Real Life Books and Media
A place to chat, share what’s happening in our lives, updates on works in progress.
My friend, the talented Mike Thomas, created this amazing photo to honor our fallen military heroes. Be sure to go to his blog learn more about Mike and the model in the photo.
Greetings Y’all, I know it’s been FOREVER since I’ve posted on this blog. Been utilizing my Facebook and Instagram (MikeThomasImagery on Instagram) accounts more so than the blog.…
Source: A Heartfelt Memorial Day Tribute | Mike Thomas Imagery
If you enjoyed Nancy Drew novels as a child, you will enjoy today’s author spotlight for Friday Reads. Tara Ellis has just released book five in her Samantha Wolf Mysteries and she has agreed to answer our Friday Reads questions, so let’s get started.
Tell our readers why they should choose your novel as their Friday Read.
This would make the perfect Friday Read, due to it being a fun, quick mystery. While the book is written at the middle grade level, it is an intelligent story that readers of all ages will enjoy.
What is the book’s backstory, what inspired you?
This is book #5 in an on-going series, so finding new and exciting adventures is something I rather enjoy. Each book can be read on it’s own, or you can start with book one. They are chronological, and this one happens during Halloween. It was only natural to feature something spooky, but as with all the other books, there are a few different layers to the mystery. I was inspired by reviews on the other books to include the brothers more, which ended up adding to some really fun scenes.
Who were your favorite authors as a child and teen.
Julie Campbell (Trixie Beldon), Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew), Lois Duncan. As I got older, I spent some time reading Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Ken Follett.
Imagine a big name author that you love is reading and raving about your book. Choose one of these reactions and explain why.
a. Freak out and shake all over.
b. Google everything you can find about your book and the author
c. Call everyone you know to share your excitement
d. Post immediately to Clean Indie Reads so your friends can freak out with you.
e. Begin to mentally compose a tweet to tell the world.
d. Post immediately to Clean Indie Reads Facebook group so your friends can freak out with you.
You know, it’s funny. Not that long ago, I would have chosen any other option equally. But I know that this is what I would do, because I have done it already. It was under different circumstances, but exciting nonetheless. There is something about sharing news that you KNOW only another author can fully appreciate, that is worth SO much. Having the support of other writers is monumental and something I absolutely cherish.
I feel the same as Tara about Clean Indie Reads. In the words of its founder, Lia London, it is awesome sauce!
After reading her Friday Reads answers I am sure you would like to know more about her, so here is the official bio.
Author Tara Ellis lives in a small, rural town in Washington State, set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She enjoys the quiet lifestyle with her husband, two teenage kids and several dogs. Tara was a firefighter/EMT, and worked in the medical field for many years, before committing herself to writing young adult and middle grade novels full-time. (she still dabbles in teaching CPR)
She grew up on sci-fi, was a devoted Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica fan, and has since found a love for conspiracy theories. This background, combined with a wild imagination has led to The Forgotten Origins Trilogy. The first book in the series, Bloodline, was a finalist in the IAN 2015 Book of the Year Awards, was awarded Honorable Mention in the 2015 Reader’s Favorite Book Awards, named ‘Indie Book of the Day in Oct, 2014’ and voted as ‘Top 50 Indie Books of 2014’. (readfreely.com)
Her on-going middle grade mystery series, The Samantha Wolf Mysteries, has hit the best seller status on Amazon in the children’s detective story genre several times, and continues to grow in popularity. The engaging, fun stories herald back to the days of Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon, and several readers have commented that the series is of the same caliber. These are clean reads that are suitable for the whole family to read together, and are also part of the Kindle Unlimited program.
*Find her on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/taraellisauthor
**Visit her personal blog at: taraellisauthor.blogspot.com/
***Twitter: @taraellisauthor
Without further ado or chit-chat, I am pleased to introduce you to Tara’s new release.
The Haunting of Eagle Creek Middle School
Halloween is right around the corner, and the girls find themselves in the middle of a hauntingly good mystery.
Sam, Ally, and Cassy help form a new club at their school in order to raise money for charities. Their first mission is to save a struggling program founded by a local widow, but the benefactor has some secrets.
It turns out that Eagle Creek Middle school has some secrets too, including a tragic story passed down for fifty years. Does a tormented ghost really roam the basement of the school?
While creating a haunted house to raise the needed donations, the young detectives uncover the shocking truth. One that will forever change the lives of people they have come to cherish.
Visit Amazon to view the whole series.
If you have enjoyed meeting Tara Ellis today, consider signing up for her newsletter.
Tara is one of over 2,000 authors who are committed to writing Flinch-Free fiction, books packed with excitement but without the “ewww factor.” Visit them on the Clean Indie Reads book blog where each author listed has a short Q&A .
Thank you, Tara for allowing us to share in the excitement of your new release. We would love to host you when book six comes out!
David Millican’s debut novel, Frontier Preacher, is now available in eBook and Paperback!
Hollis feared the loneliness would swallow him whole. He had arrived in Wyoming to fulfill his uncle’s dying wish – that he save the people of Gillette – but his education and faith had not prepared him for the bitter cold and hardened hearts of the west. A dark secret in his new home threatens to destroy his very soul. Will Hollis be strong enough to stand against the tide of evil? Can he overcome where stronger men failed, before the west claims another victim?
eBook: www.amazon.com/dp/B017QRMMM8/
Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/6236943
David was born and raised in Wyoming then spent his twenties traveling the world. He now spends his time in McKeesport Pennsylvania with his wife Emily. He has been writing since he was a child, enjoying success in the young authors program, local literary magazines, and blogging. You can follow David’s new projects and release dates on his Facebook author page.
“Definitely worth reading.“-Amazon Reviewer
“The author makes great use of his setting offering many rich details”-Amazon Reviewer
“I loved the writing and the story. Then [sic] ending is unexpected and inevitable at the same time. “-Goodreads Reviewer
I asked the author if he would answer my Friday Reads questions, just for fun and he was gracious enough to agree!
1. Tell our readers why they should choose your novel as their Friday Read.
I had three purposes in writing this book. One was to tell stories that need to be told. Two, I want to make a living from writing (or at least supplement my living). And three, I wanted to bring back the dime novels of the late 1800’s and Frontier Preacher is consistent with their length and pacing. One of the things that made those novels so successful was their length. Now in a time where people are pushing for longer, longer, longer, I endeavored to tell an entire story without the fluff. Most people find it a short read, and a compelling one from what they tell me.
2.What is the book’s backstory, what inspired you?
So I set out as a goal to take all of those stories and make them into a single cohesive narrative. Most of the events in the book occurred at one time or another in different places. One of my favorite, the one where a Baptist preacher is shot at for fun, happened in a small town in Kansas.
I transported it all to Gillette, the town I grew up in for three reasons. (That’s getting to be a theme with me…) They say write what you know, so I did. I also love my home town and want others to see it through my eyes. And the last reason, and most important, I know the people of Gillette are good, solid people. They stand a cut above the rest and were perfect for the story I needed.
3. Who were your favorite authors as a child and teen?
I read anything and everything I could get my hands on. That meant reading things too old for me sometimes and things over my head a lot of the time. To choose an author is like choosing my favorite food. What day is it? Richard Adams and Watership Down changed the way I looked at story telling. Mark Twain and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn made me question the world around me. (I had to read it and do a book report on it over summer vacation, when I was nine, for a punishment. Yes I had a teacher as a dad. Why do you ask?) George Orwell’s 1984 made me…I shouldn’t talk about that here– I mean there is nothing to talk about. Ever. We’ve always been at war with Eastasia.
4. Imagine a big name author that you love is reading and raving about your book. What would your reaction be and who would you tell?
I don’t want to sound too cynical here but I would be focusing on getting a review and advertising from them. I mean, it would be cool, but life (and sales window’s) is too short to be star struck. But I would be calling my mom like crazy.
Thank you for these interesting answers. Growing up, I read constantly too. Now let’s talk something we all like:
David is offering a 50% discount for the paperback book! To get your copy, go to the Createspace estore and enter this code when you checkout: GYM7ACWX.
From May 27-31, Frontier Preacher will also be on sale for just $1.99. That’s a $3.00 savings!
Enter to win one of three giveaways! Giveaway #1 is a paperback of Never by J. Grace Pennington and a $15 Amazon gift card. Giveaway #2 is a paperback of Revel Knox by Michael Shank and a $15 Amazon gift card. Giveaway #3 is a personalized notebook from Faith Blum and a $15 Amazon gift card.
To enter the giveaway, please fill out this form. The only required entries are your name and your email address. Everything else is optional.
Monday, May 23
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections-Tour Introduction and Book Spotlight
Rebekah Lyn Books-Book Spotlight and Character Interview (John Davies)
Perpetual Gardener, Writer, and Mormon-Book Spotlight
Rachel Rossano’s Words-Book Spotlight
Tuesday, May 24
God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae-Book Spotlight
PhreyPress-Book Spotlight, Guest Post, and Author Interview
Wednesday, May 25
Letters from Annie Douglass Lima-Book Spotlight and Excerpt
Writing About Life-Book Review
Frances Hoelsema-Book Spotlight and Excerpt
Zerina Blossom’s Books-Guest Post
Thursday, May 26
Stephany Tullis Blog-Character Interview (John Davies)
Ramblings-Guest Post
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections-Excerpt
Friday, May 27
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections-Giveaway Announcement
A new book is definitely an exciting announcement!
TheGladiator and the Guard is a unique type of story that takes place in a unique setting. Allow me to tell you a little about both.
This is the second book in the Krillonian Chronicles, the first one being The Collar and the Cavvarach. The stories take place in a world almost exactly like our own. Although most aspects of the culture are just about what they are currently on Earth, a few sports are different, such as the martial art known as cavvara shil. The main difference, however, is that slavery is legal there.
The Krillonian Empire rules much of the world. An emperor, who is never named, governs from the capital city, Krillonia, on the continent known as Imperia. Eight separate provinces (independent nations before they were conquered) can be found on nearby continents. Each province, plus Imperia, is allowed to elect its own legislature and decide on many of its own laws, but the emperor reserves the right to veto any of them and make changes as he sees fit. This seldom happens, however, and to most people the emperor is merely a vague and distant ceremonial figure.
The prevalence of slavery is probably what would stand out the most to visitors from Earth. There are nearly as many slaves in the city of Jarreon, where both books take place, as free people, and they are easily identified by the steel collars they are required to wear locked around their necks. From each collar hangs a tag inscribed with the slave’s name, their owner’s name, and a copy of their owner’s signature. On the back of the tag is their owner’s phone number and a bar code that can be scanned to access additional information.
Many families own one or more slaves who do their housework and yard work. Businesses often own a large number of slaves, usually for manual labor, though some are trained for more complex tasks. Those who don’t own their own slaves may “hire in” one belonging to someone else. The accepted rate for an hourly wage is two-thirds the amount that a free person would earn for equivalent labor (the money goes to the slave’s owner, of course).
To read more about the culture of the Krillonian Empire, take a look at this post on my blog.
And the blurb for The Gladiator and the Guard :
Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is just one victory away from freedom. But after he is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he is condemned to the violent life and early death of a gladiator. While his loved ones seek desperately for a way to rescue him, Bensin struggles to stay alive and forge an identity in an environment designed to strip it from him. When he infuriates the authorities with his choices, he knows he is running out of time. Can he stand against the cruelty of the arena system and seize his freedom before that system crushes him?
I’ve had the idea growing in my mind for the last few years. It started as just a picture of the setting and its culture: a world almost exactly like ours, but with legalized slavery. The main characters, Bensin (a 14-year-old slave at the time of the first book, and a martial artist) and Steene (his owner and coach) emerged gradually, along with the plot (Bensin’s struggle to protect and free his younger sister). It wasn’t until after the first book had been published that I thought of the ideas that eventually led to the second book.
As a child, I enjoyed C.S. Lewis, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Beverly Cleary, and Enid Blyton, among many others. As a teen, I grew to love Ray Bradbury, J.R.R. Tolkien, Stephen Lawhead, Fay Sampson, and Frank Peretti.
Imagine a big name author that you love is reading and raving about your book. Choose one of these reactions and explain why.
A. Freak out and shake all over.
B. Google everything you can find about your book and the author
C. Call everyone you know to share your excitement
D. Post immediately to Clean Indie Reads so your friends can freak out with you.
E. Begin to mentally compose a tweet to tell the world.
Definitely d. Probably a as well, but d for sure. Very few people I know in person would understand the true magnitude of such an event, but everyone in Clean Indie Reads see it as the momentous occasion it is and celebrate with me. That’s one of the many reasons I love that group!
It’s one of the reasons I love it too!
What is the Collar for, and What is a Cavvarach?
The story is set in a world very much like our own, with just a few major differences. One is that slavery is legal there. Slaves must wear metal collars that lock around their neck, making their enslaved status obvious to everyone. Any slave attempting to escape faces the dilemma of how and where to illegally get their collar removed (a crime punishable by enslavement for the remover).
Another difference is the popularity of a martial art called cavvara shil. It is fought with a cavvarach (rhymes with “have a rack”), a weapon similar to a sword but with a steel hook protruding from partway down its top edge. Competitors can strike at each other with their feet as well as with the blades. You win in one of two ways: disarming your opponent (hooking or knocking their cavvarach out of their hands) or pinning their shoulders to the mat for five seconds.
Click here to order The Gladiator and the Guard from Smashwords (for Nook or in other digital formats) for $2.99 a discounted price of just 99 cents through May 30th!
Annie Douglass Lima spent most of her childhood in Kenya and later graduated from Biola University in Southern California. She and her husband Floyd currently live in Taiwan, where she teaches fifth grade at Morrison Academy. She has been writing poetry, short stories, and novels sinceConnect with the Author Online:
Email: AnnieDouglassLima@gmail.com
