COVER REVEAL of A Darling Secret

I'm beyond thrilled to reveal the cover of A Darling Secret, which will release September 22, 2017. This is the third and FINAL book in the Strange Luck series.

The uber talented Humbert Glaffo created the cover. He's the same designer who did the covers of the first two books.

    

So without further ado...

I love the movement, colors, and mystery of the cover. It really captures the essence of the story and I hope you love it as much as I do :)

Pre-order A DARLING SECRET Today!

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Locke and Keye Cover Reveal!

On September 7, one of my favorite authors, Christie Stratos, will release the next book in her Dark Victoriana Collection - Locke and Keye.

I've been dying to read it, so it goes without saying that I'm ecstatic to do a cover reveal of Christie's new book on my blog today.

Drumroll, please...

This book cover is wondrously creepy and mysterious!

What dark secrets await on the other side of this door?

And the description is so enticing:

"Brothers in the art of keeping secrets." This is the mantra Mr. Locke's carefully chosen five employees must repeat together every day before starting work.

If you won't tell them your name for Locke and Keye's ledger, they'll find out. They have their ways—and many of them. Yes, these talented locksmiths can make a new lock and key set for you. They can even make a special padlock for a diary you never want to share with anyone. But just remember: when they make the lock, they keep a key—and it's only a matter of time until they use it.

Day by day, each of these young, single, alone-in-the-world workers is being molded into the family they crave. A family in which each member has his use toward an end he doesn't even know exists.

How do the brotherhood and the town's secrets interlock? Only Mr. Locke holds the key.

Unlock the second book in the Dark Victoriana Collection with Locke and Keye.

As a standalone novel, Locke and Keye’s distinct characters and tense atmosphere create a dark Victorian experience that will stay with you after you turn the final page. As the book immediately following Anatomy of a Darkened Heart, Locke and Keye leads the Dark Victoriana Collection in a whole new psychological direction while expanding familiar characters and scenes to continue the Whitestone legacy.

Pre-order it today, read it September 7, 2017.

And, if you haven't read Anatomy of A Darkened Heart yet, there's still time!

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Have you checked out my other articles about Christie and her books?

• How to Write Historical Fiction Without Really Trying - Guest Post by Christie Stratos
• Victorian Mania - What's On My Nightstand
• Criticism Sucks: Christie Stratos Shares How To Ignore Harsh Criticism

A Darling Secret Writing Update!

GOOD NEWS!!! The final edits of A Darling Secret will be completed this week. :)

I'm also finalizing cover designs. I'm pleased to report that I'll be working with the same graphic designer, Humbert Glaffo, who did the cover for Strange Luck and The Nightmare Birds. I can't wait to share the final design with you!!!

I've also been working on some fun new extras. Bookmarks! Videos! Giveaways! It's all coming soon. In the meantime, you can check out goodies for my other books here.

Oh, and be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you don't miss a thing. :)

And if my smile couldn't get any bigger, here's what Christie Stratos, author of Anatomy of a Darkened Heart, had to say about A Darling Secret:

"Amie Irene Winters has built another beautiful, magical realm that will suck readers in and never let go A DARLING SECRET, the last in the Strange Luck series, launches September 22, 2017. Mark your calendars!"

COVER REVEAL of The Nightmare Birds!

I'm soooooooooo excited to reveal the cover of Book II in the Strange Luck series - The Nightmare Birds. Woot!

I didn't plan it this way, but the cover was actually created by the same designer who did Strange Luck (Humbert Glaffo). Everything in the cover is symbolic of things that happen in the book, like Daisy's owl-shaped birthmark on her ankle and the magical key on the back cover. This design really captures the essence of the story and I'm so happy to finally share it with you. So, without further ado...

How much do you love this cover??? Share below. :)

Help Choose My New Book Cover!

As an avid reader, I love engaging with my favorite authors, especially when they ask for input from their readers. Readers have the power to make or break a book. As an author, I greatly value your feedback, which is why I want YOU to help me choose my new book cover.

I've narrowed it down to four gorgeous designs. All you have to do is click the link below and select your favorite design. Comments are welcome. And if you haven't already, check out the official blurb of The Nightmare Birds here. Thank you so much for contributing :)

PICK THE OFFICIAL NIGHTMARE BIRDS BOOK COVER 

 

The Lucky Cricket Is Real...Well, Sort Of

I don't know about you, but I love discovering little secrets behind a book like that Ernie Prang and Stan Shunpike, the driver and conductor of the Knight Bus in Harry Potter, were named after J. K. Rowling's grandfathers. It's so much fun discovering these little secrets, so I thought I'd share some secrets of my own about Strange Luck. Enjoy!

 

1.   The fortune-telling cricket is real! Well, sort of. Growing up, my parents always had a little cricket statue in our living room. When I got older, I asked where it had come from and my mom told me it was given to her by my great grandma who said it would bring their home good luck. I always thought that was neat, so when it came time for me to live in a house of my own, my mom gave me the cricket. Since then, it's traveled across the country with me and it currently resides in my living room.

2.   Although Sea Salt, CA is a fictitious town, it is based on a combination of my favorite ‘real’ towns in California - Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, Pescadero, and La Honda.

3.   Daisy’s relationship with Roger started out in a similar way to how one of my high school relationships started.

4.   Roger’s dog, Millie, is based on my first dog ever with the same name.

5.   I love to antique! A lot of the antiques in the shop were inspired by real things I’ve seen or read about over the years.

6.   The idea of “collecting memories” in a fantasy world came to me as I passed by a cemetery on my way to work one day.

7.   My grandmother, Mary, died before she got to read this book, so I wanted to find a way to remember her. Her favorite flower was a daisy and one of my favorite memories was planting daisies with her. There was never any other name I entertained for the protagonist.

8.   I wrote the first two chapters of Strange Luck and then abandoned it or forgot about it for some reason. About a year later I was cleaning files on my computer and found the story and decided to finish it.

9.   I literally chose from over 100 cover designs for this book. I couldn't be happier with the result :)

10.  The Nameless world was inspired by Fantastica from The Neverending Story (book and movie) and The Labyrinth (movie).

Bonus: This book was fueled by cappuccino's and chocolate...and I enjoyed every tasty minute of it. 

Now you share! What are some secrets from your favorite books?

Top 7 Spooky Book Covers I Would Totally Hang On My Wall Year Round

Halloween. Samhain. All Saint’s Day. All Hallow’s Eve. Whatever you want to call it, it’s an awesome holiday. I especially like it because it’s when I buy a lot of decorations for my house. Yes, I’m one of those people who has their Halloween decorations up year round. If you haven’t seen it already, check out my curiosity hutch on my About page.  Anyway, for today’s post I thought I’d share some of my favorite spooky book covers of all time—covers I’d totally hang in my house year round.   

 

The Sleeper and the Spindle: I'm a huge Neil Gaiman fan, but I immediately fell in love with the Sleeper and the Spindle cover without even knowing he wrote it.  It’s like a gothic Alphonse Mucha painting. I love the stark contrast of the black flowers and corpse-like woman beneath the twisting vines.  I think this is definitely my top book cover pic and I can't wait to read it!

 

Sleep Pale Sister: Before the sweet delight of Chocolat, Joanne Harris wrote Sleep Pale Sister- an awesome gothic novel with dark sensibilities. The Evil Seed is also worth a read, but the cover isn't as spectacular. This cover is very simple and haunting. Is she flying? Swimming? This type of imagery definitely influenced the design of the Strange Luck cover.

The Midnight Witch: I haven’t read any of Paula Brackston’s books yet, but they are all on my wish list. The Winter Witch and The Witch's Daughter covers are also gorgeous, but The Midnight Witch is definitely my favorite.  If you haven't learned this already about me, I LOVE books about witches and magic and this picture  captures both perfectly.  Plus, I would totally wear those shoes!

The Ocean at the End of the Lane: Another Neil Gaiman book. In a word, this cover is stunning. I love the stark blue and black contrast and the mysterious floating woman. It’s easily one of my favorite covers of all time.  Rock on, Neil!

The Sin Eater’s Daughter: This cover is freakin awesome! It’s weird, beautiful, and spooky all in one. I honestly don’t even know what the book is about, but I’m really intrigued to read it.

The Paper Magician: The Paper Magician drew me right away with its Victorian, almost alchemist imagery. Extra points for the cute little black moon in the corner!

The Girl Who Chased the Moon: Sarah Addison Allen is one of my favorite authors of all time. I’m currently reading her latest novel, First Frost, and can’t put it down.  All of her covers are elegant and whimsical, but this one is by far my favorite. The little butterflies and full moon peeking out from behind the forest is intriguing and whimsical.

What are your favorite spooky book covers? Share them below :)