Awards! Go Percy go!

3. The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker gets 4 stars from RT Book Reviews Magazine! The review:
"The second book in the Strangely Beautiful series is delightful. This ghostly, Victorian fantasy is well written with a unique mythology. An intriguing and atmospheric tale with an enchanting romance that is finally consummated. Readers should start with book one to get a feel for the haunting backstory." - Reviewed by Gail Pruszkowski

Other lovely Darkly Luminous reviews on the web:
4. Truth, Beauty, Freedom and Books
5. Larissa’s Life

More beautiful Strangely Beautiful reviews on the web:
6. Parajunkee's View
7. Book Faery
8. My Blog 2.0

In life news:
Congratulations to my beloved and fabulous author friend Marianne Mancusi and her wonderful husband, Jacob Beach. Traveling to Texas for her beautiful wedding and seeing the bluebonnets in bloom across the countryside was magic. Pure magic. I love these two. AND THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAN DANCING GOTH AT A RECEPTION! This is the second time VNV Nation’s “Beloved” has been put onto a wedding playlist because I was in attendance. I’m going for a record.

Leanna’s upcoming schedule:
The Romantic Times Booklovers Convention: April 28-May 2, Columbus
If you’re in Columbus Ohio for RT, come see me at one of my many panels and appearances – I’ll be at the Intergalactic Bar and Grille, a panelist on the "Move over Vampires and Werewolves! There are New Creatures Stalking the Night" panel, the "Fantasy Romance, Two Flavors that Taste Great Together" panel, the "Kick-Ass Fight Scenes" panel, I'll be playing Jane Austen for Sabrina Jeffries' Regency Bingo - fun! I'll be signing books at the big BOOK FAIR, hosting Lady Jane’s Salon starring bestselling authors Linnea Sinclair, Delilah Marvelle and Sabrina Jeffries, the Dorchester publisher's spotlight and at the Dorchester Author/Bookseller Party and dance party!

And New Yorkers, I’m reading and signing at both Lady Jane’s Salon (May 3) and KGB Fantastic Fiction (May 19th), so I hope to see you there!


Stay tuned for Very Big (and Strangely Beautiful) News...

Events! Reviews! Nerves! Oh my!

Oh, my goodness!

Release day, August 25th is right around the corner!

If you're in New York City, please come visit me at the Lincoln Center Barnes & Noble (66th and Broadway) on August 25th - Release day! - At 7:30 PM for an incredible night with award winning authors Charles Ardai, Jack Ketchum Anna DeStefano and myself. We'll be reading, signing, and lifting up why GENRE FICTION ROCKS! Come and support us, by doing so you are supporting Genre Fiction!

You still have until RELEASE DAY, August 25th, to win a copy of The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker at DARQUE REVIEWS!

And now...

The latest big love for Miss Percy Parker:

Kenda at Lurv a la Mode (a favourite haunt of mine) says this:
If you’ve been looking for something different, this is it. While I’ve encountered similar enough stories, I dare say this is even a fresh twist on the Gothic romance as we know it today. What completely transports the book into its own is the author’s voice and the dramatic way in which the story unfolds.
Read the full post...

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The Discriminating Fangirl gives Percy Parker an A!
Pamela says:
The Strangely Beautiful Tale… is certainly strangely beautiful, and I had to force myself to put the book down so I could sleep. Set in an alternate Victorian England, where spirits roam the streets and six chosen people safeguard the mortal world from dangerous ghosts, this book is richly imagined and constructed, with fascinating characters and an engrossing storyline.
Read the full review...

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Romance Book Wyrm calls Percy Parker "hauntingly magnificent"
Amy says:
Oh my, I loved this book. I loved the characters, the sweet, thrilling romance between Alexi and Percy. The beautiful prose that sweep across every single page. Be prepared to be taken away to a London as you've not seen before, and characters so vivid they meld within your heart. Percy is one of the best heroines I've read in a long time. Her innocence and shyness were so refreshing. Yet underneath it all, there is still a strength inside Percy.
The full and glowing review...

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Anna's Book Blog
A hauntingly good tale, beautifully written. Leanna Renee Hieber has created a dark and magical London. Full of the unexpected. I found both the characters and world compelling. I'm looking forward to what book two will bring.
Full post...
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I've kept track of all my reviews on my Percy Parker Facebook Page too.

Blessings!
Oh, and did I mention I'm all nerves and excitement? I am!

In Which Miss Percy Parker has more nice things said about her...

At some point I'm going to do a post that doesn't have to do with Miss Percy Parker. At some point I'm going to talk about my pet bunny. Or maybe my good sport real-life hero.

But right now, Miss Percy Parker is my life, and will be for the first month of her release. At least. We're all just going to have to be okay with that. Rest assured, I'll have moments of a life outside of a Victorian Paranormal universe, just not right now. (I also kind of enjoy my Victorian Paranormal universe, ok?)

So the lovely thing about getting a lot of your books out there, is that the people who got them will likely say things about them. And, let's face it, it's always more fun for an author if they're nice things. Thankfully, for Percy's delicate nature (her biographer has tougher skin) they've been lovely.

The Latest:

Kate (KatieBabs) of Babbling About Books And More

has just posted a lovely and in-depth review. Here are my favourite highlights, but as she really gave the book a thorough discussion, I encourage you to read her post. And follow her blog. Because it is funny, informative, and often quite moving. Thank you, Kate.

I particularly appreciate her opening disussion of cross-genre. From her review:

"Cross genre books are a hard sell. And unless the author has the skill to pull it off, the book will not find a readership. When it comes to The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, this could have been a problem. This novel is a Victorian Gothic Paranormal Ghost filled tale with romance that both teens and adults can read. The sensuality is subdued enough to fit the time period of 1888 London, England. Emotions such as the yearnings of love and lust are meant to pushed way down. What Leanna has done with her very unique character of Percy Parker is shown that these intense feelings of desire and the sense of belonging cannot be ignored. Percy is a very confused young woman deserving of love. And when she finds this love with the stoic, brooding and equally confused Professor Alexi Rychman, it is a wonderful, beautiful and sweet story.

Even though The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Percy Parker is heavy on mystical and supernatural action, the true enjoyment in reading boils down to the character of Percy. Leanna has written a wonderful character that shines from the inside out. Percy’s innocence and need for approval is wonderful to read. Even though Percy wants love, her quest is one we all have experienced at one time or another. Watching Percy moon over Alexi may seem silly, but it is endearing. I never truly understood what swooning was until Percy does it.And what can I say about Alexi? I think I was as far gone over him as Percy was. My favorite scenes are the ones where Alexi tutors Percy in his office. There is a nice sense of closeness between these two. Alexi is not necessarily a tortured hero, but he is one who has so much responsibility to deal with. He broods wonderfully. Is it wrong of me to say I wanted him to keep brooding? And guess who Alexi reminds me of? If you have seen Richard Armitage play John Thornton in North and South, then you know what I mean. Richard would be perfect to envision as Alexi. I definitely did as I read.

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker is a bit lyrical and poetic in its telling. My imagination and senses were very much engaged. If you are in the mood for a book that is very different from your normal read, I recommend you give Percy Parker a go. Leanna Renee Hieber is one welcomed debut author this year who will bring so much to the publishing world for the years to come.

2.

Mishel at Mis(h)takes has this to say, in part:

"Leanna has created a rich and unique world filled with interesting and new characters going through things I haven't quite seen before."

"...there is just so much going on in this story. You really must discover the details on your own. There's plenty of action, suspense, thrills & chills, and romance weaved into Leanna's writing. I think everyone can find something they'll like in Percy's story. And don't be discouraged by the mouthful of a title, it grew on me quickly as I found myself agreeing with Leanna's choice of words...this tale is indeed strangely beautiful. I'm so excited to see what Leanna has in store for us in the next book. The series has so much potential to be something amazing that it's bursting from the seams!"

Thanks Mishel! I love her blog, her header picture makes me so happy, simply looking at it! Visit the whole post.

3.

Now Shanra at LibriTouches is the hardest on me yet, and I appreciate her time and her thoughts. I admire honesty in a reviewer and if there are troubling things about an author's style, well then, so be it, a reviewer shouldn't shy away from discussing it. Thankfully my characters (who are truly the reasons I remain compelled to this series) still appealed and she's exceedingly gracious in plugging my book! And I can assure her that Elijah and Michael, and their incessant teasing of Alexi, continues healthily as the series progresses.

Now, on to finishing up my posts for THE STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL HAUNTED LONDON BLOG TOUR AND BOOK GIVEAWAY!!! What's that, you ask? Follow me...

In Which Miss Percy Parker goes about town giving away her Tale

For as timid as she is, this dear girl is getting around! I owe Miss Percy's travels to a wealth of generous bloggers, authors and reviewers. And she'll only be touring about even more in the days to come! Reviews, interviews, giveaways, oh my!

I hope you'll visit Darque Reviews for perhaps my favourite guest blog of all time, as I discuss my favourite particular about my book, how my beloved hero Alexi smells. All "clove tea and leather-bound books..." Dear Miss Percy discovers this during what is also perhaps my favourite part of my book; the Academy Ball. (Yes, there's an excerpt) Read more.


GIVEAWAY! You have until 8/25 to be one of TWO winners sponsored by Dorchester Publishing to win a signed copy of the book! Just read the post, answer the question, and you're entered.



Darque Reviews has this to say about Miss Percy Parker in Kimberly's recent review:

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker is the first installment in the Strangely Beautiful series and follows the struggles of Percy Parker and Professor Alexi Rychman. Ms. Hieber pulls readers into her historical setting with strong paranormal elements, a touch of mythology, and a wonderfully sweet romance. The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker unfolds at a steady pace, introduces unique characters, and provides a magical start to what will surely be an engaging series. This book should appeal to both upper teens and adult readers.

Thanks Darque Reviews!
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Interviews and Giveaways!
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Amberkatze's Book Blog has posted an interview and is running a Miss Percy Parker contest until 8/16!
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The lovely and talented author Elisabeth Naughton has let me be a part of her fabulous Stolen Heat countdown and I'll be giving away a signed copy of Miss Percy Parker, you have until 8/14 to enter so when you get there, scroll down to my post, leave a comment and answer the question.
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The flurry of activity will continue... Stay tuned...

More lovely and Strangely Beautiful Reviews!

Oh my goodness.

I made it into Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show with a stunning-made-me-cry review by New York Times Bestselling Author, essayist, reviewer Alethea Kontis.

Here is the review, if you see it on the Intergalactic Medicine Show page you see all the beautiful graphics.

Princess Alethea's Magical Elixir
Book Reviews by Alethea Kontis
Title: The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker
Leisure / Dorchester Publishing EAN: 9780843962963

Percy Parker can see dead people. She can also hear dead people and, due to her remarkable fluency in almost ten languages, she can carry on conversations with them. Percy even looks like a ghost herself, with skin and hair like a marble statue and eyes so pale and sensitive to light that she must wear dark glasses at all times. But for all her unique characteristics, Percy is the typical mythic heroine -- orphaned, gifted, attending a mysterious Academy, and destined to fulfill a prophecy written back when the Temple of Athena still stood in one piece atop the Acropolis.

I fell in love with this book as soon as I read the title. It's one of those fabulous titles that adeptly distills the essence of the novel. Forget what's pictured on the cover -- to be fair, the title takes up most of the cover anyway -- this title is the best warning label of what you're about to get yourself into. Percy Parker's adventure promises to be poetic, wordy, Victorian, haunting, shadowy, subtle, and romantic.

But before I started Miss Parker's Tale, I met her author. I was invited to an intimate publisher brunch at BEA, and Leanna was the guest star. Now, I've met a good many authors in my time. If I like the author, I will make a whole-hearted attempt to read their book. (If I don't like the author then I don't attempt at all . . . but I can count the number of authors I don't like on one hand.) Similarly, just because I enjoy the author doesn't mean I'll love their fiction. I have some very best friends who know I don't care for their particular bent, and it doesn't affect our relationship one way or another.

All that said, by the end of said brunch Leanna and I were not only talking a million miles and hour, but we were also finishing each other's sentences. I couldn't wait to read the book. When I got back to Tennessee, I pestered the publisher until they emailed me a copy of the manuscript, and the second it popped up in my inbox, I dove right in.

I was in exactly the right mood to read this tasteful, gothic Victorian adventure. Its pages are like the petals of a rose: a many-layered tale gorgeously told. The reader immediately finds the strangely beautiful Percy Parker haunting the halls of Athens Academy along with her specters. We realize she is seventh in an ancient prophecy of gods and demons. It is up to The Guard -- the original six who have kept London safe from the otherworldy thus far -- to recognize their Prophecy and follow the path of destiny. Easier said than done, though, as The Guard is constantly distracted by an evil force they call "The Ripper."

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker is Bullfinch's Mythology and Harry Potter and Wuthering Heights mashed in a blender. It is a historic, dark, fantasy mystery . . . Add Miss Parker's sudden and torrid love for her dark and brooding tutor Professor Alexi, and it also becomes a delicate and understated romance. A simple dance raised more goosebumps on my arms than the steamy scenes in most of the usual romance novels of today. I miss that.
I am happy to have been as impressed by this book as I was by its author . . . and happier still that Leanna is currently working on a sequel. Huzzah!

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And at FantasyLiterature.net, I've been given a gorgeous page replete with bio, backlist and author photo, and the following review by Kelly.

In part (or... Read with Synopsis and see the pretty page):

I had a lot of fun reading The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker. Leanna Renee Hieber creates a sense of enchantment from the very beginning, and the novel caught me up in its spell during a week when my real life went completely haywire. It has the feel of a fairy tale, which is not an easy mood to sustain in a full-length novel. The Strangely Beautiful Tale is elegantly written and chock full of interesting characters and mythic themes. I especially loved watching the development of Percy from a meek mouse to a woman who knows what she's willing to fight for.

I was briefly bothered by Percy's mathematical bumbling, since I've spent much of my life bristling at "girls can't do math" stereotypes, but when I thought about it a little more, Percy's lack of math skills makes perfect sense for her times. Because of those same stereotypes, a woman in the Victorian era would not have received much math education before enrolling at an unconventional school like Athens.The plot of The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker is satisfactorily wrapped up at book's end, but there's plenty of room for future world-saving.

Hieber has planned a series of four books. I'm definitely looking forward to them!Recommended for fans of historical fantasies like Marie Brennan's Onyx Court series and romantic fantasies like Maria Snyder's Study series.

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Thank you to Alethea and to Kelly at Fantasy Literature for making my day and back again.