*Book Blitz* & Author Q&A - Battle Cry & Battle Cry 2 by J.L. Snyder

Battle Cry

by J.L. Snyder

Publisher: Bookstand Publishing

Date of Publishing: July 12th 2012

Genre: YA Fantasy

Suggested Ages: 12+

16 year old Kaí-Ling was raised in the ways of the sword. The child of a former samurai warrior and an American mother embarks on a journey to right the wrongs life has dealt her. The lifelong lessons and skills she acquires as well as the friends she makes along the way aid her in her quest to fulfill her destiny. Robbed of her father’s love before she was born, Kaí-Ling now seeks vengeance upon those who took him from her.

 

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Battle Cry 2 - Shadow of the Sword

by J.L. Snyder

Publisher: Bookstand Publishing

Date of Publishing: August 20th 2015

Genre: YA Fantasy

Suggested Ages: 12+

Fate dealt a heavy blow to Kai-Ling before she was even born. The death of her father, a man she never knew, haunted her every day as she grew up. Struck down in the prime of his life, Kai-Ling's father was never able to know his daughter. He was never able to watch her grow up or give her the love only a father could. Now that the first part of her journey is behind her, Kai-Ling is ready to face her destiny. Using the skills, training and knowledge she has acquired, she is prepared to enact vengeance upon those who took him from her. How Kai-Ling handles the new challenges and pitfalls on her way to seeking revenge is a testament to everything she has learned.

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Meet the Author Q&A - J.L. Snyder

What made you want to to write books? I always had a gift for writing. In fact, my high school English teacher was the first person who told me that I had the talent to be a writer. Being a teenager at the time, I didn't think much of it. Fast forward many years into the future, I met my wife, the angel of my life. She was the one who reignited my interest in writing. She supports me 200% in my writing.

Where does your inspiration come from? Honestly mine inspiration for what I write comes from comic book and Manga. I'm still a kid at heart. I love reading comic books and Manga. I'm also a big fan of cartoons and Anime. In fact, "Battle Cry" & "Battle Cry 2 Shadow of the Sword" were inspired by the cartoon Samurai Jack.

How long have you been writing? I began writing again when I was in college in early 2000. I published a few poems and prose pieces before I published "Battle Cry."

What's your daily routine? My ideal routine would be to write several hours everyday. However with my plate being currently full, I take advantage of writing in the mornings during the week. On the weekends I make an effort to write mid-day or evenings. I love writing in different places, at home or in the park. I'm inspired by different locations.

How long does it take you to write a book - From the first word to completion? That depends. My current book series is taking longer than I anticipated because I haven't had much time to write this year. Besides the fact that I work full time, I'm involved in many personal projects this year. I should be able to get back in the flow of my writing in August of this year.

What do you do in your spare time? I like to use my smoker and smoke choice meats! It drives my neighbors crazy!!

TV shows - what's your favourite, past and present?

Past- Kojak, The Highlander, Luther.

Present - Legends of Tomorrow, Iron Fist, Luke Cage.

Do you have any future projects you're working on? Yes, I'm currently working on a crime series.

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*Book Blitz* & Author Q&A - Spellcaster by George Bachman

Spellcaster

by George Bachman

Publisher: Sublime Ltd

Date of Publishing: April 3rd 2017

Genre: YA Fantasy

Suggested Ages: 12+

Christine Daniel suffers in ways no sixteen year-old should and that no doctor has been able to cure. That's because the excruciating pains and high fevers slowly debilitating her aren't triggered by a physical cause but by visions of a youth calling to her while fleeing a mysterious man who means him harm. This could hardly be happening at a worse time, when she and her beautiful older sister Allison are making their début in high society, like other wealthy socialites seeking matches with titled but impoverished gentlemen in Victorian England.

Because of his pleas, Christine is convinced that to stop the visions she must somehow save this youth. But first she has to find him, and since she's seen him only in visions, she needs someone who'd know how to locate someone through means outside the known senses, the paranormal. Unfortunately the authorities have driven underground all but one of the country's occultists, and the reason she isn't hiding is the only reason she might help Christine, something she wants in return. Christine must convince Allison to marry the occultist's lover, one of those impoverished gentlemen, so that the illicit pair can share her part of the family fortune while continuing their affair.

If Christine doesn't stop the visions by saving the youth, the pains and fevers will eventually kill her. But if she does what the occultist wants, she will betray Allison to a lifetime of misery. Can she lead her sister into a marriage with a very bad man if doing so is the only way to save her own skin - literally?

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Meet the Author Q&A - George Bachman

What made you want to to write books?

I love to create worlds mostly unbound to everyday reality.

Where does your inspiration come from?

Anything I read and see usually becomes inspiration in some way.

How long have you been writing?

Since I could remember. Trying to scratch out stories on notepads are among my earliest memories.

What's your daily routine?

I start at nine and usually go to one, break an hour for lunch, and then work till five. Sometimes I'll work much longer.

How long does it take you to write a book - From the first word to completion?

On average, about two years.

What do you do in your spare time?

Collect manga and anime, soak in the city, travel, read, ruminate.

TV shows - what's your favourite, past and present?

Past: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Sandbaggers, and Xena. Present: Skins and The Wire. Favorite anime -- past: .hack//Signs, Clannad, .hack//Roots, Inuyasha, Air. Present: Hanasaku Iroha, Shirabako, Sayonara Zetsoubi-Sensei, Your Lie in April.

Do you have any future projects you're working on?

A historical thriller that involves Giordano Bruno and the Embassy Affair...and also angels, John Dee, and the Spanish Armada.

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*Book Blitz* & Author Q&A - Strange Lands by Anderson Atlas

Strange Lands
(Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1)

by Anderson Atlas

Publisher: Synesthesia Books

Date of Publishing: August 1st 2016

Genre: YA Fantasy

Suggested Ages: 10+

Ripped from his wheelchair by a massive flash flood, Allan drags himself through dense forest only to find himself surrounded by strange and ruthless creatures who are not from Earth. Allan can’t run away and has no means to defend himself. Instinct overcomes his terror and his cleverness blossoms, which is all he needs to survive the dark jungles, poisonous plants, Shadic hunters and the vile slave trader Killian Crow.

Follow Allan's path of self-discovery, and watch him take back what he's lost. Surviving the Improbable Quest is a spine tingling adventure, with exciting twists & turns. A perfect and inspiring read for 10 and up.

Strange Lands Chapter 1 Preview

Chapter 1: Born to Race

Allan Westerfield strolls down a long corridor toward the huge indoor pool, hearing roars from the crowd and echoes from the swim meet’s announcer. His nerves are tight, twitching. He’s used to being in front of crowds wearing only a speedo, that’s not his problem. This is the largest crowd he’s ever swam in front of, and the most important race of his burgeoning swim career.

A man emerges from the shadow of a side doorway, startling Allan. It’s his large bear-like principal, Mr. Greggory, wearing a dark blue shirt and a silver tie, the school colors. The man is an imposing figure; six foot something, black hair, graying at the temples and a stare that can freeze souls.

“Before you swim, Mr. Westerfield,” Mr. Greggory begins, his voice deep like an Adams Family member. “I feel obligated to remind you of why you were let into our prestigious school in the first place. You’re here to win. If you do not live up to your repute, you will eventually be expelled due to your poor grades and lackluster attitude.”

“Uh–” Allan’s tongue is tied, his entire body stiff as a board.

“I was informed yesterday that you failed your last math exam. You cannot swim with your grades.” Mr. Greggory lets his scowl fall from his face and replaces it with a large, fake smile.

Another swimmer in a bright red one-piece, passes, her towel over her shoulder, earbuds in her ears.

Mr. Greggory sighs and straightens his tie. “I’m a forgiving man, as you know. So, I’ve decided not to tell the judges. All you must do is beat Southern Catholic High. We’ll have to do something about that test score for your record to stand, but I’m willing to help so that our school reputation is not tarnished.”

*Book Blitz* & Author Q&A - Toonopolis: Gemini (Toonopolis Files #1) by Jeremy Rodden

Toonopolis: Gemini
(Toonopolis Files #1)

by Jeremy Rodden

Publisher: Portmanteau Press, LLC

Date of Publishing: May 30, 2011

Genre: Fantasy

Suggested Ages: 10+

Toonopolis is a cartoon city that is home to the thoughts and ideas of all sentient beings in the universe. As the center of the Tooniverse, it acts as an other-worldly rest stop for these creations.

Gemini is a teenage human boy who is thrust into Toonopolis through his father's scientific research program. He loses part of himself in the process and immediately begins a quest to regain his lost memories with the help of his Tooniverse guide named Jimbob the Talking Eggplant.

After an altercation with a mysterious Shadowy Figure, Gemini's mission is changed, and he begins a new quest to defeat Shadowy Figure and protect Toonopolis from his nefarious destruction. Along the way, he meets new friends, discovers just how diverse and strange Toonopolis is, and learns lessons about compassion, forgiveness, redemption, and being true to oneself.

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Meet the Author Q&A - Jeremy Rodden

What made you want to to write books?
I've always been a fan of reading and writing. The one book that really made me want to be an author was Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary (a little less well-known than her Ramona books, which are also fantastic). In the story, a young boy writes letters back and forth with his favorite author. I envisioned myself as the boy but also knew I wanted to be more like Mr. Henshaw, an author, when I grew up.

Where does your inspiration come from?

The wonderful thing about creating an "other" world like Toonopolis is that I can pull from a plethora of inspirations. Toonopolis is inspired by cartoons, of course, (especially some of the great sardonic cartoons of the 90s like Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures), but also comic books, role-playing games, fantasy stories and more. Each section of Toonopolis has a theme to it (Supercity for superheroes, Camenot for Arthurian/epic fantasy, even Romantica for romance-themed creations), so I am able to pull from virtually any source I want for my stories!

How long have you been writing?
I have been writing for as long as I can remember. I wrote bad poetry and heavy-handed short stories through my broody middle school years and continued well through high school creating stories and characters. In fact, Toonopolis was first created in high school as an interactive fiction game with friends (and a lot of online strangers who became friends over the years). As a teenager, I participated first in online competitive writing games centered around professional wrestling (called e-federations). I wasn't a big wrestling fan, but it was an outlet that allowed to create characters and write for a closed audience in a competitive environment. It was quite a great springboard for me in my teenage years.

What's your daily routine?
I wake up around 6am (7am is sleeping in for me) to begin caring for my children. My youngest son will be 2 in June so I still have baby-level care to deal with. My two elder sons are in school so it's all about waking them up, getting them fed and dressed, and dropping them at school. Then my glamorous life as a homemaker leads to laundry or housecleaning or food shopping or going to the gym. My only "free" time comes in the form of a mid-day nap wherein I try to finally get some writing done! By the afternoon it's time to get the boys from school, work on homework, then dinner, then bed. In the evening I get my next "free" time to try to write (if I am not so mentally exhausted that I just fire up a video game or TV show). Rinse and repeat for a few years and you have the fantastic life of a stay-at-home dad trying to also be a writer.

How long does it take you to write a book - From the first word to completion?
This is a tricky question. I wrote the first draft of this particular book, the first in my series, in about three months in 2010. By all accounts, this is pretty fast for a first draft (especially when you are a stay at home parent of two little boys). The process of editing and preparing for publishing (with a three-month stint of pitching my completed manuscript for agents and publishers) took about six months. I wrote a follow-up/spin-off novella for a character named Anchihiiroo in my first book in about a month in 2011 and it took a good two months or so to prep that for publishing. The sequel to Gemini (Chi Lin) has taken far longer due to life and sidetracks but will have taken nearly six years from conception (initial outline) to completion (final publishing-ready product).

What do you do in your spare time?
What's this "spare time" you speak of? With three boys at home and a house to run, I find it hard to find "spare time". In what little I can squeeze out, though, I do a lot of reading (audiobooks were a great discovery for me a few years ago), some TV watching (not a ton, but some), some video game playing (a lot of Overwatch and Heroes of the Storm at the moment), and I play softball as my "get out of the house" activity. I also volunteer in my local community as a CASA volunteer and as an instructor in a workplace readiness program for teens on probation for minor offenses.

TV shows - what's your favourite, past and present?
Oh that is quite hard. I went through a long stretch of time where I barely watched any TV (my poor college years when I couldn't afford cable and had to work full-time and then had my first child at 24 years old). As life has stabilized, I've found time for some shows. As for current TV, I enjoy Doctor Who (ninth doctor was my first), the CW DC superhero shows (Arrow, Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl), and some of the great adult-oriented animated shows like Bob's Burgers, Archer, and Rick & Morty.

Do you have any future projects you're working on?
My primary focus is continuing the Toonopolis adventure for Gemini and Jimbob the Talking Eggplant that picks up where the Gemini story left off. Chi Lin is a real world unicorn who transports himself and his maiden (a 12th century Indian girl named Avantika) to the Tooniverse to escape death. The main antagonist of the series, Agent Mimic of The Agency, has hatched a plan to control Chi Lin and use his magical powers to cause destruction in Toonopolis and, by extension, the Real World. I expect this work to be published by late fall/winter of 2017. I have an unrelated urban fantasy series for a New Adult audience called War of the Forgotten that is also tumbling around in my brain. It is about modern-day pagans (Wiccans) and deals with more adult themes such as polyamory, cultural acceptance, and being a 20-something year old in a city environment (Philadelphia). This series has been brewing a long time and I've written one chapter of the first book but Toonopolis takes priority for now.

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