New paperbacks – dates

As promised, the new paperbacks are on their way.  Subject to some tweaking of the covers and Dani’s schedule, I’m aiming for May 15th.

I have already set up the new version of Book 1 – still needs the cover finalising, since I did a full circle last week of ‘oh no, the cover doesn’t come out in the colours I thought it would’ which I found so disappointing when I produced the Trilogy in a single volume.

I decided after I looked at the publishing software version of the colours that, no they weren’t the same… but they were great!  So Books 1, 2 and 3 have new covers, which you’ve already seen here in various stages of completion.  We’re still working on the new design for book 4 Traveler; books 5 and 6 will have the same covers with some minor tweaks.

Since the Trilogy and Traveler were already out in paperback two years ago, when I sold all the copies I took with me to a conference, I decided I’d better start with getting Talent Seekers and Bravo Victor out in paperback for the first time.  So, with Book 1 ready, I’ve switched onto editing those two latest books.  And with what I learnt about setting up these books with Book 1, like replacing all the smart (curly) quote marks before saving the file to rtf for the publishing software, I reckon it should go more quickly.  I am going through them all doing a minor edit as well.  Would you believe that after all this time I still found a missing ‘had’ in a past tense construction in the first book?!

So fingers crossed for 15th May – and if it looks like it’s going okay, I’ll do a giveaway of some new paperbacks during Children’s Book Week, (2-10 May).

The Talent Seekers for all eReaders!

The Talent Seekers is now on all eReaders, so those of you who have been waiting patiently to get it for your Nook or Kobo or iPad can now get your ePub file from Smashwords.  It is also in the major online stores, Barnes & Noble, the iBookstore, Kobo, Diesel and now in India at Flipkart.com.

Follow this link to find its nice shiny new page on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/348829

It also has a nice shiny ISBN 9781301482900

Final_TalentSeekers_01In the fifth book in the Princelings series, we find the young outcast from the Lost City of Arbor travelling west as his mother suggested.  He is rounded up amongst other exiles, but escapes, and finds himself among people that could be his friends, something he has never had before.  But they are under threat, and Humphrey’s adventures twist and turn as he is called to his destiny by an unknown force, one that calls to his special hearing skills.  He meets other talented individuals and learns to be a team, to work with others for the common good.

It’s a tale of greed, of fighting, of cruelty and of a darker place than the ones we’ve met so far in the Princelings world.  Heroes and heroines emerge from the unlikeliest of places to find laughter and friendship and a place where they belong.

The Talent Seekers is a fantasy adventure story with paranormal influences and some pitched battles. It is set in the months between the Prologue and the Epilogue of the Princelings and the Lost City, but with otherwise little connection to the previous stories in the series so can stand alone.  It’s suitable for readers aged 13 and upwards.

“Another intricately woven story in the land of the Princelings. This time we journey with Humphrey. A gentle and trepid soul with a talent for listening to things above and beyond the realms of the everyday… Humphrey is tested beyond anything he has ever known, unsure of who is friend or foe. Using every ounce of knowledge from his books, combined with his unique and special talents, he bands together with his unit. They must prevail against a force so evil, that it threatens the livelihood of the entire land of the Princelings.”  Julie Grasso


The Talent Seekers FREE 7-8 August

It’s the last opportunity to download The Talent Seekers ebook free of charge on Amazon worldwide.  This is the story of Humphrey, who left the Lost City of Arbor to make his way in the big wide world.  He discovers that his talents are indeed unusual, and what’s more highly sought after.  The folks at White Horse Castle are desperately in need of extra help to fight off their avaricious neighbour, Lord Colman.  Humphrey finds friends, and a purpose, but not without heartache. Continue reading “The Talent Seekers FREE 7-8 August”