If you aren't one of those people who pre-ordered The Assassin and the Desert or instantly downloaded it the moment you woke up this morning (erm, as I did), then NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO GET IT.

Trust me: you want it.

And not just because of the lovely yellow and turquoise cover, but because it's a truly wonderful read. In case you weren't aware, this is the second novella to release (the first was The Assassin and the Pirate Lord), and these novellas share the tales that lead up to the events of the famous Throne of Glass and the infamous Celaena Sardothien's stint in the royal palace.

The Silent Assassins of the Red Desert aren't much for conversation, and Celaena Sardothien wouldn't have it any other way. She's not there to chatter, she's there to hone her craft as the world's most feared killer for hire. When the quiet is shattered by forces who want to destroy the Silent Assassins, Celaena must find a way to stop them, or she'll be lucky to leave the desert alive.

Look, everyone knows that I (Sooz) am friends with Sarah J. Maas, and as a result, you may think I'll promote her because of our friendship alone. But here's the thing: I became friends with Sarah because she's such a phenomenal writer.

I literally (okay, maybe not literally) sit at her feet and absorb everything I can from her mastery of storytelling...kind of like Celaena does with the Silent Assassins in The Assassin and the Desert (except there aren't any cobras or vows of silence). And since Sarah and I have become friends, I can honestly say that my writing improved significantly thanks to her.

And these novellas really showcase just how adept a storyteller Sarah J. Mass is.

Even if you don't care about lovely prose or topnotch plotting, you'll probably be interested to know this: the stories contained within these novellas add so much depth to the Throne of Glass series. Everyone who's ever read Throne of Glass adores it. Truly, there's a reason Sarah still has a bajillion loyal fans ten years after first staring the Fictionpress version of that novel, and that reason is that the story is sweeping and amazing...And I honestly believe that these novellas manage to make the novel even more sweeping and more amazing.

In The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, we got to see the young, headstrong Celaena take on a entire port of pirates to defend what she believed in. It was swashbuckling adventure followed by edge-of-the-seat thrills, all wrapped up in clever dialogue and typical Celaena finesse.

And now, in The Assassin and the Desert, we get to enter into a new type of story. This novella has more mystery, more friendships (and enmities), and more character growth. But don't worry--there's still a whole lot of epic fighting. And super epic world-building. We get to see the dunes of the desert, the ranks of the Silent Assassins, the bustling city of Xandria, and so much more. There are scenes from this novella that gave me chills—and also gave me serious cases of writer's envy.

So, if you like epic fantasy, sweeping desert worlds, or thrilling action, then you'll definitely want to pick up The Assassin and the Desert.

And to celebrate the release of this second novella, we're giving a copy away! You don't have to own a Kindle--as long as you have a smart phone or a computer or some other form of e-reader, then you can enjoy The Assassin and the Desert along with the rest of us!

Just fill out the form below and help us spread the word about the novella's release, and we'll announce the winner next week!

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