Sunday Swag: Donna Augustine + free audible codes

Sunday Swag Team!
Riverina Romantics 
 I Smell Sheep 

Today's feature author: Donna Augustine
The Keepers review
Keepers & Killers reivew
Shattered review
Redemption review



get the whole series for $6.99

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Donna Augustine’s lifelong ambition was to become the crazy cat lady. Unfortunately, when family allergies cut short her dream of living in a house full of furries, she turned her ambitions toward writing. Combining her love of fantasy, scifi, horror and romance, she tries to string together interesting twists on urban fantasy.

A native of New Jersey, when she isn’t writing or over dosing on caffeine, she can occasionally be spotted in disguise at the local dog park.

*The first 15 people who comment with their contact information will receive a free audible download code for any of Donna's books!

*I will also randomly pic 3 people to receive one of Donna's bookmarks along with some other swag!

Head over to Riverina Romantics and win more Swag!

New Release: Redemption (The Alchemy #4) by Donna Augustine + giveaway

The final book in The Alchemy Series by Donna Augustine has just released! Since I was an editor for the book I can't give an official review, but since I love this series so much I am going say a little about it.

The series as a whole is a fast paced dark urban fantasy/dystopian. The heroine, Jo Davids, is the kind of snarky, kick ass character I love. Pair her with the alpha male, Cormac, and I am one happy camper. There are werewolves and fae in the story, but they live in another dimension that is only accessible through gates (portals) controlled by the Keepers. Keepers can manipulate magic. This is a story of good versus evil and survival. It is dark, but balanced with the perfect amount of humor. Usually in the form of sarcasm from Jo. There is enough of a romantic element to keep paranormal romance lovers happy, but not turn off urban fantasy lovers.

Redemption is the final book and full of the unexpected just like the first three books. I suggest starting from the beginning or you will spoil the other books. I give Redemption 5 sheep as well as the whole series. 

Redemption: Alchemy Series Book #4
by Donna Augustine

Up until now, I've done everything wrong. Deserted and feeling more alone than ever, I need to lead my people in this new barbaric world. I've got to defend them against the power hungry senator and shield them from even themselves. All this while my heart is being ripped to shreds.

Sometimes, redemption is found in your darkest moments.

I Smell Sheep reviews of 

The Keepers, Keepers & Killers, Shattered

all three received 5 Sheep

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Donna Augustine’s lifelong ambition was to become the crazy cat lady. Unfortunately, when family allergies cut short her dream of living in a house full of furries, she turned her ambitions toward writing. Combining her love of fantasy, scifi, horror and romance, she tries to string together interesting twists on urban fantasy.

GIVEAWAY

win the whole Alchemy Series signed! (4 books)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Arts and Crafts with Authors: Jake the Dragon by Donna Augustine + giveaway

Over the years the I Smell Sheep facebook group has gone through a lot of changes. There is still a welcome table in the back where you can have all the moon pies and Kool-Aid you want and there is always some "interesting" conversations going on. This past year,  long time inmate member Tina C. brought a dragon (yes he flies and yes we have umbrellas for when he does) into the group. His name is Jake and his job is to keep peace in the group. Even though you must now sign a waiver to join the group because of that alleged incident with a group of newbies and Jake's stash of junk food, the facebook group is still a great place to visit... 

When author Donna Augustine showed up in the group she wowed us with her dystopian Alchemy Series and her crafting abilities! First she did a tutorial for a felted wolf and now she is making a polymer clay Jake Dragon! And she is giving him away to one winner.

Polymer Clay Dragon Tutorial
by Donna Augustine

Jake

Growing up, I'd always been drawn to sculpting. I remember carving faces into bars of soap. Yes, I had Playdough like a normal kid. I don't know why I choose soap. Playdough would've been better because it really stinks when you find the details on a soap carving you'd been working on for weeks, all worn off after your sister gets out of the shower. As I got older, I longed to play with porcelain. Problem is, you need a kiln to cook most clays. I moved past my sculpting/carving stage into other arts.

Then one day as an adult, I found polymer. Polymer has its limitations. It's a very heavy clay so you aren't going to be able to make beautiful thin flower petals but there is a whole lot else you can do. The good part? You can bake it in your oven. Just be warned, whatever oils they use to hold the clay together eat the finish off of everything until it's baked.

I started Jake with an aluminum foil base which I wrapped in floral wire. The beige bar behind it is Super Sculpey, a polymer clay.

 People have different ways of working, but I need something to hold onto and my hands are warm. (Which, by the way, does not mean I have a cold heart. I just have good circulation.) My point is, this clay gets very mushy when warm. I find it easier to make another under-structure. Ignore the wires coming out of the back. This was my first dragon and there was some trial and error going on. The wires were definitely on the error list.

I'm starting to make the head now. Just trying to get the basic shape and landmarks down.

Getting more of the head worked out. I end up chopping off the swirly horns by the end and opt for more traditional look. I also enlarge the eyes and give them a more almond shape to make him look a bit friendlier. The arms get swapped out for a smaller size.

I started to add arms and play with some textures for the skin as well. 

Easy way to do fingers and toes are to start with a basic shape like this and use a razor knife to cut the amount. I wanted three toes.

Then you separate them and round them with your fingers 

 Make sure to add some definition at the base of the toes and fingers.

I started jumping ahead now mostly because I was tired of wiping clay off my phone.

Here he is partially baked. I needed a place to hold him as I finished him up. 

 I finished up his tail, baked him again and drilled a hole in his back for some wings. Baked up some Liquid Fimo wings and slapped some make up on him, including a little laser teeth whitiening (lol) and he's all set to go to the party!

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Donna Augustine’s lifelong ambition was to become the crazy cat lady. Unfortunately, when family allergies cut short her dream of living in a house full of furries, she turned her ambitions toward writing. Combining her love of fantasy, scifi, horror and romance, she tries to string together interesting twists on urban fantasy.

A native of New Jersey, when she isn’t writing or over dosing on caffeine, she can occasionally be spotted in disguise at the local dog park.

The Keepers (book 1) review

Keepers and Killers (book 2) review

Shattered (book 3) review

  

Enter to win Jake the Dragon!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An a-MUSE-ing interview + giveaway

Today we interview an author's muse. What do they think of their job? Donna Augustine's muse has agreed to answer a few questions and maybe dish a little dirt about her.

~~~~~

Would you mind stating your name and occupation?
Alexander, but you can call me Alex. I'm a muse.
And who is your employer?
Donna Augustine isn't my employer. We collaborate. Actually, that's a bit generous of me. I do all the heavy lifting. Sometimes, I think she just takes dictation.

Why do you collaborate with her then? Why not find another author?
Too troublesome. I've finally gotten her trained. You have no idea how hard it can be to break in a new writer.

Trained? How so?
Well, for instance, she had to adjust to my ways. I don't do the 9-5 thing. It's tedious and boring. If I call her at two in the morning with my brilliance, she needs to pay attention. I also expect her and take notes. If she's going to blow me off because she finds the hour unreasonable then I have no desire to repeat myself the next day when it's more convenient for her.

So, mostly just late hours?
No, I share my brilliance at all different times. Unfortunately, she might have the worst timing of anyone I've ever met. Whenever I need her, she's either showering, shopping or in a conversation with someone not as important as me. But, she learned. Now, when I call her, she always stops and takes notes.

Then the two of you are in a good place now?
As long as she keeps up her end, yes. I guess you could say that.

Do you have any advice for all the other muses out there?
Yes, don't get into the business. It's a thankless job. I get no respect at all. My name isn't on the cover or even in the credits. The pay is horrible too. Cut out the middleman and just write the books yourselves. But, how can you do that if you don't have a corporeal body?
Well, that is just plain rude. This interview is over. I've got a spa appointment to make.

~~~~~

Shattered (Alchemy, #3)by Donna Augustine
I thought I could be a hero. That was before I helped destroy the world. Now, as I stand among the rubble of what used to be, I wonder how we're ever going to pick up the pieces.

Every day is a struggle, and people are getting desperate. Creatures that never should have existed are picking away at the dwindling numbers of the human race. And the knowledge that could be our salvation lies with the senator who reigns supreme on the other half of the globe.

I Smell Sheep reviews of 

The Keepers, Keepers & Killers, Shattered

all three received 5 Sheep

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Donna Augustine’s lifelong ambition was to become the crazy cat lady. Unfortunately, when family allergies cut short her dream of living in a house full of furries, she turned her ambitions toward writing. Combining her love of fantasy, scifi, horror and romance, she tries to string together interesting twists on urban fantasy.

A native of New Jersey, when she isn’t writing or over dosing on caffeine, she can occasionally be spotted in disguise at the local dog park.

GIVEAWAY

GRAND PRIZE: a signed paperback set of THE ALCHEMY series & a Gift Card to Amazon (international winner will get eBooks instead of paperbacks)

RUNNERS-UP: 3 runners up will receive an eBook of choice from THE ALCHEMY series

Go here for the rafflecopter:

http://donnaaugustine.com/?p=168

Book Review: Shattered (Alchemy #3)

Shattered (Alchemy, #3)
by Donna Augustine
I thought I could be a hero. That was before I helped destroy the world. Now, as I stand among the rubble of what used to be, I wonder how we're ever going to pick up the pieces.

Every day is a struggle, and people are getting desperate. Creatures that never should have existed are picking away at the dwindling numbers of the human race. And the knowledge that could be our salvation lies with the senator who reigns supreme on the other half of the globe.

This is book three in the Alchemy series. I think there will only be one more. The first two books are more urban fantasy, while Shattered is a dystopian as the characters are thrown into a whole new world. And what a ride it was. Each book has had an ending I didn’t see coming. The action is fast paced and Donna’s tight prose makes for quick reading. The events of each book have you sprinting to the end before slam you into a wall of “oh, crap! I didn’t see that coming”. You grab the next book and off you go again. I like the entire cast and their snarky banter as they try not to get killed.

I can’t go into the plot of Shattered because that would spoil the first two books. Let’s just say Jo finally wises up after Cormac gives her a reality check. The sexual tension between Cormac and Jo has been building for two books. Finally! Cormac and Jo get horizontal, and boy was it good <G>

I know I go on and on about this series, but this type of story is my addiction. Here are some quotes from the book.

"We had a deal." I heard the slightest quiver in Vitor's voice. He was realizing the same thing I was noticing; this wasn't the same Cormac as a week ago. The Cormac of old would have beaten him to an inch of his life. This Cormac wouldn't leave an inch. I was getting the distinct impression that Cormac was shedding his civilized façade just as quickly as civilization had fallen to ruins”

Cormac tilted his head in Oslo's direction."Your friend has a message for you that he refused to share until you were present." Cormac didn't like that many people. If he had been Santa, there would be a whole lot of coal going around. It looked like Oslo had made the naughty list.

“I wanted to melt into him, but logic kept niggling at my brain. End of the world logic dictated I should have sex because, I mean hey, people were dropping like flies and I deserved some hot sex before I kicked it…”

Swoonage:

He didn't answer but closed the distance between us, pressing me back against the shelves. His hands slid up my arms and over my shoulders until they cupped my head, tilting it back. He just stared down at me, not speaking.

"What?" I asked again, not understanding the volatility I felt in him.

"Nothing," he said.”

His one hand moved from my hair, trailing along my jaw and down my neck. Then something snapped in his eyes and his mouth was on mine. His hands, so gentle before, roughly pulled me to him even firmer.

His jaw moved along my neck and I felt the scruff of his face before he pulled back, then he was gone without another word.

review: The Keepers
review: Keepers & Killers

5 “Ripper” Sheep

Sharon Stogner

Where to find the Author:

Website
Facebook 
Twitter 

Arts & Crafts with Authors: Felting Wolf with Donna Augustine + giveaway

Got a new fun feature for the flock Arts & Crafts with Authors! We invite authors to show us more of their creative side. UF/Dystopian author Donna Augustine showed me some of her felting and was floored. I asked if she could make a wolf. And why would I ask her to do that? 

Because felting is done with sheep wool!! 

We give you a Wolf in Sheep's Clothing... literally!

~~~~~

Needle Felting 

by Donna Augustine

I first fell in love with felting when I saw a needle felted rabbit. It was the cutest thing I'd ever laid eyes on. It was also way out of my budget. So, convinced that I could do this, I read a few tutorials and plunged in. Actually, I've never met a craft I didn't like. I already paint, sculpt, knit, crochet, needlepoint, etc. If I named all my arts and crafts you wouldn't get through this paragraph. You get the point. My name is Donna and I have a crafting addiction.

Modern needle felting, also called soft sculpture, is the process of using a barbed needle to knit wool fibers together. Felting is a process that dates back to 6300 B.C., when people would take wool and wash it with soap and water to knit it together. If anyone has accidentally thrown a wool sweater in the wash (as I have) you know how much smaller and tighter it comes out. This is basically the same thing, just slower and more methodical. It's also a bit masochistic since you'll probably stab yourself at least once. I hope that doesn’t stop you from trying it!

you have a chance to win him at the end!!!

This is what we want to make! Our own little wolf shifter.

You will have to click the link to see the rest of the tutorial!