Scott Clements's Blog, page 5

Goodreads Review of Gasparilla’s Treasure

Here’s a review from a Goodreads.com reader. It makes it all so worth it when a reader connects with your story and characters. As a new author, this kind of feedback means so much! Here’s the review:

I want to start off with the simple truth. You have to read this book! I started reading it this morning, and under five hours later I was done. I did not pass go, I did not collect $200, I just sat and read it from start to finish. The BEST part about this book, is that their is a definite sequel, which by the way I can NOT wait to read!

Trip has a true gentleness about him and he is filled with love for his grandfather. His whole quest is not for personal gain, its passion for the well being of his family. He faces obstacles but nothing slows him down. He just keeps racing towards his end goal, finding Gasparilla’s Treasure to save his family.

He faces a bully, gains a friend, takes a beating, and stands up for himself all in search of this treasure. He succeeds and finds the treasure in the end, unknowingly stumbling upon another quest. Which by the way, I will be jumping into as soon as humanly possible.

Clements did an amazing job writing this book. The scenery and challenges faced were beautifully described. Almost to the point where I felt like I was next to Trip and his friends racing for Gasparilla’s Treasure with them. I really don’t have anything negative to say about this book at all. Even if I tried really hard to think of something bad to say about this book, nothing comes to mind.

Completely off topic, but the cover alone would of been enough for me to pick this book up in a book store. Its great, and fits the book perfectly. Overall this book has to be rated with FIVE STARS!!

I would recommend this book to anyone. You HAVE to read it! The story will grab you right away and keep you memorized until the very last page. Just be warned, you will not be able to put this book down. I know I wasn’t able to.

Reviews from Kids

I love to get reviews from kids who have read my book. Here are a couple from Amazon:

11 Year Old:

This book is my favorite! Great mix of the present, history, and pirates. I recommend it for all ages, especially 11 year olds. When my parents told me to go to bed, I couldn’t put this book down! I live near St.Augustine and I can relate to all the historical sites. Thank-you Scott Clemets for writing Gasparilla’s Treasure!

10 Year Old:

I liked all of it. I didn’t get bored and I always wanted to know what would happen next. This is exactly the kind of adventure I enjoy. I brought the book to school to share it with my friends. I think they will like it.

Keep up the reviewing kids!!!

Another Nice Review

Here is another wonderful review of Gasparilla's Treasure. This review is from author Jemima Pett. You can follow her blog here.

http://jemimapett.wordpress.com/

Here is the review:

Trip is a decent, reasonably hardworking young man, loves his great grandfather 'Pappy' who is ill in a care home, and has just discovered a whole new world of emotions when he set eyes on a new girl in school. Trouble is, the school bully has seen her too. Fuelled by a few coherent words Pappy said, he searches the loft for a trunk, inside which there are papers and clues to be studied and unravelled. Trip and his friend Josh are joined by a new friend, bright, attractive, and new to the school… with a nice turn in finding the answers to the most obscure clues. Trip occasionally can't believe his luck, but there is a puzzle to be solved and the bully to be evaded, avoided and outwitted.

Scott Clements' story is pacy and enjoyable. It paints pictures of young love, secret treasure and the fascinating history of the Florida coast, with no cloying romance or cliched travelogue. You care about the characters (well, not the bully and his henchmen, who early on were somewhat irritating but were gradually woven into the main plot). Mother, great grandfather and a few other necessary adults are skilfully portrayed. A mystery Native American is suitably mysterious and the intricacies of the treasure trail carefully managed to be neither so easy you wonder why previous generations of the family couldn't solve it, nor so obtuse that the reader can't follow.

Altogether a very enjoyable tale and one for young readers of any age.

Get your copy of Gasparilla's Treasure on Amazon here:

Gasparilla's Treasure

A Nice Feeling

It's a great feeling when someone let's you know they  truly enjoying your book.  This is an email from nice person/actress Lauren Stamile, who some of you may know from Grey's Anatomy or as Agent Pearce from Burn Notice.  She is reading my book, Gasparilla's Treasure, and she sent this email.  I asked her if I could share it in my blog and she kindly said "Of course."  So, here it is:

WOW.

Scott,

It's Lauren,

Um… I LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!!

About 30 pages in….

Love how it's "To Everyone who sees life as an adventure."

Love how the Prologue just grabs you by the neck and how Chapter One

starts off SO differently, in another time and place.  It gives the

reader the thrill that these two insanely unrelated worlds are

somehow… RELATED!  And the thrill is in knowing that you (the

reader) are on the journey to see how!

I love the name of the freakin' old person's home.

I love how the whole thing feels so personal to the teller of the tale

but does not alienate the reader in any way.  It is so welcoming.

And it took NO TIME to instantly get swept up into the world of the

story.  That rarely happens for me.  I generally need a few chapters

of slow reading to really get in there.  Not so AT ALL in this case.

There is heart, humor, action, a sense of wonder and pathos — all the

ingredients needed for a great adventure.

I am SO GRATEFUL that you generously gave me a copy.

I can't wait to read further and ask questions and discuss!

–lauren.

ps–Geez!  You couldn't just get nominated for a freakin' emmy for

sound!  You also had to go and be uber-talented in another medium.

Jerk!

You can find the book on Amazon:

Gasparilla's Treasure

Back on Burn Notice

I've started back on Burn Notice season 6, so less time for writing, and more time for watching things blow up.

Over 3000 downloads on the free Kindle promo

The free Kindle promo is coming to a close and there have been over 3000 downloads. I hope some of these people actually read the thing, enjoy it, and recommend it to their friends.

Also, lowered the Kindle price to 99 cents in hopes of getting the book into more hands.

I started back on Burn Notice season 6 this week, so I guess I'll have to slow down with the book and see what happens…

The reviews are in:

A review on goodreads.com:

From Anna Schubarth:

With a captivating lead-in akin to a Cussler novel, Clements punctuates school days with mystery, intrigue and adventure. Set in historic St. Augustine, Florida, "Gasparilla's Treasure" has wit and charm to please any reader.

A couple of favorable reviews on Amazon:

From Berni:

Dedicated to all who see life as an adventure, Scott Clements has created an interesting, well thought out, adventure book for the young at heart. Life is seen through the eyes of a teenage boy and his friends as they search for the long lost Gasparilla's Treasure by uncovering and following clues through historic St. Augustine, Florida. The tale is both entertaining and touching as the three friends lead the reader down a path to surprises. As the book draws to a close, Clements has left us wanting more and in the end, he has left clues for their next great adventure. The book is filled with history, suspense and humor while grounded in a world of Middle School drama with Sarah, his first love, Josh, his computer geek best friend and Eli, a bully who constantly tries to undermine the hero. A book worth reading!

From T Plantholt:

Scott Clements has done a fantastic job creating a modern day mystery rich with history. He has captured the trials and thrills of being a 13 year old in todays society. I was so excited to get my hands on this book; I certainly was not let down. The day I received the book I started reading it and did not put it down until I finished. I can't wait to see what Trip Montgomery's next adventures have in

store.

My Book Trailer

It was fun making the book trailer. Still images, voice overs, and a little music can look pretty good…

My Book Trailer

It was fun making the book trailer. Still images, voice overs, and a little music can look pretty goo

Waiting On Things

Waiting on things in this book making process drives me bonkers… When I finished penning my book, I though I was done!  Sent it to my editor, and that took a few weeks (see earlier posts about my editor… she did an excellent job).  Waiting for her to finish up so I could publish seemed to take forever!  It was well worth the wait.

Now that I've decided to have an amazing cover (see earlier post), I have to wait on the artist.  Her work is amazing, and worth every second she spends on it, but I want it to "poof", magically appear! and of course be perfect!  She's been working for two and a half weeks, and sent me a work in progress.  Absolutely amazing, and it makes it a bit easier to wait, but I want to get the book out there!

I must learn patience…