The Facebook launch party for Hodgepodge is today!
This evening, from 7-9 p.m. EST, the twelve authors of this anthology will be telling our readers a little about themselves and giving away their favorite books.
Here is the link: Hodgepodge Facebook Launch Party.
Also, L2L2 Publishing will be donating 10 copies of Hodgepodge to give away as well.
We hope to see you there!
Happy reading.
~The L2L2 Publishing Team
Hodgepodge: An Anthology by the Heartland Christian Writers releases today!
You can order your paperback or ebook copy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and many other online retailers. You can also ask your local bookstore to order a copy for you, or you can get it from your local library.
The special preorder and release-day price of $1.99 for the ebook ends tomorrow after the Facebook Launch Party. You are more than welcome to join us on Facebook as all twelve of the authors in this anthology give away numerous copies of their favorite books.
This inspirational collection of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and prose is truly what the title suggests: a hodgepodge of literary delight.
Order your copy today!
Happy Reading!
~The L2L2 Publishing Team
We would like to welcome T.J. Akers to the L2L2 Publishing family!
Akers’ novel, called The Final Paladin, is the first volume in the Key of Apollyon series. This riveting tale follows fifteen-year-old Peg Bowman on a mystical adventure fraught with faerie tale creatures more of the Grimm brothers’ persuasion than Disney’s.
Here is a little more about The Final Paladin: Book One of the Key of Apollyon Series:
Life for Peg Bowman is rough in the infamous slum of Five Points New York. When she finds her older brother murdered in an alley, her life takes an unexpected turn as she finds herself in incredible worlds filled with unbelievable creatures, beyond any story she’s ever heard.
Enter Sir Godfrey, eleven-hundred-year-old knight from the court of Charlemagne, trainer of Paladins. He reveals to Peg her family’s ancient obligation as curators and protectors of the relics of Charlemagne, most notably the Key of Apollyon. She is now the last descendant of the Paladin clans and his only hope for keeping the key safe from those who would use it for evil.
When Godfrey confides in Peg her brother’s murder was triggered because of the Key, she rejects her calling and demands revenge, a luxury she cannot afford. Soon otherworldly creatures seek her death to claim the key for themselves. Her only hope lies in Godfrey’s protection, his promise to train her, and his faithful retinue: Chim the Hobgoblin, Rebecca the Jewish Maven and healer, and Jack the sometimes-human-sometimes-seven-foot Gallows Dog.
Now a little about the author himself:
T.J. Akers was nearly born in England, but alas, it was not to be. He had to settle for Nebraska a week after his family had just returned from his father’s Air Force duty assignment in Northern England. That’s what happens when one grows up a military brat.
When his father retired to the Pacific Northwest, his family ended up on a small ranch in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. There he spent his high school years riding horses, bow hunting, and getting turned down for dates by members of the opposite sex. He finally figured out if he invited girls to ride horses and provided said horses, he stopped getting turned down.
Eventually he married his college sweetheart. It took a few years of being single in seven different states before he came to his senses and walked her down the aisle. They’ve been together ever since.
Akers has degrees in theology, computer networking, and creative writing, making him a triple threat, as well as a Masters of English from Minnesota State University. This author can sing, preach, and play multiple musical instruments, fix or hack computers, and write fantasy and science fiction. Akers can often be found roaming his alma mater’s library, especially the children’s and young adult sections. Librarians have always been his heroes.
He has a grown son and lives with his wife, two cats, and a dog in Minnesota. The dog is an excellent walking and writing companion, but the cats have proven to be rather critical of either exercise.
His favorite living authors are Jonathan Stroud, Jim Butcher, and Michael J. Sullivan. There are too many favorite dead authors to mention, and not all of them are dead white guys either.
His short story, “Necessary Evil,” was included in the science fiction anthology No Revolution Is Too Big, (Helping Hands Press, April 2014). His story, “Elfanticide,” appeared in the anthology Tides of Impossibility (Skipjack Press, April 2015).
When T.J. grows up, he hopes to have millions of dollars to give away to his favorite charitable organizations: schools, churches, and animal shelters. Since the millions have been slow in coming, he’s settled for working for a state university as a computer technician and volunteering at church and a local animal shelter. Whenever possible, he indulges his love of writing stories to entertain people, especially younger readers.
You can learn more about T.J. Akers on his website, www.tjakers.com, his blog with his fellow Scriblerians, or his Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ pages.
We are so pleased to include T.J. Akers’ novel, The Final Paladin, in our 2017 lineup. This author has enchanted us with his incredible gift of storytelling, and we cannot wait to share his story with you.
Our full 2017 publishing schedule will be coming soon.
Happy reading!
~The L2L2 Publishing Team
P.S. Only three more days to submit your spec-fic manuscript to us. If this interests you, visit our submissions page.
Also, Hodgepodge releases tomorrow, and the Facebook release party is this Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. EST. We hope to see you there!
We are pleased to welcome Kristen Stieffel to the L2L2 Publishing family!
Her novel, Alara’s Call, captured us immediately with its imagination, fierce battles, and political intrigue. We are certain this fantasy novel will capture your heart as well.
Here is a quick synopsis:
Many novels feature heroes who fulfill ancient prophecies. Alara’s Call is about a woman who gives new ones.
Alara sees visions of other people’s futures, but that can’t solve her present problems. A young clergywoman, she has been assigned to a mission abroad but longs to lead a congregation in her homeland. Her father, the leader of their country, jeopardizes her dream and her safety when he coerces her into what he calls a diplomatic mission. But it’s a ruse. The trip is meant to end with her marriage to the crown prince of the foreign nation Makut, where members of Alara’s faith are persecuted.
Despite heroic efforts by her friends, sworn to protect her, soldiers break into the inn where Alara has taken refuge. A skilled martial artist, she holds them off valiantly, but she is outnumbered. They overwhelm her, and she is captured.
Imprisoned at the foreign king’s palace, Alara hopes they will honor the diplomatic treaty. But the Makutians, interpreting in their language the treaty her father signed, insists she marry their crown prince. Alara must decide if she is willing to serve God anywhere, even though preaching in Makut might cost her life.
This novel is brilliantly written. Its characters are vibrant, and the adventure doesn’t stop for a moment.
We cannot wait to bring you this wonderful book!
And now a little about the lovely author herself.
Kristen Stieffel is a writer and freelance editor specializing in speculative fiction. She has edited a variety of projects, including business nonfiction and Bible studies, but she is a novelist at heart and has edited novels in many genres for both the general market and the Christian submarket. She is associate editor of Havok, a flash fiction magazine focused on science fiction and fantasy.
Kristen provides a full range of editorial services: copywriting and ghostwriting; manuscript critique; developmental, substantive, and line editing; copyediting; and proofreading. A key part of her business is mentoring writers so they can improve their skills, navigate the publishing process, and serve their audiences. Kristen sees teaching as her primary gift and approaches editing as an educational opportunity.
Kristen is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association, Christian Editor Connection, and American Christian Fiction Writers, where she served several years on the board of the Central Florida chapter. She is also a mentor with Word Weavers International and serves on the planning committee for Realm Makers, the only conference for Christians who write speculative fiction.
As co-chair of the Florida Writers Association youth program, Kristen teaches at and helps organize its annual conference and leads an online critique group for middle and high school students. Other conferences she has taught at include the Florida Christian Writers Conference, Speculative Fiction: Southeast, Realm Makers, the PENCON Christian editors conference, and the national conference of the Editorial Freelancers Association.
Prior to becoming a freelance editor, Kristen worked for twenty years at Orlando Business Journal, a weekly newspaper for executives and small business owners. After serving in both the advertising and graphic design departments, Kristen transferred to the newsroom as a page designer and copyeditor. During her ten years in the newsroom, she wrote more than a thousand articles, columns, and opinion pieces. One of Kristen’s favorite tasks was writing and recording a daily stock market report for a local radio station.
An elder in the Presbyterian Church USA, Kristen serves as clerk of session at her church and teaches adult Bible studies. Despite living in Florida, Kristen is an avid knitter. In the state that pioneered air conditioning, most sweaters are worn indoors.
Kristen’s publishing credits include “Immolation,” a contemporary flash fiction story in the anthology Revisions: Stories of Starting Over, October 2015; “The Elven Maid,” a fantasy flash fiction story in the July 2015 issue of Havok; and “Flight,” a science fiction novella in the anthology Medieval Mars, July 2015.
This is most definitely one author you’ll want to follow. Check out Kristen’s website (www.KristenStieffel.com), or her Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, and Pinterest pages.
We cannot wait to get this incredible book into your hands!
Happy Reading!
~The L2L2 Publishing Team
P.S. Just a quick reminder that submissions are only open for 10 more days.
And, Reconciliation’s cover reveal and release date are coming soon.
Thank you so much!
*Headshot by Emilie Hendryx of E.A. Creative Photography. Used by permission.
Just a quick announcement to let you know Hodgepodge’s release date has been change to Monday, November 28th.
And due to a scheduling conflict, the Facebook Launch Party has also been changed to Tuesday, November 29th.
We are so excited to bring you this inspirational anthology, featuring authors from the Indiana heartland.
Now available for preorder, the paperback is $12.99, and the ebook is $1.99 until the day after the launch party, when the ebook price will increase.
We hope you will join the authors of this anthology as they celebrate their new release.
Happy Reading!
~The L2L2 Publishing Team
We want to thank everyone involved in Michele Israel Harper’s cover reveal for Kill the Beast.
We couldn’t have done this without each one of you, and it was exciting to see all of the shares and buzz on social media surrounding this fairy tale retelling.
We especially want to thank:
Josh Hardt (Blog post: www.joshuahardt.blogspot.com)
Kristen Stieffel of New Authors’ Fellowship (Blog post: www.newauthors.wordpress.com)
Laura Pol: (Author Spotlight and Cover Reveal: www.pagesandhope.com)
Robin Mason (Blog post: www.robinsnest212.wordpress.com)
Julie Bradley
Barbie DeNisi
Laurie Lucking
Pam Halter
Linda Samaritoni
Dominique Sprouse
Sara James
Sarah Ott
Deanna Fugett
Amy Brock McNew
Sarah Armstrong-Garner
Savannah Goins
Tina Yeager
Sarah Grimm
Priscilla Pheifer
Ashley Olibas
And last but most definitely not least:
Sara Helwe of Sara Helwe Digital Arts, who designed this spellbinding cover. (www.sara-helwe.com)
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
What about you? Did you also share Kill the Beast’s cover? Comment below with a link, and we will be sure to share your post on our social media. Thank you!
Coming soon: Cover Reveal and Release Date for Reconciliation by Amy Brock McNew.
Happy Reading!
~The L2L2 Publishing Team
We are pleased to reveal the cover of Kill the Beast: a Beauty and the Beast Retelling by Michele Israel Harper.
With a tentative release date of March 2017, Kill the Beast is an intense adventure where all is not as it seems.
From the back cover:
Ro remembers the castle before. Before the gates closed. Before silence overtook the kingdom. Before the castle disappeared. Now it shimmers to life one night a year, seen by her alone.
Once a lady, now a huntress, Ro does what it takes to survive—just like the rest of the kingdom plunged into despair never before known.
But a beast has overtaken the castle. A beast that killed the prince and holds the castle and kingdom captive in his cruel power. A beast Ro has been hired to kill.
Thankful the mystery of the prince’s disappearance has been solved, furious the magical creature has killed her hero, Ro eagerly accepts the job to end him.
But things are not as they seem.
Trapped in the castle, a prisoner alongside the beast, Ro wonders what she should fear most: the beast, the magic that holds them both captive, or the one who hired her to kill the beast.
We look forward to announcing more details about this book in the near future.
Happy Reading!
~The L2L2 Publishing Team
*Cover Art by Sara Helwe Digital Arts. (www.Sara-Helwe.com)
Submissions are officially open for the month of November! Woohoo!
Send your proposal and the first three chapters of your completed manuscript to Submissions [at] L2L2Publishing [dot] com, then NaNo the rest of your month away on a brand-spanking-new story. (Don’t forget to carefully review our submissions guidelines.)
Every submission will be read and responded to, but it may take several months with the volume of manuscripts we are expecting. We appreciate your patience as we work hard to find the perfect story.
We cannot wait to see what you send us.
Happy Writing!
~The L2L2 Publishing Team
*Post header created by Jessica Gleason at www.indagoat.com. Used by permission.
Is your speculative fiction novel ready?
Whip up a proposal, smack your first three chapters (up to 50 pages) on the end of it, and shoot off an email to our editors starting November 1st.
Then NaNo the rest of your month away.
We cannot wait to lose ourselves in your storyworld!
Visit our submissions page for further details.
Happy Writing!
~The L2L2 Publishing Team
We are thrilled to announce Hodgepodge’s release date and Facebook launch party!
Hodgepodge: An Anthology by the Heartland Christian Writers officially releases Monday, December 5th, 2016, and the Facebook party is scheduled for Thursday evening, December 1st, from 7-9 p.m. EST. (Link coming soon.)
The writers featured in the anthology will be presenting the Facebook party, and the Heartland Christian Writers’ group will also be hosting a physical signing party the day of Hodgepodge’s release. (Public local book signings to come.)
Although a deviation from the speculative fiction we normally publish, we hope you enjoy these inspirational stories from writers of the Indiana heartland.
Happy Reading!
~The L2L2 Publishing Team
*Cover design and photography by Sara Helwe Digital Arts (www.sara-helwe.com)