Great Summer Reads Day Seven: Max's Royal Adventure by Wendy Leighton-Porter

A graduate of Exeter University in the early 1980s, I spent 20 years as a teacher of French, Latin and Classical studies, before a change of career led me to writing children's fiction. Currently residing in Abu Dhabi, I live with my husband and our beautiful Tonkinese cat.

The Shadow of Atlantis is the first in a series of time-travel adventures, featuring 3 children and a rather special cat called Max. I'm now working on the 17th book, The Shadow of the Great Fire. The series also includes several novellas that feature Max the talking Tonkinese cat undertaking solo adventures. As I take my young readers on a magical mystery tour through the past, I'm hoping that my love of history, myth and legend will rub off on them too. 

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Book 16 of the Shadows from the Past is a solo adventure for the feline hero of the series, Max the talking Tonkinese cat. The story is set in 1651, during the English Civil War:

The rightful King of England is on the run. With a price on his head and in fear for his life, Charles Stuart is desperate to escape his pursuers, the Parliamentarians who executed his father. A rich reward has been offered for his capture and everyone is on the lookout for the young man. Nowhere is safe. How will he ever manage to flee the country without help?

Never fear – the Guardians of Time have a Special Agent lined up for the job … but he just so happens to be a cat!

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Q&A With the Author:

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

16 titles in my Shadows from the Past series have already been published, and I’m currently working on book number 17. My personal favourite in the series so far is The Shadow of the Tudor Rose, set in Elizabethan England in the year 1588 when the threat of the Spanish Armada was imminent. My young time-travellers join forces with one of Queen Elizabeth’s spies, a playwright by the name of Christopher Marlowe, with whom Max (the talking Tonkinese cat) develops a touching friendship. Packed with history and including some famous figures from that era, the story is also an exciting adventure, steeped in mystery and intrigue.

How do you come up with character names?

Some of the people in my books are real historical figures, but when it comes to choosing names for my fictional characters I go to my family tree. I have several hundred years’ worth of names to choose from there, having done some fairly extensive research on my family history. For example, my young heroine Jemima Lancelot was named after my 5-x great-grandmother.

Do you have a favourite author?

I couldn’t pin it down to just one. I read so many different genres; from the classics to thrillers, to historical fiction, to detective fiction and even to rom-com, from the favourite books of my childhood to more recent books for young readers, fiction or non-fiction, it doesn’t matter. I admire any author who can hold me spellbound, lost in their narrative and unable to stop turning the pages.

What is your favourite or some memorable books that you’ve read?

There are many books that I could happily re-read endless times. When I was asked to list my 10 favourite books, I had real trouble limiting myself to only 10 – if it had been my 100 favourite books, I would have found it much easier! However, I really enjoyed The Ghost, by Robert Harris, a brilliantly atmospheric thriller, Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy, and To Catch a King, a recent historical non-fiction work by Earl Charles Spencer. I also found Adam Kay’s This is going to hurt a fun read.

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

Revise, revise, revise! When you’ve finished writing your masterpiece, you’re so eager to see it in print that it’s tempting to speed up the process and skimp on the editing, but you can never be thorough enough.

What is the best Holiday you ever went on?

Two spring to mind. One was less of a holiday, as I was taking a group of my students on a tour of Classical Greece, taking in some of my favourite sites from the ancient world, including Athens, Delphi, Olympia and Mycenae. I hope they found it as wonderful as I did! The second was a proper holiday with my husband. We spent 2 weeks on a Gulet (a traditional Turkish boat), sailing down the coast of Turkey from Bodrum to Fethiye, visiting archaeological sites, mooring in quiet coves or small harbours and enjoying the beautiful Aegean coastline. Being a true Cancerian, I love being on the water and with my passion for ancient history and archaeology this was my idea of holiday perfection!

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Great Summer Reads Day Two: The Secret of the Sacred Scarab by Fiona Ingram

I am a children’s author, but up until a few years ago, I was a journalist and editor. Something rather unexpected sparked my new career as an author—a family trip to Egypt with my mother and two young nephews. We had a great time and I thought I’d write them a short story as a different kind of souvenir…. Well, one book and a planned book series later, I had changed careers. I have now published Book 3 (The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper) in my MG adventure series Chronicles of the Stone, with many awards for the first book, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, and a few for Book 2, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, and one already for Book 3! I also teach online novel writing for aspiring authors and I find that very satisfying. Relaxation time finds me enjoying something creative or artistic, music, books, theatre or ballet. I love doing research for my book series. I love animals and have written two animal rescue stories. I have two adorable (naughty) little dogs called Chloe and Pumpkin, and a beautiful black cat called Bertie.

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In this exciting Middle Grade adventure set in Egypt, a 5000-year-old mystery comes to life. A scruffy peddler gives Adam and Justin Sinclair an old Egyptian scarab on their very first day in Egypt. Only when the evil Dr. Faisal Khalid shows a particular interest in the cousins and their scarab, do the boys realise they are in terrible danger. Dr. Khalid wants the relic at all costs. Justin and Adam embark upon the adventure of a lifetime, taking them down the Nile and across the harsh desert in their search for the legendary tomb of the Scarab King, an ancient Egyptian ruler. They are plunged into a whirlpool of hazardous and mysterious events when Dr. Khalid kidnaps them. They learn more about the ancient Seven Stones of Power and the mysterious Shemsu-Hor. They must translate the hieroglyphic clues on the underside of the scarab, as well as rescue the missing archaeologist James Kinnaird, and their friend, the Egyptologist Ebrahim Faza, before time runs out!

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Q&A With the Author:

1.What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I love reading, movies, staying at home, but also visiting new places. Especially places of interest with something historical to learn.

2.  What was the hardest part of writing your book, and how did you overcome it?

I am in the middle of my MG adventure series and, honestly, there’s nothing hard about any of it. I don’t get writer’s block and I am never short of ideas and creativity.

3. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

My current book in the series (The Eye of the Indian Idol) is set in India and although it would be lovely to explore in real life, the corona virus has put paid to many travel planes. But if I could go anywhere right now, it would be to India.

4.  Where do you get information and ideas for your books?

I do LOADS of research, and read nonfiction books around the places, the legends and the mythology of the countries where my young explorer go in their quest to find the Seven Stones of Power.

5. Tell us a bit about a future project you are working on? Do you have any little sneak peeks you can share?  

I’m busy with Book 4 (The Eye of the Indian Idol) but also planning for the next one, Book 5, called The Curse of the Cup of Jamshid. Sorry, I can’t give away anything at the moment…

6. Now that we've gotten to know each other, tell us a story of a favorite childhood activity you used to do during the summer. It can be long or short. Funny, sad, or somewhere in between. Just make sure it's yours. Tell us a story?  

I am one of five children and we grew up very poor. The beach was close by and since it was free, my parents took us there a lot. We had many picnics, swam in rock pools, played in the surf, dug sandcastles, and brought home endless buckets of smelly seaweed and crabs, thinking the little creatures could live with us. My most vivid memories are of riding on my dad’s broad shoulders as he walked into the waves and screaming with delight every time he ducked down lower so I could get splashed. The smell of sunscreen lotion, the taste of cotton candy, and salt water is unforgettable. Some of our happiest times as kids.

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Official Book Tour: Guinevere, The Legend by Cheryl Carpinello

Their friendship put him in harm's way. Will it be enough to save him? 

Across the dark water to the land of ancient Gaul, renegades take Cedwyn and the littl'uns farther from home and rescue.

Led by her heart rather than her head and without any thought for her safety, fifteen-year-old Guinevere sets out alone to save Cedwyn. And if she fails…?

Eleven-year-old Cedwyn's trust in Guinevere is absolute. But will his sacrifice to save her and protect the littl'uns end with the loss of his own life?

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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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Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend, At the Dawn of Legend, and The Legend are a sort of coming of age story (told in three parts) about the soon to be wife of King Arthur. 

In book one, On the Eve of Legend, Guinevere learns her destiny is to become a legendary queen. After her father promises her hand in marriage to King Arthur, however, she decides to run away. With her best friend, Cedwyn's help, and Merlyn's usual meddling, she comes to terms with the arrangement.

Book two, At the Dawn of Legend finds Guinevere running from renegades who, when they can't get her, steal all the children from her village. Along with her friend, Cedwyn, they try to rescue the captured children under some extreme circumstances.

Book three, The Legend, concludes the events of book two, with Guinevere going back to rescue Cedwyn, who sacrificed his freedom so she could escape the renegades. After some full-hardy decisions, she finally accepts help from her betrothed king.

Cheryl Caprinello has created an interesting world from the perspective of a young Guinevere, where her limits are tested. I personally haven't read any other book detailing a potential early period in her life and found this fascinating. I think it appeals to young audiences in that it is someone trying to overcome insurmountable odds, but with still enough of the childhood naivete to make it believable.

All in all, I give all three books four out of five stars.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of these books.

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Great Summer Reads Day 15: Pajama Party:The Story by E.C. Jackson

E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play Pajama Party. For three and a half years she published the Confidence in Life newsletter for Alpha Production Ministries, in addition to writing tracts and devotionals. 

Teaching a women’s Bible study at her church for eleven years naturally led to her current endeavor of writing inspirational romance novels and teen and young adult fiction. Her mission: spiritual maturity in the body of Christ through fiction.

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Most sleepovers are simple. Food, fun, and pillow fights. But sixteen-year-old Karen Duncan has bigger plans for her slumber party. Family troubles have changed her over the past year, and she’s no longer the petty, selfish girl she used to be. Now she’s ready to shake things up with her friends. The guest list comes as a surprise to some and a slap in the face to others. This popular girl has invited some not-so-popular guests. Even more shocking, she’s left out some of the girls she’s hung out with since middle school.

Diane and Evette are outsiders, nervous about being stuck in a house with the same girls who tease them at school. Kathy, Lisa, and Joann come to the party with the confidence of the in-crowd, but they’re masking inner-turmoil that is bound to surface. Sandy and Angela are usually the voices of reason…usually. And then there’s Linda, the friend that got away. She may not ever forgive the girls who abandoned her years ago. Karen hopes to change her mind.

Her agenda is ambitious, and it could spell disaster. But Karen is convinced God will use this party to spark a new beginning for everyone involved. This companion book to A Living Hope gives us the inspired story Sadie Cummings wrote for the girls of Shiatown.

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Snippet:

Angela polished her toenails and whispered to Sandy when Linda walked into the room. She’d come down earlier but the family room was empty. She’d thought they were in the kitchen and she ran back upstairs. Still unable to settle down anywhere, she tried to make another connection.

Uncertainty spoiled the splashy entrance she’d expected to make. Deflated, she looked around the room. Where were Karen, Kathy, and Lisa? No one was in the kitchen. She’d checked there first. Linda had sat at the table when she found the room empty. Her thoughts filled with what to do, once she reached the family room. She resisted the pull to push herself forward. Linda wanted to be asked to join in. So she waited for Sandy and Angela to notice she stood there.

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Great Summer Reads Day 12: Scrolls of Zndaria - Short Scrolls 2: Healing Hands by J.S. Jaeger

Parents to four wonderful children, Jerry and Stephanie Jaeger enjoy working together as J.S. Jaeger to write uplifting, entertaining stories. 

Jerry overcame bullying to earn his black belt in Kempo Karate. He served as a special agent for the FBI and currently works as a prosecutor. 

Stephanie ran her own accounting practice for several years before turning her focus to writing Scrolls of Zndaria with Jerry. 

Together, they are excited to bring readers of all ages into the magical world of Zndaria.

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Denya’s excited to attend the Healing Hands Academy. It’s her chance to become a handmaiden, help others, and live a life of adventure.

But studying at the Academy isn’t everything she’d hoped. The headmistress and many of the students still look down on human handmaidens. It seems as quickly as she makes friends, she has to say goodbye. And just as she starts gaining acceptance, she puts the other students in danger.

Is Denya’s determination enough to see her through, or will she be sent home, back to the peasant life she’s trying to escape?

The second Short Scroll of Zndaria, Healing Hands parallels The Golden Wizard and allows readers to see the magical world of Zndaria through Denya’s eyes. Readers will be reunited with favorite characters from the main series as well as experience life in the Redwood Forest.

Buy this book today to get a glimpse into the world of Zndaria or delve deeper into the journey that began in The Golden Wizard!

  
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Snippet:

Denya and Vern looked at each other. There wasn’t time to be sad. Denya reached the first soldier and removed his helmet. His breath came in short gasps. Blood surged from a gash across his face. Denya pulled a biting fern mixture from her pouch and spread it across the wound. The bleeding stopped. The soldier’s breathing evened out.

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