Defying Shadows Has Been Nominated!!!

Published August 24, 2016 by Ashley Townsend

GUYS! Defying Shadows has been nominated for the August Clash!!!

Some of you are familiar with Clash of the Titles and their amazing awards and clashes each month, and I have voted on many a clash for worthy new releases. But for those of you who have yet to obsessively spread the word about your favorite books (shame on you!), COTT is a fantastic site that hosts what they call a “Clash” each month for new releases. Sort of a battle to the end between books where fans vote on a favorite blurb and cover photo, and in the end, there is one book victor.

I am crazy excited and honored because out of however many submissions they received for new July releases, Defying Shadows was selected as one of FOUR to enter the arena (cast your vote here!). I mean, no biggie.

This is a total honor, and the winner of the August Clash not only gets a ton of promotion from COTT (and bragging rights–HUZZAH!), but they are also able to submit their book for the Laurel Award for free, which is a super prestigious award that I’ve only ever dreamed about getting (and have, admittedly, been too intimidated to submit to before). Lisa M. who designed the cover for Defying Shadows (add to Goodreads) and whom you might recognize from my acknowledgements in the book, was crazy excited and created all sorts of new banners for the clash and is spreading the word like crazy (I’ll post the image to grab and share at the end of this post).

david tenant

This is important, because it’s your votes that will decide which book takes home the victory of the Clash. I understand if another book takes your fancy over Defying Shadows…

spitting

… but if DS strikes your interest in any way, then please stop by and vote again and again, and spread the word about the August Clash. If we win—that’s right, it’s a Team Hood effort!—then I’ll host another awesome book and gift card giveaway on my site. Don’t consider it a bribe, just “motivation.”

motiviation

So what are you waiting for?! Go, vote and spread the word! And keep an eye out everywhere, because I will be promoting the heck out of this thing. Let’s share Sarah’s story and Will’s amazing journey with the world! Now, please excuse me…

gotham needs me

If you’re willing to share and encourage people to vote, you can use the image and link below (check out the new cover photo and header pics on Twitter and Facebook, also designed by Lisa M. Man, the girl works fast!). I’ll keep tabs on who shares the most when you tag @TownsendTales, and there might be a gift card involved for the Shadow who does the most social media posting and reblogging. Just sayin’. ^_~

http://www.clashofthetitles.com/2016/08/july-2016-releases-duke-it-out.html?m=1

Chasing Shadows 1-Year Celebration & Giveaway!!!

Published October 4, 2015 by Ashley Townsend

HAPPY 1-YEAR BIRTHDAY, CHASING SHADOWS!

Staying in tonight? That's alright! Here are The 10 Best Things About Spending A #Friday #Night At Home! #10 is my personal favorite. :)

AND congrats to this blog on its 200th post! (yes, I did purposefully time it this way)

I cannot believe it’s been an entire year since I received the news—the day after my birthday, I might add—that “Chasing Shadows” was officially available to the world. Basically, the best birthday present a bibliophile and writer could ever wish for! I’d like to say it’s been an easy road and that there have been no hiccups along the way, but if this isn’t your first time stopping by, you know otherwise. But every time, God always came through and somehow gave me the encouragement to keep plugging along when things got tough. This series is incredibly special to me, and if you’re just now hearing about it (heads up: Will is mine), please feel free to look around the site and check out the books, spoiler-free character interviews, playlist for each story, etc. And be sure to stick around for the day because I’ll be posting fan art from “Chasing Shadows,” talking about the series, and giving special glimpses of “Defying Shadows” (TBR January 2016) throughout the day. AND don’t even get me started–yet–on the massive giveaway.

So how, you might ask, does a young author spend the Sunday after her birthday while celebrating the birthday of her infant book with giveaways and whatnot? She refuses to get out of her fuzzy socks, pajamas, and flannel, and she most assuredly has a cup of coffee with her. Although I might pull myself together to take a Barnes and Noble break before lunch (birthday gift cards rock!!!!).

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Oh, but enough about me—for now! We all know you’re here to win some free stuff.

The Rafflecopter link is below, and I’ll post reminders over the next couple of weeks about the giveaway and repost the link so that everyone remembers to earn entries each day. (full giveaway details here) If you haven’t heard already, there are three prizes that you can earn starting today through Friday, October 16th: the Chasing Shadows Rafflecopter Grand Prize, Most Social Hooder (my team of beta readers voted and love the name for them!), and TeamHood Winner.

The Rafflecopter prize is massive, where you can earn a paperback copy of “Chasing Shadows,” an Amazon or B&N gift card, swag from the series (it’s fabulous!!!), a special message from me, and more!

You earn one entry towards the two social media prizes (books and gift cards!) each time you Tweet, share, blog about the giveaway/series, and whatever the heck else you can do online. But creating your own fan art (example: quotes from the series) and tagging me in it with #TeamHood on Pinterest will earn two entries for each pin you create, though repining with these same tags will earn one entry, as well.

Just make sure to tag me (@TownsendTales) and use any of the following tags online: #TeamHood #ChasingShadowsBook #CSBook. If you’re reblogging or creating a fresh post, make sure it pings back to me or that you leave your name and the link in the comments section below. I’ll calculate total entries once the giveaway ends on the 16^th, and there will be one winner with the most social media shares and one randomly selected winner for the runner-up prize—more shares equals more entries, which increase your odds of winning. So share away!

What are you waiting for?! Follow the link below and enter to win the Grand Prize each day until October 16^th. And as always, don’t forget to share this link with your friends who enjoy free stuff…. What am I say? Who doesn’t enjoy freebies?! Good luck, Hooders, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Ben Barnes ... and ... William Moseley. LOL!!! The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/efc81f6e1/?

1-Year Celebration Giveaway Details

Published September 24, 2015 by Ashley Townsend

After much deliberation and some serious use of the ol’ noggin (and also picking my sisters’ brains), I pulled together all of the prize details and entry rules for the Chasing Shadows 1-Year Celebration, which begins Sunday, October 4^th, 2015. I extended the timeframe (the 4^th to the 16^th of Oct.) to give people more time to earn entries, but don’t forget to stop by on that Sunday when it begins, because I’ll be posting behind the scenes info about the series, sharing my favorite quotes from Chasing Shadows, and giving special glimpses Defying Shadows *squeal of delight*. I’m also adding a Rafflecopter for the Chasing Shadows Grand Prize and switching up the two social media prizes, as well—all of the details and conditions are below. And don’t forget that you will earn entries toward the Most Social Hooder Grand Prize by sharing about the celebration on social media. We want as many people as possible to have the chance to enter!

Tag @TownsendTales

Use #TeamHood

#ChasingShadowsBook

#CSBook

All 3 winners will be announced on here, Twitter, and Facebook on Sunday, October 18^th, 2015. If your name is announced, you must email me at ashleytownsend.author@yahoo.com within 72 hours of announcement to claim your prize package, otherwise a different winner will be selected.

Rafflecopter Grand Prize:

1 (one) entrant will receive the Chasing Shadows Grand prize from the Rafflecopter giveaway.

Package details:

—1 signed paperback copy of Chasing Shadows

—1 $20 Amazon e-gift card

—goodies & book swag

—a never before seen sneak peak at Defying Shadows

—a special message from me!

Rafflecopter goes live October 4^th (Sunday). You can enter each day until it closes at 11:59pm (PST) on Friday, October 16^th.

Most Social Hooder Grand Prize:

The Hooder who shares and has the most mentions of the giveaway celebration on social media will be selected. 1 (one) winner will be chosen for this prize after all entries are counted.

Package details:

—1 signed paperback copy of Chasing Shadows

—your choice of 1 (one) $10 Amazon OR $10 Barnes & Noble e-gift card

Begin earning entries now through October 16^th (11:59pm PST)!

TeamHood Winner:

1 (one) winner will be randomly selected. Your odds increase the more you share/reblog and mention the giveaway using #TeamHood.

Package details:

— 1 ebook copy of Chasing Shadows

—your choice of 1 (one) $5 Amazon or Barnes & Noble e-gift card

Begin earning entries now through October 16^th (11:59pm PST)!

Social media:

Let’s get this party started by letting people know about it before it begins Oct. 4^th! You’ll earn one entry toward the social media prizes each time you mention the giveaway celebration online. To receive credit, tag @TownsendTales and use #TeamHood #ChasingShadowsBook and #CSBook.

Blogging:

You can also earn entries toward the social media prizes by creating posts about the giveaway celebration and reblogging posts from friends and myself that contain #TeamHood, starting now through the end of the celebration on October 16^th at 11:59pm (PST). Each fresh or reblogged post earns one entry. Make sure that you leave you first name, last initial, and social media handle (if applicable) in the comments section on my blog, either on the post you reblogged or any of my posts that contain #TeamHood (when you create your own or reblog from somewhere else). If I don’t know who you are, I won’t know to combine your entries!

Note: Liking doesn’t count toward bonus entries—you must reblog directly from www.ashley-townsend.com or from someone else who blogged about it, or you can create your own eligible entry. Posts that contain #TeamHood anywhere in the text and link back to the giveaway are eligible.

Conditions: All entrants must live within the continental United States (no Alaska or Hawaii residents—sorry!). Social media prizes are open to all ages, but you must be 13 and older to participate in the Rafflecopter Grand Prize.

The Winner’s Crime

Published March 18, 2015 by Ashley Townsend

****(*) 4.5 stars for “The Winner’s Crime” by Marie Rutkoski

CAUTION! Potential spoilers ahead, though I will try to keep them to a minimum.

Ebullient, Joyous, Giddy, Eager, Tortured, Dissatisfied, Mad, Hopeful, Delusional, Confused, Apprehensive, Tormented, Raw, Panicked, Gutted.

All words to describe my Coat of Many Reactions while reading “The Winner’s Crime,” book 2 in The Winner’s trilogy. Overall, my emotions through this wild, gut-wrenching ride were pretty much desultory, which basically means that they were fitful and inconstant (can you tell what my dictionary word of the day is? *wink wink*). But the book evoked so many emotions, one right after the other, that I never had a moment to just bask in a single one. . . . Except for the fact that I am in serious need of chocolate at this very moment after finishing the book an hour ago.

A collection of GIFs that express a wide range of sadness to use as reaction GIFs.

Here is the basic breakdown of my mental breakdown:

Ebullient when the book arrived in the mail and I finally had two days to dedicate to reading it. Oh, the sweet ecstasy!

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Joyous as I began the first few chapters and was at last able to dive back into Kestrel and Arin’s incredible worlds, knowing that they would soon meet again.

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Giddy when Arin and Kestrel do, indeed, meet in such fabulous fashion as a secret rendezvous on a terrace during a ball. And Arin revealing all those emotions–can I get a “who-hah!”? At this point in the book, I’m thinking we’re off to a great start, because where zer iz romanz, zer iz blooming love! And getting interaction between the two as early as Chapter 8 is a good sign. I. Was. Soaring.

And while we’re on the subject, I would like to give a shout-out to Chapter 8. *slyly* You know why. It’s like Rutkoski has this gift for making you think you’ve eaten the entire ice cream cone as it melts into nothing in your hand. So tortuously awesome!

Eager: Go on, go ahead. Just. KIIIIIISSSSSS!

Tortured when it becomes apparent they can’t be together, but they must—they simply must! So I waited expectantly, because these things always turn around. They will meet again.

Dissatisfied when such moments end sans resolution and without a little something to keep me warm at night.

Objection your honour! - Brad - How I Met Your Mother (gif)

Mad at each instant that they were together, but either the emperor was watching, Arin was upset with Kestrel for not being honest, and Kestrel felt she couldn’t be honest with Arin because it would endanger his life because the emperor was watching. You’re ruining my ship!

How I Met Your Mother - "I hate you!" "Don't leave me!" This followed with this: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb70fvrfHx1rnvwt1.gif

But I don’t really, Arin, because I love you.

Hopeful in those brief moments where they were together and when I could see inside Arin’s head and realized that he is still completely in love with her, and I knew that Kestrel was doing all of this sneaking around because she loves him, too, and was only trying to protect him.

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17 Little Things In Life That Make You Absolutely Euphoric

Delusional because I kept forgetting that this is only Book II and that she can’t resolve everything to my satisfaction so early in the trilogy.

Yeah, thanks for that little sloth. You totally led me astray!

Apprehensive when I discovered that plans were being made behind the scenes that I as a reader had yet to see unveiled. . . . This can’t be good, but I still believed it would all work out. . . . Why are you smiling at me, Rutkoski?

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Confused: Wait, what’s happening? Why is he going home? No, no, that’s not how it goes. GO BACK! (this was about 12:30am this morning)

Tormented when I realized Arin isn’t coming back because of the burning flame of anger and his own torment inside of him, raging like the flames that destroy the plains. But why does he have to go?

Me when people are just being stupid/dumb

Raw because Marie has a way of gutting you and making you like it.

Panicked as I become aware of the fact that the page number is dwindling and resolution is nowhere to be found. If I read faster, I’m sure there will be a silver lining.

AHHH. (how i met your mother,barney stinson,himym,gif,tv show,neil patrick harris,scared,scream)

Eek! Go away, truth!

Gutted as the book ends and … and … Well, I can’t spoil that for you. But suffice it to say that Book III in this trilogy better come quick, because I need answers.

Numb? Maybe numb. I can’t tell. I can’t feeeeeeeeeel!

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Then again…

Ted's Most Over-the-Top Romantic Gestures on HIMYM

Overall, “The Winner’s Crime” is a fantastic sequel, and Rutkoski’s writing never once lagged or became less gorgeous and descriptive and fantastically amaze-balls than in “Curse.” I still had a few issues with it, but it was more personal preference, and even then these discrepancies didn’t bother me so much because they kind of knit the story together. Of course I loved Arin and his honesty, but I sometimes became frustrated when he wouldn’t acknowledge what was right in front of his face–that Kestrel was still in love with him–and just take her in his arms and steal her away. I was desperately waiting for a moment of peaceful resolution between them that never truly came, and although I’m sure this will come in the final installment, I really, reeeeally wanted it now. Each moment they were together was like holding your breath during a long pause while each character decided what to do, and then after five minutes of sucking on carbon dioxide, you exhale and realize that nothing happened. But the author makes you want it each page, and so you keep forging ahead to get it, and their dialogues are so intimate that sometimes you come away without realizing that you didn’t get very much. So well played, Rutskoski. Well, played.

This book is a lot of things, but most of all it is a well written, beautiful piece of imagery and intricate worlds fashioned from great imagination. Rutkoski constructed a fantastically complicated plot and cast of characters that will steal your heart and, if you’re like me, steal away two days spent intensely reading and then consume the rest of your life. True story. All in all, I highly recommend this series and beg you to enjoy every minute of Arin and Kestrel’s togetherness (Chapter 8) and all the beautiful words (Chapter 8) and each complication of the plot (Chapter 8) and, well, if you hadn’t already guessed, Chapter 8. But now that it’s over, I feel a little empty. . . .