Book Blitz: The Forest Beyond the Earth by Matthew S. Cox (Excerpt & Giveaway) Hey! I'm back with another book blitz. This time it's for The Forest Beyond the Earth by Matthew S. Cox. The Forest Beyond the Earth is a YA Post-Apocalyptic novel that was released earlier this year in February. As part of the blitz I get to share with you all an excerpt from the book as well as an international giveaway. Carry on reading! The Forest Beyond the Earth by Matthew S. Cox Publication date: February 6th 2018 Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult Synopsis:Under the watchful eye of the Mother Shrine, twelve-year-old Wisp ekes out a simple, but challenging life with Dad, foraging for food and losing herself in old books from the world that came before. She loves the Endless Forest ― except when the Tree Walkers come for her. In ages past, the great rain of fire and ash destroyed the Earth, wiping out the ancients and everything they had made. Nature has reclaimed much since then, spreading out in a vast forest full of wonder and dread. Ever in fear of being taken away, she follows Dad’s rules without question while learning to survive off the land. No longer a small child, she accompanies Dad on one of his treks, her first time more than a few steps away from the cabin. A day exploring with him is the happiest time of her life, but joy is short-lived. A monster follows them home. Safe in her Haven, she hides while Dad goes outside to confront the beast. She wakes alone the next morning, and waits. Alas, her hope of his return fades with the daylight. Desperate, she breaks his strictest rule and goes outside alone. Not far from the cabin, she discovers his rifle abandoned next to the monster’s strange footprints. Afraid but determined, Wisp sets off on her own into the Endless Forest to find Dad ― before the Tree Walkers catch her. Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38450828-the-forest-beyond-the-earth?ac=1&from_search=true Purchase: Sale - 2.99 on March 26-27, then the price goes back to normal 4.99 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079N6774M/ Born in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey. Hobbies and Interests: Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it. He is also fond of cats. Author links: http://www.matthewcoxbooks.com/wordpress/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7712730.Matthew_S_Cox https://www.facebook.com/MatthewSCoxAuthor https://twitter.com/mscox_fiction Excerpt: Sheltered among the great moss-dappled trunks, Wisp peered out from her hiding place at the forest of monsters, barely breathing, lest the Tree Walkers hear her. She glanced back over her shoulder at Dad, twenty feet away and closer to the cabin. Distracted by fiddling with his rifle, he hadn’t noticed her wander off toward the little yellow flowers. Being so far away from him tightened a knot in her belly, but she pushed fear aside. Hunger had far more of a hold on her, and besides… the sun filtered down through the pines, strong and warm. Tree Walkers didn’t come out in the day. Or so she hoped. Wisp eased her toes into the soil, on guard for sharp rocks, stinging insects, or other dangers. The leather scraps of her skirt brushed at her legs with each tentative step. Dad recently made it to replace the same tattered dress she’d worn for the past two years. The frayed garment had grown so tight the fabric was ready to come apart if she breathed in too deep. He’d also given her a shirt he’d found on one of his scavenging trips, but she’d been less thrilled it with due to its bright pink color. It made her stand out. Not to mention, it had been torn so short it left her stomach bare. This outfit wouldn’t do well in the colder months, though Dad seldom let her out of the cabin then anyway, so perhaps it wouldn’t matter. While he didn’t make the pink mess, he did fix it for her. The former T-shirt had belonged to a grownup, but he’d added a crisscross of leather cord at the neck to cinch it tighter. Despite the horrid color of her shirt, at least she could move around and not worry about destroying her clothing. She squatted low to the ground, her thighs peeking out from two slits in the front of her skirt. A flap of thicker leather hung down between her legs, almost touching the soil as she brushed her hand back and forth looking for signs of edible insects or plants. Straight blonde hair fell around her, also nearly in contact with the ground. Close to home, they’d harvested everything of value already. To find food, they would have to venture deeper into the woods and risk the Tree Walkers finding them. The thought brought a shiver. “Wisp?” called Dad, worry in his voice. “Where are you going?” Suppressing a gasp of fear, she twisted around to peer back at him. Before she could say a word, a distant snap echoed behind her in the woods. She crouched even lower and whirled back to stare in that direction, fingers and toes digging into the dirt, ready to run like hell for the cabin door. Dad jogged up behind her. “What are you doing so far off? You know you’re not supposed to wander away from me like that.” She lifted one hand to point at the distant forest floor full of tiny yellow flowers. “I found yellowgreens.” GIVEAWAY - March 29th 2018
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
Make sure to check out The Forest Beyond the Earth while it's still on sale - you have today left! BYE!
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Book Blitz: Looking For Dei by David A. Willson (Excerpt & Giveaway) Hey! I'm posting today as part of the book blitz for Looking For Dei by David A. Willson. Looking For Dei is a YA Fantasy novel that was released earlier this week on the 23rd of March. To celebrate its release, I get to share an excerpt from the book as well as an international giveaway. Carry on reading! Looking for Dei by David A. Willson Publication date: March 23rd 2018 Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Nara Dall has never liked secrets. Yet it seems that her life has been filled with them, from the ugly scar on her back to the strange powers she possesses. Her mysterious father refuses to say anything about her origins, and soon, she and her best friend must attend the announcement ceremony, in which youths are tested for a magical gift. A gifted youth has not been announced in the poor village of Dimmitt for decades. When Nara uncovers the reason, she uses her own powers to make things right. The decision sets her on a path of danger, discovery, and a search for the divine. In the process, she learns the truth about herself and uncovers the biggest secret of all: the power of broken people. Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36611334-looking-for-dei?ac=1&from_search=true Purchase: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078KNKC7D B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/looking-for-dei-david-a-willson/1128010607;jsessionid=817B3C2D0A036F6D437A5C5106EA84CB.prodny_store01-atgap05?ean=2940155140030 iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/looking-for-dei/id1350253461?mt=11 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/looking-for-dei Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/793420 David A. Willson has worked as a restauranteur, peace officer, and now, author. Taught by his mother to read at a young age, he spent his childhood exploring magic, spaceships, and other dimensions. In his writing, he strives to bring those worlds to his readers.Much of his material is inspired by the “Great Land” of Alaska, which he has called home for over 30 years. He lives there with his wife, five children, and 2 dogs. He is passionate about technology, faith, and fiction—not necessarily in that order. Looking for Dei is Willson’s debut novel, set in a land where many more adventures will take place. Stay up to date with his ongoing efforts through the Looking for Dei Facebook page or visiting the website at davidawillson.com. Author links: http://davidawillson.com/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16057925.David_A_Willson https://www.facebook.com/lookingfordei/ Excerpt:PROLOGUE Southside Orphanage Fairmont – Capital of the Great Land 652PB (Post-Breshi) The toddler blew at the dandelion bloom until its seeds broke free and floated away on a breeze that gusted past the man watching her from the bushes. His breath hitched as his burdens were lifted and briefly forgotten. It had taken ten years to locate her. A life of study, prayer, and service to Dei in a monastery had not prepared him for so many years on the run, hiding under false names while he searched for the one he feared he might never find. His grizzled, greying goatee and unkempt hair might have labeled him a beggar or a desperate criminal, but the hope in his eyes told a different story. Oblivious to the nearby threat, the girl dropped the crumpled dandelion stem and stumbled clumsily near a pile of stones. No more than two years old, she waddled across the overgrown orphanage courtyard, her cloth diaper askew. She plucked more flowers, her red hair dancing as she hopped after the seeds. She seemed to favor the world as her playmate, ignoring the twenty other children in the courtyard. She bumped into a small boy, fell down, and hopped back up with a baby-tooth grin before trotting off. When she fell, a glimpse of her back jolted the man to his task. It was the blemish that beckoned him here—an ugly red scar stretching from upper back to waist, announcing her identity as the prophetic treasure he had sought for so long. The weight of the manuscript in his backpack grounded his thoughts, and he glanced around the area. There were no fences, plenty of bushes for cover, and a single matron leisurely surveying the yard. The woman sat on the aging building's back steps, watching the little ones as they ran about. She wore a dress and would be unable to chase him. How long would it take for her to alert the authorities? As he surveyed the grounds to plan his escape, the girl waggled her hand at a passing butterfly and giggled as it flew away. Fortune favored his plans when she ran to a group of dandelions just a few feet from his hiding place. Squatting, she grabbed several stems, preparing to blow and release the seeds. The man looked over to the matron, who had turned away to manage a quarrel between two other children. Knowing this might be his only chance, he burst forward and scooped the babe up in one arm, then raced back through the bushes behind the orphanage. He ran as fast as he could, unable to avoid jostling the child in his arms. She began to cry at the shock of her abduction, still gripping the dandelion stems in one tiny fist. Back at the orphanage, the matron in the dress looked toward the back of the yard. The only evidence of a disturbance was a cloud of dandelion seeds that drifted upon the air, scattering in the light breeze. She turned to the many children she cared for, oblivious to the crime that had just been perpetrated under her watch. GIVEAWAY - ENDS MARCH 29th 2018
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
BYE! Book Blitz: Nocturne by Heather McKenzie (Excerpt, Q&A and Giveaway) Hey! I know, I'm back again with a book blitz - I think I've posted around 4 (including this one) within the space of a week. Don't worry as posting should be going back to normal soon enough and you'll get to see some different posts. Anyway this book blitz is for Nocturne, the second book in the YA Mystery/Suspense series, Nightmusic Trilogy. Nocturne was released a couple of days ago, on the 20th March. As part of the blitz, I'll be posting an excerpt, a Q&A with Heather as well as an international giveaway. Carry on reading! Nocturne by Heather McKenzie (Nightmusic Trilogy, #2) Published by: Clean Teen Publishing Publication date: March 20th 2018 Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Young Adult Synopsis:I am hunted. A pawn in a vicious game. The only way I can protect the ones I love… …is to disappear. Finally free of her father, Kaya has the one thing that keeps her heart beating—Luke. Blissfully content in his arms, everything seems perfect…until their world is shattered by a deadly invasion. When an old ally comes to the rescue, Kaya wants none of it. She is devastated to learn the identity of her attacker, and that she must do something truly heartbreaking if she wants to save the ones she loves. Sacrificing everything and sinking into bottomless sorrow, Kaya finds solace in an unlikely friend—one who shows her a different kind of love, and helps her discover an inner strength she never thought possible. A heart-pounding journey of self-discovery, Nocturne is the transformative second installment of The Nightmusic Trilogy by Heather McKenzie. Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38202939-nocturne?ac=1&from_search=true Purchase: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Nocturne-Nightmusic-Trilogy-Book-2-ebook/dp/B079B5ZRJY/ B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nocturne-heather-mckenzie/1127884054?ean=9781634223065 iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/nocturne/id1340065393?mt=11 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/nocturne-67 Grab book 1 - Serenade - for FREE: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Serenade-Heather-McKenzie-ebook/dp/B01N5XBFEK/ B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/serenade-heather-mckenzie/1124707456?ean=9781634222204 iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/serenade/id1159333488?mt=11 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/serenade-16 Heather McKenzie is the Canadian author of The Nightmusic Trilogy. Also a professional singer/songwriter with five albums to date, she told stories through music for years before falling in love with novel writing. Heather pulls from her extraordinary experiences as a musician to fuel her passion for creating Young Adult fiction. She is a rocker at heart, a mom of three and an aspiring painter. Author links: https://twitter.com/heather_mckenzi http://www.heathermckenzie.com/ https://www.facebook.com/heathermckenzieofficial/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15860960.Heather_McKenzie Excerpt:I flew out the door into the cool night, took four steps, then stopped—the latest enlightening news about my father had sent me over the edge. Tears burst from my eyes. The last shred of hope I’d been hanging onto that Henry wasn’t all bad had been completely obliterated; he was an actual monster. I dropped to the curb and put my head in my hands. The rain started falling, lightly dusting my shoulders at first, then becoming a downpour just to add to my misery. I became soaked head to toe, but I didn’t care. I stayed where I was, wishing the rain would melt me into a puddle that would drain into the gutter and then just disappear into the earth… “You left something in my truck,” said a voice from out of nowhere. At the edge of my vision was Ben, rain coming down even harder now and pouring off his cowboy hat in rivers. He was holding out a paper bag, which was now soaked. It was the muffin I hadn’t eaten. “I didn’t want it to go to waste,” he added, eyeing me with concern, then glancing at the café window where I could feel many sets of eyes on my back. I dropped my gaze back to the gutter. My body didn’t want to move, and I still held out hope that the rain might just wash me away. Ben said something, and then he hauled me up and turned me to face him. He lifted my chin, and I had no choice but to meet his eyes. The rain plastered my hair to my face, mixing with the tears that were spilling out of me with blinding force. He gave me a weak smile. “I tried to leave. Got in my truck and was ten minutes out of town, but then I realized…” He paused, fumbling for the right words. “I could really use some help at my ranch. Now, the job doesn’t pay much, but you’ll have your own room and all the food you can eat. You’ll be dry.” He waited patiently for an answer, but I was so grateful that all my words caught in my throat. He tossed the paper bag with the muffin into the garbage. After a quick glance at the internet café and the white-haired waiter watching from the doorway, his hand firmly latched onto mine. I had the sense I wasn’t being given a choice, I was going wherever this cowboy wanted me to. “I’m taking you home now,” he said over the downpour. Home. Home was in Luke’s arms…. The rain was falling in sheets. Since I wasn’t about to turn into a puddle and dissolve, I let the cowboy lead the way. Interview with Heather McKenzie, by Dwight Bueckert What genre/category is NOCTURNE? YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Romance Thriller and Suspense Release date? March 20, 2018 in digital and July 10, 2018 in print Please describe what the story is about in one sentence. This is Book Two of the Nightmusic Trilogy. The story continues with Kaya being forced to make a heart-breaking desicion to save the ones she loves. Briefly, what led up to writing The Nightmusic Trilogy? A career in music! I had been telling short stories through songwriting for a very long time and this just seemed to be the natural next step. What inspired you to write The Nightmusic Trilogy? I was in my local bookstore one afternoon with my daughter while she searched the Teen/Young Adult section in frustration. She didn’t want vampires, or witches, or dystopian worlds, she wanted a modern day adventure with characters that felt real. So, being the doting mother that I am, I started writing my first book for her. One month into the process, I dropped everything to focus entirely on learning how to write. I fell head over heels in love with this avenue of storytelling. Being a musician gave me many life experiences to pull from, and my love of teen fiction fueled the passion to forge ahead and get the story on paper. A love triangle, the romantic setting of the rocky mountains, the art of survival and a character whose strength builds with each page... it all began to come to life every time I sat down to write. I realized when I completed the first manuscript, that what I was essentially trying to get across to my daughter –through the magic of reading– was the understanding of true love; what it feels like and how you know when you’ve found it. And, I am happy to say, that my knowledge of that is born of my own, real, experience. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? I have tried to touch lightly on the effects of chemicals on our bodies and bring to light the correlation between what we do to the earth, and how it ends up affecting us. We need to care for ourselves and our planet. How much of the book is realistic? I tried to make the book feel like it could actually happen. The characters are completely fictional, but the settings are not. Caves and underground hot springs and the castle in the mountains? All real. The Death Race that takes place every August in Grande Cache? Real. Beautiful one horse towns and yellow fields of flowers? Yup. Real too. What are you reading now? Everything written by Sarah J. Maas. She is amazing. What are your current projects? I have just finished book one of a new series of adult fiction that I am very excited about. It is about to enter the editing process. I am also close to finishing RHAPSODY, the third book in the Nightmusic Trilogy. Where are you from? Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA! I was born in the city, then moved to an acreage just outside it and lived an absolute fairy tale childhood in my own ‘castle’ until I left to join a rock band at and play professionally. Eventually I moved back, got married there, and got to watch my children have the same amount of happiness as I did in my childhood home. Where do you write from? A home office/recording studio with wall to wall books, pianos, and two old dogs sleeping at my feet. What was the hardest part of writing? Sitting for countless hours every day. I gained about fifty pounds and think I broke my butt at one point. But it was worth it. Do you have any advice for other writers? If you love it, it’s good. Take opinions with a grain of salt and trust your gut. What do you do when you aren’t writing? I am still actively involved in music, writing and being loud and aggressive with my band on weekends and recording whenever I can. I also teach classical piano and voice to youngsters one day a week, which is an incredibly rewarding experience. When I need peace and quiet– which is often– I paint. GIVEAWAY - ENDS MARCH 29TH 2018
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
BYE! Cover Reveal: My Lullaby Of You by Alia Rose Hey! I'm back with my second cover reveal post of the day! This time I get to reveal the cover for My Lullaby Of You by Alia Rose. MLOY is a YA Contemporary book that will be released in June this year. Carry on reading! My Lullaby of You by Alia Rose Publication date: June 2018 Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult Synopsis:AMY It’s the summer after high school. Amy can’t wait to leave her small hometown in North Carolina for the vibrant city of Chicago, where she plans to go to her dream college and hopes to build a stronger relationship with her father. But as she deals with her mother’s resentment over her leaving and an intriguing yet provoking college student, Amy’s reminded of things she’s tried to forget and forced to face emotions she never expected. SETH It’s the summer before the last year of music school. Seth would rather be anywhere else than a small beach town in North Carolina, reopening wounds he thought he’d patched long ago and facing the father he hasn’t seen since his mother’s death. While he’s on his mission for answers, Seth is drawn to an observant and driven local he can’t seem to figure out. Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37881247-my-lullaby-of-you Alia has been writing since she fell in love with reading and now the characters in her head refuse to leave her alone. Her debut novel, My Lullaby of You, comes out in June 2018! When she's not writing, She works full time as an architectural designer and enjoy drinking too much coffee, making to-do lists, and traveling. You can find her rambling about all of the above on Instagram and Twitter. Author links: http://www.aliarosewrites.com/ https://twitter.com/aliarosewrites https://www.instagram.com/aliarosewrites/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17587176.Alia_Rose Well, that was the cover for My Lullaby Of You! Make sure to let me know your thoughts on the cover in the comments below.
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AuthorHello and welcome to Books With Beth! I'm Beth and on this blog I share a mix of all my bookish thoughts through reviews, book tours and hauls. Have fun! Categories
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