New Website

The World of J Armitage has a new home!
I'm winding down this blog as I have a new website with a blog on

You can find it here

Come over and say hi!

Have your name immortalised in my next book

So, I've got an epic idea for a new novel. I have two main characters but I don't have names for them. One boy and one girl. I don't do normal names - I have a tendency to name my characters ridiculous names (Aethelu, Arcadia, August etc) So I thought I'd run a competition for you to name them for me. Want me to name them after you? A friend?
All you have to do is like an reply on my author page here
https://www.facebook.com/JAArmitagebooks
with your choice of name, or tag a friend who might be interested. I'll look through all the names this week and pick my favourites. The winners will have their first names as the main characters in my next book.
I don't mind if they are old fashioned, contemporary, crazy or pedestrian. Just go for it!
for it!

SALE!!!
The Guardians of The Light box set is available for just 99c FOR ONE WEEK ONLY! (usually 9.99) Four whole novels for just 99c
CLICK THIS LINK TO BUY NOW
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013J8DYE8
...

Endless Winter
Imagine falling in love for the first time, the adrenaline, the flutters. Now imagine being told you had to have a baby with somebody else...
Trapped in an unfamiliar room with no way out, Anais has no idea just how much her life is about to change. A locked door stands between her and freedom but as she is just about to find out, the door is the least of her problems.
Anais had never believed in demons and vampires so when she is transported into a dark world that she doesn’t understand she is forced to realise that humans can be the most terrifying monsters of all. Yet in the shade of her new life she finds light in the most unexpected place of all. In this occult paranormal romance, follow Anais into the realm of The Guardians of The Light and into a mystery saga filled with temptation, loss, fear and above all love.
The Guardians of The Light Prequel is available for preorder now
CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019RJQMSS

Becoming Aethelu

It's finally out!

Becoming Aethelu - available for pre order now

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019RJQMSS

Seven centuries ago, before Aethelu, fourteen year old Mary Hyde lived in a small village, working for the local priest. Falling in love with the one person she shouldn't marks the beginning of her ascent into adulthood, but the journey is fraught with painful awakenings as her village becomes ravaged by The Plague. There is only one way to survive but it means turning her back on her home and the girl she calls her first love.

I'm excited to reveal the cover of my next book 'Becoming Aethelu' The prequel to The Guardians of The Light series.
Watch this space...

Thank you to the 792 people who entered my Goodreads Giveaway. There can only be one winner though, so a huge congratulations to Natasha Donohoo who won a paperback copy of my first three books. They will be winging their way across the Atlantic in the next few days!

Goodreads giveaway

Last chance to enter my giveaway on Goodreads to win my first three books in paperback
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/160546-endless-winter

Instagram!

I am now on Instagram. JArmitagetheauthor
Lots of pretty pictures!

And the winner is...
Vicky Heys. Congratulations Vicky. I'll pop your signed copies of the first three Guardians of The Light paperbacks in the post asap
Congratulations also to Diane Garrett who has won the whole series in ebook format.
If you missed out this time, I'm doing a Goodreads giveaway
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/160546-endless-winter

Tomorrow I will be announcing the winner of the first free books of The Guardians of The Light series in paperback. You still have time to enter by signing up to my newsletter here
eepurl.com/bDGV7T
There are other prizes to be won including e-books of the whole series.

Last day of the Paranormal Romance Blog Tour

It's been quite a ride this week. The best part was being introduced to some wonderful new authors and of course, books to read.
Today is also the last chance to enter my giveaway
You could win the Entire Guardians of The Light series.
I'm giving away the first three books (in paperback format) in The Guardians of The Light series. The Winner will be picked at random. Plus EVERY tenth person who signs up to my mailing list will receive Infinite Spring in e-book format, the fiftieth will receive Infinite Spring and Eternal Summer, and t...he hundredth sign up will win the whole series in ebook format.
Everyone else can download the first book in the series, Endless Winter, for free today http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HOIHR2K

To be in with a chance to win, join the mailing list here
http://eepurl.com/bDGV7T

Today I'm giving you a sneaky peak at the book I'm currently writing.

Here is my computer at the playgym (complete with daughter in the background) I managed 3000 words yesterday in the midst of mayhem and madness.
Here is a tiny snippet of the upcoming book Becoming Aethelu. It is a prequel to the Guardians of The Light series and is written in the voice of Aethelu herself in the year 1322

“Can you draw?”
“I don’t know. I have never tried.”
“Hmmm.” He looked thoughtful. He produced a piece of parchment and a quill with a bottle of ink.
“Draw something.”
“What shall I draw?” I asked. I had never before drawn anything in my life.
“Draw something of beauty. A flower perhaps.
A thing of beauty. The first thing that came to mind was the Lady. I had never seen any flower as beautiful as she. I closed my eyes and pictured her in my mind. I could see her perfectly. Creamy skin with almond shaped golden eyes.
I picked up the quill and copied the image from my mind. I was surprised how easy it was, but I knew her face so well. I had pictured it in my mind often.

Within ten minutes I had finished a sketched portrait. I showed it to The Priest.

His eyes lit up when he saw it.
“Marvellous. Unbelievable. The likeness is uncanny. God has truly given you a gift.”
“You like it? Really?”

“Come with me.”

I was surprised. Never before had The Priest asked me to follow him...

I'm hoping to have Becoming Aethelu ready in time for Christmas. I'll keep you updated.

In the meantime, here are the last day blogs of the other authors.

Marilyn Vix website: marilynvix.com

Kessie Carroll Website: http://netraptor.org/blog

• Sara C. Roethle Website: http://saracroethle.com/

• Ani Gonzalez Website: http://www.anigonzalez.com

• Sherry Soule Website: http://sherrysoule.blogspot.com/

Paranormal Romance Blog Tour day four

I was lucky enough to be able to interview Sara C Roethle

 

For all of her books, check out her amazon author page.

http://www.amazon.com/Sara-Christene-Roethle/e/B002VM3KCA/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

 

1) Your book made me late for work as I got so caught up in it and forgot to check the time. Do you have a favourite book that you just fall into and feel that you are there?

Sorry for making you late, but that's lovely to hear! I'm a big Wheel of Time fan (Robert Jordan), and I get sucked into those all of the time. I'm a repeat reader, so I like it when I can pick up a book and flip to a random chapter, then get sucked in like I would with a movie. 

2) I think I should pay Tori Amos commission as I listened to her music throughout the writing of Guardians of The Light. What music helps you to write or do you prefer to write in silence?

I almost always write in silence, unless I'm on a major roll. If the words are really flowing music will spur me on, but if I'm struggling it becomes distracting. On the occasions I do listen to music, it's often old school Alanis Morrisette. 

3) Without giving too much away from your book, Maddy has a unique ability. What was it that made you think of this and do you have any amazing abilities/talents (apart from writing of course)

I've always been intrigued by the idea of more subtle magics, and I think a lot of real life people could sympathize with Maddy's gift (which is often more of a curse). I love writing about the supernatural, but I wanted something that was less in your face, summoning lightning and shooting fireballs through the air, and more innate and subtle. My main talent lies in being an extremely hyperfocused individual, haha. If I set my mind to something, I will obsessively work on it until I reach my goal, which ties into novel writing quite well. 

4) What is next for you and what advice would you give to new authors?

I believe the quote is, "Don't wait for inspiration. Chase it down with a club,"(Hemingway). I try to live by this philosophy. If you just sit down and write, no matter how you're feeling, the words will come eventually. Though writing is about creativity, writing as a career is about forming habits. Write every day. No excuses. 

As for what's next for me, to keep on writing of course! I'm preparing to publish the sixth book in my YA series within the next few weeks, and I'm really excited about it. After that, I'll continue working on the next book in my Bitter Ashes series, as well as the second book in my Tree of Ages series. I also want to venture into audiobooks in the near future.

 

Thanks Sara!

 

For more great author interview posts, visit the other participating authors in the blog tour.

• Marilyn Vix Website http://marilynvix.com/

• Kessie Carroll Website: http://netraptor.org/blog

• Sara C. Roethle Website: http://saracroethle.com/

• Ani Gonzalez Website: http://www.anigonzalez.com

• Sherry Soule Website: http://sherrysoule.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

 

Paranormal Romance Blog Tour day 3

One of the best parts of being a writer is the chance to interact with other authors.

This week has been wonderful for me, I've had the chance to see other Paranormal Romance authors blogs and look at their books.

It gives me great pleasure to pass on a review of one of those books now.

The Author is Sara C Roethle and the book I am reviewing is the first in her Bitter Ashes series, Truth or Death.

 

Sara's blog is here

http://saracroethle.com/

 

and you can buy Truth or Death here

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B010R0VGSC

 

The first book in the Bitter Ashes series, Truth or Death, begins a tale like no other I've ever read. Introducing captivating characters from a mythology that hasn't been over-written about (Vampires anyone?) These are not Vampires, they are the Vaettir from Norse mythology. The story starts with Madeline Ville (Maddy) being taken from her bed to a place that she doesn't understand. A place filled with both unimaginable horror and a part of her history that she is yet to find out. Mysterious people from her past and linked to her future inhabit the house, leaving her in a turmoil as she fights to find out the truth of who she really is. This first book will leave you both unable to put it down and wanting more

 

Just one word of warning if you do buy this book - You'll be hooked, You'll not be able to resist buying the next in the series!

 

Tomorrow I'll be interviewing Sara so come back again.

 

For other book reviews, check out the other author pages.

 

Marilyn Vix Website/Blog: http://marilynvix.com

• Kessie Carroll Website: http://netraptor.org/blog

• Sara C. Roethle Website: http://saracroethle.com/

• Ani Gonzalez Website: http://www.anigonzalez.com

• Sherry Soule Website: http://sherrysoule.blogspot.com/

Happy reading everyone.

J 

Paranormal Romance Tour Blog - Day two

Welcome to day two of the Paranormal Romance Blog Tour.

I hope you enjoyed having a look at all the great discounted books, competitions and offers that were introduced yesterday. At the end of this post I'll, once again, post a link to the other Paranormal Romance authors.

Today we will all be writing a sneak peek of our lives as writers. I always think of authors as living these romantic but sheltered lives, sat at an old fashioned typewriter, next to a bay window overlooking the ocean. Maybe a glass of wine sits next to the typewriter, the author waiting until the end of the chapter to take a sip. A cigarette burns untouched in an ashtray, filling the air with smoke.

Nope!

That's not it at all. Not for me anyway. I'm currently sat in bed on my purple laptop writing this. 'Let's Marvin Gaye and get it on' has just come on my playlist. My partner has very kindly volunteered to get the kids dressed so I could catch a few moments to write to you. Once I've finished this, I'll be taking them to the cinema because it's half term.

See - just an ordinary life. How I started writing though, that was not ordinary.
It started with a baby.

A few years ago I decided to become a surrogate. Why? I'm not sure. I think it came from the same part of my mind that also said "Let's skydive," or "Climbing Kilimanjaro sounds like fun!"
I just seem to have this need to do crazy things. I justify it by telling myself ' a life is to be lived or it's not worth living at all.' Haha. It's probably insanity!
Anyway, I'd had my kids, my family was complete and I was really happy. I began to think of those women who couldn't have what I had. Healthy happy children.
I researched becoming a surrogate online and eventually met a wonderful, wonderful woman. She had tried IVF to have her own kids and it had failed many times. Her doctors had told her that it was just not going to happen for her. she should look at other methods. Adoption, maybe or surrogacy.
She found me. We clicked. She lived a four hour train journey away from me, but when I met her and her husband, I just loved them both. They met my children and were great with them. They were a mother and father in waiting. They just didn't have a child.
We spent a whole year getting to know each other. I'd travel to London often to see them. I also had to have lots of tests, psychological as well as physical at a London IVF clinic. It was on one of the trips to London, on the train, that I conceived of the idea of Endless Winter. (The surrogate baby was conceived not long after!)
I began thinking how strange it was to have a baby for a reason other than to be a mother. I wasn't going to be a mother to this child, but I was going to carry him for the first 9 months of his life.
I then began to ponder other reasons for having a child. What if you had to have a baby for the sake of humanity. a baby that was only ever conceived to save the world. Thus Endless Winter was born.
I published it in January 2014 when I was four months pregnant with the surrogate baby. By the time book two was finished he was born.
He was given straight to his mother and I didn't get to hold him, but that was how it was meant to be. Just looking at his mothers eyes, and how emotional and overwhelmed and grateful she was to be holding this much longed for and waited for little boy. It made everything worth it.
It was the most wonderful experience of my whole life. I did get a cuddle the next day just before he went home to London.
I don't see him very often but he, along with his parents will always hold a special place in my heart. He was the inspiration for the whole Guardians of The Light books and Endless Winter is dedicated to his mother. I won't say why, but, whilst it may seem that it was me giving her the best gift, in many ways, it was her that gave me the greater gift.   

I hope you enjoy Endless Winter - It is currently free here
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HOIHR2K
When you read it, just know that there is a little boy out there who started the whole story!

If you want to know how the other authors write, check out their blogs here. (Maybe they do have an old fashioned typewriter, a glass of wine and a view of the ocean!)

Marilyn Vix Website/Blog: http://marilynvix.com

 

 Kessie Carroll Website: http://netraptor.org/blog

 

 Sara C. Roethle Website: http://saracroethle.com/

 

 Ani Gonzalez Website: http://www.anigonzalez.com

 

And please come back tomorrow where I'll be reviewing one of their books (I won't say who just yet - you'll have to wait and see, but I'll tell you now - It was a great book!)

 

Happy reading

 

J 

Paranormal Romance Blog Tour day 1

I'm very excited to begin the Paranormal Romance Blog Tour. I'll be holding a week of fantastic book deals, giveaways, interviews and book reviews.

So first a warm welcome to our participating authors. You can find their blogs/websites here.

1)   Marilyn Vix Website/Blog: http://marilynvix.com

  

2)   Kessie Carroll Website: http://netraptor.org/blog

 

3)   Sara C. Roethle Website: http://saracroethle.com/

 

4)   Ani Gonzalez Website: http://www.anigonzalez.com

 

Please visit each day to discover, new books, enter competitions and be in with a chance of winning some amazing prizes.

Let's begin the fun right now with some awesome giveaways. Here are the links for each author.
1) Marilyn Vix’s Giveaway: http://gvwy.io/329hzoy
2) Sara Roethle’s Giveaway: http://saracroethle.com/giveaway/
3) Kessie Carroll’s Giveaway: http://netraptor.org/blog/index.php/paranormal-romance-2015-blog-hop/
4) Ani Gonzalez’s Giveaway:
http://anigonzalezblogs.blogspot.com/2015/10/paranormal-romance-blog-tour-giveaway.html

I will also be giving away free books all week. Endless Winter is free all week at Amazon. You can get it here

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HOIHR2K
If you enjoy that, you can also get the next book in the Guardians of The Light series,... Infinite Spring, for FREE just by signing up to my mailing list here.
eepurl.com/bDGV7T

Other book discounts on offer

Beware of Warlocks Box Set Discount on Smashwords
Smashwords Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/582969
Coupon Code: TA42V

• Malevolent by K.M Carroll Free on Amazon Oct. 26 -27  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Z2FVAPW

Books by Ani Gonzalez $0.99 discount Oct. 29-30

• Must Love Ghosts: http://www.amazon.com/Must-Love-Ghosts-Paranormal-Halloween-ebook/dp/B014GF8GS2
• Ghost of a Chance: http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Chance-Paranormal-Romance-Banshee-ebook/dp/B014GH0I8G/

That's a lot of treats for Halloween week, and we are only just beginning.
Come back for reviews and interviews and have a fun week!

New Covers

Giveaway

It's giveaway time!
This week I'll be taking part in the Paranormal Romance Blog Tour. To celebrate I'm giving away the first three books (in paperback format) in The Guardians of The Light series. The Winner will be picked at random. Plus EVERY tenth person who signs up to my mailing list will receive Infinite Spring in e-book format, the fiftieth will receive Infinite Spring and Eternal Summer, and the hundredth sign up will win the whole series in ebook format.
Everyone else can download the first book in the series, Endless Winter, for free for the next five days (starting Sat 23rd Oct)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HOIHR2K

Good luck and keep coming back as I have a lot more going on over the next few days

To be in with a chance to win, join the mailing list here
http://eepurl.com/bDGV7T

Eternal Summer

When it happened, there was nothing. No light at the end of the tunnel, no out of body experience. There was no sound or colour. No dreams, nothing. Just an endless blackness that stretched on in all directions. Time had no meaning and so when Anais finally felt something, she had no way of knowing how long it had been since she had been awake. It was still dark, but now she felt a slight pressure in her hand, a tingle, a shiver of electricity. It was Aethelu. She couldn’t see her but she instinctively knew she was there and had always been.

Eternal Summer

Prequel to The Guardians of The Light - Becoming Aethelu Chapter 1

Coming soon...

Becoming Aethelu (The fourteenth century diary of Mary Hyde)

If you’ve ever read the Guardians of The Light books, you’ll know how my life ended up but do you know how it started? I wasn’t always Aethelu. I began life as plain old Mary Hyde, the fifth child of Winnifred and Thomas Hyde. I was born in 1322 in a small Yorkshire village. My father already had the beginnings of a reputation as a great healer and because of this, we lived in a better house than most of our neighbours. A couple of years before I was born, A local lords wife had given birth and almost died along with the baby but my father had managed to save both of their lives. The Lord had been so grateful that he’d given my father some land and built a house which was given to us.

Compared to today’s standards it was nothing more than a hut but it had three bedrooms, a main room with a kitchen area and a small parcel of land around it. Apart from the Lord, we were the first people in the village to have glass windows. You could say we lived privileged lives. We didn’t have to farm the Lords land and anything we did manage to grow on our land belonged to us. Most of the land was taken up with Daddy’s medicinal herbs and flowers which he used to concoct his potions.

As a child, I was in charge of bringing my father whichever herb he may need. I knew that garden like the back of my hand and could tell you the name of every plant in there. I used to love running through the fragrant bushes and picking the leaves for my Dads medicines. My mother also had a small part of the land which she used to grow vegetables. No matter how much my Mama tried, she could not garner the same interest in me for vegetables as I had for the herbs. Who wanted to pull up carrots when there was the smell of lavender and rosemary and a hundred other plants which, when put together in the right quantities, could almost perform magic?  We also kept livestock. We had a small field with perhaps a dozen sheep, a couple of cows and a pig called Matilda. She was given to us so we could feed her up and slaughter her for meat but she kept escaping into our front yard which made our Father laugh so she became our pet.

From a very young age, I was expected to go to the Lords manor once a week to learn to read and write. I hated having to go there, not because of the reading which I adored but because of the Lords son who also had lessons with me. He considered me beneath him and would not pass up any opportunity to remind me that he was a Lord and I was nothing more than a villein or pauper. I reminded him on more than a dozen occasions that if it hadn’t been for my pauper father, both he and his mother would have died but he just laughed so eventually I gave up and tried to ignore him as much as possible. I wouldn’t have gone at all if it were not for my father insisting upon it. He said that education was a real privilege and I was lucky to have any at all. I knew it was true, no one else in my village could read or write except for the local priest who taught myself and William, the Lords son and my father. When William was old enough to learn to read and write, the Lord offered my father the chance for his children to attend the same lessons. My eldest brother Robert (Who you will know as August) and my sister Emma (Who would become Arcadia) were considered too old and my youngest sister Anna was too young. That left my older twin brothers, Robin and Seth (Alex and Rafe) and myself. Every Saturday we would head to the Lords house but more often than not, the twins would run off, preferring to spend the day climbing trees or getting into some other bother. My father was very angry at their non-attendance but with his hands full healing the sick, he had no time to follow the twins and any punishment he doled out fell on deaf ears. It wasn’t long until it was just myself and William attending the lessons. We were taught to read and write in Latin first and then eventually in English. William hated Latin and spent most of every lesson complaining about it. I, on the other hand loved the sound of the words. Daddy used Latin a lot in his potions and it wasn’t long before I knew the Latin name for all the plants in the garden.

Here is my diary for the year 1336...

 

To read the Guardians of The Light series first start here

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HOIHR2K

Well It's been a while since I last blogged. It seems like forever ago that Autumn Ever After was published. I've since published all four Guardians of the Light books as an omnibus and started writing the next two books. For some reason I'm writing two book simultaneously. One is connected to the Guardians of The Light world but the second is something completely different. It's actually easier to write two at once as when I get writers block with one I can switch to the other and keep writing. I'm back at work after a long summer (ok almost summer - it didn't quite happen did it?) I've just got a job where I'll not only be designing but writing all day. I wonder if anyone will notice if I write my books whilst there?