Mikey Brooks's Blog, page 8

The Gates of Atlantis

I am so excited to finally be able to tell the world that these books are AVAILABLE!! It has been such a fun, eventful road to get these books published. It took all the authors hours and hours of collaborating and brainstorming. In the end I think we created a killer series that middle-grade kids will LOVE. But you don;t have to take my word for it. Read them yourself and tell me what you think.


Don't Forget to check out theGIVEAWAY at the bottom of this post!


About The Gates of Atlantis Series
Centuries ago the great city of Atlantis had to be hidden from humans. Now magically buried in the depths of the ocean, it is the source of all magic. All was well in the magical world…until the leaders of Atlantis listened to the whims of a mad man.

A group of teens set out on their own unique quests to fight for the world they love. They face dangers they didn’t know existed. As they battle their way through mysterious tunnels and secrets of the ancient world, they find themselves in a race against time. One by one, the mad man will shut down the Gates of Atlantis and destroy the magic. Can these unlikely heroes stop him before it’s too late?

The Gates of Atlantis: Banshee at the Gate by Wendy Knight

Thirteen-year-old half-breed banshee, Seven, likes her life. She leads souls safely to Death and she has the planet’s most awesome dad and little brother. But a cryptic message from Atlantis asking for her help changes all that. And then there’s Death, who has decided it’s time to take her brother’s soul. Now she’s racing across the world, trying to stay one step ahead of Death.

Unfortunately, getting to Atlantis from Ireland isn’t easy, and there are evil minions determined to keep her away every time she turns around. But fighting for their lives teaches Seven one very important lesson—she isn’t human, and she isn’t a banshee. She has to be both if she wants to save her brother and make it back home alive.
Purchase links:

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The Gates of Atlantis: Guardians of the Gatesby Laura D. Bastian

Thirteen-year-old merman Exander wants to leave Atlantis to mingle with the humans and explore the world above. Talia, his best friend, wishes she was a guardian of a gate leading to the surface. She'd keep those nasty humans out of her beloved city of Atlantis. When Talia accidentally short circuits a gate, Exander is trapped on the wrong side, getting a crash course in navigating the human world. As Talia fights to help Exander come home, she learns someone is closing the other gates, and it’s destroying the magic of Atlantis. If they can’t convince the magical creatures of the world to save the gates, the destruction of Atlantis will only be the beginning.
Purchase links:

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The Gates of Atlantis: Secrets of the Mineby Juli Caldwell 
 Adam Alfaro daydreams about magic, myths, and becoming famous for discovering the lost city of Atlantis. The only problem? He has to spend spring break in Africa while his mom works. To make it worse, everyone expects him to be friends with the annoying Clancy Pitt while he’s there. It’s dislike at first sight...until he realizes she might know a few secrets about Atlantis.

Then he meets Nef, a spirited sea kelpie who needs help rescuing naiads kidnapped and left to die in an ancient mine. Suddenly the strange creatures Adam dreamed of become all too real. And they’re after him. Can Adam, Clancy, and Nef fight their way through the maze of tunnels in the mine and reach the naiads before it's too late?

Purchase links:

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The Gates of Atlantis: Magicians of the Deepby Jaclyn Weist
Thirteen-year-old Colin knew nothing of the magic world until he is bitten by a mischievous pixie. He meets thirteen-year-old Alleya on a secret website devoted to magical creatures. Before he knows it, Colin finds himself thrust into a whole new world.

Alleya has been hidden away from the rest of Atlantis because she’s half-mermaid, half-Atlantian. Her father tries to ease her boredom by getting her a computer and finally allowing her to go to school. She accidentally lets slip a dark secret —the gates to Atlantis are being shut and it's destroying magic. Alleya is exiled to Indiatlantis.

There, she learns mermaids are getting sick because of the lack of magic, and the tunnels are beginning to collapse. Together, Colin and Alleya must find a way to bring back the old magic and fight to save Atlantis.

Purchase links:

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The Gates of Atlantis: Madness Behind the Throneby JR Simmons
Callidora is an Atlantian noblewoman and member of an elite guard whose purpose is to keep Atlantis pure...until her life is turned upside down by the birth of a son.

Phoibos, bullied and taunted by other kids, is sure of one thing: something is wrong with Atlantis. Impure, Atlantian-Human hybrids are ruining his city, and he'll stop at nothing to rectify that. Callidora is the only one who knows the truth of who her only son really is, and how dangerous he can be. Can anyone stop Phoibos before his need for purification brings Atlantis to the very brink of destruction?

Purchase links:

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The Gates of Atlantis: Battle for Acropolisby Mikey Brooks
Thirteen-year-old Talon is in trouble...again. He didn't mean to burn down the school library. It just happened. Things like that always happen to Talon. His life is a mixture of the weird and bizarre. No one else he knows can shoot fire from their hands or cause an earthquake...but he can.

Every night the same dream haunts Talon: the destruction of an underwater city. He doesn't have a clue what it means but he feels like fate is trying to warn him. It's not until he runs away with his foster sister Hattie that he discovers his trouble-making powers and strange nightmare are connected. Together they are the key to saving magic...to saving Atlantis.


Purchase links:

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Blog Tour: The Dream Keeper Chronlicles Audiobooks

Don't forget to check out the GIVEAWAYat the end of this post for a chance to WIN some fantastic prizes!
We are thrilled to announce that The Dreamstone, book two in The Dream Keeper Chronicles is now available in audiobook. If have never had the opportunity to listen to an audiobook before, now is your time! An audiobook is a wonderful way to enjoy a book. It brings a level of richness and art to the book you can't get with just words alone.

Dorothy called it Oz, Alice Called it Wonderland, but Nightmares call it HOME.
There is a world inside our own, but we can’t see it when we are awake—only when we sleep. It is then we find ourselves in Dreams.  
Synopsis for book 1: The Dream Keeper
When an evil shifter takes over the gateway to the realm of Dreams, it falls to 14-year-olds Parker and Kaelyn to stop him. Their only hope lies with Gladamyr, the Dream Keeper, but can they trust a Nightmare to save their world?

Synopsis for book 2: The Dreamstone
When Parker’s mom is dreamnapped by the wicked Mab, it is up to him and Kaelyn to save her. When they return to Dreams, they discover Mab isn’t their only problem. Gladamyr has lost his powers and the only way to get them back is to become what he fears the most—a nightmare.

Check out what people are saying about The Dream Keeper Chronicles!
"A fun, fantastic ride through both Dream and Nightmare. Brooks has written a book that can be enjoyed by young and old alike. Bravo!" ~Michaelbrent Collings, bestselling author of The Billy Saga

“A wild stallion of a story: fast, thrilling, and unpredictable. If this one isn’t a kid-pleaser, I don’t know what is.” ~Michelle Isenhoff, author of the Taylor Davis Series 

"I listened to The Dream Keeper on audiobook and absolutely loved it! Anthony Bianco did an outstanding job of bringing each character to life." ~L.R.W Lee, author of The Andy Smithson Series


"My heart hammered and I couldn't tear my eyes away from the page. I felt every emotion the characters did, I laughed, I cried, I felt fear while reading this book." ~Amazon reviewer

"If you like the Percy Jackson, Fablehaven, or the Harry Potter series, you'll love this!" ~Amazon reviewer


Check out this interview with the narrator, Anthony Bianco!


What have you enjoyed most about narrating The Dream Keeper Chronicles?
Bringing the mythology that Mikey has created to life. There is a sense of innocence, wonder, and possibility on the world of Awake and Dreams. Our dreams are one of the nearest things we still have to magic. And discovering the story has helped remind me to continue to look for the magic in the world around me.
How did you go about finding a distinct voice for each character?
Many times Mikey provided some kind of description of the character that would inform the choices I would make. Age, gender, body size/ shape. I imagine how the voices sound when I am reading and do my best to apply those changes when I get in the booth. I would like to think that all of the choices that I made were informed by the text. I did my best to fully imagine what Mikey created and trust that when he is satisfied with the result I have done my job. 
You work as a professional actor; do you find your profession helps you in narrating books?
I find it incredibly helpful. The fact that I am not in front of an audience doesn't make a lot of a difference to me. The act of storytelling is the same no matter what the medium. Many of the skills needed: articulation, breath support, vocal flexibility, emotion (to highlight a few) all come into play when recording. When you are in the booth you have to be hyper aware of every movement and sound. Even though nobody can see what you look like, any extraneous movements can cause sounds which can be picked up by the mic. It is essential to have the physical and vocal awareness to keep those sounds to a minimum. At the same time you can't allow that to keep you from bing expressive and energized when telling the story. It can be a tricky balance sometimes. But the years of training help to balance those factors.
Is there a character in the book you related to the most and why?
I think Gladamyr was the easiest to relate to, even though he is a Dream keeper. I love the tortured heroes. Plus, Gladamyr's powers are the coolest! Many of my favorite fantasy characters have been Shape-shifters or have had an ability similar to Gladamyr. It probably appeals to the actor in me, being able to shift and morph would be like the ultimate costume change.
If you were to dream up a nightmare what would it be?
Absolutely terrifying. Probably something similar to Minion, a monster made from a swarm of spiders. When I have nightmares they are the worst. I am usually being chased by a dark formless, shifting shadow (not unlike Gladamyr now that I think about it). There are always lost of teeth and it is fast; constantly changing throughout the dream. The worst nightmares know when to change and get worse when you think it can get any worse. 
How do you manage to smoothly accentuate the “voice” of the different characters? 
Breath, breath, breath. You can't transition from voice to voice without the proper breath support to fuel the instrument. If it sounds smooth it is a combination of quality editing and quality vocal control by the narrator.
How did you become a book narrator? Did anything specific prompt you to undertake this career?
A friend encouraged me to pursue it. He made the transition from actor to narrator full time and thought I would also be good at it. So, he gave me the initial push. I haven't been able to make that transition fully, though. I am still working and audition for gigs in bother careers. As well as working at a coffee shop and doing odd work as a ranch hand and landscaper to make ends meet. I am still at the begging of my narrating career but what has prompted me to continue to pursue it is the flexibility to create my own hours, work from home, and the complete artistic control of the storytelling.

Narrator Bio:
Anthony Bianco is a professional actor living and working in Denver, Colorado. He is a native Oregonian and has been acting and storytelling for the past eighteen years. He received a BFA in Acting with a minor in Shakespeare Studies at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon. Anthony then went on to receive is MFA in Acting from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Anthony moved to Denver five years ago and has worked for three seasons with the Denver Center Theatre Company, one season at Colorado Shakespeare Festival and most recently appeared as Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities.
Author Bio:



Mikey Brooks is a small child masquerading as an adult. On occasion you’ll catch him dancing the funky chicken, singing like a banshee, and pretending to have never grown up. He is the author/illustrator of the best-selling middle-grade series The Dream Keeper Chronicles, The Stone of Valhalla, and The Gates of Atlantis: Battle for Acropolis. His picture books include the best-selling ABC Adventures: Magical Creatures and Bean’s Dragons. His art can be seen in many forms from picture books to full room murals. He loves to daydream with his three daughters and explore the worlds that only the imagination of children can create. Mikey has a BS degree in English from Utah State University and works full-time as a freelance illustrator, cover designer, and author. As a member of the Emblazoners, he is one of many authors devoted to ‘writing stories on the hearts of children’ (www.emblazoners.com). You can find more about him and his books at: www.insidemikeysworld.com  Check out the books!
The Dream Keeper Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Paperback | Hardback | iTunes | Audible
The Dreamstone Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Paperback | Hardback | iTunes | Audible

Check out the GIVEAWAY!


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Tour List and Dates:Monday – July 21st
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Thursday – July 24th

http://elizabethmueller.blogspot.com/

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Friday – July 25th

http://donnakweaver.com

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Saturday – July 26th

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www.authorelizacrosby.blogspot.com
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Book Feature: Elias of Elderberry

Don't forget to check out the GIVEAWAYat the bottom of this post!!
Synopsis:Elias Rey, a fifteen year old student at Penquis Valley High School, is skinny, has a chipped tooth, and a bad case of acne. His favorite pastime is drawing dragons, and his room is plastered with his renditions. Tested out as a genius, he should be in college instead of high school, but he chooses to be with the only family he has ever known, his foster sister Lizzie, and his best friend Jaron. Life is good, except for one thing - Brute, the meanest student at PVHS. Elias considers moving to be rid of Brute's constant bullying, until one fated day, when a strange boy pushes a leather pouch into his hands, and then mysteriously disappears, leaving Elias to wonder who he is.Shortly thereafter, Elias discovers that the pouch contains Ilesar, an ancient papyrus that can give him anything his heart desires. He isn't going to be pushed around. Ever. Again. At least, not by the school bully.
Praise for this book:"I love this story! Elias of Elderberry is a cross between Harry Potter, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland, with a hint of Lord of the Rings." -Sarah Beggs, author
"Elias of Elderberry is imaginative and entertaining, but also thought provoking. It was fun learning about the worlds Theresa Sneed creates. Her evil is pure evil... and her good is amazing." Kari Pike, author, editor
Author Bio: Growing up in the woodlands of Maine and spending most of her time climbing trees and looking for snakes under rocks, author Theresa Sneed has a wealth of childhood experiences from which she creates her magical stories. As a mother of six, a grandmother of five, and an elementary school teacher, she enjoys weaving moments of wonder and reflection.
Theresa graduated cum laude with a BA in education and has written award-winning poetry and stories. Her No Angel series has received excellent reviews from her readers as well as claiming two Whitney finalists’ spots. Theresa enjoys reading and writing fantasy, romance, and suspense. To learn more about Theresa, visit www.theresasneed.com . She loves hearing from her readers and may be contacted through her website.
Other books by Theresa SneedHer No Angel Series (not completed yet, there will be at least three or four more books in this series)
Links: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005IRY8LMhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5131290.Theresa_Sneed?from_search=truehttp://www.theresasneed.com/https://twitter.com/TheresaSneedhttps://www.facebook.com/TheresaMSneed
Excerpt #1
He snatched the pouch up. The drama department was at the end of the hallway. Elias grinned. Dang! That boy is good! He really had me going there! “Hey, Mr. Arnold!” Elias stuck his head into the office. “Yes, Elias?” Mr. Arnold’s beady eyes peered at him over half moon spectacles that looked as if they’d slip off his nose.“Yeah well, just wanted to congratulate you on whatever it is you guys are working on. Whoever that boy was with the pouch—” He held it up. “Well, he’s pretty convincing—good job!”Mr. Arnold looked at him like he didn’t know what he was talking about. “You know—Ooooo-OOoo.” Elias made a ghostly sound and wiggled his fingers in the air. “He looked pretty freaky, sir.”Mr. Arnold leaned back and stroked his goatee.   “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Elias—none whatsoever.”“Huh.” Elias turned the pouch over in his hands. “Yeah, well, okay.” He thanked him and went back into the hallway. Who was that boy? If he hadn’t been part of any theater production at the school—what kind of performance was he in? He nodded as he remembered the white cord tugging at the boy—great special effects. Destroy them, the boy had said. Elias shrugged. His gaze fell to the pouch. What was in it? He started to open it, but thought better and glanced around for a more secluded place to explore its contents.What better place than the boy’s bathroom? He slipped through the door and then into an empty stall. He studied the brown leather bag holding it closer to his face. The gold band that ran diagonally up its sides was made to look like a snake—its diamond-shaped head brandishing two tiny, red jewels. Elias brushed his fingers over the thin band and a wisp of smoke rose from it. He coughed and swept his hand through the gray mist—must have been dust. All of a sudden, the bathroom door banged open and Brute’s voice broke the silence. “Hey zit-face! I know you’re in here!”Oh crap. Of all the places for Brute to find him—defenseless—with no one to stop the Brute from beating him senseless, or even to identify Elias’ lifeless body later. He rolled his eyes. Okay, that was a bit melodramatic. He’d been hanging around his foster sister, Lizzie too long. Drama was her thing—not his.  The stall doors slammed against their hinges one by one—closer and closer. He let out a groan, as he saw Brute’s size twelve shoes in front of the stall next to his. He swallowed hard and breathed out slow. “I wish I was home.” A warm buzz came from the pouch, and he glanced down as it came to life—casting an eerie glow against the stall door. Then all at once, a steely flash of red light cruelly stung his skin, deep into his sinewy flesh, as a powerful force twisted him through an opening—a thin slit in the air. 
Excerpt #2
He pressed his head back against the pillow. So, this was what crazy felt like. He grimaced, knowing that he was not crazy, but not having any good explanation for what was happening to him. Suddenly, something nuzzled the crick of his neck.“Cut it out, Ilzar.” It let out a tiny bawl, almost like a cough, and Elias turned his head expecting to see Ilzar. He jumped backward, nearly falling off the bed. “YIKES!” A miniature, baby dragon the color of the sky sat on his pillow teetering back and forth as if it hadn’t quite got its bearings.“Oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh!” Elias leaped from his bed and stared at the small, sapphire colored dragon. It coughed again and a tiny blue cloud of smoke came from its throat.Elias’ mouth dropped open. Was this real? The dragon hopped off the pillow and came to the edge of the bed. It looked up at him with doleful eyes, coughed, than bawled again—like it was hungry.             Elias’ eyes widened. What did dragons eat—other than villages of people?
Blog Tour Line-up:

Blog Tour Line-up:
July 7th http://semishort.blogspot.com/ July 8th http://thepleasureofreadingtoday.blogspot.com/ July 9th Www.drembic.weebly.com/book-adventure-blog.html July 10th http://rockinbookreviews.com July 11th http://drashleyhampton.com/blog July 12th http://writtenbymikey.blogspot.com/ July 12th http://livingwritingteaching.blogspot.com/ July 13th http://amazeballsbookaddicts.blogspot.com/ July 14th http://littleredsbookreviews.blogspot.com/ July 15th http://tntreviews.weebly.com/ July 16th http://meghanherbertauthor.blogspot.com/?m=1 July 17th http://www.bound4escape.com July 17th http://stephaniesaysso.blogspot.com/ AND/OR http://stephaniereadthat.blogspot.com/ July 18th http://elliesewsweet.blogspot.com July 19th Confessionsbookwhore.blogspot.com July 20th http://sweet-n-sassy-book-a-holics.bl... & www.facebook.com/sweetnsassybookaholics a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book feature and Interview

I am delighted to have Laurisa White Reyes back on the blog. Today I am featuring her newest release, CONTACT, and YA urban fantasy. I also have a wonderful interview with Laurisa. Make sure to check out the GIVEAWAY at the bottom of this post for a chance to win some terrific prizes.

Interview with Laurisa White Reyes, author of CONTACT
Tell us a little about your new book, CONTACT.
Laurisa White Reyes: CONTACT is a young adult thriller about a girl named Mira who, for reasons unknown to her, uploads other people’s psyches at a single touch. This ability is painful and overwhelming, driving her to isolation and attempted suicide. When her mother ends up in a coma, however, Mira discovers that the coma was no accident, but proving it might get her killed.
What inspired you to write this story?
Laurisa White Reyes: My first two published novels, THE ROCK OF IVANORE and THE LAST ENCHANTER were fantasy novels for middle grade readers. But over the past couple of years I’ve become an avid fan of young adult fiction and wanted to try writing for that audience. The idea for CONTACT began when my daughter was a teen. She went through a “don’t touch me” phase, so I asked myself the question – what if a girl had a reason to not want to be touched? 
Why did you choose to make Mira Hispanic?
Laurisa White Reyes: There is a lot of talk in the children’s book industry right now about diversity and the lack of characters of color in books for kids. Statistics show that about 50% of American kids are black, Asian, American Indian or Hispanic, and yet out of the 3200 kids books published last year, only 8% of them featured characters of color. My own children are half Hispanic. Their father was born in Guatemala. So I want the characters in my books to be a reflection of them.
Were there any books you’ve read that influenced you as a writer?
Laurisa White Reyes: Quite a few, actually. I mentioned that I read a lot of young adult books. There were several titles that I particularly loved that gave me the courage to not only write a YA book but also to try my hand at writing suspense, including Megan Miranda’s Fracture, Jill Hathaway’s Slide and Gretchen McNeil’s Possess. But as far as my writing style goes, I probably learned the most about hooking a reader and keeping the pages turning from the master, Dan Brown. I love the way he wrote The DaVinci Code and Angels & Demons and I’ve tried to incorporate some of his techniques into my own writing.
What are you writing now, and will you have any books come out in the near future?
Laurisa White Reyes: I am currently writing book 3 in my fantasy series, THE SEER OF THE GUILDE, which is tentatively scheduled to release in 2015 with Tanglewood Press. But I also have three additional manuscripts that do not have publishers quite yet. I’m working on that. Several people have asked if I will write a sequel to MEMORABLE. Though I hadn’t planned to, I did leave the possibility open if I change my mind down the road.
Blurb:
It takes only half a second… …Like those commercials where a crash test dummy rockets forward at high speed and slams into a wall.…In that instant, every thought in Emma Lynn Walsh’s head collides with mine—every thought, memory, hope, disappointment and dream.…I open my eyes to see Dr. Walsh peering at me, a puzzled expression on her face.
“Let—go—of—me,” I order though clenched teeth.
Mira wants to die. She’s attempted suicide twice already, and failed. Every time she comes in contact with another person, skin to skin, that person’s psyche uploads into hers. While her psychologist considers this a gift, for Mira, it’s a curse from which she cannot escape.
To make matters worse, Mira’s father is being investigated in the deaths of several volunteer test subjects of a miracle drug. Shortly after Mira’s mother starts asking questions, she ends up in a coma. Although her father claims it was an accident, thanks to her “condition” Mira knows the truth…but proving it just might get her killed!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20707931-contact
Author Bio:
After earning her B.A. in English in 1995, Laurisa White Reyes spent many years writing for newspapers and magazines before gathering enough courage to live her dream of writing novels. Contactis her third published book. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in creative writing, is a book editor for Hamilton Springs/Xchyler Press, and is the Editor-in-chief of Middle Shelf Magazine. She lives in Southern California with her husband and five children.
Links:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5244611.Laurisa_White_Reyes
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Laurisa-White-Reyes/e/B006IL8HUK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lwreyes
Blog: http://laurisareyes.blogspot.com
Web: http://www.laurisawhitereyes.com
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Book Trailer: Battle for Acropolis

I am thrilled for the Gates of Atlantis books to come out. Just a few more weeks to go. In the meantime have a looksee at my fantastic book trailer. Here you'll get a sneak peak into Talon's world.



THE GATES OF ATLANTIS: BATTLE FOR ACROPOLIS

Thirteen-year-old Talon is in trouble...again. He didn't mean to burn down the school library. It just happened. Things like that always happen to Talon. His life is a mixture of the weird and bizarre. No one else he knows can shoot fire from their hands or cause an earthquake...but he can.

Every night the same dream haunts Talon: the destruction of an underwater city. He doesn't have a clue what it means but he feels like fate is trying to warn him. It's not until he runs away with his foster sister Hattie that he discovers his trouble-making powers and strange nightmare are connected. Together they are the key to saving magic...to saving Atlantis.

Visit: http://www.gatesofatlantis.com/

Book Feature: Fury of the Storm Wizard

 I am pleased to welcome Shauna E. Black to my blog today. She is celebrating the release of her new middle-grade fantasy: Fury of the Storm Wizard. This looks like a fun book I'll be adding to my summer reading list. Check it out!
Synopsis:
A Storm is Brewing

In Silver Valley, an unusual string of mining accidents has locals whispering of dark magic. When the marshal sent to investigate goes missing, his young assistant Boone turns to Jesse and Eliza for help. But Jesse is a new mage with raw magic, and Eliza is hiding a secret. The three must learn to trust each other before the valley is destroyed and they are ripped away from everything they hold dear.
Author Bio: 
Shauna E. Black fell in love at an early age. Her first romances resided on the shelves of the mystery section in the library. She went through The Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, and Sherlock Holmes before someone introduced her to The Chronicles of Prydain. This sparked an enduring love for wizards, dragons, magic, and all things fantasy that Shauna still enjoys today. She always has her head in the clouds and her nose in a book.
Naturally, her love for reading evolved into a desire to create, and she became a writer. When she was a young teen, her English teacher made the mistake of offering extra credit for original short stories, and was suddenly swamped with Shauna's writing. Dutifully reading each story (at least, she wrote encouraging things in the margins), this teacher inspired Shauna to follow her dreams, leaving her with a warm spot in her heart for all English teachers.
Today, Shauna still keeps a box in the attic full of her early manuscripts, most written in pencil on lined paper. She lives in the high desert of the southwest with the other loves of her life: her husband and four children. She likes to drag them along on springtime hiking adventures to the many Anasazi ruins near her home, where she finds inspiration for her writing. She also likes to bake bread, do anything artsy, and travel to exotic locations to collect wind chimes.
Website | Goodreads | Amazon




Excerpts from the book:

Jesse skidded to a stop, pulling away from Eliza. Squeezing his eyes shut, he spun around in one smooth motion, pulling the gun up to his shoulder and squeezing the trigger. He thought he heard a high-pitched squeal just before the gun’s report set his ears ringing.

Jesse risked cracking his eyes open to see if he’d hit anything. The basilisk wasn’t far away, rearing back with a bloody scratch along the side of its face. Jesse felt a crushing disappointment. He’d only grazed it. But then a rumbling began under his feet. There was a whoosh of air from the stope opening, and a wave of heat following it.

“Oh, no.”

A huge ball of crackling lightning formed and raced toward them.

“Run!” he screamed at his friends. “Run!” 

Second excerpt:

Jesse started trembling. “Life ain’t better here,” he said. “I wish we’d never left Kansas. I wish we’d never come here.”

“There ain’t nothing left in Kansas for us but painful memories, son.”

Jesse glared at Pa. “How can you say that? How can you forget Ma so soon?” His words were punctuated by a crack of thunder.

“You watch your tongue, boy!” Pa took a step forward, hand going up as if he meant to strike Jesse.

The area around them suddenly froze, the ice growing as if winter had arrived in fast motion. Ice crusted the plants around them, the bushes, the trees. It pulled down the branches and leaves with its weight. 

Pa stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the frost that glistened on the ground between him and Jesse. “How are you doing this?” he whispered. 
****

Blog Tour List:
TUESDAY - May 27Moniquebucheger.blogspot.com
WEDNESDAY - May 28literarytimeout.blogspot.com
THURSDAY - May 29http://semishort.blogspot.com/
FRIDAY - May 30http://livingwritingteaching.blogspot.com/
SATURDAY - May 31http://drashleyhampton.com/blog
SUNDAY - June 1www.drembic.weebly.com/book-adventure-blog.html
MONDAY - June 2http://writtenbymikey.blogspot.com/
TUESDAY - June 3http://sparkling-pink-bookshelf.blogspot.ie/
WEDNESDAY - June 4http://thepleasureofreadingtoday.blogspot.com/
THURSDAY - June 5Www.bookstocurlupwith.blogspot.ca
FRIDAY - June 6http://meghanherbertauthor.blogspot.com/?m=1
SATURDAY - June 7http://insidestone.com/
SUNDAY - June 8http://alaynazappa.wordpress.com/
MONDAY - June 9http://sweet-n-sassy-book-a-holics.blogspot.com/ & www.facebook.com/sweetnsassybookaholics

Family Fun Night with Authors

This FAMILY FUN NIGHT WITH AUTHORS is going to be a BLAST! Seriously! Please share the event with all your friends, neighbors, and family members. It’s FREE to come.

There will be 10 different carnival games -all- WITH PRIZES, refreshments, face painting, fun paper crafts like: make a book and make a farm animal mask, as well as 19 talented authors to meet and greet. All the authors will have their books onsite and for sale. Both cash and credit card will be accepted but there is no obligation to buy. We just want you to have a good time.

I'll be giving out FREE posters to anyone who wants one as well as key chains and bookmarks. So plan on coming! MONDAY, June 2nd, 5:30pm-7:30pm at Wheeler Historic Farm in the Activity Barn: 6351 S. 900 E. in Murray, Utah. I'll see you there!

Authors Include:

Monique Bucheger - Alex Banks - Ali Cross - Mikey Brooks
Cindy Hogan - Juli Caldwell - RaShelle Workman - Wendy Knight
Jaclyn Weist - JR Simmons - Shauna E. Black - Stacy Lynn Carroll
Cindy C. Bennett - Jaime Buckley - Krista Wayment - Karen E. Hoover
Jenni James- Angela Corbett - Jaleta Clegg - Laura Bastian

Middle-grade Awesome Book Blast

Do you love middle grade books? Here are some amazing deals. Check them out and spread the word.
The Case of the Exploding Loo by Rachel Hamilton

Buy it on Amazon

Quirky twelve year old Noelle Hawkins may be one of the brightest girls in her class but even she can't explain how her dad, wacky scientist Big Brain Brian, spontaneously combusted while sitting in a portaloo. It's true that he was working on a new top secret Brain Ray machine and was on the point of a great break-through - could this have had something to do with his disappearance? Know-All is sure all is not as it seems and with the help of her sister Holly she is determined to find out what really happened to her dad! Trusted by Krista Wayment

Get it FREE on Amazon.com

Renick, the fifth son of a dragon breeder, crashes into an unexpected adventure that challenges everything he thought he knew about dragons, history, and himself.

Stranded in the massive Helath forest, Renick meets two other passengers: Thane, a noble training to be a dragon knight, and Lainey, the orphaned niece of a healer. Together they survive an attack by vicious wolves, rescue a baby dragon with a broken wing, and escape from a band of dragon hunters as they make a perilous climb into the mountains. What they discover there will change everything. The Dreamstone by Mikey Brooks

Buy it on Amazon.com

“There is a world inside our own, but we can’t see it when we are awake—only when we sleep. It is then we find ourselves in Dreams.”

When Parker’s mom is dreamnapped by the wicked Mab, it is up to him and Kaelyn to save her. When they return to Dreams, they discover Mab isn’t their only problem. Gladamyr has lost his powers and the only way to get them back is to become what he fears the most—a nightmare. Alvor by Laura Bingham

Buy it on Amazon.com

Adarae jolted as the feeling surged through her. She looked carefully at not one, but two little faces and felt the warm power within them. No one suspected it could be two, but the strength pulsing from them was undeniable. They stared back into her eyes.

Fifteen-year-old Erin and her twin brother, Bain, had never seen the secluded cabin in the woods by their home. Upon entering, they discover a magical world where pegasi, dragons and fairies are a reality.

The siblings soon find themselves with super-human powers, being taught the art of magic and sword play by mystical beings. It isn't long before they are struck with a realization they are training to become elves.

Faced with the decision to leave the life they have always known for a world of fantasy, Erin and Bain confront certain demons that threaten to tear them apart.

Alvor is a spellbinding blend of magic and mystery, enchantment and fairy tale, that asks the age-old question: Do you believe in magic? Wings of Light by Laura Bingham

Buy on Amazon.com

Sixteen-year-old Erin and her twin brother, Bain, have recently become immortal elves - but the search for their mother has just begun. With new information that their mother may be alive, Erin desperately seeks to bring her back home. But when old enemies threaten her quest, Erin must turn to new friends for help and learn that some magic is better left unexplored. The Serpent in the Glass by D.M. Andrews

Buy on Amazon.com

On his eleventh birthday Thomas Farrell is informed that the deceased father he never knew has provided for his education at Darkledun Manor, a school for gifted children. Thomas, however, feels he's just an ordinary boy, but Darkledun Manor proves to be anything but an ordinary school…

In this work of fiction the reader is transported into a world of myth as the young protagonist, Thomas Farrell, seeks to understand who his mysterious father was, and why he left him a strange glass orb containing a serpent. As the story progresses, Thomas and his friends become increasing caught up in a world they never knew existed – a world beyond the standing stones.

You can review a short audio sample from the book, read by the author, at www.writers-and-publishers.com. A video trailer can also be accessed by viewing D.M. Andrews’ Amazon author page. Cover design by Alex Hausch. Trouble Blows West by Monique Bucheger

Buy on Amazon.com

Putting her body in motion before her brain is in gear creates a mountain of problems for 12 year-old Ginnie West. She is certain that defending her twin brother, Toran, from the biggest bully in sixth grade was the right thing to do. But Ginnie couldn’t be more wrong.

She quickly figures out that Toran doesn’t appreciate being rescued by a girl any better than Pierce likes being knocked down by one. When Pierce seeks revenge on Ginnie, Toran sets aside his anger and helps her plot a playback prank at Pierce’s house.

Sadly, Ginnie learns that Pierce has a reason for being a bully when she sees his dad drop him to the floor like a ragdoll with one awful blow to the chest. Realizing he's a boy in big trouble, Ginnie switches gears and decides to be his ally, even if he won’t let her be his friend. Fury of the Storm Wizard by Shauna E. Black

Buy it on Amazon

A storm is brewing in Silver Valley, where an unusual string of mining accidents has locals whispering of dark magic. When the marshal sent to investigate goes missing, his young assistant Boone turns to Jesse and Eliza for help. But Jesse is a new mage with raw magic, and Eliza is hiding a secret. The three must learn to trust each other before the valley is destroyed and they are ripped away from everything they hold dear. Prelude to a Hero by Jaime Buckley

Buy it at WantedHero.com

Wendell is a young man who learns what his potential is while on a strange, enchanted world with a funny old wizard and ugly troll to mentor and guide him. Prelude to a Hero, the debut book about how Wendell came to be the one expected to save an entire world. . . by accident. 

Cover Reveal: The Swift

I am thrilled to show off this cover reveal. When Alex Banks came to me about doing cover art for her I was beyond ecstatic. She is so fun to work with and her stories are magical. It always nice to have a client know what they want on their covers from the get go. Alex wanted something illustrated featuring the mysterious battle-worn ship-in-a-bottle. I think the final result is awesome. What do you think? 
The SwiftComes out June 2nd
 
How far would you go to save the ones you love?
The night twelve-year-old Pete planned to shoot the winning goal in the championship hockey game was the same night his dad was lost at sea. Now, eight months later, his mom still cries all the time, his beloved grandfather, stricken with Alzheimer’s, can’t even remember him, and they’re about to lose their crappy old house to the bank. To make matters worse, his twin brother Henry blames Pete for all of it. After all, they were a family of fishermen—if Pete had gone to help on the boat instead of to the game, their dad might still be alive.
While searching the attic for stuff they can sell, Pete finds a battle-torn ship-in-a-bottle. When he and Henry show the bottle to their grandpa, the three of them are transported back in time—on board the very ship that’s going down.

Battling pirates and the raging sea, the boys must learn to work together to help their grandpa save his past. If they don’t, they won’t have a future to return to.


If you are local to Utah you don't want to miss out on the fantastic release party at the Historic Wheeler Farm. There will be a collection of fabulous MG and YA authors as well as activities for kids. It's a Family Night with Authors and YOU are invited. Monday, June 2nd, 5:30pm-7:30pm. Wheeler Farm: 6351 S 900 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84121.

GoodReads GIVEAWAY!! Click here to enter to win a signed paperback of The Swift.  One for you and one for your school! https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/93344-the-swift

Who is Alex Banks?
Alex Banks likes to say she holds a black belt in awesome since the only kind of kicking-butt she does is on paper. She lives in Utah with her kickin' husband, two sparring sons, one ninja cat, one samurai dog and four zen turtles. She is the author of the middle-grade syfy-adventure Jump Boys: SOS. You can find more information about Alex on her website at: http://www.booksbyalexbanks.com. Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/booksbyalexbanks   

Dragons of Lore Book Blast

Check out some awesome books featuring dragons! Many are discounted, or free. Buy or download the ones you like, and spread the word.

Trusted by Krista Wayment, Middle Grade

Get it FREE on Amazon.com

Renick, the fifth son of a dragon breeder, crashes into an unexpected adventure that challenges everything he thought he knew about dragons, history, and himself.

Stranded in the massive Helath forest, Renick meets two other passengers: Thane, a noble training to be a dragon knight, and Lainey, the orphaned niece of a healer. Together they survive an attack by vicious wolves, rescue a baby dragon with a broken wing, and escape from a band of dragon hunters as they make a perilous climb into the mountains. What they discover there will change everything.
The Dreamstone by Mikey Brooks, Middle Grade

Discounted to $1.99
Buy it on Amazon.com

“There is a world inside our own, but we can’t see it when we are awake—only when we sleep. It is then we find ourselves in Dreams.”

When Parker’s mom is dreamnapped by the wicked Mab, it is up to him and Kaelyn to save her. When they return to Dreams, they discover Mab isn’t their only problem. Gladamyr has lost his powers and the only way to get them back is to become what he fears the most—a nightmare.
Alvor by Laura Bingham, Upper Middle Grade

Buy it on Amazon.com

Adarae jolted as the feeling surged through her. She looked carefully at not one, but two little faces and felt the warm power within them. No one suspected it could be two, but the strength pulsing from them was undeniable. They stared back into her eyes.

Fifteen-year-old Erin and her twin brother, Bain, had never seen the secluded cabin in the woods by their home. Upon entering, they discover a magical world where pegasi, dragons and fairies are a reality.

The siblings soon find themselves with super-human powers, being taught the art of magic and sword play by mystical beings. It isn't long before they are struck with a realization they are training to become elves.

Faced with the decision to leave the life they have always known for a world of fantasy, Erin and Bain confront certain demons that threaten to tear them apart.

Alvor is a spellbinding blend of magic and mystery, enchantment and fairy tale, that asks the age-old question: Do you believe in magic?
Wings of Light by Laura Bingham, Upper Middle Grade

Buy on Amazon.com

Sixteen-year-old Erin and her twin brother, Bain, have recently become immortal elves - but the search for their mother has just begun. With new information that their mother may be alive, Erin desperately seeks to bring her back home. But when old enemies threaten her quest, Erin must turn to new friends for help and learn that some magic is better left unexplored.
Awakening by Christy Dorrity, Young Adult

Get it FREE on Amazon.com

. . . because some Celtic stories won’t be contained in myth.

A little magic has always run in sixteen-year-old McKayla McCleery's family—at least that’s what she’s been told. McKayla’s eccentric Aunt Avril travels the world as a clairvoyant for the FBI, and her mother can make amazing delicacies out of the most basic of ingredients. But McKayla doesn't think for a second that the magic is real—it’s just good storytelling. Besides, McKayla doesn’t need magic. She recently moved to beautiful Star Valley, Wyoming, and already she has an amazing best friend, a solo in her upcoming ballet recital, and the gorgeous guy in her physics class keeps looking her way.

When an unexpected fascination with Irish dance leads McKayla to seek instruction from the mute, crippled, janitor at her high school, she learns that her family is not the only one with unexplained abilities.

After Aunt Avril comes to Star Valley in pursuit of a supernatural killer, people begin disappearing, and the lives of those McKayla holds most dear are threatened. When the janitor reveals that an ancient curse, known as a geis, has awakened powers that defy explanation, McKayla is forced to come to terms with what is real and what is fantasy.

A thrilling first novel, Awakening is a gripping contemporary fantasy, based in Celtic mythology that is rife with magic, romance, and mystery.
The Crystal Bridge by Charlie Pulsipher, Young Adult

Discounted to $0.99
Buy on Amazon.com

The Egg followed Kaden home from the hospital. This glowing shell only he can see transports him across the emptiness between universes to distant worlds, but he’s afraid to use it. This strange Egg may have saved Kaden’s life once or twice, but it failed to save anyone else he cares about.

Aren’s sight reaches deep into the souls around her, seeing more than she wants in her friends and teachers at school. When she turns her gaze on Kaden, his Egg responds by sending them spiraling across space and time to a world where dragons, elves, dwarves, and peculiar gods dwell. Separated, lost, and alone in a hostile world on the brink of war, these teens must come to grips with their unique gifts if they ever want to see Earth again.

Back home, a biotechnology company tinkers with the science of reality, hoping to cure death itself by any means. But their work and the intrusion into the void have awakened something shadowy and powerful, a being imprisoned there for millennia. This dark being intends to break free and devour everything and everyone it touches. Infinite universes are in danger. Kaden and Aren must decide if they can save more than themselves. Can they save us all?
The Sapphire Flute by Karen E Hoover, Young Adult
Discounted to $0.99:
Buy on Amazon.com
Buy from Barnes and Nobel

Or Get it FREE on Smashwords.com

Rasann is a world in dire need. The net of magic that has held her together for eons is eroding and the magi can’t patch it fast enough to prevent disaster. Volcanoes spew, waters rise, famine and flood and desolation threaten the world as they desperately await the coming of the Wolfchild to heal their home.

Three women begin quests for identity and freedom from the ties that have held them: Ember, from her overbearing and prejudice mother; Kayla, from the rigidity of the caste that has oppressed her family; C’Tan, from her dark and evil master, the Guardian S’Kotos. One will discover she is the first white mage born in three millennia, another will become guardian to the a keystone, the sapphire flute, and throughout it all the third will try to destroy them both.
Descendant by Nichole Giles, Young Adult
Discounted to $0.99
Buy on Amazon.com

Seventeen-year-old Abigail Johnson is Gifted.

Blessed—or cursed—with Sight and Healing, Abby lives an unsettled life, moving from place to place and staying one step ahead of the darkness that hunts her. When she arrives in Jackson, Wyoming, she is desperate to maintain the illusion of normalcy, but she is plagued with visions of past lives mixed with frightening glimpses of her future. Then she meets Kye, a mysterious boy who seems so achingly familiar that Abby is drawn to him like he’s a missing piece of her own soul.

Before Abby can discover the reason for her feelings toward Kye, the darkness catches up to her and she is forced to flee again. But this time she’s not just running. She is fighting back with Kye at her side, and it’s not just Abby’s life at stake.
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