Tag Archives: YA series

Bookaholics Unite Giveaway ~ N. N. Light’s Book Heaven

02 Thursday May 2019

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The dictionary defines a bookaholic as “a prolific or a habitual reader; a compulsive book buyer.” That sounds a lot like me! How about you? We’re in luck because N. N. Light’s Book Heaven is giving away everything a booklover could want: books and book money. I’m one of the authors participating, and you could win an e-copy of The Cauldron Stirred, the first book in my YA paranormal fantasy series, plus autographed print copies by some of today’s bestselling authors.

If there’s a particular book or prize you’d like to win, be sure to say which one when you enter via Rafflecopter. Good luck!

Bookaholics Unite Giveaway: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92db775029

Literary Giveaway Portal: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/literary-giveaway-portal


In other news, I chose two winners of my Facebook birthday giveaway.  Congratulations again to Rita Wray and Pam Myrick!  🙂

A RONE Award nomination for THE STONE AWAKENED!

06 Saturday Apr 2019

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Good news! The Stone Awakened (the 2nd book in my Guardians of Erin young adult paranormal series) has been nominated for InD’Tale Magazine’s prestigious RONE Award! The week of April 15 – 21 is the reader voting phase of the award process, and if I receive enough votes, I’ll reach the actual judging phase.  Wouldn’t you know, I’ll be away on a mostly tech-free family vacation when the voting starts, but I’ll schedule a reminder post before I go.

If you’ve read and enjoyed the book, please consider voting for it. If you haven’t read it but would like to, comment below or send me a message on Facebook, and I’ll give you a free digital copy.  Just to be clear: you don’t have to vote for me to receive a copy.  But this way, anyone who does vote will have had the chance to read it.

Thanks in advance for your support.  Have a lovely weekend! 🙂

We have a winner!

09 Wednesday Jan 2019

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My recent giveaway for signed print copies of The Cauldron Stirred and The Stone Awakened has ended.  A million thanks to each and every one of the 682 entrants!  Alas–and to paraphrase a famous quote from the movie Highlander–there could be only one winner.

Congratulations to Jodi Hassel!  I’m sending the books on their merry way and hope you enjoy the story.  I’ll start writing The Sword Unsheathed, the third book in the Guardians of Erin series, next month.

Again, thank you to everyone who entered.  Hope you’ll check out my books, but whether or not you do, I’m wishing you a bright, beautiful 2019!

The Scoop on THE STONE AWAKENED (Guardians of Erin, Book Two)

03 Saturday Nov 2018

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I’m so excited for the upcoming release of The Stone Awakened, the second book in my young adult paranormal fantasy series, Guardians of Erin!  The release date will be December 19, 2018, just in time for Christmas, which is PERFECT because this second installment of the four-book story ends on Christmas Day.  And it’s now available for pre-order on Amazon!  Click here to grab your copy: https://www.amzn.com/B07K4Y7QV6

Here’s the scoop, but if you haven’t read the first book (The Cauldron Stirred), be warned:  there are a few spoilers!

Since moving to Ireland, Ashling Donoghue has tackled one challenge after another. Now the mystery of her parents’ disappearance seems unsolvable. Are they dead or only missing? No one—not even the godlike Breasals—has a clue. Hope and fear war inside her, but she’s determined to find answers and stay strong for her siblings. Even as she hones newfound powers, her banshee-in-training sister Deirdre needs her support.

Ashling could use a little help herself. She’s struggling to navigate her first romance, and while Aengus Breasal stirs her body, mind, and soul, his nemesis Lorcan does too. Both men harbor secrets about her past life as Caer. One has ties to Aoife, the scheming wind demon whose influence is on the rise.

As the Stone of Destiny awakens, so does the conflict within.

I can’t wait for you to read this continuation of the story!

An Interview with Christine Grabowski, Author of DICKENSEN ACADEMY

12 Wednesday Sep 2018

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I’m excited to have fellow young adult author Christine Grabowski with me today!  She lives in Washington State, one of my favorite places on earth.  We’re celebrating the release of her debut novel, Dickensen Academy.  So without further ado, let’s start the interview!

At what age did you write your first story? Age 44 (I had a lot of false starts as a kid.)

Which genre was the first to hook you? Middle grade, contemporary, e.g. think Judy Blume

What’s your favorite part of the writing process? Brainstorming? Research? Outlining? Writing? Editing? Editing. The blank page terrifies me, afraid I might not have any more ideas in my head.

I love editing too and do a whole lot of it before sending manuscripts to my editors! What are you working on now? A fairy-tale reimagining, loosely based on Sleeping Beauty. It is a YA contemporary suspense.

Ooh…that sounds intriguing! Of all the settings you’ve used (or created!) for your books, which is your favorite? The secluded evergreen forest surrounding the academy. It was almost like a character with its own changing personality. In some scenes, including cross country practices and the romantic walks with Ben, the focus was on its beauty. I’d describe how the sunlight danced through the trees or the whimsical nature of a chipmunk. In other scenes, the forest took on a creepier tone such as when Autumn and her friends examined the perimeter fence, and when she and Ben were caught in the forest after dark. To quote Autumn’s thoughts, “The setting sun cast long shadows from the tall evergreen trees. Here I was in a beautiful prison, trapped outside too. The surrounding forest hid an enormous, secure fence…”

Love it! I feel the same way about the setting in my Guardians of Erin series. Have you ever dreamed about a character you created? Yes. I dreamed that I was on the campus and was hanging out with a group of students. That’s when I felt Dickensen Academy had truly become a real place to me.

Wonderful! If you could have a conversation with anyone—dead or alive—who would it be? My grandmother

If you could travel to any time and place, when and where would that be? I’d go back to the ’80s and raise my kids with limited technology.

I’m trying to do that now with my kids! If you could step inside any book or series and live there for a week, which would you choose? I’d love to go to Hogwarts. I have no desire to fight Voldemort but would love to learn a few spells and fly around on a broomstick.

I’d be right there with you! Now, it’s time to learn some of your favorites.

Sound: A Mourning Dove

Eye color: Blue

Foreign language (whether or not you speak it!): French

Song: “I Will Survive”

Book: Gone with the Wind

Movie: Titanic

TV show: Grey’s Anatomy

Cuisine: Mexican

Cookie: Chocolate Chip

US location: Maui

Foreign location: Paris

And finally, list your preference from the following choices:

Tea or coffee? Coffee

Cake or pie? Cake

Halloween or Christmas? Christmas

Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes? Nancy Drew

Jane Austen or the Brontë sisters? Jane Austen

A mortal, vampire, ghost, or fae for a lover? Vampire

English gent, Scottish highlander, European count, or all-American guy? All-American guy

Thanks so much for joining me today, Christine! And now, here’s the scoop on Dickensen Academy:

Dickensen Academy isn’t a typical boarding school. The faculty is hiding an unbelievable secret within their fine arts program. When Autumn Mattison receives an invitation to attend the high school, she yearns to escape her overbearing father yet remains reluctant to leave her mother and brother. Her doubts fade away when a vivid dream convinces her she belongs there.

Away from home, Autumn discovers a unique school environment that awakens her creative potential, and her new friends become like a second family. However, as she uncovers more about the dark side of the school and struggles with its curriculum, she questions whether Dickensen Academy is truly where she belongs.

When tragedy strikes, Autumn must learn to believe in her own power and stand up to her greatest fear or risk having her memories destroyed to protect the school’s secrets. Caught between secrets and dreams, can she find her true self?

Here’s a peek inside the pages:

“I feel like there’s something big we don’t know about. Something those students were protecting. I mean, really, why are we here?”

I thought it was just me who was confused. “Well…the recruiters said we’re creative and focused.”

“Yeah, that’s what Principal Locke said too.”

“And we have the right personality.”

Ben looked up at the sky, sighed then turned toward the forest. “What did he say…something about how it will soon become clear why we’re here, and there’s some ultimate purpose for our creativity?”

“I know. That whole creativity part was a bit bizarre.”

He shrugged. “It seems everyone is going with the flow. But I have so many questions.” Then he touched my arm to stop me, so I turned toward him. “I’m thinking they’re isolating us for some special reason,” he admitted in an embarrassed tone.

I tried not to laugh—he was acting paranoid. But I didn’t know Ben well. Maybe he was joking, trying to freak me out. Or was he hitting on me? The flutter in my chest moved to my stomach. I was already anxious about being away from home and whether or not I could hack the academics. I didn’t need to obsess about anything else. But I still had to know about Ben’s dream.

“So…I also had a dream about Dickensen before I accepted the offer.”

Ben’s head snapped toward me. “You did?”

A bit more about Christine:

Dickensen Academy is Christine’s debut YA novel. After graduating from the University of Washington, she earned her MBA at the University at Albany. She honed her technical writing skills in marketing and consulting but attributes the creative part of the process to her passion for reading.

When she isn’t reading or writing, Christine can often be found running, skiing, or hiking. She lives in Newcastle, Washington, with her supportive husband, two avid teen readers, and their energetic wheaten terriers.

Where you can find her and her books:

Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dickensen-academy-map-success/dp/B07G71747S

https://amzn.to/2P0qMGC

Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dickensen-academy-christine-grabowski/1129315140?ean=9781509221233

The Wild Rose Press
https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/6044-dickensen-academy.html

Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41065431-dickensen-academy

A Holiday Gift for One Reader

13 Wednesday Dec 2017

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Hi, all!  I’m doing another giveaway on Goodreads.  This time, it’s a signed copy of my young adult paranormal fantasy, The Cauldron Stirred.  It’s the first book in my Guardians of Erin series, which takes place on the beautiful Emerald Isle.  I’m currently writing the second book, The Stone Awakened.  There will be four books in all.

If you love Ireland as much as I do, you might want to check it out.  The giveaway runs through December 28, 2017, so be sure to enter.  Good luck!

Phantasmic Friday ~ Week Three

20 Friday Oct 2017

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Welcome back to Phantasmic Friday! Here in Salem, Massachusetts, “Haunted Happenings”–our month-long celebration of Halloween–is in full swing. I doubt Salem’s founder, Roger Conant (pictured above, in front of the Salem Witch Museum) would approve, but those of us who love Halloween and/or the paranormal have a lot of fun! In that spirit, let’s journey back to my college years for today’s true story.

As an undergraduate, I studied one semester in London. I dove into life in that venerable city and bonded right away with my two roommates. We and our fellow students lived in a Victorian hotel in South Kensington, which also provided classrooms and a baptism-by-fire acquaintance with English plumbing.

The bathroom adjoining our room was a boon, but it was also the lair of the “toilet monster.” Out of the blue, said toilet emitted thunderous, tortured gurgles that begged our attention day and night. During the day, the toilet monster was harmless; at worst, a disturber of the peace. At night, it creeped out the roommate who slept closest to it and often wrenched me from my dreams. Or perhaps there was another culprit.

Once awake, I sat up in bed and squinted into the darkness. Someone unseen watched us. The presence was male, and I sensed he’d lived in an earlier time, closer to when the hotel was built. Sometimes he stood in our room, most often at the foot of my bed or near the bathroom; other times, he lurked just outside the door. His location was as clear to me as if I’d seen it.

Halfway through the semester, another student—who had no idea what I’d experienced and whose room was directly across the hall from ours— shared his own encounter. He woke in the middle of the night to find a 19th-century soldier standing at the foot of his bed, staring at him.

I was certain our neighbor saw what I’d repeatedly sensed. Intrigued, I researched the street where we lived. A few doors down, in 1926, one of England’s first paranormal investigators established the National Library of Psychical Research, where mediums were scientifically tested during numerous séances. Closer still was the home of a 19th-century lieutenant colonel who died under suspicious circumstances.

Did activities in the ghost hunter’s lab become a beacon for stray souls? Was the soldier one of them? Perhaps it was he who wandered the halls—and our rooms—as we slept.

In my YA paranormal fantasy, The Cauldron Stirred, the protagonist’s father is a paranormal investigator (in this century, though!). His family joins in the hunt for Irish ghosts in the ruins of a medieval castle and on the shores of Lough Leane. The story’s climax occurs on Halloween to boot!  🙂 If that sounds like something “up your alley,” check it out!

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Phantasmic Friday ~ Week One

06 Friday Oct 2017

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October has arrived!  It’s my favorite month for so many reasons:  the glory of autumn, the magic of Halloween, my wedding anniversary, etc.  I could go on and on but instead, I’m instituting “Phantasmic Friday” for the entire month.  Over the next four Fridays, I’ll share brushes with the supernatural I’ve been fortunate to experience.  One occurred when I was six years old.

On the night in question, I woke with a start. I lay nestled against a white, life-size teddy bear, so my vision was limited to a patch of faux fur illuminated by the nightlight’s glow. I couldn’t see a change in my world, but I could sense it.

Something was off.

The next instant, I heard confirmation. Slow footsteps clunked down the hall toward my bedroom, crossed the threshold, approached my bed, and halted beside it.

My ears pricked up. Every hair stood on end. Somehow, I knew the presence was an adult male; I also knew it wasn’t my father. I lay still as a board, feigning sleep, hoping the man would go away. Yet he remained poised at the left side of my bed.

Swallowed by a deafening silence—and partly, by my stifling, stuffed bear—I began to sweat. I waited for another movement, another sound, anything to help me gauge my visitor’s intent.

Nearly ten minutes of stress, heat, and uncertainty reigned before action’s inevitable coup. It was my bed and my room. I would confront the man and stake my claim. Will and courage surged within me, and I flung myself up and around to face…

Nothing. Diddly-squat.

I scanned the room, analyzing storybooks, dolls, and the familiar landscape of furniture. I frowned, for the atmosphere was still thick with something other than Florida’s trademark humidity.  Beyond the open door stretched the dim hallway.

“Is anyone there?” I called.

Dead silence. (Pun intended.)

At length, the air thinned. I shrugged and snuggled back under the covers and into the bear. I took a deep breath and expelled it with a smile.

Tired and craving sleep, my eyes closed. Then they shot open. Distinct, measured footfalls tracked out the door and disappeared down the hall.

Now, years later, I understand the event better. In the field of paranormal investigation, there are two types of haunting: intelligent and residual. With an intelligent haunting, the entity is aware of your presence and may try to communicate. A residual haunting is more like a recording—of energy and event—which replays itself again and again, and the entity involved is unaware it has company.

My first ghostly encounter seems to fall under the second category. The unexpected footsteps sounded like hard-soled shoes tramping on wood. Our house, built in the 1940s, did have wooden floors, but they were carpeted at the time of the event. The previous owners of the house were an elderly couple who preferred separate bedrooms, and guess which one used mine: the man. (I knew none of this at the time, though.)

He and I shared the same space in different times and should’ve been oblivious to one another. But could it be, when conditions are just right, two such individuals can perceive one another’s presence?

If linear time is an illusion, as many believe it to be, this type of awareness might occur more often than we suspect. Who knows? I might even have sensed a man who would occupy my bedroom in the future. In any case, I know what I felt and heard, and from that point on, my interest in the supernatural was as fervent as it was fixed.

If you’re as drawn to the paranormal as I (and/or it’s drawn to you!) you might enjoy The Cauldron Stirred, the first book in my Guardians of Erin series. I’m currently writing Book Two, The Stone Awakened. Happy October, everyone!

 

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I’m a guest on Sorchia’s Universe!

26 Tuesday Sep 2017

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Today, author Sorchia DuBois is hosting me on her magnificent blog, Sorchia’s Universe.  “Novel Magic” is the focus, and I’m talking about the inspiration for my latest novel, The Cauldron Stirred, and my love affair with Ireland.  There’s also an excerpt (featured nowhere else) which hints at the magic and mystery to be found within the pages of this first Guardians of Erin book and the three to come.

Join us if you have a moment.  Here’s the link:  https://wp.me/p6fSsM-YD

See you there!