New Series Spotlight & Giveaway: The Shadowminds

It’s time for the April New Series Spotlight! If you love series books as much as we do, you’ll know that there are tons of them out there, and we don’t always find out about them right when they come out. So we are trying to help you find some new series reads. Each month we will feature a new up and coming series that we think you should know about!

*Authors: If you want your books to be featured, contact MinnChica*

spotlightposterTWISTEDMIRACLES

AJ Larrieu

A.J. Larrieu’s first full length novel is releasing from Carina Press this year, and when Book Pushers got the review request, we had quite a few reviewers jump at the chance. A.J. is here today to tell us more about the Shadowminds series.

New Series Description: 

The series follows an underground community of people with extraordinary powers, mostly telepathy and telekinesis. They don’t so much save the world as save their own communities and cities from the darker types of their own kind. And they fall in love, of course. 😉

How did the idea come about: 

One of my first book love affairs was with Anne McCaffrey’s novels. I found Dragonsdawn at a used bookstore when I was in middle school, and shortly thereafter I devoured everything she’d ever written. Her Dragonriders of Pern series is probably her most famous, but my favorite of her novels will always be The Rowan. It’s a coming-of-age story about an uber-powerful orphaned telekinetic who saves the universe from evil alien beetles. I think I’ve read it two dozen times.

Anyway, something about that story must have imprinted on my brain, because I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of mental powers. In a way, my new series has a strong science fiction-style, “what-if” question at its core: Say telekinesis really did exist… What would be the limits, and what would be the costs? I wanted to explore what those costs would mean for the people “lucky” enough to be gifted, but instead of a vast, save-the-universe space opera, I set my story in present-day New Orleans, and narrowed the focus to this close-knit, underground community of people who have everyday problems like paying the electricity bill along with the challenges of handling their superpowers. No evil alien beetles.

Series plan:

Right now, I have three books contracted with Carina Press. Two of those stories (Twisted Miracles, which is out now, and Dangerous Calling, which comes out this Fall) will be told in Cass’s voice (the heroine of Twisted Miracles) and set in New Orleans. The third book (Broken Shadows) shifts to the San Francisco shadowmind community and is told in the voice of one of Twisted’s side characters (Mina). Long-term, there are a handful of cities (New Orleans, San Francisco, and a few others) that will each get their own, defined arc.

 

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read an excerpt of Twisted Miracles

 

AJ is giving away a wonderful swag pack today to one lucky commenter! The swag pack includes handmade wooden book marks (more info here), a custom mug, and a lavender sachet. Just ask AJ a question, or let her know what your favorite psychic romance book is! This giveaway ends April 11th and is open to US residents only. Good luck!

11 thoughts on “New Series Spotlight & Giveaway: The Shadowminds”

  1. I love Anne McCaffrey’s books, so I am very curious what you come up. If you read the Tower and the Hive series, there is no limit to the psychic powers.

  2. This sounds so awesome! I’m really excited to read it.

    My question for AJ: Do you have a favorite character you’ve ever written?

  3. @Paola:
    Thanks, Paola! I hope you like the story.

    Hmm…that’s a tough question. I love all of my characters of course ;), but Cass has been one of the most interesting to write. For now, at least, I think she’s my favorite!

  4. The Rowan was awesome, but I think my favorite McCaffrey series was Acorna. And who doesn’t like dragons?

    I believe my first psychic romances were either Amanda Quick or Christine Feehan, and I still have a soft spot for their books.

  5. Have you thought about writing a story about the special-ness of twin’s special “connectedness”?

  6. @Julie: Oh, Acorna was awesome! I also loved the Ship Who Sang series, even though I came to that one late.

    @bn100: Thanks! I’d want telekinesis, no question, but for boring, mundane reasons like replacing the batteries in smoke detectors without getting out the ladder. 🙂 I’m easy to please.

    @JackieW: Hmm, interesting idea! There’s a lot of room for interesting stories, there!

    @Kai: I confess I haven’t read that series, but I’ve heard it’s awesome. I need to check it out!

  7. Mary Giancola

    I am also a huge fan of Anne McCaffrey and your series sounds very interesting. Can’t wait to read it!

    Are there any other species in theses books? Might you be planning to add any? With psychic ability, of course!

  8. @Mary Giancola:
    Anne McCaffrey was such a master! I think she inspired a whole generation of writers. 🙂

    There are definitely some different creatures in my books, but they all start out human. (Have you read the Underbelly Chronicles by Tamara Hogan? She has some fun alien species with classic “paranormal creature” attributes (sirens, valkyries, etc.). The first one is Taste Me, and it’s loads of fun.)

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