Missing in Paradise Blog Tour

Welcome to the Missing in Paradise Blog Tour!  Enter the giveaway and read on down below for details :)

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Giveaway Information: Winner will be drawn January 31, 2015

· Two (2) winners will received a signed copy of Missing in Paradise by Larry Verstraete (US/Canada)
· Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Missing in Paradise by Larry Verstraete (INT)

~ABOUT MISSING IN PARADISE~

 

Title: Missing in Paradise

Publication date: November 3, 2014

Publisher: Rebelight Publishing Inc.

Author: Larry Verstraete

Four months after Gramp’s mysterious death, Nate helps out at Gram’s garage sale. An eerie feeling, as if Gramps were reaching beyond the grave to send Nate a message, leads Nate to a box full of clues. A missing plane. A secret to keep. A map highlighting the route where Gramps died and the message, “Shipment #35-Gold.” Nate and his best friend, Simon, are convinced that Gramps was on a treasure hunt when he died. They’re just as convinced that Gram’s shifty next door neighbour, Fortier, is after the gold too. Nate and Simon sneak away on a Greyhound bus for the small town of Paradise where Nate is sure treasure awaits. Can they find the gold before Fortier gets his thieving hands on a treasure that rightfully belongs to Gramps?

 

Larry Verstraete is an award winning author of 13 non-fiction books for young people. This is his first work of fiction.

~Find the Book Here~

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

 

~Excerpt~

 

The crunch of twigs woke me up. Framed in the bright moonlight, a dark shadow lumbered past the shelter. I sat up. My heart hammered against my ribs. My stomach churned. I check my glow-in-the-dark watch. One a.m.

Something snorted – an animal searching for food? A foul stench arose, along with grunts and heavy thuds along the ground. A bear. It had to be a bear!

Simon rolled over, still asleep. I couldn’t see the animal, but I heard it thrash closer and closer. I patted the ground quietly to locate the plastic bag with its enticing peanut butter sandwiches, but couldn’t find it.

Don’t breathe. Don’t move. Pray it goes away.

Ages later, the heavy footsteps ebbed. Once more, the forest grew calm. Again I heard Simon’s soft breathing. Certain the animal had gone, I relaxed. I dozed fitfully with an ear on the forest, wary of sounds that signaled the creature’s return.

I slipped into a dream.

 I run through blinding light down a rutted road. When the glare lifts, I follow a narrow trail choked with weeds and roots. I enter a clearing surrounded by thick forest and dotted with wooden buildings built of thick vertical planks.

I am not alone. Dozens of men mill around me. One man leads the group, taller than the others, his stride confident and strong. I can’t see his face clearly, not at first, but I know who he is. There is no mistaking the broad should, the square jaw, the patch of stubborn hair sticking straight up.

~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

Larry Verstraete, a retired teacher, has authored thirteen non-fiction books for young people and won multiple awards including the 2012 McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award and the 2010 Silver Birch Non-fiction Award. Missing in Paradise is his first work of fiction.

Connect with the Author:  Website | Facebook | Goodreads

M9B Friday Reveal Blitz: 2014 M9B Books you may have Missed with Giveaway

Hello everyone! Welcome to Month9Books 2014 Books you may have Missed Blitz!

Check out all M9B 2014 titles below and enter for a chance to win 1 of 3 prize packs of eBooks! International

Click on the cover for book information.

Tantrum Titles

(3) winners will receive eBook prize packs of 5 Month9Books of your choice! International

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Dead Jed 2 Blog Tour

Welcome to the Dead Jed 2 Blog Tour! Be sure to enter the Giveaway and then read on down for my interview with the author Scott Craven!
 

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Winner will be drawn January 9, 2015

· Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Dead Jed 2: Dawn of the Jed by Scott Craven (INT)

~ About the Book~

Title: Dead Jed 2: Dawn of the Jed
Publication date: December 9, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Scott Craven

The first part of seventh grade was rough on Jed, but things are looking up now that Christmas is almost here. As with past Christmases, Jed asks for the one thing he’s always wanted–a dog–and again, his parents tell him they’re not ready. But fate has a different plan when Jed sees a dog get run over by a car. Then, it happens. Jed suddenly has a pet, Tread, a zombie dog bearing his namesake–a tire tread down his back. Jed may have gained a dog, but he loses his best friend Luke, who fears the way Jed created his undead pet.

When Jed returns to school, he finds a mysterious group called the No Zombies Now Network spreading rumors of the dangers the undead pose to normal people. Forced to disprove Hollywood stereotypes, Jed has his work cut out for him as stories of a zombie dog begin to circulate. Jed could be expelled if he can’t expose the NZN Network as a fraud. Jed needs help from his kind of girlfriend Anna, especially after he discovers Luke has joined the shadowy group.

 

Once again navigating the treacherous waters of middle school, Jed does his best to stay in one piece. Only this time he’ll need even more duct tape and staples than usual.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD | IndieBound

Add it on Goodreads!

~About Author Scott Craven~

Proud graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, has a teenage son, now a features writer for The Arizona Republic.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter

 

 

~Author Interview~

Hi Scott! Can you tell us a little about your writing journey?

I vaguely remember it starting in a log cabin by candlelight, but then I realize that while I’m old, I’m not that old. One of my first school essays detailed how the Pilgrims discovered Thanksgiving. Little did I know faulty research would be acceptable, if not prized, when Wikipedia discovered the Internet.

What do you enjoy most about being a writer?

Making excuses. “Gee, I would love to accompany you to your 30th high school reunion, but I’ve got this deadline coming up. It’s a writing thing,”

What is the hardest aspect of being a writer?

“Really, you have a writing thing? I’d love it see it when you’re finished.” Dang, tripped up by actually having to put some words together.

How much research goes into your story? 

I’ve put in thousands of hours of research into “Dead Jed.” It goes back to my first viewing of “Night of the Living Dead,” because you can’t write about zombies without knowing their habits, from eating to shuffling around mindlessly. Were you aware most people have no idea “Night … Dead” was a documentary? True story.

Writers are sometimes influenced by things that happen in their own lives. Are you?

 Absolutely. When my first bully shoved me into a trophy display case at school, the first thing I thought of was, “I am so going to write about this someday and get my revenge through words.” Forty years later, bam! How you like me now, Robbie?

Tell us a little bit about your publications.

 “Dead Jed: Adventures of a Middle School Zombie” was my first attempt to make peace with the nightmare that was junior high. That trophy-case anecdote? It actually happened. The sequel, “Return of the Jed,” adds a zombie dog to the mix, because a zombie cat would have been pretty boring. How could you tell a zombie cat for a regular cat? I have no idea. I’m also a reporter for The Arizona Republic in Phoenix. Go ahead, Google my name. Just don’t confuse me with the Nebraska dentist or the Montana wildlife expert. Speaking of the latter, I’ll bet not even Scott Craven, wildlife expert, could tell the difference between a zombie cat and a regular cat.

What is the most surprising thing about writing/publishing you have learned?

Writing is not easy, but it’s not nearly as tough as marketing. Did you know that no matter how many times you mention you mention Stephen King on Twitter, and ask him to read your book and then tweet about it, he still won’t? What’s up with that?

What are you top tips for writers? 

Write as much as you can. When you’re not writing, read. What, you want to eat, sleep and go to work too? Some difficult decisions must be made. Did you know cooking by microwave can save you minutes, if not hours a day? Also, if you subsist on Hot Pockets as I do, it leaves one hand free for the keyboard or turning the page. Try it!

Other than writing what else do you love?

Did I mention Hot Pockets? I did. Cherry Coke Zero as well. And my 19-year-old son. Not necessarily in that order. But it’s pretty close.

Who is your favorite author and why?

Stephen King, even though he’s ignoring my Twitter-stalking. He is prolific, talented and lives like any other guy who grew up in a state he could probably buy at this point. I met him once and I will never forget what he said. “How do you want me to inscribe it?” Magical.

If you had a premonition you would be stranded on a desert island what 5 books would you take?

Classics by Tolstoy, Hugo and Homer (not Simpson). If I couldn’t get through them, they’d still provide plenty of fuel. Wait, do I have matches? Now if there were an all-inclusive resort nearby, my selections would be totally different. Perhaps travel guides and the cocktail menu.

 Five words that sum you up.

I can’t begin to describe how bad I am at math.

That's more than five words, Scott. ;)

How can we learn more?

Scott-craven.com, and on Twitter at @Scott_Craven2 (feel free to Twitter-stalk me. If Stephen King is OK with it, so am I).

 

Diverse Book Tours Presents!

 

Welcome to my first Diverse Blog Tours Book Post!

 

I'm excited to support diverse books for young people any way I can and I encourage you to do the same by buying and reading and supporting diverse books. Today, I'd like to introduce you to "The Secret Life of Jenny Liu" by Jean Ramsden. Enjoy~

~10 Random Notes About “The Secret Life of Jenny Liu”~

 

1. Inspiration: A quiet, diverse middle-grade heroine that secretly solves problems.

2. Time to Outline: five months

3. Time to Write: five months

4. Book Events Based on My Experiences:  

I moved frequently as a child.
When I lived in southern VA, I took part in a whipped cream party, except that we used pies!
When I lived in the Washington, D.C. area, math races were a stressful part of my day.When I lived in upstate New York, my fifth-grade teachers got married.

 5. Favorite Character: Jenny. She is caring, complex, brave, creative and unique.

6. Favorite Character to Write: Ms. Candy. Creating a great teacher who is eccentric was so fun!

7. Favorite Scene: When Aidan helps Nadia clean the classroom walls.

8. Funniest Scene: When Aidan explodes the volcano and covers the classroom in water.

9. Favorite Tag Team: Aidan & Nadia

10.Favorite Ms. Candy Saying: “Madder than pigs on stilts.” It creates such a fantastic visual!

~About the Book~

 

Title: The Secret Life of Jenny Liu
Publisher: Jabber & Jam Books
ISBN:9781500612122
Pages: 262
Genre: Middle Grade/ Juvenile Fiction

Jenny Liu is on the move again. Except this time, she hasn’t landed at yet another Chinese-American School in California but at a public school in South Carolina. Shy, artistic Jenny wonders if she will ever figure out how to fit in amongst rowdy fifth graders and eccentric teachers with hard-to-understand southern accents. To make matters worse, the class thinks she is super smart and her piano teacher thinks she is a musical genius. With school activities that test her intelligence and an upcoming piano recital, it’s getting harder for Jenny to do what’s right—to tell the truth—especially since she knows that The Real Jenny Liu would be even more of an outsider. Or would she?

~About The Author~

 

 

Jean Ramsden is a writer, producer and educational consultant. She graduated from Cornell University and Harvard University, and lives in North Carolina with her husband and four children. Connect: @jean_ramsden

Check out her book!

 

Interested in Diverse Book Tours, a tour company that celebrates diverse books? Click on their button to find out more!

King of the Mutants Book Tour

Welcome to the King of the Mutants Blog Tour!

Enter the giveaway and read on down for my interview with the author~

 

 

 

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Winner will be drawn November 21, 2014

· Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of King of the Mutants by Samantha Verant (INT)

 

~About the Book~

 

Title: King of the Mutants

Publication date: October 21, 2014

Publisher: Tantrum Books/Month9Books, LLC.

Author: Samantha Verant

Can one boy stop a nefarious plot to turn kids into super-mutants?

Maverick Mercury enjoys his life as the sideshow attraction known as “Gator Boy” at Grumbling’s Traveling Circus and Sideshow.

His freakish mutations are the result of some billionaire geneticist’s experiments gone awry. But life as a mutant is about to get worse, as Maverick uncovers a plot to kidnap kids, turns them into super-mutants, and sells their powers to the highest bidder.

Now, Maverick is on a mission to find the mad scientist who may have created him and destroy his sinister plans!

 

~Get it now!~

Link to Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22094891-king-of-the-mutants     

Purchase Links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD |IndieBound

 

~Author Interview~

 

Thanks for joining us Samantha! Tell us a little about your writing journey.

I didn’t follow the yellow brick road on my road to publication, but rather a path paved with barbed wire and a lot of frustrations. I fell down. A lot. But I also learned a lot about the business and made a lot of friends along the way. It took me seven years to see my dreams of publication come to fruition. Sometimes I call myself Seabiscuit. Thankfully, I found the right people who believed in me and pushed me forward. And I never gave up. Now, it’s off to the races. If I fall down, I’ll just dust off my knees and get back up. Giddy-up.

What do you enjoy most about being a writer?

Where do I start? I love the people I’ve met on this journey, most of whom have been with me since day one. The support in this community is amazing! I love opening up my mind and creating new worlds. I love seeing characters come to life. And there is nothing like the thrill of seeing your book in actual book form!

What is the hardest aspect of being a writer?

Lately, it’s been finding the time to write...while balancing real life. I do what I can when I can.

How much research goes into your story?

Tons. I research everything, and sometimes what I unearth is simply shocking. For King of the Mutants, I bought Todd Browning’s classic cult film, Freaks. I still have nightmares. I also bought Marc Hartzman’s book American Sideshow. Again, disturbing. I also delved into circus vernacular, thanks to Google. In the end, though, I think my book became a better book. All in the name of research!

Writers are sometimes influenced by things that happen in their own lives. Are you?

I’ve never been a twelve-year-old boy, or a sideshow attraction at a circus, but I have felt the stigma that comes when you feel like you’re different or a freak, especially during those middle grade years. Write what you know, right?

Tell us about your publications?

King of the Mutants is about a twelve-year-old boy, Maverick Mercury, a sideshow attraction known as “Gator Boy” at Grumbling’s Traveling Circus and Sideshow. Despite being routinely kicked around by the other performers, Maverick has always been comfortable in his skin. That is, until he overhears Burt Grumbling talking about him behind his reptilian-like back. Seems Maverick’s freakish mutations are the result of some billionaire geneticist’s experiments gone awry. Apparently, this guy kidnaps kids, turns them into supermutants, and sells their powers to the highest bidder. Now, Maverick is on a mission to find the mad scientist who may have created him. All he has to do is steal some wheels from Burt, escape the clutches of one-eyed Yorgi and his gang of killer clowns, and make his way from some Podunk town in Florida to the Big Apple. I compare to it to The Wizard of Oz...on steroids.

My memoir, entitled Seven Letters from Paris, was also just recently released. (October 7th/ Sourcebooks). A story about a mutant kid and a romantic memoir. That’s right. I’m a genre jumper. Don’t knock it until you try it!

What is the most surprising thing about writing/publishing you have learnt?

The most surprising thing I’ve learnt is that writing a book is the easy part; the hardest part is selling your work, and then marketing it. This business isn’t for the weary or faint-hearted.

Top tip/s for writers.

Oh, boy! I have a lot of advice. Work on your craft. Connect with other writers. Build up your platform, your social connections. No matter how supportive she is-- your mother is NOT a critique partner or a beta reader! And neither is your sister, spouse, or best friend. Put your work out there. Yes, with strangers. Remember that publishing is subjective. Don’t be afraid of rejection. Learn the business of publishing. Never pitch your work as the next big seller. Take critiques with an open mind and don’t get angry. Your writing partners want the best for you. When critiquing others, go for the sugar, salt, sugar method. (What’s good about the story, what needs to be worked on, and what totally rocks). Kill your darlings. (There will be things you think are awesome or funny, but others, simply put, will not). If you’re writing a memoir, hire an editor to work with you on the manuscript before you pitch it to agents and/or publishers. You will need an objective eye. Celebrate your victories...and your defeats. You’re one step closer. Forgive typos; they happen to everybody. Roll up your sleeves, prepare to get dirty, and work hard. Don’t send your work off to an agent or publisher until its polished. Revise. Edit. Repeat. Be patient. When you can’t stand to look at your manuscript anymore...it’s ready.

Other than writing what else do you love?

I’m going for a list here...

My husband. My kids. My cat. Scuba-diving. Skiing. Gardening. Cooking. Traveling. Exploring. Hiking. Wine. Chocolate. Make that dark chocolate- only!

Who is your favorite author and why?

There are too many to list and it depends on the genre. BUT if I had to choose one it would have to be Roald Dahl. I must have read James and the Giant Peach a dozen times.

If you had a premonition you would be stranded on a desert island what 5 books would you take?

No, no, no! I can’t choose! This isn’t Sophie’s Choice! Just pick for me! Make it a surprise! I’m easy. I love to read!

Five words that sum you up.

Dedicated.

Loyal.

Funny? (this is subjective)

Creative.

Passionate.

Thanks so much for visiting the blog. How can we learn more?

Twitter: @samantha_verant

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23214170-king-of-the-mutants

Blog: http://www.kingofthemutants.blogspot.com

Web: http://www.samanthaverant.com

 ~About the Author~

 

Samantha Vérant is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, French chef. Over the years, she’s visited many different countries, lived in many places, and worked many jobs— always on the search for the one thing that truly excited her. Then, one day, she found everything she’s been looking for: a passion for the written word and true love. Writing not only enabled her to open her heart, it led her to southwestern France, where she’s now married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met over twenty years ago, a stepmom to two incredible kids, and the adoptive mother to one ridiculously expensive Bengal cat. When she’s not trekking from Provence to the Pyrénées, tasting wine in American-sized glasses, or embracing her inner Julia Child while deliberating what constitutes the perfect boeuf bourguignon, Samantha is making her best effort to relearn those dreaded conjugations.

 

~Connect with the Author~

 Website | Book Site | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

 



Tracy Tam Book Tour

Thanks for joining us on the Tracy Tam Santa Command Book Blog Tour!
 

Enter the giveaway and then read on down the page for my interview with Krystalyn~

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Winner will be drawn November 21, 2014
· Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Tracy Tam: Santa Command by Krystalyn Drown

~Author Interview~

Hi Krystalyn! Thanks for joining us. Would you tell us a little about your writing journey?

I've always loved writing. During high school, I began tons of novels. Began is the key word there. Apart from a book of poetry I self published on our dot matrix printer, I never finished anything until my son was born. When I became a stay at home mom with a small thing that slept a few hours a day, I'd hold him in one arm and type with the other. Somewhere along the line, a publisher said they wanted one of my books. And that day was magic.

What do you enjoy most about being a writer?

I love being able to sit by myself and just set my mind free. I'm very much an introvert, which just means that there's tons going on beneath the surface that I keep hidden. Writing allows me to set those things free.

What is the hardest aspect of being a writer?

The days when I'm stuck. When that happens, I'll usually send a panicked email to my critique partner going, “HELP!” She's great at giving me options or talking through various plot points.

How much research goes into your story?

For some stories very little. With Tracy Tam, the only research I really did was on the different Santa myths. There's a computer password in the novel “Nicholas343” which is actually the year Saint Nicholas is born.

I'm working on a YA circus novel now that has involved a lot more research. I've read a lot, watched documentaries, and even taken trapeze classes.

Writers are sometimes influenced by things that happen in their own lives. Are you?
Sometimes. For example, Tracy ends up in a swamp she once took a field trip too. I took that straight from a field trip I took my fifth graders on a few years ago. I also used my experience at Sea World when writing about selkies in Legasea.

Tell us about your publications?

I have two YA novels out right now. Legasea is a murder mystery involving selkies. Spirit
World is upper YA. It's about a girl who hears voices and thinks she's going crazy. The voices turn out to be beings from a parallel world that are trying to use her powers to break into our world. Tracy Tam is my first middle grade novel.

What is the most surprising thing about writing/publishing you have learnt?

How bad I am at marketing. Then again, I'm an introvert. That shouldn't be so surprising.

Top tip/s for writers.

Read. Lots and lots. If you like a book, take note of what you like and why it works. If you don't like a book, figure out why. 

Other than writing what else do you love?

Reading, dancing, and vegging in front of the TV.

Who is your favorite author and why?

 Judy Blume. She was the narrator of my childhood.

If you had a premonition you would be stranded on a desert island what 5 books would you take?

Blubber. The Secret Garden. Jane Eyre. The Harry Potter series (Can that count as one?) The Raven Boys.

Five words that sum you up?

Quiet. Anxious. Creative. Loving. (I've sat here for a very long time trying to think of a fifth word, so I'm just going to say...) Indecisive.

How can we learn more?

Twitter – @KrysteyBelle
Facebook – www.facebook.com/krystalyndrown

~About the book~

 

Title: TRACY TAM: SANTA COMMAND

Publication date: October 22, 2014

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Author: Krystalyn Drown


Tracy doesn’t believe that Santa can deliver all of those presents in one night with out a little help from science. A flying sleigh can only be powered by jet engines, and Santa’s magical abilities can only be the result of altered DNA. In order to test her theories, she sneaks onto Santa’s sleigh and ends up at Santa Command, the place where a team of humans monitors Santa’s big night. When Tracy attempts to hack into their computers, she accidentally introduces a virus to their system. As a result, three states get knocked out of sync with the rest of the world. Before the night is over, Tracy has to fix time and help Santa finish his deliveries. And she has to do it all with Santa’s magic, which she doesn’t believe exists.

Add today on Goodreads!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD | IndieBound | iBooks

~About the author~


Krystalyn spent thirteen years working at Walt Disney World in a variety of roles: entertainer, talent coordinator, and character captain. Her degree in theatre as well as many, many hours spent in a dance studio, helped with her job there. Her various other day jobs have included working in zoology at Sea World, as an elementary teacher, and currently as a support technician for a website. In the evenings, she does mad writing challenges with her sister, who is also an author. Krystalyn lives near Orlando, Florida with her husband, son, a were cat, and a Yorkie with a Napoleon complex.



~Connect with the Author~

  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads