Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 96

AVENGER: Star Trek Fan Fiction, Chapter 11

For your reading pleasure.
Now appearing on Wattpad:
https://www.wattpad.com/617018346-avenger-a-star-trek-fan-novel-avenger-chapter-11

Facebook Party! Celebrating Christian Fiction -- You ARE Coming, Aren't You?

What could be more fun than ending the year talking about BOOKS?
Come to the Christian Fiction Lovers Facebook party on FRIDAY, talk with authors, learn fun inside details, win prizes, meet other readers.
Did I mention PRIZES?

Here's the link --  https://www.facebook.com/events/541848979650669/ -- you need to sign up to come, then post about the party on Facebook and other places to earn your chances to win. What a dilemma -- either an Amazon gift card or books. How can you choose?
Maybe you don't have to .... Come celebrate books with us!

Off the Bookshelf: A GATHERING TEMPEST, by Catherine Jones Payne

This short story is a great way to get quickly immersed in the undersea world created by Catherine Jones Payne.

No pun intended.

Alexander is a kid from the wrong side of the tracks -- or in this case, the canal, in the undersea city of Thessalonika. His father is a drug addict and there's never any money for things like food or school supplies. Alexander is smart and could make something of himself, if the stratified society of his world would just give him a chance.

His best friend in school is Jade, heroine of one of Catherine's full-length books. Jade is upper class and her father is an important man. The social unrest that divides the undersea world directly impacts Jade and Alexander, their friendship, and his plans to make a better life for himself. He has to make some painful choices. Will they work out?

That's all I'm gonna tell you. Get the story, read it, and give in to the temptation to buy one of the full-length books and return under the sea. This ain't your granny's Little Mermaid by a long shot (well, at least not the Disney version... Thank goodness!)

AVENGER: Star Trek Fan Fiction, Chapter 10

For your reading pleasure.
Now appearing on Wattpad:
https://www.wattpad.com/617016676-avenger-a-star-trek-fan-novel-avenger-chapter-10

Off the Bookshelf: HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE, by Dianne Wynne Jones

When several people in a row  from different sources all talk about the same book and recommend reading it, and even refer to it as a favorite or a source of inspiration -- well, duh! -- it's time to get hold of that book and read it.

Of course, finding the time to read is a lot harder than remembering to buy the book in the first place! I finally sat down to read ... and ended up devouring. What a fun romp!!

I'm a fan of fantasy books where people have a good idea of the "rules" of magic that populate faerie tales, such as the youngest child has the adventures and ends up marrying the prince or princess, and the oldest child messes up the worst or has a totally boring life.

Sophie is well aware that as the oldest, she won't have a happy ending. She's convinced she isn't beautiful, she doesn't have any magical talents, and she won't fall in love. So she lets herself become overlooked and timid, until a witch walks into her hat shop, upset over something Sophie did. Sophie has no explanation, and no chance to defend herself. When the witch turns her into a shriveled old crone, she decides to get out of there. Before she knows it, she's on an adventure.

The moving castle of the title is just that. Howl the wizard has a reputation that makes him dangerous to young girls, so Sophie figures she's safe when she's caught out in the middle nowhere and the only shelter is -- you guessed it -- Howl's castle, trundling by. She finagles her way inside, and soon she's cleaning up the place, organizing it, and driving Howl and his apprentice crazy. As Sophie tries to fix things, somehow she makes a bigger mess. Or does she? Howl turns out to be entirely different from what she expected -- and when the witch is dealt with, Sophie ends up as a surprise for Howl, too.

There are more Howl's stories. Looking forward to finding them and devouring them, too!

AVENGER: Star Trek Fan Fiction, Chapter 9

For your reading pleasure.
Now appearing on Wattpad:
https://www.wattpad.com/617016160-avenger-a-star-trek-fan-novel-avenger-chapter-9

Off the Bookshelf: THE ROYAL WEDDING COLLECTION, by Rachel Hauck

If you're a Hallmark movie fan (especially the royal wedding movies) then you've probably seen the movie adaptation of Rachel Hauck's book, ONCE UPON A PRINCE. That's the impetus for getting at least the 1st book in this trilogy. Along with the fact that Rachel is an amazing teacher and worship leader -- heard her at this year's ACFW conference -- and she's the featured guest at this year's Faith and Fellowship Book Festival in Columbus, Ohio, December 1. (and an OSU football fan!)

CLICK HERE for info, and come see her (and me, too!!)

On to the review:

I bought all three books because hey, it's ebooks so no worry about shelf space, and 2nd hey, a lot cheaper to buy all 3 together and besides, I was really, really in the mood for some romance.

ONCE UPON A PRINCE -- Nathaniel (prince of Brighton) and Susanna
PRINCESS EVER AFTER -- Reggie (great-granddaughter of the long lost princess of Hessenberg, ally of Brighton) and Tanner
HOW TO CATCH A PRINCE -- Stephen (Nathaniel's brother) and Corina

Can I just say ... *sigh* What fun! Satisfying, funny, clever, and anything that smelled faintly of cliche was dealt with cleverly so it just plain worked.

Nathaniel is on diplomatic business for his father, the king, and taking a bit of a vacation when he meets Susanna. He has fun hiding his identity and being an ordinary guy, and when duty calls, he's honest with her -- it's against Brighton law for them to try to have a future. She understands that. She's not in the market for another broken heart. But of course they get thrown together, and they try to obey God and do what's right, and there's the whole political/diplomatic mess with Hessenberg distracting Nathaniel.

Reggie is happy restoring vintage cars, and has fond memories of the princess game she and her great-grandmother used to play. Until Tanner shows up on her doorstep after a long search through letters and immigration records, to tell her, guess what? You're our princess, we need you to get involved in a big political change 100 years in the making. Reggie's a smart girl who knows better than to get involved in foreign politics. And besides, she'd have to wear dresses and deal with scheming politicians and social upheaval. Who'd want that? Then there's Tanner's painful, shameful secrets and strained family relationships.

Stephen has some BIG secrets in his past, tied to the war in Afghanistan, and a lot of guilt. He considers himself completely unworthy of his position -- and doubly so when it comes to Corina, who loves him, who he loves, and who happens to be the twin sister of one of his soldier buddies who died protecting him. She wants the truth about what happened to her brother, and he's got this tendency to keep trying to throw himself on his own sword, metaphorically speaking.

Do I need to say that love conquers all -- as long as there's a lot of prayer, a lot of tears and soul-searching, and a hefty dollop of divine, spiritual interference?

*sigh* Just lovely. And I devoured all 3 books in 6 days. Ummm, more please?

Feature: SUMMER SONG, in the Tabor Heights short story anthology

Wanna get this anthology for FREE?

Come to the Mt. Zion Ridge Press Facebook party on Cyber Monday, and find out how!

CLICK HERE to sign up to attend.

You know you want to come.
You know you want to find out about upcoming books from Mt. Zion Ridge Press -- and oh yeah, how to get the free ebook.

The Tabor Heights books, and the companion series, Quarry Hall, are currently off the market, BUT they're coming back! You'll find out more about those plans when you come to the party.

What else do you have to do on the Monday after Thanksgiving, when you're absolutely wiped out from shopping on Black Friday???

The 4th story in the anthology is SUMMER SONG.
It appears in the From the Lake to the River anthology, the launch publication of Mt. Zion Ridge Press. This story is a follow-up to the Tabor Heights novel, FIRESONG, about a Christian band on the verge of their career taking off -- but maybe at the expense of ministry.

In SUMMER SONG, Dani and Kurt's romance is having some trouble. Their involvement in ministry keeps them both on the road -- and separated. They jump at a chance to work at a boot camp for summer music ministry. But problems seem to follow them...

Excerpt:

A quick glance around showed her co-leader, Shelby, had arrived and settled in. Her sleeping bag was spread out on the bunk on the other side of the door from Dani's. Suitcase and duffel bag neatly stowed underneath. A string of butterfly patio lights hung from the frame. Dani liked that whimsical touch.
An answering machine picked up on the other end of the line. Shelby came through the door right then, with a neon pink plastic basket of toiletries in one hand, clothes hung over her arm, and a towel around her neck. A good guess was that she had been to the bathhouse. She wore gray shorts and t-shirt, with the stylized Ohio State O, and a buckeye. She stowed her basket and hung up the towel on the end of the bunk, as Dani left a message why she was calling.
"Not good," Shelby said, after Dani hung up. "Dani, right?"
"If you're Shelby." She settled down on her bunk. Cabin co-leaders had been asked to take bunks next to the door. Drew joked that they were stationed there to prevent campers fleeing for their lives after they realized what they had gotten into.
"Did you hear the news at dinner? Firesong is spending boot camp with us, and they're looking to add to the band. You know, kind of like Broadway shows on the road, different teams. I mean, what are the chances of actually traveling with Firesong? But just knowing you kind of have their name, singing their songs, that'd be so cool."
She paused for breath, while Dani scrambled to think of something to say to shut down the torrent of words before it got awkward. 

Feature: ONE SMALL CHILD, in the Tabor Heights short story anthology

You KNOW you want this anthology.
Especially since it'll be FREE!

Come to the Mt. Zion Ridge Facebook party on CYBER MONDAY and find out how you can get your copy.

CLICK HERE to go to the page and mark that you'll be attending.

The Tabor Heights books, and the companion series of stories, Quarry Hall, are currently off the market.
BUT ....
Mt. Zion Ridge Press will be re-releasing them in the very near feature. Come to the Facebook party and learn more!

The 3rd story is ONE SMALL CHILD

Max and Tony are getting ready to be married, but first they have to deal with even more fallout from the events of last spring, when a conniving actor set out to destroy Max's reputation and her career as a screenwriter before it even got started -- by pretending to BE the up-and-coming screenwriter, Max Keeler.

Excerpt:

"I don't know, Leia," Tony muttered, his grin turning sickly. "I'm getting a bad feeling about this."
Normally Max would have sighed and slapped his arm, and maybe laughed, depending on her mood -- but she felt just as apprehensive as Tony looked. Taking a deep breath, she said a silent prayer that she was wrong, and turned on the light.
The sound stopped immediately. She looked down, just as a gust of wind blew powdery snow into the theater. Stunned, she still had the presence of mind to close and latch the doors.
"I thought that cliché went out with tying damsels in distress to railroad tracks," Tony said, and stepped around her to kneel, putting the basket on the floor between them.
Big eyes in a wizened little face blinked up at him, putting a lie to the temporary -- wishful -- belief that a doll lay in the bright orange, soft plastic basket, just like one that Max had seen in the Dollar Spot at Target last week. She wanted to say something witty, or at least smart-alecky as Tony picked up the basket and carried the baby from the chill box office into the warmth of the lobby. She pushed the doors open again and looked out, to glance up and down the street, on the off-chance that whoever had put the baby there -- as a joke, it had to be a really bad joke -- was watching, waiting for a reaction, to jump out in another moment and laugh and yell gotcha!
No one and nothing moved on the snowy street, under the steel gray stormy morning sky.

AVENGER: Star Trek Fan Fiction, Chapter 8

For your reading pleasure.
Now appearing on Wattpad:
https://www.wattpad.com/617015206-avenger-a-star-trek-fan-novel-avenger-chapter-8