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Rockstar Tours: PILLARS (Claire Theriot Mestepey) Excerpt & 2 Giveaways! ~INT

June 9th, 2023 by

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the PILLARS by Claire Theriot Mestepey Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: PILLARS (Madeline’s
Magic #1)

Author: Claire
Theriot Mestepey

Pub. Date: February 3, 2022

Publisher: Claire Theriot Mestepey

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Pages: 488

Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/PILLARS

Read for
FREE with a Kindle Unlimited membership!

 

Madeline Jourdain is starting a new
life in New Orleans, Louisiana. Despite being paralyzed from the waist down,
she has always been popular and smart, recently graduating from college. She
has been blessed with adoring parents and friends who saw Madeline’s true self,
beyond her disability. But deep down, Madeline longed for something she never
knew she missed. With a touch of a welcoming hand, Madeline’s heart opens to
find true love. With an opening of a book, Madeline discovers the magic lying
dormant in her, as magic is reintroduced throughout the world. This fills
Madeline’s heart with more possibilities but also more danger than she could ever
have imagined. With help from witches, storm giants, and a Pixie named Charlie,
Madeline learns about true love, magic, and even dragons.

 

 

Excerpt:

Chapter 1 

Madeline Jourdain has recently moved from her hometown, Houston, Texas, to New Orleans, Louisiana,  for a paid Internship at a new art gallery. Not in her wildest dreams could she have imagined starting  such a fantastic position at the young age of 22, a week after graduating with a liberal arts degree.

The last few weeks are a blur. Madeline, of course, received a standing ovation at graduation. She felt  beet red, humiliated. In a wheelchair, you receive applauds for the dumbest stuff. The only way she got  through it was to lock eyes with Jane Summers, who was sitting behind her parents, as instructed. This  gave Madeline the courage to smile at the well-meaning but patronizing crowd. Her parents received  her beaming smile as a sign of excitement. No one ever suspected that the reason she looked so giggly  was that Jane was standing up behind her parents, rolling her eyes, doing a mock golf clap. No one on  earth will ever understand Madeline Jourdain better as she winked at Jane, and their eyes kissed.

Madeline Jourdain knew she should be more gracious about these things. It had been a long road  getting here from being an abandoned baby found in the back parking lot in a church in a tiny town in  Louisiana. The small parish priest, Peter’s oldest and dearest friend, asked if he and his wife would foster  this abandoned baby. That was that. Her adopted father, Peter, although she never thought of him that  way, says she was their serendipitous angel. And even if she was born on the other side of the world,  they would have found their daughter. Madeline has never considered searching for her birth parents.  Not even for a second, Linda Vu Jourdain, adopted mother sent from heaven, was her mama.

Linda was a very loving but stern mother. Yet, she had a dry wit that could send Madeline into hysterical  laughter. She was fiercely protective, never allowing Madeline to be treated differently, even though her  daughter was in a wheelchair. And to Peter’s dismay, Linda and Madeline bonded over food and  shopping, as often as schedules would allow. These Mother and daughter dates fizzled out during the  high school years. Still, they made a strong comeback during Madeline’s college career.

Bed, Bath, and Beyond, kind of their jam. Linda has taken her on a shopping spree for the last four years  before moving Madeline into her dorms. The move to New Orleans should have felt routine, but  somehow this felt bigger, not just because college was downtown and her Internship was in a different  state. Something was pulling Madeline East.

Luckily the Internship came with a furnished apartment. Caravanning two cars from Houston to New  Orleans was a simple move. Mostly clothes, kitchen stuff, and art supplies. And no one ever knew that  Madeline played sad songs for the entire drive down I-10, sobbing. Knowing that this moved ended a  chapter that did not have a happily ever after.

The apartment was a smudge bigger than her dorm room but felt like a palace to Madeline. It had three  rooms counting the kitchen and the bathroom/closet combo. The main area was about 700 square feet,  cute rugs defined the kitchen and living area. A futon faced a tiny tv that looked 15 years old. Linda made Madeline promise to make her bed every night, including fresh linen. Peter smirked, knowing this  was unlikely, but a mother could dream. The broken brick walls made the tiny, very ordinary efficiency  apartment feel magical. The front door opened into a small courtyard.

For a second, Madeline dreaded trying to get into the bathroom in her wheelchair, even though her  employer guaranteed everything she needed would be accessible. Because it did help on at least a spiritual level, Madeline held her breath as she rolled into the small but oddly large bathroom.  Somehow her wheels did not even come close to touching the doorframe.

Peter inspected every inch of the apartment, frowning at the number of deadbolts on the door, knowing  his daughter would lose interest after one or two clicks. He immediately researched getting an alarm.  Madeline smiled and nodded, knowing this was one battle she should not even express an opinion on.

Madeline twirled in her new apartment, giggling like she was drunk the second Peter and Linda left. Of  course, her folks wanted to stay longer, to help her really settle in. She somehow convinced them to  return in a month when they all could enjoy the city. Madeline said she had to get to work immediately,  and on their next visit, her mom could take her shopping for bathroom stuff. This seemed to appeased  mom, a little more than it should have.

To ease the guilt of sending her parents home early, Madeline would go into the gallery in the morning  for a few hours just to soak in the vibe. Then she sort of had a week off, and Jane and Steven were  coming up for a few days the minute Peter and Linda headed back to Houston. Madeline was just glad  she was not stuck in a 6-hour car ride with neither the departing nor the arriving visitors. Even though  they were her four most favorite people in the universe, they were most enjoyable when separated.

Madeline Claire Jourdain is 22 years old. Her birthday is celebrated on October 22nd. The priest found  her when she was a few days old, and since she was four, Madeline has persuaded her dad, Peter, into  celebrating her birth week, in case they were off by a few days.

Peter and Linda headed to Louisiana the day after Father Michael called to pick up their baby girl. It was  truly textbook, love at first sight. Father Michael had warned that the baby looked to have special  needs. And for the past 24 hours, that is all the couple could talk about. Could they love and support a  child with a disability? Would that be all that they saw when they looked at the baby?

The second that Father Michael put baby Madeline in Linda’s arms, their world changed. Linda could not  stop smiling, and Peter kissed her tiny fingers a hundred times. And that was that.

For the next 5 years, Peter, Linda, and Madeline visited 20 doctors and specialists in four countries. They  also visited different historic churches and supposedly sacred places where miracles had taken place.  Somewhere in a dusty album, there is a picture of young Madeline in a wheelchair at the Marian shrine  of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. In front of a row of crutches, the cured had left. This was the only  family picture ever taken that made Madeline extremely sad.

Doctors spoke in different accents and speeds. Some expressed empathy, too many were blunt and  dismissive. One even suggested Madeline was just extremely lazy and stubborn. Well, ok, he was half  right…

Overall, the consensus was the same; besides being paralyzed from the waist down, Madeline was one  of the healthiest kids they had ever seen. But even with the hundreds of scans, MRI’s, blood tests, and x rays from a million different positions, no one could explain why she could not walk.

On Madeline’s 7th birthday, she received the best gift ever. Her parents promised her that aside from  wellness checkups, they were done. She was their perfect miracle, as is, no questions asked. And for a  very long time, this fairy tale kept away her demons late at night.

*

There was a knock on the door early the next morning; luckily, Madeline had been awake for hours. She  did not sleep well on her first night in her new apartment in her new city. Her lack of rem sleep was a  mixture of nervousness, really weird dreams, and maybe she missed her mom, oh the horrors!

“Hey Madeline,” The light knocked at the door came with a familiar voice. “It’s Danny Boudreaux, from  NL Foundation.” She rushed to the door, cursing the 4 locked deadbolts that her father stood outside,  impatiently waiting to hear the clicks before they headed back to Houston the night before.

“Finally, we meet in person.” Madeline opened the door and was pleasantly surprised. She had been  talking to Danny almost every day for the last few months. He oversaw the foundation that hired her to  open the new art gallery. He was instrumental in finding her apartment and mentioned he looked  forward to having a new neighbor. She knew he was also part owner in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant  across the street from her new home. He, however, neglected to mention how gorgeous he was.  Looking back, this may have been a very good thing.

“Umm, you knew I was in a wheelchair, right?” Madeline suddenly felt self-conscious. Why was this man  staring at her? Like almost stalker-like? At least most of her boxes were still packed. Steven and Jane  could help her make a quick exit back to Houston if needed.

“No,” Danny started backtracking, which restored the cuteness and safety factor.

Madeline grinned again. He was leaning against the tiny bar that separated the kitchen from the living  area. Although she didn’t focus on his voice during the hundreds of phone calls over the last month,  Madeline quickly found a new appreciation for it. His voice was deep but friendly. Which kind of  matched his three-piece suit. She really didn’t know what to expect.

It made sense that he was wearing a suit since Danny was an attorney and board member of the NL  Foundation that hired her. He just sounded less business-like on the phone. He stood about 5’11. It was  a strange knack that Madeline had; she was very accurate in telling people’s height. Probably because  she had always felt short in her wheelchair.

Danny Boudreaux had salt and peppered hair, a little premature for his age, maybe late twenties, but it  fit him. His eyes were hazel, and his skin more olive than white. He probably went to the gym as an  obligation, not as a fun outing. He was just very attractive physically, and his warm personality added to  his charm.

“No. Yes… What I meant was,” Danny grinned from embarrassment. “Did I mention I’m an eloquent  speaker in court? I apologize; yes, I knew you were in a wheelchair. You are not what I envisioned during  our conversations, you’re stunning. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I blurted that out.”

“Coffee?” Madeline offered, breaking the awkward silence, feeling herself blush. Luckily the coffee  maker was the only thing unpacked and ready for duty.

“Coffee.” And except for one more very unexpected moment later that week, they immediately talked  like they knew each other all their lives. There was something about him that felt like home.

Danny finished his 2nd cup of coffee, apologizing for the 4th time that he had to be in court most of the  day, ruining his “Welcome to New Orleans tour extravaganza.” But he did offer to be Madeline’s personal tour guide that weekend. Madeline debated sharing him with Jane but figured she owed her  after what Jane is currently doing and figured it might make her less grumpy. Danny seemed pleased  that there would be a group and promised a good time would be had by all. Madeline was less certain,  but stranger things have happened.

On a piece of paper, Danny jotted down directions to the art gallery, which was only three blocks away,  and the alarm code. And handed her a set of keys. They laughed as they felt a spark. Madeline usually  hated static electricity sparks…

She tried to hide how pleased she was as she closed the apartment door behind her. The two left the  quaint courtyard together but parted ways at the main street. Danny now rushing, not realizing where  the morning had gone.

Madeline didn’t remember anything about her swift roll from her apartment to the gallery, but she will  always remember every detail of the new art space. The building itself was an old house, outside kept to  the original structure as much as possible. Three sides of the house untouched except for replacement  bricks. The fourth updated to look more like a modern business. The front had two huge windows on  each side, double doors in the middle, made from cypress wood, with colored broken mosaic stain glass  as panels. Three steps led up to the door, and a side ramp lined with flowers led to the same entrance.

Madeline didn’t think she had been in front of the store that long, but when the 4th stranger walking by  asked if she needed help, Madeline forced herself to go in. The lock felt a little stuck, but as Madeline  turned the key, both doors swung open, as if a light breeze pushed them.

Besides the somewhat accessible path, this looked like a scene from extreme hoarders. The peaks of the  stacks of treasures, trash, and junk towered over Madeline’s head, And for the first time, she wondered  if she should have asked for hazardous pay. She looked around and started playing eye spy. Just off the  top of her head, she spotted two bikes, four TVs, stoves, broken furniture, books, paintings, some in one  piece, others not so much, clothes, jewelry, and boxes and boxes of general crap.

“Hey Danny,” Madeline left a message, knowing he was doing lawyerly things, trying to sound firm. “The  outside looks spectacular, but unless our first exhibit is ‘1960s junkyard’, I really don’t see a finish line  within our three-month target date. Please call me asap. Hope you’re having a good day.” She smiled at  the phone as if he could see her.

“Hope you’re having a good day?” Madeline mumbled to herself, what the hell? That kind of nulls and voids the urgency of the message, dummy.

Madeline felt completely turned around, somewhere towards the back, mentally sifting through another  mountain of stuff when she heard an alarm beep announcing that someone had come in.

“Hello,” She began her introduction speech she had been rehearsing in her head for a week. “ Welcome  to the Phyllis L Art Gallery. Please excuse the mess…” her voice trailed off.

“Hi.” He said softly as if asking for permission. He was an athletic-looking guy in khaki shorts and a  purple polo shirt, in his mid-twenties. Too pretty and cocky for boyfriend material, unless you were into  that. Madeline certainly wasn’t, anymore.

“Hi,” Madeline whispered, with sadness in her voice; her heart was a different matter. He bent to his  knees to kiss her. Madeline tried to resist but giggled as she gave in. “Jane is going to kill me, but I did  find her a new distraction,” Steven laughed and kissed her forehead as he stood up, now looking at the  space in disbelief.

“Muffaletta. Let the food fetish weekend begin.” Jane suddenly appeared, as if magically. Madeline  didn’t hear the door open. Steven jumped away from Madeline as if he was a 5-year-old who got caught  putting gum in the hair of the girl he loves. “Oh damnit, Madds. You promised.”

“He was just saying hello.” Madeline was trying not to grin because Jane seemed genuinely irritated, and  Madeline really wanted a Muffaletta. “I promised that he wouldn’t get to third base. Besides, what is  the proper way to greet your ex-boyfriend?”

“I’m pretty sure Emily Post would strongly suggest… No. Tongue.” Jane was hiding her smirk behind the  big bag of food she was laying out over a picnic tablecloth on the floor in one of the clearings.

“Do I get a vote…” Steven asked, knowing what the answer was.

“Nope.” The girls sang in sync. Madeline laughed until Jane joined in. Finally greeting her best friend  with a kiss on the cheek.

Jane was Madeline’s most favorite person on earth. They met freshman year on the first day of  orientation and have not gone 48 hours without talking since. They met Steven on the 2nd day of  orientation, so of course, they still tease after 5 years that Steven was the third wheel. And to some  extent, it was true.

Jane Summers was a gorgeous girl. A little too gorgeous for Madeline’s taste, but we all have our own  cross to bear. To Jane’s absolute disgust, Madeline frequently referred to her as a Greek goddess. With  perfect cream skin, green eyes, graceful, and long spirally red hair, how else would anyone describe her  besides the Greek goddess? To add insult to injury, she was very smart. A month ago, Jane finished  culinary school after getting her B.A. in three years. They really should not be friends at all.

“Can we just have a really fun weekend?” Madeline asked, raising a can of soda. Trying to shake the  feeling that this would be the last weekend the threesome could be together, pretending they were  sophomores when things were still pure.

“Cheers.” Jane winked at Madeline and leaned into Steven’s arm.

“Cheers,” Steven added. “Hey, Madds said she found you a shining new plaything.” “Ooh, do tell.” Jane smiled. “Is he cute?”

“Oh my god, I’d definitely tap that,” Madeline admitted.

“Hey!?!?” Steven screamed, almost choking on his sandwich.

“He is gorgeous.” Madeline continued, ignoring Steven’s outburst. “And he owns a restaurant. You may  flirt with him, but no hokey pokey until I’m hired permanently, then you have my blessings.”

“Hey!?!?” Steven screamed again, this time louder and with more feelings. Madeline and Jane burst into  uncontrollable laughter.

The quick lunch lasted far into the night. They did discuss Danny a little more, but it was just nice to have  a long, flowing conversation like they used to, before things got complicated, before words broke  hearts. They talked about almost everything from Steven starting his Master’s Program in the fall in  Atlanta to Jane’s plans now that she just finished culinary school. They mostly enjoyed watching  Madeline trying to roll around the gallery, pointing out her ideas for projects she could not wait to start.

The next morning, Danny appeared at Madeline’s door with coffee and fresh beignets.

“Hey, you must be Danny. “ Jane opened the door and invited him in. “Have you met Steven?  Madeline’s boyfriend?” She giggled, her signal to Madeline that Danny would do just fine.

“I’m so getting to third base; your bodyguard just approved,” Steven whispered in Madeline’s ear before  getting up from a sleeping bag to shake Danny’s hand. Madeline felt embarrassed, but she wasn’t sure  about whom or why.

And so began a wonderful weekend. A little warm for late June, but the low clouds tamed the sun to a  pleasant temperature. It was interesting to Madeline that even though her dad was born in a small town  west of New Orleans, they rarely visited this amazing city. Everything Danny introduced them to was  fresh and wonderful.

Of course, the three were obsessed with the food equally as the next meal seemed better than the last  fabulous one. For lunch, they ate at Oceana. Danny called it a local favorite; no one argued. Everyone  ordered a different entrée and shared bites. The winner with an overwhelming clean plate was the  blackened duck stuffed with crawfish.

After the amazing lunch, the foursome wandered around the French Quarter, just enjoying the relaxing  day. Steven loved the architecture, Jane stopped to read every menu, and Madeline had to stare into  the window of every gallery, making mental notes of what she needed.

But indisputably, the favorite outing Saturday was Preservation Hall. In all the churches in the world that  Madeline had visited, she had never felt a stronger presence of a higher being than here.

Preservation Hall was a small space. Maybe held 150 people, most of them sitting on the floor. Danny  had gotten them a VIP table, but Madeline would have been just as happy on the floor. The hall featured  local old school jazz bands. The youngest musician in the band they saw was 75 years young.

Maybe it was the candles or the old brick building that looked like it had survived hundreds of fads and  was still standing, almost as is after decades of change. Opened in 1961, the music venue features  acoustic concerts featuring over 100 local master jazz musicians.

Madeline was surprised as tears ran down her cheek when the crowd was brought to their feet as the  band played “When The Saints Go Marching In.” She looked around her, finding unexpected comfort  that the other three had tears too.

Madeline promised herself that she would return to Preservation Hall as much as she could. A tiny part  of her worried it would get old. But in all the years she would live in the city, she went at least once a  month, Usually for their Sunday brunch. And never once did it feel old.

After this spiritual event, the four agreed the only way to end the night was drinking and dancing,  celebrating the true essence of the French Quarters. And that they did.

“Oh, damn,” Danny mumbled as the four stepped out of the third bar of the night. “I didn’t see this text.  My grandfather is short-staffed tonight. I should go help close up. Will y’all join me for brunch there  tomorrow? I saved the best for last.”

“That sounds fantastic.” Madeline nodded as Steven shook his hand, thanking him for the day.

“Can I tag along?” Jane offered, dying to see the restaurant Danny had been telling her about. Madeline  giggled, wondering what Jane was more excited about, getting her hands on a kitchen or Danny. The  group said their goodbyes, and Jane and Danny disappeared into the crowd on Bourbon Street.

“We should go get coffee and Beignets,” Steven suggested. Madeline suddenly felt nervous. They once  bonded over coffee. They decided they were best friends over coffee. Steven confessed he was madly in  love with her over coffee. And two years later, Steven confessed something else, again over coffee.

“Stupid coffee,” Madeline muttered under her breath as they were seated at Café Du Monde. She had  been here a few times on family trips, but the night had a different feel to the airy restaurant, tables,  and people packed in like sardines, even after midnight.

They ordered six Beignets, square-looking doughnuts that tasted better than any pastry should.

“So.” Steven started. Madeline bribed herself. If she could get through this conversation without either  bursting into tears or stabbing him, preferably in the penis. Then, she could buy an insanely expensive  brush Monday.

“So…” Madeline’s devilish grin hid the tears she felt swelling.

“Excuse me,” Their moment was interrupted by two ladies. “We hate to bother you, but we’d be so  honored if you could say a blessing; my mother just got into a car accident. And she would be in awe if  she was blessed by a direct descendant.”

“I’m…” Madeline didn’t see this conversation. “I’m sorry, I’m from Houston, but I certainly will keep her  in my prayers.” The words just came out. Madeline didn’t want to sound mean, but this was bizarre.

“We are so sorry; please accept our apologies. Have a good evening.” The other lady said, now kind of  bowing. They both insisted on shaking Madeline’s hand. This was beyond weird as the last one cuffed  her hand for what felt like an eternity. The two backed away and disappeared into the crowd.

“Ok, they did drink too many Hurricanes.” Madeline tried to laugh it off, feeling very uneasy. Now very  annoyed that Steven seemed glued to a card that one of the ladies must have left on the table.  “Steven!” Madeline hissed. Holding the card up so she could see it, he looked directly at her with a very  strange expression.

It was a laminated card, 2×3. On the front, one of those old-timey portraits, the back, a paragraph. It  looked like a Saint’s card from the Catholic Church.

“You have her cheeks.” He continued to study the picture. “And her eyes. Look, Madeline.”

“And we are extremely drunk.” Madeline flat out lied. Madeline had maybe a total of half a drink the  entire day. Between her new co-worker and her ex-boyfriend, she wanted to keep a clear head. Steven  did have a drink or two but wasn’t even tipsy. Madeline took the card from Steven, ignoring the picture  and the shiver that ran up her spine the second she touched the paper.

“Listen to this crap.” Madeline read the back of the card. “I seek protection and sound my alarm, my  body, mind, and spirit be safe from harm. My aura a shield to help me stay strong. I block negativity and  all that is wrong. Blah blah blah. WHAT!?!?”

“That paragraph is written in French.” Steven leaning towards Madeline, angrily whispered. “You do not  speak French! You speak English, Vietnamese, and a little bit of Spanish. NOT French! How the hell are  you reading this?”

“This is NOT in French.” Madeline tried not to raise her voice. How in the world was this turning into a  fight? Madeline wondered as she felt her blood boiling. Worse playful fight and excuse for makeup sex  ever!

“Come on.” Steven said forcefully, “I texted Jane. She’s going to meet us back at the apartment.” He got  up and left, hoping Madeline would follow. He knew her. She would have stubbornly sat at that table at  Café Du Monde until she could prove she was right, or at least less wrong than Steven. Madeline  followed against her better judgment. At least Jane would bitch Steven out for the strange game he was  playing, And Madeline would win. And everything would be fine.

 

 

About Claire Theriot Mestepey:

 

Whimsy Word Search Game Ups the Fun Level of Word Searches

Whimsy Word Search has launched a new style of game that
triples the fun with its genius mix of color and word search.

Claire Theriot Mestepey’s love affair with word games and
word searches has been going on for as long as she can remember. Then about a
few years ago, Claire had a novel idea to create a book that combined both
coloring and word searches in one game. She immediately got to work to ensure
this idea came into fruition. After a lot of trials and mostly errors, Whimsy
Word Search was born.

Whimsy Word Search debuted with two never-seen-before puzzle
styles: normal and pictogram. The normal Whimsy Word Search is a prettier and
more colorful take on the regular word search, but the difference is that it
allows one to color each letter in the words they find.

As for the pictogram style, Claire has her husband to thank
for the idea. “My husband suggested there might be a way to make these puzzles
even more challenging. Why use simple letters when you can challenge your
puzzle lovers with pictograms? So have each pictogram represent a letter and
then find the connecting pictograms that form the words. Hence Whimsy Word
Search, Pictogram Style was created.”

As the owner and creator of the Whimsy Word Search, Claire is
in charge of the entire process. “I do everything from coming up with the ideas
for different books to creating the pages to publishing the books.” It is
particularly noteworthy that Claire does all this even with a severe physical
disability. “What gives my story of a strong woman trying to build a business
while raising a happy family a twist, is that I have cerebral palsy.”

Nonetheless, Claire shows no sign of stopping anytime soon.
“Recently we have added American Sign Language too. My latest book is
Shakespearean Insults, which features letters from guttersnipe to roundtable
wench! These words and insults work in a pinch! It’s probably my favorite book
word search that I have created to date.”

Claire also added a new feather to her cap when she and her
work were featured in the Texas County Reporter. An experience she is most
thankful for.

Claire also finished her first full-length novel recently,
Pillars, which is about a heroine in wheelchair who uses her magic powers to
combat evil. The novel is set to be part of a trilogy that chronicles the epic
battles between good and evil. Claire is currently writing the second novel,
while a detailed outline of the third novel is already penned down.

Sign up for Claire’s
newsletter!

Website | Twitter | FacebookInstagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card, International.

3 winners will receive an eBook of PILLARS, International.

Ends July 7th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

6/1/2023

A Dream Within A Dream

Excerpt

6/2/2023

The Chirpy Bookaholic

Excerpt/IG Post

Week Two:

6/5/2023

Sadie’s
Spotlight

Excerpt/IG Post

6/6/2023

Two Chicks on Books

Excerpt/IG Post

6/7/2023

Cara North

Excerpt/IG Post

6/8/2023

#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog

Excerpt/IG Post

6/9/2023

YA
Books Central

Excerpt/IG Post

Week Three:

6/12/2023

Fire
and Ice

Review

6/13/2023

Rajiv’s
Reviews

Review/IG Post

6/14/2023

Lifestyle of Me

Review

6/15/2023

Jaime_of_gryffindor

IG Review

6/16/2023

OneMoreExclamation

Review/IG Post

Week Four:

6/19/2023

Locks, Hooks and Books

Review

6/20/2023

A Blue Box Full of Books

IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post

6/21/2023

@jlreadstoperpetuity

IG Review

6/22/2023

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

6/23/2023

the original B00K nerd

IG Review/FB Post

Week Five:

6/26/2023

@allyluvsbooksalatte

IG Review

6/27/2023

Review Thick And Thin

Review/IG Post

6/28/2023

The Momma Spot

Review

6/29/2023

Confessions of the Perfect Mom

Review/IG Post

6/30/2023

Gothichaunting

IG Review

 

PRESS RELEASE: Penguin Workshop and iHeartMedia Release Kid’s Comedy Quiz Show, The Who Was? Podcast

March 18th, 2022 by

PENGUIN WORKSHOP, IHEARTMEDIA, AND RADIO POINT ANNOUNCE NEW KIDS’ COMEDY QUIZ SHOW, THE WHO WAS? PODCAST

 

Based on the bestselling Who Was? non-fiction children’s book series and award-winning Netflix show

 

Co-hosted by Emmy and Peabody Award-winning writer and comedian Elliott Kalan (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) and Meghan O’Neill (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert)

March 16, 2022 – New York, NY – Penguin Workshop, iHeartMedia, and Radio Point are proud to release The Who Was? Podcast, a new kids’ comedy quiz show, from the team that produced the Emmy Award-winning Netflix series, The Who Was? Show and based on the #1 New York Times-bestselling Who Was? children’s history and biography series from Penguin Workshop, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. The first series, consisting of 45 weekly 30-minute episodes, premiered with its first two episodes on March 16, 2022.

Listen to the first two episodes, “Harriet Tubman & Ruth Bader Ginsburg” and “Marie Curie & Milton Hershey,” now streaming on iHeart.com and wherever podcasts are heard!

Co-hosted by Elliot Kalan and Meghan O’Neill, each episode of the comedy quiz show podcast features games, fun facts, and sketches about trailblazing historical figures that will keep listeners laughing and learning.  Each episode revolves around two historical figures that have been paired together for obvious, and sometimes not so obvious, reasons.  Contestants between the ages of 8-12 years old will join in a friendly competition for a chance to be rewarded with a selection of Who Was? books and a set for their school library.

 

“The success of The Who Was? Show on Netflix helped us realize all the different ways Who HQ could spark a curiosity for history outside of a traditional biography format,” said Francesco Sedita, President and Publisher of Penguin Workshop. “As we continue to expand our title list to include Board Books, Graphic Novels, and more, we are beyond thrilled to partner with iHeart, Radio Point, and the fantastic team behind The Who Was? Show to bring engaging history to young podcast listeners and their families.”

“Who Was?” has been an amazing kids’ franchise for years now, and we’re excited to team up with Penguin Workshop and Radio Point to bring this series into podcasting,” said Will Pearson, COO of iHeartPodcasts. “The podcast world needs a laugh-out-loud kids quiz show and we’re thrilled to give our listeners something they can enjoy with their families.”

 

About Episode 1: Marie Curie & Milton Hershey

Two fierce kid competitors test their knowledge of science rockstar Marie Curie and delish chocolate maker Milton Hershey! But the real winner today is our host Elliott who walks away with a brand new middle name!

About Episode 2: Harriet Tubman & Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Two kid contestants go head-to-head to see who knows more about Underground Railroad Conductor Harriet Tubman and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg! Our host Elliott sings a song about food!

 

Other historical figure pairings covered in The Who Was? Podcast include:

  • Frida Kahlo and Walt Disney
  • Aretha Franklin and Stan Lee
  • Michael Jordan and Amelia Earhart
  • And more!

The Who Was? book series began in 2002 with the publication of just four books. Since then, it has evolved into a brand encompassing over 300 titles across seven series lines (including Who HQ Now, Who Was? Graphic Novels, Who Was?, What Was?, Where Is?, What Is the Story Of?, and Who Was? Board Books, known collectively as Who HQ), a Podcast, and a Netflix original series. With more than 50 million books in print worldwide, it’s now the #1 nonfiction series for middle-grade readers; every 13 seconds, a Who HQ book is sold. For more information about the series, including a list of titles, visit www.whohq.com.

Co-host Elliott Kalan is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning writer and comedian who has done most of the following things: been Head Writer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Mystery Science Theater 3000; written the picture books Horse Meets Dog and Sharko and Hippo; contributed to the bestselling Earth: The Book; co-hosted the popular podcasts The Flop House and Presidents Are People, Too!.

Co-host and Executive Producer Meghan O’Neill is a writer, actor and director whose credits include The 40-Year-Old Version, HBO’s Animals, Billy On The Street, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The New Yorker, Odd Mom Out, SuperDeluxe, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Happy, 50 Central, Black&White, Vulture, The Hairpin, Blind Date, The Cut, Refinery 29, and Above Average. Festivals include The Sundance Film Festival, Nitehawk Shorts Fest, LES Film Festival, Ars Nova Ant Fest, Chicago Comedy Film Festival, NY Sketch Fest, Toronto Sketchfest, Charleston Comedy Festival, and The Women in Comedy Festival. Meghan is a 2020 a Sundance Institute Fellow. You can catch her weekly co-hosting the Story Pirate Podcast on Gimlet (Winner of the 2020 Webby and iHeart Radio award for Best Kids&Family Podcast.

Radio Point, iHeartMedia, Penguin Workshop, and Meghan O’Neill will serve as Executive Producers on the show. The Who Was Podcast? Is distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network.

Follow The Who Was? Podcast

CASTING

Children ages 8-12 have a chance to win a selection of Who Was? Books and a set for their school library on the Who Was? Podcast! Parents can email [email protected] for casting information.

 

ABOUT PENGUIN WORKSHOP:

Penguin Workshop, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, publishes new voices and established brands for readers ages birth-12. The imprint is home to popular and bestselling middle grade series such as Here’s Hank by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver, Klawde by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth, Brian McCann’s Wannabe Farms, and Who HQ, which has more than 50 million copies in print worldwide. The imprint also publishes pioneering picture books such as Jessica Hische’s Tomorrow I’ll Be Brave.

ABOUT PENGUIN YOUNG READERS

Penguin Young Readers is one of the leading children’s book publishers in the United States. The company owns a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Dial Books, Dutton, Flamingo, Kokila, Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Workshop, Philomel, Puffin, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Razorbill, Viking, and Frederick Warne. These imprints are home to such award-winning, New York Times- bestselling authors as Laurie Halse Anderson, Max Brallier, Jan Brett, Eric Carle, Roald Dahl, Anna Dewdney, John Flanagan, John Green, Oliver Jeffers, Brad Meltzer, Ransom Riggs, Ruta Sepetys, Sabaa Tahir, Jacqueline Woodson, and dozens of other popular authors. Penguin Young Readers Group is also the proud publisher of perennial brand franchises such as The Little Engine That Could, the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series, Peter Rabbit, Spot, the Classic Winnie the Pooh, the Very Hungry Caterpillar, Madeline, Mad Libs, the Last Kids on Earth, the Rangers Apprentice, and Who HQ among many others. Penguin Young Readers Group is a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

 

ABOUT IHEARTMEDIA:

iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, reaching over 90% of Americans every month. iHeart’s broadcast radio assets alone have more consumer reach in the U.S. than any other media outlet; twice the reach of the next largest broadcast radio company; and over four times the ad-enabled reach of the largest digital-only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to Podtrac, with more downloads than the next four podcast publishers combined and has the number one social footprint among audio players, with seven times more followers than the next audio media brand, and the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts.  The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.

ABOUT RADIO POINT:

Radio Point is the podcasting venture from Irony Point, veteran television producer Rich Korson, and audio producer Houston Snyder of Great City Post. Radio Point has released its first six podcasts and has numerous podcasts in various stages of production and development. Ellie and the Wave, their first scripted podcast (starring Natalie Morales, Paul Scheer, and June Diane Raphael) was released with Himalaya Media in August of 2019. They have since released various scripted and unscripted formats across genres. These projects include The Sketch Factor with Fred Armisen for Spotify, Make My Day with Josh Gondelman, Ruined with Halle Kiefer and Alison Leiby, Election Profit Makers with Starlee Kine, David Rees, and Jon Kimball and A Good Cry with Michael Cruz Kayne.

Press Release: The Copernicus Legacy available on Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Smartphones

February 8th, 2022 by

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PRESS RELEASE

copernicus legacy  

Wanderword

The beloved children’s book series, The Copernicus Legacy by Tony Abbott comes to life with the use of voice controls!

Boden, Sweden (January 19, 2022): Wanderword, the leader in interactive audio entertainment, has signed a licensing agreement with HarperCollins Publishers to bring The Copernicus Legacy series by bestselling author Tony Abbott to a smartphone and smart speaker near you. Wanderword has managed development of this puzzle solving adventure which is soon ready for release.

“We are very excited to bring The Copernicus Legacy to the voice-controlled story market on smartphones and smart speakers. It’s an honor to be able to work alongside HarperCollins to bring this adventure to life!” said Johan Strömberg, Wanderword CEO.

The Copernicus Legacy is based on the novel written by Tony Abbott. Follow the story of a group of unlikely heroes, who are set on a world-spanning adventure to protect an ancient secret. The story begins when Wade Kaplan receives a coded message from his Uncle Henry, moments before the old man’s death. It’s revealed that he died to protect the legacy of Copernicus, which relates to a scientific device that could change both the future and the past. This sets Wade off on a world-spanning journey together with his friends Lily, Darrell, and Becca, to find the twelve historical relics that could unveil the great mystery.

Fans of the book series will be able to immerse themselves in this world from the different perspectives of their favorite characters. This will bring the world to life in a completely different way by giving the user control of the story instead of the traditional linear way of storytelling.

“Wanderword’s platform is an exciting extension of Tony Abbott’s epic tween adventure series, immersing fans in an interactive labyrinth of puzzles, riddles, and dramatic science history. Originally published in 2014 and in many languages worldwide, HarperCollins’ collaboration with Wanderword’s innovative format will introduce The Copernicus Legacy to a new generation of readers,” said Rachel Horowitz, Senior Director, Subsidiary Rights, HarperCollins Children’s Books.

The Copernicus Legacy features over 8 hours of interactive listening and is designed for kids between the ages of 8 and 13 years. The Copernicus Legacy will be released on Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Smartphones on January 25th and all you will need to enjoy this audio adventure is simply your voice and your puzzle solving skills!

 

FEATURES

  • Pick your path, users will be able to make decisions to change the course of the story. This provides greater replay value to the user.
  • You choose what parts of the puzzle you want to interact with as you search for clues.
  • You can at any time switch between listening as Lily, Becca Wade, or Darrell. Each character has a unique perspective through which they experience the story and offer new ways to handle different situations.
  • With over 8 hours of content this interactive adventure will have you cracking ciphers, solving mysteries, and searching for clues to the great mystery.

Visit https://poptale.com/releases/copernicus/ to sign up and be the first to enjoy this adventure!

CONTACT

Email: [email protected]

 

About Wanderword

Wanderword is defining the Interactive Audio Entertainment Industry. With our tech platform Fabella, we are enabling storytellers to create their own interactive audio stories, Polar Night Studio is pushing the boundaries with

cutting-edge productions, & our inspiration hub is guiding the active listeners to best practices and unique experiences.

 

ABOUT HARPERCOLLINS CHILDREN’S BOOKS:

HarperCollins Children’s Books is one of the leading publishers of children’s and teen books. Respected worldwide for its tradition of publishing quality, award-winning books for young readers, HarperCollins is home to many timeless treasures and bestsellers such as Charlotte’s Web, Goodnight Moon, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Where the Wild Things Are, and The Hate U Give; series including The Chronicles of Narnia, Ramona, Warriors, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Pete the Cat, Fancy Nancy, Divergent, and Red Queen; and graphic and illustrated novels such as Nimona, Invisible Emmie, and New Kid. Consistently at the forefront of digital innovation, HarperCollins Children’s Books delights readers through engaging storytelling across a variety of formats and platforms, including the largest young adult (YA) book community, Epic Reads. HarperCollins Children’s Books is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, which is the second largest consumer book publisher in the world, has operations in 17 countries, and is a subsidiary of News Corp. You can visit HarperCollins Children’s Books at www.harpercollinschildrens.com and www.epicreads.com and HarperCollins Publishers at corporate.HC.com.

Press Release: Literary Community Mourns the Loss of Young Adult Author Lani Forbes

February 4th, 2022 by

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Literary Community Mourns the Loss of Young Adult Author Lani Forbes 

 

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Ashland, Oregon, February 4, 2022—Young adult author Lani Forbes, whose critically acclaimed Age of the Seventh Sun series won multiple Realm Awards, died on February 3, 2022, in Boise, Idaho, after a nine-month battle with neuroendocrine cancer. She was 35.

Lani Forbes was the daughter of a librarian and a surfer, which explained her passionate love of the ocean and books. Forbes was born May 6, 1987, in Huntington Beach, California. She grew up in California, and attended high school at Huntington Beach High School. In 2009, Forbes received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Hope International University. She then received her teaching credentials from Cal State University. After 10 years of teaching, Forbes went on to become a trauma counselor, serving women who had been abused by their spouses through addiction.

Her young adult book series, the Age of the Seventh Sun, premiered in 2020 with the release of The Seventh Sun, followed by The Jade Bones in 2021 and The Obsidian Butterfly in 2022. The Seventh Sun was a finalist for the Realm Awards Book of the Year and won Best Debut, Best Young Adult, and Best Epic Fantasy. Forbes’s passion was showing readers the transformative and encouraging power of story on the human experience.

Josh Stanton, president & CEO of Blackstone Publishing, said, “We are devastated by Lani’s passing, and we deeply mourn the loss of this exceptionally talented young writer, who gave so much to her readers. We are committed to keeping Lani’s incredible legacy alive. Her powerful, captivating young adult novels will live on to be enjoyed and beloved by readers for generations to come.”

Despite her diagnosis, Forbes continued to write—and encourage others to create—through hard times. In a November 2021 essay from Publishers Weekly, Forbes said, “The reality is, we cannot control what happens to us in life. Sometimes things happen that seem incredibly unfair. But no matter what happens to us, no matter what is taken from us or forced upon us, the one thing we always have power over is how we choose to respond. We get to choose how we will handle those crises. We can choose cowardice, we can choose to give up, stop trying, to give into despair. Or, we can choose joy, perseverance, and yes, even happiness despite our circumstances.”

Forbes’s conclusion to her Age of the Seventh Sun series, The Obsidian Butterfly, publishes on February 15, 2022. Blackstone Publishing has also recently acquired a new YA project from Forbes, which will be published posthumously.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to benefit Forbes’s family and help cover medical expenses. Donations can be made at GoFund.Me/308e6b84

Forbes is survived by her husband, Kevin Forbes, and her three children.

Contact: Samantha Benson, [email protected]

 

 

Lani’s Books:

The Seventh Sun (The Age of the Seventh Sun, #1)

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Thrust into leadership upon the death of his emperor father, young Prince Ahkin feels completely unready for his new position. Though his royal blood controls the power of the sun, he’s now responsible for the lives of all the Chicome people. And despite all Ahkin’s efforts, the sun is fading–and the end of the world may be at hand.

For Mayana, the only daughter of the Chicome family whose blood controls the power of water, the old emperor’s death may mean that she is next. Prince Ahkin must be married before he can ascend the throne, and Mayana is one of six noble daughters presented to him as a possible wife. Those who are not chosen will be sacrificed to the gods.

Only one girl can become Ahkin’s bride. Mayana and Ahkin feel an immediate connection, but the gods themselves may be against them. Both recognize that the ancient rites of blood that keep the gods appeased may be harming the Chicome more than they help. As a bloodred comet and the fading sun bring a growing sense of dread, only two young people may hope to change their world.

Rich in imagination and romance, and based on the legends and history of the Aztec and Maya people, The Seventh Sun brings to vivid life a world on the edge of apocalyptic disaster.

Amazon * B & N * Indiebound

 

 

The Jade Bones (The Age of the Seventh Sun #2)

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Cast into the underworld after an act of shattering betrayal, Mayana and Ahkin must overcome unimaginable odds if they are to return home and reclaim the throne of the Chicome. A river of blood and demons disguised as children are only two of the challenges standing in their way. Fortunately, they are not unequipped. Mayana’s royal blood controls the power of water, and Prince Ahkin wields the power of the sun itself. Ometeotl, the Mother goddess, provides them with other gifts—and an ominous warning that one of them may not survive. But can the goddess be trusted?

Back in the lands above, Mayana’s best friend, Yemania, has survived the empress selection ritual—but her next challenge may be more than she can bear. The new empress of the Chicome Empire demands she become High Healer. Yemania has no interest in serving in the palace; she wants to use her healing ability to help the common people. More than that, her heart is no longer her own. She has met an enchanting stranger—Ochix, one of the feared Miquitz people who are ancient enemies of the Chicome.

As Mayana and Ahkin move ever closer to confronting the lords of the dead, Yemania and Ochix must hide their forbidden romance or face the wrath of both their empires. Meanwhile, the new empress has made a dangerous alliance that might destroy everything they hold dear.

Four young people risk their lives to save the world from a looming apocalypse in this captivating sequel to The Seventh Sun. Based on ancient Mesoamerican legends and mythology, The Jade Bones is a compelling and romantic adventure that builds to a heart-stopping climax.

 

Amazon * B & N * Indiebound

 

 

The Obsidian Butterfly (The Age of the Seventh Sun #3)

Releases February 15, 2022

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To the Chicome people, an eclipse is a time of terror. When darkness falls, the barrier separating the heavens and the earth becomes unstable. Then come the ravening Tzitzimime–the star demons who thirst for human blood. Mayana and Ahkin know the full extent of the coming danger, but they must gather support or the Chicome Empire is doomed.

As the eclipse nears, many maneuver for power in this deadly game of worlds ending.

Metzi, Ahkin’s treacherous sister, has seized control of the empire with the aid of the malevolent goddess known as the Obsidian Butterfly. But Metzi has no idea what the goddess has in store…

Yemania and Ochix face the wrath of both their peoples. Their forbidden liaison may draw ancient enemies together… or rip the young lovers apart forever.

And the princesses who battled fiercely for Ahkin’s heart in The Seventh Sun meet again–but this time, they must join forces in order to survive.

As for Ahkin and Mayana, the entire empire seems to want to keep them apart. Can their love endure the end of the world?

 

Amazon * B & N * Indiebound

 

 

 

Movie Trailer Reveal for Birds Of Paradise + Giveaway! ~ (US Only)

October 1st, 2021 by

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YABC is excited to share the movie trailer reveal for

Birds of Paradise!

 

Keep reading to learn more about the Birds of Paradise movie  

that is based on the phenomenal best-selling book,

Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small!

 

 

 

 

In 2019, renowned writer and former professional dancer A.K. Small captivated the YA world with her debut novel, BRIGHT BURNING STARS [workman.com], which Entertainment Weekly called “YA catnip.” Praised as an “otherworldly…cerebral debut” by Booklist and “addictive, angst-y, and heartfelt,” by Kirkus Reviews, Small weaves an authentic, page-turning story of female friendship in which two dancers fight for center stage and a spot in the Opera’s prestigious corps de ballet. It is no surprise that this dazzling debut stole the spotlight and captured the attention of Amazon Studios.

 

And now, Algonquin is proud to share the news that BRIGHT BURNING STARS will be released on September 24th as a major motion picture starring Kristine Froseth (Looking for Alaska and Sierra Burgess Is a Loser), Diana Silvers (Ava), and Jacqueline Bisset (Murder on the Orient Express).

 

 

 

 

Check out this stunning preview that has already garnered over 2 million views (and counting!) on YouTube

and another 285,000 views on starring actress Kristine Froseth’s Instagram,

where she has been drumming up excitement among her 1.1 million Instagram followers.

 

Fans of the hit Netflix series Tiny Pretty Things or favorites like Black Swan and Bunheads are sure to love this!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Birds of Paradise!

 

Kate is an aspiring ballerina who is given a scholarship to attend a prestigious ballet school in Paris. Upon arrival her confidence is tested by a fellow dancer, Marine who recently lost her brother. While confrontational at first, their relationship evolves into an emotionally charged, competitive union beset by lies and sexual awakening as they risk it all to join the Opéra national de Paris.
   Director 
Sarah Adina Smith
   Starring 
Diana SilversKristine FrosethJacqueline Bisset
  Genres 
DramaYoung Adult Audience

 

 

Click HERE to watch Birds of Paradise on Amazon Prime (with subscription)!

 

 

 

 

Meet Bright Burning Stars!

 

“A compulsively readable story. I was breathless and battling tears up until the very last stunning turns onstage and beyond. A dazzling, heart-wrenching debut.” —Nova Ren Suma, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Walls Around Us

Would you die for the Prize?

Best friends Marine Duval and Kate Sanders have trained since childhood at the Paris Opera Ballet School, where they’ve forged an inseparable bond through shared stories of family tragedies and a powerful love for dance. When the body of a student is found in the dorms just before the start of their final year, Marine and Kate begin to ask themselves how far they would go for the ultimate prize: to be named the one girl who will join the Opera’s prestigious corps de ballet. Would they cheat? Seduce the most talented boy in the school, dubbed the Demigod, hoping his magic will make them shine, too? Would they risk death for it? Neither girl is sure.
 
But then Kate gets closer to the Demigod, even as Marine has begun to capture his heart. And as selection day draws near, the competition—for the Prize, for the Demigod—becomes fiercer, and Marine and Kate realize they have everything to lose, including each other.

Bright Burning Stars is a stunning, propulsive story about girls at their physical and emotional extremes, the gutting power of first love, and what it means to fight for your dreams.

 

  Amazon * B & N * Indiebound

 

 

 

 

 

Meet A.K. Small!

A. K. Small was born in Paris, France. At five years old, she began studying classical dance with the legendary Max Bozzoni, then later with Daniel Franck and Monique Arabian at the famous Académie Chaptal. At thirteen, she moved to the United States, where she danced with the Pacific Northwest Ballet for one summer and with the Richmond Ballet Student Company for several years. She’s a graduate of the College of William and Mary and has an MFA in fiction from Vermont College of Fine Arts. When she’s not writing, she spends time with her husband, her puppy, and her three daughters, and practices yoga. Bright Burning Stars is her first novel.

 

 

 

 ~ Praise for Bright Burning Stars ~

 

“A.K. Small’s debut novel, Bright Burning Stars, is basically YA catnip…Small’s attention to detail — the minutiae of Marine and Kate’s lives in the academy — is beautifully written, and both the propulsion of the drama between Marine and Kate and their own demons make this book compulsively readable. Small only leaves you wanting more from her ballet focused world.”

Entertainment Weekly ~

 

 

“Cutthroat ballerinas duking it out really never gets old.”

~ Cosmopolitan ~

 

 

 

 

 

 

*GIVEAWAY*

Three winners will receive a copy of Bright Burning Stars (A.K. Small) ~ (US Only)

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

Press Release: Unpublished Mark Twain Story To Be Released

January 23rd, 2017 by

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RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN’S BOOKS TO RELEASE NEVER-BEFORE-PUBLISHED, UNFINISHED CHILDREN’S STORY BY MARK TWAIN,
COMPLETED AND BROUGHT TO LIFE BY CALDECOTT MEDALISTS PHILIP AND ERIN STEAD

The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine to release September 26, 2017, with a 250,000-copy first printing

New York, NY, January 20, 2017Doubleday Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, has acquired a never-before-published Mark Twain children’s story, it was announced today by Mallory Loehr, Senior Vice President & Publisher of the Random House/Golden Books, Doubleday, and Crown Books for Young Readers Group. The story, a fairy tale left unfinished by Twain, will be brought to life by author Philip Stead and illustrator Erin Stead, the creators of the Caldecott Medalwinning A Sick Day for Amos McGee. The book, THE PURLOINING OF PRINCE OLEOMARGARINE, was acquired and edited by Frances Gilbert, Associate Publishing Director, Random House Books for Young Readers, from Tina Wexler at ICM, representing the Mark Twain House & Museum, and Emily van Beek at Folio Jr., representing the author/illustrator team.

THE PURLOINING OF PRINCE OLEOMARGARINE, an eleven-chapter, 152-page illustrated storybook for all ages, will be published on September 26, 2017, with a first printing of 250,000 copies.

The basis of this new work is sixteen pages of Twain’s handwritten notes after telling his young daughters a fairy tale one night in 1879 while the family was staying in Paris, an event he documented in his journal. In 2011, a visiting scholar at the Mark Twain Papers & Project at the University of California at Berkeley spotted the notes in the archives while conducting his own research and recognized their significance. Although Twain told his young daughters countless bedtime stories, made up on the spot as they requested them, these notes are believed to be the only ones he ever jotted down from those sessions.

Dr. John Bird, noted Twain scholar and author of Mark Twain and Metaphor, brought the text to our attention,explained Cindy Lovell, executive director at the Mark Twain House & Museum. “He’d been researching another project when he came across this partial story written by Twain for his daughters. We are thrilled to have the Steads joining us to further bring this treasure to life.

To publish a new Twain story is an incredible literary event,” says Gilbert. “When I first got the chance to read this unpublished Twain story, I couldn’t believe what I was holding. I’ve admired Erin and Philip Stead’s work since their first book and couldn’t think of a more ideal match for this project. It’s an American dream team.”

THE PURLOINING OF PRINCE OLEOMARGARINE follows a young boy who eats the flower sprouted by a magical seed and gains the ability to talk to animals. From there, the boy and his new animal friends go off on a wild adventure to rescue a kidnapped prince. Though the story was left in fragments and never completed by Twain, it bears many of the hallmarks of his beloved style, in the humor and playfulness and in the quest of a young boy off on his own navigating the adult world.

Philip and Erin Stead, two of today’s most notable names in children’s literature, have completed the text and illustrated the book, framing the narrative as a story “told to me by my friend, Mr. Mark Twain,” and even including occasional interruptions by an imagined meeting over tea between Philip and Twain.

Said Erin of taking on the project, “As an illustrator, not a writer, I can often use the excuse that I can’t find the right words to describe how I am feeling (stunned and honored being the closest and most generic). Luckily I can now turn to Twain, who is quite quotable, to provide a little context and inspiration: ‘I’m not the declining sort. I would take charge of the constellations if I were asked to do it. All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence: then success is sure.’”

Added Philip: Of course any person in their right mind would be terrified of this project. But having the support of the Twain house allayed some fears…and then I had a good long walk-and-talk with my dog about it, and she assured me I had her full support, and that I was the right man for the jobprovided it did not cut into our twice-daily ambles through the

neighborhood, mealtimes, or the hours set aside each day for lying on our backs with our bellies in the air.”

Exploring themes of charity, kindness, and bravery in the face of tyranny, with sharply drawn satire and tear-inducing pathos, this extraordinary combination of talent both classic and contemporary reaches its full potential as an old-fashionedyet thoroughly modernfully illustrated storybook that readers of every age will treasure. A monumental event not only in the world of children’s literature, but for literature overall, the publication of THE PURLOINING OF PRINCE OLEOMARGARINE will take place during the 150th anniversary of Mark Twain’s very first book, a collection of twenty-seven previously published stories titled The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, and Other Sketches.

ERIN STEAD is the Caldecott Medalwinning illustrator of A Sick Day for Amos McGee, also named a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year and a Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book of the Year (A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press, 2010). She and her husband, author and artist Philip Stead, with whom she co-created A Sick Day for Amos McGee, Bear Has a Story to Tell, and Lenny & Lucy, live in northern Michigan. Erin also illustrated And Then It’s Spring, written by Julie Fogliano and named a Boston GlobeHorn Book Honor Book and a Best Children’s Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly. Her 2016 book The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles, written by Michelle Cuevas, was named a best book of the year by Time, People, the Boston Globe, and School Library Journal.

PHILIP C. STEAD is the author of the Caldecott Medalwinning book A Sick Day for Amos McGee, also named a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year and a Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book of the Year, illustrated by his wife, Erin Stead. Together with Erin, he also created Bear Has a Story to Tell, an E. B. White Read-Aloud Award honor
book. Philip, also an artist, has written and illustrated several of his own books, including
Samson in the Snow; Hello, My Name Is Ruby; and A Home for Bird. Philip and Erin live in northern Michigan.

Visit Erin and Phillip online at philipstead.com and erinstead.com.

Random House Children’s Books is the world’s largest Englishlanguage children’s trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, ebooks, and apps, the imprints of Random House Children’s Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world- famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. The company’s website, Kids @ Random (randomhousekids.com), offers an array of activities, games, and resources for children, teens, parents, and educators. Doubleday Books for Young Readers is an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

Both the Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford, Connecticut, and the Mark Twain Papers & Project at the University of California at Berkeley work to foster an appreciation of Mark Twain as one of our nation’s defining cultural figures and to demonstrate the continuing relevance of his work, life, and times.

The Mark Twain House & Museum has restored the author’s Hartford, Connecticut, home, where the family lived from 1874 to 1891.Twain wrote his most important works, including Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court, during the years he lived there. In addition to offering tours of Twains restored home, a National Historic Landmark, the institution provides activities and educational programs that illuminate Twains literary legacy and share information about his life and times.

The house and museum at 351 Farmington Avenue are open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 860-247-0998, or visit marktwainhouse.org. Programs at the Mark Twain House & Museum are made possible in part by support from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development and the Greater Hartford Arts Councils United Arts Campaign.

The Mark Twain Papers in the Bancroft Library, University of California at Berkeley, is curated by Robert H. Hirst, who is also general editor of The Mark Twain Project, which is the comprehensive scholarly edition being produced at the archive. The Papers are Mark Twain’s private archive, which came to UC Berkeley in 1949 and became a permanent part of the library in 1962 (when Twain’s last surviving daughter, Clara, died). The Project was started in Iowa City, IA, and Berkeley,

CA, before becoming a single project in 1980, editing everything of significance written by Mark Twain. It has been supported for half a century by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Learn more at lib.berkeley.edu/libraries/bancroft- library/mark-twain-papers.

Learn more about the book at http://rhcbooks.com/books/248945/the-purloining-of-prince-oleomargarine-by-mark-twain- philip-c-stead 

Press Release: 2017 SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

January 15th, 2017 by

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2017 SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

 

Winners of the annual Sydney Taylor Book Award were announced by the Association of Jewish Libraries today. Named in memory of Sydney Taylor, author of the classic All-of-a-Kind Family series, the award recognizes books for children and teens that exemplify high literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience.

 

GOLD MEDALISTS

 

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy with illustrations by Elizabeth Baddeley, published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, won the Sydney Taylor Book Award in the Younger Readers category. This delightful biography of the Supreme Court Justice teaches children that dissent does not make a person disagreeable, and can even help change the world. The grab-your-attention illustrations help explain the text.

 

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark

 

The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz, illustrated by Hatem Aly, published by Dutton Children’s Books/Penguin Random House, won the Sydney Taylor Book Award in the Older Readers category.  Part fantasy and part adventure, this is the tale of strangers who become friends while on a quest to save thousands of volumes of Talmud. The beautiful illuminations reflect the medieval flavor of the book.

 

The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog

 

Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit, published by Alfred A. Knopf/Penguin Random House, won the Sydney Taylor Book Award in the Teen Readers category. Anna is left alone in 1939 Krakow when the Nazis take her father away.  She meets the mysterious Swallow Man who is able to speak “bird,” and travels with him in the forests of Poland, where they spend four years hiding and eluding capture.  This is a haunting story that may be allegory or folktale or perhaps both.

 

Anna and the Swallow Man

 

SILVER MEDALISTS

 

Four Sydney Taylor Honor Books were also recognized. For Younger Readers, the Honor Books are Fascinating: The Life of Leonard Nimoy by Richard Michelson with illustrations by Edel Rodriguez, published by Alfred A. Knopf/Penguin Random House, and A Hat For Mrs. Goldman: A Story About Knitting and Love written by Michelle Edwards with illustrations by G. Brian Karas, published by Schwartz and Wade Books/Penguin Random House.

 

Dreidels on the Brain written by Joel Ben Izzy and published by Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Random House, and A Poem For Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of The Snowy Day by Andrea Davis Pinkney with illustrations by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher, published by Viking Children’s Books/Penguin Random House, are the Honor books in the Older Readers Category.

 

In addition to the medal winners, the Award Committee designated ten Notable Books of Jewish Content for 2017.  More information about the Sydney Taylor Book Award and a complete listing of the award winners and notables can be found at www.SydneyTaylorBookAward.orgWinning authors and illustrators will receive their awards at the Annual Conference of the Association of Jewish Libraries, to be held in New York City in June. Gold and silver recipients will also participate in a blog tour during February.  For more information about the blog tour please visit www.jewishlibraries.org/blog.

 

THE 2017 SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARDS

ANNOUNCED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH LIBRARIES

 

The Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Younger Readers

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark

by Debbie Levy with illustrations by Elizabeth Baddeley

(Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers)

 

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark

 

The Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Older Readers

The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz

with illustrations by Hatem Aly

(Dutton Children’s Books/Penguin Random House)

 

The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog

 

The Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Teen Readers

Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit

(Alfred A. Knopf/Penguin Random House)

 

Anna and the Swallow Man

 

Sydney Taylor Honor Books for Younger Readers

Fascinating: The Life of Leonard Nimoy

by Richard Michelson with illustrations by Edel Rodriguez

(Alfred A. Knopf/Penguin Random House)

 

Fascinating: The Life of Leonard Nimoy

 

A Hat For Mrs. Goldman: A Story About Knitting and Love

by Michelle Edwards with illustrations by G. Brian Karas

(Schwartz and Wade Books/ Penguin Random House)

 

A Hat for Mrs. Goldman: A Story About Knitting and Love

 

Sydney Taylor Honor Books for Older Readers

Dreidels on the Brain by Joel Ben Izzy

(Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Random House)

 

Dreidels on the Brain

 

A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of the Snowy Day

by Andrea Davis Pinkney with illustrations by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher

(Viking Children’s Books/Penguin Random House)

A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of The Snowy Day

 

Notable Books for Younger Readers

Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup by Pamela Mayer with illustrations by Deborah Melmon

(Kar-Ben Publishing)

 

Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup

 

Gabriel’s Horn by Eric Kimmel with illustrations by Maria Surducan

(Kar-Ben Publishing)

 

Gabriel's Horn

 

Not This Turkey by Jessica Steinberg with illustrations by Amanda Pike

(Albert Whitman & Company)

 

Not This Turkey!

 

On One Foot by Linda Glaser with illustrations by Nuria Balaguer

(Kar-Ben Publishing)

 

On One Foot

 

The Sundown Kid: A Southwestern Shabbat by Barbara Bietz with illustrations by John Kanzler

(August House)

 

The Sundown Kid: A Southwestern Shabbat

 

The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank’s Window

by Jeff Gottesfeld with illustrations by Peter McCarty

(Alfred A. Knopf/Penguin Random House)

 

The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window

 

 

Notable Books for Older Readers

The Bicycle Spy by Yona Zeldis McDonough

(Scholastic Books)

 

The Bicycle Spy

 

Irena’s Children: Young Readers Edition: A True Story of Courage

by Tilar J. Mazzeo and adapted by Mary Cronk Farrell

(Margaret McElderry Books/Simon and Schuster)

 

Irena's Children: Young Readers Edition; A True Story of Courage

 

The Ship to Nowhere by Rona Arato

(Second Story Press)

 

The Ship to Nowhere

 

Skating with the Statue of Liberty by Susan Lynn Meyer

(Delacorte Press/Penguin Random House)

 

Skating with the Statue of Liberty (Black Radishes, #2)

No Honor or Notable Books were designated for Teen Readers in 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

For more information contact:

Ellen Tilman, Chair

Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee

Association of Jewish Libraries

[email protected]g

www.SydneyTaylorBookAward.org

Press Release: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers signs up two additional Diabolic Novels by S. J. Kincaid

December 15th, 2016 by

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With 100,000 Books in Print, Publisher Moves to Satisfy Reader and Bookseller Demand

New York, New York, December 13—Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, announced today that it will publish two more books in the galactic YA Diabolic series by S. J. Kincaid, based on domestic and international sales and an incredible reaction from readers. The second book in the Diabolic series will publish in Fall 2017, followed by book three in Fall 2018. 

A New York Times bestseller, The Diabolic has 100,000 books in print in North America and will be published in twenty-two foreign territories. Sony Pictures owns The Diabolic movie rights and Matt Tolmach will produce (see Deadline.com).

“Originally, I wrote The Diabolic as a stand-alone book,” said Kincaid. “But so many ideas about what might follow the events of that book kept rushing into my head. It was wonderful to see so many readers who also wanted more of my characters, so I am absolutely thrilled to be working with Simon & Schuster for two more Diabolic novels!”

“Nearly every review for The Diabolic expressed the need for more books,” said Justin Chanda, Vice President, Publisher of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. “When I posed the question to S. J., I was thrilled to learn that she had the perfect idea for how the story could and should continue. I can’t wait to dive back in!”

Foreign rights editions of The Diabolic include Bulgarian rights to Alma 90, Czech rights to Albatros Media, Danish to Forlaget Carlsen, Dutch to Uitgeverij Leopold, Estonian to Paikese Kirjastus, French to Bayard Editions, German to Arena Verlag, Hebrew to Kinneret Zmora-Bitan Dvir, Hungarian to Twister Media, Italian to Mondadori Libri, Polish to Wydawnictwo Otwarte, Portuguese (Brazil) to Editora Rocco, Portuguese (Portugal) to Editorial Presença, Russian to Eksmo Publishers, Romanian to Editura Art, Serbian to Vulkan Izdavastvo, Spanish to Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, Spanish Book Club rights to Circulo de Lectores, Swedish to B. Wahlströms Bokforlag, Thai to Amarin Printing & Publishing, Turkish to Pegasus Yayincilik, and British Commonwealth to Simon & Schuster UK.

Shortly after the events of book one, a new Emperor has ascended to power. Nemesis, the Diabolic, has a new mission. She must save the one she loves from the most dangerous people in their galaxy—or face saving the galaxy from its own emperor.

S. J. Kincaid’s previous publications include the 2012 YA sci-fi book Insignia, its 2013 sequel Vortex, and the 2014 Catalyst. Insignia won the Alabama Young Adult Fiction Award, was short-listed for the Waterstones Prize, was a selection for the Texas Lone Star Reading List, and was featured on the 2013 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults list. S. J. was born in Alabama, grew up in California, and now lives outside of San Francisco. 

Chanda, who will edit the books, acquired world rights to the two novels from Holly Root of the Waxman Leavell Literary Agency.

 

 

ABOUT SIMON & SCHUSTER CHILDREN’S PUBLISHING

Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, one of the leading children’s book publishers in the world, is comprised of the following imprints: Aladdin, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Beach Lane Books, Libros para niños, Little Simon®, Margaret K. McElderry Books, Paula Wiseman Books, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Simon Pulse, and Simon Spotlight®. While maintaining an extensive award-winning backlist, the division continues to publish acclaimed and bestselling books for children of all ages. In addition to numerous Caldecott, Newbery, and National Book Award winners, Simon & Schuster publishes such high-profile properties and series as Eloise, Olivia, Raggedy Ann & Andy™, Henry & Mudge®, The Hardy Boys®, Nancy Drew®, the Dork Diaries series, the Mortal Instruments series, Mike the Knight, and the original Cupcake Diaries and Creepover series. For more information about Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.

Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com

 

 

 

A Diabolic is ruthless. A Diabolic is powerful. A Diabolic has a single task: Kill in order to protect the person you’ve been created for. Nothing else.

For Nemesis, that person is Sidonia, heir to the galactic Senate. The two grew up side by side, and there’s no one Nemesis wouldn’t kill to keep her safe. But when the power-mad Emperor summons Sidonia to the Imperial Court as a hostage, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia.

She must become her.

Now one of the galaxy’s most dangerous weapons is masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced Senators’ children, and Nemesis must find within herself the one thing she’s been told she doesn’t have—humanity. With the Empire beginning to fracture and rebellion looming, that could be the one thing that saves her and the Empire itself.

 

 

 

 

Press Release: Book Trailer for Air

December 2nd, 2016 by

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The wide release of the captivating and timely novel “AIR” by Ryan Gattis hits shelves on December 6th and next year there will be a feature film adaption of the book in production which musician John Legend has signed on to produce.

 

The story is a fascinating look at a young kid, Grey, in inner-city Baltimore who turns to BMX biking as a form of social activism.  Grey and his friends challenge police corruption and prejudice with their death-defying stunts, posting videos to YouTube.  It’s a fictionalized take on the real #blacklivesmatter movement.

 

AIR 

Written By: Ryan Gattis

Release Date: December 6, 2016

Genre: YA Contemporary

 

Synopsis: When 17-year-old Grey witnesses the tragic death of his mother in Colorado, he is shipped off to live with his aunt in inner-city Baltimore. Grey struggles to fit in to his new school and environment until his new friend, Akil, introduces him to the enigmatic Kurtis, the leader of a group that uses high-octane sports as a form of social activism. By challenging the police with death-defying stunts and then posting videos of them online, Kurtis, Grey, and their group become unlikely heroes in the fight against the prejudice that surrounds them.

As Kurtis takes Grey under his wing, they come up with a name, an insignia and attract more and more followers to their extreme acts. The lines between social activism and criminal behavior blur and their escalating stunts become a rallying point for the underprivileged and disenfranchised around the country, spreading like wildfire across the Internet. How far will Grey and Kurtis go to push their message, and can their fragile alliance withstand their growing power?

 

 

 

Press Release: Top 100 Book Review Blogs

November 9th, 2016 by

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Today we’re excited to announce that Young Adult Books Central has made Feedspot’s list of Top 100 Book Review Blogs! This is just as much of a landmark for us as it is for our readers and supporters of this blog so thank you, thank you, thank you!!

 

This list is one of the most comprehensive out there, and we are so honored to be recognized for our love of books! We strive to bring the best information, giveaways, and reviews to our readers, and will continue to do so into the new year. So stay tuned! You can find the Top 100 Book Review Blogs HERE!

 

 

 

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