Cover Reveal: Dragonfly Warrior, by Jay Noel

You see that cover? Amazing, isn't it? We've got an airship, and an armored warrior with a six shooter in his hand, and what looks like a katana attached to his waist. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Here's some info about the book:

Dragonfly Warrior Blurb:

The Mechanica Wars: Savage Machines Are Afoot...

At the age of twenty, Kanze Zenjiro's bloody footprints mark the bodies of those who stood in his way to protect the throne of Nihon. Now, the tyrannical Iberian Empire is bent on destroying his kingdom, and they send their steam-powered giants and iron spiders against him.

Zen embarks on a quest that takes him on the most dangerous journey of his life. To succeed, Zen must live up to his nickname, the Dragonfly Warrior, and kill all his enemies with only a sword and a pair of six-guns. He is called upon to somehow survive a test of faith and loyalty in a world so cruel and merciless, it borders on madness.

Book Information:

Dragonfly Warrior is a steampunk adventure like no other. It's a dynamic mix of Asian and European mythology, the Wild West, martial arts, traditional fantasy, and high powered steam action that will keep you turning the pages.

Dragonfly Warrior is the first book of The Mechanica Wars, and will debut on January 6, 2014.

Author Bio:

After doing some freelance writing and editing for more than a dozen years, Jay decided to stop procrastinating and pursue his dream of being a novelist. He's been blogging for over eight years, and even had a comedy podcast syndicated all over the internet. All of that was fun, but all the steampunk-inspired stories in his head just wouldn't leave him alone. Jay spends his days working in medical sales, but he can be found toiling over his laptop late at night when all is quiet.

He draws inspiration from all over: H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Shakespeare, Ray Bradbury, Douglas Adams, and Isaac Asimov.

And Jay loves cookies.

Jay Noel's website: www.jaynoel.com | Facebook | Twitter

A to Z Challenge Assistants

We're almost there! Just a few more days. Sadly, as I mentioned yesterday, I'll be out of town for almost the whole first week of the challenge.

But never fear! I've got my trusty assistants here to help you.

As a co-host of the challenge, there is a certain section of the list that I'm responsible for (if you're in my section, you'll be getting an email from me today), and so you can always contact me with any questions or concerns you have, and even while I'm out of town, I will be able to check email in the evenings.

But, if you have any really pressing questions, please don't hesitate to ask one of my five assistants. In case you don't know them, please be sure to visit their blogs, follow them, and leave a comment, so they know who you are:

Joshua, from Vive Le Nerd. Josh is the only of my assistants I've met in real life. A gamer, a writer, a dad, and a freelance copyeditor, Josh runs one of the coolest blogs on the web.

Sheri Larsen, from Writer's Ally. Sheri is the blogger I've known the longest of my assistants. We started blogging around the same time, and both really love being a part of the online writing community.

Deniz Bevan, from The Girdle of Melian. Seriously? Have you ever heard of a cooler title for a blog? Deniz is one of the few bloggers who can claim to be a bigger and more knowledgeable Tolkien fan than me, which, trust me, is very rare.

Jay Noel, whose blog is self titled, is an awesome writer. Last year, his A to Z theme was steampunk technology and it was definitely was one the coolest stops in the challenge.

Melanie Schulz, from Melanie Schulz YA Writer. Melanie is the newest blogger of this group, at least as far as my acquaintance with her, but she's just as great as the rest of them. She didn't hesitate to volunteer when I asked for assistance with the challenge.

So please visit all their blogs today, and make sure you're following them. Some of them may be revealing their themes, but if not, you can at least make sure you know how to find them if you need help during the challenge.

As for me, I'm going with etymologies again this year, since it makes for great, informative, and most importantly, short posts. I look forward to seeing all of you!