James Dreadful and the Tomb of Forgotten Secrets (The Dreadful Series Book 2)

 

by Alan Creed

 

Category: YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 332 pages

 

Genre: Fantasy

 

Publisher: Creed Publishing

 

Release date: October 19, 2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

James Dreadful’s Epic Adventure Continues in Book Two of the Dreadful Series

After narrowly escaping a contract with his father’s evil servant Rekenhowler, James reluctantly decides to return home to the Cades Isles to live out the rest of his youth training to become a sorcerer. The only problem: James and his companions are adrift on the boat Persephone in the Realm of Shadows without a crew.

When a stowaway aboard Persephone informs James that his father—the Dark Lord—might have been mind-slaved by the mysterious, evil Cowl, James is shocked. The only proof that he will accept is the soul of his father, which he learns is lodged deep in the Tomb of Forgotten Secrets. In confronting his father’s soul, James can learn the truth about the Dark Lord—and if he is destined to become one himself.

​But before he can reach the Tomb, James must travel to Sarvelok, an island protected by raiders, to retrieve the key his uncle Oskar stole from him. Attacking the island would be suicide—but possible with the help of Rekenhowler. The price James will have to pay, however, is too high, but without it, will he ever learn the truth of his father—and his own fate?

 

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About the Author

 

Alan Creed fell in love with storytelling after seeing Star Wars for the first time as a child. When he was ten years old, his tutor asked him to write sentences containing three words: Ocean, Desert, and Jungle. Instead of sentences, Alan wrote a 103-page story entitled Journey through the Desert. That’s when he knew he wanted to be a writer. His 103-page story served as the source material for the Dreadful Series. Alan is currently working on the next installment in the James Dreadful series.

 

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Giveaway

 

Enter to win an ebook copy of James Dreadful and the Tomb of Forgotten Secrets (The Dreadful Series Book 2) (three winners)(ends Feb 4)

 

JAMES DREADFUL AND THE TOMB OF FORGOTTEN SECRETS Book Tour Giveaway

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones in this thrilling fairytale retelling for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and All the Stars and Teeth.

Fi is a bookish treasure hunter with a knack for ruins and riddles, who definitely doesn’t believe in true love.

Shane is a tough-as-dirt girl warrior from the north who likes cracking skulls, pretty girls, and doing things her own way.

Briar Rose is a prince under a sleeping curse, who’s been waiting a hundred years for the kiss that will wake him.

Cursed princes are nothing but ancient history to Fi–until she pricks her finger on a bone spindle while exploring a long-lost ruin. Now she’s stuck with the spirit of Briar Rose until she and Shane can break the century-old curse on his kingdom.

Dark magic, Witch Hunters, and bad exes all stand in her way–not to mention a mysterious witch who might wind up stealing Shane’s heart, along with whatever else she’s after. But nothing scares Fi more than the possibility of falling in love with Briar Rose.

Set in a lush world inspired by beloved fairytales, The Bone Spindle is a fast-paced young adult fantasy full of adventure, romance, found family, and snark.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

When they stepped through the opening, it felt as if they had entered an entirely different house. From here, they could look out over the lake, a view of the valley framed by carved archways of streaked yellow stone that led onto a crumbling balcony. The railing—constructed of a row of winding bronze roses—was badly tarnished, and Fi could see at least one patch where the wooden floorboards had fallen out altogether, leaving her peering down at the deep water below. She made a mental note to be careful where she stepped.

Fi could only imagine how beautiful this place must have been, even just a hundred years ago, before the last Witches had fled. It was the kind of building that probably could have stood another thousand years if anyone had been around to tend to it.

In the evening light, the floating specks of dust from the broken spell burned like flecks of gold, illuminating wall-to-wall bookshelves filled with all the things someone had hidden here: old vials of colored glass; fine porcelain teacups hand-painted with blushing roses; and spools of expensive fabrics dyed burgundy and cobalt, the trademark colors of the silk makers in southern Andar. Fi hadn’t seen craftsmanship like this since the antique shops of Pisarre. Darfell was rich in ore, wood, and wine, but most of its exports were raw materials. Artifacts like this had to be from Andar. The shelves bowed under the weight of ancient books with thick cloth bookmarks spilling over the yellowed pages.

“This is more like it!”

Fi glanced over at Shane, who had gone straight for the treasure. A weathered chest on the far side of the room spilled over with gold chains and ropes of jewels. A silver crown set with pink diamonds already sat askew on the girl’s head. Fi sighed. In that way, Shane was like every other treasure hunter she’d ever known.

Fi had just stepped around a hole in the creaking floorboards, making for the books, when something else caught her eye. A narrow alcove had been cut into the wall near the balcony, and inside sat a long, low table draped in black cloth. Something shone in the table’s center, something that gleamed like shards of white marble. No, Fi realized as she moved toward it—it was bone.

She drifted closer and stared down at the shattered pieces of a bone drop spindle, smooth and pure white as if they had just been polished. She couldn’t tear her eyes away. A few rust-red drops clung to the whorl, and Fi suddenly wondered whether this was the spindle from the story, the one that had been hidden in Briar Rose’s garden.

Her hand seemed to move on its own. Almost against her will, she found herself reaching for the broken piece of the shaft. She hissed as something bit into her finger, making her jerk back. Only now did she notice the snapped-off end of the spindle hidden under the other pieces, sharpened to a point.

Suddenly it was hard to think. Black slanted into the edge of her vision, and all the blood in her body seemed to be rushing the wrong way, leaving her faint. Fi stumbled backward onto the sagging balcony. Her legs trembled as if the floor had begun to shake. A drop of blood welled up on the tip of her finger. Fi stared at it, captivated, the words from the ruin’s door echoing in her mind.

A drop of blood, a drop of hope . . .

“Fi, watch out!”

Shane’s shout brought Fi back to herself in a rush. She hadn’t imagined it—the weathered boards under her feet were shaking and groaning. The balcony was collapsing under her weight. A great crack split the air as the support joists snapped out of the divots in the stone wall.

Fi jumped away, but she was too late. She felt a great heave in her stomach as the whole balcony collapsed, taking a large chunk of the room with it.

She threw her rope helplessly toward the carved archways. The metal ring bounced off the stone—and then she was falling, the breath crushed out of her. Shane threw herself down at the edge of the ripped-apart floor, her hand outstretched over the gap. The distance between them might as well have been a mile. All Fi could hear was the echo of Shane shouting her name as she plunged toward the lake.

At least I didn’t take any of the precious books down with me.

It was her last thought before she hit the water.

 

 

About the Author

 

Leslie is a YA author who loves girl heroes and adventurers. She grew up on fantasy books, anime, fanfiction, and the Lord of the Rings movies, and met her true love in high school choir. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.A. in creative writing, and currently lives in Colorado with her wife and two spoiled house cats.

 

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This cover is original art by Mali Fischer

 

 

Synopsis

 

A missing book is about to write the story of her life — before she even gets one.

Recent high school grad Anya doesn’t just want to write the great American novel — She wants to publish it, too. So she has faked her way into a summer internship at a major New York City publishing house thousands of miles from home in order to pursue her dream career at an accelerated pace. But her shaky, clandestine plan — which includes camping out in the office and surviving on leftovers from the pantry refrigerator — is completely upended when she loses track of a coveted manuscript by one of the biggest authors in the world. Off she has to race into the late night streets of New York City to track down the manuscript — to save her internship and preserve her cover story, not to mention her best-laid career plan — before the sun rises and her boss is back in the office.

Come along on the madcap quest in this standalone YA novella filled with secret door venues, abandoned subway stations, concealed backrooms and crash pads, mysterious missed connections on old school rotary phones, electric alleyway kisses, and revelatory poetry hiding in plain sight.

 

 

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Review

 

I didn’t realize this was a novella when I started, but it is not to be overlooked. I enjoyed the storyline of a high school graduate that somehow scores an internship with a publishing house in NYC and what she goes through keeping her true identity a secret. But she does this for good reason, because she is a poet and wants to be published someday, or perhaps even work in a publishing house.

I’m not sure if the expectations are accurate or not for this industry but I found the story amusing and fast-paced.

I am normally not a poetry kind of person, but the poetry within the book was outstanding. It really brought together Anya’s hopes, dreams, and desires.

Oh, and I had figured out where the manuscript was and was surprised no one thought to look there first.

I give this novella 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Jeffrey Yamaguchi is the author of 52 Projects, Working for the Man, Anya Chases Down the End, and Body of Water. His stories, poems, and photographs have been published in Okay Donkey, Kissing Dynamite, Back Patio Press, X-R-A-Y Literary Magazine, Vamp Cat Magazine, Nightingale & Sparrow, and Black Bough Poetry, among other literary journals. His short films include Unsettled, which premiered at Atticus Review, and Body of Water. Jeffrey has held leadership roles at major publishing houses, including Penguin Random House, Harpercollins, and Abrams Books, and has taught publishing courses at NYU and Mediabistro. He is currently working to build a new publishing venture at Blackstone Audio, and serves on the Digital Committee at Poets & Writers.

 

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Synopsis

 

Would you trust your developing years to a mysterious organization expecting a successful life in return?

In the midst of the 2040s, Livvy Blunt, a girl with an unquiet mind, lives in confinement. Her home is a monastery, a place of silence and meditation created to keep her mind free from the frivolous matters of the modern world.

The Monastery is a corporation with a clear goal: transform young Empty-heads into skilled Silver-hairs. The means to do that are controversial: uploads of skills to the brain. The more youngsters manage to keep their minds empty of gossip and avoid overthinking life, the more skills can be transferred.

Livvy has a hard time trying to keep her mind idle, but her sacrifice should pay off by the promise of a successful future as a Silver-hair, a professional any recruiter would fight to hire. But when time comes for her to choose her set of skills, she is denied every professional and fun skill she ever longed for.

People say she’s lucky for being selected to the Monasterial Upload Program, but she’s not so sure.

 

 

 

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Review

 

What if you could have any skill in the world that you wanted by simply receiving a mind upload? That is the focus of this new YA series and is quite an intriguing one. Set in the future, we meet Livvy who has gone into this program as a young child and purposely keeps her mind free of any information so that when she turns 18, she can become a silver hair and receive an upload of her new skills. The more space you have in your brain, the better the position.

However, something goes awry when Livvy receives a request to meet someone in the garden at midnight, well past curfew. What happens from there is an adventure for Livvy and time for her to reevaluate the path for her life.

This self-discovery journey for Livvy is one that I think many can relate to in their own lives. She thinks that she wants to go down one path but when the opportunity to explore Barcelona where her mother was from, well that was too much of an opportunity to pass up. It challenges what she was led to believe all those years and was uploading skills the way she wanted to live her life? It doesn’t hurt that a few new friends open her eyes to life and what it could be versus what it was scheduled to be through The Monastery.

There is also conflict between warring companies seeking the same technological advances. It is no different than what we might see today. What was interesting was who participated in this battle to save mankind from itself and from big corporations. It made me think what side would I want to be on if I was there.

I loved all of the descriptions of Barcelona and the historical buildings that were explored. I’ve never been to Barcelona but while reading this book I felt like I was there and could envision the sites of this European town.

This is a great start to a new series and I wonder what is in store for Livvy and the gang going forward. We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Just another author, with the same set of letters from the alphabet, trying to put them in such order that they could bring joy, excitement, pain, and inspiration — while trying to make a living out of it.

 

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Synopsis

​A haunted teen outcast and her snarky ghostly best-frenemy outwit enforcers, monsters, and the scars of the past in a race to take expose a deadly conspiracy and escape a bloody end. A lush, award-winning debut to a captivatingly eerie YA Urban Fantasy trilogy. Discover a labyrinthine, post-climate-collapse dystopian Vancouver overrun by monsters and magic in this intricate and startlingly original journey of discovery, restoration, and revenge.

It’s hard not to be a little obsessed with survival when your only “friend” is an unruly ghost and the wrong thought could get your soul devoured by eldritch horrors. Haunted 17-year-old outcast Cole wants nothing more than to hide her forbidden fascination with the monster-taken and blend in with the (dreary) scenery. Her plans for a peaceful life take a turn for the deadly when a mesmerizing stranger and his dangerously tempting offer drive her into the middle of a grisly conspiracy.

But Cole hasn’t yet uncovered the biggest secret of all, and it might just have something to do with the mysterious threads tugging her into horrifying visions—not to mention the shimmering boy at their dark heart. Uncovering the truth will cost her dearly as she fends off scheming enforcers, dreamjacking ghosts & soul-sucking nightmares in a desperate quest for survival and retribution. Can she escape the scars of her past and expose the lies before she’s the next to die?

Blind the Eyes is the first book in a lush and labyrinthine trilogy of paranormal-meets-gothic-dystopian YA Urban Fantasy filled with glittering underworlds, delicious-and-deceptive strangers, and facing down the voices in your head. This slow-burn fantasy with an edge leads readers on a captivatingly unexpected journey of self-discovery, reclaimed identity, and conflicted sisterhood for those who like a little sparkle with their monsters (it glistens so nicely on all the blood.) Fans of post-climate-collapse dystopias, monsters-and-magic, and genre-bending dark fantasy will love this award-winning series starter in a complete and 100% binge-ready trilogy.

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Read Spooky Not Scary!

 

I’ve always had waaay too much imagination for the truly terrifying—seriously, I had nightmares after the first time I watched The Mummy (which is tragic, because Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are fantastic in it!)

Which is why I love the idea of “spooky reads.” There’s this whole sort of hidden subgenre of fantasy with creepy characters, scenes, and other elements, without the kind of creeping horror that makes you afraid to step out of bed in the middle of the night. Specifically, I like to hang out on the gothic end of the spectrum. Consider:

 

• Dystopian manors, towns, or cities, crumbling into obscurity. Everything’s a little worn and faded but also eerily gorgeous. Also, you’re half-or-more in love with death, which is perfect, because it’s also obsessed with you.
• There’s a very slim chance of a romance turning out well, but may I present: confused and/or forbidden attraction, endless yearning, and frustrated desire. Forget steam; how about a slow, poisonous simmer?
• Then there’s the monsters. Are they paranormal? Supernatural? A symptom of your own repression? The true face of society’s oppression? Does it matter, when you know the only sure thing is that your dread will be rewarded with blood and someone’s sure to die beautifully?
• And don’t forget the aesthetics. Wisps of fog, hidden menace and shrouded scenery. Dark waters, mirror-still and waiting to swallow you whole or storm-grey and tossing, eager to grind you against the rocks. Ominous towers with secrets hidden at their feet, endless rooms hiding unimaginable horrors, and faded glory, flaking off under your touch. Gilt and velvet and tattered silks; bitter wine and opium.
• But where it really all comes together is the heroine. Lost and lied to, trapped by circumstances, desperate not to dominate, to subject, to rule, but simply to survive. A gothic dystopian heroine is not a kickass leather-bound stereotype in stilettos but an exhausted girl just trying to get by in a world that wants to grind her under its heel. What could be more relatable? And if she has to untangle endless lies, uncover her stolen past, face down her ghosts and face up to the broken humanity surrounding her in order to take back her life and her power, what could be more aspirational?

 

So yeah, despite my woefully low capacity for the kind of horror that makes you pull the covers over your head, I’m all about the gothic touches in my fantasy. Curious what it’s all about? Join me at kawiggins.com (and join the newsletter to get started with some free spooky short reads!) or on social @kaiespace!

 

About the Author

 

K.A. Wiggins (Kaie) writes award-winning speculative fiction for young people and adults that explores the tangled webs of society, environment, and identity through intricate, dreamlike tales of monsters and magic.

Her debut novel was a Page Turner Awards 2020 Book Spotlight Prize winner and a Barnes & Noble Press “20 Favorite Indie Books of 2018,” kicking off a celebrated and recently completed YA Urban Fantasy trilogy set in a gothic-dystopian post-climate-collapse Vancouver. Her short fiction has appeared in small press anthologies, genre magazines, and in translation for international audiences.

She’s also the President of the Children’s Writers and Illustrators of British Columbia society, co-founder of marketing and business services consultancy The Creative Collective, and a creative writing coach with the Creative Writing for Children society, and was recognized in the 2021 Arty Awards, taking first place in Literary Arts category.

 

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

 

Giveaway

 

Enter to win a special edition hardback copy of Blind the Eyes: A Dystopian-Gothic YA Urban Fantasy (GRAND PRIZE) (one winner/USA only) or ebook copy K.A. Wiggins’ award-winning novel. (5 runner-up winners) (ends Dec 24)

 

BLIND THE EYE by KA Wiggins Book Tour Giveaway

 

 

 

 

Asbury High and the Arson Avenger: Asbury High Series
Young Adult Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Purple Milk Publishing (September 5, 2021)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 349 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Suspicious fires erupt all over town.
With no pattern or motive—can they all really be coincidences?
Or are they linked? And why?
Is there an arsonist hiding in Asbury?

 

Carly, Maddie, Pilot and Cornelious begin their junior year, ready to take on the town as upperclassmen. With their most recent case solved, the gang joins the town in hopes of starting anew, with the focus on normalcy. However, in Asbury “normal” is a foreign word. As new relationships bloom and jealousy mounts, the heat begins to rise.

During the first week of school, the local music hangout explodes, leaving only ashes behind. Within weeks, a second location burns down, leaving the gang little doubt that an arsonist is loose in Asbury. Due to growing political pressure from town Mayor Jeremiah Gibbz, as well as lack of any evidence, the fire and police departments are hesitant to blame criminal activity. As usual, the gang finds itself thrust into the investigation, wondering where to begin—especially since the whole town seems adamant on denying foul play.

Unfortunately, proving the fires are the result of an arsonist seems to be just as difficult as solving the actual case. As more fires burn across Asbury, the teens wonder what the motive could possibly be. Finding themselves pulled into a world of revenge and discovering an ages-old grudge, the teens find themselves facing increasingly dangerous situations.

Adding to their fiery investigation are new relationships and typical high school drama. After seeing Maddie with another guy, Cornelious realizes too late that his feelings for Maddie are beyond simple friendship—but will that tear the gang apart when Asbury needs them the most? With the scheming Pitbulls seemingly lurking behind every door, political and departmental denial of arson, busy teen schedules, and new relationships pulling the gang apart, the foursome find it hard to get together.

With all these disruptions, can the quartet resolve their issues and find the arsonist before Asbury burns down?

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Character Guest Post

 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RAINY-DAY ACTIVITY?

from CORNELIOUS

 

Well, this should come as a surprise to no one. Living in a coastal town, rainy days tend to be more than just your average sprinkling. Usually, it’s a downpour, with tidal risings causing minor flooding—higher during hurricane season.

Because of this, when I know it is going to rain—or when the rain just begins—I head over to see my favorite people. AKA my second family: the Petrozzas. Not only is their crazy family bound to be going wild, but I also know that they’re all together. This, obviously, greatly differs from my family (who spends the rainy days going over stock portfolios or political happenings).

When I get to the Petrozza’s, Mrs. Petrozza will shoo me in—taking off my rainy coat and making sure I know Maddie is in her room, waiting. During the walk up the stairs, I’m sure to bypass two wild, screaming twins, holding onto hot sauce like a lifeline. If Trent is home, he’s probably wrestling or fighting Alec…offering me free rides to parties if I join his side. Clearly, by now I know better than to join in any sibling rivalry—so I pass.

Sometimes, Sophia is baking in the kitchen and sometimes she has a friend over or two—all of whom try to lure me into their room and their middle school games.

When I finally make it to Maddie’s room, Pilot and Carly might be there or it might just be Maddie. I love all my best friends, but I prefer when it’s just Maddie. We can talk for hours about nothing—or do some sleuthing into some recent case.

Basically, just being in the warm Petrozza home with my best friend is how I choose to spend my rainy days. I can honestly say I can count on one thing though” the unknown. In Asbury, with my friends, I know something out of the ordinary will happen.

 

 

About the Author

 

Growing up just over the bridge from Ocean City, NJ in Upper Township meant discovering plenty of fun places to both read, write, and run around outside like a maniac. In fact, for as long as she could remember, Kelly loved making up stories and leaving her listeners/readers on the edge of their seats. Perhaps that’s why she always managed to talk herself out of trouble…

So, if her past teachers and/or coaches are reading this, maybe it’s time to reconsider some of the tales she may have told back in the day.

After graduating from Ocean City High School, Kelly accepted a basketball scholarship to Holy Family University, in Philadelphia. Upon graduating college, Kelly continued to live in Philly, teaching for four years and meeting the love of her life during a snowstorm. In fact, it was her awesome husband who encouraged her to pursue her writing–Yay, Ryan!

Before writing page-turners, however, she taught first, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade — like a dessert menu, she simply had to test them all out. But her favorite job is the one she’s now doing full time: writing.

As her first published work, the Asbury High series has been brewing since she was 18, and has something for every type of reader–go ahead take look for yourself! If you love mysteries, you’ve found your new favorite author. Kelly loves to craft whodunit mysteries, leading readers through various twists and turns filled with red-herrings, hidden clues, and more peculiar characters than a reality show. As an athlete, she hopes that the importance of teamwork and overcoming adversity is also quite clear in her writing

Kelly lives in South Jersey with her handsome husband, energetic baby boys, two cookie-stealing dogs, and an awfully smart cat.

 

 

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Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Emmie let out a huge sob – “It’s not a film set”, she cried. She held onto Jack for a moment, then took a step back, closed her eyes and shouted – “WHERE AM I?”

When Jack and Emmie suddenly find themselves transported back to London in 1940, they find a world both familiar, yet very different. As they dodge falling bombs and over-zealous policemen, they befriend Jan – a lonely Polish refugee. Together, they must work out if the shadowy figure they keep seeing is a spy and unlock the secret of getting home again…

 

 

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Review

 

Sometimes I enjoy reading middle-grade books because if nothing else, it might teach me a thing or two. In this case, it was an almost teen’s perspective of what the blitz was like for the children of the 1940s. This book also combines a little bit of fantasy and sci-fi into the mix with the time travel aspect of the story.

It starts off with Jack being asked to write a page about what children might have thought or felt during WWII especially during the blitz. He is like any other 12 year old and has no idea what to think or write. Emmie is in another class and they are acting out the same type of scenario but neither really have any idea what those children went through 80 years ago. That is until the bus they are riding on zaps them back to the past and they are dumped into the reality of the 1940s.

This is truly a learning experience for Jack and Emmie. They have to figure out how to fend for themselves when it comes to food and shelter, avoid the police, and they also have to figure out how they were taken back to the past and how do they get back to their time? Luckily, they meet a couple of other young children that they befriend and it is an adventure for all of them. Jan (pronounced Yan) and Stan (short for Stanislaw) are from Poland and were part of the program that took young children from their countries and housed them in England where they would hopefully survive the war. These four form a fast friendship despite some misunderstandings at first.

This was a somewhat fast read for me, but one that was enjoyable because I too couldn’t wait to find out how they were going to get back to the present. Thankfully, there are people that took care of them at times with food, shelter, and friendship. I think this experience definitely taught these two a little something about history and what they shouldn’t take for granted in their own time.

I think this would be a great read for anyone and we give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Glen Blackwell lives in Suffolk, England. He has a career in finance and We’re Moving Where?! is his first book. Inspired by bedtime reading with his 3 daughters, Glen loves to bring stories to life for young readers.

 

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Synopsis

 

The Sheehy witches are the most feared and detested family on the island of Inisliath, and none more so than Rowan.

As a deathwalker, Rowan ferries island souls to the Otherworld, experiencing their deaths and carrying their memories like ghosts within him. It’s a fated role he accepts even as it inexorably destroys him.

When the magic on the island starts to seep away from the other founding families, everyone blames the Sheehys—especially when islanders start dying.

Ash is sick of their father’s fists and constantly having to apologize for who they are. Life on Inisliath might be the fresh start Ash and their mum need, and meeting soft-spoken, curly-haired Rowan feels like the ray of sunshine Ash has desperately needed—but everything goes sideways when Ash’s mum becomes lead detective on a series of ritualistic murders allegedly tied to island magic, and Ash’s family history.

The islanders are convinced Rowan is guilty, but Ash refuses to believe it. When Ash does some investigating of their own, they discover Rowan is far more likely to be the next victim. With time running out to save Rowan, Ash will have to choose between a life free of their father or the boy they’re starting to love. Meanwhile, Rowan will have to decide just how much he’s willing to sacrifice to save his family from the darkness about to be unleashed on the island.

 

 

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Rowan

 

My sisters danced in the waves as I bled on the shore.

Their hair unspooled in the wind; their hands lifted toward the moon hanging like a scythe above the black ocean. They raised their voices, the spell harmonized in four parts, and I felt its pull.

The ghosts within me joined in the chorus, every soul shard ululating to the bruised night and fading stars. I let them sing; I was powerless to stop them. Instead, I closed my eyes, feeling the familiar thrum of the departed within my bones as my sisters chanted in the old tongue, the language of the tamed gods from whom we claimed our power.

Salt stung the wounds cut across my forearms by each of my sisters’ blades. Four fresh lines gouged between old scars. I knelt on the sand turning red beneath my knees and let the water take what it would of me.

My sisters’ song rose in pitch and volume, their voices straining, beseeching the waves to accept this offering from my veins. Ribbons of light rippled through the foam, darting toward their naked bodies as they spun and splashed.

The waves lapped hungrily at my blood, soaking my jeans, icy fingers in my skin. A final pull, as if I were being dragged below by a rip current, swallowed by the sea, and my sisters gasped as one.

My ghosts fell silent, spent.

Dawn slashed its talons across the horizon sending gold and vermilion bleeding through the shredded clouds, and in the light, my sisters’ hair turned to flames, each an inferno circling a delicate face.

The spell complete, they dragged their limbs made heavy with renewed power from the waves and pulled clothes over sticky skin.

“Thank you,” Iona said as she removed bandages from her satchel. She bound my arms as the others toweled their hair and gathered their blades. “See you back at the house?”

I nodded.

“You’ll be all right?” She cast a glance toward the cliffs at my back, their shadow receding from the sand but never from my heart, or what was left of it.

“Aye, I’ll be fine. Just need a minute.”

Iona patted my shoulder as I gingerly rolled down my sleeves.

I heard them leave, clambering along the pebble-strewn path that zig-zagged up the cliffs, but kept my gaze on the ocean. The tide was coming in, the waves thundering against the rocky arms extending in a deadly embrace from either side of the cove.

Cold and drained, I retreated from the waves racing higher along the beach and dusted the sand from my jeans, stiff with salt.

Having pulled on my boots, I started the steep climb, my legs weak, and my arms still numb from the spell. With my sisters gone and their magic dissipating, the birds returned, screeching their greetings to the dawn as they whirled above the black rock.

At the top of the cliff, I whistled for Auryn. She came at once, trotting through the meadow with a mouthful of dewy grass. She followed me as I traced a path along the edge of the cliff. I couldn’t help it, as if an invisible hook had caught within my sinews, reeling me back to this same spot every time I drew near.

Years of storms had washed the stone clean, but I didn’t need to see the stain to know the place my heart had beat its last. The breath caught in my lungs like wool tangled in a brier. Auryn nudged my shoulder, huffing sweet breath in my face.

Taking hold of her mane, I leapt onto her back, letting her carry me away from memories of death as it began to rain.

 

 

About the Author

 

Climber, tattoo-enthusiast, peanut-butter addict, and loyal shibe-minion, Xan van Rooyen is a genderqueer, non-binary storyteller from South Africa, currently living in Finland where the heavy metal is soothing and the cold, dark forests inspiring. Xan has a Master’s degree in music, and–when not teaching–enjoys conjuring strange worlds and creating quirky characters. You can find Xan’s short stories in the likes of Three-Lobed Burning Eye, Daily Science Fiction, and The Colored Lens among others. Xan hangs out on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook so feel free to say hi over there.

 

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Grenade Bouquets (Runaway Train, Book 2) by Lee Matthew Goldberg

 

Publisher:  Wise Wolf Books (August 5, 2021)

 

Series: Runaway Train, Book 2

 

Category: Young Adult, Runaways, Outcasts, Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Depression, Mental Illness

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

I had stars in my eyes and I couldn’t see around them…

The year is 1995 and my parents have finally allowed me to take the summer to tour in a VW van across the country with my boyfriend Evan and our band. Yes, my dream to be a singer became reality. Even with Clarissa, Evan’s jealous ex-girlfriend, as the lead singer, it’s my presence on stage that led us to a major record deal. There are moments you’ll always remember in life, but I can’t imagine anything more cool than hearing your song on the radio for the first time.

But being a Rockstar isn’t as easy as it sounds. Using alcohol and drugs as coping mechanisms, nothing but tension surrounded me, hurting my still blossoming relationship, and continued grieving over my sister’s death.

A love letter to the nineties and a journey of a girl becoming a woman, Grenade Bouquets charts the rollercoaster ride of a band primed to explode on the scene, as long as they keep from actually exploding.

 

 

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Praise

 

“An engaging ’90s pastiche with an earnest heart beating at its center.”- Kirkus Reviews

“Runaway Train is a high-energy testimonial to the redemptive power of a road trip with an awesome soundtrack. Lee Matthew Goldberg balances the urgency of youth with a whiff of anticipatory nostalgia for the music and misadventures of late adolescence. Attuned to way distinctions between music genres and teen idols can feel like impermeable walls worth defending, and then crumble as a teen like Nico Sullivan finds her own voice.”- Jenn Stroud Rossman, author of The Place You’re Supposed to Laugh

“Raw. Riveting. Runaway Train stays true to its title as it explores the deep pain of a teenager desperately trying to find peace in a world full of pain. Lee Matthew Goldberg is a master at bestowing sympathy and strength on deeply flawed characters. Realistic and shocking, hopeful and satisfying, Runaway Train will keep readers turning the page.”- USA Today Bestselling Author Rebecca Forster 

“It’s an incredibly challenging task for an author to utilize a darkly comedic tone without coming across as disingenuous–but Goldberg executes it here with expert precision. Brimming over with the visceral atmosphere of the early 90s grunge era, RUNAWAY TRAIN is a must-read for those willing to buckle up for the ride.”-Peter Malone Elliott (Director of Operations, Book Pipeline)

 

 

Guest Post

 

How To Research Your Story Before Writing Your Book

 

By Lee Matthew Goldberg

 

Research is a huge part of writing a novel. Even though you’re creating fiction, it has to be based in believability. For all of my eight novels, there’s been some degree of research, even before I started writing.

My first book Slow Down took place in the world of Hollywood, focusing on a director. I spoke with a few directors to get the ins-and-outs of their days and to answer some technical questions too. My second book The Mentor was set in the world of academia and publishing. I taught undergrad for ten years, so that research came from experience. One of my characters is a book editor and I spoke with editors about how they choose manuscripts and then champion them in-house. My third novel The Desire Card had the most research of the three because it was a thriller about a Wall Street Executive getting a liver of the black market. I did a lot of research prior to writing about working on Wall Street and the black market, which was not easy research to do. The book also had a part that was set in Mumbai, so the bulk of the research was recreating Mumbai on the page. An editor of mine lived in Mumbai for many years, so he helped with a lot of the details. For each of the books, research became a guide to developing the story. I got more ideas after researching, so it was so important to do before I began writing and plotting.

My fourth novel The Ancestor had the most research of any. It was about fishermen in the wilderness of Alaska, so I did a ton of research about both. A third of the novel also takes place during the Alaskan Gold Rush in the late 1800s. I watched many documentaries and read many books about the era before I even attempted to write. And when I was writing those parts, I only read books set in that era, so I could immerse myself in those times.

For my Young Adult series Runaway Train and the second book Grenade Bouquets, the novels are set in the 1990s. I was a teenager at the time, so I remember a lot, but the main character is a girl. I asked friends to send me any info about what a teenage girl would be interested in in the 90s. I also watched a lot of TV from that era like the shows My So-Called Life and 90210. The books are heavily influenced by music as well. Each chapter is a different grunge song that the main character adds to her mixtape. Of all the research I did, this was the most fun, since I got to relive my favorite era of music. I even got the rights from the band Soul Asylum to use their song “Runaway Train” in the book.

Whether you set a novel in the past or the present, research is so important in creating a full picture of believability for the readers. These days, the internet is your best friend to find out any info, but it’s also good to talk to professionals as well. For me, it was getting in contact with directors, editors, people in finance, fishermen, and those who grew up in the 90s to give firsthand knowledge that would help round my characters.

Whatever you decide to write, make sure you put in the work to really bring it to life for your readers. Trust me, they’ll tell you if you don’t!

 

 

Guest Review by Gud Reader

 

There is something unique about young adult adventurous books with rock stars as their characters. When delivered perfectly they offer the reader some glimpse of the glamour, the glitz and even the downside including the drugs and the depression. One such good read which does this just right is the ‘Grenade Bouquets’ by Lee Matthew Goldberg. As a bonus, it takes place in the 90s. So, even though it is written with young adults in mind, their parents will enjoy it as well.

The book, a sequel of the ‘Runaway Train’ brings back Nico now a seventeen-year-old teenager whose life is now wrapped up in touring with her new band. Grenade Bouquets. For Nico performing on the stage is just like a dream come true especially doing so alongside the lead singer Evans who also doubles up as her new boyfriend. However, despite the band making huge strides in the rock arena, Nico has to keep on battling. First Clarissa who is Evan’s ex and also a member of the band is on Nico’s neck bashing her at every instance, secondly, while Nico’s star is rising, her fellow band members start harboring some resentment towards her. Also fresh from mourning her sister’s loss how will her inexperienced teenage self-deal with her newfound fame, Clarissa’s resentment, and the depression which is slowly creeping in?

The author Lee Matthew Goldberg does a marvelous job of featuring Nico who, despite being a teenager has that glorious sneer of a tough punk queen who knows how cool she is and does not care if you agree. Despite having a dark, provocative, and aggressive side complete with some confrontational dust-ups she knows she has to rise.

This one is your pick if you are looking for an adventurous book complete with the rock life thrill. Also, you will walk away with some behind scenes of the rock life involving the skullduggery, alcohol, and also depression.

 

 

About the Author

 

Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of seven novels including THE ANCESTOR and THE MENTOR, currently in development as a film off his original script, and the YA series RUNAWAY TRAIN. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for the Prix du Polar. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Monkeybicycle, Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, Hypertext, If My Book, Past Ten, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Underwood Press and others.

His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City.

 

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Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

The Awakening: Three Sources. Two Worlds. One Connection

 

by Dana Claire

 

 

Awakening

 

The government called her a weapon. Her mother called her a gift. She called it a forced fate. Beatrice Walker is no stranger to surprises and after the year she’s had, finding out she is responsible for billions of lives is a drop in the bucket. Until she learns there may be more to the prophetic plan to prevent the extinction of two planets—both Earth and Ferro, and that she isn’t the only Blood-Light they will need to fight the imminent threat of an asteroid hurtling toward the planets.

He grew up a loyal heir. He trained to be a soldier. He found purpose with the Rebellion. Cash Kingston didn’t think falling for a Blood-Light—part human, part Ferroean—was possible. But when he met Beatrice Walker, all of that changed. What didn’t waver was his quest to save his beloved planet Ferro and his new home, Earth. Not only from the oncoming asteroid but from leaders of both planets with more sinister agendas.

Together, Beatrice and Cash, plus their team, must uncover who they can trust, how they can stop their enemies, and what superpower matters most, or they will lose everything they are fighting for.

 

 

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Praise

 

Having thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series, I was absolutely sure I was going to love this one as well and boy, I wasn’t wrong. This is the second book in this stellar series and it’s even more action-packed than the first. It starts off with a bang and doesn’t let up the entire time. It also introduces more fun and quirky characters that I immediately fell in love with. And what an ending! It was done so uniquely and kept the momentum going until the very last page, during which we’re also treated to some astounding revelations that just make me that much more anxious for the next book to get here already. If you like young adult scifi action adventure, you’ll love this author and this series. They’re both outstanding.” -5 Stars DTChantel

“I’m so in love with this series!! This is the second book, which you expect for it to be not quite as good as the first, NOPE!!! This was just as great as the first, if not a little better!!!
The growth we see of the characters and not just the main characters, is so well done. We have a few new side characters that brought a lot to the story. But my favorite are Cash, Beatrice and Ashton. But I totally ship Cash & Beatrice!!!
I can’t stress this enough… if you like Romance with SciFi (like The Lux series by JLA, The Kricket series, The Saven series) you will LOVE this series!!!! It’s definitely it’s own series, not a copycat, but just to give you an idea of the kind of Romance with SciFi story it is. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SERIES!!! And I can’t wait for the next book!!!” -5 Stars Donna (Book Dragon Girl)

“I was so excited to read book two in this series! There was just enough backstory sprinkled in so that you could still follow the story if you hadn’t read book one (and enough to remind the reader if they read book one a while ago). I was pulled right back into Bea and Cash’s story, and I could barely put the book down until I reached the end. From rescuing Ashton, to Cash being captured, to Bea’s first experience of Ferro, to the surprising “reward” for saving the world, I had to keep turning the pages. We’re left with a cliffhanger at the end, though, so I hope Ms. Claire is industriously writing volume three!” -5 Stars Cyndi

“This book is beyond amazing. It keeps you so hooked at all times. You cannot go wrong with this read.” -5 Stars Amazon Customer

 

 

Guest Review from Gud Reader

 

Dana Clare does it again this time with her hard-hitting science fiction ‘The Awakening’. Having read her first book in the Blood-Light trilogy I am just amazed at how she is able to come up with such a mind-blowing and thought-provoking plot.

In this book, we encounter Beatrice ‘Bea’ Walker a character not new to surprises. This time her forced fate as she is about to find out, is to save both Ferro and earth from an imminent threat of an asteroid that is about to strike both the planets. On her side is Cash Kingston the gorgeous but arrogant character from Ferro. The twist depends upon finding Cash’s half-brother, Ashton who, in this case, is the ‘opposing source’, if their mission is at all to be successful. Now, Bea, Cash, and Ashton are on a mission to save planet Ferro and planet Earth from destruction. Will they succeed in this and who can they trust to ensure that their mission is not foiled?

For any science fiction lover, an exquisitely fabulous blast of science fiction with a dash of romance awaits you in this book. Dana does a marvelous job as she writes with an elegant and beautiful flowing style that carries the reader with her as she blends scientific fact and some supernatural lore to create that outstanding plotline that feels both authentic and believable. Her world-building and character-building are pitch-perfect!

 

 

About the Author

 

When author Dana Claire had several poems published as an elementary school student, she was hooked and writing became her passion. A shared dream of hers and her mother’s, she promised her dying mother that she would become a published author and that dream has been realized with The Connection.

Dana believes that a good story is made through strong character development; when readers become attached to the characters’ emotional state and are invested in their objectives. She believes that the beauty of reading is that one can live a hundred lives within the stories of books. Her own stories come to her in her dreams, and she wakes up with book ideas.

Dana’s family is very supportive of her writing and the creativity and sentiment driving it. Enjoying bicoastal living between Los Angeles and New York, Dana says she “lives the best romance in the world being married to the most amazing man she could ever ask for.” The Connection was her debut YA novel, the first volume in a planned trilogy. The Awakening is the second volume.  She is also the author of The Reclaimed Kingdom, a YA fantasy romance novel.

 

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Giveaway

 

3 print copies and 3 matching eye masks, 1 each per winner.

It is open to Canada and the U.S. only and ends on September 17, 2021, at midnight pacific time

 

 

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