Lora Palmer's Blog, page 6

Discover AFTERNOON, a new YA Novella by Robert Lampros

Title:            AfternoonAuthor:        Robert LamprosISBN:          9781515259800Formats:      Amazon (paperback) , Kindle, Nook
Release Date: 8/3/15Pages:          108
book summary:Afternoon is a novella for young adults about courage, faith in Jesus Christ, and growing up in a surreal and challenging world.
author bio:Robert Lampros lives in St. Louis, Missouri.  He earned a Bachelor's degree in English Literature from Washington University in St. Louis.  Afternoon is the second book that he has published.

My Review:

I immensely enjoyed Andrew's journey through his junior year of high school, from paintball games with his family, to the stresses of his academics, a near-death experience that leaves him knowing he has more work to do on Earth for the Lord, his job at a local coffee shop/restaurant, and planning a mission trip over the summer after graduation. Yes, this guy has a lot on his plate, both emotionally and in terms of the demands of a busy student's life, so I connected with him on that level and rooted for him to succeed at all of these challenges.

Through it all, Andrew struggles with faith and questions of why he's still alive. He also struggles to maintain his relationships with friends through the busy year--and faces the growing realization of his own role in the failure of his previous romance with the girl he loves, Jane. While they were dating, Andrew hadn't shown how much he appreciated her, and so she distanced herself from him. Maybe, just maybe, he can get a second chance with her...

AFTERNOON is a feel-good, fun and quick read, laced with wit and humor, and I hope you check it out and enjoy it as much as I did.

International Authors' Day 2015 Blog Hop and Giveaway!

In honor of International Authors' Day,  the incredibly awesome Debdatta Dasgupta Sahay of Book R3vi3w Tours has put together a wonderful blog hop to celebrate authors! So, authors around the globe, thank you for the magic you make with words--the magic that makes us laugh, cry, and transports us to new worlds and new possibilities.

Some of my favorite authors and their books:
When I was a kid, it was Laura Ingalls Wilder and her books about pioneer life on the prairie, and Meredith Pierce for her Darkangel Trilogy set on the moon. And probably too many others to think of. In high school, I still remember the Sweet Valley books, the Swept Away books (because time travel books are just awesome!), and many, many others. Anything science fiction and fantasy especially grabbed my attention and refused to let go. Reading was always my fun escape into adventure!
I've had so many favorites over the years, too many to name. These days. I'm still a huge fan of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books, and I so admire how she inspired an entire generation to fall in love with reading as they fell in love with her characters. I also have all the books in Beth Revis' Across the Universe trilogy and Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy. I'm also a fan of Lauren Oliver, and have read Before I Fall, her Delirium series, and, most recently, listened to the audiobook of Panic. The world of The Maze Runner has become another favorite of mine, and I'm excited for The Scorch Trials movie. Who here has seen the trailer? It looks amazing!
Between work life, fun time, writing, and everything, I don't manage to get too much time to actually read, and I have to absolutely LOVE a book to finish in any reasonable length of time. But, I find myself listening to audiobooks most days on my way to and from work, so that gives me a chance to discover a ton of new books and new worlds.

The Giveaway: 

Now, what celebration honoring authors and books would be complete without a giveaway? So, I'm honored to be able to host on my blog a giveaway for author M.C.V. Egan. She has graciously offered one copy of one of her three novels, winner's choice.

They all sound fantastic, so make sure to enter! The giveaway will run from July 14th through July 18th at 11:59 pm.


IntroSpective Press: DEFINED by OTHERS by M.C.V. Egan IntroSpective Press: DEFINED by OTHERS by M.C.V. Egan
Chapter One                                 © M.C.V. Egan   I sat in Pete’s office after the video ended, staring at the screen with her frozen image.View on introspectivepress.bl...Preview by Yahoo
Review.
 IntroSpective Press: A review ..... "Deceptively Dark" IntroSpective Press: A review ..... "Deceptively Dark"
Anne is a piece of work. I related to her - at first. She's a woman preoccupied with always finding the perfect word for a situation, observation, emotion. I get th...View on introspectivepress.bl...Preview by Yahoo
I have 2versions of The Bridge of Deaths M. C. V. EGAN, author of The Bridge of Deaths M. C. V. EGAN, author of The Bridge of Deaths
Welcome to the official website of M. C. V. EGAN, author of The Bridge of Deaths. Learn all about M. C. V. EGAN and The Bridge of DeathsView on www.thebridgeofdeath...Preview by Yahoo

M.C.V. Egan  
@M_C_V_Egan   FACEBOOK Is History The Agreed Upon Lie?    
4covert2overt a Day in the Spotlight


a Rafflecopter giveaway




Who are some of your favorite authors, and your favorite books of theirs? I'd love to hear from you! And don't forget to stop by the other blogs in the hop :)!
Happy International Authors' Day!


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Upcoming Writer Contest Alert

Hey, fellow writers! I want to share a contest alert with you guys.

Michelle Hauck is gearing up for another lovely contest for unagented writers who have a completed, finished and query-ready manuscript. Get ready for Query Kombat! The entry window opens May 22nd at 5:30 pm Eastern time and lasts for an hour. So, you still have plenty of time to get those submissions polished to perfection. Check here for more info.

The fun thing about contests is the connections you make with other writers on twitter while you all wait together to see whose entries are chosen, no matter how it all turns out. Give a shout out if you're planning to join in!

For me, I'll probably stop by and cheer you all on, but I'm going to focus on my short stories and editing my second novel. I''ll try to get RED SKY all shiny and sparkly by this time next year--if not sooner, which would be awesome-- and will definitely try my luck with contests again.

Best of luck, everyone!

Sun Vs. Snow Critique Workshop Entry

(Thanks to the amazing Michelle Hauck and Amy Trueblood for hosting this amazing workshop. Also, a huge thank you to everyone who takes their time to leave amazing feedback here. The link to join with a blog post of your own -- including your query and first 250 words -- is open until February 21st, so come check out this post to add your link, join in, and leave feedback for each other!)

Title: THE MIRRORMASTERS

Genre: YA fantasy

Word Count: 98,000


REVISED QUERY:

Dear Amazing Agent,


Leah Ellis never knew why she was abandoned on the beach at two years old. That is, until her life takes a bizarre turn when she begins seeing images in mirrors she can’t explain--cloaked figures using powers that manifest like lightning bolts, or flash-frozen beaches on another world beneath a purple sky.

She practices mirror-gazing, driven to understand these images and their possible connection to her forgotten past, and discovers a wild, boundless power coursing through her veins. Soon, she learns to control what the mirror shows her.

When new neighbors move in, Leah is shocked that they're dead ringers for the people in her visions. According to Brian, with the gorgeous ice-blue eyes, and his father, she is a MirrorMaster--an alien with a gift that lets her travel through mirrors, even to worlds light years away. Her birth parents sent them to take her back to her homeworld of Jantyr.

But Leah’s long-lost birth sister activated an ancient device to trigger a cataclysm on Jantyr as a bid to consolidate her own power. Leah must return to Jantyr, master her newfound ability in order to disable the device, and thwart her sister’s plans. Otherwise, the destruction will consume the entire galaxy, including Earth and everyone she loves.

THE MIRRORMASTERS is a 98,000-word fantasy for young adults. I have earned a graduate degree in Psychology from Widener University and work at a local residential facility serving autistic children and teens. My short story, "Unfinished," was published online on author Samantha Mabry's website, Flash Paranormal Fiction. My short science fiction/apocalyptic story, “Defying the Darkness,” is published through Novelty Fiction. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

Warmest Regards,


Lora Palmer


REVISED FIRST 250:

Every single year on this date, June 15th, strange things happened. Mysterious pulses of light flickered in the forest. Not-quite-solid figures appeared in the cemetery one second and disappeared the next. All day, I couldn’t shake the intuition that this year would bring something much worse than the usual weirdness, much worse than the usual gibes about how it began thirteen years ago, the same night my parents found me abandoned on the beach.

“Let’s watch something light—not a horror movie,” I said.

“Leah, Leah, Leah.” My brother David shook his head and scooted closer to my best friend, Kara, on their loveseat. They shared a conspiratorial grin. “Don’t tell me you want to watch some lame comedy when we can have a slasher fest. Besides, it’s tradition.”

A shiver raced down my spine at the mental image the idea conjured, one of chilling music, strangled sobs and hitching breaths, followed by screams silenced. Tonight also marked the town tragedy of the 1870s, when strangers murdered the Stanford twins, the mayor’s daughters. Of course David would insist we do something scary to commemorate the anniversary.

“Come on!” I shot him a pleading look. “I’m sure you breezed through exams, but I took three AP finals this week and fielded a million alien jokes today. I deserve a break from crazy.”

“Just go out to the cemetery with us,” Kara said, her eyes sparkling. “We won’t do anything risky, I promise.”

Sure. Why wait for trouble to find us when we can seek it out and bring it right here?