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Pre-order announcement!
I have a new Tommy story coming up in this awesome anthology of Joe Ledger stories from some amazingly talented authors. I’m honored to be in such esteemed company!
Joe Ledger fans rejoice! Ledger returns with more dynamic adventures with his friends in the industry. 16 adventures edited by Jonathan Maberry and Bryan Thomas Schmidt.
For those of you new to Tommy…
Tommy, or Tamaleigh, is a character I created specifically for Jonathan Maberry in his Joe Ledger universe. Tommy is a young woman with a past that’s made her hard as nails and she’s one of my favorites of all times.
Just look at this lineup! I am in the best of company. I can’t wait to read these stories.
Ray Porter is in this one with us, and, as many of you know, he is the narrator for the Joe Ledger series. I had the honor of meeting him last February and he is a wonderful, talented human.
I’ll post more as I receive more information about this one. If you pre-order this book, I would love to know about it!
Book Release Date!
This anthology will be delivered on November 10, 2023. I can’t wait!!
Reserve your copy now!
Check out Joe Ledger: Unbreakable and pre-order the new anthology here.
About the Book
Joe Ledger: Unbreakable presents 15 all new stories and a bonus reprint by New York Times bestseller Jonathan Maberry starring Joe Ledger, Top, Bunny, Lydia, Church, and all your favorites from The Department of Military Sciences and Rogue Team International. Powerful edge-of-your-seat adventures by Kevin J. Anderson, John G. Hartness, Scott Sigler, Dana Fredsti, Wayne Brady & Maurice Broaddus, Tori Eldridge, Kevin Eikenberry, Heather Graham, Ray Porter, Kat Richardson, Keith DeCandido, Marie Whitaker, Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Peter Clines, and Maberry himself. Includes a brand new interview about the evolution of Ledger with Jonathan Maberry and Ray Porter (the voice of Joe Ledger).
From his early days as a Baltimore cop to his time with the Department of Military Sciences and then more recently leading Rogue Team International, these stories cover the range of the Ledger timeline bringing back old favorites and introducing new ones. The stakes are as high as ever, and Joe Ledger is there to save the day!
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Update for May!
The month of May has been NUTS so far. Between attending a great conference, meeting new readers at the library, and crazy weather here on the mountainside, May has me on the edge of my desk chair.
The first thing I want to tell you about was the amazing time I had teaching at Pikes Peak Writers Conference in Colorado Springs. I met some truly engaged writers and we talked project management, book distribution, writing craft, and so many other great topics that I know I’ll return to that conference to network.
I also attended Mountain of Authors last weekend and had a great time. The event lasted for one afternoon that was packed with great conversation, signing books, an amazing panel of expert authors, and seeing some of my local author friends. It was a great way to spend a Saturday and I was honored to attend.
The weather in Colorado has a knack for punking the weatherman. True to form, it’s been all over the place for the last week. A crazy storm rolled through two days ago and this chunk of pink granite slid down the mountain and landed beside the house. Another rock the size and shape of a football clunked on top of one of my tomato plants. And now it’s raining again! Holy buckets!
Audiobook Sale!
The Witcher Chime audiobook is part of a massive sale on Kobo! If you like chills and hauntings, this is a great book for you. Stephanie, the narrator, is perfect for this book. Take a listen. You’ll see what I mean. All books included in the sale will be 3 for $15 from May 1st to May 31st
Next Appearance
Western Colorado University in Gunnison Colorado from July 26 – August 2.
Did you know that May is Get Caught Reading Month? I’d love to see photos of you getting caught reading in May. Respond here or tag me on your socials!
Eldros Legacy News
Stonewhisper, by H.Y. Gregor will be released on June 13! Check out the pre-order here. And look at this amazing cover!
Lola Hopscotch News
Did you know that The Adventures of Lola Hopscotch is endorsed by the PACER Center for Anti-bullying? We also partnered with StandForTheSilent.org during our anti-bullying outreach when I wrote Book One.
Book One Here are two fun dates coming up in May:
- May 21 international Tea Day
- May 23 National Drinking with Chickens Day
- May Fun Facts!
- May 5, 1961: Alan Shepard becomes the first American to enter space
- May 6, 1856: Sigmund Freud is born in Freiberg, Moravia
- May 8, 1429: Joan of Arc wins the siege at Orleans
- May 10, 1994: Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as the president of South Africa
- May 12, 1820: Nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale is born in Italy
- May 20, 1932: Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic (I wrote a book about Amelia’s fictional sister! Check it out here.)
- May 25, 1803: Author and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson is born
- May 28, 1961: Amnesty International is founded
Here’s the latest bloom from one of the gardens here at Penfield. I can’t wait to see what my roses do after all this rain.
Milk Dud has been right at my side while I’m at my desk lately. We had to come to an agreement because she kept sitting on the keyboard. I told her she had to stay on the other side of the stapler. 😊
Thanks so much for being a part of my readers group! See you in June.
M
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The Book of the Month for August!
The August book of the month is all about helping kiddos with their first day of school.
Lola Hopscotch and the First Day of School is endorsed by the PACER Center for Anti-bullying and Stand for the Silent.
Kids can get really nervous about going to school for the first time, or even returning to school after the summer break is over. This book is designed to help.
With strong read-out-loud potential, this book helps open the lines of communication between kids and their adults when read together.
Give it a try. Kids love Lola Hopscotch!
Get it HERE for only 99 cents during the month of August!
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Update for July!
I simply cannot believe it’s already July. I think the Colorado mountain weather agrees with me. Just three days ago the temperature made it to 90F. At least it didn’t hail. We’ve had plenty of rain so the gardens here at Penfield are flourishing.
Have I mentioned that Ronin and I are building a skoolie? My dream has been to travel around and write books in new, interesting settings. We’re making it happen! We considered buying an RV but I’ve always been leary of them because they seem to… well, break so easily. I don’t mean the motors, although that might be true, too, I mean that they crumble in fender-benders and blow over easily in strong wind. School buses are much safer. They’re trusted to transport little kiddos. I feel much better about doing it this way. I’ll get pictures for next time. 🙂
Featured Book of the Month
Scales: A Gargoyle Shapeshifter Fantasy Adventure
Just ninety nine pennies until the end of July! Click the bookcover to get the deal.
Next Appearance
20Books Vegas! This amazing conference takes place from November 6 – 10. I’ll have my final teaching schedule soon. Vegas, baby!
On July 31 I’m off to teach the grad students in Gunnison at Western Colorado University for the week. They have a wonderful publishing program. I get to see some of my best friends and check out the wildflowers.
Eldros Legacy News
A new release from Aaron Rosenberg!
Missing mages, rapacious pirates, deadly storms—and a pair of young adventurers stuck in the middle…
The second in the Areyat Isles series of fantasy pirate mystery adventures set within the world of Eldros Legacy!
You can find both books in the Areyat Isles set here: https://books2read.com/rl/The-Areyat-Isles
Lola Hopscotch News
I’m excited to announce that my book, Lola Hopscotch and the First Day of School, is available for FREE(!) as part of a promotion on Smashwords for the month of July as part of their Annual Summer/Winter Sale! This is a chance to get my book FREE, along with books from many other great authors, at a discount so you can get right to reading.
You will find the promo here starting on July 1.
Please share this promo with friends and family. You can even forward this email to the avid readers in your life!
Summertime with Lola Hopscotch! How about a new coloring page? Click HERE to download a printable page to celebrate summer with Lola Hopscotch and Momma Rabbit during a bedtime story. Awwww! (Art by the super talented Lily Uivel)
Speaking of Lilies… The Mystery Lily is Revealed!
These lilies are a mystery from two years ago. They volunteered out of nowhere, and last year, just when they might bloom, deer ate all the buds. The Mystery Lilies are back! And just look at this gorgeous shade of dusty red!
Next time I’ll have photos from Gunnison and Crested Butte, plus some pictures of our Skoolie build. PLUS! A cover reveal for my newest Joe Ledger anthology!
Thanks for reading and enjoy your summer!
M
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First Readers Wanted!
First Readers Wanted
I’ve recently finished a paranormal mystery set in my home town of Manitou Springs. I’ve read through it and I really need more eyes on it. I think the main things I’m looking for is to see if anything needs more fleshing out or description. And things like plot holes, of course! Please let me know if you’re interested in reading it. Here’s some information about the book:
The disappearance of a child leads to a deadly murder investigation in a town where the homeless population seems to have gone insane. The body count rises and the unexplained takes place. Is the terror created by vengeance and greed, or a deadly paranormal force?
Little Boy Lost is a paranormal mystery that has jaded reality-show paranormal investigator Tim Slade traveling to the mountain town of Manitou Springs, Colorado, which is known to harbor a large community of pagans and witches, both historically and in current times. Slade is well-known for two things: debunking claims of paranormal activity and hosting his reality TV show, Ghost Beat. Slade is contracted to document findings of an estranged husband’s cruel tricks against the man’s soon to be ex-wife after the death of the couple’s son. After years of hosting his show, traveling from fake case to fake case, Slade’s personal journey explodes as he is confronted by the most deadly and real haunting he’s ever encountered. And that’s not all. The case is entwined with a string of murders that rocks the small community and threatens the lives of a grieving woman and her sister.
This mystery will appeal to fans of Alexandra Oliva’s The Last One, and Grief Cottage by Gail Godwin. Little Boy Lost is a standalone novel with strong series potential. Tim Slade is a dynamic hero that will do anything it takes to stop two very different types of monsters from haunting a small town—a man whose greed consumes him and a spirit with a story to tell.
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Big Eldros Legacy news, a scholarship for writers, and a free novelette for June!
June has been a great month so far but the weather… wow. So. Much. Rain. Colorado is known for crazytown weather but the state also touts over three hundred days of sunshine per year. At this rate, CO had best step it up. Things are soggy, but the gardens here at Penfield are like mini rain forests of blossoms.
My son Cody came for a visit at the end of May and I got to do something I’ve been pining away at for years—we went metal detecting together! Cody spent the last few years in Okinawa, where he scanned the beaches and found tons of Japanese coins, jewelry, and items left over from the wars. Here is my first ever detecting find. It is a piece of a tin can with a bullet hole through it. The second photo is our combined efforts the next day. I’m hooked!
The Superstars Writing Seminars Scholarship Application
Superstars Scholarship The Superstars Writing Seminars Scholarship application is open! I know I talk about this a lot, but I am really excited to share. Superstars changed the trajectory of my writing career nearly a decade ago. There are five scholarship types available. If you’re ready to take your writing career to the next level, don’t wait any longer. Apply for this opportunity to attend in February.
The 2024 lineup of instructors includes Jim Butcher, Rebecca Moesta, Jonathan Maberry, Gail Carriger, Kevin J. Anderson, Chuck Gannon, Lisa Mangum, Chris Kennedy, James Artimus Owen, Toni Weiskopff, Michael La Ronn, Ann Rose, Craig Martelle, Lisa Kastner, Henry Herz, Stacey Kondla, Bryan Cohen, and more. You can apply here.
Next Appearance
Western Colorado University in Gunnison Colorado from July 26 – August 2.
I will also have a few local signing events popping up this summer, one of which will be at Barnes & Noble. We are locking in dates so stay tuned.
Eldros Legacy News
Stonewhisper is live for sale!
It’s Book Release Day for sweet friend and debut novelist, Hailey Gregor!
Lovers of the Night Angel trilogy and The Ember Blade will enjoy this dastardly tale of torn loyalties, a criminal empire, and a fallen hero. You can find it in eBook, trade paperback, and a gorgeous, jacketed hardcover here.
Lola Hopscotch News
We’re finally going to sell the full set at an event at Barnes & Noble. The dates are forthcoming, but I can’t wait for this. I might get to do a reading and meet some kiddos and talk about anti-bullying!
Did you know that The Adventures of Lola Hopscotch is endorsed by the PACER Center for Anti-bullying? We also partnered with StandForTheSilent.org during our anti-bullying outreach when I wrote Book One. You can find the full set here.
A Free Story!
I just got the rights back to Betsy and the Time Ship and I’m really happy about it. I learned a lot while researching for this story. I’ve been fascinated by Amelia Earhart for a long time and this little book features some fun alternate history. As a special thanks for being part of my readers group, I’m giving it to you as a special gift for a limited time. You can download it here.
“Betsy and the Time Ship is a fun, mind-bending adventure! Marie Whittaker brings game and new excitement to time travel science fiction. Brava!” -Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of V-WARS and RAGE
A mysterious romp through time from colonial era Salem to alternative history featuring the days of Amelia Earhart.
Steampunk blends with Victorian intrigue and paranormal fantasy in this tale of a witch hunt gone awry when an airship pilot meets a bounty hunter as they travel through time on a mission leading to a deadly grapple for a cursed artifact which possesses the power to control time..
Can a hunter honor a contract without ruining his own honor in the process?
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How I started saving $400 per month
Last year I started looking for ways to simplify my life in order to retire earlier than the traditional age in the US. That started an unbelievably massive process. The word simplify brings about the image of making things smaller and more manageable, which is correct; although, it depends on just how complicated you let your life get in the beginning.
Let me explain how the subject of this post fits in with the theme of early retirement.
Saving money simplifies life in more than just the obvious way—overspending complicates things by making issues for your budget, bringing home more consumables than you actually need or consume, and complicates your plans for retirement because that money is going to the wrong place. This idea works off of this equation:
Simplification + Budget integrity = Early retirement
For me, saving, by definition is a type of simplification. This step helped me save two important resources: Time and money. Here it is:
Shop at Costco, make a list, and stick to it.
I also eat a decent meal and fill a water bottle before I leave the house. Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. If you’re like me, you’ll buy everything that looks tasty and that makes sticking to a list really difficult.
Make the list to include everything for the household from groceries and supplies to putting gas in the car
-Three tips:
Don’t buy a list-making app. Don’t even download one. Adding unnecessary things is a complication rather than a simplification.
Plan on hitting Costco for the bulk of your needs once per month, twice at most.
Plan on hitting a smaller grocery store to pick up anything that Costco doesn’t typically stock.
To be real, you don’t have to shop at Costco to make this work. I shop at Costco because I find buying in bulk is a good way for me to save money on things I use constantly. You could shop at a different store if you don’t live close to a Costco location.
The important thing is to stick to your list. Don’t buy anything that you didn’t plan to spend resources on.
I go to Costco every other Monday. I’ve been doing it for two months now. I added it up and I saved over $400 the first month and I’m on track to save even more this month.
I created the list by checking the cabinets, asking my partner what meals sound good, and by writing down anything that needs replenished during the two-week list-planning cycle.
Added bonus: it makes it easier to keep things stocked so we don’t run out and have to make extra trips to the store.
I hope you find this step as useful as I did. Have a great week!
Marie
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Upcoming Appearance— MileHiCon
I love to work shows and conventions in my home state of Colorado! Thanks in advance to MileHiCon for having me. I get to see some friends I haven’t spent time with since before the pandemic. Yay!
I’ll have loads of books to check out and for the first time, I’ll be selling eBooks in person. That should be interesting. 🙂
MileHiCon 54 in 2022 will be held at the Denver Marriott Tech Center
4900 S. Syracuse St. Denver, CO
Here’s my schedule:
Marie Whittaker
● Fri 3p, Evergreen B: Writing a Good Query Letter
● Sat 11a, Conifer 3: Blind Slush Panel
● Sat 12p, Pint’s Pub Back Area: Wordfire Press Signing
● Sat 2p, Evergreen B: How to Handle Rejection
● Sat 3p, Conifer 3: Writing Flash Fiction and Short Stories
● Sat 7p, Evergreen B: Crowdfunding your ProjectFor SF/F and speculative fiction lovers, it’s a weekend not to be missed. The convention will feature authors, artists, speakers and programming on every aspect of the science fiction and fantasy genres.
For more information head on over to the official MileHiCon website.
I hope to see you there!
Read on next time because the stars have finally aligned and I get to go to the Emma Crawford Races right here in Manitou Springs!
Look at this awesome animation for Embers & Ash! You can find the book on Amazon. If you pick it up, please leave a review? Thanks! (Sorry it’s ginormous. It’s the only way I could get it to stick!)
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Change.
I love autumn. It’s always been my favorite time of year. Something about the temperature dropping to a chill in the mornings and the bronzing of colors on the hillsides… yep. It’s gorgeous. I’ll spare you of enduring the long list of why I love pumpkin spiced everything.
I’m not the only one digging fall! This cutie hangs out in the trees next to Penfield where I live.
These deer put on thick coats and the bucks antlers are covered in velvet. It’s a sure sign that autumn has arrived.
I get it. I mean, I’ve been wearing a lot of sweaters lately. Although, none of them are velvet. 😉
Embracing change can be tricky. I promise, if I didn’t do yoga everyday I’d be too bunched up to get much done. Yoga helps bring down the tension a notch and I can stop and consider rather than panicking about another year going by.
I also ordered myself an undated bullet journal. This was a great decision because I can create blocks with checklists. That’s the thing with me. It’s not what I do on the daily, it’s the boxes I check off a list. Once one list is complete, I build another.
Here’s another photo of this bashful sweetheart. See the velvet draping from his horns?
I’m in love!
There aren’t that many around after it starts snowing. They’re nearly as common as red squirrels this time of the year.
The arrival of autumn signifies another change— the kids are back to school! Here’s a link to my anti-bullying picture book series for kids. Click the green box below.
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Happy Book Day to Me! Embers & Ash is Live!
In 2021 I founded Eldros Legacy with four other authors who have become good friends. If they were good friends before, they’re even better friends now. Founding Eldros Legacy has been a lot of fun and a lot of work. Each minute and milestone has been a blessing.
What is Eldros Legacy? It’s a multi-author, epic fantasy universe of sheer wonder. Each of us founders has a continent. Mine is Pyranon. If you know anything about my writing, you know I got my start in horror, and Pyranon reflects that.
You can take the girl out of the horror, but you can’t take the horror out of the girl.
That sounds odd and dramatic, but it’s true for me as a writer. I’ll always love gothic themes and elements. Embers & Ash, the first of the stories told on my continent on Pyranon, is dark fantasy.
So, what’s it about?
Game of Thrones meets Lord of the Rings in this gothic epic fantasy saga of captivating court intrigue, deadly, reigning evil, and a young queen’s determination to free an empire.
Princess Mahaela Bellagrave nearly escapes her fate as queen, but murder accelerates her ascension to the throne of Pyranon. Denying her birthright is no longer an option; she must embrace the magic she’s possessed since birth but hidden out of self-preservation.
Banu Liin, an immortal demon construct and ancient palace knight, lives on as the royal advisor. He’s ruled Pyranon through its queens and their magic for centuries. He’s hidden truths and kept the loyal kingdoms of Pyranon in the dark about life-and-death threats that imperil the mortality of every living soul on the continent.
Banu sets his trap for the new queen. He refuses to lose his long-lived and lasting power over the fiery continent of Pyranon and the reigning queen of the empire.
In a world plagued by centuries of evil possession, can a determined young queen embrace inherited magic and free Pyranon from a throne long tarnished by a deadly legacy of deceit?
You can find it here in eBook, trade paperback, and a gorgeous hardcover.
Thanks for checking it out!
