The
year is 2197. More than one hundred years have passed since the
natural destruction of the Earth’s surface. The surviving inhabitants
are now living in Heavenly Cities high above the clouds with no
intention of ever descending back to the unstable surface
again.
Helen
is a lawyer who lives in one of those cities. Her life is almost
perfect, but very soon she is going to find out that it was all just
an illusion as her dreams scatter like leaves in the wind and the
only thing left for her to return to will be her hometown.
But
on her way home, an almost fatal car accident on the heavenly highway
turns her life in a drastically new direction. Helen finds herself
crashing down onto the earth’s destructive surface and landing in a
forest world that is completely alien to her with a million and one
questions and very few answers.
The
number 1 question being – is it really true what the government told
her and the surviving population that no one ever survived down on
Earth? Well, what if the truth was the complete opposite? What if
there really were survivors?
Stjepan
Varesevac-Cobets was born on 12 September 1965 in Split, Croatia. He
lives and works in Kastel Sucurac, where he finished his elementary
and secondary schooling.
At
a very young age, he started reading and loved it because, through
books, he traveled to places he could never visit in person. As a
child, he loved fairy tales and adventure but later discovered other
genres. When he found a Jules Verne book in the library, he became
fascinated by science fiction. He has been writing poetry for fifteen
years and has started writing science fiction. Lately, he has also
written children’s fairy tales and fables.
He
has published, in Croatia, “An Opened Heart” in 2002, “The
Sleepy Way” in 2005, and “Love” in 2006. On Amazon he
has published the poetry collections “The Child of Happiness”
in 2015, science fiction novel “Godeena” in 2015, the
science fiction short story “Butterfly” in 2016, the poetry
collection “When the moon takes over the dream: Love Poetry”
in 2016, and in 2017 the poetry collection “The Flaming Horses:
Collection of poetry”. He also translated his new Sci-Fi novel
“The Dream of the Forest”.
But
Fredericton is a long way from the shores of Lake Ontario, and
schemes for power will bring together three extraordinary young
warriors.
Savannah
A
desert girl who came to Trana looking for refuge but has never found
a home
Kieran
A
privileged city boy dreaming of rebellion and hardened by
cruelty
Kyle
The
disgraced heir to the throne desperate to win back his place in his
father’s heart
Sworn
enemies or reluctant allies, they all have one thing in common: an
incomplete half of the legendary fighting skill known as the
Triumvirate sword art. They fight for glory, for power, for the
monsters lurking beneath the streets, and for the mysterious society
moving in the shadows of Trana—the Black Trillium.
Do your characters hijack your book? Is there anything you would change about the book?
When I write a novel the only constant throughout the process is characterization. The entire plot may shift, settings change, timelines fluctuate, but the thread of character remains the lodestar of the story.
Kieran was always callow and passionate.
Savannah was always withdrawn but compassionate, more cynical than Kieran but still hopeful for a gentler world.
Kyle was always a selfish prick with daddy issues and far too much entitlement. How these characters bounced off each other and their secondaries was always what shaped the book.
So yes, they hijacked the story, but I couldn’t have written it any other way. But there is a weakness in this, and that’s one thing I would have changed if I had to do it over.
When I was finished the book I wasn’t entirely satisfied with Sophie’s characterization. There’s an interesting character there but the characters who served as my POV couldn’t see her.
Kyle was too fixed on the image of Sophie he had in his head and never bothered to really learn who she was within herself. Savannah only saw a monster to fight, and never tried to get to know her and Kieran had very little to do with her. I felt the absence of her internality was ultimately a flaw in the story, and I think, if I could ever do it over again, I’d make her a POV character in her own right.
Simon McNeil is the
author of The Black Trillium, a story of revolution and martial arts
set in the ruins of Toronto. This novel is published by Brain
Lag Publishing.
He is an online
marketing communications specialist with a major educational
institution when not wandering the world looking for trouble. He is a
life-long martial artist, has published several articles in Kung Fu
Magazine and he’s probably a little bit too fond of kung fu movies.
He lives in Toronto,
Canada with his wife who has happily laid out rules to prevent the
sword-through-glass-lampshade incident from ever happening again. The
Black Trillium is his first novel.
Fifteen-year-old
Matt Mitchell was having the worst summer imaginable. Matt’s misery
started when a drunk driver killed his mother. Then Matt’s father
moved him and his sister to a small town in rural Indiana, as far as
his grieving father could get from the ocean that his mother had
loved. At the new high school, three bullies were determined to make
Matt miserable. And to top it off, Matt learned that the recluse who
lived in the dilapidated Victorian mansion next door was none other
than Old Lady Hawthorne, the town’s infamous witch and murderer.
Matt’s terrible summer was turning into an awful autumn when
something quite unexpected happened. Old Lady Hawthorne’s niece and
her three children moved in next door, and Matt met Gerallt.
The Secrets of Hawthorn House by Donald Firesmith
Matt and Tina Mitchell are twins who just lost their mother in an accident. Their father takes them far away from the seaside they love to the small town of Hawthorn. There they find themselves next door to the famous haunted house of the ghost of the gray lady. Matt needs some money and starts to clean the yard of the haunted house for Mrs. Hawthorn, getting to know her and her timid ways.
One day, her niece comes to live with her along with her three children. Matt becomes Geralt Hawthorne’s best friend and soon discovers that his family is not the common family he is adjusted to. Their secrets, their corky ways, no electricity, no games or computers make for an interesting friendship. Not only that, but the bullies at school are after them…they will have to pull together or be defeated.
This is a great, clean and entertaining story for middle grade and young adult kids who like mystery, treasure hunts and magic. It is nicely done by Donald Firesmith. I would keep my eyes out for the next book in this series.
A
geek by day, Donald Firesmith works as a system and software engineer
helping the US Government acquire large, complex software-intensive
systems. In this guise, he has authored seven technical books,
written numerous software- and system-related articles and papers,
and spoken at more conferences than he can possibly remember. He’s
also proud to have been named a Distinguished Engineer by the
Association of Computing Machinery, although his pride is tempered
somewhat by his fear that the term “distinguished” makes
him sound like a graybeard academic rather than an active engineer
whose beard is still slightly more red than gray.
By
night and on weekends, his alter ego writes modern paranormal
fantasy, apocalyptic science fiction, action and adventure novels and
relaxes by handcrafting magic wands from various magical woods and
mystical gemstones. His first foray into fiction is the book Magical
Wands: A Cornucopia of Wand Lore written under the pen name Wolfrick
Ignatius Feuerschmied. He lives in Crafton, Pennsylvania with his
wife Becky, and his son Dane, and varying numbers of dogs, cats, and
birds.
Mary’s family has moved into a huge Victorian mansion. She loves her gigantic new house, especially her room. But then she begins to meet the house’s other residents.
Mrs. Murray was murdered in Mary’s new house. At first she tries to scare the new residents away, but there seems to be a force connecting the ghost to Mary.
Even the stranded Brownies, the little people who live between the walls, feel that connection. When Mary becomes deathly ill, the Brownies and the ghost team up to try to rescue her, only to encounter a witch and her evil minions. Time is running out. They must rescue Mary from a fever-induced dream world before she is trapped there forever.
Emily-Jane Hills Orford is an award-winning author of several books, including Gerlinda (CFA 2016) which received an Honorable Mention in the 2016 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, To Be a Duke (CFA 2014) which was named Finalist and Silver Medalist in the 2015 Next Generation Indie Book Awards and received an Honorable Mention in the 2015 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards. She writes about the extra-ordinary in life and her books, short stories, and articles are receiving considerable attention. For more information on the author, check out her website at: http://emilyjanebooks.ca
There is a street called Piccadilly in
London, England. In fact, there is a place, an intersection, known as
Piccadilly Circus. But it is questionable as to whether or not there are any
major intersections along the famous Piccadilly Street that have residential
houses of some distinction on all four corners, and there is definitely no
intersection of Piccadilly Street and Waterloo Street. When I last visited
London, England, I was disappointed to note that there wasn’t even a Waterloo
Street, just a Waterloo Road, and that was on the other side of the river from
Piccadilly Street. So, the intersection of Piccadilly Street and Waterloo
Street could only occur in the other London, the one in which Mary grew up.
Indeed, the number of her childhood home, had it existed in London, England,
could only exist in the middle of the intersection of Piccadilly Street and
Regent Street.
There
are other cities in the world that bear the auspicious name of London. But only
the one in Canada has an intersection of Piccadilly Street and Waterloo Street
with an old Victorian mansion on each of the four corners. One, in particular,
is a grand Queen Anne style, early twentieth-century building complete with a
tower room, a bay window, stained glass windows, mosaic tiled floors and much
more. A family moved in to take up residence in 1967. Mary’s family. It was
also at this house that others took up residence many years earlier and never
left. One died and left her restless spirit to roam the halls and torment those
who chose to reside in the house. The other two were little sprites known as
Brownies. They lived inside the walls and watched over the house that they also
called home.
You see, the Brownies had a mission, something that was going to
involve one of the new residents of this old house: a twelve-year-old girl by
the name of Mary. This is, in fact, Mary’s story, or, at least, the beginning
of her story. For there is much more to Mary’s story than this little tale.
To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page
Nana and the “c” is a book for all ages and all cultures as it is about family and the ability to support a loved one through the challenges of cancer. It is told from a seven-year-old’s perspective as she gathers the courage to face her grandmother’s illness and learns that her irritating younger sister is perhaps smarter than she seems. Together they also learn how to conquer their biggest fear and replace worry with wonder. The story is uplifting and often humorous while symbolizing hope. It will make readers of all ages laugh, cry, and remember their own childhood and the relationships and events that influenced who they have become. The goal of this story is to help children through health crises in their family. The illustrator, editor and designer donated their time to help with the project in order to make possible the donation of copies of the book to waiting rooms of cancer clinics.
Thank you so much for your generosity. We’re donating books to hospitals and children’s centers. Anywhere people might benefit from an uplifting story dealing with cancer.
Doris Schneider is an artist, scene designer, writer, and educator. She taught at William Carey University and was a tenured professor of theatre at North Carolina Central University. She published two novels: Borrowed Things and By Way of Water.
After her own bout with breast cancer, she wrote this story based on a real event with her granddaughters. While the illustrator, Wenhai Ma, was teaching at Duke University, the two became long term friends—culminating in their collaboration on Nana and the “c”.
Meet the Illustrator:
Wenhai Ma – American–Chinese scene designer, illustrator and educator. He was granted tenured professorship at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He graduated from the Central Academy of Drama, China and Carnegie Mellon University, USA. He has taught at Duke University, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Purdue University and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the Central Academy of Drama, China and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore. He is the author of Scene Design Rendering and Media (Focus Publishing, USA) and illustrator for 10 children’s picture books in the US. He has designed sets and costumes for various dramas, operas and musicals in the United States, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Indonesia. His first novel Such An Enchanted Night was published in Taiwan, 2017.
10PM:
Closing time at Café Flores. The door should be locked, but it
isn’t, Scott Bradley and Winsome Sommervil are about to become
hostages.
TEN
MINUTES BEFORE CLOSING: Scott’s girlfriend breaks up with him in the
café’s basement storeroom because he’s late picking her up for the
big end-of-the-year party. Now he can’t go to the party, but he can’t
go home, either–not knowing his dad will still be in a drunken rage.
Meanwhile, Winny wanted one night to let loose, away from her
mother’s crushing expectations. Instead, she’s stranded at the café
after her best friend ditches her in a misguided attempt at
matchmaking.
TEN
MINUTES AFTER CLOSING: The first gunshot is fired. Someone’s dead.
And if Winny, Scott, and the rest of the hostages don’t come up with
a plan soon, they may not live to see morning.
Told
from both Winny and Scott’s perspectives, and alternating between the
events leading up to and following the hold-up, Ten
After Closingis
an explosive story of teens wrestling with their own challenges,
thrown into circumstances that will test their very limits.
Jessica
Bayliss is a fiction author with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology who
loves all things reading and writing. Author of the young adult
horror novella, BROKEN CHORDS, and her upcoming YA thriller, TEN
AFTER CLOSING (Sky Pony Press, September 2018), she has been a
lover thrillers and ghost tales since her days scanning VHS rental
shelves—admittedly with eyes half-averted from the gory covers. She
also loves to eat, cook, and exercise—in that order—and is a firm
believer that coffee makes the world a better place.
She
has authored thirteen novels and several short stories that appear in
anthologies such as BEWARE THE LITTLE WHITE RABBIT, FRIGHT BEFORE
CHRISTMAS, and ZOMBIE CHUNKS and in such literary magazines as
Sanitarium Magazine. Jessica is a Senior Editor for Allegory
Magazine.
In
the psychology world, she has more than fifteen years of experience
and training in the cognitive-behavioral model. She’s a
psychotherapist, a teacher, and a researcher. One day it hit her: Why
not combine writing and psychology? Just like that, PsychWRITE, her
series of lectures, workshops, and coaching services for writers was
born. Her blog features motivational posts for writers that combine
her passion for writing with her love of psychology.
SYNOPSIS
A terrible secret. A vengeful empress. An unstable empire.
Sir Corbin, retired Hero of Jerkum Pass, dies on the eve of an urgent mission. His granddaughter Kelsa dons the old man’s armor and his wrinkles and sets out to complete his last quest. She ventures to the capital of the Iron Empire. The city is in an uproar. The emperor has been slain by rogue mages. The new empress is livid. Now, every mage is suspect, including Kelsa’s mother.
Hidden behind a magic ring, Kelsa infiltrates her grandfather’s old regiment. As the mission leads her down a path of dark suspicions and lustful adventures, Kelsa struggles to live up to her grandfather’s legacy. Yet the more she examines it, the more holes she discovers, until Sir Corbin’s secret past threatens to expose her.
Unravel The Knight’s Secret, the first fantasy adventure of The Mage Conspiracy series. Discover a world of romantic entanglements and political intrigue where lies cut deeper than any sword.
AUTHOR BIO
Jeffrey Bardwell writes epic fantasy with elements of darkness, steampunk, and romance set in the Metal vs. Magic Universe. His character-driven books are guaranteed to include gritty realism, political intrigue, lurid entanglements, dry wit, and dragons in differing proportions. He devours fantasy and science fiction novels and is most comfortable basking near a warm wood stove. When not writing, Jeffrey enjoys cooking, gardening, and shooing baby dragons from the compost bin.
The author lives on a farm and in a prior life worked as a community ecologist. He is overfond of puns and alliterations. He is also an unabashed history and mythology enthusiast and would love to hear from you.
I love creating new worlds and populating them with fun characters
Do you have a writing routine?
It’s how I whittle the days away between breakfast and dinner.
What is the title of your book?
The Knight’s Secret
What genre does your book fall under?
intrigue / fantasy / romance
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Hmmm, for the old hero, Corbin, someone weathered and distinguished like Ricardo Montalbán.
For the old mage with a sharp tongue who loves him? Carol Channing
The young heroine who undertakes the dangerous quest to save her mother? Dakota Fanning
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
A woman undertakes a perilous quest to save the only mage who matters, but can she infiltrate a vipers’ nest of secrets to save them all?
Is your book self-published or represented by an agency?
The book is published through Twigboat Press
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
About three months
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Any old spy novel where the protagonist has to disguise herself/himself to live among “the enemy”
Who or What inspired you to write this book?
I was inspired by the cyclical nature of oppression throughout history and how tyrants attack and oppress minorities to prop up their own regimes.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
How well do we truly know our older relatives whose stories bear only a semblance to the truth? What if we could live in their skin and speak in their voice? What if circumstances forced us to?
Where can we find your book? (Please live links work best)
**SEE
was voted The TBR Pile Review Site’s Book of the Year for 2017!**
Carlie
Henson is pretty, popular, and an All-American girl. She has a
gorgeous boyfriend and a mother who lives to keep her safe. Probably
because everyone is drawn to Carlie…including the murderers she has
the ability to identify when she looks in the eyes of their
victims.
Keeping
Carlie’s secret is pretty simple when all she has to do is avoid
dead people. But when a cheerleader at her high school is murdered
and the killer seems to have gotten away with it, Carlie knows what
she has to do. With the help of her boyfriend, Dillon, she devises a
plan to see what she must, no matter her personal safety.
But
when Dillon is the one who’s injured in the showdown with the
killer, Carlie vows to never help anyone again…until the next young
woman attacked is her best friend, Jenna.
Lee
Ann Ward is an award-winning fiction author with a background in
journalism and mass communications. She is also the former Senior
Editor of Champagne Books. Her love of books started at the age of
three, and she’s been addicted ever since. She’s published six novels
with her seventh and eighth on the way (SEE a YA paranormal by
Evernight Teen in June 2017 and GLIMPSES OF WILDERNESS a YA romance
by Inkspell Publishing in December 2017) and has written several
more. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, singing, baking designer
cakes, bowling and dreaming. She’s married to Joe (who also happens
to be her publicist) and they have 4 sons whom they adore, and a
granddaughter who is the love of their life. They make their home in
the small fishing community of Bayou La Batre, Alabama.
All
of the elephants wept as one of their own lay dying in childbirth.
But Kanita, the daughter of the royal elephant trainer, refused to
give up. With her own hands, she helped bring the baby elephant,
Safi, into the world, beginning a lifelong friendship between a girl
and her elephant.
But
many of the villagers worried about the curse of the white elephant
with the red birthmark across her face.
Raised
in the mountains of northern Siam, Kanita’s idyllic life is
shattered when she is ordered to marry a much older man and leave her
beloved yet cursed elephant behind. But Kanita’s stubborn nature
refuses to bow to her parents’ wishes.
Kanita
and Safi flee their village with the goal of redeeming Safi from her
cursed reputation and cementing their bond, vowing to never be
separated.
But
the jungle is more dangerous than Kanita or Safi could have
imagined.
From
new author Zoey Gong, follow Kanita and Safi through the jungles of
ancient Siam in a story of friendship, hope, and redemption.
A
Girl and her Elephant is the first book in the Animal Companion
series, but each book is a stand-alone novel with new characters and
adventures.
ZOEY
GONG was born and raised in rural Hunan Province, China. She has been
studying English and working as a translator since she was sixteen
years old. Now in her early twenties, Zoey loves traveling and eating
noodles for every meal. She lives in Shenzhen with her cat, Jello,
and dreams of one day disappointing her parents by being a Leftover
Woman (剩女).
Would you sacrifice your humanity to save mankind?
IT’S THE YEAR 2828, and Domus is the last remaining country. Divided into twelve walled cities known as genuses, Domus spans what’s known as the purist lands—lands unaffected by the genetic modifications that killed all other species of mammals. But outside the walls of each genus the Immundus threaten the welfare of those within. From a young age, all citizens of Domus are trained for combat against these intruders.
At sixteen, Nia Luna knows little of the Immundus, except for the citywide alarms that ring any time an Immundus nears the genus walls. What she does know is that her own species is dying—their numbers dwindling as a mysterious disease called allagine kills many before their eleventh birthday. The same disease that ravaged her family when it took her sister.
When Nia is recruited into Genesis, a research company pioneering the path to a cure, she knows that her dream to find a cure for allagine is finally within her grasp. But within weeks of starting at Genesis, Nia witnesses something she shouldn’t have—something that changes everything. As she sets down a dangerous path that uncovers national secrets, Nia will have to decide not only what kind of person she wants to be but also how far she’s willing to go to save humanity.
In addition to the Amazing Give away below Author Christina Enquist is offering another chance to win $50!!!
Find the flyer with all detail, terms andconditions, below the Giveaway!
I grew up in Salinas, California, the same hometown of John Steinbeck, one of America’s greatest writers. I loved to read (and still do) and frequented the John Steinbeck Library as a child. I discovered at an early age that I also enjoyed writing. In sixth grade, my teacher, Mr. Graham gave the class an assignment to write a story for a contest. The contest required that we create our book binding as well, which we did with cardboard, glue, and wallpaper. My book was called “Mully Mully” about a creature who lived in an underwater lake city. I was sad when I didn’t win, but I cherished my book so I kept it all these years. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I decided to put other stories, roaming around in my mind, down on paper again, or actually, in my case, into a computer.
I took a non-traditional route to writing, considering I have a doctorate in Educational Leadership. Aside from writing, I work full-time as a Training & Development Coordinator at Kaweah Delta, a teaching hospital, and some semesters I also teach at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California, where I currently live. When I’m not at my full-time and part-time job, I enjoy writing, reading, watching TV, and spending time with my husband and pets (cat-Smokey, dog-Princess).
Ray Bradbury (The Veldt), Robert C. Obrien (Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh), Richard Adams (A Watership Down). These authors inspired me through their stories that helped me see the world differently. I wrote my first book in 6thgrade (video attached).
If you could travel to any time in history, when would you visit?
During one of my speaking events, one of the people who asked me a question referred to me as a Renaissance woman after I gave him my answer, so I would like to visit a time during the Renaissance.
If you could have dinner with any of your characters, which ones would you choose? What food would you serve?
I would have the Marcello family over for dinner. Since animals don’t exist in their world I would serve them a vegan meal, so as to not shock them.
What gets your creative juices going? Do you write to music, and do you want to share your playlist?
I actually don’t write to music. For me it’s distracting. I need silence to write and when I put my fingers on the keyboard I just start typing. I don’t do anything to get my creative juices flowing. I think this is because I have a full-time job (more than 40 hours a week) so by the time I get home the ideas just flow out after having them backed up in my mind all day.
If you could travel anywhere, on earth or off, where would you go?
Mars, to see if the hype is real. J
What color would you wear if you had only one choice?
Coral
Describe your dream writing spot.
At a beach house in the tropics, lounging on the outdoor patio as crystal blue waves massage the sand. There’s a small table to the right of me that holds an ice cold banana shake that chills my throat with every sip, but that’s okay because it tempers the hot kisses from the sun.
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Imposters
pose as our Shadow group, spreading panic and killing innocents
across the lands. These False Shadows wield a magic in its infancy, a
power they call the Skills. There’s great potential to this power,
but a menacing undertone taints those who wield it. Their intentions
are sinister, without purpose, and their morals, questionable.
I
am Kilo, a Shadow of Vaiyene, and I vow to put an end to these False
Shadows. My friends have been killed. My homeland, threatened. These
imposters know our weakness, and they seek to exploit who we are. I
fear before the end, I may forsake the very creed I’ve lived my
life by. Despite this, I must persist and find a way to return peace
to the lands. I will become the strength our people need.
—
My
parents were brave and honorable.
I
am neither of these.
This
is no longer the world my parents knew. Peace is threatened in
Vaiyene and across the lands. The False Shadows have attacked, and
despite our Phantoms reassurance, I am not naïve enough to believe
we are safe.
I
am Shenrae, one of the next generation of Shadows. My comrades doubt
me, as I often doubt myself, but I have no other choice than to
fight. The Phantoms cannot protect us for long. Soon, I will have to
find my place, and my strength, or I will lose everything I have
left.
Shadow’s
Hand is the first book in a heroic epic fantasy, inspired by Japan’s
samurai and their warrior code Bushido. It’s a story about the
makings of a hero and the hero’s sacrifice. If you like characters
with strong morals, fast-paced epic storytelling and exploring
magic’s morality, you’ll love The Shadow’s Creed Saga. Pick up a
copy today and join Kilo and Shenrae on their heart-twisting journey
to restore peace.
Hello,
I’m Noelle. A writer, a creator and most of all a dreamer.
We
have the opportunities, both as writers and readers, to experience
people who are better than ourselves. Flawed still, but people who go
against all odds, perhaps too great for us in real life to aspire to.
They speak grander, fight against magical forces and live in a place
where imagination and dreams can thrive. This is why I write Fantasy.
Within my characters I find the strength and hope for a better
tomorrow, one that can be more fantastical and beyond reality. It’s
these characters that I wish to write, and these journeys I want to
take my reader’s on.
I’ve been
writing my trilogy, The Shadows Creed Saga, for the past five years.
The original idea came to me back in high school where I had the
support of many of my English teachers to continue writing the book.
However, I realized that in order to write a good book, I needed to
have experienced life more. I needed to lose someone close. I needed
to have my heartbroken. I needed to know what it was like to really
love someone, and what it means to be loved. So, I put my book away
and came back to it eight years later. I feel that I can instill my
life experiences into my characters now and really understand
them.
I now feel I have the
discipline, experience and imagination needed to bring the books to
publication. For now, this is my records to publication and my
writing process. My only wish is to write books that take people on a
journey, and feel that perhaps they have a friend and someone to
aspire to within the pages.
The
wood-cut look illustrations in The Blue Unicorn’s Journey To Osm
Black and White Illustrated book are reminiscent of old world
fairytales by authors like Lewis Carroll and The Brother’s Grimm.
It is a story which transcends age and presents valuable life lessons
on overcoming adversity through perseverance and valuing friendship.
Everybody
loves unicorns! OK maybe they don’t but for those who do, they will
love this story about a little unicorn who was born into a tribe of
magical, metal horned unicorns. The little guy has no magic and he
has no metal but somehow he must save the tribe from an evil
sorcerer. Read the book to find out if he can do it.
“The
metal horned unicorns are doomed!” That’s what Lauda Lead Horn
wailed when she first saw the tribe’s new savior. OK, so his horn
was not metal. . .and he did not have a magic power. . .and he was
really a puny little runt. But doomed? Were things really that
bad?
Well,
things were pretty bad in the land of MarBryn. Magh, an evil sorcerer
utilized unicorn horns and hooves to create his magical potions and
spells. Those he used, to increase his power and to conquer everyone
in his path. All of the unicorns from the Tribe of the Metal Horn
were now gone . . . except for twelve survivors.
Before
the blue unicorn was born, Numen told Alumna, the aluminum-horned
oracle, that he had a plan to bring the tribe back home to Unimaise.
His prophecy was, “Only the blue unicorn can join with the
Moon-Star. Until then, no new unicorns will be born.” Blue was the
last unicorn born. Twenty years later, his horn was still covered
with a plain blue colored hide. There was not a glint of metal to be
seen on it or his hooves. And he still didn’t have any magic. But
he was no longer scrawny and he had his wits. Though no one else in
the tribe thought he had a chance, Blue felt ready to make Magh pay
for his evil deeds. And he went off to do it alone. That was Blue’s
first mistake. If the entire tribe was not standing horn-tip to
horn-tip at the proper time and the exact place to help usher the
Moon-Star Spirit into Blue’s horn, he would die. Then, the rest of
the tribe would really be doomed.
Readers
will follow along two journey paths in this book. Blue is joined in
his travels by his mentor Gaiso, the Stag and his friend, Girasol the
Firebird as they try to find their way across a danger-filled MarBryn
to Muzika Woods. The rest of Blue’s tribe is forced to follow
another route due to Nix Nickle Horn’s unfortunate incident with a
Manticore. Nix, the great unicorn defender must safely lead the way
for Ghel, the Golden-Horned unicorn; Silubhra Silver Horn; Cornum the
Brass-Horned unicorn; Steel Horned Style; Cuprum the Copper-Horned
unicorn; Tin-Horned Tinam; Dr. Zinko; Iown the Iron-Horned unicorn
and the others in an action packed adventure to their destination in
Muzika Woods. Both journey paths converge there in the Nebulium
Circle.
This
ebook, for teens and older readers, will introduce you to the Read
and Color black and white version of The Blue Unicorn’s Journey To
Osm Illustrated book. If you love to read and you love to color, this
is the book for you. Read a chapter, then color the fanciful pictures
yourself in this fully-illustrated black and white version of “The
Blue Unicorn’s Journey To Osm”.
This
book, written by Sybrina Durant and illustrated by Dasguptarts,
offers readers a
visual
feast of over forty beautiful water-color pictures that each span two
pages. Forty-two – easy to digest two-page chapters are chock full of
adventurous and entertaining morsels. If you love to read and you
love to color, this is the book for you. Read a chapter, then color
the fanciful pictures yourself in this fully-illustrated black and
white version of “The Blue Unicorn’s Journey To Osm”. This
illustrated book will become a favorite of teen and older fantasy
readers. A companion coloring/ character description book is
also available at any online bookstore.
I’m
Sybrina. . .. . .Just one of millions of wannabe
author/singer/songwriters out there but I hope, after reading or
hearing my books and songs, you’ll think my contributions to the
world have as much value as any other famous artist out there
today.
Fame
is all in being in the right place at the right time but at least
with the internet and venues like this, all of us have opportunities
to share our creativity with the world. I’m so happy that I am able
to share my works with you. That is awesome!
The
books I’ve written span a wide range between illustrated picture
books, coloring books and YA novels to technical and how-to books.
I am a children’s author, but up until a few years ago, I was a journalist and editor. Something rather unexpected sparked my new career as an author—a family trip to Egypt with my mother and two young nephews. We had a great time and I thought I’d write them a short story as a different kind of souvenir…. Well, one book and a planned book series later, I had changed careers. I have now published Book 3 (The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper) in my MG adventure series Chronicles of the Stone, with many awards for the first book, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, and a few for Book 2, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, and one already for Book 3! I also teach online novel writing for aspiring authors and I find that very satisfying. Relaxation time finds me enjoying something creative or artistic, music, books, theatre or ballet. I love doing research for my book series. I love animals and have written two animal rescue stories. I have two adorable (naughty) little dogs called Chloe and Pumpkin, and a beautiful black cat called Bertie.
In this exciting Middle Grade adventure set in Egypt, a 5000-year-old mystery comes to life. A scruffy peddler gives Adam and Justin Sinclair an old Egyptian scarab on their very first day in Egypt. Only when the evil Dr. Faisal Khalid shows a particular interest in the cousins and their scarab, do the boys realise they are in terrible danger. Dr. Khalid wants the relic at all costs. Justin and Adam embark upon the adventure of a lifetime, taking them down the Nile and across the harsh desert in their search for the legendary tomb of the Scarab King, an ancient Egyptian ruler. They are plunged into a whirlpool of hazardous and mysterious events when Dr. Khalid kidnaps them. They learn more about the ancient Seven Stones of Power and the mysterious Shemsu-Hor. They must translate the hieroglyphic clues on the underside of the scarab, as well as rescue the missing archaeologist James Kinnaird, and their friend, the Egyptologist Ebrahim Faza, before time runs out!
The snake jerked
at the sound of his voice. It glided closer to the stone sarcophagus. Adam lay
back on the pile of smelly bones and closed his eyes to half-slits. He looked
up at the ceiling where the painted cobra shimmered.
I can’t believe
this is happening. I know it’s after me.
The slithering,
scraping sound grew louder. Then directly in front of him, just at the edge of
the stone sarcophagus, the forked tongue whipping back and forth came into view
followed by the loathsome head, which reared up, its hood spread wide. Then the
snake opened its monstrous jaws, revealing wicked fangs. A clear drop of deadly
poison, glistening like a pearl, trembled on the end of each fang. The reptile
made a hideous hissing as it stared into the stone coffin, hunting for its
prey, waiting for the tiniest movement that would betray his presence. Adam
closed his eyes so he wouldn’t have to look into the snake’s gleaming black orbs.
I’m finished, he thought,
sliding his hand into his pocket and feeling the scarab. Somehow, just holding
it made him feel calmer.
Then Justin
called softly, “I know how I can distract it.
To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event Page
Aegis
League is a multi-award winning series about friendship,
courage and a quest to save humanity. MOVIE RIGHTS OPTIONED.
We
had our chance. Our days are now numbered.
Lifelong
friends Jag, Tegan, Aari, Mariah and Kody are cast into an adventure
of epic proportions when their small plane crashes in the remote
forests of northern Canada. They are rescued by a secretive tribe in
a hidden valley who possess astonishing abilities — and a
terrifying divination.
The
group soon learns that not everyone in the peaceful village means
them well. But the worst is yet to come when they discover a larger,
more sinister force at work outside the valley. And it intends to
remake the world in its image.
Shocked
to learn that the fate of humanity now rests on their
shoulders, the teenagers struggle to accept their new roles.
Armed with powers entrusted to them by an ancient prophecy and the
resilience of their friendship, can the group survive the onslaught
of a ruthless enemy and put an end to its cataclysmic scheme?
If
you like epic adventure stories with endearing characters
in an immersive world then you will love the
Aegis League series!
Worlds
Collide. Heroes Arise.
“Astonishingly
imaginative and thoughtful…” ~Samuel
F. Pickering, inspiration for Academy Award-winning movie Dead Poets
Society~
Over
125,000 copies sold/downloaded & 1.8 million page-reads in
Kindle Unlimited!
Aegis
League is a multi-award winning series about friendship, courage and
a quest to save humanity. MOVIE RIGHTS OPTIONED.
The
first wave strikes. The assault on humanity begins.
A
mysterious plague destroys crops and leaves swaths of farmland around
the world in ruins. Panic and riots break out. Famine and rebellion
push nations to the brink of war.
With
the memories of their fateful summer suspiciously erased, straining
their relationships, Jag, Tegan, Kody, Aari and Mariah must
regain what’s lost to battle the forces of darkness advancing
across the lands.
Finding
themselves hunted by operatives from a clandestine organization
at every turn, can the group outmaneuver their pursuers and stop
the world from descending into chaos?
If
you like epic adventure stories with endearing characters
in an immersive world, then you will love the Aegis
League series!
Worlds
Collide. Heroes Arise.
“If
Daniel Silva and Rick Riordan had a love child, it would be the young
S.S.Segran. With the intensity of an adult spy thriller and the
relatable characters that teenagers enjoy, Aegis Incursion takes YA
Action, Adventure, and Fantasy to a new level.” ~
The OnlineBookClub.org ~
Over
125,000 copies sold/downloaded & 1.8 million page-reads in
Kindle Unlimited!
For
fans of Maze Runner, Hunger Games and Percy Jackson comes an
award-winning story of friendship, courage and a battle for humanity.
MOVIE RIGHTS OPTIONED.
The
second wave is unleashed. The world is forced to its knees.
Two
strains of a devastating pathogen infect population centers around
the globe. From mega-cities to remote villages, the descent into
chaos is swift as the disease spreads like wildfire.
When
Jag is injured from an accident, Tegan reluctantly assumes leadership
of the group as they are tasked with their most challenging mission
yet by the Elders of Dema-Ki.
But
things take a turn for the worse when one of them becomes infected
and hovers on the brink of death. The friends throw caution to the
wind and risk everything in their quest for a cure… one which, for
reasons unknown, has remained concealed for over two thousand years.
Can
Tegan and the League discover the remedy before a relentless enemy
locates and destroys it, sending millions of lives to their end?
If
you like gripping action-adventure stories in an
immersive world, then you will love the Aegis League
series!
Worlds
Collide. Heroes Arise.
“Following
the tradition of the prior two books, readers are treated to chapter
after chapter of fascinating characters, exciting action and
apocalyptic consequences.” ~~
The US Review of Books ~
Over
125,000 copies sold/downloaded & 1.8 million page-reads in
Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon
Bestselling author S.S. Segran is a lover of books, dogs and all the
popcorn she can stuff her face with. Her genre-defying Aegis League
Series traverses the exciting worlds of action/adventure, sci-fi,
thriller and speculative fiction in the YA universe. Even as she
delves into her creative endeavors, she intends to support youths in
developing countries realize their potential through her non-profit
organization, AegisLeague.org.
When not devouring a novel or
writing one, Segran can be found drawing on paper and tablet, or
tumbling into a black hole of comic books and video games. She’s an
ardent fan of horseback riding and parkour, and having enjoyed
jumping out of a perfectly fine plane at fifteen thousand feet —
perhaps skydiving.
Subscribe to her Aegis Insider reading
group and receive a 10-Volume short story collection and other
exclusive material plus Advance Reader opportunities for upcoming
books. Join here www.aegisnovel.com/insider
Stephen R. Watts was born and raised at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains in Northern Utah, where he developed a love for stories at a very young age. Having spent his adolescence creating alternate worlds where he could escape the hardships of mental illness, Stephen wanted nothing more than to grow up and write his own epic tales capable of entertaining readers in ways that reminds them of their untold worth. Stephen’s debut novel was a fourteen-year labor of love, and when he isn’t studying story craft he can be found traveling the world or spending quality time with his family in Salt Lake City.
When sixteen-year-old Harius is chosen to guard a mystic key and sword, he’s sure there’s been some mistake. Protecting the divine relics requires the celestial flame, a power that only mystic warriors can wield. And while Harius is training to become such a warrior, he’s lacked the faith needed to access the flame ever since his mother’s tragic death.
Despite his doubts, Harius accepts the calling at a time when evil forces threaten to destabilize his world. As the son of his nation’s most controversial leader, Harius soon becomes a delegate to a foreign land filled with technological marvels capable of saving his ancient race of winged men. Acquiring the necessary tech won’t be easy, though, as the king of this land won’t share it unless Harius uses the celestial flame to rescue the royal family from a foe out to conquer the realm.
With so much resting on his fragile faith, Harius fears he will ultimately fail. Yet, amid all the danger he will learn that the relics he guards hold the secret to not only restoring his faith, but to revealing his untold destiny.
Harius thought back on the countless hours of study and physical conditioning he had endured since he had been inducted into the Zehnarch Order, and the realization that all that effort may very well have been in vain began to make him feel as small and fragile as he had felt on the day the war had taken everything from him.
To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event Page
Adam Gowans is the youngest of five Air Force brats, out of which his siblings have voted him the weirdest. He loves anything that deals with stories, including movies, novels, television dramas, music, video games, manga/manhwa, and webtoons.
In his mid-twenties, he lived and taught English in South Korea for four years before returning to the States to live, like many LDS authors, in Utah.
His first novel is On Angelic Wings, which has a planned sequel, but the sequel will be released after two other novels that are calling for his attention.
Ever since magic caused his mother’s death, Ha-Neul, crown prince of Balhae, hates witches and the magic they wield. He has instituted harsh laws against all magic users.
Lisa is a young witch working undercover as a servant in his palace, hoping to gain freedom for her people. The last thing the two expect is to fall in love. But when Ha-Neul learns that Lisa is not only a witch, but the daughter of the Prince of Vires, land of witches, he banishes her. Distracted by heartbreak, he is caught off-guard by a military coup.
In hiding and on the run, Ha-Neul swallows his pride and travels with his siblings to Vires, planning to beg Lisa’s aid, only to learn that she has mysteriously vanished.
Now his only hope in reclaiming his kingdom and reuniting with Lisa lies in the remote Northern Mountains, a country no one has ever penetrated and rumored home of a powerful magic source. There, Ha-Neul learns that a being powerful beyond comprehension has been carefully guiding his destiny. But if Ha-Neul can’t let go of his hatred of all things magic, and accept the new path offered to him, it will mean the destruction of his entire world.
He suppressed a shudder when her demeanor worsened. “I wasn’t entirely sure for the past couple of weeks, but now I’m convinced. You hate me,” he searched her face, looking deep into her eyes.
Lisa laughed, but it held no warmth, no amusement. “Yes, it is difficult for me to conceal it when you are in front of me.”
“Why?” His voice was a little soft, and his chest felt cold.
“Because you’re a monster.” Lisa spoke in Haeche.
He never believed he could see her countenance sour as much as it did at that moment. She no longer hid the extent of her hate for him, and it terrified him. The degree of it went past loathing and abhorrence. She held him in complete execration.
To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event Page
William C. Tracy is a North Carolina native and a lifelong fan of science fiction and fantasy. He has a master’s in mechanical engineering, and has both designed and operated heavy construction machinery. He has also trained in Wado-Ryu karate since 2003, and runs his own dojo. He is an avid video and board gamer, a reader, and of course, a writer.
In his spare time, he wrangles three cats. He and his wife enjoy putting their pets in cute little costumes and making them cosplay for the annual Christmas card.You can visit him at williamctracy.com.
Sam van Oen barely escapes freezing to death in his house, as his watch stops and fire ceases to burn. He is pulled into the Nether—a nexus between ten diverse alien cultures—where he meets two maji who can control the musical foundation of the universe. While coping with anxiety attacks prompted by his new surroundings, Sam must learn to hear and change the Symphony, and thus reality, in order to discover what happened to his home.Sam is surrounded by aliens, both strange and familiar. Soon, he meets sister and brother twins, also new to the Nether, who support him during his anxiety attacks. Sam finds he is attracted to both of them, and does not want to choose.
But more freezing voids like the one that started his journey are appearing, and Sam’s chances of getting back are fading. The Assembly of Species is threatening to dissolve and the maji are being attacked by those they protect, while rumors grow of an ancient, shape-changing species of assassins, returning to wage war.
As he looked up from his book, he caught the sky outside his window shading into twilight. Overhead, the light blinked off, then on and the music playing on his laptop—Beethoven’s 7th—croaked a discordant jumble of notes before the screen went black. A breath of cold air left goosebumps on his arms.
“What the—” Sam pushed up from the chair as the overhead light faded again. His breath caught in his throat, like he had swallowed a lump of ice. His room was not large, made smaller by the piles of boxes making up his collection, and now shadows rose between stacks of waist-high containers. He wormed through them in the dim light, heart racing. Was this really happening, or was he having an attack? Why now? It took two tries to pick up his grandfather’s pocket watch from where it rested on an end table beside his bed. His hands shook, and the thump of his heartbeat nearly overpowered the rhythmic ticking transmitted through his palm. He focused on the mechanical beat—let it inform his body with the regular beat of time.
Calm down. Stillness evaded him, left him unsteady. Everything is going dark in the middle of the day. At least the watch was working. He made sure to keep it wound, and kept it safe in his room.
While watching the darkened sky, his other hand fingered the lid of a small shoebox. His collection of boxes contained grass clippings, shells, sand, and other things, bought by friends and customers of his aunt. They reminded him of favorite sights and smells. However, the shoebox contained things more precious than the rest: half a belt, stiff from water damage, and the heel of a woman’s left shoe, sheared off cleanly.
No. Can’t think of them now. They’re gone, and I can’t change it. He shivered at another gust of cold air. His room felt like late January instead of August. He eyed the window, but the thought of opening it—letting in the places he didn’t know—made his hands sweat. His hand left the box, moving to the windowpane. He hissed and shook his fingers. The window was colder than the house, which meant outside must be too. He breathed out and raised his watch to his ear, listening to the steady beat.
Is this all in my head? He hadn’t heard a transformer blow, and there was no storm. It was so quiet his rough breathing was like a train. He rubbed his arms, and a quick touch on his laptop’s case nearly numbed his finger. His cellphone was powered down and wouldn’t restart.
Aunt Martha will know what to do. Get to safety. Sam weaved through the precise stacks of boxes, trembling. She would be in her sewing shop. Sam wiped sweaty hands on his shorts before pulling a coat from the closet and socks from a drawer. He dropped his watch in a pocket of the coat, but kept one hand on it. If the power outage kept up, he couldn’t log in for his shift in technical support. What will they think? Will they fire me? He couldn’t get his ethics essay done either, and he had to email it in by tomorrow night for the ethical theories class at his online community college.
The chill air in the hall made him regret the shorts, but he shrugged his coat on, then leaned against the wall, pulling his socks on carefully. If the seams were going the wrong way, they’d just distract him, and there was too much going on already. He closed his eyes. Don’t shut down. Keep moving.
The dark wood-paneled hallway was cold even through his socks, and Sam made a detour to the front door to get his sneakers, adjusting his feet in them, making sure the laces were the same length. It took two tries with his shaking hands. The dark was deepening outside, and by the time he got to the other end of the house, he was using his sense of touch more than sight to navigate.
He met Aunt Martha coming from the small one-room addition that served as her workshop. She held a flickering beeswax candle in her hand. It’s not just in my head.
To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event Page
Traveling
through time is not for everyone, and it’s definitely not Susan and
Freddy’s idea of a fun ride. Their adventurous granddaughter Sylvia,
though, would be happy just to do something new for a change already,
anything!
Travel
back in time to medieval London with the Willifred family on a
heart-warming adventure of history, excitement, humor, and love. Meet
the real heroes of the medieval era, some who you may not have heard
about, and some you might know well! Watch history come to life in
this action-packed saga.
As
Sylvia discovers, medieval London may not be as glamorous as it
appears in the movies, and there may even be someone up to no good
behind the scenes. No one ever said old age is easy, and no one ever
said being a teen is easy. Join Freddy, Susan, and Sylvia on a
jam-packed ride of a lifetime, for they might find more than they are
expecting in their typical weekday routine this time…
Jessica
Sara Campbell was born in Florida and raised in New Hampshire and
Idaho. She loves Disney, teaching, reading, writing, and animals. She
has been married to the love of her life for seven years. Jessica has
been writing since birth, even if it was only scribbles. Jessica has
played both the violin and the piano and speaks French. Jessica has
written articles for several Newspapers in Idaho, but her favorite
writing took place in high school and college where true literary
nerds can let their creativity flow. She loves fishing, horseback
riding, and hiking just as much as swimming at the beach. This is
Jessica’s first book, and it is a dream come true.
Everyone
has read the tale of Little Red Riding Hood… Such a carefree, naïve
girl who fell victim to the wolf and had to be saved by the Huntsman.
I’d like to set that story straight. It all began with a girl, a
curse, and wolf. We all have a hero inside. All it takes is to
believe. Cara knew the legends of her village but she never thought
she’d become one.
Hi
all, I’m Jessi
Mcpherson.
I live in a small town in Iowa right on the banks of The Mighty
Mississippi. I started writing when I was about 10 years old. Almost
every girl has a journal but I not only had fun stories of the day
but poems and short stories that popped in my head. I love fantasy
and romance novels and read almost daily. I like to find my
inspiration in everyday life. That’s one of my goals is to find one
thing every day that inspires me. I grew up an army brats so I have
traveled to a few places over the years. I have two amazing children
and a very amazing husband. They thankfully put up with crazy work
schedules because being a mom and a writer isn’t enough but I am also
the general manager of Sidelines Sports bar in my home town. No
matter how busy I find time for it all. I do hope you enjoy my books
and I look forward to writing more.
Skye,
Stormy, and Savannah Davidson are no different from the other
residents of Discovery, Massachusetts, or so they think. As their
25th birthday approaches, the town begins to treat them with wariness
and suspicion. Skye begins to believe the triplets are special. Can
they solve the puzzle of their past to save the town from the evil
forces that affect their future?
Skylar
McKinzie
lives in the small town of Screven, Ga. When she’s not writing,
she’s cooking, baking, reading, and spending time with her family.
She also loves long walks and sitting by the bonfire in October,
which is her favorite month of the year.
She
writes horror and paranormal romance. She is working on her next
novel due to be released by the end of the year.
