Kendra E Ardnek's Book Cover Reveal

I love book covers: don't you? Kendra E Ardnek is here today to share the cover of her book, The Worth of a King, expected on August 27th of this year.

Book Description:
Princess Obsidia’s father was killed the night she was born. Since there was no male heir, the crown went to the man who killed him, by Dialcian law. This never bothered her, growing up, and when it comes time for Obsidia to choose her husband, she chooses Prince Delaney, the son of that man, with little hesitation. Only then does her life start crumbling around her.

Adrian expected to live a normal life, taking his father’s place at the print shop when his father retired. But, on his eighteenth birthday, when the princess’ engagement is announced, his world is ripped out from under him when he learns that his life was a ruse, and he is the twin brother to the princess – and expected to take back his father’s throne.

Delaney knows that his country is hovering on the brink of war – and that his father may harbor murderous intentions towards his intended bride due to her Zovordian blood. He wants nothing more than to protect Obsidia and his people, but as merely prince, he has little power against his father.

The ancient war between the Dragons and the Immortal King and Queen is nearing its climax, and the three are already caught in it.

And now for the COVER...Isn't it beautiful? I think this is my absolute favorite of Kendra's book covers so far, and she has so many lovely covers to display.

Kendra graciously agreed to pop in for an interview today as well. Make her feel welcome!!

If you could spend a day with one of your characters, who would it be and why? What would you do together?

Lauta, hands down. She's the Doorkeeper, and can control the doors between worlds. We'd spend the day world-hopping. The day would never end.

Can you share one lesson you have learned from your writing with your readers?
If I want to accomplish something, I have to work at it. I can't just sit around writing false starts to my stories. I have to finish them.

If your writing style could be compared to food, what would it be and what would it taste like?
It's spaghetti. Twisty and meaty and so much fun to eat.

Author Bio:

Kendra E. Ardnek loves fairytales and twisting them in new and exciting ways. She's been or acting them on her dozen plus cousins and siblings for years. "Finish your story, Kendra," is frequently heard at family gatherings. Her sole life goal has always been to grow up and be an author of fantasy and children's tales that glorify God and His Word.
Find her online at: Website || Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || Amazon 

If you'd like a bit of a sneak peek, you can read the opening chapter here on Kendra's blog. You can also add her book to your TBR list here on Goodreads. If you are a visual fan like me, you may be interested in checking out this pin on Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/94646029641374518/ This is one of the first pins that Kendra found for Worth's Pinterest Board, and it ended up being important to the ending of the book. In her words: "It was awesome."

And lastly, here is a list of the other blogs participating in this cover reveal tour!!

Dreams and Dragons

Unicorn Quester

Kiri Liz

Morgan Elizabeth Huneke

Read, Write, Laugh, Dance

Elvish Pens, Fantastical Writings

Books, Baking, and Cowgirl Boots

Jenelle Schmidt

Reality Reflected

Jessica Greyson

The Music of a Story

The Flowering Vales

The Rambling Rose

Written Rest

The Labyrinth

Bible and Books

Jaye L. Knight

Book Review of So Sang the Dawn by Miss Ann Marie Pavese

WOW. This book was so huge, so deep, so intense…I had to take a week off after reading it before I could coherently review it. This is an amazing novel from debut author, Miss Ann Marie Pavese. Did I mention how HUGE it is? I love big books personally, so the size did not daunt me in the least bit. The first couple of chapters were a little slow, but they laid the groundwork for some amazing characters. The characters were what I loved most about this story. The main character, Aurora, is the perfect balance of fragility and strength. She faces moral dilemmas and has to make hard choices. Sometimes good ones, sometimes bad ones—but through it all her character remains likeable and you want her to somehow escape the terrible circumstances surrounding her. Her best friend Raine is just as endearing, a gentler soul than Aurora and yet with a hidden strength of her own. (I hear rumors she will be getting her own story in the near future, something I am hugely in favor of). And the side characters—don’t get me started on them. They are AMAZING. The setting is dark, the plot even grimmer, and yet the characters who follow Rory through her journey are good, kind, lovable people. I found myself just as enraptured with their stories as I was with Rory’s. And the twists in this story…I don’t know how many times I set the book down and gasped out loud because I didn’t see them coming.  

One thing I would have liked done differently was a bit of “house cleaning.” There were several chapters, especially in the first half of the book, that could have been condensed or cut without losing the overall story. But, since I like big books and every word the author wrote was so beautifully crafted, I almost hate to even mention it.

The only other thing I feel I should mention is a warning that this is a grim story. The circumstances are bleak. The darkness is about as black as it can be. There are scenes that some readers will find difficult. But at the same time…there is light in this story. This story, above all else, is a contrast of light versus darkness, of good versus evil…and of the struggle within the soul to choose between the two. There is a hint of allegory, especially in the back half of the book, and a redemption scene that literally had me weeping. There were several scenes in the climax that had me in tears because they were so beautifully written, because the character had come through so much to get to the ending, and she deserved every word of the beautiful climax.

If you like dark words, fantastic characters, unique creatures and BIG BOOKS…So Sang the Dawn will sing to your soul and utterly consume you as you read, and long after. It’s one of those stories that does not leave you when you close the cover. Bravo, Ms. Pavese. I see great stories in your future and cannot wait to read them.

RATING: I rate this story PG-13 for dark sequences, emotional abuse and thematic elements. There is no swearing or sexual content in this book.

Meet Hope Ann

Today I have the honor of inviting a special guest to visit my blog. I hope you will all make her welcome and enjoy getting to know a little bit about the lovely Miss Hope Ann and her books. I have read one of her books, and I must confess to enjoying it so much I got a little fangirly. So without further whatnot from me, I am going to turn the floor over to her.

Hope Ann is a Christian wordsmith, avid reader, and dedicated author. Her time is taken up with writing, reading, playing with inspirational photos, blogging, helping care for the house and eight younger siblings, and generally enjoying the adventures of life on a small farm at the crossroads of America. She has self-published fairy tale retellings on Amazon and is currently working on several projects including a fantasy novel and futuristic trilogy. You can find out more about her on her website.

Now, a few questions for Hope Ann.

Tell us, Hope, why do you like to write stories?

Why does one like to breathe? I love creating worlds and characters. I love to weave plots and themes together. I love the reactions of readers or learning that something I wrote inspired someone else. But in the end, I can’t quite explain it. It’s just… it’s what I do. And I love it.

If you could spend a day with one of your characters, who would it be and why? What would you do together?

Either Ethaniel, from Fidelyon, or Torin from my Cember Earth series (the first is a work in progress and the second is in random planning stages). Both characters have a way at setting people at their ease (if they care to, that is). Ethaniel is quiet and steady, while Torin would plot the kidnapping of a king as some great prank. But either of them would be quite fun to spend time with.

Would you want to live in your story world? Tell us why or why not.

Which one? I’ve three worlds right now, plus the future of our current world. Most of them I’d love to visit, both so I could write about them better and just because it would be cool. Live, though? I like my computers, thank you very much. One of these days I will come up with a story that merges technology with fantasy, but right now I’d prefer to be here. That’s why I work on writing, after all, instead of researching portals.

Can you recommend any authors/books that have inspired you and your style of writing?

I love anything by Tolkien. He was one of the first fantasy writers I read much of. I also love Brandon Sanderson; the imagination and characters and plots of his books are brilliant. Also, I love my friend, Kate Flournoy’s writing—I’ve learned so much from it and love everything she’s written.

Can you share one lesson you have learned from your writing with your readers?

Don’t ever stop, if you are committed to it. Writing is about nothing if not perseverance. It gets hard. Sometimes plots don’t come together. Or they don’t work. Or a book ends up doubling the word count you need. Or a hundred other things. But don’t stop. Keep moving, keeping staring at a blank screen and muttering to yourself and pacing the floor until you figure out your problem. Because, given time and dedication, you can figure it out. You just need to keep at it.

If your writing style could be compared to weather, what would it be?

A breaking storm with quick bursts of rain and heavy wind, followed by the golden light of a rising sun that turns the rain to diamonds.

Thank you for stopping in to visit with us today, Hope. I know we all enjoyed getting to know you and hear about some of your fascinating story worlds.

Before she goes, I wanted to share with you a little bit about her book Burning Rose. Before we get to that, I just have to fangirl for a moment because...THIS COVER! Isn't it absolutely stunning? Her book is on sale right now and I highly suggest you dash over to her website to learn more about the details.

A war, founded in ancient legends, changes the lives of those it touches forever.

Elissa, a villager from the northern mountains, attempts to save her brother and ends up trapped with a strange host and a treacherous enemy.

Evrard, the Wingmaster of the Prince’s army, races against his weakening powers to discover the location of his twin and save her from deadly mistbenders.

Haydn, a pardoned rebel from Tauscher’s army, confronts shadows of myth and former comrades in his struggle to keep his sister safe and find the stolen Stormestone.

Fairy tales retold as you have never heard them before. 

Purchase your copy!

From November 24 through November 30, a huge selection of discounted books is available at indiechristianbooks.com. You can also join the Indie Christian Authors for a week long Facebook party during the same dates.

Meet Tammy Lash

Today I have the pleasure of introducing Tammy to you all. Not only is she a talented writer with a gift for digging deep and making you laugh and cry, but she is also a dear friend of mine. I hope you will all make her welcome and check out her lovely debut novel, White Wolf and the Ash Princess. White Wolf recently underwent a rebranding phase and now has a lovely new cover to fit its genre which I will share with you a little further down. You can buy your copy of this lovely novel right here. As a special treat, Tammy also has a music video to share with us today celebrating the world of White Wolf. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Now, I want to tell you a little bit about Tammy.

ABOUT TAMMY

Tammy lives in Lower Michigan with her husband and her three children. Izzy's home in Michigan's Upper Peninsula (Munising) is where she and her family enjoy exploring. Tammy enjoys hiking, kayaking, beach wandering, "hunting" for birch bark and hopes to someday find a porcupine quill. White Wolf and the Ash Princess is her first novel. She is published in Keys for Kids and has been in children's ministry for over twenty years.

So tell us, Tammy, why do you like to write stories?

My first instinct is to say that I like the teaching aspect of writing. My husband and I have taught in children’s ministries at the churches we have been called to for most of our married life, and I’ve homeschooled all of our kids. I like my stories to teach and inspire. If I were to think harder about why I like writing, I’d say it’s because, even though I find writing to be overwhelming at times, I find it to be a challenge. I like the difficulty of it. I like accomplishing something that my brain screams is impossible. I hear this nagging voice at the beginning of every chapter. Finishing a story always seems “bigger” than me, so when I DO it, it’s like I’ve reached a mountain top. The Lord is forever faithful. He has given me strength to get through many “impossible” projects!

If you could spend a day with one of your characters, who would it be and why? What would you do together?

I would like to spend the day with Izzy because we are both so much alike. We both dislike tea, we have a spicy temper...and both of us would rather walk around barefoot. We would have so much fun walking the beaches of the U.P in search of beach glass or Petoskey stones. Her favorite trees are birch trees and I could see both of us geeking out at our bark piles. Izzy is a good shot with Jonathan’s guns. I don’t shoot anything larger than a .22. I’d ask her to give me a lesson or two with the bigger guns so I could impress my deer-hunting, gun-slinging husband.

Would you want to live in your story world? Tell us why or why not?

Eeeeek! I would LOVE to live in my story world! White Wolf and the Ash Princess is the combination of my two favorite worlds--seventeenth century England and seventeenth century Early America. I love the romantic era of Jane Eyre with the dresses, decor and mannerisms, but I also love the thought of exploring an unspoiled land and discovering a new culture.

Can you recommend any authors/books that have inspired you and your style of writing?

The book that has made the biggest impact on my writing in terms of character building--especially when writing male characters-- is The Outsiders by S. E Hinton. This novel, thankfully, was required reading in my high school English literature class. Pony Boy and Soda Pop Curtis were the same age as me, and I could relate to their struggle to fit in. Sixteen-year old greaser, Johnny, made my heart bleed as he shyly hunched through the book with his thumbs in his front pockets. I related most to the oldest Curtis, Darry, who grew old before his time fathering his two brothers after the death of their parents. My goal as a writer is to make my characters shine as brightly as Ms. Hinton did with hers.

Another old favorite is one that my mom passed down to me. Mrs. Mike was published in the late forties by Benedict and Nancy Freeman. Part Two of White Wolf and the Ash Princess is inspired by the stunning culture the Freeman’s introduced me to back in high school. The Ojibwe people and their traditions, customs, and folklore are of specific interest to me today because of the book my mom shared with me years ago.

What is the hardest part about being a writer for you?

I heard this from my parents growing up--and I’m sure most with brothers and sisters heard the same thing: “Don’t worry about what your sister is doing--keep your eyes to yourself and worry about you.” Hmmmm…..anybody else hear this?? My biggest struggle is when my eyes leave my laptop to see what other writers/authors are doing. It’s ok to look to learn, but it is never ok to compare. I often compare my slow writing style with the much speedier versions of the masses and it does nothing but bring discouragement. We are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and each of us is a unique one-of-a-kind creation.

Can you share one lesson you’ve learned from your writing to your readers?

I’ve learned that nothing is impossible. Hard, yes...but impossible? Nope! If He wants it done..it’s going to get done! Through Him, I finished White Wolf and the Ash Princess and Lord willing I’ll finish the coming sequel, Letters from the Dragon’s Son.

If your writing style could be compared to food, what would it be and what would it taste like?
My husband and I have date night out twice a month. We go to the same place, nearly every time, so I can get my fajitas and endless chips and salsa. I’d say my writing is a lot like my favorite date night meal. It’s hard to stop crunching down those chips!! I try to end the chapters of my books/stories that way--with the need for “just one more”. I love the onions in my chicken fajitas, but I don’t like cutting them for myself at home. I buy the bag of already chopped onions to save my eyeballs from the burning. I do like runny eyes when I read, though. If I read through my work and tear-up, I know I’ve gotten the feel right. The next time you read a Tammy project, think fajitas!

Connect with Tammy
Wow, thanks for stopping in to chat with us today, Tammy! I know we all had a blast. There are many ways you can connect with Tammy if you would like to know more about her and her future releases. 

Instagram
Her blog
Facebook

Now for the best news...White Wolf is going to be on sale this weekend. From November 24 through November 30, a huge selection of discounted books is available at indiechristianbooks.com. You can also join the Indie Christian Authors for a week long Facebook party during the same dates.

Indie Christian Book Sale

I have the opportunity this year of participating in a group sale with many of my Indie author friends. There are clean books of almost every variety for you to choose from, all discounted. There may even be some free ebooks. So, without any fuss, here are the details!!

It’s that time of year. The time for buying presents, making wish lists, and planning New Year’s Resolutions. 

If any of those activities involve books for you, Indie Christian Books has a perfect event for you.

From Nov 24th through Nov 30th, a huge selection of independently published Christian books are on sale. You can find discounted paperbacks, dozens of books offered with free shipping, $0.99 ebooks, package deals and more. Even if your budget is depleted from Christmas shopping, we have some freebies for you! Need even more of a reason to support indie authors and fill your shelf with good stories? When you purchase a paperback book through indiechristianbooks.com you’ll be eligible to enter an exclusive giveaway including free books and an Amazon gift card!

You can meet our authors by visiting the Author Database on the website. Want to get to know the authors better AND have the chance to win some fun prizes? We’d love to have you join our week long Facebook party which will feature 39 authors over 7 days.

What awesome reads of 2016 are you grateful for? What books are you looking forward to reading in 2017?

A note on the Ebooks Only page. Many of the books are listed as "Sold Out." This is because we aren’t selling those directly through our site. Please click onto the product pages to find descriptions and links to discounted or free ebooks.

Acknowledgements: Thanks to Leah E. Good and Kendra E. Ardnek for their work organizing this sale, and Hannah Mills for her fantastic design work on the website graphics. Hannah can be contacted at hmills@omorecollege.edu for more information about her design services.

A Thankful Year

It's that time of year. The leaves have changed, shedding their bright greens for the crisp colors of autumn. The pumpkin and apple-spice scented candles come out. The turkey is thawing. The jello salads are setting, the pies are in the oven, and most importantly everyone is talking about the things they are thankful for this year.

Over the next couple of days I will be blogging a lot about one of the things I am thankful for: Writing. It's a hobby and a passion to me...and also an opportunity to bring in a little bit of money to help support my family. I'm participating in a sale with a large number of other Christian authors and will be sharing all about that as the week progresses, as well as inviting some special guests to visit my blog and talk with us.

But today I want to talk about the other things that I am thankful for.

First, I am thankful for my family. My husband is so patient with me and is always there when I need him...he's even there when I don't think I need him reminding me that I really do. He works so hard to provide for us and loves me in spite of my moods and inadequacies. I am also thankful my little girl. She is a bright ray of sunshine, always reminding me to laugh. Her little face is a constant reminder of God's love for me. I am also thankful that she reminds me of God's grace. When she was born almost a year ago, we had a difficult time of it. She didn't want to come out and greet the world and rather got herself stuck when Mommy said it was time for her to come out. When my surgery was finally over and I got to hold her and look at her little face, I knew that I had been blessed, because there are so many people who have not been able to hold their little ones, whether because they went to be with Jesus so early, or because God has not chosen to send their little one into their lives yet. Evy is a constant reminder that God is good, and that I should be thankful for sleepless nights and teething and tantrums...because there are others who do anything to experience those things.

I'm also thankful for my church. In this day and age, it can be difficult to find a church that you feel comfortable attending: there are so many different types of churches with different beliefs and music standards. Finding the right one can seem impossible at times. But more importantly, it can be hard to find a body of people who love you and who you love in return. It's the nature of our busy world to rush about and not take the time to sit still and get to know people. I am so thankful to have found a church family that challenges me to draw closer to God and holds my hands as I struggle to make that journey.

Thirdly, I am thankful for the unexpected tragedies in my life. I know, a weird one, right? But it's true. Those who know me personally know that my family suffered a very traumatic event this year when my brother and wife had a terrible accident at work. They spent almost two months in the hospital and have been living with my parents since July try to recover not only physically but also emotionally. This has been a trial of my own faith, having to go to the hospital and see them lying there unable to move, in unbelievable pain. To watch them come home and continue to struggle as the fear, anxiety and depression takes its turn with them, trying to keep them from recovering. The reason I am thankful? Because it reminded me to pray. It reminded me to think of others rather than myself and to be grateful that God has blessed me with health when He has asked others to suffer pain. I know I am stronger because of this accident and pray that one day, when my family has climbed out of the valley and back into the sun, that they will be stronger as well.

This brings me to my final point today, that I am thankful for God's faithfulness in difficult times. When things are going well and everything is perfect, we often forget how much we need the Lord, how vital of a role He plays in orchestrating the moments of our days. Facing the darkness of our valleys gives us a greater appreciation for the sunshine on the other side.

What are you thankful for this year? I hope that God has blessed and challenged each of you as He has blessed and challenged me. I would love to hear your stories.

Blessings to you all and Happy Thanksgiving! 

Five Poisoned Apples

Very excited to share this post. Many of you remember that I had the honor of participating in the Beauty and the Beast writing contest from Rooglewood Press a couple of years ago. Five Enchanted Roses was such a joy to be a part of. I mean, wow, what an incredible experience to work with a professional editing team and seeing MY STORY in print! This year, Rooglewood Press will be holding their last fairy tale contest. (SOB) And this one is...SNOW WHITE! Yes, I know. A wonderful choice, isn't it? So if any of my writerly friends have a hankering to submit a story to a fairy tale contest, this is the year to do it! I can't recommend it enough! If any one has any questions or would like any advice about submitting a story to this year's contest...let me know! I will be happy to share any tidbits I can from my own personal experience. Happy writing everyone!

THE FINAL FAIRY TALE CONTEST

Rooglewood Press invites you to join the adventure of the Five Poisoned Apples creative writing contest! 

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS.