Guest Blog and GIVEAWAY by new YA Author J.Lilley

I am bringing you something very different today, so listen up :-)

I have a very special visitor. J. Lilley's heroine Rach, who's here to tell us all about the Shalean series. I must admit I have a personal interest in this series, as the original idea was inspired by my search for a shifter book for my own Teen daughter. J Lilley wrote her that story, a publisher got wind of it, and the rest is beautiful history, as they say.

But don't just take my word for it. Read on and find out more about Shalea.

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Hi all, I'm Rach. I thought I'd give you a wee peek into my world. Gah, see, I'm picking up the slang already, and I've only been up here a few months. I'll be saying "I ken ya." And "haud yer wheesht" before long. No idea what it really means. But I reckon it’s a version of —hold on let me check dad's not listening—shut your gob!

 Oh I forgot you have no idea what I'm on about do you? Sheesh, there's the Scottish bits again. I'll start again.

Hi there, my name is Rach Connor, and I've just moved to Scotland with my dad, started a new school and made new friends, and sadly enemies. Oh and evidently I'm Shalean.

No I didn't know what that meant either.

See in my first week at school, I met this boy. Fit and er well fit, if you get my drift. But when my dad came to pick me up from school, and Brios—that's the boy— told dad his name he, dad I mean, went awful quiet. And when we got home he went ballistic, absolutely apeshit. Told me I couldn't see him again, yadiyadiya.

Well I mean, that was so not on, so for the first proper time, cos lets face it I'm not counting, sneaking an extra biscuit or stopping out ten minutes late here, I'm talking big time, I defied him.

 And ohhh, shit!

Life sure changed then. And boy was my imagination stretched. But it was all true, I had a lot to learn. Poor dad, I bet there are times he wished he'd never moved up here. Me? Oh, I'm so glad we did. Okay my life will never, ever, be the same again, but I've found a whole new side of me, and its brilliant. Well most of it is anyway, and if you read the book, you'll find out just what's what.

 Fancy me, Rach having a book written about her life eh? And not only that, there's another five showing you what happens later.

 So here's the blurb, boy I love that's what it's called…oh first the cover… drool at the Leopard! I've got dibs on him.

            When Rach moved to Scotland she knew there would be changes. She hadn't expected them to be quite so dramatic. Not only was there a new house, new school and new friends, there was also a secret to discover.

            Brios Parde was a Patriarch in waiting. When the powerful leopard shifter senses a new Shalean he is amazed to discover it's the new girl. All his senses tell him Rach will be important to him.

However the Rogues try to destroy the budding relationship. Will Rach decide to side with Brios or help stage an uprising?

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cool eh?…

And here's an excerpt, now hey, this isn't shown anywhere else except in the book, so its sorta special if you get me *wink*

Excerpt

“So, how was your day?”

 “Sheesh Dad, you sound so American, ‘How was your day?’” Rach parroted. “ My day was fine. You know I met some cool friends, and one of them has a fit brother.”

“Now you sound so American,” he retorted. “Or is that just teen-speak? Don’t forget I’m a poor old man who doesn’t understand these things.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Rach rolled her eyes and made a face. Instead of laughing like he usually would, or tweaking her nose or something, he grimaced.

What’s wrong now?

Her dad, who had always been open and honest, was holding something back. She’d bet her Lady Gaga download on it.

“Dad, are you okay? You look weird.”

He nodded, but Rach wasn’t convinced. A weird dad was so not okay with her. She knew something was grossly up, with a capital ‘U’.

“Da-ad.” That usually guaranteed the answer she wanted, but not this time. Instead he kissed her nose and said absently, “Chicken, it’s all fine.”

Chicken? Chicken, why on earth does he always call me chicken? It might be just a pet name, but I don’t like it!

She wondered what he was worried about. She’d be sixteen in a few months. She bet he’d had friends of both sexes at her age.

Probably indulged in, whoa—don’t go there Rach, too gross.

She liked everyone she’d met today. Well, nearly everyone she amended silently; that Struan guy had seemed a bit off, but Leira and Brios had been great to talk to, and had waited until her dad turned up to get her. Brios had even introduced himself; shook hands with dad and told him who he was, where he lived and stuff; really mature and adult like. Her Dad had acted really strange though; quite short and not very friendly, not like him at all. When she asked him whether he liked Brios and Leira he’d just said he didn’t know them, and changed the subject.

“What’s for tea?” she asked to take her mind off Brios and how good he looked; and how he made her go all tingly. She’d bet another download, or ten, that he was a great kisser. Not that she thought he’d want to show her. She might be nearly sixteen, well fifteen and a bit, but he must be nearly eighteen. He probably just thought of her as his sister’s friend.

Pity! I’d love to see him in boardies. Gah Rach, stop thinking about Brios in boardies; so un-cool.

“Shall I cook?” She wrinkled her nose hoping he would say no. He was a way better cook than her.

“No need. I made fish pie and it just needs heating. There’s salad to go with it, and don’t screw your face up. I didn’t put radishes in it, I kept them separate.” She watched as he seemed to hesitate, and then he asked, “What do you know about that boy today?”

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So, see what I mean about dad? So not like him. Oh and Leira? She's Brios sister and my best friend, but boy if you think I've got problems you've gotta read her story. That's in book 2, Renounced. And how great is this? If you can't wait to read some more of our stories, books 1-3 will be out in print at Lycaon and Amazon on Friday, under one heart stopping cover, so a three in one!

Well anyway, I guess I'm getting used to stuff now, and enjoying myself. And I want you all to enjoy my life as well, so, I asked J if we could give an eBook away, and she said sure. She's pretty cool like that.

So for a chance to win my story, (well my story so far anyway), leave your comment and answer my question. "If you shifted, (or if you are a shifter) what animal do you change into? Any clues why?"

So as The Shaleans and I'm one as well, so as we say.

"Our gods and us"

Take care all of you,

Rach and J x

Oops J sad to remember to tell you where you can buy my awesome story.

So,

www.lycaonpress.com and oh you can preorder here as well, cos don't forget Canada where Lycaon lives is behind us—timewise, timewise lol

www.amazon.com and www.amazon.co.uk

www.allromanceebboks.com

www.bookstrand.com (all from Friday)

 smashwords, barnes and noble will follow, please be patient tho', you can just go to the Lycaon web of course lol

And J had a great blog and web site. She says when she gets to 50 followers, she's going to do a giveaway!

www.jlilleyauthor.blogspot.com

www.jlilleyauthor.com

(thanks again, off to drool over my lovely covers.

Rach)

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So, there you have it straight from the Shalean's mouth so to speak. Thanks so much for stopping by Rach. Now go and calm your author down, cause I know she is just a tad overexcited. As for the rest of you, spread the world and go and read it! You won't be disappointed.