Sharon Bayliss

Buy "Kill for You" and help end human trafficking

2020-03-16T23:56:00.003-05:00

20 to 40 million people currently live as slaves. Over 60% are women and children like Faith Donovan in Ayden K. Morgen's new release, Kill for You. To help end human trafficking and slavery, Ayden is donating 100% of release day (March 17^th) proceeds from the book to Operation Underground Railroad (@OURRescue), a global nonprofit that rescues child victims of human trafficking and then works to prosecute and convict perpetrators.

Grab the book from your favorite retailer today (March 17^th) toBu help support this incredible cause!

https://books2read.com/KillforYou.

(10% of proceeds after release day will also go to Operation Underground Railroad).

You can also donate directly to Operation Underground Railroad at:

https://my.ourrescue.org/fundraisers/books-with-purpose

About Kill for You

The last thing Detective Octavio Hernandez expects to find at the scene of a mass gang-related shooting is a brown-eyed angel standing bravely in the midst of the chaos. One look at Faith Donovan and the homicide detective knows there's more to her than meets the eye. She's keeping secrets that just might help bring down Los Zetas, one of the biggest drug cartels in Los Angeles.

He just has to convince her that trusting him is worth the risk.

Forced upon a mother who didn't want her and enslaved by a gang that refuses to let her go without a fight, Faith's life has never been her own. She thought she'd made peace with her fate…until Octavio sweeps in and carries her out of her blood-soaked cage.

Faith trusts no one, but the hardened detective makes it difficult to remember why. The way he cares for her makes her ache for what she never thought she'd find: love and a family of her own. But trusting him when she knows he has an ulterior motive is one of the most difficult things she'll ever do.

He swore to give her the freedom she craves, but when the secrets she holds paint a target on her back, keeping that promise will prove no easy feat.

To secure her freedom and win her heart, this detective will move mountains. And take down anyone standing in his way.

Kill for You is the second book in a series of interconnected full-length novels featuring law enforcement officers willing to do whatever it takes to protect the women who need them most. Each book can be read as a standalone, has no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA.

https://books2read.com/KillforYou

Request a Free Review Copy

2020-02-09T19:35:00.002-06:00

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The final installment of The December People Series has arrived!

2020-01-20T21:30:00.002-06:00

The final installment of The December People Series is here!

Campaign URL Copy

Harvest is available now!

Buy now

The wait is finally over! The December People Series concludes with Harvest.

After the losses of loved ones, Patrick Vandergraff trudges through college in a haze of grief.

Plagued with violent visions about his family, he avoids going home. But on Thanksgiving, he decides to visit his siblings at his aunt and uncle’s house. However, he finds an empty house with a red circle painted on the door.

Patrick searches for his siblings, turning to his girlfriend Elena for help. He meets Elena’s family and discovers that she is part of an ancient clan of fall wizards called the Los Segadores, who are responsible for preventing future atrocities. Although their mission sounds benevolent, he learns that fall wizards have a violent secret and the woman he loves and his siblings are on opposites sides of an age-old war.

Stuck between both sides, Patrick must find a way to protect the ones he loves as they meet in battle on the Blood Moon.

Are you a book blogger or reviewer? I'd love to visit your blog and/or give you a free review copy of Harvest. Reply to this e-mail or contact me at sharonebayliss@gmail.com.

More good news!
If you need to get caught up, books 1-3 are only $0.99 from 1/22-1/27!

New Destruction Cover!

2019-10-08T20:27:00.003-05:00

The December People Series is getting all new covers! I'm excited to share the new cover for Destruction, created by Kim G. Design.

Buy the new version in e-book and paperback on 10/15!

December People Series News

2019-09-13T22:33:00.000-05:00

Happy harvest moon night! The moon has an important role in book 4 of The December People Series, Harvest. Thus, this seems like the perfect night to share some big news about the series.

As many of you may know, my previous publisher Curiosity Quills Press is no longer publishing new books. Thus, I've had to step away from them to complete my series. It's made a long delay between book 3 and 4 even longer (although I also take some of the blame for moving too slowly). I sincerely apologize to my readers for the long wait. :(

The good news is that I've now signed the whole series with Animus Ferrum, an exciting and supportive hybrid publisher of speculative fiction. I will be re-releasing all the books in the series (with new covers!). The release dates are as follows:

October 15th: Destruction

November 19th: Watch Me Burn

December 17th: A Taste of Death and Honey

January 21st: Harvest

Thank you so much for your patience. I'm hoping that Harvest will be worth the wait and will provide the satisfying resolution that my fans deserve. I love you guys. <3

Here is a moon related excerpt from Harvest:

The next night, Emmy woke to the sound of frantic scratching. Lacie had stayed inside tonight, but she wasn’t asleep. In the darkness, Emmy’s vision took time to focus, and even then, what she saw didn’t make sense.

Emmy turned on the light and Lacie shuddered, holding her hands up to shield the light from her eyes and practically hissed at her. So…a werewolf or a vampire? Or some kind of combo? A rusty red color covered her hands and Emmy’s stomach flipped, thinking blood. But the “blood” shimmered. Bronzer? All over her hands and smudged on her arms and swiped across her face. She had created a giant rust colored circle on the wall. She turned away from Emmy and continued filling in the circle, rubbing and rubbing.

“Lacie?”

She ignored her.

“Lacie?”

“I’m almost done. Leave me alone.”

Emmy watched her, transfixed. The circle had perfect proportions, and Lacie worked on any uneven edges, stepping back to check it for balance. Emmy felt unhappy butterflies flutter in her stomach. This felt wrong.

“Just go back to sleep,” Lacie said, still working on her mural.

“Why?” Emmy asked, unable to articulate her many questions.

“It’s cloudy,” Lacie said.

“What?”

“I couldn’t see the moon,” Lacie said, as if she explained something painfully obvious. She used a ruddy finger to wipe a tear from her eye, leaving a strange streak of battle paint across her cheek.

---

The Magic of the Harvest Moon

Historically, farmers would use the light of the harvest moon to continue their work late into the night to prepare for the rapidly approaching winter. The harvest moon is a time to prepare for and celebrate change. In my opinion, the best way to celebrate the harvest moon is to think about the future, ideally while taking a nighttime stroll in the moonlight. Howling may also be appropriate. I mean, if you can't howl at the harvest moon, when can you howl?

The fall is a time of change and preparation for the future. Predicting the future is what fall wizards are best at. Instead of just waiting to be barraged with pumpkin spice and plastic spiders and wondering where the summer went, try to be intentional about fall this year. Try envisioning the future. Watch the trees around your home and notice when the leaves are about to fall. Feel the change of temperature in the wind before the mercury actually drops. Witness fall coming.

Here are some more ideas on how to celebrate the harvest moon:

https://tesswhitehurst.com/12-magical-ideas-for-the-harvest-moon/
https://www.greenmoxie.com/6-ways-to-celebrate-the-harvest-moon-2/

HARVEST, Book Four in the December People Series

2018-09-09T15:59:00.000-05:00

I'm pleased to announced that HARVEST is complete and will release on 9.23.19! For you wizards out there, yes that is on the autumnal equinox. Harvest is the fourth and final installment in the December People Series. I'm excited to introduce you to the darkest season...

After the loss of loved ones, Patrick Vandergraff has been trudging through college in a haze of grief. Plagued with violent visions about his family, he avoids going home. But on Thanksgiving, he decides to visit his siblings at his aunt and uncle’s house.

However, the only thing he finds is an empty house with a red circle painted on the door. Patrick searches for his siblings, turning to his girlfriend Elena for help. He meets Elena’s family and discovers that she is part of an ancient clan of fall wizards called the Los Segadores, who are responsible for preventing future atrocities.

Although their mission sounds benevolent, he learns that fall wizards have a dark secret—and the woman he loves and his siblings are on opposites sides of an age-old war.

Stuck between both sides, Patrick must find a way to protect the ones he loves as they meet in battle on the Blood Moon.

Check out ROGUE CRYSTAL for only 99 cents! #YA #fantasy

2018-03-18T22:37:00.003-05:00

Your family history has a way of haunting you.

Available now on Amazon for 99 cents!

Avery loves the prospect of visiting the country of Scarya with her cousin and boyfriend. Adventure and romance surely await. Instead, war breaks out, and Avery ends up with an ancient sword everyone is dying to possess.

Scarya isn’t just a foreign land – the longer Avery is trapped there, the more she learns about her past. Her ancestors lived in Scarya, and one of them brought an enchanted crystal from space. She never expected an alien to ruin her vacation, but sometimes the past has a way of reappearing.

ROGUE CRYSTAL is a fantasy for young adults. This young adult novel is filled with elements of history and romance, published through CHBB, and is now available for purchase.

Check out ROGUE CRYSTAL on GoodReadsfor fabulous reviews!

Jordan Elizabeth, formally Jordan Elizabeth Mierek, can often be found exploring historical ruins and imagining what life would be like with magic. You can contact Jordan via her website, JordanElizabethBooks.com.

Visit me at the Texas Library Annual Conference! #txla17

2017-04-17T20:32:00.002-05:00

I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference in San Antonio this Thursday, April 20th!

Where to find me:

I'm participating in the Independent Authors Strut Your Stuff panel on April 20th from 10-11am in Room 301A, Ballroom Level.

I'll be signing books in the Authors Area at Table 13 on April 20th from 1-2pm.

In honor of this occasion, I have three special offers!

1) From now until midnight on 4/23, librarians (from anywhere!) can get a free Kindle or Audible copy of any of my books. All you have to do is request one on the form below.

2) Librarians attending the conference can request a free signed paperback! All you have to do is request one on the form below before midnight on 4/19, and THEN pick it up from me at the Conference in the Authors Area on Thursday between 1-2pm.

3) At my table, you'll have the opportunity to draw to win a free signed paperback then and there.

If you forget to sign up in advance and the luck of the draw isn't in your favor, I'll be selling signed paperbacks for $10 in the Authors Area.

I hope to see you there!

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Celebrate the #springequinox with a FREE copy of A Taste of Death and Honey! #GIVEAWAY

2017-03-19T22:21:00.000-05:00

Happy first day of spring! To celebrate, I'm giving away free digital and audiobook copies of A Taste of Death and Honey, the spring-themed, third book in the December People Series.

All you have to do is sign up below between now and midnight CST on 3/20/17. I'm not asking for anything in return, but reviews are very much appreciated.

Happy free reading/listening!

BUY ON AMAZON
LISTEN ON AUDIBLE

This book will grab you by the throat, challenge your mind, and turn your heart inside out. Sharon Bayliss delivers a powerful, emotional punch with her third book in the December People series. - Amy Bearce, author of The World of Aluvia Series

When Samantha’s parents died, she lost everything. Her home. Her friends. Her hope. Then a life-loving spring witch at the children’s shelter fills her life with light and joy once again.

But like the springtime, Samantha’s happiness doesn’t last forever. Her friend dies violently in front of her, the victim of a mysterious killing spell. Furious and grief-stricken, Samantha resents her own weak spring magic. She doesn’t need life and renewal. She wants revenge…and death.

Homeless and alone, Samantha seeks shelter with her old friends, the Vandergraff family, and finds an unexpected ally in the powerful winter solstice witch, Evangeline. The girls’ anger and eagerness lead them to cast a killing spell before knowing the truth behind Samantha’s friend’s death or the identity of her killer.

Once the spell is cast, they can’t take it back, and they must fight to stop their own curse before it takes away everyone they love.

A Taste of Death and Honey - New Character Spotlight

2017-03-19T21:32:00.000-05:00

The spring book in The December People series released on 6/9/16, and with it came some new characters. If you haven't read it yet, this will give you a little preview of who you'll meet in book three. If you have read it, this will tell you a little bit more about your new friends.

In a lot of ways, spring wizards are the "Hufflepuffs," of the December People world. They are generally kind and harmless flower children. But other types of wizards would be well advised not to underestimate the spring, as they are far more powerful and dangerous than they might appear. I've loved getting to know the new spring wizards in book three. They are brave, kind, and and difficult to corrupt (and I really tried).

IMOGENE GREY

Seventeen year-old Imogene Grey spent most of her life hopping from foster home to foster home. When she was very young, both of her parents and her two brothers were murdered in front of her. The gruesome murder remains a mystery to the Mundane police. The killers were never caught, and the police never understood the motive for the killing or why Imogene alone was left unharmed, especially since the killers didn't spare Imogene's newborn brother. This mystery may be solved in book 4...

The extreme trauma caused selective mutism in young Imogene and she didn't speak for many years. However, at seventeen she has begun to open up to the world. Despite her dark life, she smiled and laughed with abandon, as described here:

"Even when she grew up, she never lost the smile she had as a little girl―a smile of complete abandon. She had never once tried to hide a smile or stifle a laugh." - Zander

ZANDER COLTER

Twenty year-old Zander Colter suffers from an unfortunate father--Whitman Colter, a very evil man from book one. You wouldn't usually call a child lucky to end up in foster care, but Zander might have been. He had the pleasure of never meeting his biological father. Zander doesn't like to talk about his mother either. His friends assume that his mother is dead, but that's not the case. Zander was placed in foster care when his mother went to jail. She promised she would come for him when she was released, but she never did.

Through all this, he managed to grow into a good man. Perhaps, one of the nicest people in the entire series. On occasion, he might make impulsive, and questionable choices, but it's always a product of following his heart. And yes, he really is that handsome.

"Despite the fact he advanced on her, he didn’t seem frightening. He might look frightening if she didn’t know better, but he had an overpowering goodness radiating from him." - Samantha

LEONA PRESCOTT

Fourteen year-old Leona has been strangely absent from her family for the last two years. The youngest member of the prominent summer wizard family, The Prescotts, Leona appears to have had an idyllic family life. However, Leona didn't quite fit in with the rest of her family. She is a siren, and at twelve years-old she accidentally caused the death of a friend. After that, she was sent away to live at a secluded "school" for troubled young wizards (which we get to visit in book 4).

As a siren, she can alter the moods and perceptions of the people around her, even if she doesn't intend to. Traditionally sirens attract, and Leona can do this well. But she can also repel, sometimes violently. Although she has some strong contenders, she might actually be the most dangerous wizard in the entire series. However, Leona would give anything to just be normal.

"He felt a sting on the back of his neck and grabbed the spot. The back of his skull and his shoulders filled with poison, contracting and throbbing. Clutching his neck he turned to see a ghostly girl standing on the red-brick path. She made his hair stand on end. Something felt so wrong about her." - David

Discover more about these characters in A Taste of Death and Honey!

BUY HERE

This book will grab you by the throat, challenge your mind, and turn your heart inside out. Sharon Bayliss delivers a powerful, emotional punch with her third book in the December People series. - Amy Bearce, author of The World of Aluvia Series

When Samantha’s parents died, she lost everything. Her home. Her friends. Her hope. Then a life-loving spring witch at the children’s shelter fills her life with light and joy once again.

Once the spell is cast, they can’t take it back, and they must fight to stop their own curse before it takes away everyone they love.

A Taste of Death and Honey Play List

2017-03-19T21:31:00.001-05:00

Music is one of my greatest sources of inspiration. My characters always seem to spring to life when music is playing. Perhaps it's magic!

So when I create a story, I also create a playlist of the songs that inspired me most and I love getting the opportunity to share it with my readers. Often the lyrics fit with the story or the songs simply evoke the right feelings or images. For A Taste of Death and Honey, I have a folksy, mournful playlist with strong themes of life and death. Those of you who have read the book might understand my choices. And if not, I hope you just enjoy the music!

Here are some lyrics that really stood out to me:

We came for salvation
We came for family
We came for all that's good that's how we'll walk away

Salvation Song, The Avett Brothers

It don't matter where you bury me
I'll be home and I'll be free
It don't matter where I lay
All my tears be washed away

All My Tears, Emmylou Harris

When, my, time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her

Work Song, Hozier

Well I walked into black
Said I weren't coming back
Saw my angel in blue
She tell me "This life ain't for you"
Oh, this life
Tell it to me this life, ain't for me now

I woke up feeling new
'Cause now I know this life is for you
Yes, this life
Oh, this life ain't for me now
It's for you!

This Life, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

CLICK HERE to hear the Taste of Death and Honey playlist on Spotify.

You can also enjoy playlists curated for Destruction and Watch Me Burn.

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Now that you've listened, try a taste (of death and honey)!

BUY HERE

This book will grab you by the throat, challenge your mind, and turn your heart inside out. Sharon Bayliss delivers a powerful, emotional punch with her third book in the December People series. - Amy Bearce, author of The World of Aluvia Series

When Samantha’s parents died, she lost everything. Her home. Her friends. Her hope. Then a life-loving spring witch at the children’s shelter fills her life with light and joy once again.

Once the spell is cast, they can’t take it back, and they must fight to stop their own curse before it takes away everyone they love.

Tips from Spring Wizards #firstdayofspring #springequinox

2017-03-19T21:26:00.000-05:00

They may seem a little flighty and "out there," but spring wizards are very wise. I might even argue that spring wizards are the most wise of all the wizard seasons. I can just feel the fall wizard eye rolls as I say that. If anything else, they know how to love life and live well. Here are some words of wisdom from the spring wizards of The December People Series:

"Most of the time, nature is beautiful, nurturing, and incredibly patient, but she can also muster a power and fury than could tear down Hell itself." - Imogene Gray

"Nature only allows humanity because of her kindness, she has the power to obliterate all that mankind creates." - Imogene Gray

"Dance then, where ever you may be." - Penelope Carthage (quoting Lord of the Dance by Donovan Leitch)

"Follow whatever calls you. Butterflies. Rainbows. Sunsets. Thunderstorms." - Imogene Gray

"I named you for an evergreen because they survive even the coldest, darkest winters. They thrive in eternal greenness, unbothered by snow and ice." - Penelope Carthage

"When you leave your body, and it doesn't matter where your rotting flesh resides. The dead reside everywhere and nowhere at once. She didn’t need ashes to call a spirit." - Samantha Carthage

"Evangeline was talking about how flowers die easily, but that’s not really true. The petals themselves are fragile…but the bulbs are not. That’s one of the reasons why the lily is a symbol for Easter in the first place. Resurrection." - Samantha Carthage

"The world is filled with beautiful chaos." - Samantha Carthage

Here are some spring wizard memes from the web that you might also enjoy. At least, I assume they are spring wizards. I can't prove differently. ;)

To hear more spring wizard-isms, check out A Taste of Death and Honey!

BUY HERE

This book will grab you by the throat, challenge your mind, and turn your heart inside out. Sharon Bayliss delivers a powerful, emotional punch with her third book in the December People series. - Amy Bearce, author of The World of Aluvia Series

When Samantha’s parents died, she lost everything. Her home. Her friends. Her hope. Then a life-loving spring witch at the children’s shelter fills her life with light and joy once again.

Once the spell is cast, they can’t take it back, and they must fight to stop their own curse before it takes away everyone they love.

OGRES from @taratylertalks Cradle Rock #MG #Fantasy

2016-12-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

Tara Tyler asked me which beast I wanted to highlight for her blog tour, and I knew I wanted ogres! Ona is a little different from most MG/YA heroines, and that's why I like her. Now I give it over to Tara, for her take on ogres.

---

I like ogres. I even married one! But seriously, they're great. They're strong, fun to mess with, and if you don't mind the smell, they can be very sweet to be around...

Here’s how a knock, knock joke would go with an ogre.

Knock, knock
Who’s there?
Interrupting Cow
*scratches head* Int-
Moo.
Inter-
Moo.
Who?
Never mind.

See what I mean? Fun!
And here are some famous ogres…
Well, Shrek of course... And from Ella Enchanted…

I’ve enjoyed ogres ever since I read Piers Anthony’s Xanth series. In book #5, OGRE, OGRE, Smash is part man and part ogre, and he goes on a journey with some young maidens. He protects them and falls in love with one of them, which is against all his ogrish instincts. It’s probably my favorite book in the whole series. The Xanth books had a big influence on my own beastly concept of ogres in Beast World.

My Beast World, ogres are the classic, stereotypical dumb jocks and bullies, tall and strong, and have horrible hygiene and no sense of smell. They are the soldiers who survived the harshest chemical enhancement testing, at great cost to their intellect. But some are smarter than others. Like Ona. She doesn’t fit in with the other ogres because she’s more intelligent and prettier and on the smaller side. That’s why Gabe likes her, she’s different than all the other beasts. But that’s when the trouble starts in Broken Branch Falls. One of the fun parts is how Gabe tricks the ogres on the football team to do his bidding.

In Cradle Rock, Ona is back with her curiosity causing major problems for the gang and another crisis for the adults. I hope you’ll join them on this hilarious, nefarious, precarious adventure!

Thanks Sharon, for spreading the word and having me here!

WELCOME BACK TO THE FOREST!

CRADLE ROCK, Beast World Book Two

by Tara Tyler

Gabe the goblin just saved his town Broken Branch Falls from splitting apart. He also revealed that humans--horrible creatures of myth and legend--may actually be part of their history! But seriously? Nah!

Now Ona, Gabe’s girlfriend, is headed thousands of miles away to Camp Cradle Rock for Spring Break seeking evidence of humans. Gabe knows better than to tell a stubborn ogress she’s crazy, so he’s letting her go and spending the break at the beach like a normal teenage beast. And he’s determined to have a good time without her, whether he likes it or not.

But when Gabe hears Ona went missing, he and his friends set out for the wilds of the west to find her, no matter what dangerous creatures get in his way. Not even humans.

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Check out the Book Trailer!

Tara Tyler has had a hand in everything from waitressing to rocket engineering. After moving all over, she now writes and teaches math in Ohio with her three active boys and Coach Husband. Currently she has two series, Pop Travel (techno-thriller detective capers) and Broken Branch Falls (fantasy adventures). To squeeze in writing, she economizes her time aka the Lazy Housewife. Make every day an adventure!

Talk to me!
Author Blog ~~ @taratylertalks ~~ Facebook ~~ Housewives Blog

I'm also giving away signed copies of Broken Branch Falls and Cradle Rock, some Beast World swag, and a $20 GC!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How To Celebrate the Autumn Equinox

2016-09-21T21:59:00.001-05:00

Although it's still pretty hot outside in my neck of the woods, autumn is officially here! At 9:21am CT, the sun will be directly over the equator, marking the official transition from light to dark. If you're a fan of The December People Series, you also know that this is an important day to fall wizards. Families of fall wizards often share a meal on this day to give thanks for the harvest. And unless they are farmers, it's a symbolic harvest. It's a time to give thanks for the fruits of our labor and the relationships we've built. Yes, it is wizard Thanksgiving!

Whether you're a fall wizard or not, consider taking some time today to celebrate the autumnal equinox. Here are some ideas.

Focus on balance in your life - The autumnal equinox is when light and dark are in perfect balance. Channel this balance in your own life. Are you spending enough time doing things that make you happy? Are certain parts of your life sucking up more energy than they deserve?

Focus on balance in your body - Notable fall witch, Jess Oppenheimer, is a yoga instructor. In yoga, balance is key, and it's a great way to harness the balancing powers of the equinox. Consider some of these balance poses.

Celebrate the harvest - Many of us live in a perpetual time of plenty. We don't need to celebrate the harvest anymore because we can go to the supermarket any day of the year and pick from an overflowing feast. You may not feel rich, but if you have regular access to food and clean water, you should take time to reflect on your blessings.

Celebrate the season - Fall wizard, Patrick Vandergraff, has never ordered a pumpkin spice latte. He feels like it's a little too expected. But that doesn't mean that you can't take the time to relish fall treats today. Don't be ashamed, get something pumpkin spice flavored. Have an Oktoberfest beer. Enjoy all those things you've been looking forward to about fall.

Spend time in nature - Magic is always best channeled outdoors, especially in quiet reflection when you're quiet and peaceful enough to actually notice it. Go for a walk. Look at the green leaves one last time before they fall. And if you're in a warm climate, it's not to late to plant a fall garden!

Think about the future - Fall wizards are all about the future. Like squirrels who hoard nuts for winter, fall wizards are always looking ahead to what is next and getting prepared. Powerful fall wizards can even see the future, or at least glimpses of it. Even if you don't have that ability, the fall equinox is a good time to reflect on what's next.

Make a change - I love all the season changes, but in Texas, summer to fall is especially glorious because we're finally getting a change from the brutal temperatures. Seasons changing reminds us of the beauty and power in change. This is a great time to make that change you've been thinking about.

Let go of something toxic in your life - Look at a nice big deciduous tree outside. All those leaves are about to shed. Think about all the leaves you've collected on your own branches, and think about how much lighter you would feel if those leaves all cascaded to the ground. There is nothing wrong with acting like a tree and letting some things go.

Let go of your fear of aging and death - I know that's a tall order, but consider this famous quote from John Burroughs, “How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days. When leaves die and fall, they do so in beauty and grace." Every season in life is beautiful in its own way. The seasons also remind us that life is an ongoing cycle. Fall and winter allow the earth to shed its old leaves to prepare for a re-birth. There is no reason not to believe that our bodies work the same way.

Have a happy fall equinox and lovely fall season!

#CoverReveal for Cradle Rock by @taratylertalks #MG #Fantasy

2016-09-06T13:49:00.000-05:00

I had a lot of fun with Broken Branch Falls and I'm excited for Cradle Rock! Review coming later! Check out the cover and trailer...

CRADLE ROCK

by Tara Tyler

Release Date: December 1, 2016

Welcome to the forest.

Gabe and his girlfriend Ona are headed in opposite directions for Spring Break. After finding out humans might be a real part of their history, Ona is determined to dig up evidence of them in the mysterious mountains at Camp Cradle Rock. Being a logical goblin, Gabe tries to talk her out of it, but there's just no reasoning with a stubborn ogress.

When Ona goes missing, Gabe and his friends fly to Cradle Rock to search for her and discover a village of trouble, igniting an age old war. His physical skills may be lacking, but Gabe won't give up. With the help of his diverse group of friends, he will find a way to save his girl and maybe all beastkind. Humans, bah!

And here's the book trailer! With sketches from my super fantastic inside illustrator, Laura Kramer.

A Taste of Death and Honey Trailer #booktrailer #trailerreveal

2016-06-06T19:16:00.002-05:00

Only three more days until A Taste of Death and Honey! Enjoy a little taste (pun intended) with the trailer:

It's also now on Goodreads, so please add it to your TBR!

Here is an early review:

Sharon Bayliss mixes authentic modern day life with a creative, unique magic world that sucks you right in. Fantastic, clever dialogue and shocking twists kept me turning pages all night. It’s a nail-biting read that will plunge you deep into a world of magic and intrigue. But this isn’t just a tale of magic and adventure or just a tale about good and evil. In A Taste of Death and Honey, Ms. Bayliss captures what makes life and love real. What makes it worthwhile. And how light and darkness work together to create balance. The love shown throughout her book is love the way it is in the real world: messy, imperfect, and not easily understood. But authentic. The kind of real love that grabs you by the throat and won’t let you go. It’s the intensity and depth of her story that still resonates inside my heart. I won’t forget her characters any time soon. - Amy Bearce, author of The World of Aluvia Series

A Taste of Death and Honey comes out on 6/9/16!! If you're new to the series, you can get caught up by reading Destruction (Book One) and Watch Me Burn (Book Two), both available on Amazon and Audible.

Thank you for your support!

A Taste of Death and Honey Cover Reveal! #coverreveal

2016-05-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

The time has come!! I'm happy to present the cover of book three in The December People Series, A Taste of Death and Honey. I'm so thankful to Curiosity Quills Press for their amazing work. I think it's stunning! And just the right amount of creepy. What do you think?

This book will grab you by the throat, challenge your mind, and turn your heart inside out. Sharon Bayliss delivers a powerful, emotional punch with her third book in the December People series. - Amy Bearce, author of The World of Aluvia Series

When Samantha’s parents died, she lost everything. Her home. Her friends. Her hope. Then a life-loving spring witch at the children’s shelter fills her life with light and joy once again.

Once the spell is cast, they can’t take it back, and they must fight to stop their own curse before it takes away everyone they love.

A Taste of Death and Honey comes out on 6/9/16!! If you're interested in reading it early and writing a review, please sign up here. And if you're new to the series, you can get caught up by reading Destruction (Book One) and Watch Me Burn (Book Two), both available on Amazon and Audible.

Thank you for your support!

Sign up for the A Taste of Death And Honey blog tour and release day blitz!

2016-05-01T13:06:00.003-05:00

Spring is finally here! And A Taste of Death and Honey (Book 3 in The December People Series) is finally coming on 6/9/16! I need your help to spread the word. I'm having a cover reveal, blog tour, and release day blitz. I'm also interested in recruiting some early reviewers. Because I appreciate your help so much, if you sign up for any of the above, you'll get an exclusive swag pack (first 30 people) and will be entered to win the prizes below.

TEN signed copies of A Taste of Death and Honey
Bag of lily bulbs
Adult Coloring Book: Butterflies and Flowers : Stress Relieving Patterns
Burt's Bees Essential Everyday Beauty Gift Set
Raw, Unfiltered Texas Honey Bear
Lindt Lindor Truffles Milk Chocolate Spring Time Limited Edition

To enter, you just have to participate in the release day activities. You get one entry for every item you complete below, and five entries for every review (of any December People book) posted between 5/1/16 and 7/1/16. You can even win more than one prize! And if you're one of the first people to sign up, you will definitely at least get a Taste of Death and Honey swag pack!

Thank you!!

We Must Let Go in Order to Grow... Spring Guest Post from WildCat Magic

2016-04-13T20:01:00.002-05:00

In honor of the spring, I'm happy to present a guest post from WildCat Magic!

Sometimes dreams die, and we must recover the creative energy bound up in our regrets in order to nourish the seeds of new priorities. Read about a new magical tool to do this below.

Magical Practice: Look - Feel - Turn - Rise!

Where have you buried your bitter disappointments, failed attempts, missed opportunities, might-have-beens, lost hopes, broken dreams, unfulfilled desires, rejected gifts, unrequited loves, and half-mourned relationships? We are all mortals, dear ones, and all have shadows in our past. In order to release the creative power bound up in our regrets, we must dig deep into these dark and dirty places. We must have courage to see our failures for what they are, feel the pain of their consequences, and let the emotion turn (as emotions always do), in order to rise up again and create something new. Tomorrow is indeed another day!

This magical process -- Look, Feel, Turn, Rise -- is a powerful tool I encourage you to try, and repeat as often as you need to, "a thousand times," to free up your power to create!

LOOK!

To begin the process, find a mirror you choose to use as a magical tool (or you can use an astral mirror in your imagination), light a candle, and place a second unlit candle nearby. Listen to the recorded trance journey to visit Persephone, Demeter, and your ancestors, who also suffered disappointment in their lives, and may wish to aid you in rising again. Travel to a sacred place to meet them, look into the mirror, and have the courage to face the truth of the ending of a dream.

FEEL!

Allow yourself to feel as much of the emotions that arise as you are willing to feel at this time. Acknowledge your pain and validate it as a proportional response to your loss. Persephone and Demeter and your other Allies, both human and Divine, are here to witness and support you.

TURN!

When you feel the emotion shift, light the second candle. All is not lost! While the consequences of our choices are real, it is our attachment to outcomes that causes us to suffer when things don't work out the way we had hoped they would. Let go... this dream may be dying, but the future is still full of possibilities... Feel the love in your heart that is your creative life force, your own Divine Spirit that is always connected to the Wild, True Love of the gods. You have much left to create out of LOVE. Feel your sap rising!

RISE!

Celebrate your rebirth! Listen to an inspiring song, dance, and sing along. Reach out to your community and be open to seeing new possibilities to co-create. You may enjoy this song, (re)created as a chant by Amy and Swan for the recent Reclaiming LA Ostara ritual: Rise Up!

It is Spring, and the soil is ready for new seeds to sprout -- it is time to rise up and recreate ourselves, one more time!

Here's an inspiring quote to get you started on the process ...

It is official. I did not get the life I wanted... Sometimes [our dream and our destiny] are one and the same, and sometimes they're not. Often our dreams are just a path to our destinies. .. While you [have your] head down, sweating, cursing, stressing, furiously working with broken tools [to build your dream], ... [Love] is busy building your destiny. And there is as much beauty in your destiny as there was in your dream. Let go and believe that whatever it is, it will be beautiful.

(Paraphrased from Carry on Warrior by G. Melton)

Love and Magic,

WildCat

WildCat has been teaching magic for many years, working with a variety of goddesses and gods. Trained as a Witch in the Feri and Reclaiming traditions, she is true to her WildCat name, drilling for spiritual experience in the places between charted territories, and her practice and teaching draw upon a number of traditions. She loves the consciousness she has developed and the ecstasy she has felt practicing magic. She gets a kick out of sharing her experience and co-creating new and powerful transformational magic in each class. For her, magic is an important ethical act as well as exciting -- "what we do between the worlds changes us and all the worlds!" Check out WildCat's current offerings on her website:www.wildcatmagic.org, and sign up for her monthly newsletter.

Participate in the Taste of Death and Honey Lily Challenge

2016-03-19T09:30:00.004-05:00

It's spring time! Which means flowers are blooming and book 3 in The December People Series, A Taste of Death and Honey, will be coming out soon (June 9th). To celebrate, I am hosting a very special kind of contest, a lily growing challenge. All you have to do is get a lily to bloom using magical or Mundane gardening methods, and you will get a signed copy of A Taste of Death and Honey and an exclusive swag package.

Here is how it works. I send you a lily bulb in the mail. Get it to bloom before the summer solstice (June 20, 2016), post a picture with the hashtag #tdhlilychallenge, and I'll send you your prize!

I don't think I'm allowed to ship plants overseas, so I'll have to restrict this North America, planting zones 3-9. I will close the contest after ten entries.

Thank you for participating! Sign up below:

Purchase deeply discounted books and audiobooks to support @traviscoccp! #AmplifyATX

2016-02-20T10:33:00.001-06:00

Like many authors, I have a day job! And unlike many authors, I really love my day job. :) I'm fortunate to get paid to do something I love to support a cause I'm passionate about--writing grant proposals and impact narratives for the Center for Child Protection in Austin, Texas.

The mission of the Center for Child Protection is to reduce the trauma to children during the investigation and prosecution of crimes against children. Time after time, I've seen our staff take on the most severe and devastating cases of abuse and neglect in Travis County. And time after time, they provide hope and healing in cases that might seem impossible. I am consistently inspired by their courage, patience, and high-quality care.

From now until 3/8, donations made to the Center through the Amplify Austin page will be matched by the St. David's Foundation, so it's a great time to give! You can simply make a donation on my Amplify Austin page, and/or you can participate in my sale below. I'm donating the items, so 100% of the cost of the item will go to the Center for Child Protection during Amplify Austin.

Thank you for your support!!

SALE ENDS ON 3/8!

Signed paperback copy of The Charge $5 (U.S. shipping included!)

Destruction Audible Audiobook $10

Watch Me Burn Audible Audiobook $10

Seeking #audiobook reviewers for The December People Series! #NowOnAudible

2016-01-25T20:23:00.001-06:00

Now on

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO BOOK ONE

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO BOOK TWO

I'm looking for reviews of the audiobook version of Destruction and Watch Me Burn! If you're interested, please fill out the form below.

If you accept a free review copy, you must be willing to write a review of the audiobook on Audible.com. Book bloggers will be given priority. Otherwise, it will be first-come, first-served. If selected, you will receive your free review copy in the form of an Audible claim code. Codes are limited!

Thanks for taking the time to listen and review!

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A TASTE OF DEATH AND HONEY will release on 6/9/16!

2015-11-11T15:58:00.001-06:00

It's the question that people have been asking me constantly for almost a year...when is book 3 coming out??? Well, now I have your answer, although it may be further out than some of you may have liked--6/9/16. But don't fret! I'll be hosting a big spring celebration in March-May with plenty of opportunities to get your hands on an ARC. This also gives you plenty of time to review the series by listening to book 1 and 2 in audiobook! ;)

Just so you know, it only took about one hour after this announcement before I heard a new question..."When does book 4 come out?" Of course, I don't know yet. But my goal is to finish book 4 before book 3 comes out, so it can go in the publishing queue soon after it.

A Taste of Death and Honey:

When Samantha’s parents died, she lost everything. Her home. Her friends. Her hope. Then a life-loving spring witch at the children’s shelter fills her life with light and joy once again.

Homeless and alone, Samantha seeks shelter with her old friends, the Vandergraff family, and finds an unexpected ally in the powerful winter solstice witch, Evangeline. The girls’ anger and eagerness lead them to cast a killing spell before knowing the truth behind Samantha’s friend’s death or the identity of her killer.

Once the spell is cast, they can’t take it back, and they must fight to stop their own curse before it takes away everyone they love.

Read a teaser

Destruction and Watch Me Burn are now available on #Audible! #audiobook #NowOnAudible

2015-11-11T15:21:00.000-06:00

Now on

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO BOOK ONE

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO BOOK TWO

I love audiobooks. That's how I fell in love with the Harry Potter series. And I've been looking forward to hearing my words in audio for a long time. But I've also been nervous! The story was recorded and produced by Audible Studios and I had no input. I was worried they might screw it up. But they didn't! I love the narrator's interpretation. It's been like listening to the story for the first time.

Thank you to narrator Dennis Holland for his excellent work!

If you're a blogger who is interested in reviewing one or both books in audio form, please contact me.