H.S. Stone's Blog, page 24

Book review: Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

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Description:
Finally, after four hit novels, Carrie Fisher comes clean (well, sort of ) with the crazy truth that is her life in her first-ever memoir. In Wishful Drinking, adapted from her one-woman stage show, Fisher reveals what it was really like to grow up a product of "Hollywood in-breeding," come of age on the set of a little movie called Star Wars, and become a cultural icon and bestselling action figure at the age of nineteen.

Intimate, hilarious, and s...

The Mirror Stage and an interview with J.J. Stone

Fans of thrillers and suspense novels, I'm pleased to announce the release of The Mirror Stage, the debut novel of author J.J. Stone (no relation, but what a cool name!) and the first book in The Imago Trilogy! J.J. has also graciously agreed to participate in an interview that you can find below.


Ada Brandt wants everyone to think she’s normal. A writing professor at a local Seattle college, she personifies the saying “those who can’t, teach” after a few failed attempts at becoming an author...

New Harry Potter "story" at Pottermore

There are a handful of fictional worlds that I would call myself fanatical about at some point in my life, and Harry Potter was one such world for me a few years ago. That's why I immediately visited Pottermore (which I'm a member of, naturally) when I found out that J.K. Rowling published a new Harry Potter "story" on the site. The reason why "story" is in quotes is that it's really a gossip column by Rita Skeeter covering the Quidditch World Cup finals. However, it's an interesting view int...

Book review: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

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Description:
Jess Aarons' greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in his grade. He's been practicing all summer and can't wait to see his classmates' faces when he beats them all. But on the first day of school, a new girl boldly crosses over to the boys' side and outruns everyone.That's not a very promising beginning for a friendship, but Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable. Together they create Terabithia, a magical kingdom in the woods where the two...

Smashwords July Summer/Winter Sale

During the month of July, Smashwords is holding a July Summer/Winter Sale. Lots of books will be 25% off, 50% off, or more. All of my novels are part of this promotional event at half off! That's right, you can get all of my novels at Smashwords for just $1.50 this month! Remember to use the coupon code SSW50 when you check out.

Keep Your Enemies CloseBeyond New EdenIn the Hands of ChildrenGeorge and the Galactic Games
Stop on by and check them out. Also, take a look at some of the other grea...

Book review: Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

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Description:
The carnival rolls in sometime after midnight, ushering in Halloween a week early. The shrill siren song of a calliope beckons to all with a seductive promise of dreams and youth regained. In this season of dying, Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show has come to Green Town, Illinois, to destroy every life touched by its strange and sinister mystery. And two boys will discover the secret of its smoke, mazes, and mirrors; two friends who will so...

Cover reveal: With Tide and Tempest by Kate Avery Ellison

I recently raved about Frost and other books by Kate Avery Ellison, so I'm very pleased to participate in the cover reveal of her latest book, With Tide and Tempest. Doesn't the cover look wonderful?


With Tide and Tempest by Kate Avery Ellison
(Secrets of Itlantis #3)
Publication date: June 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:Free or not, life beneath the sea in the republic of Itlantis is less idyllic than Aemi might have imagined when she’d been just a surfac...

Damn you, Internet!

The Internet is one of the greatest inventions in my lifetime. It makes so many things easier to do: researching a topic, ordering a book, connecting with friends I haven't seen face-to-face in years. But it's also my worst enemy when it comes to trying to get things done.

During the week, my golden period for getting "author-y" work done is the hour and a half between 4:30 am (when I wake up) and 6:00 am (when I start to get ready for my day job). But before I start to write, I check my autho...

Book Review: Frost by Kate Avery Ellison

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Description:
In the icy, monster-plagued world of the Frost, compassion might get a person killed, and Lia Weaver knows this better than anyone. After the monsters kill her parents, she must keep the family farm running or risk losing her siblings to reassignment by the village Elders. With dangers on all sides, she can't afford to let her emotions lead her astray. But when her sister finds a fugitive bleeding to death in the forest, a young man from beyond the F...

Mid-year writing update

It's been a while since I blogged about my writing progress. I had three writing goals this year:
Publish a sequel to "Drive"Write a short story for another collaborationWrite my fifth novel
So far, I've accomplished #1 already. "Protect", the sequel to "Drive" was published on March 10th. Depending on how things go, I may even write the third installment in the series this year!

Last year, I had the good fortune of collaborating with a group of great YA authors to produce the anthology, Through...