September News

Kia Ora from New Zealand and hello from Splashdown!

Lots of goings-on this month, so let's dive right in...

Now Available

Finding Angel, the first novel by veteran author Kat Heckenbach, is here!

It's aimed at middle-graders and young adults, but fantasy-minded grown-ups will love it too.

Perfect for reading with or without kids!

Angel doesn’t remember her magical heritage…but it remembers her.

Magic and science collide when she embarks on a journey to her true home, and to herself.

Angel lives with a loving foster family, but dreams of a land that exists only in the pages of a fantasy novel. Until she meets Gregor, whose magic Talent saves her life and revives lost memories.

She follows Gregor to her homeland…a world unlike any she has imagined, where she travels a path of self-discovery that leads directly to her role in an ancient Prophecy…and to the madman who set her fate in motion.

Available at Amazon (in Kindle too). Other retailers are taking their time to list it, but you can get Epub for Nook at Smashwords along with many other formats.

New Look

www.SplashdownBooks.com has a new face. Check out the new-and-improved, easier-to-navigate website. Find books faster. See what's new with your favorite authors. Handy drop-downs and a splashy backdrop are just a few of the upgrades. Drop by and dive in!

Splash Hit

Splashdown's first group anthology made a big splash at Amazon, rising to #1 in Bestselling Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthologies shortly after going public! See what all the fuss is about with stories from all the current Splashdown authors - Fred Warren, Caprice Hokstad, P.A. Baines, Adam Graham, R.L. Copple, Travis Perry, Mike Lynch, Keven Newsome, Kat Heckenbach, Grace Bridges and Ryan Grabow, with narration from Walt Staples.

Snag Aquasynthesis at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your favourite online location.

$5.98 in print or $2.99 in e!

E-book Sale!

The Crystal Portal e-book by Travis Perry and Mike Lynch is available for $2.99 this month only. Check it out at Kindle and Smashwords!

We're also launching a cool new spin on the cover - up now in ebook formats, and coming soon to the print version:

Award Finalist

Caprice Hokstad's Nor Iron Bars a Cage finaled in the Global eBook Awards! The full list is here - look for the Speculative Fiction: Fantasy category.

Congratulations, Caprice!

In Brief

• Keven Newsome's Winter now wears 22 five-star reviews at Amazon!
• Next month sees the release of The Seer by Fred Warren - the long-awaited sequel to The Muse. It's a doozy, I can tell you!
• Avenir Eclectia has passed a total of 75 mini-stories in its shared world. Why not get on board?

That's it for this time - but watch out in the weeks to come for more exciting developments!

Splashdown News: August 2011

Aquasynthesis is here!

Welcome at last to the premiere of Splashdown's first group anthology. Delays in retail channels have kept us waiting, but no longer! Stories from all the current Splashdown authors fill the pages - Fred Warren, Caprice Hokstad, P.A. Baines, Adam Graham, R.L. Copple, Travis Perry, Mike Lynch, Keven Newsome, Kat Heckenbach, Grace Bridges and Ryan Grabow, with linking narration from top Avenir Eclectia writer, Walt Staples.

Gizile follows her mysterious teacher, Tok, to contemplate a series of strange and mystical visions that appear upon the ice of an ocean pool: Astonishing tales of technology and transcendence, aliens and elves, space and time, dragons and demons, prophecies and scriptures, humor and horror, the gifted and the enslaved, virtual and supernatural reality, insanity and inspiration. Dive into the creations of the Splashdown wordsmiths. Cross the borders into novel worlds you love already, and taste their delights if you are new to Splashdown's universe.

Grab Aquasynthesis at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your favourite online location.

Just $5.98 in print or $2.99 in ebook, for over 200 pages of stories - Beat that!

Party time!

The Launch Party for Aquasynthesis is at: http://tinychat.com/splashdown (no login required, or you can use Facebook or Twitter) at 8pm Central time on Tuesday August 18th. We'll be doing some ebook giveaways as usual, so don't miss it!

Coming Soon

You've loved her short stories. Now you can enjoy her at full length. Finding Angel, the first novel by veteran author Kat Heckenbach premieres October 1.

Angel doesn’t remember her magical heritage…but it remembers her.

Magic and science collide when she embarks on a journey to her true home, and to herself.

Angel lives with a loving foster family, but dreams of a land that exists only in the pages of a fantasy novel. Until she meets Gregor, whose magic Talent saves her life and revives lost memories.

Angel follows Gregor to her homeland…a world unlike any she has imagined, where she travels a path of self-discovery that leads directly to her role in an ancient Prophecy…and to the madman who set her fate in motion.

Fans of Caprice Hokstad

Writing continues on Caprice's Book 3 of the Ascendancy Trilogy, the long-awaited sequel to Nor Iron Bars a Cage. Read what Duke Vahn, kee and all your favorite characters do with war and plague threatening. Check out Caprice's blog post here and sign up to receive the chapters as she writes them!

Now Available!

Have you ordered your copy of Odd Little Miracles? Why not? The price is right and the stories will blow your mind.

Do the impossible…Change the future…Save the world…

All you need is one odd little miracle.

Twenty-two bizarre tales—where odd is commonplace, little things make all the difference, and miracles are everywhere, if you know where to look...

Find it at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Not least...

Splashdown author P.A. Baines received two Finalist medals in the 2011 NextGen Indie Publishing Awards. Congrats, Paul!

And lastly...

Splashdown authors have been busy in a number of books lately - not just our own!

Check out work by Rick, Kat and Fred in While the Morning Stars Sing from ResAliens Press, edited by Lyndon Perry.

Also: Rick's new science fiction novel Mind Game from Ethereal Press. Great stuff!

Splashdown News: July 2011

New books, new worlds, old favorites...and special offers on ebooks*.

Do the impossible…Change the future…Save the world…

All you need is one odd little miracle.

We’re doing the miraculous at Splashdown Books this month. Or rather, publishing the miraculous stories of our own Fred Warren. Twenty-two bizarre tales—where odd is commonplace, little things make all the difference, and miracles are everywhere, if you know where to look...

Available July 1, 2011 from Splashdown Darkwater.

At Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Ebook versions coming soon.

LAUNCH CHAT WITH FRED WARREN

Tuesday July 5th, 8pm Central

at http://tinychat.com/splashdown

No login required. See you there!

(Don't forget the special offer I mentioned*.)

Avenir Eclectia at Digital Dragon

This month's issue of Digital Dragon magazine is devoted to stories set in the world of Avenir Eclectia. Many of the same characters you've met already can be found in the pages of DDM—in longer stories than you'll find at http://www.avenireclectia.com/.

Check out stories by Kat Heckenbach, Greg Mitchell, Frank Creed, Walt Staples, Grace Bridges, Ed Erdelac, and Holly Heisey. And don't miss the interview with Avenir's artist and song writer, Eleon.

(You haven't forgotten, have you? Special offer* coming up...)

Splashdown's First Group Anthology

Coming soon is Splashdown's first group anthology, Aquasynthesis. Stories from all the current Splashdown authors fill the pages, and are linked together by a special narration from top Avenir Eclectia writer, Walt Staples.

Gizile follows her mysterious teacher, Tok, to contemplate a series of strange and mystical visions that appear upon the ice of an ocean pool: Astonishing tales of technology and transcendence, aliens and elves, space and time, dragons and

demons, prophecies and scriptures, humor and horror, the gifted and the enslaved, virtual and supernatural reality, insanity and inspiration. Dive into the creations of the Splashdown wordsmiths. Cross the borders into novel worlds you love already, and taste their delights if you are new to Splashdown's universe.

Look for it in print and ebook August 1, 2011.

(Almost there*...stick with me, now...)

Congrats to Keven Newsome

Our release of Winter by Keven Newsome couldn't have been better. An instant in-house best-seller, Winter has been met with enthusiastic readers and amazing reviews.

Great job, Keven!

Winter is available from Splashdown Darkwater in print and ebook formats.

Ebook Lovers

Ah, yes....time for that *SPECIAL OFFER* promised at the beginning of this newsletter!

The weekend of July 2-4...

...all Kindle books from Splashdown Books...

...will be 99 cents at AMAZON!

Don't miss your chance to get all the books you've been holding on your wish-list.

This weekend only - at http://amzn.to/splashdownkindle

And if you prefer another ebook format, we won't leave you behind - all formats are available at Smashwords. If you want one of those, EMAIL ME here (or leave a comment

on the blog with your email address) saying which book/s you're after, and I will send you a coupon for 99c.

Splashdown's Soundtracks: ELEON

CONTINUUM on Amazon - includes our theme song SPLASHDOWN!

~Continuum on iTunes~

Splashdown News: WINTER is here!

Science Fiction and Fantasy from New Zealand

and now: Supernatural!

Kia Ora everyone!

Welcome to another exciting month with Splashdown. Winter has arrived downunder and we're in the grip of a chill! But Winter can come to those of you in the north as well: Winter, the novel, that is. And with it the launch of our new imprint Splashdown Darkwater, for the supernatural side of fiction - dare to go deeper. We're excited!

"It's been four and a half years since the first words of Winter were written. I started this book as a hack wannabe, but somewhere along the road I learned enough about writing to get Splashdown to notice. And then my editors promptly reminded me that I still had a long way to go! But writing is rewriting, and being an author is a process of growing and learning. I am a better writer today than I was just two months ago. And I will be a better writer still, by the end of the summer.

Winter is the story of a broken and unlovable person being transformed by God into something amazing. It's fun, suspenseful, and heart-breaking. Please join me as we officially begin the journey into Winter's extraordinary life...a journey that will take several years as the series progresses. Writing this book changed me. And it is my hope that you'll close the cover, gently set the book on the table, and sigh...having been changed just a little, too."

--Keven Newsome

AMAZON CAMPAIGN

Amazon updates its bestseller lists every hour, and we'd like to be on one! So, if you plan to order Winter with us on June 1, could you plan to do it between 5-8 pm Central time? And if possible, narrow it further and order in the 7 o'clock hour.Order as many as you want - don't forget shipping is free if you order two copies! Invite your friends and family! Order for birthdays and Christmas! Let's make this a day to remember!

Link: Winter on Amazon

THE MAKING OF...

You've seen the Winter trailer. Now you can see behind the scenes and even see parts that didn't make it into the final version. Meet the cast and crew, find out how to make fake blood, and hear the demon-fighting heroine extol the virtues of her favourite drink!

http://www.facebook.com/v/2055179464390 (no login required)

AUTHOR CHAT

The Launch Party for Winter is in the usual place: http://tinychat.com/splashdown (no login required, or you can use Facebook or Twitter) at 8pm Central time on Thursday June 2nd. Come along, join in the fun, talk with the author and publisher, maybe even some editors, and yes, we'll be doing some ebook giveaways right there in chat as well - starting with the person who brings the most friends!

FANS OF CAPRICE HOKSTAD

Caprice is gearing up to begin writing Book 3 of the Ascendancy Trilogy, the long-awaited follow-on to Nor Iron Bars a Cage. Are you as curious as I am to see what Duke Vahn and Keedrina make of the kingdom? Now's your chance. Check out Caprice's blog post here and sign up to receive the chapters as she writes them! How cool is that!

COMING IN JULY

Odd Little Miracles, a collection of 22 short stories by Fred Warren... You may have read a few of these online, or even quite a lot, but now we gather them together into a book for the first time! From wizards to aliens, funny to pensive, this collection is one you won't want to miss. In print: $5.98 and as an ebook: $2.99.

That's all for today, folks... but be watching for some cool news about the Avenir Eclectia project real soon!

Grace

www.splashdownbooks.com

check out this new Eleon album... http://eleonmusic.virb.com/little-stepping-stones

Splashdown News: May 2011

Kia ora and welcome to May! Can you believe how fast this year has gone already? This month brings us more exciting developments...

• Reality's Ascent by R.L. Copple, out now - Release Party!
• Winter by Keven Newsome - Mega Sneak Peek
• The Crystal Portal by Travis Perry & Mike Lynch: The Book Trailer

Reality's Ascent by R.L. Copple - The Reality Chronicles, Book Two

In the soul of each person lies a reality clamoring to break free...

When the demon Beltrid demands that Sisko use his supernatural ring for evil, Sisko's refusal turns his world upside down. Trapping Sisko's wife, Gabrielle, inside the "Crystal of Virtues," Beltrid sends Sisko and his two teenage children, Nathan and Kaylee, on a journey to find seven virtues that will free her. Simple? Not when a demon is involved.

...Reality has ascended, and no soul will remain untouched.

Also available as an ebook at the links here: http://www.splashdownbooks.com/reality.html

Release Party Chat for Reality's Ascent
with the author and Splashdown team!
Tuesday May 3, 8pm CST at http://www.tinychat.com/splashdown - yep, that's tomorrow! Or today, depending on when you read this.
See you there?

Winter by Keven Newsome - Coming June 1 from Splashdown Darkwater

Winter Maessen didn't ask for the gift of prophecy. She's happy being a freak - but now everyone thinks she's crazy. Or evil.
Goths aren't all the same, you know. Some are Christians.
...Christians to whom God sends visions.
Students at her university are being attacked, and Winter knows there's more than flesh and blood at work.
Her gift means she's the only one who can stop it - but at what price?

Have you seen Keven's epic book trailer yet? If not, you're missing a major event in videography!
Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It8aP6speuo

Read the Sample! Just this weekend we've launched the sneak peek sample of Winter, an unprecedented 10 whole chapters! We don't normally do such a huge sample, but Keven wanted to make this long excerpt available to you totally free. It begins like this:

The stairs wandered to the right—old wooden stairs. With the first step they groaned, and she hesitated. Small candles sat on the steps, spread out—only one every four or five steps. They oozed lifeless blood that pooled at their base and coagulated into white scabs. She broke a candle free and continued her ascent, tilting it so it bled on the steps.

To read the rest, go here: http://www.splashdownbooks.com/wintersample.html

The Crystal Portal by Travis Perry & Mike Lynch

Also this weekend we've launched the book trailer for our last release, with thanks once again to Eleon for an awesome soundtrack!
Take a look at it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-PAAbOF6nA

And Yeshua said, "His ears will be a sign to you."
A time-travelling warrior elf on a manhunt for an evil genius. A state-of-the-art robot from New Los Angeles. And a carpenter's son from first-century Israel. Entering the Portal, they join forces with a princess of the Sapphire Monarchy to defy their power-mad adversary.

Don't forget you can get all of our titles as ebooks for Kindle and all other formats at Smashwords, with most already available directly for Nook also - keep watching for the latest titles to land at B&N! Check out our new improved Bookshop with links to all your purchasing options.

Thank you for reading - see you around the Web!

Grace
www.splashdownbooks.com

http://eleonmusic.virb.com

Splashdown Darkwater Announcement: Winter by Keven Newsome

Today it is my great pleasure to announce to you our first title from Splashdown Darkwater. Drumrolls please!

Winter
by Keven Newsome

Winter Maessen didn't ask for the gift of prophecy. She's happy being a freak - but now everyone thinks she's crazy. Or evil.
Goths aren't all the same, you know. Some are Christians.
...Christians to whom God sends visions.

Students at her university are being attacked, and Winter knows there's more than flesh and blood at work.
Her gift means she's the only one who can stop it - but at what price?




... or view it in its natural environment at http://darkwater.splashdownbooks.com

Winter is now available for pre-order at http://www.splashdownbooks.com/winter.html.

Are you ready for the chill?

Facebook Launch: The 1,000 Campaign
Let's make June 1 a day to remember!

April Update

Sci-Fi and Fantasy from New Zealand

In this issue:
April New Release
Darkwater Countdown
Avenir Eclectia
New SF Author Contracted

April New Release

The Crystal Portal by Travis Perry and Mike Lynch

And Yeshua said, "His ears will be a sign to you."
A time-travelling warrior elf on a manhunt for an evil genius. A state-of-the-art robot from New Los Angeles. And a carpenter's son from first-century Israel. Entering the Portal, they join forces with a princess of the Sapphire Monarchy to defy their power-mad adversary.
Available at http://www.splashdownbooks.com/crystalportal.html

Splashdown Darkwater
Counting down!

Have you seen the Darkwater preview book trailer? If not, be sure to catch it at http://www.youtube.com/user/splashdownbooks. The full length trailer - complete with the big reveal of the title and author to kick off our paranormal line - is due for release in under two weeks! The book itself will appear on June 1.

The Splashdown Darkwater main site with its own teaser is here:
http://darkwater.splashdownbooks.com

Avenir Eclectia
Adventures in Microfiction

The Avenir Eclectia project has gotten off to a great start, with a steady flow of contributors adding to the story. Already there's a great bunch of new characters to follow on the space station and the inhospitable planet it orbits - hunters, smugglers, historians, miners, wizards, children, and more. Sign up to receive these bite-sized stories by email: a minute to read, a day to digest. Head on over to http://www.avenireclectia.com and dive into a new world!

New SF Author Contracted
Ryan Grabow with Caffeine

In 2179, a gamer is trapped by an unusual artificial intelligence, a virus looking for the meaning of its own existence.
We're thrilled to announce that Ryan has joined our team! Science fiction fans, get ready for this mind-blowing tale that will chase you through multiple virtual realities and leave you with a new angle on life. Look out for his book appearing later in the year.
Facebook page for Caffeine: http://on.fb.me/gDtCVL

That's it for this time - watch out for the big Darkwater announcement real soon!

Till next time,

Grace

http://www.splashdownbooks.com
http://darkwater.splashdownbooks.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/splashdownbooks
http://www.facebook.com/splashdownbooks