This hunt has 32 stops and runs 5/17 to 5/19/13. If you make the loop, reading unique content from 31 different authors, and fill out the Rafflecopter form at Stop #32, you’ll be in the running for an iPad Mini (loaded with all our books), or one of two runner-up prizes—all 31 of our new releases in paperback.

Some authors are offering additional prizes, so be sure to read each post thoroughly to be in the running for everything that’s available. The contest is open internationally too!

If you’ve JUST discovered the hunt, I recommend you start at Stop #1, found at LisaBergren.com. But you can also begin here, and keep rolling. Just be aware that if you win, you need to email Lisa Bergren (within 24 hours) the COMPLETED phrase in the correct order (which you construct by gathering clues at each stop). If Lisa doesn’t hear back from you with the correct phrase within the time limit, she will move on to the next winner that Rafflecopter draws.

Ready? Here we go…

Meet Patricia Hickman

I’m excited to host Patricia Hickman today. I’ve not read her books, so I’m discovering her along with many of you. I’ve got to say, I’m intrigued. Her books sound powerful and gripping. I’ve heard that she writes “beautiful” and “captivating” stories and that she has a “lyrical voice.” Doesn’t that make you want to get a hold on one of her books right now? She’s also a pastor’s wife, so that tells me that she understands a lot of things about life.

Here is her official bio:

Patricia Hickman is the best-selling author of The Pirate Queen and 17 other books. Her works receive consistently good reviews from national reviewers like Publishers’ Weekly. If upmarket fiction can be branded, her stories attempt to possess the dreams of southern culture—”our village secrets, our passion for idioms, our spiritual passages, and our companionable pilgrimages.”

Today, Patricia is sharing about her new book Tiny Dancer, and what she shares gave me chills. I so want to read this book now and see how she put her visit to the Outer Banks to the page. Learn more at http://patriciahickman.com.  Or you can find her on Facebook or Twitter @patriciahickman.

A Scavenger Hunt Exclusive: TINY DANCER, by Patricia Hickman

What would you do if you knew that crossing through a forbidden backyard garden might open the door to a mysterious but exciting new world? However, once you cross over, you risk alienating your family from you. Fifteen-year-old Flannery Curry is an Irish step dancer coming of age in the highly charged 60s in Bitterwood Park, North Carolina. One pivotal summer brings her to such a crossroads.

Flannery’s story, while fraught with survivor’s guilt and forbidden friendships with a family her stepmother hates, is also interwoven with her romantic crush on the boy who taught her all of her dance moves, Billy Thornton. Billy is Flannery’s forever crush. However, she is fifteen and Billy is eighteen and an upperclassman graduating high school. He’s never seemed to notice Flannery’s infatuation with him, although her nosy best friend Claudia figures it out. No spoilers, but when Flannery and Claudia catch up with Billy and his older friends at an Outer Banks clam bake, Flannery takes her infatuation a step too far.

My husband and I traveled to the Outer Banks for my research. But since Tiny Dancer is set in the 60s, I had to find out about the history of Outer Banks’ life during that decade. It was all I hoped it would be. Along the strand, a famed bandstand and dance hall that was highly popular and drew in many famous headliners, created a backdrop for music, clambakes, and a place where Flannery and her friends might gather.

Before writing Tiny Dancer, I had been kicking around a coming-of-age story with a theme of survivor’s guilt. One afternoon, my husband and I were attending an Irish festival. We had taken our children every year to expose them to clans and my family’s colorful ancestry. (We’re from the Clan of Muir) While a team of Irish step dancers performed, a young girl poised front and center did a turn that was perfect, except when she came around she was sobbing. All eyes fastened on the tiny dancer who obviously did not want to be there. There, in that emotional and rather painful moment, rose the missing piece of my story. I grabbed my writing journal and outlined my next novel, Tiny Dancer. (Note to emerging writers: Never leave home without a compact writing journal! You never know when your next story will tell you what it’s about.)

I hope you are encouraged by Flannery Curry’s journey toward a mysterious yearning to belong and also entertained by what has been a labor of love written just for you, my reader.

Tiny Dancer releases mid-June and is my 18th book and 17th novel.

Jill here again. Thanks for visiting my blog, Patricia! I can’t wait to read your book. Just looking at the cover reminds me of the dancer you saw, who was crying. I’m totally hooked.

Patricia Hickman’s new release, Tiny Dancer, is a powerful coming-of-age story about a forbidden friendship and an impossible romance. It will be available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble on June 25th. Learn more on Patricia’s website by clicking here. Or check out the book on Goodreads by clicking here. Also, since you can’t pre-order this wonderful book yet, please follow Patricia’s Facebook page to get an update of when the book will be available. Click on the image below to “like” her page.

And now, your next steps:

Write down this clue: potential

Have it written down? Great! Now head on over to Patricia Hickman’s blog, Stop 27 for the next clue!

BONUS PRIZES!

If you know teenagers who love to read, or if you like reading books like The Hunger Games or Divergent, here’s a contest for you! I’m giving away ten copies of my book Captives (To learn more about Captives, click here). Enter on the Rafflecopter form below. International entries are welcome!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in both the scavenger hunt and in my bonus contest! And as always, look under Contests and Freebies to see what other giveaways you might be able to enter on my website.

Review by Jill Williamson

It’s 1962. Bertie lives with her family, and she’s afraid. Of rats, woodsheds, missiles, and even her own father. Bertie tries to make a place to hide, but each time she gets settled, her sanctuary is destroyed until there is nothing left for Bertie to do but confront her fears.

This story took a bit to get going. I liked Bertie’s brother most of all and would have like to have gotten into his head a bit. Bertie is a girl who is afraid of everything and needs to learn to trust God with her life. This book encourages readers to communicate their fears to their parents rather than keeping everything inside, which is a good message.

Age Range: 8 and up
Genre: historical fiction (1962)
Part of a Series: no
Pages: 194
Publisher: Kregel
Released: 2009

First, a little bit about this marvelous author:

Stephanie Morrill lives in Overland Park, Kansas with her husband and two kids. Her only talents are reading, writing, and drinking coffee, so career options were somewhat limited. Fortunately she discovered a passion for young adult novels and has been writing them ever since. Stephanie is the author of The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series and The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet. She enjoys encouraging and teaching teen writers on her blog, www.GoTeenWriters.com.

Check out this amazing YouTube video one of Stephanie’s readers created for her! Isn’t that amazing? 

Click here to view the embedded video.

And now for my review: 

Ellie is minding her own business in math class when Chase announces to everyone that Ellie has a crush on Parker! How does he even know that when Ellie has told no one? And why would he tell everyone like that? What is the matter with him? Ellie doesn’t know, but to help her cope with the drama in her life, Chase gets put into Ellie’s novel, along with all her other friends and Parker. Because writing is how Ellie copes with life.

Wonderfully entertaining! I inhaled it. Ellie is an endearing heroine. I loved how she was confused about everything going on around her yet did her best to be herself. I adored Chase’s character. In fact, all the characters in this book were living, breathing, true-to-life, so much that I’m pretty sure I’ve met several of them before. The writing aspect of this book was super fun. I loved that Ellie was seeking traditional publishing for her historical novel. This was such a fun book, and I can’t wait for the sequel!

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: contemporary
Part of a Series: Book one in the Ellie Sweet series
Pages: 
Publisher: Playlist Fiction
Released: 2013

Team Novel Teen is a group of bloggers dedicated to spreading the word about clean teen fiction. Check out other posts about The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet by Stephanie Morrioll by clicking on the links below, and click here for more information about Team Novel Teen.

Blooming with Books • Gillian Adams • Jill Williamson • The Life of a Teenage Writer • Once Upon an Inkling • Pages from My Journal • Rachelle Rea • The Ramblings of a Young Author • Shadow Writer World • Who YA Reading? • The Writings of Rosie • Worthy2Read

To support Stephanie, I’m going to purchase a paperback copy of The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet, (which is coming soon) and give it to one lucky commenter. USA only on this one, guys, sorry. I don’t think The Book Depository will have the book in time. Giveaway ends May 24th, 2013. To enter to win, tell me if you’ve ever considered writing a story about some people in your life. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here’s how it works. On May 17, 2013 at around 12:00 noon, you start at http://lisatawnbergren.com and simply read the post, write down the clue, and follow the instructions to the next post. It’s not a race, but you must finish by May 20, 2013. This time around there will be 31 authors participating. If you make all 31 stops, you’ll be in the running to win:

GRAND PRIZE: An iPad Mini loaded with all of our new e-releases! (Estimated Value: Over $700; if you live outside the United States, you will receive the equivalent value in your country’s currency to the USD prize, to be used on Apple, Amazon, The Book Depository, or Christian Book Distributors.)

TWO RUNNERS-UP: A paperback copy of each of our new releases, autographed to you! (Estimated Value: Over $300; if you live outside the United States, you will receive a copy of our books, but they will likely not be signed–sorry! International shipping is expensive, and we’ll be shipping via The Book Depository.)

IN ADDITION: Many authors will feature additional contests along the scavenger hunt route!

Here are the 31 authors participating:

1. Lisa T. Bergren, Grave Consequences
2. Robin Lee Hatcher, A Bride for All Seasons
3. Ronie Kendig, Talon
4. Ruth Axtell, Moonlight Masquerade
5. Stephanie Grace Whitson, The Message on the Quilt
6. Tracy Higley, So Shines the Night
7. Marta Perry, Lydia’s Hope
8. Jill Williamson, Captives
9. Margaret Daley, Scorned Justice
10. MaryLu Tyndall, Forsaken Dreams
11. R.J. Larson, King
12. Susan Sleeman, No Way Out
13. Deborah Raney, The Face of the Earth
14. Winnie Griggs, The Bride Next Door
15. Sandra Robbins, Mountain Homecoming
16. Julie Lessman, Love at Any Cost
17. Leslie Gould, Adoring Addie
18. Vickie McDonough, Whispers on the Prairie
19. Carol Cox, Trouble in Store
20. Rachel Hauck, Once Upon a Prince
21. Terri Blackstock, Truth Stained Lies
    
22. Louise M. Gouge, A Lady of Quality
23. Missy Tippens, Georgia Sweethearts
24. Richard Mabry, Stress Test
25. Lynette Eason, When a Secret Kills
26. Patricia Hickman, Tiny Dancer
27. Lorna Seilstad, When Love Calls
28. Colleen Coble, Rosemary Cottage
29. Maureen Lang, All in Good Time
30. John Otte, Failstate: Legends
31. Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Dragonwitch

So mark your calendars and steal the image for your FB page or blog sidebar if you want to help spread the word.

Click here to read my review of book one, Swipe.

Click here to read my review of book two, Sneak.

And check out this book trailer for book three, Storm:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here is the blurb:

In a future United States under the power of a charismatic leader, everyone gets the Mark at age thirteen. The Mark lets citizen shop, go to school, and even get medical care—without it, you are on your own. Few refuse to get the Mark. Those who do . . . disappear.

Logan Langly went in to get his Mark, but he backed out at the last minute. Ever since, he’s been on the run from government agents and on a quest to find his sister Lily, who disappeared when she went to get her Mark five years earlier. His journey leads him to befriend the Dust, a vast network of Markless individuals who dissent against the iron-grip rule of the government. Along the way to the capital to find Lily, the Dust receive some startling information from the Markless community, opening their eyes to the message of Christianity and warning that humanity is now entering the End of Days.

In Storm, Logan and his friends are the leaders of the Markless revolution. But while some Markless are fighting Chancellor Cylis’ army, the Dust is busy trying to find a cure for a horrible epidemic sweeping through the Marked. And it’s difficult for them to know who to trust, especially when they aren’t sure if Logan’s sister Lily, one of the commanders in Cylis’ army, is on their side or not. And all across the nation—and the world—the weather has become less stable and a storm is brewing that bigger than any of them could have ever imagined.

And here is my review: 

I very much enjoyed this book. The story flowed well, though this still wasn’t a book I read all in one sitting. The multiple points of view didn’t bother me this time around. The characters were well done—they’ve grown, I guess. I never found myself disappointed to be back to a different character’s point of view. I especially liked the mystery of Connor’s family and the mystery of Lily and trying to figure out what that girl is all about. Act three and the ending were great. Can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.

One thing that bothered me was all the backstory stuff included throughout to get the reader up to date. The note from the author that was included in the beginning of the book was a perfect review. I didn’t need any more. But there was quite a bit more, and I admit to skimming those parts in search of getting back to the story.

Oh, and one other little thing. I read an ARC of this book and the font was very light, almost illegible on some pages. I hope this will be fixed in the final book as it was very distracting.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Age Range: 8 and up
Genre: dystopian/mystery/suspense
Part of a Series: book three in the Swipe series
Pages: 288
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: 2013
  

Team Novel Teen is a group of bloggers dedicated to spreading the word about clean teen fiction. Check out other posts about Storm by Evan Angler by clicking on the links below, and click here for more information about Team Novel Teen.

ADD Librarian • Blooming with Books • The Book Fae • Bookworm Reading • Christian Book Review Blog • Christian Bookshelf Reviews • CTF Devourer •  Jill Williamson • Labor Not in Vain • The Life of a Teenage Writer • The Maniacal Bookworm • Oh, Restless Bird • The Ramblings of a Young Author • Realm of Hearts • Shadow Writer World • A Slightly Nerdy Bookworm • Who YA Reading? • Worthy2Read

Have you read any of these books? If so, what do you think of them? If not, what are you waiting for?

My favorite part about all of these books was the different ways that magic was portrayed. Super cool.

Deryni Rising by Katherine Kurtz

This is about a prince whose father is killed and so he becomes king. But someone wants to kill him too and take over the land. The only chance he has is to learn the magic of his father. But his mother is against magic, so he has to go behind her back or face the coming evil without it.

I really enjoyed this book. The author is Catholic and I found her storyworld and magic intriguing. The land is mythical, yet she refers to things in our history, which actually worked okay for me, even though the didn’t really fit the storyworld. But this book was first published in 1978, and writing rules then weren’t what they are today, so I forgive her. The story was entertaining and fun. I blew through it in a day or two. I heartily recommend it. Click on the cover to read more about it on Amazon. I also must add that this book had a really cool map of the land. Bonus.

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

This story is about Aerin, a princess whose mother was the king’s second wife. Many people thought the second wife was a witch, so Aerin doesn’t get much respect. She’s clever, though, and likes to fight. So she sets about learning how to create a lotion that makes her flame resistant. Then she goes out and kills some dragons, earning respect by her deeds.

I’ve heard people rave about this book, so I was eager to read it. And I thought I’d be able to read it quickly too, since it was 227 pages. Not so. This was a hard read for me. It took me over a week. I loved the premise. The overall story was good too. I just didn’t enjoy the way the story was told. It jumps around with backstory, which kept me from connecting with Aerin. This book was first published in 1984, so I have to forgive my frustrations with the storytelling style. But still. I didn’t love it, and I won’t read any more books in this series, though I do own a copy of McKinely’s Beauty, so I’ll read that and see if I can connect to the characters better. Click on the cover to read more about it on Amazon.

Also, this book had no map.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Here’s a story about an innkeeper who agrees to tell his story to a scribe. He asks for three days to tell the story, and there are to be three books in this series, one for each day. The story is about a young boy, Kvothe, who is part of a traveling troupe, and how he survives when his parents are killed.

Here’s another book I’d heard tons about. I’m glad I finally read it. I loved it. I really did. It was long. Too long, really. But the story was never boring. I did get frustrated at the end when I realized Kvothe wasn’t going to be able to finish his story in the pages I had left. Then I remembered the whole “I need three days to tell this story” thing, and that the book was the first in a trilogy. Oh yeah.

This book is good. And I think all fantasy writers should read it at some point. Rothfuss is an excellent storyteller. There is a little foul language in this book, but it didn’t bother me as it has in other books. For the most part this is a clean book. There are very serious subject matters in the story like mass murder and revenge. And there is some racy dialogue–funny and well-written, though. Regretfully, I went online and read some reviews of book two, and I probably won’t read on. I adore Kvothe as he is. And I don’t want to read about him becoming a murder and a sexual rock star. So I’ll stick with book one for this series. But the magic and storyworld and characters in book one were fabulous. Click the cover to read more on Amazon.

This book also had a nice map.

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Elantris was once a powerful city, but something happened about ten years ago that made all the powerful people get the Shaod, a disease that makes a person sort of zombie like. This story follows a prince who gets the Shaod. The people of his world fear it, and anyone who gets the Shaod is thrown into the ruins of Elantris. So Prince Raoden is thrown into Elantris, but everyone is told that he died, including his betrothed, Sarene. As per their betrothal agreement, if one of them died, they would be considered wed already. 

Now Sarene is a widow and alone in a new place, trying to figure out what she can do to help this kingdom. Meanwhile, a high priest shows up with plans to convert the land or conquer it. And Sarene sets her mind on foiling his plans.

This was a great story. I loved how unique the magic felt in this book. And the mystery unraveled nicely too. There were three points of view: Prince Raoden, Sarene, and the high priest. It was a long book, but I enjoyed every page. This book was clean too. No swearing or sex. An enjoyable story with characters that made me want to read more. Very well done. This was Sanderson’s first book. He’s since written many, including being hired to finish Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series.  I look forward to reading more from Sanderson.

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

This book was cool. It’s Jane Austen with magic. I know, right?

The story is about Jane, the older, and somewhat homely, sister of Melody. Jane is twenty-eight and still unmarried. She’d like to get married, but she isn’t pretty enough to attract the amount of suitors that her sister seems to always have around her. But Jane is gifted in Glamour, a magic that, like art, allows one to create illusions for entertainment and decoration. Melody’s Glamour skills are mediocre, and she is continually jealous of Jane’s art, which perplexes Jane as Melody is so pretty that Jane feels there is no reason for her to be jealous of anyone. Thus the story continues as Jane tries to find love and keep her sister from public disgrace.

I loved this book. The story had some loose ends that I felt could have been tied up better. But it was a quick, romantic read, which after all these thick fantasy novels, was a nice change. I loved the magic of Glamour, which was done in a unique away. I look forward to reading the second book in this series.

Have you read any of these? If so, what did you like/dislike about them?

Review by Jill Williamson

Merlin is the blind son of a blacksmith. When his friends and family become interested in the miracle stone that the druids are using to draw people away from King Uthur and his infant son Arthur, Merlin tries to stop them. He can sense that there is something evil about the stone. But can he destroy it before it’s too late? 

I’m a big fan of epic fantasy, and there’s a lot in this book that’s praiseworthy. The setting and characters offer a vivid picture of the past. And Merlin is a tremendous protagonist—a half-blind young man whose belief in honor and family make him a figure to cheer for. He will sacrifice his life rather than compromise his word. Treskillard takes the skeletal bones of the Arthurian legend and builds a real person in Merlin. This was an engaging story that I didn’t want to put down. Treskillard can be proud of Merlin’s Blade. It’s a most absorbing and epic adventure. I can’t wait for the next volume in this new series. 

Age Range: 12-16
Genre: fantasy
Part of a Series: Book one in the Merlin’s Blade series
Pages: 432
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: 2013

To support Robert, I’m going to purchase a B&N paperback copy of Merlin’s Blade and give it to one lucky commenter. International entries are welcome. Giveaway ends May 10th, 2013. To enter to win, tell me what is your favorite re-telling of the Arthur or Merlin story. I must confess, I love the Disney version. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click to view on Amazon.com

Review by Jill Williamson

Cooper, Gordy, and Hiro ride their bikes through the park one day and see a van with a backpack on the roof. Gordy gives chase to try and warn the driver and is abducted by a man with a taser. Cooper calls 911 right away, but he’s not positive he remembered the right license plate number. The hours and days tick by without word from the kidnapper. The police are doing everything they can. But so are Cooper, Hiro, and their friend Lunk. Hiro worries that Cooper and Lunk are taking things too far. But is there a “too far” where the life of a friend is concerned? 

Tim Shoemaker has created a great group of characters. I loved them in his first book, Code of Silence, and I loved them even more in Back Before Dark. I felt the horror and fear through Cooper and Hiro at the loss of their best friend. And I cringed as Cooper tried to take matters into his own hands so many times. But I couldn’t stop reading. The story was a little long, but it held my interest until the end. And the author even included a special note in the back about how to keep yourself from being abducted and what to do if you are abducted. Some tips that every kid could benefit from hearing. A great book. Looking forward to the next in the series. 

Age Range: 12-16
Genre: mystery/suspense
Part of a Series: Code of Silence, book two
Pages: 376
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: 2013

To support Tim, I’m giving away my ARC copy of this book to one lucky commenter. To enter to win, tell me your favorite TV/movie detective. The winner will be chosen on May 1st, 2013. USA only, please!

Click to view on Amazon.com

Review by Jill Williamson

Thomas of Magnus, the Orphan King, currently holds the fortress of Magnus. But there are many who would try and take it from him. And when the Earl of York comes to demand that Thomas and Magnus support England’s stand against the invaders from the north who are led by Robert the Bruce, Thomas has no choice but to obey and try and prove his loyalty to the crown. But who is truly loyal to Thomas? What are druids? Who is trying to kill him? And what ever became of Isabelle and Katherine, two mysterious women whose absence is yet another mystery in his life. 

Medieval fantasy is my favorite genre, which I think is why I like these books so much. But they don’t read like fantasy as much as they read like a subgenre of Arthurian historical fiction. Since they take place in England in the past and bring in historical elements, perhaps historical fiction is the genre in which they belong. Regardless, I enjoy them a great deal. Thomas is a fun hero to follow. He’s young, cautious, and brave, though he makes his share of mistakes. And these books have an intriguing mystery and time travel element that have me totally hooked. They’re short, though, and I sometimes feel that each story could hold more than it does. Still, I look forward to the next one.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: historical, fantasy
Part of a Series: book two in the Merlin’s Immortals series
Pages: 224
Publisher: Waterbrook
Released: 2013

First, check out this fab book trailer for book one, Rock Harbor Search & Rescue. This is wonderful! Please share it on your Facebook page.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Book review by Jill Williamson

Emily O’Reilly has a chance to get her own puppy and train it to be a Search & Rescue dog. It’s going to cost her, though. She’s confident she can make the money quickly by selling the jewelry she makes at craft bazaars. But when another vendor accuses Emily of stealing an expensive necklace, Emily sets out to prove her innocence, which is hard when her own father doesn’t even believe her. Will Emily be able to catch the real thief in time to get her puppy and have a chance at her dream of joining the Rock Harbor Search & Rescue team?

I’m so excited about this new series. I grew up on Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys—read every book in both series—so I’m thrilled to find something new and equally as fun. I had no idea people surfed on the Great Lakes and found that fascinating. I liked Emily’s character immediately. She’s smart and confident. I liked that she had a unique interest and was determined to put in hard work to see her dreams happen. Emily also wasn’t shy about telling a cute boy what she believed. I loved that, seeing a girl with enough conviction to stand up for her beliefs, even to a cute upperclassman. Peer pressure does not sway this young sleuth! 

I had two little pet peeves in the story. One, Emily’s dad was really mean at times. It killed me that he didn’t even listen to his daughter, let alone believe her when she said she didn’t steal the necklace. I felt so bad for her. Two, Emily copied Mrs. Dancers jewelry designs, sat in a booth beside her, and sold hers at a much lower cost. It’s really inconsiderate to copy someone else’s work and charge less right beside them, where you can steal all their customers. It seemed a bit unethical for Emily’s character. But perhaps I’ve just worked too many years in the fashion industry and seen too many people put out of business this way.

The plot of this book was great with enough suspects and twists and turns that I didn’t have a clue who’d done it. The other characters were excellent. I loved how different everyone was, and I look forward to seeing some of the side characters again in future books. There were also lots of fun seeds plants for further books in the series which will make girls excited to keep reading. Loved this book. Highly recommended for young readers.

Age Range: 8-12
Genre: mystery
Part of a Series: Rock Harbor Search & Rescue, book 1
Pages: 256
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: 2013
  

*I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Team Novel Teen is a group of bloggers dedicated to spreading the word about clean teen fiction. Check out other posts about Rock Harbor Search & Rescue by Coble & Caroll by clicking on the links below, and click here for more information about Team Novel Teen.

Book Nook 4 You • Blooming with Books • Christian Bookshelf Reviews • 

CTF Devourer • Jill Williamson • The Ramblings of a Young Author • 

Realm of Hearts • Terri Harr • Worthy2Read

Also, I found this cover online for book two, Lost & Found (Rock Harbor Search & Rescue #2). Isn’t it gorgeous? My daughter is in love with that dog on the cover. We can’t wait!

I’m giving away a copy of Rock Harbor Search & Rescue. Enter on the Rafflecopter form below. I already mentioned loving Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys as a kid. Recently, though, I read The Silence of Murder by Dani Daley MacKall and LOVED IT! What about you? To enter, tell me what’s your favorite mystery series.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Maddie 

Emily R.

Mark A.

Tomorrow I’m having two parties for the release of Captives. The first is a Twitter Q&A at 11:00 a.m. Pacific at @JillWilliamson on Twitter. Ask any question you like. Later on that evening, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., I’m having a launch party on Facebook. It’s going to be fun, fun, fun. And I am going to give away lots of books! 50 physical books total, and if there’s still people who want to win ebooks, I’ll give those away too!

Click here to follow me on Twitter.

And click here to join in the Facebook fun.

And check out this list of prizes. Which do you want to win? Comment below.

CAPTIVES FACEBOOK LAUNCH PARTY–Chance to win one of 50 books! Click to Tweet this!

Captives by Jill Williamson [all gone]

When eighteen-year-old Levi returned from Denver City with his latest scavenged finds, he never imagined he’d find his village of Glenrock decimated, loved ones killed, and many—including his fiancée, Jem—taken captive. Now alone, Levi is determined to rescue what remains of his people, even if it means entering the Safe Lands, a walled city that seems anything but safe.

Omar knows he betrayed his brother by sending him away, but helping the enforcers was necessary. Living off the land and clinging to an outdated religion holds his village back. The Safe Lands has protected people since the plague decimated the world generations ago … and its rulers have promised power and wealth beyond Omar’s dreams.

Meanwhile, their brother Mason has been granted a position inside the Safe Lands, and may be able to use his captivity to save not only the people of his village, but also possibly find a cure for the virus that threatens everyone within the Safe Lands’ walls.

Will Mason uncover the truth hidden behind the Safe Lands’ façade before it’s too late?

Go Teen Writers: How to Turn Your First Draft into a Published Book by Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson [O paperback copies left, 1 ebook copies-international okay]

The question we hear most from new writers is, “How do I get published?”

And the answer is: Respect your dream.

Every writer’s journey is different, yet as we’ve reflected on our experiences and those of the writers around us, we’ve seen time and time again that those who are successful are the ones who had the patience and endurance to stick with this writing thing. They didn’t look for shortcuts (at least, not for long), nor did they quit after five, ten, or a hundred rejections.

We can’t make the process easy for you, but it’s our hope that Go Teen Writers: How to turn your first draft into a published novel will be a tool you can turn to time and time again when you’re thinking, “Okay … what’s next?”

We cover topics like: Organizing your edit, polishing your book so it sparkles, finding the right agent, dealing with people who don’t “get” your writing, overcoming self-doubt and procrastination, what publishers are looking for in authors, and many more!

The New Recruit by Jill Williamson [all gone]

Forced to choose between military school and a Christian spy organization, skeptic Spencer Garmond signs on with the Bible geeks. But before he even boards the plane for Moscow, Spencer realizes this is no Bible club.

These guys mean business.

Stumbling onto a case involving a gang of homeless boys, a chilling tattoo, and the always beautiful Anya Vseveloda, Spencer struggles to find the faith needed to save the Mission League from enemy infiltration.

Chokepoint by Jill Williamson [all gone]

Ever since I returned from Moscow, life is a full court press. Mission League field agents are everywhere. All the time. Watching. Waiting for me to fulfill a sixty-year-old prophecy. When some baddies try to guy-nap me, the field agents threaten to move me and Grandma Alice to some random hick town, to give us new fake identities until the prophecy is fulfilled.

Not going to happen.

I’ve got one chance to stay in Pilot Point. I have to prove to the agents that I can stay safe. Have to make this work. For basketball. For Kip. For Beth.

So, bring it, baddies. It’s game on.

100% OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THIS ENOVELLA GO TOWARD THE ADOPTION OF LITTLE SYNDEY FROM EASTERN EUROPE. PLEASE, HELP BRING SYDNEY HOME.

Replication: The Jason Experiment (paperback) by Jill Williamson [1 paperback copies-international okay]

MARTYR—otherwise known as Jason 3:3—is one of fifty-five of clones kept in a remote facility called Jason Farms. Told that he has been created to save humanity, Martyr has just one wish before he is scheduled to “expire” in less than a month. To see the sky.

Abby Goyer may have just moved to Alaska, but she has a feeling something strange is going on at the farm where her father works. But even this smart, confident girl could never have imagined what lies beneath a simple barn. Or what would happen when a mysterious boy shows up at her door, asking about the stars.

As the reality of the Jason Experiment comes to light, Martyr is caught between two futures—the one for which he was produced, and the one Abby believes God created him to have. Time is running out, and Martyr must decide if a life with Abby is worth leaving everything he’s ever known.

By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson [all gone]

Achan has been a slave all his life. He is consigned to the kitchens of a lord and forced to swallow a foul potion every day. When an enigmatic knight offers to train Achan for the Kingsguard, he readily accepts. But his new skills with the sword do not prepare him for the battle raging between the voices in his head.

Vrell Sparrow is not who she seems. She masquerades as a boy to avoid capture by the powerful forces that seek to exploit her. But Vrell feels called to help a young squire who recently discovered his bloodvoicing gift, even if doing so requires her to work with those who could destroy her.

While Achan learns to use his new ability, Vrell struggles to shut hers down. All the voices strive to learn Achan and Vrell’s true identities—and a different kind of voice is calling them both.

Blood of Kings Trilogy (all three books!) [all gone paperbacks, unlimited ebook sets, international okay]

Darkness is spreading: a curse upon the land of Er’Rets that began sixteen years ago with the murder of it’s beloved king. Follow Achan and Vrell on a journey through Er’Rets in By Darkness Hid (book 1), To Darkness Fled (book 2), and From Darkness Won (book 3).

“I love this series so much. I wish there was a whole movie series on it. It has so much life lessons in it your mind will be blown away. Best ever!!!” -JJJJJacob, an Amazon.com review.

“I read all three of these books in one week. I was a captivated audience. The romance, adventure, plot twists, battles, creatures, and lessons taught, held me in their grip until the end. It was wonderful! This is my favorite series this year! I will DEFINITELY read more by this author and sing her praises to all those around me. Book Three was even better than the other two. I will read and reread this series and give it 5 stars because it is worth adding to my library.” -The Book Runner, an Amazon.com review.

Spirited anthology [2 paperback copies, US only]

Haunted houses. Haunted hearts. And a past that refuses to die.

Leap Books summoned best-selling paranormal and dreadfully talented debut authors to conjure up Spirited, a haunting collection of 13 tales guaranteed to keep you up all night. 

Get entombed in stories of Egyptian treasures, shudder at tales of malevolent spirits, and become enthralled with the adventures of witch-hunters, ghost seekers, and lost souls. From steampunk to cyberpunk, our collection spans past, present, and future hauntings. One story actually leaps off the page with 3-D augmented reality.

With this celebration of things that go bump in the night, Spirited authors hope to slay the specter of illiteracy that plague our youth. All proceeds from Spirited will be donated to 826 National, a non-profit organization that offers free after-school tutoring, workshops, and in-school programs because “strong writing skills are fundamental to future success.”

Go ahead. Turn the page if you dare. We won’t tell if you sleep with the light on. Because after all, there’s no rest for the wicked.

The Action Bible [gone]

The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead [1 paperback copy, US only]

Kit Livingstone’s great-grandfather appears to him in a deserted alley during a tumultuous storm. He reveals an unbelievable story: that the ley lines throughout Britain are not merely the stuff of legend or the weekend hobby of deluded cranks, but pathways to other worlds. To those who know how to use them, they grant the ability to travel the multi-layered universe of which we ordinarily inhabit only a tiny part.

One explorer knew more than most. Braving every danger, he toured both time and space on voyages of heroic discovery. Ever on his guard and fearful of becoming lost in the cosmos, he developed an intricate code—a roadmap of symbols—that he tattooed onto his own body. This Skin Map has since been lost in time. Now the race is on to recover all the pieces and discover its secrets.

But the Skin Map itself is not the ultimate goal. It is merely the beginning of a vast and marvelous quest for a prize beyond imagining.

Me, Just Different by Stephanie Morrill [all gone]

Welcome to the world of Skylar Hoyt, a high school senior whose exotic Hawaiian looks have propelled her to the height of the “in” crowd, but who’s no longer sure that’s where she really fits. New friends, old friends, a reluctant romance, and a family crisis swirl around Skylar as she tries to keep it together and figure out who she really wants to be.

Debut novelist Stephanie Morrill opens her first young adult series with a compelling story about characters every teen will recognize and relate to. Morrill addresses real teen issues, like popularity, friendship, sexuality, and more, with grace and style.

Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore [all gone]

Once you’ve seen, you can’t unsee. Everything changes when you’ve looked at the world through . . . Angel Eyes.

The Healer’s Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson [0 left]

Two Hearts. One Hope. Rose has been appointed as a healer’s apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter’s daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her—a bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill. When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions she’s never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose’s life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

Failstate by John W. Otte [all gone]

Why did Robin Laughlin (aka. Failstate) think being a superhero on a reality show would be a good idea again? Things seemed so simple: win the show, become an official, licensed hero. But with his brother, Ben (aka. Gauntlet) stealing America’s heart and his own powers proving too unwieldy even for the monitored studio challenges, Robin begins to wonder if his calling isn’t to save the world after all.

Until one of his competitors is murdered.

Vowing to find the killer, Robin sets out on a very real quest to unmask the hidden villain. Can Robin find justice? Or will his lunk of a big brother ruin everything?

The Wishing Pearl by Nicole O’Dell [gone]

Sixteen-year-old Olivia Mansfield can’t wait to escape the confines of her home, which promises nothing but perpetual torment and abuse from her stepfather. When poor choices lead her to the brink of a complete breakdown, Olivia comes to a crossroads. Will she find the path to ultimate hope and healing that her heart longs for? Join conflicted sixteen-year-old Olivia Mansfield on her journey to hope and healing as she leaves her messed-up life behind and moves into Diamond Estates, a home for troubled teens. This brand-new novel for teen girls will not only entertain, but also promises to capture your heart and challenge your faith.

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson [all gone]

Once, in a cottage above the cliffs on the Dark Sea of Darkness, there lived three children and their trusty dog Nugget. Janner Igiby, his brother Tink, their crippled sister Leeli are gifted children as all children are, loved well by a noble mother and ex-pirate grandfather. But they will need all their gifts and all that love to survive the evil pursuit of the venomous Fangs of Dang who have crossed the dark sea to rule the land with malice and pursue the Igibys who hold the secret to the lost legend and jewels of good King Wingfeather of the Shining Isle of Anniera.

Andrew Peterson spins a quirky and riveting tale of the Igibys’ extraordinary journey from Glipwood’s Dragon Day Festival and a secret hidden in the Books and Crannies Bookstore, past the terrifying Black Carriage, clutches of the horned hounds and loathsome toothy cows surrounding AnkleJelly Manor, through the Glipwood Forest and mysterious treehouse of Peet the Sock Man (known for a little softshoe and wearing tattered socks on his hands and arms), to the very edge of the Ice Prairies. 

Full of characters rich in heart, smarts, and courage, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness presents a world of wonder and a tale children of all ages will cherish, families can read aloud, and readers’ groups are sure to discuss for its layers of meaning about life’s true treasure and tangle of the beautiful and horrible, temporal and eternal, and good and bad.

The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson [all gone]

An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf’s bailiff—a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past. Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff’s vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf’s future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

Runt the Brave (The Legends of Tira Nor, Book 1) by Daniel Schwabauer [all gone]

Halflings by Heather Burch [all gone]

After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, seventeen-year-old Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret—and the wings that come with. A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. While she risks a broken heart, Mace and Raven could lose everything, including their souls. As the mysteries behind the boys’ powers, as well as her role in a scientist’s dark plan, unfold, Nikki is faced with choices that will affect the future of an entire race of heavenly beings, as well as the precarious equilibrium of the earthly world.

The Sword of Six Worlds by Matt Mikalatos [gone]

Validus Smith has three goals. Stay alive. Save the world. Finish her homework. For centuries the paladins protected the Earth from a creeping darkness known as the Blight. That all changed when a new enemy destroyed the paladins, plunging the free worlds into danger. Validus Smith an ordinary girl in an ordinary town is next in line to become the paladin. Untrained, unsure of her destiny, and hunted by monstrous forces, she must recover the fabled Sword of Six Worlds, the only weapon capable of defeating the Blight. But in an unfamiliar world of monsters, talking animals and living rocks, can an ordinary girl like Validus survive?

My Life Unscripted by Tricia Goyer [1 paperback copy, US only]

Using the metaphor of screenwriting, My Life, Unscripted explores relationships in every teenage girl’s life-with herself, her friends and enemies, her parents, guys, and with God.

Real-life scripts, screenwriting terms, and timely topics, make this an interesting read for teen girls as they delve into their own inner struggles and outward relationships. They’ll also learn the importance of “scripting” their own responses BEFORE challenging life-situations arise so they are able to think about, pray about, and consider how to face these situations before the scene begins. By contrasting real-life with TV or movies, teens will understand they don’t have to get caught up in the drama.

The Summer of Cotton Candy by Debbie Viguie [gone]

Most people think The Zone is an amusement park, but Candy Thompson knows it’s really a slave labor camp. What else would you call a summer job that requires a sixteen-year-old girl to set aside her whole social life for the privilege of standing out in the hot sun selling cotton candy? Still, there are perks—particularly the mysterious hunk in the Lone Ranger costume. Behind that mask are the most amazing eyes Candy has ever seen. Who is that masked man? But someone else is just as interested. And romantic competition isn’t the only problem. Besides being hard work, The Zone is eating up major time. How is Candy supposed to stay involved in church? Worse yet, will she lose her best friend, Tamara, who resents how Candy’s job limits their time together? This is NOT the summer Candy hoped for! But as she is about to discover, the summer of cotton candy will be the greatest summer of her life.

Never Been Kissed by Melody Carlson [all gone]

All Elise wants is to have her first kiss before she turns sixteen. Is that so bad? But when a friend’s poor advice and the powers of electronic technology combine, Elise heads down a dangerous road. She is accused of “sexting” and gets kicked out of school. But is she really the one to blame?

This powerful and realistic story from beloved author Melody Carlson shows teen girls the impact of their choices when it comes to respecting themselves and their integrity. Honest and relevant, Never Been Kissed will make girls laugh, cry . . . and think.

Desired: The Untold Story of Samson & Delilah (Audio Book CD) by Ginger Garrett [1 copy, US only]

Three women loved him. Two betrayed him. One fulfilled his destiny. Desired tells the story of the legendary strongman through the eyes of the three most important women in his life. The fiercely loving Jewish mother who nags him toward greatness … and rebellion. The impoverished Philistine girl, Amara, who becomes Samson’s bride. And the emotionally damaged seductress—the legendary Delilah—who becomes the instrument of his destruction and the key to his tragic triumph. Poetic, meticulously researched, and jaw-droppingly honest, Desired ultimately celebrates the God of Israel’s ability to work mightily despite our human weakness.

The Hidden Deep by Christa Kinde [all gone]

Homework, football, apple pies, and … angels?
Harvest time is in full swing when Prissie Pomeroy learns that something terrible happened in her family’s orchard—making it hard to focus on school, especially when her best friends are distant and Ransom won’t leave her alone. As she meets other angels. Prissie is drawn increasingly deeper into their world and closer to its dangers. A kidnapped apprentice suffers. A chained door bodes ill. A tiny angel makes a big difference. A battle line is drawn. Everything Prissie thought she knew is about to change … again!

The Jerk Magnet by Melody Carlson [gone]

When Chelsea Martin’s future stepmother helps her transform from gawky and geeky into the hottest girl at her new school, Chelsea is pretty sure it’s the best thing that ever happened to her. But her hot new look has a downside. She’s attracting lots of guys who all have one thing in common: they’re jerks. And stealing the attention of all the guys in school doesn’t endear her to the girls either.

Chelsea finally finds a true friend in Janelle Parker, and a non-jerk, Nicholas, catches her eye. Janelle keeps telling her to be herself, but Nicholas is the only guy around who doesn’t give her a second look. Can Chelsea and Janelle come up with a plan to get his attention? Or will Chelsea’s new image ruin everything?

Teen favorite and bestselling author Melody Carlson helps girls uncover the real source of beauty in this true-to-life story of young love, friendship, and being yourself. 

Winter’s Tide by Lisa Williams Kline [all gone]

The coldest season. Building a family is hard, especially with stepsisters who are complete opposites. During the bleak and dreary days of winter, Diana continues to be bullied at school, Stephanie continues hiding a painful secret, and both their lives are shaken by two tragic accidents. They discover a beached whale on the North Carolina shoreline, then Stephanie’s brother is in a near-fatal car crash. The girls try pushing through the rockiness in their relationship and facing their challenges, until Stephanie’s lie is finally revealed. Can Diana find forgiveness and faith in her darkest hours?

The Enchanted Attic: Dueling with the Three Musketeers by L.L. Samson [1 paperback copy, US only]

It all started with her Uncle’s upcoming Chivalry and Romance and Loads of Frippery and Finery party… Madrigal Pierce’s greedy brother Johann has returned to The Pierce School For Young People. He owns half the mansion and plans to sell it. Fortunately, Ophelia has been reading The Three Musketeers, and Linus, Ophelia, and Walter decide D’Artagnan could rescue the school from his wily ways and keep their best friend Walter from going back to England. Their plan goes horribly awry—again—when the evil Lady DeWinter appears instead. Can D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers save the day? Or is the school and the trio’s friendship doomed!

Back Before Dark by Tim Shoemaker [1 paperback ARC copy, US only]

Praise for Code of Silence: ‘Deliberate, plausible, and gritty whodunit.’ –Booklist Starred Review Taken! A detour through the park leads Cooper, Gordy, Hiro, and Lunk straight into a trap, and Gordy is abducted! For the kidnapper, it’s all a game, a way to settle an old score, with no one getting hurt. But evil has a way of escalating, and once his identity is discovered, the rules change. Despite the best of police efforts, the hours tick by without a clue or a ransom call, leaving everyone to their own fears. Gordy is gone. Cooper descends deeper into a living nightmare, imagining the worst for his best friend and cousin. Hours stretch into days, and talks of a memorial service begin to surface. But Cooper still feels his cousin is alive and develops a reckless plan, changing all the rules. Now the one who set out to rescue his friend needs to be rescued himself. Sometimes rescuing a friend from darkness means going in after them. 

Premiere by Melody Carlson [1 paperback copy, US only]

A recipe for success or a design for disaster? Although they’re sisters, Paige and Erin Forrester are like oil and water, night and day, denim and silk. Paige is an outgoing fashionista who loves to be the center of attention, while Erin is more comfortable sporting vintage garb and recording the action around her. When a near disaster turns into the opportunity of a lifetime, these two very-different sisters are given the chance to star in their own fashion-TV show. A guest spot on a hot teen-reality series and their first big red-carpet assignment give this unlikely partnership plenty of room for success—and even more for failure.

CAPTIVES FACEBOOK LAUNCH PARTY–Chance to win one of 50 books! Click to Tweet this! 

First, here are the winners of last week’s Captives ARC giveaway:

Cait

Seth 

This week’s freebie is pretty sweet. I’m totally proud. I’ve created a website for The Safe Lands! “They” created it, actually. Those wacky Safe Landers. I just happened to task in web design …

So if you’re curious about all things Safe Lands, go take a quick peek at: http://thesafelands.com/. Then come back and tell me what you think!

You can follow the Safe Lands blog too and get weekly updates from The Safe Lands itself about new product expos, shows, shops, crime alerts, interviews and more. And keep an eye out for comments from Safe Lands superstars Finley Gray and Luella Flynn. They like to come on the site and comment, especially Luella. That femme is chatty!

I’ve only got three ARCS of Captives left, so today’s giveaway will have three winners! Enter to win on the Rafflecopter form below and tell me at least one thing you found interesting about http://thesafelands.com/.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click to view on Amazon.com.

Review by Jill Williamson

Teen superhero Failstate thought life would get easier now that he’d earned his superhero license. But when a legendary superhero returns from the dead and brings with him a horde of zombies, Failstate is a bit flustered. Dozens of professional superheroes come in from all over the world to help, and most of them are treating Failstate like a kid when New Chayton is HIS town to protect! 

Nobody thinks he can get the job done. Plus his older brother, Gauntlet, and his best friend, Veritas, aren’t helping like they could; two beautiful girls are vying for Failstate’s affections; and his own powers are going wacko. What’s a superhero to do? 

The Failstate series might look like books for kids, but like so many other young adult titles out there, these are fun for grownups too. The humor, rousing action, and mystery is totally addicting! John Otte is going to be a major figure in science fiction and fantasy. Do yourself a favor and read these books. You won’t be disappointed. 

Age Range: 12-16
Genre: fantasy
Part of a Series: Book two in the Failstate series
Pages: 400
Publisher: Marcher Lord Press
Released: 2013

To support John and his awesome books, I’m going to purchase and give away a two-pack! Both Failstate and Failstate Legends, in paperback from, go to one lucky commenter. To enter to win, tell me who is your favorite superhero and why.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today I’m talking with my friend, Stephanie Morrill. I really wish I could swing by her house and visit. Alas, we live too far apart, so I am forced to be an email/blogging friend. *sigh* Such is life.

Steph’s publisher has put her fabulous book, Me, Just Different (the first in her Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt trilogy) on a free ebook campaign. And that means all types of ebooks, not just the Kindle kind! So, if you have an ebook reader, follow these links to get your copy of Me, Just Different right now. You can’t beat this price, and you can always read it later if you don’t have time now. It won’t be free forever.

Amazon.com: Click here.

Barnes&Noble: Click here.

I love the Skylar Hoyt books, Steph! And I’m so excited about the special promotion that’s going on. Do you have plans for more books with these characters?

Some of the characters will make guest appearances in other books of mine. In fact, there’s one in my upcoming release, The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet. It’s a little sneaky, though, so I’m curious to see who catches it. But The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series is complete at three books. 

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A writer of “serious” novels who lived in New York City. I compromised on the serious thing when I finally admitted to myself that I don’t write literary fiction, and I traded NYC for my husband. Great amendments to my original dream. 

How old were you when you got your first book published?

I was 25 when Me, Just Different hit shelves. 

What do you consider one of your biggest life adventures?

Well. Anytime I get on an airplane, it feels like quite an adventure. I’m not the calmest flyer!

When I was 21, my husband and I moved away from our families and our hometown of Kansas City to Orlando, Florida. Even though we’d already been married a year and had been living in our own place and all that grown up stuff, it felt like we had REALLY moved into adulthood. It was a wonderful—and stretching—experience. 

Here’s a little bit of information about the book Me, Just Different:

Getting a fresh start is harder than it looks.

Skylar Hoyt is a girl who seems to have it all–she’s pretty, popular, and has a great-looking boyfriend. Her senior year should be the best one yet. But a horrible experience at a summer party has changed everything. Now she’s vowing to make better choices, including going back to church. But as Skylar tries to gain new perspective on life, the world as she knows it begins to fall apart. 

Her parents are constantly fighting. Her younger sister has a big secret that Skylar is forced to keep. The guy she’s dating is annoyingly jealous. And the new guy down the street is just plain annoying. In the midst of the chaos, Skylar starts to wonder who her real friends are and, even more importantly, who she is.

Skylar runs into big-time friend trouble in these books. Steph, what advice might you give girls whose friends aren’t behaving like good friends should?

Oh, I know! Poor Skylar. Skylar and I don’t have a ton in common, but toxic friendships is one of our similarities, unfortunately. (I would much rather have her sewing skills!)

I would say don’t be afraid to put physical and emotional distance between you and a friend who isn’t behaving the way he or she should. Physical distance can be really hard or even impossible when you’re in the same class or youth group, but emotional distance can be achieved with drawing clear boundaries. (I’m so thankful for reading one of the Boundaries books by Henry Cloud and John Townsend. I actually read the marriage one, but it helped me a ton with my friendships too.)

Sometimes we think of boundaries being rude walls we put up, but really it’s just drawing a line between you and another person saying, “This is me, and that is you. I want to let good, healthy stuff into my heart, and I’m using this boundary to keep unhealthy stuff out.”

I would also say extend grace and forgiveness whenever you can. I know I did mean things to friends in middle and high school that I feel horrible about now. We all make mistakes. 

What new fictional adventure are you working on now and when can we read it?

My next release is The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet, which is coming out in May. I’m so excited about this book! Ellie is a teen writer, and I have a heart for teen writers. Plus a bunch of readers over at GoTeenWriters.com helped me brainstorm the idea for the book that Ellie is writing and trying to get published. It was really fun to collaborate with them. 

Ellie Sweet is a lot of things—good girl, novelist, silent adorer of the new boy at school, Palmer. But when “outcast” gets added to the list, she decides it’s time to take reality into her own hands … and tweak it as needed.

In the pages of her book, she’s Lady Gabrielle, favorite of the medieval Italian court. Her once-friends are reduced to catty ladies-in-waiting, and the too-charming Palmer—who in real life never spares her a second word—gets to be nothing more than a rake wracked by unrequited love for her. She even has a perfect real-life villain in the brooding Chase, who hails from the wrong side of town.

But just when she’s getting along great in her fictional world, the real one throws her a few curves. With Chase pursuing her, Palmer wanting to date her—but in secret—and the details of her manuscript going public, Ellie suddenly receives more attention than she ever really wanted. And when her former-friends discover what she’s been writing, they’re determined to teach Ellie a lesson about the severe consequences of using her pen as her sword. 

Love it! I’ve already read Ellie Sweet’s story, and I can’t wait to put the book on my shelf. Where can readers learn more about you and your writing?

First chapters of my Skylar Hoyt books are available at my website, www.StephanieMorrill.com. And if you’re a teen writer, come hang out with me and Jill at www.GoTeenWriters.com. Thank you so much for having me, Jill!

Thank you! And, readers, go download Stephanie’s book now! It’s fabulous!

Me, Just Different, Book 1 in The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series, FREE. Grab it for your teen! Click to Tweet this!

Do you need help setting boundaries in friendships? Click here to Tweet this! 

“Expert worldbuilding and fascinating characters collide in an adventure that begs the question: What would you do if you were torn from your home and forced to adopt another culture as your own? Williamson’s characters surprised me and I can’t wait to see what they do next!”
–Shannon Dittemore, author of the Angel Eyes trilogy 

“Intriguing and slightly unsettling, Captives is a phenomenal addition to the world of dystopian literature. Jill Williamson has done it again.”
–Christian Miles, teen author

“Jill Williamson’s compelling young characters shine in Captives as they face a dark world beset by a lethal plague and a devastating betrayal that threatens their lives.” 
–R. J. Larson, author of Prophet

“Any time I pick up a book by Jill Williamson, I know to expect an adventure that’s both creative and captivating. And Captives was no exception. From the first page, Captives held me enthralled with an original plot, flesh and blood characters, heart-racing action and plenty of peril. A high-stakes dystopian novel, Captives is sure to leave readers with paper cuts from turning the pages, and begging for more when they reach the end.”
–Gillian Adams, author of Out of Darkness Rising

“Captives is a compelling adventure about the bonds of family and love despite all obstacles, grievous mistakes, and a haunting future. Portrayed in only the way Jill Williamson can, Captives is a gut-wrenching story. I winced, I cringed, I groaned and I cheered!” –Ronie Kendig, Christy award winning and bestselling author

I’ve got two more ARC copies to give away today. But before I get carried away, here are last week’s winners:

Hannah P.

Congrats! Today’s freebie is the story of how I came up with Captives. Check it out:

Click here to view the embedded video.

And to enter to win one of the two advanced reader copies of Captives this week, all you have to do is help me brainstorm some names for my next fantasy novel. Anything you think that sounds cool. Here’s the name I’m thinking of calling my hero: Hezukariah. Maybe it’s too weird. Naturally, though, he hates his name and goes by Hez.   

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Click to view on Amazon.com.

Review by Jill Williamson

Sophie is a maid in Duchess Ermengard’s castle. She has never understood why the duchess hates her so much until a handsome young man arrives, claiming she is the duchess’s stepdaughter. This young man, Gabe, also wants to rescue her from the duchess’s service and take her to meet his brother, to whom she was betrothed at birth. This could be Sophie’s change to get away from the duchess and be free. But how can she be certain Gabe is who he says he is? 

Gabe went after his brother’s betrothed to prove to his family that he was capable. He’s not supposed to have romantic inclinations toward the girl. It’s impossible not to, though, with her beauty and kindness and knowing all she’s suffered at the hands of Duchess Ermengard. 

When the duchess sends her soldiers after them, the two flee to the Cottage of the Seven, where a group of outcasts take them in. The longer they stay there, the stronger their feelings for each other grow. What will they do? 

Oh how I love Melanie Dickerson’s fairy tale romances. Her research is done so well that I feel like I’m in a medieval time and place. And her characters are always so endearing that I can’t put down the book until I’ve read the whole thing. I especially liked reading about the men in the Cottage of the Seven. They were all such fun characters. If you like fairy tale retellings, romance, and a historical setting and have never read any of Dickerson’s novels, you must! They’re fabulous! 

Age Range: 12-16
Genre: historical romance
Part of a Series: part of her fairy tale series
Pages: 335
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: 2013

I know, you’re excited, right? 

But first allow me to choose the winner from last week’s entries. And let me just say that I loved hearing about the maps you guys love. It was awesome to Google them all and stare, transfixed, at them for hours instead of writing. Oh. Um … yeah … Anyway …

The winner of an ARC of Captives is: Christianson F. *raging applause and whistles*

And now for today’s contest.

My first freebie is my Pinterest inspiration page for Captives. As I researched, I pinned images to the board I created for the book, and that way I could find things quickly if I wanted to remember a detail or just needed a creative boost.

And I can now share it with you.

I’m not sure if you need a Pinterest account to view the board or not. But here is the magical link: http://pinterest.com/jillmwilliamson/inspiration-for-captives-the-safe-lands-book-one/

Enjoy.

My second freebie is the prologue and chapter one of Captives, which Zondervan has posted on Scribd!

Click here to read them.

And now for the giveaway. Enter on the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck! 

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Click to read more reviews on Amazon.com.

It’s been quite a while since we did a Team Novel Teen blog tour. We now have several blog tours lined up over the next few months, and I’m really excited about them. There are lots of great books out there, and we can’t wait to help spread the word.

Today’s book is Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker. (A teen author—woot!)  Chasing Jupiter is a historical fiction novel with a coming-of-age feel. You can learn more about Rachel and her books on her website: http://www.rachelcoker.com.

Team Novel Teen did a blog tour for Rachel’s first book, Interrupted, which you can read by clicking here.

Rachel has a YouTube channel where she posts little videos of herself telling stories about her life or answering questions. Here is a video of Rachel sharing how she got the idea for Chasing Jupiter:

Click here to view the embedded video.

And here is my book review for Chasing Jupiter:

Scarlett’s family is a little out-of-the-ordinary. Her dad is obsessed with politics, her mom is always working, her older sister is becoming a hippie, and both her little brother and her grandfather have special needs. Scarlett is the one trying to hold it all together. The summer starts out with her little brother Cliff’s wish to build a rocket so that he can be the first astronaut to travel to Jupiter. So Scarlett and the cute neighbor boy, Frank, make a peach pie stand and start selling pies to make money for the rocket. But things don’t always go as planned in life, and when Scarlett’s life starts to crumble around her, she has to find her own way. 

This was a sweet book. It takes place in 1960s Georgia. I fell in love with the characters from the start. Rachel Coker has a gift for creating the most endearing people to read about: Scarlett with her big heart, Cliff with his big dreams, and Grandpop Barley with his red necktie and addiction to peanut butter. The story sucked me in from the start. I loved Scarlett and wanted to see her and Cliff make that rocket! I also thought it was great fun to see Scarlet and Cliff watching the first men on the moon.

A few things distanced me from the action. Several important events were told after they happened. Once, a side character died, and it was mentioned after the fact, like it was no big deal. But someone like Scarlett would have made sure to be there for her loved one—to make sure he got to attend the funeral. And later, the fact that Frank had come to the hospital and the fact that he’d chosen a college and moved away … these things were mentioned after they happened, nonchalantly, which felt like mistakes in the story. These scenes would have been so much more powerful told in the action of the story. 

Don’t get me wrong. I still liked the story very much, and I cried! My heart broke for Scarlett and her family. This is an entertaining and powerful book. Rachel has a gift for telling good stories. I know we’ll see many more of them in the future. If you haven’t read Rachel’s books before, be sure and check them out!

Age Range: 12-16
Genre: historical
Part of a Series: no
Pages: 216
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: 2013
  

*I received this book free for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Team Novel Teen is a group of bloggers dedicated to spreading the word about clean teen fiction. Check out other posts about Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker by clicking on the links below, and click here for more information about Team Novel Teen.

ADD Librarian • Book Nook 4 You • Blooming with Books • Bookworm Reading  • Christian Book Review Blog • CTF Devourer • Gillian Adams • Jessica Laurie • Jill Williamson • Labor Not in Vain • Rachelle Rea • The Ramblings of a Young Author • A Slightly Nerdy Bookworm • Shadow Writer World • Surrendering All of Me • Worthy2Read

Click to view on Amazon.com

Review by Jill Williamson

Chris has returned home to Solitary, North Carolina. They have his mom, so he needs to do what they say—or at least make it look that way. But it’s not easy, especially when they threaten Kelsey, who’s been the only good thing in Chris’s life. What’s a guy to do?

I don’t want to give away any more than that. This was book four, the conclusion of the Solitary series. It lived up to my expectations. I flew through the book, anxious to get to the end and find out what was going to happen. All I can say is, I’m thrilled with how everything worked out. I review a lot of books: books I love. And I donate 90% of them to my church library. But I keep a few. And I’ve kept this series because I liked it that much. Thrasher is a gifted storyteller. He’s created a wonderful character in Chris Buckley. This is a series I will likely read again someday. Love it. 

Age Range: 14 and up
Genre: horror/supernatural
Part of a Series: Book four in the Solitary series
Pages: 
Publisher: David C. Cook
Released: 2013

Click here to visit the Amazon.com Kindle page for By Darkness Hid.

If you already have the paperback, please download the free ebook as well. The more downloads the book gets over the next two days, the more people will find out that the book exists. That would be so cool!

So, if you don’t mind, please go buy a FREE book to support me and the Blood of Kings series.

Thanks so much!

See the IdaHope Writers website for more information.

http://idahopewriters.org/annual-conference/

Captives, my new young adult dystopian novel, is releasing April 2, 2013. To celebrate, I’m releasing something new each week. Today, it’s the map from the front of the book. I’m also giving away one advance reader copy per week until release day. 

So, first allow me to choose the winner from last week’s entries. Drum roll please?

And the winner is: Emma E.

Congrats, Emma! For those of you who didn’t win, you’re welcome to enter this week’s drawing!

Here’s the map I drew for The Safe Lands. It takes place in what was the former ski resort of Mount Crested Butte, Colorado. Click on the map to see it closer up.

To enter to win this week’s advance reader copy of Captives,  leave a comment telling me what map is your favorite from books, TV, or movies. Mine, I think, is Middle Earth, though the Maurauder’s Map is a close second. I love those little moving footprints.

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Review by Jill Williamson

Brielle and Jake are growing closer, but her father doesn’t like it–doesn’t seem to like Jake at all. Brielle is certain it’s because of Jake’s faith, but there seems to be something more that her father isn’t saying. And then her dad starts dating Olivia. Brielle doesn’t approve. It’s just a feelings she has. But feelings aren’t enough to convince her dad of anything, so all she can do is stand by and watch… and pick up the pieces if things go bad.

Meanwhile, Jake still doesn’t know why the ring has vanished from the wooden chest. He hasn’t told Brielle that it’s missing, either, and she can tell that he’s keeping something from her. And unbeknownst to Brielle or Jake, Damien in hunting them both, hoping to take the boy who heals and the girl who sees to his master. The Sabres are coming. And Brielle learns more about the reoccurring nightmare she’s been having, and it’s leading Jake and her closer to something big.

I couldn’t put it down! This is a fantastical story of Biblical proportions and yet Dittemore make it feel so real. Brielle learns that faith isn’t a quick fix. That tough times still come. And the ending… Gah! You’ll be desperate for book three once you close this one.

This is one of my favorite new series. Dittemore has accomplished a rare feat with Broken Wings: she’s written a sequel that’s as good as/better than book one. Beautiful, romantic, and fascinating. I couldn’t stop reading this enthralling page-turner. I’ll be the first one in line for book three. 

Age Range: 12-16
Genre: supernatural/romance
Part of a Series: Book two in the Angel Eyes series
Pages: 320
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: 2013
     

Today I’m talking with Ann Lee Miller, the author of Kicking Eternity and several other college-age romance novels. This is a great genre, as there aren’t very many books written for this age group.

Ann Lee Miller earned a BA in creative writing from Ashland (OH) University and writes full-time in Phoenix, but left her heart in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, where she grew up. She loves speaking to young adults and guest lectures on writing at several Arizona colleges. When she isn’t writing or muddling through some crisis—real or imagined—you’ll find her hiking in the Superstition Mountains with her pastor husband or meddling in her kids’ lives.

Also, please note, everyone who leaves an e-mail address and specifies which format they’d like in their comment will receive a free e-copy of Kicking Eternity! How cool is that?

I really enjoyed Kicking Eternity, Ann! And I’m so excited that you have more books. Do they all follow the same characters? 

Yay! So happy you liked it. Each book stands alone, but characters make appearances in multiple books. Kicking Eternity and The Art of My Life are the most closely tied books because The Art of My Life tells the story of the secondary characters introduced in Kicking Eternity.

Do you have plans for more books with these characters? 

Three of the books in the New Smyrna Beach (FL) Series are out now, and the final book will come out next month.

Cool! When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

I decided I wanted to become a writer the year I discovered Sister Sheila had hair. I was in fifth grade at St. Hugh’s Catholic School in Miami, knee deep in nouns and verbs, when Sister Sheila walked through the door in a new habit that showed two inches of mouse brown hair threaded with silver. Her encouragement of my writing was a positive force while my parents’ marriage went through its final meltdown. Thanks to Sister’s jump-start, I went on to earn a BA in creative writing from Ashland (OH) University.

How funny. What do you consider one of your biggest life adventures, Ann? 

My father spent several years building a forty-foot sailboat in our backyard. We launched it in the Miami River and lived aboard at Dinner Key Marina when I was eleven until I turned thirteen. At the time I didn’t realize how unusual it was to live on a boat and ride my bicycle down the dock each morning to attend school. All my friends at the marina did the same. After school every day, I tossed my books onto my bunk, shimmied into a swim suit, and jumped overboard. Sailboats show up in all my books thus far.

No wonder! What a fun place to live, Ann.

Here’s a little bit about Ann’s book, Kicking Eternity.  

Click to read more reviews on Amazon.com.

Stuck in sleepy New Smyrna Beach one last summer, Raine socks away her camp pay checks, worries about her druggy brother, and ignores trouble: Cal Koomer. She’s a plane ticket away from teaching orphans in Africa, and not even Cal’s surfer six-pack and the chinks she spies in his rebel armor will derail her.

The artist in Cal begs to paint Raine’s ivory skin, high cheek bones, and internal sparklers behind her eyes, but falling for her would caterwaul him into his parents’ life. No thanks. The girl was self-righteous waiting to happen. Mom served sanctimony like vegetables, three servings a day, and he had a gut full.

Rec Director Drew taunts her with “Rainey” and calls her an enabler. He is so infernally there like a horsefly—till he buzzes back to his ex.

Raine’s brother tweaks. Her dream of Africa dies small deaths. Will she figure out what to fight for and what to free before it’s too late?

For anyone who’s ever wrestled with her dreams.

Raine had a close relationship with God. She knew what her heart wanted, but she constantly fought against that in order to make sure that she was following what God wanted for her life. And it wasn’t easy! This is a really hard thing for girls to do in real life too. Do you have any tips to help girls bring God into their decision making? 

a.)    Ask God to show you what to do.

b.)    Read something from the Bible every day with your heart open to what God is saying to you.

c.)    Discuss your decision with a couple of people you respect who know you well.

What new fictional adventure are you working on now and when can we read it? 

Even though Avra’s God came out last month, I wanted to mention it here because it would appeal to YA and NA readers. Here’s the back cover: 

In the tradition of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, four friends navigate college and the drama churned up by their Florida beach band to cement friendship and more.

Avra wants love, but drummer Cisco—self-medicating from his parents’ divorce with sex and intoxicants—is a poor choice. Cisco hungers for fresh-baked cookies and the scent of family he finds at Avra’s.

Kallie shares her classically trained singing voice only with lead vocalist Jesse and fights to keep her heart safe. Jesse feeds on fame and hides more than insecurity beneath his guitar.

The friends surf ego, betrayal, and ambition and head for wipe-out. But somehow, when they’re not looking, Avra’s God changes them all.

Sounds like a fun story, Ann. Thanks for talking with me today. You can learn more about Ann on her website: www.AnnLeeMiller.com, follow her on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/annleemiller, or “like” her Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/AnnLeeMillerAuthor.

View all electronic formats of her books here:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/161225

Today I start my official Countdown to Captives! This is a dystopian story about three brothers that was inspired by Daniel chapter one. It will release on April 2, 2013. I’m going to be giving away one ARC of the book each week until release day. These are advanced reader copies, and the final book did change some. But the story is basically the same.

Here’s the blurb:

One choice could destroy them all.

When eighteen-year-old Levi returned from Denver City with his latest scavenged finds, he never imagined he’d find his village of Glenrock decimated, loved ones killed, and many—including his fiancée, Jem–taken captive. Levi is determined to rescue what remains of his people, even if it means entering the Safe Lands, a walled city that seems anything but safe.

Omar knows he betrayed his brother by sending him away, but helping the enforcers was necessary. Living off the land and clinging to an outdated religion holds his village back. The Safe Land has protected people since the plague decimated the world generations ago … and its rulers have promised power and wealth beyond Omar’s dreams.

Meanwhile, their brother Mason has been granted a position inside the Safe Lands, and may be able to use his captivity to save not only his people, but also find a cure for the virus that threatens everyone inside the Safe Lands.

Can Mason uncover the truth hidden behind the Safe Land’s façade before it’s too late?

Here’s the book trailer:

Click here to view the embedded video.

What do you think? Intrigued?

Enter to win a copy on the Rafflecopter widget below. 

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Click HERE for a free Kindle copy.

Raine heads off for a summer to work at a church camp while saving money for being a missionary to Africa in the fall. Africa is her dream, and no one is going to stand in her way. At camp, she meets Cal, a handsome surfer who mocks her upbringing and challenges her faith. And despite all that, she’s drawn to him. 

And then there’s Drew, the young man who leads worship, teases Raine, and is an all-around good guy. Even though she had a huge crush on Drew back in high school, all she can think of now is Cal, despite the signals warning her to stay away. What’s a girl to do? 

This was a sweet story about a young woman trying to follow God’s call on her life. She knows what she wants, but she isn’t certain what that looks like or when it should all happen. I loved that she took every struggle to God in prayer and that she listened to him. It was totally sweet, even though she made me nervous at times. The characters were fabulous, quirky, fun, and totally realistic people. This book was about college-aged characters, learning to do life as grownups. They’re not perfect and make mistakes. It was refreshing. I read it in one night. 

Age Range: 16 and up
Genre: contemporary/romance
Part of a Series: a New Smyrna Beach book
Pages: 318
Publisher: Amazon
Released: 2012
   

It’s Valentine’s Day. Love, love, love. And today, I’m thinking about the authors I love and wondering how they’re doing.

I’ve been a published author since 2009. And while I am finally starting to make a little money off this job, “little” is the key word. If my husband didn’t have a job that could pay our bills, I wouldn’t be able to write.

There are a lot of misconceptions out there that authors are rich. This is not true. Authors work very hard for nothing for years, in hopes that someday, a publisher will buy their book. The same is true of all the arts whether you paint, do photography, or write music and sing. You work hard at your craft, you put yourself out there, and you hope that something might take off.

But hitting the New York Times Bestseller List is rare, and even then, the royalties might not be enough to pay the bills. Sad, but true.

I guess that why they call them “starving artists.”

I say all this not to gain your sympathy, but to motivate you. There are lots of ways to get books free these days whether you get review copies, win contests, check them out at your local library, or pirate them (Bad, readers!). But I know authors who get emails from fans asking when their next book is coming out and the author says, “I don’t know. My sales were too low, and the publishers aren’t interested right now.”

And this is from authors with fans who love their books. 

So, if you have a favorite author, I encourage you to buy at least one new copy of his or her books. Show your support by helping their career. Because, sadly, it’s not enough that readers like an author’s books. If no one will buy them, that author might not get to keep writing. 

I’m not asking you to buy every book, but to buy a book new here and there, especially books by your favorite authors. Used books don’t help them. The stores need to know which authors sell.

I’m doing this too. As part of my new Support an Author plan, whenever I can, I’m going to host giveaways and purchase the prize books new from Barnes and Noble’s website. Join me in supporting the authors you love.

Go team! 

Review by Jill Williamson

I liked this book so much that I endorsed it, and they put my endorsement on the cover! How cool is that?

Errol, a young drunkard, accepts a mission to deliver a package to a priest in exchange for a gold coin he knows will provide ale for days. But on his way, an assassin tracks him, tries to kill him. He barely escapes with his life and is nursed back to heath by the priests. It is there that Errol learns he has a rare gift or reading casts, and he begins an adventure that will take him to the palace in Erinon, if he lives. 

What a rare delight to find such wonderful writing! This is an engrossing first person narrative of an epic fantasy adventure. Errol is a sympathetic hero who we long to see succeed in the world. The originality of the method of casting lots by priests was fascinating as was Errol’s choice of a staff as a weapon. Carr created an extraordinary start to what promises to be an extraordinary saga. Two thumbs up. Read it!

Age Range: 16 and up
Genre: fantasy
Part of a Series: The Staff and the Sword, book one
Pages: 432 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: 2013
     

AND– As part of my Support an Author plan, I’m going to purchase a copy of this book and give it away.

Leave a comment below telling me one of your favorite fantasy elements from a fantasy story. This could be a character like Saphira the dragon in the Eragon books, the One Ring in the the Lord of the Rings books, the pensive in Harry Potter, or bloodvoicing magic. Winner chosen at random. Giveaway open to US addresses only. Ends February 28, 2013.

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Today I am talking with an amazing talent. His name in Jon Maiocco, and I’m convinced that his will be a well-known name in the future. Jon is a composer. He started composing around the age of twelve, and he’s still at it. He loves composing film music, but he also dabbles in songwriting, singing, and doing string arrangements. Jon is a Christian and loves using the gifts God has given him. He lives in Atlanta and is currently a junior at Georgia State University.

He can also do back flips,  has gone on a ton of mission trips to work with kids, and is mistaken as an American Eagle model.

Jon has been gracious enough to let me use his epic music in my book trailers. If you visit my YouTube channel, check out my trailers for To Darkness Fled, From Darkness Won, Replication, and The New Recruit.  All Jon’s genius.

Jon, you compose music. I think that is so cool. When did you compose your first song?

I composed my first song around twelve or thirteen. I think it was inspired by Narnia or something. (And you write books! I think that is very cool. I’ve always thought it would be awesome to write a book… I guess in a sense we are both writers.)

Thanks, Jon! Yes, all of the arts are somewhat similar, I suppose. We all create and hope people will like our creation and not critique it death. Ha ha. What instruments do you play?

I play the piano, and the flute every now-and-then. I used to play the violin… Just a note: you don’t have to play an instrument in order to compose for it. (But it definitely helps!) For instance, I’ve never played a brass instrument. But from what I’ve read/heard, I know what brass can play and can’t play.

That amazes me. I played the trumpet in high school. But I don’t even know what it can play and not play! How do you compose something that sounds so great without an orchestra?

I get that question a lot! I use a software called LogicPro, which is like the big brother to the software Garage Band. All the sounds that you hear are MIDI sounds, AKA, fake sounds. But yes, they sound pretty realistic! For me, when it comes to composing, one half is composing the actual music, and the other half is manipulating the MIDI sounds to make it sound realistic.

Well, you’re really good at it, Jon. Really good. Congrats on your first album! Tell us about Epic Music.

Yes, my first album! For the longest time, I had the crazy idea of composing a complete album of epic music, but I never got around to it. Finally, this past summer (2012), I hammered down and just finished it. The album is simply called “Epic Music” and it has 13 tracks. It’s on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc.

This was really an experiment for me, to get my name out there, and so my fans could actually download my music.

I own it! And I put it all onto a CD so my son can listen to it. He’s totally hooked. Have you received any emails from readers? Would you tell us about one? How did it make you feel to get that feedback?

Yes, I have! I usually get emailed out of the blue, when I’m not even expecting it. Whenever someone emails me or writes me a note, it makes my day. Encouragement energizes me. Sometimes I also get critique, which is always helpful because it will make me become a better composer.

A specific example… hmm… this wasn’t an email, but someone I didn’t know reviewed my album on iTunes and entitled his review “Watch out Hans Zimmer.” Totally made my day.

That’s awesome, Jon. I don’t think people realize how much a kind word can mean to artists. Things like that make my day too. After hundreds of hours of work on a project, it’s so nice to know that someone enjoyed it.

This may be a tough question for you. Because every time I’m on your Facebook page, you’ve posted pictures of yourself surfing or on another mission trip. You seem to have a lot of adventures in your life. What do you consider one of your biggest life adventures?

One of my biggest life adventures? Very tough question definitely. I guess I’ve had my fair share of adventures. This past year, I went to Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Africa, and I have more mission trips planned this next year. But I would have to say my biggest adventure is everyday life. While those trips are fun and make for good stories down the road, living each day for God comes with it’s own adventures. You don’t have to go on missions trips or travel out of the country to have “adventures;” just live life to it’s fullest each day. Loving God and loving others has plenty of adventure.

Well said, sir! And very true.

I guess if you want a specific example for one of my biggest life adventures, I would have to say it was traveling to Africa this summer. This was my first time going out of the country without any family, and I didn’t really know anyone in the group that I was in. The 16-hour plane ride, Victoria Falls, lions and zebras, the sunrises and sunsets… those were all unforgettable. But the people of Zimbabwe were better than all those things. I really felt at home. I really miss everyone there. I would move there in a heartbeat.

Gasp! You went to Zimbabwe. I’ve always wanted to go there. You are so blessed to be able to travel as much as you do. What do you want to be when you “grow up,” Jon? Was it always the same dream, or did you ever want to be something else? 

I would like to be a film composer. I think that would be a lot of fun. But honestly, wherever God takes me; I don’t want to limit my future by focusing on only one thing.

My dreams kept on changing up till four years ago. From the start, I used to want to be a gymnast (I can still do flips), then I wanted to be a stuntman, then an actor, then a film director. At one point I wanted to be a doctor because I liked dissecting things in biology class. I had a lot of stages haha… but finally, I centered in on composing. 

I’ve seen pictures of your flips. Someone is always nearby with a camera. What are you doing right now to chase your dream?

Trusting God. Composing. Living. Breathing. And more composing.

Right now, I have a couple of short film possibilities. (Hopefully I’ll post the progress on the films on my blog.) I also have a couple of projects I am working on, which I’m going to keep a secret for a little bit longer. I’m also a senior at Georgia State University, and I will graduate Fall 2013. For my degree, which is music composition, I have a lot of music related things to do, so I will definitely be kept busy with that.  

Where can listeners find you online to see what you’re up to and to listen to your music?

I’ve got a website (jonathanmaiocco.com) and a blog (jonmmusic.blogspot.com) which is where you can see what I’m up to. Also, I have a Facebook page, or you can friend request me. I never use it, but here’s my Twitter https://twitter.com/JonathanMaiocco.

And here’s my SoundCloud, which is where you can hear some of my music: https://soundcloud.com/jon-m-2.

Thank you, Jon! It was so much fun to share you and your talents with others. Readers, following your dream can be challenging, but when you put in the time and hard work to learn about your passion, you can accomplish anything. Jon is proof of that!

If you want to help Jon out, download one or all of his songs from iTunes or Amazon, and post reviews for him in both places. The more reviews you have, whether you make music or write books, the more those websites will show your work to others.

AND– I’m giving away an MP3 download of Jon’s full Epic Music album! To enter, leave a comment below asking Jon a question or telling him which of his songs you like. Since this is a download, it’s open to the world! This is truly amazing music, guys. I love it. Giveaway ends March 30.

Thanks, Jon! 

Nicole O’Dell, founder of Choose NOW Ministries and host of Choose NOW Radio: Parent Talk and Teen Talk, is a youth culture expert who writes and speaks to preteens, teenagers, and parents on preparing for life’s tough choices. The mother of six, including toddler triplets, she’s author of YA fiction, including the popular Scenarios for Girls interactive fiction series and the Diamond Estates Series, and non-fiction for teens including Girl Talk, 2/1/12, based on the popular advice column she writes with her two daughters. Hot Buttons, O’Dell’s non-fiction series for parents, pre-empts peer pressure by tackling tough issues and was recently endorsed by Focus on the Family. Visit www.nicoleodell.com for access to her bustling blog network and other resources.

My review:

Joy is having a tough time dealing with her best friend’s suicide. She’s looking for answers. And when some friends suggest she call on a spiritual guide, that guide appears in the form of a white wolf. At first, the wolf comforts Joy, but the longer they are together, Joy comes to learn that the wolf will not tolerate prayer to Jesus. The more Joy wants to reclaim her faith in God, the more the wolf attacks her life. Her only hope lies with the staff at Diamond Estates, but if they can’t stop the wolf from having his way, who can?

This was a fascinating and all-too-real look at what dabbling in the occult can do in your life. Scary. Séances and talismans opened up Joy’s heart to the occult, and she gave it too much freedom. Joy’s sorrow and depression was very realistic. She didn’t seem to know how to communicate her problems, even when she had a counselor and parents who were trying their best to help. But this was a book that was full of hope in the end. I applaud Nicole O’Dell for this amazing trilogy that shows girls the one hope that can turn their lives around. Bravo! If you haven’t read the other books in the series, be sure to check them out. 

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: contemporary
Part of a Series: Book three in the Diamond Estates series
Pages: 368 pages
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Released: 2012
 

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Review by Jill Williamson

High school is done, and Daisy is getting ready for her trip to Argentina with her best friend Claire, looking forward to time away from her parents and getting to see her sort-of boyfriend, Max, who was a foreign exchange student the last semester of high school. 

But then Daisy finds out that she must do a mission trip to fulfill the requirements of her college scholarship. So her dream vacation turns into nightmare time with the Hands of Love ministry—a great organization that’s run by a woman, who, for some reason, hates Daisy. Plus, Max is hiding something big, and Daisy wants to know what. 

I rather enjoyed this series about Daisy and all the trouble she gets into. In this story Daisy is hoping to have a fun, relaxing summer, but those plans backfire big time. Instead she learns a lot about people: herself, missionaries, her parents, her best friend, and Max. This was the last book in the trilogy and it ended well. I recommend these books for girls 12-16. They’re a lot of fun. 

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: contemporary
Part of a Series: A Universally Misunderstood Novel, book three
Pages: 256
Publisher: Revell
Released: 2012
 

What do you think? 

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Review by Jill Williamson

Ellie James has an overactive imagination. And when she sees an old horse outside her classroom window and interrupts her class, her teacher and principal have had enough. They want to talk with Ellie’s parents. Until they all find out that Ellie wasn’t daydreaming this time. There really is a runaway horse in town. And Ellie is going to help her mother catch it. 

This was a super cute book for young girls, eight to twelve—especially those who love horses. There is a little mystery, a little adventure, and a sweet ending. Ellie’s brother is deaf, so the whole family can speak with sign language, and there is sign language at the beginning of each chapter. 

Age Range: 8 and up
enre: contemporary
Part of a Series: Book one in the Backyard Horses series
Pages: 202
Publisher: Tyndale
Released: 2011
 

Ever since I returned from Moscow, life is a full court press. Mission League field agents are everywhere. All the time. Watching. Waiting for me to fulfill a sixty-year-old prophecy. When some baddies try to guy-nap me, the field agents threaten to move me and Grandma Alice to some random hick town, to give us new fake identities until the prophecy is fulfilled. Not going to happen. I’ve got one chance to stay in Pilot Point. I have to prove to the agents that I can stay safe. Have to make this work. For basketball. For Kip. For Beth. So, bring it, baddies. It’s game on.

Click on the book cover to view the paperback on Amazon.com.

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Zondervan has updated and re-released Bill Myers’ Forbidden Doors series in four, three-volume sets. The Ancient Forces Collection is the fourth, and final, book in the set. Here’s a summary of each story in the fourth volume. 

Book 10
The Ancients
Becka, Scott, their mother, and Ryan travel to a remote mountain village in New Mexico and encounter a Native American cult. Ryan doesn’t see what’s so bad about the things these people believe, instantly making comparisons between the Native beliefs and Christianity. But how far will Ryan explore this new faith? 

Book 11
The Wiccan
The Hex is a popular TV show about a witch, and the star is coming to town. Becka’s friends have an invitation to meet the star. But Becka instantly recognizes the sinister nature of the woman’s beliefs. And when the woman casts a spell for revenge, Becka is the only one who knows how to set it right. 

Book 12
The Cards
Philip is tired and stressed out. His father is always nagging him about college, but Philip wants to make his own life. When he seeks answers from Tarot cards, his life starts spinning out of control. But that’s exactly what the cards predicted, so it couldn’t be their fault, right? Scott wants to help his friend, but before he can offer a warning, he needs to learn to love. 

I really enjoyed these books. They dealt with the supernatural and occult in a Biblical manner, exposing the truth behind twelve different types of occult, one in each story. I highly recommend this series for all young readers, twelve and up. 

One thing that bothered me plot-wise: it was a bit convenient that such trouble continued to come to this one family. Like Ralph Macchio in the Karate Kid running into convenient “Karate trouble” everywhere he went, Becka and Scott run into “occult trouble” at every turn of their lives. The series also didn’t tie up the loose end of who Z was. It hinted at a resolution, but not in a satisfactory way for the end of a twelve-book series. So if you’re looking for an answer to Z’s identity, you won’t find one.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: supernatural
Part of a Series: Books 10, 11, and 12 of the Forbidden Doors series
Pages: 320
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Released: 2008
 

How it works? The authors all answer the same questions about us and our newest work in progress. Last week, my friend Jim Rubart posted his answers, and he linked to me. Click here to read Jim’s blog post. 

Ten Interview Questions for The Blog Hop Tour

What is the working title of your book?

Chokepoint: Mini-Mission 1.5 (It’s an in-between novella that follows The New Recruit, book one in the Mission League series.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

First: as I worked on book two in this series, there was a lot of information I needed to cut from the start of the story. At the same time, I didn’t want to leave out eight months of Spencer’s life. So I thought it would be fun to publish a short story that shows what mischief he got into during the school year, before book two begins.

Second: My friends are trying to raise funds to adopt a child. It’s terribly expensive. And when I heard that they were looking for donations, I wanted to help. I didn’t have much money to give, but I had this little story. Jeff Gerke, who is my publisher for the series, gave me permission to self-publish the novella for my friends. 100% of anything I make goes to them. That’s about $2.00 of every ebook purchase, and $2.17 of the paperback. The rest of them money goes to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo for their costs.

What genre does your book fall under?

Young adult action/adventure/suspense with a little supernatural twist.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

There are few boy actors out there young enough and tall enough to pull off Spencer’s character and his red hair. I think Adam Hicks might be able to pull it off.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Spencer finds out some bad guys are after him and gets used as bait to draw them out.

Here’s the back cover copy for a longer description:

Ever since I returned from Moscow, life is a full court press. Mission League field agents are everywhere. All the time. Watching. Waiting for me to fulfill a sixty-year-old prophecy. When some baddies try to guy-nap me, the field agents threaten to move me and Grandma Alice to some random hick town, to give us new fake identities until the prophecy is fulfilled. 

Not going to happen.

I’ve got one chance to stay in Pilot Point. I have to prove to the agents that I can stay safe. Have to make this work. For basketball. For Kip. For Beth.

So, bring it, baddies. It’s game on.

Will your book be self-published or traditionally published?

This book was self-published by me. Kirk DouPonce donated the amazing cover that matches the other books in the series. And I hired Becky Miller to edit the story. Kerry Nietz formatted the ebook versions.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I wrote this in about two weeks. But it’s short.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Think of this series as a Christian Agent Cody Banks-type story.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

As explained above, I had the extra content already, and my friends are raising money to adopt. That was motivation enough for me.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

This is a series for boy or girl readers. I wanted to portray how some non Christians teens view Christians. I tried to do that through Spencer.

Thanks for stopping by on the blog hop tour! Next week, check out my friends sites:

Heather Burch: http://halflings.ning.com/forum/topics/what-do-you-think-of-the-blog-hop

Shannon Dittemore: http://shannondittemore.com/ 

and Michelle Griep: http://writerofftheleash.blogspot.com/ 

Click to read more reviews on Amazon.com.

When Melissa moves back to her hometown on Anna Maria Island, Florida, her only hope is that the bullies who teased her for being ugly will have forgotten her. And while a few people remember, most don’t care. Melissa isn’t the same little girl and people notice, including the most popular guy in the school, the guy she used to have a huge crush on. Just when Melissa thinks she’s getting everything she always wanted, things start to go way wrong.

Here’s a book that sucked me in. I liked Melissa right away. She was authentic and engaging. The story begins with the foreshadowing of a suicide, then moves along at a quick pace, leaving the reader wondering which boy died. The characters were amazing. The story deals with topics such as a dysfunctional mother, alcohol, drug abuse, bullying, and suicide. This is a story filled with heartache, passion, and hope. I’m looking forward to more books by this author. 

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: contemporary
Part of a Series: no
Pages: 246
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Released: 2012
     

I liked this book so much, I’m giving away a copy. Enter on the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway ends January 28, 2013. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Merry Christmas!

10. Temptation by Travis Thrasher, 4.17% of votes

Book, three in the Solitary tales, is Christian teen horror about a young man who lives in the town of Solitary. In this book, Chris is done with the craziness in Solitary. He decides to stop fighting. Blend in. But the closer Chris gets to the darkness, the more he realizes that he can’t ignore the evil. He’s going to have to choose a side once and for all.

“I love these books. I love Chris. I love that he’s this smart yet clueless teen boy. I love his voice. I want him to win.

If you like a book that will suck you in, make you laugh, make you think, and scare you. If you like thrillers. If you like a creepy mystery that’s not quite over. If you like Chris Buckley. If you like Travis Thrasher’s writing. If you like books that depict real life but are written with a thread of hope. If you want to read something different, clever, and entertaining, read the Solitary Tales. They pretty much rock.” -Jill

9. The Orphan King by Sigmund Brouwer, 4.17% of votes

This is the first in a new teen fantasy series that takes place in medieval Europe. Thomas is planning an escape from the corrupt monastery he grew up in. He has many secrets left for him by his dead mother. But when he sets out to accomplish that which he has been planning for years—to take the castle Magnus—he finds himself in the company of an odd band of companions. Some know things they can’t possibly know. Who to trust? And who are the Immortals?

“My recent fascination with Camelot, King Arthur, and Merlin caused me to buy this book. While The Orphan King by Sigmund Brouwer is set after the Age of Camelot, several references to Arthur and Merlin hint that the classic legend will influence this new story, which is legendary in its own right. While the first half of the book felt a little slow to me, the second half flew by. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough (or tap the pages since I got the ebook). It’s the kind of book that slowly unwraps layer by layer different aspects of each character and elements of the story that hint at something big beneath the surface that’s trembling to break through.” -Jessica

8. Halflings by Heather Burch, 5.21% of votes

The first in a teen series about half angels/half humans and the girl they’re trying to protect. After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, seventeen-year-old Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret—and the wings that come with. A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger.

“A very exciting, wonderfully told story. The characters were diverse and intriguing. The story and the messages were beautifully told. Don’t really agree with everything that was said about angels but I also don’t know that much about them. I did find, though, that the angels were more humanish than angelish, in my own opinion. But, I loved how Mace and Nikki try to help and protect one another. Vine was just too sweet and I hope to see more of him in the future. Raven has lots of potent but lots to work through, too. At first, I had some trouble understanding who Nikki was and connecting with her but, as she was fleshed out, I got it. I was so intrigued and fell for the characters so much that I can’t wait for the next book. Might have to go get the prequel e-book too.” -Rachel

7. The Embittered Ruby by Nicole O’Dell, 5.21% of votes

Carmen Castillo’s live is falling apart. Her parents have gotten a divorce, which meant she had to move to s new school in New Jersey, far away from her boyfriend in New York, the country club where she plays tennis, and her beautiful home. New Jersey is gross. Their new apartment is in a seedy part of town, and on the first day of school, she gets hit on my the head of a dangerous gang. Carmen just wants out. But her desperation leads her to deceive everyone she knows. 

“Nicole O’Dell has a real talent for opening up the heart of a troubled teen girl with serious issues…and helping the reader sympathize with her. Carmen’s journey is a very raw and real one that will tug at your heartstrings and even bring a few tears. The ending is almost wistful. I wish the book were a bit longer. I would have loved to travel more with Carmen after she accepts God’s love for her…but somehow I know she is going to be okay and that is enough. I look forward to reading the third book in the Diamond Estates Series, The Shadowed Onyx.” -Rachelle

6. Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan, , 6.25% of votes

When the pastor’s son, Sam Hopkins, falls in with the wrong crowd, it’s only a matter of time before he gets into serious trouble. His new friends harass an odd girl name Jennifer, and Sam sticks up for her. Then Jennifer tells Sam that she has dreams of demons and death, which freaks out Sam even more when her prediction comes true. When Jennifer tells him about another prediction, Sam is the only one who takes her seriously, which means he’s the only one who can stop it from coming true. 

“I LOVED this book! Klavan’s writing is phenomenal! (You would think I would no longer be surprised by that…) His characters are extremely realistic. Sam talks directly to the reader, telling us his story, which I usually find annoying and contrived, but Sam is so real that his asides to his audience are my favorite part of the story. Jennifer is also very well-done.” -Claire

5. Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore, 6.25% of votes

After a tragedy shatters her life, Brielle comes home to the tiny town of Stratus, Oregon. And even though her father and all her old friends are there, nothing is the same. An icy cold fear grips her at all times. She connects with a new student named Jake. With his dark skin, he looks as out of place as Brielle feels. But he is warm—unhumanly so. Somehow, they are continually thrown together, become friends, and a gift from an angel unleashes hidden powers in Jake and Brielle that draw them into a realm where angles and demons wage war.

“If I could, I would give this book six stars. I was that taken with it. I’m totally serious. This is a powerful, entertaining story that stays true to scripture where angels and demons are concerned. I loved how the author did this. It’s like Peretti’s This Present Darkness meets a Melody Carlson novel or something. And I loved the way she wrote how angels can see human fear. Whenever I’m afraid in my life, I will forever remember the image the angels see. Brielle’s story was strong and compelling. There was an ongoing mystery, a gentle romance that didn’t overwhelm the story. This book rocks!” -Jill 

4. Interrupted by Rachel Coker, 8.33% of votes 

After the death of her mother, Allie moves to Maine and becomes the new foster daughter to Miss Beatrice Lovell. As World War II looms on the horizon, a new boy moves to town. His name is Sam. The same Sam that Allie knew years ago. She might have forgiven him for what happened when her mother died, and he might not be so annoying anymore, but that doesn’t mean that Allie is ready to deal with the confusing emotions that stir up inside her whenever he’s around. But Allie needs to make some decisions about life or it just might pass her by.

“Interrupted is Rachel Coker’s debut novel and a good one at that. Though Rachel is only sixteen, her writing bears a maturity and skill far beyond her age. I especially liked Rachel’s attention to the little details of the story and characterization. Interrupted is a sweet story, filled with a memorable cast of characters who leave you wishing there was at least a page or two more…or another chapter…or another book! I highly recommend Interrupted and look forward to picking up Rachel Coker’s next book.” -Gillian

3. Failstate by John Otte, 8.33% of votes

Robin Laughlin (aka. Failstate) is a contestant in a reality TV show called America’s Next Superhero. His goal? To become an official, licensed superhero. It doesn’t help matters that his powers are often out of control, that his handsome big brother is wining the hearts of the voters, or that Robin can’t even remove his mask or viewers would shriek from fright. When one of his competitors is murdered, Robin sets out to find the killer, hoping for justice and to prove he’s no failure. 

“This was a really great book! When I saw the cover I thought it would be some short little comic book or graphic novel. Instead the e-book was a 216 pg document full of text, not pictures with little speech bubbles. And it was deep and thought provoking. It hooked me quickly and I enjoyed reading it a lot! I highly recommend this story to those looking for a good adventure/comic book kind of story that teaches the truths of Scripture.” -Jamie

2. Swipe by Evan Angler, 9.38% of votes

Logan Langly is starting school and is only a few months away from his thirteenth birthday. That’s the day when he can get the Mark, which will give him the full benefits of citizenship. He’ll be able to get a job, to buy things, to take the trains. But Logan isn’t sure he wants the Mark. Because when his sister went in to get it, she never came back. Plus, people are following him and he doesn’t know why. When a new girl starts school and Logan befriends her, they start investigating, and what they discover is the beginning of something huge. Something that will change everything. Forever.

“SWIPE was a cling to the covers, don’t turn out the lights, stay up until the very wee hours of the morning, riveting story that remains with you after you’ve finished reading it for days on end kind of a novel, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed and will definitely be reading again in the near future. Needless to say, I am EAGERLY awaiting the arrival of the 2nd book.” -Sarah

1. The New Recruit by Jill Williamson, 15.62% of votes

Forced to choose between military school and a Christian spy organization, skeptic Spencer Garmond signs on with the Bible geeks. But before he even boards the plane for Moscow, Spencer realizes this is no Bible club. These guys mean business. Stumbling onto a case involving a gang of homeless boys, a chilling tattoo, and the beautiful Anya Vseveloda, Spencer struggles to find the faith needed to save the Mission League from enemy infiltration.

“For those looking for an adventure read, here’s your answer. For those looking for a great birthday or Christmas gift for a guy or little brother, The New Recruit would be an excellent choice. The ending, especially, is handled with great tact. I love it, but I won’t give anything away. You’ll just have to find out for yourself.” -Rachelle

This review of The New Recruit first appeared on Rachelle’s blog.

The New Recruit is a young adult supernatural/suspense novel about a guy who gets recruited into a spy organization that fights the supernatural. It’s book one in the four-book Mission League series.

What I Loved

The voice.

I could pretty much sum up the entirety of what I loved about this book with those two words.

Yes, the plot was amazing. Yes, the fact that Spencer was iffy about what all was going on helped me really believe in what was going on (with a Christian spy organization, there has to be a teensy-weensy ounce of doubt in the beginning, right? Aesthetic distance, maybe?).

Yes, this book totally made me laugh and come home from a long day of school, school, and more school, excited about seeing what Spencer’s next adventure was.

But, really, what kept me reading to discover that the plot twisted and turned was the way Spencer looked at the world.

I remember saying something along a similar vein about Martyr in Replication, but Jill Williamson definitely has her male main characters pegged. She’s awesome at them. And take it from someone who is very much a girl: when an author can get me excited about what’s happening in the life of a fifteen-year-old basketball rebel (with me only wanting to throw something at him once during the whole novel), that’s a sign of true talent.

What I Didn’t Like As Much

So you’re dying to know about that one moment I wanted to throw something at Spencer, aren’t you? Well, you see, Spencer isn’t a Christian, but he’s part of this spy organization (unwillingly, anyway). He makes a great spy, and I really like how his not-yet-faith-but-totally-now-spy-work is handled. Completely believable. (And on the subject of believable, I did mention Spencer’s skepticism of the whole spy gig at first. That was played extremely well, so that when he finally believed in the existence of the whole thing, so did I.)

Anyway, Spencer looks at life in an interesting manner as an unbeliever, and there was one line where he basically calls a girl unattractive, and I was ready to wring his neck. But it passed and he ended up respecting that same girl, which elevated him again in my book.

Why I Recommend This Book

For those looking for an adventure read, here’s your answer. For those looking for a great birthday or Christmas gift for a guy or little brother, The New Recruit would be an excellent choice. The ending, especially, is handled with great tact. I love it, but I won’t give anything away. You’ll just have to find out for yourself.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: mystery/suspense/supernatural
Part of a Series: Book one in the Mission League Series
Pages: 422
Publisher: Marcher Lord Press
Released: 2012

I recently learned that some dear friends of mine were trying to adopt a girl from Eastern Europe. Adoption is expensive, and until they raise over $40,000, little Sydney can’t come home. Just learning about their desire to adopt put tears in my eyes. I wanted to help. But I don’t have much money right now. Plus it’s Christmastime, and we wrecked our van hitting a cow. (We live in Free Range territory.)

Sydney—soon to be—Haydon

But I am a writer. And I came up with a way to try and raise money to bring Sydney to her new family. I self-published an enovella. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo will keep their cut, but 100% of my proceeds from this book will go toward Sydney’s adoption.

This 120-page story takes place after book one in The Mission League series and before book two. Many things had to fall into place for this to happen, and many have given to Sydney’s cause already. Jeff Gerke gave me permission to do this project when Marcher Lord Press holds the rights to my storyworld. In doing so, he also gave up his right to make money off the story. Kirk DouPonce donated a cover, and teens from his church volunteered to model. Becky Miller, the freelance editor I hired, gave me a big discount on editing. As did Kerry Nietz on ebook design. And Chris Kolmorgen had an hour-long, (midnight for me, 2:00 a.m. for him) brainstorming session with me, helping with some last-minute content editing, though that might not have been a sacrifice of sleep on Chris’s part, as he is an insomniac, anyway.

The result is my first self-published project. It released this week. To celebrate that, Jeff allowed me to put book one on sale. So, for the month of December, The New Recruit is $2.99 on ebook. And Chokepoint: Mini-Mission 1.5 is also $2.99.

I’m so excited to be able to experiment as a writer and try new things. And nothing is more exciting to me that discovering a new way of giving back. So, please help spread the word about this project. Tell your friends and family, who like to read. And if they don’t like to read, they can still donate to Sydney’s fund. My friends have a very long way to go.

And now, I’m proud to introduce Chokepoint: Mini-Mission 1.5.

So, bring it, baddies. It’s game on.

They’re visiting with me on my blog today. I’m so excited. But first, check out this video of one of their songs called “Stay.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Hey, guys. Thanks for stopping by. Can you introduce yourselves and tell me what instrument you play or if you sing?

Bronson plays bass, Jardeth plays guitars and adds some Vocals, David sings lead and plays guitar, and Andrew plays drums.

Andrew, David, and Jardeth

Where are you guys from?

Andrew: We’re based out of North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada.  We all live in the area.

How did you guys meet?

Jardeth: The three brothers in the band (Andrew, Bronson, and Jardeth) have grown up playing in a family band called Double Portion. We were traveling in Iowa where David’s family was living and we became friends. David moved to North Battleford where my family lived, and the rest is history. 

When did you start the band?

Andrew: It started out with David and I jamming about six years ago when he first moved up to Sask.  We started jamming with Jardeth about a year later and started writing songs.  We released our first album (a 7 song EP) in 2009 followed by our first full length album in 2010.

Bronson Hemmerling

Bronson? Are you new to the band? Because I was watching the YouTube video of “Stay,” and that bass player was blond. Can you tell me when you joined up?

Bronson: I joined up as their full time bass player last summer.

Awesome. Guys, when you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

J: I’ve always wanted to be a musician. But for a short while I wanted to play basketball.  

A: Growing up in a musical family I always knew that music is where I wanted to be.  Of course going through high school I was very interested in sports, and I always tried to be involved in any that I could.

D: A professional baseball player. 

B: A musician.

I love it! Sports or music. Your tastes are very similar. Do any of you still play with your family band?

J: Jardeth and Bronson still play with the band.

I adore that family picture, so I have to post it. Here is Canada’s Double Portion. I want to come to Christmas at your house. So fun!

Canada’s Double Portion

What do you guys feel is the purpose of Cities Under Fire?

D: To create music that impacts people’s lives and for them to encounter the love of God through our music and our lives.

J: I feel the purpose of CUF is to spread the joy and message of Jesus Christ through a incredibly tangible way. To break the mind set that Christianity is boring and stagnant, and that Jesus wants us to have life MORE abundantly. 

I’m always hearing about how tough it is for bands to go one tour and face all the temptations that come with that. How do you stay spiritually grounded?

D: Having parents that have been in ministry and back me up. As well as having several people in my life that encourage me spiritually.  

A: When we’re out on the road we take time each day to have band devotions. 

What do you consider one of your biggest life adventures? 

D: Living in Hawaii for three months. (Jill is jealous.)

A: Marrying my wife Cheilon a little over 3 years ago.  Also, this band has been a big one as well. (Jill agrees that marriage is a great adventure.)

B: Travelling in a van with five guys for weeks on end is always an adventure. (LOL I can imagine. If you ever need someone to write your story, I’m in!)

J: Traveling across Japan last summer. (Love Japan! When I was in high school, I got to go to school in Okinawa for a month.)

Can you tell us a bit about your new album “Bright Lights”?

J: Sure. “Bright Lights” is our latest album recorded with Darryl Swart (Tree 63) at red tree studios in Calgary, Alberta. We’re all very proud of this project. We feel it’s a very sonically and lyrically progressive follow-up to “Lukewarm Love”. It is really packed full of Cities Under Fire’s heart and passion. 

D: We put a lot more time into each song and feel it is our strongest album all around. 

Readers, Cities Under Fire has a new song called “Release” that they’re really excited about. Check it out here:

http://soundcloud.com/citiesunderfire/release

Can you tell me what the song “Release” is all about?

D: It can relate to a lot of different people about needing and wanting more than this life has to offer, no matter where they are in life.  

Jardeth, where did you learn that trick of singing into your guitar? That was so cool!

J: Ha ha, thanks. It started when I was writing and recording a song in my basement, and all I had was my guitar. I had this idea for a haunting, delayed vocal-thing. So I just tried singing into the pickups and it worked. So we decided to try it on stage and it seems to be something people like. 

Smart thinking, Jardeth. It was sweet. Any tours planned in the future?

A: We’ve just finished up two tours this fall. The first took us west through Oregon and Washington and ended in British Columbia.  The second tour took us to eastern Canada, mostly in Ontario.  We’re working on a tour right now that will take us to the mid-west US as well as the prairie provinces in the spring.

Where can people go to hear your music?

Website: http://www.citiesunderfire.com/

“Like” the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/citiesunderfire

iTunes: www.itunes.com/citiesunderfire

Online store: www.citiesunderfire.com/store

So nice talking with you guys again! I’m telling everyone I know about you guys. You rock!

And, Readers, I have an AUTOGRAPHED copy of Cities Under Fire’s “Lukewarm Love” CD and a cool poster to give away today. Just in time for Christmas! Three easy peasy ways to enter: Follow Cities Under Fire on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, or leave a comment or question for the band. Enter on the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: devotional, nonfiction
Part of a Series: no
Pages: 320
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

WHAT: Bid on a 50-page critique of your novel, I don’t care what genre it is. Highest bidder will send their amount to Samaritans Purse for their relief efforts for the victims of Superstorm Sandy.

WHEN: Begins Friday, November 9, ends Friday midnight EST November 16.

HOW: Place your bid in the comments section of this post. Monitor it closely so that you can re-bid if needed. Check back on this Facebook page for updates on all the bids. If you are the high bidder at the end of the week, make your donation and email a copy of your receipt to the author with your 50 pages. It’s that easy.

How much is a 50-page critique worth?

Most authors and editors can easily charge $35 an hour and a fifty-page critique is well over three hours of labor. But this labor of love is for victims who have lost everything. Their need is huge. One blogger who hosted a similar campaign last week had a top donation bid of $1,000 for a 50-page critique!

What will the critique entail?

I will read your fifty pages with an eye to giving you insights and feedback on all aspects of your story excerpt, including plot, character, story arc, mechanics, pacing, and reader appeal. If you also send me a one-page synopsis of your full story, I can give overall story feedback as well.

What is Samaritan’s Purse?

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Here is a video from Samaritans Purse on their efforts to help Sandy’s victims.

Click here to view the embedded video.

How do I donate to Samaritans Purse?

You can head to the Samaritan’s Purse webpage on Hurricane Sandy http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/articles/hurricane_sandy/

and click on the GIVE link imbedded on the page. Whether you are the highest bidder or not, do consider donating to this effort.

How do I bid?

Leave your bid in the comments section below. Thanks for your generosity in helping those in need.

Hi, Eddie! How did you start writing?

I started my sophomore year of high school and told my English teacher I wanted to write for Cat Talk, Millbrook High School’s newspaper. Mrs. Hough said, “Eddie, you can’t spell and you’re a terrible grammarian.” But I wrote a couple of articles. She seemed to like the way I could put words together, so I won a spot on staff.

My senior year Mrs. Pollard begged not to major in English. In fact, she was shocked I would even consider going to college because I’d never be accepted. She was right. NC State rejected my application. A few days later I made an appointment with the admissions office. The day of my interview I wore a pair of red and white checkered polyester pants my mom made me, white shirt, and a red tie. State admitted me into Industrial Arts, which I thought would be pretty cool since I though Industrial Arts meant I’d get to paint buildings. I flunked English 101 twice before passing with a D. I graduated from N.C. State four years later with a degree in English/Journalism and four years of writing experience for the Technician. I’m still a lousy proof-editor but I learned long ago storytelling trumps grammar.

LOL Wow, that’s quite a story. I hope you sent Mrs. Pollard a copy of one of your books. Tell us about your new release, Dead Man’s Hand.

First, it’s a fun, fast read aimed for middle school boys, but we’re also getting nice reviews on Goodreads from teachers and mothers. But my aim is to give boys a book they can enjoy, one taps into today’s fascination with the occult. This is the first book in the Caden Chronicles series and each story involves one element of the supernatural. Book one explores the concept of ghosts, spirits and what happens to our souls when we die.

You’re passionate about getting boys interested in books. Why do you feel it’s so important to get boys reading fiction at an early age?

Click to read my review.

I fear we’re on the verge of losing the male reader. I don’t mean men and boys won’t learn to read: they will. But the percentage male who read for leisure continues to shrink, and this could be devastating for our country. We can’t lose half our population and expect America to compete on a global level. Reading forces the mind to create. With video the scene and characters are received passively by the brain. There is very little interaction; it’s all virtual stimulation, which is different from creation. When you read, you add your furniture to the scene, dress the characters, add elements not mentioned by the author. This is why readers so often complain, “the movie was nothing like the book.” It’s not, because the book is your book. The author crafted the outline of the set but each reader brings their emotions and expectations to that book, changing it forever.

In general, boys would rather get their information and entertainment visually. This is one reason books have such a tough time competing for male readers. It can take weeks to read a book, even one as short as Dead Man’s Hand. Meantime, that same story can be shown as a movie in under two hours. So in one sense the allure of visual gratification is robbing future generations of our ability to solve problems.

I believe Americans only posses one true gift, creativity, and it’s a gift from God. Other nations build things cheaper and with fewer flaws. They work longer hours for less pay. But the thing that has always set America apart is our Yankee ingenuity. We have always been able to solve our way out of problems. That comes directly from our ability to create solutions to problems we didn’t anticipate. If we lose male readers and fail to develop that creative connections necessary for the brain to conceive of alternatives, then we will lose our position as the world’s leader. 

Interesting, Eddie. What advice would you offer to parents to get their children interested in reading at a young age?

Watch for clues. If your child shows any interest in reading, reward the activity with trips to book fairs. I remember in grade school how excited I got when we were allowed to order books. All we had to do was check a box, (or so I thought) and wham! A few weeks later boxes of books showed up and the teacher began dealing them to the students. I didn’t learn until later my parents had mailed the school money for those books. I still have most of them.

But not all children like reading and you can create an anti-reading environment if you push too hard. An alternative for boys are comic books, graphic novels, or simply cartoon books. I read a lot of Charlie Brown cartoon books and still remember the plot: Lucy has the football. Charlie wants to kick the ball. Lucy promises she will hold the ball in place, but at the last moment… We know this story because it’s repeated, not in a novel, but in a cartoon.

You’re writing for children right now with Zondervan. Besides the upcoming Cadence Chronicles Series, what are your dreams for your writing future?

Each day I walk around my yard reciting the Lord’s Prayer. This is my conversational time with God. Part of that prayer time is me putting on the armor of God. When I’m about halfway fitted out I say, “Lord place across my chest your breastplate of righteousness that my thought may be pure, honorable, and good and my dreams secure: my dreams of sailing around the Caribbean, writing a best selling novel, and surfing reef breaks.” Beyond that I don’t have any grand writing goals.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Write devotions, don’t focus on the praise, book sales, and reviews. Forget about trying to find an agent and editor. Once you’re successful, they’ll find you. Explore the wounds in your life and minister to others through your writing. If God allowed you to be hurt, you can speak to that with authority. The rest of us, cannot. Ask yourself where your passions lie. I love surfing. If I could do anything, be anywhere, I’d be in a hut on a beach surfing a point break alone. I love playing and hate work. This is reflected in the types of books I write. I love pulling for the underdog. This comes out in the ministry God gave me. Only you can write the stories God dropped in your lap, and if you do not, they will die.

Thanks for taking with me, Eddie! Where can we find out more about you?

Please come find me on www.Eddiejones.org.

I’m giving away one copy of Dead Man’s Hand. Enter on the Rafflecopter form below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I don’t think there are enough mystery books or boy books for young readers that are written from a Christian worldview, so I’m excited about this book. And it reminded me of the Hardy Boy books I read as a kid. Nick and his family are not Christians, though, and there is a point where he asks his mom about the Bible and she makes it clear that she doesn’t believe the book is true. But Nick finds a Bible with highlighted passages that make him curious.

Nick was determined to solve the case. At first I was a little confused. I couldn’t tell if there really had been a dead body or if it was part of the Ghost Town’s act. And I wasn’t certain until the very end, which was kind of fun, to be kept guessing. Everyone is a suspect in Nick’s eyes, including his new friend Annie. He gathers his clues and processes them based on his “training” as a Cyber Sleuth, something he and his friends do in their spare time to solve cold cases. I’m still not sure how the highlighted Bible fit in to the mystery, but Nick figures it out and saves the day. This is a clean and fun story. Check it out.

*I received this book from Zondervan in return for an honest review of my opinions.

Age Range: 9 and up
Genre: mystery
Part of a Series: Book one in the Caden Chronicles
Pages: 224
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: 2012
    

Congratulations to the winner of the $100 Barnes and Noble gift card, Matthew Schroll!

And the ten runners up who will receive spy kits are:

Donna
Bethany
Rachel
Allison
Drew
Sarah
Connie
Emma
Noah
Rebekah

Congrats to all the winners, and thanks to all who entered!

Thanks to everyone who entered my Bonus Contest on the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt. It was great to meet all you guys! I hope you all discovered many new authors to read.

I gave away five copies of Captives, my upcoming dystopian novel, which isn’t out until February. So, winners, the books won’t come in the mail until then.

And the winners are:

Kathleen E. Belongia
Melissa Jagears
Joanna Stricker
Elizabeth Libby Riggs, and
Andrea Munn

Thanks again to all who entered!

Collect the clues in red from each stop, beginning with Stop #1. Be ready to provide the completed clue quote, gathered from all 31 stops, within 24 hours of email notification or another winner will be randomly drawn. No need to email/submit it, unless you are notified on 10/29/12.

• Grand Prize: A new Kindle Fire, plus 31 new novels! NOTE: Please comment at every stop that allows for comments to be eligible for the Grand Prize.
• 2^nd & 3^rd Prizes: $50 Amazon, B&N, CBD or BookDepository.com gift certificate
• Contest is open to international entrants. If the winner lives outside the United States, they shall win the equivalent in gift certificate funds to the prize in US dollars.

Meet Judith Miller

As part of the scavenger hunt, I’m hosting historical author, Judith Miller. Whoops! Judy’s an author of historical fiction, but she tells me she hasn’t quite attained an age that would qualify her as historical. She does say she’s almost there, but I know that isn’t quite true!

Judy loves history and has penned more than thirty-five books. (Penned is one of those authorly terms Judy likes to use—she’s really plunked out those books on her keyboard.) Her latest release, A Hidden Truth, begins Judy’s second series set in the picturesque Amana Colonies located in Iowa. 

Here’s what the book, A Hidden Truth, is about:

In the Amana Colonies, hidden truths are about to change everything for two young women.

When Karlina Richter discovers a new shepherd will be sent to her village, she fears she’ll no longer be allowed to help her father with the sheep, and she’ll be relegated back to kitchen work. Her fears increase when the new shepherd shows little interest in the flock—or in divulging why he’s suddenly been sent toEast Amana. Is he keeping secrets that will impact Karlina’s family?

After the death of her mother, Dovie Cates visits the Amana Colonies to learn more about the place where her mother grew up. But when Dovie begins to ask questions about her mother’s past, no one seems willing to reveal anything, so she decides to take matters into her own hands. Will the answers she finds spell disaster for her future plans and the longings of her heart?

A Scavenger Hunt Exclusive from Judy:

Like the Amish, the people of the Amana Colonies lived a plain life for many years. For that reason, and the fact that Amish and Amana begin with the letter “A,” the two religious groups are often confused. So, I thought you might enjoy learning a few differences:

The people of Amana no longer live what is thought of as a ‘simple life.’ By a vote of the membership the people of Amana ceased communal living during the Great Depression in 1932.

Prior to 1932, the women wore long, dark calico dresses, dark caps or bonnets when working outdoors and the men wore dark clothing, similar to the Amish, but a bit more colorful.

Although the families ate meals in a communal kitchen house (there were several kitchen houses in each of the seven villages) they were assigned living quarters that consisted of a parlor and bedrooms for their families. (Usually there would be two or three families in each of the larger homes—much like a small apartment building.)

The people of Amana were permitted to leave the Colonies at will, and were also permitted to return if they decided they couldn’t adjust to life outside of the villages. They were not shunned if they left and could come back to visit relatives whenever they wished.

The current descendants wear the more traditional clothing for the early church service on Sunday mornings that is in the German language and for special events where they give presentations regarding their heritage. Otherwise, their clothing is the same as yours and mine.

They still enter their meeting house through separate doors—the men through one door and the women on the other and they continue to sit on opposite sides of the church, as well. There is no musical accompaniment. The churches do not have steeples and appear very similar to other buildings in the community. Inside, they are very plain with wooden benches and minimal adornment so that attention is not diverted away from the Lord during worship services.

The people of Amana have always embraced and encouraged machinery and time-saving innovation whereas the Amish shy away from technology. (The first radar range was made in Amana and the appliance factory still remains in Middle Amana, although it is no longer owned by the Amana Corporation.)

If you want to learn more about the Colonies, you can visit this website: http://www.amanaheritage.org/

Make sure you grab a copy of Judy’s book where you can learn even more of these interesting historical facts. You can find a copy:

• Amazon.com paperback
• Amazon.com Kindle
• Barnes and Noble paperback or Nook
• ChristianBook.com paperback or ebook 

Thanks for visiting my blog, Judith! Your book sounds wonderful! I love the cover. And what an interesting post about Amana vs. Amish. I never knew those things. Very neat.

Scavengers, before you go, write down this STOP #20 clue: What I

Your next stop is Judith Millers’s own blog. Have fun!

BONUS PRIZES! I recently turned in the edits for my February 2013 dystopian release, Captives (the first book in The Safe Lands dystopian trilogy). In celebration, I’m going to give away five copies of this book when it releases to five lucky participants of this scavenger hunt. All you need to do is: