Retaliation by Haley Cavenagh

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Sakota saved Astraeus and her friends from certain death, but in doing so, she gained the attention of the Oreck, who will stop at nothing to destroy everything in their path. With their ship severely damaged, Sakota and her crew land on a nearby planet and seek sanctuary while they make repairs to return home. But nothing on this perfect planet is as it appears, and Sakota soon learns they've traded one danger for another. Hunted and targeted, will Sakota be able to carry out her mission, or will everyone she cares about be destroyed?

Read an Excerpt

“No .”

Sakota bolted up in bed in the middle of the night.

Her dreams of blood and fear were monopolized with pointed teeth, cartilaginous faces, long, double-jointed arms and legs, and cruel, black alien eyes. The Oreck. They haunted her, perpetual alien God-ghosts with their eerie, electromagnetic glow beneath papery, gray skin.

Beside her, Astraeus slept, his arm flopped over the groove in the bed where she’d lain as he held her. He stirred, frowning. Was he having a nightmare too? She reached her hand out and searched with her emotions, as she’d learned to do.

He tossed, fitful, in the clutches of a nightmare to do with Upsilon’s destruction. She couldn’t remember what her nightmare had been about, but it had ended violently. Peace, she sent silently. Tranquility . Calm . Rest .

Astraeus sighed in his sleep, relaxed, and rolled over. She feathered hair out of his face. His existence had blown her away, and it still did. Astraeus’s genetic code far outstripped her own. He had defense mechanisms in place to protect him from climate extremities that she could never even dream of having. But more so, for the first time in her life, she’d fallen in love. It went against her pragmatic nature, but his comforting presence anchored her amid the wreckage.

She scrubbed her face with her hand in the darkness and swung her legs over the side of the levitating bed, careful of the bed’s height when she stood.

Humans were either a lot shorter than most of the visiting interplanetary delegates, or for some strange reason, they liked their beds high.

Her limbs ached, fatigue from the action of the last several days. She suspected healing from microgravity had something to do with it too, but she’d been through the wringer. The way she walked, the weight of her lips when she spoke, her arm and leg muscles seemed heavier and more visceral, like someone had injected them with a heavy drug. Ridiculous, of course. She was in the best shape of her life.

In the center of the room, she stretched and did some yoga until the tightness lessened. She rotated her neck. In a day or two, the slight dizziness and disoriented inertia would subside. As a physician, she knew the symptoms. She’d be fine. But telling a patient about them versus experiencing them were two different things.

She padded barefoot out onto the balcony, drew a silver cup from the shelves, and dipped it into the fountain. Distant light illuminated the Chuleron buildings along the skyline in the distance. She brought the brim of the cup to her lips and drank. Cool and refreshing, much cleaner than the sterilized water she’d had back on Earth. Tastier too. Earth water had to be purified at least five times before it could be considered healthy enough for consumption. Bacterial pathogens ran rampant in food and the polluted streams and springs back home, so sterilizing was essential. The delightful coolness soothed her throat.

She twisted her hair and pulled it over her right shoulder, taking in the strange, tantalizing city. Did her suspicions about this place come from her subconscious, because of the death and violence she’d experienced? Or was Hisoka right and something seemed off?

About the Author:

Haley Cavanagh is a military veteran, wife, and mother. She is an alumna of Columbia College, a musical theater nut, and she loves to dive into any book that crosses her path. Haley resides with her family in the United States and enjoys spending time with her husband and children when she’s not writing. She loves to hear from her readers, and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media.

Website: http://www.haleycavanaghbooks.com
Newsletter: https://haleycavanaghbooks.com/vip-readers-group/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/1769243778
Twitter: https://twitter.com/haley_cavanagh
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haleycavanaghbooks/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ambitioushales/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42207961-astraeus

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082MB9VPV/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/retaliation-haley-cavanagh/1135488266
iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/retaliation/id1491106031
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/retaliation-20

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The author is also running a separate giveaway to celebrate the release of the book Enter here for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and Autographed Paperback/Swag Bundle (ends January 15):

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The Frights of Fiji by Sunayna Prasad

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Sunayna Prasad will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome to Books in the Hall! Why do you write juvenile fiction? What draws you to it?

Even though I’m 26, I tend to be more attracted to children’s fiction rather than adult. Just a couple years ago, I started being interested in new adult, but didn’t read much of it.

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

My main character, Alyssa, would have pictures of her and her parents since they died when she was 7. She also would have pictures of her with her friends.

What books were your favorite as a youth and why?

Classics like “Charlotte’s Web” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” were my favorites in 3rd grade. After reading them for school, I’d read them for pleasure. In 8th grade, I started reading the “Harry Potter” books.

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

Not to have unrealistic expectations about what you publish. I was constantly told that my writing wasn’t good enough and I would argue back saying that it was good, because I was so in love with my stories. It wasn’t till I published one and it got pure negative feedback that I realized that everybody was right.

Favorite TV show from your childhood?

“The Fairly OddParents” was my idol. I would go out of my way to watch new episodes. I also wanted to be home in time to catch a certain special of the cartoon.

Which of your characters would you most like to meet IRL? Why?

My MC, Alyssa, who’s gone through a lot in her life. She and I have some similarities, as well, such as how both of us used to take horseback riding lessons, are good with animals, and are quite naïve.

Favorite class in high school. Why?

Definitely chefs. Thanks to that class, I expanded my taste buds and tried new things that I wouldn’t have eaten before. One of them is cheese, which I disliked when I was little.

A world of magic and adventure awaits…

Sent to live with her strict, aloof, and uncaring uncle after her parents are killed in a car accident, twelve-year-old orphan Alyssa McCarthy longs for the life she used to have—one filled with fun and love. Then one stormy night, a message appears in the raindrops on the window that will change everything.

"Your life will never be the same again, as magic will interfere."

Before long, Alyssa is kidnapped by Master Beau, a banished sorcerer with a mysterious connection to her who can only regain his power by weakening hers. Suddenly hurled into a world of wizardry filled with fantastical beasts and marvelous technology beyond her wildest imagination, Alyssa must defeat Master Beau if she ever wants to get home again. But Master Beau will stop at nothing, including using Alyssa’s friends, to ensure he is triumphant.

Originally titled "From Frights to Flaws", this story is the exciting and enchanting first book in the "Magical Missions" series.

Read an Excerpt

About a half hour had gone by, and footsteps thumped down the stairs. Alyssa figured out that Mathias had returned via his flying tube since Isabelle had said that he owned one too. Alyssa turned to the staircase and watched him carry a small cage with about six or seven mice. They had white fur with patches of green, purple, red, and blue. Mathias also carried a bag of silver, gold, copper, metallic green, red, and blue fronds.

He entered the living room and sat on one of the couch chairs. He placed the cage on the carpet. But Isabelle bent her eyebrows. “Mathias, don’t put them on the carpet. They’re going to—”

“Isabelle, it’s okay. They’re in a cage.”

“Still, they’re filthy wild animals, and they could get my clean carpet dirty.” “Oh, Isabelle, stop being such a neat freak,” said Mathias.

“No.” Isabelle turned to Simon, who sat on the other couch chair and listened to his WiPod. “Simon, can you track the snake, please?”

Simon took out his earbuds. “What did you want me track? I didn’t get that.” Isabelle repeated herself, and Simon made his tablet appear. Alyssa watched him press it; he probably programmed a way to track the snake.

“Simon, how far away is the snake?” asked Alyssa.

“Erm . . . about a hundred feet away,” he replied.

“Oh my god,” moaned Alyssa.

“Let’s go,” said Isabelle.

Alyssa’s stomach hardened as she walked up the stairs. She could even feel her heart throb through her throat. She hurried her breathing and followed everyone else out of the tent.

Alyssa stepped onto the sand and saw something move. She gasped, her muscles constricting to her bones. Her hands shook and cooled down despite the burning sun. Tingles spread through her toes and fingers and expanded to the rest of her body. She whined through her contracted throat. She wished that what she saw was just a mirage. But the smell of the ash hanging in the air revealed to her that she didn’t just see things—the snake drew nearer.

It opened its jaw, exhaling light gray ash. It stuck out its pointy black tongue and pushed its head toward Alyssa, and she coughed. But it sped up its slithering. Alyssa screamed and spun around. She dashed along the beach, and her feet sped up, thus kicking the backs of her legs.

“Alyssa, get back here!” yelled Mathias. “I can’t disappear holding the cage or mice! It’s impossible doing both!”

But Alyssa continued to sprint across the beach. Sand streamed into her sneakers. Sweat even trickled into the neckline of her shirt and her legs.

Something scaly slapped her legs. She flew into the air and screamed. Her body fought against the direction of the breeze, and she landed on her butt.

She moaned and quickened up breaths through her gritted teeth. The snake continued to slither and release ash. Shrieking, Alyssa bolted up and turned around. She headed into the rainforest.

Facing vines, twigs, trees, bushes, and fronds, Alyssa found her way around them. Her legs ached from all the different movements she made. She ran sideways from a tree, jumped over a couple of twigs and vines, and zigzagged around trees and bushes. A trail even lay in front of her.

Alyssa’s thin legs and body kept her energy going, but her legs felt like they’d been clogged with broken cobblestones. The snake kept chasing her, though.

About the Author: Sunayna Prasad enjoys writing fantasy books for children, as well as cooking, creating artwork, watching online videos, and blogging. She has also written The Frights of Fiji, formerly titled as From Frights to Flaws. She is passionate about modern life, fantasy, and world-building. Aside from her website, sunaynaprasadbooks.com, she also has a blog about different creative and entertaining topics, including fiction and writing, called “Sunayna Prasad’s Blog”.

Sunayna has graduated from college in May 2017. She lives in Long Island, NY.

Website: http://www.sunaynaprasadbooks.com
Blog: http://www.sunaynaprasadblogs.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SunaynaPrasad
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Frights-Alyssa-McCarthys-Magical-Missions-ebook/dp/B07HXMJ6GB/

The book is free.

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In Between Days by Anne Jamison

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Anne Jamison will be awarding a $25 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.

Chicago suburbs, 1985. The high school. The mall. The blood-stained Mercedes. Misogyny. Homophobia. Class warfare. Cocaine.

(And the first semester isn’t even over yet.)

The Jocks with their pastel Izods. The Barbies. The loser Burnouts.

High school in the 1980s had rules. Barbies and Jocks can mix. Barbie cheerleaders steer clear of the losers. Punks want to burn it all down.

Samantha Ward doesn't love the rules, but she plays to win. So when a snarky Burnout goes after her in a face-off, of course she fights back. Of course she fights mean. She may not get his sex joke, but she knows he made one. About her. In front of the entire cafeteria. And what's worse, she feels a tingle when she looks at bad-boy Jason.

How could she know her mean girl put-down would launch a war? Or that the school she knows hides a darker world she never even dreamed of?

In Between Days is a pitch-perfect story of first love, friendship, and enemies; of loyalty, betrayal, and the power of secrets. This darkly funny, suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of The Outsiders and The Breakfast Club.

"GRIPPING AND UNPUTDOWNABLE." --Christina Lauren, international bestselling authors of Dating You/Hating You “THIS WAS a bittersweet tumble into eighties high school nostalgia, with all the angst, sexual tension and emotional confusion involved with first love, and so well done it was a non-stop read to the end.… (Oh, and one of the best first kisses I have EVER read...),” says one reviewer

Author's Note:

This is a historical novel that contains period language that is, and was then, and should be, offensive.

Read an Exclusive Excerpt

Samantha realized he’d been listening, and he knew Samantha was totally confused. Jason and his slimebag friend Skinny knew what everyone was blushing and leering and laughing about. They knew, she didn’t know, and they knew that, too.

It got worse. Jason Devlin’s gaze, it had some kind of weight to it. Samantha felt her breath quicken, hated herself for it. It only lasted a split second.

She wouldn’t look at those boys again.

But they were looking at her, and they could tell something. “Looks like Teen Barbie is already checking out the swim team, dude.” Skinny nudged Jason in her direction.

Samantha could feel her cheeks getting pinker. Now, not looking at those boys made it seem like they were getting to her, like she cared even one bit about Skinny Nowlin and anything he said. If Jason Devlin was famous for being bad, Skinny was famous for being nasty.

She whipped around to face him. “Drop dead, loser. Was anyone talking to you?” It wasn’t the best line, but wasting good lines on burnouts just looked desperate. People like Skinny were best crushed like bugs.

Dave Watson turned back toward Samantha—angry, but not at her. “Are these losers bothering you?”

Samantha barely knew Dave but that was how it worked. She and her friends were more swim team territory than burnout territory. They’d get protection just on principle. Something about this bothered Samantha more than even Skinny Nowlin did, but she couldn’t put her finger on what. It hovered there for a minute, something not quite seen from the corner of an eye, and then was gone. And she had more than enough to worry about that she could see.

Skinny slouched further into Jason with a smirk that seemed like it might crawl right off his face and slither toward her. Jason drawled, “We just felt these young ladies should know that the swim boys aren’t necessarily the best divers in the school.”

Samantha could feel Jason Devlin’s eyes were on her like she was on display. Which, in a way, she was. It was what lunch was about. But for most of the school, Samantha and her friends were strictly look but don’t touch.

Jason Devlin’s gaze made her feel more than touched. Undressed, maybe. And Skinny Nowlin made her feel even worse. Like fingered. In public. Without her consent. She hated it.

Samantha was staring at her chicken breast with teriyaki sauce as if it were the last thing in the universe left to see except Jason Devlin’s eyes. Dark eyes. Darker under a long, low, slanty fringe of dark hair that slouched over his eyes like he slouched over her, over Skinny, over the entire lunchroom. Like his hair had been studying carelessness to cover for his eyes, which had a sharper edge to them.

About the Author:

Anne Jamison is the author of three critical books, including Fic: Why Fanfiction is Taking Over the World. She lives in Salt Lake City with her dogs, her son, and an avant-garde poet. She is an English professor, but not the kind that corrects your grammar (unless she is actively grading your paper). In Between Days is her first novel.

Website: http://www.annejamison.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annejamisonauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/prof_anne
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annejamisonauthor

Buy In Between Days:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Between-Days-Anne-Jamison-ebook/dp/B07XLN7X69
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-between-days-anne-e-jamison/1133878288?ean=9781087805757
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/in-between-days-10
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/in-between-days/id1481939900

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Gods of Merlin by Priya Ardis

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Priya Ardis will offer a $25 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn winner, and an autographed copy of the book to a second randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

GREAT GREEK GODS. THEY ARE COMING.

Foster kid and occasional shoplifter Eowlyn Patience just wants to fit into her Boston high school. When the Sword In The Stone falls out of the sky like a meteor into the middle of London’s Trafalgar Square, everything changes. Then, an enigmatic golden-eyed man arranges for her to attend a school for the gifted in England, and the irritatingly perfect Matt Emrys from science class turns out to be Merlin—the Merlin, King Arthur’s greatest wizard.

Frozen in a cave for fifteen hundred years, Merlin has woken to find the next Arthur. Eowlyn Patience’s mysterious admittance to Avalon Preparatory was not something he foresaw…a disturbing aberration when his most powerful gift happens to be visions of the future.

The race to find the rightful heir rages between deadly gargoyles, wizards, and Regulars, but figuring out the troubled Eowlyn might be by-the-book Merlin’s hardest job yet. She’s altogether the wrong girl. Torn between what is right and what saves lives, will Eowlyn do what it takes to win—even if it means sacrificing Merlin to a god?

Read an Excerpt

“You are my Gwenhwyfar,” he said. “Or how do you say her name in your time? Guinevere.”

I stood, wanting to run but knowing it would do no good. Because I was not in reality. I was in a dream. I played along. “Wasn’t Guinevere King Arthur’s wife? I’m a little young. I belong to no one.”

“I did not come seeking a wife. My former love is the reason we are in this mess. I have chosen you to be my champion, my right hand. You will go where I cannot.”

I growled in disbelief. “What makes you think I would do anything for you?”

Golden eyes glowed as he considered me. Power radiated from his gaze. The power burned so bright, like the sun, that I would be burned if I looked too long. Then, golden eyes blinked. The light dimmed and I could breathe again.

He peered at me. I dropped to my knees on the ground.

He touched my cheek. “You will do it, Eowlyn Patience, because you crave what I do. You would do anything to leave this small life behind. You would do anything for a bit of power.” His thumb traced the line of my jaw. “Seize the day, my champion.”

About the Author:

Priya Ardis loves books of all kinds--but especially the ones which make your nose leak and let your chai go cold. Her novels come from a childhood of playing too much She-Ra and watching too much Spock. Her bestselling series, My Boyfriend Merlin, about Merlin going to high school is a YA contemporary fantasy and romance for those like road trips, wizards, Greek gods, and gender-bent quests.

Talk to me!

Website: http://www.priyaardis.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/priyaardis
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/priyaardis
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/priyaardis
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/priyaardis
Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/priyaardis
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/priyaardis
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/priyaardis

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Magical Beasts Series by Geoffrey Saign

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Geoffrey Saign will be awarding a $25 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.

A demon haunts Samantha Green's dreams.
And she fears it's coming for her...

When wildlife prodigy Sam and her crush—quirky handsome Jake—are attacked by a dragon assassin, Sam discovers her secret past. A past connected to a supernatural giant cat and a glowing faerie.

Sam is quickly pulled into a high stakes battle for the world. Everyone, including a creepy ancient villain, wants her supernatural staff, which she doesn’t know how to use. Sophisticated ninja dragons, a kong-sized gorilla, and mysterious beasts offer help—but are they friends or enemies? Sam has a big heart, but will her love for all creatures tear her life apart?

To survive the hardest choice she's ever made, Sam will have to unlock the hidden power inside her.

Ready or not, Sam is about to find out if she has what it takes to be a guardian…

Guardian: The Choice is the new exciting start of a magic-filled fantasy four book series starring a powerful heroine, a tough brawny hero, and a slew of not-so-friendly magical beasts.

*****

Sam and Jake must capture a magical golden dragon—or Jake dies. Can Sam can save the man she loves? And will she have to die to do it?

But everyone wants the golden dragon, including the powerful Evil One, who has been hiding for centuries and has sworn to destroy all of life. No one can be trusted. Death Matches and ancient secrets test the guardians as never before.

Sam fears that whatever she does, she won’t be able to save Jake…nor stop the Evil One.

*****

IAN BOTY awards = Independent Author Network Book of the Year Awards

CHOICE won the Young Adult category.

Guardian: The Choice was selected as Finalist in “Fantasy,” and “Young Adult” category winner!

And Guardian: The Choice was selected as the “Outstanding Young Adult” category winner!

Read an Excerpt from Guardian: The Quest

A large creature materializes out of thin air a few yards to the side of me. Shocked, my arms tense.

Ten feet tall at the shoulder, the animal has sandy fur, black spots, and gold eyes. An animal nerd, I’ve spent thousands of hours researching wildlife and recognize the creature immediately. “Crocuta crocuta, a.k.a. spotted hyena,” I murmur.

The hyena has to be a Great One from KiraKu; Great Ones that live in our world are called Lessers, and often have mutations and can’t teleport.

I find the hyena beautiful, but I don’t know if it’s on our side or Gorgon’s—the power-hungry Lesser that we defeated a few months ago. One thing is certain; Gorgon wants revenge. I’m able to pick up emotions from animals, but the hyena gives no reaction as it studies me.

Great Ones and Lessers can put you in a light trance just by staring at you, so I avoid looking directly in its eyes. “Are you a friend of Tarath’s?”

The hyena gives a short high-pitched laugh. I sense it’s nervous, but it leaps at me.

I roll to the side beneath its slashing jaws. Rising, I stab WhipEye into the animal’s hip. Golden energy crackles down the staff and into the hyena’s body—its hindquarters whip away from me with the jolt. I roll away again when the hyena snaps its powerful jaws at the tip of WhipEye.

About the Author:

Geoffrey Saign’s love of wildlife led him to write the award-winning fantasy series, Magical Beasts. He often experiences the magic of nature and wildlife while hiking and swimming. He has a degree in biology and has assisted in field research on hummingbirds and humpback whales. Geoff loves to sail big boats, hike, and cook—and he infuses all of his writing with his passion for nature. As a swimmer he considers himself fortunate to live in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Minnesota. See what he’s up to at on his website.

Website: https://geoffreysaign.net/magical-beasts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/geoffreysaign
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geoffrey.saign
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/755980.Geoffrey_Saign

Guardian: The Choice is on sale for $0.99 during the tour and Guardian: The Quest is on sale for $2.99!

Guardian, The Choice: https://www.amazon.com/Guardian-Choice-Magical-Beasts-Bookebook/dp/B07V651Z6B
Guardian, The Quest: https://www.amazon.com/Guardian-Quest-Fantasy-Adventure-Thriller-ebook/dp/B07Z2FFXP2/ref=sr_1_3

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A Violet Fire by Kelsey Quick

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kelsey Quick will be awarding a $25 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.

What books were your favorite as a youth and why?

When I was younger, I fell in love with My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. I would always go out into the woods with my father and just sit in the quiet, beautiful wilderness. Oftentimes I would imagine surviving out in the wilds with only myself and a beautiful peregrine falcon to rely on for food and companionship. I loved that book so much that it inspired the type of fiction I eventually wrote, as well as the movies I loved the most.

What’s your favorite sweet treat?

Oh! That would have to be either taiyaki or a fresh, lavender-flavored latte. What is taiyaki, you ask? It’s a Japanese waffle-like pastry in the shape of a fish, filled with a number of whipped flavors! My favorite would be chocolate or melon-flavored taiyaki!

What did you want to be when you grew up? Why?

I actually wanted to be a dolphin and Orca trainer at Sea World for close to twelve years! I’m glad I didn’t end up going into that, though. As a child you don’t really see how bad those beautiful creatures have it behind the scenes. You can’t see their anguish, so you think everything is just as wonderful as it appears.

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

Literally this, “Calm down, one day you’re going to thank yourself for being a weirdo.” The one thing I got right in high school was being a non-conformist. My parents were my best friends and I didn’t fit in, which pushed me to cultivate my creativity and independence rather than placing myself in compromising situations with boys and with activities at parties.

What candy do you give out at Halloween?

ONLY THE GOOD KIND. Nobody wants the suckers and off-brand Tootsie Rolls. Since I am blessed enough to afford it, your child is going to get a Snickers, Reese’s, or M&Ms!

What book is on your nightstand currently?

I have four… that’s normal, right? Currently I have The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh, Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, and The Beckoning Shadow by Katharyn Blair! All are pretty big in the reading community right now and while I am reading to enjoy them, I’m also doing research.

Hunger Games or Twilight? Why?

Okay, but why not both?! I’m a sucker for both of these series, so much so that I’ve been told you can find a blend of both of them in A Violet Fire. Dystopian is one of my favorite genres, along with vampire romance. Hunger Games because fierce and opinionated females are where it’s at, and Twilight because strong vampires who are susceptible to an average human’s charm hits me right in the feels.

Sum up your book for Twitter: 140 characters or less.

“A Violet Fire is the perfect blend of everything you’ve wanted in vampire lore—horrific and sensual, a dark fantasy world shrouded in mystery.” That sounds cool, right…?

You’ve just won a million dollars and you’re not allowed to save any of it. What do you spend it on?

Honest to God, this is what I would do. I would give away at least half of it to charities, if not more. I would pay off all of mine and my husband’s debt, and my parents’ debt the most that I could. I’m not really materialistic. Anything I could buy that I would want would probably amount to $3k. $2k of that being a new Cintiq tablet for my art.

Favorite class in high school. Why?

Art class! For one, both teachers I had for the duration of the four years were huge for my creativity cultivation, and for two I nearly went to college for traditional and digital illustration. I’m glad I didn’t now, but art was such a big part of my life. It still is, as I use it to make my own fan art and create content for my campaigns, but back then it was my entire existence.

"A vampire tale with a heady mix of defiance and doubt, rebellion and romance." — Kirkus Reviews

"There is not a single dull moment in this book... A Violet Fire has all the ingredients to become the next Hollywood movie about vampires." — Readers' Favorite

"In the Vampire Stratocracy of Cain, human blood is scarce. For centuries, councils have sought to assuage the blood shortage by enslaving and breeding humans, turning them into profitable supply units for the rich and the abled.

Today, eighteen-year-old Wavorly Sterling is officially a supply unit, bound to serve her blood willingly to her master for the rest of her life. One of only few humans that was not bred in Cain, Wavorly knows freedom better than anyone, and she is determined to escape the clutches of her oppressors—despite the allure of forbidden love."

Read an Excerpt

He grabs the hair on the back of my neck and pulls down, exposing the breadth. My mind leaps to my years of night terrors; to that vampire from ten years ago; to my mother changing before my eyes into one of the fallen. I nearly forget to breathe while terror floods my veins.

He’s going to turn me into one of them!

“No! You can’t!” I scream as he lowers his face to the crook of my neck and shoulder, his hot breaths sending chills along my skin—as if each and every inch knows the horror that lies ahead.

“I can,” he says.

My fingers grasp at his immovable arms that have me locked against him. I pull and push with as much might as my hands can muster, to no avail. If I am dirt, he is steel.

About the Author:

Kelsey Quick is a novelist, artist, and businesswoman who loves her husband, huskies, and video games. Since the age of two, Kelsey has been bound and determined to create. From traditional impressionist paintings, to digital comic creation; from fanfiction to full-length novels… her desire for crisp and prime escapism is never-ending. A Violet Fire is her debut novel, harboring the idea she’s had and held dear to her heart for over a decade.

Website: http://www.avioletfire.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/avioletfire1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avioletfire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/avioletfire
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47179561-a-violet-fire
Amazon Preorder eBook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XNKH9XL
Amazon Preorder Hardcover/paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Violet-Fire-Kelsey-Quick/dp/1733072403
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-violet-fire-kelsey-quick/1131658735?ean=9781733072403
Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781733072403

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ExtraNormal by Suzanne V. Reese

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Suzanne V. Reese will be awarding a $15 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.

They told me it would be easy—just blend in, observe, and keep to myself. They didn't tell me that failure would cost me everything.

Mira Johns is pretty much like any other teenage girl. Which is why it's a shock when she's selected ahead of six hundred other candidates to be the first student ever to travel from the planet Nreim to Earth. Even though she’s only there to observe, she’s given what feels like a million rules that are mostly intended to keep her away from the planet’s primitive males. But after she finds one mysterious boy too irresistible for stupid rules, she realizes they have a connection that transcends their two planets—and puts both their lives in danger. When a series of serious accidents makes it clear that someone wants to force her return, Mira decides her only hope is to uncover the truth to why she, the most mediocre of candidates, was actually chosen for this assignment—before the agency discovers her secret and sends her back home.

Read an Excerpt

The room circled around us, lights falling across our intertwined bodies. The rich musical notes surrounded us in full crescendo. The world and all the forces pulling against us fell away in that bright, singular moment.

I imagined him in his bedroom, tormented and desperate, composing and playing each of those harmonic parts separately, then blending them together. Even on my world, I would consider him brilliant. I never imagined my love for him could grow this much.

Jesse released me when the haunting strains of the music died away. I caught my breath—and wanted to ask him to start it again. But he would have to walk away to do that. Another—far lesser—song began. We moved again with our feet side-by-side, wrapped in each other’s arms, our bodies close. I’d often wondered why he was so different from other boys—so pure in his love for me. But with that kiss, I understood that he did long to be close to me. Not in the empty and greedy way of other boys from this world, but simply to express his love.

About the Author:

A decade ago, author Suzanne V. Reese had a string of land-mark events—published her first novel, outlined her second novel (while daydreaming in a university science class), graduated from that university, became a grandmother, and then topped it all with a late-stage breast cancer diagnosis.

That second novel, ExtraNormal, YA speculative fiction, became her therapy during a long and difficult treatment program. It was published a few years later with the encouragement of her incredibly supportive friends and family. Despite little marketing, the book quickly became an Amazon best-seller.

Suzanne then made the difficult decision to ensure her long-term existence by focusing on her health rather than continue with the series. Happily, to celebrate her ten-year survival and end-of-treatment mark, she is releasing an updated version of the best-selling novel ExtraNormal, this time to be soon followed by the remaining books in the ExtraNormal Chronicles.

Suzanne has a degree in communications from Utah State University, as well as certifications in nutrition and holistic health. She is the founder of Story Igniters, which offers courses that help readers find their real-life superpowers. She lives with her husband in Draper, Utah, where she enjoys doting on her seven grandchildren.

Website: http://www.SuzanneVReese.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2726852.Suzanne_V_Reese
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/suzannevreese
Instagram: https://instagram.com/suzannevreese
Facebook: https://facebook.com/suzannevreese
Amazon sales page for ExtraNormal: https://amzn.to/2Qw9kNQ

Note: Because this is my ten-year cancerversary, I will be donating author proceeds during launch week to cancer research. (The Huntsman Cancer Research program, where 100% of donations go towards research. They are also the center that treated me.)

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Review and Interview: In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety by Krysten Lindsay Hager

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Krysten Lindsay Hager will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Why do you write juvenile fiction? What draws you to it?

I was obsessed with reading when I was younger (still am actually), but I would take the edge off of a hard day at school by going up to my room and reading. I remember escaping into middle grade and YA books and how I’d feel less alone after seeing a character going through the same thing that I was dealing with. I always wanted to write a book other people could escape with when they were going through something. I love hearing from readers who tell me reading one of my books got them through something. A woman told my mother she took my book to her dialysis appointment to help her escape and that meant a lot to me.

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

A makeup bag with lip stain, gloss, and blush in it. She’d also have her journal in there with a cute cover. She’d keep her cell phone in there between classes and some snacks. And because she’s like me, her locker would probably have empty Pepsi cans in it and photos pasted inside like I did. I used to have pics of celebrity guys I liked and Calvin Klein ads when I was her age.

What books were your favorite as a youth and why?

My Mother Was Never a Kid by Francine Pascal about a girl who bumps her head and goes back in time and winds up hanging out with her mom who is even more of a wild child than she ever thought of being. It’s funny and the kind of book you can’t put down. I’ve reread it several times. I met the author years ago at a writing conference in New York and I fangirled big time. I almost started to cry in front of her.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Why?

I always wanted to be a writer of some sort. I wanted to write a book series like the ones I loved, but I also had an interest in screenwriting and journalism. For a long time I wanted to create my own TV show, too.

What superpower would you love to have? Why?
I want to be invisible so I can go wherever I want and observe people. I could slip in so many places and witness so much stuff that way.

What book is on your nightstand currently?

I’m reading 100 Days to Brave and one of the new Nancy Drew Diaries books. I unwind best with mysteries since I’m focused on figuring out who did it instead of letting my mind wander.

What reality show would you love to be on? Why?

Music City on CMT. I watched it for the first time this fall and it reminded me a bit of what Andrew and Cecily are going through being in the music world. Plus, it’s so much like the show Laguna Beach which I used to be obsessed with. I’m not sure I’d want to be on Laguna Beach though because that show was a little too much like my own high school. I remember talking to a guy who was a year above me and he said he couldn’t watch that show because it was so much like our old school!

Favorite TV show from your childhood?

The Simpsons was a favorite and I liked soap operas a lot. I was always into those adult cartoons and I still am. The Simpsons still cracks me up.

You’ve just won a million dollars and you’re not allowed to save any of it. What do you spend it on?

I would use it to start building my dream library! Then stock it with all my favorite books that went out of print years ago that aren’t easy to find in used bookstores.

Who was your teenaged crush? Why?

As a teenager I had a lot of crushes on football and basketball players like Daryl Johnston, Grant Hill, Troy Aikman, Jalen Rose, Toni Kukoc, and Deion Sanders. I used to like watching interviews with these guys and I didn’t start liking any of them until I saw them in an interview or on TV, so personality was always what got me to notice them first. My childhood crush was George Michael and I still liked him in my teen years, too.

Favorite class in high school. Why?

I would say sociology, my literature classes and journalism, too. If you asked high school me back then she would say I liked being in were the ones my friends were in that we could have fun in and pass notes.

********

Our review:

A quintessential contemporary young adult, this novel encapsulates all the real moments in time that our teens live through. I think, as adults, we forget sometimes how everything was the end of the world. How small things affected us as teens in big ways. And the big things? They flattened us.

Author Krysten Lindsay Hager really nails it on the head here. True, most teen girls aren’t dating a famous boy or looking forward to potentially being famous themselves, but that aside, our heroine goes through all the things a typical teen does: romantic angst, friendship issues, etc. I ached for her, especially when things with her BFF got rocky. Your friends are everything at that age, the ones you confide all your hopes, dreams, worries and misdeeds to. So, to have one treat you the way Lila does? It’s heartbreaking.

I really did feel for Cecily. She’s trying to do all the right things. She’s a good kid. She actually likes her folks, does her best in school, doesn’t really misbehave. She’s trying to do everything right and the world just keeps pulling the rug out from under her. While the drama was a bit overwhelming at times, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t actually happen that way IRL. It just means that there were times I had to step back from the book and take a breather before returning to see if Cecily got her HEA.

If you’re looking for a really real young adult book, you should grab a copy of this (or the first book in the series). They’re well written, realistic and solid stories for the generation. 4 Stars.

***********

Cecily feels like she has it all: great best friends, the beginnings of a career as a model/actress, and she’s dating her favorite singer, Andrew Holiday. Then Cecily’s best friend Lila begins to ditch her every time Lila’s boyfriend calls. Cecily feels lost, but she and Andrew begin connecting more and she’s never been in a relationship where she felt so understood. Andrew even begins to confide in her about his anxiety. Soon Cecily experiences her own anxiety on a magazine photo shoot, but she manages to impress the magazine staff. Just when it seems like all her dreams are coming true, everything comes crashing down when a photo of Andrew with another girl appears online. He swears nothing happened, but Cecily is crushed. She feels like she’s lost two of the people closest to her.

Was her perfect relationship real or was she in over her head?

Read an Excerpt

“Good luck at the photo shoot tomorrow,” he said. “You’ll be great.”

I stared out the window on the ride back to the hotel taking in all the sites. As I walked into the hotel I felt a new air of confidence. Instead of just reading about someone going out with a pop star to some fabulous rooftop hotel restaurant and being in the big city, I was living it. This was my life and not some YA book heroine’s. Tomorrow I was off on a modeling shoot. I was living a dream and proving how I was ready for a big life. This was my destiny. I could do this.

****

My alarm went off and at the same time an alarm went off in my brain saying, no, I could not do this. What was I thinking? Me, model? That’s where people take photos of you for the sole purpose of other people looking at them, which encouraged judgement and evil comments. People don’t just keep those comments to themselves anymore. Oh no, they grab their phone or laptop or whatever device helps them spew out unhelpful and cruel comments on people’s appearances online for all the world to see.

My stomach felt like spewing all over the nice hotel sheets I was wrapped in. Why did I ever think I was up for this? Those strangers online would destroy me within seconds. Girls like Harlow who were born with an undeniable beauty could do stuff like this and even then, I had seen strangers criticize her online when she posted selfies.

Being anxious always made all my senses go nuts. I ate two slices of toast and then my stomach did a weird flipping thing. Oh no, not today. Looking over at the clock I realized it was almost time for us to leave. Come on, stomach. You’re fine. Just relax and…nope, time to hit the bathroom. Why can’t I just be a big girl and go to this stupid shoot which most girls would kill to do without my stomach freaking out?

About the Author:

Krysten Lindsay Hager writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends...Forever?, Next Door to a Star, Landry in Like, Competing with the Star, Dating the It Guy, and Can Dreams Come True. True Colors, won the Readers Favorite award for best preteen book and the Dayton Book Expo Bestseller Award for childen/teens. Competing with the Star is a Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist. Landry in Like is a Literary Classics Gold Medal recipient.

Krysten's work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times, Springfield News-Sun, Grand Blanc View, Dayton Daily News and on Living Dayton.

Website: http://www.krystenlindsay.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystenlindsay/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KrystenLindsayHagerAuthor
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/krystenlindsay/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KrystenLindsay
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VRYS65N/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VRYS65N
Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07VRYS65N
Amazon Japan: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B07VRYS65N
Amazon IN: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07VRYS65N

Book One: https://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Come-True-Cecily-Taylor-ebook/dp/B079S3KJSH

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Fear Justice by C.C. Bolick

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Seventeen-year-old Rena Mason counts the days until she can leave for college. Every night her father drinks himself to sleep, leaving her to care for her younger brother. When her father is kidnapped by terrorists, her dreams of freedom become a nightmare.

Stunned that her father has a history with these terrorists, Rena knows she must run or be their next victim. She learns the tough guy at school has a reason to look after her - he's working for a government agency with the same goal as the terrorists: find a woman who disappeared eighteen years ago. Time is running out since only this woman's special gift can save the world from a looming nuclear attack.

Rena can't trust anyone, especially not the stone-cold agent she's falling for. Can they save the world before Rena's feelings trap her in an agent's fight for justice?

Fear Justice contains elements of fantasy, sci-fi, and paranormal, with a clean romance. It's the first book in an exciting new series called The Fear Chronicles.

Read an Excerpt

Tony cleared his throat. “You said your dad was kidnapped?”

“Last night. Coach and my dad were friends. They joined the Army together.” Why was I babbling? Tony didn’t need to know my life story. “I showed up this morning because I thought he might know why these people were after my dad.”

“Did either of them tell you?”

I shook my head and looked at Tony. “The man who beat up Coach Andrews—he said he’d give me a head start before hunting me down.”

Again, Tony glanced in the mirror. “He didn’t happen to say he drives a black Lincoln, did he?”

As I spun in the seat and leaned over the headrest to see, the belt cut into my neck. Behind us, a black car crept closer with every second. Someone in the passenger seat leaned out of the window with a gun. “There’s a man with a gun following us and I’m not freaking out. At least, I don’t think I am.”

“No, you’re cool.”

With a bitter laugh, I turned back around and dropped down on the red vinyl seat. “Cool? When are you going to ask why I’m not afraid?”

Tony hit the brakes and made a turn that left me choking from the belt’s grip. “Right after you ask why I picked you up.”

About the Author:C.C. Bolick grew up in south Alabama, where she’s happy to still reside. She’s an engineer by day and a writer by night—too bad she could never do one without the other.

Camping, fishing… she loves the outdoors and the warm Alabama weather. For years she thought up stories to write and finally started putting them on paper back in 2006. If you hear her talking with no one to answer, don’t think she’s crazy. Since talking through her stories works best, a library is her worst place to write… even though it’s her favorite!

C.C. loves to mix sci-fi and paranormal—throw in a little romance and adventure and you’ve got her kind of story. She’s written nine books including the Leftover Girl series, The Agency series, and The Fear Chronicles.

The Book is on sale for $0.99 during the tour.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07N53W6CK

Author Links:

http://www.ccbolick.com
https://www.facebook.com/CCBolick/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15857316.C_C_Bolick
https://www.instagram.com/cc_bolick/
https://twitter.com/ccbolick

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Thea Reeves and the Tear of the Morning by Dmitriy Kushnir

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Dmitriy Kushnir will be awarding a $25 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.

Why do you write juvenile fiction? What draws you to it?

I wanted to write a book series that would draw my daughter in. Since my daughter is a teenager, juvenile fiction was the best way to go from my perspective. Before I published the first book of Thea Reeves series, I gave it to my daughter to read as a trial ... she loved it!, so I decided to proceed with the series. I find family to be the best critics, family tends to never hold anything back when it comes to criticism.

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

Since my protagonist is not really interested in school or the other students that go there, there would be only necessities in her locker like books and miscellaneous school supplies. There would definitely be nothing personal in her locker, since the school is not the place Thea wants to be.

What books were your favorite as a youth and why?

To this day I remember reading Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. It was really the book that drew me into the world of science fiction. Later on, in my early twenties, it was Dan Brown with his books (although I found his books to be very predictable and always following the same "route").

Hunger Games or Twilight? Why?

Hunger Games, no question about it, since it is something that could actually happen and is based in part on reality. I found Twilight to be a modern fairy tale, where a princess is rescued by her prince. Hunger Games is something that is full of connections to the real world e.g. the enslavement of the human race. Hunger Games always hints to the Flat Earth theory, the One World Government theory and some others.

What reality show would you love to be on? Why?

I'd probably get kicked off any reality show. But I'd love to be on a cooking reality show. It is fun to cook and even more fun to eat. I also like to cook with my daughter when I have the time and the opportunity presents itself. So any cooking reality show, I'd definitely sign up. Especially if it would be father/daughter tag team.

Favorite TV show from your childhood?

Fresh Prince of Bel Air ... I feel like I did not miss a single episode of that show. Although what was interesting and funny back in those days is dull and boring today. I tried to watch Fresh Prince a few weeks back on Netflix ... could not even finish episode 1. Times change, people tend to change with time as well.

Favorite hot beverage. Why?

Hot chocolate. It is chocolate, it is hot, and there are literally hundreds of different ways to prepare it. At first I wanted to say coffee, but there are definitely way more options with hot chocolate, than with coffee.

You’re stranded on a desert island—which character from your book do you want with you? Why?

I'll jump to book 4 (yes, spoiler) ... I'd love to have the spirit from the mine stranded on the desert island with me. One, I don't have to feed it or share food with it, so more for me. Two, I'd always have someone to have a conversation with. Three, even if I die on that desert island, I'd still have someone to talk to after death.

Favorite pizza toppings.

Nachos! I remember back in late 90s, Dominoes Pizza had a Mexican pizza and it was pretty much a Supreme Nacho Salad on top of a pizza. Like if Taco Bell and Dominoes decided to create a two-in-one. One of the top three pizza's I've ever had, the other two being Philly Cheese Steak pizza and Chicago deep dish.

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

Pancakes and Maple syrup. I think it would be a great ice cream flavor that incorporates pancakes and maple syrup ... if it's made properly. It would be a perfect dessert for all who love a traditional breakfast.

You’ve just won a million dollars and you’re not allowed to save any of it. What do you spend it on?

A better question would be "You've just found a million dollars", since winning a million dollars means you only get to spend about half of it (after taxes) to begin with. I'd spend it on building some small houses and use them as rental properties ... it would provide me a passive income for life.

Thea Reeves is an ordinary girl, from an ordinary family with financial troubles, living in a small town of Johnston. After she starts an after school job at The Magic Shop in order to help herself financially, her life becomes more extraordinary with every day.

Read an Excerpt

The girl took her eyes away from the pug and redirected all of her attention toward the raven, who sat just a few feet away from her. She talked softly, so no one, especially not even one of her neighbors or her parents would overhear. People these days may get the wrong idea from just a few misheard words, and the witch hunts and trials can begin again. Women have always been identified as the weaker sex throughout the centuries, and every time a woman spoke out or displayed any kind of strong character, she was met with oppression ... especially from the side of organized religion. Not long ago, Thea learned about Salem Witch Trials a few centuries back, and about how many ordinary women were tried by the church and by their neighbors and were executed. History tends to repeat itself.

I am no longer ordinary. Thea thought to herself, and immediately understood that no longer being ordinary could actually have a negative impact, rather than a positive one.

About the Author: Dmitriy Kushnir is a Sarasota, FL local and is a student of life. In his younger years, he had served in the military and received various degrees from multiple universities. One day, Dmitriy Kushnir realized that he had just too much to share with the world and began writing in the fields of philosophy, business, religion, history, fantasy and science fiction. To this day, he has written more than 40 books under various aliases.

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00OQ1J48I
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDmitriyKushnir/
https://twitter.com/dmitriykushnir
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10801063.Dmitriy_Kushnir
https://www.amazon.com/Thea-Reeves-Tear-Morning-Star/dp/107733561X

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Gracie's Time by Christine Potter

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Christine Potter will be awarding a $30 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.

Why do you write juvenile fiction? What draws you to it? I write juvenile fiction because I am the world's oldest young adult. I taught high school English for years, and I have a theory that teachers actually become the age of their students after a while. My husband, a retired elementary music teacher, is a total eight-year-old. Me, I'm about sixteen. I get really happy and really sad like teenagers do. There's nothing, in fact, that I take more pleasure from than watching a group of teenagers get goofy with each other. It just makes me smile.

Pretend your protagonist is at school and opens his/her locker – what will we see inside? Gracie Ingraham is a time traveler from 1962, but she's doing a decent job of keeping that a secret and fitting in. She'd have a mirror for fixing her eyeliner hanging on the back of the locker door; her best friend in 2018 is a nerdy girl named Zoe who lives for the eyeliner wings, and Gracie's trying hard to master them. If it's not too cold a day, Gracie might have her vintage brown corduroy jacket in there, too. Good thing the group she's fallen in with is into collecting old vinyl and upcycling! It's a tidy, spare locker. Gracie's a badass, but she's quiet about it.

What books were your favorite as a youth and why? I liked anything to do with time travel—so A Wrinkle in Time, of course, and the Jack Finney books when I got a little older. Lord of the Rings, of course.

What’s your favorite sweet treat? God, I've never told anyone this before because it's a new thing for me. I love those shops that let you make your own frozen yogurt sundaes—but only if they have the weird little bubbles that pop in your mouth, like from bubble tea. I love mango fro-yo with raspberry pop-in-your-mouth bubbles. I want some now.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Why? I wanted to be an archeologist because my parents' house was built on a plot of ground next to an old resort hotel that had burned down. You could find doorknobs and old silverware if you dug. It was amazing. Sadly, real archeology, I discovered, probably meant I'd have to excavate graves sometimes and that was the end of that. I became a teacher and a writer.

Favorite TV show from your childhood? I like to write time travel, which I guess counts as science fiction, but I don't really think of it as such. But as a kid, I LOVED the original Star Trek. I was a bookish, shy kid, and I had a crush on Mr. Spock.

Favorite hot beverage. Why? Latte. Foamy, delicious latte. It can keep you going for a while if you don't have time to eat. It wakes you up. It is pretty in a mug. It smells delicious. It is nectar!

Which of your characters would you most like to meet IRL? Why? I'd like to meet Bean, who is in all my books, although Gracie's Time really IS Gracie's time; Grace Ingraham is the main character. Bean is an awkward but gifted kid and she grows into a confident boho kind of grownup. I think she'd be fun to hang out with.

You’ve just won a million dollars and you’re not allowed to save any of it. What do you spend it on? A bunch of friends of mine and I run an internet radio station. It makes zero money and we all kick in to keep it going. If I suddenly got super-rich, I'd do over the studios and make it really plush. Either that or I'd buy a house in Nova Scotia and make it gorgeous. I love it there.

Playlist for your current book. Hah! It's a crazy mix. Gracie's from 1962, so she likes old-school folk (like Joan Baez) and The Tokens and rockabilly like Duane Eddy. But her travels crash her into folks who lived through the 70's and like the Grateful Dead—and her friends in 2018 are vinyl collectors who like Bowie and The Beatles, even though it's older music. Fleet Foxes get mentioned. And the soundtrack to Hamilton.

October, 1962

It's almost Halloween, but something a lot scarier than ghosts is on everyone's mind: nuclear war. After President Kennedy's speech to the nation about the Cuban Missile Crisis, Grace Ingraham overhears her parents' plans to keep her safe. She'll be sent off to live with a wealthy uncle—in the nineteenth century.

Gracie's from a family of Travelers, people who can escape into time. Too bad her mom and dad haven't Traveled since their honeymoon trip to the Lincoln Inauguration. So Grace will have to go alone—even though taking a wrong turn can have serious consequences: like heading for 1890, and ending up …in 2018.

Read an excerpt

I heard a snoring sound in the sky then, but it was only a plane. For a moment I thought about how terrible it would be if a nuclear war started right that minute, before I could escape to the past. Then I thought about Mom and Dad. I hoped they’d come get me from the 1890s if there weren’t a war. I didn’t want them to die. I didn’t want anyone to die. I really wanted there to be a future.

Mr. Mahoney and I walked past the train station and out onto the empty platform. He looked over his shoulder to be sure no one was around. “Are you ready?” He took my hands, squeezed them, and then he let go. “It’s the right time and place! Go on back, Gracie!”

At first, I thought nothing had happened, except then it wasn’t evening anymore. It was morning—and certainly not the 1890s. Nobody named Augustus introduced himself to me.

Dad always told me that if you get confused when you Travel, you should always look at what kind of lights there are in buildings and what clothing people have on to help place yourself. But what I saw only confused me more.

A freezing wind came off the river and cut right through my corduroy jacket. People in puffy grey and brown overcoats stood in clumps, staring at what I first thought were really tiny transistor radios. I learned that same day those things are called smart phones. I’d missed the 1890s by over a hundred years—and in the wrong direction.

A sleek, silvery train roared into the station from the north and everyone got on it but me. Bingo, the future! I’d just broken one of the biggest Rules there is.

About the Author:

Christine Potter lives in a very old, haunted house, not far from Sleepy Hollow. She’s the author of the time-traveling Bean Books series, on Evernight Teen: Time Runs Away With Her, In Her Own Time, What Time Is It There? and Gracie’s Time. She’s also a poet, with several books in print (the most recent is called Unforgetting). Christine loves all kinds of music, DJ’s, and plays dulcimer and guitar.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0369500326/
Evernight Teen: https://www.evernightteen.com/gracies-time-by-christine-potter/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/955027

My blog: http://chrispygal.weebly.com
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Total Blueprint for World Domination by Jolene Stockman

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $75 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Why do you write juvenile fiction? What draws you to it?

In Total Blueprint for World Domination, I wrote all the things I had wish I’d known sooner: that you don’t have to wait to be a grown up; you can write your book, plot your adventures, and take over the world – starting now! We all have so much more power than we know or appreciate. And if I can be a tiny part of helping people discover that? What total magic! Even though I write for young adults, I get amazing messages from parents who read my books and tell me they see their kids differently, and adults who change their lives because of what they read. How cool is that? I’m very, very grateful to be a writer in 2019!

What books were your favorite as a youth and why?

I was a weird kid (I still am!) I read Asterix books when I was four and The Neverending Story at eight. I loved the big words and intense themes. I recently read A Wrinkle In Time with my son – I would have loved that as a kid! Science, philosophy, empowered kids, world-changing words. The way books crack open space and time to show you a world bigger than yourself.

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

I started writing this book as a teenager. I knew that when I grew-up I was going to write a book. So, I figured; why not start now and save myself some time? I wrote all the things I wish I’d known sooner. It still makes me laugh when I re-read the book now and see how much of the content I still need to know! That everything is possible, it’s okay to change your plans, it’s important to be happy, you can say no… All those bite-sized life jewels that kids should get alongside ABCs and broccoli!

Sum up your book for Twitter: 140 characters or less.

Design your dream world and make it happen!

Favorite class in high school. Why?

My favorite class in high school was Latin. Along with words that dance on the page (just, you know, the very foundation of science, law, language, art, and everything!) Latin class had violent and spectacular myths and legends, complex social and political structures, art, writing, and so many goodies that bring it all vividly to life. So much of the content of my Asterix books came together here, the gods and goddesses still gracing pop-culture thousands of years later. And better than all of that? We had Mrs. Hill; the most passionate, and completely on-her-path person I’d ever met. She spoke to us in Latin, wore Greek-inspired Jewellery, she showed us pictures of her actual trips to Italy. She loved and lived her passion with every cell, she glowed with it. And she encouraged us to treat our assignments the same way – jumping all in and bringing the stories and culture to life through our own art, construction, even cooking. I think teachers with absolute passion in any subject inspires the students they come into contact with. (Although, our gym teacher was super-intense, she never did fill me with a need to jump or run…! So, personal preferences definitely come into play!)

Total Blueprint for World Domination is a motivational non-fiction book for young adults. Design your dream world and make it happen! Bursting with full-color superheroes, boosted with online learning, the new edition of Total Blueprint for World Domination - illustrated takes you from this very second to your greatest dreams. So, are you ready?

About the Author:

Jolene Stockman is a multi-award winning author, speaker, and business owner. She is also tangata whaitakiwātanga; an autistic person. Since her adult diagnosis, she has gone public with her experience - its challenges and superpowers as a TEDx Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSLdzdwlb_I Her books let you uncover your superpowers to design (and dominate!) your dream world.

Website: http://www.jolenestockman.com
Blog: http://www.totalblueprint.com/blog/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoleneStockman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jolene_stockman/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoleneStockmanOfficial/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolene-stockman-quicke-07513273/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46122879-total-blueprint-for-world-domination---illustrated
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jolene-Stockman/e/B005JN3YLK

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