Ashwood is Live!

That's right! Ashwood has been released a few days early. It is live and ready to be purchased, just in time for Halloween. So how about celebrating the season with a spooky read. Here's all the places where you can get your own copy:

Amazon (for Kindle & Paperback) 

Smashwords (for digital)

Barnes & Nobles (for Nook & Paperback)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Ashwood Updates and Cover Reveal

I know I've been blogging a lot lately about other people's book and not my own. So here is my update on my upcoming debut novel, Ashwood, complete with cover reveal!

Look at that beautiful cover! It's courtesy of designer Nancy Ramos. This was exactly the vision I had in my head, so I'm thrilled with the result. Nancy delivered a dream come true.

Ashwood is a YA horror and officially launches on October 31st. What better way to celebrate Halloween, right? Here's a quick blurb:

"When sixteen-year-old Willow goes urban exploring in an abandoned asylum she expects the dark halls and creepy atmosphere. But she doesn’t expect it to follow her home. After the trip, Willow becomes haunted by nightmares in which she never left Ashwood Asylum. Nightmares where she is pursued by grotesque, mind-infesting horrors called the mora who feed off the fear of mortals. Unfortunately for squeamish Willow, they are hungry. And she is their perfect meal. 

Upon waking, Willow recalls only fleeting memories of dead butterflies, hollow eyes and discordant whispers. But soon the boundary between dreams and reality disintegrates, trapping Willow in a living nightmare. Can she escape before she becomes Ashwood’s next permanent resident?"

Ashwood delves into the world of Slavic folklore and tackles themes regarding fear, loneliness and the struggle to overcome both. It will be available for e-readers such as Kindle and Nook, as well as paperback prints.

If you are in the Metro New York area, I will be hosting a talk and book signing for the release at Kinokuniya Bookstore in Manhattan on Saturday, Oct. 31st starting at 2pm EST. There will be candy and raffles prizes. Costumes are encouraged, and Kinokuniya is having a 15% discount for all costumed guests. Hope to see you there! 

Top 5 MG & YA Halloween Reads

Looking for something spooky to read to get you in the mood for the Halloween season? Well, look no further! Here is a list of my top five favorite spooky Middle Grade and Young Adult books, in no particular order.

Top 5 MG & YA Halloween Reads

Rabbit in Red by Joe Chianakas; photo courtesy of Goodreads

1.  Rabbit in Red by Joe Chianakas

If you are in any way a fan of the horror genre (especially slasher movie classics), then this is the book for you. This YA is dark and bloody, but not without humor too and not to mention FUN. It is Cabin in the Woods meets Ready Player One. In it, teenager Bill Wise wins a trip to the studio of his favorite director to compete in a contest that tests his love for the horror genre and win an internship with the studio. But is this contest really as it seems? I'm not telling - you'll have to find out for yourself. And I strongly recommend you do.

2. The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

Set during the time of the Potato Famine era, this middle grade book tells the story of two Irish children who have journeyed to England to find work in a remote manor house. They quickly discover that they have found themselves in a house haunted by a mysterious figure called “the night man” who plagues the family who lives there. The children must uncover the secrets of this phantom before it is too late. This is pure classic gothic horror at its finest, and underneath the creepy atmosphere there is a beautifully sincere heart resting in the core. 

3.  Doll Bones by Holly Black

This is one of my favorite books of all time. It is a middle grade mystery and tells the story of three friends who go on an impromptu adventure to bury a doll which they believe is haunted by the ghost of a dead girl. But it is so much more than that. It is simultaneously creepy and sentimental, haunting and tender. At it's heart, this is a coming-of-age story laced with gentle brushes of paranormal horror. It is eerie, it is touching, it is brilliant. 

4.  The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand

Another fun and creepy middle grade horror, The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is delightfully quirky and unsettling. Young Victoria doesn't like nonsense so when her friend Lawrence disappears and things go topsy-turvy, she launches a quest to restore order to her perfectly manicured life. This investigation leads her to the sinister title orphanage where Victoria finds herself in over her head with the malevolent mistress who oversees its operations. It's very reminiscent of Neil Gaiman's "Coraline", but unique enough to stand on its own creepy, crawly legs.  

5.  Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Lovers of J-horror flicks, rejoice. This is the perfect book to get your ghostly fix. While Joe Chianakas' Rabbit in Red veers more toward the slasher genre, Anna Dressed in Blood goes the route of the supernatural. It is a dark YA about Cas Lowood, a teenage ghost hunter who ends up getting tangled in the story of a tragic phantom known as Anna Dressed in Blood. It is utterly frightening and heartfelt at the same time, and it truly exemplifies the YA Horror genre. It's a must read for any horror enthusiast.