Brenda Maxfield's Blog, page 8
June 9, 2013
Welcome, Pippa Jay!
A warm, friendly welcome to author, Pippa Jay. We are celebrating her book, Gethyon, a young adult science fiction novel!
Pippa is awarding prizes to random commenters, so be sure to enter at the end of this post!
BLURB for Gethyon:
Abandoned by his mother after his father’s death, Gethyon Rees feels at odds with his world and longs to travel the stars. But discovering he has the power to do so leaves him scarred for life. Worse, it alerts the Siah-dhu—a dark entity that seeks his kind for their special abilities—to his existence, and sets a bounty hunter on his trail.
When those same alien powers lead Gethyon to commit a terrible act, they also aid his escape. Marooned on the sea-world of Ulto Marinos, Gethyon and his twin sister must work off their debt to the Seagrafter captain who rescued them while Gethyon puzzles over their transportation. How has he done this? And what more is he capable of?
Before he can learn any answers, the Wardens arrive to arrest him for his crime. Can his powers save him now? And where will he end up next?
To whet your appetite even further, here’s a short excerpt from Pippa’s book:
He couldn’t move. His feet seemed pinned to the floor, his muscles locked into rigid immobility. The Siah-dhu howled at him, their voice leeching all will and all power from him. Despite the sparks of power within him, the darkness writhed through his gut, gnawing with jagged teeth as it twisted though his mind. It was hunger magnified a thousand times, as if the vacuum of space had opened up inside him. He fell to his knees.
Gethyon. Not quite a voice, not quite any sound he had ever heard, the Siah-dhu called his name. The roiling mass drew closer. A chill gale blasted over him and snatched all the breath and warmth from him, sucking the life out of him.
“No.” The single word snatched him back from the edge. He hadn’t come so far or lost so much to surrender. As the Siah-dhu pulsed toward him intent on his consumption, he forced himself up again and turned his back on the shadows. It was the hardest thing he had ever done, to resist that pull into oblivion. The edges of the black cloud twined around him, incorporeal fingers striving to grasp him, seething forward to swallow him…
The world disappeared.
About Pippa:
A stay-at-home mum of three who spent twelve years working as an Analytical Chemist in a Metals and Minerals laboratory, Pippa Jay bases her stories on a lifetime addiction to science-fiction books and films. Somewhere along the line a touch of romance crept into her work and refused to leave. Between torturing her characters, she spends the odd free moments trying to learn guitar, indulging in freestyle street dance and drinking high-caffeine coffee. Although happily settled in historical Colchester in the UK with her husband of 20 years, she continues to roam the rest of the Universe in her head.
LINKS:
On e commentator on each blog stop will receive four bookmarks and a $5 Amazon or BN gift card. One randomly drawn commenter during the tour will win a green crystal pendant charm. Both contests are open internationally.
Enjoy! I look forward to reading your comments!
And as always, thanks for stopping by!
Brenda
Tagged: author, Gethyon, Pippa Jay, YA science fiction
June 8, 2013
Sweet Saturday Sample #3
Happy Saturday, everyone! It’s again time for a Sweet Saturday Sample. I continue to prepare my new book, Buried Truth, for its July debut.
So, here’s a second excerpt for you:
“Andrew talked to me,” I said close to Bri’s ear. She didn’t respond. “Hey, did you hear me?”
Her arms dropped to her sides. “Did you say Andrew talked to you? Andrew Kendrell?”
I pushed my feet deeper into the sand to keep from dancing. “He said maybe we could hang out.”
Brianna grabbed my arm and pulled me to the edge of the crowd.
“No,” she said.
“What d’you mean no?”
“He goes through girls like potato chips.”
“Okay, that’s a super weird simile and no he doesn’t.”
“Yes, he does. You’ve heard it, and don’t pretend you haven’t.”
I sighed. “Fine. I’ve heard it all. But you know how I feel about gossip.”
Brianna took a step back and stared at me. Her gray eyes were black in the shadows. “If he was ugly, you wouldn’t go near him. This is only because he’s hot.”
“No, it isn’t.” But she had a point. He made my mouth water whenever I looked at him. Trouble was he made every girl’s mouth water.
I knew his reputation. I knew it inside and out — I’d heard it enough. Everyone had. That’s why I wanted to check it out for myself. My motto was: Don’t believe anything till you know for sure.
“It’s your funeral,” Brianna said, scanning the crowd. “There’s your Andrew now.”
I followed her gaze. Sure enough, there he was, standing so close to Shonda Stevenson you couldn’t put a piece of paper between them. Shonda had her face so up in his, I couldn’t make out her expression.
“Case closed,” Bri stated.
The muscles around my mouth tightened. “We’ll see,” I said in a curt voice.
Buried Truth is a contemporary young adult novel. It’s Book One of a new series which takes place on the West Coast, Ocean Mist.
Let me know what’s going on in your lives these days. I love to hear from you. Just comment below!
I’d love to have you join my followers. Enter your email in the box in the upper right hand column. It’s quick and easy!
If you’d like to visit other Sweet Saturday Samples, click here.
And as always, thanks for stopping by.
Brenda
P.S. On Sale Now! The Lance Temptation and Along Came Jordan both are reduced to just 99 cents a piece! I hope you’ll grab a copy of each! Enjoy!
Tagged: Along Came Jordan, Buried Truth, clean teen reads, NA, Sweet Saturday Sample, The Lance Temptation
June 4, 2013
Graduation!
It’s not just parents who cry on graduation day, it’s teachers! I ought to know. I’m a virtual bawl-baby. Last Thursday was graduation day for the high school where I teach. This wasn’t an ordinary graduation. (Are they ever? Hmm, not sure about that.) I teach at a fairly new charter school. Five years ago, our school first opened its doors to sixth graders, seventh graders, and a group of eclectic, energetic 8th graders.
I taught the 8th graders English and Lit. The next year, I went up with them and taught 9th grade English and Lit. The following two years, I had a good number of them in my Dramatic Lit classes. Then again this year, I had all of them in 12th grade English and LIt.
I have loved and taught those same students for five years. Last Thurday, they were our very first full graduating class.
So. . . tears? Yes, and plenty of them. I watched them walk proudly up to receive their diplomas, but I couldn’t help but think about next year.
It’s going to be more than strange to walk the halls without them. It’s going to be odd to not see them every day, to not know what’s going on in their lives, to not be the one they turn to with problems, questions, and triumphs.
Put simply: I’m going to miss them. My lovely, wonderful students.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for a good run.
How about you? Do you have a graduate this year? Or are you a graduate? I’d love to hear from you! Ahhh, so bittersweet.
As always, thanks for stopping by.
Brenda
P.S. If you haven’t signed up to receive this blog regularly, it’s easy! Simply enter your email in the box in the upper right hand column. Thank you and welcome!
Tagged: Brenda Maxfield, charter school, crying, graduation, high school, school, students
May 31, 2013
Sweet Saturday Sample #2
Hello again, Friends!
Time for the latest Sweet Saturday Sample. Today, I’m giving a little taste of my new book, Buried Truth. Look for it in late July! Woo Hoo!!
Here’s an excerpt:
My bedroom was chilly, so I turned on the little space heater. The stove’s heat didn’t reach the upstairs well, even though you could fry downstairs. I walked over to my dresser and pulled out my broken keepsake box. I hadn’t touched it since Bri knocked it onto the floor and broke it. The photo was there, right under the lid. I pulled it out and took it over to my bed.
The girl in the photo was about seven years old, maybe eight. I wasn’t sure. Her scraggly blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Wide blue eyes were bordered with thin lashes. She had the look of someone caught cheating on a test. The collar of her dress was lopsided, maybe ripped, I couldn’t tell. I rubbed my thumb over the glass.
It wasn’t healthy to keep the photo — I knew. But I couldn’t help myself. I’d had it for six years, ever since I’d found it lying outside the house where she used to live. It was crinkled and flapping on the cement next to heaping garbage bins at the side of the house. I could tell by the bins that the family had gone. Moved. Disappeared into nothingness. I had snatched up the photo and stuck it in an empty frame I’d found in Mom’s desk. Then I hid it in my memory box.
Used to be, I studied it every night, but then I couldn’t sleep, so I quit. The image was still there, though, pressed into my mind, every single day. Even when I didn’t consciously think about it, I felt it hanging over me. Not as heavy as before, maybe, but still there.
“I’m sorry, Debbie.” I whispered and bit my lips. How many times did someone have to apologize before they were forgiven?
I hope I whetted your appetite. Buried Truth is a contemporary young adult novel. It’s Book One of a new series which takes place on the West Coast, Ocean Mist.
Let me know what’s going on in your lives these days. I love to hear from you. Just write and click!
I’d love to have you join my followers. The form to sign up is on the upper right hand side. It’s quick and easy! You guys are the best!
If you’d like to visit other Sweet Saturday Samples, click here.
And as always, thanks for stopping by.
Brenda
P.S. Check out my own love story Someday You’ll Laugh! Only $1.99 on Amazon!
Tagged: Brenda Maxfield, Buried Truth, clean romance, clean teen romance, Someday you'll laugh, Sweet Saturday, teen romance
May 27, 2013
Welcome, Felicia Rogers!
Greetings, Friends!
The final chapter has now been written for The Renaissance Hearts Series. What began with Sarra and Cedric in There Your Heart Will Be Also concludes with Bryce and Lucy in Beyond A Doubt. Set in the turbulent times of Mary I of England, or Bloody Mary, and Henry II of France, the fight for religious freedom abounds. Intrigue, loss of property, and loss of life rule the day. Follow the epic ending of a family’s struggle.
I’d like to extend a warm welcome to my fellow Astraea Press author, Felicia Rogers! Today, we’re celebrating the recent release of her book, Beyond a Doubt. Please enjoy getting to know a bit about Felicia and her new book!
Here’s a summary of Beyond a Doubt for you:
Bryce Cameron is finally going home. Years spent away have him longing for the craggy landscapes from his childhood.
Lucy Lombard is on a mission. The mantel she carries was never meant for her possession yet it has been passed to her anyway. Alone and in danger, Lucy stumbles onto her greatest find.
Rescuing Bryce is either a blessing or a curse but regardless time is running out. With Bryce’s help can Lucy fulfill her mission or will she be too late?
What others have said about the Renaissance Hearts Series.
“I really enjoyed this book. I do not typically favor historical romance, but the romance was not too mushy, and the historical was not too heavy! This was an enjoyable, delightful read!!!.” Taken from Rachel’s Amazon review on There Your Heart Will Be Also, Book One.
“If you are in for a good mystery with plenty of adventure, suspense & romance, you have come to the right place for this recommended novel because “By God’s Grace” will give it all to you.” Taken from Arlena’s Amazon review of By God’s Grace, Book Two.
“Okay have to say this is my fav book so far in The Renaissance Heart Series! Felicia Rogers just gets better!” Taken from Danielle William’s Amazon review of Labor of Love, Book Three.
Buy Beyond A Doubt on Amazon
Buy Beyond A Doubt on B&N
Don’t forget the other books in the series. Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Astraea Press.
~There Your Heart Will Be Also, Book One
~By God’s Grace, Book Two
~Labor of Love, Book Three
Romance writer, Felicia Rogers is an author of six novels and three novellas. When she’s not writing, Felicia volunteers with the Girl Scouts of America, teaches at a local homeschooling group, hikes, and spends time with her family.
To find out more information about Felicia Rogers visit the sites below. She loves hearing from readers.
Email: feliciarogersauthor@yahoo.com
Friends, what have been some of your favorite series to read? I would love to hear from you!
And as always, thanks for stopping by!
Brenda
P.S. If you’re in the mood for a contemporary love story (mine – no kidding!), you might enjoy Someday You’ll Laugh! I’d love to hear your thoughts about it!
Tagged: Beyond a Doubt, contemporary romance, Felicia Rogers, good clean teen reads, Romance, Someday you'll laugh, The Renaissance Hearts Series
May 22, 2013
Welcome Joselyn Vaughn!
I’m thrilled to welcome fellow Astraea Press author, Joselyn Vaughn! Since many of you enjoy clean romance reads, I know you’ll appreciate Joselyn’s writing. This week, Joselyn has a brand new release entitled: Climbing Heartbreak Hill.
Here’s a blurb:
Professional runner, Ryan Grant, blows out his knee training for another attempt at the Boston marathon and the dreaded Heartbreak Hill. Ryan retreats home, not looking for anything more than a fast recovery, but he finds solace in the arms of his tax preparer, Tara Mansfield.
Tara’s cheerleading career ended abruptly and she faces an upward climb beating the stereotype as dumb blonde in her new calling as an accountant. Framed with defrauding the IRS during the last weeks of the tax season, Tara’s tentative confidence is shaken, but Ryan coaches her in ensnaring the true perpetrator. She cheers him on in discovering his identity as a coach rather than an athlete.
With the help of the junkyard king and a mechanical bull, can Tara and Ryan find the courage to climb Heartbreak Hill together?
And here’s an excerpt to give you a taste:
Tara didn’t let go of the phone after hearing the dial tone. She wasn’t sure what to do. Should she call the hospital? Minnie, Mark’s aunt? Leslie’s doctor? Leslie seemed awfully calm for a woman going into labor two months early, but she handled crises stoically. If Tara had been in her position, she would have been hysterical. People three blocks away would be able to time her contractions.
“Mark’s on his way. Can I get you anything?”
Leslie’s lips tightened. “If you have an epidural stashed in your desk, I’ll take it straight up. Although if I have another contraction, I’m going to ask you to knock me out with a volume of the tax code.”
Tara squeezed Leslie’s shoulder. The bell on the front door rang, and Tara scurried down the hallway wondering how Mark was able to arrive so quickly. But it wasn’t Mark.
A lanky, sandy haired man on crutches elbowed his way through the door, alternating between pushing the glass door open and inching his crutches forward. He wore a red windbreaker with ‘Lakeshore Track Club’ embroidered on the chest. Clutched between his left hand and the handle of his crutch was a wad of papers. It wasn’t the worst presentation of receipts she’d seen in the last three months, but it would make the top ten.
She experienced a brief wave of déjà vu. A flash of his face laughing in the dark. Had she seen him before somewhere? His physique didn’t match any of the football players she had been in contact with. Surely the strange bend in his nose would stand out enough in her memory. It gave him a reckless air she found appealing.
“Let me help you with that.” She hurried over to the door and kicked the stopper down to hold it open while she relieved him of the fistful of paper. A quick scan of the parking lot told her Mark’s truck hadn’t arrived yet. “Do you have an appointment?”
“Your sign said walk-ins were welcome.” His voice had a pleasant timbre. Tara didn’t miss the once-over he gave her. She was used to those. It was one of the side-effects of having breast implants not written in the tri-fold brochure from the plastic surgeon: every male and one in three females will stare at your chest. At times, Tara wanted to wear a name-tag that said ‘and yes, they are fake’ under her name.
You can purchase Climbing Heartbreat Hill here:
And to get to know Joselyn a bit:
I live in the Great Lakes state with my husband, three rambunctious children and two barking Beagles (I suppose that is redundant.) When not suffering the woes of potty training three toddler/preschoolers, I enjoy reading, running (sometimes it’s fleeing the craziness at home), reconstructing clothing, thrift store shopping and surfing Pinterest.com. (I spend way too much time there and am getting all kinds of exciting ideas for projects for my husband to do. He is less than thrilled by this.)
I love writing romance because I enjoy stories where everything works out all right in the end and the main characters have a happily ever after. My stories are set in small towns with quirky characters that take on a life of their own.
There are lots of ways to get in touch with Joselyn. I know she’d love to hear from you!
Facebook Facebook Page Goodreads
Twitter: @joselynvaughn
Jocelyn is endorsing help for the victims of the Boston tragedy. Click here.
Thank you, wonderful readers, for your support of my fellow Astraea Press author!
I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a comment below.
And as always, thanks for stopping by.
Brenda
P.S. If any of your are interested, I’d love to have you grab a copy of my new release–my own personal love story! It’s on Amazon for $1.99. Just click here! I hope you like it!
P.P.S If you haven’t signed up to follow my blog, I’d love to have you join us! Just put in your email at the top of the right column. Thanks!
May 17, 2013
Sweet Saturday Sample
Welcome to another edition of Sweet Saturday Samples! A group of authors get together to share a sample from one of their books. It’s like going to a smorgasbord and dipping into a variety of goodies! :-)
Today, I’d like to share a sample from my new release Someday You’ll Laugh! I hope you enjoy it!
Don’t vomit in the middle of your wedding. Good advice all around. Too bad I ignored it.
My story didn’t start with vomiting, but it did begin with a good gut wrench…
The low sun flamed from the sky even though the time was edging toward nine-thirty at night. I squinted into the glowing horizon and my heart squeezed. I held back the tears.
“Just ten months,” Greg whispered to me. “It’s not so long.”
“Only forever,” I answered. I hadn’t let go of his arm for the past thirty minutes.
He shifted his weight and settled onto the park bench. “We need to talk.”
“We are talking.” I joined him, stretched my legs, and dipped the toes of my shoes into the loose gravel at my feet.
His face had gone serious, and I knew I wasn’t going to like what he had to say. He gazed over my shoulder toward the playground equipment as if observing interesting twists of fine sculpture.
I still held his arm, but now I released my death grip. My fingers remained bent, stuck in a clutched position. “What is it?”
“I think we should see other people.” His words dropped like bricks, gaining speed as they crashed on my ears.
My mouth fell open and I jolted to my feet, tripping over a stone which protruded from the loose rock circling the bench. I skittered a bit, and regained my balance. “See other people? What do you mean?”
“Sit back down.” Greg pulled on my arm and coaxed me onto the bench again. “California’s a long way from here, and I think it’d be a good idea to keep our options open.”
I sat like a wooden toy, stiff and unmoving. I knew I was staring at him, I knew my face was revealing too much, and I knew I wanted to deck him.
If you’d like to sample some other authors’ works, click here!
Enjoy reading!
And as always, thanks for stopping by!
Brenda
P.S. Would you like to receive book news and musings about teens and life? Sign up to receive my blog regularly — I’d be thrilled to have you! :-) Just enter your email in the form at the upper right.
Tagged: contemporary romance, good clean teen reads, Kindle, Someday you'll laugh, Sweet Saturday Sample
May 16, 2013
My Own Love Story Releases!
New Release! Well, friends, this is it! My own love story (a tiny bit fictionalized) is here. I had so much fun writing this one. So, if you want to know Paul’s and my deep secrets, here they are. Ha!
A few months ago, Astraea Press had a call out for authors to write and submit their own love stories. The premise was, “God writes the best love stories.” I couldn’t pass that up. So, I began writing. And what fun! I’d sit at my computer and laugh, then cry, then laugh again. Paul was sometimes in the room, and he kept asking me what was so darn funny.
When I was finished, I read it to him. I can’t say for sure about the crying part, but he did laugh. However, I will say that when one of my critique partners read it, he said it brought a tear to his eye.
I hope you’ll want to grab a copy — I’d love to hear your thoughts.
You can grab it HERE for just $1.99.
I’d love to hear a bit about your love story! Feel free to share your thoughts below.
And as always thanks for stopping by!
Brenda
P.S. Here’s a photo of us on our wedding day!
Tagged: clean NA romance, clean romance, Good clean teen read, marriage, memories, new release, Someday you'll laugh, wedding
May 14, 2013
Welcome, Natalie Roers!
Hello Friends! I’d like to give a warm welcome to author Natalie Roers!
Natalie Roers is a veteran writer, voice artist, and on-air personality. She lives with her husband Cory, and son Austin, in Columbia, South Carolina. A journalist by trade, Lucid is her first work of fiction. She is busy at work on her second novel and hopes to raise money and social awareness for worthy causes with each book she writes. Natalie plans to donate a portion of every sale of this book to her favorite anti-bullying organizations.
I’m totally excited about helping Natalie spread the word about anti-bullying. So, not only do you get a good read when you buy Lucid, but you also help stamp out bullying.
To sweeten the pot, Natalie will award a $10 Amazon or BN.com gift card to one randomly drawn commenter. So please take a moment to comment below.
BLURB:
Being hailed by critics as an intelligent new voice in young adult fiction, Roers’ debut novel tells the anything but ordinary, coming of age story of a small town, teen aged, misfit named Travis Hunter.
Disfigured at birth and ostracized at school, Travis dreams of acceptance and secretly yearns for the affection of a beautiful young woman named Corrine. When a mysterious doctor promises to help Travis through something called lucid dreaming, Travis suddenly finds himself ushered into a secret society called “The Lucid”, a collection of social outcasts like himself, who have created their own world inside of dreams.
When Travis discovers he is able to bring Corrine into these dreams, he gets more than he ever bargained for and soon finds himself learning the secrets of love and life in a fantastic unconscious world.
An instant classic, Lucid is a timeless story of self-acceptance with a fresh paranormal twist.
Here’s an excerpt from Lucid:
Her eyes widened. What I saw in them made me want to drop to my knees. She knew who I was! I could see it. She recognized me! It was real.
“The bird! You made the bird!” I bellowed. “It was yellow and its eyes were made of stone!”
Corrine shook her head back and forth in disbelief. As I staggered toward her, she tripped backwards and fell into the line of coffee pots behind her.
“What the? Grab him!” I heard John yell.
In all the excitement I had forgotten there were other people in the room.
“The guy’s gone nuts!” Terry screamed.
I felt their arms grab me from behind.
Marissa, who had been watching the scene unfold in stunned silence, now ran to Corri to help her to her feet. “Get him outta here!” she yelled.
John and Terry started to pull me back by the shoulders. I swung around and hit Terry square in the face. The smacking sound that my hand made against Terry’s cheek shocked them enough to let me go for a second.
The enormity of what I had just done didn’t register at all.
I rushed forward, completely out of control. But as I got closer to Corri, her image started moving away from me. Terry and John had lifted me clear off the ground. They were carrying me by my arms, backwards, out the front door.
There was no pain as my body slammed against the cold cement outside. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins. The feeling was in every part of my body: every finger, every toe, was alive and on fire.
LINKS:
You can download this book for only $4.99 this month only! That price won’t last!
Here’s the link to buy on Amazon
Here’s Barnes and Noble
Websites
FB
https://www.facebook.com/natalie.roers?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/jointhelucid?fref=ts
Blog
Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16214486-lucid
I’d love to hear your comments. (Not to mention, I’d love for one of my readers to win the prize!!)
And as always, thanks for stopping by.
Brenda
Tagged: bullying, clean contemporary teen read, debut novel, Lucid, Natalie Roers, prize
Celebrating RACHEL VAN DYKEN
Woo Hoo! We’re celebrating author (and friend) Rachel Van Dyken’s NEW YORK contract for her books The Bet and Elite. Strike up the band!
This is, of course, a dream come true for Rachel! And a huge inspiration to writers everywhere. And frankly, it couldn’t have come to a more deserving person.
Sometimes, we mistakenly assume that when writers hit it big, they become unapproachable. With Rachel, nothing could be further from the truth. More than once, I’ve had questions about the writing life and I’ve written Rachel for help. She has always responded right away, often going the extra mile!
Soooooooo, here’s to you Rachel! CONGRATULATIONS and HUGE WISHES for even MORE SUCCESS in your future!
To sweeten the party spirit, I’m giving away a free copy of Someday You’ll Laugh to a random commenter! To enter, just leave a comment below!
Please join me in congratulating Rachel Van Dyken! Visit HERE for more partying!
And as always, thanks for stopping by!
Brenda
Tagged: Along Came Jordan, congratulations, elite, NY publisher, rachel van dyken, the bet
