Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 27

Off the Bookshelf: THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, by Talia Jager

 

Book One of the Gifted Teens series

Kassia and her friends attend the Glendale Institute, where they are trained in their various unusual gifts, taught discipline, and ultimately as they find out, are protected from someone who wants to either control them or destroy them.

Kassia has a dangerous gift, and has a difficult time controlling it. When she resorts to violence to defend her friend who has been cruelly attacked, the two of them need to flee the institute to protect their fellow students. Kassia's actions have opened the door to danger, alerting their enemies to where they are.

Several friends join the girls on their quest for a hiding place and ultimately for help. They all are forced to grow up quickly, and in the end, learn to not just work together, but make sacrifices for each other.

Storytellers Episode: Ye Olde Dragon's Library podcast: chat with author DEBORAH CULLINS SMITH

 Today's guest on the Ye Olde Dragon's Library storytelling podcast is my partner in crime, the second of the "Two Olde Dragons Writing Wyrd Stories," DEBORAH CULLINS SMITH.

We talk about how she got started writing, how she got dragged, kicking and screaming, into writing science fiction/fantasy, focusing on horror, and the process of researching and writing her Realm Award-winning novel, MINA: Warrior in Shadows, and her trilogy, Last of the Long-Haired Hippies.

Deborah describes herself as what happens when Stephen King meets Billy Graham in the Twilight Zone!

Join us for this two-parter author chat!

https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/ye-olde-dragons-library-storytelling-podcast/

Off the Bookshelf: JUST ONE DAMNED THING AFTER ANOTHER, by Jodi Taylor

 

The Chronicles of St. Mary's, Book 1

Narrated by Zara Ramm

The book that started it all!

I started this series with the free short stories in audio from Audible, but I quickly became hooked, devoured all I could get to, and had to move on to willingly paying for my "fixes." 

Fun, quirky, dry British sense of humor, snarky in places. This is learning about the time-traveling historians from the inside, as a newcomer. Major fun as Max goes through training, and all the political scheming and bickering and in-fighting, through her first assignments, the accidents and injuries and deaths, and then learning that some people just can't be trusted. And then sweetly bitter revenge and justice.

Love this roller coaster ride that kept my attention the whole way through. I deliberately saved it for a long drive, so I wouldn't have to stop for "real life" and have waits of several hours before I could keep listening.

Warning: Contents can be addicting!

Storytellers Episode: Ye Olde Dragon's Library: Chat with DEBORAH CULLINS SMITH

Today's guest on the Ye Olde Dragon's Library storytelling podcast is my partner in crime, the second of the "Two Olde Dragons Writing Wyrd Stories," DEBORAH CULLINS SMITH.

We talk about how she got started writing, how she got dragged, kicking and screaming, into writing science fiction/fantasy, focusing on horror, and the process of researching and writing her Realm Award-winning novel, MINA: Warrior in Shadows, and her trilogy, Last of the Long-Haired Hippies.

Deborah describes herself as what happens when Stephen King meets Billy Graham in the Twilight Zone!

Join us for this two-parter author chat!

https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/ye-olde-dragons-library-storytelling-podcast/

New Release sample: LIARS' QUEST

 

“Is this judgment?”Ash whispered, pausing in raising her hand to knock. She grinned, knowing howGranny Phlox would react if she posed that question to her. Granny had a wry,commonsense view of A’theosius and what the creator expected of people. Sheshook her head and thumped three times on the frame of the door.

Silence.

Ash held her breath.Granny should have called out. Had she grown deaf since the last visit? Or wasshe ill?

The latch rattled.The door slid open. Lantern light spilled out, over the shoulder of Hazel.

“Ashlyn. Good.” She chuckledwhen Ash gaped at her. “Did you think you could keep your secret from me?”

“My name—” Ash shookher head. She was going to say her name wasn’t Ashlyn, but a sensation like awarm breeze swirled around her, and she heard echoes of a woman calling to her,laughing, calling her Ashlyn. Tears warmed and blurred her eyes at the suddencertainty she heard her mother’s voice. “I haven’t used my name for … years.”

“Yes, well, change isbeing forced upon us.” Hazel stepped back, pulling the door wide open. “Wedon’t have as much time as I would like. You are blessed with powerful friends.Whether they are powerful enough … well, only A’theosius knows.”

“Is that my pup?” GrannyPhlox’s creaky voice emerged from the shadows, twined with a warm chuckle thatalways hinted she was ready for mischief, and could outdo her twelve charges inany sort of trouble they might try to make.

New Release (re-release, actually!) ODESSA FREMONT, Guardians of the Time Stream, Prequel

 The Guardians of the Time Stream: set during the reconstruction of theUnited States in the decades following the Civil War.

 Technology is on the rise, with locomotives and steam-poweredindustry, airships and other experiments in slightly anachronistic technology.A fascination with travel around the world and the exploration of othercultures, especially ancient cultures, is on the rise.

 

The Guardians, who call themselves the Originators, are descendants oftravelers from our far distant future, who traveled into the distant past toprevent another group of time travelers from altering the world to suit theirvision. And as Ess Fremont grows up and learns her heritage, her family'shistory and their secrets, she takes her place in the battle to protect theworld.

Prequel: ODESSA FREMONT

Ess Fremont already hated her boarding school before discovering theheadmistress was trying to steal her inheritance. With her archeologistgrandparents presumed dead in South America's turmoil, and her older brothermissing, she struck out for freedom.

 

Guided by her grandparents' maxim to always help where she was able,and aided by their inventions, Ess made her mark. First step: reveal aResurrectionist plot to the Secret Service before the Southerners couldre-start the Civil War.

 

Disguised as a boy, Ess headed West. Sharp eyes, scientificprinciples, and engineering knowledge put her in the right place at the righttime to do the right thing. Powerful allies included President Lincoln, theSecret Service, circus performers, train inspectors, and Pinkerton agents. Notbad for a girl between her fourteenth and seventeenth birthdays.

 

If she could only find her missing brother and uncover the secretstheir grandparents kept from them…

AVAILABLE NOW!

The Guardians of the Time Stream series was originally published by Desert Breeze Publishing. When they closed their doors, I got my rights back. The series is now being released in paper, ebook and audiobook, with new cover art.

Look for Book 1: The Blue Lotus Society, to be re-released in September. Book 2: Sanctuary, in November. And Book 3, Music in the Night, in January.

From Ye Olde Dragon Books: www.YeOldeDragonBooks.com

Storytellers Episode, Ye Olde Dragon's Library: A.S. NORRIS

This week's guest on the podcast is A.S. Norris, talking about his Wayward Mage series, with his interesting main character, Jack Wartnose.

Find out how he got the name, where Norris gets his ideas, his plans for future books (lots of books!) and discussions of character growth, good adventure novels, and his promise to readers that he will finish the series and not leave them hanging!

Listen to the episode right on the website:  

https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/ye-olde-dragons-library-storytelling-podcast/

 

You can find him online:

Website: asnauthor.com.

And on social media, Facebook and Twitter: @asnauthor.

New Release sample: LIARS' QUEST

“He wouldn’t try todestroy my magic, would he?”

“If he finds out youhave any. I’d suggest pretending to be far less than you are, until this wholeridiculous inquiry is over.”

“Could you take me asyour servant? Take me to the warrior maidens?” Ash sighed and spread her arms.“I’m not exactly built to be a warrior, but … isn’t there something I could doto be useful?”

“I will confer withAunt Charlotte. Right now, Granny Phlox wants to see you. She might have somewords of wisdom to help you through this. And it’s only common sense to get youaway from the castle, from the curious and those who are angry you fooled themso easily.”

Leena squeezed Ash’sshoulder, then gave her a gentle shove forward. She stumbled a few steps andlooked back once. The older girl nodded to her and stepped back, clearly notgoing the rest of the way with her. This reluctance to return to the onlychildhood home she remembered was ridiculous, Ash knew, but she couldn’t helpit. Her legs wobbled for a few steps before she silently scolded herself tostop being a ninny. Granny Phlox was stern, but she was never cruel, and morethan once she had turned into a whirling fury to defend the children given intoher charge. If they were her pups, then she was a she-wolf, unhindered by herblindness.

Ash took several deepbreaths and focused on the muffled thud of her heart in her ears as sheapproached the door of the cottage. She wished now she had come back more oftento visit Granny Phlox, especially after nearly all the boys who had beenbrought here with her had gone away, either adopted or apprenticed. Three boyswho had been infants when Lady Charlotte brought them here still lived in thecottage and spent their days tending the cows and chickens and pigs in thenearby fields and byres. That was no excuse for neglecting the old woman whowas the only mother she could remember.
 

New Release Coming: DETOURS

 The next book in the Tabor Heights series, DETOURS, will be released in paper, ebook and audio on July 15.

What is Tabor Heights?

Welcome to Tabor Heights:

A friendly little town on Ohio's North Coast, where sweet romanceis always in the air.

Here you'll be able to explore the lives of the members of thecongregation of Tabor Christian Church in the space of two years. The storiesoverlap, and there's no one right place to start.

Just like any small town, you come in, you meet someone, you heartheir story and get to know them. As you get to know these new friends, theyintroduce you to other people, and tell you about other interesting stories intown.

It's the same way with Tabor Heights. Start with the story thatinterests you the most, and then branch out.

Settle back and enjoy your visit.

Welcome!

DETOURS is Year 1, Book 2

A year in the life…

 

Roommates Bekka, Kat, and Amy have alot in common: Theater students, pursuing writing careers, supporting eachother in crises and heartaches. Amy keeps breaking up with her boyfriend. Katnever dates a boy more than twice. Bekka is too busy with part-time jobs andwriting to even want a relationship. Especially seeing how miserable herroommates are in their love lives.

 

All that changes when Shane shows up.Bekka lets herself dream, even through the turmoil of Amy's boyfriend followinghis dreams and the effect on Amy, and the damage done by Kat's stepfather, andthe destruction of her mother's marriage and dreams. Life is hectic --especially when a con man tries to steal Bekka's chance at making her owndreams come true. Can't she have at least one miracle? The problem is that sheand Shane never seem to meet up -- and then somehow Kat and Shane start dating,and once she dumps a guy, he never comes back. Bekka can't help hoping, though…

From Mt. Zion Ridge Press: www.MtZionRidgePress.com

The Tabor Heights books were originally published by Desert Breeze Publishing. When they closed their doors in 2018, Tamera Kraft and I started Mt. Zion Ridge Press, and spent the first couple years figuring out what we were doing, and re-releasing our orphaned books. The Tabor and Quarry Hall books were originally released by us in ebook only, with the original Desert Breeze artwork. NOW, we've designed new artwork, and have added audiobook to the offerings.

Hope you enjoy the re-released series, which will happen every other month .... for the foreseeable future!

New Release: PLANTWISE

 

“Her duties could send her away, though,” Glynna said. Sheneatly folded her legs and floated down until she sat facing them, so they madea little triangle. “Those of us with great Giftings have greater obligations tosacrifice.”

“Yes, and you show great wisdom and devotion in wanting toprepare against that day, Princess of Westerland. What I am about to show youis within your skills and strength. But be warned: the stronger the magic andthe more powerful the blessing, the greater the danger of it turning to poisonand curse. Your heart will be too tightly tied into this gift for your kingdom,and the heart can destroy when it is broken.” He tapped two fingers to hisbreastbone, then gestured at Arden’s chest. “You must be strong. You must bepure. And you must fight against bitterness, no matter how tempting.”

What he told them to do surprised Arden with the simplicity.Glynna laughed, when she confessed that surprise to her on their long walk hometo the palace.

“The most effective and useful magic is often the simplest,” herteacher agreed.

The plan, however, could not be implemented now. Arden neededtime to gather up the energy this task would require, a little at a time. Sheneeded to weave together the life and beauty and purity of Westerland allthrough the growing season and the harvest.