Tuesday, September 30, 2014

"Daughter of Isis" by Kelsey Ketch: SPOTLIGHT & REVIEW

Daughter of Isis
Descendants of Isis #1
by Kelsey Ketch
Genre: Fantasy
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: October 26, 2013

Blurb:
Her mouth parted slightly, waiting for Seth to breathe life into her own body, just like in the story. She wanted him to awaken her senses.”

Their worlds collide in California’s high desert.

The last thing Natara “Natti” Stone wants to do is to start anew at Setemple High School. She wished she had never left London. Yet the brutal murder of her maternal grandmother has made her life very complicated. The only clue related to her murder is an ancient, encrypted necklace Natti discovered after her grandmother’s death. And if trying to adjust to American life is not enough, Natti is being stalked by a mysterious, charming high school senior, Seth O’Keefe, who is annoyingly persistent in his attempts at seduction.

Seth O’Keefe is secretly a member of the Sons of Set, an order that worships the Egyptian god of chaos. Seth’s blessing from Set, his “charm,” never failed, except with one person: Natti Stone. Her ability to elude him infatuates and infuriates him, and he becomes obsessed with the chase. But the closer he gets to her, the more his emotions take a dangerous turn, and he risks breaking one of the most valued covenants of his order. The punishment for which is a fate worse than death.

The adventure this unlikely couple becomes engulfed in could cost them their lives and their souls.

*Note: Content for Upper YA*


You can find Daughter of Isis on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17975812-daughter-of-isis

You can buy Daughter of Isis here:


***Praise for Daughter of Isis***
Daughter of Isis is an addicting and enthralling read brimming with Egyptian mythology. Readers will be pulled into the story after simply reading a page!” —Emily, Reader Rising

I always enjoy a good book about Mythology and Daughter of Isis brings a thrilling modern day spin to one of the tales. Kelsey Ketch wove the story perfectly and sucked me right into her magnificent world.” —Naomi, Nomi’s Paranormal Palace

About the Author:
During her high school years, Kelsey Ketch could always be found tucked away in a little corner of the hall or classroom, writing her fantasy worlds and creating illustrations and maps. Today is no different, except now she’s writing in the break room at her office building or at the tables of the Barnes and Noble CafĂ© in Cary, North Carolina. She is also an avid reader, a part-time book blogger at Ketch’s Book Nook, and lives with her two orange tabbies and awesome and humorous flat-mate.

For more information, please visit her site at kelseyketch.com.

You can find and contact Kelsey here:





What did Sister Sinister think?
* * *
I give it 3 Stars!
* * *

I was given the opportunity to read to review this book by Lola's Blog Tours, and I seriously ran hot and cold through the whole story. It's been awhile since I waffled so much on my feelings for a book, but DAUGHTER of ISIS caused a lot of contradictory emotions in me. I'll tell you why.

Firstly, the story follows Natara "Natti" Stone as her father relocates her to a new country and a new town after the murder of her grandmother. Setemple looks like a slice of Egypt; it even has its own pyramid in a town laden in Egyptian culture. The setting makes Natti uneasy, as does the sex magnet with the name of Seth O'Keefe, local stud. There is just something about him that makes her desire him, while also causing her headaches whenever he is near. There is just something about him...

It's not made clear why Natti's father moves them to a heavily Egyptian flavored town when he wants his daughter to have nothing to do with the culture, but what caused me issue was mainly Seth. The power given unto him by his God Set, is the ability to "charm" people into doing whatever he wants. His favorite daily past time is seducing all pretty girls to have sex with him and his two jerkwad friends. Somehow this is seen as seduction, when in fact, it really is rape on a large scale. The teenager is using magic to enthrall women. Just because he makes them want him, or he pushes them to act when they might not have without magical interference, doesn't make it any less sleazy or criminal, and its even more disgusting that he "charms" women into getting it on with his fellow Sons of Set.

Ok, so I know that the point is that Set is chaotic evil and his minions are out doing murderous, unlawful things. I get it, I do. But I don't get the feeling that anyone feels what he did was sexual assault, and the bad things done just aren't given the gravity I felt would be realistic. So I do caution anyone that prefers not to read a book featuring sexual enslavement to steer clear. I can see this book stirring up all kinds of controversy, but that's not necessarily a bad thing if it gets people talking.

So all of that being said, there were a lot of missing words and wrong tenses, but despite my problems with the story, I *did* mostly enjoy it. It might not sound like it, since I pointed out what triggered my distaste with the book, but it really was very well written and the author knows how to tell a YA story. The mythology was fun, as well, and it will certainly appeal to many people. Not everyone will have the same feelings as I did reading it, after all, and like I said, I did enjoy it, even if its sex-as-power theme bothered me.

And that's really the magic of individuality, isn't it? You get to read it for yourself and make up your own mind. =D

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT QUEEN OF SOMEDAY by Sherry D. Ficklin!



Queen of Someday by Sherry D. Ficklin won't be your average young adult book. No, this book will have something extra special within it. Queen of Someday will be enhanced with embedded videos throughout the story. These videos will give you behind the scenes looks into the life of Catherine the Great, as well as author commentary. Enhance your reading experience with this new enhanced young adult book! Enhanced e-books are fairly new, and Clean Teen Publishing is excited to be able to offer one to you! Queen of Someday is scheduled to release on October 7, 2014. Watch the video below to hear more about this exciting announcement from Author Sherry D. Ficklin. Make sure to hop over to her website before you leave to enter her giveaway and definitely don't forget to pre-order your copy today and save $2. The price of Queen of Someday will increase on the day after release! 

*Please note that on many reading devices may not be able to show enhanced content. In this case, you will be able to follow a digital link that is embedded within the e-book to view each video online. Currently the best reading platform for enhanced e-books is iBooks. However, most Kindle and Nook devices will allow you to follow the link to our external secure website to view the bonus content. 



PRE-ORDER QUEEN OF SOMEDAY TODAY

Save $2 when you pre-order your copy today! 

Release Day: October 7, 2014
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Series: A Stolen Empire Series

Before she can become the greatest empress in history, fifteen-year-old Sophia will have to survive her social-climbing mother’s quest to put her on the throne of Russia—at any cost.

Imperial Court holds dangers like nothing Sophie has ever faced before. In the heart of St. Petersburg, surviving means navigating the political, romantic, and religious demands of the bitter Empress Elizabeth and her handsome, but sadistic nephew, Peter. Determined to save her impoverished family—and herself—Sophie vows to do whatever is necessary to thrive in her new surroundings. But an attempt on her life and an unexpected attraction threatens to derail her plans.

Alone in a new and dangerous world, learning who to trust and who to charm may mean the difference between becoming queen and being sent home in shame to marry her lecherous uncle. With traitors and murderers lurking around every corner, her very life hangs in the balance. Betrothed to one man but falling in love with another, Sophie will need to decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to become the empress she is destined to be.

In a battle for the soul of a nation, will love or destiny reign supreme?


A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

The true story of Catherine the Great is one fraught with betrayal, intrigue, and romance. While a good deal of my story is drawn from actual people and events, I have been very liberal in the rearrangement of dates, events, and places. Whenever possible I took my cues from her own words, intermixing my own thoughts and ideas. My thought upon the creation of the book was simple. I looked at the woman she was when she claimed the crown and then wondered, how did an innocent girl from Germany become such a force of nature? Most people aren’t born cold or ambitious, but have circumstances that forge them into those people. And that was the story I wanted to tell in this book. I wanted to see the events in her early life that would have changed her into the person she became, and not knowing the truth of that story, I simply made something up. That is what we, as writers, do best.

If you are curious about the real history behind Catherine, I suggest heading to your local library and doing a bit of research. This is not meant to be a historically accurate representation, but a flight of fancy, one that I hope you, dear reader, will enjoy as much as I have.


WATCH THE OFFICIAL BOOK TRAILER:

ABOUT SHERRY D. FICKLIN



Sherry D. Ficklin is a full time writer from Colorado where she lives with her husband, four kids, two dogs, and a fluctuating number of chickens and house guests. A former military brat, she loves to travel and meet new people. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she’s on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs.



She is the author of The Gods of Fate Trilogy now available from Dragonfly Publishing. Her previously self-published novel After Burn: Military Brats has been acquired by Harlequin and will be released in 2015 with a second book in that series to follow. Her newest YA steampunk novel, EXTRACTED: The Lost Imperials book 1, co-written with Tyler H. Jolley is now available everywhere books are sold and her newest YA novel, Losing Logan, is due for release in 2014 from Clean Teen Publishing.








Want to READ MORE from Clean Teen Publishing? Check out our huge selection of amazing reads! There's sure to be something for every reader!

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Sunday, September 28, 2014

"Grey Days" by Vanessa Deroo (5 Stars)

* * * * *
Grey Days
by Vanessa Deroo

Genre: Post-Apocalypse/Dystopia

* * * * *

I was given a copy of this short story (2,220 words) in exchange for my honest opinion and my only regret in reading it, is that it was too short! I'd have loved for this to be so much longer, just because it did a fabulous job in drawing me in so quickly, but it does work perfectly in the format it was written with a neat wrap-up at the end. The author managed to paint a dismal setting easily imagined, with that ray of hope and goodness trying to pierce the foggy veil. Well done!


Saturday, September 27, 2014

Nominated for a Liebster Award!

Wow, I feel seriously honored to have been nominated for the LIEBSTER Award by CindelD of Falling for Books!!

The LIEBSTER AWARD is a recognition passed from blogger to blogger; a friendly way of saying I appreciate you. Generally gifted to bloggers with less than a 1,000 followers, it is also a lovely means of promotion for both the nominator and the nominee. And since "liebster" is a term of endearment in German meaning "dearest" (technically, liebster is the male version of the word, and liebste is the feminine - wee fact for ya!), it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling just being nominated for it.

Now the Rules.

1.  List 11 facts about yourself.
2.  Answer the 11 questions that the person who nominated you asked.
3.  Nominate 9 bloggers with less than 300 followers and leave them a comment letting them know they've been nominated.
4.  Ask 11 new questions for your nominees.
5.  No renominating the blog that nominated you!

So, 11 Facts About Me
  1.  I'm searching for the book or movie that will truly scare and/or chill me!
  2.  I've always wanted to kiss a killer whale.
  3.  I have a true 'fairytale' story.
  4.  I have an enormous scar on my back that looks like railroad tracks.
  5.  I dress our chihuahua in clothes. (Only cool and stylish ones.)
  6.  I am truly blessed with 3 fantastic children.
  7.  I imported my husband from Germany.
  8.  I was adopted and I love it.
  9.  I prefer to write with a partner.
  10.  Violin music touches my soul.
  11.  I believe in Fairies.
Q&A from the person who nominated me
  1. Why do you blog? - It's only been since last year that I began to blog with any frequency and I started because I wanted to make connections in the publishing world. Now I am greatly enjoying helping authors spread the word about their works.
  2. Why do you love to read? - Reading lets you experience, learn, and grow; it transports you and stirs emotions.
  3. What is your favorite genre? - It's a tie between Horror and Paranormal Romance.
  4. When did you fall in love with books? - I've always been a big reader. I'd read in bed with the hall light on when I was supposed to be asleep. I just love the feeling of expanding beyond what I know and see.
  5. Paper back or ebooks? - Both. I love the feel of a book in my hand and I adore collecting books, which has become so much easier with e-books. And I don't have to read by hall light when I have a tablet in hand!
  6. Where do you like to read? - In bed with the lights off.
  7. What is your favorite book and why? - I can't even begin to answer that but the Hunger Games books and anything Jeff Strand or Philip A. McClimon really strike a chord with me. I could go on forever, though. Some of my favorite books were actually the Resident Evil series and I freakin' love Kim Harrison's Hollows! Some new favs are Allie's War by J.C. Andrijeski, Frostbitten by Heather Beck, Mutation Z: The Ebola Zombies by Marilyn Peake, and geez, the list is too huge to go on. That and I feel horrible if I can't name the gazillions of favorite books and authors I have, so I don't like trying!
  8. What do you do when you are not reading? - Homeschooling our youngest, worrying about our 2 oldest, telling my husband I love him, coddling our chi baby, scratching our big dogs with my harpy toenails (they love it, I promise), writing, editing, drawing. I love to watch movies and tv, play computer games and visit family.
  9. What about a book makes you choose it? - The cover first, then the back blurb. If it sparks my interest, I go for it.
  10. What is your favorite movie? - ALIENS!
  11. If you were to write a book what would it be? - I am writing a book, several in fact. The one closest to publication is about zombies and romance (not zombies being romanced).

My nominees are:
  1. Stephanie @ LitLoversLane
  2. Olivia @ Olivia's Catastrophe
  3. Jaideep @ Pebble in the Still Waters
  4. DelSheree @ The Edible Bookshelf
  5. ReadingDelightedly
  6. KIKA @ The Book Bluff
  7. Concupiscentbibliophile
  8. Twin Spin
  9. Star Angel's Reviews


My questions for my nominees (Let me know if you answer them - I would so love to read your replies!)
  1. How do you feel about the current face of self-publishing?
  2. Do you prefer a book to be a part of a series, or a stand-alone?
  3. Do you like to watch movies of the same genre that you enjoy reading?
  4. Is there is a genre you will not read unless asked to?
  5. If you could meet one author in person, who would it be?
  6. Is there a subject you think should be taboo?
  7. Do you believe in love at first sight?
  8. Sharks or giant squid?
  9. Zombies, mutants, or aliens?
  10. Vampires, witches, or werewolves?
  11. Thylacine or T-rex. If you had a choice, which would we resurrect?

Friday, September 26, 2014

Author MARILYN PEAKE: INTERVIEW & Review of MUTATION Z: THE EBOLA ZOMBIES!!!

Please welcome author Marilyn Peake! We're lucky to have you here doing this interview!

Q. You have a great many accolades for your writing work. That must feel amazing!
A. It does feels really good. It also feels fantastic when my writing reaches readers and I receive enthusiastic emails from them. I’ve got to say when I received your message about how much you loved reading MUTATION Z: THE EBOLA ZOMBIES, that made me very happy and inspired me to keep on writing. Most writers write for an audience and absolutely love hearing from readers about their work.

Q. You have written many, many stories. Which would you say was your favorite to write?
A. That’s a hard question to answer because I’ve loved the creative process with all of them. I found the experience of writing MUTATION Z: THE EBOLA ZOMBIES rewarding and meaningful because it helped me deal with the horrific news stories I’d been following on the growing Ebola epidemic in West Africa. SHADE, my Young Adult Mystery novel with Paranormal elements, was fun to write, even though it dealt with some pretty serious issues, because the main character Shade is feisty and rebellious and says some very funny things with her smart mouth. Probably the stories that were the most pure fun to write were my middle grade children’s books in THE FISHERMAN’S SON Trilogy. In those books, the main character Wiley O’Mara gets to swim under the ocean on the back of a magical dolphin. It was fun to research the fish that live in the ocean and to include them in a book of Fantasy.

Q. What inspired you to write the novelette, “Mutation Z: The Ebola Zombies”?
A. I had been following the news stories on the growing Ebola epidemic in West Africa and felt so disturbed by the rapid spread of the disease and the inadequate medical response to it that I found myself creating a story to reflect the horror of the real-world situation. That story became MUTATION Z: THE EBOLA ZOMBIES, a novelette in the genres of Apocalyptic Science Fiction, Zombie Fiction, Conspiracy Fiction, and Horror.

Q. I personally love when my monster books make scientific sense. Did you have to do much research for this story?
A. Years ago, I read THE HOT ZONE by Richard Preston. That nonfiction book is about a real-life incident that took place in 1989 inside a lab located in Reston, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Monkeys were brought into the lab from the Philippines, and it turned out they were infected with a monkey strain of Ebola. A secret military SWAT team was deployed to kill the monkeys and sterilize the building in order to prevent the spread of the disease inside the United States. That book is terrifying. Ebola is one of the hemorrhagic fevers through which the insides of an infected person liquefy, eventually streaming out of every opening in their body, including their eyes and even any tiny holes made by hypodermic needles. Ebola is usually spread through bodily fluids. The mortality rate is around 90% and there’s no known cure. In the Reston lab, Ebola mutated and became airborne, so that monkeys having no direct contact with the sick monkeys caught it. The virus also jumped species. It was found in the blood of a man who worked inside the building, although he survived.

THE HOT ZONE is filled with a great deal of factual information about Ebola: where it most likely originated (in the rain forest, jumping species from bats to monkeys to humans), how it mutates, ways in which it could become a worldwide pandemic, etc. The Reston lab incident happened in 1989. THE HOT ZONE was published in 1994 as a kind of warning to the world. It left a very big impression on me. When the recent outbreak of Ebola began in West Africa, I became concerned. When it started spreading across West African countries and becoming an epidemic there, I felt alarmed. I began reading news stories every day on the horrors of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa and the many ways in which the disease is getting out of control. A worst-case scenario recently reported by the CDC is that 1.4 million people could be infected with Ebola in the West African countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone by January. This form of Ebola has a mortality rate of around 70%. An experimental serum has cured a few medical workers brought back to the United States for treatment. Vaccines and more serums are being developed by pharmaceutical companies in a number of different countries.

All these news stories gave me ideas for how my fictional story, MUTATION Z: THE EBOLA ZOMBIES, might reflect the sense of horror in the real-world Ebola epidemic. As I wrote, I continued to research the unfolding news stories.

Q. What is your next project? Will it be another horror book?
A. Right now, with the blessing of Hugh Howey, I’m working on a fan fiction story set in his WOOL universe that will be published on Amazon. I’m hoping to turn MUTATION Z: THE EBOLA ZOMBIES and SHADE into two series of books. I also have plans to write a series of science fiction stories about aliens coming to Earth and the military’s use of psychological tools to influence the public.

Q. If I asked you which of your titles I should read next, knowing that I thought “Mutation Z” was brilliant, what would you recommend?
A. Thank you so much for referring to MUTATION Z as “brilliant”! That makes me very happy! I’m not sure what to recommend, as I haven’t written anything else quite like MUTATION Z. You might like OCCUPY FAERIE, a short story about a politician and a wickedly evil faerie who work together. I’d love to recommend SHADE. It covers a number of dark topics, although it’s a very different genre than MUTATION Z. Personally, I love the main character, Shade. She has so many problems in her life; and yet she’s feisty, headstrong and brave enough to handle them all.

Q. Before I let you go, I have to ask. Do you think a zombie outbreak could be possible? If it happened, would you be surprised? Do you think you would be prepared?
A. I love those questions! I’m not even sure I’d be prepared if an Ebola outbreak were to become a worldwide pandemic, although I hope somehow I would be. Surviving something like that often involves a huge element of luck. Some small percentage of people are always immune to the disease! As far as a zombie epidemic, I don’t really believe that’s possible; but there are diseases that have similarities to zombie disease. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if some new and weird disease became an epidemic. Ebola’s real and it’s a weird disease. It’s spread in a number of different ways, including through the eating of infected bushmeat (bats, monkeys, etc.), a tradition among many poor people in Africa. The disease of Kuru was found among the people of New Guinea back when they practiced a form of cannibalism in which they ate the brains of dead people as part of a funeral ritual. It caused brain and nervous system changes similar to Mad Cow Disease. Rabies causes a fear of water in patients due to their difficulty with swallowing. So, even though I don’t think a zombie illness that involves walking dead people is possible, I do believe that diseases similar in nature are very possible. The world is sometimes a very frightening place.
 
 
 
 
MUTATION Z: THE EBOLA ZOMBIES on Goodreads:
 
MUTATION Z: THE EBOLA ZOMBIES on Amazon:
 
 
Thank you so much for this interview, Marilyn Peake! I love that "The Hot Zone" inspired you so many years ago. That book was an eye opener for me, as well, and got me excited about medical thrillers and contagion stories. It is probably what started my fascination with the truth of science and what horrors can come to be because of man and nature. If you haven't read it yet, I would definitely recommend "Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic" by David Quammen. Fascinating and scary both.
 
My review for "Mutation Z: The Ebola Zombies" follows and I will be looking to get my hands on OCCUPY FAERIE and SHADE. Readers, hook yourself up with a copy of MUTATION Z today! You won't regret it. =D
 
 
 * * * * *
Mutation Z: The Ebola Zombies
by Marilyn Peake

Genre: Horror

* * * * *

I was so honored to have the author contact me to review her book, MUTATION Z. It looked like exactly the kind of book that I'm interested in and I was right! I read it in a single sitting, as I couldn't possibly put it down, and it was the realism that hooked me from the start. 

We join nursing graduate Emma Johnson as she embarks on a mission of compassion to Liberia and an Ebola treatment camp, where the CDC and WHO are testing vaccines in hopes of curing the deadly disease.

I am VERY excited to hear that this novelette will be growing into a series! Especially because of the ending that leaves you with buggy eyes and an impressive jaw gape.

"Mega: A Deep Sea Thriller" by Jake Bible (5 Stars)

* * * * *
Mega
by Jake Bible

Genre: Horror/Thriller
* * * * *

I LOVE "monster" books and low-budget monster movies, so when I found this book I knew I had to cross my fingers and dive in! Though I was a little worried it might bite (har har), or be a Steve Alten rip-off, it was in no way either.

MEGA follows a ragtag mix of professional, retired, and disgraced soldiers as they find themselves recruited by a fixer man. They'll join an old friend and his boat crew on the high seas in a couple of missions that turn out to be way more than they bargained for.

This book isn't just about the shark! It's about the people (and pirates) and more than one man's hunt for his personal white whale.


Thursday, September 25, 2014

"Dead Girl" by B.C. Johnson - COVER REVEAL!!!

Deadgirl, by BC Johnson - coverCuriosity Quills is excited to reveal the cover for urban-fantasy, paranormal-romance DeadGirl, by B.C. Johnson, which is scheduled for release November 6, 2014!

The fantastic cover was designed by Andy Garcia.  

About DeadGirl:
Dead is such a strong word …   Lucy Day, 15 years old, is murdered on her very first date. Not one to take that kind of thing lying down, she awakens a day later with a seemingly human body and more than a little confusion. Lucy tries to return to her normal life, but the afterlife keeps getting in the way. Zack, her crush-maybe-boyfriend, isn’t exactly excited that she ditched him on their first date. Oh, and Abraham, Lucy’s personal Grim Reaper, begins hunting her, dead-set on righting the error that dropped her back into the spongy flesh of a living girl. Lucy must put her mangled life back together, escape re-death, and learn to control her burgeoning powers while staying one step ahead of Abraham. But when she learns the devastating price of coming back from the dead, Lucy is forced to make the hardest decision of her re-life — can she really sacrifice her loved ones to stay out of the grave?

Add DeadGirl to your Goodreads 'to-be-read' list!


B. C. Johnson - bio picAbout by B.C. Johnson: 
Born in Southern California, B.C. Johnson has been writing since he realized it was one of the few socially acceptable ways to tell people a bunch of stuff you just made up off the top of your head. He attended Savanna High School in Anaheim, and an undisclosed amount of college before deciding that weird odd jobs were a far greater career path. This lead him to such exciting professions as: aluminum recovery machinist, lighting designer, construction demo, sound mixer, receptionist, theater stage hand, wedding security, high school custodian, museum events manager, webmaster, IT guy, copywriter, and one memorable night as the bouncer at a nightclub. He is trying very hard to add “vampire hunter” and “spaceship captain” to that list.  

He currently lives in Garden Grove with his supernal wife Gina, his half-corgi, half-muppet dog Luna, and his new half-grayhound, half-living-tornado-of-destruction Kaylee. He also spends time with his two brothers, his parents, and his close friends, whose primary pursuit are usually healthy debates about movie minutiea. When he’s not working or writing, he’s been to known to pursue all conceivable geeky avenues of interest including but not limited to video games, the sort of TV shows/movies Benedict Cumberbatch might star in, graphic novels, podcasts, funny gifs, the whole thing.   He’s also been known to apply his special brand of hyperbole and mania to pop-culture humor essays for various websites that can be found on his homepage, bc-johnson.com. B.C. also has a high school noir short story called “The Lancer” available on Kindle. Deadgirl is his first novel.  

Find B.C. Johnson Online: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

"Sceadu" by Prashant Pinge - COVER REVEAL, EXCERPT, & Q&A!!!

Today is the cover reveal for Sceadu by Prashant Pinge. This cover reveal is organized by Lola's Blog Tours.

Sceadu_Prashant Pinge_CoverSceadu
by Prashant Pinge

Genre: Fantasy
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: 10 November 2014

Blurb:
All this while, Matilda’s shadow had been growing larger and larger. Suddenly, it lunged out of the ground and swallowed her, like a python does its unsuspecting prey.

Nine year old Matilda ends up with a century old book through a series of strange coincidences. And disappears. Her brother and cousins are forced to suspend their hostilities and pursue her to Sceadu, a land inside the human shadow. Once there, the reluctant visitors find themselves chased by the vicious Hefigans, creatures of Sceadu. However, everything changes with the revelation of an ancient prophecy that foretells the doom of the world they left behind.

With the stakes suddenly raised, the children must now navigate the dangerous terrain, overcome grave challenges, and unlock the secrets of the shadow. But can they do it in time to thwart the plans of the treacherous Hefigans? Or will they succumb to the guile of a ruthless enemy who is equally determined to destroy mankind?

Sceadu is a fast-paced adventure which blurs the boundary between the physical and the psychological, the real and the mythical.


You can find Sceadu on Goodreads.

Excerpt:
Matilda sat at her old wooden desk, staring into the thick yellowed pages of a book under a dull moth ridden beam cast by the night lamp. But every time she blinked, it seemed as if the words had played a round of musical chairs. And the moths, fluttering through the words at times and hovering over them at others, did not make things any easier.

Matilda was about to turn the page when there was a tug at her feet. It was a very gentle one, almost imperceptible. Surprised, she glanced down, but there was nothing. Perhaps it’s just my imagination, she thought. She was about to shake her thick dark brown curls out of her face when she felt it again.

Matilda pushed her head down and looked into the dark void with furrowed brow. Her skinny legs stared back. But before she could decide on whether she had actually felt anything, there was another tug, an unmistakable one this time. And another one. The truth suddenly dawned upon Matilda. It was her shadow, trying to drag her into itself.

Matilda jerked back the chair, kicking hard at her shadow. But it snapped back, pulling at her even more viciously. She stomped upon it repeatedly. But the dark grey shape began jabbing at her feet and ankles. Matilda pushed herself up and made a frantic attempt to run. But her legs refused to move, and she almost toppled forward.

All this while, Matilda’s shadow had been growing larger and larger. Suddenly, it lunged out of the ground and swallowed her, like a python does its unsuspecting prey.


Prashant PingeAbout the Author:
I grew up in the quiet and beautiful neighbourhood of Shivaji Park in Mumbai, India.

My schooling happened at the famed Bombay Scottish School where I was a rather conscientious student while my college years were spent at D. G. Ruparel College. I completed my bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Purdue University with a brilliant semester at the University of New South Wales. I followed it with a master of science in management from Lancaster University, a post graduate program in management from Indian School of Business, and a post MBA master in international management from Thunderbird School of Global Management. And yes, there is a simple explanation to all this. I love campus life.

I started my professional career as an engineer at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Once the monotony got to me, I returned back to join our family business in Mumbai, where I have been ever since. More recently, I have settled in the role of a consultant in my own marketing and branding firm, Media Panther.

My foray into the world of writing happened in 2003 after I had a dream that compelled me to stumble out of bed and put pen to paper. But that book is yet to be written. In the meantime, I happily string words together in my quest for Nirvana.

In my spare time, I enjoy collecting old coins, reading fiction, indulging my creativity (I have recently written and produced a short film, Freedom of Expression), travelling to exotic destinations, watching movies, and listening to music. I am also keenly interested in the subjects of psychology, mythology and ancient history.

I live with my wife and son in Mumbai.

 Q & A w/ Prashant Pinge
 
After writing children's fiction for more than a decade, what prompted you to write a young adult fantasy novel?
I have always wanted to experiment with different genres. However, the decision to write a young adult fantasy novel was not a conscious one. The catalyst was an idea I had early one morning a few years ago. But once it took seed, I knew I had to write this book. I shall, however, continue to write children's fiction, a genre I immensely enjoy working in.

The title is quite unique. How do you pronounce it? Where did you get the idea for this book?
The title is pronounced as 'shay-du'. It is the old English term for shadow. I have always been fascinated by human shadows, our constant companions who are relegated to playing second fiddle most of the time. In physics, shadows are formed when an object blocks light. In psychology though, the concept of the shadow is a very interesting one. However, I shall leave that for the readers to discover in the book.

Did you draw any inspiration from your own life when it came to developing the characters?
As a matter of fact, I did. It was easier to flesh out realistic characters this way although I have exaggerated certain aspects of their personalities to make them more interesting. I feel this will help readers identify with the characters, immersing them squarely into the adventure.

How is Sceadu different from the other works of fantasy fiction available today?
If I were to think of one reason, it would be the logical basis of the entire fantasy which makes this a thrilling yet plausible adventure. I also believe it is the only story out there where the human shadow has been given centre stage.

You have been published traditionally by some of India's top publishers. What made you take the self-publishing route with Sceadu?
The decision to take the self-publishing route with Sceadu came after a lengthy period of deliberation. The primary drivers were complete creative control and the ability to reach a global audience. However, I do plan to work with publishers, with my next work of children's fiction already picked up for a 2015 release.

What has your experience been with self-publishing so far?
My self-publishing journey so far has been a very rewarding one, allowing me to learn a lot about the different facets of this industry. It has also been a very difficult one, especially due to the lack of resources. In fact, it wouldn't have been possible without the help of a lot of people who have contributed to my endeavour in various ways.


Do you have another project in the works? If so, can you elaborate on it?
I am currently working on a piece of commercial fiction which would fall in the domain of romantic comedies. I hope to have it completed by December 2014.


You can find and contact Prashant here:
- Website
- Book Page
- Author Facebook
- Book Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Google +

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Saturday, September 20, 2014

"The Bridge of Deaths" by M.C.V. Egan: INTERVIEW & Review + GIVEAWAY Info.!

AN INTERVIEW with M.C.V. Egan

Welcome, M.C.V. Egan. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview. After reading your book, “The Bridge of Deaths”, I want to know so much more about you and this journey you took!

Q. THE BRIDGE of DEATHS was a real labor of love for you, wasn't it? You published the book in 2011, but your quest began some 20 years ago, correct?

A. Thanks for inviting me Rebecca and for your lovely introduction. I did not realize it was a labor of love until others called it that! My sister called it my obsession. 
 
I began to dabble a little here and there some years earlier, but the serious quest began in 1993. I can in all honesty claim the eighteen years, but I did have my one and only child and a wide array of paying jobs in the course of that time. The eighteen years were not a full-time endeavor.

I am really lucky and have a very full life, especially lucky that my husband is in the insurance business and I could tag along to London for a very low cost on his business trips and visit the necessary archives to work on my research


Q. This book felt to me like a love letter to your grandfather. Your determination is inspiring!

A. Okay so now you made me get all choked-up. I can honestly say that I love him, and not only the good bits. I tried to be as honest as possible while still giving a nice portrayal. 
 
I was afraid about my mother’s reaction and she was unhappy that I rattled the proverbial skeletons in her family closet. Lately though she’ll make a very nice comment about it all, so perhaps in parts she saw what you describe.


Q. In your book, reincarnation plays a big roll and you mention that you experienced a past life regression. What was that like?

A. I have actually experienced several. The first one was in 1991 and I was almost thirty-two years old. I had experienced a repetitious dream a few years earlier that led me to explore the possibility, but I had thought about it as a teen because of the Anthony Hopkins movie, the two lives of Audrey Rose. 
 
I don’t know if it was because of all the books I had read, but I went under hypnosis with great ease and I could see and feel things very clearly. I did get a bit thrown aback because I first went to a super distant future; and to this day I cannot quite wrap my head around future or parallel lives. Anyhow that was a space ship type of setting! 
 
In that regression session I visited many lives, and thankfully all the others were past. I was not entirely sure how I felt about the validity and did question if my very vivid imagination had somehow created the lives.

However I had a physical change. Spanish like English sounds very different from country to country, place to place; (Think British English and Southern Drawl), my Spanish had a very neutral tone and people could never guess where I was from. In that regression I “unblocked” a conflict with my Mexican roots and suddenly I would barely say “Hola” and every Spanish speaker knew I was from Mexico. 
 
Once that happened it was not easy to question what I had experienced, but it was several years before I felt comfortable with the idea of “visiting” past lives again. It had nothing to do with moral or religious beliefs, it was with me more a question of individuality and identity.

Anyhow in that Mexican past I was an Aztec Indian male and I broke my neck slipping and falling down a pyramid, I felt like I died in great shame and fear, I had ruined the ritual and made others topple with me. The regressionist would guide you through the crossing over and what you felt, took away from that life.

Like I said, I ‘visited’ several lives, it was a long private session and one was in Medieval Italy and I had to leave my family and life on a ship; in a hurry and great disgrace through no fault of my own. When that life ended and the regressionist asked “What did you learn?” I answered “I learned about trust” and she said “OH good you learned to trust” to which came the reply “No, not at all I learned trust no-one!” To date I am accused of being cautious and having trust issues.


Q. It was very creative the way you wove your real life experiences with that of fictional characters. Was it difficult to write this way?

A. In some ways it was, because I wanted to detach from the story as much as possible, as well as to honor the wishes of the “real Bill” and at times I felt like it was a shame and that real life was more fun or interesting, for one thing I drank far more Tequila than Sauvignon Blanc!
I do strive for a unique and different style, I am always afraid that all the books I devoured; and if I liked an author I read them all, could influence my writing voice or influence to such a degree that it may seem like imitation. 
 
I did not set out to do something so different, but I do love that the most common word used to describe The Bridge of Deaths is Unusual.


Q. I get the impression that Maggie was very special to you.

A. I remember so clearly the day she was conceived in my mind. It was during a group past life regression. A young woman described a life as an Eskimo and I had seen a life as an Eskimo in another regression, so on the drive home the idea of the pilot’s wife also being in a modern version started to form very clearly. Before that I toyed with having either Bill or Catalina (or both) be Gay so there was no sexual tension added to the story, I have some fun scenes written with that idea in mind!

I must say, sometimes I miss Maggie.


Q. Have you considered writing another story with Maggie and Bill?

A. I attend writing workshops and one thing all the teachers/monitors agree upon is that stories need conflict; Bill and Maggie rode so nicely off into the sunset to lead the idyllic life and love. At this point I cannot imagine dusting them off and creating havoc in their lives!


Q. As part of your 75th Anniversary event honoring the 1939 events, you released a revised edition of BRIDGE of DEATHS. What's new in this book?

A. Inasmuch as most of my reviews have been positive, the negative ones complained about the footnotes and some of the information. I took out all the footnotes and incorporated the absolutely necessary ones into the narrative. I took out (but placed as appendices) two large bits that had continuous data and summarized them, I also added a new epilogue in which Maggie’s girlfriends are looking for love in the very same bookstore. 
 
Of course the most obvious change is the fabulous cover designed by an amazing guy in Bath, UK Daz Smith. That has the very watch that went down with the G-AESY on August 15th and it was used to determine the exact time the plane went under water, 1:17 p.m. (well in Denmark it is 13:17).

I chose to keep the integrity of all the data to be able to use the editorial reviews of the original version.


Q. What will your next project be? Do you miss the journey that brought you to this point?

A. I am working on a series, the first book is called Defined by Others, it is chick lit but of course it has a touch of the psychic, metaphysics and other fun elements. I think it is Chick Lit, but I cannot wait to see how it is judged, I have to do a few more edits and I hope to release late October. It was the product of my first attempt at NaNoWriMo, but it has been edited, and edited and it is almost ready!


Q. You were recently a guest on the Halley Elise radio show. What is an empowerment psychic and may I share the link to this episode? How was that experience?

A. Absolutely here is the link. It is a Web TV show and it was great fun, the camera is easy to forget, so I look like I am looking away at times, but please do, as other shows are added to the archive people need to scroll down and look for the date, it was on the air September 15th.


Q. In closing this interview, what would you like your readers to know about you, your book, or any other topic that is important to you?

A. Maggie the character in the book is an Absolute pacifist, she objects to war and violence of any kind. I strive to be that, but I am very far from it, but I love to try to tap into my inner Maggie.

In a world where we have so many real battles to fight for a better tomorrow, I hope that we can all find it in ourselves to help prevent wars and promote PEACE in any way we can.


I can't thank you enough for doing this interview and answering all of my questions! You're a real inspiration.

 I am humbled and honored by your wonderful questions, and again thanks for the invite.

CriticalPast File no. 65675035711  
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain at Heston Aerodrome in 
London, England. September 9, 1938.
 
My Review of "The Bridge of Deaths"
 
* * * * *
The Bridge of Deaths
by M.C.V. Egan

Genre: Mystery/Love Story/Reincarnation

* * * * *
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review, and I was so impressed with the author's story, in that you can almost feel what she must have felt as she tried to uncover the past.

"The Bridge of Deaths" is unique in the way that it weaves together real life events and people with fictional ones. The author's journey spanned two decades of extensive, comprehensive research to learn the truth of what happened to her grandfather when the plane he was in crashed, in Denmark on August 15, 1939. 4 other people were killed with the pilot being the only survivor, in this real life tragedy that occurred shortly before the beginning of World War II. It is an event in history nearly swept under the proverbial carpet until the author's great need to discover the truth of the G-AESY's crash reinvigorated it.

Experience this incredible quest, through the eyes of the author, and also the fictional characters of Maggie and Bill, who discover their connection to this event through a series of past life regressions. Mystery, love, reincarnation, discovery, and life abound.

GOODREADS | This book on AMAZON | M.C.V. Egan on AMAZON | Revised Edition on AMAZON | Author WEBSITE | Twitter | Facebook | Book Trailer 1 | Book Trailer 2 | 75th Anniversary - Giveaway!