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.

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Stephanie Boyd was not yet on my radar until this CD arrived in my mail, but now she most definitely is. The album is full of fresh, uplifting songs, and excellent musicianship. I commented to my wife as we were listening together, that is sounded a bit like "Sara Bareilles meets EFY".

Stephanie has a smooth, beautiful voice that can do both cheerful, upbeat numbers, and soft, emotional numbers equally well. The orchestration backs her up beautifully, and the result sounds a lot like popular music you might hear on the radio with positive and uplifting messages.

Most of the tracks were original songs, with a single hymn cover of "Scatter Sunshine" to round it out. One of the tracks I most enjoyed was "The Storm Before the Calm", in which she switches out the adage of the "calm before the storm" to the more optimistic "the storm before the calm", when talking about the difficulties of life and the rest of the life to come.

After listening to this album, I think Stephanie will definitely be one to watch.

You can listen to tracks from the CD and purchase one here: http://stephanieboydmusic.com/store/

 

Warrior's Moon Medieval Historical Romance by Jaclyn M. Hawkes   Never in all the kingdom has there been a more brave and protective champion. Nor such a loyal and capable maiden. And they loved each other desperately. But is their love strong enough to withstand all their dark age holds—danger, feudalism, disease, and unfair oppression? Yes, they truly loved each other desperately. They loved their kingdom more.  

Author Jaclyn M. Hawkes

Jaclyn M. Hawkes grew up in Utah with 6 sisters, 4 brothers and any number of pets. (It was never boring!) She got a bachelor’s degree, had a career and traveled extensively before settling down to her life’s work of being the mother of four magnificent and sometimes challenging children. She loves shellfish, the out of doors, the youth and hearing her children laugh. She and her fine husband, their family, and their sometimes very large pets, now live in a mountain valley in northern Utah, where it smells like heaven and kids still move sprinkler pipe.
 

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/10/14 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, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

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This 1940s carol was written in the middle of the summer as an effort to “stay cool by thinking cool”. 

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This ringing carol makes reference to the two the two Anglican services of Morning and Evening prayer. 

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