Once Upon a Twilight!: Blog Tour: The Architect of Song by A.G. Howard l Excerpt l Giveaway

The Architect of Song
Haunted Hearts Legacy #1
Author: A.G. Howard
Pub. Date: August 15, 2016
Publisher: A.G. Howard
Pages: 425
Formats: Paperback, eBook

A lady imprisoned by deafness, an architect imprisoned by his past, and a ghost imprisoned within the petals of a flower - intertwine in this love story that transcends life and death.

For most of her life, nineteen-year-old Juliet Emerline has subsisted – isolated by deafness – making hats in the solitude of her home. Now, she’s at risk to lose her sanctuary to Lord Nicolas Thornton, a twenty-seven-year-old mysterious and eccentric architect with designs on her humble estate. When she secretly witnesses him raging beside a grave, Juliet investigates, finding the name “Hawk” on the headstone and an unusual flower at the base. The moment Juliet touches the petals, a young English nobleman appears in ghostly form, singing a song only her deaf ears can hear. The ghost remembers nothing of his identity or death, other than the one name that haunts his afterlife: Thornton.

To avenge her ghostly companion and save her estate, Juliet pushes aside her fear of society and travels to Lord Thornton’s secluded holiday resort, posing as a hat maker in one of his boutiques. There, she finds herself questioning who to trust: the architect of flesh and bones who can relate to her through romantic gestures, heartfelt notes, and sensual touches … or the specter who serenades her with beautiful songs and ardent words, touching her mind and soul like no other man ever can. As sinister truths behind Lord Thornton’s interest in her estate and his tie to Hawk come to light, Juliet is lured into a web of secrets. But it’s too late for escape, and the tragic love taking seed in her heart will alter her silent world forever.

International and NYT bestselling author, A.G. Howard, brings her darkly magical and visual/visceral storytelling to Victorian England. The Architect of Song is the first installment in her lush and romantic Haunted Hearts Legacy series, a four book gothic saga following the generations of one family as - haunted by both literal and figurative ghosts - they search for self-acceptance, love, and happiness.

New Adult: Recommended for ages 17+.

EXCERPT

Today, for the authors out there, I’m sharing some helpful online tools and contacts I’ve utilized during my trek through Indie publishing.

If you’re a reader who’s not interested in the business side of all this, scroll down to check out an excerpt from the book that spotlights Juliet’s fascination with death at the beginning of The Architect of Song, along with a peek at the chapter headings (my own creation!), and then head to the bottom to see today’s addition to the prizes and enter the rafflecopter.

When I got serious about Indie publishing, first came the professional edits, and then my cover art. After the success of the Splintered Series covers, there was no question that I would reach out to the same amazing artist, Nathalia Suellen. I was pleased to find that her prices are reasonable and she is also a delight to work with one on one. She took the primitive and rough mockup I made with my graphic arts program:

And transformed it into this lovely, polished masterpiece:

And she knew all about picture resolution and spine width based on the page number and size of a book (mine happens to be 5.5 X 8.5). These are things I would never have considered if I’d been making my own cover.

So, with the outside of the book and the MS edited, it was time to format. Having gone the traditional route first with my young adult books—converting a book for print and online use and formatting it (so it fits printable and loading guidelines) felt daunting to me, especially when I already had writing and editing deadlines I was under for my traditional publisher. I didn’t have time to spare for the learning curve. Thankfully, a talented author pal, Serena Chase, recommended Polgarus Studio. Miranda and Jason are an amazing team. They’re patient with an author’s many questions and nit-picky requests (my personalized chapter headings and scene separators, for example), and they’re reasonably priced. They took all the stress out of getting my MS into publishable shape.

And the end result? See for yourself:

Beautiful! Polgarus also provides editing services, for any authors seeking an editor.

Next, it was time to send out e-arcs for reviews, and another wonderfully talented author friend, Marcy McKay, directed me to BookFunnel. This tool has saved me an abundance of time because all I have to do is upload a mobi and e-version of my books, make a link for the readers to follow, and then BookFunnel walks them through the process of getting the proper format for their e-reader, no matter what device they have. BookFunnel has a working knowledge of all the major devices and apps, and does the trouble shooting for me so Ican spend my time writing, promoting, and editing.

And last but not least, every Indie author needs an awesome virtual tour coordinator. I love RockStar book tours! I’ve used them for most of my YA novels, and will continue to use them for all my future books. Jaime and Rachel are professional, organized, and huge advocates for authors. They’re in it for the love of reading, and it shows in every tour they host.

In honor of the cover art, today’s prize spotlight is on a signed The Architect of Song poster:

Be sure to enter the rafflecopter and join us for our next post!

A.G. Howard was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. She always wondered what would've happened had the subtle creepiness of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland taken center stage, and she hopes her darker and funkier tribute to Carroll will inspire readers to seek out the stories that won her heart as a child.

When she's not writing, A.G.'s pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.

Giveaway

All tour prizes (INTL):

2 - signed The Architect of Song paperbacks

3 - The Architect of Song e-books

1 - heart locket necklace

1 - Architect of Song poster

1 - faux leather journal

1 - 5X7 musical print

3 - The Architect of Song swag packs

1 – LitCube surprise box

13 separate winners

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

Week One: