Brenda Maxfield's Blog, page 11

Reading in Africa

Friends, do you love to read in bed as much as I do? Is there anything more lovely than ending a long day with an enchanting book before dropping off to sleep?

Now, don’t laugh, but sometimes I read silently and sometimes my husband reads to me. Maybe it harks back to those days when my mother used to recite poetry to me before I went to sleep, but hearing someone’s voice flow over a great story is like a cup of hot chocolate and a snuggly quilt.

I’m not the only non-little-kid who enjoys being read to. As most of you know, I teach high school, and my students still love it when I read books aloud to them. (If only there were more time in the school day. . .)

Here, on day eleven in Africa, I’m enjoying a quiet read before bed every night. We’re all in one room, so when the baby goes to sleep, it’s lights out. Thank goodness for tablets that are back-lit!  I can still get in a chapter or two before falling asleep to the drone of mosquitoes.

How about you? Do you read yourself to sleep? Is there someone who reads to you? Or do you have a favorite bed-time book?

I’d love to hear about it.

And as always, thanks for stopping by!

Brenda

P.S. Feb. 12th is Fast Approaching!  The Lance Temptation to be released from Astraea Press!

Meet Laurie Bradach and Kim “Howard” Johnson!

Thank you for joining me today in welcoming the authors of The Dare Club, Laurie Bradach and Kim “Howard” Johnson.

It’s my pleasure to have them with us and share with you about their YA Middle Grade novel. Being a writer of YA contemporary, I found myself happily drawn into their book. Authors Bradach and Johnson certainly have caught the pulse of teen life in The Dare Club. Readers will easily “hear” the eclectic mix of teens and be caught up in their lives.

Nita is a gutsy, unique protagonist who shines in The Dare Club. Readers will be immersed in what seems to be normal high school life, but what then turns into daring suspense. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I urge you to grab a copy of this book–particularly if you have teens in the house or you need a gift for teens! Happily this is Book One of the series, so readers will be able to continue the romp.

Laurie and Kim will be awarding a $20 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. So, please take a moment to comment below for a chance to w

Read on:

BLURB from The Dare Club:

Nita Congroy has relocated to the most boring town on the planet. That is, until would-be boyfriend Brad Keeley spills the beans about a secret group of girls known as The Dare Club. During her subterranean initiation below the high school, Nita overhears a plan by contractors and school officials to embezzle millions of dollars in grant money. When she is betrayed, The Dare Club’s pranks become deadly serious.

With the clock ticking, Nita will need the help of her new friends to expose the chilling plot–and hopefully survive long enough to snag a date to the Homecoming Dance.

Excerpt from The Dare Club:

“So Mille mentioned a secret club…” Nita said, hurrying to stay beside him.

“That’s just a fantasy of hers,” Brad said. “She thinks there’s a club that’s responsible for all the pranks that happen around here. But it’s total fiction.”

“Too bad,” Nita mused. “A secret club would make school a lot more interesting.”

Brad separated and dumped the contents of his tray into the required trash bins. “It might, but it doesn’t exist.”

“Maybe I should start one,” Nita said. “An outsider with blue hair has nothing to lose, right?”

A smile broke across his face. “I like your hair.”

For an instant their eyes met; it could have been Nita’s imagination, but something seemed to pass between them. Interest? Too early to know, but she wanted to keep the channels of communication open and flowing.

Unfortunately, Nita was too nervous to think of anything else to say. That happened to her occasionally—well, pretty often. Especially around boys she found attractive.

She walked with Brad, feeling awkward, until she spotted something shiny near the kitchen doorway. Nita stopped to retrieve it—

It was the silver ankle bracelet the streaker had been wearing.

Dozens of charms dangled from it. Nita flipped past a grinning frog, a lemon, and a tiny hammer. What a strange combination. Black letters were interspaced between the links. She followed them around, C-L-U-B. She twisted the bracelet; the next letters spelled out the word D-A-R-E. Club Dare? No. She reread the letters in order from the clasp:

DARE CLUB

To her surprise, Brad had stopped too. He stood next to her, peering at the bracelet, looking ill once again.

“There’s no secret club?” Nita tried to modulate her accusatory tone. “You said it was fiction.”

“That, that…” Brad pointed at the bracelet and faltered. “Doesn’t mean anything.”

“It means there’s a club in this school that does daring things—like streaking through the cafeteria,” Nita said, in a low voice. “Is your sister in that club?

Read more about today’s authors, Laurie Bradach and Kim “Howard” Johnson:

Kim “Howard” Johnson has written comic books for Marvel, DC, and Event Comics. He is a director of improvisational comedy, an actor, and is rumored to hang around with the Monty Python gang. Howard’s other books include Monty Python’s Tunisian Holiday and The Funniest One in the Room.

Laurie Bradach has nearly escaped the world of comics. Currently, she devotes her time to writing action-adventure stories without the use of word balloons. She is active in her local Romance Writers of America chapter, Heart and Scroll, and is a founding member of Random Moon Books. Laurie is also the author of A Good Draw, a romantic suspense novel.

Howard and Laurie are delighted to have written their first book together without killing each other. Be sure to look for the second book in the series, The Dare Club: Lindy.    www.doubledarebooks.com

Remember to comment below for a chance to win!

And as always, thanks for stopping by,

Brenda

Flying to Africa

Greetings Friends! Happy New Year!

I scheduled this blog entry to post on Monday, January 7th while I’m flying over the Atlantic on my way to Africa to meet my grandson. (Some of you might remember that my new and first grandchild is from Africa.)

At that time, I didn’t realize I would soon be flying my way across the world. I get to spend over a week in Africa with little Eli and my daughter. Hopefully while I’m there, all paperwork will be completed and we’ll all be able to come home together.

What a privilege for me to participate in this process! (Of course, my computer will be with me so I can communicate with you and also keep writing Lizbet’s story—Number Four in The Edgemont Collection.)

By now, I hope all of you are dipping your toes into your New Year’s Goals. Or Resolutions. Or whatever you choose to call them. Some people detest these promises we make to ourselves. Not me. I love ‘em. Even when I don’t completely accomplish them, any progress heading toward my dreams and goals takes me further along the path.

So, during these weeks of a brand new year, my wish for you is progress in the form of solid steps toward your dream, even if they’re baby steps!

What are your goals for the year? Do you have any you’d like to share?

I love to learn more about my readers!

And as always, thanks for stopping by!

Brenda

P.S.  Only a month and a half till The Lance Temptation releases!  Woo Hoo!

“Always continue the climb. It is possible for you to do whatever you choose, if you first get to know who you are and are willing to work with a power that is greater than ourselves to do it.”  Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Welcome Michael Dadich!

Hello Friends! Today, I’m welcoming author Michael Dadich who is the author of The Silver Sphere.

(Please note: Michael will be awarding a $75 Amazon or BN Gift Card to a randomly drawn  commenter during his tour. The winner could be you!)

About Michael’s book The Silver Sphere:  

Shelby Pardow never imagined she could kill someone. All she wants to do is hide from her troubled father… when she is teleported to awaiting soldiers on the planet Azimuth. Here she is not a child, but Kin to one of the six Aulic Assembly members whom Malefic Cacoethes has drugged and imprisoned. He seeks to become dictator of this world (and then Earth by proxy).

His father, Biskara, is an evil celestial entity, tracked by the Assembly with an armillary device, The Silver Sphere. With the Assembly now deposed, Biskara directs Malefic and the Nightlanders to their strategic targets. Unless….

Can Shelby find the other Kin, and develop courage and combat skills? Can the Kin reassemble in time to release or replace the Assembly, overthrowing Malefic and restraining Biskara?

From Michael:

I’ve been writing since first setting pencil to steno pad at age 8. A year later, I began developing the world of my current series-in-progress, and even created its title, The Silver Sphere. Now, with the support of years of experience, those early maps and back stories have progressed into what I hope is a fresh and entertaining take on the classic young adult fantasy adventure.

Despite my frequent escapes into parallel worlds, I root myself firmly in my very real family and community. When not pacing the yard maniacally after every few pages of writing, I spend as much time as possible hanging out with my studly 9-year-old son, and my inspirational wife Jenna. I also coach several local youth sports teams in Beverly Hills, and alternate between yelling at my two crazy Corgis and hiking with my trained German Shepherd.

For more, join me in my favorite fantasy worlds, from Lord of the Rings to the creations of C.S. Lewis, Anne McCaffrey and Terry Brooks. Even more importantly, stop by and say hello on my Facebook page at AuthorMichaelDadich, tweet me at @MichaelDadich, and stalk my website at http://www.thesilversphere.org.

It’s Brenda again! I’d love to hear your comments. Remember you could be the winner of a $75 Gift Card!

And as always, thanks for stopping by,

Brenda

Finals are Over!

Semester finals are over and school is out for the holidays! On the last day of class, most of my teen students were giddy! All they could talk about was sleep, food, family, and celebrations. . . in that order!

I must confess that I was giddy right along with them. I’m excited to have a couple weeks off to write, read, and lollygag around. But primarily, I’m excited to celebrate Christmas with my family. This year, it’s going to be a bit different. It will be our first Christmas without our daughter around the tree with us.  Right now, she and her husband are in Africa meeting their child for the first time. Exciting stuff!

I am so grateful for Skype! With Skype, we’ve all been able to meet him. To be honest, I can hardly pull myself away from the computer screen. Yes, the Internet connection between the continents isn’t great. Yes, the little guy’s image is pixelated. And yes, there is a sound delay.

BUT…there he is! In living color! Wiggling, cooing, drinking his bottle, giggling, and squirming his way into our hearts.

I’m in love.

This week may I wish all of you—my wonderful friends, readers, and commenters—a  wonderful, blessed holiday season! I am so grateful for each and every one of you. And at the risk of sounding corny, I consider all of you my wonderful extended online family.

God bless you!

And as always, thanks for stopping by.

Brenda

P.S. Photos to come some time in January!  :-)

Welcome Marie Astor

Hello Friends! A huge welcome today to Marie Astor, author of the young adult novel Over the Mountain and Back. 

Marie will be awarding a $25.00 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so please take a minute to comment and give Marie a shout out for her new book! 

Read on to learn more about Over the Mountain and Back:

With his father gone missing and his mother losing her grip on reality, Peter Bailey’s life is nopicnic. Peter’s gray existence changes unexpectedly after he takes his new snowboard for a ride in the mountains of Colorado and is stunned to find himself in Transadonia – a hidden world that coexists alongside with the Earth.

Lara Grover never listened to her elders, so warnings like “do not talk to strangers” mean nothing to her. When a boy from an unknown world saves her from an avalanche with the aid of a snow dragon, Lara is not stunned in the least. Instead, she joins Peter on his quest to help him realize the purpose behind his arrival to Transadonia.

Together, Lara and Peter embark on an adventure filled with perils, trickery, betrayals, and unexpected alliances.

Here are some words for you from Marie:

Dear Reader,

Thank you very much for joining me for Over the Mountain and Back blog tour. The story of Over the Mountain and Back began over twenty years ago when I was fourteen years old and decided to write a novel as an anniversary gift for my parents. It was going to be a fantasy adventure about a boy named Peter and a girl named Lara set in a magical country, Transadonia. I remember writing studiously on the pages of an ornate notebook I had acquired especially for the occasion. Back then computers were not yet widely used, so I had to pay extra care to my handwriting. A year later, Over the Mountain and Back was completed, or at least I had thought so at the time. Needless to say my parents were very surprised with their anniversary gift.

Years passed; I finished high school and went on to college. Lara’s and Peter’s story faded from my mind, replaced by the hustles and bustles of everyday life. Then, one day – the day that happened to be my thirtieth birthday, my parents presented me with a gift: it was oblong in shape and wrapped in shiny paper. After I opened the wrapping, I was stunned to find the long forgotten story I had written all those years ago.

Long story short, after two years of extensive work, I rewrote and expanded Over the Mountain and Back into a novel of 95,000 words. For me it had been an exciting journey to be reunited with my old friends: Lara and Peter, Forest Witch Ramona, Chancellor Libra, Bookbrownies, and, of course, Carnelion, among the many others.

I hope that you will join Lara and Peter on their adventure in Transadonia.

If you would like to find out more about my books, please stop by website: http://www.marieastor.com.

Regards,

Marie Astor

Excerpt from Over the Mountain and Back

It was clear that each Bookbrownie had an assigned task, which they began to carry out immediately. Some were unwrapping their tools to begin repairing books that needed mending, and others began shelving books into their assigned spots. Even though Broderick was only interested in matters that presented potential for some kind of gain, he could not resist a spark of curiosity watching these amazing creatures and was amazed to see how skillful and ingenious they were at their work. Some of the books were as big as the Bookbrownies themselves, and yet the Bookbrownies managed to lift the mighty volumes with the aid of specially designed levers, wheel them to the assigned bookcases on tiny gurneys, and then hoist the books into their slots with custom-made cranes. All of this specialized equipment was concealed during the day, and the Bookbrownies quickly uncovered it from their hiding places.

However, Broderick was not hiding in the Library to observe the customs of Bookbrownies, and after a few initial moments of wonder, he began to survey the crowd, looking for the higher-ranking Bookbrownies who would possess the information that he was seeking. Broderick spotted two Bookbrownies standing apart from the others in the corner. The older one, with gray hair, was sporting impressive sideburns along with a formidable mustache and a neatly trimmed beard. He wore a navy-colored suit of fine wool. Broderick noticed a heavy gold watch chain hanging from the Bookbrownie’s pocket and assumed that he must be important. Indeed, his hunch was correct, for the Bookbrownie who caught Broderick’s attention was Sigurd, one of the most skillful bookbinders among Bookbrownies, much esteemed by the Chancellor and all Bookbrownies. During his long service to the Library, Sigurd had been entrusted with the most challenging book restorations and had always succeeded. Furthermore, he had overseen the sacred task of maintaining the volumes of the Epistemon for over forty years. The gold watch had been a present from the Chancellor on Sigurd’s thirtieth anniversary of being the binder of the Epistemon. Now, in his advanced age, he had decided to retire to spend more time with his family. And so, Sigurd was in the process of teaching the secrets of his craft to Hercules, a young but very skilled and capable Bookbrownie, who had been selected as Sigurd’s successor to maintain the Epistemon volumes. Hercules had been Sigurd’s apprentice for the past year and was about to undertake his first independent assignment without Sigurd’s supervision.

Broderick strained his ears to hear the conversation between the two Bookbrownies. He could not make out much, but then he saw the older Bookbrownie walk towards the aisle adjacent to the bookcase that Broderick was lurking behind. For a moment, his heart raced wildly with fear of being discovered. If he were indeed found out, he had something in his bag that would render Bookbrownies helpless, but his aim would remain unaccomplished. Broderick held his breath until he saw that the Bookbrownies were heading towards the book case against the back wall of the aisle. The older Bookbrownie pressed on something that turned out to be a concealed lever, and the façade of the bookcase slid up, revealing a hidden door with a safe lock. Sigurd twisted the wheels of the lock in a series of complicated rotations and opened the door.

You can find Marie Astor’s new book and her other works by clicking below! 

For Young Adults:

Over the Mountain and Back – a fantasy adventure novel

Kindle Link

For Adults:

To Catch a Bad Guy – romantic suspense

This Tangled Thing Called Love – a contemporary romance about overcoming one’s inhibitions, learning to tango, and finding one’s true love match.

Lucky Charm – a humorous contemporary romance about love, luck and friendship.

On the Rim of Love – a contemporary romance about the unexpected power of love.

A Dress in a Window – a collection of short stories about love, coincidences, and fate.

Visit Marie Astor here:

Website

Facebook

 GoodReads

Twitter: @marieastor

Thank you for visiting! We’d love to hear your comments.

And as always, thanks for stopping by,

Brenda