Showing posts with label Book Trailer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Trailer. Show all posts

10.12.2021

Title Reveal Tuesday

 Today I'm thrilled to share with you the title 
for Nadine Brandes's upcoming 2022 book.


Don't you just love that title?

Wishtress

It makes me think of a dandelion that has gone to white,
blowing on it as a wish is made.
A magical being that ebbs and flows with time.
An enchantress that grants wishes.
A dweller in a wishing well.

The possibilities are endless,
but it is fun to try to imagine what the
story could maybe be about.

What does Wishtress bring to your mind?

Connect online with Nadine Facebook or Instagram
Title Reveal Graphic designed by Megan McCullough FB or Instagram
Music "The Ukulele Song" by Rafael Krux from Canva
Video reveal created by Meagan at Blooming with Books


9.27.2021

Curse of the Midnight King ~ Book Trailer

 Coming soon to a bookshelf near you!

Curse of the Midnight King


Enjoy the book trailer that author

Yakira Goldsberry put together.


Don't you just love this trailer?

Review coming soon...


6.08.2021

Cover Reveal ~ In Search of a Prince

 Today I'm taking part in the cover reveal for Toni Shiloh's In Search of a Prince.

Cover reveals always remind me of Christmas or birthdays where one is waiting in anticipation of that special something that you have been thinking and dreaming about. Well, today is just such a day. And of course, I'm not just going to just pop the cover in for a quick reveal. Reveals should be savored kind of like a favorite dessert (a Lindt Lindor truffle or a piece of Cheesecake) so here we go and enjoy.



In Search of a Prince Back short blurb –

Brielle Adebayo’s simple life unravels when she discovers she is a princess in the Kingdom of Oloro Ilé, Africa, and must immediately assume her royal position. Brielle comes to love the island’s culture and studies the language with her handsome tutor. But when her political rivals force her to make a difficult choice, a wrong decision could change her life.


Continue on to the cover reveal - yup I'm evil and keeping you in suspense but it will all be worth it in just a couple more moments. I promise!


Author bio –

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and multi-published Christian contemporary romance author. She writes to bring God glory and to learn more about His goodness. Her novels, Grace Restored, was a 2019 Holt Medallion finalist, Risking Love a 2020 Selah Award finalist, and The Truth About Fame a 2021 Holt Medallion finalist.

A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia Chapter, Toni seeks to encourage authors in the writing industry. She loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media. You can learn more about her writing at http://tonishiloh.com.







In Search of a Prince Back long blurb –

Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha’s Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops the mother of all bombshells—Brielle is a princess in the kingdom of Oloro Ilé, Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, King Tiwa Jimoh Adebayo, is failing.

Distraught by her mother’s betrayal, Brielle is further left spinning when the Oloro Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before assuming the throne or the crown will be passed to another. Uncertain who to choose from the council’s list of bachelors, she struggles with the decision along with the weight of her new role in a new country. With her world totally shaken, she must take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring.


Connect with Toni online at any or all of the following –

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authortonishiloh
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tonishilohwrite
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/tonishiloh
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tonishiloh
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/tonishiloh
BookBub: www.bookbub.com/authors/toni-shiloh
Newsletter: http://tonishiloh.com/subscribe 

3.10.2021

Fantasy and Fairytales: Short Story Anthology

Fantasy and Fairytales: 
   Short Story Anthology 
(Short Story Challenge Anthologies)
By Michelle Francik, 
Victoria Fletcher, 
Ichabod Ebenezer,
C. O. Bonham, 
Meagan Myhren-Bennett, 
Carol Koris,
Jeff Bacon, 
J. L. Rowan, 
Deborah Lansford, 
Kristi Asher,
M. Quinn Evans, 
Virginia Barilla, 
Jessie Jellins,
and Francine Muzykant

Available today on Amazon at https://rb.gy/4pjfpa
Enjoy this collection of fantasy and fairytales. 
When you finish reading let me know what you think of my story
The Luminous Tales: Tears of the Dragon.




I have not yet made my way through all of the other stories but 
the ones that I have are really good.
Review to come soon.

9.02.2020

Candidate for Murder ~ Spotlight with Giveaway


Join us for this tour from 
Aug 31 to Oct 9, 2018!

Book Details:


Book Title: Candidate for Murder by Lauren Carr
Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 12)

Category:  Adult fiction, 464 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery / Political Satire
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  June 9, 2016
Content Rating: PG-13 - (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is behind closed doors content. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!

"It is an amusing look at politics and media today.  Appropriate to see how the Deep Creek mayoral election relates to current events. Dissatisfaction with politicians on many levels often leave us looking for extreme change.  It may leave you thoughtful.  It may leave you writing Gnarly's name in as your preferred candidate in the next election." Reviewer: Merry Citarella, Jaquo.com

"Hilarious, mysterious and full of adventure, Gnarly and his human friends will have you on the edge of your seat unable to put your book down. Candidate for Murder is well written, played out and a story that you have just never heard before. I enjoyed every moment reading this book!" Reviewer: Working Mommy Journal



Book Description:

It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the year-round residents who enjoy their rural way of life and the city dwellers who are moving into mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed-gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clotheslines. When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees to the town’s residents, David O’Callaghan, the chief of police, decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run for mayor of Spencer! What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight, Gnarly becomes the front-runner, and his political opponents proceed to dig into the canine’s past. When one of the mayoral candidates ends up dead, it becomes apparent that slinging mud is not enough for someone with a stake in this election. With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!

Buy the Book:  
  Audible ~ Amazon
BN ~ BAM ~ BookBub
Add to Goodreads


Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, Thorny Rose Mysteries, and the Nikki Bryant Cozy Mysteries—close to thirty titles across five fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

​A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds (including the nephew of the late-great Gnarly! (pictured above)) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: 

TOUR SCHEDULE:
Aug 31 – Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review of It’s Murder, My Son/giveaway
Sep 1 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of Candidate for Murder/giveaway
Sep 2 – Books for Books – book review of It’s Murder, My Son
Sep 2 - Blooming with Books - book spotlight of Candidate for Murder/giveaway
Sep 3 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of It’s Murder, My Son/giveaway
Sep 4 – Rockin' Book Reviews – audiobook review of Candidate for Murder/guest post/giveaway
Sep 7 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight/guest post/giveaway
Sep 8 – Christa Reads and Writes – book review of It’s Murder, My Son/giveaway
Sep 8 - My Reading Journeys - audiobook review of It's Murder, My Son/giveaway
Sep 9 – My Fictional Oasis – book review of Candidate for Murder
Sep 10 – Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review of It’s Murder, My Son/giveaway
Sep 11 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of It’s Murder, My Son/giveaway
Sep 11 – fundinmental – book spotlight/giveaway
Sep 14 – Literary Flits – book review of It’s Murder, My Son/giveaway
Sep 15 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review of Candidate for Murder/giveaway
Sep 16 – Books for Books – book spotlight
Sep 17 – Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review of Candidate for Murder/giveaway
Sep 18 –My Journey Back - audiobook review of It's Murder, My Son/giveaway
Sep 21 –My Journey Back - audiobook review of Candidate for Murder/giveaway
Sep 22 – Mystery Suspense Reviews – audiobook review of Candidate for Murder/author interview
Sep 23 – Books and Zebras @jypsylynn – book review of Candidate for Murder
Sep 24 – Bound 4 Escape – audiobook review of Candidate for Murder/giveaway
Sep 25 –Buried Under Books - audiobook review of Candidate for Murder/giveaway
Sep 28 – StoreyBook Reviews – book spotlight/guest post/giveaway
Sep 29 – Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight
Sep 30 – Locks, Hooks and Books – audiobook review of Candidate for Murder/giveaway
Sep 30 - Blooming with Books - audiobook review of It's Murder, My Son/giveaway
Oct 1 – Christa Reads and Writes – book review of Candidate for Murder/giveaway
Oct 1 - So Fine Print – book review of Candidate for Murder/giveaway
Oct 2 – Adventurous Jessy – book review of It’s Murder, My Son/giveaway
Oct 5 – Splashes of Joy – book review of It’s Murder, My Son/giveaway
Oct 6 – Literary Flits – book review of Candidate for Murder/giveaway
Oct 6 - Amy's Booket List - audiobook review of Candidate for Murder
Oct 7 – Sylv.net – book spotlight
Oct 7 - My Reading Journeys - audiobook review of Candidate for Murder/guest post/giveaway
Oct 8 - Splashes of Joy – book review of Candidate for Murder/guest post/author interview/giveaway
Oct 9 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of Candidate for Murder/giveaway
Oct 9 - Adventurous Jessy – book review of Candidate for Murder/giveaway

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

6.01.2020

The F.I.G. Mysteries ~ Series Spotlight




Series Details:

Book Title:  The F.I.G. Mysteries by Barbara Casey
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17)
Genre:  Mystery, Fantasy
Publisher:  Gauthier Publications (Hungry Goat Press)
Release dates:   The Cadence of Gypsies (2011); The Wish Rider (2016); The Clock Flower (2018); The Nightjar's Promise (2020)
Content Rating:  PG. There are some themes that deal with the Jewish Holocaust and some frightening scenes appropriate for young adult and adult readers.



Buy the Series:
Amazon
B&N, Books-A-Million, and local bookstores everywhere
Add to Goodreads



Book Details:

Book Title: The Cadence of Gypsies (The F.I.G. Mysteries) by Barbara Casey
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 200 pages
Genre:  Mystery, Fantasy
Publisher:  Gauthier Publications (Hungry Goat Press)
Release date:   The Cadence of Gypsies (2011)
Content Rating:  PG. There are some themes that deal with the Jewish Holocaust and some frightening scenes appropriate for young adult and adult readers.

Book Description:
Three high-spirited 17 year-olds, with intelligent quotients in the genius range, accompany their teacher and mentor, Carolina Lovel, to Frascati, Italy, a few weeks before they are to graduate from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women. Carolina's purpose in planning the trip is to remove her gifted, creative students from the Wood Rose campus located in Raleigh, North Carolina, so they can't cause any more problems ("expressions of creativity") for the headmaster, faculty, and other students – which they do with regularity. Carolina also wants to visit the Villa Mondragone where the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world was first discovered and search how it is related to a paper written in the same script she received on her 18th birthday when she was told that she was adopted – a search that will fill in all of the missing pieces of her past and help each of her students to discover something meaningful within themselves.
Buy the Book:
Amazon
B&N, Books-A-Million, and local bookstores everywhere
Add to Goodreads




Book Details:

Book Title: The Wish Rider (The F.I.G. Mysteries) by Barbara Casey
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 220 pages
Genre:  Mystery, Fantasy
Publisher:  Gauthier Publications (Hungry Goat Press)
Release date:   The Wish Rider (2016)
Content Rating:  PG. There are some themes that deal with the Jewish Holocaust and some frightening scenes appropriate for young adult and adult readers.

Book Description:

Seventeen-year-old Dara Roux and her two best friends, Mackenzie Yarborough and Jennifer Torres, the three collectively referred to as the FIGs (Females of Intellectual Genius) because each has an intelligence quotient in the genius range, have just returned from Frascati, Italy. It was there that their much-loved teacher and mentor, Carolina Lovel discovered that her birth parents were gypsies and that she had a connection to the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world. Now, with graduation from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women behind them, Dara asks Mackenzie, Jennifer, and Carolina to help her locate her birth mother when she learns that she might be living in New York City. All the young women have to work with are five addresses, and when Mackenzie prepares a grid showing the location of all five addresses, four of the locations form a square with the fifth in the middle—which is also Grand Central Terminal. Relying on Dara’s gift for speaking and understanding foreign languages, the black and white images that stir musical cadences in Jennifer’s mind, and Mackenzie’s mathematical calculations that normally provide numerical solutions and answers to life’s most difficult questions but now keep showing the number “61”, the determined young women tirelessly go from one address to another in search of Dara’s mother. Their determination turns to desperation, however, and they ignore caution and the dissonant chords Jennifer frantically scribbles on her eight-stave musical paper as they pursue one final address—the one located in the middle of Mackenzie’s grid. Encountering a dark hidden society and sub culture more dangerous and terrifying than they could have imagined, it is there that Dara learns why she was abandoned as a seven-year-old in a candy store all those years ago.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
B&N, Books-A-Million, and local bookstores everywhere
Add to Goodreads


Book Details:

Book Title: The Clock Flower (The F.I.G. Mysteries) by Barbara Casey
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 180 pages
Genre:  Mystery, Fantasy
Publisher:  Gauthier Publications (Hungry Goat Press)
Release date:   The Clock Flower (2018)
Content Rating:  PG. There are some themes that deal with the Jewish Holocaust and some frightening scenes appropriate for young adult and adult readers.

Book Description:

The three FIGs—Females of Intellectual Genius—as they are called, have graduated from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women after returning from New York City where Dara learned why her mother abandoned her all those years ago, and they are now attending universities where they can further their special talents. This means they will be separated from each other and from Carolina, their much-loved mentor and teacher who is “one of them,” for the first time in their young lives. They vow to try living apart for one semester, in the so-called real world that doesn’t include the orphanage; but if things don’t work out, they will come up with another plan—a plan where they can be together once again. Dara is invited through Yale University to take part in an exciting archeological project in China. Jennifer, once again visualizing black and white images and the unusual sounds of another cadence that seem to be connected to Mackenzie, is engrossed in creating her next symphony at Juilliard. Mackenzie, because of her genius at problem-solving, is personally chosen by a US Senator to get involved in a mysterious, secret research project involving immortality that is being conducted in a small village in China—not too far from where Dara is involved with the archeological site. Once there, however, she finds herself facing a terrifying death from the blood-dripping teeth of an ancient evil dragon. Her best friends, the FIGs and Carolina, rely on their own unique genius and special talents to save her as she discovers the truth of her birth parents.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
B&N, Books-A-Million, and local bookstores everywhere
Add to Goodreads

  

Book Details:

Book TitleThe Nightjar's Promise (Book 4 of The F.I.G. Mysteries) by Barbara Casey
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17),  130 pages
Genre:  Mystery, Fantasy
Publisher:  Gauthier Publications (Hungry Goat Press)
Release date:   April, 2020
Content Rating:  PG. There are some themes that deal with the Jewish Holocaust and some frightening scenes appropriate for young adult and adult readers.

Book Description:

Jennifer Torres, one of the three FIGs (Females of Intellectual Genius) who is a genius in both music and art, is the last to leave the closed rehearsal for her upcoming performance over Thanksgiving break at Carnegie Hall when she hears something in the darkened Hall. Recognizing the tilt of the woman’s head and the slight limp of the man as they hurry out an exit door, she realizes it is her parents who were supposedly killed in a terrible car accident when she was 15 years old. Devastated and feeling betrayed, she sends a text to Carolina and the other two FIGs—THURGOOD. It is the code word they all agreed to use if ever one of them got into trouble or something happened that was too difficult to handle. They would all meet back at Carolina’s bungalow at Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women to figure it out.

As soon as they receive the text, because of their genius, Dara starts thinking of words in ancient Hebrew, German, and Yiddish, while Mackenzie’s visions of unique math formulae keep bringing up the date October 11, 1943. That is the date during World War II when the Nazis—the Kunstschutz—looted the paintings of targeted wealthy Jewish families and hid them away under Hitler’s orders. And as Carolina waits for the FIGs to return to Wood Rose, she hears warnings from Lyuba, her gypsy mother, to watch for the nightjar, the ancient name for the whip-poor-will.

As they search for “The Nightjar’s Promise” and the truth surrounding it, Carolina and the FIGs come face to face with evil that threatens to destroy not only their genius, but their very lives.

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com
Add to Goodreads
Coming Soon to Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Bookstores Everywhere!
 
 
Author Barbara Casey
Meet the Author:

Originally from Carrollton, Illinois, author/agent/publisher Barbara Casey attended the University of North Carolina, N.C. State University, and N.C. Wesleyan College where she received a BA degree, summa cum laude, with a double major in English and history. In 1978 she left her position as Director of Public Relations and Vice President of Development at North Carolina Wesleyan College to write full time and develop her own manuscript evaluation and editorial service. In 1995 she established the Barbara Casey Agency and since that time has represented authors from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. In 2014, she became a partner with Strategic Media Books, an independent nonfiction publisher of true crime, where she oversees acquisitions, day-to-day operations, and book production.

Ms. Casey has written over a dozen award-winning books of fiction and nonfiction for both young adults and adults. The awards include the National Association of University Women Literary Award, the Sir Walter Raleigh Literary Award, the Independent Publisher Book Award, the Dana Award for Outstanding Novel, the IP Best Book for Regional Fiction, among others. Two of her nonfiction books have been optioned for major films, one of which is under contract.

Her award-winning articles, short stories, and poetry for adults have appeared in both national and international publications including the North Carolina Christian Advocate Magazine, The New East Magazine, the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer, the Rocky Mount (N.C.) Sunday Telegram, Dog Fancy, ByLine, The Christian Record, Skirt! Magazine, and True Story. A thirty-minute television special which Ms. Casey wrote and coordinated was broadcast on WRAL, Channel 5, in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also received special recognition for her editorial work on the English translations of Albanian children’s stories. Her award-winning science fiction short stories for adults are featured in The Cosmic Unicorn and CrossTime science fiction anthologies. Ms. Casey's essays and other works appear in The Chrysalis Reader, the international literary journal of the Swedenborg Foundation, 221 One-Minute Monologues from Literature (Smith and Kraus Publishers), and A Cup of Comfort (Adams Media Corporation).

Ms. Casey is a former director of BookFest of the Palm Beaches, Florida, where she served as a guest author and panelist. She has served as a judge for the Pathfinder Literary Awards in Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Florida, and was the Florida Regional Advisor for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators from 1991 through 2003. In 2018 Ms. Casey received the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and Top Professional Award for her extensive experience and notable accomplishments in the field of publishing and other areas. She makes her home on the top of a mountain in northwest Georgia with her husband and three cats who adopted her, Homer, Reese, and Earl Gray - Reese’s best friend.

Connect with the author:  Website~ Goodreads ~ Facebook

Tour Schedule:

May 25 – KC Beanie Boos Collection – series spotlight
May 26 – Nighttime Reading Center – series spotlight / giveaway
May 26 - Sefina Hawke's Books – series spotlight
May 27 – T's Stuff – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 27 - Book Corner News and Reviews – series spotlight / giveaway
May 28 – Locks, Hooks and Books – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 28 - Library of Clean Reads – series spotlight / giveaway
May 29 – Jazzy Book Reviews – series spotlight / giveaway
May 29 - La libreria di Beppe – series spotlight / giveaway
June 1 – My Reading Journeys – series spotlight / giveaway
June 2 – Bookworm for Kids – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
June 2 - @momfluenster – series spotlight / giveaway
June 2 - Stephanie Jane – series spotlight / giveaway
June 3 – Splashes of Joy – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
June 4 – Celticlady's Reviews – series spotlight / giveaway
June 4 - Blooming with Books – series spotlight / giveaway
June 5 – Writer with Wanderlust – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 5 - Books for Books – series spotlight


Enter the Giveaway:

Win 1 of 3 print or 1 of 3 ebooks of 
THE F.I.G. MYSTERY series,
or a $25 Amazon Gift Card
(open USA & Canada) 
(7 winners) 
(ends 06/12/2020)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

3.04.2020

Britfield and The Lost Crown ~ Review with Excerpt

Britfield and The Lost Crown
Britfield #1
By C.R. Stewart

All Tom remembers is life in an orphanage and he has been in Weatherly since he was 6 years old. And Weatherly is the worst of the worst. And the Grievouses are living in luxury off the labor and deplorable conditions in which they are keeping their 56 orphans.

Everyone living within the walls of Weatherly dreams of escape. But when Tom is threatened by the Grievouses and his best friend Sarah Wallace is locked away in one of the attics for 30 days of solitary the ultimate escape plan is put into action. Having just learned that his parents may not be dead Tom has a destination and with the help of his friends, he just might be able to achieve it.

But from the very beginning, the escape plan starts to go awry and escape is no longer certain. And when Tom learns that Detective Gowerstone has been tasked with bringing them in he knows that their chance of success has drastically dropped. Tom and Sarah refuse to be defeated and with a single clue as to his past, Tom is on his way.

And what does the scrap of paper that was slipped to him with the word "Britfield" on it have to do with him? Tom has no idea - is it a name, a place or something else entirely. The only thing he does know is that he doesn't know who to trust but he and Sarah need some help if they hope to make it to London and disappear.

Britfield and The Lost Crown is a non-stop action-adventure that though has a contemporary setting has an almost classical feel to it. This is a perfect read for middle-grade readers and up. The characters come to life and the twists and turns will keep the reader turning the pages until the end. This is a not-to-be-missed series debut that will leave you in anticipation of book two. I highly recommend this book that at 386 pages is easy to get into the book.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:

Enter the World of Britfield: Adventure, Intrigue, Conspiracy, Mystery, and Suspense!
Tom has spent the majority of his life locked behind the cruel walls of Weatherly Orphanage, but when he learns that his parents might actually be alive, Tom is determined to find them. Together, with his best friend Sarah and armed with only the word “Britfield” as a clue to Tom’s mysterious past, the two make a daring escape. Now, they are on the run from a famous Scotland Yard detective and what appears to be half of the police officers in England! The hunt is on, but will Tom and Sarah be able to evade capture long enough to solve an even bigger conspiracy that could tear apart the country?

Multiple Award-Winning Britfield and the Lost Crown by C.R. Stewart, is the first book in a thrilling seven-part series based on family, friendship, loyalty, and courage that is written for pre-teens, Y/A, and readers of all ages. Britfield and its heroes, Tom and Sarah, take readers on an epic adventure as they travel across England. With its stimulating language and stunning historical and geographical asides, Britfield engages the reader from the very first pages and doesn’t let go until it reaches its exciting conclusion!

Praise:

“A perfect mixture of fast-paced excitement, heart-stopping surprises, fascinating history, and endearing characters with historical references scattered along the way. Tom and Sarah’s devotion to each other provides an excellent backdrop to the many mishaps and dangers in which they find themselves. I could see this book being used in a classroom setting both as a
literature piece and as a geographical and historical resource. Stewart’s clever narrative draws you in and doesn’t let you go till the end!”
– Dawn Weaver, Reader’s Favorite Book Reviews5 Stars!

“Tom just barely escapes the evil orphanage with his friend Sara to follow the clues that his long-lost parents may still be alive! Could Tom really be the heir to the British throne? Such a thrilling book filled with so much awesome history about England, crazy mysteries, and truly amazing characters. It had me hooked every second of reading it! I can’t wait for the sequel.”
– Hannah, Age 13, Kids’ Book Buzz5 Stars!

“An intriguing first-in-series read that is sure to capture the attention of the middle grade and young adult crowds. Readers journey through English cities and countryside beautifully rendered in the narrative. The book also includes maps and intelligent background information about the setting and history with access to online illustrations and commentaries. Britfield weaves plot, texture, storytelling, and fascinating characters into a winning combination and enriching experience.”
Chanticleer Book Review5 Stars!

“As a middle school English teacher of 28 years and a multiple-bestselling author for middle-grade books, I can honestly say Britfield and the Lost Crown has all the right stuff. Intriguing characters, foreshadowing, and suspense will draw readers in deep and have them gasping for breath for the next chapter and the next.”
– Wayne Thomas Batson, bestselling author of The Door Within Trilogy

Book Trailer:






Amazon → https://amzn.to/2FBPPgj

Google Play/Books → https://bit.ly/2uu2D63

Apple Books App → https://apple.co/2tM7ZJL




1
Weatherly
“Number forty-seven! Stop chattering to thirty-four and get back to work, immediately!” Speckle shouted from across the room.
“Yes sir . . . back to work . . . right away,” Tom replied instinctively, pretending to be a dutiful servant.
He knew too well that talking violated the sacred Weatherly Rule Book, a seventy-five-page document of laws and regulations all orphans had to memorize when they arrived. Any violation of these rules resulted in punishment, the penalties varying in length and severity. However, some rules were made to be broken; it was the orphans’ only way to survive here. They did what they were told and got away with what they could.
Just then Speckle closed his laptop, walked over to Tom, and slammed his stick on the table. Everyone froze at the loud crack; the room went silent.
“One more word out of you, and I’ll send you outside!” hollered Speckle, looking around for other violators. No one moved an inch.
Speckle, the new supervisor, had arrived nine months ago. Over six feet tall with wavy grey hair, he had a deep, scratchy voice and a grip like a vice. He also managed Brewster and Sludge, two henchmen who helped keep order and discipline. These burly yet feeble-minded bullies followed his every command.
Tom grabbed a large piece of lumber, walked over to a table saw and ran it through the blade with ease. He then placed the wood on a workbench and started sanding the rough edges.
Every morning at 6:00, each orphan marched straight to this work area, referred to as “The Factory” because it was managed like an industrial plant. Their jobs consisted of putting together an assortment of handcrafted items: the girls made wicker baskets, and the boys built wooden chairs and tables. All these objects were hauled off in a large truck and sold by Brewster and Sludge in the local villages.
Glancing around the room, Tom quickly made eye contact with Sarah, who smiled and made a silly face. He began to laugh but stopped when Speckle trudged over.
“Is something funny, Tom?” he snapped, ready to strike with his stick.
“Ah . . . no sir, nothing at —”
“Perhaps you’d like to stand outside in the cold for five or six hours! Would that be funny?” he thundered in a threatening manner.
“N-no, it wouldn’t.”
Speckle lowered his gaze, closely examining Tom for any insincerity. Once again, the entire room went quiet.
Unconvinced by his answer, Speckle grabbed Tom’s arm, yanked him from his bench and dragged him outside. The door slammed behind them. The weather was frigid, a strong Yorkshire wind chilling the barren landscape. December was always a deadly time of the year.
“Don’t move!” ordered Speckle, his tone displaying a combination of contempt and indifference.
Tom nodded resentfully, his wiry twelve-year-old body shivering in the cold. Speckle angrily marched back inside, glaring at the other children as he hovered around their workstations. He randomly picked up an item, inspected it and tossed it back down. Every day he would find some flaw, tearing up a basket or smashing a chair. Speckle observed everything and missed nothing. No one dared to question him or make direct eye contact. But even Speckle could be outfoxed. The orphans feared his strengths and did whatever they could to exploit his weaknesses. Peering in from the window, his blue eyes glistening, and brown hair dampened by frost, Tom stood motionless. He’d been locked up at Weatherly for six miserable years, and this was the year he planned to escape.
****
Located in Aysgarth, Yorkshire, in Northern England, Weatherly was about three hundred miles northwest of London. Although it was the 21st century, the orphanage looked medieval. The main building was an enormous sixteenth-century Elizabethan castle constructed from bluestone. Towering seven stories high, it had four massive turrets, one in each corner. The entire estate was enclosed by a twelve-foot high granite wall, with a massive wrought iron gate at the entrance. About fifteen years ago, the property was purchased by the Grievouses and turned into an orphanage, which the British government helped pay for as long as it was run privately. Although the Grievouses were supposed to provide each child with new clothing, healthy food, heated rooms, and schooling, they kept the money for themselves.
Like many of the other orphans, Tom didn’t know anything about his parents, who they were or what had happened to them. But he hoped to find out someday.
****
After missing lunch, Tom was let back inside. He cautiously walked over to a workbench and sat down by Patrick, number thirty-four.
Known as the teacher, Patrick, at sixteen, was the oldest and wisest orphan, with nine hard Weatherly years behind him. If anyone needed to know something, he was the best resource.
“Got the book?” whispered Tom, scanning the room for Speckle.
“Yeah . . . you ready for the mission?” asked Patrick assertively, his eyes intense and focused.
Tom gave him a confident nod. “Of course. I’ve been planning for it all week.” “Good. See if you can find anything by Dickens or Hardy — and no more Shakespeare,” he said adamantly, leaning in closer. “Now remember, be extra careful. They’ve moved Wind to the east side of the house.”
“Got it,” replied Tom, ready to carry out his perilous assignment.
Patrick carefully removed The Count of Monte Cristo from behind his jacket and skillfully handed it to Tom under the table. It was a flawless transition, and Tom hastily stuffed the book in his shirt.
Speckle turned, mumbled something under his breath and continued to pace the room, searching for any sign of disobedience.
Tom returned to his work and started building another chair, his heart racing with nervous excitement.
If the orphans ever had a spare moment, they loved to read — it was their only way of escaping into another world. They had a total of eight books in their library, which consisted of a small dusty storage closet in the cellar. They had read each one probably twenty times, including a dictionary, an encyclopedia, and the history of the British Empire. But with so few books, they needed to come up with a strategy to get more, so they invented an exchange system. Each month, one orphan sneaked out at night, ran across the field, outmaneuvered a vicious dog named Wind, and climbed in a small window at the Grievouses’ beautiful Victorian mansion located close by. They borrowed one of the books from a well-stocked shelf in the study and exchanged it for one of their own.
When the clock finally struck 7:00 p.m., the orphans diligently put away their tools and cleaned up their workstations.
They filed out of The Factory two-by-two and down a long dark corridor.
This was one of the brief moments they weren’t monitored or supervised by any Deviants, a codeword the orphans used when describing authority figures.
Sarah ran up behind Tom and gave his shirt a swift tug. “So are you going tonight?” she whispered enthusiastically.
“I’ll head out in a few hours,” he replied nonchalantly, trying to mask his anxiety.
“You scared?” she inquired. “I’d be scared . . . especially of Wind.” “A little bit . . . but it’s got to be done, right?”
“Right,” she acknowledged, then hesitated for a second. “I wish I was going with you.”
“It’s always been a one-person mission — too risky for more.”
“Fine,” she said with a hint of disappointment.
“Although I wish you were coming,” he added earnestly.
Sarah smiled, then reached in her pocket and handed Tom a small golden locket.
“What’s this for?” he wondered, examining the delicate object.
“It’s for good luck. You’ll need it tonight.”
“I can’t take this.”
“Sure you can,” she said graciously. “Just keep it on you at all times.” “But it’s the only valuable thing you have.”
“There’s more to life than just objects, Tom,” she added philosophically. Sarah Wallace, age twelve, had arrived two years earlier from Edinburgh, Scotland. Coming from a wealthy family, she had led a privileged life before her parents died in a suspicious automobile accident. She didn’t have any relatives, except for a greedy uncle who only wanted the money, so she was shipped around to a few places and finally ended up at Weatherly. She had long, sandy-blond hair, hypnotic hazel eyes, and an infectious laugh.
Just as they reached the stairwell, Mrs. Grievous appeared from behind a wall and advanced toward Tom. A cold chill suddenly came over him.
“What — do — you — have — there?” she snapped, her dark sinister eyes honing in for the kill.
Tom quickly switched the locket to his other hand and slid it into his pocket. Sarah faded back and watched intently, hoping her prized possession wouldn’t be confiscated.
“Nothing. Nothing at all,” he replied in mock puzzlement. “By the way,” he interjected, quickly changing the subject, “I made two chairs in the workshop —”
“Open your fingers!” she demanded, grabbing his hands and yanking them forward.
They were empty.
“See . . . nothing,” he retorted, playing innocent like a seasoned actor.
“Hmm, well they’re filthy.” She gave his hands a slap and pushed him aside. “I’ve got my eye on you, forty-seven. One misstep and you’ve had it. Now get to bed!” “Yes, Mrs. Grievous,” he muttered coldly, wondering why this awful woman was ever born.
Mrs. Grievous always seemed to appear whenever an orphan did something wrong. She had ghostly pale skin, kept her bright red hair compressed into a bun, and always wore grey flannel suits. Continually on edge, she had an explosive temper and made an unsettling clicking noise with her jaw. It was best to avoid her at all costs.
The children marched up the stairs and hastily retreated to their rooms. Speckle followed closely behind, making sure everyone was locked in and the lights were turned off. Standing by each door, he listened for any talking or movement. The orphans knew this, so they would wait about twenty minutes before they started exchanging stories and discussing the day.
There were fifty-six children at Weatherly, thirty boys and twenty-six girls, ages ranging from six to sixteen. If the number ever dropped below fifty-six, the facilities would be taken over by the government. The orphans hoped this would happen, because they couldn’t imagine anyone else allowing what went on there. As far as they were concerned, anything was better than the Grievouses.
The boys and girls were kept in separate rooms with the bunk beds spaced two feet apart. These cramped quarters had water-stained walls and plaster crumbling from the ceilings. When it rained, the roof leaked and flooded most of the castle. The summers were hot and humid. The winters were chilly and bleak, with the cold creeping in through loose stones and broken windows.
Their garments were tattered and sparse: the girls wore dark brown dresses, with their hair usually pulled back; the boys wore brown trousers, long sleeve shirts and at times, overalls. Their shabby attire felt more like prison uniforms than normal clothing. Most orphans hated these outfits more than the dilapidated rooms or horrible food.
After everyone was asleep, Tom patiently rested on his bottom bunk bed and watched the clock on the wall. The minutes slowly ticked away until it finally read 11:00 p.m., the perfect time to leave, for the Deviants were usually asleep by then.
Tom quietly slid off his wafer-thin mattress, got dressed, and snatched the book from under his pillow. As he tucked it in his shirt, the bedroom door slammed open. It was Speckle shining a flashlight directly in Tom’s face.








Originally from Newport Beach, California, C. R. Stewart has twenty years of experience writing fiction, nonfiction, and movie screenplays. His areas of expertise also includes film and media production, global strategy, and international marketing.

Britfield and The Lost Crown was conceived as an idea over 10 years ago while I was enduring a boring finance seminar. It started as a sketch of a hot air balloon with a young boy and girl trapped inside. From this simple drawing sprang the entire concept and story for Britfield.”

C.R. Stewart received a Bachelor of Arts in British Literature and European History from Brown University; did post-graduate work at Harvard University; earned an MBA from Boston College, and is pursuing a Master of Science in Advanced Management and a PhD in Strategy.

Now based in San Diego, C.R. Stewart is a strong supporter of education and the arts. He enjoys world travel, reading, riding, swimming, sailing, tennis, and is currently on a National School Book Tour with Britfield and The Lost Crown speaking to students on the importance of creativity!

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:


 

http://www.pumpupyourbook.com