Laurisa White Reyes's Blog, page 6

BOOK REVIEW: DEFYING GRAVITY by Carol De Diere

DEFYING GRAVITY: THE CREATIVE CAREER OF STEPHEN SCHWARTZ
Carol De Giere
Applause Books
Non-fiction/Biography


Stephen Schwartz is among the rare American composer-lyricists whose Broadway musicals have inspired passionate followings, resulting in blockbuster hits like WICKED, GODSPELL, and PIPPIN. In the revised and updated second edition of DEFYING GRAVITY, biographer Carol de Giere reveals how Schwartz's beloved musicals came to life, adding four new chapters that shed light on the continuing WICKED phenomenon and exciting projects that include stage adaptations of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME with Alan Menken and THE PRINCE OF EGYPT.

A popular feature of the first edition remains intact for the second: the story of Schwartz's commercially unsuccessful shows, how he coped, and how he gave himself another chance. The new edition also features an acclaimed series of Creativity Notes with insights about the creative process. WICKED enthusiasts are treated to a revealing, in-depth account of the show’s evolution that takes readers from developmental workshops, to the pre-Broadway tryout in San Francisco, through the arguments over changes for Broadway, and finally to productions around the world.

Movie musical fans know that Disney's pairing of Stephen Schwartz (for lyrics) with composer Alan Menken (for music) led to award-winning movie musicals POCAHONTAS, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, and ENCHANTED. Menken’s revelatory Foreword that introduces the second edition of DEFYING GRAVITY explores their wonderful chemistry and creative challenges.

The abundance of behind-the-scenes stories in this Stephen Schwartz biography came by way of the author’s unprecedented access to this legendary songwriter for interviews. She also drew from conversations with his family members, friends, and colleagues (librettists, composers, directors, producers, and actors) to render a rich portrait of this complex and gifted artist. She rounds out the book with photographs, Schwartz’s handwritten notes, and highlighted quotations.

Performers and others involved in productions of GODSPELL, PIPPIN, CHILDREN OF EDEN, WORKING, RAGS, and THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME will discover the intentions of the shows' creators. Singers, writers, fans, and anyone interested in the development of stage and film musicals will enjoy multiple insights from this backstage journey, from GODSPELL to WICKED, and beyond.

MY REVIEW:

I have to preface this review with the fact that I am a HUGE Broadway fan. No, I've never been to New York, but I catch as many shows as I can here in Los Angeles, and WICKED is one of my favorite shows ever.

I saw it for the third time in November at the lovely historical Pantages in Hollywood where I picked up a copy of Steven Schwartz's biography. It's a hefty book, so it's taken me a while to make my way through it, but it has been worth the journey.

The first half of the book gives us a look at Schwartz's career as a composer and lyricist from college through his stint with Disney and Dreamworks, which is an amazing tale by itself. But the rest of the book is all about WICKED, which was and still is the pinnacle of Schwartz's achievements. Schwartz is now 70+ years old (and still going strong), and WICKED is in its 15th year on Broadway. Pretty impressive.

But more impressive is the story behind the story, the years of hard work, and disappointments, and triumphs, and sacrifices that made the musical the huge international success it is today. For me, reading this book renewed me with hope. At fifty, I sometimes feel like a failure. But Schwartz hit his prime at fifty-five and is still doing amazing things. His life has infused me with renewed enthusiasm for my own future.

Plus it is just really cool to learn everything about behind-the-scenes of the show and its cast, and especially how the music and book came into behind. It revealed to me that what those of us who love the show consider perfection took years and years to get right.

DEFYING GRAVITY is simply a remarkable book about a remarkable man and his creations. Six out of Five Stars!!!

$25 GIVEAWAY - THE FIANCE'S SECRET by Kimberly Montpetit

 The Fiance's Secret by Kimberley Montpetit He's a successful entrepreneur who almost has it all. She's the long-ago crush—the girl who got away. When they meet again, fireworks explode once more. But will a buried secret steal their second chance at a happy ending? Troy Thurlow let the girl of his dreams get away fourteen years ago, back when he was a high school football star. Now he’s a highly successful executive with a life most people only dream of. Still, he's never stopped thinking about Jasmine, and wondering what would have happened if he'd ever had the courage to ask her on a date. When he meets her by chance on a New York business trip, he's determined to take this second opportunity and run with it. That is, if his past doesn't catch up with him first . . . Jasmine Cervantes does “happily ever after” for a living, arranging dream-destination honeymoons for the fabulously rich and famous. But, so far, her own fairy-tale ending has eluded her. That is, until the boy she couldn’t stop dreaming about in high school barges unexpectedly into her office one day. When the two start a whirlwind romance they begin to see that fate is giving them a helping hand. Until Jasmine ends up on Italy’s most romantic coast without him. Missing him desperately, she begins to believe that Troy is truly “the one.” But he's hiding something that could change everything . . .  “I have a confession to make,” she said, kicking up the sand with her toes. “You—confessions?” Troy teased, but he seemed to tense as if unsure what she was about to tell him. “I heard rumors that you were living out of the country. I figured I’d never see you again.” “So why didn’t you come to our ten-year reunion?” “I was on an important honeymoon trip right then. With Standing Ovation,” she quickly added with a laugh. “Not my own.” Troy chuckled, but she thought she saw his jaw clench a little. “I figured that’s what you meant.” “October in the South Pacific is very nice. That’s when the reunion was, right? At that point, the couple who wanted to honeymoon in Bali was our biggest client we’d ever had so I couldn’t tell my VP no.” “I guess our lives weren’t meant to cross right then. Extended business trips that sometimes kept me away for a few months. Especially at the beginning of the founding of DREAMS. We were hustling like crazy. All of us keeping insane schedules.” “That makes sense. Assumptions are often not true. Isn’t that human nature?” They paused at the shoreline, warm waves tickling Jasmine’s ankles. She wrapped her other arm around Troy’s waist, snuggling into him tighter while he put his other arm around her, while they stood staring out at the Atlantic. “You feel fantastic, Jasmine,” Troy whispered, brushing his lips against her hair. “I was just thinking the same thing about you,” she whispered in return, her voice barely above the sound of the rushing ocean. The water was black, but under the starlight, the waves were a soft, frothy white breaking along the shore. Troy turned so that they faced each other, and Jasmine snuggled into his chest, his body warming hers in a perfect fit. She was dizzy with his closeness, longing for more. “I can hear your heart pounding,” she told him, gazing up into his face. “My heart’s going crazy because I’m overcome by the most beautiful woman in the world. If I go into cardiac arrest, just kiss me and I’ll come right back.” “Like Sleeping Beauty kissing the prince instead of the other way around?”   The Executive's Secret is Free starting tomorrow Friday, March 8th 
 5 stars! LOVED THIS ONE! I ended up binge reading it until I could barely keep my eyes open but it was totally worth it! This book pulled at my heartstrings. I loved how the characters were developed so that I could clearly feel their emotions. This book was clean but still involved passion and I appreciate that. I loved every second. Love, love, loved this book!!!!! If you want a book that will leave you feeling happy, satisfied, and so much more then read this book.   Author Kimberley Montpetit When she was in Paris, Kimberley Montpetit spent most of her souvenir money at the La Patisserie shops with their beautiful and delicious pastries. She grew up in the fabulous city of San Francisco, loves all things chocolate, and now lives in a small town along the Rio Grande with her engineer husband and three sons. She once stayed in the haunted tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland and didn't sleep a wink, sailed the Seine in Paris, rode a camel in the ancient world wonder of Petra, shopped the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, and spent the night in an old Communist hotel in Bulgaria. Kimberley also writes Award-winning Middle-Grade novels with Scholastic and epic Young Adult novels with Harpercollins under the name, Kimberley Griffiths Little.    Giveaway Details$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 3/28/19 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from Clean Wholesome Romance and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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$25 GIVEAWAY - MOVIE STAR ROMANCES by Taylor Hart

  Movie Star Romances Billionaire Collection by Taylor Hart Enjoy the tough and tender ride of 3 Movie Stars and their journey to love. All of these movie stars are the kind of heroes the world craves and the kind of men that need a good woman to come home to. This collection is by best-selling author, Taylor Hart! Her Hollywood Fake FianceGrant Kent, movie star extraordinaire, doesn't like the fact he has to have a fake 'media' relationship with his co-star to keep his movie producer's happy. And he really doesn't like the fact his brothers' give him grief about it. So when he's asked to help out at an acting camp for inner city kids, he jumps at the chance to do something real. Too bad the woman in charge tells him outright she thinks he's a hack. The talented Jewel Olympia only wants to help inner city kids by giving them an opportunity to learn acting skills. When she's notified the week before Christmas that the P.I. she's hired to track down her birth mother has a solid lead on her whereabouts, she decides it's time to finally meet the woman that abandoned her in a hospital emergency room twenty-five years ago. Too bad an amazing looking movie star keeps bugging her to go on a date--bug off, she's unavailable. But when her parents show up on her doorstep asking where she's going, she tries to distract them with Grant's star power to avoid hurting their feelings. When he blurts out he's her fiance, everything gets derailed and she finds herself on a jet to Jackson--this is not her life! When a simple trip turns into a media frenzy, they're left with a choice--trust in Christmas angels or lose everything. The Masquerading GroomWhen Sterling Pennington, movie star/billionaire extraordinaire, gets stuck with a paid date at a masquerade party…he’s not happy. Too bad his agent doesn’t want the press to think he’s lonely after the pretend break up with his latest co-star. The arrangement makes him feel like a loser, until he sees the woman in the sequined dress. Sayla Jones made it clear she would only take this date if the egocentric movie star knew he got three hours before she turned into a pumpkin. That’s all. She never imagined she might actually connect with him, or that he would kiss her. Good thing she slapped him for good measure. Sterling never expected to see Sayla again, and he really wasn’t expecting to find her at the hospital. The next thing he knows, he’s taking her home and spending the next four days cooking, listening to Neil diamond on a record player, and putting braids in her hair. His feelings intensify when he finds himself admitting out loud, she even looks cute while drooling in her sleep. What’s happening to him? When Sayla confesses she believes they are too different to make it work, Sterling is faced with a choice—fight for her or live alone in the world of masks forever. The Love Potion GroomB.C. Knight, A-List movie star, just wants to put up a front and get through his court-mandated stint in rehab then get back to L.A. The last thing he wants is to meet a beautiful, grief-stricken woman who sees right through him and makes him reconsider the direction of his life. When he takes a chance and kisses her, it’s like finding the role he’s been searching for all of his life. Too bad she slaps him! Kira Moonwater's life turns upside down when her Nana, the woman who raised her and taught her to follow her dreams, unexpectedly passes away. The only thing on her mind is trying to pick up the pieces of her life and decide if her 'saving the world' boyfriend is going to be part of her future. She tries to keep a professional distance in her new job at the posh 'movie star' rehab facility but it's harder than she expected. When she follows B.C. to a secret 'hot spring' grotto, both of their masks start to fall away and she discovers B.C. is much more than just a movie star.    One of the best/believable movie star books I've read. Real life with real issues and emotions. I could see a little of myself in them. Such a fun escape. Taylor Hart is one of my favorites! I love how these characters met, how their courtship went and how they could "see" each other. So sweet. This is a quick and easy read. I enjoyed the overall idea-it’s sort of a fairy tale type story where the uber rich and famous guy falls for the down on her luck, average girl.    Author Taylor Hart Taylor Hart is a best-selling author of contemporary romance, sweet romance, and light suspense romance novels. Her acclaimed Last Play Romance and Bachelor Billionaire Romance Series will leave you wishing for more strong heroines and swoon-worthy men. A little about Taylor, she has always been drawn to a good love triangle, hot chocolate and long conversations with new friends. Writing has always been a passion that has consumed her daydreams and forced her to sit in a trance for long hours, completely obsessed with people that don't really exist. Taylor would have been a country star if she could have carried a tune--maybe in the next life.    Giveaway Details$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 3/25/19 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from Clean Wholesome Romance and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

WRITER 2 WRITER: MOTIVATING TEENS

I'm veering off-topic today. Hope you don't mind.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly 1 out of every 20 teens drops out of high school each year. Out of those who do remain in school, many others fail to achieve even average grades. School is a constant source of frustration for them, their teachers, and their parents. At the source of the problem lie various factors, which may include learning disabilities or ADHD, substance abuse, gang involvement, or poverty.

“These are the kids who are at risk,” says Anne Messersmith, former Addiction specialist with the Interagency Drug Abuse Recovery Program in Los Angeles, California. “People can sit back, point their fingers and judge, but they haven’t a clue what these kids go through. They give up on them.”
But is it possible to turn struggling students around? Messersmith believes it is. “The only way to change these kids is to build their self-esteem,” she says.

Beth Larsen, a high school resource instructor who specializes in teaching adolescents with learning problems, agrees. “These kids are sick of school,” she says. “It’s never easy and is a constant struggle. They often think ‘I got a bad grade, so I’m stupid,’ but intelligence isn’t the issue.”

For parents, having teens who do not live up to their expectations can be disappointing to say the least. Just getting them to do their homework, let alone stay in school, can be a challenge. According to Larsen, however, the greatest challenge is finding a way to motivate them.

“Teenagers aren’t motivated by the same external rewards as younger children,” she explains. “The best motivation comes from inside.”

Larsen often infuses her lessons with stories of successful people who have overcome the same challenges her students now face, such as her own cousin who never did well in school grade wise, but who, after attending culinary school, is now a leading chef working at an upscale restaurant.
Like Larsen, Messersmith also believes that kids need to recognize their own potential in order to succeed.

“You have to ask them what they want in life. What are their dreams? Help them reflect back to what their hopes and dreams were when they were children and go from there.”

Teens need to clearly see their goals, whether it is graduating from high school, going to college, or just passing the next big test. But kids who struggle with school cannot be expected to reach their goals alone. They need support from both parents and teachers. Below are seven ways to motivate struggling teens to stay on task:
PAY ATTENTION – Parents often assume that teens do not need the same amount of attention they received when they were younger. But nothing could be further from the truth. “The most motivated students,” says Larsen, “are those whose parents sit with them during homework and do not ignore problems until it’s too late.”BE INVOLVED –Kids whose parents are involved in their lives often want to please their parents, which is a perfectly acceptable motivator. But all too often kids who struggle in school do not ask for help when they need it. Parents should be willing to help every time they do ask.COMMUNICATE – Parents should be aware of what is going on at school and what assignments their children have been given. Larsen advises parents to communicate regularly with teachers about their child’s progress. “Teachers want your child to succeed as much as you do.”DON’T MAKE EXCUSES – Sometimes parents enable their kid’s poor performance in school by laying the blame on that child’s disability or situation. Instead, parents ought to expect teens to be responsible for their own education, while keeping such expectations reasonable. “Parents should also set the example for their kids,” says Messersmith. “No double standards.”RECOGNIZE ACHIEVEMENTS – For teens who struggle in school, even the slightest improvement is an achievement. Praise your child for his efforts. Receiving recognition for accomplishments is a great motivator.CELEBRATE STRENGTHS – “We all have different abilities,” says Larsen. “Parents can motivate their teens to succeed by focusing on their strengths and helping them improve on their weaknesses.”NEVER GIVE UP – High school students who face academic challenges can sometimes feel like throwing in the towel. But with the love and support of their parents and teachers, even the most frustrated teen can set and meet goals. “It’s so much easier to give up,” says Messersmith, “but don’t get discouraged. Stand your ground.” The key, as Larsen reminds us, “is to never settle, but also don’t have crazy, unreachable goals.” In other words, set realistic goals and never stop helping your child attain them.

$25 GIVEAWAY - SHADOWS OF ATLANTIS by Mara Powers

Shadows of Atlantis: Awakeningby Mara PowersGenre: Fantasy
"...had me turning the pages obsessively from the very beginning." Readers Favorite.

Enter the legacy of the legend...Brigitte has been chosen to renew the treaty between Atlantis and the ancient bloodline of Lemuria. As an emissary of nature, her betrothal would ensure the continued function of the Crystal Grid, the life source of the ten kingdoms of Atlantis. But as Brigitte prepares to leave from her home in the magical Dreamvale, her people are attacked by a storm of shadows. Now she is running for her life.
Upon her arrival in the ruling city of Atlantis, she meets D’Vinid, a dejected musician who lives the quintessential Atlantean lifestyle of revelry, escapism and apathy. Under the eclipse of a sacred festival, they are swept into an attraction they cannot resist. Their union may protect humanity from its worst enemy - the shadows of Atlantis. But there is one problem, this man is not her betrothed.
Brigitte soon discovers that the corruption of the Grid could very well be the Grid itself. Citizens have neglected to attend the rituals required to charge the crystals with their psychic emanations. Some have fallen prey to an epidemic called “the madness”, caused by shadowy parasites that feed off human suffering. But as nature always strives toward balance, the crystals have activated a genetic upgrade among the people. The youth have begun to express supernatural powers. Could it be that D’Vinid and Brigitte are meant to be leaders among the awakened? And if so, why does it seem impossible for them to be together?
A mysterious tale of romance, seduction and betrayal that reaches just enough into the modern mind to ask - will we learn the lessons of Atlantis?


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Mara Powers is a rebel of the written word who has tackled the monumental task of recreating Atlantis. When she was 16 in Fort Collins, Colorado, she began visiting the library in search of things she couldn't learn in school. Her goal was to re-define her religion. She studied theology voraciously until she discovered the concept of reincarnation though Hinduism. It was the answer to a lifelong existential crisis that had plagued her for many sleepless nights. The study of reincarnation led her to the channel Edgar Cayce. In his many books, she found his past life readings of lifetimes spent in Atlantis. This was the beginning of a lifelong quest to unravel the secrets of this mystery. She has spent upwards of 30 years exploring the labyrinth of ancient civilizations. Her decision to turn it all into a high concept, visionary fantasy series stems from her study of the esoteric depiction of Atlantis. With the other half of her research rooted in the secular, it was the best way to illustrate both aspects of this fascinating legend. Her work is the legacy of the legend.

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$10 GIVEAWAY - SOLVE THE WORLD by Dante Stack

Solve the WorldPart Oneby Dante StackGenre: YA Dystopian Adventure 
Young Jennifer Dash leaves her Louisiana home in search of the key to life. Her quest begins humbly enough amidst the swamps of the Pelican state, but forces beyond her control will propel her past many nations, oceans, cultures, and fairy tales... to the very limits of reason and myth itself. Written as an adventure saga, what begins in a whimper is destined to end with a bang.In Part One, you'll be submerged into a maelstrom of underground mobs, charming love interests, mythical sea monsters, religious theme parks, and relentless adventure.Prepare yourself. It's going to be a bumpy ride.Beware the Pied Piper.
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Solve the WorldPart Two
Young Jennifer Dash left her home with ambition. She wanted to discover the purpose of life. Big stuff. But a crazy truck driver, an underground homeless society, and a Catholic theme park with a secret kept Jenn distracted. Now she's finally on the right path. She's joined the crew of the adventure schooner Orion, a ship of scientific geniuses bent on discovering the deepest truths of reality.

Will Jenn find what she's looking for? Or will the madness of a few turn her world upside down?Long is the way and hard, that out of darkness, leads into light.
Continue the journey. Beware the Pied Piper.

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Solve the World Part Three

The world is broken. Can we unbreak it?

Jennifer Dash is hunting for a way to fix the world, and herself. From Fox-masks, to secret orphan bunkers, to a New Zealand skyscraper culling, to a ravenous Wendigo, this third part of Jenn's harrowing adventure takes her past the boundaries of science, and straight into the dragon's lair of mythological nightmares. Can Jenn solve the world before Leviathan awakes?
Continue the Journey.Beware the Pied Piper.

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Dante has lived in multiple places. In each of those places, he has read to his dog. She doesn't seem to mind, but Dante is suspicious that she's not actually very interested in what he has to say. You have to understand, Dante's dog can't read. So he has to read aloud to her. He hopes that you can read for yourself, and that maybe you'll read the things that he's read aloud to his dog. Maybe you'll be more interested in the things Dante has written and read aloud than the dog is.
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KINDLE FIRE & $25 GIVEAWAY - THE CRYSTAL KEEPER by Laurisa White Reyes

***There is a special Kindle Fire 7 giveaway open to anybody who reviews the series!!**http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/79201e79186/?
ExileThe Crystal Keeper Book 1by Laurisa White ReyesGenre: Epic Fantasy


Exiled for loving a human, Jayson is sworn to protect the Seer's crystal from those who would use it to obtain power. Unbeknownst to him, his wife Ivanore searches for him, hoping to save him from the terrible fate she has seen in her visions. When she is captured, Jayson must make an impossible choice--should he save Ivanore or save the crystal?
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BetrayalThe Crystal Keeper Book 2

With the help of Teak, a local farm hand, Ivanore flees from the Vatéz into the forest. While recuperating from her injuries, she becomes an apprentice to an elderly enchantress who teaches her how to control her abilities. Unaware that Ivanore is in Hestoria, Jayson commits to working off the cost of Brommel’s passage to Dokur, where he hopes he and his young son will be safe. Though Jayson vows to avenge the death of Brommel’s wife and daughter, despair and guilt threaten to extinguish what little hope he has left of begin reunited with Ivanore.
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VengeanceThe Crystal Keeper Book 3

In the third book in The Crystal Keeper series, Ivanore sets off to rescue Jayson from the Vatez but soon finds herself their captive instead. Once Jayson learns that Ivanore is in Hestoria, he must choose between saving her and saving the Seer's crystal.
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HiddenThe Crystal Keeper Book 4
For four years, Jayson and the Guardians of the Seer have been hiding on a remote farm, but Arik, Minister of Hestoria, refuses to give up hunting for them. As his hatred for Jayson grows, Arik and the Vatez begin attacking local villages in hopes of flushing out him out. But when his efforts fail, Arik uses Ivanore, the Seer and Jayson's true love, to betray him.
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DefiantThe Crystal Keeper Book 5
Defiant is the 5th installment in The Crystal Keeper series.

Lady Ivanore the Seer escapes Auseret and goes in search of Jayson and the Guilde, but Arik, leader of the Vatez, is determined to use her to lead him to the crystal.

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FallenThe Crystal Keeper Book 6
Fallen is the 6th installment in The Crystal Keeper series.

Arik, Minister of the Vatéz, wreaks vengeance on the Guilde, escalating the violence against Hestoria's villages. Meanwhile, though Jayson's wounds begin to heal, his memories of the Vatéz's attack -- and of Ivanore -- are missing.

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The Crystal Keeper: Books 1-3Goodreads* Amazon
The Crystal Keeper: Books 4-6Goodreads*Amazon

***There is a special Kindle Fire 7 giveaway open to anybody who reviews the series!!**http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/79201e79186/?

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$20 GIVEAWAY - RAGING SEA by Kim Iverson Headlee

Raging SeaThe Dragon's Dove Chronicles Book 3by Kim Iverson HeadleeGenre: Historical Fantasy 
Outcast, clanless, and but a junior officer in Arthur the Pendragon’s army, Angusel struggles to rebuild the life stolen from him through betrayal by the person he had held most dear. His legion allegiance thrusts him onto the campaign trail as one of Arthur’s forward scouts, stalking Angli troops and being among the first to clash with these vicious enemies at every turn. But the odds loom high against him and his sword-brothers, and they will need a miracle just to survive.

Pressured to make the best choice to ensure her clan’s future leadership, Eileann struggles with her feelings for Angusel, whose outcast status makes him forbidden to her as a mate. When Angli treachery threatens everyone she loves, she vows to thwart their violent plan to conquer her clan. But she is no warrior, she has no soldiers to command, and she will need a miracle just to survive.
How can one soldier make a difference? How can one woman save her kin and clan? In the crucible of combat, Angusel must surrender to the will of the gods, and Eileann must invoke divine power to forge the most dangerous warrior the world has ever known.


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Morning's JourneyThe Dragon's Dove Chronicles Book 2
“Magnificent.” ~ Kathleen Foley, author of the Faith in Uniform series

In a violent age when enemies besiege Brydein and alliances shift as swiftly as the wind, stand two remarkable leaders: the Caledonian warrior-queen Gyanhumara and her consort, Arthur the Pendragon. Their fiery love is tempered only by their conviction to forge unity between their disparate peoples. Arthur and Gyan must create an impenetrable front to protect Brydein and Caledonia from land-lusting Saxons and the marauding Angli raiders who may be massing forces in the east, near Arthur’s sister and those he has sworn to protect.
But their biggest threat is an enemy within: Urien, Arthur’s rival and the man Gyan was treaty-bound to marry until she broke that promise for Arthur’s love. When Urien becomes chieftain of his clan, his increase in wealth and power is matched only by the magnitude of his hatred of Arthur and Gyan—and his threat to their infant son.
Morning’s Journey , sequel to the critically acclaimed Dawnflight, propels the reader from the heights of triumph to the depths of despair, through the struggles of some of the most fascinating characters in all of Arthurian literature. Those struggles are exacerbated by the characters’ own flawed choices. Gyan and Arthur must learn that while extending forgiveness to others may be difficult, forgiveness of self is the most excruciating—yet ultimately the most healing—step of the entire journey.


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DawnflightThe Dragon's Dove Chronicles Book 1
What if King Arthur’s queen was every bit as heroic as he was? Find out by immersing yourself in this epic story of the power couple whose courage and conviction would shape the destiny of a nation.

Gyan is a Caledonian chieftainess by birth, a warrior and leader of warriors by training, and she is betrothed to Urien, a son of her clan’s deadliest enemy, by right of Arthur the Pendragon’s conquest of her people. For the sake of peace, Gyan is willing to sacrifice everything...perhaps even her very life, if her foreboding about Urien proves true.
Roman by his father, Brytoni by his mother, and denied hereditary rulership of his mother's clan because of his mixed blood, Arthur has followed his father's path to become Dux Britanniarum, the Pendragon: supreme commander of the northern Brytoni army. The Caledonians, Scots, Saxons, and Angles keep him too busy to dwell upon his loneliness...most of the time.
When Gyan and Arthur meet, each recognize within the other their soul’s mate. The treaty has preserved Gyan’s ancient right to marry any man, providing he is a Brytoni nobleman—but Arthur does not qualify. And the ambitious Urien, Arthur’s greatest political rival, shall not be so easily denied. If Gyan and Arthur cannot prevent Urien from plunging the Caledonians and Brytons back into war, their love will be doomed to remain unfulfilled forever.
But there is an even greater threat looming. The Laird of the Scots wants their land and will kill all who stand in his way. Gyan, Arthur, and Urien must unite to defeat this merciless enemy who threatens everyone they hold dear.


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Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins--the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century--seem to be sticking around for a while yet.

Kim has been a published novelist since 1999 with the first edition of Dawnflight (Sonnet Books, Simon & Schuster) and has been studying the Arthurian legends for nigh on half a century.


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$25 GIVEAWAY - THE BOOKISH BILLIONAIRE by Jennifer Griffith

 The Bookish Billionaire by Jennifer Griffith One wedding party, two jilted lovers, and three ill-behaved dogs. Can they add up to love? Numbers guy and best man Price Robertson finds himself drawn to the maid of honor as they dance at a wedding. Always brain-bound, he hasn’t made time for a relationship since he was rejected by the one girl he ever loved years ago. Now, he's only in Getaway Bay for a single day, so making a connection with this fascinating girl is a mistake. So what if Annika gets his bookish ways and is the best non-small-talker who has ever put him at ease? He’ll never see her again after this wedding dance. As maid of honor, Jane-of-all-trades Annika Dearborn is anxious to get back to her studies the second her wedding responsibilities are finished. She’s gotten hopelessly behind in her business classes and could really use a tutor with a business mind like Price’s to help her catch up. Too bad he's leaving. Especially because she’s been out of school (and love) ever since she dropped out years ago in hopes of marrying Mr. Right—who turned out to be Mr. Oh-So-Wrong. Because he was already married. When Price learns he’s not flying out of Getaway Bay tonight after all—or for the foreseeable future, thanks to an upsetting call from the government—he has nowhere to stay while he lies low and figures out his next move. Meanwhile, Annika owes a debt to the groom’s parents, and finds herself agreeing to tend the worst-behaved dogs on earth. She learns this task includes an enormous St. Bernard with a bark like an earthquake. Asking Price for help seems logical on the surface, but it puts her heart at risk of opening up, when she should never allow it to again. Will Price and Annika let go of their failed past loves and see the chance that barks right at their heels?    "I devoured this novel faster than my box of See's chocolates Valentine's candies and I'm hoping, praying, and crossing my fingers for more. My advice before reading this one? Clear your schedule and be prepared to swoon!" --Katie's Clean Book Collection "This is a fun, romantic story that was interesting and upbeat! I highly recommend this book and her other books as well! " --Amy, Goodreads "This is clean, light and enjoyable, with unique characters. " --Ballet in AK, Goodreads     The music trailed off. The crowd clapped for them, and then couples flooded the dancing area. Price should have let his clasp on Annika’s hand drop. Their obligation to be on display had ended. “It’s over.” She came up on tiptoes to tell him this. She didn’t seem to be letting go of Price, either. “But I still want to know what happened with your lost love,” she said. Not with pity. Not with judgment. Just a simple request for further understanding. “She got away.” There. Pure and simple. It didn’t sting so much telling her this thing he’d kept bottled up so long. The music rose again, and they were taken up into the whirl of couples. Interesting. Somehow with this Annika Dearborn woman, he hadn’t been pressured—not externally, anyway. More internal pressure, a truth trying to escape him and make its way toward her. She is where you need to keep your secrets. Uh, no. Nope. Now the strings were going too far. In a flash, Price climbed inside himself and stomped around ready to smash the instruments all to bits. Come on. This trip to Getaway Bay ended at midnight when the red eye flight departed. The last thing he needed to do was start forging psychological bonds with a woman he’d be leaving on an island in the middle of the Pacific within mere hours, like a buried treasure that would be lost to time. “I get it.” Annika recaptured his attention. “I get it about your one-who-got-away thing.” Clues to why she got it floated in her gaze, but Price had never become fluent in the language of gazes. Luckily, she offered a hint. “I was in love once. A sweeping, terrible love.”    Author Jennifer Griffith Jennifer Griffith writes light, sweet romances she calls Cotton Candy for the Soul. Her Legally in Love Collection stems from the fact she fell in love with a handsome law school student who now serves as a judge--as well as her muse. She also writes the Billionaire Makeover Romance series, billionaires and makeovers being some things with which she has less experience. Jennifer loves old cars, landscape paintings, fresh bread with raspberry jam, and reading. She lived in Japan during college, where she once ate a cricket on a dare. She also traveled through Europe, where she slept a night in a castle on the Rhine. Jennifer worked summers in a cookie factory, and she spent a few years working for the U.S. Congress before becoming a wife, a mom and an author.  Giveaway Details$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 3/22/19 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from Clean Wholesome Romance and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway 

$20 AMAZON GIVEAWAY - DETONATION EVENT by John Andrew Karr

Detonation Event Mars Wars #1by John Andrew KarrGenre: Science FictionPub Date: 2/5/19
For decades the Space Consortium of America has searched for new ways to harvest resources beyond an increasingly depleted Earth. The ultimate plan is about to be ignited. So is the ultimate threat to humankind. . .
Detonation Event
Battle-hardened Captain Ry Devans and his crew of the Mars Orbiting Station-1 are part of a bold plan: resurrect the once-active molten cores of the Red Planet with synchronized thermonuclear explosions, and terraform the hell out of that iron-oxide rock for future generations. It’ll change history. So will the strands of carbon-based Martian cells that have hitched a ride on the ship.
Dr. Karen Wagner knows the microbes’ resistance to virus is incredible. It’s the unknowable that’s dicey. Her orders: blow them into space. But orders can be undermined. Two vials have been stolen and sent hurtling toward the biosphere. For Devans and Wagner, ferreting out the saboteurs on board is only the beginning. Because there are more of them back on Earth—an army of radical eco-terrorists anxious to create a New World Order with a catastrophic gift from Mars.
Now, one-hundred-and-forty-million miles away from home, Devans is feeling expendable, betrayed, a little adrift, and a lot wild-eyed. But space madness could be his salvation—and Earth’s. He has a plan. And he’ll have to be crazy to make it work.
“ Detonation Event  starts with the unusual proposition that the greatest difficulty in terraforming Mars will be not geophysics but Earth politics--rising quickly to open warfare. Interesting and intelligent.” --Dave Drake Author of  Hammer's Slammers

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John Andrew Karr writes of the strange and spectacular. He enjoys creating fantasy, paranormal, horror, and science fiction, having self-published novels in all these genres. He’s a North Carolina resident, IT worker, and all-around family guy.

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