Broken Mirrors release week: Through a Shattered Glass

So long time readers will remember how when I published my book Runaway Lyrics it was part of The Frosted Roses group promotion. Well, this year the Arista Band of FairyTale Re-tellers is back with six Snow Queen retelling in their Broken Mirrors collection. I do not have a book in this collection but one of my frosted sisters, Sarah Pennington, is back with a topsy-turvy Wonderland/Snow Queen mash up.

Through a Shattered Glass

Book Description:
Drop the mirror and you break the world in two.

Alys hasn’t set foot in Wonderland in years. Not since the White Queen’s mirror shattered; not since her best friend, Kai Hatter, was killed; not since Alys fled back to her own world with a shard of enchanted mirror in her eye. She’s done her best to set aside the past and move on — until a red-painted rose appears in her room, and the portal opens once more.

Simultaneously desperate for hope and terrified of what she might find — or cause — Alys ventures back through the mirror. But the Wonderland she finds is not the same one she left behind, and though Kai is less dead than she thought, he still might be past saving. To make matters worse, the mirror shard is still in Alys’s eye, and Wonderland is all too susceptible to its corrupting power.

Only Alys can save the land and friend she loves — but if she’s not careful, she might be their doom instead.

A dark portal fantasy remix of The Snow Queen and Lewis Carroll’s Alice duology.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFVSH518

Add Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62669175-through-a-shattered-glass

Author Bio:

Sarah Pennington has been writing stories since before she actually knew how to write, and she has no intention of stopping anytime soon. She is perpetually in the middle of writing at least one or two novels, most of which are in the fantasy and fairy tale retelling genres. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys knitting, photography, and trying to conquer her massive to-be-read list.

Find her online at: Author Site || WordPress Blog || Blogspot Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Instagram || Twitter || Amazon 

Sticker Promo:

Anyone who preordered Through a Shattered Glass or who purchases the paperback on release day can submit a proof of purchase to receive a set of character art stickers featuring art by the lovely Chloe Grace (@chloegraceartist on Instagram). One set of stickers per person; proof of purchase must be submited by end of day on December 26.

Link to request stickers: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfBj-_REBIbaXY0ZjaAchJsjRLddu9Mq3KycXAAbmeVJVE1Ew/viewform?usp=sf_link

As a special treat, Sarah is sharing a fun fact about her book to whet your appetite. If you like Tea you’re definitely going to want to read this.

Fun Fact:

Given that one of the most famous scenes of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is, of course, the Mad Hatter’s tea party — and given my own tendency towards writing stories where food is a plot point — it should be no surprise that tea also plays a significant part in my take on Lewis Carroll’s classic. Alys’s first meeting with Kai Hatter is, as in the original, at a tea party, and they continue to bond over tea (and riddles) as they grow up together. Some would even say that it’s one of the foundations of their friendship.

So, if tea is so important . . . what kind of tea is it? And what are Alys and Kai’s favorite teas?

Alys and Kai share a preference for black tea over green, though they also enjoy herbal teas (or tisanes, as Kai would point out is the proper name). Both of their favorites are blends developed and perfected by Kai himself. Alys’s preference is for a summery blend of blueberry, cinnamon, and vanilla flavors mingled in black tea leaves — add just a touch of honey to make the perfect cup! Kai, for his part, is proud of all his tea blends and is happy to share any of them, but the one he loves most brings together delicate rose petals and almost flavor with chai spices. While it took the longest out of any of his teas to perfect, he thinks it was well worth all the effort!

Mask of Scarlet: Cover Reveal and Sales

I know what you’re thinking. “Cathrine you just did a cover reveal yesterday!” I did. that is very true. But this is for a different book. And I have sales for you so it’s really for the best if you want cheap and or free books.

You remember in September when I released a book with five other authors? Sarah Pennington was one of those authors and she is getting ready to release a sequel to her Frosted Roses book. I’m so excited for this book. That’s why I had to help with the cover reveal today.

Mask of Scarlet is the third book in the Bastian Dennel PI mystery series. It’s a 1920’s mystery set in a fantasy version of New York. There’s magic, mystery, and each book is a cleverly disguised fairy tale retelling. This one is Cinderella.

Book Description:

Mask of Scarlet

Bastian Dennel, PI #3

Bastian Dennel is a detective, not a matchmaker.

But he’s also not one to turn down easy mazuma. So when one of Innsjøby’s richest young sheiks hires him to find his so-called true love — a girl he’s met only once at a masked party — Bastian is on the case. After his last few high-risk adventures, he’s ready for a job where the hardest part will be collecting his payment. Sure, all he has to go on is a guest list and a description . . . but how hard can it be?

Of course, easy money always has a catch, and what should’ve been a simple search turns out to be anything but. Everyone seems to have their own opinion on who this mystery girl should be, whether or not it matches reality, and even the Families are getting involved. To make matters worse, Dayo is acting cagey, and Bastian doesn’t know why.

Bastian’s business is the truth. But what can he do when everyone around him has already decided what they want the truth to be? Find out in this Jazz-Age take on “Cinderella,” book three of the Bastian Dennel, PI mysteries!

Releases April 29th

Pre-order Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09RQFLHCM

Add Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60307521-mask-of-scarlet

Author Bio:

Sarah Pennington has been writing stories since before she actually knew how to write, and she has no intention of stopping anytime soon. She is perpetually in the middle of writing at least one or two novels, most of which are in the fantasy and fairy tale retelling genres. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys knitting, photography, and trying to conquer her massive to-be-read list.

Find her online at: Author Site || WordPress Blog || Blogspot Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Amazon

To celebrate the third book going live for pre-order Sarah is offering the first two books for 99 cents each. Now is your chance to get caught up on this delightful series before the next book drops in April. But the sale is only for two days so don’t delay!

Find the rest of the series: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09869T5NJ

But that’s not all…

Kendra E Ardnek is also running a sale. Her birthday is this month so she’s running a free promotion on many of her titles. But you should hurry, The sale ends today.

You can find all of her books here and then scan the selection for the free ones: https://www.amazon.com/Kendra-E.-Ardnek/e/B005GGULBQ

Mark your calendar for the end of April when The Scarlet mask releases as part of the Three Midnight Curfews collection. Three retellings of Cinderella.

Crown and Cinder: Pride and Prejudice derails Cinderella (The Austen Fairy Tales Book 2) by Kendra E. Ardnek.

It is a fact universally acknowledged that a girl, in possession of stepmother and stepsisters, must be in want of a fairy godmother to come whisk her away to some ball, where she might fall in love with a prince and live happily ever after…

Lizzy hates facts universally acknowledged.

Release date April 27th 2022

Pre-order link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09B4DG79B

Cindy Ellen: A Western Cinderella (Wunstuponia #3) by Rachel Roden.

Once upon a time, way out west…

Cindy Ellen runs the local store, selling supplies to foresters, ranchers, and prospectors while her stepmother gives her neverending orders and spoils her stepsisters. She can’t do anything right, even as she’s the only one doing anything. Can one ball change her life forever? Perhaps not, but at least it might give her one night of freedom.

Release date April 28th 2022

Pre-order link: https://www.amazon.com/Cindy-Ellen-Western-Cinderella-Wunstuponia-ebook/dp/B099BC33F3

The Scarlet Mask (Bastian Dennel, PI Book 3) by Sarah Pennington

Bastian’s business is the truth. But what can he do when everyone around him has already decided what they want the truth to be? Find out in this Jazz-Age take on “Cinderella,” book three of the Bastian Dennel, PI mysteries!

Release date April 29th 2022

Preorder here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09RQFLHCM

Frosted Roses Release Three: Gilded in Ice 

Welcome to the third release for the Frosted Roses Fairy-tale blog tour.

Scroll to the bottom of the main blog tour page for a raffle copter giveaway. The winner gets four of the books in paperback and a frosted roses necklace.

https://aristasdirectory.blogspot.com/p/six-frosted-roses.html

Check out the first release here: https://cobonham.com/2021/09/21/runaway-lyrics-release-day/

And the second release here: https://cobonham.com/2021/09/22/frosted-roses-release-two-as-long-as-we-live/

Today I’m hosting a Dive in review for Gilded in Ice. But first a little about the story.

 Bastian has two new missing person cases. One is cold. The other is his own sister. 

Since his success solving the Midnight Show disappearances, Bastian Dennel is sitting pretty. And with the new high-profile cold case that just got dropped in his lap, he’s pretty sure things will stay that way for a while. But when he finds out his sister has gone missing without a trace, he’s determined to find her and bring whoever’s responsible to justice — even if his only lead is a stray cat with a knack for vanishing unexpectedly. : Gilded in Ice

Kona Dennel’s plans have already been upended, so when the talking cat she’d befriended asked her for help breaking an enchantment, she didn’t see any reason not to say yes. She didn’t expect to be trapped in a frozen mansion or to be drawn into conflict with a mysterious lady of the fair folk. Even the cat is hiding more secrets than she realized. It’ll take a skilled detective to untangle this web . . . but since Bastian isn’t here, Kona will just have to do it herself. 

Secrets abound, and the one creature who knows the truth isn’t talking. Can Bastian and Kona outwit a fae who’s been at this for centuries? Or will thawing out the long-frozen truth drop them in over their heads? 

A magical mystery reimagining Snow White and Rose Red and East of the Sun, West of the Moon in the jazz-age world of The Midnight Show. 

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Gilded-Ice-Bastian-Dennel-Book-ebook/dp/B098LQ9C15  

Add Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58463912-gilded-in-ice  

Purchase Book 1: https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Show-Sarah-Pennington-ebook/dp/B08B1RV653/ 

Author Bio: 

Sarah Pennington has been writing stories since before she actually knew how to write, and she has no intention of stopping anytime soon. She is perpetually in the middle of writing at least one or two novels, most of which are in the fantasy and fairy tale retelling genres. Sarah’s first published work, Blood in the Snow, received a perfect score and Special Unicorn status in Rooglewood Press’s Five Poisoned Apples contest. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys knitting, photography, and trying to conquer her massive to-be-read list. 

Find her online at: Author Site || WordPress Blog || Blogspot Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Amazon

Dive in Review: Gilded in Ice.

Gilded in Ice by Sarah Pennington is the second book in her fairy-tale series about private investigator Bastian Dennel. This series is set in an alternate world were the Fair Folk are everywhere and magic causes most of the problems.

This first book is titled The Midnight Show, the events of which are referenced frequently. So I recommend reading them in order.

This installment has a bit of Snow White and Rose Red, and a bit of East of the sun West of the moon. (Or maybe it’s the other way around. I can never remember.)

Gilded in Ice follows Bastian’s sisters Kona and Roselle. The SW and RR characters for this retelling. One cold winter they let in a stray cat to share their home. (No bears here.) And come summertime both the cat and Kona mysteriously vanish.

Now if you are familiar with either or both of those fairy tales, then you can probably guess what happened. But you don’t really know the story, because mashing both of these stories together and setting it in a prohibition era PI novel completely changes the game.

The best part of this isn’t the twist ending, it’s the investigation. I love detective stories because I love watching people reason things out. How the investigator finds and puts the pieces together is what makes the story work, and this book works really well.

I also enjoyed seeing how the author seamlessly worked in the events of the first book to tie the two cases together. So I’m going to repeat my earlier recommendation. READ THESE BOOKS IN ORDER! You will be glad you did.

I received an early review copy of this novel and am leaving this review honestly and without coercion.

Six Frosted Roses Cover Reveals

So what are the Six Frosted Roses? Six Frosted Roses is the newest collection from the Arista Fairy-tale Retellers Facebook group. Every year this group votes on a fairy-tale to retell and every member is welcome to write their own interpretation of it. This year’s fairy-tale is Snow White and Rose Red.

If you are familiar with it that good for you. If you need a summary then here you go.

Snow White (No relation.) and her sister, Rose Red, live in the forest with their mother. One winter, a talking Bear comes to stay with them. In the summer he leaves and the girls try to follow him.

They meet a dwarf who got his beard caught in a tree and they save him. Then his beard is caught in a fishing line and they save him. Last of all he is picked up by an eagle and carried away, but they save him. Each time the dwarf is ungrateful and mean.

Soon they learn that their bear friend is actually a prince under a curse. The Dwarf cursed him to steal his treasure and the moral is you should never help ungrateful people because they were the villain of the story the whole time.

The bear kills the dwarf and breaks the curse. He askes Snow White to marry him but it’s okay, he has a brother that Rose Red can marry.

So why am I sharing this today? Three reasons:

One: all of these books are on a 99cent preorder offer, for this week only. Then the prices go up.

Two: They are all super pretty covers that deserve to be shown off.

Three: I wrote one of them! Yes the long awaited first novel from C.O. Bonham is coming and you can see the cover, back cover description and learn the release date right here. So let’s quickly go through the first five and I’ll save the best for last.

Brothers, and Sisters, and Bears, Oh My!

Six exciting new retellings of Snow White and Rose Red!

The Bear

by Rachel Roden

A Western Fairy Tale.

Helping an unknown stranger is a surefire way to find trouble.

Releasing September 25th.

Preorder now for 99 cents. https://amzn.to/3wvFue1

You can pick up the first book in her series, Rosette Thornbriar: A Western Sleeping Beauty

for free this week only: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072SF4GXZ

Gilded in Ice

by Sarah Pennington

A Jazz-Age Mystery

Releasing September 24th.

Preorder Now: https://amzn.to/36LkPs1

Gilded in Ice is also a sequel to The Midnight Show, available for free this week only: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08B1RV653

Secrets of the Mountain


by Wyn Estelle Owens

A Nordic Saga
Releasing September 23rd.
A dwarf’s greed tears apart two families when treasure becomes a prison.
Preorder Now: https://amzn.to/2U3DCfd

As Long as we Live


by Cortney Manning

An Epic Fae Romance

Releasing September 22nd
When magic and royal rivalry threaten the Fae realm of Concoria, three human sister scramble to protect their peacful home.
Preorder Now: https://amzn.to/3rcAhqj


Rose Petals and Snowflakes


by Kendra E. Ardenk

An Austen Mashup

Releasing September 20th

After their father’s death two princesses find themselves trapped int he politics of a mysterious forest.

Preorder Now: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RW824GQ/

And now for the one you’ve all been waiting for!

Runaway Lyrics

by C.O. Bonham (that’s me!)

A Steampunk Adventure

Releasing September 21st

What one sister has she must share with the other . . .

Snow loves music. She has spent her entire life learning new instruments and memorizing new pieces, only to while away her life in a country manor with only her mother and twin sister as company. If only she could get out on her own and play in front of a real audience.

Rose loves magic. The things she can do with music would amaze her twin sister, but whenever she shows her, Snow quickly forgets as if the event had never happened. If only Rose could get out on her own and work some real magic.

When an airship crashes near their home, Snow’s magical abilities awaken. Together the sisters must learn to use their magic, rescue a pair of cursed princes, and discover their own secrets.

Discover the magic of music in this retelling of Snow White and Rose Red.

Add on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58518256-runaway-lyrics

Preorder on Amazon now: https://amzn.to/3wCqJGj

Remember all preorders are only 99 cents for this week.

Would you like to help shar these lovely covers? Maybe you’re ready to preorder them all right now.

We have prizes for that.

Preorder prizes:

Take your pick.

We’ve got a PDF filled with the first chapters of each story.

We also have a zip file stuffed with SWRR-themed wallpapers for your desktop AND phone.

This week, if you share these books and their info to your blog, newsletter, or other social media, and then email the organizer a link to your post(s),

or if you preorder all six books while they’re on sale and forward her copies of your receipts,

then you get to take your pick of either of those lovely prizes.

Preorder AND shere?

Well, that’ll mean you get both the sneak peeks AND the wallpapers.

The email to send your links and you receipts to is: kendraeardnek(at)gmail(dot)com.

This drive link has all the book covers and other promotional graphics you can use in your sharing posts.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AjAmS-99p507_TqpIv2wIsmUA3BF?e=BLu2ge

Which of these books are you most excited to read?

Have you heard of Snow White and Rose Red before today?

Tattered Slippers: The Midnight Show.

Two posts in one week, That’s weird for me. The reason is that I’m still participating in the Tattered Slippers blog tour. To day is the Release day for: The Midnight Show.

For the Midnight show I’m hosting a guest post by Author Sarah Pennington. Well It’s actually by her character Dayo Temitrope.

A Day in the Life of Dayo Temitrope

Hello, Cathrine and readers of Cobonham! Thanks for having me here! I’m excited to share a little something about The Midnight Show with you, but I wanted to do something a little different from the usual guest post. So, instead of me talking, I’m handing the mic over to Dayo Temitrope, swing singer and one of the stars of the novel, so she can share a little about her life. Take it away, Dayo!

A day in my life? Well, there’s not much to tell — the life of a singer isn’t half as glamorous as some people think. Not at my level, anyway. Now, if you talked to someone like one of the Kariukus —

Oh. What’s that? You want me to include the odd bits? That’s a bit more personal than these news pieces usually go, isn’t it? But you said this won’t be distributed in Innsjøby, so . . . I suppose it’s all right. But the last thing I need on my hands right now is a scandal.

So, then. My days lately — for the last six months, actually — usually start out with me waking up with sore feet and worn-out dancing shoes and no explanation for either. It’s gone on so long that it’s moved past concerning and into tiresome. And expensive. Not that I mind an excuse to go shoe-shopping more often, but when you have to do it every week for months, it loses its charm, you know?

Anyway. Wake-up, then the usual morning routine: make-up, outfit, breakfast. Most days, that’s just fruit and toast. I like to keep things quiet in the mornings; it helps balance out my evenings. That’s when everything exciting really happens. More exciting things than even I really know about, you could say.

Photo by Gustavo Fring on Pexels.com

After breakfast, I’ll either work on writing my next song or I’ll go out and do my shopping for the next day or two. Oh, what, you didn’t think one of the best up-and-coming stars of the swing stage would do her own shopping? Well, some might not, but I don’t need more people hanging about my life when I’m off-stage, you know? Besides, there are some lovely little shops just a few blocks away from my house, within walking distance even on a bad day. There’s even a little market there that’s just the berries — I’ve gotten strawberries and mangos in midwinter from some of the stalls, and not the horrible hothouse ones. Well, of course, that means they’re grown by fair-born folk. But they’re safe as anything grown by humans, whatever people say, and it’s hardly those people’s fault they had a fae for a parent.

Where was I? Oh. Yes. After shopping or songwriting and then lunch, I’m off again to practice with my band for the evening’s performance. I have a rotation of three clubs I play: the Carousel Club, the Ologba Po, and the Nordstjernen. The Ologba Po’s my favorite, even if the Carousel Club is swankier. Everyone’s friendly there, and on good nights, the audience sings along. It really makes a girl feel appreciated.

Anyway, practice runs right up to performance time more days than not, with just enough time for the band and me to get a bit of a rest and change into stage clothes. Sure, that’s tiring, especially on bad days — sometimes, by the time my show starts, my feet hurt so much it’s a struggle to keep the stage smile up. But I manage. And I don’t have time to dwell on how tired I am until after my first set ends. And I always stipulate free drinks and snacks in my contracts, so then I have a delicious distraction. That’s another reason I love the Ologba — their cordials are to die for. If you’re ever in town, you ought to go by and try them.

I do two or three sets most nights, depending on the club and the day and what my employers want. By the end of the night, I’m usually too tired to do much more than fall into bed. After that — well, I don’t know what happens. I must have some sort of blowout, or something, to wear out my shoes and my feet by morning. But I sure as anything don’t know what it is. I suppose I’ll find out soon; that’s why I told my manager to find a P.I. to look into things. I just hope he can figure out what’s really happening.

This mystery is the case of his dreams — and her nightmares.

By day, Dayo Temitrope is a swinging singer, an up-and-coming star with a shining career ahead of her. By night, she’s . . . well, she’s not sure, but whatever she does leaves her every morning with sore feet and worn-out shoes. And after six months, she’s had enough.

Enter Bastian Dennell, a private investigator just trying to get by. When Dayo hires him to find out where she goes at night, he’s sure it’s his big break: his chance to establish himself and get the funds to pay off his family’s debt. Plus, he gets to work with his favorite singer, even if she isn’t exactly what he expected. What could be better?

But first he has to solve the case — which means navigating a tangled web of strange dreams, fair folk schemes, and show business. It will take all Bastian’s wits, along with the shining talents of Dayo herself, to figure out the truth before the curtains close for good on Dayo’s career.

A jazz-age-inspired twist on the Twelve Dancing Princesses from the author of Blood in the Snow.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Show-Sarah-Pennington-ebook/dp/B08B1RV653/

Add Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/b…/show/53954978-the-midnight-show

About the Author:

Sarah Pennington has been writing stories since before she actually knew how to write, and she has no intention of stopping anytime soon. She is perpetually in the middle of writing at least one or two novels, most of which are in the fantasy and fairy tale retelling genres. Sarah’s first published work, Blood in the Snow, received a perfect score and Special Unicorn status in Rooglewood Press’s Five Poisoned Apples contest. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys knitting, photography, and trying to conquer her massive to-be-read list.
Find her online at: Website || Blog || Second Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Amazon 

Today’s is the last day for the # challenge so don’t forget to share those awesome hats.

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