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

Who Wants to Hear Some Exciting News???!

Published June 19, 2016 by Ashley Townsend

Come hither, come hither! (wherever “hither” is) I have some exciting news! Drum roll please.

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DEFYING SHADOWS IS OFFICIALLY OFF TO THE PUBLISHER!!!

After rushing to get the final round of edits done–moving past burning eyes, late nights, coffee abuse, and a serious lack of social engagements–Defying Shadows (click here to add it on Goodreads) is officially ready to go to print. WEEEEEE!!!!!!

It has literally been a decade from the start of this series to getting Rising Shadows published (see where it all began here), seeing Chasing Shadows in print, and now sending off the final book in the trilogy. I am crazy excited to share it with you all (July 2016 release date TBA), but it’s also a little strange to know that this series has come to a close.

I don't want to go 10 doctor david tennant

Of course, I’ll read it when it comes out (say, 20 or 100 times), but I’ll never get to write a new scene between Sarah and Will, never laugh at Karen and Seth’s antics (the badger moment you will experience in Defying Shadows), and never sigh with confused emotions when Damien breaks/mends my heart a thousand times over.
crying

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” sounds pretty appropriate for how I felt doing that final read-through. But although it is incredibly bittersweet to send my little word-child off to the presses all on his lonesome (yes, I laughed, I cried), it’s also really exciting to have the chance to dive into new series and novels that have been gnawing at my writer-mind for so long. Plus, I can always go back to visit Sarah and the gang in Serimone because . . . badum da dum!!! . . . yet another surprise:

RISING SHADOWS IS COMING OUT IN PAPERBACK!!!

clapping audience gif | Baby Clapping GIF

That’s right, Ink Smith requested the rights to have the first book, so it will be re-released in paperback in mid- late-July along with Defying Shadows.

Sebastian is basically me with the whole Team Cap over Team Iron Man rivalry XD

Soon, I will have the ENTIRE Rising Shadows Trilogy on my bookshelf, looking all pretty and fabulous, and you will too! And because Rising Shadows will be revamped in paperback in a month, I figured the oldest sibling in the family needed a new look. I’m not going to ask for a show of hands (because I can’t see your hands), so I’m just going to assume I can drop another bombshell on you today and REVEAL THE NEW COVER FOR RISING SHADOWS!!! ^_^

Ready?

Set?

ta-da

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Rising Shadows Book Cover - Larger Moon_resized

“Would you entrust your future with a hero of the past?”

I know, it’s fabulous, feel free to fangirl.

The incredibly talented Elegant Stylus (click here to stay updated on future designs), who imagined the drool-worthy cover for Defying Shadows, also decided to revamp the cover for Book I in the trilogy, and I am LOVING it! Feel free to share around, and I am waiting with baited breath for the moment these lovelies can all grace my shelf, side by side. I might even have an entire room for them. Hmm. Something to consider.

Now, I'm taking a full day to organize my bookshelf and get back to Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matsen. Yep, I'm going to read an entire book this week and listen to music and not have a schedule.

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!!!!).

Community Post: 100 "Parks And Recreation" GIFs To Celebrate The Show's 100th Episode

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.