C.A. Verstraete's Blog, page 24

Blog Tour: Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper #adventure

Today I welcome author Fiona Ingram, who's sharing about her new kids' adventure book,   The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper - Book 3 in the Chronicles of Stone series.

About the Book:

   

A plane crash! Lost in the jungle! Hunted by their old enemy, will Adam, Justin, and Kim survive long enough to find the Third Stone of Power? With only a young boy, Tukum, as their guide, the kids make their way through the dense and dangerous jungle to find the lost city of stone gods, where the Stone of Power might be located. River rafting on a crocodile-infested river and evading predators are just part of this hazardous task.

Of course, their old adversary Dr. Khalid is close behind as the kids press on. But he is not the worst of their problems. This time Adam will clash with a terrible enemy who adopts the persona of an evil Aztec god, Tezcatlipoca, and is keen to revive the ancient tradition of human sacrifice. Adam, Justin, and Tukum must play a dreadful ball game of life and death and maybe survive. Will they emerge alive from the jungle? Will Dr. Khalid find the third Stone of Power before they do?

Who doesn't love learning about or visiting somewhere new? She's got some great points about writing and travel!

   Writing about different places and countries for kids 
   By Fiona Ingram


    In writing about real locations, I felt very fortunate that I had been able to visit Egypt with my two young nephews prior to writing my first middle-grade adventure, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab. How does one recreate for readers, especially young readers, the sense of ‘being’ in a place? Top of the list is, of course, actually going to the particular location.    Location is not just a geographical point on a world map. It’s a mixture of sights, sounds, smells, sensations, tastes, and the ambiance or atmosphere that comes with its people, history, culture, architecture, and art. The trick in getting young readers to enjoy an adventure in a different place or country is to help them experience it with all their senses. Since I modeled my heroes on my two nephews, it was important for me to get a feel for how two boys would react in such a foreign (and potentially dangerous) environment.    I bought quite a few miniatures that really helped me recreate the haggling scene in the Egyptian market at Esna, and these brought back the sounds and smells of people, incense, food, spices, and much more. The air was hot and dry. The taste of the food was unforgettable. Do you know the best olives and cucumbers are found in Egypt? The crisp, cool, almost sweet taste of a cucumber so juicy and refreshing that one just wants to gobble the whole thing down. The tart tang of a black olive on your tongue … spicy yet so tasty that one or two are just not enough. Kids always want to know what the heroes ate or drank during the adventure and this is important, so I have included lots of foodie details in all my books.    Book 2: The Search for the Stone of Excalibur was also quite an easy adventure to describe because I have visited both England and Scotland and was able to clearly describe the different atmosphere, temperatures very much cooler than Egypt, and the old cities, the stone castles, the air of mystery and intrigue that surrounded this adventure. I had already spent a few amazing weeks in Scotland, researching old castles. Ask me anything about castles … with or without drawbridges, moats, portcullises, battlements … you name it, I visited it. Finally, I settled upon the fabulous, fairytale setting of Dunrobin Castle, for me an exquisite vision, as the setting for Book Two.    Book Three: The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper takes place in Mexico, Central America, and although I would have loved the reality of an actual location, this is when I had to rely on secondary sources available. For authors not able to travel, secondary advice includes guidebooks, travel blogs, Google Earth, interviews with experts, and (very importantly) research. These options shouldn’t be considered second best in any way because even though one may be fortunate enough to make a trip, there is hard work to be done when putting a story on paper.    I read books by modern day explorers about their jungle escapades and got a real feeling for just how hot, humid, dangerous and intense the jungle atmosphere is. Absolutely exhausting to slog through the almost impenetrable foliage.  Civilization might be a quick plane trip away, but when you’re deep in the jungle, there’s no quick route out of it. Fortunately for me, I had the help of two experts, both of Mexican origin, to guide me in all my descriptions.     Any location is unique and there is pressure upon the author to describe it using all five senses so that readers can relate to it, enjoy it, and believe in it. Young readers always ask the most intriguing questions—the how, who,

About the Author:
Fiona Ingram is a children’s author, but up until a few years ago, she was a journalist and editor. Something rather unexpected sparked her new career as an author—a family trip to Egypt with her mother and two young nephews. The Chronicles of the Stone series includes, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, and The Search for the Stone of Excalibur (book 2). Find out more at her Facebook page, Twitter, Blog or on GoodReads. 

TOUR STOPS:

Today @ The MuffinWhat goes better in the morning with coffee than a muffin? Grab your cup of morning brew and join us today when we celebrate the launch of Fiona Ingram's book, The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.  You can read our interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book. http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
August 14th @ Write Like CrazyMake sure you stop by Mary Jo's blog Write Like Crazy where Fiona Ingram talks about why your child doesn't like reading and how to fix this. http://www.writelikecrazy.com
August 15th @ Girl Zombie AuthorsCome by Christine's blog where Fiona Ingram shares her thoughts on writing about different places for kids. https://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com/
August 16th @ Jessica Samuel's BlogCome by Jessica's blog today where Fiona Ingram talks about how to transform your non-reader into a reader. https://jessicasamuelsauthor.com/
August 19th @ Madeline Sharples' BlogStop by Madeline's blog today where author Fiona Ingram shares her thoughts with young writers on writing and creating characters. http://madelinesharples.com/
August 20th @ Mari's #JournalingPower BlogStop by Mari's blog where author Fiona Ingram shares her thoughts on developing characters that children will relate to. https://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog
August 20th @ Bairn's BardStop by Rebecca's blog Bairn's Bard today where you can read a post by Fiona Ingram's daughter and also you can read about Rebecca's thoughts on the book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.https://bairnsbard.wordpress.com/
August 21st @ Cover2Cover BlogStop by Steph's Cover2Cover where you can read Fiona Ingram's blog post about choosing books for your kids. http://cover2coverblog.blogspot.com/
August 22nd @ Look to the Western SkyCome by Margo Dill's blog Look to the Western Sky where Fiona Ingram writes about her experiences fostering (and later adopting) an illiterate African child who is now a lovely young woman who loves reading. http://margoldill.com/
August 22nd @ A New Look on BooksCome by Rae's blog where Fiona Ingram writes about the joy of writing for children.https://anewlookonbooks.com/
August 26th @ Writing for Children with Karen CioffiCome by Karen's blog where Fiona Ingram shares her thoughts on how to encourage your kids to start writing. http://karencioffiwritingforchildren.com/
August 27th @ Mommy Daze: Say What??Stop by Ashley's blog where Fiona Ingram talks about helping kids read better with homeschooling. A must read as school is about to start! https://adayinthelifeofmom.com/
August 27th @ Rebecca Whitman's BlogCome by Rebecca's blog where you can read Fiona Ingram's post about using computers to improve reading skills. https://rebeccawhitman.wordpress.com
August 28th @ Jennifer's DealsStop by Jennifer's blog where she shares what she her thoughts about Fiona Ingram's incredible middle grade adventure book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper. https://www.jennifers-deals2.com/
August 30th @ Story Teller AlleyVisit Veronica's blog and check out her thoughts on the book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper. http://storytelleralley.com/blog
August 31st @ Mommy Daze: Say What??Make sure you stop by Ashley's blog again where she shares her thoughts on Fiona Ingram's book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper. https://adayinthelifeofmom.com/
August 31st @ Rebecca Whitman's BlogStop by Rebecca's blog again where you can read Fiona Ingram's post about writing a children series. https://rebeccawhitman.wordpress.com/
September 1st @ Cathy C. Hall's BlogVisit Cathy's blog today where Fiona Ingram shares the top ten things you never knew about Mexico! https://c-c-hall.com/
September 2nd @ Break Even BooksCome by Erik's blog Break Even Books where Fiona Ingram talks about how to make your books both enjoyable and educational. https://breakevenbooks.com/
September 3rd @ Beverly A. Baird's BlogJoin us over at Beverly A. Barid's blog where author Fiona Ingram shares her thoughts on developing a children's series. http://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com
September 4th @ Cathy C. Hall's BlogMake sure to come by Cathy's blog again where she shares her thoughts on Fiona Ingram's book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper. https://c-c-hall.com/
September 5th @ Jill Sheet's BlogCome by Jill's blog today where Fiona Ingram shares her thoughts on writing for children.https://jillsheets.blogspot.com/
September 5th @ Ali's BookshelfStop by Ali's blog where Fiona Ingram talks about whether books can help children cope with life.http://alisbookshelfreviews.blogspot.com
September 7th @ Beverly A. Baird's BlogJoin us at Beverly's blog again for her thoughts on Fiona Ingram's adventurous book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper. http://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com
September 7th @ Anthony Avina's BlogStop by Anthony's Blog where you can read Fiona Ingram's post about why a book series is so good for non-readers. https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/
September 9th @ Anthony Avina's BlogMake sure to check out Anthony's blog again where you can read his thoughts on Fiona Ingram's book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper. https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/
September 10th @ Misadventures with AndiCome by Andi's blog where you can read Fiona Ingram's post about why children love reading about other countries and cultures. https://misadventureswithandi.com/
September 10th @ Whitman's AcademicsStop by Rebecca's blog where Fiona Ingram's talks about turning a non-reader into a reader. https://whitmansacademics.wordpress.com/
September 12th@ Coffee with LaceyStop by Lacey's blog where she reviews Fiona Ingram's book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper. coffeewithlacey.wordpress.com
September 13th @ Coffee With LaceyBe sure to stop by again when Lacey interviews author Fiona Ingram and chats about her newest book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper. coffeewithlacey.wordpress.com
September 14th @ World of My ImaginationCome by Nicole's blog where she shares her opinion about Fiona Ingram's middle grade fiction book The Temple of the Crystal  Timekeeper. http://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com
September 15th @ Story Teller AlleyStop by Veronica's blog Story Teller Alley to read Fiona Ingram's post on how she came about to write the series The Chronicles of the Stone. http://storytelleralley.com/blog

Wow! SciFi Fantasy Bargains!

Super sale of a great selection of 61 SciFi and Fantasy books - Aug. 15-31! 
See the Art of the Arcane page!


https://goo.gl/9yWRRJ



Includes: Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter (Kindle on sale 8/14-21) BUY: https://www.amazon.com/Lizzie-Borden-Zombie-Hunter-Verstraete-ebook/dp/B07CN71RFG/
US & UK: http://getbook.at/LizzieBordenZombies1

Lizzie Borden Sale!

Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter is on sale!


     * I followed the crimes and the trial, along with offering an entirely different solution to the crime, in my book,  Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter . (new 2nd edition & new cover!) ** ** On sale starting at 99 cents today August 14 to Aug. 21. - UK: On sale Aug. 14-17.  **





* Read what happens next  -  (I will have this book on sale after the first sale is over.)

The story continues in  Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter 2: The Axe Will Fall. ..  After the trial and being acquitted of murder, Lizzie thought her life would be "normal' again, but can it? When her sister, Emma, is caught up in the latest zombie outbreak, Lizzie has no choice but to pick up her axe again...

This Week: What's Up?

It's County Fair week for me, so I'll be busy there. If you're curious at all, I'll likely be posting photos and results around late in the week at my other blog, https://candidcanine.blogspot.com.

Coming up on the blog Here:  

Weds, 8/15: 



Here's an interesting post about travel writing and a great-sounding kid's adventure series by author Fiona Ingram.









Thurs, 8/16:  

* What if Lizzie Borden had a reason to kill that no one suspected? What if her father and stepmother had turned into.... zombies? 
    Get it now! Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter will be on sale from 8/16-8/21 for 99 cents and $1.99. I could use your reviews please! Even a line or two helps!

* I'll add more if anything else comes up! 

Lizzie! Legend of Lizzie Borden Movie Poster

The official movie poster for the Lizzie - The Legend of Lizzie Borden movie with Chloe Sevigny as Lizzie and Kristen Stewart as Bridget Sullivan. See details and trailer. 

New Review: Lizzie Borden, #Zombie Hunter 2 at KRL! Contest!

 A new review of Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter 2: The Axe Will Fall is up at the King's River Life's blog - HERE. There's also a contest to win a signed, print copy!

Thanks to Terrance McArthur, Fresno, CA librarian who also reviewed the first book, Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter and The Haunting of Dr. Bowen. I'm happy that he seems to like reading about Lizzie and zombies!

Part of quote:  "Why do I like Verstraete’s take on the zombie hordes? Purpose and individuality. 

Their (Lizzie and Pierre's) investigations into who is behind the latest invasion takes them back to places where they had faced peril, and into parts of town they had never gone.

Will they quell this shambling tide, or will they be swept up in it, infected like the creatures they hunted? There is class warfare, capitalism gone wild, and family guilt. What a combo!"

George Romero Interview at Variety #zombies

There's a previously unavailable interview from 1972 with Night of the Living Dead director George Romero HERE on Variety.  (Movie poster, 1968) 

Check out the movie's original trailer:

August #Mystery #SciFi #Thriller #Zombie Reading List!

Where, oh where, is summer going? I was so looking forward to it and now... I already saw Halloween, and Christmas stuff in the stores!!! But... don't forget to make time for a new, fun book!





Dark Fantasy - Horror

Lilith - Blood Ink , Dana Fredsti, (Preorder, Releases Nov. 6) - Having killed her last producer, stuntwoman Lee Striga's next film shoot takes her to the voodoo-soaked bayous and haunted back alleys of New Orleans, where sinister supernatural figures stalk the streets. In a dark corner of the French Quarter, an arcane tattoo artist is using his clients in rituals that will open an inter-dimensional gateway for a demon god from beyond the stars.

Ghosts
Ghosts of the Sea Moon, Saga of the Outer Islands Book 1, A.F. Stewart - In the Outer Islands, gods and magic rule the ocean. Under the command of Captain Rafe Morrow, the crew of the Celestial Jewel ferry souls to the After World and defend the seas from monsters. The survival of the living and dead hinge on the courage and cunning of a beleaguered captain and his motley crew of men and ghosts. What he doesn’t know is that her threat is part of a larger game. That an ancient, black-winged malevolence is using them all as pawns…

Mystery

 Deal with the Devil, Elaine Viets - Collection of short stories with Viets' witty humor and stories featuring her heroines from her Death Investigator and Dead End Jobs series, plus short mysteries that won the Agatha and Anthony awards. (Hardback and paperback.)

Glitter Bomb, A Scrapbooking Mystery, Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran  (Pre-Order, Releases Oct. 2) - An exploding Mardi Gras float is looking more like murder, and  scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand's ex is looking more like a suspect than a victim.

The Doll Maker, Jack the Ripper was just the beginning , (Scott Carson Novel Book 2), Robert Crawford - In 1889 New York, 22 year-old Scott Carson retreats to his parents’ basement on 69th Street. Unwilling to venture back into the world, the reclusive engineering genius is still licking his wounds after winning his final battle with Jack the Ripper and trying to reassemble his shattered psyche. Now he, his friend and a pioneering female urban explorer chase an ingenious and elusive serial killer who is murdering little girls and turning them into human dolls.

Medical - Psychological - Spy Thriller
 
Dead On Instinct: Dr. Jessica Coran, FBI (Instinct Series Book 15), Robert W. Walker - A strange case takes Dr. Jessica Coran and her team on a seventy-foot dive off the Coast of Nantucket Island to do a crime scene investigation inside a sunken yacht, the Promises Fulfilled. Within the eerie confines of the underwater sepulcher, Jessica and the others discover more questions than answers. More questions mount as there is no evidence on how the ship went down, and later, on autopsy, Jessica discovers no one on board had saltwater in their lungs. They did not die of drowning, but were dead before the ship went under.  (See how the series began in Killer Instinct, Book 1)
Net Impact, A Dick Thornby Thriller Book 1, Donald J. Bingle - When a young computer expert back at the Philadelphia headquarters for The Subsidiary, an international espionage agency created in the aftermath of 9/11, discovers that the bad guys are involved in a vast conspiracy. Dick is forced to partner with the espionage neophyte to battle evil on multiple fronts, leading to a final confrontation that incorporates real-world conspiracy theories and cutting-edge technology. In the end, Dick can save his partner, save his marriage, save his son, or save the world, but he can't do it all.  
 (Continue the story -  Wet Work, A Dick Thornby Thriller Book 2 ) 

Pretty Ugly Lies, Pamela Crane - Jo's daughter is abducted, forcing her to unravel her dark past. Four women's lives intersect - and one of them is about to snap.


SciFi - Fantasy


 Fenzig's Fortune: A Gnome's Tale, Jean Rabe - When Fenzighan “Fenzig” Wiznagrik broke into the King’s treasure chamber, he expected to come out with sacks of gems and gold. Instead, he is captured red-handed, and the young gnome thinks his life has come to an end. King Erlgrane offers to spare Fenzig … (Love the cover!!)



* SFF Book Bonanza - Great assortment of books on Kindle Unlimited and on sale for August!

Supernatural Suspense The Shadow Files: Limited Edition Collection of Supernatural Suspense Novels, Rosemary Johns  and others (Pre-Order, Releases Aug. 7) -  Vampires, relics, Tomb Raiders adventures and more from over 20 noted authors. 

Zombies

Broken Lands, Jonathan Maberry (Hardcover, releases Dec. 18) -  A return to the Rot & Ruin world with a new series! Gabriella "Gutsy" Gomez faces a world where the dead, even her own mother, return, while Benny Imura, his gang, and Captain Joe Ledger find a wild new world beyond their fortified town as they explore new territory in search of a cure.



Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter, C. A. Verstraete - August 4th marks the anniversary of the day Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and killed her father and stepmother in 1892. Did she have another reason to do it?  (Lizzie picks up her axe again in the sequel, Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter 2: The Axe Will Fall. )

  Zombie Escape, E.E. Isherwood -  10 Million Zombies. 3 Survivors. 1 Cure. The world of zombies has reached a tipping point. The cure is out there, but can it be unlocked before the number of infected swells beyond counting?

Lizzie Borden, #Zombie Hunter 2 in Lizzie's Hometown Paper!

Check it out!


A new story on the sequel, Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter 2: The Axe Will Fall  was in Lizzie's hometown newspaper, The Herald News! 

NOTE: A new monthly reading list is coming tomorrow! And be sure to sign up for my newsletter on my website  (top center column).

** A SALE is also coming. Stay tuned!

Today in History: Lizzie Borden Murders #truecrime & New Movie!

Today in History:

You remember the rhyme? Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her father 40 whacks...
It's not exactly accurate, but today does mark the 126th anniversary of the Borden murders. 
It was August 4th, 1892 that Lizzie Borden supposedly took an axe (hatchet) and killed her father, Andrew Borden, and her stepmother, Abby Durfee Borden.
Decades later, the crime still continues to fascinate.Did she or didn't she? 

I took one view in my books, 
now there's another view coming out in the new movie, Lizzie. 


       * I followed the crimes and the trial, along with offering an entirely different solution to the crime, in my book,  Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter . (new 2nd edition & new cover!)
** New story on Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter 2 in Lizzie's hometown, Fall River, Mass. Newspaper - The Herald News!  **

* The story continues in  Lizzie Borden, Zombie Hunter 2: The Axe Will Fall. ..  After the trial and being acquitted of murder, Lizzie thought her life would be "normal' again, but can it? When her sister, Emma, is caught up in the latest zombie outbreak, Lizzie has no choice but to pick up her axe again...
* See the trailer for the new movie, Lizzie.




*  I also give Dr. Bowen an opportunity to share his side of things... and look at whether he was haunted by the events of that day in my latest,  The Haunting of Dr. Bowen, A Mystery in Lizzie Borden's Fall River.
* I hope you enjoy reading them. Please leave a review. Even a line helps!