The Epherium Chronicles: Embrace Book one of The Epherium Chronicles Hope. Captain James Hood of the Earth Defense Forces remembers what it felt like. Twenty-five years ago, it surged through him as a young boy watching the colony ships launched by mega-corporation Epherium rocket away. He, like so many others, dreamed of following in the colonists' footsteps. He wanted to help settle a new world—to be something greater. Then came the war... Hope. During years of vicious conflict with an insectoid alien race, it was nearly lost. Though Earth has slowly rebuilt in the six years since the war, overcrowding and an unstable sun have made life increasingly inhospitable. When mysterious signals from the nearly forgotten colony ships are received, Hood is ordered to embark on a dangerous reconnaissance mission. Could humanity's future sit among the stars? Hope. Hood needs it now more than ever. As secrets about the original colonists are revealed and the Epherium Corporation's dark agenda is exposed, new adversaries threaten the mission, proving more dangerous to Earth than their already formidable foes…
Praise
From Laura (5 star reviewer on Amazon) "I was shocked about how fast the author sucked me into a new world, a world that I am impatiently awaiting the next in the series. I read from another reviewer that it would make a great television series and I would have to agree with that reviewer." From

Kathryn Svendsen of Kathryn's Shelf Full of Books Blog (4 star review) : "It was a delight to read. Mr. Wilson did an excellent job of introducing each of the many characters involved in this large crew. There were many people to keep track of, and like a movie we found out a bit about the character of each one as we went along."

Book Trailer


Excerpt “I have an idea about that,” Hood said as he opened a channel to Engineering. “Mr. Whitaker. I need that shield of yours.” Whitaker responded slightly out of breath. “Sorry, Captain. I can’t give it to you. That second rock that smacked us caused one of the reactors to scram, so we shut it down. Until we get that stable and some more juice in the batteries, I can’t power it up.” Hood muttered under his breath as he pounded his fist on his chair. He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly as he closed the channel. “Alright, our ace is out of commission,” he told Sanchez, “and even with the best of my contingency plans, we are going to have to do this the hard way.” “You have multiple contingency plans for this?” Sanchez asked as he pointed to the viewport and the many asteroids floating nearby. Hood looked at Sanchez and raised a single eyebrow. “Forget I asked,” Sanchez said.

 

Author T.D. Wilson: T.D. Wilson was born in 1968 in Troy, Ohio and has been an avid fan of science fiction and fantasy from a very young age. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and has supported the systems and networks in several of the largest Supercomputing data centers in the world. His early thirst for adventure in reading began as he explored many of the great stories of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. As his reading scope expanded, Mr. Wilson was fascinated by strange new worlds from the magical of Middle Earth and Narnia to the far reaches of space in Star Trek and Babylon 5. As a science fiction author, he strives to integrate a realistic flavor to his worlds by providing his readers a feel for the real science in science fiction. A topic he loves to discuss with his friends and readers. Mr. Wilson still lives in Ohio with his wife and their two sons.


  Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/15/14 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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is going all-out Easter this year. In addition to preparing to perform Handel's Messiah live and for an Internet audience, they are releasing an Easter mini-album to help foster the spirit of season.

There is a lot of Christmas music out there, but not a whole lot for Easter. Perhaps, it is because Christmas is actually celebrated for weeks, while Easter really just gets a weekend.

There are only six tracks on this album, but they are all excellent. Many of them have never been recorded by the Choir before, including the new arrangement of "Jesus Has Risen" and the reverent arrangement of "In the Garden" by Associate Director, Ryan Murphy.  Here is the list:

1. Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
2. In the Garden
3. When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
4. Jesus Has Risen
5. He Is Risen
6. Worthy Is the Lamb That Was Slain from Messiah

I especially loved "In the Garden", because there are so many hokey-sounding arrangements out there, but this one is both tender and reverent, and makes me imagine what it would be like to spend the day with the Savior.

"When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" has always been one of my favorite Easter hymns, and I learned that it was innovative in its time for being a hymn not directly quoting from Biblical texts. I love that even though they are a large choir, they are able to do tender and powerful equally well. The performances are emotional and nuanced.

My favorite track, however, has to be "Worthy is the Lamb That Was Slain", which is the final movement of Handel's Messiah. As a song of praise, it is dramatic, exciting, and completely joyful, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has the oomph behind it to realize this movement in a way that a sixteen voice chamber choir would not be able to.

If you would like to add this to your Easter collection, you can purchase it here:

http://deseretbook.com/He-Risen-Mormon-Tabernacle-Choir/i/5119167 (CD)
http://deseretbook.com/He-Risen-Mormon-Tabernacle-Choir/i/5123120 (MP3)

Jenny Oaks Baker has the claim to fame of having been nominated from a Grammy award, and it does not take long listening to her to understand why. She's a virtuoso on a level that you do not often here. As a musician, I can image that it must be a struggle these days to make people interested in listening to you play the violin. Lindsay Sterling, another LDS violinist, gets around this by combining violin with hip-hop dancing.

Jenny Oaks Baker gets around this by using her talent to create versions of popular songs. Her last album delved into Disney and in this new album, arriving April 2014, she takes on classic rock. Take a look at the track list:

1. Liverpool Suite (Beatles Medley)

2. Everybody Hurts

3. Kashmir

4. You are So Beautiful

5. Scarborough Fair

6. Stairway to Heaven

7. Fields of Gold

8. Pinball Wizard

9. Sweet Child of Mine

10. Yesterday

There's a lot to like on this album. The highlights for me would have to be the first track, which combines all sorts of Beatles songs in a very clever fashion (All You Need is Love, Eleanor Rigby, and Let It Be to name a few), Stairway to Heaven, and Fields of Gold. There's a great balance between the orchestral accompaniment and her violin as the main attraction. The song selection was also really well done, as I felt that she chose songs with strong, recognizable melodies that lend themselves well to the violin.

As you might expect, most of the tracks have a more "classical" feel than a "rock" feel, but at least for me, I liked that about them. Some of the tracks sounded very similar to me, but overall, I really enjoyed the album. It would be one of those I'd put on while I'm writing.

Definitely recommended. If you would like to give it a try, you can purchase the album here: http://deseretbook.com/Classic-Rock-Album-Jenny-Oaks-Baker/i/5119169

Imperfect Love Lauren Wilson is well on her way to her happily-ever-after. She has a career she loves, a husband she adores and a baby on the way, but a devastating diagnosis changes everything. The life she's built suddenly crumbles around her when her husband insists she choose—the baby or him. Returning to her small hometown to rebuild her shattered life, Lauren crosses paths with Ethan Campbell, the man who stole her teenage heart. The old attraction is still there, but Lauren won't admit it to anyone—least of all herself. Her only priority is providing a life for her child, and she can't afford to get it wrong. Ethan is confusing everything, including stirring up feelings she’s not prepared to face. Will she spend her life raising her baby alone or is the family she's always wanted finally within her reach?  



Author Rebecca Lynn Talley

 Rebecca Lynn Talley grew up in the gorgeous seaside city of Santa Barbara, CA. She met, and married, her husband, Del, while attending Brigham Young University. She graduated from BYU with a degree in Communications. She currently lives in rural Colorado on a small ranch with a dog, too many cats to count, and a herd of goats. She and Del are the proud parents of ten wildly-creative, multi-talented children. Rebecca is the author of a children’s picture book, Grasshopper Pie (WindRiver 2003), a children’s chapter book, Gabby’s Secret (DuBon Publishing 2011), four novels, Heaven Scent (CFI 2008), Altared Plans (CFI 2009), The Upside of Down (CFI 2011), and Aura (DuBon Publishing 2012). She has also authored numerous children’s stories and articles for both print and online magazines. When she isn’t writing, Rebecca loves to date her husband, play with her kids, swim in the ocean, and dance to disco music while she cleans the house. She has folded at least one million loads of laundry, baked hundreds of batches of chocolate chip cookies, and eaten 5,478 gallons of ice cream.

Blog Tour Giveaway Details $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 4/10/14 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 and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Michael, thank you so much for participating in The Roilden Stone of Elf Mountain’s tour. We will have a ebook Giveaway between Feb 24 – Mar 8: You have a chance to win The Roilden Stone of Elf Mountain. Leave a comment about this interview with your e-mail. One ebook will be given in each stop in this tour and the entries can be international.
Please describe yourself with few sentences. Who are you?
An award winner author of YA High Fantasy and romance. I am a wife a mother, a homemaker, a seamstress and have an awesome imagination. I love fantasy, ruins, castles and romantic music.
What inspired you to want to become writer?
Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. I wanted to know more about his characters and I had to come up with my own answers. Love it.
Who did you want to become when you were a kid? What did you dream about?

I wanted to be a policewoman. They look so cool in green uniforms and my eyes are the same green. (This is in my native country, Chile)
What brought you to writing? When did the idea of writing your first book form?
When my husband said that my imagination would be the death of him. He ordered me to write—so he could live to an old age.
What do you do when you are not writing? Do you have any hobbies?
I do costuming for anything I can think of. FantasyCon is coming in July 3-4-5 and I am one of the official costume designers.
What is the most difficult aspect of being a writer for you?

Promotion and marketing of my books. It’s dreary and takes too much time.
If you wouldn’t be a writer, what would you be and do?
A reader, probably. I love to read. Take care of my family…go see live concerts, dances and live plays and do costumes if I can for them.
Did you ever experience writer’s block when the writing process just wasn’t moving ahead?

Yes, and I avoided writing for three days. Then I forced myself to sit and type. In no more than twenty minutes I was on the road again and never looked back.

Where can we find The Roilden Stone of Elf Mountain?
You can find all my books at: www.annadelc.com amazon, http://j.mp/1dvqXP6

I had an amazing time attending Life, the Universe and Everything this weekend. I got to be on some panels with other amazing authors, including one of my favorites, Brandon Sanderson.

For all those I met at the Conference and might be visiting here for the first time, I wanted to say "hi!" and introduce myself a bit.

As you might have gathered, I love many different types of writing, but mostly Fantasy and Sci-Fi. I also love to give back with my writing, which is why I create some projects that I sell for charitable causes.

Here's how my currently available fiction works:



My first series is The Canticle Kingdom. Right now, there is a prequel series of stories compiled in a volume called The Canticle Prelude. The sequel, The Frozen Globe is coming out in April. This is a series enjoyed best by young adults or adults and mixes fantasy, historical fiction, and music.

You can find the Canticle Kingdom here: http://amzn.com/B007TWN5KY

My second series is The Last Archangel Series. Now, there is just one book titled The Last Archangel, but the sequel, The Last Kingdom, will be coming out later this year. 



You can find The Last Archangel here: http://amzn.com/B0051PKCZC

I also do audio serials through BigWorldNetwork.com, which connect to each of these series. The current audio series is called Age of Archangels and can be listened to here: https://bigworldnetwork.com/site/series/ageofarchangels/. 



I also am in to charity work by creating short story anthologies to sell for various charitable causes such as Down Syndrome and Autism advocacy and research. You can find out much more about this here: 

http://adventanthology.wordpress.com/

Or even submit a story for consideration by going here: 

http://adventanthology.wordpress.com/call-for-submissions/

Well, that's me in a nutshell. I also write and perform music, so that often is a large part of my work. Feel free to join me at my other online homes: 

http://www.facebook.com/authormichaelyoung
http://www.twitter.com/mdybyu

Or drop me a line at thecanticlekingdom@gmail.com

Nice to meet you!

Hello world,

I thought I ought to post what I've been up to lately. We had a wonderful Christmas season in which the second volume of my Advent Anthology series "Carol of the Tales" came out in paperback, Kindle format, and audiobook, narrated by the incredible Martin Wilde.

Just as with last year, we were able to make a large donation to a charitable cause, in this case Autism Speaks in honor of my son Jarem. Thank you to all of you who participated.

The third and final volume in this Advent Anthology series is going to come out this holiday season and I'm still accepting stories until the end of March. I find myself with several manuscripts that I am polishing and ramping up for another round of submissions. 

I was kept very busy last year finishing my master's degree but I'm happy to say that I've got that behind me and that I'm ready to launch myself at some other projects. I just finished the first draft of a really fun epic fantasy novel that I'm excited to let's the light of day eventually. This is my first foray writing something specifically for an adult audience, but I still hope to avoid all of the unnecessary content clutter in books made for adults. Focus on the story, no more, no less. 

I'm also happy to announce that I have three other manuscripts that are nearing completion and should be  finished this year. I'm back in full go mode and more determined than ever to provide some new books.

Hope that you'll come along for the ride.

The Enchantress of Lynniah Have you ever come across a vain, impetuous little creature called a Mandie, and had to quickly dodge one of her poisonous darts? Or, have you ever imagined having to sing to a fruit to get it to peel open? Perhaps you've bumped into freakishly large, blue men, called Dreads? Well, with all of that, along with evil Nymphs and blood thirsty Banelorgs - these are things you've only likely experienced if you've had a nice long visit to Lynniah. Corrah's life suddenly and drastically changes with the unexpected and inexplicable death of her loving mother, Lillian. She and her two sisters, Gaela and Stormy, are suddenly thrust into the unknown and sent to live with their mysterious Aunt Rainee, who lives in the seemingly bewitched village, called Lynniah. Living in a house that their mother's family had occupied for hundreds of years, they find clues that begin to unlock the startling reality that they are all part of an important magical heritage. A heritage that has been kept secret to save them from a dark and powerful enemy. Corrah has to find a way to battle and balance the onslaughts of loss, young love, and learn to uncover the personal power she has hidden inside her to overcome overwhelming adversity.
Praise for The Enchantress of Lynniah "I loved this book! It had a bit of everything...fantasy, adventure, romance, intrigue, and really unique characters! I was immediately drawn in and it held my attention throughout the story. It's the type of book I could read over and over again. I highly recommend it if your looking for a fun read." ~Shelly on Goodreads "This book was awesome! It stayed with me for days, I kept thinking about all the characters. I can't wait for the sequel!" ~Emma on Goodreads

  
Author A.L. Bawden A.L. Bawden was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, into a large family of artists. Her father is a renowned sculptor -(Dee Jay Bawden), and her mother was an ingenious crafter, interior decorator, and seamstress. She has siblings that are sculptors, photographers, painters, cake decorators, tattoo artists, film makers, and crafters. She and a couple of her sisters have also had a successful mural painting business in Utah, called Artistic Murals. Her other hobbies include, reading, sewing & designing costumes, making jewelry, crafting, wake-boarding, snow-boarding, camping, fishing, boating, hiking, and running. She is a lover of fantasy fiction books and has enjoyed writing ever since she was a kid. She is the mother of three and is currently managing a couple of small online businesses
  Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/26/14 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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mooncalf by Linda Zern

 Over Olympia and Leah's heads, Americans race the Russians to the moon; on their television sets young men fight and struggle in the mud of Viet Nam; and America holds its breath between heartbreaking tragedies. But on Miss Brinker's school bus, in the seat with the rip in the green plastic, Olympia and Leah fall in love, the way children do: immediately, completely, and without knowing or caring why they shouldn't. Olympia Crooms, with her happy hair, and Leah Breck, with her silly red dog, are two smart girls. Olympia's father works other men's orange groves in rural Central Florida and tells his daughter that school is the best way to reach for the stars. Leah's father moves his family from the Space Coast to the country where she and her brother can climb orange trees, imagine lions in the tall grass, and learn to feed baby cows milk from a bottle. At Evegan Elementary, two smart girls find each other and have to decide if they will learn the hardest lessons of all: the false traditions of their fathers.
Praise for Mooncalf

 "One of the most admirable things about Mooncalf is that it's difficult to find a single wasted word in the entire book. Granted the book is short; yet, it is very rare to find a book which treats with such delicacy the choosing of each word--each adjective, verb, and noun. Themes, motifs, and symbols are everywhere throughout Mooncalf, and most impressive of all none of it is discarded. Motifs and themes exist in big and small circles in Mooncalf, circling back in on themselves as well as intertwining themselves with the plot and the characters that inhabit it. And those motifs and themes, those messages and those symbols, don't go away once you've finished the book. They stick with you. It's hard to forget Mooncalf."" ~ The Thousander Club

 "I never expected to be moved to tears by a book meant for adolescents. Buy it, read it, share it, and let yourself be changed by it." ~Lacey Smith

Excerpt

Olympia’s voice was a whisper in Leah’s ear. “I don’t have those things, those cooties.” “I know. I don’t even care what those things are.” “Cootie bugs. Miss Rhodes is saying I have bugs crawling and living in my hair and at my house.” “Miss Rhodes didn’t mean you.” Leah felt icky. “She couldn’t mean you.” “It’s because I’m one of the poor kids, you know. She said it: sharecroppers.” Without looking, Olympia pulled her hand out of Leah’s and started trying to flatten the wrinkles out of the crushed paper doily on the valentine. Leah put her hand over Olympia’s, the valentine a ruined mess under their fingers. “But Miss Rhodes has hair just like yours.” “No,” Olympia said, shaking her head. “No, Miss Rhodes doesn’t want hair like mine, like she had when she was a little girl. She wants white folk’s hair. That’s what Granny Mac says. ‘Cuz some colored folks like her don’t know who they want to be any more.’” Leah looked at the neat part in her friend’s black braids, and loved the way Olympia’s barrettes danced when she dropped her head. She saw only the complicated, clever patterns in her friend’s clean black hair. Leah saw only Olympia.  



Author Linda Zern

Linda Zern is a native of Florida where she learned to be moonstruck. She wrote her first children's chapter book, The Pocket Fairies of Middleburg, in 2005. Writer's Digest called "the perspective of these tiny beings [the pocket fairies] refreshing, enchanting, and intriguing." Florida Publisher's Association was kind enough to award her little book the President's Book Award for best children's book of 2005. Mrs. Zern has since published an inspirational book, The Long-Promised Song, serving as both writer and illustrator. Three collections of her humorous essays (ZippityZern’s Uncommon Nonsense) can be found at Smashwords.com, and her award winning essays have been recognized and published at HumorPress.com. Her current project, Mooncalf, is her first work of historical fiction for Middle School readers. Set in rural Central Florida, the author tells the story of two misfit girls and the hard lessons they must learn about friendship and love from their friends, their families, and their world. The mystical state of Florida remains an enchanted and delightsome place for both Mrs. Zern and her husband of thirty plus years, and so they continue to make their home among the palmettos and armadillos in the historic town of Saint Cloud.

 

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

 Ends 2/28/14 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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway