FALL FAR FROM THE TREE Cover Reveal — and Announcement!

I’m excited to reveal the cover for FALL FAR FROM THE TREE, my next YA fantasy, and also make a special announcement concerning its publication:

(Thank you, Berto Designs, for the amazing design job!)

Add it to your Goodreads list!

Terror. Callousness. Denial. Rebellion. How the four teenage children of leaders in the duchy and the neighboring empire of Hanaobi choose to adapt to their nefarious parents’ whims is a matter of survival.

Rohesia, daughter of the duke, spends her days hunting “outsiders,” fugitives who’ve snuck onto her father’s island duchy. That she lives when even children who resemble her are subject to death hardens her heart to tackle the task.

Fastello is the son of the “king” of the raiders who steal from the rich and share with the poor. When aristocrats die in the raids, Fastello questions what his peoples’ increasingly wicked methods of survival have cost them.

An orphan raised by a convent of mothers, Cateline can think of no higher aim in life than to serve her religion, even if it means turning a blind eye to the suffering of other orphans under the mothers’ care.

Kojiro, new heir to the Hanaobi empire, must avenge his people against the “barbarians” who live in the duchy, terrified the empress, his own mother, might rather see him die than succeed.

When the paths of these four young adults cross, they must rely on one another for survival—but the love of even a malevolent guardian is hard to leave behind.

I’m trying something different with this novel. After seeing so much success with my YA short story collection, DROWNED SILENCE, on Wattpad, I’ve decided to make FALL FAR FROM THE TREE a Wattpad-first novel, serialized one chapter a week–starting today, and updating every Sunday evening! I consider it a YA fantasy, but it’s darker than my other books so far and I’ll publish it under the Fantasy category.

So yes, you can start reading it now!

Does this mean the book won’t be for sale?

It will! Just not for a while. Eventually, it will be released as both an e-book and a paperback through Patchwork Press. I just can’t say for certain when, due to a number of factors. I’m hoping in late 2016, but definitely by fall 2017.

Why would I buy it if you’re going to have it all up for free on Wattpad first?

Although the version going on Wattpad is professionally edited and I’m happy with it, the version published through Patchwork will go through another round of edits and the story could change. Plus, many readers prefer reading on their e-readers or having a paperback in their hands–or reading it all in one go instead of waiting week to week. Also, I’d really appreciate the support from readers so I can keep writing more books!

What about THE NEVER VEIL series (NOBODY’S GODDESS books 2 and 3)?

They’re still on track for publication in 2016 (April 12) and 2017 (first quarter) the traditional way, through bookstores online and brick-and-mortar. FALL FAR FROM THE TREE is not related to this series in any way.