Happy Looney New Year!
Dear friends and Super readers,
Hugh here, wishing you a Happy Looney New Year. Though it’s officially the Year of the Snake, we prefer the Year of Black Kat, and it’s going to be Super, both on Earth and on Ellandria. Read on for a glimpse of what’s in store…
Star Crossed News
Star Crossed is now at eBook stores worldwide in eBook format (with an updated cover!) We also just published it in paperback and hardcover editions on Amazon. The paperback version will be available at other retailers as soon as Ingram Sparks approves it for distribution (they’re a bit slow.)
In the meantime, we’ve updated the cover and fixed typos (it never fails, we always catch a few!) You may want to re-download it from your retailer to ensure you have the latest version.
Here’s how you can tell: the Reading Order page should look like this:
Pre-order Problems? If you pre-ordered Star Crossed, and got the 23-page pre-order file instead of the 600+ page eBook, please let us know. Someone who ordered through Barnes & Noble had that issue, and we want to ensure everyone gets the right file. Just reply to this email and we’ll get it sorted.
White King News
Work is underway on the White King and I’m very excited about this book. I can’t say too much and give it away. There are plenty of surprises on Earth and on the home planet.
Let’s just say yours truly will be sitting in the hot seat again, as usual, but this time I get to boss more people around and look fabulous doing so. It’s going to be a wild ride, involving sand shifters, poison shifters, and much more! The new release date is March 17th, a lucky day for sure!
Other News:
There’s plenty in the works this year. We’re overhauling the newsletter and website to bring you more great things to read on a consistent basis, including:
- Meet the Supers is back! We’re updating the artwork and featuring new Supers every month (and then maybe Rogues, you never know…) Keep reading to see who’s featured this month.
- Learn Ellandrian (below) as we build our new online glossary. This is a work in progress, with more to come after the White King is completed.
- Instead of usual featured books, which took an eternity to do, I’m reviewing my favorite ones in Hugh’s Reviews (below.) And yes, it’s true: I have an iPad and am not afraid to use it. Well, sometimes I am. Jared used to help me, but that’s another story…
- Black Kat VIII: Crown of Fire goes on pre-order soon (next newsletter!)
- Our earlier books are getting updated for a possible Kickstarter this fall (we’ve been wanting to do one for a while.)
Reviews: Please & Thank you!
Reviews wanted: If you’ve enjoyed our adventures, please leave a review! They are crucial to indie authors (like us.) It’s easy to get lost in a sea of millions of books. Reviews help Black Kat stand out. Please help us spread the word!
Review Copies: Did you know you can get any book in our series FREE in exchange for a fair and honest review? You can find them all here. Just apply for the book of your choice (this ensures people don’t abuse the system), download the book once approved. Then read, enjoy, and leave a review on any or all of the major eRetailers, Goodreads and/or Bookbub.
Libraries: ALL of our books (paperback and eBooks) are also available in libraries. We’re on Overdrive (Libby), Hoopla, and many other library networks. If you can’t find us at your local library, ask them to order some copies, then spread the word to family and friends. We want to reach everyone!
Quote of the Month:
Meet the Supers: Cade Pierce
This month, Cade is in the spotlight. He first burst onto the pages of Black Kat in Playing with Fire, but has been a faithful friend and fellow Super for many years prior, serving as my personal Guardian and keeping me alive during perilous times. He’s still rushing in where angels fear to tread, and will face some unique challenges in The White King. Read more about him here.
Learn Ellandrian: Keeping Time
The aelorann, a feat of Ellandrian engineering
Ellandrians mark the days by the positions of the twin suns (Hú and Llyr.) First Sunrise is known as Erì Akad (AIR-ee AH-kahd), when Hú, the true sun (who I’m named after) rises, followed by Second Sunrise, or Erì Ada (AIR-ee AH-dah) when lazy Llyr, the false sun, makes its appearance. Llyr is also the first to sink below the horizon at First Sunset. Learn more about the times of day here.
At night time, we rely on Ellandria’s four moons: Eos, Gaedra, Nyx and Eris to mark time as they take turns dominating the sky at First Moon, Second Moon, Third Moon, & Fourth Moon. Find out more about them by clicking here.
A clever fellow in the House of Wind created an aelorann (AY-lorr-ahn) to keep track of it all. It’s an orrery, like Dale’s, mounted atop a sundial with glowing orbs to represent the suns and moons. Aeloranns come in many shapes and sizes, from table top versions, to mounted ones in wooden cabinets, like grandfather clocks, to larger, sturdier models for outdoor use in gardens and such. They are lovely, are they not?
Hugh’s Reviews: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is the first book in a series about dragon riders, set at Basgiath War College during a war that has lasted 600 years. If you love dragons (and who doesn’t?), you’ll love this book.
The heroine, Violet Sorrengail, was supposed to become a Scribe, like her dead father, but was ordered by her ruthless mother, General Sorrengail (who runs the college), to endure Rider training instead, despite the fact that Violet suffers from a debilitating physical condition, and Riders have a 75% attrition rate. You either graduate or you perish.
Violet’s last name also marks her, especially to her enemies, the grown children of executed rebels who have been forced to endure the training to escape their own execution. At their head is the lethal Xaden Riorson, son of the rebellion’s dead former leader, and commander of Fourth Wing, her wing.
Violet must use her wits and her abilities to survive enemies on every side, while walking parapets, navigating deadly obstacle courses, sparring to the death, and bonding with dragons. No pressure there. Once bonded to a dragon, Riders receive unique powers, signets, which can range from mind reading and astral projection to commanding storms and shadows (kind of like Supers. Fun!)
I found the humor, romance, comaraderie, and action to be spellbinding. It’s kind of Harry Potter meets Dragon Riders of Pern, yet it’s a unique story and a world build that’s thoroughly engrossing. The action continues in Book 2: The Iron Flame, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I just received my special hardcover edition of Book 3: Onyx Storm (it takes a while to get to Ellandria!) The series contains 5 books and is being made into a TV series for Amazon Prime Video. I can’t wait to read and see them all. I think you’ll enjoy them too. Happy reading!
Your Feedback is Always Welcome…
We love to hear from our fans! Let us know what you like about the series and what you’d like to see next. Contact me anytime at hugh@blackkatseries.com or by replying to this email.
You can also reach the Supers on our public pages (listed below.) Please keep in mind that due to my death-defying schedule, it may take me a little while to get back to you. We also love fan art. Feel free to send some in!
Well, that’s all for now, friends. Remember, as we say on Ellandria, “May the wind favor your house and the stars align in your favor.” Happy Looney New Year, and we’ll see you soon for Valentine’s Day!
Yours magically,
Illusionist, Escape Artist, and Super Chap!
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