tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87008135340753775752024-02-07T23:44:25.650-06:00Perpetual Chaos of a Wandering MindThe loose nuts and bolts and bouncing bits rattling about a restless brain.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.comBlogger175125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-57014792248307493952016-03-15T22:36:00.000-05:002016-03-15T22:36:45.651-05:00Cover Reveal: The Ballad of Allyn-a-DaleLadies and Gents,<br />
<br />
It's my very great privilege to participate in the cover reveal of Danielle E. Shipley's next novel, <i>The Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale</i>. Danielle is one of my favorite emerging authors, and I can't wait to sink my teeth into this work. This looks to be one tantalizing series!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_BkXrNVki9Amrx5R46qKy4e91P74p4Xk3srVCZN5vq7obiEMwXUaLVeXGyf6ErbjeJcp2OCCuhE8U0n80bpJAzSk4PmrQXoBEXD1MgNgV-OQgmLMRI3aE6Z-UZKateVZT0lJDUKyQWQU/s1600/Cover+and+Spine%252C+Ballad+of+Allyn-a-Dale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_BkXrNVki9Amrx5R46qKy4e91P74p4Xk3srVCZN5vq7obiEMwXUaLVeXGyf6ErbjeJcp2OCCuhE8U0n80bpJAzSk4PmrQXoBEXD1MgNgV-OQgmLMRI3aE6Z-UZKateVZT0lJDUKyQWQU/s320/Cover+and+Spine%252C+Ballad+of+Allyn-a-Dale.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>
<h3>
Novel Title: </h3>
The Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale<br />
<br />
<h3>
Series Title, Number:</h3>
The Outlaws of Avalon, Book One<br />
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<h3>
Author:</h3>
Danielle E. Shipley<br />
<h3>
Genre: </h3>
Contemporary Fantasy / Young Adult<br />
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<h4>
Novel Release Date </h4>
July 12, 2016<br />
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<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28595730-the-ballad-of-allyn-a-dale" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> <br />
<br />
<span id="goog_2104111675"></span><a href="http://deshipley.com/" target="_blank">Author Website</a><br />
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<h3>
Cover Artwork by</h3>
<a href="http://larsvandegoor.com/" target="_blank">Lars van de Goor</a> and <a href="http://milanvandegoor.nl/" target="_blank">Milan van de Goor</a><br />
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<h3>
Novel Summary</h3>
Welcome to Avalon, a Renaissance Faire where heroes of legend never die. Where the Robin Hood walking the streets is truly the noble outlaw himself. Where the knightly and wizardly players of King Arthur’s court are in fact who they profess to be. Where the sense of enchantment in the air is not mere feeling, but the Fey magic of a paradise hidden in plain sight.<br />
<br />
Enter Allyn-a-Dale. The grief of his father’s death still fresh and the doom of his own world looming, swirling realities leave the young minstrel marooned in an immortal Sherwood Forest, where he is recruited as a member of Robin Hood’s infamous outlaw band. But Allyn’s new life may reach its end before it’s scarcely begun. Their existence under threat, the Merry Men are called upon to embark on a journey to the dangerous world Outside – ours – on a quest which must be achieved without delay, or eternity in Avalon will not amount to very long at all.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfV7xjVG0hl0w7UwY0T3Ldx3nJvNGyLb6BufyBaCMKNvFGScrSwn6_ppMoeGo6PAeCKZLrlZNpJ_VAtA0a-QpKgiVpL19812zZNOpVHID2gBXYYh8h_8DN9_Tw7KhRItWih6aXmJr_L59/s1600/Author+Photo%252C+Danielle+E.+Shipley%252C+jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfV7xjVG0hl0w7UwY0T3Ldx3nJvNGyLb6BufyBaCMKNvFGScrSwn6_ppMoeGo6PAeCKZLrlZNpJ_VAtA0a-QpKgiVpL19812zZNOpVHID2gBXYYh8h_8DN9_Tw7KhRItWih6aXmJr_L59/s320/Author+Photo%252C+Danielle+E.+Shipley%252C+jpeg.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
<h3>
About the Author</h3>
Danielle E. Shipley is the author of the Wilderhark Tales novellas, the novel Inspired, and several other expressions of wishful thinking. She has spent most of her life in the Chicago area and increasing amounts of time in Germany. She hopes to ultimately retire to a private immortal forest. But first, there are stories to make.<br />
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<h3>
The Author’s Thoughts on the Cover </h3>
The Outlaws of Avalon trilogy is my baby, so I knew its faces had to blow me away. For Book One’s cover, there were a couple elements I for sure wanted to highlight: 1, the forest (because SHERWOOD), and 2, the lute (because Allyn-a-Dale). The rest, I mostly left up to my designers – photographer Lars van de Goor, and his son Miles.<br />
<br />
A couple drafts later, this was the gorgeous result. The elegant swirls! The delightful rosette on the spine! Of all the darling touches – a ROBIN perched over “Ballad”s second A! And, of course, the must-have lute sitting sedately amongst the trees.<br />
<br />
The minstrel blue, the greenwood green, the magical splash of sunlight… This cover doesn’t just say “The Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale”: it sings it.<br />
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<h3>
Excerpt:</h3>
Allyn would have known Will Scarlet for a relation of Robin Hood’s even had he not been introduced as his cousin. Though clean-shaven, younger, and framed by thick locks of gold tinged with the color of his name, Will’s face was patently similar to Robin’s, with the same blue eyes that sparkled cheerily at Allyn when the two were presented to each other.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“And where’d you pick this fellow up, then, Robin?” he asked blithely.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“In my tent,” replied Robin, “with Marion.”<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Will’s brows leapt toward his crimson cap’s pointed brim. “Wish I were Allyn!”<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Will…”<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Joking, joking,” Will waved aside Marion’s halfhearted rebuke. He coughed. “…Mostly. So, Allyn-a-Dale — looking to join the Merry Men, are you?”<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“I don’t really know,” Allyn said doubtfully. “What are the Merry Men?”<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To Allyn’s heart-thudding dismay, Will answered, “We’re an infamous band of outlaws.”<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Not really,” Marion hastened to jump in.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Not anymore,” Little John amended.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“It’s complicated,” said Robin. “But we’re really not at liberty to tell you much more about it until we’ve spoken to Merlin.”<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“That would be King Arthur’s chief counselor and illustrious wizard,” Will said in answer to Allyn’s questioning expression. “He literally runs the show around here, so—”<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“No,” said Little John, his gaze a grim weight on Will Scarlet.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Oh, would you chillax, you pedant?” Will huffed, facial muscles ticking with minor irritation. “I know you think the Outsiders have been using the word with nary a care to its meaning, of late, but I know what ‘literally’ means, and in this case, I literally meant ‘literally’!”<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The marginal lowering of Little John’s brow silently warned what he would literally do to Will if he said that word but once more.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“And they’re off,” said Robin, shaking his head. “Don’t worry, Allyn, they only bicker like this when they’re both breathing.”<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Allyn’s lips twitched toward the beginnings of a smile, but froze halfway, his mind only just now becoming fully conscious of what he’d heard. “Robin,” he said, fighting a sudden swell of anxiety. “Did Will just say we’re off to see a wizard?”<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-39716498739031874322016-02-01T08:58:00.000-06:002016-02-01T11:40:04.883-06:00KINGDOM CITY: REVOLT Blog Tour and Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmcjvP3d7MmmEvlf5Aev379naAFvGqw_pj6xMJPDyBVYwfXbePfwkdF5wJ84obQDVJYvykDnzmDibNbJJREjeGNe-mJaZNqTwSuHlmNy_ggdouDvM5qT1OmZ1Z0nRk7AxzPDLtxBPJgEF5/s1600/KCR2-Twitter-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmcjvP3d7MmmEvlf5Aev379naAFvGqw_pj6xMJPDyBVYwfXbePfwkdF5wJ84obQDVJYvykDnzmDibNbJJREjeGNe-mJaZNqTwSuHlmNy_ggdouDvM5qT1OmZ1Z0nRk7AxzPDLtxBPJgEF5/s320/KCR2-Twitter-banner.jpg" width="525" height="147"></a></div>
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<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> <a href="http://bit.ly/KCR2onAMZ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">KINGDOM CITY: REVOLT</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> <a href="http://www.benirelandbooks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ben Ireland</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 516<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Paperback, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, etc.<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> Xchyler Publishing<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> publisher<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Dystopian/young adult dystopian<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style: </span> High tension action/adventure set in a near-future dystopian society, with science fiction and urban fantasy elements, written in a fast-paced style that can be at times gut-wrenching; rare vulgarities, significant violence in battle and in laboratory<br>
<b><span style="color: #00dff8;">Giveaway:</span></b> Scroll down to enter! or visit <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/63a91ade25/?" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rafflecopter</a> or the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/XchylerPublishing.page/app_228910107186452" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">XP Facebook</a> page.<br>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-City-Revolt-Ben-Ireland/dp/1940810523" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><br></a>
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<h3>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-City-Revolt-Ben-Ireland/dp/1940810523" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">
</a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-City-Revolt-Ben-Ireland/dp/1940810523" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="http://bit.ly/KCR2onAMZ" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ibs3jGbXOR_O4OH8nRVwRK94tIToWdjYGwv1GInz1s-ILxmw2FT4fc5d3s4f5MoaOEb_Gw6YVH0M9bG6dNcxbovQlCRlHCdVYZzFfUnEt0ua-tEKpROlOOXCCOGaDN6PquS4fLqVbVlb/s320/KCRevolt-front-cover-750.jpg" title="" width="206"></span></a></div>
Synopsis:</h3>
Paul Stevens has survived a terrorist attack, medical experimentation, and an attempt by the government to “neutralize” their rogue subjects. However, his escape cost him his wife, and now he battles to overthrow Brian Shuman, the dictator responsible for her death. With the kidnapping of his daughter and the disappearance of his son, he must choose between saving what may remain of his family or the fledgling rebellion on the verge of collapse.<br>
<br>
<h3>
About this book:</h3>
People can surprise you. Case in point: at <a href="http://xchylerpublishing.com/" target="_blank">Xchyler Publishing</a>, we conduct short story contests anonymously. That means none of the judges know who have written the submissions they're adjudicating. Thus, it came as quite a surprise to learn that Ben Ireland had written "Kissed a Snake," ultimately a winner that was included in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dash-Madness-Thriller-Anthology-ebook/dp/B00DY8DL92/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1454310717&sr=1-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A DASH OF MADNESS: A THRILLER ANTHOLOGY</a>, published in 2013. You see, the Ben Ireland <i>I </i>knew was a quiet, mild-mannered young man who never talked much, who spent a great deal of time chasing after his two young children in the foyer at the church we both attended. He was the youth who graduated high school with my son shortly after his family moved from Australia. Squeaky clean.<br>
<a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2016/02/kingdom-city-revolt-blog-tour-and.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-42836572937492038332016-01-11T13:26:00.005-06:002016-01-15T10:00:30.471-06:00THE BOOKMINDER Blog Tour & Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://about.me/pennyfreeman" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bookminder-M-K-Wiseman/dp/1940810507" target="_blank">THE BOOKMINDER</a> </div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> M. K. Wiseman<br />
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 444<br />
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Paperback, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, etc.<br />
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> Xchyler Publishing<br />
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> publisher<br />
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Historical fantasy<br />
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style: </span> High fantasy written in a mature but approachable voice, ideal for young adult and adult market, with good character development and world-building<br />
<span style="color: #00dff8;">Giveaway:</span> Scroll down to enter! or visit <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/63a91ade23/?" target="_blank">Rafflecopter</a> or the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/XchylerPublishing.page/app_228910107186452" target="_blank">XP Facebook</a> page.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bookminder-M-K-Wiseman/dp/1940810507/ref" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEYGDG3mG6U97sjlzUWDDgMfP0Sz2cc6ahXI7iaOIDblPsthq1PzInCbbBlb2FLP6Zvu1WqSmZGLJj9DLn175NAutxSp5COsqW2Q42qCNInhp0fCMn8DWFuHw3WDZYHfrmDvPUtKvM9G6/s320/Bookminder-front-500px.jpg" width="208" /></a><span id="goog_1797462633"></span><span id="goog_1797462634"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div>
Synopsis:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">Sired by magick and violence, sixteen-year-old Liara is found guilty of witchcraft and banished from her tiny village by the very priest who raised, then betrayed her. However, a mysterious mage steps forward to assume custody of her: Nagarath, the Wizard of Parentino, whose secret spellwork has long protected both Liara and Dvigrad from the ravages of war.<br /><br />Despite Liara’s best hopes, Nagarath refuses to apprentice her to his craft but tasks her instead with the restoration of his neglected library. Liara gleans what magickal knowledge she can on the sly, determined to learn, come what may. But the first test of her stolen knowledge goes awry and renews an evil wizard’s interest in the people of the Limska Draga valley.<br /><br />Only by tapping Liara’s inherent magick and joining it with his own can Nagarath protect Parentino from suffering a horrible fate. However, her discovery of his secrets destroys their fragile trust and ignites the darker tendencies of her gift. Now, he must rescue her from the influence of his mortal enemy before their powerful new alliance destroys them all.</span></h4>
<h4>
<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/M.-K.-Wiseman/e/B00CMJK19W" target="_blank"><img alt="M. K. Wiseman" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggmYEZjiP0aKgJhx218szlUogiVU2t1lC8Ws8vf2kvZOwPfEl8VDz8KBGjVdKc5k6EOCudsC4x70ZKjpEvPGWXzJ_YpK2SGvxve5hLv1luWKoDXAXq669ydtBM21EDpAjTJg61T7pIBpLs/s1600/Megan+Wiseman_200x274.png" title="M. K. Wiseman" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/M.-K.-Wiseman/e/B00CMJK19W" target="_blank">Author M. K. Wiseman</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</h4>
<h4>
About this project:</h4>
As a release of Xchyler Publishing, THE BOOKMINDER has probably been the most challenging for me both as editor-in-chief and as the content editor. Since 2013, the manuscript has gone through multiple production delays (can you say two brides?), at least three different content editors, multiple rewrites, a lengthy titling process, and lots and lots of collaboration with the author and our associate editor, Jessica Shen Fessler. With all the hitches, signing the amazing Egle Zioma to do the cover was an effortless slam-dunk. As the first installment of a three-part series, we wanted to get it right, all the work promised to deliver, and I took it on as a personal challenge to bring this project to fruition.<br />
<br />
In the interim, Wiseman published two more short stories with Xchyler, including "Downward Mobility" in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Legends-Lore-Anthology-Mythic-Proportions-ebook/dp/B00OGLQ0QC/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">LEGENDS AND LORE: An Anthology of Mythic Proportions</a> (2014), "Silver Scams" in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mechanized-Masterpieces-2-American-Anthology-ebook/dp/B00SZ1ORE6/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">MECHANIZED MASTERPIECES 2: An American Anthology</a> (2015). Her original work, "Clockwork Ballet" which first brought her to Xchyler's attention, appeared in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mechanized-Masterpieces-A-Steampunk-Anthology-ebook/dp/B00CFT5658/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=61OQuDKSo4L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR105%2C160_&refRID=06NN2N6SF5QKV027056R" target="_blank">MECHANIZED MASTERPIECES: A Steampunk Anthology</a> (2013).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnfXa24txIBUv_MA66VWwy42Gy7KOwkvG338K20hNHzUulPvxWeo9xXhfyXoysv7C7vvKRY9ToeAKH_vfuSsdu6i_dTdOYiioQcE8K5MtS11Ols0g-LhU_z-tc_vFxsV44pgtODssJ71m/s1600/trailer-liara-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnfXa24txIBUv_MA66VWwy42Gy7KOwkvG338K20hNHzUulPvxWeo9xXhfyXoysv7C7vvKRY9ToeAKH_vfuSsdu6i_dTdOYiioQcE8K5MtS11Ols0g-LhU_z-tc_vFxsV44pgtODssJ71m/s320/trailer-liara-3.png" width="251" /></a></div>
Despite all the setbacks, and delays we remained invested in this work because it's a great story. At the beginning of the endeavor, we outlined the entire series, and it promises to be an engrossing and entertaining hero journey that spans a continent. I confess, my love of history and Wiseman's knowledge of her time period strongly influenced our decision, and, just as THE BOOKMINDER provides a glimpse into the Istrian peninsula on the shores of the Adriatic at the time of the Venetian Republic, the Renaissance in full bloom, further installments promise to be as sumptuous as the court of Louis XIV.<br />
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Wiseman's world building is imaginative, her magical laws and theories fresh and well-thought-out, and her characters are not your run-of-the-mill YA coming-of-age grist. The setting and the premise are unique, her knowledge of her historical material impeccable. To say this book is well-researched is an understatement. In short, this work has been well-worth the pains of hammering out the challenges, and all of us learned a great deal along the way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLL2JTfps862gTkVzH3vl9dT81unw5PEPtZsvVJXelWPCn-q0Et6zS9x_AlAVsmAMGlta6Cy_ZNUI3VkCrXgDj3Hb3G5sVp3K9hp8-oEYjpUrcwUOdCJzaYm532wA2qt9XX3heU76yUu6/s1600/trailer-nagarath_edited-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLL2JTfps862gTkVzH3vl9dT81unw5PEPtZsvVJXelWPCn-q0Et6zS9x_AlAVsmAMGlta6Cy_ZNUI3VkCrXgDj3Hb3G5sVp3K9hp8-oEYjpUrcwUOdCJzaYm532wA2qt9XX3heU76yUu6/s320/trailer-nagarath_edited-3.png" width="231" /></a></div>
Liara is an orphan, raised as a ward of the Church but forever a second-class citizen in her tiny village due to the origins of her birth. To say she has a chip on her shoulder is an understatement. Liara is desperate for love and affection, but for her this translates into kleptomania and resentment. Not until a rumored mage appears from no where to take her into his custody does she begin to trust and discover there is more to herself than the magic she craves but has been forever denied. Under Nagarath's watchful eye, she at last gains the home she felt she had been denied all her life. And learns to appreciate the gifts she had already been given.<br />
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As for Nazareth, he presents as the classic absent-minded professor making all the wrong choices for all the right reasons. His efforts to protect Liara from the secrets of her past produce the opposite of his intent, and threaten to destroy everything Liara has grown to be in his custody. I most enjoy the relationship between Liara and Nazareth that becomes one of equality and mutual trust, and a growing realization that the mage is as much dependent upon Liara's friendship as she is upon his. The big question is, can they get over the wounds of their mutual past before it destroys the future promised by their fragile coalition?<br />
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<h4>
Bottom Line:</h4>
Wiseman's characters are multidimensional, flawed, and in serious need of personal growth. They may prove a challenge to readers of fantasy who expect to find their heroes charming and surrounded by a halo of light from the opening page, but the rewards of getting to know them are well worth the effort.<br />
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Wiseman doesn't hold the reader at arm's length, but lets her own wealth of experience shine through, her characters getting up close and personal. Doing so allows them to feel meaty, rather than the cloying cotton-candy variety that one finds too often in YA fare. It's also a delight to stumble upon the little Easter eggs nestled within the text, each a small omage to Wiseman's personal experiences as a librarian, musician, and of Croatian extraction.<br />
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More cool stuff on this blog tour:<br />
<br />
Make sure to follow each stop of the blog tour for the opportunity to enter our give-away every single day. Check out our Rafflecopter giveaway below, or check out <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/63a91ade23/?" target="_blank">the website here</a>.<br />
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We're celebrating the release of<a href="http://bit.ly/BookminderonAMZ" target="_blank"> THE BOOKMINDER by M. K. Wiseman</a> with a blog tour and Rafflecopter give-away! Visit each blog each day for more chances to win lots of great prizes. If you like epic fantasy, you'll love this coming-of-age tale of magic and wizards set in the Renaissance era.
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<a href="http://about.me/pennyfreeman" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR68WThJ-Ikz1BcsBZSBqvTb8qsowJiK2Il1ZwQaLVeaLuCgvvJbL-YYSFpg2SeauzBJvRqQ7fbaJw4LvkP_DSInVLSauJBIyXbmVQlvbW8e9_vN6sS8J_SLUtEt2hDjAuJ_icgf3E3Hew/s200/blog+sig+gray+tempus.png" width="200" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">
January 9-16, 2016</span></h1>
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<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 100px;"><strong>Saturday, 01-09</strong></td>
<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 400px;"><a href="http://bookwhizz.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Bookwhizz</a></td>
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<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 100px;"><strong>Sunday, 01-10</strong></td>
<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.mkwisemanauthor.com/" target="_blank">M. K. Wiseman</a></td>
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<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 100px;"><strong>Monday, 01-11</strong></td>
<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 400px;"><a href="http://amindwandering.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Perpetual Chaos of a Wandering Mind</a></td>
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<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 100px;"><strong>Tuesday, 01-12</strong></td>
<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 400px;"><a href="http://afstewartblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Are You Afraid of the Dark?</a></td>
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<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 100px;"><strong>Wednesday, 01-13</strong></td>
<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 400px;"><a href="http://howlingturtle-pdx.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Howling Turtle</a></td>
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<td rowspan="2" scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 100px;"><strong>Thursday, 01-14</strong></td>
<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 400px;"><a href="http://belartsbooks.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Dreams to Become</a></td>
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<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3;"><a href="http://semishort.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Semi-short Chic</a></td>
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<td rowspan="2" scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 100px;"><strong>Friday, 01.15</strong></td>
<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 400px;"><a href="https://jdspero.wordpress.com/blog/" target="_blank">JD Spero</a></td>
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<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 400px;"><a href="http://booksinthespotlight.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Books in the Spotlight</a></td>
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<td rowspan="2" scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 100px;"><strong>Saturday, 01-16</strong></td>
<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 400px;"><a href="https://creativityfromchaos.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Creativity from Chaos</a></td>
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<td scope="colgroup" style="border-color: #e3e3e3; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.ramblingreviews.com/" target="_blank">Rambling Reviews</a></td>
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</table>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Don't forget to enter our blog tour Rafflecopter give-away below, on the blogs above, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/XchylerPublishing.page/app/228910107186452/" target="_blank">our Facebook page</a>, or on <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/63a91ade23/?" target="_blank">Rafflecopter</a>, with daily chances to win!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-91134481350364422002015-10-16T13:04:00.000-05:002015-10-16T13:21:11.194-05:00BEYOND THE WAIL Book Review and Blog Tour<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1940810485" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="BEYOND THE WAIL: 12 Grave Stories of Love and Loss" class="aligncenter wp-image-2316" src="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/BEYOND-THE-WAIL-Blog-Banner-.jpg" width="525"></a>
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<h2>
BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY:</h2>
<br>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="63a91ade22" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/63a91ade22/" id="rcwidget_9aisvk49" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<h3>
<a href="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Anita-Stewart_200x274.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Anita-Stewart_200x274.png"></a></h3>
<h2>
About today's author: A. F. Stewart:</h2>
A. F. Stewart was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, and still calls it home. The youngest in a family of seven children, she has always had an overly creative mind and an active imagination. She is fond of good books (especially science fiction/fantasy), action movies, sword collecting, and oil painting. Ms. Stewart is an indie author with several published novellas and story collections in the dark fantasy and horror genres, with a few side trips into poetry and nonfiction. She has a great interest in history and mythology, often working those themes into her books and stories.
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://afallon.bravesites.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="http://afstewartblog.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Blog</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/afstewartauthor" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/scribe77" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/106329378485006358327" target="_blank">Google +</a> | <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/scribe77/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/A.-F.-Stewart/e/B00653FUOW/" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1175681.A_F_Stewart" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/afstewart" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FiKWlq_YHtYfwgI-q9pFg0TzMSdMWLNCqJmKD6NIS_BqzjPWgy8oN1dYnfZP_mZU8vDJHqDqsQi26zmBOeFFRqgNjkBzd601QaPr-Cf8_MOELb_DdIJKzBVXVeDVsITo8owkxiiBzlrU/s1600/12068613_10153669258133540_3279283515784048576_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FiKWlq_YHtYfwgI-q9pFg0TzMSdMWLNCqJmKD6NIS_BqzjPWgy8oN1dYnfZP_mZU8vDJHqDqsQi26zmBOeFFRqgNjkBzd601QaPr-Cf8_MOELb_DdIJKzBVXVeDVsITo8owkxiiBzlrU/s320/12068613_10153669258133540_3279283515784048576_o.jpg" width="500"></a></div>
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</h3>
<h3>
Author Interview:</h3>
1. How did you come up with the concept of your story?<br>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I’ve always loved ghost stories, so that’s what I decided on when I went to write my paranormal tale. And since the submission theme of the Beyond the Wail anthology was “Losers Weepers”, the the La Llorona, or “The Weeping Woman” ghost story seemed an ideal place to start. I also threw in some inspiration from the eerie tales of the “White Lady”, an oft repeated ghost phenomenon. I tweaked a few details of the original tale, added some family drama, and I had a story.</blockquote>
2. How did you come up with the title?<br>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The title was simple, I combined the names of the two ghost legends. I put “Weeping Woman” and “White Lady” together, and viola, I had The Weeping Lady.</blockquote>
3. What is your preferred writing genre?<br>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I love writing fantasy, preferably darker tales bordering on horror. The Weeping Lady is actually tamer and slightly more upbeat than much of what I write. Although, it is still rather dark.</blockquote>
4. Who is your favorite author? Who has most influenced your work?<br>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I have two favourite authors, Neil Gaiman and Guy Gavriel Kay. They are both exquisite writers and masters of storytelling. I adore their work and refuse to choose just one. My biggest influence, though, is Ray Bradbury. His short stories warped my little child brain and imprinted the love of the written word on my grey cells forever.</blockquote>
5. What's up next for you?<br>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I have several stories in the submission process for anthologies, including one for the charity anthology, Christmas Lites V. Plus, I have two novels in various stages of creation, a steampunk adventure book, called Racing the Hellfire Club, and a fantasy novel, The Prophecy of Seven. And there’s always a chance of another poetry book showing up in the near future.</blockquote>
<h3>
Just for fun nerd list:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Star Wars or Star Trek? Both. And yes, you can love both.</li>
<li>Hunger Games or Divergent? Neither. Not a big YA fan.</li>
<li>James Bond or Jack Ryan? Jack Ryan, definitely. I’m a big Tom Clancy fan.</li>
<li>Sherlock: Robert Downey, Jr. or Benedict Cumberbatch? As much as I adore Robert Downey, Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch has the edge in the Sherlock department.</li>
<li>Spock: Leonard Nimoy or Zachary Quinto? Leonard Nimoy. Part of me still sees Zachary Quinto as Sylar from Heroes</li>
<li>X-Men or Avengers? Probably the Avengers, but it’s a tight race.</li>
<li>Aliens or Predators? Not big on either. </li>
<li>Minions or Penguins? I love them both, although Pinky and the Brain have top spot in my heart. </li>
<li>Batman or Superman? Batman, always and forever.</li>
<li>Harry Potter or Pirates of the Caribbean? Pirates, of course. Pass the rum, boys.</li>
<li>Beatles or Rolling Stones? Neither. I’d rather listen to The Doors.</li>
<li>Peter Jackson or James Cameron? Peter Jackson. I was a fan before LOTR.</li>
<li>Steven Spielberg or George Lucas? Lucas, but that’s just because of the original Star Wars trilogy.</li>
<li>Vampires or Werewolves? Probably Vampires, but I like them both.</li>
<li>LARP or MORPG? Neither really, but I’ve always wanted to LARP.</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dkgd4B7YM_509DKJC-HMmKV2pIHWkCX3Lxguh0Nsb_nyWDQ0Eyki8siCSvS23VOgWxi2i46wV8Ojgl9GY6hk47rtP4aI1RqkjktsL07cDEosxZN5VUOlW3XWAOhftm-ZwNc83INT0qtI/s1600/BtheW_Webkit_Review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dkgd4B7YM_509DKJC-HMmKV2pIHWkCX3Lxguh0Nsb_nyWDQ0Eyki8siCSvS23VOgWxi2i46wV8Ojgl9GY6hk47rtP4aI1RqkjktsL07cDEosxZN5VUOlW3XWAOhftm-ZwNc83INT0qtI/s640/BtheW_Webkit_Review.jpg" width="525"></a></div>
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<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1940810485" target="_blank">BEYOND THE WAIL: 12 Grave Tales of Love and Loss</a></div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> Amanda Banker, Jay Barnson, Julie Barnson, Sebastian Bendix, Tirzah Duncan, F.M. Longo, Ginger C. Mann, Alex McGilvery, L.K. McIntosh, T.N. Payne, Danielle E. Shipley, A.F. Stewart<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Editor:</span> J. Aurel Guay<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 396<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Paperback, Kindle, Kindle Select<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> Xchyler Publishing<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> publisher<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Paranormal/Urban Fantasy<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style: </span> Twelve distinct voices, including a range from humorous to eerie to thought-provoking and mind-bending, to tense and perilous ghost stories that tie your gut up in knots. Some stories may not be appropriate for readers under the age of 14.<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8;">Giveaway:</span> Scroll down to enter! or visit <a href="https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/63a91ade22/" target="_blank">Rafflecopter</a> or the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/XchylerPublishing.page/app_228910107186452" target="_blank">XP Facebook</a> page.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FZsj5EexMTIa5vZGAQiFt4ZXYcHlEx4tzXorw24QY18hJQqXayaRZy8I3IYjfFDRIV0KsQ-51vLqGLXSedRwrRKxm3Ju17JP_EeeZJRyQ6EIcks739v0xw25zUxtZzonmDtJgTkDs92j/s1600/BEYOND-THE-WAIL-front-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FZsj5EexMTIa5vZGAQiFt4ZXYcHlEx4tzXorw24QY18hJQqXayaRZy8I3IYjfFDRIV0KsQ-51vLqGLXSedRwrRKxm3Ju17JP_EeeZJRyQ6EIcks739v0xw25zUxtZzonmDtJgTkDs92j/s320/BEYOND-THE-WAIL-front-web.jpg" width="208"></a></div>
<h4>
Synopsis:</h4>
What is it about fear and the unknown that pulls so passionately at the human heart? Perhaps we are drawn not to the darkness itself, but to the resolution, the overcoming of what we most deeply dread. After all, the more terrible the struggle, the greater the victory when it comes at last. Presented in this anthology are twelve remarkable stories of the darkness that overshadows us, and the resolution that may be found beyond them. They are stories of fear and oppression, but ultimately stories of hope, stories that will take you BEYOND THE WAIL.<br>
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<h4>
About this project:</h4>
True confession: I'm not a fan of paranormal or ghost stories. They're just not my cup of tea. I'm so much not a fan, that when Xchyler held this particular short story contest, our third in the paranormal genre, I left judging the forty-four entries up to my compatriots. I just didn't want to go there. And, I trusted them, implicitly. And not without good cause.<br>
<a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2015/10/beyond-wail-book-review-and-blog-tour.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-23227869017007282192015-08-29T00:30:00.000-05:002015-08-29T00:30:00.279-05:00SIGIL OF THE WYRM Book Review and Blog Tour<div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sigil-Wyrm-Into-Weirding-1/dp/1940810442">SIGIL OF THE WYRM</a> </div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> A.J. Campbell<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 312<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Paperback, Kindle, Kindle Select<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> Xchyler Publishing<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> publisher<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Urban Fantasy<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style: </span>Magical realism written in an easy, approachable style, incorporating local folklore but set in contemporary Northumbria, UK.<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Giveaway:</span> Scroll down to enter! or visit <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/NjNhOTFhZGViODYzNjNlNzQwYjRmN2FiYzA0MDRjOjIw/?">Rafflecopter</a> or the X<a href="https://www.facebook.com/XchylerPublishing.page/app_228910107186452">P Facebook</a> page.<br>
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<h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1440527148l/26164584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sigil of the Wyrm by AJ Campbell, book 1 of Into the Weirding" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1440527148l/26164584.jpg" title="" width="209"></a></div>
Synopsis: </h3>
<div style="margin-bottom: 14px; margin-top: -4px; padding: 0px;">
Richard Lampton never believed in fairy tales, so when a stunning stranger at his uncle’s funeral warns him of an ancient family curse, he pays no heed—until a very real wyrm attempts to destroy him. Now, with the help of a homeless runaway, a fledgling jackdaw, and a key none but he can use, Richard must find the courage to meet his death or his destiny as he plunges headlong Into the Weirding.</div>
<h3 style="margin-bottom: 14px; margin-top: -4px; padding: 0px;">
About this project: </h3>
<div style="margin-bottom: 14px; margin-top: -4px; padding: 0px;">
Sigil of the Wyrm is another Xchyler offering, one I'm quite proud of. AJ Campbell is a "Geordie", what natives of northeast England affectionately call themselves. Although she now lives in the south , her story is a homage to the land of her birth and the local lore that she grew up with. However, when the editor who initially chose to take on this project had to back out, it got stalled. Preserving the British but especially Geordie flavor of the tale meant finding just the right team to pull it off. We didn't want to Americanize it so much it lost its identity.<br>
</div><a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2015/08/sigil-of-wyrm-book-review-and-blog-tour.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-15225859759018686452015-06-10T13:32:00.000-05:002015-06-10T13:40:19.358-05:00What color is a polar bear? Redefining ‘adult’ in ‘adult fiction’<br />
<a href="http://associationmormonletters.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Xchyler_logo_color_hi-res-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://associationmormonletters.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Xchyler_logo_color_hi-res-2-300x117.jpg" /></a><br />
[editor's note: the following blog post is published in full on <a href="http://associationmormonletters.org/blog/2015/06/what-color-is-a-polar-bear-penny-freeman-on-adult-writing-and-xchyler-publishing/">AssociationMormonLetters.org</a>]<br />
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Today’s guest post is by Penny Freeman, editor-in-chief at <a href="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/">Xchyler Publishing</a>.<br />
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Although Andrew asked me to write a blog post for his site some time ago, the date of publication came and went with me still staring at the monitor, unable to formulate my thoughts—or, at the very least, unable to figure out how to adequately express my thoughts in a way that would communicate my intent. Then, I read <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/opinion/sunday/judith-shulevitz-hiding-from-scary-ideas.html?_r=0">an op-ed in the New York Times</a> about university students who are so intent on protecting [insert special interest group of choice here] from any sort of offense or emotional turmoil, they are campaigning to restrict freedom of speech and the actual texts used in courses.<br />
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Huckleberry Finn had to go because of the N-word. Guest lecturers must be un-invited from speaking because they used the N-word in discussing the evolution of the N-word and its social acceptability. Euclid could not be taught in humanities classes because it might trigger emotional responses in victims of violent crime. Such persons may not feel safe or sheltered in such discussions, so those discussions must not occur. Anywhere. Ever.<br />
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I believe this is where we, as Mormon writers, too often find ourselves, and why the term “Mormon literature” causes some readers to roll their eyes in frustration. We are so intent on sheltering the reader from offensive material, we wrap them up in cotton and set them in a cozy egg carton, safely deposited on a high shelf. The problem: when readers happen upon stories that refuse to admit life rarely comes equipped with bubble wrap and packing peanuts, they find the writing shallow and dissatisfying, with little dimension and no color. . . .(cont)<br />
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<a href="http://associationmormonletters.org/blog/2015/06/what-color-is-a-polar-bear-penny-freeman-on-adult-writing-and-xchyler-publishing/">Read the complete blog post here.</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-87718350897182928132015-06-04T12:42:00.000-05:002015-06-05T00:21:57.503-05:00Book Review: Wild Secret, Wild Longing (Front Range series)<div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25623276-wild-secret-wild-longing" target="_blank">WILD SECRET, WILD LONGING</a> (A Front Range Series novella)</div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> Charlene Whitman<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 155<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Kindle<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> Ubiquitous Press<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> author<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Historical Romance<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style: </span>Sweet romance in historical Western setting reflecting the social mores of the mid to late 19th century; rich prose with well-defined action sequences and plot tension.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6YumKqmYHh7eamNB68l0KIWOmEztHfSjAlhUs65AcY9SrRNf9z9FwtIyi72E__BpyRYno_u7JXW_rBEwTqJJRrn-JLB55puN5JRFcQVepwL33j6ai3FNtcXYcudamyofnPMgNqYbsNlPE/s1600/25623276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6YumKqmYHh7eamNB68l0KIWOmEztHfSjAlhUs65AcY9SrRNf9z9FwtIyi72E__BpyRYno_u7JXW_rBEwTqJJRrn-JLB55puN5JRFcQVepwL33j6ai3FNtcXYcudamyofnPMgNqYbsNlPE/s320/25623276.jpg" width="206"></a>Synopsis: </h3>
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LeRoy Banks has no time for love or romance—he's busy breaking in horses at Whitcomb's ranch. But on the afternoon of his brother's wedding, a grizzly attacks the herd of horses, and though Whitcomb's ranch hands shoot him, the bear lumbers off, injured and enraged. LeRoy, the only competent tracker around, heads out into the Rockies after the bear before it kills again. But not before his ma, a Cheyenne medicine woman, gives him a warning. The mountain holds secrets, she tells him, and LeRoy must not be afraid of what he'll find. Unsettled by her puzzling words, he sets out, unaware of the dangers he is about to face—not just to his life but to his heart.</div>
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Geneviève Champlain has spent long, lonely years in isolation in the mountains, her life a trail of broken dreams, loss, and heartache. Her supplies running out, she is teetering on the edge of despair and madness as a snowstorm blows in, signaling an early winter. Her hope is failing—she knows she cannot face another winter alone. Yet she sees no way out. She can never leave her cabin and live a normal life like other women. There is no place for a tainted woman like her in frontier society. Before the storm blows in, she learns the killer grizzly is close by. She has no choice but to head out and try to kill it before it reaches her cabin. Yet when she tracks the bear, she finds something she never expected—something even more threatening than a grizzly.</div>
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In this novella, the fourth in a series of Western historical romances, Charlene Whitman proves once again her exceptional skill at combining a believable plot, realistic characters, and delightful prose to draw her readers into her worlds rich with color and texture, light and sound, for a deeply satisfying experience.</div>
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My Take: </h3>
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LeRoy Banks is a young horse wrangler who also happens to be of mixed race. Dealing with the prejudices of the day proves more difficult for him than his brother who more resembles their white father, rather than their Cheyenne mother, as does LeRoy. However, as Whitman introduces the character, the reader first gets to know the man. His physical features are almost an after-thought. The strengths of his mother and her particular skills figure prominently as the plot unfolds but are skillfully nuanced. While she is an adept healer and somewhat prescient, Whitman chooses to emphasize her love, support, and faith in her son, and his respect for her and dependence upon her wise counsel. There are no caricatures in this story, of any race.<br>
</div><a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-wild-heart-wild-longing.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-84051737932116468392015-05-23T07:00:00.000-05:002015-05-26T21:11:48.693-05:00Book Review: Hohenstein by Didi<div>
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<i>Make sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of this post!</i></h4>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> HOHENSTEIN</div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> Didi Lawson<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 342<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Paperback, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> Xchyler Publishing<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> publisher team member<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Historical Romance<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style: </span>Sweet romance in historical setting reflecting the social mores of the early 20th century.<br>
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<h3>
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1424709955l/25002886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1424709955l/25002886.jpg" width="210"></a>Synopsis: </h3>
Anything but a typical aristocrat, young Baroness Marie-Louise is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and get to work, especially when it comes to saving her ancestral estate. Determined to shake loose the shackles of propriety and gain the warm family life her upbringing denied her, she has vowed to marry a man of lower rank. Blue-bloods need not apply.<br>
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But when she is forced to turn to a childhood friend for assistance, the handsome, debonair count may prove a temptation impossible to resist. Marie-Louise soon finds herself caught between the comfort of a middle-class doctor and the passion of a nobleman, with the future of her childhood home at stake.<br>
<a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-hohenstein-by-didi.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-72321159745797781102015-05-02T00:56:00.000-05:002015-06-04T12:50:55.474-05:00Vanguard Legacy Taking Over the Internet<h2>
<a href="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/assets/attachments/image/foretold_small.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/assets/attachments/image/foretold_small.png" /></a>
Beyond Books Takeover Treasure Trail</h2>
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Greetings and salutations, fair readers. Today, Joanne Kershaw, author of the Vanguard Legacy series, including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vanguard-Legacy-Foretold-Volume-1/dp/148398673X" target="_blank">Foretold</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vanguard-Legacy-Reflected-Volume-2/dp/1940810124" target="_blank">Reflected</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vanguard-Legacy-Fated-Volume-3/dp/1940810388" target="_blank">Fated</a>, is participating in Beyond Books Internet Event. You can <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1562055274045245/" target="_blank">find all those details here</a>.<br />
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If you've made it all the way here, you've persevered through ten clues and links. Yay you! Here's your last clue:<br />
<a href="http://xchylerpublishing.com/assets/attachments/image/Reflected.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://xchylerpublishing.com/assets/attachments/image/Reflected.png" /></a><br />
<i>What blog post recently became the most popular to knock out the longstanding champ of more than 2.5 years?</i><br />
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<i>Hint: the answer is on the column on the right under Rave Ravings.</i></div>
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Tough, right? Now that you've got that answer, you’re done! EMAILyour list of answers to <a href="mailto:vanguardlegacyfans@gmail.com">vanguardlegacyfans@gmail.com</a>. Winners will be chosen at random. (You won’t receive ANY marketing from Joanne, at all, but if you win a prize you will be notified by email!) You can also TWEET her at <a href="https://twitter.com/Kershaw_Joanne" target="_blank">@Kershaw_Joanne</a> (Yes, Google + wants to hijack the tweet. Here's that link: <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/104714487233314654979" target="_blank">+Joanne Kershaw</a>)</div>
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<a href="http://xchylerpublishing.com/assets/attachments/image/Vanguard%20Legacy/Fated_200x274.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://xchylerpublishing.com/assets/attachments/image/Vanguard%20Legacy/Fated_200x274.png" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
Finally, it's time to read <a href="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/site.cfm/Our-Books/Vanguard-Legacy-Foretold-Joanne-Kershaw.cfm" target="_blank">Vanguard Legacy</a>! If you're a fan of paranormal fiction, particularly YA paranormal romance, you're going to love this series.<br />
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Happy reading!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-56606238133659934122015-04-25T11:32:00.000-05:002015-06-04T12:52:05.872-05:00Book Tour: the Vanguard Legacy series by Joanne KershawMore than four years in the making, the Vanguard Legacy series by Joanne Kershaw is finally complete! Today only, get all three ebooks for the price of one on Kindle. Here's all the YA paranormal goodness:<br>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vanguard-Legacy-Foretold-Joanne-Kershaw/dp/148398673X" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Vanguard Legacy: Foretold by Joanne Kershaw" border="0" src="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/assets/attachments/image/foretold_small.png" title=""></a></div>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">FORETOLD</span><br>
Vanguard Recruit Elora Walker doesn’t know who demands more of her: her mother, or herself. But more than she wants to make Nina proud of her, she wants to know the truths buried deep in their mutual past.<br>
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Haunted by the memory of her long-dead father, tormented by a psychic link to a faceless stranger, Elora learns to rely upon her friends and her newfound warrior skills to protect not only the Ignari from Dark Seekers, but the world from an ancient family secret that can destroy it.<br>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vanguard-Legacy-Foretold-Joanne-Kershaw/dp/148398673X" target="_blank">BUY FORETOLD HERE</a></span><br>
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">What readers are saying about Foretold:</span><br>
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“A stellar read for fantasy fans!”<br>
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“Move over Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and The Mortal Instruments; I've found my next YA paranormal series to obsess over.”<br>
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“A 5-star must read for YA enthusiasts but also for readers who enjoy a well-written story full of creativity and imagination!”<br>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vanguard-Legacy-Reflected-Joanne-Kershaw/dp/1940810124/ref=la_B00JENAXBK_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397074636&sr=1-2" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://xchylerpublishing.com/assets/attachments/image/Reflected.png"></a></div>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">REFLECTED</span><br>
An ugly family secret laid bare, a mortal wound inflicted by her twin sister, betrayed by the love of her life—her supposed “soul mate”. In the wake of the battle with her evil father and his Dark Seekers, Elora Walker fights to recover from them all.<br>
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Together with her Vanguard, Magicae, and Vampire friends, Elora races to gather ingredients for the spell of spells, bury the curse, and defeat the prophecy which has tainted her life since birth. To save the world, can she deny the yearnings of her heart? Or, will she succumb to the temptation of love, and plunge them all into Eternal Darkness.<br>
<a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2015/04/book-tour-vanguard-legacy-series-by.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-86848072807382682982015-03-23T14:00:00.000-05:002015-06-04T12:54:43.968-05:00Blondes, Books & Bourbon Blog Hop<div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> <a href="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/site.cfm/blondes-books-and-bourbon-by-rm-ridley.cfm" target="_blank">Blondes, Books & Bourbon: A White Dragon Black Anthology</a></div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> R. M. Ridley<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 192<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Paperback, Kindle, Nook<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> <a href="http://xchylerpublishing.com/" target="_blank">Xchyler Publishing</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> company project<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Genre:</span> Paranormal<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style:</span> Intelligent, fast-paced prose with dark hero of an ironic and satirical bent, strong plot, vivid world-building, infinite possibilities for additions to the series<br>
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Synopsis: <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br></span></h3>
In this collection of short stories, Jonathan Alvey continues to battle the unraveling world of the White Dragon Black.<br>
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<b>Interview:</b> A rare sit-down with paranormal private investigator Jonathan Alvey.<br>
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<b>The Play’s the Thing: </b>When a blonde woman shows up in Alvey’s office, seeking protection, he uncovers more than a murder attempt.<br>
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<b>The Cost of Custody: </b>Alvey helps estranged parents rescue their daughter from a terrible fate.<br>
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<b>Sins of the Father:</b> A pawn shop owner risks it all by asking Alvey to recover property that is more than meets the eye.<br>
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<b>Legerdelivre:</b> There’s nowhere Richard Tomlin can hide when it comes to the controlling powers of a dusty grimoire, but can Alvey truly help him?<br>
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<b>What a Nightmare:</b> Little old ladies do deceive, and secretaries come dear, in Jonathan Alvey’s office.<br>
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<b>Do As I Say, Not As I Did:</b> Alvey must air a CEO’s dirty laundry before a company ghost destroys too much.<br>
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<b>The Ties That Bind:</b> Can Alvey control a poltergeist and maintain his promise to not fall victim to the Dragon Black?<br>
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<b>Bindings and Spines:</b> A first chapter sneak peek of the second White Dragon Black novel.<br>
<a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2015/03/book-blondes-books-bourbon-white-dragon.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-90734201688551944362015-03-16T00:15:00.001-05:002015-06-04T12:53:45.351-05:00Book Review: Siren Tamer by Sofia St. Angelas<div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> SIREN TAMER (Book 1 of the Siren Tamer series)</div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> Sofia St. Angelas<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 324<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Paperback, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> Sofia St. Angelas<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Siren-Tamer-Book-One/dp/150305053X/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">Amazon.com</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Young Adult Fantasy/Romance<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style: </span>Easy, contemporary voice that speaks directly to target audience.<br>
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Synopsis:</h3>
I’m a Siren Tamer, and she’s my Siren. Apart we’re nothing much. Sure, she has the ability to level entire armies with one song, but it’s a one-time deal. One song and she’s dead.<br>
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I’m a myth and a legend. Tamers like me only come around every thousand years, so no one’s sure what I can do. But legend has it, when my Siren and I are together, we become a lethal weapon. One with infinite destructive capabilities. <br>
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What’s the real problem here? Neither of us knows it.<br>
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A YA Paranormal Romance set in an alternate Maya universe, SIREN TAMER does to Sirens what TWILIGHT did to Vampires. With a stalwart warrior you'll love to love and a bewitching Siren you'll hate to hate, it promises an adventure beyond compare.</div>
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</div><a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2015/03/book-review-siren-tamer-by-sofia-st.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-91243974165963757192015-02-28T13:30:00.001-06:002015-06-04T12:55:31.857-05:00Book Review: Mechanized Masterpieces 2: An American Anthology<div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> MECHANIZED MASTERPIECES: A STEAMPUNK ANTHOLOGY</div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author: </span>J. Aurel Guay, Megan Oliphant, Jay Barnson, M. Irish Gardner, D. Lee Jortner, J.R. Potter, M. K. Wiseman, Scott E. Tarbet, Scott William Taylor, Neve Talbot<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 456<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Paperback, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> <a href="http://xchylerpublishing.com/" target="_blank">Xchyler Publishing</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> company project<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Steampunk<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style: </span>Flowing, imaginative prose of differing styles and pacing, dependent upon author voice.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTCmA8zPG_rZKkMYZi8fYNOIwYViqUhgV9gb5Zc0QLKUabNueLLKV3MPjltYOSUnPi2CQ5J60dOc5bjg7uqpks_1-ehEkw10p95dVbJzjSXcVduL5luXejuiVyG1G_gN9FW0k0q9_PTfT/s1600/MechanizedMasterpieces2_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTCmA8zPG_rZKkMYZi8fYNOIwYViqUhgV9gb5Zc0QLKUabNueLLKV3MPjltYOSUnPi2CQ5J60dOc5bjg7uqpks_1-ehEkw10p95dVbJzjSXcVduL5luXejuiVyG1G_gN9FW0k0q9_PTfT/s1600/MechanizedMasterpieces2_Cover.jpg" width="210"></a></div>
Synopsis:</h3>
Ride into the Wild West with ten steampunked expansions of classic American tales.<br>
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<b>A Princess of Jasoom:</b> An intrepid young researcher reaches for the stars from the Arizona desert, and finds love where she least expects it.<br>
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<b>Winged Hope:</b> The widow of a brilliant inventor fights insurmountable odds to see her husband’s dreams realized and save the life of her daughter.<br>
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<b>The Van Tassel Legacy: </b>A stranger arrives in Sleepy Hollow to unearth old conspiracies and bring the Van Brunts to justice.<br>
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<b>Invested Charm:</b> A mysterious woman doles out justice in Boston society, but who will catch her first: organized crime or the law?<br>
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<b>Payoff for Air Pirate Pete:</b> A pair of train-robbing outlaws bite off more than they can chew when they kidnap the son of a railroad bigwig.<br>
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<b>Rise of the House of Usher:</b> A mad scientist gains power over life and death at the cost of his family’s sanity, if not their very lives.<br>
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<b>The Silver Scams:</b> A fast-talking confidence man ensnares all of Holland in his scheme to eliminate dikes forever . . . for a price.<br>
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<b>Nautilus Redux:</b> Captain Nemo’s crew stumble upon an island castaway who claims to be Captain Ahab of the Pequod. Only Moby Dick knows the truth.<br>
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<b>Mr. Thornton:</b> Hounded by tragedy and betrayal, a gifted young blacksmith wanders from The Ohio to The Yukon searching for honor, loyalty, and justice.<br>
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<b>West End:</b> A heartbroken Theodore Laurence follows the siren song of steam to Jamaica, where love and law collide with explosive results.<br>
<a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2015/02/book-review-mechanized-masterpieces-2.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-19701024098432225382014-11-21T12:07:00.000-06:002015-06-04T12:56:20.062-05:00Book Review: On the Isle of Sound and Wonder by Alyson Grauer<div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> On the Isle of Sound and Wonder</div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> Alyson Grauer<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 309<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> <a href="http://xchylerpublishing.com/" target="_blank">Xchyler Publishing</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> company project<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Steampunk<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style:</span> Literary prose with complex characters, strong plot, and vivid world-building<br>
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Synopsis: <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All but alone, wild but resourceful Mira dreams of life beyond the shores of her mystical island. Isolated by her father, a dark sorcerer bent on vengeance, she has only his servants, an air spirit and a misshapen cast-off, to share her company. When Dante conjures a terrible storm to wash ashore his mortal enemies, Mira must chose between her loyalties to her father and what she knows is right.</span><br>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-72ee94ec-d319-b0de-b33f-969c2b871697"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sail the skies and soar the seas surrounding this Isle of Sound and Wonder as Alyson Grauer masterfully retells William Shakespeare’s classic, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Tempest</span><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, bedecked in the trappings of Steampunk.</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">About the Author: </span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alyson Grauer is a storyteller in multiple mediums, her two primary canvases being the stage and the page. On stage she is often seen in the Chicago area, primarily at Piccolo Theatre, Plan 9 Burlesque, and the Bristol Renaissance Faire. Her nonfiction work has been published in the Journal for Perinatal Education for Lamaze International. Her short fiction can be found in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Archives-Collection-Catherine-Ford-ebook/dp/B00AR6AK2U/ref=asap_B00FXTB1AQ_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416574936&sr=1-4">Tales from the Archives (Volume 2)</a> for The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences and in two anthologies from Xchyler Publishing, "Lavenza, or The Modern Galatea" in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mechanized-Masterpieces-Steampunk-Anika-Arrington/dp/0989303527/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1416590859&sr=8-1&keywords=mechanized+masterpieces">Mechanized Masterpieces: A Steampunk Anthology</a> (MMSA) and "The Brother-Sister Fable" in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Legends-Lore-Anthology-Mythic-Proportions/dp/1940810272/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416590900&sr=8-1&keywords=legends+and+lore%3A+an+anthology+of+mythic+proportions">Legends and Lore: an Anthology of Mythic Proportions</a>. Alyson is a proud graduate of Loyola University of Chicago and hails originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is her first novel</span>.<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vhNer7R2-6zeWT-d_4RQCkNm2PQh5CiI3Yre6cPsm5w-DjwslmOlAedcuTJ37ip0_FF9tPnVLqyzWr32O-gwvHsats9A6eFHn3tA0ZLMj_bJsa3xFi82dI4A6JBxHG2NYKHuGTWEs_rj/s1600/Alyson+Grauer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vhNer7R2-6zeWT-d_4RQCkNm2PQh5CiI3Yre6cPsm5w-DjwslmOlAedcuTJ37ip0_FF9tPnVLqyzWr32O-gwvHsats9A6eFHn3tA0ZLMj_bJsa3xFi82dI4A6JBxHG2NYKHuGTWEs_rj/s1600/Alyson+Grauer.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Author and Thespian Alyson Grauer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Process: </span></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I first "met" Alyson (by the interweb definition) when she won one of Xchyler Publishing's first short story competitions. Her "Lavenza, or The Modern Galatea" anchored <i><a href="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/site.cfm/Our-Books/Mechanized-Masterpieces.cfm" target="_blank">MMSA</a></i>. Besides being a brilliant writer, I found her witty, intelligent, and a delight to work with. I wanted to see more of her work.</span><br>
</div><a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2014/11/book-review-on-isle-of-sound-and-wonder.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-9527254796926952302014-11-21T09:28:00.003-06:002015-06-04T12:57:25.522-05:00Book Tour: On the Isle of Sound and Wonder by Alyson Grauer (Character Interview)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Neapolis, 1854<br>
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I am not a courtier, by any means, and so you can well imagine my desire to serve my king well when he gave me such a critical commission. He came to me in the nursery late one evening, when all the children were abed. I never retire early; Mira betimes stirs in the night, tormented with strange and curious dreams. Not until she is well and truly settled do I myself seek my humble repose.<br>
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Often times, when King Alanno Civitelli has come to the nursery to check the children before he himself retires, we have shared a quiet word, a cup of tea, a bit of consultation. I know he loves his children dearly, especially his son and heir, Ferran. It warms the heart to see a father so devoted, especially one so powerful as he, especially as he is so beset with the troubles of rule.<br>
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Perhaps this explains his choice of ambassador. Secrets never stay long at court, and I fear His Majesty knows not whom to trust in this affair, the matter of utmost delicacy. Who would suspect a lowly governess conducting important matters of state?<br>
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Thus, it breaks my heart to have failed him. I had hoped to find the answers he sought, but instead, I return empty-handed, my quest a failure. I could not find Psychoraxx. She has simply vanished, probably drowned with the rest of the ship upon which she was last seen.<br>
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Probably, but I cannot be certain, for my own dream continues to plague me. I have told no one lest they think me mad. Indeed, I cannot, for once or twice I have attempted to tell the king, but the words will not come. As if by some enchantment, I find myself back in the nursery without knowing why, having never uttered a word to His Majesty. Perhaps if I commit it to paper, it may purge my torment.<br>
<a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2014/11/book-tour-on-isle-of-sound-and-wonder.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-10922413537678229352014-10-21T14:45:00.001-05:002014-10-21T14:59:45.984-05:00Book Review: Legends and Lore: An Anthology of Mythic Proportions<div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Legends-Lore-Anthology-Mythic-Proportions/dp/1940810272/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1413917929&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=legends+and+and+lore%3A+an+anthology+of+mythic+proportions" target="_blank">Legends and Lore: An Anthology of Mythic Proportions</a></div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> Alyson Grauer, Sarah Hunter Hyatt, Emma Michaels, R. M. Ridley, Sarah E. Seeley, Lance Schonberg, Danielle E. Shipley, A. F. Stewart, M. K.Wiseman<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 404<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Paperback, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> <a href="http://xchylerpublishing.com/" target="_blank">Xchyler Publishing</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> personal project<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Fantasy, Paranormal<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style:</span> Broad range of styles from Aurthurian fantasy to darker paranormal elements.<br>
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<h3>
Synopsis:</h3>
Delve into myth and legend, where the Fates force post-modern man into a world of the unknown—a world long since dismissed as ignorant superstition.<br>
<b> The Brother-Sister Fable</b> by Alyson Grauer: a young boy disappears into a realm where only his sister can follow.<br>
<b> Faelad</b> by Sarah Hunter Hyatt: Claire Whitaker didn’t even know she was Irish, let alone The Morrigan, the goddess of war.<br>
<b> By Skyfall</b> by Emma Michaels: a mer-couple from Atlantis find themselves in the middle of a human murder investigation. <br>
<b> Charon’s Obol</b> by. R. M. Ridley: Jonathan Alvey didn’t believe in gods, until he helps a lost child find her all-powerful parents.<br>
<b> Peradventure</b> by Sarah E. Seeley: a jinni must choose between the woman he loves and destroying the city that persecuted her.<br>
<b> Natural Order</b> by Lance Schonberg: when Carlos Vasquez is kidnapped, he discovers powers within himself to change the world.<br>
<b> Two Spoons</b> by Danielle E. Shipley: A little girl’s soul meets its match in the family diner’s most mysterious patron.<br>
<b> Grail Days</b> by A. F. Stewart: Living forever has its drawbacks, especially when you spend it clearing away the messes of other immortals.<br>
<b> Downward Mobility</b> by M. K. Wiseman: they say love conquers all, but can it save a Valkyrie when she breaks all the rules?<br>
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<b>
My Take:</b></h3>
One of the most fun and most difficult aspects of filling the role of editor on an anthology is getting to choose which stories to include. Three times a year, Xchyler Publishing holds short story contests, including Steampunk, paranormal, and fantasy genres. For each contest, we provide a theme; in this case, <i>Mr. and Mrs. Myth</i>. Time and time again we get asked the same question: what do you mean by that? Our answer is always the same: what do <i>you</i> mean by that. This year, over forty authors decided they wanted to tell us.<br>
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Narrowing the field down to these nine titles was extremely difficult. It entailed reading every story, rating it, filling out a 92-question evaluation form, averaging the sum of scores from a number of editors and marketers, and then figuring out how many stories we could fit in and still stay within our target word count. It's not as easy as it sounds. However, the end result is worth it.<br>
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Then, the work begins.<br>
</div><a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2014/10/book-review-legends-and-lore-anthology.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-15491904585093763512014-10-04T01:00:00.000-05:002015-06-04T13:00:43.784-05:00Book Feature & Giveaway: The Accidental Apprentice by Anika Arrington<div style="text-align: center;">
DON'T FORGET THE GIVEAWAY AT THE END OF THIS POST!</div>
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<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NYBJTPY/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d1_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-4&pf_rd_r=1X83D31PZ5BMP0HY59C2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200422&pf_rd_i=507846" target="_blank">The Accidental Apprentice</a></div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> <a href="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/site.cfm/Our-Books/The-Accidental-Apprentice.cfm" target="_blank">Anika Arrington</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 220<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Paperback, ebook<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> <a href="http://xchylerpublishing.com/" target="_blank">Xchyler Publishing</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> responsible for project<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Young Adult to Adult fantasy<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style:</span> Easy, conversational style, added depth to appeal to mature readers<br>
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<h2>
Synopsis:</h2>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brilliant and ambitious, Rezdin the Wizard has one goal: impress the king, but he answers to Baron von Dappenshien who refuses him access to Court. Before Rezdin can maneuver himself into the limelight, the king charges von Dappenshien for treason, and Rezdin goes to ground. The wizard finds himself dependent upon the wits and good will of a starving street urchin. But what can he offer little Tommy in return? When old dangers and new alliances rear their menacing heads, Rezdin must decide where his true loyalties lie, and what to do with his new-found entourage of one.</span><br>
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<h2>
My Take:</h2>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/Mechanized%20Masterpieces:%20A%20Steampunk%20Anthology" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Mechanized Masterpieces: A Steampunk Anthology" border="0" src="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/assets/attachments/image/MechanizedMasterpieces.png" height="200" title="Mechanized Masterpieces: A Steampunk Anthology" width="145"></a></div>
Anika Arrington first came to my attention when she submitted her short story, "Sense and Cyborgs," to Xchyler Publishing's first Steampunk anthology competition requesting extensions of classic literature. Anika's writing so delighted me, I placed her offering as the leading story in the resultant book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mechanized-Masterpieces-A-Steampunk-Anthology-ebook/dp/B00CFT5658/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_img_2" target="_blank">Mechanized Masterpieces: A Steampunk Anthology</a></i>.<br>
</div><a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2014/10/book-review-accidental-apprentice-by.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-36523490096674631702013-05-03T22:54:00.001-05:002015-04-30T20:44:30.535-05:00MilestonesI find myself at an interesting point in my life where all sorts of things are happening, doors have closed, windows are opening, I'm well down paths I never imagined I would take.<br>
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Not quite two years ago, I had a discussion with my son about life choices I had to make secondary to my husband's medical retirement. Basically, he wanted me to throw in the towel, metaphorically speaking. It would have been an easier road, but I refused. <i>I'm not finished yet</i>, I insisted. I still have a <i>lot</i> I want to do with my life. I'm not ready to say that's all there is of me. (I was a wizened 48, so you can understand his concern).<br>
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Fast-forward nearly two years—two very intense, very trying, and sometimes seemingly hopeless two years—and here I am a <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/houston-mormons-sponsor-area-genealogy-conference" target="_blank">published journalist</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Penny-Freeman/e/B00CMRC3EK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_10" target="_blank">author</a>, and content and <a href="http://xchylerpublishing.com/" target="_blank">developmental editor</a>. Here I am, the co-owner and editor-in-chief of a micro publishing house that is fast developing a reputation for quality fare. Who would have thought it?<br>
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<a href="http://doctorfantastiques.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://doctorfantastiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/logoheader.jpg" height="100" width="400"></a></div>
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A review of <a href="http://bit.ly/MMSAkindle" target="_blank">Mechanized Masterpieces: a Steampunk Anthology</a> came out today, published by Ricky L. Brown of <i>Doctor Fantastique's Show of Wonders</i>. He was kind—so kind that I can't help but share a bit of it here.<br>
<br>
<br>
Write Mr. Brown:<br>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i> The smartly titled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0989303527/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0989303527&linkCode=as2&tag=doctfantsshow-20%22%3EMechanized%20Masterpieces:%20A%20Steampunk%20Anthology">A Steampunk Anthology: Mechanized Masterpieces</a> (sic) is not just a description of the stories collected in this anthology edited by Penny Freeman. The book’s forward reinforces the theme of the stories with, “Steampunk is revisionism, and what better material to expand upon than literature that bespeaks the universal human condition and has withstood the test of time?” In the spirit of brilliant classics, Xchyler Publishing has taken this definition to heart by using characters, ideas, little snippets and whole stories from literary “masterpieces” and opened up fresh new Steampunk perspectives.<br> There are only eight contributions with varying lengths in this collection, with only nine authors to their credit. But be assured, each selection exemplifies the revisionist theme by introducing new angles on old ideas. Here are brief rundowns of what you can expect.<br> Anthologies are tricky in that editors are encouraged to put their best foot forward if they want to grab the reader’s attention for the entire volume. Tropic of Cancer by Neve Talbot is the first installment of the collection, and a strong candidate in letting the reader know just what to expect in the rest of the book. Fashioned around the moral awareness of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, the familiar character Edward Fairfax Rochester is the determined protagonist this time around. With the industrial challenges of a Steampunk era mixed in with a little mystical romance, the hero battles atonement to an estranged father, an ambitious brother and the empowerment of love. Charlotte Brontë would approve. (<a href="http://doctorfantastiques.com/2013/05/review-of-a-steampunk-anthology-mechanized-masterpieces/" target="_blank">read more</a>)</i></blockquote>
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<a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2013/05/milestones.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-4617581233993512142013-04-29T15:43:00.001-05:002013-04-29T15:43:47.533-05:00Tidbits: Tropic of Cancer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1cFEYQh97nHDPPOm4oYVaK2GSCE8xn_gC7wmL59wdB4_e_WH139dL0W9oseOK0Z9VyZNLmgomY7ABCkthYccgcUAkHnsYUwH_d78650Ymwq3nyWRPe3KqiSm197219KQP1-yRjmZWXgB/s1600/MechanizedMasterpieces_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1cFEYQh97nHDPPOm4oYVaK2GSCE8xn_gC7wmL59wdB4_e_WH139dL0W9oseOK0Z9VyZNLmgomY7ABCkthYccgcUAkHnsYUwH_d78650Ymwq3nyWRPe3KqiSm197219KQP1-yRjmZWXgB/s320/MechanizedMasterpieces_Cover.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
Tomorrow marks the release of my short story under the pseudonym of Neve Talbot (to honor my father, Glen Tarbet, and step-father, Leslie Neves). It will appear in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mechanized-Masterpieces-A-Steampunk-Anthology/dp/0989303527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367267549&sr=8-1&keywords=mechanized+masterpieces" target="_blank">Mechanized Masterpieces: a Steampunk Anthology</a></i>, published by <a href="http://xchylerpublishing.com/" target="_blank">Xchyler Publishing</a>. We will be having an online launch party on Facebook. Anyone can <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/339286706194431/" target="_blank">join in the fun here</a>.<br />
<br />
Be sure not to miss a thing by liking Xchyler Publishing on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/XchylerPublishing.page" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and following on <a href="http://pinterest.com/thexteam/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/XchylerPublish" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.<br />
<br />
As part of the festivities, we will give away prizes to the first person to answer various questions. To that end, I offer a tiny sampling of my short story, which is an expansion of the classic <i>Jane Eyre</i> by Charlotte Bronte.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I sat at the breakfast table across from the very picture of feminine modesty and conjugal devotion. I could not stand to look at her. Ire coursed through my veins, hot and quick, and I dared not speak. I stared at the fish on my plate.<br />
<br />
“You are not eating, my love,” my tender bride cooed. “I had thought you swam this morning.”<br />
<br />
“Indeed.”<br />
<br />
“Then you must be famished, especially after . . . last night.” She eyed me through her long, dark lashes. “You must keep up your strength.”<br />
<br />
“I told you, Mrs. Rochester, I do not care for the whole of the fish. In England, we gut it before we cook it.”<br />
<br />
“But we are not in England, my darling. Cook knows nothing of such food. We must go there soon, that she may learn—”<br />
<br />
“No.”<br />
<br />
“Fairfax, darling, you promised to take me to England to meet your family. Do I so shame you that you hide me away? I am good enough for your bed but not your friends? It’s because my father is in trade, isn’t it?” Her voice grew shriller as she spoke, until it spiked through my brain. “You are so much higher than me. You treat me like the dirt beneath your boot.”<br />
<br />
I simply eyed her. Her face screwed up into a petulant pout. Tears rushed her eyes. Her hands slapped down on the table. The crystal and china jumped. “I want to go to England!”<br />
<br />
“When I trust you within five thousand miles of my family, we will go to England, but not a day sooner.” My voice sounded cold and flat.<br />
<br />
“Trust me? Trust me?! You are a monster—a horrid, beastly monster!”<br />
<br />
“Better to say an ape.”<br />
<br />
She started at the words and glanced up at me. I stared at her blandly. She rose and went to the sideboard. She feigned concealing a fit of tears, but I knew it a ploy to add rum to her orange juice. My mind filled with images of my brother sharing his morning with the polar opposite of my angel wife. I jabbed my fork into the fish on my plate.<br />
<br />
The tines hit something hard and screeched across the china. The exposed and torn gut glinted in a stray shaft of sunlight. Dumbfounded, I stared at the mess.<br />
<br />
Bertha returned to her seat, glass in hand, once again the very image of a model wife. I carefully slit open the fish’s gut and spooned out the innards.<br />
<br />
“That really is the best part, you know,” Bertha instructed, her cheeks pouched with gobbets of her own mackerel. “After the eyeballs, of course.”<br />
<br />
I scraped away the offal, and there it was: Yvette’s pendant, chain and all. It felt as if the sun burst free of heavy clouds the moment I laid eyes on it. A freshening breeze cleared the cobwebs from my mind. I could breathe again. I still tumbled in unforgiving surf, but I thought, perhaps, I could at last get my feet beneath me.
</blockquote>
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I hope you enjoy the book, and the party. It is available on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mechanized-Masterpieces-A-Steampunk-Anthology/dp/0989303527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367267549&sr=8-1&keywords=mechanized+masterpieces" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mechanized-masterpieces-anika-arrington/1115181302?ean=2940016752969" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>, and Kobo. </div>
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<a href="http://about.me/pennyfreeman" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR68WThJ-Ikz1BcsBZSBqvTb8qsowJiK2Il1ZwQaLVeaLuCgvvJbL-YYSFpg2SeauzBJvRqQ7fbaJw4LvkP_DSInVLSauJBIyXbmVQlvbW8e9_vN6sS8J_SLUtEt2hDjAuJ_icgf3E3Hew/s200/blog+sig+gray+tempus.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-86939656257091931982013-01-23T00:55:00.000-06:002013-01-23T01:03:06.398-06:00Tidbits: Crossroads<span style="font-family: inherit;">As discussed in my previous post, this short story sprung from a <a href="http://amindwandering.blogspot.com/search/label/flash%20fiction" target="_blank">few exercises in flash fiction</a><span style="line-height: 115%;"> and grew from there. For more on the history of this composition, <a href="http://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2013/01/editors-notes-editors-editor.html" target="_blank">read this blog post</a>.</span></span><br><br>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Crossroads by Penny Freeman</span></span></h2>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Rob understood his brother’s love for the road,
especially, as then, in the dead of night. Like himself, Nate had never been
one for large crowds. On the road, one was utterly alone. The growling four-fifty-four
V8 of Nate’s cherry 1977 El Camino Classic and the steel-belted radials humming
on the blacktop lulled to silence all the demands that sucked the life out of Rob.
They slipped away like the endless blur of the dotted, white line that streamed
beyond the windshield. The highway soothed. Mesmerized. It held life at a safe
distance where Rob could nibble off bits at a time, or ignore it altogether as
the mood suited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Except, there he was, returning with his brother’s
ashes, hurtling at 75 mph toward the madness: the boss, the job, the mounting
bills and overdrawn bank account. The labyrinth of life with no easy way out. Toward
Annabelle</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">—his own Nan—</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">and
that look of dread in her eyes: anguish that assaulted him and reticence that held
him at arm’s length.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Rob jerked awake,
jolted from a deep, dreamless slumber by something—the baby? He couldn’t
remember. Nan had argued with him, and he put off going to bed until she slept to
avoid a demand to hash it out. He turned in very late, and the fog of somnolence
melded to his brain like his kids’ sticky hands to his skin. Scarcely lucid, he
ignored his transient bob to the surface of consciousness, and surrendered
again to the depths of sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Her voice prevented it,
however</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> . . . </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">a low murmur . . . hesitant . . . wary—scraps of sound distorted by the
cobwebs of his sleep-deprived brain. He rolled over, pried open his eyes, and
forced the numerals of the digital clock into focus. 04:00. Good grief. He had
to be up in two hours. Couldn’t she cut him some slack?<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He turned toward the
wall and fended her off with the silence of feigned sleep. He was tired of
bending over backward to make her happy, and for what? No matter how he tried,
he couldn’t figure out what the devil she wanted.</span></i><br>
</div><a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2013/01/tidbits-crossroads.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-67800866923995727352013-01-23T00:00:00.000-06:002013-01-23T00:59:50.709-06:00Editor's Notes: The Editor's Editor<i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-small;">I need to write. I need to keep up with this blog. I need to
chisel away at the stacks of books piled up on my nightstand awaiting my
review. Fortunately, I’m able to steal a minute now and again to return to this
project. I appreciate the kind patience of all the authors who have been put on
hold for so long. Hopefully, within the next few months I’ll be able to provide
the content they were promised, although not quite as quickly as I had hoped.</span></i><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
~*~<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Today, I offer one of those “everybody needs a good editor”
posts, a subject I love to harp on, as any reader of this blog knows. However,
this one comes with a twist: every writer needs a good editor, even editors who
also write.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few months back, I whipped up a short story. It sprung
from some flash fiction and grew from there. Then, since it seemed to fit into
the theme of a short story competition, I polished it to the best of my ability
and entered it. It didn’t get picked for their anthology. Despite my repeated
references to readers whose opinions I trusted, countless adjustments, and a precision
word count that met the maximum limit with exactness, the two judges didn’t
think as well of my work as I did.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Their evaluations sat on my desk unopened for a few months
because I dread (just as much as any author) the red pencil of death which I
knew awaited me within. Not so; I received just a 1-5 grade scale in seven
different areas. The judges gave me numbers, little else. One kindly left a positive
comment. The other felt I tried too hard to be artsy and had inadequate tension
or conflict (I still don’t get that). I got a 4/5 from the kind one, a 3/5 from
the more critical. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/assets/attachments/image/McKenna.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.xchylerpublishing.com/assets/attachments/image/McKenna.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sr. Editor McKenna Gardner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, since I wrote this months and months ago, I’m giving
myself a bye for not following my own advice. I have since corrected that egregious
error, with happy results. The trick here, my friends, is to use an editor whom
you both respect and trust. It’s not about who will be the most kind or who
will give you the most strokes, but who will help you produce the best work
within you. Who will properly guide you to your goal? I turned to the <a href="http://xchylerpublishing.com/site.cfm/our-staff.cfm" target="_blank">senior editor at Xchyler Publishing, McKenna Gardner</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A good editor is like a good coach. They identify strengths
and help the author stretch their muscles, build their stamina, and fine-tune
their literary muscle memory. They identify weaknesses and drum them out of the
author. Like the coach, the editor doesn’t replace the author. They do not
rewrite their stories; they draw them out of the author. They assist the author in fulfilling their own highest potential.
They’re the author’s personal cheering section. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All that said, I required no fewer than thirteen separate
versions to make my short story worthy of public consumption. After all that trouble, what did I change? I added a
grand total of 131 words to the manuscript<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">—</span></span>one hundred and thirty one excruciating words wrenched out of me with painstaking care. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Months after the short story competition had come and
gone, why bother? Simple: I wanted to explore the
possibilities with such a coach in my corner as those that we have at <a href="http://xchylerpublishing.com/" target="_blank">XchylerPublishing</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you would care to review the product of <i>our</i> exertions, you can review my separate post, <a href="http://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2013/01/tidbits-crossroads.html" target="_blank">Crossroads, here</a>. Leave a comment and tell me what you think.</div>
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<a href="http://about.me/pennyfreeman" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR68WThJ-Ikz1BcsBZSBqvTb8qsowJiK2Il1ZwQaLVeaLuCgvvJbL-YYSFpg2SeauzBJvRqQ7fbaJw4LvkP_DSInVLSauJBIyXbmVQlvbW8e9_vN6sS8J_SLUtEt2hDjAuJ_icgf3E3Hew/s200/blog+sig+gray+tempus.png" height="65" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-52002559780373136602012-09-14T00:00:00.000-05:002013-01-14T13:04:34.443-06:00Book Review: One Boy No Water by Lehua Parker<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15713351-one-boy-no-water">One Boy, No Water</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6426317.Lehua_Parker">Lehua Parker</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 185<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Hardcover, paperback<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> <a href="http://www.jollyfishpress.com/">Jolly Fish Press</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> Provided by Publisher<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Youth Fantasy<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style:</span> Easy, conversational style with lots of Hawaiian pidgin usage<br>
<br>
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<h2>
Synopsis from GoodReads:</h2>
On the surface, despite his unusual allergies, Zader is an average eleven year old boy with typical challenges of fitting in with his peers, getting into a good prep school, and maintaining his relationship with his surfing crazed brother. In reality, Zader is Niuhi, a shark with the ability to turn into a person. As he matures and begins to adapt to his “allergies” in ways that make it easier to live a normal life, Zader’s world begins to turn upside down—he will not only have to come to terms with who he is, but what he is.<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15713351-one-boy-no-water"> . . . more</a><br>
<br>
<h2>
My Take:</h2>
What is the recipe for a really big hit in children's literature? Below, I list what has been proven to work in the past. <br>
<br>
<ul>
<li><i><b>Make the protagonist a defacto orphan.</b></i> Kahana, an aging, skinny Hawaian steeped in the ancient ways, finds a baby boy out on a reef just hours after birth and convinces his great-niece (who has just given birth to a boy herself) to adopt him. They name him Alexander Westin and call him “Zader” for short. Surrounded by a loving, supportive family cannot make Zader anything but a fish out of water.</li></ul><a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2012/09/book-review-one-boy-no-water-by-lahua.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-46879952711847600202012-09-07T07:00:00.000-05:002012-12-15T11:30:57.971-06:00Book Review: Hearts That Survive: A Novel of the Titanic by Yvonne Lehman<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12297911-hearts-that-survive">Hearts That Survive: A Novel of the Titanic</a><br>
<div>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Yvonne-Lehman/e/B001JP2FMQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1">Yvonne Lehman</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 432<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Paperback, Kindle<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> <a href="http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/home.aspx">Abingdon Press</a> (March 2012)<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> Publisher<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Historical Fiction <br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style:</span> Conversational prose, engaging, original plot<br>
<br>
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<h2>
Synopsis from GoodReads:</h2>
On April 15, 1912, Lydia Beaumont is on her way to a new life with a boundless hope in love and faith. Her new friendship with Caroline Chadwick is bonded even more as they plan Lydia 's wedding on board the grandest ship ever built. Then both women suffer tragic losses when the unsinkable Titanic goes down. Can each survive the scars the disaster left on their lives? <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12297911-hearts-that-survive">. . . more</a><br>
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My Take: </h2>
Although the beginning starts off like a typical <i>Titanic </i>novel, the story morphs into a compelling tale of regrets, hiding life-changing secrets, and love.<br>
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The story begins with Lydia Beaumont, wealthy heiress to a railroad company. She is accompanied on this trip by Craven Dowd, president of her father's company, and John Ancell, poet and maker of toy trains. The first, her unsaid intended; the second, her secret love. Craven is calm, cool, collected, and pretty much Lydia's 'keeper'.<br>
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Due to an unplanned moment of passion, Lydia finds herself pregnant. She tells John, who truly loves her and proposes marriage. They decide to get married on the Titanic—truly a wedding fit for a princess. Not knowing of the child, Craven reluctantly agrees to support the marriage, knowing that Lydia's father would never agree.<br>
</div><a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2012/09/book-review-hearts-that-survive-novel.html#more">Read more »</a>desirosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11654483015232667798noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-91237336071348789342012-09-04T00:00:00.000-05:002012-09-04T00:00:07.728-05:00Guest Post: Laura Besley on Writing Flash Fiction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIiBR9V_W5_P4x4GhfPDRU4wgCXaZbvk37PlrRT6cmjgYFU35l2WfXMSoh5SOqvcv_J7C_IsMKBLPg8DGwir-gV5k5mTWZ2AWQtQUWGjzI9TG2Jc5D_p2n4RGMcGBcj8dhXkTbocLN1yk/s1600/P8170388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIiBR9V_W5_P4x4GhfPDRU4wgCXaZbvk37PlrRT6cmjgYFU35l2WfXMSoh5SOqvcv_J7C_IsMKBLPg8DGwir-gV5k5mTWZ2AWQtQUWGjzI9TG2Jc5D_p2n4RGMcGBcj8dhXkTbocLN1yk/s320/P8170388.JPG" width="320"></a></div>
<i>Today's guest post is from my flash fiction guru, Laura Besley. Originally from the UK, Laura currently lives in Hong Kong where she teaches English as a second language. She is a published author, her short story </i>"Dear Sylvia"<i> can be found in <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15707634-as-we-see-it">As We See It: Hong Kong</a>, by the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Hong%20Kong%20Writers%20Circle&search-alias=digital-text">Hong Kong Writer's Circle</a>.</i><br>
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<i>Laura maintains a blog, <a href="http://laurabesley.blogspot.com/">Living Loving and Writing</a>, wherein she shares the flavor of Hong Kong and the product of her flash fiction adventures.</i><br>
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<i>Find my review of <a href="http://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2012/06/book-review-author-interview-as-we-see.html">As We See It: Hong Kong</a> and an interview with Laura <a href="http://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2012/06/book-review-author-interview-as-we-see.html">here</a>.</i><br>
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<i> —A Chaotic Mind</i></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><b>And now, our feature attraction:</b></span><br>
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Little and Often — How Flash Fiction can help you improve your writing</h2>
<b>by Laura Besley</b><br>
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<h3>
Background</h3>
Flash Fiction is the new kid on the block, so to speak, and the definition isn’t yet 100% concrete, but basically it’s a piece of fiction that is really short. Flash Fiction is usually between 250-1000 words, but I’ve personally set my limit at max of 500 words (no minimum). Due to people’s increasing lack of time and the fact that it can easily be read on an iphone or ipad, the popularity is growing.<br>
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On 4th May 2012 I started a writing challenge: to write a piece of flash fiction every day and to put ‘the best of the week’ up onto my blog on a Friday and that’s how, for me, Friday Flash Fiction was launched.<br>
<a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2012/09/guest-post-laura-besley-on-writing.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700813534075377575.post-3206512578987169912012-09-03T08:00:00.000-05:002013-01-14T13:05:31.246-06:00Featured Book: The Cinderella Project by Stan Crowe<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book:</span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14331300-the-cinderella-project">The Cinderella Project</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Author:</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Stan%20Crowe&search-alias=digital-text">Stan Crowe</a><br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Pages:</span> 212 (estimated)<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Format:</span> Kindle<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Publisher:</span> <a href="http://www.breezyreads.com/">Breezy Reads</a> (August 27, 2012)<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Book Source:</span> Publisher<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Category:</span> Sweet Romance<br>
<span style="color: #00dff8; font-weight: bold;">Style:</span> LDS romance with substance<br>
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Synopsis from GoodReads.com:</h2>
Committed to saving his marriage before it starts, doctoral student Nick Cairn embarks on a project aimed at finding the secrets of everlasting love. But when Moire DeLanthe, a smart and sassy research assistant, enters the picture, his Happily Ever After is put to the ultimate test. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14331300-the-cinderella-project">. . . more</a><br>
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My Take:</h2>
I have a confession: I thought this was going to be an, err, breezy read—the kind that takes me one afternoon to read. Chocolate for the soul. It's not. So, I didn't finish it in time. However, with what I've read, I really like this book. It's not a set-aside-for-a-while book. It's a savor until the end book (thus far).<br>
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Alas and alack, I committed to do a stop on Breezy Read's blog hop today, so here's my not-ready-for-prime-time review. The blurb doesn't tell too much about the story line, so I'll share.<br>
<a href="https://amindwandering.blogspot.com/2012/09/book-review-cinderella-project-by-stan.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10966241468533764102noreply@blogger.com0