Friday, October 30, 2020

Merlin Raj and the Drones of Sleepy Hollow by D.G. Priya



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. D.G. Priya will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly chosen winner via Rafflecopter. Please click the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Mom's Choice Gold Award Winner
"...the more conceptual discussion of algorithms is well done, and the story is satisfying and emotionally resonant." -- Kirkus Reviews

My name is Merlin Raj and I live in Sleepy Hollow. Legend has it that a Headless Horseman haunts the town. Usually, I only have to worry about helping my boy, Matthew, to walk at school. But during the spookiest time of year, we’ll tackle the scariest creature of all—big brother.

Boo!

Will learning conditional logic save this family’s Halloween from certain doom?

Appealing to readers of all ages, Merlin Raj and the Drones of Sleepy Hollow is an ILLUSTRATED chapter-book. From artists to astronauts, the jobs of the future will deal with computers. But do kids want to read a coding book? Not as much as dog stories.

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. If you or your child like delightful dog tales that explores universally positive themes, including empathy, kindness, dedication, and the importance of being true to one's self, then you'll love D. G. Priya's tail-wagging adventure.

Read an Excerpt

After a rousing “Trick or Treat,” Matthew got some sticky taffy. He plunked it into the pumpkin-shaped plastic bag. He’d also put a second sack on my back, in case he ran out of room. We expected to knock on a lot of homes.

Peter marched up to the front door. He flew the pumpkin-head drone ahead of him. It had a small net hanging from it. Peter reached the lady giving out the candy. He drove the drone in front of the candy bowl in her hands and declared, “Trick or treat!”

“What?” Matthew muttered at my side. “He got two pieces.”

As he walked back toward us, Peter smirked. “Guess who’s going to win?”

“You cheater,” Matthew said.

I nodded in agreement.

“It’s not cheating if I’m just smarter,” Peter said.

About the Author:
D. G. Priya is the 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.

Shelley Hampe is an author-illustrator. She is known for her work with Harvard University, illustrating a ground-breaking social-emotional learning program for children. She has a master's in studio art and has taken part in world-recognized artist residencies in the United States. When she isn't busy solving problems, Shelley can be found teaching STEAM principles to elementary aged kids. Shelley's dog Beau, helped solve her problem of cold-feet while illustrating this book.

Author website: http://www.dgpriya.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dgpriya.author
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/priyaardis
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20125405.D_G_Priya
Follow on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/D.-G.-Priya/e/B085P2NMKD
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/priyaardis

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/D.-G.-Priya/e/B085P2NMKD
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22D.%20G.%20Priya%22
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/author/d-g-priya/id1501769549
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/merlin-raj-and-the-drones-of-sleepy-hollow
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/D_G_Priya_Merlin_Raj_and_the_Drones_of_Sleepy_Holl

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Thursday, October 29, 2020

Silent Scream by Marcia Colette



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

Psychokinetic teen Phaedra Thorne is back! Her life consists of balancing her high school and college courses while trying to keep the peace between her older brother Kurt and little sister Nadia. On top of that, their schizophrenic and psychokinetic mom remains locked away in the attic. Believe it or not, things are better than they have ever been.

Those "better times" go up in flames when the only sanctuary the Thornes have ever known--their home--is burnt to the ground. With Kurt severely injured and their mother missing, Phae and Nadia have been left in the hands of the supernatural foster care system. Just as the Thorne sisters start to settle in with her temporary family, a blast from their horrific past comes to their foreboding rescue. Phae has good reason to be apprehensive about the new arrangements, considering many supernaturals want to buy the burnt out husk of a home and have taken a liking to her psychokinesis and Nadia's uncanny prowess. There's only one thing Phae can do. Find their mother.

Having been kidnapped, assaulted, and sold to the highest bidder, Phae will have to learn how to trust other members of her estranged family, if she has any hopes of saving the immediate one she loves.


Read an Excerpt

“Phaedra if the house is on fire, you can’t go back inside. Just wait, okay? Wait until the fire department gets there. Hell, wait for me to get there. If nothing else, I heal a lot faster than you.”

“I can’t. The fire looks like it started in the attic and at least a third of the roof is smoldering. One way or another I’ll be blasting my way out of there with my mom and my brother in tow.” I handed the phone to Nadia who was shivering, eyes filled with tears. “Mason’s coming for you. You don’t leave this yard without him, do you understand? If the cops come, don’t scream. Just stay here unless they find you first. I’ll be back. That’s a promise.”

“Phae,” she pleaded. “Don’t go. Stay with me. I’m scared.”

Oh my god. My gut wavered. Why did she have to go there? I pulled her into another tight hug and kissed her head hard enough to leave a mark. Tears filled my eyes until they washed down my cheeks. I hated leaving her. Hated it more than anything else in the world. But there would be at least one guaranteed dead body up there if I didn't get to Kurt before our mother did. She was a rabid animal when she was in crazed-rage mode. Add fire to it and there was no telling how far her psychotic personality would go to rip him apart. My powers were as strong as hers, so I knew I could take her. The only problem was my powers were just as sporadic as her psychosis. Anything was possible, but my family’s chances were non-existent if I did nothing.

About the Author: I'm Marcia Colette and I love to write urban fantasy, YA, horror, and paranormal romance. Since I was never a voracious reader until later in life, I try to write stories that I like to read, and for readers who don't have a lot of time in their busy lives.

My first published novel started with Half Breed (formerly known as Stripped) and my fantasy life took off from there. My next novel was a paranormal romance entitled Unstable Environment and I also released Bittersweet (YA), Hazardous Environment (Paranormal Romance), The Spider Inside Her (Urban Fantasy), and Deadlier by the Dozen (Urban Fantasy). I have sold several short stories and novellas to Mocha Memoirs Press and I continued my Alexa York series with Purple Sword Publications.

When I'm not reading or writing, I live my best life in the real world as an IT Manager and enjoy getting into trouble with my manga-loving daughter. I can't draw, so she's out of luck with that one. However, I always write a little piece of her into each of my characters.

And before I forget, I also write science fiction under another pen name.

Website: http://www.marciacolette.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marciacolette/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marciacolette
Blog: https://marciacolette.wordpress.com

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08K7NPYMN

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Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Dance with Me by Judith Crow - Interview



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

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

This is a tricky one!

If it was Early Teen Judith, it would be something along the lines of: “hang on in there! School doesn’t last forever and things will get better from here. Stop thinking about running away because you’ll never be happier than you are with your family, and the misery at school is worth it when the reward is spending time with them.”

If it was Mid Teen Judith, it would be more like: “well done. You survived school. Admittedly, that was because you’re being home-tutored, but you’re doing really well. You won’t be able to recognize the person you were before soon! Also, your fashion sense rocks: there aren’t enough people who go around dressed like musketeers!”

If it was Late Teen Judith, it would have to be: “you’re living on your own and you’re surviving! Way to go! Admittedly, you’re living in one of the most beautiful places in the world, so I know that makes it easier. Make sure you read all your core texts so you don’t, say, end up writing an essay which is about completely the wrong thing!”

Favorite hot beverage. Why?

A really nice hot chocolate. I have to say, I make a mean hot chocolate. I use semi-skimmed milk and heat it nearly to boiling, then add Cadbury’s drinking chocolate. Once it’s all pale brown and smooth, I pour it into giant mugs and put in massive marshmallows and lots of squirty cream. Yummmmm….

Ideal summer vacation.

Ooh, very difficult! In an ideal world? A long trip around Ireland, with plenty of time spent in Dublin. It is my favourite city in the whole world, and I would love to spend more time there. My sisters and I have been, but this ideal summer vacation would have my parents there too.

Then, on the way back up to Caithness, we could call in and visit York (my second favourite city) and Whitby (what’s not to love?!), and then meander through Scotland until we get home.

I would love to take my parents to Rome (another adventure I’ve shared with my sisters) but not in summer. I could hardly stand the heat in February – I’m a true Scot!!

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

Probably William. He was loosely based on a man I was desperately in love with but, as I’ve grown up (and William hasn’t), I’ve realised I was far too – let’s say – idealistic. But all the same, I would love to meet him and maybe have the chance to fall in love all over again!

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

Well, that would have to be Ailric. He’s an outdoorsy, survivor type, so he’d be able to look after me and make sure that I don’t starve or get eaten by wild animals. Either that or Tam Lane, who could just whisk me away. But that would probably be cheating!

Favorite pizza toppings.

Mm… the spicier the better. My local pizzeria (an independent, family-run business called Devita’s) make a pizza called Mexicana. It’s heavy on the vegetables, pepperoni and chilies and, to make it even better, it has mushrooms too. Oh, it’s just too good for words! I always order a 12” because then I can have the leftovers for breakfast the following morning.

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

The little house in our local cemetery has just come up for sale, so the first thing I do is buy that and do it up. To be honest, that will probably be in the region of 200k by the time I’ve done everything I want to with it. I’ll then run it as a bespoke artists’ and writers’ retreat – perfect for anyone planning to enter the Crowvus Christmas Ghost Story competition! I love cemeteries and graveyards, so this would be perfect for me but, without that mystical million dollars, I’m not sure it will happen!

The rest of the money? I’d organize that ideal summer vacation and, when we got back, buy my little sister a smallholding – this is her long-term objective and would mean we would have a lovely little escape-place in the countryside!

Not that I’ve thought about all this or anything…

Who was your teenaged crush? Why?

When I was fourteen, I was absolutely obsessed with Charlie Sheen. We’d always loved the film of The Three Musketeers (the 1990s Disney version) and, just after I left school, we bought the DVD. I think, for me, it represented this new non-school life! Charlie Sheen was my first proper pinup, and I bought loads of DVDs with him in through the next year. Then I moved on to Johnny Depp (slightly more conventional for someone of my age) and took down my pictures of Charlie Sheen and replaced them all. I even sent back the DVD of Lucas I had ordered so that I could afford Edward Scissorhands.

I’ve still never seen Lucas. Perhaps that would just be too weird now.

Favorite class in high school. Why?

I suppose, probably, English Language. I had an amazing English teacher. He loved his subject and that love was contagious, so everyone enjoyed his classes. I remember I had to do resits of my first year exams if I wanted to get a high grade overall and, when they came back, he sought me out and said “a great wrong has been righted”. I still remember how that vote of confidence made me feel. What a guy!

Don’t tell anyone, but Kelli spends all her free time listening to folk music. Ok, it’s not what you’d expect from a popular fifteen-year-old, but that’s why she doesn’t want the whole world to know.

When Kelli follows the mysterious Tam Lane, she finds herself in a place where folk songs come to life. As she comes to terms with the world, she makes friends, uses her privilege to help others, and even falls in love.

But Kelli has forgotten the fates which await so many characters in the songs, and she soon finds herself surrounded by heartbreak. Determined to protect the people she has left, can Kelli change a fate which has been sung for centuries?


Read the Excerpt

They left the inn as the church clock began to chime midday and completed their journey in relative silence. As they neared Arlen Manor, Kelli began to feel a strange sensation of being watched, as though a hundred pairs of eyes were following her wherever she went. Looking carefully, she saw there were sculpted birds in many of the trees: great, black, hideous creatures with round eyes which stared unseeingly and followed her as she passed them by.

“They are crows,” William explained. “Centuries ago, before it was Arlen, the castle which stood here was called Corbie. That’s just another word for crow. According to family legend, when a disaster is about to befall the men of the family, the crows of Corbie Castle can be heard talking to one another.”

Kelli felt a shiver stalk down her spine, and she was grateful when they left the woods and moved up the long driveway to the house, which was a picture of gothic splendour in the late afternoon light. She immediately had the feeling that this was the place she had been meant to find, although she could not explain where the idea came from. Climbing down from the trap, Kelli followed William to the door, and stood behind him as he hammered his fist against it.

About the Author:
Judith was born in Orkney, grew up in Lincolnshire and now lives in the far north of Scotland. Her writing is inspired by the experiences of her life so far and she loves picking up on quirks and immortalising them in fiction.

Judith’s new book, Dance With Me, combines her love of folk music and creative writing, and finds her main character in a world where folk songs come to life. Her debut book, The Backwater, was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2019.

When she isn’t writing, Judith is a primary school teacher who enjoys crafting and music, as well as being a generally doting spaniel owner.

Website: http://www.judithcrow.co.uk
Publisher: http://www.crowvus.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jayzed_kay

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Me-Judith-Crow-ebook/dp/B08GC86MG7

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Monday, October 26, 2020

Calla by Christina Bauer



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Christina Bauer will be awarding a Faerie Forest Journal (USA ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

“I swear on Beyonce you should read Bauer’s books because I love them so much I can't even. I'm going to stop gushing now.” – Literary George

Big news in Pixieland! The Blue Fairy is sending our fave pixie, Calla, and her crush, Dare, on a mini-quest. Unfortunately it’s an adventure that requires a lot of togetherness. We’re talking tons of touching, people.

Blue believes that since Calla and Dare are just friends, then this situation shouldn’t be awkward.

It’s totally awkward.

***A 45,000+ word diary written by Calla***

“I absolutely love Christina Bauer’s style, full of action, intense scenes, and characters that will test one’s imaginations to the max!” – Tome Tender Book Blog

PIXIELAND DIARIES
1. Pixieland Diaries
2. Calla
3. Dare

Review

This was a fun book. I absolutely loved Calla - she is a hot mess as she continues her adventures. Although technically the story might stand on its own, I felt more involved and invested in the story after reading book 1, Pixieland Diaries, and learned more about Calla's back story.

Ms. Bauer has done an excellent job letting us in on Calla's deepest secrets and thoughts as we travel through her diary and live her days with her. I literally LOL'd in some parts as her plans often go awry. She is a pixie after my own heart... loving pranks and, yet, they often have completely unintended consequences.

For a fun and relatively quick read, check out this series. 4 stars.

Read an Excerpt

Day Seventy-Five

Dear Diary,

Ba ba ba ba ba ba BAAAAA!

I now have a master plan for entrapping my elf subjects. Not to toot my own horn about this scheme, but toot toot. The brilliance of my scheme is that it’s based on one of the greatest secrets in all elfdom. In fact, if this truth were known, it could upend the very balance of power between Earth and Faerie.

I’ll share it here anyway because in my heart I shall always be a nasty-ass pixie.

My Mind-Blowing Secret Of The Elves

Behold: If you want to lure elves somewhere, just leave out a bowl of Cheetos. That stuff is elf crack. The end.

Amazing, am I right?

Last time I used bait, I chose fairy dust. Big miss. Someone cast a spell protecting my people from being magically summoned. Since fairy dust is magic—or in the case of what I left out, it’s also boobytrapped with even more magic—that set off the protection spell. No one showed up.

This time, I’m using an elf lure that is magic free. One might think the lowly Cheeto is not up to this mighty task. One would be sorely mistaken.

Mysteries of the Cheeto

One. You cannot enchant other foods into Cheetos. Magically-made snacks simply don’t carry that special chemical tang that says humans made this.

Two. If you’re a Cheetelf—and yes, that’s totally a thing—then your treats only come from Earth. Which isn’t an easy trip for most fae. For my part, I’ve been visiting the human world for ages. It’s one benefit of having the Ley Queen as my secret mom. Long story.

Three. These days, my Cheeto collection is so large, I could trade it for a huge chunk of land in Upper Faerie.

Four. Yet I’m sacrificing part of my snacks in order to lure my new subjects, the summer elves, into a face-to-face chat.

To set my trap, I choose the Sunflower Chamber of my new palace. It’s a round space with a circular table in the center. As you may have guessed, everything here is painted in a retina-searing shade of yellow. After setting out a massive bowl in the table’s center, I pour in five party-size bags of Cheetos.

Phase one of my plan is complete.

Waving my hand, I release enough fairy dust to create an enchanted puff of air. The breeze carries some chemical cheese odor out into the hallway and beyond.

Phase two, coming up.

Tiptoeing across the room, I scoot behind the door and wait. To kill time, I straighten the ermine cloak hanging over my shoulders. Underneath I still wear my favorite pink dress because COMFORT and POCKETS. In my right hand, I grip my scepter.

Suddenly, a stampede of silk-clad feet sounds down the outer hallway. Heh heh. The first prey arrives.

About the Author:
Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates

Stalk Christina On Social Media – She Loves It!

Blog: http://monsterhousebooks.com/blog/category/christina
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorBauer/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CB_Bauer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christina_cb_bauer/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-bauer-481b12139/
Web site: http://monsterhousebooks.com/authors/cbauer

The book is on sale for only $0.99.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083TBKR4C

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Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Dance with Me by Judith Crow



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions>. The author will be awarding 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.

Don’t tell anyone, but Kelli spends all her free time listening to folk music. Ok, it’s not what you’d expect from a popular fifteen-year-old, but that’s why she doesn’t want the whole world to know.

When Kelli follows the mysterious Tam Lane, she finds herself in a place where folk songs come to life. As she comes to terms with the world, she makes friends, uses her privilege to help others, and even falls in love.

But Kelli has forgotten the fates which await so many characters in the songs, and she soon finds herself surrounded by heartbreak. Determined to protect the people she has left, can Kelli change a fate which has been sung for centuries?


This is an interesting book. Kelli is a bit of a loner with parents and a brother who are unengaged. She loves folk music, especially the ballads of Scotland.

Each chapter begins with a snippet from a particular song, and the portion of the story goes along with that particular ballad. The concept is intriguing and, although I knew several of the songs, there are others I would love to look up now that I have finished the book.

It is defintely a fantasy with Kelli leaving the every day world to live in Carterhaugh, the fictional setting for the meeting between Tam Lin and Janet (sometimes Margaret) in the ballad "Tam Lin". Enjoy the journey through time to discover if Kelli decides on the real world or the fantasy world. 4 stars.

Read an Excerpt

“So, what is Carterhaugh?”

“It’s in the Scottish borders,” he replied. “You must have heard of it before, Kelli.”

Kelli thought about it. The name sounded familiar, but she knew nothing about Scotland to speak of, and certainly nothing beyond the visitor attractions in Edinburgh. “I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know where.”

“Well, it’s a kind of gateway,” Tam explained. “There are beautiful gardens, and the land is very fertile so it is said that any seed to touch the earth will grow into the greatest of its kind. It was the birthplace of the ancient kings.”

“What does that have to do with me?” Kelli asked. “Or with Jehovah’s Witnesses for that matter?”

“Nothing at all,” Tam replied. “But you must have asked about it for a reason.”

“Yes, I did,” Kelli said, thrusting the magazine back into Tam’s hands with her thumb marking the last page. It fell open as Tam took it from her, and a picture of smiling children covered most of the back page, with the title ‘Bible Questions Answered’ and a small amount of text.

“Yes?”

“It was there!” Kelli said, a shiver running down her spine. She flicked through the magazine, but the page was nowhere to be seen. “It was there. There was a picture of a wood and a river.”

“That is Carterhaugh,” Tam said. “The birthplace of kings. You should go there. You’d like it.”

“How would you know?”

About the Author:
Judith was born in Orkney, grew up in Lincolnshire and now lives in the far north of Scotland. Her writing is inspired by the experiences of her life so far and she loves picking up on quirks and immortalising them in fiction.

Judith’s new book, Dance With Me, combines her love of folk music and creative writing, and finds her main character in a world where folk songs come to life. Her debut book, The Backwater, was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2019.

When she isn’t writing, Judith is a primary school teacher who enjoys crafting and music, as well as being a generally doting spaniel owner.

Website: http://www.judithcrow.co.uk
Publisher: http://www.crowvus.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jayzed_kay

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Me-Judith-Crow-ebook/dp/B08GC86MG7

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Monday, October 19, 2020

The Infamous Frankie Lorde by Brittany Geragotelis



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a a print copy of the book (US only) to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Launch of a new series for upper middle graders about a girl who has lived as an international thief, now returned to the real world.

Frankie Lorde and her dad have been a team for as long as Frankie can remember. Being a tutor under the man responsible for some of the world's biggest heists has given Frankie a unique perspective on the world. And a special set of life skills. Frankie can spot an FBI agent in a second. Pick a lock in two seconds. Steal a Bugatti in three. Then dad is arrested.

Frankie is sent to live with her uncle, her dad's brother who she barely knows, and is, ironically a cop. Now Frankie has to go to middle school, learn what suburban kids wear and eat. But also ironically, Frankie is in Greenwich, CT, one of the richest towns in America. Seeing the starkness of super rich and the super not rich who support the community gives Frankie an idea. How to use her skills for doing good, to even the score. . . .


Read an Excerpt

Let me draw you a picture of my life with Dad. This is what happened during our last daddy/daughter outing:

Dad and I were in Paris, hanging out at a hip local spot, drinking café crèmes—a fancy term for milky coffee, in case you didn’t know—and people-watching. It’s one of our favorite things to do. We take turns coming up with backgrounds and stories for strangers who walk by.

Trust me, it’s a lot more entertaining than it sounds. I’d just dug into the most delicious chocolate croissant when Dad discreetly pointed to a lady crossing the street. She was wearing a smart-looking trench coat and sporting a short, boyish haircut.

“So, Frankie, what’s her deal?” Dad asked me.

I studied her like she was a work of art, noting her appearance and the way she moved and then taking in any other details she was giving away. If you know what to look for, it’s easy to tell exactly who a person is within the first fifteen seconds of meeting them.

And who taught me this cool superpower? My dad. See, I told you he’s awesome.

“She’s American. That’s obvious. Look at her shoes,” I said, gesturing at the boringly practical black flats the woman was wearing. “She’s trying to act like she’s not in a rush, but she is. And she’s nervous about something. Maybe she’s meeting someone for the first time? Her trench coat isn’t a fashion statement. It’s there to hide what’s underneath, which appears to be . . .”

I squinted in the midmorning sun in an attempt to see better.

“ . . . very unstylish and poorly fitting pants,” I finished. “She’s a professional of some kind, though her appearance doesn’t seem to be a concern of hers, so I’d guess she’s not in media or entertainment, or any field where she has to sell things to people, for that matter.”

About the Author:
Brittany Geragotelis is living the dream. After 10 years of rejection from the publishing industry, she began to post her original novel, Life's a Witch, on the online writing site, Wattpad, hoping that others would enjoy reading her book. A year after the first upload, the book had received 19 million reads, which caught the attention of Publisher's Weekly, The Huffington Post and The Wall Street Journal.

After building up some buzz in the industry, she hooked up with her agents who instantly received interest from publishers and movie/tv producers. Within weeks, Life's a Witch went into auction between four major publishing houses, and in the end Brittany landed a 3-book deal with publishing powerhouse, Simon and Schuster.

http://www.brittanygeragotelis.com
http://www.facebook.com/BrittanyGeragotelis
http://www.twitter.com/TheBookSlayer
http://www.youtube.com/TheBookSlayer
http://www.pinterest.com/TheBookSlayer
http://www.instagram.com/TheBookSlayer

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1645950263/ref=x_gr_w_bb_glide_sin

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Monday, October 12, 2020

It Came from the Science Lab by T. Melissa Madian


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. T. Melissa Madian 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 in the tour.

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

Bartholomew is a curious little creature that was created by a science experiment gone wrong and is therefore not familiar with our world. So he’d probably collect things that he’s discovered while wandering around exploring and put them in his locker for safe-keeping. Things like bottle caps, old cameras that don’t quite work, forks (metal and plastic), and cassette tapes that aren’t fully spooled so the tape is hanging from the casing. And his well-marked science textbooks because he loves science!

What books were your favorite as a youth and why?

I loved reading EVERYTHING I could get my hands on as a kid! I was a huge fan of the Encyclopedia Brown mysteries – so much so that my public school librarian started to keep me informed of when she’d get new books in the series, since I’d read everything so quickly! I really enjoyed Gordon Korman’s books, especially “I Want to Go Home”; humour is a large part of what I enjoy in a book, and his books always made me laugh. I also loved – and still love – Choose Your Own Adventure books. I kept a bunch of my favorites and they sit on my bookshelf, just in case I want a splash of nostalgia in my day. Even just looking at them on the shelf makes me smile!

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

Ooh, this is a tough one. I’d love to be telekinetic, so I wouldn’t have to get up off the couch to get anything from the kitchen. I’m only 5 feet tall, so it would be super-handy when doing the laundry, gardening or putting dishes away. Or maybe telepathic, so I’d know what my husband and cat were thinking at all times.

Favorite TV show from your childhood?

This would be a tie between Mork and Mindy and The Greatest American Hero. The idea of a space alien trying to figure out how to live on Earth was hilarious to me, plus it starred the inimitable Robin Williams, who was so funny and frenetic. The Greatest American Hero was also a comedy; the premise was an average guy gets chosen by aliens to be a superhero, and he’s really, really terrible at it, which makes everything incredibly funny. I’ve been trying to find The Greatest American Hero on streaming platforms, but I guess it’s too obscure a show from the early eighties to get picked up!

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

Chocolate burnt marshmallow. I love chocolate, and really love the taste of toasted marshmallows. No nuts or other bits in it; I love ice cream I can lick without needing to chew! Served in a fresh-made waffle cone, of course.

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 donate $150k to a STEM charity for young girls, $150k to supporting Armenian charities, and $150k to Black Lives Matter. The remainder would get used by my husband and I to buy tickets to every Formula 1 race and we would go on a world tour, travelling to all the cities Formula 1 races in and enjoying all the local food and culture. We love to travel, and the F1 circuit goes to some amazing locations, so it’s a great opportunity to combine everything we love into one big adventure!

Favorite class in high school. Why?

Physics! Understanding how the forces in the world work and all the different possibilities that can be created by just by knowing the fundamentals of physics has always been fascinating to me. My enjoyment of Physics was one of the big reasons I went to university for Mechanical Engineering. Science is a fantastic field of study, and my hope is that more kids get excited about learning science subjects, as it can open the mind to such amazing creativity and potential.

It was business as usual at the Acme Science Lab, until one day a massive explosion sent the scientists fleeing for safety.

But out of the smoke and chemicals emerged an amazing new creature... Bartholomew Blob!

With the lab destroyed, Bartholomew leaves the comforts of the only home he has ever known in search of new friends and a place to live.

As he travels through golden fields his body changes color with every emotion he feels.

Life can be lonely for a blob, but Bartholomew discovers there's kindness and love to be found in every adventure.

Read an Excerpt

A deafening noise filled the air around Bartholomew. He turned and shrieked – a huge object with large, sharp teeth and four fat round legs was heading straight for him! A yellow streak ran across Bartholomew and he shut his eyes tightly, hoping the creature would not see him.

The tractor stopped mere feet from Bartholomew. A girl jumped out and ran over to him, picking him up in her arms and lifting him to her face. Bartholomew, feeling the strength of her arms, opened his eyes and looked into a pair of big, brown eyes.

“What are you?” she asked.

“I… I… I’m Bartholomew Blob. I came from the science lab across the fields” Bartholomew said.

About the Author:
T. Melissa Madian is the Chief Fabulous Officer at TMM Enablement Services Inc. As a mechanical engineer, she loves taking the science of what is possible and imagining stories around the impossible. She is a storyteller, mom to a precocious cat, and auntie to her human nephew. She hopes that this book serves as a reminder to people – adults and children – that even the weirdest and most unusual creature just wants and deserves to be loved.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20605306.T_Melissa_Madian Twitter: https://twitter.com/melissamadian
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamadian
Website: https://melissamadian.com/buy-my-books
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissamadian/

BUY LINKS:

AMAZON.COM: https://amazon.com/dp/0228835186
AMAZON.CA: https://amazon.ca/dp/0228835186
KINDLE: https://amazon.com/dp/B08DJBG3M3
BOOKSHOP: https://bookshop.org/books/it-came-from-the-science-lab-9780228835202/9780228835189
BARNES and NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/it-came-from-the-science-lab-t-melissa-madian/1137396719
BOOK DEPOSITORY: https://www.bookdepository.com/It-Came-From-the-Science-Lab-T-Melissa-Madian-Lan-Nguyen/9780228835189

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Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Nine Ways to Empower Tweens by Kathleen Boucher



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kathleen Boucher 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.

Nine Ways to Empower Tweens #LIFESKILLS is a self-help book for tweens. Fraternal twins Emma and Elliot teach tweens practical life strategies that they've learned from their parents and teachers. These life skills include how to have more confidence when presenting in class, the importance of work ethic, a simple writing technique to help deal with anger, and more. There are exercises at the end of each chapter that tweens can use to integrate what they've learned.

"Engagingly written and well-designed, NINE WAYS TO EMPOWER TWEENS #LIFESKILLS by Kathleen Boucher should be required reading for teenagers and even older readers interested in building personal strength, developing a positive mind-set and achieving goals throughout their lives."

- Andrea Karen Hammer for IndieReader

Read an Exclusive Excerpt

Chapter 2: Start Each Day With Gratitude

Activity: My Morning Mantra

"When you wake up in the morning, go into the bathroom, look at yourself fin the mirror, and say "Thank, you, thank you, thank you, Every day in every way, I am getting better and better." Do this every day. Do it until it become a habit. It takes twenty-one days to form a habit, so commit to doing this for twenty-one days. Smile. Laugh. Dance. Get energized! Great- you have started your day with being grateful."



About the Author:
Kathleen Boucher is an award-winning children's book author, a certified lifestyle coach, a certified neurocoach, a certified stress and wellness consultant, and a registered nurse. Her mission is to inspire kids to follow their dreams. Nine Ways to Empower Tweens #LIFESKILLS gives tweens strategies that empower them.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Great-kids-and-me-661472150542382/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/goodoutstanding
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-boucher-7b6b0246/
Website: https://www.boucherbooks.com/

BUY LINKS

AMAZON.COM: https://amazon.com/dp/0228818826
AMAZON.CA: https://amazon.ca/dp/0228818826
KINDLE: https://amazon.com/dp/B0821SSQ1V
BOOKSHOP: https://bookshop.org/books/nine-ways-to-empower-tweens-lifeskills/9780228818823
INDIGO CHAPTERS: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/nine-ways-to-empower-tweens/9780228818823-item.html
BARNES and NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nine-ways-to-empower-tweens-lifeskills-kathleen-boucher/1135553306
BOOK DEPOSITORY: https://www.bookdepository.com/Nine-Ways-Empower-Tweens-LifeSkills-Kathleen-Boucher-Sara-Chadwick-Holmes/9780228818823
RAKUTEN KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/nine-ways-to-empower-tweens-lifeskills
SMASHWORDS: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/992720

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