Scepters of Empyrea A Journey to the Andromeda Galaxy by Vignesh Ravichandran

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~Book Blitz~

About the Book:

Scepters of EmpyreaEmpyrea, an island in the Andromeda galaxy belonging to planet Vathura is serene. Everywhere your eyes turn, you will feast on the lovely birds singing their heart out in the lush green vegetation. Osiris Mysterio ruled the regions of Empyrea with his brother Tyrant Seth and with their children Pitheceus Babi, Kraity Wadjet, and Horus Mysterio.

5000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians were the only humans to receive the invitation to enter Empyrea. They gladly on-boarded into a Pegasus chariot and took their journey to Empyrea. Their journey is indescribable. Empyrea by itself was like a fairy-tale garden, an ocean of flowers and exotic trees.

As the Egyptians went further inside Empyrea, they saw its netherworld. They had mixed feelings when they saw the triangle shaped tombs and the bizarre headhunting people. Empyrea also had the blood-curdling creatures like the deadly dinosaurs, gigantic snakes, furious apes, ruthless rhino’s, massive mastodons and many other creepy creatures. This showed the power of the Empyrean Army and that no other army could survive their wrath.

The Emperor Osiris and the kings ruled Empyrea with powerful Scepters. With those powers, they were not only considered as kings but also worshipped as Lords. The Lords with the help of their scepter had the crucial power to transform themselves into giant creatures.

Egyptians while departing from Empyrea was gifted with a shortcut portal to earth and also with some people and creatures of Empyrea to build the Empramids in Egypt. Overwhelmed with happiness they took the shortcut door and returned to Egypt.

However, the happiness was short-lived in Empyrea. The Empire of Empyrea was betrayed for ruling earth avariciously. Somehow the Emperor of Empyrea locked the shortcut portal and asked the Egyptians to safeguard it. The Egyptians, on the other hand, failed to safeguard the portal. And some gangsters accidentally opened the shortcut door in 2017 A.D, entered Empyrea, and inadvertently got access to the Lord scepters.

So, now the Earthians were left with no choice but to battle against the merciless predators and headhunting people in their heroic journey. Their ultimate fate lied in an empire beyond imagination. They would take their stand against the powerful lords, who brutally led their people to war against planet Earth.

Did the gangsters protect the earth from danger, or left the other world to accomplish their tyrant rule on Earth? Explore the world of Empyrea to unravel the truth behind this mystery.

Book Links:

Goodreads * Amazon

Meet Ekmali:

Character reveal- EkmaliEkmali with harder effects climbed the edge and ran all over the terrace for finding kalishka, but she couldn’t see any foot prints of it.

At last, she saw a blood filled mammoth tusk with a shell ornament on it. She picks it and closes her eyes, and a lovely visual comes into her mind, a naughty little girl playing alongside in the seashore and picking the shells from the sand, sudden water showers on her, but it’s not the rain, it came from the trunk of a kid mammoth with lush brown colored hair. The girl ran towards the kid mammoth and tying the shell ornament.

Ekmali opened her eyes, and the tears automatically poured out of her eyes, she noticed kalishka’s bones rolling down on the floor with its blood. She wiped the tears from her face, took the shell ornament and wore it like a bracelet and lifted the tusks of the mammoth, tied at her two hands from her elbow.

The sharp tusks are scratching down in the ground and leaving fire sparks in her fierce footsteps. She was ready to take on the foe army with the extra long tusks of her kid, she lunged like a saber and nailed the sharp tusks into the bodies of Dinomens and quetzals in a humongous force.

About the Author:

Vignesh Ravichandran

Vignesh Ravichandran is the author of the book Scepters Of Empyrea: A Journey to the Andromeda Galaxy. He did his Masters in Business Administration from a leading Business School and presently working as a Human Resource professional in a leading software organization in Chennai. He wrote this debut novel with the story line which he experienced in his nightmare 7 years ago.

Contact the Author:

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Goodreads

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Murder in Tranquility Park (A Ferrara Family Mystery) by J.D. Griffo

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MURDER IN TRANQUILITY PARK BOOK TOUR
April 1 – 10, 2019

Cozy Mystery

2nd in Series

Does this book contain and explicit language or adult scenes? No.
If a series – Can it be read as a standalone? Yes.
Reviews, 2 Author Guest Posts, 1 Character Guest Posts, 3 Author Interviews, 1 Character Interviews, 4 Recipes, Spotlights

NetGalley for Reviewers

Rafflecopter Giveaway

About the Book

Murder in Tranquility Park (A Ferrara Family Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Kensington (March 26, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
ISBN-10: 1496713966
ISBN-13: 978-1496713964
Digital ASIN: B07F5XG3CQ
Alberta Scaglione and her twentysomething granddaughter, Jinx, love to spend time—and solve crime—together . . .

Ever since Alberta Scaglione inherited her spinster aunt’s Cape Cod cottage, she’s been enjoying the good life in Tranquility, New Jersey, with her black cat, Lola. But since things are mostly quiet in this town, she finds other things to do—like joining Jinx for morning jogs in Tranquility Park. She has to do something to stay healthy, as long as it doesn’t involve Jinx’s healthful tofu sausages and gluten-free pasta. But when they stumble across a treehouse hidden in the trees, and a dead body underneath it, they take a detour into solving a murder. Now the Ferrara ladies will have to exercise extreme caution to avoid a permanent decline in their health . . .

Includes Italian recipes from Alberta’s kitchen!

About the Author
Italian by birth, Jersey by upbringing, J. D. Griffo is an award-winning playwright and author who has written ten novels, over twenty plays, and a handful of screenplays that have yet to see the light of day.

Griffo studied Journalism and Marketing at New York University, graduating magna cum laude many, many years ago, as well as Creative Writing at the New School and Gotham Writer’s Workshop.

And the J. D. stands for the author’s mother – Jean Dolores – who absolutely loved to read and tell stories.

Author Links

Website – https://michaelgriffo.com/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Michael2264

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/j.d.griffo/

 

Chutes and Ladder: A Silicon Valley Mystery by Marc Jedel

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Author Guest Post by Marc Jedel

My book, Chutes and Ladder: A Silicon Valley Mystery, is a humorous murder mystery. Silicon Valley is not your typical cozy mystery locale and Marty Golden doesn’t fit the normal profile of a mystery protagonist.

Despite finding himself thrust into challenging situations, Marty isn’t exactly hero material.

He has a wonderful combination of wit, irreverent humor and sarcasm mixed in with nerdy insecurities, absent-mindedness, and fumbling but effective amateur sleuthing skills. With an active inner voice and not a lot of advanced planning, he throws himself into solving problems.

To get a better understanding of Marty and the Silicon Valley that he enjoys, I wanted to share 

Marty Golden’s Fun Yet Wacky Things to Do in the Bay Area / Silicon Valley:

  1. San Francisco Tiled Mosaic Staircases – Locals refer to these beautiful works of art as the secret tiled staircases. For Marty, the phrase “secret” or “do not enter” has always attracted him. There are several decorated staircases, but check out the one on 16th Avenue first as it’s the nicest, with amazing mosaics on the steps all the way up the hill.
  1. Eat Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bread Bowl, then watch the sea lions at Pier 39. You’re going to be hungry after climbing all those steps so grab some clam chowder in a bread bowl at Boudin’s. Then walk over to the sea lions next door at Pier 39. No, this isn’t a big secret but it’s still pretty wacky. After the 1989 earthquake, the sea lions took over a pier for their own use. Marty believes the earthquake was just the last straw for them. Not only was the ocean too cold, but they objected to the A’s beating the Giants in the World Series that year. They’re fun to watch and you can pretend it’s educational because you’ll learn the difference between a seal and sea lion. Try to remember the definition at least long enough to do item #4 on this list.
  1. Santa Cruz Mystery Spot — How could Marty not be attracted to a place that describes itself as a “gravitational anomaly located in the redwood forests near Santa Cruz”? Marty’s been several times — no kids required, although a child-like sense of wonder helps — and the hysterical guides and strange demonstrations are well worth it.
  1. Kayaking at the Elkhorn Slough in Monterey Bay — It’s not far from the Mystery Spot and it’s beautiful. You can rent kayaks or go on a Hydro Bike. Yes, ride a bike on the water. And, you won’t fall in. Marty prefers to kayak but gets a kick out of passing bikers on the water. You’ll see tons of sea otters, sea lions, and seals, not to mention birds. If you paid attention at Pier 39, you’ll even know the difference between them.
  1. Circus Trees in Gilroy Gardens amusement park. If you have little children and want a day at an unusual amusement park, this is the place. Marty stumbled across the wild “circus trees” displayed there. Their bizarreness was right up his alley. Look up the pictures even if you don’t visit.
  1. Computer History Museum or the Apple Visitor Center. You’ve spent all this effort to get to Silicon Valley so you’ve got to stop by at least one techie place. Marty would suggest the Computer History Museum if you like museums and history, or drop by the free Apple Visitor Center to look into their new spaceship campus. You could go to NASA’s Ames Visitor Center to see space stuff but Marty thinks the Apple building looks more like a real spaceship to him.
  1. San Jose options. Since none of the above sites were in the city where Marty lives, I wanted to share a few San Jose selections. You can also visit the Winchester Mystery House (a must), attend a Mystery Dinner Theater, or visit one of the many Mystery Rooms. Yes, Marty loves a fun, little mystery — as long as they’re not too scary … and there’s food nearby.

Chutes and Ladder and Uncle and Ants are both available free to Kindle Unlimited readers and will only stay at their promotional prices on Amazon during the Great Escapes tour so be sure to pick them up today. For more about the books or author, please visit www.marcjedel.com.

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For most of my life, I’ve been inventing stories. Some, especially when I was young, involved my sister as the villain. As my sister’s brother for her entire life, I’m highly qualified to tell the tale of this evolving, quirky sibling relationship.

My writing skills were honed in years of marketing leadership positions in Silicon Valley. While my high tech marketing roles involved crafting plenty of fiction, we called these marketing collateral, emails and ads.

The publication of my first novel, Uncle and Ants, gave me permission to claim “author” as my job. This leads to way more interesting discussions than answering “marketing.”

My family would tell you that Marty’s character isn’t much of a stretch of the imagination for me, but I proudly resemble that remark.

Like Marty, I live in Silicon Valley and can’t believe that otherwise normal people would image005 (1)willingly jump out of an airplane and call it fun. Unlike Marty, I have a wonderful wife and a neurotic but sweet, small dog, who is often the first to weigh in on the humor in my writing.

Author Links

Purchase Link: Amazon 

 

 Chutes and Ladder:
A Silicon Valley Mystery
by Marc Jedel

Marc Jedel is hilarious! . . . I can’t stop laughing at protagonist Marty Golden, perennial and proverbial Feckless Hero. If there were ever a perfect illustration of The Fool card in Tarot, Marty is it!
~Mallory Heart’s Cozies

. . . an original take on an amateur investigation that kept making me giggle all the way to the surprising end. Great for fans of cozies looking for something different.
~Books a Plenty Book Reviews

The book is fast paced and full of humor. The author keeps us guessing as to what has really transpired, and it’s not until the very end that the details are revealed.
~Carla Loves To Read

OMG!!! This book is hysterical…yes, it’s a mystery, but I can’t tell you how many times I laughed out loud at Marty Golden!
~Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews

Chutes and Ladder is an entertaining story with quirky characters, zany incidents, witty dialogue, and guaranteed giggles.
~The Avid Reader

Think Sheldon Cooper, Clark Griswold, and Columbo all rolled into one. This nerdy, intelligent, goofy, silly man, will have you laughing your butt off.
~Lisa Ks Book Reviews

Chutes and Ladder by Marc Jedel is a riveting new cozy mystery. It isn’t like any cozy that I have read, but it is entertaining.
~Baroness’ Book Trove

I love Marc Jedel’s storytelling skills . . . If you are looking for a quirky cozy mystery with oodles of laughter and a super funny sleuth, look no further, for Chutes and Ladder is here!
~The Book Decoder

The book is fast paced and full of humor. In many ways, I could see this book being played out as a movie, with Jerry Lewis starring as Marty.
~Literary Gold

The book was a quick and enjoyable read that pulls you in to see what Marty is going to do next!
~Community Bookstop

I enjoy Marty’s quirkiness because it adds that little something that every story needs to make it stand out.
~Storeybook Reviews

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Serendipity Happens by Deborah A. Morrison

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SERENDIPITY HAPPENS takes you on an intense, unique epic journey of psychological suspense, deep insights and extraordinary romance beyond your wildest imaginings!  This is an edgy, highly experiential tale with memorable characters fired by soul-stirringly deep and sacred awakenings

Deborah MorrisonAUTHOR  INTERVIEW
1) Was there a KEY moment in your life that influenced New Age/Spirituality ? 
     Yes, for me there was definitely a KEY moment in my life when I was influenced toward
New Age/Spirituality.  I was about 13 years of age at the time.  I had waited until everyone was out
of the house and the coast was clear.  I wanted absolutely no distractions since I was about to try
meditation for the very first time in my life.  You see I had heard about meditation and yoga from my
childhood friend Beverley who lived across the street from me.  But, this particular year Beverley and her
family had moved to S. California which was well known for being a place particularly ahead of its time …
especially compared to my home town of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
     I had received a handwritten letter in the mail from Beverley which explained all about this trendy thing
everyone was doing in California which was called Yoga and Meditation.  She said she tried it and had never
experienced anything like it!  She wrote about her fabulous experiences with yoga postures, deep breathing,
relaxation, and meditation.  “If you ever get a chance to try yoga or meditation, do it!” she wrote.  Her words
were etched deep in my mind and I decided right then and there to keep an eye open for any opportunity to
practice yoga and meditation.  I had not found any yoga classes yet, and my plan was to look for some books
on yoga soon.
     However, this particular day my family home was empty and quiet since everyone was out and about.  So I
figured now was my chance.  I sat down cross legged on the kitchen floor.  I chose the kitchen since it was painted
a lovely soft yellow colour which always made me feel cheerful. I figured a cheerful mood was a good starting point for
my experiment with meditation practice.  With legs crossed, I rested my upturned palms upon my knees and joined
my thumb and forefinger.  I made sure to sit very straight and become very relaxed as breathed deeply focusing my
attention on each exhalation and inhalation.  It was easy for my mind to become calm.
     Spontaneously I was uplifted into a wondrous meditative state of consciousness!  I had never felt such a deep
feeling of peace ever in my entire life.  This amazing peaceful feeling was the most uplifted, profound state of being
I had ever experienced!  I enjoyed this meditative experience for awhile before slowly bringing my attention back to
my breath and finally to an awareness of the room around me.  I slowly opened my eyes and sat in wonder for awhile.
     I decided right then and there about my interest in New Age/Spirituality.  I knew I was highly interested in exploring
my own direct experiences of meditation, peace, and enlightened consciousness.  I would honestly this was it!  My
KEY moment that influenced my interest in New Age/Spirituality was in my early teens when I surprisingly enjoyed
a wondrous meditation experience.
2) How did you incorporate those philosophies to your story line? 
 
     I incorporated Visionary, New Age, and Spiritual themes into my story easily.  Firstly, I set the intent to do so.
I knew I must have an interesting story line and envisioned my story to be like a tapestry in which I would
weave deeper insights throughout.  I would do this either by including conversations in the story between various
characters in which the conversation topic would be mainly Visionary, New Age and/or Spiritual.  Secondly,
I decided to include a stream of consciousness approach to writing my story.  So I would write about
the main character’s inner thoughts and feelings.  And, in terms of the story line, I would integrate these conversations,
and inner thoughts and feelings strategically so there would be a progression is self development in the story.
     To make it real for the reader I decided to use a writer’s tool … to incorporate the 5 senses in my descriptions of
various Visionary, New Age, and Spiritual experiences of the characters in the book.  This made it real … to bring in
the 5 senses in relation to an uplifted state of consciousness, or a new and expanded awareness, or perhaps an
experience beyond the everyday, ordinary mundane.  These extraordinary experiences became grounded into something
real which the reader would easily understand and relate to.
     So, ultimately I would take an ordinary, everyday type of story and weave it with the extraordinary in various ways.  This
is how I incorporated the Visionary, New Age, and Spiritual themes into my story.
3) Do you have a writing process that involves outlines? 
 
     For my previous fiction novel which I co-authored, yes we did rely extensively on a written plot outline, and written character
profiles.  However, Serendipity Happens is my very first solo authored fiction novel.  This particular book was experimental. I wanted
to see if I could write without any written plot outline, or character profiles.  This was my intent and I envisioned it would be a joyful
experience if I could manage to do it.  At first I wasn’t really certain if I would be able to write without such writer’s tools as a plot
outline and character profile.
     I was quickly surprised by how readily my story flowed.  No plot outline.  No character profile. Just flow!  While writing the
manuscript I imagined I was watching a movie … the story was a movie I was watching on an envisioned movie screen in my
mind.  I felt relaxed and open … and let it flow.  Indeed, it felt like I was writing a story, watching a movie, and reading a book
all at the same time.  However, this really worked for me.  Perhaps the openness of being.  And, together with this openness,
perhaps my receptive state of being.  It felt somewhat similar to my meditative experiences, in the sense I felt uplifted and
inspired when writing this story.  And, I had decided only to write when I wanted to.  There was no schedule or deadline I
had to meet.  For me this worked best.  Open and creative flow.
     When I was finished writing one chapter I would always stop writing. I somehow had no idea of where the next chapter
would take me, what the characters were going to do next, which characters would appear or disappear along the way,
and what the main message or theme of the story was all about.  I had no idea.  But, I trusted I would receive the story
and that it would make sense.  I always liked each chapter as I wrote it.  And, liked to give myself space in between
writing chapters just to be relaxed.
     As the chapters were flowing in theme one after the next I developed a deeper confidence that the story would
be alright and make sense. It really was a step into the unknown with the writing of each and every chapter.  I
found this type of creative experience to be very fulfilling.  And, by the time I got to the writing of the final chapters
I was just as amazed with the story of Serendipity Happens as every reader will be.
4) Any favorite music while writing? Does it vary depending on the scenes? 
 
Music is most certainly an influence upon my writing.  For the more sultry, passionate chapters sometimes
I would dance to some light rock favourites from back in my teens, music from the 60’s.  I would take breaks
between writing some paragraphs and just dance.  It really made me feel more free, energized and into the mood
of romantic, passionate aspects to the story.
     When I was writing about more deeply philosophical, insightful, and spiritual themes in the story I would be most
inspired with some of my favourite Classical music such as Mozart, Chopin, and Tchaikovsky.  For me somehow there
is an interplay between music and my writing.  Music can be an excellent muse!
     And, often I would like to listen to the silence, gaze at a wondrous sunset, or the bright stars at night.  The silence in
its own special way must somehow contain the music of the universe and if one listens with spiritual ears one may be well
inspired to write about Visionary, New Age, and Spiritual stories.  The silence certainly does inspire me to do so.
5) Anything else you want us to know? 
 
     For me my writing is truly my Art of Love.
It’s about the energy, vibration, frequency, consciousness, & message shared.  Yes, the fulfillment and self development is
wonderful.  For me writing and especially Visionary, New Age, Spiritual writing feels like living in alignment with Divine purpose.

 

The First Secret (Hidden Portals trilogy Book 2)

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Some secrets are best left buried.

All Iris ever wanted was to have a peaceful life. Living mostly in
solitude, she found joy in helping young girls accept the beauty of song
and dance. She never expected her visions, inherited from generation to
generation in her family, to take her on a journey where everything
she’s known is in question, including her existence. If she is not a
human witch, then what is she?

Fern spent his entire life trying to do what’s right for his people. The
Fae, banished to their own realm, have been slowly dying but agreeing to
help the deranged king almost costs him his life. Now he must follow a
witch, who isn’t supposed to exist, to the depths of hell. Those like
her were hunted down centuries ago. So, why is he willing to do
anything, to make sure she stays alive?

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I Like That Word: The Daily Gripe Strikes Again

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I Like That Word: The Daily Gripe Strikes Again

Humor is everywhere you look. You’ll find it in a Boy Scout camping trip, a day at the beach, or on full display in the cafeteria. “I Like That Word” is the second installment in “The Daily Gripe” series, an insightfully hilarious collection of articles that finds the fun in everyday living, masterfully brought to you through the unique style of one of today’s best humorists.

  • A common misconception entwined with authors is that they are socially inept, how true is that? Not true in my case. I have a large group of friends and am very outgoing and energetic.
  • Do all authors have to be grammar Nazis? I’m conscious of grammar, but my type of writing, gereral humor, lends itself very nicely to fragmented sentences and taking liberties with the King’s English.
  • If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why? I’m a big fan of King. His book, “The Stand” was so creative and well-developed.
  • What makes this particular genre you are involved in so special? Humor is so important.  There is a lot of stress and bad news out there, and making people laugh brings us all together.
  • How important is research to you when writing a book? I do very little research.  It isn’t necessary for general humor.
  • What works best for you: Typewriters, fountain pen, dictate, computer or longhand? I often rough in an article with pen and paper, but then work of a computer.

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Lanterns In The Sky P.S. Malcolm (The Starlight Chronicles, #1)

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Lanterns In The Sky
P.S. Malcolm
(The Starlight Chronicles, #1)
Publication date: April 2nd 2019
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Everything was normal for Lucy Maisfer until the day a star fell from the sky and knocked her out. Upon waking, she comes face-to-face with Jason Woods, who also happens to be the mysterious new guy in her best friend, Valarie’s, life.

Then the strange dreams begin, and she learns about the Starlight Princess— who must not under any circumstance be reawakened. Driven to uncover the meaning of it, she finds herself caught up in a strange twist of events that eventually lead to bigger danger than she ever anticipated. Before long, Lucy is forced to make a choice between saving the world, or saving her best friend; only to discover that Valarie cannot be saved… that she has an even darker secret, and that her supposed star-crossed romance with Jason might not be so destined after all…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

What Inspired The Starlight Chronicles Series?

It was after a short writing break that I was inspired to sit down at my wooden desk, cup of tea in hand, and write a psychological thriller. It’s also worth mentioning that I had no clue how to write such a genre at the time. But I was driven around the concept of the stars actually being lanterns in the sky in need of regular re-lighting, and creating a world around that with a stealthy antagonist.

Of course, the book flopped a couple of chapters in for this reason, and the draft was left saved on my memory stick which I unthinkingly lent to a friend for her assignment.

This friend happened to be a major bookworm and found the manuscript, devoured it, and demanded I keep writing it. At the time, another story concept had floated into my brain—one consisting of stars and princesses and magical kingdoms. The two ideas sort of blended together, and suddenly I was really inspired to write a story much more within my reading tastes.

A tragedy story with gritty, dark romance and action!

I wanted my readers to cry, to scream with frustration, to feel deeply for the characters. I wanted them to be awed by the plot twists and not be able to possibly predict what was coming.

I loved reading stories like that—was constantly awed by authors who could make me feel such a way, and I vowed that I would do the same. It all fell together so easily and so quickly that I finished the story in a month. By the end of the year, I had four books drafted out and a small following of loyal readers glued to the series.

What makes this series so powerful is the conflict between the characters and how deeply entwined it is with the plot—there are so many stakes and perspectives to consider. Each character is uniquely different and contributes to the overall plot, making them necessary key players in the conflict. This was one of my big goals—I wanted to write a story where siding with just one character would be difficult, and there would be amazing character growth ARCs to witness.

After many re-writes, the first book is finally hitting shelves and I couldn’t be more excited or prouder—I can’t wait for readers to connect with my story and follow the exciting journey waiting for them!

You can grab your copy of Lanterns In The Sky here

If You Love These Books, You’ll Love Lanterns In The Sky

I am a huge fan of royal revolutions, magical fantasy and powerful, badass characters—which is why I read these books as well as write them!

In this post, I want to help you figure out if Lanterns In The Sky is your next go-to read by sharing a couple of similar books with relating themes, settings or style. You might even discover another book you haven’t heard of yet (did someone day two for one?)

So buckle up, and let’s take a look shall we?

Red Queen, by Victoria Aveyard

I’m sure most people who read YA fantasy have heard of this book by now. Red Queen kind of blew up—and I definitely see why.

Some of the best parts of this book were the magic structure in this world, the worldbuilding, the stakes and the plot twists! (If you’ve read this one you know exactly what I’m referring to).

Enter Lanterns In The Sky—a story set in the present world descending into a slow downfall of society, with major stakes and a super killer plot twist to throw you off—because I love Victoria Aveyard’s style! *wink*

Stardust, by Neil Gaiman

Ah… dreamy Stardust! I love this beautiful, whimsical read and the adventures the characters go on. Also, the romance is just lovely!

Though Lanterns In The Sky is more dark and gritty, it has it’s powerful and lovely moments—and if you love ‘star’ magic and constellations, then Lanterns In The Sky is heavily based around that entire concept.

I like to think that the writing is balanced between dark moments and hopeful ones—with an interesting love story unfolding along the way.

An Ember In The Ashes, by Sabar Tahir

This book has some amazing character development, action, and shares a very similar theme to the backstory of The Starlight Chronicles. Character conflicts are something that come up a lot in Lanterns In The Sky—so these books share a parallel here.

If you love resistances and royal revolutions and enjoyed reading An Ember In The Ashes, then you’ll definitely want to add Lanterns In The Sky to your reading list (especially because the following novella, Starfall, will really intrigue fans of An Ember In The Ashes.)

Daughter Of Smoke And Bone, by Laini Taylor

If you love European settings crossed with fantasy worlds, you will just adore Lanterns In The Sky.

One of the most notable things about Daughter Of Smoke And Bone was it’s distinct settings in Prague and Paris and other places outside of the U.S. It also managed to magically blend fantasy worlds in the epic way that Laini Taylor does!

Although we don’t get to explore the other ‘fantasy’ worlds of The Starlight Chronicles until book two, the setting of Lorelei is entirely unique on its own and influenced by Vienna and Salzburg. Plus, there are angels in this book and they are super cool beings!

I hope this post has inspired your next read and helped you decide if Lanterns In The Sky is for you! You can grab your copy of Lanterns In The Sky here

Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

P.S.Malcolm (Pagan) grew up in Proserpine, Queensland– a small, Australian country town on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef. She was a storyteller from a young age and spent years perfecting her craft.

For two years, she juggled waitressing in tourist filled coffee shops while undertaking two degrees in Creative Writing online. She has always had an interest in writing, but never saw herself working in the industry until she made the choice to self-publish her debut novel, STUCK ON VACATION WITH RYAN RUPERT. Realizing that she loved the process of publishing her book, she pursued an internship at a publishing house and snagged a spot as Pen Name Publishing’s Marketing Assistant.

In between interning and writing, Pagan opened her first business working as a freelance Marketing Strategist for Paperback Kingdom– which helps indie authors with all aspects of their author careers.

Pagan also enjoys reading– particularly fantasy and paranormal– and is a passionate blogger. She reviews books that she has read on her personal website, and indie books on her business blog. Some of her favourite and most influential authors include Amanda Gernentz Hanson, A.G. Howard, Marissa Meyer and Michele Jaffe. She is a cat enthusiast, tea lover, and floral fanatic.

Her newest book, LANTERNS IN THE SKY, is set to be released by The Parliament House Publishing in Spring 2019.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

 

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SAMANTHA SPINNER

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She put the glasses on. The hydrant glowed yellow.

Toward the top, extra-bright yellow letters flashed:

PSST

 

She stared at the hydrant. It was waist high and had a domed cap. A large round outlet on its front faced her. Two smaller outlets stuck out on either side like stubby arms. Short chains connected the pentagon-shaped bolts to the body of the hydrant.

While Samantha put the glasses in her purse, Nipper pushed past her.

“I’ve got this,” he said as he reached the hydrant.

First, he put his hands on the domed cap and tried to twist it. Then he tugged at the chains. Finally, he pulled

on the two arms and tried to get the whole hydrant to turn.

“I can do it, Sam,” he grunted, putting his full weight into it. “I’m sure there’s . . . a way . . . to make it . . .”

Nipper lost his grip and his footing, falling onto the grass behind the hydrant.

“Ouch!” he said, looking up at Samantha. “I just fell on my hand lens.”

“Get up and pass it to me,” she replied. “I want to check the Plans.”

Samantha unslung the umbrella from her shoulder, raised it above her head, and popped it open. Then she extended a hand to Nipper, who was still lying on the ground. As she waited for the magnifier, she looked past her fingertips at the hydrant. The large bolt on top of the cap caught her attention. She quickly turned and looked at the open umbrella. Then she looked down at the bolt again. Each had eight sides. They were both octagons! It couldn’t be a coincidence.

Samantha stepped off the path toward the hydrant. Meanwhile, Nipper was running his fingers through the grass.

“Hey, this is fake,” he said. “It’s artificial turf.”

Samantha focused on the octagonal bolt. She reached out, grabbed it, and gave it a quick turn. Immediately, she heard a soft click and a loud hiss. The ground shook. She reached out again to steady herself. The lawn surrounding the hydrant, about three feet in all directions, began to drop slowly. They were sinking into the park on a green, ring-shaped platform.

“Interesting,” said Nipper, standing up quickly.

Samantha watched the fire hydrant rise above them in the center of the ring as they descended. They dropped below street level and continued downward until, with a gentle bump, they came to a stop. Looking up, she saw the fire hydrant thirty feet above, framed by the sky. Some light trickled down, but not much. Machinery droned softly, and she heard what sounded like sheets of sandpaper rubbing together.

Something clicked and lights came on.

They stood in the center of a small room It was about ten feet to the wall all around. The floor beyond the edge of the platform was rotating clockwise.

The white tile walls surrounding them had four wide rectangular openings, spaced evenly around the chamber. Samantha read a large sign above each one.

NORWAY

4,500 MILES

 

PERU

5,000 MILES

MALI

6,500 MILES

 

INDONESIA

8,300 MILES

 

In the past few months, Samantha and Nipper had done so much traveling on mysterious, barely labeled trains, tubes, and ladders, it felt strange to be in a place with such clear signage.

Painted on the walls between the openings, Samantha saw:

SLIDEWALK KEEP RIGHT

 

“Ever hear of a ‘slidewalk’?” she asked. Nipper shook his head.

They stepped onto the rotating floor.

“‘Slidewalk . . . slidewalk . . . slidewalk,’ ” she read, watching the walls go by. “I have a feeling we’re about to find out.”

As they began their second orbit around the room, they peeked through the entrances and saw that each had two conveyor belts. The one on the right led away. The one on the left led back to the chamber.

“Okay, Sam,” said Nipper. “Where to?”

Samantha started to reach for the umbrella on her shoulder, but then stopped. She scanned the signs above each opening again. Then she smiled.

“A-L-I-M,” she replied. “Unscrambled, that’s . . .” She waited for her brother to answer.

He stared at her blankly.

“I-L-A-M backward is . . . ,” she tried again. “Mali,” he said.

“It’s in Africa,” she told him.

“Oh, yeah. Of course,” he said. “It’s one of the sixteen landlocked African countries.”

As they stepped through the entrance, Samantha marveled at her brother’s capacity for useless facts.

Excerpt copyright © 2019 by Russell Ginns. Published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

3/25/2019- Lifestyle of Me– Review

3/25/2019- BookHounds YA– Excerpt

3/26/2019- Lone Tree Reviews– Review

3/26/2019- A Dream Within A Dream– Excerpt

3/27/2019- Nerdophiles– Review

3/27/2019- For the Love of KidLit– Spotlight

3/28/2019- Brooke’s Library– Review

3/28/2019- Literary Gold– Spotlight

3/29/2019- Feed Your Fiction Addiction– Review

3/29/2019- Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers– Excerpt

Week Two:

4/1/2019- Rhythmicbooktrovert – Review

4/1/2019- Kelly P’s Blog– Excerpt

4/2/2019- Christen Krumm, Writer– Review

4/2/2019- ❧Defining Ways❧– Excerpt

4/3/2019- Adventures Thru Wonderland– Review

4/3/2019- The Hermit Librarian– Excerpt

4/4/2019- Savings in Seconds– Review

4/4/2019- Twirling Book Princess– Excerpt

4/5/2019- Two Points of Interest– Review

4/5/2019- Dazzled by Books– Excerpt

Giveaway Details:

3 lucky winners will win a finished copy of SAMANTHA SPINNER Series, US Only.

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Title: SAMANTHA SPINNER AND THE SUPER SECRET PLANS (Samantha Spinner #1)
Author: Russell Ginns
Pub. Date: February 27, 2018
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, audiobook, eBook
Pages: 256
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, B&N, iBooks, TBD
 

Get ready for round-the-world adventure with Sam Spinner and her brother Nipper in the first book in a new hilarious, puzzle-packed series filled with super-secret messages! Perfect for fans of Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and classics like Holes.

Samantha Spinner’s uncle Paul disappeared, and here’s what he left:
* Samantha’s sister got a check for $2,400,000,000.
* Samantha’s brother got the New York Yankees.
* And Samantha got a rusty red umbrella with a tag hanging off its worn handle. The tag says “Watch out for the RAIN.”

Thanks a lot, Uncle Paul.

After all the strawberry waffles, stories, and puzzles they’ve shared, how could he just leave without saying goodbye? And what is the meaning of that mysterious message?

The answer is simple. Sam knows in her heart that Uncle Paul is in danger. And if he taught her anything, it’s that not everything is exactly what it seems. Which is why we should pay close attention to that rusty red umbrella, and never trust a monkey at a hula-hoop contest.

The RAIN is coming and Samantha Spinner is about to find herself mixed up in some super-important, super-dangerous, super-secret plans.

Praise for Samantha Spinner and the Super Secret Plans:

“A winning mix of fast-paced action, fascinating facts, bathroom humor, and hidden puzzles…[that is] sure to please action-loving middle-grade readers.” –Kirkus Reviews

“Full of adventure and survival,…[and with] characters [that] are likable, realistic, and well rounded…[Samantha Spinner and the Super Secret Plans is] great for [readers of] series like The 39 Clues.” –School Library Journal

Title: SAMANTHA SPINNER AND THE SPECTACULAR SPECS (Samantha Spinner #2)
Author: Russell Ginns
Pub. Date: March 12, 2019
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Formats: Hardcover, audiobook, eBook
Pages: 416
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, B&N, iBooks, TBD
 

Get ready for more round-the-world adventure with Samantha Spinner and her brother, Nipper, in the second book in this hilarious, puzzle-packed series filled with super-secret messages! Perfect for fans of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and classics like Holes.

When Samantha Spinner’s uncle Paul disappeared, he left presents for his nieces and nephew. Samantha’s sister, Buffy, got $2,400,000,000. Her brother, Nipper, got the New York Yankees. Samantha got . . . a rusty old umbrella.

Wow! So unfair, Uncle Paul.

Well, it seemed unfair–until Samantha discovered that the old umbrella holds the plans for a super-secret network of transit systems that covers the globe. It’s the ticket to danger and adventure beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.

But Uncle Paul is still missing. And Samantha just received a new gift from him: a pair of strange purple sunglasses. Are they another powerful present? A clue to his whereabouts? Or just a bad fashion choice? Samantha and Nipper need to figure it out fast, because . . . here comes the SUN!

Praise for Samantha Spinner and the Super Secret Plans, Book 1 in the Samantha Spinner series: 

“A winning mix of fast-paced action, fascinating facts, bathroom humor, and hidden puzzles . . . [that is] sure to please action-loving middle-grade readers.” –Kirkus Reviews

“Full of adventure and survival . . . [and with] characters [who] are likable, realistic, and well rounded . . . [Samantha Spinner and the Super-Secret Plans is] great for [readers of] series like The 39 Clues.” –School Library Journal