Welcome, Summer!

Hi Everyone,

It's almost here. Like that week before Christmas, or those few days before you leave for that trip you've been planning for months, I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of summer.
Because that means my first year of graduate school is over.
It means I'm that much closer to earning a real salary, and it also means that from now on, I'll have real time to write. (Because a few hours every couple of weeks is a joke, one that I've been living for the past four months.)

This is Graduate School Barbie. Seriously.

In case you're wondering, I'm a graduate student in speech-language pathology. I'm learning to help anyone from children to stroke patients communicate, as well as how to help someone swallow when their oral and pharyngeal mechanisms aren't quite doing the trick.

It's pretty serious stuff. Everyone has to communicate and eat, right?!
As much as I value my program, I'm thrilled the hard part is about to be over. And I pose this to you, readers-- what do you want to know in terms of speech and swallowing? Do you have a child who's three and can't pronounce his /r/ sound? (Which is totally normal.)
Do you have a parent who forgets where her house is when she leaves the grocery store? (That's not normal.)

I'm not a doctor, and I'm not clinically certified yet... but maybe I can shed some light on your questions. At the very least, I can give you a good idea of whether you need to go see a professional.

In other news, Briony and Sebastian's Enspelled was released back in March! The fourth book in the Crescent City Creatures series, Healed, is set to be released July 18th. Healed follows Aiyanna and Cael.
Yes, Cael did make that one particularly impossible to write. I'll reveal the cover soon!

Amazon

KOBO

Barnes and Noble

iTunes

Google Play

All Romance eBooks

Liquid Silver

What are you excited for this summer?

XO,

Sammie Stone

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hi Everyone,

I came across a post on Bloody-Disgusting (I know, I know, it's a horror movie site, people!) where they listed 10 songs to "get busy" to for Valentine's day.

...of course, the first two (#9 and #10) were absolutely perfect, and I can't say I agree with the rest. So I thought I'd list my top five songs for Valentine's day...although I won't say they're for "getting busy," like Bloody-Disgusting did. I'm going to go for "necking," so everyone with a S. O. can participate. :)

And yes, I'm going to include one song from the original post, because I can't not include it!

5. She Wants Revenge-- Tear You Apart
This was one of my favorite songs from high school, and I've never heard another with this feel. It's on the...naughtier...side, and if that's what you're into, you do you! Great for an intense Valentine's day.

4. Death Cab for Cutie-- I'll Follow You Into the Dark
Even the song's title is romantic, kind of like the Beatles's "I Want to Hold Your Hand." It says it all, and I like that. This is also a great one to sing along to, I've found.

3. Dashboard Confessional-- Hands Down
This is a passionate one, for those of you who get serious about the holiday, or are madly in love. There's something about it that makes your chest well up, like those moments when you're reading something particularly poignant.

2. The Shins- Simple Song
I read somewhere that that James Mercer (aka the guy with fake gray hair here) wrote this for his wife. So cute, and also one of my all-time favorite music videos.

1. Jack's Mannequin-- Mixed Tape
I don't know what it is about this song, but it gets me. Does it do that to you? Maybe it's because I love making mixed tapes--or mix CDs, or playlists. There's something very personal about making that for someone else, and it's one of the things my beau and I used to do to impress each other when we started dating. Maybe I need to make him another mix CD soon. :)

So there you have it! A little Valentine's Day playlist to get you in the mood for a fun-filled day. Whether you're going it solo or not, these songs are sure to bring your mood up.

If you're in need of a good book, Hunted is out! It features a very strong heroine, Sophia, and a deliciously tattooed hero, Heath.

You can get it on Amazon here, and Barnes and Noble here.

I hope you all have a very happy Valentine's day!

XO,

Sammie

Reviews, Releases...Madness!

Hi All,

I'm going to dedicate this post to all of you who've reviewed Punished. It's so incredible to read your thoughts, and frankly, it's brave for you to put them out there. Please, please continue to review, and if you've read Punished and have not reviewed it yet, please consider doing so! It helps us authors more than we can say, especially once we hit that 50 mark. :)

I read a bit of criticism on an Amazon review today, and I do have a response to it: Finally!!

(Is that the response you were expecting?!)

Someone posted that they have a problem with the reason Heath was placed in the clan prohibitum--which is basically prison for werewolves. Good! You should question that (and if I tell you anything more, there will be spoilers, so I'm keeping my fingers from typing now).

My point is: please question things! I want you to wonder why,  and I want you to double-take every once in a while. Don't take these books at face value. ;)

To you, wonderful reader who cares about Heath: his and Sophia's book comes next, and it's called Hunted.

It's being released February 1st!

Here's your first look at the cover:

I still can't get over how exact the artist created Heath's tattoos. 

I'm so grateful to all of you! Here is the song I think best portrays the book:

Please, leave comments here, leave me e-mails--communicate with me! I want to know what you guys think. 

XO,

Sammie 

New Year...New Books!

Hi All,

Happy New Year! And of course, I hope all of you had a very merry Christmas last week.

I don't know about you, but I've read over a dozen books on my break. It's been nice. I've also written every day, and I'm getting far into the Crescent City Creatures Book 4 (still untitled).

I sold the Crescent City Creatures Book 3, Enspelled, to Liquid Silver in December, and Book 2, Hunted, comes out February 1. 

I'm so excited for this new year! It'll be a time of reading and writing, both on my own and with children. I've been placed in an elementary school for my second semester of graduate school and can't wait to get started with these kiddos!

A few more things I'm excited about:

1. Shadowhunters premiering on the new Freeform channel. I've read the Mortal Instruments series for almost ten years, and I can't wait to see how the TV show will turn out! The author, Cassandra Clare, always said she thought her books would translate well into a show.

2. Mardi Gras. Because... duh.

3. Leap Day! For all you ladies who can't get him to commit, here's your chance to propose! (Not that you can't any other day, this one is just an old tradition.)

4. The Hangout Festival. My better, more scruffy half bought us tickets for the Hangout as a Christmas gift, and I'm going to be looking forward to it all spring. One of my all-time favorite bands, The Silversun Pickups is playing, and they're going to be awesome! The Revivalists will be there, too. They tour a *lot*, they're from New Orleans, and even though I've seen them 3 times I'll never get tired of their show. If you ever get a chance to see them, take it!

In honor of the Hangout Festival, here's my song pick for the week:

How are you enjoying the new year? Let me know!

XO, 

Sammie