Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 71

New release sample: NIGHT OF THE LIVING PROOF

 

I woke up late Christmas day with a splitting headache. Along with the hives that kept spreading, despite Angela’s tea, my joints ached. I spent most of Christmas day sprawled on the sofa, sipping tea and dozing. The boys got to gorge on all the goodies: shrimp, cheese ball and crackers, smokies in barbecue sauce, wings, egg rolls. My stomach did backflips just thinking about the food I was missing. Felicity and Jake elected to have a quiet, romantic Christmas day at her place, rather than joining us. I didn’t blame them. I made a bet with myself she would get a ring for Christmas.

My big mistake was combining Angela’s salve and tea with antihistamines. I spent the day in a haze, broken at irregular intervals by strange dreams that kept jerking me up out of sleep, trying to fly away from something nasty. My strongest impression through all those twisting, looping, slimy dreams was of something trying to drill or melt or pound its way through a shield around Eden. Sometimes it turned into the Wishing Ball, and Divine’s Emporium was inside it.

Friday morning, I woke up before dawn with the worst dream yet. In it, Bethany and Athena were having a sleepover at Divine’s, like they used to do when they were little. The house filled with shadows that reached out tentacles from the walls and tried to grab both girls. That frightened me, because Bethany had made it home for Christmas just before midnight. She and her father, Ben, had spent Christmas day with Angela, who was Bethany’s godmother. I was worried because we had kept her ignorant of her heritage as the daughter of a guardian. Stephanie had died defending Neighborlee from the snake trying make our town its doorway to invade Earth. We had honored her wishes that Bethany not become a guardian. What if the snake or whatever that ugly, persistent enemy really was, had made Bethany a target becauseshe was ignorant and untrained?

Off the Bookshelf: DRAGONS IN A BAG, by Zetta Elliott

 

Audiobook

YA

In Jaxon's world, there used to be magic, but it has been fading away, so there isn't enough magic in Brooklyn, where he lives, to support magical creatures.

He doesn't know that yet -- not until his mother has to spend the day in court dealing with a nasty landlord, and leaves him in the home of a cranky old woman only known as Ma, . Jaxon is sure he's going to be miserable, and at first it looks like he's right. Then things just start happening, beginning with a mysterious package covered with foreign stamps, and a squirrel that is desperate to break into the kitchen at get at that package. Jaxon's mother raised him to be polite, but it's hard when Ma is so mean ... at least, for a while.

When Jaxon goes on a delivery errand with Ma, suddenly everything starts changing. He's full of questions, and as he learns the truth about Ma and what was in the package, his world changes around him -- and he steps into another time, and then another world. When he and Ma are separated, he is desperate to get help, to find and rescue her. Since he left her behind in a place inhabited by dinosaurs, he turns to the only dinosaur expert he knows, his friend Vikram. Unfortunately, Vikram brings along his little sister, Kavita, who goes digging into Ma's purse ... and before Jaxon knows it, they've broken the most important rules Ma told him: don't let the dragons out into the light, and don't feed them.

So very much happens, so quickly, in this lovely story about learning and growing up and needing to think fast and be smart. I hope there are more adventures for Jaxon and Ma, as he becomes her apprentice and learns about the magic that remains in the world.

New Book! NIGHT OF THE LIVING PROOF, Neighborlee Book 5

 

Night of the Living Proof 

The shadows from Lanie's past continue to haunt her and her friends as Neighborlee moves from Christmas to New Year's Eve. Something or someone is tampering with the magical defenses of the town. Things and people disappear and reappear, with no explanation, and gaps in memories and time. An age-old nemesis is gathering its strength for another attempt to shatter the door that Divine's Emporium holds shut. 

Sylvia Grandstone returns, and she's got her sights set on Daniel, Lanie's new boss. It's the same old Grandstone scheme to gain power and wealth by any means possible, including marriage. It would be easy to blame Sylvia for the new problems and mysteries, applying the Jessica Fletcher theory of crime-solving: the most famous guest artist is the murderer. However, Sylvia's years in Hollywood never got her anywhere near star status, and no one would ever believe she could be a criminal mastermind. Or so the guardians would like to believe. 

As New Year's Eve approaches at Eden, the Neighborlee community center, the disappearances and time gaps increase. Instead of trying to convince town officials to cancel the New Year's Eve party, the guardians prepare for a showdown, and brace themselves to do what they have always done: defend the people of Neighborlee from the outside world, and defend the outside world from the magic and wonder and general weirdness that is Neighborlee, Ohio.

From Ye Olde Dragon Books

www.YeOldeDragonBooks.com

New Release Sample: HERE THERE WERE DRAGONS

 

M’kar winced, feeling a single throb of psionic ache that she suspected had come from Thyal to her. A blurry silver image flashed in her mind’s eye and she knew what had happened. Not how, but what. Or more accurately, who.

Granny somehow knew what M’kar had been showing Thyal, and she teleported in from Anwesta to scold and lecture.

By the time Thyal reopened their link, M’kar had her theory. Infrenx had probably picked up the images from Thyal as M’kar gave them to him. She didn’t understand anything except that it had to do with other dracs. Being exposed to the hierarchy of the Academy in action every day, she had done the logical thing and went to the highest authority to explain the matter. Meaning she had gone straight to Granny, on Anwesta Medical Station, and shared the images picked up from Thyal.

Judging from the nearly fifteen minutes of silence from Thyal, M’kar guessed he had needed help calming Granny, and probably had had to make some promises to her.

Please tell me you aren’t heading for the nearest available ship to take you and her to Draxonis, she said, when she felt Thyal’s mind-call.

Nearly. I had to promise you would report regularly. She’ll have to wait for you to come back to Anwesta.

And she agreed to it?

She did. At least, as much as I can understand. How can someone with no language manage to mutter under her breath?

M’kar laughed and slouched a little against the pedestal.

I’m sure she’s planning something. If the distance weren’t so great, I’d be half-afraid she’d focus on all the dracs on the Defender and find some way to teleport herself and join you.

Please, Thyal, convince her to wait. M’kar shuddered at the mental image of Granny killing herself with the effort. Moving dozens of eggs up from Draxonis to hide them on the Defender had worn her out, and she had had help from most of her tribe. If the distance from the planet to a ship in high orbit had done that to her, the distance of numerous galaxies, with four intervening jump gates, would do more than wear out the little silver drac. It could erase her from all existence. Granny’s spirit and determination were a force to be reckoned with, but her body was frail. M’kar could only hope Granny was smart enough to realize her limits and not do something that would result in suicide.

Thyal planned to confer with Dulit and Flinders, two drac parents acting as liaisons between the drac population and the medical personnel tending the cocoons. Hopefully with the help of their dracs they could work with the older dracs on Anwesta and find some understanding of the situation with Forbidden Island. That was the best they could do.

M’kar said a quick prayer that Granny would have calmed down by the time the Defenderreturned to Anwesta. Then she went to her duty station to put together a formal report to send with the next message burst Genys was ready to transmit. Sometimes she wished she and Thyal didn't have to pretend they didn't have their mental link, because pretending to communicate by slower methods could sometimes be a problem and a pain. Her parents and Thyal's parents knew, and Dulit, and the Masters at the Academy, of course. The more people who knew, the greater her chances of being transferred off the Defender and turning into a long-term scientific study. She swore if that day ever came, she might just steal a ship and turn pirate, to stay free.

Off the Bookshelf: BEX CARTER #1: AUNT JEANIE'S REVENGE, by Tiffany Nicole Smith

 

Middle Grade fiction

Bex Carter series

Bex and her sister are living with Aunt Jeanie because of family problems where they can't live with their parents, or their grandmother.

Bex refers to Aunt Jeanie as "Aunt Meany," and apparently with good reason. Her aunt is constantly trying to make Bex into a girl she isn't -- and Bex is constantly getting into trouble, even when she tries to be good.

Things just get worse when Aunt Jeanie wants her to join a society for girls, called the Silver Roses. Bex is positive her aunt  has enrolled her in the Silver Roses to punish her. The girls learn to do makeup and dress  up and dancing and how to do community service. That's fine on the surface, but some of the upstanding young ladies that Aunt Jeanie wants her to learn to be like, to become friends with -- they aren't very nice girls. Bex is well aware of the irony and hypocrisy when one of the worst bullies in her grade announces that her goal in life is to stop bullying!

Through a series of misadventures and silent grumbling, Bex learns some things about herself, and even tries to do the right thing, even when it hurts. She and Aunt Jeanie both learn a few things, and their relationship might just be improving.

Love the sense of humor and accurate insight into the trials and tribulations of a girl who just wants to be left alone to be herself.

New Release Sample: HERE THERE WERE DRAGONS

 From Ye Olde Dragon Books

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Barroo chirped and an image of him playing tag in the air with Infrenx came through their bond.

Troublemaker wants to say hello to Infrenx.

Thyal’s chuckle felt deeper this time, wrapping around her like a hug. She says hello back. You need to convince your captain to bring the ship back here before Infrenx drives me to the breaking point, wanting to see Barroo. Visiting with the dracs up on Anwesta isn’t enough for her.

You could apply to join my ship as a consultant, she offered. A moment later, M’kar nearly slapped her hand over her own mouth. Where had that idea come from and why had she let it mentally vocalize to him?

I might do that, just to avoid all the not-so-subtle hints from some of the Masters who want to study our bond. Warning, some theorize all the tweaking your ancestors did to your Nisandrian genetics is part of why our part of the team mind-circle stayed open. I've already warned your father to make himself scarce, so they don't put a mental whammy on him and get him to agree to all sorts of tests. All right, I’m out where we won’t be interrupted. What’s the problem?

M’kar tried to make her sigh of relief entirely physical. She gathered up the images and thoughts and impressions she had semi-organized on her walk to the observation dome. Focusing, she imagined it compressed, then sent everything to Thyal. Then she settled herself to be as comfortable as she could to wait for however long was necessary.

Fascinating, he responded after only a few breaths. This negates the hoped-for proof of racial memory locked in the genetics.

Is that all you got out of my latest drac-based headache?

No. Just the first layer. I wonder if I can claim the physical and mental health of my drac as reason enough to come out there to join – Uh, sorry. Firestorm alert.

Then he was gone, entirely gone from the link.

New Release Sample: HERE THERE WERE DRAGONS

 

Barroo shuddered and rose up to clutch at the front of her jacket with all four paws. His eyes shifted to mostly yellow, with streaks of red. Fear. M’kar couldn’t repress a partial smile. At least her brown baby wasn’t angry with her. If anything … she thought he was afraid for her. She cuddled Barroo to comfort him.

“Face it, Junior, your mommy is a coward.”

Barroo let out an indignant snort and reared back, bracing his forepaws high on her chest, so he could look her in the eyes. M’kar tried to meet his unblinking gaze, but as usual, he always won the stare-off. Laughing quietly, she scratched down his back to the base of his tail, then from under his chin to the center of his chest. Purring, he settled down, eyes half-lidded, and gave her that sleepy, adoring look that melted her heart. She silently thanked Enlo that Barroo couldn’t speak, because then she might never be able to say no to anything he wanted to have or do.

Thyal … we have a problem. Pull out all your diplomatic skills and experience handling difficult students and their triply difficult parents.

Give me a moment. His chuckle came through their link, crossing multiple star systems and jump gates without a heartbeat of delay. You’re leaking a little bit –

I do not leak! Immediately, tension eased out of her shoulders. Leave it to Thyal to know exactly what to say.

Then how do you explain all the blurry images I’m getting before you even start talking?

She had a flash of an image of him sending his hoverchair out into the sprawl of formal gardens behind his parents’ home on Le'anka.

Fine. I’m just frazzled enough to admit to leaking. This once.

Off the Bookshelf: FAIRENDALE 1: THE TREACHEROUS SECRET, by L.R. Patton

Middle Grade fiction

"The Treacherous Secret" is more like the first chapter in a long, involved fantasy series full of magic and treachery and prophecies. I have to admire the author for the intense worldbuilding done, all the rules involved in magic.

Danger and threat are evident from the first scene!

Fairendale was a kingdom of magic and beauty, before a scheming conqueror took over and deposed the true king. The current king is even worse than his father, scheming and lying and hunting down anyone who stands in the way of keeping the throne, and ensuring his son keeps the throne.

In this magical world, people with magic can pass on their magic to one of their children, but then no longer have any magic of their own. So what do you do if you gave your magic to the wrong child, who doesn't do things or see things your way? And what if it's safe for girls to have magic, but not safe for boys to have magic? They're growing up under the watchful, paranoid eyes of the king who fears the one boy who will have magic enough to take the stolen throne from under him, or his son, who he can't give magic to no matter how he schemes and threatens.

It's enough to destroy friendships and shatter families and bring about dark, dreadful prophecies. And that's just in the first book. Prepare to keep buying each short book in the series quickly to keep the story going!

New Release Sample: HERE THERE WERE DRAGONS

 From Ye Olde Dragon Books

M'kar had the choice of waiting until Thyal contacted her, once the ship came through the Chute and their psionic link resumed, or contacting him to discuss the discoveries on Draxonis. She needed to question Granny and the older dracs on Anwesta about Forbidden Island, and any shared memories about the people who had once lived there. The chance of eliciting a furious firestorm from Granny was good enough reason to present the questions and images to Thyal and have him act as go-between. Get the initial uproar out of the way before the Defenderreached Anwesta.

Sometimes, she was grateful for this link between their minds that seemed to defy all distances, even jump gates. Everything but Chutes. Let Thyal deal with Granny. He was certainly better equipped to handle stubborn, domineering creatures of all races, as a Le'ankan Master with all the attendant discipline training. And a healthy dose of serenity. That had certainly helped him endure his two-years-and-counting of recovering the use of his own body.

As soon as her duties for post-Chute transition status checks finished, M'kar made her way up to the observation dome for some enforced quiet and solitude, and exhaled a long, cleansing breath in the chilly, dark silence. On her shoulder, Barroo let out a soft trilling coo and nuzzled her cheek.

“Are you mad at me for asking these questions?” She found the empty equipment pedestal and settled down on the floor with her back against it.

Barroo crawled down the front of her jacket and settled on her lap, then looked up at her, big eyes blinking and glowing yellow and green. Curiosity and a little confusion. He tipped his head to the right, then to the left, let out a deep sigh, and curled up, those big eyes focused on her. 

M’kar braced herself and called up some of the images she had gathered from the coastal dracs in their fury, and the images Celeste had drawn.

New Release Sample: HERE THERE WERE DRAGONS

 

The various survey teams gave the equivalent of a shrug when Genys reported what the Defender had sensed and theorized out in space on the other side of the planet. They focused on two things. Finding more caches of plates. Or finding the now-dead nanites, to unravel the alien technology to determine if the destruction of their civilization had been an idiotic accident, a result of hubris, or inflicted on them by the planet Draxonis had been fighting. If the images and impressions from the dracs were interpreted correctly.

A new cache of plates found just that morning was generating excitement with Maora's team. The drawings of plants and animals and theoretical genetic code had been replaced by what might be a written language, along with diagrams of machines. Hopefully that would include the nanites. More proof of Maora's theory, that the Draxonans knew their impending doom, and the ceramic plates were their effort to preserve their knowledge.

Among the plates were more theorized genetic code and intricate, finely detailed renderings of creatures that the life sciences team could only, with caution, label dragons.

“Five species,” Boran, chief xenobiologist reported two days later. With a tap on his tablet, the file of his report appeared on the tablets of all the officers and section heads in the conference room. “We’ve studied them every way we know how and compared with the sketches Celeste and M’kar got from the dracs’ memories. Because of the size differential, we can't determine if they are precursors of dracs, if dracs came from them, or they are two different species. Dracs share characteristics with all five species but are not direct copies of any one of them.”

Asking the coastal dracs proved fruitless. They refused to have anything to do with anyone who went to Forbidden Island. They caught on that the pictures M’kar asked them about came from Forbidden Island, and refused to look. Barroo and the other dracs on the Defender spent a large portion of their time on the planet either giving their Humans sorrowful looks, or driving away the dracs who shrieked and scolded. The uninvited visitors from Draxonis had stopped popping onto the ship. The prohibition against Forbidden Island and what it contained was that strong. 

When the teacher dracs on the Defender and the remnants of Granny's tribe on Draxonis were asked about Forbidden Island and the existence of the "big ones," they knew nothing. M'kar and Brea estimated they were all young adults and adolescents. Anyone who might have knowledge gathered from other drac tribes had gone with Granny when they stowed away aboard the Defender, and were now tending cocoons on Anwesta Medical Station. M'kar and Genys did not look forward to interrogating Granny about what she might know of Forbidden Island and the "big ones." On a positive note, they had been overseeing the study of Draxonis for nearly six decs now and might never leave.