Friday, October 21, 2022

Sopia Freeman Series by TX Troan



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. T.X. Troan 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.

EARTH AWAKENED ... SEED PLANTED ... PATH REVEALED.

What begins as a special trip for eleven-year-old Sophia Freeman and her father, leaves her trapped on a mysterious island with a tree boy and fantastical creatures. Later, she learns she is dying from an eternal curse and the only way to prolong her life is to drink the island’s sacred water. Can Sophia and her companions reach the fountain and defeat the guardian before time runs out?

THEY MUST RISK IT ALL TO REGAIN THEIR FREEDOM ... OR BE SEALED AWAY FOREVER.

Sophia Freeman and her best friend, Tim Charnal, must beat all contestants in a three-round Beyond Event organized by the mighty arbiters to free him from the penalty of murder and gain the islanders' trust. Entering the hologram and surviving environments filled with everything from hammer-throwing cave giants to a slimy tentacled sea monster, they will need all their courage, wits, and skills. But how are they going to win when magic is forbidden?

EVIL RISING ... ISLANDERS MISSING ... AND FRIENDS BETRAYING.

With the increase in deaths of Pandilone Islanders, the arbiters devise a strategy to free the god demon within five days to lift the Eternal Curse. All goes as planned until iron-masked creatures kidnap magic users, weakening the army. To gain reinforcements, Sophia Freeman, Tim Charnal, and rescued Allen Chan must gather all six items to cast the Dream Spell, connecting them with Sophia’s father and his air force. But how can the trio succeed in time while surrounded by enemies and traitors aiming to stop them at any cost?






Read an Excerpt from SOPHIA FREEMAN AND THE GATE OF JADE (book 2 ):

“So, Wondnair, what happened back there?” Tim asked, picking at his food. “Why did the arbiters put our victory on hold?”

Sophia hung her head in silent shame.

“Sophia’s body was taken over by, uh … someone,” said Wondnair.

“You mean … T-Tombermon? Why would he help us win?” Tim shook his head. “No, it can’t be true—”

“Look, no monster of that size would simply drop and let you two pass,” Wondnair continued. “Sophia was like its master back there.”

Holding her bowl tightly, Sophia watched her teardrop fall into her earthy soup.

“So, she broke the rules?” Tim couldn’t eat any more. “It’s over—we’re disqualified.”

Wondnair said, “We don’t know that ye—”

“I am so sorry, Tim,” cried Sophia. “We lost because of m-me.” She wiped her eyes. “You shouldn’t have come with me to fight that fountain guardian. Then this n-never would have h-happened.”

“Sophia.” He slid closer to her on the bench.

“I’m n-not the Ch-Chosen One!” She slammed her fist on the table.

Tim gently placed her head against his shoulder and wrapped his arms around her. “Sophia, listen to me. The fight isn’t over.”

About the Author:
Thuan Doan was born in Indonesia, and grew up in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

Thuan has been fascinated by art from a young age, especially fantasy. He would wake up hours before school, sit outside the classroom, and scribble in his sketch book.

After college, he worked on a series of jobs, including: an advergaming association as a storyboard/concept artist, gaming company as lead concept artist, and graphic designer for various clients.

Thuan conceived his first middle-grade fantasy novel, Sophia Freeman and the Mysterious Fountain, during a trip to Gabriola Island, British Columbia in the summer of 2013. Then he took his work and settled in a small town of Enderby, where it’s peaceful and quiet. 4 years later, the story is complete. While book 1, 2 and 3 are being shared with the world, he's writing and illustrating book 4 of the Sophia Freeman series.

Thuan is writing under a pen name of T.X. Troan. “X” stands for Xu, his grandmother’s name who passed away. And “Troan” is a combination of his parents' names.

“No matter how this turns out, I want my family to be a part of this wonderful journey.”

T.X. Troan married Sarah, his original fan and longtime love, in 2016. They live in Enderby with their pack dogs and school of fish!

AWARDS

★ Entrada Publishing Incipere Award, 2020
★ Readers' Favorite 5 star Badge, 2019, 2021 and 2022
★ Literary Titan Badge, 2020

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Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Juche Box Set by Adria Carmichael



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.

What would we find under your bed?
Mostly dust bunnies unfortunately.

What was the scariest moment of your life?
When I was stabbed with a needle at a Russian subway station. Apparently, pricking your arm is a common method robbers use to get you to drop the bag you’re holding, but it didn’t work because my winter coat was too thick so it didn’t go all the way into the muscle tissue. Still, I was terrified for several weeks that I had been infected with something. Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to walk away with nothing but a tiny red dot on my forearm.

Do you listen to music while writing? If so what?
I usually write in silence, but once in a while, I get the urge to put on some rock classics from the 70-80ies.

What is something you'd like to accomplish in your writing career next year?
Publish the next two books in the Juche series.

How long did it take you to write this book?
I originally wrote books 1-4 as one book and then split it into four to make the editing more manageable. So I can’t say for sure about the last book, but I have spent nights and weekends for the past 4-5 years on writing the Juche story.

Just when Areum - daughter of a privileged family in the totalitarian state of Choson (North Korea) - thought she was free from her personal prison, her world collapses around her as her family is taken away in the middle of the night to a hell-like camp in the mountains where people who have strayed from the righteous path are brutally re-educated through blood, sweat, tears, and starvation.

There she has to fight for survival together with the family she hates and is forced to re-evaluate every aspect of her life until then: her deep resentment toward her twin sister; her view of her father in the face of mounting evidence that he is a traitor with the blood of millions of fellow countrymen on his hands; and even her love and affection for the Great General - the eternal savior and protector of Choson, whom she had always considered her true father.

Note from the author:

Have you ever wondered what the world looks like when seen through an indoctrinated mind?

This is a topic that has intrigued me for as long as I can remember, so when I came up with the idea to write a book many years ago, I decided to create it from the viewpoint of a victim of indoctrination… which in the end became Areum (the protagonist of the story).

What I try to explore in this story is how deep the indoctrination of a 14-year old girl can run and how much “reality” it can be exposed to before breaking… if it will break at all. As a comparison, the defectors from North Korea who arrive in South Korea are isolated for three months in a de-programming facility called Hanawon before they are allowed to join society where they go through this process in a more controlled (and less brutal) way than Areum.

I hope you will enjoy this slightly different take on the dystopian genre!


Read an Excerpt

A loud screech in the sky interrupts me. I look up. A large black crow is circling high above us. Then another crow joins in. The screeching intensifies. Another one joins in, and then another. Before I know it, the whole sky has turned black with a swirling mass of crows, flying in a tornado-like circle right above us. I feel their beady eyes looking down at me.

The mass of crows now forms a funnel, spiraling downward toward us. I scream and put my hands up in defense. But the crows don’t target me. The black moving mass instead completely consumes the living corpse of my dad.

“NOOO!” I scream as I helplessly witness the crows dismembering him piece by piece right before my eyes. They pull his eyeballs out from their sockets. They tear the skin from his arms and legs. I cry and scream. I want to run to him, to help him… but I still can’t move.

Then it’s all over, and the crows disperse and ascend back into the sky, bringing their ear-piercing screech and the pieces of my father’s body with them. What was left of him is now again lying lifelessly on the ground. His face is still turned to me, but he had no more dead eyes to look at me with.

Another screech makes me look up to the sky again. The crows are circling ominously. Faster and faster. The screeching intensifies, cutting painfully into my ears, as they once more swirl down towards me like a tornado. I put my hands up in defense and scream as the first crow brushes against my hair. Another one grabs my arm with its claws. I try to break free, but my feet are still glued to the ground.

I now have crows all over my body, and as the one on my arm penetrates my skin with its beak, I…

About the Author:
Adria Carmichael is a writer of dystopian fiction with a twist. When she is not devouring dystopian and post-apocalyptic content in any format - books, movies, TV-series and PlayStation games - she is crafting the epic and highly-addictive Juche saga, her 2020 debut novel series that takes place in the brutal, totalitarian nation of Choson. When the limit of doom and gloom is reached, a 10K run on a sunny day or binging a silly sitcom on a rainy day is her go-to way to unwind.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20581191.Adria_Carmichael
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Adria-Carmichael-591550164840779
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adria_carmichael_author/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdriaCarmichael
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/adria-carmichael

Amazon Buy links:

Juche 1 – The Demon of Yodok: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FQLHKYP/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
Juche 2 – The Weeping Masses: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08J42Y4Y5
Juche 3 – The Storm of Storms: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B099BKWKKR
Juche 4 – Freedom or Death: https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Death-Young-Dystopian-Survival-ebook/dp/B09D9NBZ7S/ref=sr_1_1
Juche 1-4 Box Set: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B3F21BKV/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4

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Tuesday, October 11, 2022

The Fate of a Crush by Marie MacGrath



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Marie McGrath 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?

Juvenile fiction has always resonated with me. I love the themes and the discovery of that age group. Even after I surpassed the age group myself, I still find myself scrounging the shelves for books in juvenile fiction. There is an innocence in all of the interactions between friends and couples. It’s all so new for each character and that situation that it’s exciting. I think no matter how old I become, I can still relate to discovering parts of myself and going into situations with a perspective of innocence.

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

I would love to have powers to freeze time. Time always seems to slip away when I don’t want it to. Unlimited time would be nice to finish a book I want to write or to finish a book I want to read.

What book is on your nightstand currently?

The Queen Will Betray You by Sarah Henning is currently on my nightstand. It is book 2 in the Kingdoms of Sand and Sky series. It follows a strong female lead trying to rule her kingdom when her father dies unexpectedly. Book 1 was beautifully crafted, so I had to follow her journey to the next one in the series. It is actually a three book series.

Favorite TV show from your childhood?

This is somewhat tied. I love Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Charmed. If it is based on how many times I’ve rewatched the episodes, then Charmed would win. I love the magic in both and always secretly dreamed about how cool it would be to have powers.

Ideal summer vacation.

My ideal summer vacation would be going to a secluded beach. I could sit on the sand and read or soak up the sun’s rays. I could swim and enjoy the warmish ocean water and just tune out the world. As a mom of two small children, peace and quiet are a luxury I do not see often right now. So as long as the vacation let me relax and have some quiet time to read uninterrupted, it would be ideal.

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

I think I would want Mia, the main character’s best friend. She’s spunky and a go-getter. She may not know all the survival skills in the world and she is shorter, but she would help us survive. She’s persistent and that would be valuable if we were stranded.

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

Books? Obviously books and maybe a new house to put the books in with brand new shelves. A million dollars’ worth of books would require a lot of space because I like to read paperbacks. So some of the money would definitely need to be spent to put it somewhere and properly display them.

Favorite class in high school. Why?

I loved Child Psychology in my senior year in high school. I enjoyed learning how humans develop and the stages children go through. I knew I wanted to teach and so it was directly applicable to my life, including that I always wanted to be a mother as well. The ideas in that class are something I still come back to frequently.

Falling in love with a senior was risky … especially when he was your best friend’s brother.

Allie Duncan started sophomore year with two aspirations, make her school’s volleyball team and keep her crush on Hunter Baylor, her best friend’s brother, a secret. If Mia found out, she would feel betrayed. The crush was useless anyway. Hunter was a star basketball player and she was a nobody. Or so she thought until his attention was piqued after Allie went on the Baylors’ summer vacation. When Hunter goes to homecoming with Allie’s sophomore rival, she’s devastated and her confidence is destroyed, especially after his date tells her the Baylors pity her. Hunter tries to make it up to Allie, which leads to a kiss, leaving Allie confused.

Can she push this crush out of her heart to save her friendship? Or is Hunter worth the risk?


Read an Excerpt

“You have no idea how much I think about you, Allie Duncan.” He said my name almost as a whisper against my skin.

My body tensed and sent tingles to every spot he touched.

“I-I …” I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to say it. “I couldn’t think either. Being that close to you practically drowned all my brain cells and short circuited the wiring. If you had asked me my name, I doubt I would have been able to tell you.”

“Good,” he said as he straightened and outstretched his hand.

“What do you mean good?”

“It’s no fun if I’m the only one on the edge.”

I giggled. “You’re terrible.”

“Maybe, but at least I’m honest.”

About the Author:Marie McGrath lives in a small rural town in Maryland. She hopes to inspire others with her stories. Her favorite genres to read are YA Romance and Contemporary Fiction. She loves the color turquoise, tigers, and listening to music.

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