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Rita Monette has done it again with her middle grade adventure Nikki Landry Swamp Legend series! In her second instalment, The Curse At Pirate’s Cove, Monette weaves a very different tale where Nikki and her friends get into a heap of trouble via time traveling. Now that’s a genre right up my alley!
The author also includes a glossary of Cajun words at the beginning of her novel, as well as sources for further research in the “author’s notes” section at the end of her book. Monette certainly bridges the past with the present in her latest swamp romp! So what’s my take on a story set in a place that can conjure up some pretty scary images? This is what I posted on Amazon and Goodreads…
Rita Monette’s latest romp in the swamp is a 4 Star Winner!
Be careful what you wish for—it might come true! Rita Monette’s first book, The Legend of Ghost Dog Island in her Nikki Landry Swamp Legend series may have transported us back to Louisiana, circa 1956, and into Nikki Landry’s world, but Monette’s sequel The Curse At Pirate’s Cove took it to the next level of adventure by taking us time traveling in the Louisiana bayous. A carefully-crafted story about friendship, the power of belief, and finding the truth, Monette continues to serve up her unique brand of literary gumbo with a flavor of down-home Cajun dialogue, and wonderful illustrations. In this story, 11-year-old, Nikki makes a wish which starts a chain reaction that sends her, her friends, and her dog Snooper into Louisiana’s past to deal with a curse, a lost treasure, and a nasty crew of pirates. Hold onto your hat, matey, it’s gonna be a bumpy Cajun ride!
The Curse At Pirates Cove would be a great addition in any classroom setting to learn and study about the history of Louisiana, and what it was like for the Cajun people during the middle of the 20th century. My stomach is already grumbling for Ms. Monette’s next Nikki Landry Swamp Legend installment due out September 17th, 2016, through Mirror World Publishing.
Tagline and Blurb:
“When one man’s treasure is another man’s curse"
Nikki Landry is turning eleven years old, and is looking forward to riding her bike to school. That is until it falls apart. Papa can’t afford a new one. Is she doomed to ride the smelly old school bus from now on?
Hearing of an old pirate ship, and a legend about long-ago pirates burying treasure on a nearby swamp island, Nikki sees a way out. But when she makes a birthday wish for the pirate’s gold, things go terribly wrong. Did her wish trigger an ancient curse?
Join Nikki and her friends as they find themselves sailing away aboard a haunted schooner with ghostly pirates into the Gulf of Mexico … and into the year eighteen fourteen.
How will they ever find their way back home?
Meet the Author:
Rita Monette was born and raised in Southwest Louisiana. She loves to write stories set in the
beautiful, yet mysterious, bayous and swamps of her home state.
Her middle grade series, The Nikki Landry Swamp Legends, is based on tales told by her father—who made his living in those bayous—of reasons to stay out of the swamp.
She currently lives with her husband, four lap dogs, and one lap cat, in the mountains of Tennessee. Besides writing and illustrating, she loves watching the many birds that make their habitat on the Cumberland Plateau, working in the garden, and frequenting waterfalls.
Connect with Rita Monette:
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By:
Sherrie Petersen,
on 3/30/2015
Blog:
Write About Now
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Last year when Wish You Weren’t came out, I was happy with the cover and hopeful that it represented the story well. I still love the cover, but I also started to realize that the static image implied a “quiet” type of story. If you’ve read Wish You Weren’t, you know that’s not the case. […]
I want to thank and welcome wonderful (and well-traveled) MG author, Darlene Foster for sharing her personal experiences on writing a book series and showcasing her middle grade adventure series the Amanda Travel Adventure series with us on my blog today.
BONUS:One lucky reader will win an Amanda Travel Adventure ebook of their choice just by leaving a comment! Don’t forget to leave your contact info for a chance to win, and good luck! So let’s get this interview rolling…
Where did you get your idea and inspiration to write the Amanda Travel Adventure series, Darlene?
I was inspired by an amazing trip I took to the United Arab Emirates. While I was there, I felt as excited as a twelve year old. I decided it would be a great setting for a children´s book. I created the character of Amanda, an average girl who wishes for travel and adventure as she blows out the candles on her twelfth birthday. The next day an airplane ticket arrives in the mail for her to visit her aunt and uncle who live in the UAE. What follows is an adventure of a life time. Once Amanda got the travel bug, she had to see more interesting places. I suppose I created Amanda because as a child, I wanted to see the world.
Seems like you made your dreams a reality! How many books are you planning to write in this middle grade travel adventure series?
I was only going to write three but I keep getting new ideas. So I guess I will write as many books as there are interesting places for Amanda to visit. My readers keep asking, “Where will Amanda go next?” Her adventures are based on my travels. I just don´t get into as much trouble as she does.
Keep’em coming, Darlene! What sets the Amanda Travel Adventures series apart from other series in the same genre?
Amanda considers herself a regular girl leading a boring life, but tends to get caught up in other people´s problems. She is braver and more curious than she thinks she is. She also has a good friend, Leah, who lives in England and is quite different from her. This friendship evolves in the series. I believe these books provide an opportunity for children (and adults) to learn about another country while following Amanda and Leah. I try to include details kids would find interesting and often amusing. Maybe something they wouldn´t necessarily learn in school. Teachers who have introduced these books to their classrooms, tell me the children love learning about the places Amanda visits. It entices them to look up more information about the sites on the internet.
How long did it take for you to start and finish each book from the Amanda Travel Adventure series?
The first book took me three years to write but the last two took about eighteen months. I guess you get faster once you know what you are doing. (As if you ever really do!)
I wish I could say the same thing. LOL! What are some of your favorite book series, Darlene?
Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Little Women, Pollyanna and Anne of Green Gables (all with unique and strong female characters!)
Little Women was one of my favorites too. Loved Jo! Do you have any advice for other writers striving to write a series?
Get to know your characters well and then have them evolve. The characters should always learn something new about themselves. Each book should be able to stand on its own. My books don´t have to be read in order.
Excellent! Readers need someone to route for, and watching characters evolve keeps them begging for more books. What’s next for Darlene Foster the author?
I have a bi-lingual book coming out called Pig on Trial/Cerdito a juicio. One page will be in English and the other in Spanish. It is a medieval tale about a young boy who tries to save his pig who is on trial. I am also working on Amanda on the Danube-The Sounds of Music
Sounds like you’ll be one busy author, Darlene! Okay, here’s one for me, since I’m writing a time travel series—IF you could time travel into Earth’s past, WHO would you love to meet, and WHY?
I love time travel and your books are great. I would love to travel back to the time of Jane Austen so I could have a chat with her about her writing. I would so enjoy listening to her wonderful words and terrific wit. I love her books and her characters are delightful.
Thank you so much for this opportunity to be a guest on your blog Sharon!
You’re very welcome, Darlene! And readers please don’t forget to leave a comment and your contact info for a chance to WIN an Amanda Travel Adventure ebook of your choice! Darlene will draw the lucky winner at the end of this week! Cheers!
Amanda Travel Adventure Books:
Amanda in Arabia-The Perfume Flask
Amanda Ross is an average twelve year old Canadian girl. So what is she doing half way around the world in the United Arab Emirates? It's her own fault really, she wished for adventure and travel when she blew out those candles on her last birthday cake. Little did she know that a whole different world awaited her on the other side of the globe full of intrigue, mystery and folklore. A world with a beautiful princess, a dangerous desert and a loyal camel called Ali Baba. Join Amanda on her first adventure as she discovers the secrets behind The Perfume Flask.
Amanda in Spain-The Girl in The Painting
Amanda Jane Ross is certainly becoming a world traveller; she's now in sunny Spain on vacation with her friend Leah. While there, she encounters a mysterious young girl who looks eerily like the girl in a famous painting she saw in a Madrid museum. Even weirder, the girl keeps showing up wherever Amanda finds herself - Madrid, the remote mountains of rural Spain, the beaches on the Mediterranean Sea, a lively fiesta and the busy streets of Barcelona. Amanda wants to help this sweet, young girl and her beloved pony escape the clutches of a mean horse-dealer. Come with Amanda on her next adventure as she attempts to unravel the mystery behind the Girl in the Painting while she treks across Spain - always one step ahead of danger!
Amanda in England-The Missing Novel
Amanda Ross is visiting England and taking in all the sights. She gets lost in the maze at Hampton Court, does some shopping at Harrods, meets the ravens in the Tower of London, explores Windsor Castle, and rides the London Eye. When she discovers a vintage book is missing from a collection, she is determined to find out who stole it. Amanda befriends a pair of tough teenagers from the streets of London, an elderly bookshop owner, and a big, friendly, clever, Maine Coon cat named Rupert. Follow Amanda through cobblestone streets, medieval castles, and underground tunnels in her quest to find the missing novel!
Amanda in Alberta-The Writing on the Stone
Amanda is delighted to show Leah around Alberta during her visit from England. They take in the Calgary Stampede, go on a cattle drive, visit Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, spend time with the dinosaurs at the Royal Tyrrell Museum and explore the crazy Hoodoos. When Amanda finds a stone with a unique mark on it, she doesn't think it's important until everyone seems to want it - including a very ornery cowboy. Is this stone worth ruining Leah's holiday and placing them both in danger? Spend time with Amanda as she explores her own country while attempting to decipher the mysterious writing on the stone and keep it from those determined to take it from her.
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Darlene Foster is a writer of children’s stories, an employment counsellor, an ESL tutor, a wife, mother and grandmother. She loves travel, reading, shoes, cooking, sewing, music, chocolate, walking on the beach and making new friends. Her grandson calls her “super-mega-woman-supreme”. She was brought up on a ranch near Medicine Hat, Alberta, where she dreamt of traveling the world and meeting interesting people. Children from seven to seventy enjoy her Amanda travel adventure series. She believes everyone is capable of making their dreams come true! Her and her husband divide their time between the west coast of BC, Canada and the Costa Blanca in Spain.
By: Sharon Ledwith,
on 12/15/2014
Blog:
Sharon Ledwith: I came. I saw. I wrote.
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I want to thank magnificent middle grade author, Derek Thompson for sharing his personal writing journey with us on my blog today. Derek’s book Superhero Club can be purchased from Musa Publishing, Amazon, and other on-line bookstores. Bonus: For a chance to win an ecopy of Superhero Club please check out the Rafflecopter at the end of this post. So let’s get this interview started…
Welcome, Derek! How long have you been writing?
I lovedwriting stories as a young child, and the way you could start to create a world or a situation that then, somehow, pulled you into it. My interest in novel writing really took hold in my teens. Writing became a way of exploring ideas, making sense of the world around me, and finding out who I was.
Very inspiring for younger writers! Where did you get your idea and inspiration to write Superhero Club?
Generally, I start with the central character and what I learn about them takes the story forward. In the case of Jo, once I understood her that gave me the main challenges and relationships.
I was an exam invigilator at a local school, which also included one-to-one support for children with additional educational needs (reading, handwriting or explaining some key words and terms). Being back in a school environment allowed me to see how real children behave with one another, and it also made me think about my own schooldays.
Putting all that together, I wanted to create fully realised, living, breathing characters that readers would care about enough to share their journey.
Sounds like you’ve done a top-notch job! What sets Superhero Club apart from other books/series in the same genre?
That's a good question! Superhero Club is set in the present day and touches upon some of the issues that young people face: self-image, bullying, fitting in at school, food issues and modern families. All that said, the book also deals with the importance of friendship, creativity, transformation and self-acceptance. It's written with humour and, first and foremost, is an entertaining read that will have you rooting for Jo, the main character. My hope is that it will also stimulate discussion about the issues raised and encourage anyone who is having any of Jo's challenges to talk to someone about it.
Hmm…I bet a readers’ guide for this book would be a great investment! As a middle grade author, what is your writing process?
The character came first and once I 'heard' her voice clearly it as a case of allowing her to tell her own story. I didn't have a fixed idea about where the story was heading until about halfway through the writing.
How long did it take for you to start and finish Superhero Club?
Once I understood Jo and her situations it was a fairly smooth process - I'd say around a month to put it together and then refine it. There were some ideas I had originally that, on further reflection, were too ambitious for this book. However, they may reach the page in some other form in the future.
A month? Wish I had your typing fingers! Do you have any advice for other writers striving to write in your genre, Derek?
The most important thing is to understand the lives of young people, as well as what they are reading. Stories need to be relevant to your readers, and emotions need to be authentic. One aspect of fiction that's largely overlooked, I think, is its capacity for enabling and encouraging us to feel. Emotional literacy is as important as literacy itself.
Above all, write! Worry about all the other stuff later - the editing and pacing can all be worked on, but only if you have a completed story to work with. I'd also say that it's important to have fun with it. Make your readers laugh, cry, think differently and even gasp with surprise.
Get feedback from young people and school staff if you can - it will give you valuable insight into how your ideas and your writing are received.
Truly, it’s all about how you make readers feel. Wonderful advice! So, what’s next for Derek Thompson the author?
I've written two contemporary adult British thrillers (I'm a Brit) that are under review by a UK publisher - best described as an updated British noir. I've also written a standalone transatlantic comedy drama, loosely based on a year I spent living the American Dream in New York and California.
As regards writing for children, I have some early draft books that need dusting off, and I'm now thinking about another adventure for Jo and the Superhero Club.
All things considered, 2015 is going to be an exciting writing year!
Wishing you all the best in 2015, Derek! Okay, here’s one for me, since I’m writing a time travel series—If you could time travel anywhere into Earth’s past, where would you go and why?
Well, having grown up with Dr Who, time travel has always held a bit of a fascination for me. I'm going to be greedy and choose three journeys through time:
I'd like to go back into my own timeline (always tricky!), to see myself as a child and to see my family again at that time. Part curiosity and part therapy!
Next, it would have to be Ancient Egypt. I've been on two trips to Egypt and felt a real sense of connection with the Egyptian history and culture. In particular, Karnak temple at Luxor at the height of its influence and the wondrous Nile would be an amazing sight.
Lastly, I'd love to see a glimpse of Victorian London, when the railways were the lifeblood of the nation and the London Underground was developing. I would walk along cobbled streets and read about the adventures of a certain Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
Mini synopsis for Superhero Club:
You only find out you're a butterfly if you spread your wings.
Twelve year-old Jo has never fit in at school, what with being overweight and over-sensitive. Since Dad moved out, Mom forgets who's who in the whole mother-daughter relationship. Jo has one ambition in life: to be normal. Not gifted, or gorgeous, or even particularly popular. Just normal.
When Jo's counselor offers her a lifeline, there's a bunch of other misfits sharing the rope. Group sessions could help them to help each other, but Chris doesn't like speaking and Alistair's a self-confessed geek. Like Stevie, the joker, says, “Oh yeah, right bunch of bloody superheroes we are!”
Sometimes the most heroic thing is to trust a group of strangers, who also have a lot at stake. Jo may find the unlikeliest of friends, and a way to transform her life from the inside. The Superhero Club could give her all that in the blink of an eye. Well, maybe a double-blink!
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Connect with Derek:
Twitter: @DerekWriteLines
Author Bio:
Derek is an adventurer with words, creating fiction, non-fiction and comedy material. He believes in the power of the imagination and the magic of 'what if' to open our eyes to possibility. He is also a magazine columnist and freelancer - see his blog for details.
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I want to thank magnificent middle grade/young adult author, Cheryl Carpinello for sharing her personal writing journey with us on my blog today. Cheryl’s book Sons of the Sphinx can be purchased from Amazon, and other major on-line bookstores. Welcome, Cheryl! So let’s get this interview started…
How long have you been writing, Cheryl?
Probably around 20 years, but I started writing for MG/YA readers about 10 years ago. Nothing I wrote in those first 10 years will ever be published.
Never say never, Cheryl! Wink. Where did you get your idea and inspiration to write Sons of the Sphinx?
We had visited Egypt in 2008 and that started me thinking. However, it wasn’t until 2010 when the Tutankhamen exhibit was in the US that I thought seriously about writing a book set back in ancient Egypt.
Egypt is definitely on my bucket list. What sets Sons of the Sphinx apart from other books/series in the same genre?
I believe it is the fact that this isn’t just an historical adventure story full of action and danger. It is also a story of a young teenager trying to come to grips with who she is and how she fits in the world around her. Ages 14-18 are stressful years for kids, more than most people would think. Any trait that sets a teen outside of the norm can be devastating, and Rosa, the main character, has just such a distinction. She can hear dead people, and her classmates know this. This makes for some tough times for Rosa.
Hear dead people? Now you’ve got me hooked! As a middle grade/young adult author, what is your writing process?
I do a lot of brain work before I start a story. Once I have a basic idea and outline in my head, then I write that out—when I say write, I mean in long hand. Then it’s back to mulling the idea over in my head for a while longer until I can sit down and write out a chapter by chapter outline. Once the outline is finished, I start writing the story. My goal is always to write the first draft without worrying about changes or omissions. Each day before writing I do type the previous writing on the computer without making any edits. If I find that something is not working, then I change from that point on. I don’t go back over previous entered material. Once the first draft is done, I start rewrites and do any additional research. From that point on, it’s a breeze! Just read, rewrite, edit, rewrite, and so on. My story always goes through my personal editor at least three times. Then a professional editor goes through another three or four rounds with me.
Wow, I don’t think readers realize the leg-work authors must do to write a book! Thanks for sharing your process, Cheryl. How long did it take for you to start and finish Sons of the Sphinx?
I started working on the idea in May 2010. Sons of the Sphinx was released in October 2014.
Do you have any advice for other writers striving to write in your genre, Cheryl?
Do your homework: research the time period you are writing in. While I saw Egypt firsthand, I did a ton of book research, and I went to the Tutankhamen exhibit three times. Even if you are creating your own story’s history/background, you need to know everything about it.
Good advice! What’s next for Cheryl Carpinello the author?
Right now I’m working on sequel to my first Arthurian tale Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend. I’ve also got the first book in my new trilogy series Feathers of the Phoenix over half finished.
Okay, here’s one for me, since I’m writing a time travel series—If you could time travel anywhere into Earth’s past, where would you go and why?
I don’t even need to think about this—the Ancient World 1000BC to 400BC. I love the Greeks, Romans, even Egyptians of that time period. I’m also keen to see Atlantis! Those eras gave modern man and society so much in the way of philosophy, government, art, science, that it had to be fascinating to be a part of those worlds.
Blurb for Sons of the Sphinx:
Armed with what she considers her grandmother’s curse, 15-year-old Rosa agrees to help the ghost of King Tut find his lost queen Hesena. Though Hesena’s ba inhabits part of Rosa, finding the whole spirit of Hesena so that she and Tut can be together for the first time in over 3300 years proves to be a harder task than Rosa first thinks. Thrust back into Ancient Egypt with Tut, Rosa discovers that finding Hesena is not all she must do. She must keep out of the reach of the living Horemheb—who crosses mortal boundaries using Seth’s evil magic—if she is to stay alive to make it back home.
Buy Links for Sons of the Sphinx:
Cheryl Carpinello’s Author Sites:
Author Bio
I love the Ancient and Medieval Worlds! As a retired English teacher, I hope to inspire young readers to read more through my Quest Books. Please follow me on this adventure. Hook up with me on
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Also please visit my other sites: Carpinello's Writing Pages where I interview childrens/MG/Tween/YA authors; my home website Beyond Today Educator, and The Quest Books where I've teamed up with Fiona Ingram from South Africa and Wendy Leighton-Porter of England/France/Abu Dhabi to enable readers to find all of our Ancient and Medieval quest books in one place.
I want to thank and welcome magnificent middle grade author, S.J. Henderson for sharing her personal writing journey with us on my blog today. S.J.’s book DANIEL THE DRAW-ER can be purchased from Amazon, and other on-line bookstores. Bonus: Stay tuned for a chance to win an ecopy or audiobook of DANIEL THE DRAW-ER at the end of this post. So let’s get this interview started…
How long have you been writing, Jen?
I think I learned to write just about when everyone else did… kindergarten. Which is funny, because I remember sitting down at my desk the first day and being told to do something—I didn’t hear the teacher because I was probably talking. So I peeked over at my neighbor and copied his work (I know, I know!).When I was done, I looked down and discovered I’d written “Nathan” on top of my paper. We were practicing writing our names! I still struggle with putting the proper name on my papers. Just kidding.
But, seriously, I’ve been writing stories since elementary school. I used to fill hundreds of wide-ruled notebook pages with my nonsense, then the nonsense would make its rounds in my classroom when all of us were supposed to be listening to lectures. I let writing go for a while in favor of family obligations, but one day the absence of words really got to me. That was about 3-1/2 years ago, to make a short answer very long…
I see. So, Nathan, er S.J., where did you get your idea and inspiration to write DANIEL THE DRAW-ER?
I got the idea for DANIEL from my kids. Last fall I participated in an online writing course called The Story Cartel Course (http://my.storycartel.com/join-course/), and one of our assignments was to write something for our audience. At the time, I didn’t really have an audience besides myself, so I decided to write a story for my three youngest boys. In fact, my seven-year-old son sat next to me while I wrote the very first draft of what would eventually become chapter one of DANIEL THE DRAW-ER. He picked out the name “Daniel” and laughed at all of the funny parts. He was the best beta-reader. Haha.
Kids are the best critics! What sets DANIEL THE DRAW-ER apart from other books in the same genre?
Wow, tough question, Sharon! There are so many fantastic books in my genre. But, if I had to try to pinpoint it, I think my book is unique because it awakens the imagination of the reader. I’ve had so many people tell me their child picked up a pencil after reading my book just to see if their drawings would come to life. Another person sent me a photo of two pages of ideas her son had written down for my next book. That’s not exclusive to my book, but, as someone who reads a lot with my own kids, it’s few and far between.
It would be awesome if you helped shaped the minds of a few future artists, S.J.! As a children’s author, what is your writing process?
Writing process? What writing process?
Basically, I just sit down and write. Some people know how to outline and take neat and orderly notes, but not me! I write down messy notes including any ideas I might have before I start writing, but my creative process doesn’t work quite as well when I plan each step of the story out in advance. It’s hard to outline allllll this weirdness, ya know?
Once I have a good first draft I like to have a couple of friends read it and offer suggestions, which I may or may not follow depending on how much coffee I’ve had that day. I repeat the revision/critique process about a gajillion times until someone begs for mercy (and it’s usually me).Then I release the monstrosity to the world, ready or not.
If, by “process”, you really mean what gets me into the writing mood… then the simple answer for that is coffee and super mellow music. And being by myself. Do you know how hard that is to achieve with four kids and a husband? Ugh.
Four kids and a hubby? Kudos for getting the book written! How long did it take for you to start and finish DANIEL THE DRAW-ER?
The original concept for DANIEL (what is now the first chapter) took shape within a couple of weeks last October, but I didn’t really add to it until March of this year. I spent two weeks eating, sleeping, and breathing this book until it was ready for publication. Just so you know, I wouldn’t recommend that particular strategy to most people.
Amen. Do you have any advice for other writers striving to write in your genre, S.J.?
Kids are the ultimate litmus test for authors. They won’t beat around the bush or lie to save your feelings because they’re still developing those filters. So have fun with your story. If you don’t enjoy it, it’ll show, and your young readers will call you out faster than Gordon Ramsay in a McDonald’s drive-through. (Gosh, I hope everyone gets that joke!)
LOL! Got it! What’s next for S. J. Henderson the author?
I hope to have the sequel to DANIEL THE DRAW-ER published by the end of the year. Then I’ll dive into editing and releasing my many Young Adult novels. Ridiculously excited about my YA paranormal, which is next in line.
Okay, here’s one for me, since I’m writing a time travel series—If you could time travel anywhere into Earth’s past, where would you go and why?
Probably back to the Garden of Eden so I could make a pair of cowboy boots out of that darn serpent.
One last thing! I’m so excited to share with you that DANIEL THE DRAW-ER is now an audiobook, available at Amazon, Audible, and iTunes. My narrator for the book, Jay Prichard, did a great job bringing the characters to life. I think kids will really enjoy listening to Daniel’s adventures on long car rides or at bedtime.
As a thank you to your readers, I’d love to offer a chance for one of them to win a copy of either the Kindle ebook version or the audiobook of DANIEL THE DRAW-ER.
Blurb:
"This is no ordinary pencil,” says the cat sitting on the end of nine-year-old Daniel’s bed. "It's magic."
Everything Daniel draws with his pencil--flying dragons, Octobears, and pizza-loving aliens from the planet Beezo--comes to life. It’s pretty awesome until the pencil draws a line between Daniel and his best (and only) friend Annie.
Come along with Daniel and his fantastic creatures on this fun-for-the-whole-family journey as he discovers that friendship is the greatest magic of all.
Bio:
S. J. Henderson is the author of the children’s book DANIEL THE DRAW-ER, as well as several not-yet-published Young Adult novels. S. J. lives in Michigan with her husband and four wild boys. When she is not writing about talking cats and magic pencils, S. J. can usually be found riding one of her family’s horses or drinking a little bit of coffee with her creamer.
Buy Links:
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I first met Beverly when I embarked on my writing career in 2007 and we have remained connected ever since. Not only do I enjoy Beverly's style of storytelling I have enjoyed and continue enjoy our personal connection. It is my hope some day to meet in person. For now I will have to rely on cyberspace and email exchanges to stay connected.
Congratulations Beverly on your latest MG novel! Without further ado, I'm proud to share the book and bio information for Star of the Team and Beverly Stowe….
Applause, applause…
STAR OF THE TEAM
MG contemporary
Blurb:
A girl.
A dream.
An accident.
A dream shattered.
Eleven-year-old Kate Taylor dreams of being the star of her basketball team, Angels. When Kate’s tooth is knocked out at one of the games and her mother, who is also her coach, says she can’t play until the tooth the dentist replants heals, Kate’s dreams are in jeopardy. Add Emily, the new girl at school who claims she’s the best, and Kate faces a challenge to prove that she is the star.
Will Kate succeed? Or will Emily ruin Kate’s plans?
Links:
Bev’s Bio:
Most of the time, you’ll find Beverly in front of her computer, writing the stories little voices whisper in her ear. When she’s not writing, she takes long walks and snaps pictures of clouds, wild flowers, birds and deer. To some of her friends, she is affectionately known as the “Bug Lady” because she rescues butterflies, moths, walking sticks, and praying mantis from her cats.
For twenty-two years Beverly taught children in grades two through five how to read and write. They taught her patience. Now, she teaches a women’s Sunday school class at her church. To relax she plays the piano. Her cats don’t appreciate good music and run and hide when she tickles the ivories.
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Bev, it's a pleasure hosting you today! Doing the Snoopy dance in celebrating your latest accomplishment!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Best wishes,Donna M. McDineMulti Award-winning Children's Author
Ignite curiosity in your child through reading!Connect with Donna McDine on Google+A Sandy Grave ~ January 2014 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2014 Purple Dragonfly 1st Place Picture Books 6+, Story Monster Approved, Beach Book Festival Honorable Mention 2014, Reader's Favorite Five Star ReviewPowder Monkey ~ May 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ Story Monster Approved and Reader's Favorite Five Star ReviewHockey Agony ~ January 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ Story Monster Approved and Reader's Farvorite Five Star ReviewThe Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist
I want to thank and welcome magnificent middle grade author, C.S. Ulyate for sharing his personal writing journey with us on my blog today. C.S.’s book Seasons is the first book of a series and can be purchased from Amazon, and other on-line bookstores. Bonus: Stay tuned for a chance to win an ecopy of Seasons at the end of this post. So let’s get this interview started…
How long have you been writing, C.S.?
I’ve been writing for about 8 years now and will continue to write every day.
Now that’s dedication! Where did you get your idea and inspiration to write Seasons?
The idea for Seasons came from an environmental awareness project that I worked on in 2010. I fell in love with drawing and writing about a list of villains that represent different forms of pollution. Add a bit of wacky costumes, inspiration from video games, and give the villains’ world breaking superpowers and you got Mother’s Nature’s true nightmares.
What sets Seasons apart from other books/series in the same genre? |
| Miss Plastic |
The thing about Seasons is I wrote it in mind for ADHD non-reader and female audience. I understand that finding the perfect book to read can be a bit of challenge for kids. The plots can be slow and drag on until finally something starts, but by that time the readers have already lost interest. I throw my readers into constant conflict and mystery, and make it as unexpected as it can be. I write the book like a video game; I’ll keep my characters moving to new locations, send them into the sewers, burning forests, and where ever a battle with Pollution takes place.
In the middle grade genre, I always hear about super powered boys getting to go on an awesome battle adventure full of dangerous monsters and evil forces. That’s why I have Winter take the main role with her brother Fall right behind her. Winter’s independent, she’s wants to rescue her sister and is willing to start a war over it. She may have a love interest, but her end game isn’t to fall in love with the boy, but solve the mystery of Mother Nature’s disappearance. Her ice abilities will become stronger as the series progresses to the point where she may be able to create the next Ice Age.
The world certainly needs authors like you to bring awareness to what’s happening to the Earth. As a middle grade/young adult author, what is your writing process?
 |
| Mr. Oil |
My writing process involves listening to tons and tons of music from Pandora. Music brings me into the writing vibe and motivates me to come up with some awesome scenes. I’ll research the pollutions that I’m going to cover and scientific topics like water or soil to develop an overall theme. I also create a small outline for each chapter. I’ll plug in what characters I want and decide where I want them to be mentally by the end of the chapter.
How long did it take for you to start and finish Seasons?
Seasonstook me around four months to write and another four months for the editing process. I want to make sure my novel is as polished as it can be.
Wow, you’re certainly focused! Do you have any advice for other writers striving to write in your genre, C.S.?
I’ve always wanted to answer this question! I would say have good judgment when you’re |
| Professor Voltage |
researching about the writing world. There is tons of conflicting information out there that can lead you in the wrong direction. Be wise and keep researching until you’re certain. When being critiqued, don’t worry—some people will love your work and others may absolutely hate it. Know your strengths and strengthen your weaknesses. When writing for the Middle Grade genre, it’s ok to be immature; it’s our business to be immature. Don’t be afraid of what you are, some of the best inspiration comes out from things we never expect.
Wonderful advice! I love your take on strengths and weaknesses. So, what’s next for C. S. Ulyate the author?
I’m currently working on book two for Seasons: Waves of Madness. As well preparing for the two new series I will be writing in the future. Curious what the series are? Don’t worry the main characters have already made cameos and introduced themselves in Seasons.
I also have a hint for any of my readers looking forward to book 2.
Be welcomed into the sea, but for those who seek Hy-Brasil will turn to madness. |
| Queen Noise |
The Perfume Inhales
The Farmer Counts
The Toymaker Ticks
Intriguing! You’ve got me hooked. Okay, here’s one for me, since I’m writing a time travel series—If you could time travel anywhere into Earth’s past, where would you go and why?
Pre-American colonization, way back before Columbus, the Native American world is so mysterious and filled with lost history. Traveling through that time would make up for an interesting adventure.
Synopsis:
Twelve-year-old Winter is starting to believe she might be going crazy. It seems like every other way she looks, she’ll see soup cans and plastic bags form into monsters to terrorize her. But when Winter discovers that she and her three siblings were born from Mother Nature, everything is about to change. Winter’s evil relatives have kidnapped her little sister Spring and are using Spring as bait to bring Winter to Yellowstone National Park.
Now Winter and her other two siblings have five days to get Spring back. However, Winter must be strong if she ever wants to confront her evil relatives that control oil, plastic, tin, and their monstrous trash pets. She will need to learn to surf on rivers and master her ice-age ability, unravel the past for her Mother’s disappearance, and control the nightmare that makes her maple syrup for blood boil. Unknown to Winter, the true evil waits for her underneath the Park.
Buy Links:
Bio:
C.S. Ulyate (Cameron) grew up in California. As a kid, he could be found climbing mountains or kayaking in the ocean when he had free time from acting rehearsals. As an author, he loves writing about adventures that he never read as a kid. And he loves to break the rules. Who said wizard pirates can't ride mechanical dinosaurs? In the past, he has worked for several acting agencies and promoted environmental ad campaigns.
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“You have to,” my friend told me, when I explained that I found all the networking difficult. “You have to put yourself out there, and connect with your readers.”
“Won’t an advertisement about my book do?”
“No. People want to know about you, and what makes you tick.”
“Who are these people who want to know about me even before knowing about my existence? I am practically unknown.”
“That’s your fault. The least you could have done was to have your own blog.”
“What will I blog about?”
“Anything. There are any number of things you can write about. You could start with your secret recipe of prawn curry.”
I knew this was my friend’s way of getting at the recipe which was guarded by my family like a state secret.
“I write for children, for middle graders. How will a food blog sell books?”
“Mommies are fond of food blogs and mommies decide what their children should read.”
What my friend said seemed logical but I was not keen on blogging, it would eat into my writing time, and I wanted to make up for the twenty-six years when I had not been able to write because of my day job.
“Join a book forum,” my friend suggested. “You love books, and you love discussing about them.”
“But I can’t discuss my own books!”
“They usually have a folder for self-promotion.”
Three months later I told my friend, “It isn’t working. I have posted in more than ten groups but haven’t made a sale.”
“Just posted? You should take part in the discussions, contribute, and network. No group likes people who only peep in to wave a poster.”
I grumbled, “No group wants authors. Just look at the names of the folders! Shameless Self- Promotion! Pimp your Stuff! They should welcome us because the relationship between a writer and a reader is symbiotic.”
“You are a struggling writer, not a writer. You are like a salesman with a new product so you should hawk your wares. You should be on facebook, twitter, Google+, etc.”
Convinced, I started posting and tweeting about my books, myself, and my cat. My friend had a huge following and he helped me build one too. My posts spread like ripples.
A month later, when I was going through the latest tweets, my friend dropped in. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“Checking to see which ones to retweet.”
“Are you reading them? You don’t have to. Just retweet and spread the word.”
“Don’t you read the tweets?”
“A few. I just retweet most of them. That is what everyone does.”
If what my friend said was true, most of the social networking I had done had ended up as statistics. The number of ‘likes’ and ‘retweets’ were just numbers. But my sales had shown some improvement, I’d made some new friends and had had some good laughs. And the pundits swear by it.
My book, Cinderella’s Escape, is free on all Amazon stores on 5th, 6th, and 7th September, 2014. Please share, re-tweet this post.
Author Pages:
Please connect with me through my website, facebook page, and twitter (@GITAVREDDY)
Gita V. Reddy is a writer of fiction for children and adults. She enjoys thinking up tales of different genres. She has written mysteries, adventure, science fiction and even an animal tale for childrens.
Ms Reddy was born in India, is a post graduate in Mathematics, is married to a physics professor, has a son doing research in neuro-electronics and loves literature!
Her other interests are painting and writing poetry.
I want to thank and welcome middle-grade author, James Gordon for sharing his personal writing journey with us on my blog today. His featured book, Hi, My Name is Bobo: A Weekend in the Life of a 5th Grader can be purchased from Amazon, and other on-line bookstores.
How long have you been writing, James?
I have been writing since 2007, published first book in 2009, The Confessional Heart of a Man.
Where did you get your idea and inspiration to write Hi, My Name is Bobo: A Weekend in the Life of a 5th Grader?
A friend of mine mentioned to me that I had not written a book that his children could read. So I decided to take two weeks and write Hi, My Name is Bobo.
What sets Hi, My Name is Bobo: A Weekend in the Life of a 5th Grader apart from other books in the same genre?
Bobo is different because the main character is African American. Unlike most children's books, there isn't one central message. However, Bobo exemplifies the innocence and hopeful excitement that a young man should have when dealing with school, first love, etc.
As a children’s author, what is your writing process?
Not much a process really. I do pull pictures and watch programs to put me in a youthful mindset.
How long did it take for you to start and finish Hi, My Name is Bobo: A Weekend in the Life of a 5thGrader?
It took two weeks to write, have edited, and complete Bobo.
Do you have any advice for other writers striving to write in your genre, James?
Make it special and real. Children and their parents need new adventures to go on. So write on....
What’s next for James Gordon the author?
I have a top secret project that I'm working on and will be released soon.
Okay, here’s one for me, since I’m writing a time travel series—If you could time travel anywhere into Earth’s past, where would you go and why?
I would like to go back to various junctures in history when people were harmed and reverse those instances.
Bio: James Gordon is the award winning author of Hi My Name is Bobo (A Weekend in the Life of a 5th
Grader). He hails from Chicago Illinois. As G.P.A.(Greatest Poet Alive), he has written five other books of Poetry. James can be seen in the movies (Persian Version and Animals) and TV (Chicago Fire and Chicago PD). He can be found on Twitter at gr8estpoetalive.
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By:
Sherrie Petersen,
on 8/25/2014
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Today I’m really excited to welcome Laurisa White Reyes to the blog. I met Laurisa a few years back at a writing retreat, soon after her first novel, The Rock of Ivanore, had been picked up for publication by Tanglewood Press. Of course she was pulsing with excitement and we all wanted to sit next […]
Book Review: The Gates of Atlantis: Book 6 Battle for Acropolis by Mikey Brooks...
Magic is dying. And it’s up to 13-year-old Talon and his foster sister Hattie to save magic…and Atlantis at the same time. Oh…my…Poseidon! Brooks had me hooked from the get-go. This middle grade read is the sixth book in The Gates of Atlantis series, and it doesn’t disappoint your taste buds if you love adventure, fantasy, and fair play. Brooks has created a world where magical beings, human animal hybrids, and humans come together to save not only Atlantis’s fate, but Earth’s fate as well. Non-stop action and plenty of surprises are the main ingredients to this well done story. Whether you’re looking for your next book series to read, or a new author, Battle for Acropolis may just be your ticket to a world that will put a smile on your face, and take you on a journey you’ll never forget.
Here’s the Blurb:
Thirteen-year-old Talon is in trouble…again. He didn’t mean to burn down the school library. It just happened. Things like that always happen to Talon. His life is a mixture of the weird and bizarre. No one else he knows can shoot fire from their hands or cause an earthquake…but he can. Every night the same dream haunts Talon: the destruction of an underwater city. He hasn’t a clue what it means but he feels like fate is trying to warn him. It’s not until he runs away with his foster sister Hattie that he discovers his trouble-making powers and strange nightmare are connected. Together they are the key to saving magic…to saving Atlantis.
And… here’s my Endorsement:
Things are not what they seem in Mikey Brooks’ Battle for Acropolis, the last installment of The Gates of Atlantis series. And trust me—it’s a GOOD thing! Kids of all ages will love this fantastical adventure that will make them believe that in coming together and acting as one, we can accomplish great things. Well done, Mr. Brooks!
~ Sharon Ledwith, author of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis
Buy Links for Battle of Acropolis:
About Mikey Brooks:
Mikey is a small child masquerading as an adult. On occasion you’ll catch him dancing the funky chicken, ABC Adventures: Magical Creatures and Bean’s Dragons as well as the middle-grade fantasy-adventure series The Dream Keeper Chronicles. His art can be seen in many forms from picture books to full room murals. He loves to daydream with his three daughters and explore the worlds that only the imagination of children can create. Mikey has a BS degree in English from Utah State University and works full-time as a freelance illustrator, cover designer, and author. As a member of the Emblazoners, he is one of many authors devoted to ‘writing stories on the hearts of children’. He is also one of the hosts of the Authors’ Think Tank Podcast. You can find more about him and his books at: http://www.insidemikeysworld.com/.
singing like a banshee, and pretending to have never grown up. He is the author/illustrator of several books including the best-selling
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...one winner, that is. Without further adieu, the winner of the Grasshopper Jungle ARC is...
Congratulations, Danielle! I'll be sending your book out later today. I hope you enjoy reading it! And if anyone is looking for some more good reading, Lucy Silag from Book Country interviewed me on their blog today. This Penguin community for writers is a great place to meet critique partners and get your work read in a public forum. WISH YOU WEREN'T is an Editor's Pick this month (yay!) and I was thrilled that they wanted to profile me.
If you'd like a chance to win your very own copy of WISH YOU WEREN'T, don't forget about the other two blogs I mentioned yesterday. Sheri Larsen at Writer's Alley interviewed me and she's giving away a print book and an e-book. And the delightful Rosi Hollinbeck, a reviewer for the San Francisco Book Review, posted her review of WISH YOU WEREN'T on her blog, The Write Stuff, and she's giving away a print copy.
Oh, and one more thing! If you live in Santa Barbara County and want to learn more about writing for middle grade readers, I'm leading a workshop at the Solvang Library with three other authors: Valerie Hobbs (Sheep), Gwen Dandridge (The Stone Lions) and Kimberley Troutte (Saving Miner's Gulch). The workshop is on Saturday from 1 to 3:30 and we'll be doing a book signing from 12 to 1pm. To find out more, you can visit the library's website. I'd love to see you there!
When two squirrels moved into my attic, I went on a quest to figure out what they were doing. I knocked on the ceiling, and they scratched back. Imagining what they thought and felt, I wrote The Bravest Squirrel Ever. Because I had so much fun writing this book, I continued their adventures with The Bravest Squirrel in the Forest and The Bravest Squirrel in School.
You might say I went a little squirrel crazy! But here's the deal: The fears and emotions my squirrels face are the same ones that kids face as they start to grow up--feelings we've all had to deal with at some point. Reading about sweet, determined, plucky squirrels never giving up despite the tough odds against them, we can discover we're braver and stronger than we ever imagined, just like Pippi, Max and Lana.
The Bravest Squirrel Ever
Scared of thunder, lightning and being "flopped" by the humans, Pippi the squirrel wants to return to her mama’s warm, cozy nest. Instead, she and her siblings stumble on a better nest...in forbidden human territory.
The attic nest is too perfect to resist, and soon she is drawn into a dangerous game of teasing the people. When their teasing goes too far and puts their lives in danger, she is forced to abandon the perfect nest. However, she returns in order to rescue her brother. Instead, she becomes trapped inside.
With little food and the humans plotting her demise, Pippi must depend on her wits to survive, proving to herself and the world just how brave a little squirrel can be.
The Bravest Squirrel in the Forest
Everyone thinks Max’s sister is braver than he is, and he’s sick of it. He’s determined to prove he is the bravest squirrel ever. He devises a plan for the humans to trap him, so he can rescue his Uncle Louie.
But things don’t go according to plan. First, he is forgotten in the cage and sprayed by a skunk. Then he is dumped out of a truck and abandoned in the forest with a hungry coyote hot on his trail.
Max has to give up being brave and beg others to help him. When he has the chance to save Uncle Louie or risk his life to save a friend, suddenly Max discovers just how brave he really is.
The Bravest Squirrel in School
Lana has no interest in being brave like her brother and sister. However, she would like to be cuddled by a human, as long as another squirrel is nearby to keep her safe and rescue her.
But the plan goes horribly wrong. She ends up in a school bus full of children with no other squirrel to take care of her. Inside the school, she is discovered by a crowd of children who think she is a toy to poke and toss around.
With no one coming to rescue her, Lana needs to stand up for herself against the playground bullies and figure out a way to get back home. If she’s not brave enough to rescue herself, she’ll be stuck in school forever.
My mind is still racing with a lot more squirrelly adventures, so you haven't seen the last of my brave friends. Until then, channel your inner squirrel and
be brave!
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Here's the deal: Multi-published author SS Hampton Sr. has hijacked my blog to pin me down for an author interview. Since Mr. Hampton (a.k.a. Stan) is so persuasive, I conceded to undergo his interrogation...er interview questions. Take it away, Stan...
Sharon Ledwith, hello! So, who are you, and where do you come from? 
Hey, Stan, glad to be here! Oh, such a complicated question. How long do we have? Seriously though (and I rarely am!) I’m a middle-aged broad who writes for the middle-grade/YA genre. Guess you could say I’m going through my second childhood! I come from my parents—mom still has nightmares to this day—via Streator, Illinois USA while my father was under contract by the government to teach meteorology. That makes me a dual citizen. Currently I reside in the wilds of Muskoka, a tourist area deep in the heart of central Ontario, Canada. Cue the haunting cry of the loon…
Lol, the loon! So, why did you become a graphic artist? Was it difficult to give up that career field for writing (I assume you write full-time)?Well someone has done his homework! I’ve always loved art throughout school, and wanted to parlay that into a solid business career. Plus I didn’t want anything to do with math again! I took the graphic technician course in college which allowed me to work in the printing trade. This was before computers took over, so everything was done by hand. Um, yeah, slow process, but worth it if you applied yourself and worked hard. My hubby and I started Box Office Graphics in the early 80s and we saw so many changes in the industry which included fax machines, computers, and the internet. The graphic businesses that didn’t change fell by the wayside. We sold our business in 2004, and have never looked back. BTW—our former business is still going strong after 30 years! And NO, it wasn’t difficult to give up that career at all. Somehow I knew deep inside I would be pursuing a full-time career as a writer. After all, something had to be done to stop the voices from talking in my head!
Where and how did you meet your husband? Was he aware that he was courting a soon-to-be writer with all of her quirks? I generally assume all writers have their quirks – I know I do.Poor hubby. I met him at the first job I was hired at straight out of college—a graphic trade shop that specialized in plastic container packaging. Call him my soul mate or a misguided fool, I knew from the moment I met him that we were destined to be together. I believe he was aware of some quirky karma, ’cause he never gave up the chase, even when the odds were against us. I also believe writers should use all their quirks to their advantage!
Any friendly words of advice for writers, particularly when a future spouse “comes a’calling”? Or perhaps for the future spouse who discovers their love interest is a writer?Run, spouse, run! Kidding. My advice would be to never stop investing in yourself. Invest in the best. That’s in yourself, in your readers, and in your partner. Your readers deserve the best of what you have to offer them. Surround yourself with the best possible team (this includes spouses). Never stop learning. As you grow, so will your readers, so be prepared for this. Oh yeah, and never give up. That’s a given and should be part of any author’s credo.
How did your family and friends react to you becoming a writer?Say what? You want to be a writer? Good for you! Ten years later…you’re still writing? Anything published yet? No? Humph. Maybe you should get a REAL job. Um, yeah, tried it, didn’t like it, went back to writing, and got published. Yay me! Once I signed the contract, I was cast in a different light, and everyone was supportive and happy for me. You should have seen the release party I threw – hot damn it was fun and VERY satisfying!
I find it interesting that the inspiration for The Last Timekeepers of Atlantis came to you in a dream, that you believe in Atlantis, and you burn incense when writing. You didn’t mention what types of music you like, or favorite artists. So, not to resort to labels, but are you perhaps, something of a “New Ager”?Yes, very much so. I’m quite a spiritual person and believe we’re all here for a reason and purpose. This comes out in my stories. I don’t want to come off as preachy (in fact I can’t stand it when other people try to shove their beliefs on me) so I try to inject humor whenever I can in my stories. I think we all learn best when there’s laughter present. And if you want a real laugh, when I first started out writing I listened to the soundtrack of
Braveheart (sigh) a lot, as well as some native drum instrumentals, Enya, and Enigma. Now I hardly listen to music while writing.
Braveheart, eh? And Enya and Enigma—some of my favorite music too. Just a comment here: I like the first sentence of the opening of your blurb – “Children are the keys to our future.” Truthfully, I have always believed that. Might that have something do with the intended audience of Middle Grade/Young Adult readers regarding Last Timekeepers?Oh definitely! But it is true – children are the keys to our future. It’s up to us adults to supply kids with good role models, people to look up to, and to aspire to. We need to be the best we can be, and offer children a new hope for a better tomorrow. I mean, how else can we pass along our knowledge and understanding to a new generation if we don’t show up in this life?
Would you please share the blurb from your newest book?Would be honored, Stan. Here’s the blurb from my newest release, and the prequel to the
Last Timekeepers series,
Legend of the Timekeepers:
There is no moving forward without first going back. Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.
Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.
Here's the
LINK for more information on the book.
Thank you for allowing me to take over your blog today! Are there any parting words you would like to share with us, Sharon? Absolutely! I was once asked by another interviewer to share what inspires me to write, and why am I doing what I do? The truth is that I want to be the change I would like to see in this world. Yes, I stole that from Gandhi, but those words have been my mantra, and have guided me to write stories I would have loved to read as an adolescent. My hope is to give my target audience (upper middle-grade and lower young adult) the kinds of stories the world needs now—force readers to ask why they are here on earth at this time, and what is their major purpose. I guess I’m looking for ways to make the world a better place. I also want to make people laugh out-loud while they’re reading my books, and leave them wanting more when they turn to the last page.
Thanks so much for putting up with, er interviewing me today, Stan, and loved your well-researched questions! Cheers!
Check out
The Last Timekeepers series
Facebook Page.
BUY LINKSMusa Publishing -
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KoboAnd now, here's a little something about my interviewer:
Much of
SS Hampton, Sr.'s writing is drawn from his extensive military career, including his historical short story
The Sentinels.
December 1941 – the German offensive has ground to a frozen halt before an ominous forest encircling Moscow, and a German patrol seeks to discover what secrets the forest hides…December 1941, and fresh Siberian troops from the Soviet Far East have launched savage counter-attacks against the German invaders. The Eastern Front is torn open with German units driven back, overwhelmed, or isolated. An exhausted Waffen SS infantry platoon outside of Moscow needs to know what the Siberians, hidden in a dark forest before them, are up to. A small patrol is sent into the snowy, otherworldly forest...
To read an excerpt from
The Sentinels please click
HERE.
SS Hampton, Sr. is a full-blood Choctaw of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, a divorced grandfather to 13, a published photographer and photojournalist, and a member of the Military Writers Society of America. His military career began in 1974. He retired on 1 July 2013 from the Army National Guard with the rank of Sergeant First Class; he previously served in the active duty Army, the Army Individual Ready Reserve, and enlisted in the Army National Guard in October 2004, after which he was mobilized for Federal active duty for almost three years. Hampton is a veteran of Operations Noble Eagle and Iraqi Freedom.
His writings have appeared as stand-alone stories, and in anthologies from Dark Opus Press, Edge Science Fiction & Fantasy, Melange Books, Musa Publishing, MuseItUp Publishing, Ravenous Romance, and as stand-alone stories in Horror Bound Magazine, The Harrow, and River Walk Journal, among others. He is also a published photographer and photojournalist, and a member of the Military Writers Society of America.
After 12 years of brown desert in the Southwest and overseas, he misses the Rocky Mountains, yellow aspens in the fall, running rivers, and a warm fireplace during snowy winters. As of December 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Hampton officially became a homeless Iraq War veteran.
To learn more about
SS Hampton, Sr. or read excerpts from his books please click a vendor's name.
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March 3rd - March 21st
Warrior faery princes can be very stubborn. Especially when they possess your body.Fourteen-year-old Finn just wants to keep his little sister out of Child Protective Services--an epic challenge with their parentally-missing-in-action dad moving them to England, near the famous Stonehenge rocks. Warrior faery Prince Zaneyr just wants to escape his father's reckless plan to repair the Rift--a catastrophe that ripped the faery realm from Earth 4,000 years ago and set it adrift in an alternate, timeless dimension. When Zaneyr tricks Finn into swapping places, Finn becomes a bodiless soul stuck in the Otherworld, and Zaneyr uses Finn's body to fight off his father's seekers on Earth. Between them, they have two souls and only one body... and both worlds to save before the dimensional window between them slams shut. NOTE TO TEACHERS: Check out the Virtual Author visit video and Common-Core-Aligned Teacher's Guide for Faery Swap here.2 minute book trailer
Excerpt
[Author's Note: Faery Swap is told in alternating points of view, between Finn, the human boy, and Zaneyr, the faery prince who tricks him into swapping places.]
Finn's Excerpt:
He looked up at the blanket of haze hiding the sun. The sky had been blue when he had dropped off Erin. How long had he been out? He wrestled his arm around to look at his watch
8:44
The second hand was dead still, frozen between the five and the six. Whatever McFreaky did to knock him out broke his watch, too. The watch his mom gave him. She had strapped it on his wrist that day he was late for the bus and told him that being on time was important. Part of growing up. She drove him to school. The wreck happened on the way home.
It was the last thing she ever gave him. And McFreaky broke it. Finn clenched his fist and slammed it into the grass.
Then the grass punched him back.
The hit to his shoulder was so hard, it flipped him onto his back. A tinkling of glass sounded all around him.
“What the…?” Finn scrambled to sit up. The grass couldn’t have punched him. That didn’t make any sense. Something under the grass then. He jumped up to his feet and stared at the ground, frozen, waiting for it to move again.
Nothing happened.
Finn stomped his foot on the grass where he’d been lying a moment before, just to be sure. The grass kicked back, knocking him off his feet and landing him with a thump on his backside. The tinkling glass sound rushed up, like a thousand tiny voices laughing.
“Ahhh!” Finn jerked up off the ground. A narrow dirt path was just a dozen feet away, so he ran toward it. Tiny insects rose up wherever he stepped, making the tinkling sound, then falling back down. He teetered on the safety of the path, which seemed clear of the insects. The path was just wide enough for a sheep to pass. A very small sheep.
What was this crazy place?
Zaneyr's Excerpt:
Zaneyr peered at the young sister of Finn. He vowed to respect that kin bond, as a brother would. It was the least he could do, having banished her brother to the eternal changelessness of the Otherworld. And perhaps the House of Finn would serve as good a hiding place as any.
She awaited his answer with an impatience too large for such a small thing.
“No, lass, you cannot stay home with me.” He gestured to the loud guardian of the stone structure. “You need to stay here. But I will be back at the appointed time for you.”
Erin’s shoulders sagged with defeat.
“But I think I will return home now.” Zaneyr looked around at the many dwellings that crowded the path. “Which one would that be?”
Erin fixed that glare upon him again. “I memorized our address, already! When are you going to stop quizzing me?”
“It is the sickness,” Zaneyr said with a smile. “It is stealing my memory like a thief.”
“Dude, you are sick.” She suddenly shot her hand toward his face. Reflexively, Zaneyr leaned away, but she managed to land a tiny, warm hand on his cheek. He froze. What sort of magick was she working by touch? Then he remembered she was only a child, and a human one at that. It had been so long since he had felt the warmth of any touch.
The tension flew away.
“You’re not running a fever.” Her face was a picture of seriousness. “But I should go home with you.”
“Erin!” the woman called again, closer now. “You all right, love? I’m closing the gates.”
“You are summoned. You must go.” Zaneyr glanced again at the dwellings, stacked like cubes on top of one another. He pointed to one. “Is that our home? I don’t believe you truly recall.”
Erin’s shoulders drooped again. “It’s 842 on Earls Court.” She speared his chest with a small finger.
Don’t forget to come back and get me.”
“I could hardly refuse an order so imperiously given.”
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Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, which is young adult science fiction. Faery Swap is her foray into middle grade, which is her first writing love. Her business card says "Author and Rocket Scientist" and she always has more speculative fiction fun in the works. You can subscribe to her newsletter (hint: new subscribers get a free short story!) or stop by her blog to see what she's up to. Faery Swap
Fourteen-year-old Finn is tricked into swapping places with a warrior faery prince and has to find his way back home before the dimensional window between their worlds slams shut.
Author of The Circle, Cindy Cipriano, was kind enough to take the time to answer some questions about being an author for my blog readers. I am happy to share my interview with her.
What inspired you to write your debut novel, The Circle?
Once when I was in "time out," I daydreamed about lifting a tile in the floor and wondered what I'd find below it. I imagined a wise man hunched over a desk working by candle light. This person became Uilleam and is really where the idea for the series began.
If you had to choose one character in your book you are most like, who would it be and why?
I'm really not like any of the characters in The Circle. They are much, much more interesting :) I will say my favorite character is Donnelly. He's just so fearless.
Who are some of your favorite children's books and how have they inspired you to be a writer?
C.S. Lewis is probably my all-time favorite children's author. I was inspired by his brilliant use of magical realism, in that it's not "in your face," but thoughtful and skillfully placed throughout his novels.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a writer?
Finding enough time to write!
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
I love the actual writing part, sitting at my computer, completely immersed in my story.
Have you ever experienced "writer's block" and how do you get past that?
I have experienced "writer's block," and the best way for me to get past it is just to sit down and start writing.
The Circle is a fantasy novel. Is that your favorite genre to read as well? What other genres do you love?
I love anything that is middle grade/young adult fantasy.
Can you tell us a little bit about your next book that we might not know from reading the first?
The Lost is the second book in the Sidhe series. In this book, Calum and his friends will be tested regarding their friendship for and devotion to each other. And, yes, there's more about Finley :) There are also some deleted scenes from
The Circle posted on my website:
http://www.thesidheseries.com/deleted-scenes.php
What advice would you give to somebody thinking about becoming a writer?
Join a good critique group, now. I would have saved so much time had I joined one earlier.
Once your book was published, was there every anything you wished you could go back and change? Why or why not?
I really felt
The Circle was "done," when I submitted my manuscript to Odyssey Books. Thanks to my amazing editor, Michelle Lovi, I don't feel the desire to go back and change anything. I would love for readers to let me know what they think about
The Circle. I encourage them to please visit my reviews page and post a review.
http://www.thesidheseries.com/review-links.phpCindy Cipriano's middle grade fantasy,
The Circle, is available through Amazon or other local retailers.
Check out my review
HERE.
**This is NOT a sponsored post. No money was exchanged in return for the post.**
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Kid Lit Reviews welcomes Angela Shelton, author of The Adventures of Tilda Pinkerton Book 1: Crash-landing on Ooleeoo. Kid Lit Reviews generally does not delve into articles for authors unless there is something of interest to the young reader. Today will be an exception. Ms. Shelton is writing on the importance of the teacher-writer [...]
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