Little Milly and the Great Lakes by Kelly McInenly

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kelly McInenly will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Pretend your protagonist is at school and opens his/her locker – what will we see inside?

Little Milly’s bugle would have prime position in her locker. It would be flanked by a wet bathing suit, a pet frog and some sweet treats. Some of Milly’s sisters’ arts and crafts would be stuck to the inside of the locker door, as well as a photograph of her mother and father. Since we are talking about a Maritimer, there would a lobster roll in there too, for her lunch.

What books were your favorite as a youth and why?

The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. They consumed me completely and I would be so devastated every time tragedy struck the family (which was often), that my mom would have to put the books out of my reach on top of the refrigerator for days until I was up to the emotional strain again. To this day the word ‘locusts’ gives me a pit in my belly! My stories based on Little Milly’s childhood in the early 1900s are definitely lighter than these accounts of growing up in the American Midwest in the late 1800s.

What’s your favorite sweet treat?

Butter tarts! If fat, sugar and carbs had a baby, it would be a batch of butter tarts. I prefer no raisins, a firmer filling and a glass of milk on the side. My mom still makes them for me every time I am home for a visit, but she has modified her original recipe to use maple syrup now that corn syrup has such a bad reputation… not sure they qualify as a healthy snack yet, but it’s a step in the right direction.

What would you write in a letter to your teen self?

I was a pretty good kid, so I might only need to write a postcard, but a very pointed one:

SAY YES TO                                                          SAY NO TO
Cross-country running                                              Perms
Alex Yang’s marriage proposal                                 Pleated Pants
Mom & Dad’s offer to sign you up for golf lessons   White Eyeliner

Coal or candy in your Christmas stocking? Why?

While I think I have Candy-deserving behaviour, sugar has been deemed the new smoking. As of yesterday, Coal stock is growing at 9% and Candy is only growing at 2%, so I would prefer Santa leave me some lumps. You can take the writer out of business school, but you can’t take the business school out of the writer!

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

My son’s – ages 10 and 14 – quiz me on this constantly, so I have given it a surprising amount of thought. I usually pick the ability to make Wishes, as it gives me the most flexibility, but my kids don’t think that is a valid superpower, so I default to Flying. I read recently – in Love is the Killer App by Tim Sanders – that in this age of artificial intelligence, Empathy and Compassion will be our superpowers… the two abilities computers will never master.

What book is on your nightstand currently?

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chris Voss is a fun read for anyone, whether or not you consider yourself a negotiator. He combines stories from his years as an FBI hostage negotiator, with present day examples of how the same techniques can help improve the outcome of business discussions. My favourite concept of his is ‘You only fall to your highest level of preparation’.

Favorite hot beverage. Why?

I love an Americano – a shot of espresso in a tall double-walled glass, topped up with boiling water. Every morning I have two to supercharge my daily run. I once heard someone say if you can’t handle coffee, you can’t handle life, and I tend to agree!

Favorite pizza toppings.

I would eat ANYTHING on a pizza. It is my favourite food and a Friday ritual with my kids. Neapolitan, Chicago-style… I love them all, but I recently discovered Detroit-style and it was life-changing. The pizza is rectangular (because it was originally baked in industrial parts trays from Michigan factories) and characterized by a thick crispy crust with sauce applied on top of the ingredients (vs. on top of the crust). Descendant is the only pizza joint I know of that offers this style in Toronto, but I hope everyone has a source of this deliciousness in their neighbourhood.

Create an ice cream flavor. What’s it called?

I have to admit that while I did not invent this ice cream flavour, I am on a mission to promote it! Humphry Slocombe ice cream of San Francisco created a flavour called ‘Secret Breakfast’… it’s a combination of cornflakes and bourbon… perfect for an Irish early-bird like myself.

Kelly knew Little Milly Lake as Grandma Mill McInenly. The usually serious Mildred would occasionally surprise her granddaughter with tales of the fun and mischief that she and her five older sisters found growing up in the Maritimes in the early 1900s. The combination of little money or supervision, and a notoriously grumpy father, made for simple stories with just the right blend of silly and sweet.Little Milly and the Great Lakes is Kelly's first creative writing endeavor... she has been distracted by Little Mateo and Little Lucas.

Get silly with Milly on her other adventures...Bess and the Boil, Marj and the Medal, and Peg and the Party Line.

Read an Excerpt

In the Lake girls’ time – nineteen hundred and nine,

Many homes were connected by telephone line.

Neighbours had their own numbers – but the phone line was shared:

You could pick up and listen to all, if you dared.

And the Lake girls did dare – they goaded each other,

“Peg, pick up the phone and pretend you’re a mother!”

About the Author: Kelly knew Little Milly Lake as Grandma Mill McInenly. The usually serious Mildred would occasionally surprise her granddaughter with tales of the fun and mischief that she and her five older sisters found growing up in the Maritimes in the early 1900s. The combination of little money or supervision, and a notoriously grumpy father, made for simple stories with just the right blend of silly and sweet.

Little Milly and the Great Lakes is Kelly’s first creative writing endeavor… she has been distracted by Little Mateo and Little Lucas.

Connect with Canadian author Kelly McInenly:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/little-milly-and-the-great-lakes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlemillyandthegreatlakes
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19237406.Kelly_McInenly

Check out Little Milly and the Great Lakes: Marj and the Medal (Book 1):

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Little-Milly-Great-Lakes-Medal/dp/0228808960/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/little-milly-and-the-great-lakes-kelly-mcinenly/1131792651
Indigo/Chapters: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/little-milly-and-the-great/9780228808961-item.html





Check out Little Milly and the Great Lakes: Peg and the Party Line (Book 2) :

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Little-Milly-Great-Lakes-Party/dp/0228808952/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/little-milly-and-the-great-lakes-kelly-mcinenly/1131792650
Indigo/Chapters! https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/little-milly-and-the-great/9780228808954-item.html




Check out Little Milly and the Great Lakes: Bess and the Boil (Book 3):

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Little-Milly-Great-Lakes-Bess/dp/0228808766/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/little-milly-and-the-great-lakes-kelly-mcinenly/1131792655
Indigo/Chapters! https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/little-milly-and-the-great/9780228808763-item.html




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Escucha Means Listen by Talia Aikens-Nuñez

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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Talia Aikens-Nunez will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Take a journey through the world — just listening. Escucha Means Listen helps children discover sounds around them in both English and Spanish. A beautiful picture book with lyrical prose and delightful illustrations, from lawn mowing to the splish-splashing of rain puddles.

Read an Excerpt

Buzz. Buzz. Qué oyes? (What do you hear?)
Las abejas (The bees) circling the flowers.

Woosh. Woosh. What do you hear?
El viento (The wind) is whistling by.

Shh. Shh. Qué oyes? (What do you hear?)
Las hojas (The leaves) are dancing on the trees.

About the Author:

Talia Aikens-Nuñez wanted to be a meteorologist, a politician and a lawyer. She never thought she would be an author. It was the birth of her daughter that caused her to start writing. Raising a bilingual child inspired Talia to write multicultural children’s books.

Talia’s family loves nature so much that she and her husband vowed that they willalways try to live close to water. She and her family live in Connecticut with a little pond.

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/talia_n
Website: Http://www.kidslitbytalia.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/taliaaikensnunezchildrenswriter

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Escucha-Means-Listen-Talia-Aikens-Nu%C3%B1ez-ebook/dp/B01AP0I57O/ref=sr_1_1

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Dog Town by Debbie L. Richardson

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Debbie L. Richardson will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Harry loves to race around the streets of Dog Town. When he stumbles upon the lost city of cats, he finds himself in a race against Dog Town’s fastest canine, Grizzly.

The winner of this race will have the power to save Cat World, or destroy it.

Harry wants to win, but there is one small problem. The race is in the ocean, and Harry is terribly afraid of water.

Can Harry overcome his fear of the water and save Cat Town?

Read an Excerpt

Harry spied the bell of the clock tower over the treetops. He heard the bell strike the first of twelve chimes.

“First place, here I come,” he whooped with delight.

“First to the finish line has to take a bath,” Fleabag shouted, right on his tail.

“Stop changing the rules, Fleabag,” he barked.

“At least we can tolerate a bath,” Junior cried out, though from further away.

Junior was talking about Harry’s phobia – called ablutophobia, a fear of water. Harry suffered terribly from it. He was even afraid to get too close to his water bowl in case it tipped over. And he never bathed. His brown coat could very well have been white underneath the dirt for all anyone knew.

He could see no point in bathing anyway, because he often rolled in something filthy afterwards.

Even now, the thought of water made Harry look up at the sky. Above was a wide expanse of blue without a cloud in sight. Just the way he liked it.

Sneaking a look behind him, he saw Junior trailing behind in third place. Junior’s attention was more on the traffic than on the race. But Fleabag, who was in second place, was gaining on him. She was competitive, probably more competitive than Harry, yet something other than competitiveness propelled Harry forward. Harry was the champion racer, and he’d been the champion racer for two years. He wasn’t about to quit and give up the title.

About the Author:

Debbie L. Richardson has published fiction novels as D L Richardson. She has published three young adults supernatural fiction novels, and science fiction and supernatural thrillers for adults. This is her first children’s book.

She was born in Dublin, Ireland and grew up in Australia. It was always crowded and noisy in the family home. At one stage there were also three dogs, a cat, a budgie, and three mice living with seven people the same house.

Debbie learned to find a quiet space within books.

She now lives in the south coast of New South Wales with her husband and a small dog named Teeka.

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DogTownKidsbook
Website: http://www.dlrichardson.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Town-Debbie-L-Richardson-ebook/dp/B085466GS7/ref=sr_1_1
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dog-town-debbie-richardson/1136477371
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1005300

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Paragon by Shauna Alderson

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Shauna Alderson will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stopson the tour.

Now that high school is over, Randi just wants to live her quiet life in her little town, but it doesn’t feel right without her friends there. Ever the daredevils, they’ve gone to seek adventure in the capital city of Grandin, and Randi can’t help but feel left behind. Not to mention she definitely can’t stop thinking about that kiss she and Eddy shared before he left.

When Randi discovers a mysterious mark on her skin that matches an illustration in “A Handbook on Paragonhood”, she’s thrown into a world of powerful gods and ancient magic that she thought only existed in the myths. She’ll have to step out of her comfort zone—and into the dangerous streets of Grandin—to find a way to protect herself and the people she loves.

Randi’s not the only one with a secret, though, and she finds herself questioning who she can trust. Randi will have to wrestle with what it means to be a Paragon and how far she’s willing to go to do what’s right.

With the fate of the world on the line, can she live up to being one of the chosen?

Read an Excerpt

Louis comes into view as I round the corner of the restaurant into the simple, well-kept yard. He's facing the other way, holding a wooden staff, not even wearing a coat. I'm about to call out and let him know I'm there, but before I can, he spins in a circle, extending the stick as gracefully as if it were a part of his arm. His movements are soft and flowing as he twists around a large cobbled circle in the middle of the yard. It looks like a gentle dance, but it's evident from the way he maneuvers the stick and guards his torso that it's also a fight.

Louis comes back to a neutral position and bows to an invisible adversary before him. “That was the swan,” he says, making me jump. “And this is the dragon.”

He steps aggressively, each strike hard and fierce. He jabs the staff out before him and twirls, nearly horizontal with it. A few stances later, he accidentally whacks himself in the shoulder with the practice weapon.

He bursts out laughing. “It’s not my best form.” He approaches me while massaging his shoulder. “Good thing you’re not my grandma, or you’d make me practice until I got it right.”

“I like the swan better, anyway.”

“Me too.” He blinks as a raindrop falls on his cheek. We both turn to the sky as thunder rumbles in the distance. “Looks like it’ll be a downpour.”

About the AuthorShauna Alderson began writing teen fantasy even before she was a teen. After she “grew up", she completed creative writing courses (and a BA in Development Studies) at the University of Calgary. When not reading or writing, she can usually be found teaching ESL, composing on the piano, creating art, or volunteering abroad. She also enjoys dessert, Studio Ghibli films, and being the silliest person she knows.

Website: https://shaunaalderson.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AldersonShauna

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Paragon-Shauna-Alderson-ebook/dp/B0851YGGTW/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paragon-shauna-alderson/1136514085?ean=9781643901275
Chapters: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/paragon/9990058018816-item.html
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/paragon-8

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Shakespeare Burning by Charisse Moritz

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Charisse Moritz will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the rest of the stops.

He’s the boy who wants to disappear.

One mistake and seventeen-year-old Shake LeCasse lost everything. Now there’s no going back and no way to move forward. The once-popular Varsity hockey captain is living in the basement of a grandmother he barely knows, ditching school, avoiding friends and working hard on self-destruction.

She’s the girl nobody sees.

Cleo Lee survives however she can. Lie, cheat, steal, whatever it takes, and saving Mr. Popular isn’t part of the plan. Telling him the truth about the night that destroyed his life is downright dangerous. She needs to keep quiet, be smart and let the guy she’s been half in love with since middle school throw away a future she’d do anything to have. Too bad she sucks at playing it safe.

Read an Exclusive Excerpt

His moment of vulnerability is my moment of insanity:

“Wanna get food?” he asks.

There are only two of us in the car, but he must be asking someone else. I say nothing and assume he’ll realize his mistake.

“Cleo?”

“What?”

“Food?”

My mouth works for a moment or two before I produce actual words. “No money.”

“I’ll buy.”

“Are you being nice to me?”

“Maybe.”

“Why?”

“I’m wasted. And hungry.” He shrugs. “And I owe you.”

This is exciting stuff, but I can’t walk downtown with him. There are limits to my risk taking. I’d be safer running in traffic blindfolded and carrying sharp scissors.

“We could grab some burgers or something,” he offers, sounding hesitant, as if he expects to be turned down.

His moment of vulnerability is my moment of insanity, because I hear myself saying, “Pizza?”

“Good.”

“Get cheese. No pepperoni. Pick it up. I’ll meet you back here.”

“Wait. What?”

“Pay attention. Just cheese dude. We’ll meet up.”

“Why?”

“Cuz I don’t like pepperoni.”

“No. Why meet?”

“Keep up Sasquatch. I don’t like meat on my pizza.”

“Not meat. Meet. M...E...E...T.”

“Are we still talking about pepperoni?”

“If I’m paying, pepperoni is non-negotiable,” he decides. “I’m asking why we can’t just go together.”

“Cuz you didn’t buy me a corsage and rent a tux. And I got shit to do. Put on your big boy pants. I’ll catch up with you.”

“What shit?”

“Regular shit,” I snap. “None-of-your-business shit.”

“Bullshit. With all your practice you should be better at lying.” He pushes me upright, jerking the bud out of my ear and adjusting so we’re facing each other. “What’s the problem Cleo?”

I don’t look at him as I feed him a teaspoon of honesty. “Me. You. Not a good idea.”

He tilts his head down to catch my eye and his hair flops in his face. God I love those fat blonde curls. I want to pull them straight and watch them bounce back. I want to feel them slide through the spaces between my fingers while I devour that mouth, which is frowning in a really adorable way.

“Explain it to me, Cleo. What’s going on right now?”

“Nobody wants to see us hanging out together.”

“So this is about a bunch of nobodies?”

About the Author: Emily Award Finalist and Melody Of Love Award Finalist, Charisse M Moritz divides her life between upstate NY and northern Florida. When not barricaded inside her writing cave or enjoying every possible minute with her husband and three kids, you’ll find her listening to 60’s music, singing offkey and looking for new reads.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19420257.Charisse_Moritz
Website: https://charissemoritz.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charissemoritz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/charissemoritz

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shakespeare-Burning-Charisse-Moritz-ebook/dp/B07VWCXSQ2/

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Merlin Raj and the Santa Algorithm by D.G. Priya

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter. Click the link to see the other stops on the tour.

My name is Merlin Raj. Usually, I only have to worry about being the best service dog. I help my boy, Matthew, walk at school. But when my human Mom has to go away for winter break, getting ready for the holiday becomes a mess. I might be a super-smart golden retriever who wears glasses, but could I help my best friend with more than a disability?

Gulp.

Will a class on algorithms get me barking up the right Christmas tree?

***

Merlin Raj, The Santa Algorithm is the first installment in the Merlin Raj, Computer Science Service Dog chapter-book series. With a Computer Science degree and a passion for preparing kids for the future, author D. G. Priya blends technology with animal stories to stimulate a desire to read. Each book in the series introduces a new programming skill, complete with study guides for educators. If you or your child like delightful dog tales, practical examples, and accessible learning tools, then you’ll love D. G. Priya’s tail-wagging adventure.

Read an Excerpt

As Miss Babbage said, a task could be done using an algorithm.

Algorithm 1: I could nudge Matthew into distracting Peter and throw the jingle-bell Sugar-O’s into the cart. Then, Dad would notice and throw them right back out.

So, algorithm 1 = fail.

About the Author:

D.G. Priya is the pen name of Bestselling Author Priya Ardis. She obtained her Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin, #6 in the world (Academic Ranking of World Universities, 2014) and #8 (US News, 2020) in Computer Science. Her advocacy of early education in computing and the challenges of childhood disabilities come from her experience as a parent and volunteer. Her love of dog stories comes from the antics of her own golden retriever.

Talk to me!

Website: http://www.dgpriya.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/dgpriya
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dgpriya
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/priyaardis
Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/priya_ardis
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/priyaardis

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