Brenda Maxfield's Blog, page 5

New Release!

Hello, Friends! I’m excited to announce the release of Cornered, Ocean Mist Book Two. On the cover, you might recognize Courtney from Seeking Christmas. After writing Seeking Christmas, I simply couldn’t let Courtney go. There was more story to be told! 

Here is the blurb for Cornered:

Seventeen-year-old Courtney Phillips is striving to earn an internship to escape from her unhappy home. But when her mother becomes ill, Courtney is stuck caring for her rebellious sister, Tiffany, and her little brother—until Tiffany runs off to live with their dead-beat dad.

Track star Keegan Hank’s current girlfriend is cheating on him, but having fallen for him herself, Courtney is afraid to tell her best friend the truth. When Keegan discovers that Courtney withheld the facts about his girlfriend, he rejects her apologies.

Courtney finally lands an interview for her dream internship, but mysterious calls from Tiffany spell trouble. Courtney must now find a way to win Keegan’s love and rescue her sister without jeopardizing her own future.

Here’s a short excerpt for you:

The phone rang in Mrs. Johnson’s calculus class, and I sank into my chair with dread. She scuffled to answer it, clucked a few times into the receiver, and pressed it to her chest. Peering at us over her glasses, she zoned in on me.

“Courtney, please report to the office.”

A few of the kids snickered, probably with relief. I stood to leave and glanced over at Keegan.

He brushed a few strands of hair away from his deep brown eyes and offered me his sympathy face. I grimaced, shrugged, and pushed through the door into the empty hallway. My flats clacked out my progress with a hollow echo.

The secretary, Mrs. Pellan, waited for me in the office, perched behind the counter like a judgmental owl. “Courtney Phillips, this is getting to be a habit.”

“My mom again?” I asked, already knowing her answer.

“Yes, and we simply can’t have you interrupted at all hours with these calls. Mr. Anderson is not a happy camper, young lady.”

I sighed and held out my hand for the phone.

“Court? Are you there?” Mom’s whiny voice trembled through the line.

“I’m here, Mom. What’d she do this time?”

“The middle school just called, and Tiffy didn’t show up for school again. You know I count on you to get the kids off in the morning.” She paused for a huge gasping breath. “Didn’t you take her to school? She didn’t walk, did she? You and I both know…”

I held the phone away from my ear, letting her ramble into the air. Nosy Mrs. Pellan left her chair and inched closer, her eyebrows raised in a thin V across her forehead. I knew from experience Mrs. Pellan loved any hint of gossip. I pressed the phone back to my ear.

“…since she can’t do it alone.” Mom had finished her tirade.

“Yes, Mother,” I said.

“So you’ll do it then?”

“Give me a replay.”

Mom’s voice quacked an octave higher. “Courtney Phillips, have you listened to one word I’ve said? Now get over there to the middle school and find your sister.”

I handed the phone to Mrs. Pellan. “I have to go. Mom will explain. I’ll sign out, but I’m not sure I’ll be back.”

I scribbled my name and the time on the clipboard lying on the counter. I dashed out before Mrs. Pellan could return to lecture mode.

It wasn’t my fault.

But then it never was.

————–

I hope you’ll want to grab a copy for yourself! My hope for you is some special carved-out time to relax and  enjoy escaping to Ocean Mist for awhile!

Cornered is available at all the major online retailers, including the following:

Amazon            Barnes and Noble       Smashwords 

Thank you so much, Friends! I appreciate your support.  Have an absolutely lovely week before Christmas! Do you have anything special planned? I’d love to hear from you.

And as always, thanks for stopping by!

Brenda

P.S.:  Consider joining my Newsletter Gang! Hear all the news! And no worries, I’ll never share your address. Just click here.

Tagged: Brenda Maxfield, Cornered, fibromyalgia, Good clean teen read, new release, Ocean Mist, Pacific Ocean, Rebellious teen, teen romance, Washington

Christmas Angel Hop

I am having an absolute ball this holiday season participating in various blog hops!  I love them because I get to meet new friends.  (And a warm hello to first-time visitors!) I doubly-love these hops because my wonderful readers get a chance to win some really fun prizes.

The Christmas Angel Hop intentionally features family-friendly books. So, no worries! There won’t be any embarrassment factor with whatever book you find in this hop. I hear from a lot of people who appreciate a good read that they can freely recommend to their friends, acquaintances, and children. So . . . this blog hop is for them, too!

Dig in and discover some great new authors and some great new reads.

I’m sharing my short YA Christmas story, Seeking Christmas. Click on the cover photo below to find out if Courtney has the nerve to face the dad who deserted her years before. This story is perfect for that special bit of time carved out just for you! Plus, it makes a fun gift for readers in their teens and up! Just click on the cover!

During the Blog Hop, I’m giving away a free e-copy of Buried Truth to a random commenter.

Blurb for Buried Truth:  Nearly a decade has passed, but Mags can’t forget what she did. Now at 17 years old, the shame continues to haunt her, coloring her world. She throws herself into every worthwhile project available, struggling for redemption.

Remember to leave a comment (with your email – in case you win!) below.

Like Courtney in Seeking Christmas, have you ever contemplated a risky journey to meet someone when you don’t have a clue how it will turn out? Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance?  I’d love to hear what you think about that.

Click here to visit other blogs on the tour.

Don’t want to miss any upcoming news about new releases and contests, etc.? Join my Newsletter Gang by clicking here! 

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Brenda

Tagged: Brenda Maxfield, Christmas, Christmas Angel Hop, Free e-books, Giveaways, Journey, Prizes, quest, Second Chances, Seeking Christmas

Debut Author Blog Hop!

 

Welcome to the Blog Hop featuring books released in 2013 by Debut Authors (First Time Authors)! There’s an exciting line-up, and I hope you have fun visiting all of us. A huge thanks to you for visiting my blog. I’m delighted that you’re here! And a special warm welcome to those of you visiting for the first time.

Blog Hops are fun ways to discover new authors and new readers. I’ve met some of the nicest people during blog hops. Plus, there are always prizes! I don’t know about you, but I revert right back to a little kid when I win a prize! (Remember those days at the fair when you carried around the stuffed animal you won by throwing rings onto pegs? I can still smell the cotton candy!)

I have a prize here, too. Leave a comment below, and you’ll be entered into a raffle for a free PDF copy of any one of my books. If you win, you get to choose! You can see the list on the right. Just leave your email address in your comment and tell me which book you’d like!

Because this is a December Blog Hop, I’d like to feature my new Christmas short story, Seeking Christmas!  The Christmas season has eighteen-year-old Courtney crossing the state line with her little brother Dennis to rendezvous with the man who deserted them years ago. Courtney remembers him only as the tall man who ran away. Dennis doesn’t remember him at all. Courtney is furious, but Denny is curious. Will their meeting result in a happy Christmas memory or another miserable disappointment?

You can find Seeking Christmas here. Now that the weather is growing really cold (at least here in Indiana), I hope you’ll want to snuggle up and have a short, holiday read.

You can read more about all my books and series by clicking here.  I’d love to have you visit my website and go exploring! Please drop me a note. I love to hear from new friends!

If you’d like to be part of my new Street Team, let me know. I’d be honored to welcome you. (My street team is made up of the loveliest people ever!)

Feel free to join my Newsletter Gang if you’d like to receive occasional updates about my new releases and news of contests and prizes.

You guys are the best!

Don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered into the raffle.

And as always, thanks for stopping by.

Brenda

Click here to visit the other Blogs!  Have fun!

Tagged: Brenda Maxfield, Christmas, Debut Author Blog Hop, Free E-book, Good clean teen read, Newsletter, Prizes, Seeking Christmas, Street Team

Welcome back, Michael A. Rothman

Greetings, Friends! I’m excited to welcome author Michael A. Rothman to my blog once again. Last time we were together, we celebrated the release of Lords of Prophecy. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Even more  exciting to me was the response of one of my students. I thought this series would be something he’d enjoy, and I was right. He devoured the book and begged me for more.

Now I can give him more! Michael now has available, Princess Interrupted. This book is actually a prequel to Michael’s two other books in The Prophecies Series.

In the prequel, we are again plunged into Rothman’s carefully developed world. We get the lay of the land with a helpful map at the beginning, which I found very helpful as a reference throughout the story. We join Arabelle in her struggle to come to grips not only with the devastating poison but with her gift of prophecy. The names Rothman gives his characters and locations show a lot of creativity, helping to build his interesting kingdom.  And of course, what’s a kingdom without a haunted forest! I have to admit that I have a weakness for tough female leads, and Princess Interrupted doesn’t disappoint. If you like fantasy with a good dose of action, magic, and love, this is the book for you.  I don’t want to include any spoilers, but the last line of this prequel compels the reader to continue on!

By the way, Michael gives the best prizes! One randomly drawn commenter will receive a $50 Amazon gift card. Just leave a comment below!

BLURB:  

PRINCESS INTERRUPTED is a tale about a fourteen-year-old daughter of a merchant king in the land of Trimoria named Arabelle. Her life of leisure is shattered when she suffers an attack from a poisonous creature that hasn’t walked the land in over five centuries.

Arabelle must learn to overcome the debilitating effects of the poison that courses through her body. All the while, she must resist monstrous foes that threaten her people and the ones she loves.

She must do this while keeping a dark secret that only she can bear.

Excerpt:

As I tiptoed through the woods looking for the familiar paths that the elves had left, a high-pitched gurgling roar shattered the silence.

My heart beat quicker as I heard the crack of a twig. A lizard-like creature with green scales, the size of a large dog, was giving me a sinister stare that sent shivers up and down my back. This ominous creature was unlike anything I’d ever seen or heard of in Trimoria. Its yellow and black eyes glared at me as it slowly opened its mouth and growled menacingly. The creature scratched the ground with its claws and unfurled a set of wings. I saw it gather itself for a leap.

I slowly backed away. Then a series of gray blurs flew past me and the creature made a coughing sound and sprouted a pair of arrows.

An elf appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and chopped the monster’s head off. As the elf backed away, the twitching body rhythmically spewed streams of blood from its neck as the decapitated head spasmodically opened its jaws for the last time and its snake-like eyes closed.

The elf turned to me with an appraising look. “Are you hurt?”

I felt a burning sensation near my ribs. The creature must have spit something at me just before the elf killed it. I looked down and saw two steaming holes in my traveling clothes and I suddenly felt nauseated. The world blurred and spun as the ground came rushing up to meet me…

For those of you who might not remember, here’s some info about Michael:

I’ve been writing throughout my career as an engineer, however my writing had been relegated to technical books and technical magazine articles. Heck, you might even find a couple of those musty tomes still for sale if you look hard enough.

With my foray into epic fantasy, I’ve shed the shackles of technical writing and created novels that I hope will be attractive to a much wider audience.

I’ve always admired truly epic tales. You know the ones I mean. The book you crack open, wander through and utterly get immersed in. The story takes you on twists and turns you never expected, run into dead-ends that make you wheel your arms backward to prevent you from falling into an endless abyss. By the time you reach what you think is the end, you’ve read hundreds of pages and realize the end is really only the beginning of the story.

You close the book and wonder out loud. “Do I have the next book? Is it out yet?”

My goal when I started writing the first book (HEIRS OF PROPHECY) that involved the Riverton family was to make a story that would allow a younger audience access to such a tale. Since then, a second book (TOOLS OF PROPHECY) was released, and also the third book in the series with LORDS OF PROPHECY.

As to my other writing activities, I’ve completed another as of yet unreleased novel in the Prophecies series, and they are scheduled to be released as soon as – well, as soon as the paperwork on them is complete, and the lawyers nod their heads up and down.

I hope you enjoy the novel.

In the meantime, if you want to see my ramblings, I lurk at the following social media portals:

Twitter – @MichaelARothman

Facebook

Blog

BUY LINK for Princess Interrupted

Remember friends, you can leave a comment below to be entered in his $50 gift card giveaway!

And as always, thanks for stopping by!

Brenda

P.S. I would love to welcome you to my newsletter gang!  It’s easy to join and you’ll get all the latest news. Just click here! 

P.P.S.  Want to get in the Christmas mood with a tender short story about forgiveness and second chances? Click here to grab a copy of Seeking Christmas!

Thank you!

Tagged: Advanced reader copy, Amazon gift card, Brenda Maxfield, fantasy, gift card, good clean teen reads, MG Lit, Michael A Rothman, Princess Interrupted, YA Lit

It Could Be the Brain

When I’m at a social gathering and someone asks what I do, I tell them I write and teach. Of course, the next question is always at what level I teach. When I answer high school, there is often a general rolling of the eyes and a sympathetic clucking of tongues.

Many people continue, “How do you stand it? Teens are so rude and violent these days.”

I’m happy to report that this hasn’t been my experience. The teens I work with are respectful and for the most part, peaceful. (At the risk of sounding incredibly sappy, I must admit that I adore the teens I teach.)

However, I know where my acquaintances’ questions are coming from – things we hear in the news can paint a scary picture.

Today I read an interesting article about how teens are more likely than adults to lash out than to flee.  The reason isn’t just that adults are more practiced at controlling themselves. Preliminary findings indicate that the actual reason has to do with the brain itself. Results suggest that “limbic prefrontal circuitry during adolescence coincide with the likelihood of approaching, rather than retreating, from danger in emotionally charged contexts.” Which is to say that teens are more likely to engage with danger.  (To read the entire article, click here.) Could this be one of the reasons that teens, particularly males – according to this study, engage in confrontational behavior? It’s an intriguing thought which I believe warrants more study.

The article continues on to say that the “propensity to act on impulse” is a transient developmental stage in teens.

This information does supply some interesting plot points for YA literature. Authors dig deeply in the drama of conflict wherever it may appear!

Yes, it’s fun to read about; perhaps not so much fun to live.

How about you? What do you think? Are teens more prone to court danger than to flee from it? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

And as always, thanks for stopping by.

Brenda

P.S. I’d love to welcome you to my newsletter gang! Not to worry – I’ll never share your email address and your inbox won’t be flooded.  Click here for my latest news and info! (I have the greatest bunch of subscribers!)

P.P.S. Click here for a fun Christmas read!

Tagged: Brenda Maxfield, Christmas, Christmas Short Story, high school, Seeking Christmas, teen brains, teen life, YA literature

Greetings, Keira Des Anges!

Hello, Friends! Today, I’m welcoming author Keira Des Anges to my blog!  I’m delighted to have her here. We’re celebrating the release of her YA book, Flick. Below, you can see the beautiful cover, and you can’t help but be drawn right in.

Before I share the blurb and the excerpt, I want you to know that Keira is giving away a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card to one lucky commenter. So, be sure to take a moment to comment below.

Here’s the BLURB:

Leanna Matthews enjoys flying below the radar. She does well in school, has a few close friends and hides the fact she’s an astral-traveling telekinetic. But there’s no escaping her creepy dreams or Simora, the bizarre little spirit lady, that suddenly pops out of nowhere to warn her against keeping secrets and predicts an encounter with a sinister evil. For the first time in forever someone…or something…is on to her.

But life turns around when Leanna meets Piper one sunny afternoon. She’s inexplicably drawn to him, almost as if she’s been waiting for him to come. Forbidden to have a boyfriend Leanna throws caution to the wind, lying to her family and friends to be with him, while ignoring Simora’s ominous message.

Yet Piper has a secret of his own. He is on a mission and Leanna, unwittingly, is the key.

And here’s an EXCERPT to whet your appetite:

He stood idly by Ms. Fenson’s hedges, shifting around uncomfortably and looking at nothing in-particular.  After gazing at the sky, he stared at his feet and pulled at the shrubs behind him – which unless he had a death-wish, was an absolute no-no.  Ms. Fenson was a legend in her neighborhood and Leanna knew if this guy stood anywhere near the hedges too long she’d most certainly come after him – and it wouldn’t be pretty!  Although notorious for her loony behavior, no one denied Ms. Fenson took excellent care of her yard and was fiercely protective of it – in a scary, mad-womanish sort of way.

I’ll just walk by him, Leanna thought, trying to ignore the sudden tightness in her chest.  Anyway, who cares?  He doesn’t know me from a hole in the ground.

With each step, her legs turned to mush.  But an invisible force pulled her forward.  The pressure grew stronger, involuntarily pushing her along until she finally passed him; her heart racing, her body stiffening…

“Hey!” he called.

She stopped abruptly.  Was he talking to her?  It was hard to focus; the thumping in her ears grew nauseatingly louder.  But since there wasn’t anyone else around, he must be speaking to her.  Leanna turned around uncertainly.

He casually strolled over with his hands in his jean pockets.  When they finally stood face-to-face, Leanna’s breath caught.

He was even more strikingly handsome up close.  At around 5’10, he wore his wavy hair cropped close to his head, and in spite of his loose, red Ecko T-shirt, he sported a visibly muscular build.  His chestnut eyes were splashed with the tiniest specks of green and framed by long, dark eyelashes, in stark contrast to his honey brown skin.  They were the most beautiful eyes Leanna had ever seen.  But it wasn’t the color that intrigued her.  His eyes were clear and telling; their depths ran deep.  And for a fraction of a moment, she could’ve swore she saw herself.

About now, I’m jealous of anyone living in Florida. (Love that sun!) And Florida is where Keira lives. Here’s a little bit about the author:

By day, Keira des Anges has the distinct pleasure of assisting teenagers with disabilities find employment, empowering one life at a time. By night, she is a chew toy for her dog and cat and avid reader of anything spooky, magical and totally out of this world.  She lives in sunny Florida with her husband and two kids.

Here are some links for you:

Twitter:  @KeiradesAnges

Facebook

Buy Link on Amazon

Book Video

Website

Enter to win a $50 Amazon/BN GC! A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Thank you, Friends!  I hope one of you wins the $50 gift card. (I adore those gift cards! Although, they do contribute to my overflowing To Be Read Pile! Ha!)

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Brenda

P.S. I’d love to have you join my street team. What a great group! For more info, click here.

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Tagged: Amazon gift card, BN Gift Card, Brenda Maxfield, Flick, Giveaway, good clean teen reads, Keira Des Anges, Street Team, YA Lit, YA Paranormal, YA Romance

New Christmas Release!

Seeking Christmas is now released!  Yippee!!

I’m really excited about this short story. My heart went out to Courtney and Denny as they risked meeting their dad years after he deserted them.  While writing, I was actually holding my breath to see what Courtney would do!  (Weird, but true.)

I hope you’ll want to grab a copy! It’s only 99 cents right now at major online retailers.

Here’s an excerpt to give you a taste:

My phone buzzed against my leg. I pulled it from my pocket and checked the screen.

Doyle.

Such a stupid name.

For such a stupid man.

My gaze darted to where my mom lay slumped on the couch, her mouth hanging open and a gentle snore escaping her saggy lips. My brother Denny sat hunched over his math workbook at the kitchen table, a death grip on his pencil. His short, scrawny legs swung to and fro.

I pressed the phone to my chest and took the stairs two at a time to my room.

“What do you want?” My voice was tense, short. With a steel hold on the phone, I strode to the window and stared out. Across the street, strings of Christmas lights drooped over a fir tree, winking at me in all their sparkling glory.

I turned away.

“You know what I want. Please, Courtney.” The pleading in his voice rankled like a cat scratching at the back door.

“No.”

“But it’s been over seven years. It’s time.”

“And whose fault is that?” My words cut.

“You don’t need to remind me.” A heaving sigh came across the line.

I stood ramrod straight beside my single bed and gazed around the empty expanse of the master bedroom. I attempted to shove down the lump of anger in my throat.

“Dad, the answer is no.”

“I would meet you way more than halfway. I’ve got it all arranged. There’s a motel room for you. Your own. No sharing.”

“Mom would come unglued.” I sank onto the mussed flannel sheets and impatiently kicked aside a stray slipper. It struck my dresser and lay over like a dead animal.

“Your mother won’t talk to me.”

I went quiet and listened to his raspy breath. Despite my objections, despite my bitterness, curiosity pulled. I attempted to stifle it, knowing that giving in would mean wading into quicksand.

“Court? Come on, for old time’s sake?”

Resentment ripped through me. “Old time’s sake? Are you freakin’ kidding me?”

“How’s Tiffany?” he asked, changing the subject to my sister.

“Horrid, as usual. Seeing you last year didn’t help her any.”

“I tried. I wanted her to stay.”

“Yeah, well, you had a weird way of showing it.” I grew tired of the conversation. Such a pathetic waste of time.

I threw my cell onto the covers and moved to the walk-in closet. My gray hoodie sagged on a row of pegs running above an unused shoe rack. My four pairs of shoes lay scattered across the floor, resembling lonely children in a deserted playground. Like the massive room, the closet was wasted on me. My meager collection of clothes barely took one third of the space.

I pulled on my hoodie, adjusted my glasses, and went back downstairs. Bending over, I plugged in the lights on the waist-high Christmas tree perching on the coffee table.

Denny looked up, and his face relaxed into a grin. “Thanks, Court. I forgot to plug ‘em in.”

“Finished with your math yet?”

“One more problem.”

“There are some chips in the cupboard if you’re hungry.”

Denny jumped off his chair and scrambled into the kitchen. The cupboard door slammed shut, and he returned with his arm elbow-deep in the foil bag.

I chuckled. “I’m going for a walk. And no more banging around. Let Mom sleep.”

I grabbed my heavy wool jacket and carefully opened the condo door, clicking it shut behind me. The cold December air lent a crisp clarity to the stars. They seemed near enough to gather in my pocket. I headed west toward the ocean. A biting breeze brought the sour smell of seaweed and blew my dark, feathered hair against my cheeks. I checked the time on my phone. Keegan should intercept me any minute.

Click below to purchase: (Thank you!)

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Smashwords

I hope you enjoy it! And I’m so grateful for your support!

Click here if you’d like to subscribe to my newsletter and receive occasional updates.

I’m wondering if any of you have special traditions to begin the holiday season. (I know that if my kids do something once, it becomes an instant tradition! Ha!  Are your kids like that?)  I’d love to hear from you. Please take a moment to comment below.

As always, thanks for stopping by.

Brenda

P.S.  If you’d like to be part of my Street Team, I’d love to welcome you!

Tagged: Brenda Maxfield, Christmas, Christmas Short Story, Divorce, ebook, Good clean teen read, holiday, Idaho, new release, Runaway dad, Seeking Christmas, Sibling bond, Washington, YA Contemporary

Seeking Christmas Cover Reveal!

Greetings, Friends! I’m thrilled to reveal the cover for my new Ocean Mist Short Story! Huge thanks to Elaina of For The Muse Design! This is the second short story of the Ocean Mist series. (The first one being Player.)  Seeking Christmas is the forerunner of Cornered, which will come out before the new year.

Here’s the blurb for Seeking Christmas:

The Christmas season has eighteen-year-old Courtney crossing the state line with her little brother Dennis to rendezvous with the man who deserted them years ago. Courtney remembers him only as the tall man who ran away. Dennis doesn’t remember him at all.

Courtney is furious, but Denny is curious. Will their meeting result in a happy Christmas memory or another miserable disappointment?

Publication is scheduled for the first week of November, which is right around the corner! I’d love to hear your opinions and thoughts about the cover of Seeking Christmas. Please feel free to comment below.

If any of you would like an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review upon publication, let me know. (And don’t forget to leave your email address!)

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Brenda

P.S. My Street Team is growing! (I love these people!) If you’d like more info, click here.

Tagged: Brenda Maxfield, Christmas, Christmas Short Story, Good clean teen read, Idaho, Ocean Mist, Seeking Christmas, Teen Christmas, Washington Coast, Washington State

Quarterly Blog Hop!

Welcome, Everyone, to the October Edition of the Quarterly Blog Hop!  There is a long list of blogs to visit (see the rafflecopter below), and I thank you for stopping by mine! We are featuring new releases from this quarter. I’m so happy to share my newest release with you! It is Farah’s Deadline, which was released in September. Farah’s Deadline is Book Three of The Edgemont Series.

Sixteen-year-old Farah Menins is the protagonist. When I first started writing about Farah (in The Lance Temptation, Book One of The Edgemont Series), she was the antagonist, and I didn’t like her at all. In fact, she really got on my nerves. So in Book Two (Along Came Jordan), she didn’t even make an appearance, and boy, was she unhappy about that. She kept clamoring and clamoring in my head, until I stopped long enough to listen. And once I did, I realized that her story should be told. (Ha! As you can see, it’s true: Writers really do hear voices in their heads!) Once, I told Farah’s story, I grew quite fond of her and now she’s one of my favorite characters! She has such spirit!

Here’s the blurb for Farah’s Deadline:

Sassy, strong-willed, and pregnant, Farah Menins plans to be married at sixteen after her dad dumps her in a “special home” to be rid of her. Trapped in a place full of rules, Farah refuses to admit defeat — not when marriage would give her an out.

Farah’s roommate Lizbet hides her own painful secrets, and together, they forge an unlikely friendship when Farah sneaks off to confront her baby’s father. A dead baby, a mystery brother, and a house fire threaten to derail Farah’s plans. The confusion is compounded when Lizbet’s brother shows interest in her. With time running out, will Farah be able to salvage any of her dream?

And here’s an excerpt: (If you’re one of my dear followers and have already read an excerpt, never fear, this is a different one!)

I got up, went to the window and pulled back the curtain. “It wasn’t you snooping on me earlier, was it? The angle’s wrong.”

“It wasn’t me.”

Man, her voice sounded wimpy. I dropped the curtain and returned to my bed. “I won’t be here long.”

She gazed at my stomach. “You don’t look so far along. You don’t even look pregnant.”

I dismissed her comment with my hand. “I’m two months, but it doesn’t matter.”

“Aren’t you staying till you have it?” She said it like a dirty word.

“Won’t need to. My boyfriend’s coming for me.”

Her mouth opened then closed. Confusion passed over her face. “How old are you?”

“Sixteen. You?”

“I’m fifteen. What do you mean your boyfriend’s coming?”

I jumped off the bed again, walked over to my side of the closet, and pulled back the folding wooden door. There were half a dozen empty hangers dangling there and low open shelves running across the bottom. “Is this where I’m supposed to put all my clothes?”

“Yeah.”

“Not much room, is there?”

She shrugged.

“Pete. He’s my boyfriend. He’ll be coming for me. I have it all planned out.”

“So, you’re keeping it?” Shock covered her face.

“Of course. Aren’t you?”

She glanced down at her feet, which were inside the rattiest tennis shoes I’d seen in forever. Had she been out slopping the hogs or something?

“I take it that’s a no.”

Her lips were pressed together, making tiny wrinkles around her mouth.

“You’re sure a chatty Cathy,” I said. “What happened? Did someone attack you in a dark alley or something?”

She sucked in her breath.

I stared at her and regret flashed through me.

I hope you’ll want to grab a copy and read Farah’s Deadline! You can get it here!

FREE GIVEAWAY:  Leave a comment below (along with your email address) and be entered into a giveaway for a free PDF copy of Farah’s Deadline!  Also, enter the Blog Hop Giveaway below.

I’m presently looking for readers who would be willing to read a free ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of my new short story Seeking Christmas in exchange for an honest review on Amazon, etc. If you’re interested, drop me a line at:  contact@brendamaxfield.com or let me know in a comment below. (With your email address.)

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Brenda

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Tagged: Along Came Jordan, Blog Hop, Brenda Maxfield, Farah's Deadline, free advance reader copy, Giveaway, Good clean teen read, Street Team, teen romance, The Lance Temptation, YA Lit

Welcome, M. Kircher!

Greetings, Friends! I’m excited to be hosting author, M. Kircher! I had the privilege of interviewing her recently and am pleased to share her answers with you: (Don’t forget to enter the giveaway explained at the end of the post!)

Q. Where are you from?

I’m currently living in Redding, Connecticut, which is one of the suburban/rural commuter towns that feed into NYC. It’s crazy living in this area with a lot of celebrities and famous people that pop up everywhere. I just moved from Norwalk, CT, which is about twenty minutes away from where I am now, and the movie Hope Springs had a set directly across from my old house. Everyone else saw Steve Carell, but not me. I was so bummed.

Q. Tell us your latest news?

My new YA Paranormal/Dystopian novel, The War Inside: Book One in the Horizons Trilogy was released a couple of months ago. I’m so excited to share this book with readers. At different points it’s been in Amazon.com’s Kindle Top 100 Bestsellers for “Dystopian” and “Metaphysical & Visionary Fantasy.” It was also featured on http://mycrazzycorner.blogspot.com/ as part of their “2013 YA Blogfest.” And now this virtual book tour which runs from October 17th –October 25th. So there have been a lot of fun and exciting things going on surrounding the release.

Q. When and why did you begin writing?

When I started writing fiction a couple years ago I had already been published as a non-fiction author and columnist. I love writing about dating, marriage, and relationships, but my true passion is stories. I have been in love with all kinds of stories ever since I was a child. So when a friend encouraged me to try my hand at fiction, I decided to just go for it. At the time my husband and I were waiting to be placed with our first foster child (who was just adopted this past July!) and so I had a lot of anxious hours to fill. It was so wonderful for me to be able to dive into the lives of my characters for a while and lose myself in their fantastical story.

And since then I just can’t seem to stop writing YA fiction. I truly love it!

Q. When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Honestly, I think most writers have a hard time considering themselves writers. Unless you have New York Times Bestseller success story, it’s hard to quantify when you’ve really “arrived.” There is a great ebook by the author Jeff Goins called, You Are a Writer: So Start Acting Like One (http://youareawriter.com/) and in it is some awesome advice for writers. It’s super encouraging and he basically tells all of us, “If you’ve written anything- published, unpublished, self-published, blogged, or hidden under your mattress…then you’re a writer.” So I try to stick to that rule of thumb. I’ve written stuff; therefore I am a writer!

Q. What inspired you to write your first book?

My first novel is The War Inside and what inspired me to write it were all the brilliant, epic stories I grew up on like: The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia books or literally anything written by Anne McCaffrey or Tad Williams. I love reading books and watching movies that give me tingles and make me want to be the hero or heroine in that story. I wanted to write a story that gave people tingles too and so I sat down and tried to write about things I’m passionate about like human connection, good vs. evil, taking care of our planet, love, and all things sci-fi and fantasy.

Q. Do you have a specific writing style?

I tend to write in fragments and it drives editors crazy. But I like to think that I can write dialogue in a way that people actually talk and not many of us actually use complete, grammatically correct sentences when we talk to each other. I think it is one of my strengths as a writer.

Q. How did you come up with the title?

I am actually so bad a titles! When you start out writing blogs, web, and magazine articles there has to be a catchy title for everything, so you run out of good stuff fast. I bounce a lot of title ideas off my husband. The War Inside came about by creating a Word document with all these different ideas and swapping them around until I found one that really clicked. It was simple, but it worked. I learned the technique when interning for a graphic design company. Write down all your ideas until you can’t come up with a single thing more, circle the ones that stand out, and then play around with those until you find something that really sings.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I’d like girls, teenagers, and women to grasp that you can have emotions and fall in love, but also be this strong, resilient person at the same time. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. The book also takes a hard look at today’s society and presents a scenario where our technology use and treatment of the planet has been taken to the extreme. There isn’t this huge war, we just start neglecting each other, our own souls, and the planet, and destruction ensues. I’d love this novel to inspire readers to think about their choices and how much their lives can affect the world for good.

How much of the book is realistic?

Not a whole lot! There aren’t aliens, but I do introduce some really creepy creatures called shadows. And all the characters live on an Earth where there is almost no sunlight. So I had to get creative with good portion of the book, which was fun.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

I think when you write characters of any kind, there are always little parts of yourself, or others you know, hidden in their personalities. But there are no direct parallels between the characters in The War Inside and people I know. Breathe easy friends and family! However, the events that brought down humanity and ruined the planet are pulled from things I’m seeing in my own life and habits, like how much I use my iPhone and how little I recycle. Not to make myself or others feel bad, but to take a positive look about how there is always a chance for change and good.

What books have most influenced your life most? The Lord of the Rings, The War of the Flowers, The Handmaid’s Tale, Pride & Prejudice, All Flesh is Grass, and many, many more!

Thank you so much for having me!  (It was my pleasure.  – Brenda)

As you read, we’re celebrating the release of M. Kircher’s book, The War Inside.

Here’s a blurb about her book:

The end of the world is only just the beginning. So eighteen-year-old Thea discovers when her solitary life on a dying Earth is shattered by a mysterious dream, a devastating choice, and a strange gift that propels her on a journey towards the restoration of all mankind.

Thea is bitter and alone; eking out her miserable life on the sunless, cloud-covered Earth she inhabits. A terrifying dream convinces her to save the life of an injured girl, and despite her misgivings, Thea decides to rescue sixteen-year-old Viviana. She soon learns that gentle Viv has a life-threatening infection, as well as a freakish patch of glowing skin over her heart. When this light spreads to Thea, causing her palms to glow, she is forced to trust Caden, an arrogant, lazy, and annoyingly handsome boy she despises. Caden has a map to the last city on Earth, and the only place that might have a cure for both Viv’s infection and the strange light on Thea’s hands. As the trio embark on a journey through the barren wilderness, Thea and Caden discover, and try to fight, their mounting attraction to each other. Along the way they are joined by Rain, Naomi, and Enoch who explain that the light is not a curse, but a powerful gift meant to heal the polluted Earth and reconnect the remnants of humanity. When the group learns that Viv is the key to this planet-wide redemption, and that there are deadly shadows who will do anything to keep humans in the darkness forever, they each must make the difficult decision to help Viv fulfill her destiny…and save the world.

Here’s an Excerpt to Give You a Taste:

The War Inside

© 2013 By M. Kircher

“It’s real. All of it. And Viv. She changed me, even before I left, I think. I started to feel things, and it scared me. Is that what you want me to say, Thea? I was scared; I admit it.”

Thea hunched her shoulders, knowing Caden was right. If she had been in his place, she would have walked away. Without a second thought.

Caden stepped closer and pulled Thea to her feet. “I’m sorry I left. I’ve never cared about right or wrong before now. But somehow I knew I had to come find you.”

He took her hands, and Thea felt a tingle of sensation run up her spine. She knew she should pull away, but she stood frozen, unable to break the contact. Caden slowly unwrapped the strips of cloth that still covered her palms. When they fell to the floor, he took his thumbs and rubbed them in circles over her shining skin. It felt very warm.

“What do you want from me?” she whispered.

Caden ran his palms over hers. “A second chance,” he said softly, and Thea felt her heart jump.

“Ahem!” Rain cleared his throat loudly, and Thea and Caden leaped apart. “I hate to break up this touching scene.” Rain grinned mischievously. “But Enoch wants us to go with Naomi. He says we need to practice. Whatever that means.” He looked from Thea to Caden. “Unless you two have other plans….”

“No!” said Thea quickly, her heart still pounding in her chest. She couldn’t even look at Caden. How had she let herself be drawn in like that? Ugh, no wonder he’d been with almost every girl in the Valley. The guy could turn on the charm, but she wouldn’t let him get to her. She could never forget what he had done.

“We’re coming,” she told Rain briskly.

Here’s a bit about M. Kircher:

M. KIRCHER graduated with a B.A. in Fine Arts from Gordon College and is currently an author and artist. “The War Inside” is her first novel, but there are more to come including the second book in The Horizons Trilogy, “The Gray Horizon” and “Dreamcatchers”, a futuristic twist on the legend of Rip Van Winkle. She devours YA, science fiction, fantasy, and romance on a regular basis and is immensely happy to pour her time and energy into creating stories for other people to enjoy. Bob Ross and J.R.R. Tolkien tie for her two favorite people of all time.

She and her husband write regularly for Relevant Magazine (www.relevantmagazine.com) and Simply Youth Ministry (www.youthministry.com). They also just had their first book published called “99 Thoughts on Marriage and Ministry”, by Group Publishing.

M. Kircher lives in Connecticut with her husband, one energetic son, and a new baby girl.

Buy Link:

Amazon: 

Website

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Twitter: @MKircher83

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The author will be awarding a $25.00 Amazon.com gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. So please comment below! 

And as always, thanks for stopping by.

Brenda

P.S. Click here to find out why Farah Menins planned to be married at sixteen.

Tagged: Brenda Maxfield, epic, Farah's Deadline, good clean teen reads, M. Kircher, The Edgemont Series, The War Inside, YA Lit