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C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

May The Force Be With You on This Wednesday

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I could use a bit of Star Wars power this month. If you’re in California you know what we might be up against this summer: water shortages, rolling electrical outages, and wildfires. What a perfect storm we could be heading into. Last summer we weren’t prepared for half of what Mother Nature hurled at us, so this time a lot of us are getting ready for the worst and hoping for the best.

I have my “Go Bag” by the front door. I’ve put irreplaceable items in storage. As you read this I’ll be on an evacuation drill with my community driving a back road that is the second route of escape in case of fire. (I may be late in visiting blogs this month.) There’s not much more I can do, so after this drill, I’m as ready as I can be. From now on, it’s a wait-and-see summer.

The boots were made for walkin’

Fortunately, there are a lot of good writing events to look forward to

at

#IWSG!

First, here’s this month’s question. Remember, the question is optional!

Has any of your readers ever responded to your writing in a way that you didn’t expect? If so, did it surprise you?

The awesome co-hosts for today are

Erika Beebe,Pat Garcia,Tonja Drecker,Sadira Stone, and Cathrina Constantine!

#IWSG
Join Us Today

I’m always surprised at what readers say about my books, and this is why writing is such an adventure. I have my own world view, and of course, it’s the right one. Then someone sees something in what I’ve created on paper and it’s not what I wrote at all. Really? Gee, there’s another way to see that event, or that character’s reaction–one I’ve never thought of? The writer-reader interaction is mind-expanding, and that’s one reason I keep doing this. This question is close to the issue of the REVIEWS and the different ways writers react to them.

Some say they don’t read their reviews, but I find that hard to believe. I learn from my reviews–negative and positive. And I’d prefer getting them to not. There’s no quicker way to bury a book than to ignore it, so I like to review for others and do as many as I can. Another thought occurred to me while writing this answer (sorry if I’m rambling–age factor) A few readers have been offended by my topics, but in my mind if a book isn’t at least a bit polarizing, I didn’t write something worth reading.

I’m eager to see how others respond to this one. I think it’s a great question.

I’ve gone into this topic a bit more on my EMAIL CONNECT this month. This link takes you to my home page. The signup field is there. If you’d like to join me, you’ll receive a short story with a touch of horror to spike your reading pleasure in May. It would be great to have you among my contacts.

And now for the Ta Da moments in this post

IWSG Sweet Romance Anthology
The Details and the Judges

Do you write sweet romance? This is a chance to have one of your stories read by 7 noted writers/agents and published in an anthology.

The theme: First Love

Dark Matter Anthology #IWSG
An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology
Available NOW!

Discover dark matter’s secrets and visit the writers who are included in this anthology.

Stephanie Espinoza Villamor
CD Gallant-King
Kim Mannix
Steph Wolmarans
Tara Tyler
Deniz Bevan
Charles Kowalski
Olga Godim
Elizabeth Mueller
Mark Alpert

This Month’s Quote: “It’s like obituaries, when you die they finally give you good reviews.” Roger Maris

Thoughts about 2017 & Tara Tyler’s Cradle Rock

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Thoughts about 2017
Change Formula
For this past year, I’ve been thinking of retiring from blogging and writing. Yet, when I considered how many people I’d miss contacting each week, I couldn’t. 
However, I have made a decision about how I’m going to blog. I always enjoy helping writers get the word out about their books, so I started my Email Connect, hoping that I could do that, but maybe even more effectively than with just a one time appearance on my blog. 
I realize that with this new plan I’ll only be able to choose 12 authors each year, maybe only 11 because I’m going to take one month off for RandR and a bit of travel. But I hope the trade off–in depth and month-long support instead of a one-time blog post–will be worth their while.
For writers who aren’t my Featured Follower of the Month, I’m always happy to 
  • do a Spotlight on my blog
  • add their book to Goodreads TBR
  • tweet
  • share on FB
  • visit other websites and comment
  • give Thunderclap support

In 2017, I’m hoping to write about other things besides books. I’d like to post on topics of interest to me and hopefully my readers. I’m working on that now, and am going to make a stab at it starting January.
I’d like to know what you think about my plan. I could use some feedback.
  • Hate it? 
  • Kind of like the idea, but not sure? 
  • Love it? 

Now, since it’s still 2016 and I’ve not changed anything yet . . .
Tara Tyler has a new book out in December, and she here today to tell you all about it! It’s all yours, Tara!
Add to your Goodreads TBR List
CRADLE ROCK
by Tara Tyler
Release Date: December 1, 2016
Welcome to the forest.
Gabe and his girlfriend Ona are headed in opposite directions for Spring Break. After finding out humans might be a real part of their history, Ona is determined to dig up evidence of them in the mysterious mountains at Camp Cradle Rock. Being a logical goblin, Gabe tries to talk her out of it, but there’s just no reasoning with a stubborn ogress.

When Ona goes missing, Gabe and his friends fly to Cradle Rock to search for her and discover a village of trouble, igniting an age old war. His physical skills may be lacking, but Gabe won’t give up. With the help of his diverse group of friends, he will find a way to save his girl and maybe all beastkind. Humans, bah!
And here’s the book trailer! With sketches from my super fantastic inside illustrator, Laura Kramer.


Quote of the Week: The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” Alan Watts, Philosopher and Writer

The Mysterious Moving Grave

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What better story to tell this Halloween than one about a grave that moves! Don’t miss out on the Rafflecopter entry. Take it away, Bish

Thanks for letting me haunt your blog, Lee! Today I’m going to share a scene that was removed from my book The Bowl and the Stone: A Haunting Tale from the Virgin Islands. At then end, I’ll tell the “real” story.

Like any writer, I had to revise and edit The Bowl and Stone… a lot. I changed POV and tense more times than I care to admit. Whole chapters and scenes were ripped from the pages, each one tearing at my heart. But when three beta readers say the same thing, one has to take a serious look. This scene, along with others related to it, was removed because ultimately they made Sam and her best friend, Nick, look rather mean and petty, which is not what I intended. Here the friends are explaining about a grave they believe moves from place to place, to two tourist kids.
***
The Mysterious Moving Grave

     The two tourist kids were so annoying we had to tell them the story of the Mysterious Moving Grave. 
     “Once there was this really mean man,” said Nick. “He was so mean nothing grew on his farm.”
     “He was married,” I continued, “and had three kids. He drank a lot and blamed them for his not being able to grow anything.”
     “One night he got really drunk and went into a terrible rage. That’s when he did it.” Nick paused for effect.
     “Did what?” asked the thin, pale boy who looked like an albino salamander.
     “That’s when he killed his wife and kids,” he answered.
     “With a machete,” I said.
     “Hacked all four of ’em to bits.” Nick waved his arm like he was slicing something up. “Scattered their body parts all over his land. He thought it would make things grow.”
     “Gross!” The girl covered her mouth with a hand and turned green as genip.
     “It gets better,” I said. “He was caught and tried and they hung him right here at Gallows Point, which is where they hung all the criminals and pirates back then. Even though he was a bad man his brother wanted to bury him all proper, so he built him a small concrete tomb.”
     Nick continued. “The problem is he’s restless. He keeps getting out of his grave and wandering around Gallows Point with that machete, looking for the people who hanged him. People have heard him scraping his machete along the walls of the cottages, particularly the one you’re staying in. And because he keeps climbing in and out of his grave, it keeps moving. Sometimes it’s up near the road, sometimes closer to the genip tree.”
The Real Story
Since we had to walk by the graveyard on an almost daily basis my best friend Jay and I kept tabs on a grave that appeared to move from the genip tree, up to the road, and back down to the tree. As children with prodigious imaginations, we made up all sorts of stories about it.
The truth is rather mundane. The grave did indeed appear to move, but not because a ghost was climbing in and out of the small concrete tomb. Back in the day the road past the graveyard was dirt and just wide enough for two Jeeps to pass. During the rainy season, usually the summer, the tall Guinea grass grew thickly along the side of the road, making the road appear narrower, making the grave look farther from the road. During the dry season, usually the winter, the grass died back, making the road appear wider, thus making the grave look closer to the road.
I don’t have any pictures of Jay and me as children. But here we are in our 20s in the windmill at Annaberg, a sugar plantation that has small but important role in The Bowl and the Stone.

OOOOooooooOOOOOOoooooo. Happy Halloween, everyone!
Amazon  Smashwords
About the Book:

Pirates. Explorers. And spooky ghost hunters.
It’s 1962. Sam and her best friend, Nick, have the whole island of St. John, in the U. S. Virgin Islands, as their playground. They’ve got 240 year-old sugar plantation ruins to explore, beaches to swim, and trails to hike.
But when a man disappears like a vapor right in front of them, they must confront a scary new reality. They’re being haunted. By whom? And why? He’s even creeping into Nick’s dreams.
They need help, but the one who might be able to give it is Trumps, a reclusive hunchback who doesn’t like people, especially kids. Are Sam and Nick brave enough to face him? And if they do, will he listen to them? 
As carefree summer games turn into eerie hauntings, Sam and Nick learn more about themselves and life than they could ever have imagined.
About the Author
Bish Denham, whose mother’s side of the family has been in the Caribbean for over one hundred years, was raised in the U. S. Virgin Islands. She still has lots of family living there whom she visits regularly.
She says, “Growing up in the islands was like living inside a history book. Columbus named the islands, Sir Francis Drake sailed through the area, and Alexander Hamilton was raised on St. Croix. The ruins of hundreds of sugar plantations, built with the sweat and blood of slave labor, litter the islands. Then there were the pirates who plied the waters. It is within this atmosphere of wonder and mystery, that I grew up. Life for me was magical, and through my writing I hope to pass on some of that magic.”
The Bowl and the Stone: A Haunting Tale from the Virgin Islands, is her third book and second novel. You can find Anansi and Company: Retold Jamaican Tales and A Lizard’s Tail, at Amazon.com.
Learn more about Bish:  Random Thoughts. Facebook. Twitter. Goodreads

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER DRAWING FOR THE BOWL AND THE STONE.


Tomorrow is November 1 and that means my Email Connect Message will be going out. I have a new Featured Follower for the month, and some interesting stuff about Amazon algorithms and titles. Don’t miss this one.

Quote of the Week: (In honor of election week!)  “There is nothing further away from Washington than the entire world.” Arthur Miller.

With His Cat’s Help, Roland Yeoman Hijacks My Blog

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“Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?”
 – Mark Twain
Here is the next stop in my DON’T BUY MY BOOK! Blog Tour.  Hey, don’t blame me.  Lee let me in.

Seriously, thank her for her generosity and kindness by commenting at the bottom of this post, will you?
We live life with no sure light but that which we carry within us.  We sail into the darkness with an uncertain map made of the perishable paper of our flawed perceptions.
“When you have made a mistake, think not: ‘This is misfortune’ think rather: ‘To bear this worthily is good fortune.’”  
– Marcus Aurelius
In the cursed Samuel McCord, I wanted to make, not a hero, not even a protagonist, but merely a man who finds himself with terrible “gifts” and a propensity to screw up when he wants to do right.

A lot like each one of us, right?

How many times have you gambled on forgiveness and been bitten by the act?
Samuel, too.

But when Samuel spares a coven of dragons and gives them a renewed chance at life, he sets into motion consequences that will trigger the terrible San Francisco earthquake of 1906.

How can he live with that? 

How do any of us live with the consequences of well-intentioned acts gone terribly awry?

Bram Stoker has Dracula say: “We learn from failure, not from success.”
But at what cost?

Samuel rescues a British girl from rape.  Being with him will be a death sentence so he leaves her with friends on rough Parisian streets.
Decades later, he runs into her again: the famous courtesan Cora Pearl
From the 1836 Sidhe kidnapping of Princess Victoria to a 1867 encounter with the Chinese Celestial Dragon, Qing Long to his Red Wedding beneath the Rouen Cathedral and betrayal by the werewolves of Paris to contesting with brutal Paris Surgeons in the Hotel Dieu …

Samuel strives to do the right thing and mostly fails epically  … much to the delight of Samuel Clemens and the dismay of 11 year old Nicola Tesla.
Excerpt:
Samuel is standing atop the dirigible, that is really a star-craft, holding up the Xanadu, considering if he should just step off into the stormy ocean far below.  
It would be but fitting punishment for screwing up royally, dooming San Francisco to the revenge of the celestial dragon, Qing Long.  Rind, the Angel of Death, whose blood flows through his veins, appears behind him:
     No.  I wouldn’t give my enemies the satisfaction of self-destruction.  Besides, Meilori would think I had believed she deserted me.
     A voice of icicles murmured behind me.  I should not have been able to hear it what with the howling winds shrieking all about me.  But you always hear Death’s voice no matter your circumstances.
     “Eternity is a long time to brood over what you should not have done.”
     I turned around, the gale force winds threatening to blow me off the dirigible despite my resolve to stand my ground.  The storms in my life always had that effect on me.  Rind, the Angel of Death, was in an odd costume.
     Rind, the name she asked me to call her, was clothed in a black uniform that I had never seen before.  In a time when it was scandalous to show a bit of ankle, the skirt was just above the knee.  The tunic was tight with collars studded with silver bent-arm crosses. The tunic’s buttons were silver skulls.  On her right sleeve was a red band in whose center was a circle of white blazing with another black bent-arm cross.  I had seen that symbol in India.
     The Sanskrit word for it was svastika. It meant “Lucky.”  Rind had a dark sense of humor.  But then, again, she was the Angel of Death after all.  
It was downright chilling to see that the hurricane winds didn’t even muss a single strand of her long silver hair which matched the color of my own that was flying like a mane of a winged stallion.
     I spoke to her with the assurance that she would hear me.  Death might not grant your pleas, mind you.  But she heard them all the same.
     “Suicide is running from your mistakes.  A man cleans the mess he makes, Rind.  I aim to go to San Francisco a few years from now after Qing Long has a chance to cool down some.  I’ll clean up this mess then.”
     “And if you cannot?”
     I shrugged, “Then, I will try to learn from this mistake to become a better man and go on to ease the suffering this mistake has caused in any way I can.”
     “How Marcus Aurelius of you, Samuel.”
     “I’ll try to be a mite better and not get poisoned.”
     “That was not how he died.”
     “Well, being Death, you would know.”
Despite the name of my tour, would you consider buying my book?  It is but 99 cents, has a free short story at the end, and a Readers’ Discussion Section at the back for book clubs.

Write an honest review for it and get a free Neil Gaiman audio book!  How cool is that?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Roland Yeomans was born in Detroit, Michigan.  But his last memories of that city are hub-caps and kneecaps since, at the age of seven, he followed the free food when his parents moved to Lafayette, Louisiana.  The hitch-hiking after their speeding car from state to state was a real adventure.  Once in Louisiana, Roland learned strange new ways of pronouncing David and Richard when they were last names.  And it was not a pleasant sight when he pronounced Comeaux for the first time.

He has a Bachelor’s degree in English Education and a Master’s degree in Psychology.  He has been a teacher, counselor, book store owner, and even a pirate since he once worked at a tax preparation firm.

So far he has written thirty-four books.  You can find Roland at his web page: www.rolandyeomans.blogspot.com  or at his private table in Meilori’s.  The web page is safer to visit.  But if you insist on visiting Meilori’s, bring a friend who runs slower than you.

And there’s Roland! Doing what Roland does best. Spinning wild and captivating tales. Don’t buy this book. Buy all of them!


My Quote of the Week: “Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.” Anne Lamott

Bloodwalker by Lexa Cain: Just in Time for Halloween

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Anyone who knows me knows, I love Halloween. It’s my favorite holiday of the year. So having L.X. Cain here this month with her new book is a real treat. I’m so looking forward to opening that cover and diving into the horror that the cover promises. 
Take it away, Lexa!
New Release!
BLOODWALKER by L.X. Cain

Lightning flashes. Another child disappears…
When Zorka Circus performs, its big top roars with laughter and cheers, but when it moves on, there are fewer children in the European towns it leaves behind.
Circus Security Chief Rurik suspects a killer hides among the international performers, but they close ranks—they’ve always viewed lightning-scarred Rurik as the monster. Nevertheless, he’s determined to find the culprit and stop them before anyone else dies and the only place he can call home is ripped apart by the murders.
Into Zorka Circus comes the Skomori clan, despised as gravediggers and ghoulish bloodwalkers. A one-day truce allows bloodwalker Sylvie to marry. Instead, she finds a body. Alerting others will defy her clan’s strict rules, break the truce, and leave her an outcast.
When more bodies turn up, the killer’s trail becomes impossible to ignore. Rurik and Sylvie must follow the clues—even if they lead to something unimaginable.
“YA horror novelist Cain (Soul Cutter) steps right up to the center ring in this captivating shocker of children disappearing after the circus comes to town.” ~ Publishers Weekly
BUY Bloodwalker
L.X. Cain was born in the U.S. but now lives on the Red Sea and busily taps away at a laptop, coming up with stories to thrill and entertain readers. 
Contact L.X. Cain
There’s still time to write a bit of Halloween horror yourself on the WEP for October. That or something about Constellations. Sign up and Trick or Treat us with your prose! I’m feeling very smug because I’ve already done MINE. 



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Quote of the Week: “Your whole life passes in front of your eyes before you die. This is called living.” Terry Pratchett, author
 

Yvonne Ventresca October’s Featured Follower, #InkRipples & Lost Reputation Kickoff!

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Indiebound | Amazon | B&N | AmazonUK | BAM
You’ll just have to imagine the drum roll, but I’m so excited to welcome my October Featured Follower, Yvonne Ventresca. She’s a special follower because she’s my critique partner and has been since the last century. Doesn’t that sound like a long time? But it’s true. We started writing together sometime in the 90s, but neither of us can remember exactly when. What’s fun is that each of us has mentored the other through our stories. We’ve come to know our characters like our own. If this writing journey has given me anything, it has given me great friends and Yvonne is one of them. Now here’s her next book. You’re going to love it.
My Email Connect peeps are in for a treat. Yvonne is offering an eBook to anyone in the world and the U.S. winner can choose eBook or a signed book. 

Here’s the story in a nutshell: Her father died before she was born, but Ella Benton knows they have a special connection. Now, evidence points to his death in a psychiatric hospital, not a car accident as Mom claimed. When strange, supernatural signs appear, Ella wonders if Dad’s trying to tell her something, or if someone’s playing unsettling tricks. As the unexplained events become sinister, she finds herself terrified about who—or what—might harm her. Then the evidence points to Ella herself. What if, like Dad, she’s suffering a mental breakdown? Ella desperately needs to find answers, no matter how disturbing the truth might be.

Connect with Yvonne
Yvonne Ventresca’s latest young adult novel, Black Flowers, White Lies was recently published by Sky Pony Press (October, 2016). BuzzFeed included it at the top of their new “must read” books: 23 YA Books That, Without a Doubt, You’ll Want to Read This Fall. Her debut YA novel, Pandemic, won a 2015 Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for the Atlantic region. 

Now segue into this month’s #InkRipples. At the heart of Yvonne’s book is a character who masks their identity. No one knows who that person really is. And when I found these masks, I thought they would be great at concealment and exciting to see. 

#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Kai Strand, Mary Waibel, and Katie L. Carroll. We post on the first Monday of every month with a new topic. The brains behind this meme are all authors, but you don’t have to be to participate. You can also spread your own ripples by blogging about the topic any day of the month that fits your schedule, just be sure to include links back to Katie, Kai, and Mary.

The artist behind these masks is Melissa Ng, the founder of Lumecluster. This company prints 3D masks like the ones here. I loved what Ms Ng says about masks, “There is so much more to masks than simply for concealment or disguise. In fact, throughout history and cultures around the world, many masks served as protection against evil or as an expression of the human spirit, perseverance, identity or transformation. With this in mind, I wanted to make a mask that defined our times and our increasingly global maker/entrepreneurial tribe. A tribe that believes in making a difference in this world. And a tribe isn’t complete without its mask, right?”

A perfect quote for this week’s post: “It’s not what you look at that matters. It’s what you see.” Henry David Thoreau

I have a bonus this week!  A new book from an Evernight Teen Pub Sister

Last day to enter $10 Evernight Teen GC Giveaway
LOST REPUTATION
Kimberly Ann Miller
Romance/Contemporary/Suspense/Young
Adult
Evernight Teen Publishing/237 pages
Casey Hayes has a secret—she writes
the conspiracy theory column for her high school newspaper. As the editor, she
thrives on the thrill of uncovering the facts—until she gets tangled up in a
scandal.
When she exposes a teacher’s shameful
secret, threats start, demanding she stop spreading the vicious rumors. Casey
blows it off and keeps on writing. Even sexy Victor Cruz, the hot senior with
the adorable accent who chases after Casey and tries to protect her, fails to
convince her to keep her mouth shut. But things only get worse as she ignores
the warnings, and soon, Casey must decide if exposing the truth is more
important to her than her life.
Buy Links:   Evernight
Teen    Amazon   
ARe    

Excerpt:
I laughed at the memory as I locked
up the newsroom and rushed to my next class. I still had a smile on my face as
I plopped down on my seat in the back row of calculus. Victor Cruz, my secret
crush, entered the room. My pulse reacted to his presence, but, thank God, no
other part of me did that he could see. I didn’t want to be lusting after
anyone this year because I was planning on working hard toward my college goals
and didn’t need the distraction.
The worst thing was, Charli told me
he gave his ex-girlfriend some rash because he cheated on her. I so did
not do the sexually transmitted diseases thing, and I definitely had zerorespect
for cheaters. Not even for a hunk like him, who obviously screwed around and
didn’t care if he got girls sick.
But damn, did this guy make my
insides quiver. He was totally hot. His parents moved to New Jersey
from Spain during middle school when Vic was scrawny and didn’t speak much
English. When senior year started a month ago, no one recognized him because
he’d grown ten inches, gained fifty pounds—of muscle—and must have taken some
classes in style because, damn, the boy knew how to dress to show off his
build.
Loose jeans with a belt, black boots,
and a black, long-sleeved tee only made him sexier. And the way he walked? It
should’ve been a crime. He had a swagger about him that rivaled any of the good
old boys of Hollywood. Watching it made me quiver in places I didn’t know could
quiver.
But it wasn’t just his looks that
held me captive. He had the values of an old-fashioned guy—holding the door
open for girls, helping them with heavy stuff, defending them when guys were
too rough or mean.
If it wasn’t for that wild partying
side of him … sigh.
As he approached his seat, I couldn’t
help but stare at his thighs, mesmerized by the fluid sway they made with each
step.
He caught me staring and raised a
thick black brow. I diverted my eyes and pretended to be very interested in the
junior’s notebook next to me. But I didn’t even know his name. Ugh.
Vic slid into his seat next to me and
winked at the girls that were staring at him.
They always stared at him.
I rolled my eyes. But when I felt his
eyes on me, I shifted in my seat, fighting the funny tingle in my stomach that
came from looking at him.
The other problem was, besides being
a distraction, Vic knew how sexy he’d become. He acted so cocky and confident,
I wanted to smack the grin off his face and remind him that not long ago, he
could have passed for a ten-year-old boy who couldn’t speak English or speak to
girls.
But, whatever. He had a harem now, so
good for him. And shiny black hair, smooth, bronze skin, and deep brown eyes
that … never mind. Didn’t matter anyway.
Kylie sauntered over to him, swaying
her hips so hard, I wondered how they didn’t dislocate. She leaned over his
back and wrapped her arms around his ample shoulders, pressing her boobs into
his back. I’m sure he loved that. “Hey, Vic. Busy this weekend? My parents are
out of town, and we can go riding if you want. I’ll pack us a lunch.” She ran
her fingernails over his chest as she spoke, clearly enjoying the feel of him.
He pulled her fingers off him and
slipped out of her grasp. “Sorry, I’m busy, but thanks for asking.”
She leaned into him again, making
sure to press her boobs into his neck. I rolled my eyes so hard, they almost
didn’t return to face front. That would suck. What would I tell the nurse? I
was looking at my brain instead of in front of me and I needed an eye
adjustment?
“Maybe another time, okay?”
Vic nodded once. “Si.”
I pulled out my phone to check
messages, done with listening to the vixen and her attempts at charming the
hottest guy in school.
“Hey, Casey,” he said in his sexy
Spanish accent. He had this way of dragging out the end of my name, making it
sound like Kay Seee.
It was both unsettling and adorable,
so I just grunted at him. How else could I get anything done with him around?
About the Author:
Kimberly Ann Miller received
Bachelor’s degrees from Georgian Court University and Rutgers University and a
Master’s degree from The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New
Jersey.  She is an avid reader and particularly enjoys true crime and
young adult novels.  She grew up in New Jersey and currently resides
in Monmouth County with her husband and cats. When she’s not writing, she loves
to travel to sunny islands where she snorkels by day and stargazes by
night. She always takes her Nook with her.
Website Link: http://kimberlyannmiller.com/
authorkimberlyannmiller@gmail.com 
* * * * *




What Happens When Characters From Two Different Books Meet?

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Have you ever wondered what would happen if a character from one book met a character from another? Well, wonder no more because today you’re going find out. My Sam from Sign of the Green Dragon is asking Joshua from Joshua and the Arrow Realm some questions. The Character Book Club was a brilliant idea from two top middle grade storytellers Jess and Stephanie. 
So take it away Sam and Joshua!
Sam:  Hey, Joshua, I just finished reading your last adventure, and wow! You had some rough times. What was the scariest part for you this time?
Joshua:  Definitely when I was all alone and thought my friends had abandoned me. It’s scary enough in the Arrow Realm with all kinds of freaky beasts ready to jump you, but at least with a friend you can fight them off together! 
Sam:  I’ve been wondering about the Lightning Road. That’s pretty scary by itself. What happens to a kid if he falls off that thing?
Joshua:  I am pretty sure they float in the Great Beyond forever! I almost fell off the edge of Nostos once into the Great Beyond and saw bones floating by. Yikes, I didn’t want that to be me – or my good friend, Charlie! He took a big chance by jumping on the Lightning Road with me when that girl, Ash, grabbed me back to Nostos and the Arrow Realm. The road is narrow and only a few people can fit on it at once. Charlie totally risked his life to go with me. Like I said, he’s a good friend.
Sam:  I was trying to tell Joey and Roger about the Wilds, but they didn’t believe me. Maybe if you told them what it’s like and who lives there, they’ll listen. 
Joshua:  The Wild Lands are scary and cool all at once. Scary, because Queen Artemis starves the animals there to hunt us kids! Charlie and I almost got munched on by cretan and agrius beasts and we were sooo lucky to meet up with Ash, who saved us! She’s the leader of the Wild Childs who live there in treehouses way up in the tree tops to stay safe. The houses all connect with bridges right under the stars. I mean, who doesn’t want to live in a treehouse, right? The Wild Childs hunt, haul water up, and even have a veggie garden up there (I know, vegetables, right? But when you live without grownups around you kinda have to be one yourself). 
Sam:  Oh, and tell them about “scram and cram.” What’s that mean? Joey’s real interested in how to use that when he gets back to school.
Joshua:  Hey, that’s a good idea, Joey! I learned from the Wild Childs that “scram and cram” is one of their rules that means run and be quiet. I bet you can totally use this in school. LOL! The Wild Childs have a rule sign when you enter their main tree house with this rule on it and other rules like “Keep on the Runabout” and “One for the Many”. They all watch out for each other which is pretty cool. They are like a family, because they left all of their own families behind when they were stolen from Earth. 
Sam:  I liked Ash. I thought she was really cool living in the Wilds and on her own. Do you think you’ll get to hang out with her again?
Joshua:  Yeah, at first, I thought Ash was kinda weird because she dresses in animal skins but she turned out to be a pretty good friend who hid me away when I had nowhere else to go. I really hope we can hang out again – just not while we’re on the run for our lives! I sort of miss living in the treehouses with lots of kids around.
Sam:  In your first adventure, Leandro was kind of like a dad to you (have to say that kind of made jealous), but he sure wasn’t this time. How did that make you feel? 
Joshua:  Well, you’re really lucky to have an uncle who cares about you. I only have my grandfather, Bo Chez, who isn’t around much right now. I wished for a while Leandro was my dad, but not on this adventure! At first I was mad that he wasn’t there for me, but then just sad about it. I kept wishing he would be the guy I used to know.
Sam:  The best thing was when you turned yourself into a cadmean beast. Tell us what that was like. I got kind of itchy reading that part, but I’d give it a try. Do you think I could do something like that?
Joshua:  Turning into the cadmean beast with flame-throwing breath was pretty scary! When I saw myself in the mirror I freaked out. It does take a special technique to do it, as I learned, and you can only do it on the world of Nostos so not sure you could do it Sam. BUT I could try and teach you! Although turning yourself into a bird might be way better. We could fly all over and check things out from above. Next time I go to Nostos you could come along, but I’m warning you – things get crazy there and you never know who, or what, will be after you!
Sam:  I had to look up Oracle. It’s a pretty powerful thing. Do you think the Oracle can give back the powers to the gods and stop Zeus from plundering Earth?
Joshua:  Honestly, I don’t know. The Oracle was always a myth and now that I know it’s true, I’m not sure what all its powers include … and I’m afraid to find out, even if it means making Earth a better place.
Sam:  Hekate came back to life once. Man, is she wicked. Do you think that will happen again? And if it does, what then?
Joshua:  If she does, I am ready to toast her all over again – for good! I’ll get Zeus’s lightning bolt and blast her into the Great Beyond. Nothing in this world of Nostos surprises me, so maybe she could come back to life but let’s hope not. She was so mean to me and all of my friends and family!
Sam:  I asked about this Zeus guy, and Uncle Jasper told me he’s the most powerful god of all. Do you have a plan for keeping out of his way, or are you going to go straight at him?
Joshua:  Phew, keeping out of his way in this adventure was a good thing! I need to talk to my friends on Nostos first to see how to deal with him. Everyone is pretty scared of Zeus but there has to be a way to take him down if we work together – or change his mind about plundering Earth. If he could find other resources for Nostos and stop stealing us kids, that would be a great ending!
Hey! This was fun. We need to get together again. Be sure to let me know if you’re heading back to Nostos. 
Thanks for hanging out, Sam. This was super fun! I bet we’d have a most amazing time together on an adventure but let’s stick to our own world for now.  
Website
Donna Galanti is the author of paranormal suspense Element Trilogy (Imajin Books) and the fantasy adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road series (Month9Books). Donna is a contributing editor for International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs with other middle grade authors at Project Middle Grade Mayhem. She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. She now lives in Pennsylvania with her family in an old farmhouse that has lots of nooks and crannies, but sadly no ghosts. Visit her at www.elementtrilogy.com and www.donnagalanti.com.
Connect with Donna:

Baby Moo has a dream. He wants to travel the world and sing on the stage of the Sydney Opera House! While he loves his home at Sunrise Sanctuary, it hasn’t been the same since a piglet named Nathan showed up and stole all the attention away from Moo. Jealous of the new baby, Moo decides now is the time to make his escape and pursue his dream.
But the world outside the sanctuary gates is not quite the fun and exciting place Moo imagined, and he quickly finds himself in big trouble. Moo’s friends Missy the dog and Ruthie the cat rush to help him, and land in some trouble of their own.
Lost and frightened, Moo and his friends must rely on each other to find their way back home. Will they ever see Sunrise again? 
Release date: September 8, 2016 from Native Ink Press
Links:
https://julieflanders.blogspot.com/p/baby-moos-great-escape.html
Add on Goodreads
Julie Flanders will donate $1 to Sunrise Sanctuary, home to Baby Moo and numerous other rescued animals, for each copy sold in September. 
Tweet: 
Baby Moo’s Great Escape by @JulesFlanders is here! $1 will be donated to @sunrise_ohio for each copy sold in Sept.  http://tinyurl.com/– 

Julie Flanders, Writer

Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Amazon

Sunrise Sanctuary

A Writer’s Ups and Downs and Inspiration

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 Signed Copy of The Namesake for the first U. S. 
Email Connect Follower who raises a hand!

Steve Parlato is my Featured Follower for September and he has a new book on the brink of publication. Here he talks about it and about some of his experiences as a writer. 

Take it away, Steve!

I’ve finished my second book. While this hardly makes me Patterson prolific, I’m sort of impressed. I mean, it took ELEVEN YEARS for my debut, The Namesake, to go from initial scribblings in a college notebook to finished hardcover. By comparison, Book Two, The Precious Dreadful, was crafted with lightning speed: roughly two years start to finish—Start being a literal whisper in my head, sharing details of story at 5:00 AM on July 8, 2013. Finish = a solid revision submitted to my agent at last August’s end.

My newfound speed mostly results from expectations. I labored over my debut in blissful anonymity. No one outside family and friends was eager for me to complete a book. Sure, they cheered me on, but there was no reading public to consider. At least, no reading public keen on a follow-up from Publishers Weekly’s “name to watch.”

Steve and other authors. 
Networking, appearing, signing books. All part of the author’s life.

C. Lee Review 

I won’t pretend obscurity was idyllic. There were major disappointments en route to The Namesake’s release: false starts, agent misfires, rejections. And The Precious Dreadful has yet to hit bookshelves—plus I’m suddenly agentless—but with this novel, I’m a known quantity. While that caused sophomore trepidation, it also inspires me. 

If The Namesake was a thrilling leap into the unknown, with The Precious Dreadful, I have a better sense of where I’ll land. Writing TPD has been more purposeful, and I feel uncharacteristically confident. But I promise you, no less thrilled.
Getting to know my new protagonist, a young woman named Teddi Alder, has been a joy. The teen daughter of a trainwreck single mom, Teddi struggles to define herself one hot summer. Her decision to join SUMMERTEENS, a library writing group, leads to unexpected consequences— romantic and dramatic—as she works to solve two mysteries: the whereabouts of a long-lost childhood friend, and the appearance of a ghost-girl who emerges from the park pool late one night. As Teddi juggles mysterious events, and two guys with potential, The Precious Dreadful balances romance and humor with elements of horror and deeply felt emotion. 
Though the book isn’t technically a follow-up to The Namesake, Teddi’s story takes place in the same town as Evan’s, and there are sly references fans of my first novel will recognize. I’m excited to get The Precious Dreadful out there; thanks for the chance to share my news!

Be among the first to read an excerpt from Steve’s new book. Click HERE!

Quote of the Week: “Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it.” Muhammad Ali

Mid-August and Hot News from Mark Noce, Between Two Fires

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Mark’s my Featured Follower for August, and he’s written one beautifully hot book. Here’s my REVIEW.
Here’s some praise from Bestselling Authors for Between Two Fires

“A spirited ride through a turbulent slice of Welsh history!” – Paula Brackston, NYT Bestselling author of The Witch’s Daughter

“A fast-paced read that has a wonderfully visual style and some memorable characters. Mark Noce combines Welsh history with a touch of folkloric magic in this promising debut novel. Lady Branwen is a strong and engaging narrator and the turbulent setting of early medieval Wales makes a fine backdrop for an action-packed story.” – Juliet Marillier, Bestselling author of Daughter of the Forest and Wolfskin

Synopsis of Between Two Fires


Saxon barbarians threaten to destroy medieval Wales. Lady Branwen becomes Wales’ last hope to unite their divided kingdoms when her father betroths her to a powerful Welsh warlord, the Hammer King.
But this fledgling alliance is fraught with enemies from within and without as Branwen herself becomes the target of assassinations and courtly intrigue. A young woman in a world of fierce warriors, she seeks to assert her own authority and preserve Wales against the barbarians. But when she falls for a young hedge knight named Artagan her world threatens to tear itself apart. Caught between her duty to her people and her love of a man she cannot have, Branwen must choose whether to preserve her royal marriage or to follow her heart. Somehow she must save her people and remain true to herself, before Saxon invaders and a mysterious traitor try to destroy her.

Release Date: August 23, 2016
Amazon/ Amazon Kindle/Barnes and Noble Nook/ iTunes/ IndieBound/ Thomas Dunne Books 
Connect with Mark

Mark Noce writes historical fiction with a passion, and eagerly reads everything from fantasy to literature. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, he’s an avid traveler and backpacker, particularly in Europe and North America. He earned his BA and MA from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where he also met his beautiful wife. By day, he works as a Technical Writer, having spent much of his career at places like Google and Facebook. In addition to writing novels, he also writes short fiction online. When not reading or writing, he’s probably listening to U2, sailing his dad’s boat, or gardening with his family.
His debut novel, Between Two Fires, is being published by Thomas Dunne Books (an imprint of St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan). It is the first in a series of historical fiction novels set in medieval Wales.

Here’s something about why he chose this period to write about. It’s very interesting.

Hi Lee, thanks for having me here today!


Writing Between Two Fires of course begs the question, why write about a story set in early medieval Wales? 


I’m fascinated by any “dark age” period of history. Not just a tale about civilization collapsing or backwards technology, but eras that have largely been lost to the modern historical record. We know very little about Wales around the year 600 AD aside from a few ruins, a handful of rare texts, and some oral legends. 


As an author, I feel that historical fiction allows us a way to bridge the gap and extrapolate a little further than historians can comfortable go. 


This is a double-edged sword of course, giving me both freedom as another author to create a compelling narrative, but it also comes with a responsibility to make a believable, even probably setting in which my characters inhabit. 


We’ve literally lost the names of some of the kingdoms and kings who ruled during this period, let alone the happenings of the common people. To me, that’s too much of a mystery to resist, and I have to admit, I had a lot of fun researching and coming up with the early medieval world for my protagonist, Branwen.


I sincerely hope you enjoy it!

Source: 

And did I say August was HOT? Yes, I did. So many new books out, and I’m pleased to say that Sign of the Green Dragon is launched. Thanks again to all who helped me out and continue to lend a hand. It has some great reviews for which I am always very grateful.


Three plucky sleuths. A crumbling skeleton. Buried treasure.


This book has more twists than a dragon’s tail.

Buy now on 
AMAZON





The Quote of the Week: “If you’re creative, you get busier as you get older.” Tony Bennett. And he should know.

I’ll be around to see everyone, but I’ll be a little late in some cases. I have some family things to do this week. And then there’s always the garden that takes more time this month. 

Another Miraculous Monday

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Summer Wrap Up
I launched Sign of the Green Dragon, and am still alive to talk about it. If that’s not a miracle, I don’t know what is. I jumped into a couple of Blog Hops that I felt I could handle along with my book event, and I tackled two garden projects that were long overdue. But I looked out at my hammock and thought how I hadn’t spent half the time there I’d planned to this summer, and already the back-to-school ads are popping up. So it goes. 
That Hammock Awaits!
Some of you know that just before this book launch I signed up for an online course in copyrighting–something I knew nothing about. I skipped through the course, picking out what I needed to give me immediate help, so now I plan to take some time to explore the modules more carefully. I’ve already shared some information with my Email Connect followers and I’ll be sharing more with them soon. 
My Email Connect Buddy
Connections with writers continue to keep me writing. A new friend (we actually had coffee and talked) connected me with one of her friends who is starting a Silicon Valley publication for local authors. Because I’m among the early subscribers, I get a full page ad for Sign of the Green Dragon. I love the energy of young writers and publishers, so this is going to be fun. When the magazine comes out, I’ll show it to you here.
Mark Noce, Author of Between Two Fires
August will be the 5th month for my Featured Follower of the Month. I’m still experimenting with the idea for supporting authors more fully and more creatively. It’s not a finished product yet, but I’m hoping I can polish and tweak it as I go, especially as I learn more from the copyrighting course. Oh, and about this month’s Follower. . . I’m going to meet Mark Noce. He’s signing books at a library near me. 
Here’s to a wonderful end of summer month to all of you. 
Lynda R. Young has a book out this month, so here’s Lynda!


Cling to God: A Daily Devotional.
by Lynda R Young
Release date: October 18th, 2016
Published by Freedom Fox Press
Cling to God in the chaos of life…
Cling to God is a book of devotionals for every day of the year. The aim is to encourage Christians in their faith, to help them think about their beliefs and learn more about God. The devotions are short and inspirational so that people with busy lifestyles will still be able to spend time with the Lord each day. It will appeal to a wide Christian audience, to those new in their faith as well as those matured beyond milk and honey.
Author Bio: Lynda R. Young, a Christian first, writes devotionals, articles, and speculative short stories. In her spare time she is also an editor, game developer, artist, and dabbles in photography and all things creative. She lives in Australia with her sweetheart of a husband. 
You can find her here: Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads
Links in full:
http://lyndaryoung.blogspot.com.au
https://twitter.com/LyndaRYoung
https://www.facebook.com/LyndaRYoungAuthor
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5832201.Lynda_R_Young



Quote of the Week: “The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” William James, philosopher