Of Audiobooks and Overdue Updates

The Revival Audiobook!

After seven years—and a lot of waffling on my part—I finally decided it was time to give my Variant Series novels the audiobook treatment!

The first book of the series, Revival, is narrated by the lovely and immensely talented Allyson Voller! Out of everyone I auditioned, Allyson's performance was far and away my favorite. She totally knocked it out of the park! Working with her has been a joy and she did a wonderful job bringing the story to life! I'm so excited for you guys to finally experience Revival in audiobook form!

The audiobook is now available on Amazon, Audible, iTunes, Scribd, and Google Play—and more retailers will be adding it to their catalog soon!

As for the other books in the series, the timeline for their release is a little uncertain for now. Producing an audiobook takes a pretty major upfront investment and, to be honest, I'd like to see how well Revival's audiobook sells before I dive into the second book, Resistance. That's not to say it won't happen soon! I may still decide to pull the trigger and start production ASAP... but I'm currently weighing my options.

Large Print Editions


I received a special request for large print, paperback editions of the novels and I'm pleased to announced that they're finally available for purchase from Amazon! Click the images below if you'd like to have your own large print copies!

As for Book Five...

I'm afraid I still don't have a release date to offer you.

To sum up: Life happened, multiple drafts have been written and discarded, I (still) refuse to give up on the book, and it will eventually be published—but I can't estimate a release date yet.

I could go into much more detail, explaining everything that has transpired over the last two years (and how each instance further delayed the release of the fifth book), but a lot of it is very personal and honestly.... Well, none of it really matters right now. The fact is, the book is still a work-in-progress and I'm not yet ready to ballpark a completion date. My life, my health, and my circumstances are still way too unpredictable.

But it will be finished eventually. And the second Book Five is in edits, I'll be shouting a release date from the rooftops.

All I can say is thank you all, so very much, for being so patient and understanding while I work to wrap up this series. It's been an amazing adventure and I'm so grateful to all of you for taking this journey with me! <3

Of Signing Events and Giveaways, 2018 Edition

UPDATE: 

I'm sad to announce that I won't be attending this year's Roanoke Author Invasion in Roanoke, VA, as originally scheduled. My sincere apologies to anyone who was hoping to meet me this year!

Each RAI proves to be more amazing than the one before, and I hate that I'll be missing out on the fun this year! Dozens of talented authors will be in attendance and it promises to be another fantastic year—if you're in the area on April 7th, be sure to check it out! 

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Hello, everyone!

I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be signing books at the Roanoke Author Invasion in April this year! The event will take place on April 7th at the Holiday Inn - Tanglewood in Roanoke, Virginia.

Here's the official announcement for the event:

RAI18 is almost here! Join bestselling authors of contemporary and paranormal YA fiction and more at the Holiday Inn Tanglewood in Roanoke, Virginia on April 7th, 2018 from 10am-4pm. This is a FREE event for readers!

Enjoy an afternoon of books, giveaways, and more as you get the latest releases from your favorite authors and discover new voices!

Don’t miss the RAI after party! Held at Holiday Inn Tanglewood, in the same location as the day’s signing. This after party is also free and open to our authors and readers, and will be from 7-10pm on Saturday, April 7. Don’t miss out on our amazing DJ from RSP Entertainment, the Clear Choice Photo Booth to take home memories of the night, and my personal favorite, our dessert bar-yum! No obligation to wear costumes or prom dresses, but hey, if that’s your jam, we’d love to see it!

For more information, including how to get your free ticket, a full list of exhibitors, and the chance to volunteer for the event, visit http://roanokeauthorinvasion.com.

If you plan on attending the event and would like to pre-order Variant Series books to ensure that they'll be waiting for you at the booth, please click here. (Keep in mind that I'll only have a limited number of each book with me—and once they're gone, they're gone!)

I'm looking forward to the event and hope to see some of you there! :-)

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Now—on to the giveaway!

Right now, here at the blog and on the Jena Leigh website, you can enter to win one e-book copy of any Variant Series novel, and a $10 Amazon gift card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway will run from March 11 through April 2, 2018, and will be open to everyone, so be sure to enter for your chance to win!

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Take care and happy reading, everyone!

Of Check-In's and FAQ's

Hello, lovelies!

Lately my social media accounts and e-mail inboxes have been filling up with the same series of questions over and over and over again—so I figured I should probably start this post off by answering some of your most common FAQ's of the moment...


Q: Will there be another book in the Variant Series?

A: YES! The fifth and final book of the series is currently in the works.


Q: When will Book 5 be released?

A: Not sure yet. I won't be able to estimate a release date until the book is a little closer to completion. Once the end is in sight, I'll set a date and make the announcement!


Q: Will you ever write any other stories that take place inside the world of the Variant Series?

A: Probably, yes. I have a trilogy of prequel novellas planned that will tell the story of John Grayson's original team—but Book 5 will most likely mark the end of Alex Parker's story arc. And after six straight years of writing nothing but Variant Series novels... Well, let's just say I'm looking forward to working on something a little different for a while.


With that out of the way, I wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU! You guys really rocked the release of Reckoning and I was amazed by your kindness and your support. I've received so much positive feedback over the last few months and I am so glad to know that you guys love these characters just as much as I do! I can't wait for you to read the final installment in Alex's story! 💗

That said, I should probably get back to work! I have a book to finish, after all...

And just in case you missed it in the release day blog post, I'll leave you with the official soundtrack to Reckoning! This Spotify playlist contains a collection of songs that either inspired important scenes or fit with the story so well that I couldn't resist including them. Even now, I still occasionally play it on repeat for inspiration while I'm writing. Hope you enjoy it!

Release Day!! - RECKONING (The Variant Series, #4)

Hello, everyone!

Today's the day! Reckoning, the fourth novel in the Variant Series is now available in ebook on Amazon, iTunes, Nook, and Smashwords for just $3.99! (For those of you looking for the paperback, it will be available on Amazon early next week!)


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Synopsis:

Alexandra Parker came home from the past only to find herself in the middle of an underground war—one that could affect the fate of Variants everywhere. 

Fighting an all-powerful government agency is tough enough, but when a secret from John Grayson’s past comes back to haunt them all, the group’s united front begins to crumble. And when Alex’s own painful memories threaten to push her past her breaking point, the uprising stands to lose its most powerful weapon. 

With their lives and their freedom on the line, can Declan, Nate, and the rest of the Grayson family hold it together long enough to bring down Director Carter and derail Brian’s apocalyptic visions?

As Alex struggles to master her most volatile ability yet, only one thing is certain: the uprising’s cold war with the Agency is about to turn red hot.

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There will be plenty of giveaways over the next few weeks, so be sure to keep an eye on the Jena Leigh website, or follow me on Twitter (@jenaleighbooks) for more details!

Speaking of giveaways—for a couple more days, you can still enter to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card or one of five eBook copies of Reckoning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I also put together a Reckoning Spotify playlist filled with songs that helped to inspire the new novel! Check it out below....

Thank you all so very much for your support and I hope you enjoy this new installment in the Variant Series! Happy reading!!

~Jena

Where to find Reckoning:

P.S. If you're a blogger who is interested in taking part in the Reckoning book blitz, sign ups are still open here. Also, if you're interested in reviewing Reckoning (or any of the other novels in the Variant Series) for your blog and would like a digital review copy, please send me an e-mail with your information!

Cover Reveal: RECKONING (The Variant Series, #4)

I'm excited to announce that on June 20th, less than two weeks from today, Reckoning (The Variant Series, #4) will be released!!

To celebrate the start of our countdown, today on the blog we're kicking things off with the official reveal of the cover and a giveaway!

So here it is, guys, the brand new cover for Reckoning!

*****

Synopsis:

Alexandra Parker came home from the past only to find herself in the middle of an underground war—one that could affect the fate of Variants everywhere.

Fighting an all-powerful government agency is tough enough, but when a secret from John Grayson's past comes back to haunt them all, the group's united front begins to crumble. And when Alex's own painful memories threaten to push her past her breaking point, the uprising stands to lose its most powerful weapon.

With their lives and their freedom on the line, can Declan, Nate, and the rest of the Grayson family hold it together long enough to bring down Director Carter and derail Brian's apocalyptic visions?

As Alex struggles to master her most volatile ability yet, only one thing is certain: the uprising's cold war with the Agency is about to turn red hot.

*****

So what do you think? Getting excited for book four yet? Don't forget to mark your calendars, Reckoning will be available beginning on June 20th!

And to celebrate today's cover reveal, we're hosting a Rafflecopter giveaway of FIVE copies of the Reckoning eBook and a $10 Amazon gift card!! To enter, check out the widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ETA: And that's a wrap! Thanks for participating, everyone! Kyra was the lucky winner of the $10 Amazon Gift Card! Everyone else will be receiving an ebook copy of Reckoning! 

 If you were one of the winners, you'll be hearing from me via e-mail before the day is out! Thanks!

*****

Want to add Reckoning on Goodreads? Just click the button!

 

P.S. Time for the standard disclaimer—for those of you searching this post for the cover design credit... *nervously raises hand* Erm. It was me. I designed all of the covers in the Variant series myself. I realize this goes completely against the advice I always give about hiring someone to design your covers, but (in my meager defense) graphic design has been a hobby of mine for over ten years now. So I feel at least slightly qualified to do it myself... But still. This is most definitely a case of do as I say, not as I do! As an author, your book will always be better served by giving it the best cover possible—and if that means hiring a graphic designer instead of putting together a design of your own, then that's exactly what you should do. :)

Of Release Dates and Roanoke Signings

Book 4 News

Okay, guys. First things first... An update on book four's upcoming release!

I'm setting a tentative release date for June 12th.

Why not in April or May like we originally planned? Well... As with most things, it's complicated. The short version is that there's been a lot going on behind the scenes over the past two months that's completely upended my original timeline. The reasons why are something I'd rather not discuss publicly.

As it stands right now, there's a chance that the edits may not be completed until the end of May, but I should know more about the schedule in the next week or two.

Bottom line: there is a book, and as soon as it's been whipped into shape, I'll be publishing it faster than you can blink.

...Which is why that release date is "tentative." You guys have been waiting so long for the book at this point that I may just pull a Beyonce and publish it the second it's ready. Bottom line? Keep an eye on social media or make sure you're signed up for my mailing list if you want to know the moment it goes live!

Roanoke Author Invasion '17

Just like last year, I had way, way too much fun at RAI 2017! I met SO MANY wonderful readers and amazing authors. I haven't had that much fun since last year's RAI!

(Left side, front to back: Bo Loftis, Quinn Loftis, Karen Lynch, myself. On the right, front to back: Desni Dantone, Kelly Nagy, and Sara Meadows. Photo credit: April Jackson.)

I was lucky enough to hang out with the amazing authors Desni Dantone, Karen Lynch, and Quinn Loftis this year, along with the wonderful PA, blogger, and editor Sara Meadows, and the absolutely lovely April Jackson and Kelly Nagy (blogger from Bookcrush.in)! Getting to know them was a dream come true and I can't begin to tell you just how kind and welcoming (and absolutely hilarious) they all were. Also, I'll never be able to hear "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" again without flashing back to our ill-advised karaoke session. Let's just say there ain't no whiskey strong enough to have made that performance sound good, but I still had an absolute blast.

(At the signing booth! Keen eyes will notice a sliver of Book 4's cover in the banner beside me... Official cover and title reveal will be coming soon!)

The signing itself was just as fun and I LOVED meeting so many Variant Series fans in person! You guys are amazing. It nearly killed me not to have the fourth book on sale at the event—and it broke my heart every time I had to tell you the release date had been pushed back. THANK YOU, all of you, for being so incredibly supportive and for making RAI 2017 a weekend I'll never forget!!

(Obligatory photo booth pics wherein I rock a {now traditional} fedora. Like ya do.)

Between the signing, the endless opportunities to socialize with readers and authors, and the always awesome after party, RAI is far and away my favorite signing event. If you ever get the chance to attend, I can't recommend it enough!

~ Jena

Of Good News and Author Invasions

So, uh... Hey guys. It's kind of been a while, huh?

(Live footage of the author putting together this post.)

I've been intentionally avoiding the blog these past few months for one (pretty major) reason—I had absolutely no good news to share with you. Truthfully, I was too ashamed to show up here just to offer more excuses about where Book Four was and why I'd mysteriously vanished into the Internet ether.... But that changes today. In fact, right now I have two pieces of good news to offer you! 

First up: I'll be an attending author at the Roanoke Author Invasion again this year! 

Here's the official event description:

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Join nearly 100 bestselling authors of contemporary and paranormal YA fiction and more at the Holiday Inn Tanglewood in Roanoke, Virginia on April 8, 2017 from 10am-4pm. This is a FREE event for readers! 

Enjoy an afternoon of books, giveaways, and more as you get the latest releases from your favorite authors and discover new voices!

****

If you're planning to attend and would like to preorder signed Variant Series novels ahead of the time, just click this link, fill out the form, and your order will be waiting for you at the signing booth!

Last year was a TON of fun and I'm officially counting down the days until this year's event. (We're at 40, in case you were wondering.) Check out the RAI website for more details and to see the full list of the fantastic authors that will be in attendance! Hope to see some of you there!

And second: a Variant Series Book 4 update...

If you caught my last post, you'll know that I've been struggling to finish the fourth Variant series novel for almost two years straight. Also that, from the beginning, I was reluctant to post any publication estimates while the project was still so far from completion.

And, well... While I still can't offer you an exact publication date just yet, I can say that Book Four in the Variant Series should be ready for release in April. 

The official date will be announced alongside the title and cover reveal in mid-to-late March. Depending on how far along the edits are at that point, the e-book may go up for preorder on Amazon the same day. 

It's still a bit too early to give an exact date on things. Partly, that's because the first draft is still a few chapters away from completion, and you never know what could go wrong with the edits. Mostly, however, it's because I have a long, long history of jinxing the ever-loving crap out of myself any time I try to make promises where release dates are concerned.

Either way, the finish line is FINALLY in sight and I could not possibly be happier about it.

So! Now I'm off to channel my inner Dave Grohl by mainlining an unhealthy amount of coffee, isolate myself from the world at large for just a little while longer, and freaking finish this draft so that I can finally give you guys the book you've been waiting so patiently for!

(Bring on the coffee, yo. I think I'm gonna need it.)

Are you guys excited? Because I'm pretty darn excited right now. This book has been a major challenge to write, but I am SO ready to finally share it with you all! Thanks for sticking with me on this, you guys. If it hadn't been for your encouragement and support, I never would have made it this far!