Iceland Highlight and Meet YA Author E M McIntyre

Before getting to our author interview today, I wanted to share with you how fun actual research can be. We recently spent two weeks in Iceland, part vacation, part research for my next book The Norse Star, book 2 in my Feathers of the Phoenix series. I highly recommend doing your own personal research when you can. You'll also see that our author today agrees.

                 

 

This is Skogafoss Waterfall in South Iceland. Something tells me a Feather of the Phoenix just might be hiding behind all this water. Afterall, Prasi hid his chest of gold behind Skogafoss, and it's never been found. Hope that won't be the case for Rosa and Jerome. You'll have to stay in touch to find out. Coming next year: Feathers of the Phoenix, The Norse Star, book 2.

And Now...

 

Join me in welcoming to 

 

Carpinello's Writing Pages 

 

YA Author E M McIntyre 

 

 

First, here's a bit about our author:

E M McIntyre is the author of the award-winning Red King Trilogy, a mysterious and enchanting Young Adult tale of myth, magic, and friendship. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and lives in Nebraska where she works as a Pediatric Cancer Researcher.

 

 

Why did you pick to write books for YA?

I love the Young Adult age range, where coming of age or more mature story lines can be explored, though I personally prefer to keep my writing clean and easy so it may be enjoyed by all ages.

What types of books do you like to read, and what do you do when you are not writing?

I love all things fantasy, but will gladly read anything scary, creepy, ghostly, mysterious, or thrilling. When I’m not writing or daydreaming of mischievous characters, I’m either reading, crafting, gardening, or playing with my dogs.
 

Tell us about The Phantom of Faerie Mountain, and how the story came to be.

The Phantom of Faerie Mountain is a YA Fantasy (aimed at the lower end of the age range) about a 14-year-old American girl in Scotland who must decipher the connection between a telepathic dog, an ancient prophecy, and two devious faerie brothers. The Red King Trilogy evolved from the combination of a distance-learning writing class I took through the Institute of Children’s Literature and a prior once-in-a-lifetime adventure in the Highlands of Scotland. I was fortunate to spend eleven days in central Scotland during the summer of 2001. I fell instantly in love with the Highlands and, well, everything about that land so far from my home. I didn’t know it then, but a day trip I made to climb Ben A’an (a popular ‘miniature mountain’) would shape my future goals.

Here's a I peek at The Phantom of Faerie Mountain:

A telepathic dog. An ancient prophecy. Two devious faeries. 14-year-old Abby Fletcher must unravel their connection when she is thrown into a world of unknowns after receiving a mysterious message from a frightening beast: The Red King must set me free. Determined to discover the meaning of this puzzling phrase, Abby sets off to explore a nearby Scottish mountainside in search of clues. What Abby doesn't realize, however, is that it's not a matter of where she will find her answers but when. Whisked back to the early 14th century, Abby must find the courage to solve the mystery of the Red King and save not only herself but a group of powerless captives wrapped up in a faerie plot.

How do you go about researching for your stories?

 
When I first had the notion to write a book, I started by researching mythical creatures in Scotland via the internet. Once I found my ghostly creature to build upon, I looked for any pertinent books to help study the area of Scotland I wanted to use for the setting. In general, I’ve found Google to be quite helpful with fact checking. I also built on my earlier visit to Scotland.

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

In 2018 I completed the final installment of the The Red King. Book 2, The Secret of Berry Brae Circle finds our heroes back in present day Scotland faced with yet another time-sensitive mystery. In Book 3, The Talisman of Darktree Hollow, readers will step into my first go at world building where a sinister evil lurks.

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

I’m currently taking a break from writing, but hope to create more adventures for my heroes of the The Red King Trilogy. I also have an idea brewing for an unconnected standalone story set in my hometown. I did complete a short piece (a letter) for a fellow author friend at the beginning of 2020. The letter will be included in a fantasy anthology due out soon. I honestly feel it is my best writing yet, and though quite short at perhaps 700 words, I’m extremely proud of it. 

What advice do you have for other authors?
 

Never ever self-edit! This is okay (and expected) for a preliminary edit to clean things up, but always employ an experienced editor that knows your audience. Also, beta readers are a must when you think your story is finished. Lastly, please, hire a professional designer to create your cover – one that knows the genre.

Anything else you want readers to know?

 
I’m a firm believer in treating others (and yourself) with kindness. I think it helps the world go round a little easier. Also, frozen blueberries are an excellent treat!

Where can readers find you and your books?
 

Website: redkingtrilogy.com/

Amazon: amazon.com/author/redkingtrilogy

Facebook: facebook.com/TheRedKingTrilogy

Meet Children's Fastasy Author E. P. Bellows via Pump Up Your Books

 

 

Carpinello's Writing Pages is excited to participate in Pump Up Your Books blog tour for E. P. Bellows. I love introducing my readers to new writers and their books. If you are not already a subscriber to Carpinello's Writing Pages, please sign up with your email in the box located lower down in the right side bar. Also, be sure to enter the Giveaway at the end of the post.

 

Now, let's learn a bit about E. P. Bellows:

I’ve been writing (when I can) for 15 years!  Born and raised in California, I’ve always been an outdoor kinda gal. When I’m not tucked away behind a computer screen, being active and sporty (grew up playing soccer), and goofing off with my 3 kiddos is my cup of tea. Jedi = life, so any movie night that includes anything Star Wars is a good night… Jedi mind tricks are always welcome and encouraged.
 

I live in wine country and enjoy visiting the wineries for a splash and a good meal. If I can drag myself out of bed early enough, I catch the hot air balloons floating over the vineyards. They are cool!
 

I’m a decades long Charger fan - which is emotional torment – sadly. Football brings out the “crazy lady” in me, complete with foul language and arguments with the refs through the tele.

Why did you pick to write books for children?

 

Those are the stories I love to tell. My favorite kind of story has the prefect amount of adventure and magic. Of course, you have to have a fantastically flawed hero and “rotten to the core” villain.

What types of books do you like to read, and what do you do when you are not writing?

 

Books by the late Wayne Dyer, Neale Donald Walsch, and Deepok Chopra have inspired me. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson is a fantastic pirate tale. I love just about anything by Roald Dahl. I can't forget Tolkien and C.S Lewis for windows into some amazing worlds and characters.

Tell us about Bandits of Basswood and how the story came to be.

 

Bandits of Basswood is the prequel to Alexander Drake’s adventure. I had already written about Alexander (Alexander Drake’s Extraordinary Pursuit), Jonn William’s son. Bandits of Basswood builds out the back story for the guardians, Imperius and how the adventure really unfolded hundreds of years before. John William’s adventure begins with the mysterious disappearance of his father in Azra’s Pith. John William was determined to find him.

 

He had no idea what dark forces he was up against. He never imagined being captured by bandits and taken to a ship riddled with river rats was part of his fate. Not just any bandits – the Bandits of Basswood, known to be a ruthless and wild crew of thieves. Trying to escape would be a ridiculous idea. No one ever escaped and lived to tell about it. Uncovering traces of his missing father gave him hope and upped the stakes. John William was determined to get off the ship alive and search for the missing pieces of the puzzle. The chase out of Basswood was on.

 

Here's a peek at Bandits of Basswood:  

 

Celeste stiffened her posture. “Here is the plan; one of you needs to help me free myself from this tie before the hatch opens again. I will take on my bird form and fly out of here. They won’t even know what happened. Once I tell my dad, the guards will come to save you.” Her tongue hovered over her upper lip as she strained to free her hands.
 

Ferdinand frowned. “That’s your plan, is it? Marvelous! You are just going to flutter off in the dark of night? You don’t even know how far away from Verhonia you are. Nonsense! You’re not doing it!”
 
“Why can’t you turn to a bird with your hands tied? Then you could free yourself and unfasten my ties.” John William wiggled around on the bench.
 
“I could break a wing or something worse. I’m not willing to risk it.” Celeste replied.
 
“A lot of good having your hands free will do when you are locked in a cabin surrounded by bandits and river rats!” Ferdinand huffed.
 
The boat jolted suddenly, throwing the three of them off their seats. Celeste’s eyes lit up. She waved her hands around. “I did it!” she shrieked.
 
The drunken slur of a bandit came from the other side of the hatch. “I don’t want any foolery in there!” The hatch shifted and wiggled.
 
“Don’t worry,” Celeste whispered and smiled at John William. Within seconds, she was a beautiful red robin flying around the cabin. The hatch swung open and out she flew, nearly hitting the bandit in the face.
 
“Oh, great,” Ferdinand grumbled.
 
The bandit swung his arm. “What the – how did a bird get in here? Hey, you lazy lumps! Catch that bird; let’s boil it for dinner!” He laughed belligerently. The bandit reeked. He must have been saturated from head to toe with rum.
 
John William and Ferdinand exchanged nervous glances.
 
The bandit poked his head in and looked around. “Hey! Where’s the girl?” He stumbled inside, knocking ship tools and other small objects around with his tail.
 
John William and Ferdinand remained quiet, looking like they both swallowed the same canary. The bandit stood over John William, swaying with his hands on his hips.
 
“Well, where is the princess, wart? Did you help her escape?”
 
John William cleared his throat. “I, I don’t know what you are talking about.”
 
“Is that so?” The bandit pulled a knife from his belt with a taunting smile.
 
“She escaped,” Ferdinand blurted. “We tried to stop her, but she refused to listen. She went out the hatch and jumped overboard.”
 
“Impossible.” The bandit rubbed his fingers over his oily fur.
 
“Wait a minute… who are you?”
 
“Um, I believe I am Captain Vic’s supper.” The hopper stuck out his pudgy belly.
 
“It’s true! I heard the splash, myself,” declared John William, trying to take the focus off Ferdinand. The bandit examined their faces.
 
“Plunk – it sounded just like that,” said Ferdinand with a shaky laugh.
 
“Plunk?” The bandit’s soggy, rum-soaked face crinkled in confusion.
 
“Yes, yes, that’s right… plunk,” Ferdinand squeaked.
 
The bandit stormed out of the cabin. “The princess escaped! Get up, you twits!” He ran around the boat, banging his blade on an iron pot, making as much racket as one drunken bandit possibly could. The other bandits stirred.
 
Ferdinand shook his head with terror in his eyes. “We’re in for it now, boy….”

How do you go about researching for your stories?
 
A healthy amount of my own wild imagination and watching my kiddos play gives me all the inspiration I can handle. The setting was inspired from a childhood of wandering through the woods around my grandmother’s house and bicycling to the creek to catch frogs. After reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, I was forever in search of portals to magical worlds.
 
Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.
 
I have written five additional books in the Azra’s Pith Series. After a wild publishing ride they are all waiting in line to be revised and re-released. Quest for Copia will be the next book to be released (again). It is the sequel to Bandits of Basswood. A lot of questions are answered in this book and the story takes a heavy turn, so I’m taking my time on this one.
 
What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?
 
I want to have the entire Azra’s pith series out by the end of 2022. That is my main focus at the moment.
 
What advice do you have for other authors?
 
Persevere, have the patience of a Jedi, grow a thick skin, and learn from constructive criticism... did I mention persevere? I'm sure this goes without saying, but read and write as often as you can... even when you’re struggling and the writing looks like rotten bologna on a computer screen. If you hope to buy a latte or two with your royalties, the work begins when the writing is done... so be ready! Did I mention persevere?
 
Anything else you want readers to know?
 
I just want to say a huge thank you and send out a virtual hug to everyone. Thanks so much for having me here! I hope to see you all in Azra’s Pith!
 

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM

 

GIVEAWAY

 

E.P. Bellows is giving away a summer goodie bag containing Azra's Pith swag! Goodie bag includes a coffee mug, tumbler, beach towel, paperback and kindle copy of Bandits of Basswood!
 

Terms & Conditions:
By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter
This giveaway ends midnight September 30.
Winner will be contacted via email on October 1.
Winner has 48 hours to reply.
 

Good luck everyone!
 

ENTER TO WIN!

Sorry, Rafflecopter isn't working here. Please go to PumpUpYourBook to enter.

 

iRead Spotlight Tour: YA Author Alan Creed's James Dreadful

 

 

Join us for this tour from June 21 to July 9, 2021!

Book Details:
 

Book Title:  James Dreadful and the Spell-Guardian (The Dreadful Series Book 1) by Alan Creed
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17),  280 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher:  Creed Publishing
Release date:  March, 2021
Content Rating:  PG.

Book Description:

Fourteen-year-old James Dreadful is living a normal life in a small Colorado town. But his past is anything but normal. Born in Nobrocoso—a mystical land of magic and myths—James was brought to earth at the age of three to escape sorcerous assassins after the death of his parents.

When a powerful and evil goblin arrives years later to steal a secret book that once belonged to his father, James discovers his father’s true identity—Jack Dreadful was the Dark Lord who waged a terrible war in Nobrocoso.

Now, dark forces are stirring, and James must return to Nobrocoso to confront the legacy of blood left by his father. But as James learns his father’s secrets, he fears saving himself might just cost him his soul.

Can James survive a dangerous, mystical land haunted by his father’s blood-stained deeds? Or will he choose the path of the Dark Lord and meet the same abysmal end?

Buy the Book:
Amazon
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Alan Creed fell in love with storytelling after seeing Star Wars for the first time as a child. When he was ten years old, his tutor asked him to write sentences containing three words: Ocean, Desert and Jungle. Instead of sentences, Alan wrote a 103-page story entitled Journey through the Desert. That's when he knew he wanted to be a writer. His 103-page story served as the source material for the Dreadful Series. Alan is currently working on the next installment in the James Dreadful series.

connect with the author: website ~ goodreads

 

Tour Schedule:

June 21 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight / giveaway
June 22 - Working Mommy journal - book spotlight / giveaway
June 22 – Character Madness and Musings – book spotlight / giveaway
June 22 - @twilight_reader – book spotlight
June 23 – Carpinello's Writing Pages – book spotlight / giveaway
June 23 - Sadie's Spotlight – book spotlight / giveaway
June 24 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
June 25 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
June 28 –Books for Books – book spotlight
June 29 – Pick a Good Book – book spotlight / giveaway
June 29 - Westveil Publishing – book spotlight / giveaway
June 30 – I Read What You Write – book spotlight / giveaway
June 30 - Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
July 1 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
July 2 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
July 6 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book spotlight / giveaway
July 6 - Lamon Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
July 7 - Splashes of Joy – book spotlight / giveaway
July 7 – GivernyReads – book spotlight / giveaway
July 8 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / giveaway
July 9 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – book spotlight / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway:

JAMES DREADFUL AND THE SPELL GUARDIAN Book Tour Giveaway