Lisa Marie Pottgen's Blog, page 28
August 18, 2013
Clean Teen Publishing Presents: Heartkeeper
HEARTKEEPER by B.T. Lyons
Book One in the Heartkeeper Saga
Release Date: July 6, 2013
Heartkeeper should reflect free on AMAZON soon!
“People of the Field, of the Cave, of the Forest, and of the Mountain, and all the places and habitats in between, our race is able to gather here tonight because in time past we found that we were not the warden of the Earth, but the Earth was our warden, our sustainer, our parent…”
Mankind has survived the near-collapse of life as they knew it, now living in harmony with the world around them. Adain, a young Tenderfoot of this Future Earth, is about to take part in his Heart Chase – the search for a companion animal spirit that will act as his companion and conscience for the rest of his life. Success in the Heart Chase and surviving the subsequent Trials over the year ensures his place amongst the People as an adult, but failure means his certain death…
…and his whole future lies on the Heart of a mouse.
Heartkeeper is the first book in the “Heartkeeper Saga”, an epic adventure of friendship, challenges, and danger as humans struggle to regain their foothold in a new world that is no longer theirs to control. Can they survive in balance with the Earth, or will the Earth decide they no longer belong?
HEARTBOUND by B.T. Lyons
Book One in the Heartkeeper Saga
(Middle Grade- YA everyone)
Available Now!
It’s a new year, a new batch of Tenderfeet, and a new Heart Chase… but it is not the joyous occasion it has been for generations.
Shan, a Tenderfoot from devastated Sunperch Village, wants nothing to do with Hearts, the Heart Chase, or the Trials. All he wants is for the surviving children of his home to be safe… and he’s willing to do anything to protect them.
Cill, now the youngest Heartsworn ever chosen by the People, is thrust headlong into a side of his People’s culture that is changing daily, where the answers to life’s challenges are never easy and what is “right” is not as obvious as it once seemed.
New alliances will be forged, an entire way of living will be questioned, and the mystery of the Hearts and the Guardians deepens in Heartbound, Book Two of the Heartkeeper Saga.
Interesting Facts:
One thing that makes this cover extremely exciting is that the artwork was created by the author herself! (To see more of her art, check out her art page on her website.)
The novella of Heartkeeper was featured in Clean Teen Publishing’s break through anthology, Wonderstruck and has received numerous outstanding reviews. When B.T. Lyons accepted our invitation to submit a full length novel for this fantastical story, we were so pleased. All of us at CTP are super excited to have such a talented artist and writer on our team!
Excerpt from Heartkeeper by B.T. Lyons:
The Covenant was formed between the Land and the Humans to ensure that never again would our people exploit the plants, the animals, the soil, or the waters of Earth. By this agreement we are bound to protect as we are protected, to provide as we are provided for, and to respect, in order to be respected in return. Tonight we gather for one of the greatest binding aspects of the Covenant—the Heart Chase, where our young people are tested to see if they will uphold the Covenant in their adulthood. Guardians! Witness—we have gathered our young of thirteen years, the Tenderfeet of our People, to uphold their end of the bargain. Have the spirits gathered to uphold theirs?” All eyes turned to the dark woods where, slowly, small, faint lights began to gather with a warm, ethereal glow. They hovered, some weaving slightly between the leaves as if seeking a better viewing spot. Before long there were dozens, then hundreds, of individual heatless flames waiting at the edge of the forest.
Grandma Fael nodded, and bowed to the invisible Guardians. She turned back to the crowd, and spread her arms toward the now nervous Tenderfeet, who dug their toes in the thick summer grass and grasped their glass jars tight. “Gather around, children,” she said, speaking to them rather than the crowd. “Come, and I will tell you what will befall you tonight as you take your first step to adulthood.”
Adain and the other young people slowly stepped forward, and sat at Grandma Fael’s feet as was expected. There were around one hundred Tenderfeet, of all shapes, sizes, and colors, male and female, all thirteen years of age. But at this moment none felt as if they were on the verge of adulthood. They were scared, frightened children, relying on an adored adult to save their lives, which were very much in jeopardy for the next year.
“Tonight, children,” Grandma Fael said gently, looking over the assembled gathering, “is the last time I will be able to rightly call you ‘children’. Tonight you will go into the woods, and you will find, chase, and capture your Heart. It is the spirit of an animal who has given their life at some time for the good of humans; animals who lay down their life so we might eat, or make shelter, or make clothing or tools, or for our protection. There are animals there from all ages of time where humans and animals have lived together, from the great mammoth, to the first horses, to the cattle that lived in crowded feedlots and knew no freedom until their slaughter for our food set their spirits free. As part of the Covenant, you will go into the woods, and capture one of these Hearts, and care for it for a year. And during that year you will learn from it, as it will learn from you, and together you will grow in understanding of the relationship between the Land, the animals, and the Humans.
“But, as you are well aware, not all of you will survive this night. You go without light into the dark forest, where some of you will fail simply due to the hazards of the woods. And there are other
dangers. The gold Hearts that you see waiting for you are the spirits of the beasts that wish to rejoin with humans, to work with them, learn from them, and grow into greater beings. Out there are also Hearts that grow an angry red; these Hearts are animals who resent the actions that Man has taken against them, and they will try to harm you. Some will try to trick you into thinking that they are strong, powerful Hearts that even with their anger, will make a strong ally through life if you can only tame it. Do not fall for these tricks, for they never, ever come to good. Others will lead you to injury, or perhaps even death.
“And finally, there are the black Hearts. These are the spirits of those who were killed for no reason. They were abused, beaten, hunted for fun and sport, and suffered with no benefit in their passing. They want nothing else but to see you die. In the darkness of the forest, they will be very difficult for you to spot, but believe me, they can see you just fine. Most of them are probably sated from feeding on the Failed from this morning’s ceremony, but there may still be some about, because they know that you will be out in the woods seeking. You will be in grave danger out there.”
Adain swallowed heavily, his stomach dancing with excitement and fear. The Heart Chase was what every child looked forward to their entire life, and dreaded. Now that the moment was upon him, he didn’t know if he should be happy… or try to slink away and hide behind his mother.
Meet the author:
B.T. Lyons was born in 1973, growing up in Boylston, Massachusetts, and lived her early life working on the family goat farm and learning wilderness survival skills in the surrounding woodlands. She is a jack-of-all-trades, having worked as everything from a zookeeper to bookstore manager, to a horror theme park actress, to a radio personality, to a builder of utility trucks. In a current fit of happy mid-life crisis, she is a history major at South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD.
She shares her home with her husband and her thirteen-year-old daughter, as well as a rat terrier, a Pomeranian, a ball python, and a rotating guest list of foster animals from the local humane society. B.T. is a rabid video game addict, and also enjoys drawing and creating various Neolithic-style handcrafts as her other hobbies. Her role models include Jim Henson, Jackie Chan, Hiyao Miyazaki, and Bill Cosby, and she is inspired by authors such as Richard Adams, Tad Williams, and Ray Bradbury.
Connect with B.T. Lyons:
Website / Facebook Page / Goodreads / Twitter / Blog / Clean Teen Publishing Page
© 2013, lisapottgen. All rights reserved.
Clean Teen Publishing Presents: Heartkeeper is a post from: Just Another Rabid Reader
August 17, 2013
Review – Pivot Point by Kasie West
Title: Pivot Point
Author: Kasie West
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 12,2013
Page Count: 352
Where I got it: Bought for Kindle for Book BFF’s book of the month.
Where you can get it: Amazon
How much: List Price 17.99
Format I read it in: Kindle ebook
Description/Blurb:
Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier. . . .
Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.
In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.
My Thoughts: ★★★★★
So, one of the groups I am in on Goodreads, Book BFFs, which is a group that started during Bout of Books 7.0, does a book of the month every month. The pick for August was this book. I can’t usually do these because my book buying budget has pretty much gone the way of the dodo bird a lot of the time with school starting and all, but since this was on sale for 1.99 for Kindle, I was able to get it and participate.
The first two weeks, I did good about following along with the scheduled chapters. But then, I just couldn’t anymore. I got to chapter 20 and I had to keep going. I had to know what happened. Let me tell you, folks, I read from chapter 20 to the end in about 3 hours, in one sitting.
The story is laid out so uniquely that you just have to keep reading. You feel compelled to know how it will turn out and which path Addie is going to take. I will admit I had hoped it would turn out differently.
The writing is smooth and it feels as though it was almost effortless. While I had trouble focusing with the two different paths and the way it was laid out in the beginning, it soon became much less of a problem and I was able to fall into the words in the story. There were plenty of moments where I wanted to shake a few of the characters, rather violently. There were moments where the story brought tears to my eyes for various reasons, and I felt as though I was experiencing everything with them.
I find myself insanely frustrated now because I will have to wait until February (!!!) to see what happens next.
**DISCLAIMER** In full compliance with FTC Guidelines, I purchased this book of my own accord. I was in no way compensated for this opinion, and the thoughts are my own. Links above will take you to a site where you can PURCHASE a copy. Using those links will take you through an affiliate link and I will receive a small percentage of the purchase cost. You are in no way obligated to use affiliate links and there is no additional cost to do so. Clicking will take you to more information about the book on Goodreads. Clicking will take you to the authors website.
© 2013, lisapottgen. All rights reserved.
Review – Pivot Point by Kasie West is a post from: Just Another Rabid Reader
Current Challenges Updates: 8/17/2013
So, this is just going to be a quickie post, telling you where I am at on my current challenges going right now.
2013 ARC Reading Challenge: Current count as of right now is 42 review books read for the year. This includes both print an digital books thus far. If you go up to miscellaneous, most of them should be tagged under the challenges. I had aimed for the silver level initially and I have officially reached platinum, so I am in good shape for this one.
2013 Banned Book Challenge Hosted by Buckling Bookshelves
For the Banned book challenge, I am at a dismal 0 so far. I believe I committed to do 5, so I am in sorry, sorry shape for this one.
Rory Gilmore Bucket List Reading Challenge Redux
For the Rory Gilmore challenge, I am sadly still working on book 1. Life has been crazy. And I am hosting this one.. I feel pitiful!
ARC August Challenge
For the ARC August challenge, I committed to read 12 ARCs, at least 6 print, at least 6 digital. I am currently at 3/6 print, 2/6 digital for a total of 5. I am actually in good shape for this one.
Netgalley Knockout Challenge
For Netgalley Knockout, I committed to read at least 15 Netgalley/EW/Digital review books. I officially signed up in august, but was told it was okay to count the ones I read in July when the event had started. I am currently at 4/15 for this one.
There you have it folks. Are you participating in any of these challenges? How are you doing on your goals. I am looking forward to starting Bout of Books soon and making an even bigger dent in this pile!
© 2013, lisapottgen. All rights reserved.
Current Challenges Updates: 8/17/2013 is a post from: Just Another Rabid Reader
Clean Teen Publishing Presents: The ELE Series
The ELE Series
by Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels
Project ELE (Free), Finding ELE , Exposing ELE and Surviving ELE
Available Now Through:
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBookStore, Smashwords and Sony Kobo
View the book trailer for Project ELE !
Millions have already died, and thousands more are perishing daily. As a last ditch effort to preserve the human race, the government implements Project ELE. With the earth heating at rapid speeds, all remaining survivors are forced to turn to F.E.M.A. shelters to wait out ELE’s wrath.
Fifteen-year-old Willow Mosby’s life, as she knows it, ends the moment she walks through the shelter’s door. Willow has to quickly adapt to the new challenges that shelter life demands, which includes making new friends and working a full time job.
Soon after making an interesting discovery, Willow and her friends start exhibiting strange abilities. Seeking answers, they embark on a mission to find out what these new abilities mean and whether they are a gift or a curse.
This new adventure can send her world crashing down around her. The question is: Can Willow survive the fall?
From the best selling authors of Night Marchers comes a new apocalyptic series with a paranormal twist.
Excerpt from Project ELE:
When five o’clock rolls around I gladly hand my tablet over to Alec to download my delivery signatures. We are the last two in the office so I sit on top of his desk next to him as he finishes the last of his work. I watch him typing furiously on the keyboard. I don’t pay attention to the words being entered on the screen, instead I take the time to study him in a way that you can’t do when someone’s looking at you. Well, at least not without totally creeping him out.
His hair is so dark that it nearly looks black on most days. Today, when I look at it just the right way I can see the deep brown and chestnut colors that stand out underneath the light. I also notice that his eyebrows furrow in and his eyes squint ever so slightly when he’s concentrating. It’s endearing.
I inch myself closer so I can see more of his eyes. The deep emerald green that he once had is now completely replaced with the most unique shade of navy blue that I’ve ever seen. It starts out dark, almost black around the outer part of his eye and then fades into a lighter, yet still navy shade of blue as it leads into his pupils. Both of his eyes are completely changed and I wonder why only one of mine has changed.
Alec turns and catches me staring. He doesn’t say anything though. He shuts the computer off and stands up from his chair. He leans in to where I’m sitting on his desk and studies me.
“What are you doing?” I know I’m blushing and it’s possible that I should feel self-conscious, but nothing about Alec’s stare makes me feel unsure of myself. If anything the look that he’s giving me makes me feel beautiful and more confident.
“I figured if you got to study me for an uninterrupted five minutes then I should get to do the same to you.” He smiles.
“Oh, you saw that?” I push some of my hair behind my ear.
He nods his head but continues to appraise me.
My body feels warm and flush and the butterflies are dancing around again in my stomach. The silence is killing me so I decide to break it. “So, what exactly are you studying?”
“Hmm, an exquisite specimen really.” He says in his best official scientific voice.
I crack a smile at his corniness.
“Yes, her teeth are perfectly white. Her unruly waves have a color that is quite unique, it reminds me of a mix between caramel and toasted coconut.”
I giggle. “I’m sure it doesn’t taste as good as either of those.”
He pushes his hand through my hair and continues. “Her eyes are almond shaped and one is the most beautiful brown I’ve ever seen.”
I put my hand up to my left eye knowing that it must look horrible and freakish.
He pulls my hand away and sets it gently on my lap. He pushes my bangs aside and says, “And the other one is the most amazing mixture of colors that she seems to think is odd but I think it’s stunning.” He kisses me on my cheek then finishes. “I will conclude my findings with one final appraising statement. Willow Mosby, you are the most breathtakingly beautiful creature that I’ve ever set eyes on.”
Where can readers check us out?
Blog: http://nightmarchersseries.blogspot.com/
Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/nightmarchers
Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/eleseries
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5308881.Rebecca_Gober
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5308882.Courtney_Nuckels
Twitter: MidniteBeckie and NuckelsC
http://www.nightmarchersbook.com
Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpSSFWmJDNY
About Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels:
Rebecca and Courtney are downhome country girls powered by chocolate and other random late night cravings. Coined in southern twang they bring new meaning to the word y’all. BFI’s since the 6th grade, with a knack for getting into sticky situations, has resulted in countless ideas to write about for years to come.
© 2013, lisapottgen. All rights reserved.
Clean Teen Publishing Presents: The ELE Series is a post from: Just Another Rabid Reader
August 16, 2013
Anita Higman’s “Winter in Full Bloom” Kindle Fire Giveaway and Facebook Party! {8/29}
Anita Higman‘s latest novel, Winter in Full Bloom, has just released. She’s teamed up with her publisher, River North Fiction, for a fun giveaway and a Facebook Author Chat Party on August 29th.
One grand prize winner will receive:
A Kindle Fire HD
Winter in Full Bloom by Anita Higman
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 28th.Winner will be announced August 29th at the Winter in Full Bloom Author Chat Party on Facebook. During the party Anita will be hosting a book chat, talking about family, announcing the winner of the Kindle Fire, and giving away a ton of books, gift certificates, and more. Oh, and she’ll also be giving party goers an exclusive look at her next book.
So grab your copy of Winter in Full Bloom and join Anita on the evening of August 29th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)
DON’T MISS A MOMENT OF THE FUN; RSVP TODAY. HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 29th!
© 2013, lisapottgen. All rights reserved.
Anita Higman’s “Winter in Full Bloom” Kindle Fire Giveaway and Facebook Party! {8/29} is a post from: Just Another Rabid Reader
Clean Teen Publishing Presents: Double Star
Double Star
by Cindy Saunders
(YA- Paranormal Fantasy- Available Now)
She fell into his world, unaware of the key she carried and the doors it opened; a world where darkness waited to be set free … The wait is over
Do You Believe?
Get it today on Amazon!
When Cepheus, a dark god, forces seventeen-year-old Ally Ashworth off an isolated overlook, she has no idea she’s falling into his world, or that the necklace she’s wearing is actually a key – one with the power to ignite the next world war. But she’s carried beyond his reach and into the one place where he’s powerless … the forest of Gilgamesh.
Ally’s never been Miss Popularity, but her outsider status takes on new meaning when she’s rescued by Liam Cheveyo and his peculiar friends. After seeing them shape-shift into their freaky humanimal counterparts, Ally smacks hard into a few truths: magic really does exist and, although getting here took no effort, finding her way back might be impossible. Feelings between her and Liam begin to grow along with the realization that, in this world, she’s stronger, better … until she’s caught in a trap set by the creepy spider-boy Cepheus sends to retrieve her. But Ally’s not going down without a fight, not after learning the horrible truth about the passageways.
The survival of both worlds depends on it.
Excerpt from Double Star:
Where she was going didn’t matter. Where she was, she didn’t know. In this run for her life, her focus was to simply get someplace else. Above, the limbs of the great pines held the stars hostage. The only light came from the two moons in the sky. Despite her silent pleas they continued to fall, barely visible through the thick cover of the forest. She knew the darkness concealed many secrets and, from that fact, there was no escape.
Snap. The sound from behind stopped her heart. She dared to turn around. Two glowing rubies, only feet away, rode up and down as the creature advanced on four legs.
Beware the red eyes. The boy’s whisper broke through. They are the eyes of death for you and the ones you love. They will not rest until yours are closed forever. His image played in her head for only a millisecond, but it filled her with courage. Her heart picked up pace and, with arms out at her sides, hands moving in frantic rhythm, she managed to stay on her feet.
She sensed each passing second could be her last when she heard the creature’s rhythmic breathing roll up from her heels. Just then, the red moon revealed an abrupt end to the forest a short distance ahead. In a few steps, her fate would be in the hands of gravity. Trust! That was her grappling hook as she threw herself over the edge and tumbled into the darkness below.
The beast followed down the steep embankment and stopped a few feet away. She got to her feet and allowed the wolf-like creature another step. Its red eyes stared up at her. The head dropped between its shoulders. Its weight shifted to its hindquarters. The muscles of hunter and prey simultaneously tensed. The animal growled and exposed a set of long, yellow teeth. Saliva fell in strings from razor-sharp incisors. Unable to move, she watched as it lunged, jaws open wide. She put her hands in front of her and took a step back. Her left foot fell upon air, and then … she plummeted into emptiness.
About Cindy Saunders:
CINDY SAUNDERS was born in Lowell, MA. She moved to RI almost twenty-five years ago and now considers the Ocean State her home. She graduated from Bryant College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. When she’s not reading, writing, spending time with her two teenage children (how did that happen?) or working, Cindy tracks down one of her favorite local bands and enjoys a glass of wine. She completed her first novel, Double Star, a YA fantasy, in October 2012 and is currently working on the second book in the series.
Double Star is her first novel.
Website: http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/cindy-saunders
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doublestarbook
© 2013, lisapottgen. All rights reserved.
Clean Teen Publishing Presents: Double Star is a post from: Just Another Rabid Reader
August 15, 2013
Clean Teen Publishing Presents: Wonderstruck Anthology
Wonderstruck Anthology is now available! Get Wonderstruck TODAY from
Amazon
!
Add Wonderstruck to your Goodreads to be read list
When you look at a picture, what do you see? We gave authors around the world the challenge to write a story based on a set of five images. More than thirty authors rose to that challenge and created an amazing young adult anthology of drabbles, short stories, novelettes and novellas for you to enjoy. Flip the pages and prepare to be Wonderstruck!
Dive into a world where wind is a power that feeds the flames and love makes everything more complicated. A life where a scorned bride can cause a great deal of trouble and a place where silence as you will find out has a lot to say. Find yourself in a future where a powerful enemy can only be stopped by the most dangerous weapon of all: the truth. All of this and more lies within these very pages… Are you ready?
Wonderstruck is Clean Teen Publishing’s first break through Young Adult anthology. All stories within this book have fallen within our YA rating scale, however, not all stories have young adult characters. You will find a great deal of entertainment within Wonderstruck that is appropriate for readers of all ages. To view more information on our official content rating system please visit: www.cleanteenpublishing.com
Winning Novella-
Wind Warrior by Jon Messenger (Clean Teen Publishing Author of Wind Warrior)
The sleepy town of White Halls harbors a dangerous secret. On a picturesque street, two houses down from a lovely little park, in a quaint little home with a wraparound porch, lives a family that seems rather normal. Sure, their twenty year old son, Xander, still lives at home, but he’s going to college and dating the leader of the schools top sorority. It’s all very… normal. However, when a man is miraculously saved from being hit by a bus, Xander’s life turns in to the living embodiment of the tornadoes he can suddenly create with a flick of his wrist. Whether he wants this gift or not, Xander must learn to use his new ‘super power’ quickly if he wants to survive. For his kind is a dying race, and when this sleepy town has a sudden influx of new, blonde, fire wielders, no one is safe, especially Xander. It doesn’t help that one of these blondes happens to be the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. Xander can’t deny the instant connection he feels to her so, when she tries to kill him, it certainly makes things complicated.
Winning Novelette-
Pastiche by Maren Dille
A punishment far worse than death awaits Alim Hamal. Sylin Incorporated has a particular sentence for their rogue assassins: uncovering the darkest moments in their subconscious, then watching as they relive them through virtual simulation. Only one assassin has ever escaped. Alim plans to be the second.
The simulation demands the truth, something Alim has kept from his employers at all costs. But as his final moments emerge, Sylin will discover that the truth is Alim’s most dangerous weapon.
Winning Short Story-
The Silent Man by Kati Ellis
I thought my time with Silence would be peaceful. Heaven knows I deserve it after all those years of raising babies. Silence, however, had a different plan. If it weren’t for Marigold, I don’t think I would’ve seen it. She introduced me to the Silent Man, and Silence, as it turns out, has quite a bit to say.
Winning Drabble-
A Lady’s Revenge by Jennifer Bull
A scorned bride can cause a great deal of trouble…
Wonderstruck Authors (By Last Name)
Radeyah H. Ali
Drabble~ Magically Fitted
Gabrielle Arrowsmith (Clean Teen Publishing Author of Concealed in the Shadows)
Drabble~ Joah and the Beacon of Light
Beau Barnett
Short Story~ Into Eternity
Eric, a widowed paralytic, knows he is dreaming when he sees a younger version of his deceased wife, Jessica, by a lake with his old dog. But the joy of seeing them again is replaced by the pain of knowing they won’t be there when he wakes up.
Jennifer Bull
Short Story~ A Wizard’s World
When Jack stumbled upon a strange jar in the middle of the forest he found the one thing he had always wanted—a friend, and now he’ll do everything he can to protect her. Born into a world unlike any other, a world within a jar, Lottie longs to explore beyond her glass home. Little does she know that even the smallest adventures can have dangerous consequences…
Drabble~ Life in a Jar
Drabble~ Round and Round I Go
Drabble~ Once In a Blue Moon
Liana Chau
Drabble~ Ahead and Beyond
MeMe Collier
Short Story~ The Fairy Jar
Gracie doesn’t believe in magic. Disillusioned by their mother’s abandonment, she dismisses her younger brother, Brennan’s, claim that he’s caught a fairy. But as the invisible Ileana works in her family’s lives, memories of their mother’s fairytales tug at Gracie’s mind. They call into question everything she’s come to place her faith in, making her wonder if magic really does exist and if love still lives on after loss.
Leah D.W.
Short Story~ Watery Grave
There is something in the water…something dark…something hungry…
When Ashlynn escapes from a life of abuse she is thrown into the swamplands rumored to harbor a nightmare. She should have listened to the rumors because there is something in the water…and it loves the taste of human flesh
Julie Gilbert
Drabble~ Keio and the Farsight Fire
Lisa Goldman
Short Story~ Oafish Me
In Oafish Me, teenager, Misty, considers herself a social outcast—an oaf—as her classmates remind her every opportunity they get. When Drake, a charismatic and gorgeous new student, stays by her side through their constant ridicule, she discovers she not only longs for a friendship with him but for the first time, a relationship. With her raw emotions on the line, she accepts his invitation to go out but when he takes her to a secluded wooded area, she starts to question if he is her knight in shining armor or her worst enemy.
Dominique Goodall
Drabble~ Fairy Capture
Brenna Harden
Short Story~ A Warriors Journey
Sandra Havriluk
Drabble~ Jedidiah
Sacha Hope
Novelette~ Glass Heart
Wolt is a brilliant scientist trying desperately to cure his wife’s condition. Doctors suspected she had a type of cancer and their medicines offered little help to the ailing woman. Wolt finds a way to buy time for his wife, but his experiment turns her into something else altogether…
Erin Liles
Novelette ~ Outside the Walls
Outspoken, seventeen-year-old Jenna hates the settlement she lives in where disagreement is frowned upon. Fed up, she leaves one day, and meets a group of outsiders, only to discover that her home and family are in danger. It is up to Jenna to save them and in doing so, discover what is really important.
B.T. Lyons (Clean Teen Publishing Author!)
Novella~ Heartkeeper Short Story (Full series coming July 2013)
It only took fifty years for humankind to plummet from the turmoil of a population of ten billion people to a struggling group of two billion trying to figure out how to survive in harmony with the Earth. Under a new, peaceful societal structure, people have relearned their connection with the Land and the spirits of nature that live there. Young Adain has just reached thirteen years of age, and must undertake the dangerous Heart Chase to secure the spirit of an animal that will act as his conscience and companion for the rest of his life. It will be a year of trials and challenges, but the risks to the People may be even higher as someone else binds with an animal spirit that may not have their best interests in mind…
Short Story~ Peace
London in the late 1800′s is a dirty, chaotic, and above all, loud place embroiled in a scientific war with neighboring France as each strives to outdo each other with technological wonders. A young married pair of university professionals finds themselves at odds over the benefits of this war: Nigel only wants to see England prevail – preferably through his own inventions – whereas his wife, Christine, dreams of quiet and a natural world that she has only seen in storybooks. Enter a street-side vendor offering “Peace In A Bottle”; this might be the answer to Christine’s greatest desires, but it could be the beginning of Nigel’s worst nightmare.
Julie Marcinik
Short Story~ The Executioner
Vivian Fletcher has a gift that’s given her a special place in the kingdom—the King’s personal executioner. Everything and everyone she touches dies. When she finds out that the world she’s living in is full of lies and turmoil, she’ll have to accept her gift and use it to right the wrongs.
Mia Marin
Drabble~ A Note To My Traveler
Drabble~ A Dear Dalliance
Miranda Maurin
Short Story~ The Dance of Time
Tabitha and Carter are a little too daring when they run through a tunnel to investigate the mysterious music they heard while running through the woods. The cave is well lit, and the dance looks fun, but they can’t seem to stop.
Veronica Morfi
Drabble~ Shine
Ifeoma Ofuani
Drabble~ He Would Be Great
Paula Phillips
Short Story~ Skye in High School Wonderland
It started out just like any normal day for high school Plain Jane Skye Salisbury until tragedy strikes her school and out of nowhere, a glimmering hole appeared. The question on everyone’s minds is—what lies at the bottom? Will it be another world or a different dimension?
Jocelyn Sanchez
Novella~ A World Unlike Mine
What would you do if you could see magical creatures from the early age of five? Well, for seventeen-year-old Tasha it gets pretty difficult when a fairy prince named Thomas appears with news that will change her life forever. But with the help of her best friend and pixie, Seamus, Tasha will find her place in a world so unlike hers. Will she rise to the occasion and become who she was destined to be?
Drabble~ Night
Drabble~ Darkness and Light
Cindy Saunders (Clean Teen Publishing Author of Double Star)
Short Story~ Nirvana
She looked at the picture she’d painted many years ago. It was a magical place—a place inspired by her dreams. Though, tonight it almost seemed… alive, as if it were calling to her.
Clemy W. Thompson
Drabble~ The Truth
Dana Wright
Drabble~ Fairy Lights
http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com
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© 2013, lisapottgen. All rights reserved.
Clean Teen Publishing Presents: Wonderstruck Anthology is a post from: Just Another Rabid Reader
A to Z Book/Reader Survey
Author you’ve read the most books from:
I would have to say Steven King. I think I have read about 18 or so of his books? I am not positive.
Best Sequel Ever:
Canes of Divergence by Breeana Puttroff. It is actually a 6th in a series, but it was an amazing book.
Currently Reading:
Winter in Full Bloom by Anita Higman. This is for a Litfuse Blog tour and my review will be up on the 21st. I am actually reading a few books right now, but this is the one that I was reading ten minutes ago.
Drink of Choice While Reading:
Coffee or Rockstar Energy Drinks. They have a bubble gum one. It is my newest addiction (besides Red Bull)!
E-reader or Physical Book?
You know, I can go either way on this one. It really depends on what I am reading. I have both a Nook Tablet and a Kindle Keyboard, and I have a fair pile of print books for review on the shelves in my room, so I go back and forth. This week, print seems to hold my attention better, other times it is the e-reader that seems to read easier and quicker.
Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School:
Trevor from Pivot Point.
Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:
Her Unwelcome Inheritance by J. Aleksandr Wootton
Hidden Gem Book:
The World Was My Oyster But I Didn’t Know How to Cook by Christy Potter
Important Moment in your Reading Life:
Discovering book blogging really was a thing. And getting to be a part of it.
Just Finished:
My most recent finished read was Awaken by Meg Cabot. Totally amazing.
Kinds of Books You Won’t Read:
I don’t do erotica. I just can’t get into it. Or romance without a decent plot and story line. Something about those two just really do not work for me at all.
Longest Book You’ve Read:
Ever? I think it was the unabridged version of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. Something in the neighborhood of a thousand pages or so? And still my absolute favorite classic ever.
Major book hangover because of:
My biggest book hangover came following the Dewey Readathon. I can’t even remember what I read without having to look, but omigosh..
Number of Bookcases You Own:
Just 1. But it is nearly 8 feet wide and 5 feet high. My wonderful husband made it for me. It is unfinished wood, and it has a really rustic look to it. I adore it. I would post a picture but all I have right now is my laptop webcam right now.
One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:
Okay, I will admit it. Twilight. I have read the series at least 6 or 7 times.
Preferred Place To Read:
My comfy recliner. It’s a Lane. And it was FREE!
Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read:
Oh gosh. Probably:
“Never,” said my aunt, “be mean in anything; never be false; never be cruel. Avoid those three vices, Trot, and I can always be hopeful of you.”
― Charles Dickens, David Copperfield
I don’t know why, but that has always stuck with me. I read David Copperfield for the first time when I was 8 or 9 years old. So this was stunningly profound at the time, and I will remember it always.
Reading Regret:
Not knowing that The Princess Diaries was based on a book series, and having seen the movie prior to reading the books. I read the first four this year, but it was so different from the movie that the book was really just ruined for me.
Series You Started And Need To Finish(all books are out in series):
The Sookie Stackhouse series. I have read the first 10. I have through 12, and need to get 13. But I just never got around to those last few.
Three of your All-Time Favorite Books:
David Copperfield, The Jolie Wilkins series by HP Mallory, The Dusk Gate Series by Breeana Puttroff (I know, series are cheating). Oh, and The Long Walk by Stephen King/Richard Bachman. Eerily awesome.
Unapologetic Fangirl For:
Anything written by Amanda Hocking. There is documented proof on my blog of my dorkitude in this manner.
Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:
Elegy. Just, amazing.
Worst Bookish Habit:
I will not DNF. And this tends to put me in a reading funk. Oh, and reading when I should be working.
X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:
Prep School Confidential (Prep School Confidential, #1)
Your latest book purchase:
Pivot Point for the Book BFFs book of the month read.
ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):
The Abandon Series by Meg Cabot. All three of them. Read within 50 consecutive hours.
© 2013, lisapottgen. All rights reserved.
A to Z Book/Reader Survey is a post from: Just Another Rabid Reader
August 14, 2013
Clean Teen Publishing Presents: Concealed in Shadows
Concealed In The Shadows by Gabrielle Arrowsmith
(YA Dystopian- Available Now)
Get it today on Amazon!
Sydney Harter has long awaited September 12th, 2033—her eighteenth birthday. She can finally apply for guardianship of her sister, who is her only family and entire world. She hopes they will be lawfully reunited, but is prepared to defy authority and risk everything to escape the captivity of Miles County so that they can be together.
Escaping will be difficult and dangerous. Citizens are bound to their county by sophisticated chip implants that deliver shocks to those who dare to cross the electric barrier. Sydney is very clever, but her trickery is limited against the all-seeing eyes of technology. Even if they were to survive the escape, disappearing into the forgotten forests and towns of the past seems an impossible task.
What Sydney doesn’t know is that she is the particular interest of two opposing forces. With deceit, fear, and warfare surrounding her—can she trust the party that aims to help with her fight against the other? Can she open her heart to receive and return unexpected love? When her sister’s life becomes jeopardized, Sydney will have to weigh a new love against the only enduring love she has known. The cost could be deadly…
How will she choose?
Excerpt from Concealed in the Shadows:
Suddenly, the little girl isn’t so brave. Tears overtake her small face as she buries herself in her grandmother’s lap. “You’re not going to let them take you away, are you, Grandma? You can’t leave us!” The desperate pleas of the helpless child prove to be too much for her grandmother. The tears escape her too, but she fights to hold in the anger and the revulsion in order to be strong for the sake of the child.
“I wish I could stay forever, sweetheart. I wish I could see you and your sister grow into the strong, beautiful women that I know you will become. I wish I could see your mother get healthy again.” The tears try to choke off her words, but she forces them out. “But, you see, last night was my last Friday night sleepover with you and your sister, and sweetheart,” she places her hand on the shoulder of the little girl and smiles, “it was one of the best days of my life. I get to leave this world with warm memories of baking cookies and painting flowers with my two favorite people in the world.”
“I don’t want you to go!” the child protests as her heart boils and her face floods. She pulls her grandma’s arms around her and buries her head into her chest as she begs, “Just tell them you don’t feel sick. Tell them you want to stay a little longer.” She closes her eyes tightly and wishes that it were a nightmare. But already the little girl knows better than hoping for happiness in her life. She knows there are no exceptions to the unchallengeable laws.
“I know, sweetheart, I know.” The woman strokes and kisses the distraught and fragile girl’s hair as the child clings to her tightly. A few more tears slide from her weary eyes before she finds the strength to make a final request of her beloved grandchild.
“Sydney?” She looks down to where I’m still clinging to her, not ready to come away and meet the eyes I love so much as she tells me that this is the last time I will see her. “Sydney,” she tries again, this time gently pulling my chin from her chest. “I need you to do me one last favor, okay?” My grandma can see that I can’t handle this. How can she ask me, a mere child, to let go of the one I love most, the unyielding presence in my life? Her next words seem sharper than the rest in the memory, and I never let them go.
“Sydney Harter, I know it will be hard, but you have no choice other than to be the bravest girl there ever was. You have to be brave so that you and Evvie can grow up strong. Grandpa and I, your dad, and Grandma and Grandpa Harter, want to look down on you and smile because of how proud you’ve made us.” She waits. My wails have subsided to sobs, but the pain hasn’t lessened any. “You want to make all of us proud, right honey?”
“Yes,” I reply shakily. It took so much to utter that single word because with it came the acknowledgement that I had only begun learning hardship.
“Good, sweetheart. Good girl,” she soothes. “What I need you to do is try your very hardest to take care of your sister. Be good all the time and try to help your mom when she seems sick.” Grandma’s eyes enlarge and she squeezes my hand more tightly. “Never ever tell anyone about your mom’s sickness, even if it seems like they are trying to help. Can you be a big girl and do those things for me, sweetheart?” I nod that I can, although I don’t believe it, and empty my heart in her lap for the last time.
About Gabrielle Arrowsmith:
GABRIELLE ARROWSMITH enjoyed writing her debut novel, Concealed in the Shadows, during a lovely Minnesota summer that she had off from her primary profession, teaching. Acting, playing and coaching soccer, reading, playing piano, and spending time with family and friends are among her other interests.
Website: http://www.gabriellearrowsmith.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConcealedInTheShadows
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6880655.Gabrielle_Arrowsmith
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/garrowsmith13
CTP Website: http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/gabrielle-arrowsmith.html
© 2013, lisapottgen. All rights reserved.
Clean Teen Publishing Presents: Concealed in Shadows is a post from: Just Another Rabid Reader
August 13, 2013
Introducing Clean Teen Publishing
We are excited to be able to tell your amazing readers about our new publishing company: Clean Teen Publishing. CTP is a new Indie publishing company that publishes Young Adult and New Adult fiction. We opened our doors in late February of 2013. Since then we have signed 8 authors and we have published 12 books and we have another 2 books scheduled for release this week:
• Gabrielle Arrowsmith- Concealed in the Shadows (Available Now)
• Wonderstruck Anthology- (Available Now) by multiple authors.
• Cindy Saunders- Double Star (Available Now)
• Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels- Night Marchers, Redemption, Project ELE, Finding ELE, Exposing ELE and Surviving ELE. (Available Now)
• Jon Messenger- Wind Warrior (Available Now)
• B.T. Lyons- Heartkeeper and Heartbound (Available Now)
• Lauren Nicolle Taylor- The Woodlands (August 30, 2013)
• Holly Kelly- Rising (September 30, 2013)
What Makes Clean Teen Publishing Different For Readers?
One of the things that makes CTP stand out from the crowd is our trademark rating system. All Young Adult genre books that are newly published through Clean Teen Publishing will have a rating attached to their book. This content rating is based on the following: Romance, Language, Violence and Drug/Alcohol Abuse. At Clean Teen Publishing, we believe that our readers deserve to know ahead of time what they are reading. We do not believe in censorship; we believe in the right to know. Every reader, no matter what their age is, has certain boundaries they don’t want to cross. Currently there is no consistent rating system in place for books like there are for movies, music and video games. We believe by offering a wider range of disclosure about the content of our books, we will give readers of all ages and parents, a stronger sense of comfort according to what lies between the pages.
With that said, we will not deem whether a book is appropriate or inappropriate for any particular age range. *Our disclosure is simply for you to know what is in the book and we leave it up to you to decide what you are comfortable with reading.
Did you know that Clean Teen Publishing offers the ability to order a rating for your self-published book? We also offer this content rating for other Indie publishing companies who want their YA books rated. For more information on how to order your rating, please check out this link: http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/order-a-rating-for-your-book.html
What Makes Clean Teen Publishing Different For Authors?
At Clean Teen Publishing, we believe our authors, who create new and amazing literary worlds, deserve to receive a large share of the profits that their art creates. We also believe that our authors deserve the support of quality editing, breathtaking covers and the power of a strong marketing presence behind them. As authors ourselves, we know that your writing comes from your heart and, in a sense, is a part of you. We will carefully protect that part of you and work hard to keep your creative vision alive.
Clean Teen Publishing is currently accepting submissions for Young Adult and New Adult novels. We are looking for well written YA (young adult) or NA (new adult) novels that are between 50,000 and 100,000 words. We are interested in stand alone books and we will accept submissions for previously self-published work (however, this may change in the future.) Our ideal submission would be the first two books in a series or a novel and a novella that is a prequel to the novel. We are looking for something unique and breathtaking. For more information on our submission guidelines, check out: http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/submissions.html
More from Clean Teen Publishing:
© 2013, lisapottgen. All rights reserved.
Introducing Clean Teen Publishing is a post from: Just Another Rabid Reader
