Review: Ogre Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

From Goodreads:
In this prequel to Ella Enchanted, which can stand on its own, young healer Evie is transformed into an ogre by the meddling fairy Lucinda. She’ll turn back only if someone proposes and she accepts!

Returning to the land and many of the characters from her beloved Newbery Honor–winning Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine has written a delightful tale about a clever and endearing heroine who is determined to defy expectations.

Evie is happiest when she is healing people, diagnosing symptoms, and prescribing medications, with the help of her devoted friend (and test subject) Wormy. So when Wormy unexpectedly proposes to her, she kindly turns him down; she has far too much to do to be marrying anyone. And besides, she simply isn’t in love with him.

But a certain meddling fairy named Lucinda has been listening in, and she doesn’t approve of Evie’s rejection. Suddenly, Evie finds herself transformed from a girl into a hideous, hungry ogre. Evie now has only sixty-two days to accept another proposal—or else be stuck as an ogre forever.


My Thoughts:
I was so excited to win this advanced reader! It will take pride of place next to my first edition Ella Enchanted on my bookshelf.
Because it is an advanced reader, I wanted to get on it asap, so bumped it to the top of my TBR pile. Plus, Ella is so beloved and a book that has inspired me since I was twelve, I couldn't let it wait.
All up, it was a fun and light read. I prefer books that way. It has the same tone and feel as Ella, which is great since it's set in the same world.
It was fun to see some familiar faces, like Ella's parents, King Jerrold pre-crowning, and a smooth introduction into Ella's story as well.
Our heroine of Ogre Enchanted is Evie, a healer and recipient of one of Lucinda's infamous "gifts". At fifteen, it's no surprise she turns down a marriage proposal, but instead of giving Evie and Wormy the chance to work things out, Lucinda sticks her nose into things and turns Evie into an Ogre. Evie has sixty-two days to get another marriage proposal or she stays an ogre forever.
In typical Levine fashion, this young heroine sets off to discover her own path and a way to set herself free, leading the reader on a magical adventure around the familiar kingdom of Kyrria from Ella's story.
My only disappointments were the writing. It wasn't as crisp and deep as EE was. There are parts that just feel rushed, and other parts that feel like YA style cliches. I didn't feel like the character and world building was up to par for other Levine books I've read, which disappointed me. I wanted more to sink my teeth into, but it wasn't there.
Again, I did enjoy this book. It kept me turning pages and it brought me a smile. And, it made me pick up Ella Enchanted again!

Son of a Pitch Finalist: Derek Hyde Knows Spooky When He Sees It

Title: DEREK HYDE KNOWS SPOOKY WHEN HE SEES IT
Category and Genre: MG, Paranormal
Word Count: 41,000


Query:
Derek Hyde isn’t tingling with undiluted joy that the spookiest old mansion in town is about to become the Hyde Funeral Home & Used Coffin Outlet. Especially since he has to live there with his adoptive mortician parents, Jack and Formalda.

Of course, being driven in the family hearse to his first day at middle school doesn’t exactly add whipped cream to his broccoli.

As if things couldn't get more horrific, an evil classmate named Nussbaum attacks him in the cafeteria with a plate of beef stroganoff. Seems this kid loved living in the old mansion himself, but got yanked out after accidentally blowing up his own mom and dad. With his chemistry set. Now his dead parents are stuck as ghosts and Nussbaum is a foster kid stuck on revenge, vowing to get even with Derek’s family for taking over his haunted home.

All twelve-year-old Derek needs is a nice place to live—preferably without any blood-curdling apparitions that scare the pants off him and a classmate bent on ensuring he doesn't make it to thirteen. Piece of cake. Sure.



First 250 Words:
There are far worse things in life than being raised in a funeral home. For example, you could… um…
Okay, here’s one. You could have your brains eaten alive and slurped down by cranky, overworked zombies who haven’t had their morning coffee.
Or how about this? You could be stuffed into a spin dryer at Leo’s Laundromat & Hideous Stain Removal Service and set to Extra Dry/Huge Load.
But Derek wasn’t eaten and he definitely wasn’t spin dried, either. Just driven to the narcoleptic town of Littleburp in the family car (actually, an old yellow school bus), and then to a really unfortunate and grossly undesirable address: 1313 Slimeytoes Lane.
As the bus splashed its way through a beautifully timed thunderstorm on the worst day of Derek’s life (so far), his mom and dad worked at keeping his spirits up by singing their favorite, most embarrassing song: Poopy Head, Poopy Head, Don’t You Be a Poopy Head.
It didn’t help.
It was bad enough his adoptive parents dragged Derek out of his seventh grade class and away from all his friends to limp across the country in a broken-down school bus on this Journey to Nowhere. Much worse was the notion that they were about to move him into a spooky old mansion they planned to convert into a funeral home.
You see, his parents were funeral directors. Morticians. Undertakers.
On this appropriately stormy autumn day, noisy brakes slowed them to a squealing stop in front of their new home.

Son of a Pitch Entry: Derek Hyde knows Spooky When He Sees It

Title: DEREK HYDE KNOWS SPOOKY WHEN HE SEES IT
Category and Genre: MG, Paranormal
Word Count: 41,000

Query:

Derek Hyde isn’t tingling with undiluted joy that the spookiest old mansion in town is about to become the Hyde Funeral Home & Used Coffin Outlet. Especially since he has to live there with his adoptive mortician parents, Jack and Formalda.

Of course, being driven in the family hearse to his first day at middle school doesn’t exactly add whipped cream to his broccoli.

As if things couldn't get more horrific, an evil classmate named Nussbaum attacks him in the cafeteria with a plate of beef stroganoff. Seems this kid loved living in the old mansion himself, but got yanked out after accidentally blowing up his own mom and dad. With his chemistry set. Now his dead parents are stuck as ghosts and Nussbaum is a foster kid stuck on revenge, vowing to get even with Derek’s family for taking over his haunted home.

If twelve-year-old Derek can't live in a nice place—preferably without any blood-curdling apparitions that scare the pants off him and a classmate bent on ensuring he doesn't make it to thirteen—he'll have to run away. Far, far away.

First 250 Words:

There are far worse things in life than being raised in a funeral home. For example, you could… um…

Okay, here’s one. You could have your brains eaten alive and slurped down by cranky, overworked zombies who haven’t had their morning coffee.

Or how about this? You could be stuffed into a spin dryer at Leo’s Laundromat & Hideous Stain Removal Service and set to Extra Dry/Huge Load.

But Derek wasn’t eaten and he definitely wasn’t spin dried, either. Just driven to the narcoleptic town of Littleburp in the family car (actually, an old yellow school bus), and then to a really unfortunate and grossly undesirable address: 1313 Slimeytoes Lane. 

As the bus splashed its way through a beautifully timed thunderstorm on the worst day of Derek’s life (so far), his mom and dad worked at keeping his spirits up by singing their favorite, most embarrassing song: Poopy Head, Poopy Head, Don’t You Be a Poopy Head.

It didn’t help.

It was bad enough his adoptive parents dragged Derek out of his seventh grade class and away from all his friends to limp across the country in a broken-down school bus on this Journey to Nowhere. Much worse was the notion that they were about to move him into a spooky old mansion they planned to convert into a funeral home.

You see, his parents were funeral directors. Morticians. Undertakers.

On this appropriately stormy autumn day, noisy brakes slowed them to a squealing stop in front of their new home.

Billy Lovecraft Saves the World by Billy Lovecraft Blog Tour

Date of Release: November 13, 2014
Cover Artist: Andy Garcia

Description:
The last thing Billy Lovecraft’s parents sent him before the crash was a photo of something on
the wing of their plane.
Now he’s stuck with a horrible and heart-breaking mystery: What was that awful creature, and
why were his parents targeted?
It’s up to Billy to gather a team of like-minded kids and lead them through a dark new reality
where the monsters are real, not everyone is who they seem to be, and an ancient alien wants to
devour the world.

Goodreads | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Excerpt:

Billy Lovecraft walks out the front doors of Serling Middle School and down the steps. He tightens the straps on his big, military ALICE—All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment—rucksack. Classes are over and Billy's tired of everything right now. At least it's a nice, breezy day.

Billy looks back at the school building. Serling is three stories of brick nestled on Hillside Avenue between Orange Road and Saint Luke's Place. He likes the big row of columns above the front and side doors. The whole place gives off the vibe that it wants to be as important as the Roman Pantheon but can't quite muster the courage.

He used to enjoy coming here. A little. The teachers were pretty cool. Well, as cool as teachers could be. Then Sturn took over and everything went bad after that.

The whole place feels sneaky and mean now. Like there's a cloud of darkness and dread hovering above. Like the school and its honchos are watching everything and looking for reasons to eat kids.

The ancient church across the street—with its massive, looming spire and dueling columns—doesn't help Billy's nerves, either.

People don't scare Billy. Neither do their threats. Or their arbitrary grasps at authority over him.

But darkness does scare him.

Fear. Fear is something Billy understands. It is our oldest and strongest emotion.

Billy wants to defeat fear—his own and every other kid’s.

Big Jim, Metal Max, Sweet-Tooth, and Jackrabbit stand on the sidewalk near the street in front of the school.

Billy furrows his brow at the nerds. "I didn't expect you see you guys. Mostly because you made fun of me." He flips his index finger out. "And made fun of me." His middle finger joins his index finger. "And, yeah, made fun of me." His ring finger pops out last.

Big Jim shifts his weight from one foot to another. "We talked it over. We're sorry. It wasn't fair of us." He flashes a faltering smile—one that hints he isn't really sure what to do with Billy. "What did Principal Sturn say? Do you still have all your internal organs?"

"Principal Sturn is Principal Butthurt right now. He suspended me for three days."

"What for? The fight?"

Sweet-Tooth gestures toward Billy. "Wasn't much of a fight." He sticks a Tootsie Roll in his mouth and chews. "So do we make friends with our enemy's enemy. That's kinda the thing. Seeing as how he fought off Carlucci."

Jackrabbit rubs his black eye. "I hate Carlucci. He's such a jerkwad."

Billy feels the weight of the ALICE pack on his shoulders. "This is starting to sound like we're in bad movie. I am your enemy's enemy, I guess. And Sturn will say it was because of the fight, but mostly he just doesn't like me." Billy claps his hands together. Jackrabbit jumps at the sudden noise. Billy grins. "On the plus side, I get a long weekend! I don't even need to put on pants unless I feel like it."

Big Jim folds his arms. "A long weekend to do what? Don't they monitor kids in, uh, in your situation? Especially ones without pants. You'll be stuck inside."

"Nah, not as long as I divert important calls to my great fake grandfather, Rusty." Billy cackles with a hint of devilish glee. "You guys wanna see my house? You should come see my house."

***

The quintet walks through Montclair under the swaying branches of colorful trees. They stroll along the sidewalks that buckle from roots pushing them up. They saunter in front of beautiful homes built on the rolling hills that allow for a perfect view of the Manhattan skyline.

Billy kicks a stone. "Jim, why are you guys so into 'Cthulhu Detective Squad' anyway? Don't you have better things to do?"

Jim groans. "I still can't believe you didn't play your parents' game."

"Bite me. My parents were going to teach me everything themselves. They told me that… before the crash."

Big Jim rubs his forehead. "All right, sorry. Uh… well, I mean, it's fun. The game talks about all this crazy stuff. It says monsters are around us all the time. And there are ancient aliens we would only think of as gods. It's cool. It's definitely not like any other game. Your folks based it off the works of The Writer."

"Who's 'The Writer?'"

"He was a guy who wrote in the early twentieth century. People thought he was weird. He studied the cults and the books. Then he, duh, wrote about it."

"I guess I should've played this game."

"No kidding. It teaches you to think differently. You have to behave like a real Detective. You have to look for clues and solve puzzles. Me and the other guys have gotten to be pretty darn good Detectives."

"But do you guys, I dunno, believe in it?"

Big Jim shrugs. "Eh... I'm a scientist. I don't believe in something I've never seen with my own eyes. Metal Max believes in it, but he's more spiritual or whatever." Big Jim makes a noise like pft. "Sweet-Tooth and Jackrabbit definitely believe in it."

Billy looks to Metal Max, Sweet-Tooth and Jackrabbit. "You're perfect for this." He waits a beat. Grins. "I have an awesome idea."

About The Author:
Billy Lovecraft is the young leader of the Cthulhu Detective Squad, which he formed after the
death of his parents when he was twelve. He is a writer, scientist, occult scholar, and frequent
savior of the world. The things in his basement will give you nightmares.
Find Billy Lovecraft Online:
Website | Twitter | Goodreads

For the Love of Historicals!

Originally from Aussie Owned and Read...

I love, love, love, love love, love, love historical fiction. Yes, I am weird and a closet nerd. I'm coming out, just for you. For as long as I can remember I've devoured books with historical settings, and with the last book in my NA Historical Romance, the Kiya trilogy, now available I want to talk about History!

I read the Horrible Histories books as a middle grade reader.

In high school, I read a book about a Native American girl who wanted to prove herself a mighty warrior and great leader for her tribe. I also read a novel about a convict girl in Australia and how she managed to make a better life for herself.... I just wish I'd paid more attention to what they were called!

Religious historical novels I've read are the entire Work and the Glory series, and Orson Scott Card's Women of Genesis.

I've read books on WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War. I've read about the Tutors, the Gregorian era, Victorian era, King Arthur.

I have a myriad on non-fiction books covering ancient civilizations from the western and eastern hemispheres. My parents took me to see the Terracotta Soldiers, and Mummies on exhibit in Sydney as a treat.

Now I'm rambling.

The point is; I love history.

Now I'm fully aware how dry historical fiction can be. It can also be daunting if you have no prior understanding of the setting. That is where carefully selecting what you read is important. One of my favorite historical reads is The Sword of Attila. Okay, yes, it's not exactly a light read, but I found it fascinating watching the Roman Empire clash with that of the Huns. I lean toward ancient history, so it worked for me.

A historical I read recently that I enjoyed is Echoes of Dark and Light. It's a story set during the American civil war, with a great heroine and a fantastic love interest.

I believe history can teach us so much about ourselves and how to be better. Historical fiction can make these lessons entertaining, and bury into our hearts the lessons they have to teach without forcing it down our throats. History is where we have come from, and learning about our past can make our future better. Historical Fiction is amazing if you take the time to "get it".

Cover Reveal: Billy Lovecraft Saves the World by Billy Lovecraf

Curiosity Quills is thrilled to reveal the cover for middle-grade, action-adventure, paranormal, horror, science-fiction Billy Lovecraft Saves the World, by Billy Lovecraft, which is scheduled for release November 13, 2014. 

The stunning cover was designed by Andy Garcia.

Description: The last thing Billy Lovecraft’s parents sent him before the crash was a photo of something on the wing of their plane. Now he’s stuck with a horrible and heart-breaking mystery: What was that awful creature, and why were his parents targeted? It’s up to Billy to gather a team of like-minded kids and lead them through a dark new reality where the monsters are real, not everyone is who they seem to be, and an ancient alien wants to devour the world.

 Add Billy Lovecraft Saves the World to your Goodreads 'to-be-read' list.

 
About The Author: Billy Lovecraft is the young leader of the Cthulhu Detective Squad, which he formed after the death of his parents when he was twelve. He is a writer, scientist, occult scholar, and frequent savior of the world. The things in his basement will give you nightmares.


Find Billy Lovecraft Online: Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Blo Tour: Remembering Kaylee Cooper by Chris Francis

Remembering Kaylee Cooper by Chris Francis

Remembering Kaylee Cooper is a middle-grade paranormal novel focusing on the life of an eleven year-old boy who becomes intrigued by the oddities of a first grade girl named Kaylee Cooper.

Constructing the setting for Remembering Kaylee Cooper

I had a recurring dream when I was ten, where a dark ghostly figure watched me while I played hide and seek with my neighbors around the old barn at the end our street. For the longest time it didn't speak, and never bothered me. It crept through the tall milk weeds along the cow pasture and observed us from afar. Despite it’s ominous presence, I thought nothing of my unusual visions - that is until one night, when I awoke in a cold sweat with a stinging handprint on my chest.

For years, before my neighbors grew up and became too cool for childish games, we spent endless hours running in and around that decrepit barn. The barn became the backdrop for many of our weekend and summer activities.

However, following that unforgettable nightmare, I saw the old barn a little differently. Riding past the dilapidated wooden building each day on my way to the bus stop, I couldn’t help remember my dream where an oddly shaped figure, leaned over me while I hid inside an old storage room.  A plastic doll covered in dust and cobwebs sat in the corner on top of an empty oiling can. Scattered along the wooden floorboards were marbles, blending in with the chipped concrete and rubble. A constant drip echoed softly off the walls and ceiling. To this day, I can still see the figure’s shadowy arm rise up over it’s head as it walked into the room. Long, boney fingers spread out around it’s hand. Scanning it’s surroundings for a moment, I remember the creature then turning to me, slapping my chest with one powerful thrust.

I’m not sure what was more vivid, the old barn, the faceless being that stalked me in my dreams, or the handprint I felt the next morning.

Whatever the case, these feelings - these chilling, dark feelings needed to come out in my story. When the protagonist, Alex Thomas, learns about a deadly house fire that took the lives of a family along Screaming Ridge Road, he is pressured to visit the abandoned home.

In my head, I saw that abandoned house like the barn from my childhood. Creating Screaming Ridge in my writing, I was able to draw from these curious memories. Alex Thomas is me. His experiences are my own. Kaylee Cooper is the woven personalities of children who I have taught over the years. The House on Screaming Ridge Road is the barn, and that figure - that gnarled, incongruous figure is the subject of the nightmare I had when I was ten years-old.

I never questioned whether the barn was haunted, at least not aloud. But growing up around the farmlands of Campbellville, Ontario, I often wondered if lost spirits from years past ever drifted aimlessly through the cow fields or took refuge in the empty rooms of that old barn.

If you were to ask me today if I believe in ghosts, or if there is something ‘out there’,  my eyes would likely glaze over for a moment, thinking back to my childhood. My answer is... Yes.

Remembering Kaylee Cooper, by Christopher Francis

Date of Release­­: September 30, 2014

Cover Artist: Christopher Francis: Website

Goodreads

Description:

Kaylee Cooper is certain that Alex will become friends with a ghost this year. Alex thinks that he is far too old to be listening to a first grader and encourages Kaylee to stop jeopardizing his important sixth grade social life. Kaylee doesn’t listen and finds awkward ways to spend as much time with Alex as possible, even if it means following him into the boy’s washroom.

Fed up, Alex develops a strategic plan to ultimately help him get rid of Kaylee Cooper for good.

However, he soon learns about the mysterious legend of Screaming Ridge that pulls and unlikely group of friends together, including the girl of his dreams, and the school’s meanest bully. When they discover that the legend is real, and that Kaylee Cooper is at the core of the mystery, Alex stares death in the face and helps save her from an eternal life of misery and confusion.

About The Author:

CHRISTOPHER FRANCIS Born in Brisbane, Australia, Christopher was accepted at age 19 into Sheridan College’s Animation program before earning a degree in Sociology from McMaster University.

He then enjoyed a two-year adventure overseas working with children, before completing his Bachelor of Education degree at York University. He is now teaching junior and intermediate level students in Burlington, Ontario.

Through Christopher’s experience working with children, he found writing and illustrating to be one of his passions. Currently working on a middle grade series, he recently completed and illustrated the first three books. He has also created seven other children’s picture books and illustrated children’s novels for independent authors

Find Christopher Francis Online:

Website| Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck: Magic and Mayhem Blog Tour: Characters Guest Postby Stan Swanson

The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck has to be one of the most enjoyable books I have ever written. It has great characters, a solid story line and was a joy to work on. (Writing is the fun part. Editing is where the real work comes in.) Not only is it a fantasy (one of my favorite genres), but it is also a fast-paced adventure and even has a mystery to solve. But I think that it’s the humor that is involved in the story that I love more than anything. And adults seem to love it as much as kids. My wife thinks maybe I can write good middle grade humor as that is sort of the way my mind works anyway. (And just for that I’m not going to empty the trash this week. So there!)

The characters really came to life for me in this book. Hobart Hucklebuck feels like part me and parts of a hundred kids I knew when growing up. He’s an “everyday” kid with “everyday” problems that anyone can associate with. Of course, at some point he has to deal with “grown-up” problems and that’s when he shines.

The first book in the series, The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck: Magic & Mayhem is available now. The second book (which is currently with the publisher) is called The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck: Pandemonium in Pennywhistle and will hopefully be released in just a few months. I’m already working on the third book in the series which is tentatively title The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck: Wicked Weather.

I hope you enjoy reading about the “misadventures” of Hobart as much as I did creating them.

Date of Publication: August 7th, 2014.

Cover Artist: Ricky Gunawan

Description: 

Things are not as they should be in Pennywhistle. Enchanted toasters are not toasting, enchanted sprinklers are not sprinkling and Hobart Hucklebuck’s origami messenger birds are suddenly attacking him.

Someone seems to be draining the power from all of the enchanted items in the village. But who could it be and why have they implicated Hobart’s grandfather?

“The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck” follows Hobart and his friends, Specks Spacklethack and Rosie Rumpleskirt, as they try to solve this mystery and free Hobart’s grandfather from the Tower of Tribulation on Mumblemonk Mountain.

The trio’s investigation into the mysterious happenings on Druid Lane gets them into hot water more than once and ultimately brings them dangerously close to disaster not only for themselves, but the entire village of Pennywhistle.

Find The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck: Magic and Mayhem Online:

Goodreads | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

About Stan Swanson:

Stan Swanson is a Bram Stoker award finalist and author of eight books including Forever Zombie (a collection of short stories), Write of the Living Dead (a highly-praised writing guide written with Araminta Star Matthews and Rachel Lee) and Return of the Scream Queen (co-authored with Michael McCarty and Linnea Quigley). He is also editor/publisher for Dark Moon Books and Dark Moon Digest. Upcoming titles include Horror High School: Return of the Loving Dead (the first book in a young adult horror series co-written with Araminta Star Matthews), Dead Sparrows (a collection of apocalyptic poetry) and The Methlands (a horror novel co-written with award-winning author Joe McKinney).

Find Stan Swanson Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon 

Cover Reveal: Remembering Kaylee Cooper by Christopher Francis

Date of Release­­: September 30, 2014

Goodreads

Description:

Kaylee Cooper is certain that Alex will become friends with a ghost this year. Alex thinks that he is far too old to be listening to a first grader and encourages Kaylee to stop jeopardizing his important sixth grade social life. Kaylee doesn’t listen and finds awkward ways to spend as much time with Alex as possible, even if it means following him into the boy’s washroom.

Fed up, Alex develops a strategic plan to ultimately help him get rid of Kaylee Cooper for good.

However, he soon learns about the mysterious legend of Screaming Ridge that pulls and unlikely group of friends together, including the girl of his dreams, and the school’s meanest bully. When they discover that the legend is real, and that Kaylee Cooper is at the core of the mystery, Alex stares death in the face and helps save her from an eternal life of misery and confusion.

About The Author:

CHRISTOPHER FRANCIS Born in Brisbane, Australia, Christopher was accepted at age 19 into Sheridan College’s Animation program before earning a degree in Sociology from McMaster University.

He then enjoyed a two-year adventure overseas working with children, before completing his Bachelor of Education degree at York University. He is now teaching junior and intermediate level students in Burlington, Ontario.

Through Christopher’s experience working with children, he found writing and illustrating to be one of his passions. Currently working on a middle grade series, he recently completed and illustrated the first three books. He has also created seven other children’s picture books and illustrated children’s novels for independent authors.

Find Christopher Francis Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Cover Reveal: The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck: Magic and Mayhem, by Stan Swanson

Date of Publication: August 7th, 2014.

Cover Artist: Ricky Gunawan (http://ricky-gunawan.daportfolio.com/)

Goodreads

Description:

Things are not as they should be in Pennywhistle. Enchanted toasters are not toasting, enchanted sprinklers are not sprinkling and Hobart Hucklebuck’s origami messenger birds are suddenly attacking him.

Someone seems to be draining the power from all of the enchanted items in the village. But who could it be and why have they implicated Hobart’s grandfather?

“The Misadventures of Hobart Hucklebuck” follows Hobart and his friends, Specks Spacklethack and Rosie Rumpleskirt, as they try to solve this mystery and free Hobart’s grandfather from the Tower of Tribulation on Mumblemonk Mountain.

The trio’s investigation into the mysterious happenings on Druid Lane gets them into hot water more than once and ultimately brings them dangerously close to disaster not only for themselves, but the entire village of Pennywhistle.

--

About The Author:
Stan Swanson is a Bram Stoker award finalist and author of eight books including Forever Zombie (a collection of short stories), Write of the Living Dead (a highly-praised writing guide written with Araminta Star Matthews and Rachel Lee) and Return of the Scream Queen (co-authored with Michael McCarty and Linnea Quigley). He is also editor/publisher for Dark Moon Books and Dark Moon Digest. Upcoming titles include Horror High School: Return of the Loving Dead (the first book in a young adult horror series co-written with Araminta Star Matthews), Dead Sparrows (a collection of apocalyptic poetry) and The Methlands (a horror novel co-written with award-winning author Joe McKinney).

Find Stan Swanson Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

Cover Reveal – The Three Thorns by Michael Gibney and Giveaway

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

The Three Thorns (The Brotherhood and The Shield #1)
by Michael Gibney

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Three brothers born to a once powerful King were abandoned at birth and cast out into the old world as orphans - alone and unaware of the other's existence or their royal heritage.

In the new world, by order of the false King, three of the most lethal assassins are sent to kill the children before they come of age and avenge their father’s throne.

But when the brothers find one another, Benjamin, Tommy and Sebastian must resist the temptation of magic and power if they are to defeat the unspeakable evil that has threatened them since birth.

The Three Thorns is book one in an exciting children’s fantasy series called The Brotherhood and the Shield from debut author Michael Gibney.

Title: THE THREE THORNS
(THE BROTHERHOOD AND THE SHIELD #1)
Publication date: August 26, 2014
Publisher: Tantrum Books/Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Michael Gibney

Michael Gibney began working in restaurants at the age of sixteen and assumed his first sous chef position at twenty-two. He ascended to executive sous chef at Tavern on the Green, where he managed an eighty-person staff. He has worked in the kitchens of Morgans Hotel Group, 10 Downing in Manhattan, and Governor in Brooklyn’s DUMBO, among many others. Over the course of his career, he has had the opportunity to work alongside cooks and chefs from many of the nation’s best restaurants, including Alinea, Per Se, Eleven Madison Park, Daniel, Jean Georges, Le Bernardin, Bouley, Ducasse, Corton, wd~50, and Momofuku.

In addition to his experience in the food service industry, Gibney also holds a BFA in painting from Pratt Institute and an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Connect with the Author: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

(Winners will receive their book on release day)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Broken Branch Falls by Tara Tyler

Welcome to the Forest!

It's time for the highly anticipated, most spectacular cover reveal of the day!

BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy)
by Tara Tyler
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Publisher: Curiosity Quills

Gabe is an average fifteen-year-old goblin. He’s in the marching band, breezes through calculus, and gets picked on daily by the other kids at school, especially the ogres. Gabe’s closest friends are goblins like him, but Gabe is tired of being a goblin – he’d like to try other things. And he has his eye on the new ogress at school. It’s against all beastly rules, but there’s just something about her.

When a prank goes wrong, Gabe is forced to join the football team as punishment – but finds a way to make it work. Soon the whole school is getting in on the fad of mingling with other species. Too bad the adults have to step in and ruin things by threatening to destroy the school and split up Broken Branch Falls. And Gabe is their scapegoat. With help from friends, old and new, Gabe sets out on a quest for the Book of Ages, which holds the laws of all beastkind and hopefully the key to saving Broken Branch Falls. After all that trouble, it better work.

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Also by Tara Tyler, techno-thriller detective series, The Cooper Chronicles, Book One: POP TRAVEL

Tara Tyler started out as a math teacher. After having a hand in everything from waitressing to rocket engineering and living up and down the Eastern US, she now writes and teaches in Ohio with her three active boys and Coach Husband. Currently, she has two series, The Cooper Chronicles (techno-thriller detective capers) and Beastworld (MG fantasy) She's an adventure writer who believes every good story should have a moral, plus a few laughs!

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Query Critique - Crossing Lau Dai La by Hong Tran

Here is this week's query critique. A big thank you to Hong Tran for sending this through for me to look at. Again, leave comments and suggests for her to help out!


I’m seeking representation for CROSSING LAU DAI LA, a MG fantasy that blends Vietnamese folklore and Western mythical creatures. 

So this should be at the end. You need your hook to be first. I would also cut "I'm seeking representation for" and say, "CROSSING LAU DAI LA is a MG...." But looking down, you seem to have information in your last paragraph, I'd blend it together there.

Eleven-year-old Linh Briggston loves Vietnamese fairy tales. She even daydreams about them that she almost never listens to her mother.

So, these two sentences would be a stronger hook as one. Try something like this: Eleven-year-old Linh Briggston daydreams about Vietnamese fairy tales so much that she  rarely listens her mother. You could make it stronger in your own words. And drop the almost never, for rarely as almost never is weak.

 Linh’s dreams come true when a winged horse whisks her away from Ireland to the parallel world of Lau Dai La. 

Okay, this should be your hook. This is what makes your story unique and interesting. You should find a way to incorporate this into your first sentence.

There, she meets the power-hungry Kerai who have destroyed that land with their dark magic.

When the Kerai learn that Linh is a human, they capture her and force her to retrieve a crossbow that will allow them to bridge their land to Earth. Linh refuses until they deliver her an ultimatum: locate the weapon or her mother will die. During her imprisonment, Linh encounters a fairy named Tombo who promises that he can help locate the crossbow if she takes him back to Earth. 

But he’s one magical creature whose friendship doesn’t come easy. 

This sentence feels a bit sloppy. Maybe just "But Tombo's friendship doesn't come easily." We know he's magical because he's a fairy :-)

Linh must work with him to find the crossbow for the Kerai and save her mother before it’s too late. (Cut)

Complete at 44,000 words, CROSSING LAU DAI LA will appeal to fans of Rick Riordan’s PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS series and Grace Lin's WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON. The complete novel stands alone, but has series potential. 

As I said said earlier, bring the info about the book at the beginning and incorporate it here.