Blog Tour: Capturing the Captain (American Pirate Romances: Book 1) by C.K. Brooke

Title: Capturing the Captain (American Pirate Romances: Book 1)
Author: C.K. Brooke
Genre: Historical Romance, Sea Adventure
Publisher: Limitless Publishing
Release date: 4/26/2016
Book Description:

In 1720, it’s a pirate’s life for Abigail Clear, daughter of a notorious colonial pirate captain…

But when a rival crew invades Abigail’s ship, she is taken prisoner. Now aboard the enemy vessel, she must contend with its formidable captain. But who is the real captive?

Locked away in the belly of The Indomitable is no place for a woman…

Captain James Morrow is more than displeased to discover his sole captive to be none other than an untamable young lass who will earn him no bounty. Yet if he can soften the little rogue, she just might switch her loyalties to him, and reveal the whereabouts of the infamous thief who sired her—and his stolen treasure. But two can play that game, as Abi is equally inclined to charm the dogged sailor off her father’s tail.

Might she and Captain Morrow run the risk of falling for their own charades?

They dance about their disguises as genuine developing emotions clash against deeper motives, and suspicion runs high. When the captain finally steals a first kiss, Abi decides it’s high time to make her escape—fleeing not only his vessel, but her fondness for the man who intends to see her father hang.

The high seas heat up as Captain Morrow’s quest to recapture Abi is halted by her pirate father, Captain Clear. Will James succeed in pursuit of his captive love, or will his desires conspire to make him a captive himself?

Excerpt:

“I don’t believe it.” His words were low and guttural. “After all of my patience with you…”

Abi snorted. “Patience?”

He took another step. “The kindness I’ve shown you…”

“Kindness!"

“This is how you treat me in return?”

Had Abi been a gentler woman, she might have lowered her eyes. However, she had the audacity not to.

“Your kiss, your sketch and company were but charades as you bade your time to deceive me,” he snarled. “And there I was, risking my hide and that of my friends to rescue you!”

“I do not need rescuing!” Abi whirled around and marched across the sand.

Author Bio: 

C.K. Brooke grew up in the coastal state of Maryland. She began writing books when she was six years old. Her debut novel, The Duchess Quest (48fourteen, October 2014), received a five-star editorial review from Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews & Awards Contest and was selected as a Shelf Unbound Top 100 Notable Indie Book of 2015. Since its publication, she has authored seven more fantasy and romance novels, including Capturing the Captain, the first book of the American Pirate Romance series.

Today, C.K. resides outside of Detroit in Washington, Michigan with her husband and young son. When not haunting the local library or blissfully buried in her eBooks and manuscripts, she enjoys blogging, singing, and playing the piano by ear. For more, visit her at www.CKBrooke.com.

Links

Capturing the Captain on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Capturing-Captain-American-Pirate-Romances-ebook/dp/B01E82IVQA/
Website: www.CKBrooke.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/CK.Brooke
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/AuthorCKBrooke

Goodreads: www.Goodreads.com/CKBrooke

Blog Tour: No One Dies in the Garden of Syn by Michael Seidelman

No One Dies in the Garden of Syn
by Michael Seidelman
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: April 26th 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

Synthia (Syn) Wade is a teenage girl who struggles with cystic fibrosis, an incurable life-threatening disease. One day she is pushed into a pond by an unseen figure and wakes up in a new world – a mysterious garden where illness and death don’t exist.

Welcomed by the garden’s residents and now free of her symptoms, Syn decides to stay. But, before long, she realizes that this apparent utopia holds many dangers and dark secrets.

Surrounding the garden is a fog that Syn is warned never to enter. She encounters bizarre creatures that defy reason. And always lurking in the shadows is a masked woman - a woman who may have a connection to the disappearance of Syn’s parents many years ago. A woman whom no one will speak of, but whom everyone fears.

While No One Dies in the Garden of Syn, Syn will soon discover that some fates are worse than death.

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Buy Links:

Amazon US│Amazon CA│Amazon UK

Excerpt - From Prologue

“Honey,” Synthia heard her mom say, “You need to wake up.”

“Is it morning?” she asked, yawning and squinting on account of the bright ceiling light.

“No, Sweetie. Not yet.”

Synthia’s nose was dripping. Her mom wiped it and her upper lip with a tissue. “Your dad and I are going to take you somewhere. Some place wonderful. But we have to leave really soon so you need to get out of bed right away.”

“Can’t we wait until morning?”

“I’m afraid not, Sweetie. We have to get you dressed and leave tonight. You will love where we are going. I promise.”

Synthia reluctantly sat up and allowed her pajama top to be pulled off. The bottom of the undershirt had just been lifted when Synthia’s father walked in.

“Deb, Masie is outside.”

Her mother’s face turned white. She pressed her palms against each side of Synthia’s face. “Sweetie, we’ll be back in a few minutes. Please get dressed.”

After they left the room, Synthia listened to them thumping down the stairs, opening the front door and slamming it shut.

She was tired, not to mention bewildered, and didn’t want to go anywhere. She lay down, coughed lightly, and fell back asleep in less than a minute, despite the gleaming ceiling light above. If she had stayed awake for just one minute longer, she would have heard yelling outside, and seen a bright white light flashing through the window.

When Synthia woke, there was enough sun shining in, even with the blinds shut, that she didn’t notice the ceiling light was still on. She rubbed her eyes, wiped her runny nose with a tissue, and coughed until her throat was clear. She took a sip of water from the cup on her night table and checked the time; 9:32 a.m. She was late for kindergarten. Her mom usually awakened her at 7:30. Was that a dream, when her mom shook her awake last night? If not, why didn’t she come back?

Synthia coughed a few more times, put on some slippers and left the room. Her parents’ bedroom was empty. So were all the bathrooms and the bedrooms. The living room was empty, as were the dining room and kitchen. She tried to turn the knob on the basement door, but it was locked as always. She looked through the kitchen window into the gardens out back and didn’t see so much as a bird.

Synthia was more confused than worried. In the kitchen, she took her morning pills with a vanilla shake. The back door was slightly ajar, so she pulled the doorknob and stepped outside, curious.

A light wind ruffled her undershirt and pajama bottoms. A robin landed on a tree in the garden as a breeze rustled its leaves. There was no sign of her parents. Holding the handrail, she descended the stairs and peeked inside the carport. Both her parents’ cars were parked there. Now Synthia was no longer just confused. She was worried.

The basement window on the right side of the carport had always been covered by blinds, so she couldn’t see in. She knocked on the glass, hoping her parents were down there as they often were. Quiet taps at first, then harder and louder. Nothing. A tear rolled down her cheek, followed by another.

Now Synthia was more than worried; she was scared. She left the carport and went to the front of the house. The mailman was walking up the driveway.

Concerned to see this little girl, partially clothed and crying in the driveway, he bent down to her level. “Are you okay? Where are your parents?”

Synthia broke down, tears flooding from her eyes. Through the phlegm building up in her throat, she managed a quiet, yet desperate reply. “I don’t know.” 

About the Author

My name is Michael Seidelman.  I was born in Vancouver, BC Canada where I continue to reside. When I was growing up, my passions were reading, watching movies, nature and creative writing. Not much has changed since then. In high school when I had an opportunity to write short stories in class, I relished reading them out loud to my classmates who would gasp at the unexpected twists and applaud when I was done. I took several creative writing classes and have continued writing over the years while working in Interactive Marketing.

About two years ago, I decided to take some time off to focus on my writing and work on a Young Adult trilogy. The first book in The Garden of Syn series – No One Dies in the Garden of Syn – will be released on April 26^th. Meanwhile, I am working hard on the second and third books in the series.

Getting up every morning and sitting down to create new characters and bring new worlds to life is the most fulfilling job I have ever had. Beyond the trilogy, I have many ideas plotted out and I look forward to sharing them all with the world!

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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Blog Tour Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

8 Years Ago...

December 25th, 2008 was the last time I had Christmas with my family. It was the last time I was in Australia, enjoying Christmas like I had my entire life. My last summer Christmas. My last Christmas when I didn't suffer from a pit of loneliness and homesickness.

But this year I want it to be different. I want to go back with my little family for this Christmas. Eight. Years. Later. This year is mostly different because my little/not-so-little-anymore sister is having her first baby. This is a huge deal in our family that seems to struggle to conceive, and because she's my only sister and we were so close growing up and I can't get there when she has the baby in August due to financial restraints and kid #1 starting kindergarten, I need to be there for her.

So, in a desperate attempt to save up enough money, I'm asking you to  BUY MY BOOKS. Since you're following along, there's a good chance you already have, but maybe not all of them? *puppy eyes*. I'm especially encouraging purchase of the Kiya Trilogy, the Cadence Duology and Princess of Tyrone as these come to me as direct payments.

I'm also selling signed paperbacks of all of my books (except Athenian Rain) for $15 each plus postage. Just email me (katiejteller at gmail dot com) and I'll make arrangements with you.

I'm also looking to do query and first 250 word critiques for $5, query and first chapter for $10, query and first three chapters for $20 and query and full manuscript for $50. Since I work as an acquisitions editor, I can give you pretty solid feedback, hopefully. I'm not a line editor, but can give you points for plot holes, voice consistency etc.

So, there you are. Help me get home for Christmas this year!

Blog Tour: Without Borders by Amanda Heger

Enter to Win an Ebook Copy of WITHOUT BORDERS

WITHOUT BORDERS

A Wanderlove Novel

Amanda Heger

Releasing April 19th, 2016

Diversion Books

For Annie London, a month in a Central American rainforest means handing out mosquito nets, giving medical aid, and teaching children about the birds and the bees. With any luck, it will also land her application in the “accepted” pile at a top tier medical school. But as soon as she steps off the plane, Annie realizes her bug spray, feeble Spanish, and medical supplies won’t help her deal with her new feelings for Felipe—her best friend's older brother, who's much hotter than she remembers, and who also happens to be the doctor in charge of the trip.

Gawking “volun-tourists” may keep his family’s medical clinic afloat, but Dr. Felipe Gutierrez doesn’t have to like them. Or the way they make snap judgments about his practice and the people he cares for. But when his old crush, Annie, shows up to volunteer, her killer curves and kind smile fan the embers of a flame Felipe didn’t realize he’d been carrying. A flame that makes him question all his preconceived notions.

As ideas and cultures clash, Annie and Felipe must decide how far outside their comfort zones they are willing to go—both for their work and for one another.

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Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

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Amanda Heger is a writer, attorney, and bookworm. She lives in the Midwest with three unruly rescue dogs and a husband who encourages her delusions of grandeur.

Her debut romance, Without Borders, is forthcoming from Diversion Books. The story was inspired by the summer Amanda spent in rural Nicaragua, eating gallo pinto, speaking mangled Spanish, and showing high school students how to slide condoms onto over-sized plantains.

Her stories are represented by Jessica Watterson of the Dijkstra Literary Agency.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads 

Blog Tour: Emerge by Tobie Easton

Emerge (Mer Chronicles #1) by Tobie Easton

Publication Date: April 19, 2016

Publisher: Month9Books

Lia Nautilus may be a Mermaid, but she’s never lived in the ocean. Ever since the infamous Little Mermaid unleashed a curse that stripped Mer of their immortality, war has ravaged the Seven Seas.

So Lia has grown up in a secret community of land-dwelling Mer hidden among Malibu’s seaside mansions. Her biggest problems are surviving P.E. and keeping her feelings for Clay Ericson in check. Sure, he’s gorgeous in that cocky, leather jacket sort of way and makes her feel like there’s a school of fish swimming in her stomach, but getting involved with a human could put Lia's entire community at risk. So it’s for the best that he’s dating that new girl, right?

That is, until Lia finds out she isn't the only one at school keeping a potentially deadly secret. And this new girl? Her eyes are dead set on Clay, who doesn't realize the danger he's in. If Lia hopes to save him, she’ll have to get closer to Clay than ever. Lia’s parents would totally flip if they found out she was falling for a human boy, but the more time she spends with Clay, the harder it is for Lia to deny her feelings.After making a horrible mistake, Lia will risk everything to stop Clay from falling in love with the wrong girl.

Link to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27882492-emerge    

Purchase Links:

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indie | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

Author's favorite character and why they are the favorite.

This question is, by far, the hardest one I’ve been asked on my blog tour.  I keep changing my answer because, the truth is, I deeply love all my characters.  At this point, I’ve spent so much time with them that they feel very real to me.  Earlier today, I wrote a scene for Submerge (the second book in the Mer Chronicles) that featured Caspian, Lia’s best friend.  So for today (and on many, many days), he is my favorite.

            When I started Emerge, I knew that, like Lia, I would fall hard for Clay since he’s exactly the guy I would have crushed on in high school.  But Caspian snuck up on me.  I never expected I’d feel quite as strongly as I do about the observant, insightful merman who has been Lia’s closest friend since they were guppies.  With the number of hours every day he spends swimming, I knew he’d be buff.  And with his sandy bond hair falling into his ocean blue eyes, I knew he’d be handsome.  But it was his personality, which (no pun intended) emerged as I was writing him, that really drew me in.  He’s reserved, so it’s easy to underestimate him, but he’s so smart and caring—and he sincerely values learning, which is a trait I can’t resist.

            Okay, I’ll stop gushing.  Suffice it to say, Caspian, with his quiet contemplation and fierce loyalty, stole my heart.  And I hope he does the same to readers.

Ask me tomorrow and I’ll pick Clay.  Or Melusine.

Tobie Easton was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where she’s grown from a little girl who dreamed about magic to a twenty-something who writes about it. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Southern California, Tobie hosts book clubs for tweens and teens. She and her very kissable husband enjoy traveling the globe and fostering packs of rescue puppies. Learn more about Tobie and her upcoming books at www.TobieEaston.com.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram |Goodreads

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Talking with Teens About Reading

***Originally posted on Aussie Owned and Read***

I know some great teenage girls who are smart, funny, bright, and generally pretty amazing. I contacted these teens, one who just completed her HSC last year, and the other who is in year eleven, and asked them to talk to their friends about books.

I brought them the below questions:

Why don't teens read very much, and what is preventing them from reading?

Miss 16: There's not enough time anymore to fit it in with homework, extracurricular activities etc. Books are expensive, they're big and they're bulky. It's difficult to find anything that is interesting, and everything feels the same and cliche.

I'm very rapidly getting sick of the good girl falls in love with the bad boy story, and all the modern dystopian love stories. I will always and forever love period dramas and fractured fairytales.

Miss 18: Senior school English. Enough said. Prescribed text. The groans of agony as every single beautiful detail is examined and analysed like a specimen in a jar. Year 11 and year 12 English taught me to dread reading- not because of reading itself, but the critical analysis and evaluation that I knew would come. I fell out of love with reading. My favourite books grew dusty, as I went through copious others that I'd never dare to pick up again. Reading lost its spark, it's beautiful release. It became a chore.

Then I finished the HSC. It didn't happen immediately, but when I saw a book from my favourite series on the shelves at the book shop, I knew I had to get it for my fellow Ruby Redfort lover and feaster, [my younger sister], for Christmas. It then dawned on me, that during the lapse in my love of reading, I'd missed the 4th book. What. How. Did. That. Happen? I picked it up, and read the 500+ page volume over two days. The flame was reignited. I tore through the entire series in 2 weeks (I didn't read for 5 days while at [a church] convention, so 9 days for 5 books). I re-established my relationships with my favourite characters. I fell in love with the way that details fitting in, no loose threads hanging at the end of the book. And I couldn't believe I'd let myself fall out of love with one of the most amazing joys in life!

But yes, agreed with [Miss 16] We don't need anymore chick flicks recycled. Nope. I love fantasy without too many dystopian aspects-it's just not original anymore. I hate that one gender has to triumph over the other, like weak girl vs. strong boy, or smart girl vs. dumb guy. Give me some equality, but don't make characters identical.

Seriously...is it that hard to take a cliché and turn it on its head? Bet the girl that she can't get the cool guy to go out with her. Make the pretty sweet best friend's favourite subjects art and chemistry, because she loves to watch things burn and explode. Why can't the "cool" guy teach ballet to little kids? Can we have normal characters who are just average at everything? Can we break away from the woe is me cancer story, where the main character dies and breaks our hearts? I wanna see people get to their feet and fight through their problems. I want to see characters that break the mold and are vulnerable, but aren't afraid to fight for what they want, what is right, and what they believe in. I want it to be complicated, for self doubt to creep in, for grey areas that leave us questioning. I need a book that keeps on the edge of my seat, that makes me think, that I can't predict the ending to (did not pick the end of Diverging Cadence at all. It was perfect). And I looooove fractured fairytales and historic fiction and time slip stories.

What can you suggest to overcome these obstacles?

Miss 16: For bulky books we suggested ebooks. Reading classics as opposed to newer things can help break cliches. And to find time, reading during car/train/bus trips to various places can be worked into busy schedules.

Miss 18: I think kids need to be taught to read and to love reading when they're young, and be free to read what they want as long as it's appropriate. English teachers should give kids a de-stress lesson every once in a while to just read for enjoyment. One of the things that I loved hearing at uni the other day is the idea that you always, always, ALWAYS read a book for the first time just for enjoyment. You don't force them to learn, or think, you just read it for fun. Fortunately, reading is also becoming a bit more of a "cool thing", so younger people are being encouraged to read more, which is fantastic. And to those kids that can't find the book they want to read, write it yourself! Readers are writers, and writers are readers, they go hand in hand.

We discussed the issue of expense and how that can be overcome. Many teens don't have ereaders, except on their phones, and even then that's limited according to data usage. Many teens, due to school and social expectations, don't have time for jobs, and when they do, their priority is paying for other things. An ebook that is $2 or $3 is more appealing that one that's $8 or $9, because that extra $5 can be used on that gear they need for that extracurricular activity, but they'd be happy to spend a couple of dollars for something enjoyable to read on that bus trip, because as Miss 18 said, reading is becoming "cool". It just needs to be affordable too.

What I gleaned from these teens is that they face the same issues I did as a teenager. I wanted to read, but I could never find anything that felt unique or interesting enough for me to spend my limited time or money reading, especially went I was forced to read and analyse the crap out of something I hated. Honestly, the only books I purchased as a teenager were the Harry Potter books. Even my scouring of the school or local library rarely came up with much. I also had to factor in the size of the book, because I had to carry the thing home along with textbooks and what-not. A hardback book was always set aside for a paperback, and nowadays, an ebook is even lighter.

I think, with our tech-savvy rising generation, access and affordability for ereaders will make a huge difference in how many teens spend their time reading.

So, although there are more and more books aimed at teens, the ratio of teen readers doesn't match up. The market and industry may have changed, but the lifestyles of teens, and their accessibility to books, hasn't. Even if it is becoming cool, other factors prevent reading, like time and cost. They've also lost interest in what's "trending" in the market. They want stories that are fun, fresh and exciting, not necessarily issue driven because issues are their daily lives, and with characters who are like them; just normal, everyday kids. If we want to encourage readers among teenagers, the gap needs to be closed.

My New Book Deal With Soul Mate Pub!

I said I have more contracts in the works, and now I can officially tell you about this one!

Set in Australia, "Brownlow Medal" as I signed it as, but the title is subject to change, possibly "Brownlow Baby" or something to do with AFL and babies, the book comes from my love of Aussie Rules and the hot men who play it!

So, here's a quick blurb:

Julia Saxon has been in love with her best friend since the moment she met him. The problem is, Lachlan Daniels was already in love with his model girlfriend. But she just dumped him, and the night of the Brownlow medal ceremony--the most prestigious award in Australian Rules Football--Julia is determined to win him over.
For one night, she believes she has succeeded, until in the morning he runs out in a panic, apparently regretting their passionate night together.
With the support of her friends, she tries to move on, and even manages to snag herself a boyfriend. Then, the vomiting starts.
When the pregnancy test shows up positive, Julia knows exactly who the father is; Lachlan. But that is all kinds of complicated as he continues to pine after his ex, who has moved on, although, she still toys with him.
When she makes the decision to keep the baby, her boyfriend leaves, unable to watch her carry his team mate's child. This results in Lachie finding out he will soon be a father.
As the following months ensue, Lachie vows to stand by Julia, and the pair struggle through a tumultuous and complicated relationship. When it comes down to it, Lachie will be forced to choose between Julia and their baby, or his ex, leaving Julia alone and brokenhearted.

Yay! More details to come, like release and such, but for now I'm excited!

Review: Inconceivable! by Tegan Wren

From Goodreads:
A popular, young royal couple can't produce an heir? INCONCEIVABLE!

When Ozarks native Hatty goes “whole hog” during karaoke, she catches the eye of Prince John. He isn’t what she expects the heir to a small European nation to be: he's affable, witty, and isn’t put off by her tell-it-like-it-is demeanor. Their flirtation should be short lived, but a force stronger than fate—Hatty’s newspaper editor—assigns her to cover the royals. After spending time together, she and John soon begin dating, and Hatty finds herself making headlines instead of writing them. 

But challenges loom that are even more complicated than figuring out how to mesh Hatty's journalism career with life at Belvoir Palace. Hatty and John soon find themselves embroiled in an unusual sex scandal: they can't produce an heir. Tabloids dub Hatty a “Barren-ess,” and the royals become irate. Hatty politely tells them to shove it. But beneath her confident exterior, she struggles to cope with a heartbreak that invades her most intimate moments with John. Pressured to choose between invasive medical procedures and abandoning John’s claim to the throne, the couple feels trapped until a trip to Ethiopia shows them happy endings sometimes arrive long after saying “I do.”

My Thoughts:
This is a fun, light read. It has a cute romance, but also has a powerful message that comes through in the second half of the book.

A couple of nit-picky things first: I felt like the political system was poorly set up. It came across like an Americanized presidential system, rather than a monarchy. With the countries supposed origins in England, moving away from the three tier parliamentary system, especially while still in Europe where this system grew to be the major political set up for Monarchies, felt off. 
Also, all the Australian references bordered on offensive with how cliche and stereotyped they were.
There were parts that were so cheesy I literally cringed.
Those things aside!
The story itself is kind of two stories coming together as one. In the beginning you have a great romance, well written, with a solid voice, even a little cheesy at times. The writing is good, with some telling, but not enough to be distracting.
Then the second part hits. The pace is... it feels like I'm skimming over things. Hatty and John are married, and suddenly their relationship is no longer important. Yes, she's struggling with concerns about infertility, but I have fertility issues, and although my husband frustrated me at times with his lack of understanding, our relationship remained central to our lives. The writing here didn't help it; it's almost like a different author stepped in to take over. The scenes became very clinical and moved in the blink of an eye. It was like I'd start reading a scene that I wanted to move me, and it ended a second later. I don't want to criticize, because the topic is something that's near and dear to me and I believe should be discussed, but the execution came up short in places. 
Then Hattie hit rock bottom and the writing and pace returned to how good it was in the beginning. It's probably debut author "jitters." But the last portion of the book definitely improved.
I will admit, going in I was very concerned about how the succession would be handled with throwing adoption in the works, since an adopted child cannot be next in line. Without giving out spoilers, Wren handled this very well, and I appreciated it enormously.

Quote that says it all for me:
To tell the truth, it was a punch in the gut... By rote, I squashed my grief, longing, and heartache, making them compact enough to bury in the recesses of my heart.

And:
Another punch. The grief threatened to erupt, but I suppressed it. At least... I wouldn't have to watch her body bloom into fertile fullness... But my line of thinking wasn't about them; it was all about self-preservation.

Those quotes are pretty much the anthem of infertile/limited fertility women. I have felt EXACTLY THIS while struggling through my own limits and fight with my body to conceive baby #2, and I've seen so many women I love feeling exactly this. I've seen it in their eyes when other women seem to glance at their husbands and fall pregnant. When teenagers fall pregnant. It's this deep pain that tears at the heart and makes it impossible to even LOOK at a pregnant woman without the pain resurfacing, or hear a pregnancy announcement and have to hide to cry your eyes out.

All up, this was an enjoyable read with a message that should definitely be talked about more. I wouldn't call it a "clean read" as there is some sex scenes, but they're not explicit, but rather tastefully handled.

I recommend it to all women, especially those who know someone who is struggling with having children, not just those in the throws of infertility.

Blog Tour: Escape from the Past: The Kid (Escape from the Past #2) by Annette Oppenlander

Escape from the past: The Kid (Escape from the Past #2)
by Annette Oppenlander
Genre: YA Historical Fiction, Time-Travel
Release Date: February 26th 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

Time-traveling gamer, Max, embarks on a harrowing journey through the Wild West of 1881! After a huge fight with his parents, Max tries to return to his love and his best friend, Bero, in medieval Germany. Instead he lands in 1881 New Mexico. Struggling to get his bearings and coming to terms with Dr. Stuler s evil computer game misleading him, he runs into Billy the Kid. To his amazement Billy isn t at all the ruthless killer history made him out to be. Trouble brews when a dying Warm Springs Apache gives Max a huge gold nugget to help his sister, Ela, escape from Fort Sumner. Shopping for supplies Max attracts the attention of ruthless bandits. Before Max can ask the Kid s help, he and Ela are forced to embark on a journey to find his imaginary goldmine. This is book 2 in the Escape from the Past trilogy."

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Escape from the Past: The Duke’s Wrath (Escape from the Past #1) on Goodreads

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes and Noble│Indiebound

Reviews/Endorsements

“What a fun summer read! The Kid is an artful combination of science fiction and historical fiction that come together in a fantasy that is believable enough that the suspension of disbelief is possible and make the reading truly enjoyable. The contrast between Max’s present-day gamer lifestyle and the historical setting that he finds himself in offer a glimpse of the past and make history relevant for young people who may find historical connections difficult to make. What a wonderful way to bring history to life, re-imagine the past, and imagine the future all at the same time!” —Patrice W. Hallock, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Education, Chair, Educator Preparation & Psych-Child Life, Utica College

“Escape from the Past: The Kid is a magical fictional mystery interwoven with historical facts and exciting adventures. The reader experiences the twists and turns of the story while gaining a greater appreciation of the challenges of life in the Wild West during the late 1800’s. Max, a typical teenager of today, is thrown into a series of arduous challenges he must overcome in order to return to his former humdrum life. Along the way, he and we gain valuable insights and appreciation of the hardships encountered by the new western settlers and the Native American people amongst outlaws and the formidable desert climate of the New Mexico area. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable experience you will not want to miss.“  —Richard Rafes, Ph.D., J.D., President of East Central University

“As an English teacher of 43 years and as a life-long student of the Wild West and Native Americans, I found Annette Oppenlander’s, The Kid, to be an accurate, well-researched and thoroughly entertaining novel for young readers. The portrait of Max, the adventurous and risk-taking protagonist, is spot on;he has the language of young men his age and all the angst, dreams and longings that are hallmarks of a typical 17 year-old adolescent male. Ms. Oppenlander has a keen eye for detail, and her ability to create cliffhanging situations of high suspense makes for a great read. I strongly recommend this novel for any imaginative young reader who likes to have one foot in fantasy and one in reality.” —Bill Hays, English AP/Honors Teacher, Retired, Bloomington North High School

Excerpt:

My chest began to throb without warning, then tighten. Had it been this painful last time? Ten months had passed since I’d last played. I smiled despite the pain. I couldn’t wait to sneak up on Bero. Hug Juliana. The pressure on my body increased. She’d be mad, of course, but then she’d kiss me. Maybe we could sneak into the barn tonight.

The weight on my lungs grew. Breathing stopped. My vision filled with the red haze of oxygen deprivation. I tried to gulp, but my ribs were glued to my sides. I was stuck...and terrified. The fog turned gray...then black. Like last time, I managed to stand, but my legs and feet stood rooted like the giant oaks in Hanstein’s forest.

My heart pounded in my neck, the only sign I was still alive. The fog deepened. Why was this taking so long? Still the pressure held as if I’d been thrown under a boulder. I was dying.

I’d made a huge mistake.

It’s easy to forget fear. Stuff happens and you get distracted. After a while all you remember are the good things. Now that I was unable to move, unable to do anything, I remembered the way I’d felt the first time I landed in the game. I’d felt terror.

And terror was back now in full force, squeezing my middle and poking at my heart. As the pressure lifted and the fog cleared, the sense of impending doom gripped me with such force that I fell forward. I’d made a horrible mistake.

Stumbling, I stubbed my toes and suppressing a shout. In the near darkness, a rock or cliff rose wide as a house and three stories high. I only saw its outline, a black edge against the starry sky above.

The whistling I’d heard earlier definitely came from between the giant rocks. The air was filled with the scent of grasses, grit and something like sage. Had I returned in the summer?

Behind me the area appeared more open. Maybe I was down near the river and Luanda’s house. Should I move in the dark or wait? I’d get lost, wandering off in the wrong direction.
A cold wind dug under my shirt and nipped at my skin. I tugged my sweater closer around me when I saw something glowing on the ground like a huge red eye.


“Not a move, Boy,” the voice hissed. “Or I’ll blow a hole through your gut.”

About the Author

Annette Oppenlander writes historical fiction for young adults and anyone who loves stories set in the past. When she isn’t in front of her computer, she loves indulging her dog, Mocha, and traveling around the U.S. and Europe to discover amazing histories.

"Nearly every place holds some kind of secret, something that makes history come alive. When we scrutinize people and places closely, history is no longer a number, it turns into a story."

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