Category Archives: my novels

BURNING BRIGHT audiobook!

Burning Bright front coverThat’s right, BURNING BRIGHT will be released as an audiobook! When? Not sure yet. But soon!

The exciting part is that my daughter, who has a reading disability and has never read one of my books, will now be able to without someone sitting and reading it to her. Since she does her reading late at night, this is impractical. I’m really looking forward to passing it on to her!

Release day–Burning Bright!

Burning Bright front coverToday marks the release of my latest book, BURNING BRIGHT. It’s an alternate history Regency-era adventure, with magic and pirates–how’s that for a mouthful! I wrote this book on a personal dare, challenging myself to write historical fiction, and I think it turned out pretty well. The magic system is one I had constructed for a modern-day fantasy, but that story just wasn’t coming together, so I’m glad it could find a home in the Extraordinaries series. I hope you enjoy Elinor’s adventures in a world where the Napoleonic Wars are fought with magic and telepathy, teleportation, and telekinesis are all part of everyday life.

BURNING BRIGHT is available as an ebook at Amazon.com and will be available in print soon. The book is free for Kindle Unlimited users.

Burning Bright available for preorder!

Burning Bright front coverYou can get it here. For now, BURNING BRIGHT will only be available through Amazon, but if you’re interested in getting it for a different format, contact me and I’ll see what I can do. No preorders for print, alas, but it should be available on release day, August 15.

Cover Reveal–BURNING BRIGHT!

Burning Bright front cover

This is it–the cover of my new book, BURNING BRIGHT, which is an alternate history Regency adventure with magic and pirates! Here’s what it’s about:

In 1812, Elinor Pembroke wakes to find her bedchamber in flames—and extinguishes them with a thought. At 21, she is old to manifest magical talent, but the evidence is unmistakable: she not only has the ability to start fires, but the far more powerful ability to control and extinguish them. She is an Extraordinary, and the only one in England capable of wielding fire in over one hundred years.

As an Extraordinary, she is respected and feared, but to her father, she represents power and prestige for himself. Mr. Pembroke, having spent his life studying magic, is determined to control Elinor and her talent by forcing her to marry where he chooses, a marriage that will produce even more powerful offspring. Trapped between the choices of a loveless marriage or living penniless and dependent on her parents, Elinor takes a third path: she defies tradition and society to join the Royal Navy.

Assigned to serve under Captain Miles Ramsay aboard the frigate Athena, she turns her fiery talent on England’s enemies, French privateers and vicious pirates preying on English ships in the Caribbean. At first feared by her shipmates, a growing number of victories make her truly part of Athena’s crew and bring her joy in her fire. But as her power grows and changes in unexpected ways, Elinor’s ability to control it is challenged. She may have the power to destroy her enemies utterly—but could it be at the cost of her own life?

The release date is 8/15/16, and preorders will be available soon!

 

 

Valentine’s Day Giveaway!

  How would you like to win one of four $200 AMAZON GIFT CARDS? That’s right, $200! Just click on this link to go to The Kindle Book Review’s giveaways, running Feb. 8-22. There are a lot of authors sponsoring the giveaway (including me!) and this is a great time to discover new favorite reads and get some spectacular discounts. For the duration of the giveaway, I’ve discounted SERVANT OF THE CROWN to just $2.99, and my fellow authors have similar deals going on. You even get bonus points for every purchase! So go ahead and enter, and good luck!

New release 12/17–EXILE OF THE CROWN

ExileoftheCrown-eBook (2)I never imagined, when I wrote the first three books of Tremontane, that Zara North would be so popular. In response to all the questions about what happened to her after SERVANT OF THE CROWN, I wrote a novella touching on a few events of her life over the fifty years (fifty years!) following her “death.” Titled EXILE OF THE CROWN, it’s available for preorder at Amazon.com–and it’s only 99 cents! I hope you’ll read it and enjoy it!

In other news, the third novel, AGENT OF THE CROWN, will be out early in 2016, and the fourth novel, VOYAGER OF THE CROWN, is due to be published by June of 2016. AGENT is the story of Elspeth and Owen’s daughter Telaine, and VOYAGER is Zara’s own novel. Following that is a trilogy about Willow North, the first North Queen, release date to be determined later.

 

Last day of sale!

It’s Cyber Monday, and today’s the last day you can get my e-books at the low price of $1.99! Great for gift-giving, or just for yourself.

Shop at Amazon, Smashwords (scroll down), Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and more.

Release day–RIDER OF THE CROWN!

Release day! I’m so excited for people to read RIDER OF THE CROWN. You can purchase it for the Kindle here , in print here, and at other retailers very soon.

I’m also having a Rafflecopter giveaway for an ebook of RIDER OF THE CROWN plus a $25  Amazon gift card to celebrate. It ends October 27, so enter soon!

 

On tour with Prism Book Tours.
Release Day Blitz for
Rider of the Crown
By Melissa McShane

 

We’re spreading the word about this newest fantasy release with an
exclusive excerpt and giveaway. Read more and enter to win below!

 

Excerpt from Rider of the Crown

 

Imogen, warrior of the Kirkellan tribes, marries the King of their long-time enemy the Ruskalder. Her obedience is the price of her people’s safety, but she can be pushed only so far:
     Hrovald slammed his fist down on the high table. “You will do as I command!”
     Imogen stared the King down. Her fear for Dorenna and for Elspeth had drained her ability to fear anything else. “Think again, husband,” she said softly. “You have no right to force me. I am your wife because I choose to be. I follow your rules because I choose to do so. You may think of me as a Ruskalder wife, but I swore oath to a Kirkellan husband, and no Kirkellan husband has the right to insist I not follow my conscience when someone’s life is at stake. So, husband, I intend to return to that room and continue caring for Elspeth North, and you should think very carefully about how far you’re willing to go to stop me.”
     Hrovald glared furiously at her. His fingers curled into a fist, and briefly Imogen remembered the treaty, and the Kirkellan, and Ruskalder warriors slaughtering her people. If she didn’t back down, what might he decide to do? Enough, she thought. I’m not going to be a hostage anymore. If he breaks the treaty, it’s on his head, and we Kirkellan will just have to endure. As we always do. She straightened her spine. She wasn’t some frail Ruskalder woman. She was a warrior of the Kirkellan, and she would show this man no fear.
Rider of the CrownRider of the Crown

 

(The Crown of Tremontane, #2)
by Melissa McShane

Adult Fantasy

Paperback & ebook, 385 Pages
October 22nd 2015 by Night Harbor Publishing

 

 

 

Imogen, warrior of the Kirkellan tribes, has never wanted to be anything else. But when the long war between the Kirkellan and the country of Ruskald ends, the terms of the peace treaty require Imogen to be married to the vicious King of Ruskald for five years. Confined to his freezing city, forbidden to fight, Imogen sees nothing but darkness in her future—until the arrival of Elspeth North, heir to the Crown of Tremontane, brings three countries to the brink of war and sets Imogen free.Now, sent to be the ambassador of her people to Tremontane, Imogen faces new challenges as she struggles to maintain her warrior’s identity in a world of glittering ballrooms and foreign customs. As a diplomat, Imogen discovers skills she never knew she had—as well as a forbidden attraction to the handsome and charismatic King Jeffrey North. But when war once again threatens not only Tremontane but her own people, Imogen must decide: is she the warrior, the diplomat—or something greater?

 

 

Also in the Series

Servant of the CrownServant of the Crown

 

(The Crown of Tremontane, #1)
by Melissa McShane
Adult Fantasy Paperback & ebook, 405 Pages
July 15th 2015 by Night Harbor Publishing

 

 

Alison Quinn, Countess of Waxwold, is content with her bookish life—until she’s summoned to be a lady-in-waiting to the Queen of Tremontane’s mother for six months. Even the prospect of access to the Royal Library doesn’t seem enough to make up for her sacrifice, but Alison is prepared to do her service to the Crown. What she’s not prepared for is Prince Anthony North, Queen Zara’s playboy brother, who’s accustomed to getting what he wants—including the Countess of Waxwold.
When the fallout from an unfortunate public encounter throws the two of them together, Alison has no interest in becoming the Prince’s next conquest. But as the weeks pass, Alison discovers there’s more to Anthony than she—or he—realized, and their dislike becomes friendship, and then something more—until disaster drives Alison away, swearing never to return.
Then Alison is summoned by the Queen again, this time to serve as Royal Librarian. A threat to Tremontane’s government, with her treasured Library at stake, draws Alison into the conflict…and into contact with Anthony once more. Can they work together to save the Royal Library and Tremontane? And can she open her heart to love again?

 

 

 

Melissa McShaneMelissa McShane grew up a nomad, following her family all over the United States, and ended up living in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains with her husband, four kids, and three very needy cats. Her love of reading was always a constant during those uncertain years, and her love of writing grew out of that. She wrote reviews and critical essays for many years before turning to fiction, and was surprised at how much she liked it. She loves the fantasy genre and how it stretches the imagination.

Website – Blog – Goodreads – Pinterest

Blitz Giveaway

 

 

$25 Amazon Gift Card & ebook of Rider of the Crown Open internationally

Ends October 27tha Rafflecopter giveaway

Grab Our Button!

Cover Reveal–RIDER OF THE CROWN

Rider of the CrownToday my new book, RIDER OF THE CROWN, is available for pre-order on Amazon.com! The cover is by Clarissa Yeo at Yocla Designs and I think it looks fantastic (and will look great on my shelf next to SERVANT OF THE CROWN). This new book features characters from SERVANT, but the main character is Imogen, one of the nomadic riders of the Kirkellan tribes:

Imogen, warrior of the Kirkellan tribes, has never wanted to be anything else. But when the long war between the Kirkellan and the country of Ruskald ends, the terms of the peace treaty require Imogen to be married to the vicious King of Ruskald for five years. Confined to his freezing city, forbidden to fight, Imogen sees nothing but darkness in her future—until the arrival of Elspeth North, heir to the Crown of Tremontane, brings three countries to the brink of war and sets Imogen free.

Now, sent to be the ambassador of her people to Tremontane, Imogen faces new challenges as she struggles to maintain her warrior’s identity in a world of glittering ballrooms and foreign customs. As a diplomat, Imogen discovers skills she never knew she had—as well as a forbidden attraction to the handsome and charismatic King Jeffrey North. But when war once again threatens not only Tremontane but her own people, Imogen must decide: is she the warrior, the diplomat—or something greater?

Release date is 10/22. I hope you enjoy this book! (For those of you who are wondering why this isn’t a book about Zara North, don’t worry–she returns in the third Tremontane novel, AGENT OF THE CROWN, and there will be a novella about her that fits between books one and two.)