Review Tour: Sophie Washington: My BFF by Tonya Duncan Ellis

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

Sophie and Chloe have been best friends since they met in kindergarten. They get along like chips and salsa and do everything together from playing tennis to cheering on the school cheer squad. Lately, Chloe’s been leaving Sophie out, and she doesn’t know why. Sophie does everything she can to make her best friend happy, but it’s not working. Then Chloe asks Sophie to fib to a teacher to help her out and she learns the true meaning of friendship.

My review:

It's hard being a tween, especially in today's world with social media recording everything you do.

Sophie's a good kid.  She's smart and capable, perhaps not as brave as she'd like to be, but she comes from a solid family and has her head on as straight as a girl her age can.  Until her bestie, Chloe, starts messing with her.

You expect your bestie to have your back no matter what. But out of the blue, Chloe starts acting mean, embarrassing Sophie and leaving her out.  Poor Sophie has no idea what she's done for Chloe to start behaving this way. They're besties!!

This is my first foray into the world of Sophie Washington, so I'm not familiar with her or her group of friends.  They're pretty realistic and unique and remind me a bit of my own daughter's group of friends when she was younger.  It was nice to see that they mostly got along well, except for Chloe's sudden reversal, thought I have to admit I was surprised to see a group of girls getting alone with little drama.  In my experience, that just doesn't happen.  When I read this line from the book, uttered by one of the boys, “I’ll never understand girls. There’s no way I’d treat one of my boys like that.”
I nodded. Girls can be incredibly cruel.

The writing here was clean and smooth and absolutely appropriate for the age group it's intended. Less descriptive than an adult book, but plenty clear enough to set the stage and keep us knowing exactly what was going on.  The author is clearly talented and knows her genre well.  I only wish these books had been around when my daughter was younger.  Good lessons here!  I do have to admit I thought Sophie forgave Chloe far too quickly and I'm not sure that would happen IRL without at least a few hard feelings, but good for Sophie. Truly.

All in all a solid entry in the middle grade reader genre, and if all the books are like this one, I'd recommend moms everywhere get copies for their kids.  Sophie seems to be facing real challenges that affect kids today, and has good support (friends and family) to help guide her through.

4 solid stars!

Enjoy an excerpt:

The only reason I’m not at the carnival games is because I want to spend time with my BFF, Chloe. We’ve been friends since we shared a swing in kindergarten, and we do everything together, like cheer for our school and play on the tennis team. She’s taller and noisier than I am, but somehow, we belong together, like chips and salsa.

Chloe isn’t in any of my classes this year. During free periods she gets special tutoring for her dyslexia. Don’t ask me what dyslexia means exactly, but she’s not so great at spelling and takes twice as long as the rest of us to do her school work.

Chloe’s been talking about riding the Killer Whale since we were too short to be allowed on roller coasters. I’d do anything for my best friend, and I didn’t want to look like a chicken, so I faced my fear.

Looking back, I still can’t believe I got in line when Chloe begged. The Killer Whale is a perfect name for that ride. Carts race up and down the grayish blue rails like they’re on a speed track, and then drop down huge hills.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Toby, the cutest boy in the sixth grade, stood in front of us in line with his mouth open. “Forget about the baby rides; I want to ride this one the whole time we’re here.”

“This is so cool!” Nathan, Toby’s buddy for the field trip, gave him a high five. “and since there are two tracks, we shouldn’t have to wait long to get on.”

The crowded line came to a standstill and we continued to talk.

“Hey, Sophie, did you start that poetry assignment for English class?” Toby edged around Chloe. “Can you help me with it at school tomorrow? I need to get an A or B to raise my grade.”

“You read the poem yet?” said Nathan, pausing the video game he was playing on his phone and also looking my way. “I can’t figure it out.”

“Why didn’t you ask me what I think about the poem?” asked Chloe with a frown.

“Well, ah, I didn’t think you were doing the same work,” said Toby.

Her lips curled, and I braced myself.

Chloe is super sweet most of the time, but act like she’s not as smart as someone else, and she changes from cuddly kitten to ferocious tiger.

“As a matter of fact, I am doing the same work,” she said, wrapping her arms around her chest. “Just because I go to a tutor sometimes doesn’t mean I don’t know what’s going on. I still have the same English assignments as you guys.”

“I don’t think he meant that, Chloe,” I said.

“Yeah, yeah, everybody knows you’re the spelling champion, while I’m the sixth-grade dummy,” said Chloe.

“Now wait a minute…” I said.

Ahhhhh!

About the author: 

Tonya Duncan Ellis is the author of the Amazon bestselling, Readers' Favorite "Five Star" rated, Sophie Washington children's books series, geared toward readers ages 8 to 12, and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She has received awards for literary excellence, worked as a journalist and freelance magazine writer, and is a graduate of Centre College of Kentucky and Washington University in St. Louis.

The Sophie Washington book series recounts the adventures of a precocious African American preteen from Houston, TX and her diverse group of friends. Each funny and heartwarming story teaches lessons about friendship, responsibility, truthfulness and perseverance. Books in the series include Queen of the Bee, The Snitch, Things You Didn't Know About Sophie, The Gamer, Hurricane, Mission: Costa Rica, Secret Santa, Code One and Mismatch.

Tonya loves to travel and has visited 49 American states and three continents, but some of her best journeys have been between the pages of a novel. As a girl she could always be found with a book in her hand, and reading is still one of her favorite hobbies. When she's not reading or writing, the author likes to ride her bike, swim, and spend time with her husband and three children. She lives in Missouri City, TX.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyaellisbooks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TonyaDEllis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyaellisbooks/
www.tonyaduncanellis.com

Buy the book at Amazon  or Barnes and Noble

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Book Review and Giveaway: The Girl of the Book by Princila Murrell

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Princila will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn host. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Twelve year old Courtney Parker is devastated to have to leave her friends and South Africa behind when her father accepts a lucrative contract and the family relocate to Saudi Arabia.

Jeddah feels like a different planet to Johannesburg. In spite of her initial reluctance to venture out of the comfort and security of their new home, she quickly forms friendships with Nizar Bukhari and Lana Alahmadi. However, not everyone is happy with the situation.

Courtney must learn to adapt to an alien, seemingly unforgiving culture and stand up to the bullies that are making her school life hell.

Nizar and Lana must both try to overcome their family prejudices in order for their friendship with Courtney to survive. Will they succeed? Will they be able to set aside their differences? Can they bridge the cultural divide?

"Girl of the Book" is a compelling, contemporary story that will get older children thinking. More than that, it is a story of friendship and forgiveness that will tug at your heart.

My Review:

This middle-grade book does not have a lot of excitement, dragons, or fantastical creatures. It does, however, share the story of a girl, much like the kids who would be reading this book, who moves with her family to a completely foreign country and culture.

Even being older than the girl in the story, I enjoyed reading about what she had to go through-- the culture shock she experienced. From living in a country where she could wear shorts and bikinis and being thrust into a land where she couldn't leave the house unless she was completely covered to attending an all-girls school she had a lot to get used to.

And, just like other kids I know, she didn't always handle it well.

The book is easy to read and I enjoyed getting to know Courtney and the two friends she made: Lana and Nizar. They, also, had to contend with pressures from their families who were not excited about their kids being friends with a Christian.

This book is good for all ages and I look forward to reading more books by this author.

4 stars!

An Excerpt:

The class was quiet when she left. I noticed the girls were glancing at me and whenever their eyes met mine, they shifted their gaze.

One of them, a wide-eyed girl, finally spoke. ‘Where are you from?’

‘Are you American?’ another girl asked before I had time to answer.

‘No, I’m from South Africa,’ I replied, trying not to sound bothered by their curious looks.

‘No way!’ one of the girls to my right exclaimed. She had a brown abaya decorated with sequins on the front, and a matching scarf hung around her neck. Her skin was fair, just like mine. Her hair was a pale brown, and it hung in beautiful curls that seemed to spring whenever she moved her head. ‘You can’t be African. You’re white...’

‘You’re also white,’ I remarked.

I was referring to her alone because her skin was lighter than those of the other girls. But she probably misunderstood me because she said, ‘We’re not white. We’re brown.’ She pulled the sleeve of her abaya up her arm and stroked her skin, as if to emphasise her point. ‘Arabs are brown. Africans are black and you’re not. So where are you from?’

‘I’m from South Africa. There are white and black people in South Africa if you didn’t know,’ I said, a little angry.

‘Fine, fine. So are you Muslim?’ the girl in the brown abaya said.

‘No.’

They gasped as if I had said an abomination.

‘You’re not?’ One girl spoke for the first time. She had long straight hair, and her skin was a little darker than those of the other girls. ‘You don’t pray?’

‘What do you mean by I ‘don’t pray’?’ I asked. ‘I pray every day before meals and when I go to bed.’

‘No, not that kind of prayer,’ the wide-eyed girl said. ‘We mean salat.’

‘Salat? What’s that?’ I asked.

‘Prayer, stupido.’ The girl in the brown abaya rolled her eyes.

‘Now, look...’ I was about to say when Ms Lopez walked into the classroom. I glared at the girl in the brown abaya. Whatever her name was, I hoped we weren’t going to be in the same class.

About the Author:

Princila Murrell lives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with her husband and two kids. She startedwriting when she was about 10 years old and made the leap to Indie author about two decades later because she could not wait to share her stories with the world. Besides being a nerdy dreamer, doodler, busy mum, and housewife, she is also an avid netizen and reader of children’s books. She loves to cook, shop and, most of all, play with her kids. Girl of the Book is Princila’s debut novel.

Author Links
Amazon author page: www.amazon.com/author/princilamurrell
My blog: http://www.princilamurrell.blogspot.com/
Twitter (@PMurell): https://twitter.com/PMurell
Goodreads (Princila Murrell): https://www.goodreads.com/Priz
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/116158746779810778224
Wattpad (PrincilaMurrell): http://www.wattpad.com/PrincilaMurrell
Facebook (Princila Murrell): http://www.facebook.com/prinzmurrell
Girl of the Book on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlofthebook
  Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/princila
Buy Link http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OT1HQF8

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Virtual Tour and Giveaway - Elf Hills by S.S.Dudley

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Prizes for the tour are as follows:

• One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
• One randomly chosen host will receive a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

Do you ever read your stories out loud?
Always. And I always catch things I didn’t see. Also, it is important to me that the books read well out-loud because I write them expecting them to be read out loud, shared between an adult and a child.

What have you got coming soon for us to look out for?
The second book of Selara Leda & Burt, titled Wish Upon a Star, in February—tentatively. This depends on my illustrator. This story is set in the California foothills.The second book of the Elf Hills series, titled Fairy Trees, I aim to release in May/June. The plot thickens
a lot in the second book.

What is your least favorite word?
Blog. Or maybe, “boring”. As in, “this is boring.” My 6-year-old is using it more and more...

What is your favorite joke?
A guy walks into a bar. Another guy walks into a bar. The third guy ducks. (Really, I don’t remember jokes.)

What do you do to relax?
Run. Go for a hike. Read. Grill something, preferably with a frothy beverage in hand.

If we were to come to your house for a meal, what would you give us to eat?
My wife would be involved, so either we would grill steaks or have salmon (I have a lot in the freezer
from a fishing trip to Alaska I took in August). Maybe get a little fancy, and have quibbe (a Lebanese meat-loaf) and cucumber sauce.

Something strange, something magical, is going on in the dusty hills behind the small town of Villaloma. Yet each time Linda Peters puts on her running shoes and sets out to find the enchanted kingdom she imagines—full of dancing elves, unicorns, and more—something stops her. And with school starting soon, she only has a few more chances to really search the hills. While Linda’s frustration and doubt grow, her cousin, Nugu, looks for answers in his books and wonders if maybe, just maybe, Linda’s stories are for real.

The day finally arrives when Linda can run far, the day she is sure she will find her magic city. But when she and Nugu feel their goal must lie just beyond the next hill, they only find more hill. Is it all a figment of an over-active imagination; a wistful fantasy?

Or is there truly something magical in those hills that only the strong of heart—and leg—can discover?

 

From the Prologue:

This fairy tale, as you might have guessed already, takes place on a hill. Or, rather, on many hills and a mountain or two in Northern California, near what people call the Great Valley. One hill in particular stands out, though, because that is where everything started. It was a nice hill; well rounded, not too high, not too low. It was distinctly a hill, snuggled up against a mountain like a nursing cub to its resting mother. For the most part this hill was well-dressed with dark green oak trees and tall grasses, usually yellowed and dry except for the four or five wet months of the year. Along one side, a seasonal creek slipped out and down into the plain. Here the vegetation—red-stemmed manzanita, prickly blackberry bushes, and other shrubs—was thick and difficult to move through.

From afar, the hill was not remarkable; it had many siblings stretching to the north and south as far as the eye could see. This hill was special, though. For one, a strange—some said magical—copse of trees stood near the base of the hill where the creek emerged. These trees were short, had long, dark-green leaves, and bore bright yellow fruit that, if eaten, were said to imbue a person with the strength of ten men. For another, the hill was haunted. On certain nights of the year a white light would shine from the very top of the hill. It was brighter than the brightest star; brighter even than a full moon, perhaps, and it cast long shadows across the plain. The first people that lived in the area told many stories about that hill, the light, and the spirits that lived there.

About the Author

S. S. Dudley grew up in Wyoming, USA, an avid reader and lover of the outdoors. He studied at the University of Wyoming and the University of Illinois. He started his first book (an epic fantasy hand-written in with a blue fountain pen...) when he was 13, but never finished it. At some point (as his mother recently reminded him), he decided that he needed to go do something (like get a job) for a while before he could, or should, write. He did, and spent time in Colombia, Panamá, Antarctica and the dark recesses of large science buildings on college campuses. That done, he now writes, lives and runs in Northern California with his wife and two children. He can be found at http://www.ssdudley.com, http://www.facebook.com/author.ssdudley and on twitter at @SS_dudley.

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Taking the Reins by Katrina Abbott - Spotlight and Giveaway

NOTE: THIS BOOK IS CURRENTLY *FREE* EVERYWHERE IT’S AVAILABLE!! LINKS ARE BELOW.

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One lucky person will receive a $25 Amazon/BN GC via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Brooklyn Prescott (if that’s even her real name) is the new girl at TheRosewood Academy for Academic Excellence, now that she’s moved back to the States after two years living in London. Rosewood, a boarding school for children of the rich and famous and known for its celebutantes, is missing just one element important to any junior’s education: boys. But luckily for Brooklyn, and the rest of theRosewood girls, there’s a boys’ boarding school, The Westwood Academy, just a few miles away.

On her very first day, Brooklyn meets Will, a gorgeous and flirty boy on campus to help with move in. But is he who she thinks he is? And what about Brady, the cute stable boy? Or Jared, the former child actor with his grown-up good looks who can always make her laugh? As Brooklyn settles in at Rosewood, she’s faced with new friends, new challenges and new opportunities to make herself into the girl she always wanted to be. Whoever that might be.

Taking The Reins is the first installment of The Rosewoods, an exciting new Young Adult series for readers who love fun, flirty love stories.

Enjoy an excerpt:

I should have felt insulated and safe in the back of the Town Car.

Instead, my heart was pounding like crazy as the driver pulled into the long circular drive that would bring me to the front of the Rosewood Academy for Academic Excellence—my new home for the next ten months. The windows of the car were tinted, so no one could see in, but as I was in one of several limos (mixed in with Range Rovers, Audis, Mercedes' and other cars of the famous and wealthy), no one really paid attention. And, gauging by the chaos on the front lawn of the school campus—registration, moving in, laughing and getting reacquainted—people were too wrapped up in their own stuff to notice a new girl, anyway.

The new girl.

I sighed and gave myself a couple moments to calm my nerves as the driver rolled to a stop at the curb. I took my long brown hair out of the ponytail holder, then second-guessed and put it back in again. Then realized it would look sloppy to have a ponytail, so I took it out one last time.

God, Brooklyn, get it together.

The driver put the car into park, turned halfway toward me and smiled. “This is it.”

“Yeah,” I said, glancing out at the crowd. There were several tables, including one with a banner that read, “Check in. Come here first.” Brilliant. At least that part was sorted. The fitting in and making friends part couldn’t possibly be quite so easy.

“It will be fine,” the driver assured me, as though he was reading my mind and standing in as my father or something, making me feel guilty that I’d forgotten his name already. “I hear it’s a good school.”

I almost snorted at his comment; Rosewood wasn’t a good school. Rosewood was the best school.

About the Author:

A survivor of adolescence, Katrina Abbott loves writing about teens: best friends, cute boys, kissing, drama. Her main vice is romance, but she’s been known to succumb to the occasional chocolate binge. She may or may not live in California with her husband, kids and several cats. Taking the Reins is not her first book. Visit Katrina online at www.katrinaabbott.com

Website: http://katrinaabbott.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AbbottKatrina
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatrinaAbbottAuthor
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/abbottkatrina

Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Kobo, or Google Play.

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Broken by Tanille Edwards

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $15 Starbucks GC to one randomly drawn winner via the rafflecopter at the end of this post. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Meet Milan, a young supermodel with a disability from New York’s Upper East Side, who falls deeply in love as she is coming of age. In this romantic drama, the emotional conflict of a girl’s inner soul is revealed as she deals with a first love, the pain of loss, and the pleasures of stardom, all while coping with a lifelong secret. In the world of Milan, the people are real, the situations are rolling, and the truth is often concealed. Broken is a racy circle of sisterhood, laced with a touch of earthiness, glamour, wealth, and fame.

Enjoy an excerpt:

“See any cute guys yet?” I asked.

“The jury is still out,” Sierra said. Just then, I felt a light touch on my shoulder. It kind of tickled. I turned around and was met with friendly dark eyes. He was about six-foot-two. He was built, too. He had athletic broad shoulders, muscular legs, and a cute crooked smile. His T-shirt and cargo shorts were really lacrosse-boyish. He reminded me of a comic book character. He was kind of like Jughead with more of a sun-kissed complexion.

Had I eaten one too many five-cent bubble gums wrapped in Archie comics? I guess this made me Veronica—I laughed at the thought.

“I’m Merek,” he said. I turned around for a second. Sierra was out of sight. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Cara had made a beeline for Dimitri. Odd, yet interesting. What did she want with him? What did she want with us, for that matter? Maybe just to be friends. Was I that rusty at making new friends?

“I’m Milan.”

“You seem to know many people from my school,” he said.

“Is that so?”

“Maybe I should know you. You go there?” he asked.

“Yeah. What year are you?”

“I’ll be a senior next year,” he said.

“Where did you go before?”

“Beverly Hills High.”

“A West coaster! That’s where the wicked tan comes from. Beach bum.” I laughed.

He had very fine features. His petite nose added to my comic book theory. It was as if someone had drawn his nose. He had big, manly hands. I noticed because he kept fumbling with them.

“Well, not a true, as you call it, West coast boy. My father is a diplomat. I’ve lived in a few places. For now, we call New York home,” he said.

“Good choice.”

“Now that I met you. I will thank my father. New York is a great choice,” he said.

I felt something about him. Odd.

“Did you have something to drink?” he asked.

“Chai Tea Latte is my drink.”

He stood there for a moment, thinking.

“Uh. I got it,” he said.

I watched him walk away. What was I doing? He turned around and walked back toward me. I bit my lip a little. It’d been two years since I let a guy buy me anything. And for good reason, I had to remind myself. “I see you came here with three girls. Do they want something?”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Tanille is the co-author and creator of the children's green book series "Jordan & Justine's Weekend Adventures." She is also the author of the new media young adult novel with music "Cameo by Tanille." Th¬e Undercover Starlet Journal is a title Tanille created to inspire young women and has extended Undercover Starlet into brand extensions that appear throughout her novels. Tanille has been writing since age 16.

Links

http://www.Tanille.com
http://www.facebook.com/TanilleMusic
http://www.twitter.com/MilanParkAve
http://www.soundcloud.com/TanilleMusic

NEW TANILLE ALBUM INCLUDED

Readers get free music downloads of the new Pop R&B hits "All of Me" and "What's a Girl to Do" by Tanille, and more with purchase.

Broken is on sale for only $1.99 for a limited time at all outlets

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/broken-tanille-edwards/1119705766?ean=9780978730215

http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Tanille-3-Part-ebook/dp/B00KXPZMBO/ref=la_B00LKQCHMW_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412037114&sr=1-7

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Understudy by Cheyanne Young - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

LRS is visiting with us today as part of her virtual book tour for her YA book, Understudy.

The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC and five ebook copies of Understudy during her tour. Enter below using the rafflecoter at the end of this post.

Why YA (or Middle Grade) fiction? What draws you to it?

I started writing YA books because I was in the YA age group at the time and that was all I read. Now that I’m almost 30 (ahhhh!!!) I’m still passionate about young adult books because I feel that being young is the most important part of your life. Being a teenager is about experiencing the “firsts” in life, and that’s what I like writing about. Plus, I’m still a teenager at heart and I’m not sure if I’ll ever actually grow up.

What books were your favorite as a youth and why?

I read every single Babysitter’s Club book (My teacher had over 100) when I was in 5th grade and then quickly moved on to RL Stine’s Fear Street series. I loved reading about characters I knew and going on exciting adventures.

What candy do you give out at Halloween?

I recently started giving out glow stick bracelets and I quickly became the cool house in the neighborhood. Kids get a ton of candy anyway and the glow sticks make for a spooky scenery when everyone is walking glowing at night. The best part about Halloween is hitting up the store the day after and then consuming ridiculous amounts of discount chocolate.

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

I would want to have my own reality show. Something about the crazy and sometimes boring life of a writer. The main reason I’d want this is because I feel like having a camera in your face would be great motivation to quit watching TV and get back to writing my books.

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

Directing a play with a hot guy can’t possibly go wrong. Or can it?

Favorite hot beverage. Why?

I am in love with coffee. I think my obsession came from being a child who spent the summers with my grandmother. She had a 2pm coffee and cookies break every day and although my coffee was mostly milk, it was tradition and a tradition I still keep to this day.

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

I’d pay off my mortgage, my parent’s mortgage and my best friend’s student loans. Then I’d take my family on an epic vacation that only ended when the last penny was spent.

The high school play is in two months and senior Wren Barlow just became director. Wren still isn't over the fact that she got stiffed as a stagehand instead of the lead role that she totally deserved. Now she is in charge of rehearsals, costumes, navigating around cast member hookups and managing the real life drama at home.

The principal counts on her to succeed because tickets have been sold and the money has been spent. But when he drops a gorgeous bad boy on her and wants him to help the play for extra credit, she falls hard for someone she knows she can't date.

With everything spinning out of control, the mysterious and secretive detention king named Derek has a few tricks up his sleeve and wants to help—too bad Wren is scared to give him a chance to prove himself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cheyanne is a native Texan with a fear of cold weather and a coffee addiction that probably needs an intervention. She loves books, sarcasm, nail polish and paid holidays. She lives near the beach with her family, one spoiled rotten puppy and a cat who is most likely plotting to take over the world.

She also writes under the pen name Amy Sparling.

www.CheyanneYoung.com

www.Twitter.com/NormalChey

https://www.goodreads.com/CheyanneYoung

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The Riddle of Prague by Laura DeBruce: Virtural Tour, Review, and Giveaway

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

Prizes for the tour are as follows: • One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. • Two randomly chosen hosts will each receive a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Please enter using the Rafflecopter below.

Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Riddle of Prauge by Laura DeBruce
Contemporary, Fantasy
204 pages
4.5 stars

When 18-year-old Hana Silna travels to Prague to reclaim her family’s home, she discovers a riddle that may lead to a long-last flask.

The contents of that flask could change the fate of the world. When a ruthless enemy kidnaps her family Hana has to find the flask to rescue them. On her quest she meets a mysterious man with a penchant for poetry, a Gypsy girl with a haunting past, and Alex, an all-American boy who’s trying to save his sister from a crippling disease. It’s hard to trust anyone when the stakes are this high — especially when surrounded by experts in deception.

There’s only one flask, and Hana desperately needs to find it.

My Review:

Overall, I thought the book was exceptional. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, which never slowed. It posed interesting questions and had you begging for answers while you flipped pages. The *main* characters, Hana, Alex, and his little sister, Thaila, along with David and a few others were easy to like.

Hana was my favorite character, because she is good to imitate; her stout heart and courage always point her in the right direction. Putting her both in the situation of finding the flask to save her family and watching out for the friends at her side simply shows how excellent and well-developed she is. Her emotions mirror that of what I would have felt, and though her actions can sometimes be impulsive, she's doing the right thing.

I found myself getting annoyed with the villain...I wanted him to be gone, but every time he disappeared, there he was again. Taking advantage of people, tricking, killing, and getting what he wanted was irking me beyond belief. I was about ready to reach into the pages and strangle him for Hana and Alex, but unfortunately, my hand wouldn't go through the pages.

An amazing read for anyone who enjoys learning about Prague. Laura DeBruce captured the historical values and the beauty of the land in her book, which is something to marvel at. It's an excellent fantasy piece, and contains suspense and a little bit of a thriller idea.

Now, enjoy an excerpt:

The Nomad

The American girl arrives in Prague today. Finally! Finally things will happen. Everything will change.

I possess secrets—old and valuable secrets. Never mind, for now, who I am or what my name is. Those things have never mattered much. I am history’s silent witness and its victim. And I confess, here in the dark, that I am also a perpetrator of crimes. Ruthless, bloody crimes. Straw into gold, water into wine, blood into life! I have long witnessed Prague’s obsession with alchemy. Now it is my turn! I shall become like quicksilver. I shall transform secrets into power and power into money.

The American girl arrives today, and soon terrible things will happen. At the end of it all, I will be free.

About the Author

Laura DeBruce is a documentary filmmaker and writer. She grew up traveling all over the world thanks to her father’s work with the U.S. Embassy. She and her husband spent twelve years living in Europe including Prague, Paris, Amsterdam and London where she found inspiration to write The Quicksilver Legacy Series. In Prague, she worked as a lawyer for the first private nationwide television station in the former Communist bloc. It was there that she fell in love with the ancient city of Prague and its legends.

She lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband and son and an unruly Golden Retriever.

Website with blog and trailer: http://theriddleofprague.com/
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Riddle-Prague-QuickSilver-Legacy-ebook/dp/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRiddleofPrague
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LauraDeBruce

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REVIEW: Soul Slam by Allie Burton

Soul Slam by Allie Burton
Contemporary, Fantasy
237 pages
4.5 stars

A sixteen-year-old on her first heist to steal an ancient Egyptian amulet inadvertently receives the soul of King Tut…and the deadly curse that comes with it.

And Olivia is not alone at the museum.

A member of a secret society, Xander believes it is his place to inherit King Tut’s soul and justly rule. He knows nothing about the society’s evil plan to control the world or the curse. Now, he must deal with the female imposter who stole the amulet.

Xander convinces Olivia they must form a temporary partnership. The two teens develop a connection, and together they must figure out how to end the curse before it turns deadly. On the run, unable to touch because of the curse, and managing the male soul inside her female body, Olivia must learn to trust Xander.

As the mystery surrounding the amulet unfolds, Olivia and Xander start to fall for each other. But is love enough to save them and the world from destruction?

MY REVIEW:  I really enjoyed Soul Slam probably because I have always had a fascination with Ancient history and I really liked reading a different view on Pharaoh Tutankhamen. I thought the plot was interesting and funny, and I really loved watching Olivia fight Tut and the arguments and discussions they both shared. It was neat to see her gain insight into his life and learn from it.

It was also very intriguing to see Olivia and Xandar connect due to their previous lives
and that Olivia has been out on the streets most of her life. (*Cough* Oliver Twist *Cough Cough*) It gave an interesting view on what she felt and what she went through, and what she was willing to give up to keep the small children in her care safe. I really thought her love for them was sweet.

I hated the bad guys. That's good, you're supposed to, right? I wanted to punch them silly because of their stupidity (of sorts) and their overall selfishness and greed for power and the ability to control Tut's soul. I was very tense as I learned more and more about them and what they were going to do to get what they wanted.

It's funny but serious, loving with hatred on the side, and complete with power-hungry villains and homeless heroines. A wonderful read for fantasy, comedy, and history lovers all around. Recommended for 12+.

REVIEW: What's It To You by Judy Irwin

This review is posted as part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Judy will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

NOTE: As part of the launch of this book, the first two books in this loosely-linked series by Judy Irwin are available for free on Smashwords, in all e-book formats, until March 14/14. Use these codes for your free download:

We’re Done – VX82T

What Did You Say? – TX69B

Visit www.smashwords.com, search ‘Judy Irwin’ or by book title.

What's It To You by Judy Irwin
Contemporary, Middle Grade
106 pages
3.5 stars

What if nothing was the worst thing you could do? For 13-year old Tim Stockdale, it's all about keeping his head down and fitting in with the friends he's managed to make at his new school. His older brother, Eli, is the opposite. He's trying to set up a Gay-Straight Alliance at his high school, where he's a junior. Even though the school board is against it, Eli’s not afraid of what the fallout might be.

So when Tim's new friends start to bully a kid they think is gay, Tim's torn - he doesn't want to do anything to risk being cast out of the crew. But when Eli is hurt in a protest, Tim's own failure to do anything starts to get under his skin. Will he find his way at his new middle school, and figure out what's really worth standing up for?

MY REVIEW: This book is a look at how easy it is for a good kid to be led astray and also shows how other kids can be strong and stand up for what's right.

Tim's a good kid, he really is, but when he starts a new school, he falls in with the wrong crowd -- the bullies, one of whom has a self-described anger problem.  They pick on everyone, but especially the kid they think is gay.  And then they ask Tim if his brother, Eli, is gay, too ... something that never really occurred to Tim. Eli is just Eli and that's all that mattered, up until Eli tries to start a Gay-Straight Alliance.

This book reads a little like "a moment in time". Yes there's a start and a finish of sorts, but it almost seemed like it should be part of a larger work.  It moved quickly, and was at times just a little too brief as time sped by.  I would have liked to get to know the secondary characters better, especially the ones who made a real impact on Tim as he slowly realized that HE was one of the bullies and tried to make things right.

Still, this book has plenty of merit.  It teaches strength and shows how it's good and right to stand up when you see something wrong.  It (hopefully) will help kids see how choices they make, especially those involving the people you let into your life, matter a lot.  They help form the person you will become and you have to decide, as Tim did, what kind of person you want to be.

All-in-all a worthwhile read, and certainly appropriate for the time.  Due to the discussion of homosexuality, though, I would recommend it for slightly older kids in the middle grade reading group, perhaps 10+.

Now enjoy an excerpt:

"New guy!"

Tim turns toward the voice. All the other kids turn too. Em stands at the edge of one of the bigger groups. "Hey, new guy. You have to join a group."

"Uh - OK. But - which one?" Tim looks around the gym. "Does it matter?"

"Look around. Don't you get it? We're all arranged by size. Pick the group that's your size," says Em. "In your case, look for the short people."

Tim looks around. "Really?" The groups don't seem to be organized by size, he thinks. There are kids of all sizes in each of them.

The girls standing near Em start to giggle.

"Em, you're such a troublemaker," says the tall girl, with frizzy hair and glasses. She's standing in a different group.

"What do you mean? You're in the tall group, just like I said. But wait - aren't you really supposed to be in the frizzy-haired group?" The group of girls around Em laughs.

"Really? Then shouldn't you be in the think-you're-funny-but-you're not group? Or how about the dumb- "

"Good afternoon, children," calls a deep voice, and a man comes through the doors into the gym. "Enough with the repartee. I see you're already organized by home rooms, fantastic." The teacher has curly brown hair, and glasses. He walks toward Tim. "Except for this young man here. Sir, what is your name, and why are you not in the proper group?"

"Well - I didn't - "

Author Judy Irwin's books are about kids dealing with everyday stuff, like parents and divorce, friendships and bullies, and figuring out how to handle different situations and circumstances. She lives in Toronto with a dog, a cat, and a hamster, plus her husband and two children, ages 11 and 14. Judy always wanted to be a writer, and wrote her first book in fourth grade. It was about a boy named Japan, who lived in Japan. She studied English Literature at the University of Toronto, and some of her favorite authors are Judy Blume, Laurie Halse Anderson, Beverly Cleary, Edward Eager and Andrew Clements, and especially F. Scott Fitzgerald.

'What Did You Say?', Judy's first book, is about 12-year-old Tash. The book takes place at a trailer park up north. 'We're Done', Judy's second book, takes place in a middle school. It's about Luke, who first appears in 'What Did You Say?' Tash and Jon, from the first book, are also characters in this one. In 'What's It To You?', Judy's third book, 13-year-old Tim Stockdale (who first appeared as Luke's classmate in 'We're Done'), is figuring out where he fits in at Carlyle.

For Judy, the middle school years are especially interesting since they can be some of the most challenging for kids. It's a time when kids are faced with new issues, and bigger problems, than many have experienced before. As they figure out how they feel, and decide how to respond, they're also figuring out who they are, and shaping the nature of the person they will grow into.

Links: www.judyirwin.com

www.amazon.com/author/judyirwin

Tokyo Dare (The Sushi Chronicles) by Anne Van - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

 

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Anne will be awarding a box filled with Japanese Chocolates (The main character in the book loves them.) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US ONLY).--the other stops on the tour can be seen by clicking the tour banner. Remember, the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Why YA (or Middle Grade) fiction? What draws you to it?

I think part of me never grew up. : ) I like to explore things with wide-eyed innocence just like when I was in high school. When I travel to new places I just take it all in. I like to dive into life. When I’m writing I try to capture that feeling through my characters reactions to the places they see on their adventures.

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

Chocolate, lots of chocolate. Her art supplies would be stacked on top of her schoolbooks. Stuck to the inside of the door Taylor would have a few photos of her favorite J pop stars. Smack in the middle of the photos would be one of her host mother with a hand drawn mustache and horns on her head.

What’s your favorite sweet treat?

I’m a chocoholic. Can’t go a day without my 60% dark chocolate fix. My other weakness is ice cream. Plus I love to bake. I usually make a batch of cookies a week. To make up for all my sweet treats I walk at least a mile almost every day.

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

Ever since I could hold a pencil in my hand, I’ve drawn and painted. I always knew I wanted to be an artist. I love creating things. I also liked to design and I sew my own clothes when I was in high school. Things in the store just weren’t unique enough for me. That’s when I first wanted to be a fashion designer. It wasn’t until I got a bit older when I was in college that my creativity spread to writing.

What candy do you give out at Halloween?

Halloween is a big deal at my house. It’s my husband’s favorite holiday and we were married on Halloween. So we go all out decorating the house and have a huge plastic pumpkin full of candy. It’s loaded down with Reese’s peanut butter cups, Jr. Mints, Skittles, Almond Joy, candy corn, you name it. I love seeing the faces of the kids when I show up at the door dressed like a vampiress and fill their bags with candy.

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately while I’m working on my new genie story. What power would my character wish for? For some reason mind reading came to me first. How awesome would that be? Then I thought about what it would be like to read what everybody was thinking about me and thought maybe that wouldn’t be so awesome. I think immortally would be the one I’d wish for in the end. I love life and discovering things and how fantastic would it be to have it never end.

What book is on your nightstand currently?

Tales For The Time Being by Ruth Ozeki. I’m really enjoying it. I read a lot of YA but like to switch it up and read adult literary every once in awhile. The book has a really compelling premise. A woman finds a diary inside a Hello Kitty lunchbox that washed up on the beach from the Fukashima tsunami. It’s written by a Japanese girl who is going through a tough time in her life. The story is very compelling.

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

A dare sends a high school student to Japan where her host family thinks she's the devil and a wacky to-do list turns her world inside out.

What was your ideal summer vacation?

I love to travel. My ideal summer vacation would be to hop on a plane with an endless budget and travel the world. I’d make sure to schedule in some down time on the beaches of Tahiti. Nothing like staking out a slice of a beautiful white sand beach and staring out at the turquois waters of Bora Bora.

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

Without a doubt Kenzo. He would give me a grand tour of the island. He’d tell me jokes and funny stories so the time would fly by. Plus he’s very resourceful and a real survivor. I’m sure I’d make it off the island alive.

Sixteen-year-old artist, Erin Van Horn, doesn’t know an Unagi Roll from a Kaiser Roll. But on a dare from her best friend, Tori Mukigawa, she wins a spot as an exchange student at a prestigious Tokyo high school. Once in the land of the rising sun, Erin struggles to learn the culture and deal with a host family from hell. Otosan, the father, stops speaking to her after she “murders” his favorite bonsai tree. The mother, Okasan, believes Erin’s evil because she’s left- handed and their son is an Elvis impersonator who is convinced Erin’s the spitting image of Priscilla if only she’d dye her blonde hair black, and become his child bride.

But Erin has a bigger problem than her crazy host family when she faces the ultimate dare from Tori—a to-do list.Racked with guilt for winning the spot that should have gone to her best friend, Erin is determined to complete the list. All she has to do is find a rock star boyfriend, (sure, there’s one on every street corner), apprentice under a famous Japanese artist, (no problem, they’ll be listed in the Tokyo Yellow Pages) and visit Tori’s long lost relatives to find out what’s hidden in the family closet. So what if the only words she knows in Japanese are, “Excuse me eat pretty idiot.” How hard could it be?

Now, enjoy an excerpt:

A Japanese guy in his early twenties with a mop of long hair and a goatee blocked my way. Dressed in a black leather jacket and skinny jeans, all he needed was a guitar, and the rocker look would be complete. I stood speechless. He was the kind of guy that never talked to me back home.

He stretched out his hand and said. “Names Kenzo.”

I managed to squeak out, “Erin…. Um… American who’s totally lost.” Just as I was about to let go of his hand, water dripped down my arm onto his watch.

“Hey, I know it’s a sizzling summer but you’re soaked.”

“I had a little accident with a water bottle.”

His eyes moved up and down my body like a scanner. “I can see that.”

His stare confirmed I still looked like a wet T-shirt contestant.

“I was headed to Seda Academy and got lost. I couldn’t find anyone who could speak English to help me. Until… you.”

“You don’t speak any Japanese?”

“Only five words.” I gave him a smile and said in Japanese, “Excuse me, eat pretty idiot.”

About the Author

Anne Van is an artist, fashionista, turned writer. She has a Masters Degree in Fine Art and attended Waseda University in Tokyo Japan on a scholarship. She has exhibited her artwork all over the United States and one of her works was displayed in a museum in Picasso’s hometown of Malaga, Spain.

After several years toiling as a fine artist, she switched gears to pursue another passion, fashion. Anne graduated from FIDM in Los Angeles and designed sportswear for major retailers. All the while she heard stories in her head. So one day she quit fashion and finally put her stories on paper. Since then Anne has published an article in a national magazine and an award winning travel story about her time living in Tokyo, Japan.

She has also published short fiction. Anne continues to write the stories that fill her head. She lives in a Victorian home in a historic landmark district in Pasadena, California along with three rescue cats, including one that has six toes, and her TV composer husband who thankfully doesn’t.

Website: www.annevan.net
Blog: http://annevan1111.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.Anne.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnneVanWrites

Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/annevanwriter

BOOK TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYpphAwOrgI

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Tokyo-Dare-Sushi-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00DUFR2D0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374026052&sr=8-2&keywords=tokyo+dare

Barnes and Noble Link:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tokyo-dare-anne-van/1116046249?ean=2940148392187

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One Stone Left Unturned by Marianna Heusler - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Though it was supposed to be a review tour, I didn't have time to review, but was so intrigued by the premise, I asked to feature the book. Doesn't it sound great!

Leave a comment and be entered to win a $10 Wild Child Publishing GC. You could use it to buy THIS book!

At midnight on July 16th, 1918 Tsar Nicholas Romanov and his family was murdered, thus ending the Russian empire. Historians believe that a peasant by the name of Rasputin was instrumental in the downfall of the dynasty. Because Nicholas thought that Rasputin could cure their son, Alexis, who was suffering from hemophilia, Rasputin was able to influence the Imperial Family.

But what if Rasputin’s power did not come from God, as he claimed, but from a simple jewel, a tricolored, fifteen-carat tourmaline? And what if that very stone landed in the hands of a lonely teenager a century later?

Now enjoy an excerpt:

The phone again—the same spooky tune.

Augusta thought if this were a scary movie, the music would be perfect. And suddenly she saw herself as an actress, staring in one of those slasher films, but that was really scary because those girls always died—

Especially the homely, fat ones.

Augusta didn’t like this, not at all.

She approached the third confessional cautiously.

The moment she opened the door, something fell on her, knocking her down, something large and heavy. As it hit the floor with a slight bounce, a great cloud of dust struck Augusta in the face, causing her to cough furiously.

Believing at first it was a statue, that some crazy person had hidden it in the confessional, she reached out her hand. The heap was soft and slightly warm to the touch. As quickly as she could, Augusta crawled away from under the mound, crawled away whimpering.

The cell phone rang again, angry and insistent. Only this time it was below her.

Augusta saw a pair of glasses, shattered on the tile floor.

Then Augusta knew that what had fallen out of the confessional was a dead body.

She began to yell like she had never yelled before, and her screams ricocheted off the high, dome ceiling, thick with cobwebs, and off the stone walls of the crumbling church.

Marianna Heusler is a native of Holyoke, Massachusetts. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a BA in English Literature and a minor in education.

The author of over one hundred short stories, her work has appeared in magazines such as Woman’s World, Mystery Time, Calliope, Futures, Writer’s International Forum and Orchard Press as well as numerous anthologies. Her novel Buried In The Townhouse was published by Pendulum Press and was nominated for The Franklin Award.

The Night The Penningtons Vanished is a young adult book, the first in a mystery series, featuring Isabella Ripa. The story takes place in a small town in western Massachusetts and was released by The Larcom Press and nominated for an Edgar. The sequel The Day The Fortune Teller Died was also published

She wrote a young adult novel Angels From The Alphabet and a middle grade fantasy Annabelle’s Monsters.

Hilliard & Harris published her mystery Murder at St. Poylcarp and the sequel Cappuccino at the Crypt. Both books were picked up by Worldwide Mysteries and became part of their book club.

For over twenty years, she taught at all grade levels and has also been a school librarian. Her other careers have included a cosmetic executive, an editorial assistant and a reporter. She is currently teaching third grade in private all girls’ school in Manhattan.

She volunteers for Visible Ink, a program at Sloan Kettering Hospital, which unites professional writers with cancer patients.

She lives in New York City with her husband, Joel and her son, Maximilian.

Links:

http://www.mariannamystery.com/
mariannaheusler@typepad.com
mariannaheusler@twitter.com
marianna ramondetta@facebook

Buy Link:
Wild Child Publishing: http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/young-adultchildrens-c-72/one-stone-left-unturned-p-420.html

The Odd Job Squad by Karl Fields - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

Today we're visiting with author Karl Fields on his tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the middle grade novel, "The Odd Job Squad".

One commenter from each stop will win a box of "Pinks," which are pink fortune cookies that Ander, the main character has a fondness for. One $25 Amazon gift card given to one random commenter at the end of the tour, so comment today AND follow his tour! The more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. The rest of his tour stops are here.

Karl answered many of my prying questions -- thanks!

What’s your favorite sweet treat?

A chocolate, chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven.

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

Three things:
Start writing sooner,
Start saving sooner, and
Do NOT blow it with Dianne Star. She totally likes you.

What candy do you give out at Halloween?

Mine is a great house to hit up on Halloween. It varies, but you count on things like Snickers, M&M’s (peanut), Butterfingers, Skittles and Starburst.

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

I want x-ray vision so I can go to the casino and clean up playing blackjack.

What book is on your nightstand currently?

Cory Doctorow’s “Homeland”

Hunger Games or Twilight? Why?

Hunger Games all the way! Dystopian fiction just doesn’t get much better. I think it’s a series that will stand up over time. Sparkly vampires? Not really my thing, I guess.

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

The Amazing Race. Having done some growing up abroad, I think it would be awesome to visit some of the places they send contestants. And I wouldn’t be one of those people who gets all mopey because the locals don’t speak English. Duh, you’re in another country dude.

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

Four eighth graders operate an anonymous revenge club at their school, but things get ugly when one of them learns he’s not-so-anonymous.

Favorite pizza toppings.

Whatever California Pizza Kitchen puts on their Thai chicken pizza. I swear, it’ll change your life.

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

Extra dark chocolate with peanut butter and fudge ribbon

Thirteen-year-old Ander Cartwright is an expert on two subjects: fortune cookies and payback. Especially payback.

When he’s not struggling with algebra, Ander is the leader of an anonymous revenge club that operates within the walls of Marina Middle School. Got a beef with a classmate? Shoot Ander’s crew an email and, if your case if legit, they’ll deliver some retribution on your behalf.

It’s not easy to right wrongs and stay under the radar at the same time. That’s why Ander developed three simple rules designed to keep him and his friends from blowing their cover.

But when Ander spots the opportunity to settle an old score of his own, he ignores his own rules, setting off a chain of events that threatens to blow his cover, and it’ll take all the butt-kicking, detention-dodging skill he can muster to keep a lid on his secret.

Karl Fields is a writer of fiction for teens and young adults. His other interests include jazz, golf and collecting flash drives, the more unusual the better. He was an army brat and by the seventh grade, he had attended six different schools on three continents. His first book, The Odd Job Squad, is about the exploits of three eighth graders who operate an anonymous revenge club at their school. He recommends that you not attempt the stunts portrayed in this book. His second, Instant Preplay, is about a boy who discovers that his DVR records shows before they air. He recommends that you get one of those if you can.

www.karlfields.com
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/The-Odd-Job-Squad-ebook/dp/B00560R9BC
BN - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-odd-job-squad-karl-fields/1103800835?ean=9781463537890
Kobo - http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Odd-Job-Squad/book-qHs3VJyBxEmMs0UaGNlx8g/page1.html?s=uUC_07B_Hk-5_N1qzhxLUA&r=1

Between Micah and Amos by Alan Oakes - Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway

Today we're visiting with author Alan Oakes on his tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the YA novel, "Between Micah and Amos".

Alan will be awarding gift cards to three randomly drawn commenters during the tour. The characters are always going to Sonic – so he is giving away gift cards in the names of the main characters: Grand Prize: Billy-sized $25.00 2nd Prize: Manuel-sized: $15.00 3rd Prize: Ashleigh-sized: $10.00 If the winner prefers, they can get either an Amazon or BN.com gift card instead of the Sonic card. , so comment today AND follow his tour! The more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. The rest of his tour stops are here.

Alan answered many of my prying questions -- thanks!

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 spend a quarter of it to buy a nice house out in the country. I would spend about another ten percent making the place beautiful and maybe get a couple of horses. The other two thirds, I would buy other houses and rent them out so I would have nice steady income and not a care in the world!

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

It’s gotta be Billy. Any guy who has a shotgun rack in the back of his pickup, you know is going to be a good hunter. He could do all the fishing and deboning the catch – which just grosses me out! Have you ever deboned a fish?! Yuck! -- But you know he would be into it. And he could make a fire too from nothing.

Playlist for your current book?

It is all about classic country music!

When Billy and Ashleigh are out driving in Billy’s pickup in the country, with the windows down in the late summer night, it is Garth Brooks, Ain’t going down (til the sun comes up)

When Ashleigh and Manuel take his truck out to his family’s spring fed pool to go skinny-dipping, it’s Mongomery Gentry, All night long.

When Ashleigh runs out of gas and goes into the Gas N Go, and comes onto the man behind the counter to try to get some gas for free, it is Trisha Yearwood, Thinkin’ about you.

When Billy and Ashleigh head over to Stan’s Roadhouse, home of the chicken fried steak, they hear covers of The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Powerful Stuff and Willie Nelson, Blue eyes crying in the rain.

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

A box of condoms! (How did Ashleigh’s momma get her locker combo?!) Ashleigh would also be smart enough to have a fresh change of clothes in case she didn’t make it home the night before. If Manuel somehow got her combo – look out! She may find a black velvet box with a promise ring…

What candy did you give out at Halloween?

I have spent years studying what is hot and what is not when it comes to Halloween candy. You would think that all things chocolate would go fast. (Not so!) And then – god forbid! – you give a child something with nuts in it and they have one of those allergic reactions where their heads swell up to the size of a basketball. That is why I have scaled down my offerings to the most popular and least life-threatening candy – Skittles and Starburst. I still have some Starburst leftover, btw. Come on by if you want some!

Favorite TV show from your childhood?

I don’t know if your young readers know this show – but back in the day, The Golden Girls were our favs! All the world had to stop on Saturday nights at 8pm to see what Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and her mom were up to. To think now the show comes off as cute, when in the olden days, it was so ‘edgy’.

Ideal summer vacation?

Let’s go to Cozumel everybody! Somehow I would smuggle my handsome golden retriever, Winston, onto the Mexican island as well. We would all stay at a hotel on the turquoise blue waterfront. We’d go snorkeling and scuba diving during the daytime. At night, we’d get a fire going on the beach and there would be lots of making out! (Winston would even find a beautiful Mexican Chihuahua to nuzzle.) Ahh, paradise…

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

Okay, I can’t cook worth a damn. Poptarts are my specialty. But I would love to be on Master Chef. To become one of the finalists, I would open my box of strawberry glazed tarts, and with tender care, put two of them into my Michael Graves signature toaster from Target. When they were perfectly warm and ready, I would ‘plate’ them on contrasting, eye-catching china. Gordon Ramsay would allow the delicious fragrance of the tart to waft into his hyper-sensitive nostrils as he took a liberal bite. I would close my eyes in anticipation-- and then -- hear him say that word that gives all potential Master Chefs chills – “STUNNING!” I would start to tear up…”ABSOLUTELYSTUNNING tart!!”

What is your favorite hot beverage? Why?

I was at a bar in Austin with friends who insisted I try a hot apple cider toddy. Did you know toddies are some of the first cocktails every created way back in the 1860’s? -- But I digress…. A hot apple cider toddy is basically whiskey mixed with warm apple cider, with a cinnamon stick added as a swizzle. It knocked my socks off! Really! I don’t know where they went…They were a nice pair of socks too…

Like a flash, the discharge from the gun lit up the inside of the dimly lit, filthy trailer Ashleigh called home. Ashleigh sat curled up on the stained pink carpet next to the pull-out bed in the living area where she slept. The victim lay dead, slumped against the wall of the trailer. Ashleigh looked at the motionless body. She was petrified.

Meet Ashleigh Mae, a seventeen year old high school senior living in the small town of Micah, Texas. Her boyfriend Billy calls her a wild child. Her momma is always telling her she makes bad choices. No matter what, no one really understands her.

Ashleigh dreams of a life with Billy. Their love is true, she thinks. When her mother forces them to leave Micah in the middle of the night and move in with her momma’s old boyfriend Casey, on the outskirts of a town called Amos, Ashleigh’s life is torn apart.

This is her fight to get it back….

“Good night,” Billy said to Ashleigh as the two were sitting in the parked truck. She held onto him tightly as he kissed her.

“’Night,” she murmured, sliding across the seat and opening the door. “Call me,” she added, her heart filled with sadness that she would be left alone again.

“Yeah,” Billy said with a half-cocked smile.

Ashleigh closed the rusted door to the pickup. Billy turned the truck around and drove off. Ashleigh was left alone again in the silence of the night. She made her way to the trailer, looking down so as not to trip on any of Casey’s debris.

“Where the hell have you been?” Jo Lynn bellowed, scaring the crap out of Ashleigh. Her mother was sitting imperiously on the half built deck in front of the trailer in a plastic chair, like a queen on her throne.

Ashleigh walked up to her mother and could see a half-finished bottle of Jack sitting on an old apple crate by her side. Jo Lynn took a drag from her smoke.

“I asked you a question… Come closer,” Jo Lynn demanded.

Ashleigh took one step closer. “I was out with Billy,” she answered apprehensively.

“You smell like sex!” Jo Lynn said, taking another drag from her smoke.

“While you were out whoring, guess who came by to visit?” Jo Lynn said dramatically.

“Who?” Ashleigh asked.

“Child Protective Services, that’s who!” Jo Lynn took a swig of her glass of Jack.

“Out of nowhere, too!” she continued. “Casey’s ready to beat the tar out of you! He had to flush all his stash down the toilet!”

Alan Oakes is a Graduation Coach and Counselor at a Texas High School. He is a featured writer for Green Building and Design magazine and a contributor to other magazines including Texas Architect and New American Luxury. In the past, he served as Associate Pastor of Saint Austin Catholic Church and Director of Catholic Campus Ministry at UCLA.

Alan holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas and a Master of Arts degree from the Washington Theological Union in Washington, D.C.

To learn more about the author, feel free to go to his website: http://www.alanoakes.net/


Websites for Between Micah and Amos:
http://www.betweenmicahandamos.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Between-Micah-and-Amos/462469913814229?fref=ts

Publisher Link:
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1066

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