The sequel to Mikey Brooks’ The Dream Keeper is now available! And you can get them both for only $.99 this week!

Dreams: Dorothy called it Oz, Alice called it Wonderland, but Nightmares call it HOME.

The Dream Keeper:

When an evil shifter takes over the gateway to the realm of Dreams, it falls to 14-year-olds Parker and Kaelyn to stop him. Their only hope lies with Gladamyr, the Dream Keeper, but can they trust a Nightmare to save their world?

The Dreamstone:

When Parker’s mom is dreamnapped by the wicked Mab, it is up to him and Kaelyn to save her. When they return to Dreams, they discover Mab isn’t their only problem. Gladamyr has lost his powers and the only way to get them back is to become what he fears the most-a nightmare.

Be sure and enter the giveaway at the bottom of the page for a chance to win one of these awesome prizes:

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Jaclyn Weist’s new book: Stolen Luck is now available!

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Jaclyn is an Idaho farm girl who grew up loving to read. She developed a love for writing as a senior in high school, when her dad jokingly said she was the next Dr. Seuss (not even close but very sweet). She met her husband, Steve at BYU and they have six happy, crazy children that encourage her writing. After owning a bookstore and running away to have adventures in Australia, they settled back down in their home in Utah. Jaclyn now spends her days herding her kids to various activities and trying to remember what she was supposed to do next.

I am having the hardest time deciding on a cover idea for book three in The Princess Sisters trilogy: Forever After. So I’m coming to you! What appeals to you the most? Keep in mind these are very rough mock-ups. The backgrounds will most likely change. But what images stand out to you? And which ideas draw you in and make you want to pick up the book?

The debate we are having is the first two covers do not show faces. So I don’t know if having a face on the 3rd cover would be weird and not match. As you can see, book three focuses on the girls’ last year of high school, graduation, and Snow White plays a large role.

Cover One:

Cover Two:

Cover Three:

Cover Four:

Cover Five:

Cover Six:

Cover Seven:

For those of you who are familiar with my site, you can see many changes have occurred.  We are still working to make it more functional and useful to readers, so please be patient as it’s not quite done yet.

Thanks to Mikey Brooks http://writtenbymikey.blogspot.com for asking me to be apart of this awesome blog tour! By following the links, it’s a great way to discover new authors for children and young adults. Feel free to browse and get to know them. As part of the tour, Mikey asked me to answer these four questions.

1.  What are you working on right now?

I am working on the sequel to The Princess Sisters, titled Frogs & Toads.  This book takes place where the last one left off. Aurora, Ariel, Snow White, Belle, and Cinderella are in their junior year of high school.  They are more confident in themselves now, and are no longer afraid of the fairy tale clichés that held them captive in the first book.  At the beginning of the school year, the girls are given an assignment to explore their pasts.  This means they have to start asking questions about the fathers they have never known.  Secrets are revealed, questions are answered, and new relationships are formed as the girls go on an adventure to discover where they came from. The book is completed and as soon as edits are done, will be released. Most likely in October.

2.  How does it differ from other works in its genre?

The Princess Sisters series not only has one strong, female protagonist, it has five!  Each girl offers new insight into different situations and they all have their own story to tell.  Everyone is able to connect with at least one of the girls, and they all have friends like the other girls. It’s fun to see and hear how different young girls have a favorite main character, but it’s not the same for everyone.

3.  Why do you write what you do?

It’s not easy being a teenage girl.  You’re trapped between an adult and a child, and while it’s a fun time, it’s a difficult and scary time too.  I write for teenage girls in a hope to offer them encouragement and entertainment.  I hope that through my writing, they will gain confidence and know how beautiful they are as individuals. I also hope as they watch my characters grow, they can learn what to do as well as what not to do in order to handle high school situations.

4.  How does your writing process work?

I am not an “outline” type of writer.  When I start with a story idea, I have a basic knowledge of where I would like the book to go.  But I never tie it down by creating an outline.  I simply write the characters and let them tell the story through my fingertips.  My books have never gone exactly where I thought they would, and they have taken interesting paths along the way. This is the most exciting part to me!  I love being surprised by my own writing.  I do take notes along the way, as new ideas come to mind, then I glance at the notebook occasionally to make sure I’m including all the important parts.

Now look for these authors next week: Monday, August 26 as they continue the blog tour and answer the same questions. Enjoy!

Cindy C. Bennett -  http://cindybennett.blogspot.com/

Stephanie Fowers -  http://stephaniefowers.wordpress.com/

Jane Mason -  http://takeflightbooks.com/

Book Giveaway Jun 29 to July 16

You have a chance to win a PDF form of the Young Adult Novel, Shahira & the Flying Elfs. The author will be giving one E-book to every blog that participate in the blog tour. So leave a comment if you want to be entered

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Here is a teaser of Shahira and the Flying Elfs:

Flying takes you to new heights, but still you don’t see if you try not. Shahira is a she-eagle and lives with her father, mother, and baby brother. Her dream is to find a stripling young eagle for her mate. But mating is a ritual that happens in the sky and she cannot fly. She keeps telling herself that soon she will be able to, but every time she tries she falls.

The character causing all the problems in this tale is Artoris. He is almost a wizard and suffers from schizophrenia. He hears and sees people talking to him all the time. This makes him very dangerous, especially as he thinks his brother, the head of the Wizarding School, is against him. A crazy wizard, on his own, pursued by his personal demons, makes for interesting suspense.

Lets not forget Llorradinn. He is the Elf who finds love in Shahira’s nest and who is willing to do anything for her. As a true Elf, he would sacrifice his life for Shahira if it would save her.

Bio:

I was born in Valparaiso, Chile. I came to the USA at age 21 to be married two weeks later. I have lived in Utah all my married life, and have travelled to many places in the USA. We are the parents of three princes and a princess. I love ruins, medieval and fantasy things. Also canoeing and camping.

Interview:

1.  Tell us 3 fun facts about yourself?

I am a twin

I adopted a child

I speak Spanish

2.  How long have you been a writer or known that was something you wanted to do?

I started to write eight years ago and published my first book The Elf and the Princess six years ago.

3.  Tell me about your current project?

I am in the middle of Shahira & the Flying Elfs’ blog tour. Shahira was published at the end of Jun and is now available at all major book stores.

4.  Where do you receive your inspiration or ideas for your books?

Life, movies, and imagination. The play Aida inspired my unpublish book Kingdom by the Sea. Lord of the Rings inspired my elf’s books including the giant eagles in Shahira & the Flying elfs. Emerine’s nightmare, my children electronic book was inspired by a challenge in an online author’s group.

5.  Why did you choose to self-publish? Or go with the publisher you are with?

First I was so busy writing that it was my husband who decided that we should publish my books. I loved the idea, so he did the research and then we talked about it and chose a publishing company that would give me the freedom I wanted.

Another reason is because English is my second language and I felt quite threatened by the many awesome authors out there that speak the language quite well. I didn’t feel I could win against them. One more reason is that I had no idea what I was doing when we published my first book. It was because of publishing The Elf and the Princess that I learned

the rules for a writer. It was the best decision we ever made. It was then that I found writer’s groups and learned many things to make the second book better. I am still learning and making every new book better than the last one. Can I compare to Tolkien? I doubt it…just give me a hundred years and I will be there.

• 6.  How often do you write?

Every day…except my books. Some time I don’t get to them. Promoting takes a long time and a lot of writing.

7.  Tell us about some of your future projects?

The Roilden Stone of Elf Mountain is the last book in the elf series. In this book you will find elfs, gnomes and rock monsters.

I also have a YA romance princess series set in medieval fantasy time. I have also try my fingers unto a sci-fi middle grade story with possible 28 books in the series. It will be call The Intergalactic PI in the case of…

• 8.  What are some of your favorite books?

Lord of the Rings by far, Narnia, Harry Potter, Nancy Drew and Hardy boys.

• 9.  If you could co-write a book with another author, who would it be?

I have no idea and I am not sure any of them would do it with me. Beside my husband said that all my stories come complete and I would have a hard time letting someone else in my world. I actually cooperated in a continued the story by many authors and it was awesome. I never saw the finish product but it was inspiring to be part of it.

• 10.  Do you have any advice for others who dream of being an author?

Fallow your dreams and don’t let anyone tell you different. Attend writers groups, conferences and learn all you can before you publish. At the long run it will be so worth, you will be happy you did.

You can find Anna del C.’s books at:

Website: http://www.annadelc.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnaDelC

You can find all her
books at:

Amazon: http://ning.it/19iThs3

Barns & Noble. http://ning.it/1744E2U

When I read “Unlovable”  a couple years ago, I could not put it down! Seth and Maggie’s story captured my attention and I fell in love with the book. Ironic, given the title, don’t you think? So you can only imagine my joy when “Unbelievable” was released!  I got immerse myself in Sherry Gammon’s Port Fare world once again. And even better, I got to check in and see all my favorite characters again! I loved this book!! It was so hard to put down, even for a moment when important things came up like eating, sleeping, and caring for my children. Lilah is the perfect addition to the Port Fare family!  She is so spunky, sassy, and flirty, I found myself frequently laughing out loud as I imagined the way her charms would “turn Cole’s ears pink”.

It was so fun to get a more in-depth view of Cole, as he was a smaller character in her last novel. He’s such a sweet, genuine, kinda goofy guy, it’s no wonder Lilah falls for him! Sherry has this amazing ability to create such well-rounded, realistic characters that sometimes I forget I’m actually just reading a book. They become friends. Friends you sometimes want to slap, and other times want to hug. But friends nonetheless.

“Unbelievable” picks up where the last book left off. Maggie and Seth are happily planning a wedding, while Booker continues to try and rid the area of drug dealers. Lilah pops into the scene as a ploy in her Dady’s plan to seek revenge on the people who killed her brothers. But once Lilah befriends the little group, she quickly learns her Daddy is just using her in a ploy for his own gain. I don’t want to give away too much, but this book will definitely make you laugh, cry, and want to go read some Shakespeare. It’s a heartfelt tale of love, friendship, and second chances. Also mixed in with a bit of mystery, tension, and suspense.

“Unbelievable” is available for purchase as a paperback or on kindle here: http://www.amazon.com/Unbelievable-Port-Fare-Series-Volume/dp/1477594248/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367104259&sr=8-1&keywords=Unbelievable

Enter to win a free copy today!  http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1631dd11/

“Tide Ever Rising” is author Mandi Tucker Slack’s second novel. It’s about a young, history teacher named Kadence who uncovers a mystery while exploring old ghost towns during  the summer. The discovery of a 50 year old journal leads her to a new place, new friends, and newfound love. Along with her new friends, Kadence helps uncover the mystery behind a 50 year old murder and the criminals who want to keep their dark secret in the past.

Mandi’s beautiful way with words and her ability to weave a story made this book hard to put down! She creates such lovable characters that you can’t help but want to know what will happen to them next. Or in the case of Kadence’s sister, Maysha, you can’t wait to hear what she’ll say next! The ghost story was intriguing, I found myself full of curiosity right along with the main character. And what story would be complete without a love interest? Logan and Kadence were a perfect match, it was fun watching (and hoping) they would come together in the end. As with Mandi’s first book (The Alias) she has a brilliant way of making her readers on the edge of their seat one minute, and laughing out loud the next. “Tide Ever Rising” is a perfect combination of suspense, humor, and romance all rolled into one. A fantastic read I would recommend to anyone!

“Tide Ever Rising” is available in both paperback and Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/Tide-Rising-Mandi-Tucker-Slack/dp/1462111076/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1357920881&sr=1-1&keywords=Tide+Ever+Rising+Mandi

About the author:

Mandi Tucker Slack grew up in Orangeville, UT, where her father worked as a coal miner for eighteen years. In 1987 the coal mines shut down for a time and her father joined the U.S. Army. They were stationed in Hanau, Germany, and she had the opportunity to explore Europe. Mandi’s family returned to Utah in 1992, and they settled in Orangeville once again, where she attended and completed High School. She then attended the College of Eastern Utah, where she studied Geology. Eventually Mandi changed her major and moved on to Utah State University while she completed a degree in Special Education. She then married her best friend, Charles Slack. They have three children, with one on the way, 6 chickens, and a lizard (sometimes several lizards).Their family loves to spend time together. They enjoy 4-wheeling, camping, and especially rock hounding. Her house is littered with rocks and fossils. As a child Mandi spent many weekends with her parents and sister exploring abandoned mining towns and searching for relics among the brick ruins. Her adventures with her family are often the inspiration for her stories. Mandi is also the author of romantic/ suspense title, The Alias, available at a bookstore near you.

Learn more about Mandi and her upcoming books by visiting her website: http://www.mandituckerslack.com/