Bounty Hunter: Cover Contest Semi-Finalist

My novel Bounty Hunter's beautiful cover, created by illustrator Lawrence Mann, has made it into the Semi-finals at the Authorsdb Cover Contest in the Teens category. If you have a moment, I would be enormously grateful if you could pop over and give Bounty Hunter a quick 5 star vote. It only takes a click. I know I'm somewhat biased, but it's a gorgeous cover and I would love to see Lawrence recognised for his work.

http://authorsdb.com/books/2013-book-cover-semi-finalists/teens

Bring on the Apocalypse for Only 99p/$0.99!

For a limited time the ebook edition of Bounty Hunter by S.J. Hollis is only 99p/$0.99 at Amazon and Smashwords.

Bounty Hunter is a YA apocalyptic fantasy with ... erm, funny bits.

Amazon

Smashwords


Here is a little more about what Bounty Hunter is really about and what you can expect from me as a writer.


And enter the Goodreads Giveaway to win a signed copy of the paperback!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Bounty Hunter

by S.J. Hollis

Giveaway ends October 10, 2013.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Look What's Finally Here

Officially announcing the release of the Bounty Hunter paperback! Available now worldwide at Amazon.

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Finally, finally, finally. *collapses in a heap*

Latest Awesome Review

Bounty Hunter's latest incredible review, and more evidence of my vast talents.

New Bounty Hunter Releases

For Nook users, Bounty Hunter has just been released at Barnes & Nobel. For Sony EReader peeps, have a look at The Sony Store. Kai Koson and I are also now available through iTunes and Amazon Mexico.

Latest news on the paperback is that we're currently awaiting a new proof copy. Fingers crossed!

In the meantime, here is one of Bounty Hunter's many glowing reviews so far. Yes, my audience loves me. You may now shower me with praise, flowers, chocolates and salmon!

What a Week!!

It's been a week since Bounty Hunter was released into the wild. Sales have gone really well and I've got some lovely reviews so far. It also got to number 16 in Amazon.com's Top 100 Best Sellers in Children's Dystopian Sci-Fi Books It's at number 36 now but, still, not bad for its first week, and with no paperback.

I now have a Goodreads Author Profile so if you any of you are Goodreaders do please shelve me! Also appreciated are ratings and reviews on both Goodreads and Amazon. It's hard for the small fish and I'm a tiddler.

No good news on the paperback yet. It's still held up at the printers and I'm still locked in a deadly game of there's-a-problem/no-there-isn't/there's-a-problem/oh-look-there's-a-problem/so-you-admit-there's-problem?/no. Release could be in a couple of weeks; it could be a couple of months. I hope it's the latter because I won't sleep until it's done.

In the meantime I'm searching high and low for cheap or free advertising. Not easy either. I did find a company that sends out free promotional tweets to over 70,000 book-interested Twitter users. Great, I thought! But no, we are 70,000 authors trying to sell each other our own books. It ain't happening. Yeah, so, any hints, tips and advice would be warmly welcomed.

It's been a busy couple of months. Aside from The Great Upheaval of 2011, it's probably been the busiest few months of my life. I got a big promotion, after six years of part-time study I got my literature degree, and I published a book. It feels incredible. It feels exhausting. I need a nap.



Bounty Hunter, a YA apocalyptic fantasy

When your magic makes you a target

Ebook available now at Amazon. Links and reviews at my website.

Bounty Hunter OUT NOW!

14-year-old Kai Koson had nothing to do with the apocalypse, thank you very much. He was just a baby the day a coven of blood witches ripped a hole in the universe and the demons fell screaming from the sky. Earth and its magic perished. Witchkind was hunted and annihilated.

Now, because he was born a witch, Kai must spend his life running and fighting for survival. Even his own uncle seems determined to abandon him.

With nothing left to lose, Kai runs away and joins a team of galactic bounty hunters. But instead of providing an escape, it sets Kai on a path that will destroy everything he believes about himself and the apocalypse, transforming him into the most wanted teenager in the galaxy.



Ebook available worldwide at Amazon.

More information at my website www.sjhollis.co.uk

Please note that due to an issue with the printer, the paperback release has been delayed *sad face*

Bounty Hunter to be released soon!

I've been quiet on the blog front. Busy busy with the book release and Twitter is so much more interactive. For a person who likes to chat, Twitter is very attractive. The last two months have been filled with proof-reading, edits, waiting, panicking, note scribbling and day dreaming about my two million pound London loft with my future husband Tom Hardy. We're nearly there now. Publication of Bounty Hunter is immanent. I'm excited about two things: becoming a published author and starting the second book. I need to write. I yearn to write. Don't get me wrong, I've loved the publishing experience, but writing is what I do. I'm a story-teller, and Kai's story has saturated every vein. I need to donate!

Oh my god, that was the worst metaphor ever penned.

14-year-old Kai Koson had nothing to do with the apocalypse, thank you very much. He was just a baby the day a coven of blood witches ripped a hole in the universe and the demons fell screaming from the sky. Earth and its magic perished. Witchkind was hunted and annihilated.

Now, because he was born a witch, Kai must spend his life running and fighting for survival. Even his own uncle seems determined to abandon him.

With nothing left to lose, Kai runs away and joins a team of galactic bounty hunters. But instead of providing an escape, it sets Kai on a path that will destroy everything he believes about himself and the apocalypse, transforming him into the most wanted teenager in the galaxy.

Bounty Hunter is due for release soon. Check out my Facebook page for easy access to my daily Bounty Hunter promo posters.


S J Hollis Website

S J Hollis Facebook

S J Hollis Twitter

Bounty Hunter: Another Step Closer/Release Date

The manuscript is undergoing final edits and proofreading in the capable and talented hands of (who I hope to be able to meet one day because she's going to get the hug of her life), and the cover By illustrator Lawrence Mann is almost finished. In the mean time, Lawrence sent the title graphics. I actually sat at my desk and applauded. This is my first experience of publishing a book and I have learned many many things. The first of those things is that to work with people who have the ability to see your vision is the most important aspect in bringing everything together. I think I've been very lucky.

Lawrence Mann is taking commissions. Have a look at his website and contact him for a chat. http://www.lawrencemann.co.uk/

I originally hoped for a July release, but that was completely unrealistic. We're looking at late August now due to ISBN admin and my holiday to the Land of the Night Slugs.

Bounty Hunter News

Since making the huge decision to go ahead and release a paperback at the same time as the ebook, the worker monkeys in my head told me I needed to upgrade the book cover. Seriously upgrade. I needed something that would help tell the story and sell the book, something more specific to show the reader what they are buying. After a weekend brainstorming with The Keeper (my sister's boyfriend) I had some ideas but was seriously lacking an artist. Long story slightly less long, I fell over an illustrator on Twitter by the name of Lawrence Mann. I had a look at his website and was absolutely blown away. I approached him cautiously, sneaking like a puppy who is supposed to be on her mat but is immensely tempted by the slice of pizza that's just been dropped to the floor. 'How much is your pizza artwork?' I asked him. Slightly less long story slightly longer, I gave him my ideas, he gave me a price and a concept sketch and we shook on it.

Ladies, gentleman, demons, witches and internet stalkers, I present to you the first stage of the new Bounty Hunter cover. This is Kai, the 14-year-old who has been scampering around my head for the last 5 years.



Lawrence sent this to me yesterday evening. I barely slept last night. I barely managed to wake up this morning. He's given life to my book. Kai has a face. It makes him feel even more real. To have him on the cover was Lawrence's idea and I jumped at it even though I couldn't quite picture how he would combine it with the image of Kai's hand holding the Earth that I'd asked for. What I love about Lawrence is that he works with you. He takes in your ideas and offers ideas in return. I babbled about hands, blood, the Earth, demons and Laon the Demon Lord, and Lawrence listened, interpreted and came up with a cover so awesome I've nearly run out of tea bags. I can't wait to see the finished cover. Yes, it's cost me a lot more than the original cover, but I can't put a price on Kai's face or the five years it's taken me to write this book. I'm putting my soul into Bounty Hunter's release. I want the cover the reflect that. I want the cover to sell what's inside.

Please check out Lawrence Mann at his Website, Facebook Page and Twitter.

Bounty Hunter News

I can now confirm there will be a paperback release at the same time as the ebook. Excitement is happening.

Bounty Hunter Cover

I now have an author's Facebook page. I would love it if you'd come Like me at HollisSJ

I also launched my new website this morning. Thank you, thank you, thank you to Karen Nicol for creating it and putting up with my little whims and fancies. The prawns are definitely on me. SJHollis.co.uk

Have a look, guys. Let me me know what you think!

I would like to officially welcome Kmousie to the Bounty Hunter team! Kmousie is my editor and a total sweetheart. I feel privileged to have her working on my book and would like to apologise to her in advance for span/spun, ran/run, site/sight and all my other weird little word confusions.

Bounty Hunter, a Young Adult SF/Fantasy adventure, will be released this summer. I will provide further details shortly.