End of Year Giveaway 2 - Chess Putnam / Downside Ghosts Series by Stacia Kane - December 22, 2010

Next up in my end of year giveaways of favorite books from 2010 is the Chess Putnam / Downside Ghosts series by Stacia Kane. There are 3 books in the series so far: Unholy Ghosts (May 2010), Unholy Magic (July 2010), and City of Ghosts (July 2010). Books 4 and 5 will be coming in late Fall 2011 or Spring 2012 (dates subject to change).

Stacia posted The Brave Tale of Maddie Carver at her site, at Smashwords, and at Scribd. It's a short short story about the beginning of Haunted Week. Haunted Week is important in the world of Chess Putman.

I really can't say enough good things about this new series. It's well-crafted, with a unique setting and history. I wrote a short series review here.

The Chess Putnam / Downside Ghosts Series:

Unholy Ghosts 

THE DEPARTED HAVE ARRIVED.

The world is not the way it was. The dead have risen, and the living are under attack. The powerful Church of Real Truth, in charge since the government fell, has sworn to reimburse citizens being harassed by the deceased. Enter Chess Putnam, a fully tattooed witch and freewheeling ghost hunter. She’s got a real talent for banishing the wicked dead. But Chess is keeping a dark secret: She owes a lot of money to a murderous drug lord named Bump, who wants immediate payback in the form of a dangerous job that involves black magic, human sacrifice, a nefarious demonic creature, and enough wicked energy to wipe out a city of souls. Toss in lust for a rival gang leader and a dangerous attraction to Bump’s ruthless enforcer, and Chess begins to wonder if the rush is really worth it. Hell, yeah.

Unholy Magic 
ENEMIES DON’T NEED TO BE ALIVE TO BE DEADLY.

For Chess Putnam, finding herself near-fatally poisoned by a con psychic and then stopping a murderous ghost is just another day on the job. As an agent of the Church of Real Truth, Chess must expose those looking to profit from the world’s unpleasant little poltergeist problem—humans filing false claims of hauntings—all while staving off any undead who really are looking for a kill. But Chess has been extra busy these days, coping with a new “celebrity” assignment while trying on her own time to help some desperate prostitutes.

Someone’s taking out the hookers of Downside in the most gruesome way, and Chess is sure the rumors that it’s the work of a ghost are way off base. But proving herself right means walking in the path of a maniac, not to mention standing between the two men in her life just as they—along with their ruthless employers—are moving closer to a catastrophic showdown. Someone is dealing in murder, sex, and the supernatural, and once again Chess finds herself right in the crossfire.

City of Ghosts

IT’S A THIN LINE BETWEEN ALIVE AND UNDEAD.

Chess Putnam has a lot on her plate. Mangled human corpses have started to show up on the streets of Downside, and Chess’s bosses at the Church of Real Truth have ordered her to team up with the ultra-powerful Black Squad agency to crack the grisly case.

Chess is under a binding spell that threatens death if she talks about the investigation, but the city’s most notorious crime boss—and Chess’s drug dealer—gets wind of her new assignment and insists on being kept informed. If that isn’t bad enough, a sinister street vendor appears to have information Chess needs. Only he’s not telling what he knows, or what it all has to do with the vast underground City of Eternity.

Now Chess will have to navigate killer wraiths, First Elders, and a lot of seriously nasty magic—all while coping with some not-so-small issues of her own. And the only man Chess can trust to help her through it all has every reason to want her dead.


Included with this Giveaway is Dead Star, a necklace from Cemetery Cat Jewelry.


Dangling from a pewter toggle are a sterling silver skull and black swarovski star... Silver plate chain finishes the look. 17"

(Photo and description courtesy of Cemetery Cat Jewelry)

The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  One commenter will win Mass Market Paperback copies of Unholy Ghosts, Unholy Magic, and City of Ghosts and the Dead Star necklace.

How:  Leave a comment telling The Qwillery who are your favorite band(s) or singer(s)? If you don't answer the question, your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1) Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2) Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

3) Mentioning the giveaway on your on blog or website. It must be your own blog or website; not a website that belongs to someone else or a site where giveaways, contests, etc. are posted.

There are a total of 4 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry), and personal blog/website mention (+1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook, Twitter, or blog/website mentions. In addition please leave a way to contact you.

Who & When:  The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Wednesday, December 29, 2010. Void where prohibited by law.

*Giveaway rules are subject to change.*