Great Summer Reads Day Fifteen: The King's Ransom by Cheryl Carpinello

I’m a retired high school English teacher. A devourer of books growing up, my profession introduced me to writings and authors from times long past. Through my studies and teaching, I fell in love with the Ancient and Medieval Worlds. Now, I hope to inspire young readers and those Young-at-Heart to read more through my Tales and Legends for Reluctant Readers set in these worlds—Ancient Egypt, Medieval Wales, and coming soon, a hair-raising adventure through ancient worlds in search of 5 rare Phoenix Feathers.

All of my books come with Free study guides and/or extensive Back-of-the-Book materials.

My husband and I love to travel. In 2008, we spent three weeks in Egypt traveling by local train from one end of the country to the other; in 2014, we spent three weeks in the UK driving over 1700 miles through England, Wales, and Scotland; and in 2016, we spent a week in Iceland. We’ve also traveled to Mexico, Jamaica, and Aruba. Our next big adventure will be to Greece and Italy.

When I’m not writing or traveling, our 4 grandkids keep us busy.

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Three Friends

Three Quests

Three Mysterious Predictions

Gavin, Philip, and Bryan bravely vow to clear their friend of murder by taking the Knight’s Oath and embarking on individual quests to save The Wild Man. In the end, each one faces their fears and even death in their determination not to fail.

And one will have to disclose the biggest secret of all.

Join Gavin, Phillip, and Bryan on their quests and share the adventures that await them in the land of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

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Q&A With the Author:

How many books do you have out, and do you have a favorite?

I have 10 books in print. Four are Arthurian Legend (Guinevere trilogy, The King’s Ransom); two are Ancient Egypt (Tutankhamen Speaks, Sons of the Sphinx); two are picture books (Grandma/Grandpa’s Tales 1 & 2); Guardian of a Princess (Arthurian shorts); and a Writing Journal.

It’s hard to pick a favorite.  I love my Guinevere trilogy because it really shows the character growth of Guinevere and Cedwyn. All of my Arthurian stories are fascinating adventures into the days of King Arthur. I absolutely love being transported back to ancient Egypt in those stories.

How do you come up with character names?

I take my Arthurian characters from the legend and from Welsh name lists. My ancient Egyptian characters are actually from history.

Do you have a favorite author/book that inspired you?

In college, I was introduced to writers of the ancient worlds and in-depth Arthurian legend. Rather than a single book/author, this is what inspired me to write, along with my high school students.

What is your favorite writing snack?

Fudgsicles.

What is one piece of advice you could give to a new author that you wish someone had passed to you?

I’ve used this advice for several books: Re-read the previous writing session and then just continue on from here. Let your Creative Voice do the writing and don’t worry about errors. Kick that Critical Voice out the door!

What is the best Holiday/vacation you ever went on?

Without a doubt, the three weeks we spent in Egypt in 2008. We went on our own, stayed in local small hotels and hostels, rode the train from Cairo to Aswan back to Luxor and then on to Cairo, and saw so many amazing sites. I would go back in a heartbeat! I do believe I left part of my soul there.

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Christmas Countdown Blitz Day Eleven: Unmasking Lady Caroline by Mindy Burbidge Strunk

C

"Mindy loves all things history and romance, which makes reading and writing romance right up her alley. Since she was a little girl, playing in her closet “elevator,” she has always had stories running through her mind. But it wasn’t until she was well into adulthood, that she realized she could write those stories down. Now they occupy her dreams and most every quiet moment she has-she often washes her hair two or three times because she wasn't paying attention when she did it the first time. Which usually means really clean hair and a fixed plot hole. When she isn’t living in her alternate realities, she is married to her real-life Mr. Darcy and trying to raise five proper boys. They live happily in the beautiful mountains of Utah. 

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Peter Blythe, Earl of Rockwell fled England when he was thrown over in favor of his father. Now after nearly ten years, he has returned to England to assume his family title. When he asks a young woman to dance at a masquerade ball, he is intrigued by her wit and charm. The only problem is she refuses to give him her name. When Lady Caroline unexpectedly meets the man she has always loved at a masquerade ball and he does not recognize her, she is determined to keep her name a secret. What starts out as a game soon becomes much more when she realizes she still loves him, all the while knowing if he knew her true identity, he would never feel the same for her. When they both return home to their neighboring estates for the holidays, acquaintances from years past threaten to sever more than just their childhood friendship. 

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Snippet:

She wanted to touch him, but her hands shook. She clenched them tightly into fists and bit her lower lip. Miss Tree would have no qualms about reaching out to him. But she was not Miss Tree—not really. Miss Tree was a figment, a charade that need only be maintained for a set. Could Caroline have more of Miss Tree in her than she realized? Her hand still trembled, but she ignored it as she placed it on his shoulder.

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Autumn Countdown Blitz Day 5: The Scarecrow- Master of Malic book one by Cas Peace

Cas lives in the lovely county of Hampshire, southern UK, where she was born. On leaving school she trained for two years before qualifying as horse-riding instructor. During this time she also learned to carriage-drive. She spent thirteen years in the British Civil Service before moving to Rome, Italy, where she and her husband, Dave, lived for three years. They enjoy returning whenever they can. Cas supports many animal charities and owns two rescue dogs. She has a large collection of cacti and loves gardening. She is also a folk singer/songwriter and is currently writing and recording nine folk-style songs to accompany each of her fantasy books. You can listen to and download all the songs from her website: www.caspeace.com 

See the video of her performing live at the King’s Envoy book launch here: http://www.caspeace.com/cas-peace/the-wheel-will-turn

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Pure evil rises once again in Albia…

Three years have passed since Baron Reen’s trial. A terrible accident on the island of his exile has transformed him into a nightmarish scarecrow creature with dark, mysterious powers. Staging his own suicide, Reen breaks free of his prison and, with the help of the former queen Sofira, embarks on a ruthless quest for vengeance against his worst enemy, the woman responsible for the overthrow of his schemes and his own ruination: Brynne Sullyan.

Sullyan is tasked with investigating Reen’s suicide. The missing body and a series of disasters in Port Loxton—a vicious murder, a brutal ambush, and a devastating fire—raise suspicions in her mind. She probes deeper, determined to uncover the truth, unsuspecting of the evil that’s about to be unleashed…

This book is on special offer for this week on Amazon!!! Check out the discounted price below!

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Snippet:

He spoke soothingly. “I didn’t say I condoned it, daughter, and you know I never wanted to see you separated from Eadan and Seline. It’s just that . . . Sofira, are you absolutely convinced Hezra is sane?”

Sofira froze. She stared at her father, a biting retort on her lips. But then she realized he was only trying to protect her, clumsy though he was. She relaxed her spine and smiled.

“Oh, Father, of course I’m sure. Do you think I wouldn’t know if something had affected his mind? It’s a clever ruse, a ploy he’s devised to make them relax their vigilance. Didn’t you read his letters? Didn’t you feel the sincerity in his words, his deep desire to restore all I’ve lost? And don’t forget, my restoration will also benefit you. You’ll be more than recompensed for your trouble and the support you continue to give us. We’ll not forget you or Bordenn when I am once again Albia’s High Queen.”

Lerric doubted that. He had seen the light of fanaticism in the scarecrow’s eyes, the driving desire to control, the fervid lust for revenge at any cost. Reen might be willing to accept the title of consort for now, but Lerric would not bet much on him being happy with a supporting role for long, not once the reins of power were in his hands. Sofira was clearly already under his spell. He had cunningly charmed her from within his prison, writing her words of contrition, loyalty, and love. In her beleaguered state of angry, lonely sorrow, brought on by the conditions Elias had imposed on her, she had been easy prey.

Lerric shivered. Why should that word—prey—cause his heart to constrict? Why did it conjure images of ragged carrion birds feasting on a corpse?

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Official Book Tour: Seventh Born by Rachel Rossano

In a world where seventh born sons are valued for their strength and power, she is born a daughter.

Zezilia Ilar is the disappointment. Born after six brothers, she was supposed to be the son to restore her family’s prestige. She intends to remedy her shortcomings by being a dutiful daughter, marrying well and producing children, preferably a set of seven sons. But when someone offers her an alternative, she begins to dream of more.

In a society that worships a goddess, he follows the Almighty.

Hadrian Aleron, as a seventh son of a seventh son, stands to take up the second highest position in government, Sept Son. His main qualification for office is his birth. Despite preparing for this role from childhood, he does not desire what is to come. As a follower of the Almighty, he knows he will be the target of many, and his faith might eventually lead to death.

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Rachel Rossano lives with her husband and three children in the northeastern part of the United States. Homeschooled through high school, she began writing her early teens. She didn’t become serious about pursuing a career as an author until after she had graduated from college and happily married. Then the children came.

Now she spends her days being a wife, mother, teacher, and household manager. Her evenings and free moments are devoted to her other loves, writing and book cover design. Drawing on a lifelong fascination with reading and history, she spends hours creating historical feeling fantasy worlds and populating them with characters who live and breathe on the page. 

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Seventh Born is a fantastical tale about a girl named Zezelia who was born the seventh child, in place of the hoped for seventh son. A disappointment to her parents, she decides to try and fulfill her role as best as she can, being a good daughter in the hopes of marrying well and restoring her family's prestige in the eyes of the court. However, she discovers she holds a rare give, a Talent beyond anything she could have ever hoped for. And, under the persuasion of Errol, a Trainer, her father allows Zezelia to be trained, even though girls aren't usually considered worth the effort.

Meanwhile, Hadrian, a seventh son of a seventh son, gains a high office in the government, much to his distress. He feels called on, by the Almighty, to perform this duty, even though he'd rather decline when it is offered. Not believing in the goddess, who all others seem to rely on, he is considered a bit of an outcast and potential harbinger of doom to the government. At least that's what a certain party would have everyone else believe.

While Zezelia is training, Hadrian learns of a break-off group of Talents hoping to use their abilities to overthrow the government. As the Sept Son, second in rank only to the High King, he has to find a way to stop this nonsense, while finding a way to protect Zezelia from this group who will steal away anyone with a Talent they can for their cause.

The story is fast paced, with a mix of tender moments, as well as action, intrigue, and danger. Seventh Born is destined to be a great classic in fantasy literature. I didn't want to put it down. And when the book ended before the real craziness started, I couldn't believe it. I wanted more and can honestly say I don't want to wait until the next book is out. 

I give this one five stars.

10 Interesting Things about Rachel Rossano

1 – I have three children that equally challenge, frustrate, and delight me every day.

2 – Almost twenty years ago, I married my best friend, and I have never regretted the decision for a moment.

3 – My parents are exactly a foot apart in height, and my husband and I are exactly a foot apart in height.

4 – I have no lenses in my eyes. I developed cataracts when I was very young and had the lenses in my eyes removed so I could see.

5 – Since childhood, I have not liked the texture of meat. Because of this, I have been a vegetarian since I was allowed to prepare my own food.

6 – I started publishing my books because I feared I would never have children. Now, I am homeschooling three children and fitting my writing and publishing around their educational needs. I’ve wondered more than once if the Lord did that so that I would continue to write. Otherwise, I might’ve waited until they were all raised and grown.

7 – I have naturally curly hair that refuses to stay straight or in place.

8 – My kids are some of my biggest fans despite the fact they have read none of my books.

9 – I post silly stories on FB about the things my kids say and do, not because I want everyone to be impressed with them, but so I will remember them later.

10 – My first crush was on Spock from Star Trek. So, when my husband comments that I am part Vulcan (meaning highly analytical and logical), I consider it quite the complement.

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Book Blitz: Tarragon, Key Keeper by Karlie Lucas

Karlie Lucas is a preschool teacher by day and a writer/artist by night.

A graduate of Southern Utah University, Karlie received a B.A. in Creative Writing, with a minor in art. She is a member of Sigma Tau Delta, The International English Honor Society, as well as ANWA, the American Night Writers Association.

Karlie is interested in all things magical and mysterious, especially elves and dragons. She is an avid fan of J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling.

When not writing, Karlie can often be found drawing, baking, watching her favorite old school shows, or just spending time with her family.

She currently resides in Dallas, Texas with her husband and a cat named Kally 

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For hundreds of years, the gates of Tarragon have been sealed from the outside. Prophecy speaks of the day the last Key Keeper will return and wake the dragons from their spell-cast slumber, returning them to their rightful home.

Seeking to fulfill her father's dying wish, Anwen Porter travels to the Drakonii Mountains where she meets Tyler, a mysterious local with a secret. With his help, she learns more about her clouded past and her own abilities. But when Courtney, a lovesick mage, tries to insert herself into their plans, things begin to go horribly wrong.

With death threatening at every turn, Anwen must learn to rely on her newfound friends to survive. But how can she unravel the mystery of her heritage when everything is trying to kill her?

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Snippet:

Courtney pounded up the stairs, almost tripping over a spike that protruded from the last stair. It took her a moment to spot her somewhat friend lying unconscious by the far window. Almost flying the last few feet, she knelt by Anwen's side, shaking her. “Hey, this isn't funny. Wake up.”

When the auburn-haired girl didn't respond, Courtney looked around with large eyes. "Tyler's going to kill me," she uttered, her voice changing pitch. "Come on, Anna. Please!"

The wind picked up, whipping her long hair and she moved to brush it aside. A dark shadow fell over both teens as Courtney turned back to the unconscious girl. It stretched up the wall like a menacing beast. Her heart thudded in her chest as she made to slowly turn around. Before she could so much as turn her shoulder, the shadow's owner was upon her.

“What did you do to her?" Tyler yelled as he thrust Courtney aside, using far more strength than he'd normally use on a mortal. His whole body shook with fury.

Courtney tumbled, then skid across the floor. She shivered in the corner where she landed, legs askew in front of her, her expression filled with shock. It took a moment for her to find her breath. For the briefest of seconds, she thought Tyler's eyes had changed color as he stared at her with anger-filled eyes.

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