Highland Shifter is Available NOW!

Highland Shifter is Out Now!

Yep, that's right. Simon and Helen's story is out on Kindle, Nook, Smashwords and Print. whatever your pleasure, you can read the next chapter in my time travel series.

I went through great pains to make sure Simon's book was all his own. Don't be shy if you haven't read the others in the series. Here is what others are saying about Highland Shifter.


"If you've not yet read BINDING VOWS, which precedes HIGHLAND SHIFTER, or the other titles in the MacCoinnich Time Travel Romance series, don't let that discourage you from grabbing this one right away. Ms. Bybee does such a fantastic job of world building in HIGHLAND SHIFTER..."  ~ Sarah Ballance

"I LOVED this book, it has definitely become my favorite in the series." ~ Holly

Enjoy 300 pages of time travel and romance for only $2.99.

Happy Reading

Catherine

Six Sentence Sunday from Highland Shifter

I'm but a couple of weeks from releasing Highland Shifter... so how about a lil' taste.

“You’re not crazy, lass.”

She voiced a short humorless laugh and brought her glass to her lips. “Sanity is being able to judge and reason sensibly. I’m not falling into that category. Against all sensibility, not to mention everything I’ve ever been taught in life, I’m starting to believe everything you’ve been telling me since we met.” She took another swig from her glass and squinted her eyes as the amber liquid went down. “And you just jumped into a cage with wild gorillas. That’s not sane, Simon! Not sane at all.”

Highland Shifter, Simon's story, will be here by mid February. Be sure and read your way to this book starting with Binding Vows...

Time for a sample of Highland Shifter~

Highland Shifter

By USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author

Catherine Bybee

Helen Adams has a knack for finding lost objects, but the Simon McAllister she finds isn’t what she expected. The missing California teen is now a grown man—a kilted, sword wielding, Highland warrior.

A mysterious Druid book and Helen’s sixth sense send her to Scotland in search of a missing boy. After being attacked by strange men dressed in medieval garb, a handsome, desirable hero answering to the boy’s name rescues her. No one is more surprised than she to find herself in sixteenth century Scotland. Unable to deny the reality of time travel, Helen discovers smoldering passion with a man destined to leave her.

Simon has lived his Druid life in two very different worlds, two vastly different times, and when Helen practically lands in his lap, he knows his life is about to change forever. There are enemies in California lying in wait for her, and an army in Scotland closing in on his family. Simon is the only person who can protect her. But when she learns his most guarded secret, will she still want him? Can Helen love a Highland Shifter?

Excerpt:

Simon stepped closer and felt the heat of her skin. She smelled of the strawberry shampoo she used in her hair. Helen’s hands slid from her hips and fell to the side.

“’Tis time we clear up a few things in your lovely head about me.”

He stepped closer, and Helen, the wise girl, took a step back until her bottom met the edge of the desk. She reached behind her to steady herself and keep from falling.

Like a predatory cat cornering his prey, Simon towered over Helen, watching her body twitch as her eyes travelled over his.

“Really?” Her voice wavered. After clearing her throat, she asked. “Like what?”

Simon licked his lips and glanced at hers. “I’m not evil.”

“Uhm….” Her eyes never left his mouth while he spoke.

“And I’d never lure a child into my presence.”

Simon leaned into her, their thighs touched and Helen’s breathing started to quicken. He placed one hand on the table beside her, leaving her very little room to escape should she want to. From the hunger in her gaze, and the heat coming off her body, he didn’t believe she would.

“A woman, however, might tempt me to entice her attention.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To be released in February 2012

Paperback

&

E-Book

Highland Shifter Cover Art!

Here is is... the next book cover and the first with those nice lil' letters next to my name... you know... USA Today Bestselling Author - Whoot

Well... talk to me? What do you think?

Amazing Indie Tips from Sky Purington

Today for Tuesday Tips I have the amazing Sky Purington. I have watched her time travel series dominate the charts this last month and I couldn't be happier for her. She is going to give us her tips on what has made her books so successful. To top that off, she'd giving away a couple of books to one lucky person. All ya got to do is comment below to enter the drawing.

Take it away Sky...

Hey All! It’s wonderful to be here at Catherine’s blog this week. She’s such a talented author so I’m truly flattered to be invited. Thank you. What I’d love to chat about this visit is a topic many authors, both published and un-published have pondered. Should I self-publish?

It’s a hard and very personal decision.

In my case, I’ve been with a wonderful publisher for years. The Wild Rose Press is top-notch and I would highly recommend publishing with them to anyone. In fact, my latest release, The Victorian Lure, was published through them on November 11^th and I intend to publish more.

So why did I self-publish my MacLomain Series? Well, I wanted the world to read a newer version of this series. Brilliantly edited through my publisher originally, I knew that readers expected a different sort of writing style than what I’d produced in 2007. I had grown and changed with newer releases. I knew that it was time for a refresh.

It’s an unimaginable feeling when you stand at the threshold of self-publishing. I was both excited and petrified. There existed nothing between me and the reader but my words, my story. It’s a raw and vulnerable sensation. Yet it’s also a very gratifying feeling.

The MacLomain Series consists of one short story and three full length novels. The King’s Druidess (The MacLomain Series- Prelude), Fate’s Monolith (The MacLomain Series- Book 1), Destiny’s Denial (The MacLomain Series- Book 2), and Sylvan Mist (The MacLomain Series- Book 3). This romance time-travel series follows a medieval Scottish clan from its birth in ancient Ireland to medieval Scotland and its connection with colonial and present day America.

The series has maintained top 10 in Time-Travel Romance and Fantasy/Futuristic Ghost for almost a month now. I wish I could dish out a magical reason why but I can’t. I can tell you what I did first and foremost as an Indie writer.

The most important thing… I provided quality content.

What you publish should be your very best. After all, your readers deserve nothing less. You know how many hours you’ve put into your manuscript. You know how many critique partners have read over your work. You know how many have helped edit. You know what you’re willing to sell to your readers. If you gave your all, your readers will know it and they will appreciate it.

But… you can’t please everyone.

If you’re going ‘Indie’ you’re offering prices most likely unavailable to publishing houses so you had best be prepared for an expanded readership and an exposure level that invites added reviews. Some may be bad. I can’t stress this enough… Internet Etiquette. If you receive bad reviews and want to respond, always be gracious. It’s all about respect. You are, as an Indie writer, much more of a ‘product’ than you ever were before. If people don’t like your work, don’t get mad at them for it… but appreciate. Learn how to invite feedback and turn it around to the positive.

What have I done to make my MacLomain Series successful?

Here are my top five rules of thumb…

#1- I used my best marketing tool. My website. I pumped up my series at my website and provided easy-to-find links to purchase. Your top two tools? Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook. Make sure you’re available on Smashwords as there are more downloadable formats.

#2- Cover all your networking sites. Blog. Facebook. Twitter. Don’t get wordy. Just pack a punch with your title for promo, that you’re out there with new books and provide purchase links. Always refer readers back to your website where they will, of course, find all links to everything most important about you in cyberspace.

#3- Take a ‘you’ night on the internet and TARGET your audience. I can’t stress this enough. One night I took four hours and simply surfed out sites devoted to my genre, whether they were blog listings, website listings or random sites. You’d be amazed at how many sites exist on the net that would love to share links with you. Those that would love to list you for FREE. They’re eager to make their place in the ‘wild world of the internet.’ I totally get it. Lord knows, I am too. Just be sure that you remember to ‘pay it forward’. That means you link back or brag about them on one of your social networks. After all, we’re all in it to succeed and to do so we need to help one another out.

The next day I sold over 1,000 copies of my books. Time well spent.

Coincidence? Maybe. I don’t think so. Karma.

#4- If you’re an Indie author it’s a good idea to learn everything about those who sell the most for you and how you can best utilize what they have to offer to ‘get out there’. My thought is Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Love them. Worship them. They are not only your ‘boss’ in a sense but they’re really great companies. Be a good person. Be a good seller. This refers back to Internet Etiquette which I really can’t stress enough.  If dealt with in a courteous fashion, these companies will bend over backwards for you. They’re hard at work just like you and I. Treat them as such and they will treat you the same.

A HUGE thank you to both Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s rep’s. You’ve been beyond wonderful.

#5- I saved the best and most important for last. Take the time to hire yourself a good cover artist. Your cover WILL grab the reader’s attention even before your blurb. Your cover marks your, “Get Ready, Get Set…. Go!!!” moment.

Do it right.

My short story and novels aren’t sitting on top because of potential readers checking out the blurb. Nope. They saw the cover first, clicked through, and then learned more. A HUGE thank you to my cover artist, Tamra Westberry (www.tarawest.com.). You’ve been with me since the beginning and have never let me down. Your work is, indeed, proof in the pudding.

I hope everyone enjoyed the post today. There’s a ton more I could say but I think if you follow these basic guidelines as an Indie writer, you’re off to a super start.

Wishing you many, many sales!

Sky

Purchase The MacLomain Series. .99 cents per title. Kindle and Nook

Visit Sky’s Website ~

Sky’s Blog ~ A Writer’s Mind-
Sky’s Character Blog ~ Paranormal/Syfy Romance-Deep, Dark and Delicious-

Facebook ~

Twitter @SkyPurington

Simon, Simon, Simon

For my time travel readers out there, I know you'll know who I'm talking about. As some of you know, I'm about 3/4 of the way through writing Simon McAllister's story - That would be book 4 in my time travel series. He's a tough one, I tell ya. Unlike the other three books, which really worked as a trilogy, this book has an entirely new 'bad guy' and a whole new set of characters that my readers will get to know. Don't worry, I can't leave the MacCoinnich's in the dust. I love 'em all too much for that.

However, Highland Shifter, the title of Simon's story, will be worth the wait. I want the next three books in this series to stand alone but connect enough so that those of you who love series romance will pine for the next book. Nothing tickles me more than to have readers send me an email, or comment on my blog, facebook, or twitter to let me know they look forward to more from these characters.

The challenge of this story for me is removing the image I once had of Simon... ie, the picture I added to the top of this blog, and growing him up to be a hero fit for a romance novel. Same thing with Amber, to the right - and Cian ie, picture at the bottom of the post. ~ They were kids in the last book. Now they're adults. They all have a story to tell.

There will be some surprises in this story, some familiar faces from the past and the present. Most of all, you'll be able to fall in love with every page.

Happy weekend, everyone!