It's A Very Fear the Reaper Halloween Contest!

It's my favorite time of the year again - HALLOWEEN!!! We're going to have some fun celebrating too, because I've got THREE copies of Wings of the Wicked to give away and I've got a fun contest idea to boot. Each prize awarded to the winners will contain one signed ARC of Wings of the Wicked (personalized if you'd like!), all 3 Angelfire character bookmarks, and an awesome glow-in-the-dark walking skeleton dude! Before I go into details of what you'll have to do to enter, I'm giving you a teaser page and the first song I made for the Wings of the Wicked soundtrack that I'll be handing out CD's of on tour.

From the WINGS OF THE WICKED soundtrack:

"The Hammer of Gabriel"

This is a spooky song I made about Will

A teaser page from WINGS OF THE WICKED

“Quite the show,” said an achingly deep voice behind me.

I spun, lighting my swords up with angelfire. Two vir reapers, a male and a female, stood twenty feet away from me, their forms half hidden in the darkness between the snowy trees. What startled me, though, was that I couldn’t feel either of them. Even when reapers suppressed their powers, I could still sense them a little, but these two were just dark. Like two black holes sucking in my emotions and what was left of my strength. Like zero energy.

“I am impressed,” the male added as he moved toward me, his voice rough and gravelly, echoing through my gut. Twisted bull’s horns stuck out of his bald head and his body was massive and brawny, but he didn’t look like his size would slow him down. His skin was dark, and his accent was thick and unfamiliar. And his eyes—frigid and the color of moonlight on snow—drilled into mine. “You must be the Preliator. How small you are. I could break you in half.”

“Who are you?” I asked, studying them both. My first thought went back to Cadan’s warning about the vir reapers who would come for me if the nycterids failed. I guessed these two were old—very, very old—and equally skilled, that they could suppress their powers enough that I didn’t have a clue what they were really capable of. I made a silent cry to Will to return soon. If I had to fight them both at once, it wouldn’t be pretty.

“I am Merodach,” he said. “This is Kelaeno.”

My fears had just come true. The female, Kelaeno, looked at me with holly red eyes and a sharp-fanged grin. With long, tangled dark hair, she was more disturbing than frightening. I stared at her face, perplexed by her skin moving as if something stirred beneath it. Her features contorted just enough to be noticeable, as if the bones changed under her skin. Every other second, her face looked like an animal’s, and then it would look like a woman’s. I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

“Ellie!” Will landed beside me in the snow, his white wings outstretched, and Ava wasn’t with him. He stepped forward and cast out his sword, poising it at the newcomers. He was still out of breath from the battle, and I hoped that the new reapers weren’t here to fight.

Merodach surveyed Will’s show of aggression curiously. “The Hammer of Gabriel,” he said with a dark smile. “In the flesh.” Wings, leathery and black as night, spread from his back like a cobra spreading its hood.

At that moment, I felt a quick flash of smoky black power from Merodach, strong enough that I lost my balance as it rushed past my body. The warning was clear and imminent: He was powerful and more than willing to kill.

“What do you want?” Will asked, not flinching from the demonic vir’s display of power.

“We have a warning for the Preliator,” Merodach boomed.

Kelaeno stepped forward, pointing a taloned hand at me, her eyes still on mine. Her face continued to change, like its form was unstable, and dusty gray-brown wings appeared out of her back and spread high and wide. Shadows cast over her face from around the splayed feathers like daggers, making me blink hard as I wondered if I was seeing what was truly in front of me. The skin on her face sank and grew taut over the bones as they stretched, elongating until her appearance was utterly inhuman, and then her face returned to normal. She began to speak, her lips having difficulty forming the words as her face transformed back and forth.

Why this song and this passage? Because this contest is all about character creation, one of the most fun parts of writing a story. All you have to do in order to enter this contest is create your very own vir reaper character like the ones in the Angelfire series and shown in the above excerpt from Wings. Your reaper can be angelic or demonic, and you can give him or her any attributes you'd like. In your mini story, your reaper can be described in any way you'd like, using descriptive passages, dialogue, multiple reaper characters of your own invention, and/or your character interacting with the characters in Angelfire.

(No bonus points for writing a story about your character getting his head lopped off by Ellie or Will, but you do get a high five.)

The simple version of the rules: Write me a mini story about a vir reaper character you made up.

(scary, bloody mini stories also get high fives from me.)

Check out the Halloween treats!

You have until 11:59 October 31st to post your mini story!

I will read every entry and pick my three favorites.

Yes, this contest is INTERNATIONAL :)

HAVE FUN!!!

If you have questions, please them here or @reply me or whatev, and I will try to help you out!

Winners of the Naming Contest and Soundtrack Previews

This post is long overdue because I've had a hard time choosing, so I'm going with more than four names!

Thank you so much to Tammi for the name Xastur, Jenn for Calix and Icarus, Jena for Evolet, Samm_Rose for Anders, and to Poet for Adara!

I'm definitely using these names and thanking you all in my acknowledgments for Hymn to the Fallen <3 For those who used online nicknames in the comments, would you like me to address your real name in the acks? Up to you!

THANKS SO MUCH!!

Because this is so late getting posted, I've uploaded some teasers of the Wings of the Wicked soundtrack I've been working on. These songs will be available for free download and I'll be giving away CD's at book signings for Wings :) I hope you enjoy them!

The Hammer of Gabriel


The Mortal Archangel


You Look Like A Cupcake
(This is probably my favorite of the finished songs so far. It's really cute and bouncy and so Ellie <3)

Wings of the Wicked ARC Tour Signups

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.

Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned.

Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed. 

Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

 Courtney's debut ANGELFIRE was a 2011 Indie Next Pick.

"This is one heroine who's happy to take matters (and angelic swords) into her own hands."
-- Publishers Weekly 

"A dark and compelling world of action and intrigue... Readers will find themselves engrossed in the story until its powerful conclusion - then anxiously awaiting the second installment."
-- VOYA 

"The action scenes have enough intensity and adrenaline to send Buffy home hanging her head in shame, and Ellie is likable both as a high-octane heroine and a regular girl coping with family and social drama. The biblical mythology the story is based upon is compelling, and, of course, the sword fighting and butt kicking make this a ride worth taking."
-- BCCB 

"At last a YA novel about a sword-yielding, butt-kicking 17-year-old girl who has been destined to fight the forces of evil; by her side is Will, her guardian angel protector. Ellie is not that contemporary teen of other novels, who constantly needs rescuing by her immortal boyfriend. Packed with blistering action, mystery, romance, and terror, readers will be glued from the first page to the last, breathlessly waiting for book two of this exciting trilogy!"
-- Becky Anderson, Anderson's Bookshop

The amazing Page Turner's Blog is hosting the official WINGS OF THE WICKED ARC Tour! They have two copies to go around to 20 bloggers who have read and reviewed ANGELFIRE. Those who participate in the ARC tour will receive this print of ANGELFIRE artwork signed by me as a personal thank you :) <3

Click HERE to view the official signup post!

Don't forget to check out the WINGS OF THE WICKED Goodreads Giveaway! HarperCollins is giving away 10 advance copies!

Click to enter to win one of 10 copies of WINGS OF THE WICKED!

Introducing Avery

I'm going over the names you guys suggested to me and deciding which ones will win! I have 2 chosen for sure and I will announced all winning names tomorrow :)

In the meantime, here's a prize for everyone since you all did so amazing with the contest. This drawing is of a character named Avery from a book I'm not sure will ever be published, but it's one of my favorite stories. Below are the opening pages of Avery's book, SANCTUARY. Enjoy!






Footsteps in the hallway told me they were coming back, as if my heart weren't withered enough. They'd come so many times that I knew exactly how long it would take for the orderlies to unlock the door of my room, shove me down, and for the nurse to pump more mind-numbing chemicals into my veins.

I had precisely three minutes and twenty-four seconds before I would slip into oblivion yet again.

The linoleum floor beneath me and the scuffed up wall I curled my body against was cold through my sheer hospital gown, but at least I could feel something. To feel was bittersweet. Sense was almost brain-stabbing overwhelming or nothing at all.

I listened to the muffled voices outside my door. A key jostled the lock and the knob turned, the door opened, and a sliver of fluorescent light blinded me. I turned my cheek away and into the wall, my dark tangled hair a protective sheet over my face. The light was bright even through my squeezed-shut eyelids. They kept my room dim for the same reason they sedated me every evening: to keep me calm. To keep me from harming myself. To keep me from killing anyone.

"Avery," the nurse cooed in a low voice.

Avery couldn't see Nurse Ripley, but the woman's typical perfume of roses and antiseptic was enough to make me gag. I pressed myself deeper into the wall, my medical bracelet cutting into my wrist. I dragged my chipped and bloodied nails across paint, my fingertips dipping into old gouges in the sheetrock.

My chapped lips parted and I dry-swallowed painfully. "No," I rasped.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," Nurse Ripley said, "but it's bedtime and you need your medicine. Can you stand for me?"

I slid myself away from Nurse Ripley and into the corner, tugging my limbs to my chest. "No… medicine."

The woman sighed gruffly, her patience waning. "Don't be difficult tonight, please."

The two orderlies with her shuffled across the floor toward me. I peeked one eye open to see them approach, hands reaching for me, their heavy male scents no match for Nurse Ripley's nauseating atmosphere. Their icy fingers made me jump upon contact, waking me up just a little more. I threw an arm out, but they deftly grabbed hold harder and yanked me to my feet. I begged them to leave me alone, my chanting pleas ignored as they dragged me toward the little bed on the other side of the room. They threw me down onto the hard mattress roughly and I buried my face into the thin pillow and my wild hair.

One of the orderlies made an ugly noise and jerked my face forward by my chin, his large, unkind hands on my skin and shoving my hair back. "Come on. Show me those freak eyes of yours."

Freak. I squeezed my closed eyes even tighter, taking long, deep breaths to stop the fear stirring in my chest. My heart was starting to pound, my pulse picking up speed. The more they noticed my fear, the faster they'd work. They wouldn't make the mistake of allowing me to panic before they knocked me out. Not again.

"I need her arm," Nurse Ripley ordered. She was right above the bed now, no doubt pulling out the needle and syringe, preparing for injection. The second orderly yanked my arm away from my body and stretched it out flat.

"Stop, please!" I cried, but the men overpowered me physically by several times. "I don't need it. I don't need it!"

Down the hall, the other patients stirred from their beds, yelling from their rooms, and beating their fists against walls and doors. I felt my mind reaching out to them and uselessly tried to rein it back in. I couldn't control it, couldn't control myself. The others felt it, the ones whose own minds were fragmented and damaged unlike the minds of the institution staff who couldn't sense my abilities until it was too late.

"You were scratching your face again," Nurse Ripley tsked. "You don't want any more scars, do you?"

"Trying to scratch your eyes out?" the first orderly sneered, his breath blasting my face. My mind wrapped around his hostile emotions, making my skin burn and itch. I thrashed against him, desperate to scratch, unable to handle the aggravating sensation. I couldn't handle it, couldn't take it. I needed to be free or my skin would sizzle off my bones. This man didn't care if he hurt me, didn't care that he was bruising me.

My eyes snapped open, taking in the familiar and unwelcome faces above me. They flinched as I did so—they always flinched when they saw my eyes—and I focused my terror-stricken gaze on the orderly who taunted me. He froze a moment to regain his composure and cruelty.

"There's my little freak," he said with satisfaction, but a twinge of uncertainty trembled in his lip.

The nurse hovered over me, tapping the syringe before aligning it with the vein in my arm. My mind lashed out, cracking across Nurse Ripley's hand. The woman cried out and dropped the syringe.

"I'm sorry!" I gasped, appalled at what I'd done. "I'm so sorry."

The first orderly back-handed me, making my face snap to the side. "Don't even start it!"

Pain lanced through my jaw and down my neck, my body twisting to the side. My mouth opened, but no sound came out. I was too busy trying to rein back in my mind for me to cry. I was going to lose control—I could feel it. My reason was no match for my instinct to protect myself.

Nurse Ripley retrieved the syringe with shaking hands. "Avery, sweetheart…"

"Just stick her already!" the second orderly hissed.

I slowly turned my gaze back to the nurse. The instant I felt cold metal against my skin, I erupted.

My mind slammed into the woman's chest, expelling the air from her lungs and sending her flying across the room. Nurse Ripley shattered the wall and fell to the ground in a limp heap. I sent a blast at the orderly who'd spoken a moment ago. His body careened into the door, yanking it off its hinges, and the man disappeared into the hallway in a cloud of dust. The orderly who struck me wound his hands around my throat, all hope of sedating me gone with the lost syringe. I choked and gasped for air, my nails clawing at his skin. My mind lunged forward and wrapped around his consciousness, digging into it, driving like railroad spikes into his brain. He screamed and released me, whipping his body upright, his spine contorting in ways it shouldn't have. His hands clamped down on his skull as my mind ripped through his without mercy, unyielding to his desperate plight. I watched him flail his body, shrieking in agony, his fingernails cutting into his face as he held his head and thrashed from side to side. I skewered my mind into his even harder, overloading his consciousness with my own.

"Make it stop! Please, God, make it stop!" He spun into the wall and slammed his forehead against it with maximum force, smashing the wall into dust as he pounded his skull over and over. Slam, slam, slam, slam. Something cracked and the man made a pitiful gurgling sound before dropping his hands from his face. His knees buckled and he hit the floor and lay still. Red pooled on the linoleum in a halo around his head.

I pulled my mind out of his, letting it coil up inside me where it belonged. My power seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, as if it'd been waiting for violence for far too long. Cold reality settled on me heavily like wet snow as my eyes captured the bodies around me.

Shouts echoed through the hospital and mixed with the cacophony of footsteps on tile and the manic cries of other patients locked in their own rooms. This time I would welcome the needle—anything to take me out of this world of fear and blood. I longed for the oblivion the chemicals sent me to, to forget about all the bodies I'd left littering the ground in my wake.

"Not again," I moaned, burying my face in my hands, my hair pouring over my shoulders. I balled up in the far corner, the mattress springs squeaking beneath my shifting weight, the stench of fresh blood clouding my senses.

What have I done?

Weekend doodles

I've been a bit overwhelmed trying to finish Hymn to the Fallen, so I spent some time doodling this weekend for therapy. Here is everything that I did so you can see them all in one place! Hope you like :)

Ellie

Ellie and Will

The demonic reaper villains Merodach and Kelaeno from WINGS OF THE WICKED

And a mystery couple! You'll find out all about them in WINGS :)