Category: Fantasy

The Grimm Chronicles Blog Tour

Posted on by writermike in Fantasy, grimm brothers, Kim Broskin, Michael Young, The Grimm Chornicles, Young adult books
Tour Schedule

The Grimm Chronicles Volume 2

200 years ago, the Brothers Grimm changed everything.

With the help of a little magic, fairy tales were made real, manifesting all over the world. Charming princes. Gold-hunting dwarfs. Terrible step-mothers. Heroic animals.

Then, slowly, they began to change. Everyone—from Prince Charming to the old miller—grew more evil. Corrupted. A hero was chosen to stop them, hunting them down one by one and destroying them with the help of a magic pen and a special rabbit assistant.

For 200 years, the hero’s magic pen has been passed on from generation to generation. The newest hero is Alice Goodenough, an 18-year-old junior from Washington High School. While her friends spent their summer working and having fun, Alice found herself doing battle with creatures most human beings don’t even realize exist. A giant snake. A blood-sucking prince. A terrifying half-man, half-hedgehog. Dastardly dwarfs intent on mind-controlling everyone who uses a cell phone.

Now, senior year has begun. With it comes a new challenge at school, where bullies have grown bolder and classes more challenging. As if that’s not enough, Alice must face off against a collection of Corrupted who all share a terrible secret, one that might awaken a creature capable of doing untold damage. To uncover the secret, Alice will have to face off against a man-eating lizard, a bloodthirsty sea captain, and a mysterious wizard who can see into the future …

This book contains:

Episode four: The Orphanage of Doom
Episode five: Blood and Thunder
Episode six: The Order of the Golden Dragon

Bonus material:
The Lost Journal of Eugene Washington
Assorted fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm
A Legacy of Red

The Grimm Chronicles Volume 1

This book contains the first 3 episodes of the critically acclaimed series:
Episode 1: Prince Charming Must Die!
Episode 2: Happily Never After
Episode 3: Revenge of the Castle Cats

The Grimm Chronicles is intended for Young Adults aged 13 and up. The goal is to provide Young Adult readers with a strong, charismatic young woman in the role of the hero and provide readers with a positive protagonist who uses her brain to overcome obstacles life throws in her way.





Praise

“5 stars!” ~ Bookies Book Blog

“Highly recommended for all who love fairy tales and the YA genre.” ~ My Cozie Corner

“All in all the books were excellent.” ~ LilyElement

“If you love fairy tales and them being turned into modern day stories you will love these short stories.” ~ Mom With a Kindle

5 stars (out of 5) ~ I Am, Indeed

“Isabella Fontaine and Ken Brosky’s incredible talent for storytelling takes the reader on an amazing action-packed ride fueled by endless creativity and limitless imagination. TGC is like a high-stakes version of Harold and the Purple Crayon meets a contemporary, above ground Alice in Wonderland. “ ~ Bookfetish

“I absolutely loved this book! No, let me rephrase that, I FREAKING LOVE THIS BOOK! Nope, that doesn’t even do it justice. Vol. 1 has the first three stories from the 12 that will ultimately make up the chronicles.” ~ Jesse Kimmel-Freeman

Purchase:
The Grimm Chronicles: Volume 1
Book 1: Prince Charming Must Die!
Book 2: Happily Never After
Book 3: Revenge of the Castle Cats

The Grimm Chronicles: Volume 2

Book 4: The Orphanage of Doom
Book 5: Blood and Thunder
Book 6: The Order of the Golden Dragon

About the Authors
Ken Brosky received his MFA in fiction writing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He also teaches English at Madison College. This is his first Young Adult series.

Isabella Fontaine owns a farm in Wisconsin and enjoys reading weird books like House of Leaves. This is her first Young Adult series.

Tour Giveaway
5 Kindle ebook copies of The Grimm Chronicles Volume 2
Ends 4/11/13

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Matt Archer Book Blast

Posted on by writermike in Blade's Edge, Book Blast, Fantasy, Kendra C. Highley, Matt Archer, monsters, supernatural books

Matt Archer: Blade’s Edge

When Matt Archer was fourteen, he discovered monsters are real. As if that wasn’t enough to go on for a few decades, Matt also found out that he’d been chosen to hunt those monsters–with a sentient, supernatural knife. Now fifteen, Matt has spent the last year working with a clandestine military unit, trying to rid the world of monsters, demons and other vicious creatures, all while keeping it a secret from nearly everyone he knows back home in Billings.

Including his mom.

Add in a new girlfriend, family secrets, sibling drama and enough homework to sink an aircraft carrier, and Matt’s life has become more complicated than he ever imagined. Worse, the knife has developed some very definite opinions about Matt’s personal life and it interferes in his business whenever it wants. More and more, Matt’s coming to realize that sharing brain-space with a spirit kind of sucks.

When stories of decimated towns and hordes of zombies start pouring into the Pentagon from Afghanistan, Matt knows he’ll be called up soon. Between the new mission and the knife’s increasing control over his mind, Matt wonders if he’ll survive long enough to take his driver’s exam.

Review Quotes for Matt Archer: Blade’s Edge

“Blade’s Edge is an exciting continuation of the Matt Archer series. Kendra Highley did not fall victim to the sophomore funk. She has written an emotional and power story about Matt’s horrific journey to rid the world of monsters.” –Kinx’s Book Nook (Amazon)

“I enjoyed Matt Archer: Monster Hunter to the point I was picking it up every time I had spare moments (which are few in my home), but MA: Blade’s Edge has blown me away! Ms. Highley has crafted a story that comes to life with vivid images, exciting adventures, and thrilling mishaps that add a touch of humor (driving test, anyone?)” –Kelly C. (Amazon)

“”Matt Archer Blade’s Edge” more than delivers what a reader wants from a sequel. The tension and action are taken up a level, as are the mysteries and plot developments.
Best of all, you feel the time passing from book to book and see the characters really grow and change.” –Picky Reviewer (Amazon)

“The Matt Archer books are the best young adult books I’ve read since I was a young adult! Think Supernatural for a younger audience, but better. I’ll be ordering paper copies for my Favorites shelf. Not to be missed!” Sarah G. (Amazon)

Buy Links for Blade’s Edge:

Matt Archer: Monster Hunter

Fourteen-year-old Matt Archer spends his days studying Algebra, hanging out with his best friend and crushing on the Goddess of Greenhill High, Ella Mitchell. To be honest, he thinks his life is pretty lame until he discovers something terrifying on a weekend camping trip at the local state park.

Monsters are real. And living in his backyard.

But that’s not the half of it. After Matt is forced to kill a strange creature to save his uncle, he finds out that the weird knife he took from his uncle’s bag has a secret, one that will change Matt’s life. The knife was designed with one purpose: to hunt monsters. And it’s chosen Matt as its wielder.

Now Matt’s part of a world he didn’t know existed, working with a covert military unit dedicated to eliminating walking nightmares. Faced with a prophecy about a looming dark war, Matt soon realizes his upcoming Algebra test is the least of his worries.

His new double life leaves Matt wondering which is tougher: hunting monsters or asking Ella Mitchell for a date?

Review quotes for Matt Archer: Monster Hunter:

“Terrific page turner; I stayed up half the night reading it, and now I can’t wait for the next installment.”  –Amelia Anne (Goodreads)

“The action is quick-paced, abundant and so much fun!!! I can’t get over just how awesome of a read this book is; I can’t wait for more!!!” –Danielle S. (Goodreads)

“I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun reading a book. The eponymous narrator is a very likable and believable hero, the world is rich and detailed….
It has been a long time since I was a teenager, but I’m pretty sure that this book would appeal to an audience of all ages.” — Misha B. (Goodreads)

“The action doesn’t stop. Seriously! I was up until after 1am because I couldn’t put it down!” –Riamachia (Amazon)

“It’s funny – I thought I was too old for YA stories, and then I realised that I was just looking for the right kind of stories to hold my interest. This is one of those. If you’re looking for vampires or angels or similar things that tend to make up YA novels at the moment, you won’t find that here – you will, however, find something a bit more awesome.” –Sweartoad (Amazon)


Buy Links for Matt Archer: Monster Hunter:

Author Kendra C. Highley

Kendra C. Highley lives in north Texas with her husband and two children. She also serves as staff to two self-important and high-powered cats. This, according to the cats, is her most important job. She believes chocolate is a basic human right, running a 10k is harder than it sounds, and that everyone should learn to drive a stick-shift. She loves monsters, vacations, baking and listening to bad electronica.

Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 3/2413

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Canticle Prelude Kickoff Contest

Posted on by writermike in BigWorldNetwork, books about music, Contest, Fantasy, Michael Young, prequel, The Canticle Kingdom, The Canticle Prelude, Young adult books

How would you like to read the complete compilation of The Canticle Prelude? It includes all the serial chapters from the series “Canticle of Night”, “Canticle of Dawn” and “Canticle of Twilight”. It is a great read to start before you read “The Canticle Kingdom” or even after you have. This compilation includes a bonus chapter linking the serial stories and the novel previously unreleased, as well as the sheet music for piano of the song that the music box plays, which I also wrote.

Head over to the BigWorldNetwork.com site for more details:
http://bigworldnetwork.com/site/contests/

Guardians Inc Book Blast

Posted on by writermike in Book Blast, books, Fantasy, Guardians Inc, Michael Young, Science Fiction, writing

GUARDIANS INC.: THE CYPHER

A chance reading of a newspaper ad will send 16 year old Thomas Byrne into the world within our world.

Following the ad he will find Guardians Incorporated. A seven thousand year old organization charged with protecting the balance between Magic and technology.

Through their guidance, technology has kept Magic at bay since the Renaissance, but the balance is shifting and soon all those creatures we’ve driven into myth and legend will come back with a vengeance.

To protect the present, Guardians Incorporated needs to know the future and to unlock the future
they need a Cypher.


Book Trailer
Guardians Inc.: The Cypher is FREE on Kindle, Nook & iBooks

Praise
USA Book News 2012 Finalist -Young Adult Fiction

“Rosado-Machain brings a light, humorous touch to themes of teenage love, loss and betrayal wrapped up in a tasty package of magical coming-of-age.”
~Kirkus Reviews

“It’s like Julian Rosado-Machain took everything that I love about middle grade children’s fiction and slammed it into one awesome, well-paced fantasy”
~Emi London Oktopusink.blogspot.com

“The Cypher hooked me from the beginning. And kept my attention right through to the very end.”
– Heidi Roth reviewthebook.com

Get Your Copy for FREE

Author Julian Rosado-Machain

Julian has enjoyed pizza in three continents, holds a degree in graphic design, built armored vehicles and computers, handcrafted alebrijes and swears has seen at least one ghost.

He is the Co-owner of Hacienda de Vega Restaurant in San Diego, California and enjoys the sun with his wife, three children and cat.


Book Blast Giveaway
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 3/13/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jack Templar: Monster Hunter Book Blast

Posted on by writermike in Book Blast, Fantasy, Jack Templar: Monster Hunter, young adult

Jack Templar: Monster Hunter

Orphan Jack Templar has no memory of his parents and only the smallest details from his Aunt Sophie about how they died. The day before Jack’s fourteenth birthday, things start to change for him. At first it’s great: A sudden new strength helps him defend his nose-picking friend “T-Rex” from the school bully, and even his crush, Cindy Adams, takes notice. But then a mysterious girl named Eva arrives and tells him two facts that will change his life forever. First, that he’s the descendent of a long line of monster hunters and he’s destined to be in the family business. Second, that there’s a truce between man and monster that children are off-limits…until their fourteenth birthday! Jack has only one day before hundreds of monsters will descend on his little town of Sunnyvale and try to kill him.

As if that weren’t enough, things get even more complicated when Jack discovers that the Lord of the Creach (as the monsters are collectively known) holds a personal grudge against him and will do anything to see that Jack has a slow and painful death. To stay alive and save his friends, Jack will have to battle werewolves, vampires, harpies, trolls, zombies and more. But perhaps the most dangerous thing he must face is the truth about his past. Why do the other hunters call him the last Templar? Why do they whisper that he may be the “One?” Why do the monsters want him dead so badly? Even as these questions plague him, he quickly discovers survival is his new full-time job and that in the world of monster hunters, nothing is really what it seems.

Author Jeff Gunhus

Jeff Gunhus grew up in Cyprus, Greece, and Saudi Arabia where there was a distinct lack of television. He quickly found books were the gateway to incredible adventures, fascinating characters and unbelievable discoveries. Now, with five children of his own (all who watch too much television, in his opinion), he has enjoyed revisiting his old books and reliving those adventures all over again.

Kirkus Reviews

“Gunhus brings young readers a monster-filled romp to read at their own risk. In the first few pages, Jack, the storyteller and main character, warns readers not to read about these real-world monsters that would seem to only exist in fiction. The tone is set–sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek and likable; rooting for Jack is easy…Gunhus masterfully introduces fully realized characters with whom readers can connect almost instantly. The pacing is quick but not rushed, and events seamlessly progress, complete with action, cliff-hangers and surprise reveals. “

Amazon Reviews

Watch out Percy Jackson here comes Jack Templar
Move over Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, there’s a new kid in town – Jack Templar, and he will take you on a wonderful adventure of good vs evil, with friends and enemies at every turn. The twists and turns keep the reader on a roller coaster of entertainment in the way of JK Rowling and Rick Riordan. ~ Penny Brein

Fast paced adventure through and through
Written for middle school aged students, this book is action-packed from the beginning and will hold the attention of young readers. Not only that, as an adult reader, it was hard to put down, so parents will enjoy it as an easy read. ~ bluejellybean

Kids will love it!
Not only will kids love it, adults will too! I don’t want to give the plot away but this is a book worth reading. This book is creatively written drawing in the reader to be a participant in the story. There is lots of action with enough blood and guts to be interesting without being gross. Girls will like it too with the strong female role models and the hint of romance. Even though this is a children’s book, I couldn’t put it down. I will definitely be adding this to my classroom library. I am looking forward to reading the book in this series and sharing it with my students. Awesome book! ~ pixiep

Purchase

Book Trailer

WARNING

Yeah, you read it right. I’m a monster hunter. Back before I actually became one, I would have thought that sounded totally awesome. And don’t get me wrong, in a lot of ways it is. But most of the time, I’m either running for my life or hiding in the shadows, praying the monster chasing me doesn’t pick up my scent. And I’m almost always scared to death. In a few pages, I think you’ll see why.
     But there are a few things I need to warn you about before I tell you my story.
     First, this isn’t a cartoon. These are bloodthirsty creatures who will stop at nothing to kill. They are scary. Very scary. Second, the only way to stop them is to kill them first…and that gets gross and messy. Third, this is all real.
     You think I’m kidding, don’t you? I can almost see you smirking as you read this. But this isn’t a joke. Monsters are real and the story I’m about to tell you really happened. If you’d rather walk through life believing that monsters are only found in books or on the movie screen, then you should shut this book right now and go do something else.
     I give you these warnings because the story I’m about to tell you isn’t for everyone. Not everyone can handle it. The blood. The gore. The monsters.
     This life was thrust onto me. I had no choice but to take up a sword and fight. But you can still walk away and pretend this dark world doesn’t exist. Or you can walk through the door that I’m about to open and find out the truth about the world around you.
     But I warn you (and this is a big warning), if you read this book, if you learn about the monsters that roam among us and the hunters who fight them, if you decide to learn the truth, then you will become fair game for the monsters to chase.
     Make sure you understand what I’m saying.
     If you read this book, you will be part of this world and the monsters will come after you too. You will start to see things that no other humans can see. The shadows will move when you walk near them. The creatures of the night will seek you out, testing the doors and windows of your house, looking for a way in.
     And, at some point, they will find you, just like they found me, and you will be forced to defend yourself.
     So, think carefully before you turn the page, because once you do, there’s no turning back.
     Ever.
     Once a monster hunter, always a monster hunter.
     See you on the other side.
     If you’re brave enough.

Tour Schedule

Book Blast $50 Giveaway
Ends 2/15/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Kindling by Braden Bell

Posted on by writermike in Braden Bell, Fantasy, fiction, Middle Grade, the Kindling



My friend Braden Bell just came out with a great new contemporary fantasy called The Kindling. It’s highly-imaginative and enjoyable from beginning to end. Here you can read all about it: 
Homework? Of course. Crushes? Sure. But who knew seventh grade included superpowers?
 Loud shrieks sliced the air, followed by the smell of burning cloth. Conner looked over in time to see Geoffrey jumping up and down, yelling and shrieking. Smoke poured from the seat of his shorts while blue and yellow sparks snap-crackle-and-popped all around the heater.
All thirteen-year-old Connor Dell wants to do is pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens. He didn’t mean to set anyone’s gym shorts on fire or make school lunches explode. But now that the strange powers inside him have been ignited, Connor’s normal teenage life is about to go up in flames!
 This fast-paced novel is non-stop fun for kids and parents alike. With characters you can’t help but root for, a plot that keeps you guessing, and plenty of humor, it’s a guaranteed thrill ride from cover to cover!
Here are some links to learn more about Braden and his book: 
www.thekindlingbook.com
 Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13640908-the-kindling
And here’s a link to buy it: 
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Middle-School-Magic-The-Kindling/dp/1462110274/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337270199&sr=8-1

New Features and Book Review: The Hidden Sun by J. Lloyd Morgan

Posted on by writermike in Book review, Fantasy, J Lloyd Morgan, Michael D Young, New features, The Hidden Sun

New Features on my Blog
Now that I have a few more followers, I wanted to add a little more structure to how my blog posts run. I’m going to try going to the twice a week posting schedule, once on Mondays and once on Thursdays.  On Mondays, I will run a personal post about writing trends, the craft of writing, etc. On Mondays, I will also give an update on what I’m working on that week.  On Thursday, I will run a feature, such as a book post, a website review, etc.  If something really great happens in between, I’ll post about then whenever.

I’d like to start off this schedule with a book review of “The Hidden Sun” by J. Lloyd Morgan.
(Note: I’m trying out a new review format. My reviews will have two sections: What I Liked as a Reader and What I Learned as a Writer.  For the first part, I’ll put on my reader’s hat (a nice casual panama hat) and give a traditional review about what I thought of the book. In the second section, I’ll put on my writer’s hat (a dapper top hat) and will talk about what I noticed either good and/or bad that we all can learn from.

What I Liked as a Reader

The first thing that impressed me about “The Hidden Sun” was that it walks a path that few books these days do: it has a medieval setting, but does not rely on fantastical elements to tell the story. “The Hidden Story” is a wonderful story of political intrigue and family legacy.  I genuinely cared about the characters and the action kept me hooked on the story. 
The reader might find the names a little difficult, but the author has provided a helpful pronunciation guide at the beginning to help you out. When reading, be sure to keep the characters straight as the story sometimes jumps around quickly from one character’s story to another.
One thing I noticed about the names was the theme of sunlight throughout the book, which is reflected both in the actual weather and in the names of the characters.  I can’t say much about the names without giving the plot away, but I feel that this was elegantly done and added both depth and beauty to the story.
“The Hidden Sun” was just released in its second edition, with a beautiful new cover.  It will be continued with “The Waxing Moon”, another exciting installment in the story. 

What I Learned as a Writer
Sometimes the best way to draw the reader in is to do something a bit unexpected.  When I saw the medieval setting, I thought “Where’s the wizard?” and “There are bound to be some elves showing up any time now.” Instead, it read a lot more like historical fiction, which I also really love, and instead focused on the political intrigue and family legacy. That resulted in a satisfying read.
You can order the book by following this link: (Make sure that you get the book with the new cover that matches the one at the beginning of this post.  That’s the newest edition.) http://stores.handcartsinthevalleybookstore.com/-strse-1304/The-Hidden-Sun-by/Detail.bok
You can also visit Jason online at: http://jlloydmorgan.com/

Blog Tour Day 7: Review by Lisa Bookworm

Posted on by writermike in Blog Tour, Book review, Fantasy, Immersing Yourself, Lisa Faber, Michael D Young, The Canticle Kingdom, The Last Archangel, Tristi Pinkston, Young Adult Fiction
Latest Post: Enjoy a great review by Lisa Faber.  I got a kick out of the end of the post where she says that she realized that she already had “The Canticle Kingdom” sitting on her booshelf and she wants to read it right away after reading “The Last Archangel”.  I’m also on author Tristi Pinkston’s blog today with a guest post about gaining creative inspiration through immersing yourself in good art. Also don’t forget to enter the blog tour giveaway.
_________________________________________
July 6th: Review from Lisabookworm
http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/2011/07/blog-tour-of-last-archangel-by-michael.html


and


Guest Post at Tristi Pinkston’s Blog: 
http://networkedblogs.com/k3Ebd
_________________________________________
July 5th: Interview with Eden: http://www.joramsey.com/?p=690

and

Guest Post: http://thereadingfever.blogspot.com/2011/07/writing-certified-fresh-fantasy-guest.html

July 4th: Giveaway at: http://jenbigheart.blogspot.com/2011/06/freedom-giveaway-blog-hop.html
And

Interview at: http://wp.me/p18Ztn-m4
July 3rd: My Life in a Laptop: The Last Archangel by Michael Young
July 2nd: http://fayeflamereviews.blogspot.com/
And

http://jlloydmorgan.blogspot.com/2011/07/review-of-last-archangel-by-michael.html
July 1st: http://franklewiscole.blogspot.com/2011/06/book-review-of-last-archangel.html
J
une 30th: http://habeyondworlds.com/2011/06/welcome-michael-young/

The Fourth Nephite: Time Travel Minus the Tennis Shoes

Posted on by writermike in Fantasy, Jeffery S Savage, Joseph Smith, LDS Literature, The Fourth Nephite, Time Travel

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thecant-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003V2CKG6&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr

I have always been a fan of literature that transports the reader into past.  I grew up listening to Chris Heimerdinger on family road trips and liked the idea of having modern characters put in ancient settings and vice versa.  It is simply fun to see how the characters react to their strange surroundings.  “The Fourth Nephite” takes the reader back to Palmyra, New York in the early 1800s around some of the events that happened to Joseph Smith and his family. 

The author did several things that made this especially enjoyable.  First, he included a number of historical instances, places, names, people, etc, which are probably much more than the average reader would have come knowing about.  Secondly, he includes a reader’s guide at the end so that the reader can enjoy and learn from these historical elements.
I also appreciate that the historical figures were portrayed tastefully.  In the case of Joseph Smith, much of his dialogue was taken from actual accounts of words that he spoke, sprinkled in with enough artistic license to keep it from sounding wooden. 

The author manages to tell an inspiring tale, without getting too preachy and the characters are likeable and the plot quick.  The author leaves quite a bit unexplained, pointing to the fact that he is going to draw the story out into a series.  If they are put together like the first one, it should be an adventure to look forward to.    

Author Spotlight: Richard Bradford

Posted on by writermike in Author Interview, Author Spotlight, Fantasy, Richard Bradford, Seventh Earth
This month, I am featuring Texas author Richard Bradford.  We met while doing a signing together at the BYU Bookstore earlier this year.  His debut novel, “Seventh Earth” was selling like crazy and looks like a great read!  I plan on getting my hands on a copy soon myself.  
.      

W  What inspired you to become a writer? 
– I first fell in love with writing when I took a creative writing class my senior year of high school. Previous to that I really had no interest in writing. However, once I was given the freedom to let loose and allow my creative juices to flow, I realized that I loved writing. Writing allowed me this unique chance to express myself and escape into new fantastic worlds. I find an inexplicable amount of satisfaction in writing.
2.      Do you do any other type of writing besides novel writing?  
—   I am in the process of writing several short stories, the first of which I am entering in an upcoming contest. I prefer writing novels, but sometimes I get the urge to write from ideas that just aren’t expansive enough to fill hundreds pages. In those cases I often craft the ideas into short stories. My plan is to have a section on my website that I can display my short stories along with short story submissions from other authors and readers.
3.      How do you deal with rejection? What advice would you give others? 
R   Rejection is never easy. I think rejection is one of the most difficult things about being a new writer. But any writer looking to be published needs to understand that no matter how good your story may be, no matter how perfectly written your novel is, there are going to be rejections. And you also need to understand that a rejection is not necessarily a reflection of your work. My advice to writers in dealing with rejection is not to give up. If you are passionate about writing then find a way. Don’t allow some snooty New York agent with a Masters in English Lit, who spends their Tuesday mornings sipping cappuccino in the Village decide your fate as a writer. Find a way to make it happen. Start a blog, go to publisher’s conferences, join writer’s groups, write short stories you can submit to contests or share online, network with other authors, self publish your book. Just find a way to make it happen and then write a book on all the hoops you had to jump through to make it happen. My point is, don’t give up on your dream and don’t let someone else decide your fate for you. There are too many wonderful books out there that never made it to print because some agent said ‘no’ and some author believed them.
4.      As an author how do you interact with the community? 
   I  I spend quite a bit of my spare time interacting with my community. I think this is an important part about being an  author, as you get a chance to help other writers and get your name out among readers. I have put on several free creative writing workshops for both kids and adults through the local public libraries. These workshops are fairly easy to put on and are quite a bit of fun for myself and the attendees. I love sharing my writing experiences with others and helping them to develop their writing.  I have also had the privilege of speaking at several local high schools. I find that English teachers and the librarians at the schools are usually more than happy to have an author come and speak. I have done these for groups as small as 10 and as large as several hundred.    
5.      What is your revision process like? Do you do most of it yourself, or do you enlist many others?
      My revision process starts with my wife. Luckily I have a wife who is an avid reader of the genre I write in. She is great at helping me figure out areas that need more polishing or areas where the story is lagging. She is great at giving me that first level of review that I can use to begin my revision process. Another revision trick that I have found is to use college students majoring in English. These students will look over your work, give you great advice and come cheap. These students often look at this as a resume builder so they will often review your work for a fraction of the price of a professional editor. You can find these students by reaching out to English professors at a local college, putting up flyers on campus, putting an ad online or by placing an ad in the school’s paper.   
6.      Do have an ideal writing environment? 
      I do have an ideal writing environment. But my ideal environment changes based upon what I am writing. I am the type of writer that likes to try and feel the same emotions and experience the same thing my characters feel. This can be hard when you are writing sci-fi or fantasy but it can be done. For example, if I am writing a scene that takes place in a forest, I like to take my laptop and head out to the woods. This allows me to experience firsthand the sound of the birds, the feel of the grass on my feet or the texture of the bark on the trees. If I am writing something dark and mysterious I will turn out the lights in the house and crawl into a dark corner and write. Whatever it is that I am writing, my ideal environment is to take myself as close both mentally and physically as possible to what I am writing about. I think this helps bring legitimacy and believability to my writing. I want my readers to feel like they are there, to be able to picture the trees, feel the wind on their face, hear the sounds of the waves crashing against the jagged rocks. 
7.      Do you like to follow trends when you write, or do you think it’s best not to “jump on the bandwagon?” 
      I don’t like to think of myself as a follower of trends. For example, I tried to stay as far away from vampires and werewolves in my book, Seventh Earth, as possible. There is a certain satisfaction that I think can be gained by finding and developing relatively unique ideas. I also think that it can bring more credibility to you as a writer if you’re not perceived as a trend follower.    
8.      What advice can you give new authors about the business end of being an author? For example, what makes a good book signing? 
      A good book signing starts and finishes with an engaging author. If you just sit back at the table and wait for others to come by you will miss out on many sales and many great marketing opportunities. I once did a book signing at a store that was really lacking in foot traffic. The signing took place on Easter weekend in a college town so many of the residence were gone. Instead of sitting at the signing table waiting for the occasional customer to walk by, I went out and found customers in the store. I had a handful of book marks and walked around handing them out. I was able to get several sales from that. Many authors are introverts and would rather sit in a room and write. That is okay for when you are writing. But you need to be willing to switch gears and market as well. You have to be willing to put yourself out there and engage people.  As a new author your chances of success will be much higher if you are out there setting up book signings, talking to librarians about doing workshops, handing out bookmarks to strangers, etc.  
9.      Are you planning on making this book a series? How long do you envision it? 
      There are three books in this series. I am currently working on the second book and hope to have it completed by the end of this year. The third book will probably be released the following year. After that I don’t have any plans to continue the series.
10.  Is there anything else you’d like to tell your adoring fans? 
     I would like to thank all those who have read my book. I am overwhelmed by the wonderful support and great comments from fans of Seventh Earth. I wrote the book not knowing what to expect from readers. It has been great to see that so many not only enjoy the book but are passionate about it.