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Revealed: Illustrations from “The Shadow Of All Things”

5/31/2016

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Lots going on as I prep for the June 9th release of the first book in my new sci-fi urban fantasy series. In case you hadn’t heard, the kindle version of The Shadow Of All Things is currently available for pre-order from Amazon for $3.99. That’s less than the price of a morning Frappuccino from your favorite java joint.

The print edition which will come out the same day includes illustrations from Tulsa-based artist Colleen Beauchamp Stiles. I’ve known Colleen for 20 years and she’s done a great job capturing the spirit of the book. I encourage you to check out her site and to take a first look at three drawings that will be included in the print edition.

I’m excited to share these with you and hope that you will pre-order a copy or buy the print edition when it becomes available in two weeks.

Thanks for coming along for the ride!



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“The Shadow Of All Things” available for pre-order

5/27/2016

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​I’m excited to announce that the first book in my new urban fantasy series The Shadow Of All Things is available for pre-order on Amazon now.
Pre-sale for the print edition with illustrations by Colleen Beauchamp Stiles will follow shortly and I’ll add the link for that as soon as possible.
The novel will be released on Thursday, June 9th.
Be sure and sign up for my monthly email blast today for a sneak peek at Colleen’s amazing illustrations for the book. I’ll be sharing those over the upcoming weekend.
Have a fantastic Friday!
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VOTE for the Shadow Of All Things on Kindle Scout

4/6/2016

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"The Shadow Of All Things" on Kindle Scout
I’m asking for your vote this election season. Not because I’m running for president, city council member or local dog catcher, but because I’m hoping that The Shadow Of All Things is selected the next Amazon Kindle Scout book pick.

For those of you who don’t know what Kindle Scout is, it’s a place where readers decide what never-before-published book they’d like to see receive the red carpet treatment and be published by Amazon.
​
That’s great – for you, you might say, but what’s in it for us. If my book is selected by Amazon as a Kindle Scout book you’ll receive a free early 
digital copy of the novel. Okay, that sounds like a better deal, you say, so how do I vote for your book?

Easy. Click on the link here and you’ll go straight to the page where you can vote on my book.

So what is this The Shadow Of All Things book that you keep talking about?
It’s the first in a new science-fiction/urban fantasy series about the Elyuum, otherworldly, spectral creatures. If you like alternate universes, conspiracies, monsters, horror, action, adventure, mystery, and a sprawling cast of richly-developed characters fighting against ultimate evil, you’ll enjoy this book.
​
Here’s more from the back jacket:

When a man in a torn trench coat warns college-student Evelyn Cheng that something evil is coming down the subway tunnel where their train has stalled, she is ready to write him off as crazy until the lights flicker and the terrifying creatures appear.

 
Through him, Evelyn discovers she is a seer and that a battle between good and evil is raging in New York City among her kind and the mysterious, otherworldly Elyuum, who seek to tighten their grip on the city.
 
Spanning multiple universes with a sprawling cast of characters, Evelyn and others must stop the Elyuum before they conquer all existence.
 
If you liked my Nightfall Gardens series, I’m sure that you’ll be intrigued by my latest project.

So click over to The Shadow Of All Things page on Kindle Scout and give it your thumbs up.

​The competition runs through May 6, please share with friends and family as well as come back here for updates.

Thanks so much, dear readers.​

​-Allen Houston
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Cover Reveal for "The Shadow of All Things" - Final Day

4/2/2016

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I started the journey of writing The Shadow Of All Things shortly after finishing my Nightfall Gardens series. I knew two things when I began mapping the book out. I wanted to write something set in New York City, a city that I love, but where the divide between rich and poor, and the haves and have nots, couldn’t be more starkly illuminated. And I also had the first scene emblazoned on my mind.

It came while I was stuck in a subway train under the East River and the lights clicked out for a few seconds. The smartphones and iPads cast the darkened car in an eerie glow and my mind immediately started playing with
the scenario imagining a young Asian punk rock girl standing against one of the doors, head phones on, tapping to her own rhythm as something appeared out of the dark in the glass behind her. That image lingered after the subway started back up. Who was that girl? What were those creatures? The first chapter took shape in my mind.

Almost two years have passed since that happened: two years of tumultuous upheavals, big and small, in our little corners of the globe and around the world. There’s never been a period in my life that so much change seems to be happening to so many in such a short period. The Shadow Of All Things was written in that whirlwind and I’ve tried to do my best to write an entertaining story that also touches on the fear permeating our times.

I’d like to thank the artist Colleen Stiles for her patience as we navigated this long strange trip. I missed several deadlines and we went back to the drawing board on the cover and illustrations (that I’ll reveal in the not far future) several times before we settled on the one you are looking at now. I couldn’t be happier with the finished product. The cover pays respect to NYC and also captures a foreboding, anxious quality in the text.

Thanks so much to my family, friends and of course, the readers of my books for bearing with me. The Shadow Of All Things will be coming out in late May. Stay tuned for more details including an autographed copy of the book, illustration reveal and more.
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Cover Reveal for "The Shadow of All Things" - Day 1

3/31/2016

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I’m happy to finally reveal the cover of “The Shadow of All Things”, the first book in my new urban fantasy series. I’ll be rolling it out over the next three days starting with a Day 1 teaser right now. Those who want an early look at the completed cover can sign up for my monthly email blast today. Thanks!
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Elyuum Book One is coming soon!

9/9/2015

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It’s been months since I’ve posted regularly to this page.

What’s happened in that time? The usual stuff: a new job, spending additional time
with family, reading more, and attempting to recharge my batteries.

Sometimes it’s necessary to unplug from the Internet and reconnect with living in
the moment.

After that much needed decompression time I’m happy to say that I’m hard at work
on my new series.

Book 1 of the Elyuum series just went through a final round of edits and is close to
being completed. The only question is whether I release it in December or wait until
I have more of the series completed so I can shotgun them back to back.

As readers would you rather an author release a string of books in a series within a
short time frame (so you don’t have to wait) or as each one is completed?

The illustrator Colleen Beauchamp-Stiles has outdone herself on “The Shadow of All
Things” and the print copies will contain her beautiful drawings. I’ll be posting some
of these as we inch closer to the publication date. It’s really stellar stuff.

“Nightfall Gardens” continues to gather reviews and build momentum. I
have a soon-to-be released novella (excerpted in “The Labyrinth”) that contains the
full story of Villon and how he came to be trapped in the White Garden. The tragic
love story/monster epic had to be severely edited for “The Labyrinth” and I plan on
giving it to people who sign up or are signed up for my email list.

I’m going to make every effort to post to my blog and social media more regularly.

Until next week, thanks for your patience and I hope you have a great start of fall.
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Title of new novel revealed

2/15/2015

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February has to be the coldest month in New York City. The temperature dropped to 3 degrees last night and it’s been a dodge of snow and freezing cold weather since the start of the New Year. Everyone here is way over it.
All that indoor time has given me the chance to polish the first book in my Elyuum series. I’ll be dribbing more information about that in the weeks ahead, I’m able to announce the name of the book today (cue trumpet horns), but you have to sign up to my mailing list to receive it (sneaky). I also plan on giving out the first four chapters of the book (shortly before publication) and other freebies so sign up today.
The novel will be released in late spring and I can’t wait to share it with my readers. I just got the first sketches from Colleen Beauchamp Stiles and we are working out the cover and other cool stuff that will go along with it.
February has also given me the chance to do more spreading the word about “Nightfall Gardens”. In addition to a ton of reviews that are forthcoming from fantastic book blogs, I’m dropping the first book in the series to 99 cents for one day on Monday, February 23. If you have any friends who might enjoy the series, let them know. As always, it’s much appreciated from me.
The “Nightfall Gardens” album is also shaping up nicely. More information about whether it will be available on Vinyl or how people can purchase it will soon be forthcoming. I’m also close to finalizing the details on the long-awaited “Nightfall Gardens” book bash in Brooklyn. Again, sign up to my email blast to learn more about that.
Until next time, stay warm, stay safe and read a good book.
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Nightfall Gardens, Elyuum and looking forward in 2015

1/16/2015

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It’s that time of year in New York City when black ice (and other substances) freeze to the sidewalks and the wind cuts down your back no matter which direction you go.

As we look forward to the spring (lingering way off over the dark horizon … but I can dream) I thought I’d take a second to thank the readers of “Nightfall Gardens” and talk a little about some upcoming projects.

Read More
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    Allen Houston

    Storyteller

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