I’m not about to bury the lede: My gritty urban fantasy novel BORROWED SOULS has been sold to Skyhorse Publishing, with Cory Allyn editing, and I’m crazy excited.
About this time last year I started telling friends about a new novel I was working on. It was gritty fantasy centered on a heroine with real-life problems. I promised blue-collar characters and a man on a motorcycle. I wanted a tale with magic used in a way you hadn’t read before. What really caught my critique partners’ and agent’s attentions, though, was when I told them I wasn’t writing a YA novel.
I wrote a novel with all my favorite things: big problems, real characters, magic, mystery and a whole lot of mayhem. That story became BORROWED SOULS.
And I’m proud to announce it will be released in Spring 2017 through Skyhorse Publishing.
Wait, that requires caps lock:
I SOLD AN URBAN FANTASY NOVEL.
MY BOOK WILL BE OUT NEXT YEAR.
YOU WILL LOVE IT*.
* Provided you like gritty urban fantasy. This is for fans of Patricia Briggs, Lilith Saintcrow, and Stacia Kane. If you loved Jessica Jones on Netflix, read this book.
Here’s what to expect from BORROWED SOULS:
A young woman with a brother who can’t stay out of trouble dives head first into the grimy world of soul renting in this action-packed and sexy urban fantasy debut.
Callie Delgado always puts family first, and unfortunately her brother knows it. She’s emptied her savings, lost work, and spilled countless tears trying to keep him out of trouble, but now he’s in deeper than ever, and his debt is on Callie’s head. She’s given a choice: do some dirty work for the mob, or have her brother returned to her in tiny pieces.
Renting souls is big business for the religious population of Gem City. Those looking to take part in immoral—or even illegal—activity can borrow someone else’s soul, for a price, and sin without consequence.
To save her brother, Callie needs a borrowed soul, but she doesn’t have anywhere near the money to pay for it. The slimy Soul Charmer is willing to barter, but accepting his offer will force Callie into a dangerous world of magic she isn’t ready for.
With the help of the guarded but undeniably attractive Derek—whose allegiance to the Charmer wavers as his connection to Callie grows—she’ll have to walk a tight line, avoid pissing off the bad guys, all while struggling to determine what her loyalty to her family’s really worth.
Losing her brother isn’t an option. Losing her soul? Maybe.
Win Awesome Books
Anyone who knows me—either on the author side or from Vampire Book Club—knows I like to giveaway books when I have good news. And this book deal = EPIC giveaway. As in 15 books. 5 of them signed. 3 not yet released (three aren’t in the photo on the right, but will get mailed to the winner).
- ARC of Allegiance of Honor by Nalini Singh
- ARC of Breath of Earth by Beth Cato
Signed copy of Thorn Jack by Katherine Harbour- ARC of Shadow Rider by Christine Feehan
- Signed copy of The Warrior Vampire by Kate Baxter
- Signed copy of Gideon by Alex Gordon
- Chaos Choreography by Seanan McGuire
- The Girl with the Ghost Eyes by M.H. Boroson
- Edge of Worlds by Martha Wells
- Spirits and Thieves by Morgan Rhodes
- Signed copy of The Talon of the Hawk by Jeffe Kennedy
- Bitter Bite by Jennifer Estep
- Signed copy of The Winter King by C.L. Wilson
- The Single Undead Mom’s Club by Molly Harper
- Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Wells
Fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Joining my mailing list will get you bonus entries, updates on when you can pre-order BORROWED SOULS, and great giveaways and excerpts from other author friends’ books. (And zero spam, because I’m not an asshole.)
People get murdered in my books. They also make out. Not necessarily in that order. Up next: PROM HOUSE (May 2021, Underlined) She/her. Rep’d by Naomi Davis at Bookends Literary. 
Congratulations!!!
Thank you!
Thanks for the giveaway and congrats on the book deal. It sounds like an intriguing premise.
Congratulations Chelsea!! So incredibly happy for you!!!
<3 You're wonderful. Thanks, Sarah.
Love it! Well done! I’m looking forward to reading your book. It sounds amazing!
Less than a year until reading time! 🙂
CONGRATS!!! WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO
Thanks, Mandi!
This book sounds great! Can’t wait to read it!
Thank you, Jamie! I’m looking forward to you getting to read it, too! 🙂
Congratulations! Looking forward to reading it!
😀 Thank you!
Wonderful news! Congrats! Looking forward to reading it.
I’m pretty sure this one is up your alley, Margaret.
Congrats! This totally sounds like something I’d like to try. I’ll keep my eyes open for it.
Thanks, Jennifer. You know I’ll keep you in the loop!
Wow! Congratulations! The blurb sounds interesting, I’m looking forward to reading your book!
Thank you, Patti!
Congrats!! Awesome news!
I NEEDS THIS BOOK NOW PLEASE AND THANK YOU
You do, Laura. You really do. 😉
Congratulations! That is amazing news and I cannot wait to read Borrowed Souls!
Congratulations! Your book sounds amazing. I’m adding this to my must buy list
Congratulations Chelsea!! I can’t wait to read Borrowed Souls!
Congrats! Can’t wait to read it!
Heather
Bloodthirsty Muses
http://bloodthirstymuses.wordpress.com
All just fantastic!!
Congratulations!!!
Awesome news!
Will definitely read it when it arrives here.
@Barbara, Tiffany, Zonell, Shannon, Heather, Mary, Jann & Fiona – THANK YOU! I’m so glad you’re excited for the book.
Congrats! Cory Allyn is a wonderful editor. Which imprint will be publishing your book? Will you be another proud member of Team Talos?
Thanks! I’m joining Team Talos, and am really looking forward to working with Cory.
Also: THE GIRL WITH THE GHOST EYES = awesome.
Love urban fantasy, so cant wait
Congrats!!! Can’t wait !!!
The book sounds awesome! I can’t wait to read it.
Major congrats on the upcoming release. The book blurb looks enticing!
OMG!!! CONGRATS!! This is amazing news! PLUS I am always looking for new Urban Fantasy series! Super excited about this series 😉
Thank you! We definitely need more new UF series in our lives!
Congratulations, Chelsea!!
Great news! Congrats and thanks for doing a giveaway!
Well, I had to do a giveaway to live up to all those excited gifs. 😉
Awesome giveaway
COngrats!! Your book sounds so good.
Congrats! Can’t wait to read it!
I’m so happy for you! And for us too <– there is not near enough UF out there to glom 🙂
You know some of us are going to be all over you for another book as soon as we finish this one!*cracks whip*
On it, Jo! I’ll keep the books coming. (And thank you for the share excitement.)
Congratulation!! Can’t wait to read it…. Thanks for the giveaway!!
Congratulations Chelsea! I am looking forward to reading Borrowed Souls, sounds fantastic!
Huge congrats for you! 😉
These kind of news always give me hope, maybe some day in the future I’ll manage to publish a book, too. So thanks for that, and the chance to win some great books!
I love your blog, and I’m sure the book will also be awesome! 🙂
There’s a lot of power in sticking with it. Keep writing, keep editing, keep improving craft, and you’ll get there. Good luck!
Congrats!
congratulations!! cant wait for a new uf amazing booK!!
Congrats on your book deal!! For you to celebrate ypur big news like this is beyond generous of you! Best of luck to your future endeavors!
Awesome giveaways are kind of my specialty. 😉
…and awesome books. Swear!
Thanks for the giveaway and congrats on your book deal!
Congratulations on the book deal! Borrowed Souls sounds so good! I can’t wait to read it!
Glad you like the sound of the book!
Congrats! The book sounds amazing and I will be reading it when it comes out! So awesome!!!!
Congratulations Chelsea!!! I’ve been waiting to read your debut novel for quite a while but I must admit I thought it would be YA but I was pleasantly surprised…bring on the gruff man on a motorcycle!! I’m very much looking forward to reading Borrowed Souls!!
You are too awesome, Timitra. I think this one will be right up your alley, and look forward to hearing what you think once it’s released!
Congratulations on your book deal. Your book sounds great and can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the awesome giveaway to.
Congratulations!!
Woohoo! Thanks for the giveaway!
Congrats on the book deal. I look forward to reading Borrowed Souls. It sounds intriguing. Also, thanks for the chance at the great line up books.
Congratulations on book deal!
Borrowed Souls sounds great 🙂
Thanks for the super giveaway!
thank you for the amazing giveaway.
Congratulations! That’s awesome news. I love Urban Fantasy. It’s my favorite genre.
Congrats! That’s awesome news. I do envy writers who go after their dreams. Thanks for the giveaway!