I'm so excited to participate in Wendy's The Shadow of Atlantis Blog Tour with Mother Daughter Book Reviews. I love stories set in the ancient worlds, and when I first came across The Shadow of Atlantis, I became hooked. As a young reader, I would have devoured this entire series! As an adult, I'm got the books squirreled away on my Kindle for reading and re-reading.
Wendy has graciously agreed to share her ancient and medieval setting with Carpinello's Writing Pages. Read on and prepare to be immersed in the fascinating world of historical fiction!
SHADOWS FROM THE PAST
Have you ever wished you could travel back in time and experience history for yourself? And if that wish came true, just when and where would you choose for your trip into the past? That was the dilemma facing me when I decided to embark upon writing my Shadows from the Past series. Just where should my young time-travelling heroes visit during the course of their quest?
For the first step in the journey, I knew my characters would have to venture deep into the past and I was drawn inexorably to the legend of Atlantis, that mythical city which never fails to capture the imagination. And so the voyage began. The Shadow of Atlantis would be a perfect place to start a magical mystery tour through time.
So, where to next? Hmm … fast forward a little, but not too much. How about the Greek island of Crete during the reign of the legendary King Minos? Ah yes, and let’s not forget his labyrinth which contained the fearsome, flesh-eating Minotaur. The Shadow of the Minotaur would provide plenty of thrills, spills and danger.
So far, so good. I was enjoying my foray into Greek myths and wasn’t quite ready to leave them behind just yet, so I wondered where to send my time-travelling children next. My favourite of all the tales from Greek mythology is the story of Troy and I simply couldn’t resist the opportunity to visit the legendary city. The Shadow of the Trojan Horse would be an exciting, if rather perilous, adventure. Thank heavens the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus would be there to help out when things got out of hand … which, of course, they did.
As reluctant as I was to leave Ancient Greece, I knew the time had now come to move on. And how could I not make a stop in the land of the Pharaohs? Ancient Egypt in all its mystical wonder was calling to me and the lure of the boy-king Tutankhamun could not be ignored. Mystery and intrigue galore awaited my young adventurers in The Shadow of the Pyramid, not to mention deadly scorpions and cobras. It was a nail-biting visit for them all.
The ancient world still held me in its grip, but what would be next on the itinerary? For me, the ancient Roman town of Pompeii was a must. So I sent the children back in time to the year 79AD to face a deadly disaster. The Shadow of the Volcano would prove to be a thrilling, if somewhat terrifying, trip. Did my intrepid heroes make it out when Mount Vesuvius erupted? Only just – it was touch and go at the end.
This had all been a bit scary and I decided it was time for some light relief. What could be better than a visit to the mythical land of Camelot? With a little help from Merlin, my time-travelling children were transported back to 5th century Britain in order to fulfil an ancient prophecy and help King Arthur defeat the Saxon invaders. The sixth adventure in the series The Shadow of Camelot turned out to be great fun and I really enjoyed writing it.
I’ve recently completed book number 7, The Shadow of the Norman Arrow, set in the year 1066 with William the Conqueror about to invade England.
However, the journey doesn’t end there – many more adventures still await the children, as I’m planning a total of 16 books in the series. Where will it all end? Well, I’m not going to tell you that, although I already know exactly where each further step in the journey will take my time-travellers. The only clue I’ll give you is that the final destination will be sometime during the 20th century. Why not come along for the ride and find out?
About the Book
Title: The Shadow of Atlantis (Shadows From the Past, Book 1)
Author: Wendy Leighton-Porter
Year Published: 2012
Publisher: Mauve Square Publishing
Pages: 196
Recommended Age: 8+
Summary (Amazon):
Ten-year-old twins Joe and Jemima Lancelot have no idea why their parents have disappeared, but a mysterious old book which had belonged to their father holds the answer… and so begins an unusual quest to discover the truth. Together with Max, their remarkable Tonkinese cat, and Charlie from next door, the children embark on an epic adventure, travelling back in time to the lost city of Atlantis. Once there, however, they soon run into problems. Can they save the people of Atlantis from the disaster which is about to destroy their land forever? And will they find their way back to the safety of their own time before it’s too late?
The Buzz
"Shadows of Atlantis is a well-written story with a collection of likable main characters, a solid plot line, snippets of educational facts about a historically important location and event, and, is filled with mystery, magic, and suspense. This book grabbed me at the prologue and had me hooked until the end." ~ Mother Daughter Book Reviews, 5 Stars
"... Shadow of Atlantis is an imaginative tale that will draw children in right from the get go. The characters are deftly and warmly established, and Wendy shows a sure touch in enabling these characters to interact in a fun but believable fashion, each playing their own part in the plot's development...." ~ 5-Star review from John C., Amazon US
"The author makes the legend of Atlantis (and also the story of the Minotaur in the second book) so accessible to kids and in such an imaginative way. My daughter loved the children's characters and also the comical, lovable cat Max and his ability to help the characters out during times of strife! We will be looking out for future books from this author for sure. A really enjoyable adventure for kids and highly recommended..." ~ 5-Star review from A. Bradshaw, Amazon US
"This story will draw any young reader in will keep them entertained and engaged. It is sometimes hard to find books that will keep children interested, often their subject matter is trivial and insubstantial, this is not true of The Shadow of Atlantis. My daughter can't wait for the next adventure..." ~ 5-Star review from Annaliese M., Goodreads
Purchase
Amazon U.S. * Amazon Canada * Amazon U.K. * Book Depository
Great Deal!!
*** You can buy the all 6 books (electronic copies) in the series (The Shadow of Atlantis, The Shadow of the Minotaur, The Shadow of the Trojan Horse, The Shadow of the Pyramid, The Shadow of the Volcano, and The Shadow of Camelot) for only 99 cents each from Amazon between October 14 and 28, 2013. Get hooked on this great series NOW by clicking on the Amazon button below. ***
About The Author, Wendy Leighton-Porter
Dividing my time between homes in England and South-West France, I live with my husband Simon and our two beautiful Tonkinese cats. I spent 20 years as a teacher of French, Latin and Classical studies, but now write books for children instead of teaching them.
The Shadow of Atlantis is the first book in a series of 15 planned time-travel stories, featuring 3 children and, unsurprisingly, a rather special Tonkinese cat. Having recently completed number #7, The Shadow of the Norman Arrow (coming soon!), I’m currently working on the eighth book in the series.
As I take my young readers on a magical mystery tour through the past, I’m also hoping that my love of history, myth and legend will rub off on them too. Personally, I’m enjoying the journey so much, I don’t ever want it to end! Why not come along with me for the ride?
Website * Facebook * Goodreads
The Shadow of Atlantis Blog Tour Schedule (2013)
October 14October 15
October 16
October 17
October 18
October 19
October 20
October 21
October 22
October 23
October 24
October 25
October 26
October 27
October 28
*** The Shadow of Atlantis Blog Tour Giveaway ***
Prize: One winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash
Contest runs: October 14 to November 5, 11:59 pm, 2013
Open: WW
How to enter: Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by author Paul Hewlett and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions - feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
