Thursday, February 26, 2015

Stellarcadia Book Blast

Mother Daughter Book Reviews is pleased to be hosting a Book Blast for the third and final book in the "Adventures of Caramel Cardamom" middle grade science fiction trilogy by Julie Anne Grasso: "Stellarcadia".

 

Stellarcadia by Julie Anne Grasso

About the Book

Title: Stellarcadia (Adventures of Caramel Cardamom, Book 3) | Author: Julie Anne Grasso | Publication Date: December 24, 2014 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 128 | Recommended Ages: 8 to 12 Book Description: Caramel Cinnamon is one lucky elf. She can hardly believe she’s invited to attend the first Intergalactic Youth Summit, on-board the Stellarcadia. Her friends can’t wait to go “hyper,” but even the thought of it chills Caramel to the bone. However, nothing could compare to the icy reception she receives upon her arrival. Keen to get to the bottom of it, Caramel stumbles on a dangerous conspiracy, but no one will believe her. In the exciting conclusion to The Adventures of Caramel Cardamom Trilogy, Caramel will have to do more than outwit her enemies, she will have to convince her friends to take her seriously. For ages 8-12.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

 

The Early Buzz

"The book is also a perfect mix of magic, science, and technology. Don’t be surprised if readers get to use their imaginations and learn something. Julie Anne Grasso has proven herself to be an original and versatile author..." ~ 5 Stars, Ilana W., Amazon
"Couldn't put it down." ~ Jemima P., Goodreads
 

About the Author: Julie Anne Grasso

Julie Anne Grasso

With a background in paediatric nursing, Julie Anne Grasso spent many years literally wrapping children in cotton wool. Every day she witnessed great courage and resilience from the tiny people she cared for, which inspired her to write stories to encourage and entertain them. She lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband Danny and their little girl, Giselle.

Website | Blog | Facebook

Twitter | Goodreads 

 

 

* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Amazon 25 gift card Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: March 25, 11:59 pm, 2015 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please 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 the author, Julie Anne Grasso 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


MDBR Book Promotion Services
 

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Meet YA Author Melanie Hooyenga

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes YA author Melanie Hooyenga. Melanie writes The Flicker Effect Series.

First, a bit about Melanie:

I first started writing as a teenager and find I still relate best to that age group. My young-adult novel, Flicker, debuted in November 2012, and the sequel, Fracture, released in June 2014. I’ve lived in Washington DC, Chicago, and Mexico, but have finally settled down in my home state of Michigan with my husband Jeremy. When not at my day job as a graphic designer, you can find me attempting to wrangle my Miniature Schnauzer Owen and playing every sport imaginable with Jeremy.

Why did you pick to write books for YA?

My first two novels were adult contemporary fiction, but they both had teenage protagonists. After a beta reader kindly suggested perhaps I try writing YA, I got the idea for Flicker (the first book in my trilogy) and thought I’d give it a try. It’s the most natural voice I’ve ever written, and I’m so glad I tried something that seemed outside my comfort zone.

It’s been a long time since I was a teenager, but I still love the idea of first loves, new adventures, and discovering who you are.

What types of books do you like to read?

Lately it seems all I read is YA, but I’m hoping to branch out a bit this year. I just finished Stephanie Perkins’ series Isla and The Happily Ever After, and I’m considering rereading Insurgent before it comes out in March. I have far too many books on my TBR pile, but I tend to read contemporary YA romance, as well as the occasional dystopian. Next on my list is Kevin Craig’s Burn Baby, Burn Baby and Donna Tartt’s Goldfinch.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

Oh wow, what DON’T I like to do? My husband and I are very active so the only time I’m just sitting on the couch is if I’m reading or watching TV (we only watch a handful of shows). This winter we’re playing dodgeball and skiing, then softball starts in April, and golf shortly after that. I’m also hoping to squeeze in beach volleyball since we live two minutes from Lake Michigan. We enjoy cooking and entertaining friends, and I enjoy the occasional DIY crafty projects (Next up: chevroning the desk in my writing room and a magnetic chalkboard).

Tell us about Flicker and how the story came to be.

Flicker is the first book in The Flicker Effect trilogy. I first got the idea when driving to see my grandmother. You know how sometimes the sunlight flickers through the trees in a way that makes a strobe-light effect? Well, it really messes with my head to the point that I have to shield my eyes so I can concentrate on the road. That snowy December day, the light was particularly bad, and I wondered what if there was a girl who, when she experienced this, time-traveled back to yesterday. And Biz was born.

Flicker tells the story of 17-year old Biz who’s just like every other teenager except for one minor detail: she uses sunlight to travel back to yesterday. She uses her ability the way any teenager would—by retaking tests, fixing fights with her boyfriend, and reliving the making up. But when little girls in her town start disappearing, she realizes she can help more than just herself.


Here's a peek at Flicker:

Biz is a perfectly normal teenager except for one minor detail: she uses sunlight to jump back to yesterday. She takes advantage of flickering by retaking Trig tests, fixing fights with her boyfriend (or reliving the making up), and repeating pretty much anything that could be done better. Trouble is, flickering makes her head explode from the inside. Or feel like it anyway.

No one knows about her freakish ability, and she’s content to keep it that way. Guys don't stick around because she refuses to let them in, but all that changes when Cameron, her best friend, starts looking oh-so-yummy. Suddenly she's noticing his biceps, his smile, and the cute way his eyes crinkle when he—gah! This is her friend!

But the butterflies come to a screeching halt when little girls start disappearing, then take a nosedive when the police link the kidnappings to Cameron's sister, who vanished years earlier. As the police grasp for clues, Biz photographs a strange man lurking in the shadows and realizes that her flickering can help more than just herself.

Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.

Fracture, book two in the trilogy, picks up a month after Flicker ends and brings a whole mess of problems for Biz: Her newly shaved head brings out the bullies; her boyfriend Cameron is getting a little too chummy with a girl from the kidnap support group; and Cameron’s formerly kidnapped sister is having some serious adjustment issues. When her dad’s health takes a turn for the worse, she turns to her neurosurgeon who operated on her. If she tells him the truth, he could figure out why she and her dad flicker and save her before her entire world—and her own health—crumbles. But can Biz trust him with her secret?

Faded—which I just finished—is the final book of the series. Biz didn’t think life could get worse after she tried—and failed—to stop a horrific event, but when she accidentally flickers into a car on her eighteenth birthday after doing shots of vodka—she’s forced to face the consequences of her actions in a way she never imagined. When an anonymous email threatens to reveal her secret, Biz must decide if flickering is all it’s cracked up to be, or if she needs to stop flickering. Forever.

I’ve written two other novels, one of which I might rewrite for a YA audience, but neither is leaving my computer in their current state. I call those practice novels.


What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?

I’ve already outlined my next book, a YA romance inspired by the movie Grease, of all things. There’s a lot of snow and skiing (we were buried under three feet of snow all last winter and I watched A LOT of the Olympics), and probably lots of kissing. I’m excited to write something completely new. I love Biz and Cam and Amelia in The Flicker Effect, but I’ve been hanging out with them since 2010, so I’m eager to start something new.

What advice do you have for other authors?

Keep at it. Writing a novel is not easy, and it’s not fast. You’ll go through days and weeks where the words flow and writing is the best feeling in the world, then you’ll get stuck or start to doubt yourself, or (like I sometimes do) read a book that is so stupendously fantastic you wonder why you ever thought you could do this. But no one else can tell your story the way YOU can tell it.

Also, don’t hide in a bubble. Get online. Meet fellow writers. When you publish, whether with a traditional publishing house or via self-publishing, a lot of the marketing will fall on your shoulders and if the only people you know are your family and the kids you graduated with, no one will hear about your book.

Anything else you want readers to know?

I love to hear from readers! I’m on Facebook and Twitter the most, but I do have a blog where I try to remember to post more than once a month.

Where can readers find you and your books?

I’m all over the internet!

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

Amazon Flicker
Amazon Fracture
B&N Flicker
B&N Fracture (print only)
Smashwords
Kobo

Or if you happen to be in west Michigan, the Bookman in Grand Haven has both books as well.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

On Book Marketing and the Kid Lit Blog Hop #54


I've been told that in the days before the Internet writers spent most of their time writing. Oh sure, there were appearances at bookstores before adoring fans when authors signed books by the hundreds. Authors also went on the road visiting strange bookstores in strange cities. However, mostly authors wrote.



Even back in 2009, when Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend was published, writing still occupied most of my time. In April 2015, Guinevere will have been published six years, and in those six years, the publishing world has been upended and has yet to right itself. Changes have become a daily happening, and for writers, new challenges line up before them like kids who are offered free ice cream.




We writers must write and also become marketing gurus. Most days can be overwhelming even for the best of us. However, we must continue to soldier on and do what must be done. And so, in addition to writing, editing, and marketing our manuscripts, we must also find avenues to expose our writing to a world much wider than just a few years ago. That involves hours of exploring websites offering author marketing services and becoming adept at social media.

And that brings me to my latest marketing endeavors and possibly some new avenues for other writers to use.

1) This week a fairly new site that I discovered and joined in 2014, Author Shout, has entered the cover of Sons of the Sphinx in a cover war with four other authors' books that it represents. The prize for the top cover is free exposure on the Author Shout website and through social media as the Book of the Week. I'm excited to be offered this opportunity for showcasing Sons of the Sphinx, and I ask for your support. Voting is free and each person can vote once a day until the war ends at 8am Eastern on Sunday, Feb. 21. Here is the link: http://authorshout.com/cover-wars/.

2) I've been introduced to a new social media site: Triberr. An online friend of mine told me I needed to join, so I did. You can check out my Triberr page here. The idea is to join other tribes and start your own. Well, I've joined some, but it is pretty lonely there. I am a tribe of ONE! Any tips will be appreciated.

3) On Friday, Feb. 20, I start an online tour with Double Decker Books. The company came to my attention when I was perusing FaceBook pages. The pricing was reasonable, the package—Big Ben—offered the most complete services with reviews, spotlights, and author posts. I will be posting my schedule on Friday. Below is my tour banner.


Also, if you would like to review Sons of the Sphinx on this tour, here is the sign-up link:



4) My webmates and I have a new Pinterest board for our combined website The Quest Books. We hope you'll take time to stop by and 'Like' us! In fact, I'm headed over there to do some pinning,

but first:

Welcome to the 54th Kid Lit Blog Hop where we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists.

On this Hop, Carpinello's Writing Pages interviews
MG/YA Christian author Christina Weigand
and
YA author Melanie Hooyenga.

You are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors! This week, we are excited to be including a Twitter Linky Party to be held in conjunction with the Kid Lit Blog Hop. These linky parties are designed to give you the opportunity to connect with and grow your network of fellow kid lit bloggers, authors, and parents through your various social media platforms. We are pleased to be welcome a new permanent KLBH host with us (you'll remember she co-hosted with us a few weeks ago!): Rebecca from A Book Long Enough, a wonderful new book blog written by a librarian and Mom of three. Big welcome Rebecca!  

Hostesses:

Mother Daughter Book Reviews

Julie Grasso, Author/ Blogger

Cheryl Carpinello, Author / Blogger

Stacking Books

BeachBoundBooks

Pragmatic Mom

Best 4 Future: Bringing Up Baby Bilingual

Reading Authors

The Logonauts

A Book Long Enough

 

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
 

Kid Lit Blog Hop & Linky Party Rules *Please Read*

1. LINKY PARTY: Add the link to your Twitter profile page in the Twitter Linky Party list below. Be sure to visit at least the two links directly before yours, say hello and retweet or follow as per your interests. If you do not have a Twitter profile, you are welcome to link up a different social media profile (Pinterest, Facebook, etc.). 2. KID LIT BLOG HOP: Link up any Kid Lit related post in the Kid Lit Blog Hop. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. KID LIT BLOG HOP: Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS from the Kid Lit Blog Hop directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you! 4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links! 5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!

Happy Hopping!

 

TWITTER LINKY PARTY

(Please do not link up a post here - see below for the Kid Lit Blog Hop)

KID LIT BLOG HOP

Meet MG/YA Christian Author Christina Weigand

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes MG/YA Christina Weigand. She is a fellow MuseItUp Publishing author and writes the Palace of the Twelve Pillars series.

First, a bit about Christina:

Christina Weigand’s a writer, wife, and mother of three grown children and a teenage daughter. She is also Nana to three granddaughters. She lives with her husband and youngest daughter in Pennsylvania. Currently, she’s working on fantasy novels and inspirational writing. Through her writing, she strives to share the Word of God and help people to realize the love and mercy He has for everyone.

When she’s not writing, she’s lectors at her Church and volunteers to help young people develop a love for reading and writing. Jesus fills her home with love as she shares Him through her writing.

Why did you pick to write books for MG/YA?

I actually write both MG and YA. It’s just that my YA got written and published first. Through my writing I want to provide to middle-grade and YA readers a balanced reading palette. While they may be reading vampire books and the like, I also want them to see God’s side and to have a fuller, more well-balanced vision of what is out there, so they can make informed choices in their lives. After all they are the future.

What types of books do you like to read?

I read a lot of YA Fantasy, but I like most genres except erotica. Since I’m writing YA, MG and now I’m trying my hand at beginning chapter books for young readers, I have been reading in those categories. I also read books for adults. I enjoy inspirational fiction. Like I said, I can read just about anything.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

Read, travel, spend time attending my teen daughter’s activities. I like to do crafts although I haven’t done much as of late. Oh and I like to hug my three beautiful granddaughters whenever I get the chance.

Tell us about Sanctuary of Nine Dragons: Book Three and how the story came to be.

The obvious answer is that I had to finish the trilogy Palace of the Twelve Pillars. Beyond that, when I wrote what was supposed to be a stand-alone book entitled Aaron’s Revenge, I realized that there was a whole other story that needed and wanted to be told. Joachim and Brandan, Aaron’s father and uncle, made their presence known and hounded me until I told their story. And Aaron/Airyn got relegated to the third book, Sanctuary of Nine Dragons. I guess I really wanted to know what people and actions brought Aaron to the place he was in Aaron’s Revenge.

In Sanctuary of Nine Dragons, Joachim banishes Brandan to prison island of Hyogo. His infant son, Prince Airyn disappears from his cradle. A chain of events is set in motion that will pit brother against brother, friend against friend, parents against children as Brandan and Joachim struggle for control of their sanity and their very lives.

With Brandan declared dead and his son missing, Joachim sinks into despair and anger, where those close to him fear he may never return. Is Brandan really dead and if he is, who is manipulating the Mantion and enemies of Crato?

Can Maeve save her country and her husband from the tentacles of evil pervading the land?

Here's a peek at Sanctuary of Nine Dragons:

Joachim cringed as he thought about what he had to do. The council had decided. He didn’t agree completely, but in the end, Joachim knew it was the only way; something had to be done. Maybe Brandan would give him a reason not to send him away.

King Brandan stomped into the room. “Why, Brother, have you no throne prepared for your poor, missing brother? I’m hurt. I expected more from you and my sister-in-law. Maeve, dear, couldn’t you have helped him prepare better?” He stepped toward her, quickly grabbed her hand, and kissed it.

Joachim lunged at him, pushing him from the dais. Brandan staggered then regained his balance and gazed at his brother. “Why such violence, especially when I am so recently injured?”

Stepping off the dais, Joachim stood eye-to-eye with his brother. “Enough! You’re no more hurt than I am. And you have no business touching my wife, or sitting on Crato’s throne.”

Brandan laughed, pushed him aside, and stepped up to claim his throne. Joachim grabbed his twin's shoulder, spun him around, and punched him in the mouth.

Rubbing where Joa’s fist had landed, Brandan smirked. “Well, my brother has finally developed some stones.” He raised his other hand to hit Joachim.

Matthias stepped forward, sword in hand and grabbed his arm before he could hit Crato's king. He pulled the king’s brother away, so Joachim could reclaim his throne.

Jerking himself free, Brandan straightened his tunic. “This has been fun; but as you seem to be in no mood to visit, I shall take my leave. Come to me when you’re in a better frame of mind.”

“Stop! You are going nowhere until I say you can.”

Brandan stopped and looked at his brother. “What did you say to me? Is that how you talk to a fellow king and brother?”

“Yes, it is. As of this morning, you are no longer a king, and I’m not sure I should even call you brother.”

“Why dearest brother, whatever do you mean?” Brandan asked.

“Ever since we were boys, you have done everything you could to make trouble. I was always willing to forgive you and hoped you would change your evil ways. But no more! You have pushed me—pushed this country—too far this time,” Joa thundered at him.

Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.

Aaron’s Revenge is a story about a boy who thinks he is the son of a farm boy, and after being kidnapped by his unknown Uncle, Brandan comes to discover that he is a prince and wizard. I’d like to mention here that the total of Aaron’s Revenge is told in Sanctuary of Nine Dragons. I kind of look on Aaron’s Revenge as an excerpt from Sanctuary even though it was written first. The other two books in the trilogy, Palace of the Twelve Pillars: Book One and Palace of the Three Crosses: Book Two, tell the beginning of Joachim and Brandan’s story.

I also wrote a Bible study Women of the Bible: A Study. I chose 12 women from the Old and New Testament and explored their lives and what they can teach the 21st century woman.

What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?

I have several projects in the works. My big one, my opus you could say, is another YA Christian Fantasy in which my dragons have come to Earth at the time of Christ’s ministry. In partnership with humans, they protect God’s people and spread the word of God while fighting the evils that we all face.

I recently started a Middle Grade novel that I am co-writing with my oldest granddaughter. It’s a fantasy involving princes, princesses, and all sorts of magical creatures. Two teen girls and their dragons travel into this fantasy world to lift a curse and save the world from an evil witch/queen. But like any good story, there are some interesting twists that keep the teens  on their toes.

I am also co-writing a beginning chapter book for younger readers with my daughter and granddaughter. This is another fantasy where two girls are drawn into a fantasy land where they have to learn to rely on each other and work together to save their dragons from a giant.

What advice do you have for other authors?

If writing is your passion, don’t let someone else convince you not to do it. Be true to yourself and what you love. Of course, the obvious, Read, Read and Read some more. Most of all Butt in Chair; Hands on Keyboard (or holding a pen/pencil). Just don’t ever give up.

Where can readers find you and your books?

MuseItUp Publishing Bookstore
Barnes & Noble Author Page
Amazon Author Page
Facebook Author Page
Wattpad Page
Twitter

Friday, February 6, 2015

The Search for the Stone of Excalibur: Review for Fiona Ingram's WOW-Women on Writing Tour

☆☆☆☆☆  
for 
The Search for the Stone of Excalibur


I so enjoyed Fiona’s first book in The Chronicles of the Stone series, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, that I couldn’t wait to read Book 2: The Search for the Stone of Excalibur.
Instead of being set in Egypt, this story is set in England and Scotland. Having just visited there in September 2014, it was exciting to be transported back again. However, you don’t need to be familiar with the UK countryside to enjoy this story. Fiona’s descriptive details build that setting for the reader.

The main characters, Justin and Adam, find themselves smack dab in the middle of danger from the moment they land in London. And to compound matters, their Aunt has put them in charge of a girl! They meet Kim at the airport before leaving for London when Aunt Isabel rushes to the gate, informing them that she has to fly immediately to France, and they must take care of Kim when the three of them fly to London. Neither of the boys is excited for a tag-along, especially not a girl! Ingram’s superb dialogue sets the reader right down in the middle of scrabbling kids.

This fast-paced adventure is full of surprises involving none other than their old enemy from Egypt, Dr. Khalid, and newcomers, the Eaters of Poison. Readers will thoroughly enjoy that most of the action takes place in a centuries old castle in Scotland. Cliff-hangers are sure to keep the pages turning, and at the end, readers will be clamoring for Book 3: The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper, set in Mexico.

A great read for young readers including reluctant readers—and those young-at-heart. As with book one, this one comes with additional materials at the back of the book to satisfy that lust for more knowledge about Arthur, Excalibur, and medieval England!

 
 About The Search for the Stone of Excalibur:

A modern day adventure as our protagonists search for Excalibur and the treasures it holds!

Continuing the adventure that began in Egypt a few months prior in The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, cousins Adam and Justin Sinclair are hot on the trail of the second Stone of Power, one of seven ancient stones lost centuries ago. This stone might be embedded in the hilt of a newly discovered sword that archaeologists believe belonged to King Arthur: Excalibur.

Join Justin and Adam as they search not only for the second Stone of Power, but also for the Scroll of the Ancients, a mysterious document that holds important clues to the Seven Stones of Power. As their adventure unfolds, they learn many things and face dangers that make even their perils in Egypt look tame. And how annoying for them that their tag-along companion, Kim, seems to have such good ideas when they are stumped.

About Fiona Ingram:

Fiona Ingram was born and educated in South Africa, and has worked as a full-time journalist and editor. Her interest in ancient history, mystery, and legends, and her enjoyment of travel resulted in The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, the first in her exciting children’s adventure series—The Chronicles of the Stone. This was inspired by a family trip the author took with her mom and two young nephews aged ten and twelve at the time. The book began as a short story for her nephews and grew from there. The Search for the Stone of Excalibur is a treat for young King Arthur fans. Fiona is busy with Book 3 entitled The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper, set in Mexico.

While writing The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, Fiona fostered (and later adopted) a young African child from a disadvantaged background. Her daughter became the inspiration for the little heroine, Kim, in The Search for the Stone of Excalibur. Interestingly, the fictional character’s background and social problems are reflected in the book as Kim learns to deal with life. Fiona’s experiences in teaching her daughter to read and to enjoy books also inspired many of her articles on child literacy and getting kids to love reading.

Author Site
Blog
The Quest Books
Twitter
Facebook
Amazon Purchase Page

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Meet MG Author Andy Mulberry

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes California MG Author Andy Mulberry. Andy, like me, writes for those reluctant readers out there.

First, a bit about Andy:

Andy Mulberry loves to write children's books filled with strange adventures, odd characters and mysterious circumstances. She lives in Southern California with her scowling teenager, a chubby blue cat-beast, an imaginary dog and one leaky roof!

Why did you pick to write books for MG?

I think the best answer is that I’m a kid at heart and constantly have a funny/weird story or two in my head. Growing up, books gave me so much joy (they still do). If I can pass on the joy of books to impressionable young minds, all for the better *cue evil laugh*!


What types of books do you like to read?

I got the heavier side of reading out of the way in my younger years. Most classics, the Top 100 books you ought to have read, I probably have read them—not that I actually understood most of them :) And while I do admire beautifully written prose and character driven stories (read: literary fiction), I now seek perhaps the lighter side of reading—I want to be entertained by fantastical storylines, strange circumstances and unique characters that will stay with me and make me think and laugh and simply happy. I read to be entertained in an upbeat, positive way, whatever the genre might be.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

Photography. And by that I mean snapping pictures of beautiful Southern California with my super-smart phone while attempting to hike 5 miles only to turn into a café for coffee and carrot cake.

Tell us about Skycastle, the Demon and Me and how the story came to be.

Skycastle, the Demon and Me is a middle grade fantasy adventure aimed at reluctant readers. I can’t really say how the story came to be; it pretty much showed up in my head fully formed…it is one of those ‘what if’ story lines, I’d say. I like ‘what if’ stories. I dare you to give the book to a reluctant reader and not see him turn the page, trying to find out if Jack really does order a demon straight from Hell. (He does.) The book is the first in a series, available as paperback and audiobook, and for free as an ebook pretty much everywhere.

Here's a peek at Skycastle, the Demon and Me:



“If you owe Hell gold but you can't pay, you're about to have a bad day!
You can’t catch a demon. But you can order one.
You can order one straight from Hell. It will get you into trouble.
In any case, it certainly gets Jack into a lot of trouble...

WARNING...this book contains a scowling demon, bad decisions, a skeleton key, not foul but hellish language, an ordinary boy and an extraordinary castle.

You’ve been warned.”




Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.

Skycastle and the Demonic Incident in Chinatown, Book 2 in my Skycastle series was been released last year. This book contains a scowling demon, a headless horseman, an angry dragon, an ordinary boy and an extraordinary castle. There’s cheesecake. And something straight out of HELL.


What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?

Currently busy finishing up Skycastle and the Demonic Kraden Debacle in Hollywood, Book 3 in the Skycastle series, to be released next month. 

What advice do you have for other authors?

Advice? Not really, as I think that we are all unique snowflakes, us writers. What works for one will not work for another author. But the old adage of ‘You Can’t Fix a Blank Page’ rings most true, so my advice is to write more and then some more.


Anything else you want readers to know?

Thank you for having me here today! And I’d like to leave you with my favorite quote from Dr. Seuss: 'If you never did you should. These things are fun and fun is good.' :)

Where can readers find you and your books?

My books are available as eBook, paperback, and audiobook anywhere you can buy books online. Ask me for a review copy or visit my blog. Every Sunday, I feature children’s book authors on my blog

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

All the Authors I've Interviewed and the Kid Lit Blog Hop #53.

This Hop will see numbers 88 and 89 of my interviews with childrens/MG/YA authors. That means sometime in 2015 I will be posting my 100th interview! Can say I ever saw that coming when I started interviewing authors back in October 2012. Those first months I posted one interview per month. I did post one lone interview in 2009 with an author who put me off interviewing for quite a while. However, I have met some fantastic people and new friends.

Katie Carroll/Fiona Ingram/Kathy Sattem/Margaret Fieland/Suzanne de Montigny
Alice M Roelke/Kay Lalone/Dom Testa/Morgen Bailey/T.M. Souders/Julie Grasso 
Diane Robinson/Chloe JonPaul/Annika James/Nancy Bo Flood/Hazel Nutt
Madeleine McLaughlin//Audrey Kane/Edwin Hanks/Michael Seldon/Cathy Collar
Krysten Hager/J. B. Pelts/SW Lothian/Rosie Morgan/Beth Overmyer

I joined the Kid Lit Blog Hop in May 2013 and started posting author interviews twice and sometimes three times a month. Then came November 2013. I had so many requests that I started posting four interviews a month, two with each Hop! And now in 2015, I could easily post 6+ author interviews a month, but then I'd have to be locked up!!

Tammy Lowe/Gabrielle Mazur/Penny Ehrenkranz/Nancy Bell/Hamilton C Burger
Anna Olswanger/Rebecca Douglas/Cordelia (Melody) Peugh/Philip Coleman
Ralph Angelo/Sharon Ledwith/Rosemary Gemmell/Ann Swann/
Gail Strickland
Jacci Turner/Meg Dendler/Ben Woodard/Margi Evans/Traci McDonald
C. M. Gray/Christian Weigand/Stephanie Dikey/Lorraine Carey
Christine Meunier/Thereza Howling

What started out as a way to write a blog to get exposure for me and my books has blossomed into a forum where I am able to help new authors get exposure for their books. And, along the way I have been fortunate to interview some established names in the industry, like Ben Woodard, Claudia Cangilla McAdam (this month), Christopher Mannino, Joe Gazzam, and C. M. Gray. I've even started a Pinterest Board for the Authors I Have Interviewed. Like most things in my life, I'm a little behind on posting, but I hope you'll visit.

Susan Royal/Jemina Pett/Helen Laycock/Sherry Antonetti/Bobbi Chukran
Dianna Winget/Elle Jacklee/Crystal Marcos/Jacqui White/Nikki McDonagh
Raymond Bean/Rosen Trevithick/Cherlisa Richardson/Mark A. Cooper
Joe Gazzam/Randa Handler/Hannah Lapehn/Angelina Hansen
Daniel Nanavati/Laurisa White Reyes/J. S. Jaeger/Chris Mannino/Brae Wyckoff
David Chuka/Robert Clark/Heather Brainerd/Kai Strand

In 2015, I once again have to opportunity to bring you interviews with new and established authors who are writing exciting stories for young readers. Please join me this year in making these authors feel welcomed.
 
And now,

Welcome to the 53rd Kid Lit Blog Hop where we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists.

On this Hop, Carpinello's Writing Pages interviews
and
MG Author Andy Mulberry.

So, you are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors! This week, we are excited to be including a Pinterest Linky Party to be held in conjunction with the Kid Lit Blog Hop. These linky parties are designed to give you the opportunity to connect with and grow your network of fellow kid lit bloggers, authors, and parents through your various social media platforms. This week... the Pinterest Linky Party. We are pleased to be welcome a new permanent KLBH host with us (you'll remember she co-hosted with us last week!): Katie from The Logonauts, a blog focused on sharing and discussing great books for elementary and middle grade readers. Big welcome Katie!  

Hostesses:

Mother Daughter Book Reviews

Julie Grasso, Author/ Blogger

Cheryl Carpinello, Author / Blogger

Stacking Books

BeachBoundBooks

Pragmatic Mom

Music, Teaching and Parenting

Reading Authors

The Logonauts

 

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
 

Kid Lit Blog Hop & Linky Party Rules *Please Read*

1. LINKY PARTY: Add the link to your Pinterest page in the Pinterest Linky Party list below. Be sure to visit at least the two links directly before yours as well as your hosts' Pinterest pages. Be sure to follow some boards that interest you and re-pin what catches your eye. 2. KID LIT BLOG HOP: Link up any Kid Lit related post in the Kid Lit Blog Hop. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. KID LIT BLOG HOP: Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS from the Kid Lit Blog Hop directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you! 4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links! 5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!
Interested in co-hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop/Linky Party? If you've joined us before, you are welcome to join us again! Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
Happy Hopping!
 

PINTEREST LINKY PARTY


KID LIT BLOG HOP

Meet YA Author Claudia Cangilla McAdam

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes fellow Colorado author Claudia Cangilla McAdam and her YA novel Awakening. Claudia also writes children's and MG stories.

First, a bit about Claudia:

When I was ten, I wrote my first poem, got great support from my mom and dad (as if they’d say anything that wasn’t positive—I was blessed with great parents!) and received encouragement from my school teacher. I was hooked. I knew at that moment that I wanted to be a writer when I grew up, and I focused my education on doing just that. In fact, I was published before I graduated from college with my degree in English.

I have been writing professionally in the decades since then and have penned scores of articles, stories, and poetry for children's publications as well as magazines and newspapers geared to teens and adults. I have written hundreds of reading comprehension passages for assessment tests, and I have authored fourteen published books (with two more coming out this year), including several picture books, a YA work of Biblical historical fiction, and a middle-grade mystery novel.

I live with my husband in Colorado in a home with a stunning view of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains—a soothing scene to contemplate while I write and a source of much inspiration.

Why did you pick to write books for children/MG/YA?

I write for children because I guess I’m a kid at heart in that I have an endless curiosity about a wide range of subjects, and I love exploring those subjects and presenting them to kids at a level they can understand. The beauty of the written word has always captivated me, and it’s the combination of the sound of language and the sweeping sensation of story that enthralled me as a young reader and motivates me as an author.

Because I grew up steeped in Nancy Drew mysteries, it was only natural that I would try my hand at a mystery geared for preteens, and the result is my MG novel, Riddle at the Rodeo.

I never thought I’d write YA, but through my studies of Sacred Scripture (I have a master’s degree in Theology), a work of Biblical historical fiction just seemed to write itself, and my novel, Awakening, resulted.

What types of books do you like to read?

I really enjoy contemporary fiction, historical fiction, mysteries, and nonfiction that sings.  And because I have an interest in theology and scripture, I read a lot of books geared to increasing my understanding of those subjects and improving my relationship with God. I enjoy reading children’s/MG/YA as well—so important to do, as a writer of such. I just wish I had time to read everything that appeals to me. Reading is addictive for me, and if I have any desire to cook, eat, wear clean clothes, etc., I have to force myself away from a good book. Generally, I save my reading for vacations, and I’m one person who doesn’t mind a plane delay of any length, as long as I have something engaging to read.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

In addition to reading, I love to travel and to spend time with my family, which includes my two married sons and their spouses and kids and my large extended family, where I’m the oldest of eight siblings.

Tell us about Awakening and how the story came to be.

Awakening is YA Biblical historical fiction. I never deliberately set out to write Awakening, but three very interesting experiences came together: 1) I kept waking up in the middle of pitch black nights believing that I was waking up a dozen years in the past. I thought I had just dreamed the past 12 years, but that I was really living in our former house and that my sons were still in elementary school. In reality, I was living in my current home, and my sons were in college.  This happened repeatedly, and I kept wondering if I really woke up in the past, what would I do differently, knowing what I know now? 2) I was a Scripture student at the time marveling at all the wonderful Biblical insights I’d never before learned. 3) During Lent each year, I was captivated by the figures that populated the Stations of the Cross services I attended weekly.

Before I knew it, I was jotting down the story of a young modern-day teenage girl who doubts the concept of sacrifice, having lost her father and brother when they died saving someone she deems unworthy. She doesn’t understand why anyone would die for someone else—and that includes Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. When she takes ill and falls asleep, she awakens in first-century Jerusalem on the Wednesday before the crucifixion. She realizes that she knows what no one else does: Jesus is going to die. She sets about trying to stop the crucifixion, and in the process, she rediscovers her faith.

The curious thing is, once I started to write the book, I never again experienced those middle-of-the-night awakenings that made me feel I was out of place and somewhere else in time.

Here's a peek at Awakening:

“I hate you!” I slammed the door into the jamb with a boom, and it shivered the walls down the hall and into the living room and dining room. The china in the cabinet tinkled against glass shelves. The grandfather clock in the entry groaned a gong, even though it was still ten minutes before the hour.

In my bedroom, the knickknacks on the bookshelf tottered and rattled. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the trophy on the top shelf wobble and teeter side to side, like a drunk staggering along a line. I stretched out my arm, but too late. It somersaulted to the floor. The golden, pony-tailed soccer girl, her leg outstretched with ball balanced against her arch, landed upside-down on the floor. Her head and foot snapped off, and the rest of her body broke free from the trophy’s pedestal.

“Ouch!” I said, rubbing the back of my head, as if the injury had been to me and not to the figurine that was supposed to represent me. I picked up the pieces. The “MVP” plaque had popped off the fake-marble base. “Most Vocal Person,” I said, changing the real meaning of the abbreviation. “Why can’t I just keep my big mouth shut?” I dumped the mess onto my desk.

Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.
My other books include the picture book (both print and eBook), The Christmas Tree Cried, the Story of the White House Christmas Tree. When this book came out, then-First Lady Laura Bush requested an autographed copy, and I was invited to the White House on three separate occasions. I have also authored three other picture books that feature the Colorado nature photography of John Fielder: Do You See What I See?, Maria’s Mysterious Mission, and A, B, See Colorado  an Alphabet Book of the Centennial State. Then there’s the MG mystery, Riddle at the Rodeo, an homage to the beloved Nancy Drew books of my childhood. I also have a set of nonfiction books that educators and parents use for character development, entitled Portraits of Character.

What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?


Fall of 2015 should see the publication of my two newest picture books: Kristoph and the First Christmas Tree (Paraclete Press) and The Mermaid’s Gift (Pelican Publishing). I have also completed my second YA Biblical historical fiction, entitled Beckoning, and at present, I’m searching for the right publishing home for it. My next big project will be to write the treatment and screenplay for Awakening.

What advice do you have for other authors?

Of course, I could say what other authors say is key: read, read, read. But I’d also tell would-be authors that getting a book published isn’t the end of the process. It’s actually the beginning of the next phase of being an author: marketing. Are you prepared to do interviews, school and club visits, book presentations, etc.? Those things take a lot of time to arrange and carry out, but they can be worthwhile in getting you and your books noticed. Many writers are introverts, and it’s hard for them to get “out there,” but for those who push through that, the visibility can do wonders for not only your own self-esteem, but for the success of your books as well.

Anything else you want readers to know?

For anyone who wants to take a look inside my books, there are book trailers that can be viewed on YouTube for:

Awakening
A, B, See Colorado
The Christmas Tree Cried

Also, I put a lot of effort into creating supplemental material for many of my books, including book club notes, discussion and activities guides, resource information, teacher aids, etc., all of which are available free of charge by download on the resources page of my web site

Additionally, with respect to Awakening, I make free author visits to show a PowerPoint presentation and discuss this book with school classes, adult book clubs, and homeschooling families—both locally and across the country—and to speak at special events and at religious retreats. Awakening has been published in Polish and German, as well as English. 

Where can readers find you and your books?

The best place to connect with me is at my web site, www.ClaudiaMcAdam.com. All my books are detailed there, and they are available through their respective publishers, at bookstores, and at online retailers such as Amazon (that’s the most complete list) and Barnes & Noble. Awakening’s publisher gives great discounts for sales of sets of books to clubs or classes.