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I'm so excited to share this with you all! I started working on this cover literally months ago, and damn has it ever come far! The process will deserve an entire post in itself, but for now, here is the cover
The cover was designed by myself! Incase you didn't know, I have a design background, so making the covers for my books has been beyond fun!
ABOUT THE ALDAR DOMINION
The Aldar Dominion saved the world.
Then they damned it. After solar flares decimated Earth’s population, the alien corporation gave humans a recipe for immortality and hope for the next generation. Cloning and the technology to transport consciousness from one body to another saved the human race from extinction. But the value of human life plummeted. In an age when animal conservation no longer exists, Selene smuggles animals to safety. While fleeing Dominion drones during a mission gone wrong, Selene suffers a debilitating head injury. The pain unlocks memories from twenty lost years: stark labs and human experiments. These nightmares could hold the key to why natural-born human children are disappearing. But worse—they reveal a sinister plot centuries in the making. Can Selene decipher her dreams in time to avoid enslavement to the aliens? Or will she witness the end of the human race? Read the first book in the Dominion Rising series to find out! The Aldar Dominion will be released June 13th, and is now available for pre-order! Pre-order on Amazon, Kobo, iBooks, or Barnes & Noble Add The Aldar Dominion on Goodreads! Can't wait to start reading? Sign up for my mailing list and get the first 3 chapters of Savages NOW! Need your dose of sci-fi in the mean time? Try The Stowaway Experiment, a tie in short story taking place before The Aldar Dominion. The Smugglers Legion is gone. Captain Eria is in a work camp. Rikkard is all that’s left. After the Smugglers Legion disbands, Rikkard Gunnar is left to captain the few remaining members. With no credits left, and only one hovercraft, Rikkard risks everything when he takes a mission to infiltrate a Dominion laboratory. He gets way more than he bargained for when he meets a young woman with no memory of who she is or where she’s come from. Try it now for only $0.99 cents! Get it on Amazon, iBooks, or Barnes & Noble. Coming soon to Kobo.
The Smugglers Legion is gone. Captain Eria is in a work camp. Rikkard is all that’s left. After the Smugglers Legion disbands, Rikkard Gunnar is left to captain the few remaining members. With no credits left, and only one hovercraft, Rikkard risks everything when he takes a mission to infiltrate a Dominion laboratory. He gets way more than he bargained for when he meets a young woman with no memory of who she is or where she’s come from.Try it now for only $0.99 cents! Get it on Amazon, iBooks, or Barnes & Noble. Coming soon to Kobo.
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For a limited time only, grab top notch middle grade books at their lowest prices ever, including AWARD WINNING TITLES, like The Storytellers and Ennara and the Fallen Druid! Also, one lucky winner will receive a bundle of 5 of the titles listed below! Scroll down to enter. But hurry! The giveaway ends on April 10th!!!
by Laurisa White Reyes Sale Price: .99 cent (ebook) The annual Great Quest is about to be announced in Quendel, a task that will determine the future of Marcus and the other boys from the village who are coming of age. The wizard Zyll commands them to find the Rock of Ivanore, but he doesn’t tell them what the Rock is exactly or where it can be found. Marcus must reach deep within himself to develop new powers of magic and find the strength to survive the wild lands and fierce enemies he encounters as he searches for the illusive Rock. If he succeeds, he will live a life of honor; if he fails, he will live a life of menial labor in shame. With more twists and turns than a labyrinth, and a story in which nothing is at it seems, this tale of deception and discovery keeps readers in suspense until the end. 
by Laurisa White Reyes Sale Price: .99 cent (ebook) Months have passed since Marcus and Kelvin succeeded in their quest to find the Rock of Ivanore. Kelvin is living as royalty in Dokur, and Marcus is studying magic with Zyll. When Fredric is murdered and Kelvin becomes king, Zyll and Marcus head for Dokur in hopes of protecting Kelvin from meeting the same fate, though it quickly becomes apparent that none of them are safe, and Marcus has had disturbing visions of Zyll's death. With the help of his old friends Clovis and Bryn, joined by new friend Lael, a feisty girl in search of her mother, Marcus uncovers a powerful secret that will change the course of his life forever. 
2016 Spark Award Winner for Best Non-Traditional Middle Grade Book by Laurisa White Reyes Sale Price: .99 cent (ebook) 12-year-old Elena Barrios' father has AIDS, a new disease in 1992 with a 100% fatality rate. Rather than face certain ridicule and ostracism, Elena tells her friends anything but the truth, fabricating stories about him being a writer and researcher. But the reality is Elena resents her father’s illness and can’t face the fact that he is dying. When she is befriended by an older black woman named Ang who tells stories about her own father and the history of prejudice against African Americans in the years before the civil rights movement, Elena is transported into these stories, allowing her to experience them first hand. With Ang's help, Elena discovers the value of every individual, but will that be enough to help her say good-bye to the person she values the most? 
2013 Moonbeam Silver Medalist
for Best Preteen Book
by Angela Shelley
Sale Price: .99 cent (ebook) / $5.00 (print)
Ennara has always been told she'd have legendary magic when she grew up, but she felt like the most normal girl in the world...
Until one night when she is attacked by a shadowy demon on her farmstead. Suddenly, Ennara is thrust into a world of magic, alchemy, and monsters, and she is charged with a quest to find an ancient sword that can end the shadowy curse--just as it ended the Fallen Druid centuries ago. To succeed, Ennara must confront pirates, servants of the Fallen Druid, and those who would use her magic for their own ends. In the end, she must learn to rely on the strengths of her friends and herself, and the deepest truths of life in the world of medieval Lan.
by Wade Bradford Sale Price: .99 cent (ebook) / $12.55 (print) Connor's summer is off to a rough start: the camp bus almost crashes, his cabin mates don't trust him, and the girls on the other side of the camp constantly outsmart him. But when he and his friends Tasha, Parker, and Kimberly investigate the mystery surrounding the "Ghost of Dead Billy," they begin a hilarious adventure that is worlds away from your typical campfire story. 
by Terry Deighton Sale Price: .99 cent (ebook)/$5.99 (print)
Henry Johnson has a best friend, a crush, a life-long enemy, and no idea his life is a science project.
Then other people’s thoughts start popping into his head. He thinks he’s going crazy until he discovers he’s one of several kids with genetically modified abilities, including the school bully. To find out how they got tweaked, Henry faces betrayal, his parent’s abduction by a greedy scientist, and becoming frenemies with the bully. Can the Tweaks use their new abilities to avoid the greedy scientist on their trail? CLEOPATRA'S LEGACY SERIES Books 2, 3 and 4 by Dorine White [Book 1: THE EMERALD RING is available HERE] 
Sale Price: .99 cent (ebook) / $7.99 (print) Welcome to New Orleans, home of Mardi Gras, jazz music, and voodoo. 8th grader Melanie Belaforte is home for Spring break and itching for excitement. Late one night she discovers a hidden chamber and a secret journal in her deceased Aunt Florence’s bedroom. The diary contains the writings of a mad woman, along with vague clues to the whereabouts of a ruby necklace that once belonged to Cleopatra. The ruby bestows upon the wearer the power to hear other people’s thoughts- even the thoughts of the dead! And so the hunt begins. Melanie, her best friend Sybil, and a haunting specter unravel clues that take them from crumbling graveyards, to the busy streets of the French Quarter, and then into murky swamps, all to find the prize. But they need to watch out, because a murderous cult is matching them step for step, and they won’t give up, ever. 
Sale Price: .99 cent (ebook) / $7.99 (print) The world knows it as a cartoon with dancing teacups and broomsticks. To twelve year old Claire La Fleur, it is family history, and the power behind Belle’s mirror is real. Every ten years her family gathers to see if the mirror will awaken, and for the last two hundred years it has slept. This time, Claire’s touch awakens the magic within the diamond looking glass, a direct portal to the past and a way to communicate with Cleopatra, the last pharaoh of Egypt. The lure of power brings with it many perils, and a betrayal close to home thrusts Claire into a treacherous underworld. To protect the mirror, she travels into the Louvre museum in the dark of night, searches abandoned subway tunnels, and walks the catacombs of the dead. 
Travel with past heroes and a new adventurer to the historical romps of London and the scorching sands of Alexandria. Fourteen-year-old Akmir, raised from birth to sacrifice everything in the pursuit of Cleopatra’s magic gemstones, holds within his hands the secret location of the fifth and final mystic gem: the blue sapphire. His quest leads him to England, where four other gemstone searchers: Sara, Melanie, Kainu and Claire, are on the hunt. A pawn of the Roman Brotherhood, Akmir must choose his own path, whether to follow in his father’s brutal footsteps or stay true to his mother’s Egyptian heritage. Clues, puzzles, and danger rule the day. What will happen when the power of all five gemstones are brought together? This is a battle for life and death, and only one side can win.
by LeAnn Mathis
Franklin dreams of a life with equality, but thinks it will never happen. When he transfers to a new school and meets Maddie, he realizes he has access to more power than he thought. It's the 60s and time to make some changes.
Sixteen-year-old Harper Deveraux has longed for an adventure ever since her mother died of cancer four years ago. Much to her dismay, she is stuck in Glen Eden, a small mountain town in upstate New York that does little to fuel her hopes and dreams.
Another year of high school has begun, and with the Moon Dance only a few weeks away, Harper suddenly finds herself torn between the affections of two boys: her best friend Jack, and a new boy from the City named Knes who might not be from this world. Strange things begin to happen in Glen Eden when Harper uncovers a mystery that involved her mother and a realm shrouded in darkness that lies beyond the wall... A realm that Knes intends to take her to. Only Jack stands in his way. Light In My Dark, is an action-packed modern YA fantasy, filled with dark forces, love, and self-discovery. An Excerpt from Light in My DarkA shadow disengaged from a tree and moved into the twilight. It was a hooded man in black, one of the three that were chasing him. In his hand glinted a curved sword. Jack turned to run but froze when the second hunter approached from the other side of the clearing. He too held a curved blade. Both men trained on him, stalking him. "What do you want from me?" Jack cried out. Silence filled the forest. The black clad hunters continued to advance from both sides through the underbrush. When they came to the grass of bluebells, they entered without hesitation and raised their swords in unison. A strange melody danced up from their knees as they moved to pin him in. Fear blinded Jack's mind as he scooted to the center of the glade. The taste of bile came up into his mouth. He was going to die. He knew it. The hunters tightened their grips on their swords, ready to strike down, when a silvery point suddenly jutted through the chest of one of them. His stormy blue eyes bulged in shock as blood spurted out around the point and poured down his black tunic. A grunt came from his mouth. His sword fell to the ground as he grabbed the steel point sticking out of his chest. Behind him stood the pale-haired man. In his hand, he gripped the sword that was thrust through the hunter's chest. With a jerk, he pulled it free, letting the man drop to the ground in a heap at his feet. William & Jean will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 
  My second book, Ennara and the Book of Shadows, has won a silver medal in this year's Moonbeam Children's Book Awards! What an honor and thrill to be included amongst the amazing authors who won this year's awards. About the book: Thirteen year-old Ennara Gaern expected studies at the Druidic Academy to be a breeze, and maybe studying magic with the world's druid leaders just a little exciting. But when she and her friends are expelled from the school for beheading a prize dragon turtle and creating zombie flowers, her world is turned upside down. When a theft of magical artifacts is connected to her suspicious accidents at school, she and her friends must find the objects before the Druidic Council finds them, and starts a war. And on top of everything else, Ennara must learn a new form of magic to stop her necromancy from destroying her world. Ennara and the Book of Shadows is the second book in the middle-grade fantasy series Ennara. It is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other retailers, and in libraries through the Self-e program. About the award: The Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and are dedicated to supporting childhood literacy and life-long reading. The contest is open to authors, illustrators, and publishers of children’s books written in English or Spanish for the North American market. Books that are published with a 2015 or 2016 copyright or that were released since October 1, 2014 are eligible. http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=2114 http://www.moonbeamawards.com/74/2016-winners Today I have the pleasure of sharing a guest interview with a fellow member of O.C. Writers, Megan Haskell. Megan writes dark YA fantasy, and her books look amazing. I can't wait to read them. Welcome, Megan!  B.R.A.G Medallion Winner! A woman torn between honor and survival… Raised in a realm where humans are no better than slaves, Rie Lhethannien has struggled for decades to earn a meager post in the High Court messenger service. Even training as an elite fighter isn’t enough to earn the respect she craves. Scorned by the high elves who rely on her loyalty, Rie’s closest allies are the fierce carnivorous pixies who travel by her side. When she’s attacked on a routine delivery by assassins from the enemy Shadow Realm, Rie’s martial prowess keeps her alive…and frames her as a traitor. Facing execution at the hand of an unmerciful king, Rie must forsake her oaths and flee into enemy lands to prove her innocence. With surprising help from a bastard prince and an ambitious blood sidhe, Rie searches for the truth behind the attack. The secrets she uncovers may threaten more than her honor or even her life…for war is looming in the nine faerie realms. Sanyare: The Last Descendant is the first book in The Sanyare Chronicles, a fast-paced dark fantasy adventure. If you like kick-butt heroines and action-packed fantasy filled with mythological creatures, then you’ll love the first novel in Megan Haskell’s debut series. Start your journey across the nine faerie realms today! Interview with MeganHow did you become involved with the subject or theme of your book? For as long as I can remember, I’ve read fantasy. Dinotopia was one of my favorite children’s books (which I’m currently reading to my four year-old), and I read The Hobbit in elementary school. Then I discovered Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern series, and later the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. If I wasn’t reading a textbook for class, I was reading a fantasy novel with a female lead, the darker the better. It only made sense, then, that I would choose to write dark fantasy adventures featuring a tough but vulnerable female protagonist. I write what I want to read, and I love magic, mayhem, and monsters! What inspires you? I’m inspired by my characters and by the work of other authors. Reading is an escape for me, a way to forget about the stress of everyday life. A skilled author can make me believe I’m really in the pages of the book, allowing me to live vicariously through the actions and adventures of the characters. My goal is to provide that same experience for my own readers. If I can make them forget about the dishes, or stay up past their bedtime just to read, then I’ve done my job. How did you get to be where you are in your life today? I’ve had a circuitous route to becoming an author. I graduated college with a degree in finance and worked for seven and a half years at a major accounting firm. I started writing during my hour plus train commute during that time, but didn’t really take it seriously until I finished my first (terrible, unpublished) novel. After giving birth to my first daughter, I decided to leave my job and become a stay-at- home-mom, but I still had characters rattling around in my brain begging to have their stories written. Eventually, I succumbed to the pressure and started writing what would become Sanyare: The Last Descendant. My girls are still young, just four and one, so time is a precious commodity. My writing happens in the quiet hours when the kiddos are asleep or in school. I don’t watch tv during the week, instead using the evening for writing and the business of publishing. As they get older, however, I want to build a real career as a science-fiction and fantasy author, turning my after hours hobby into a full-time author-preneurial business. Ideally, with normal business hours. Free Book: The Pixie Tamer It’s Nuriel “Rie” Lhethannien’s twenty-fifth nameday. She should be celebrating her rise to maturity, not sweating in the training hall. But life isn’t fair, and humans aren’t equal to the elves, at least not in the High Court. After losing a practice bout to the one man she wants to trust, Rie is thrown into the most challenging test of her life. Will the rewards outweigh the risks? Pixie Tamer is the short story prequel to Sanyare: The Last Descendant, a dark fantasy adventure with epic themes and a new adult tone. The stories are complements, but can be read independently. Get Your FREE copy of Pixie Tamer! To get your FREE copy of Pixie Tamer, the short story prequel to Sanyare: The Last Descendant, PLUS three excerpts from the novel featuring Rie's tiniest allies, just sign up for Megan Haskell’s newsletter at www.meganhaskell.com/newsletter-subscription. All newsletter subscribers receive a once a month email from the author, packed with information about upcoming releases, events, and even snippets from the work in progress. What's more, one lucky random subscriber each month will win a free signed print copy of Sanyare: The Last Descendant! About the Author Legend has it, I was born with a book in my hands. When I was a kid, my mom would ground me from reading in order to get me to do my chores. To this day, I can readily ignore the real world in favor of the imaginary one lurking between the pages of my current addiction. My dad — also an avid reader — introduced me to Tolkien in my late elementary years, and I never looked back. I love escaping to worlds where magic and monsters are real, especially stories with kick-butt heroines and dangerously attractive heroes. Despite my voracious book appetite, I didn’t start creative writing until I was working as a number cruncher in a big accounting firm. With an hour plus commute by train every day, and a demanding left-brain occupation, I needed a mobile creative outlet. A pen and paper are about as mobile as it gets! As the pages began to fill, I quickly moved onto a tiny laptop, and a writer was born. Now I get to create my own fantasies! In addition to writing fiction, I am also the Program Director for O.C. Writers, A Network of Published and Aspiring Authors. Visit www.OCWriters.Network for more information about the community. I currently live in Southern California with my wonderfully supportive husband, two daughters, and a ridiculously energetic dog. Sanyare: The Last Descendant is my first published novel. The sequel, Sanyare: The Heir Apparent, will be released in September 2016. Sanyare: The Last Descendant Amazon (US): http://www.amazon.com/Sanyare-Last- Descendant-Universe- Book-ebook/dp/B00ROBHMFY/ Amazon (UK): http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00ROBHMFY Amazon (CA): http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00ROBHMFY Amazon (AU): http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B00ROBHMFY Megan on Social Media Facebook | Instagram | Twitter or @meganphaskell | Pinterest | Google+ | Goodreads Thanks for joining me today, Megan! For more information on O.C. Writers, visit http://ocwriters.network/.  
When a wall of their cave hideout crumbles, three boys discover a skeleton, clutching a treasure map. They set off to trace the story of an old murder, but stumble into a modern crime, and confront ancient Chinese dragons.
An Excerpt from the Book
Sam inched forward and aimed the flashlight inside. “Uh oh.”
“What?” Joey gasped. “It’s a ... well, kind of a ... skeleton.” “Awww,” Roger screamed, ran, tripped, and sprawled on his stomach. “It can’t hurt you, Roger,” Sam said. “Come on. Take a look.” One thing about being in a family of paleontologists, you got used to bones. Roger quick-shook his head. “No. No. No.” Joey took three slow steps and stood next to Sam. “Sweet. A dead guy. Man, let’s get out of here.” “Hold this.” Sam handed Joey the flashlight. “Keep the light on him, okay?” The skeleton was partly covered by a tattered shirt and pants. Bony fingers clutched a wooden box with a piece of thin metal about two inches long on its top. Reaching inside, Sam tried to pry the box from the skeleton’s grasp, but the finger bones fell through the rib cage and clattered to the bottom of the chest. The box lodged between the ribs. The light jiggled in Joey’s hand. “Come on Sam, enough already.” Sam picked up the thin metal piece from the top of the box, and held it under the light. One end of it was bent at a right angle. A faded red tassel looped through the other end. “Here, take this.” Sam handed Joey the strange object, then reached inside the chest and gripped the box. He lifted it slow and easy. It could be a trap. It could be dangerous. His hands twitched and the edge of the box caught on a rod that held the chest lid open. He barely snatched the box free before the lid crashed down. What sounded like an angry dragon exploded around the cave. The walls trembled, and the floor heaved under foot. About the Author
C. Lee McKenzie has a background in Linguistics and Inter-Cultural Communication. Her greatest passion is writing for young readers. Sign of the Green Dragon is her third Middle Grade novel. Alligators Overhead and the sequel, The Great Time Lock Disaster were her first two. She has traditionally published four young adult novels: Sliding on the Edge, The Princess of Las Pulgas, Double Negative and Sudden Secrets.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: I'd like to highlight the fact that I always have a free ebook (a different one every few months) available on my website for visitors. http://cleemckenziebooks.com Website: http://cleemckenziebooks.com Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2809083.C_Lee_McKenzie Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/signofgreendragon/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleemckenzie/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/cleemckenzie/movie-cast-for-sign-of-the-green-dragon/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sign-Green-Dragon-Lee-McKenzie/dp/1532721250 Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sign-of-the-green-dragon-c-lee-mckenzie/1123482000 C. Lee McKenzie will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 
These are the facts: My name is Callie Sinclair. I am seventeen years old. I live in San
Francisco. I love my boyfriend, Charlie. I work for a secret governmental agency. I am a psychic spy. This romantic, action-packed twist on the classic spy novel is perfect for fans of Ally Carter’s Embassy Row series or for any reader who enjoys cinematic writing and stories of romance and intrigue. At seventeen, Callie is the government’s youngest psychic spy, trained to track dangerous people and weapons in her visions. When another young—and handsome and witty—psychic joins the agency, Callie’s personal and professional lives get messy all at once. If she can’t find a way to change the events she’s seen in her visions, she could lose the people she loves most . . . and her mind. Literally. Richly painted against the backdrop of San Francisco and Berkeley, Lauren Sabel’s enthralling novel captures the thrill of exploring a unique power in a dangerous world. An Excerpt from the Book
She smiles. “I’ll order Chinese. What do you want? Tofu with vegetables for you and ginger shrimp for Charlie?”
“Actually—” “That sounds good,” she continues, dialing the number to the Happy Fun Restaurant and switching to Mandarin. “Nin hao.” Mom speaks three different languages fluently, and talks about string theory like it’s an item on her grocery store list. She’s a lifelong MENSA member and always invites me to the meetings. She says that with my IQ, I can get in, but what would we talk about? Math equations? No, thank you. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone,” Mom says, getting off the phone. She presses a fifty-dollar bill into my hand, but I shake my head and hand it back. “I’ve got it,” I say, pulling my wallet out of my back pocket. Ever since I started working for Branch 13, I’ve noticed how Mom looks at me like I’m an adult whenever I offer to pay for things. Mom even brags that she’s never seen anyone more dedicated to a nannying job than I am, and raves to her boyfriend, Richard, about how I contribute to the household expenses. I take a couple of twenties out of my wallet, not missing the look of respect on I see on Mom’s face for paying my own way. Of course, I’d work at Branch 13 even if I didn’t make any money. The disappearance of my daily migraines would be reason enough on its own. Indigo says the viewing helps because the part of my mind that I view with gets tired by the end of each session, and so a headache doesn’t build in the unused tension in my brain. When it comes down to it, I’ll take mental pain over physical pain any day. About the Author
Lauren Sabel lives in the quirky dark spaces of her mind, and she tries to shed light on these spaces in her books. After publishing VIVIAN DIVINE IS DEAD in Summer 2014 with Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of Harper Collins, she confronted her lifelong fear of being psychic by writing LIES I LIVE BY. Since in this YA thriller, teenage psychic spy Callie Sinclair works undercover for the government, forced to hide her real identity from everyone she loves, Lauren is now certain she’s on the CIA watch list. Social Networks: Website: www.laurensabel.com Blog: http://laurensabel.tumblr.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/laurensabel Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.laurensabel/ Instagram: laurensabel Book Purchase Links: LIES I LIVE BY: http://www.amazon.com/Lies-I-Live-Lauren-Sabel-ebook/dp/B0151UEAT0/ http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780062231987 VIVIAN DIVINE IS DEAD: http://www.amazon.com/Vivian-Divine- Dead-Lauren- Sabel/dp/0062231952 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/vivian-divine- is-dead- lauren-sabel/1117005007 Lauren will be awarding $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 
The McElroy brothers find trouble easily. Dylan plunges headfirst into it, while Daniel cleans up behind him. That’s the way it’s always been, ever since their mother left them to be bounced around the foster system, causing trouble wherever they went. The soon-to-be euthanized giraffe they just stole from the Northside Animal Park may be their biggest predicament yet, in more ways than one, but there's no undoing what's been done.
Lost in Nebraska without a plan, clueless how to care for the ornery old beast in the back of the trailer, the well-meaning brothers stop to rest at an abandoned-looking barn. A pretty redhead with a snappy temperament and a shotgun discovers the boys and their sixteen-foot stowaway. Her name is Josephine, she lives on this farm with her father who is spoken of, but never seen, and her root cellar has more locks than a bank vault. She’s got a way with animals and plenty of secrets, not to mention the interest of two brothers who swore they’d never let some girl come between them. Please help me welcome the author, Sarah Mandell! Exclusive post from Sarah Mandell
Today I’m sharing an excerpt and recipe from my new coming-of-age novel, Two Brothers, One Redhead, and a Stolen Giraffe.
In the story, Daniel and Dylan McElroy, along with the soon-to-be euthanized giraffe they just stole from the Northside Animal Park, trespass for the night in an abandoned-looking barn, but are soon discovered by Josephine Larsen, a redheaded farmer’s daughter with a snappy temperament and a shotgun. The brothers end up staying on to help Jo with the harvest, since they need to earn some money and she could use a few extra hands around the farm. One of the many crops the boys help her with that summer is rhubarb. Jo’s extremely book smart, she’s got a green thumb and a way with animals, but has absolutely no idea how to cook, so one night after a long day of working in the fields, Daniel bakes a rhubarb pie from memory, something his grandmother taught him when he was a kid, a few years before he and his brother ended up in the foster system. Daniel isn’t baking to impress Jo, or to show off. He’s just doing what he does best: being quietly helpful. Excerpt from Two Brothers, One Redhead, and a Stolen Giraffe
“Does anyone actually eat these things?” Dylan asked, holding up a stalk of rhubarb. He inspected the thing like it was from some foreign planet, apt to explode at any minute.
Wiping sweat from her brow, Jo said, “You’d be surprised.” “I wish you grew good stuff, like blueberries and strawberries. Seems like all we harvest around here is healthy stuff nobody likes.” Daniel chimed in from a few feet away, diligently plucking rhubarb at a faster rate than his brother, “I’m gonna make one of Grams’ rhubarb pies tonight. Remember those?” Daniel’s Rhubarb Pie (from his grandmother’s recipe)
Ingredient list (filling):
(A note from Angela: Yum! I love rhubarb pie, and this one looks amazing, Sarah. Thanks for sharing!) About the Author
Sarah Mandell is a professionally trained artist with a background in commercial interior design.
She's also the brains and busy hands behind a thriving indie craft business called Once Again Sam in Greenville, SC. Even with an ever-expanding collection of creative outlets, she's truly the happiest when she's writing. Two Brothers, One Redhead, and a Stolen Giraffe is Sarah’s second novel. Her debut novel was Celia on the Run (Untreed Reads, 2012). Website: www.sarahmandell.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/theshyauthor Instagram: www.instagram.com/sarahmandellauthor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com//Sarah-Mandell- Author Newsletter Signup: http://www.sarahmandell.com/newsletter BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Redhead- Stolen-Giraffe- coming-ebook/dp/B01F4ND9ZU Sarah will be awarding 5 of her handmade laser etched wooden pendants that she is launching as a new collection in conjunction with the release of the book to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 
 Spirit of the Northwoods by Auria Jourdain ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GENRE: Young Adult ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BLURB: Struggling to settle into a new school, junior Shannon Colfax finds herself entangled in a feud with popular football jock Brent Duray after he bullies her autistic twin brother, Shane. After an unlikely savior comes to her rescue—Brent’s friend, Cody Williams—the jock and his entourage devise an immediate retaliation plan: Duray promises to leave Shane alone if Shannon and Cody survive the infamous Paulding Light Challenge on Halloween night. Desperate for vindication, they take the dare...but are the local legends truly paranormal, or are they dealing with something more sinister? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EXCERPT: “Bye Shanna!” Shane yelled again, looking at the ground as he waved at his sister. “Bye, Shanna!” Shannon whipped around, ready to throttle the sarcastic bully that dared mock her brother. “What an idiot! Who the hell would tease an autistic boy?” Christa stood on her toes, her lips lifting into a sneer. “Idiot is right. Look who it is!” As the culprit emerged from the crowd, Shannon glared at Brent Duray, the school’s most popular jock. His girlfriend, a petite cheerleader with blonde, blown out hair and a toothpick waist, walked next to him, smirking at Brent’s teasing. As usual, the arrogant football player’s entire entourage followed close behind—mostly members of the football team. Shannon balled up her fists and cursed under her breath. Christa tossed her head, scoffing in derision. “Duray’s a jerk. Let it go, Shannon.” The tall, blond boy sneered. “Yeah, Shanna, let it go.” Shannon’s face flushed with anger as she glared at Brent menacingly. She and Brent had been oil and water from day one when she overheard him teasing her twin. The senior linebacker refused to back down, and they’d been mincing words ever since. “Leave them alone, Brent. You are acting like an idiot.” Glancing over Brent’s head, Shannon frowned, unable to recognize the voice that had called out from the back of the crowd. “Who is that?” “Cody Williams!” Christa’s face lit up as Duray turned toward the dissenting voice, her excited whisper echoing in Shannon’s ear.  About the Author: An avid reader from an early age, Auria Jourdain has fond childhood memories of spending quiet afternoons with a book in her hand. She loved the "happily ever after" sweet teen romances, and when she came of age, she plunged into the world of historical romance with fervor, transporting herself to a bygone time. Her favorites were Regency, but as a girl brought up in a common home, she was disheartened that most of the novels of this era focus on the nobility and wealth. Auria set out to write her own romance, encompassing her passion for French Revolutionary history and her innate sense of goodwill for the common man. An idealist at heart, she writes heroes and heroines that struggle to find acceptance in their world. To go along with this theme, two years ago, Auria wrote a Young Adult novel during NaNoWriMo for her 17 year old autistic son who is struggling to make his own way in the world. Looking to educate people about this mysterious disorder, she wrote Spirit of the Northwoods for him and set it in their hometown in the Upper Peninsula. Her release coincides with Autism Awareness month, April 2016, and all proceeds for this novel will be donated to the Autism Society of America. Auria hopes that someday we can break down the social barriers and forgo stereotypical judgments that harm our world so that people like her son can form positive relationships with others. Auria lives in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with her husband of twenty years, her four children (ages eight to eighteen), and two golden retrievers. A rather new transplant to the area, she loves the changing of the seasons, and she is currently working on a contemporary romantic suspense trilogy set in her rough and rugged homeland. Silence the Northwoods is set at a local ski resort in her hometown of Ironwood, Michigan—the ski capital of the Midwest. Silence the Waters takes place during the summer on the dangerous river ways that flow into Lake Superior in the Keweenaw Peninsula; and Silence the Birchwoods is an autumn tale set on Sugar Loaf Mountain, near Marquette, Michigan. All three involve murder, mystery, and romance, of course. Auria spends her the long winters plotting and scheming her next book, and in the mild summers, she and her husband devote every waking moment hiking and kayaking the Northwoods. An amateur photographer, she lives fifteen miles from the shores of Lake Superior, and her muse has been piqued by the awe-inspiring beauty that surrounds her. Although she hasn’t officially acquired “Yooper” status yet, she can’t envision living anywhere else. Find Auria here! https://www.facebook.com/auriajourdainbooks/ https://twitter.com/AuriaJourdain https://www.auriajourdainromance.com/ https://amazon.com/author/auriajourdain Giveaway!Auria Jourdain will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour! Enter below:
 Koolura is no ordinary girl. Neither is her best friend Leila. While visiting Mexico, the girls discover a device which hurtles them back in time to an early Mayan civilization. The Mayans have troubles of their own—the alien Aquari people have all but enslaved them. They need a goddess to set them free. Could Koolura be the one? I had the pleasure to meet the author of this fun book at a local book fair, and enthusiastically picked up his latest book. Koolura and the Mayans is a fantastic read for middle-graders. Filled with sparkling characters, Koolura immerses the reader in a light-hearted adventure rich with Mayan history. Michael Thal gives us Koolura and Leila, two refreshing characters who communicate through American Sign Language (ASL). He does a wonderful job of weaving ASL into the narrative. Thal's integration of elements of science fiction, alien conspiracy, and Mayan myth infuses humor and intrigue into this action-filled adventure. His rich settings transport the reader in time, to authentic Mayan villages and cities, and fantastic alien worlds. I highly recommend Koolura and the Mayans to middle-grade readers, as well as Thal's other books in the series, The Legend of Koolura and Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback. About Michael Thal Michael L. Thal, an accomplished freelancer, is the author of The Legend of Koolura and Goodbye Tchaikovsky. He has written and published over eighty articles for magazines and newspapers including Highlights for Children, The Los Angeles Times, and San Diego Family Magazine.
Michael lives in Sherman Oaks, CA. He's the proud father of two adult daughters, Channie and Koren, and the grandfather of Arielle and Shaye. You can reach him at michaelthal@sbcglobal.net. Find him on the web at: http://michaelthal.com/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1092108.Michael_Thal http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Thal/e/B003YSKCDK Find Koolura and the Mayans at: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29545044-koolura-and-the-mayans https://www.amazon.com/Koolura-Mayans-Book-3-ebook/dp/B01D3UM8JY http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/koolura-and-the-mayans-michael-thal/1123566313?ean=9781625263513 |
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