# Books 1 & 2 of the Starfire Angels series are available



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

Okay, now that I've been here a while, I'll add my own thread for my favorite series. Are you ready for a new take on angels?

STARFIRE ANGELS is the first book of the same series by that title and is available on Kindle for only $1.99.










Description:

They've been coming here for thousands of years, using Earth as a sanctuary to escape threats from their own kind. Mankind knows them as angels, and one of them left a child upon her death to be raised as a human.

Raea is now a high school senior and her life as a human is about to end. The crystal shard she bears is not a pretty pendant; it's a collective of powerful entities who chose her as their Keeper, a protector of one of the four shards that power a machine capable of destroying whole worlds. Those who desire the Starfire's power have sent an agent to find her, but she's too busy evading a nosy reporter ready to exploit her secret and dating a hot new foreign student to notice. Nevermind learning what she really is.

Only one person on Earth can help her, the last person she ever expected. But he's not from Earth. Life as a human would be so much easier.

I just updated the Kindle version to include a scene from the second book of the series, BROKEN WINGS, which will be available in September of this year (2010). In it, you'll get to visit the homeworld with Raea, who seeks a way back to her friends on Earth. I'm just starting work now on the third book and have no idea where this could all end, but there are bigger things in the works hinted within each.

You can also buy the prequel novella, WHEN ANGELS CRY, for only $0.99. In it, Raea's mother, who's very early in her pregnancy, escapes to Earth to hide from the Shirukan but is followed. While hiding from the soldier determined to take her back to the homeworld, she must adjust to life on a world she's not familiar while hiding what she really is.

You'll find links in my signature. For some reason, the link-maker links aren't working in my post.

Thanks for reading!

Melanie


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Melanie--

welcome to KindleBoards and congratulations on your book!

I'll add an image link to your book post.  As you've done, you're welcome to use your book cover as your avatar and have links to your book and website in your signature. Although self-promotion is limited to the Book Bazaar, most of our authors have found the best way to promote their books is to be as active throughout KindleBoards as time allows. This is your target audience--book lovers with Kindles!

Thanks for being part of KindleBoards! Feel free to PM us if you have any questions.

Betsy & Ann
Book Bazaar Moderators


The fine print: 
_Please add to your existing book thread when you have news about your book rather than start a new one, it helps the members who are trying to follow you. You may have a separate thread for each of your books. We recommend you bookmark your post so that you can find it in the future.  You may respond to all posts, but if there have been no member posts, we ask that you wait a week before "bumping" the thread by posting back-to-back posts of your own. And we ask that Amazon reviews not be repeated here as they are easy to find at your book link. Also, full reviews from other sites should not be posted here, but you may post a short blurb and a link to the full review instead. All this, and more, is included in our Forum Decorum. From time to time our site rules may change; be sure to check Forum Decorum for the current guidelines and rules. _


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

Thanks, Betsy. I'm enjoying my time here and learning the rules so I don't break them


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

I'm off on writing Book 3 of this series...after a few false starts. I feel pretty good about this one, but I usually don't know if things are right until I pass the 30,000 word mark. That's the make or break point for me in writing a story.

Book 2, BROKEN WINGS, is in revision/editing stage and will be available in September (Yikes   Only four months away!). Test readers have said this is even better than the first, so that's the standard that's been hindering me writing #3, but I have a plan now...SA was more about Raea learning about what she is and falling in love and introducing the world. BW takes it a step further and really amps up the tension and suspense and introduces the homeworld of the "angels". I loved it more too, which is another reason I've had so much trouble figuring out #3. Now, I have a great premise for #3. I know what #4 may be but the way this is going, I could add and add and add stories as long as people want to read them...I hope people want to read them.

That's this week's status on the series. I know there are fans out there (at least the ones I have heard from on twitter and Facebook), so I keep going.

mel


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

I have the cover of Book 2 on my website, but I thought I'd also post it here. Unfortunately, as an indie author, I don't have the power to take pre-orders through Amazon. You'll have to watch for it at the beginning of September.


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

I'm bumping this with a writing update, kind of my way of keeping myself on track.

SA3 hit 11,000 words today. I've been struggling with making this plot idea work, but now it's moving in a direction I'm comfortable with. Writing is weird that way--one scene can fly by in a blink while another section torments the writer, who writes, deletes, writes, deletes, and writes until it feels right. At least for me, that's how it works. If it's not right as I'm getting the first draft done, I can't continue.

I have the plot for this sketched out in a rough synopsis, but it doesn't cover everything.

This one is going to be SF, but more suspense and a little bit thriller. Each book is a little different. There's no pattern or formula, just whatever the story needs.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Great reason to bump, Melanie!  However, just to be technical, a gentle reminder your next day to bump would be tomorrow, the 26th, not today.    Just sayin'.

Good luck with the writing!

Betsy


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

Oops...It's usually easier for me to remember updates on Mondays and Tuesdays. Last week was an off week.

Sorry about it being a day early.


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

I almost forgot to mention the contest I have going...Okay, I did forget, until just recently. There's still time to enter, though. It does require a little more than a simple reply. The full instructions are on my website at http://www.melanienilles.com/news.htm. Basically, you can win a signed paperback of STARFIRE ANGELS, one of four "Starfire" crystals (in this case natural quartz treated to produce an aqua aura), and/or a bookmark. Details are on the site at the link. The contest is open until July 1.

Also, I'm having fun writing SA3. So far, the word count is a little over 16K. I had a busy weekend with horse stuff and didn't get a lot of writing in, but I'm getting back on track.

TAFN!


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

I just received the paperback copies from createspace and they look great!

Get your entry in to win one of these, signed by the author (me). Easy to enter and no purchase necessary. Details are at http://www.melanienilles.com/news.htm.


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

After some difficulties getting SA3 off the ground and running, I think I may be finding my stride with it. It's going to be longer than the others, but it will be interesting. There are still some plot lines to nail down, but it'll all come together in the end.


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

Getting close to finalizing BROKEN WINGS for an expected early September release. I can't believe it's just over two months away!

In the meantime, I'm up to nearly 22,000 words on SA3 and expecting it to be 80K+ words, maybe closer to 100K, far longer than a normal YA novel, but this series appeals as much to adults with its subtleties and complexities of plot.


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

I haven't made great progress on SA3, but I will hit 26K in my next writing session today (at nap time for the kids). My writing pace is picking up, but the story pace has been running from the start.

I also have a new contest going. Blog about the next in the series, BROKEN WINGS, and let me know about it to be entered for a chance to win a $20 gift card to Amazon or BN. Spread the word about the sequel and it earns an entry in the contest. The few details are here: http://www.melanienilles.com/news.htm.


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

Wow! These threads get buried quickly.

I'm counting down the weeks now until releasing BROKEN WINGS and working on the fine details of SA3 (no title yet).

Until then, don't forget to check out STARFIRE ANGELS. Although this series starts out clearly YA, it is progressively getting more mature in content and complexity of plot. SA introduced just hints of what was to come while focusing on the main plot. Each book stands alone, but the seeds are planted in the background and nurtured along the way for something bigger to come.


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

BW is with the copyeditor now.

In the meantime, I'm writing. I can't say more. Every time I get specific, I have a clash with my characters or something. So, progress reports are minimal.


----------



## Marisa14 (Jun 30, 2010)

Congratulations on your book!


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

Marisa14 said:


> Congratulations on your book!


Thanks


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

Another week closer to the release of BROKEN WINGS and currently #3 is at 35,000 words, which is past the 1/3 mark but not quite halfway to where I think this one will end up. The stories get more intense and interesting and each one is different enough in plot to almost not seem like the same series, but there is an overarching plot and the same main characters (so far). I like to keep things interesting


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

Just got BROKEN WINGS back from the copyeditor. I'm looking at an earlier release than expected. Book 2 of the STARFIRE ANGELS series will be out next month! August 2010  

#3 is at 40K words. Only 5,000 words since last week, but that's not bad for word count. It's around the midway mark and is definitely going to be the longest so far. Wrote a couple of very intriguing scenes in the last week too.


----------



## Sandra Edwards (May 10, 2010)

Starfire Angels sounds like a great read. I'll definitely check it out. 

I also noticed that you've got an upcoming release titled "Broken Wings". I have an upcoming release (probably later in September) that's titled the same...just wanted to let you know that. I hope it doesn't cause too much confusion. *sigh*

Sandy


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

Sandra Edwards said:


> Starfire Angels sounds like a great read. I'll definitely check it out.
> 
> I also noticed that you've got an upcoming release titled "Broken Wings". I have an upcoming release (probably later in September) that's titled the same...just wanted to let you know that. I hope it doesn't cause too much confusion. *sigh*
> 
> Sandy


And Maria Hooley has one titled When Angels Cry also. There are a lot of "Broken Wings" titles if you actually search. Mine is subtitled Starfire Angels Book 2, but that's a lot to type out all the time, so it's just Broken Wings for simplicity when talking about it.


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

Three updates today:

1) Join us at Nookboards right now to discuss WHEN ANGELS CRY, which is part of the Starfire Angels book club. The STARFIRE ANGELS discussion will take place throughout September, but the prequel novella is being read and discussion is starting in the next day.










2) Thank you, Cajun Book Lady, for your awesome review of STARFIRE ANGELS. You just put me on cloud 9 

3) Book 2 of the Starfire Angels series, BROKEN WINGS, will be out in the next couple of weeks, ahead of the planned September release.


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

BROKEN WINGS, Book 2 of Starfire Angels, is available!

http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Wings-Starfire-Angels-ebook/dp/B003YRIKL2

And all is well in the world...meanwhile, I write #3 and anticipate that to be available about this time next summer.


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

Broken Wings is now available on Kobo, along with all my other books.

If you like this series or are interesting in it, check out http://www.nookboards.com/forum, where I'll be hosting a book club throughout September for Starfire Angels. Join in and discuss with me, the author. Whatever your reading format doesn't matter. We'd like to have you--the more the merrier


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

The Book Club just started this week on nookboards.com/forum. Come and join us. The first reading segment for discussion is the first five chapters of STARFIRE ANGELS. It's posted in the STARFIRE ANGELS book club.


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

A quick update on the writing of #3...

It's going much better since I changed the story. Unfortunately, it has me fighting tears at the 1/3 point, even though I already know the outcome.

And everyone is welcome at nookboards to discuss STARFIRE ANGELS in the book club. If you've read it and want to chat about it, come on in.


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

I decided that the prices of When Angels Cry and Starfire Angels will be going up a little in the near future. Right now WAC is $0.99 and SA is $1.99. They'll be going up to $1.99 and $2.99 respectively, if not in the next couple of days, then in the next couple of months, depending on what Amazon does. The new prices are already up at smashwords.

You can save a couple dollars right now if you want to pick them up before the discount is gone.


----------



## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

I haven't updated in a while, so I thought it was time. I'm past the halfway point on SA3. Yay! I've rewritten this story from scratch more than a few times and it's finally feeling like the story it was meant to be.

I don't yet have a title to announce, but I have a good idea of what the final title will be. I'll announce a title after I have this draft done. The release date will be June 2011 (not sure exactly when).


----------

