Enter to Win Autographed Book

As a precursor to the start of my newest series, The Bartender Babe Chronicles, I'm hosting a giveaway over on Goodreads for a chance to win one of five autographed copies of the first in my original series, The Deepest Darkness.

So if you'd like to enter for a chance at a nice paperback copy of RUNNING INTO THE DARKNESS with a signature from little ol' me, click on the widget in the right-hand column and it will take you right over to the contest, which starts today and goes through April 14th.

Then tomorrow we'll celebrate the official release of LOOK BEFORE YOU JUMP.

First Glimpse - Cover Reveal for RISING FROM THE DARKNESS

You've waited patiently for years, dear readers.

You've emailed, wondering where that next release is.  Wondering when that next release would surface.  Wondering how Samantha's journey would end.

I thank you for your patience, dear readers, as I learned the path of an indie author, the time-consuming ropes of marketing, and also while I stuttered about when life impeded writing.

It's been a few years since my last release, but the wait it nearly over.  The finale has almost arrived.  Now for the details.

Beginning May 1st you can pre-order at several major ebook outlets the third and final book in the Deepest Darkness series - RISING FROM THE DARKNESS.  Official release is July 1st.

If you haven't yet picked up a copy of the first two in the Deepest Darkness series, you can still access RUNNING INTO THE DARKNESS free in digital format and PIERCING THE DARKNESS for $2.99 in digital format on the right sidebar.  Also available in print, for those of you who like to feel the weight of good 'ol paper in your hands.

In the meantime, be among the first to gaze upon the brand, spanking new cover below.  I hope you like it as much as I do!

Book Blurb:

It’s finally here – the explosive finale of the Deepest Darkness series.

Samantha Bartlett has a new mission – and this time it’s one of her own choosing.  Armed with information worth killing for, Samantha pieces together secrets spanning generations and uncovers the key to Debrille’s plans, including the horror of his true identity.  But will it be enough for redemption?  Especially when facing the bridges she’s burned?

Life was once clearly black or white, but now Joe Roberts has a target on his back – and it’s sighted by his boss at the FBI.  It’s not just from running off with their primary suspect in President Warner’s murder and then allowing her to escape.  No.  He’s the Elite’s latest scapegoat.  That alone begs the question.  Is Sam a cold-blooded killer or a mere pawn used in a global chess game?

World War III looms on the horizon as the Middle East threatens to implode, world alliances are scrapped, and a once tenuous truce with a former enemy collapses – all under President Durksen’s watch.  Shadowed by the Elite’s constant and vigilant guard, Durksen must find a way out of the hole he dug for himself long ago.  But can he accomplish it in time, or will the United States die like so many nations before it?

Explosions light up the night.  Friend becomes foe.  Sister against sister.  Lives are lost.  Sacrifices made.  But in order to realize true freedom, evil must be defeated.

No matter the cost.

A huge thank you once again to Genevieve at LaVO Design (www.lavodesign.com) for the awesome cover art.

Thanks also to participants in my cover reveal.  Click on the links and visit their sites to offer up support of fellow authors and readers.  I'll be updating the links throughout the day as posts go live, so keep watching.

Check out the post on Eden's blog at Eden Baylee.
Here's another from Kellie's blog at Kellie Larsen Murphy
And another from Nora's blog at Only God Writes Trees 
Fellow author CW has something to say over at CW Browning 
Heidi, another fellow author, has posted at Heidi Ruby Miller
Here's one from Gordon at Gordon Kessler 
Brian, one of my long-time critique partners, posted on Father Thunder/Mother Night 
Here's a shout-out from A.D., a UK author partner from Action Girl Books

Thanks Indie View!

All you ever wanted to know about little ol' me is over at the Indie View.  They were so gracious to interview me and highlight RUNNING INTO THE DARKNESS.  Please run over and check it out - leave a comment if so inclined.

Catch it at this link http://www.theindieview.com/2015/03/15/indieview-with-d-a-bale-author-of-running-into-the-darkness/

RISING FROM THE DARKNESS UPDATE:  For those of you who are anxiously awaiting the return of Samantha, Joe and the cast of characters in the Deepest Darkness series, I'm nearing completion of the third and final book in the series.  The cover is almost ready for the big reveal - it's gonna be fantastic.  Lots of explosions, death and destruction.  Who will survive - and who won't - when it's all over. 

Stay tuned!

A Review of RUNNING INTO THE DARKNESS

Over the last couple of years, I've been learning the way of the Twitter-pated when it comes to social media marketing.  As most regular readers know, tech savvy I am not.  But throughout my learning curve, I've 'met' other writers, readers, and just regular folk who enjoy the social networking world.  Along the way I've given advice and received help through countless sources.

One such fellow author actually took time to download and review RUNNING INTO THE DARKNESS for his blog - and a generous review it is.  Reviews are what make all of the solitary moments of an author's life so much more worthwhile.

So if you have time in the next few days, take a moment to run over and check out Action Girl Books' review of my novel by clicking HERE.  Be sure and let him know how much it is appreciated.

Print Now Available!!!

Drum roll please!

Finally, after several years in digital format, Running into the Darkness is available in print format.  For those who don't yet possess an eReader, or if you're like me and prefer both (one for digital library and one for my real-world library) you can satisfy that craving for a walk in the dark.

Pick up your copy today!

Purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

New Cover for Running into the Darkness

Wait for it.......


Here's a peek for you, dear readers, at the new cover for Running into the Darkness.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.  Thanks to Genevieve at LaVO Design.

Stay tuned for the paperback release!

Review of Piercing the Darkness

Hello again, dear readers!

Thanks ever so much to Nora over at Only God Writes Trees for her astonishing review of Piercing the Darkness, the second installment of my "Deepest Darkness" series.  Even though I still don't like the cover of the book (yes, I have plans to revise both by the time Rising comes out), she was able to look past its cheesy appearance to dig deep into the heart of the story.  Sorry to have made you cry, Nora!!! :-)

So if you'd like to see what she has to say, run over to her blog post and take a gander http://onlygodwritestrees.blogspot.com/2013/12/review-piercing-darkness-by-da-bale.html

And don't forget that Running into the Darkness is available free until the end of the year.  Be sure to pick up your copy at any eBook outlet of choice.

Stay tuned!  Someday I'll have the opportunity to finish the final installment.

Free Book Bonanza

Well folks, I'm in shock at the moment. 

The freebie fest continues - and in such an unexpected place!  This morning I looked up Running into the Darkness to see what sites have updated the pricing to free status.  Got the shock of my life to see it up for free not only on Barnes & Noble but...

Get this...

It's coming...

Wait for it...

AMAZON!!!!

And I didn't even do anything!  I think they're starting to get more savvy about price matching.  :-)  So today you can now find this first book in the Deepest Darkness series as your free pre-Christmas gift on not only Smashwords but Barnes & Noble and Amazon as well.

Here are the links:

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Smashwords

I'll continue to update you as more sites set their pricing to match.  Happy reading!

An Early Christmas Special

Sorry to have dropped off of the radar for the past month (or is it two?) but I've been trying to make some headway on the latest installment of the Deepest Darkness series.  Plus there haven't been any interesting blog tours to participate in of late - this girl can only stomach so much YA, paranormal, and romance.  Death and destruction are more my cup of hard-boiled joe!

So I've decided to somewhat participate in Na-No-Wri-Mo this month and really make some headway on Rising from the Darkness as much as humanly possible.  I say "somewhat" because for the life of me, I can't just vomit as many words as I can onto a page and hope something sticks.  The self-editor in me is nearly impossible to shut off, so when I get 1,000 words onto a page it is usually in near publishable shape - and sometimes it takes an entire day just to get that.

So in honor of my first foray (somewhat) into Na-No, and the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, I've decided to offer up a gift of sorts.  From now until the end of 2013, you can pick up as many free e-book copies of the first book of the Deepest Darkness series, Running into the Darkness, as tickles your fancy.  Gift copies to family and friends and it won't cost you a cent.

At the moment, the freebies are showing up only on Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/98766 but soon you should also find it on all other outlets such as Sony, Apple, and Barnes & Noble.  Amazon is a whole other realm, but let them know where you found it for free and maybe we'll succeed on getting Amazon to participate too.

To all of you writers out there, good luck with Na-No.  To all of you readers - an early Merry Christmas!

Housekeeping and a Book Recommendation

Hello hello, dear readers!  I've a few things to share with you today and wanted to just congeal it all into one post.

There's still a week left to enter the giveaway of Running into the Darkness.  Be one of twenty-five readers to get your free copy.  As you know, I've been prepping for the marketing your eBook article and have received several tips from my fellow participating authors - one of which was a giveaway, which I'd never tried before.  Thus this giveaway of RITD was born!  Click below to enter.

And yes, the marketing article is coming next week!  I'm looking forward to sharing with you the various practical things I've done to find readers for my book.  Then there are the ways other participating authors have championed their work too, and I'm so grateful for their participation.  It's going to be chock full of simple things you too can do to interest readers, so tell all of the writers you know and don't miss it!

Lastly, I have a book recommendation for all of you suspense lovers out there - especially if you like an interesting heroine.  Gingerbread Man by Maggie Shayne is an intriguing story I read last weekend that kept me guessing, and as regular readers know, that's pretty hard to do.  The red herring was obvious early on, but it wasn't until well into the second half of the story that I was certain of the killer.  There was also an element I didn't see coming until probably the final quarter of the novel.  I really like stories that keep me guessing.

Be warned - the storyline centers around a pedophile serial killer and the cop who jumps on the trail.  This trail takes him to a small lakeside town where he meets a woman shattered by tragic events from the past.  But it's this woman who could be his greatest asset in hunting down the sick pervert who preys on the innocent - if only he could get her to remember.

Like I said, this was a surprising freebie and I ended up enjoying the mystery element in the storyline.  The overall writing style, however, needs strengthening.  Too much pronoun usage kept me gritting my teeth, but once the story grabbed and got moving it wasn't quite as grating.  The love story aspect between the hero and heroine also was a bit much, but that's likely just because I find romance annoyingly sappy and unrealistic.

So there you have it, folks!  With the Halloween season rapidly approaching, Gingerbread Man might be your ticket.  Watch next week for the marketing article, and don't forget to sign up to win a free copy of Running into the Darkness before the opportunity dwindles.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ebook Marketing Coming Soon

Some incredible news to share with you today, dear readers.

I've been working on an article about marketing eBooks, asking for ideas from fellow authors on what works/what doesn't, and trying some new things myself.  This isn't going to be just the standard bland article on social media marketing - you can find that anywhere.  What I've been working on is searching for real-world "how-to's" that truly work so that I can hopefully help the other indie writers out there with some actual, practical things that have real results.  That's all coming this September.

But the purpose of my note to you today is that I tried something totally new myself within this past week - and have had some pretty amazing results.  I don't know about you, but I'm pretty happy when I can sell a handful of books every month.  Well today - and I'm still in shock, mind you - I've had a whopping fifty-three sales today.

Yes, that's a big 5-3 total book sales as of this writing - and all in ONE DAY.  This blows my previous best day out of the water.

Now I've got to find a way to keep up with the momentum.  And don't worry, I will include this lovely tidbit in the article to be posted in just over a month's time.  It's my goal to help you also be able to sell that many and more in one day.

Remember also - all my books are ninety-nine cents now through Labor Day on all eBook outlets such as:

Amazon - Running into the Darkness
Barnes & Noble - Running into the Darkness
Smashwords - Running into the Darkness

Amazon - Piercing the Darkness
Barnes & Noble - Piercing the Darkness
Smashwords - Piercing the Darkness

So stay tuned for the article in September!

Running into the Darkness eBook Giveaway

Hello dear readers - its time for a summer giveaway!  Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for 25 eBook copies of the first novel of the Deepest Darkness series, Running into the Darkness.

There are several ways you can enter.  The contest is open through midnight on Labor Day (that's September 2nd).  Even though there's plenty of time, don't delay too long. 

If you've already read the book, don't worry!  You can always gift your free copy to family or friends - IF you win, that is.  With 25 copies, though, your chances are good.

“I never intended to kill the President. As a doctor, I swore an oath to protect life – not take it. But that was before...”

Second year resident, Dr. Samantha Bartlett, is swept from the frigid New York winter to once again confront the sting of death back home – and face those she left behind. But she’s not alone. A strange man she dubs Shades haunts her every step as she seeks answers to the inferno which claimed her grandmother, an eerie reminder of her parents’ deaths. The secrets Samantha uncovers forever change her image of those she only thought she knew.

Confronted by Shades, Samantha joins a secret underworld known only as the Elite, where a web of power and control is woven deep within governments worldwide. Their sights are set on the power structure of the United States, and Samantha becomes the unlikely key to infiltrating the White House at its most intimate levels.

The quest for blood threatens to destroy Samantha. From the darkness there is no escape.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Last Chance to Enter and Final Wrap-Up

Well here it is, the last day of the month and the final moments of my Tribute Books blog tour.  These last four weeks have been quite the blur.  A special thank you to Nicole and the team at Tribute Books for all of the hard work that went into making my tour a success.  I want to be sure and also shout out to all of my new readers and to all of those who've helped spread the word.

That also means you only have mere hours for your last chance to enter for the $25 Amazon gift card drawing from Rafflecopter.  Click on the link below in these last few moments and you might just be $25 richer!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Following are the final four stops on this last leg, just in case you didn't get a chance to read the posts earlier in the week.

http://everyfreechance.com/2013/06/blog-tour-running-into-the-darkness-by-d-a-bale-review-giveaway.html

http://www.longandshortreviews.com/interviews/author-interview-and-giveaway-d-a-bale/

http://readingchallenged.blogspot.com/2013/06/running-into-darkness.html

http://www.moonlightgleam.com/2013/06/running-into-dark-blog-tour-author.html

Last but not least, I want to again express my deepest appreciation to every single host stop.  Without your time and attention, this could not have happened.  I'm again humbled by your kind words about Running into the Darkness.

And oh, what the hey, how about we have one last drawing.  For every person who comments here on this particular post by Independence Day, you will be entered into a drawing for a free copy of RITD.  So let me know who you are, my dear readers!

The Third Week Wrap-up

Here 'tis - the wrap-up for the third week of my Tribute Books blog tour.  It's a peek into my childhood, coupled with what it took to get Running into the Darkness in shape for publishing.  And, amazingly enough, more positive reviews of RITD.  I'm tripping out!

And now a reminder - this is the final week to sign up for the Rafflecopter give-away, so don't be late to the party below.

http://www.wickedreadingsbytawania.blogspot.com/2013/06/vbt-review-giveaway-running-into.html

http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/2013/06/interview-with-d-bale-author-of-running.html

http://www.celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/2013/06/running-into-darkness-by-d-bale.html

http://www.omnimysterynews.com/2013/06/a-conversation-with-author-da-bale-1306190800.html

http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2013/06/interview-and-giveaway-with-d-bale.html

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Week Two Blog Tour Wrap-up

So here we are, wrapping up the second week of my Tribute Books blog tour.  I can't believe we're already on the other side of this thing!

I continue to be amazed and enormously humbled by the praise for Running into the Darkness from reviewers during this past week.  It has caught me by surprise and given me a needed boost toward work on the third book in the series. 

So below, please find the links to the posts during the second week of the tour, and don't forget to follow this weeks' offerings at http://runningintothedarkness.blogspot.com.  Happy reading!

http://ginaslibrary.info/review-running-into-the-darkness-by-d-a-bale/

http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com/2013/06/running-into-darkness-tour.html

http://www.simplistik.org/lissetteemanning/review-running-into-the-darkness-d-a-bale

http://ogcmat.blogspot.com/2013/06/running-into-darkness-da-bale-tribute.html

http://www.christiesbookreviews.com/2013/06/running-into-darkness-by-d-bale-blog.html

http://blog.concertkatie.com/2013/06/book-review-running-into-darkness.html

http://literaryrr.blogspot.com/2013/06/blog-tour-reviewgiveaway-running-into.html

Blog Tour Wrap-up Week One

Well the first week of the Running into the Darkness blog tour is wrapped up with a nice little purple bow.  Purple - as in my signature color.  Maybe someday I'll be able to use purple for a book cover.  Hmmm...

So moving right along.  One five-star and one four-star review with several guest posts giving you a glimpse into the frightening world that is my psyche.  I appreciate the time these hosts put into making the first week a success.  Just in case you missed it, below are the links to each days' entry.

http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/2013/06/running-into-darkness-blog-tour-indie.html

http://www.booksinthespotlight.blogspot.com/2013/06/running-into-darkness-blog-tour-guest.html

http://jbcultureshock.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/writing-what-you-dont-know-guest-blogger-d-a-bale/

http://ssbookfanatics.blogspot.com/2013/06/blog-tour-running-into-darkness-by-da.html#.UbDbW-DG6SE

http://noveldtales.blogspot.com/2013/06/review-day-running-into-darkness.html

http://simplyinfatuated.com/2013/06/giveaway-how-much-of-author-d-a-bale-s-life-is-in-running-into-the-darkness/

Stay tuned tomorrow for the start of week two with both a review and the first interview of my Tribute Books blog tour.

And if you haven't already, don't forget to sign up for the $25 Amazon gift card/PayPal cash giveaway at the end of the tour.  Click away and win below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It Has Begun

Well June has finally arrived!

After two months of preparation, my Tribute Books blog tour for Running into the Darkness begins in earnest this coming Monday, June 3rd.  It's very exciting, but also rather nerve-wracking.  I'm putting myself out there for a stranger's forthright comments about my work and exposing myself to potential ridicule.  But in the immortal words of the Lion King - it is time!

So if you also have time, please go over to the website created for my tour http://runningintothedarkness.blogspot.com/ and recommend the site to your friends and family.  Feel free to comment on each applicable blog site too.  There will be guest post topics, interviews, and reviews of RITD - so something new and different every day of the tour. 

Who knows?  You just might find out all sorts of interesting tidbits about little 'ol me and my writing habits.  Probably more than you wanted to know. :-)

Then (and this is the best part) be sure and click on the Rafflecopter link either on each day's direct blog page or at the bottom of the tour website to enter for a chance at a $25 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash.  This starts today and goes through the end of June. 

At the end of the tour, I'll also have some exciting news about another special give-away.  Stay tuned!

Now off to work on Rising from the Darkness.  The series is almost complete.

http://runningintothedarkness.blogspot.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow My June Blog Tour

Hello dear readers!  Today there's a couple of items I'd like to discuss with you. 

Many of you have been patiently awaiting the sequel to The Study.  Sorry to say the wait will be a bit longer.  This is the first time I've attempted writing from fan requests, and I have to say the attempt has been more difficult than initially imagined.

Ideas come to me in many forms - driving down the highway, dreams/nightmares, things others say, etc. - it's all a very organic process.  The germination, however, either begins and takes root quickly or slowly over time.

The Search is going to be something better developed slowly over time.  Thus far, what I've written doesn't "feel" quite right to me, and I hesitate to just dump something out into the eBook universe without giving it the proper attention it deserves.  What you, my dear readers, deserve and have come to expect from me.

Rest assured, I will get back to the sequel in time.  That I promise you.

So in the meantime, I'm going to get back into the Deepest Darkness series and move forward with the third and final book Rising from the Darkness.  It will be an explosion to write!

Then coming in June, please follow along on my very first ever blog tour at http://runningintothedarkness.blogspot.com and get set to revisit the first book in the Deepest Darkness series, Running into the Darkness.  Thanks to Nicole and the gang over at Tribute Books!

And don't forget to leave your comments as we probe into the recesses of my psyche.  Yeah, it's pretty scary, but you might find yourself a winner of a $25 Amazon gift card.


http://runningintothedarkness.blogspot.com



Live on Barnes & Noble

A quick announcement today.

Piercing the Darkness is now available for your Nook on Barnes & Noble.  Yes, it's taken a bit longer for it to go live, but I'm thankful to know it's finally there.

So for you Nook owners, if you've been waiting on B&N now's your time to pick up Piercing the Darkness at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/piercing-the-darkness-d-a-bale/1114044232?ean=2940045143141

And Running into the Darkness, the first book in the series, will remain ninety-nine cents for just a bit longer.  Remember to tell your friends and family while the getting is good.

Happy reading!

Piercing the Darkness Now on Amazon

Well if I'd realized it would be live so quickly, I'd have just waited to make the sequel's release announcement today.  Oh well!

This afternoon you can now find Piercing the Darkness, the sequel to Running into the Darkness, available for your Kindle through Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Piercing-Darkness-Deepest-Series-ebook/dp/B00AL6933I/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1355088879&sr=1-1.  I imagine it will still be a few days or weeks before it is out on the other avenues, but remember you can still pick it up via Smashwords as well.  I'll keep you up to date as to availability.

So on a cold and snowy day, sit by the fire, enjoy a cup of hot coffee or cocoa and read Book Two in the Deepest Darkness series.

I look forward to hearing from you.