Actorek The Void Cover Reveal

   This is the moment you've all been waiting for! The moment you see the glorious picture advertising my sister's new book! And 

here

it

is!

   What? You mean you didn't come to my post to see a picture of a fife and drum corps in Williamsburg, VA? The horror!

   Perhaps this is what you came to see?

via GIPHY

   All right, all right, I'll stop playing around. Here's the actual cover!

*****Coming October 26!*****

 Which would you choose—save your sister or save the world?

 Emma Edsel’s first priority has always been protecting her blind sister Carla. So when Carla begins to develop science-defying abilities that threaten her life, Emma will stop at nothing to save her. With nowhere else to turn, she seeks help from Mitchell, the new boy at school who seems to know much more about it than he will admit.

 After his last mission went horribly awry, Mitchell Banks is relieved to have a simple task: seal a small, accidental portal between Earth and other worlds in the multiverse. He didn’t count on his growing feelings for Emma—and the dangerous levels of dimension energy contaminating Carla.

 Carla knows the voice in her head is evil. Manipulative. Feeding her with a strange energy she can control. She doesn’t know that she is the key to a coming global catastrophe and Mitchell’s boss will use any means possible to prevent it…including blackmailing him into murdering her.

 

Preorder the book here: https://amzn.to/2F4LyFc

 Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3lNHie2

   I also got the chance to harass interview my sister about the upcoming book. Read the interview down below!

What is your favorite Italian dish? ;)

I know you want me to say spaghetti. ;) Nope. I’m torn between lasagna and chicken parmesan, but I think I’ll go with chicken parmesan. And hey, there’s only one spaghetti meal left in the book.

What character do you most want to wrap in bubble wrap?

Um, I think the answer to that could end up being spoilery. So I’m just going to say one of the three POV characters. And once you get to the end of the book, I bet you will be able to figure it out.

Who’s your favorite sister?

How could you ask such a question? I mean, you proclaimed yourself the favorite sister when you took me to Endgame, but Bekah says if you were really the favorite sister, you wouldn’t have to ask. XD

   I know it's me. 

   Don't miss this awesome new book!

Carrie Mouse and the Giant Garage Blog Tour and Interview

 

   Thieves, filthy rotten thieves, have stolen my precious! Not the script, not the script! We hates the script! But we promised, Smeagol promised. Fine. We will say the script.
   My sisters are coming out with a picture book and everyone needs to buy it. This is the next big thing, and if you read it now, you can say you knew about this book before it was famous! We knows about it! Of course we know! Gollum, gollum.
   We interviewed the author! Yes, precious. Yes, we did. We questioned it about the precious. No, not the precious! Master has the precious. Filthy Baggins! We...we interviewed...about the picture book! The picture book! The picture book. Read the interview about the filthy picture book.
   *Gollum starts to leave*
   But we promised to stay! Smeagol promised on the precious!
   Smeagol lied!
   *Gollum disappears into the rocks of Emyn Muil*

As a middle grade writer, what drew you to picture books?

I actually wrote picture books before I ever wrote chapter books (can you imagine a seven-year-old writing a novel?), so it’s kind of like a return to my roots. While I graduated to reading chapter books pretty early in life, I never stopped liking picture books. They’re fun and such a different way of telling a story. Plus, I wrote Carrie Mouse when I was a kid and it’s the one story from that era of my life that continually refused to let me go, so I had to publish it.

Will we be seeing any of your other picture books written in childhood on the publishing scene?
Nope. I’m not rewriting Margville’s Aliens, and I’m absolutely not publishing The Day of the Awful Lillian. I put snippets up on my blog last year, but that’s all you’re getting.

Will Carrie Mouse be your only picture book series?

The plan is no. Rebekah and I want to do more Carrie Mouse books, but we also want to write the Eww, Gross! stories about a wolf with a chronic runny nose. He’s the CEO of a butcher company and he’s always sneezing snot all over things. XD It’ll be fun. We’re planning to base the stories on fairy tales, but with a twist.

What motivated you to pursue this unique kind of illustrating as opposed to traditional drawing methods?

Because Rebekah’s good at sculpting. ;) For a long time, I wanted her to make figures to pose around the backyard and garage, but the specific style of sculpting we ended up using was inspired by Barbara Reid’s illustrations. You’d be surprised how many different ways there are to illustrate picture books, though. There are infinite drawing styles, different types of painting, blends of drawing and photoshopping, collages that make up illustrations, and then there are the people who pose toys and take pictures of them, and the people who make animals and other objects out of food. It’s quite interesting.

And finally, on a less serious note, which yet-to-be-released live action Disney movie are you most excited about?

Probably Aladdin. While I like Dumbo, it’s not one of my favorites, and you know how I feel about The Lion King. And I’m kind of afraid how Mulan might turn out. But even though the Genie won’t be Robin Williams, the first teaser for Aladdin looks really cool. (I’ve not really paid much attention to many other upcoming movies.) And you said I can’t count Star Wars, but I’m anxious to see Episode IX, since it’ll make or break the sequel trilogy—and potentially all Star Wars movies of the future.

 

   Martha Squirrel made her journey down the big hill seem like a grand adventure. But what happens when Carrie Mouse disobeys her mama and explores the giant garage?
   Inspired by a true story, Carrie Mouse and the Giant Garage tells the story of a young mouse who gets trapped in the garage of the human house at the bottom of the hill. Beautifully illustrated with clay sculptures, this is a book you won’t want to miss!

Buy Now

 

About the Author 

Morgan Elizabeth Huneke is a homeschool graduate who lives in Georgia. She has enjoyed creating characters and writing stories since early childhood. Books have always been a big part of her life, never more so than when working at the local library. She is the author of several middle grade novels including the Time Captives fantasy trilogy and one YA fairy tale retelling novella entitled Twisted Dreams. Carrie Mouse and the Giant Garage is her first picture book.

To learn more about Morgan and her work, visit:

www.morganhuneke.com

or

www.morganhuneke.blogspot.com

About the Illustrator
Rebekah Huneke is a homeschool graduate who lives in Georgia with her parents, sisters, and yellow Labrador named Sophie. She has been working with Sculpey since age nine, and sells her creations in the Klay Kottage Etsy shop. She also creates and sells stuffed animals and knitted goods. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, and playing cello and piano. Carrie Mouse and the Giant Garage is her first book. 

To learn more about Rebekah and her work, visit:

www.etsy.com/shop/klaykottage

or

follow @klaykottage on Instagram

 

   Morgan and Rebekah will be giving away a signed copy of Carrie Mouse and the Giant Garage with a handmade Carrie Mouse doll! Second prize is a signed copy of the book only. Be sure to enter the giveaway!
   Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

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Dagger's Sleep Review and Interview of Tricia Mingerink

About the Book

A prince cursed to sleep.

A princess destined to wake him.

A kingdom determined to stop them.

High Prince Alexander has been cursed to a sleep like unto death, a curse that will end the line of the high kings and send the Seven Kingdoms of Tallahatchia into chaos. With his manservant to carry his luggage and his own superior intelligence to aid him, Alex sets off to find one of the Fae and end his curse one way or another.

A hundred years later, Princess Rosanna learns she is the princess destined by the Highest King to wake the legendary sleeping prince. With the help of the mysterious Daemyn Rand, can she find the courage to finish the quest as Tallahatchia wavers on the edge of war?

One curse connects them. A hundred years separate them. From the rushing rivers of Tallahatchia’s mountains to the hall of the Highest King himself, their quests will demand sacrifices neither of them could imagine.

Dagger’s Sleep is available for preorder on Amazon Kindle.

   My review  
 This book is so amazing! First of all, what a refresher to find a fantasy world not based on medieval Europe! I absolutely loved the native American feel to it and the settings. Seriously, all the canoes and stuff...wow. And when I say the princess can paddle her own canoe, I mean it quite literally. :)

   The characters, of course, are amazing, though since I couldn't spend as much time with them as with the Acktarian characters, I didn't fall quite as much in love with them. Daemyn and Alexander are both lovable, but they're not as adorable as Leith.

   I just loved the way the fairies were done. There's something about the way most fairies are done in stories that I just don't like, and that wasn't present here. It seemed so believable and real and like it actually fit in with the world.

   Even more amazing was the allegory. Seriously, I don't know if I've seen a more beautiful allegory. I can't go into details, but it was so beautiful.

   This book was seriously amazing and everyone needs to read it. The lessons and the themes, the characters, the settings, and of course, the amazing allegory all make it so worth it. I can't wait to spend more time in this world. (Of course, I will always be a little peeved I shipped the wrong ship, but oh well. I can't have everything, I guess.)

I also had the privilege of asking Tricia a couple questions. Check it out!

Who is your favorite fictional character (your own don’t count)?

This is a really hard question! It is really, really hard to choose. There are SO many characters that I’ve loved throughout the years. I think it might be Halt from Ranger's Apprentice. Or maybe Will's horse Tug. Really, why do I only have to pick one favorite character????

Ha, I get your struggle. I do love Tug. 

What is your favorite fairy tale?

Beauty and the Beast. I was obsessed with that fairy tale when I was growing up. I rewatched the Disney cartoon all the time and read all the different picture books and fairy tale versions of it I could get my hands on. My grandparents gave me an illustrated fairy tale book and I was so excited when not only was Beauty and the Beast the first story, it was also the one they used for the cover art.

That's one of my favorites, too! 

Marvel or DC (and please don’t say “neither” or “both”)?

Marvel. I tend to like action movies that are balanced out with a good deal of witty humor and not too dark, so that’s why I’ve always liked Marvel better. Though I’m really hoping they aren’t starting to go darker with the latest couple of movies…

 I'm not sure it's possible for Marvel to go completely dark, given their obsessive love of quips.

What piece of writing advice has helped you the most?

That would probably be the advice I got from my 7^th through 9^th grade English teacher who told me writing was a series of baby steps. You don’t have to worry about trying to master it all at once. Start slow and work on mastering the next step.
That's really great advice!

How does it feel to be known as an evil author?

Ha, ha. As long as that is always said fondly, I don’t mind. 

And we couldn't say it any other way but fondly. Though I'll never completely forgive you for the cliffhanger at the end of Deny.

About the Author

Tricia Mingerink is a twenty-something, book-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn't writing, she can be found pursuing backwoods adventures across the country.

You can connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads, Twitter, Instagram, and her blog.

About the Book:

Freedom begins with finding the truth.

Amidst the turmoil caused by Smyth’s arrest, Celeste is stuck in limbo, stripped of her citizenship, with no choice but to flee to a peaceful Kyraenean hideaway with the tumultuous Amaya Mason.

When bounty hunters threaten the local orphanage, Celeste and Amaya must work together and fight. Even if it means risking what they cherish the most.

His plans in tatters, his career in jeopardy, Mick Haynes is forced to leave Kyraenea with the enigmatic Torrance Kyle, the agent he still can’t trust.

Torrance is good at lying, and even better at hiding his pain, but is he strong enough to deal with the consequences of betraying his own father?

Can Celeste accept the truth, accept her place in the Haynes family or will lies chain her to the past and destroy her chance at a new life?

Dissociate is available for sale on Amazon here. The first two books in the series Disowned and Dissemble are also available on Amazon.

About the Author:

Sarah Addison-Fox is a New Zealand-born home-schooling mother of two who loves action-packed fantasy with strong heroines. She has an astonishing amount of nail polish, has all her creative writing credentials shoved in a drawer somewhere, and has a husband who, after 27 years, can still make her blush. When she’s not working on her Christian YA fantasy series',  she can be found fangirling on Goodreads or sending GIFs on Twitter.

To celebrate the release of Dissociate and Dagger’s Sleep, Sarah Addison-Fox and Tricia Mingerink are hosting a day-long Facebook Festival. There will be plenty of games and giveaways, not to mention Serena Chase, author of the Eyes of E’veria series, will be the guest of honor. It’s a party you won’t want to miss! You’ll be able to stop by any time during the day to join the fun, no matter what time zone you live in!

Link to the Facebook Festival: https://www.facebook.com/events/244246872802075/


Sarah Addison-Fox and Tricia Mingerink are each hosting a giveaway for their books for the blog tour.

Sarah Addison-Fox is giving away a paperback set of the first three books in the Allegiance Series. The giveaway is open internationally where such giveaways are permitted and where Createspace ships. The books may or may not be signed depending on where the winner lives.

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Tricia Mingerink is giving away a paperback of Dagger’s Sleep. The giveaway is open internationally where such giveaways are permitted and where Createspace or the Book Depository ships. The book may or may not be signed depending on where the winner lives.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday – May 22

Laura Grace – Author Interview

Reading Anyone – Book Review

Jaye L Knight – Book Spotlight

Quirky Faith – Book Reviews and Author Interview

Wednesday – May 23

Allyson Kennedy – Author Interview

Sam H. – Book Review

Addyson Huneke - Book Review and Author Interview

Ivie Brooks - Book Reviews

Thursday – May 24

Shantelle Mary - Book Review and Book Spotlight

Brie Donning - Book Review and Multi-Character Interview

Blooming with Books - Book Review and Author Interview

Julian Daventry - Book Review and Author Interview

Friday – May 25

Faith Thompson - Book Reviews and Author Interview

Hannah Gaudette - Author Interview

CM Williams - Book Review

Chloe Parker - Book Reviews

Saturday – May 26

JM Christian - Book Review and Multi-Character Interview

Abigail McKenna - Book Reviews

Liv Fisher - Author Interview

Book Wolf - Book Reviews and Author Interview

Liz Koetsier – Book Spotlight

Monday – May 28

Jessica Dowell - Book Review and Author Interview

Lila Kims - Book Reviews

Marie Elrich - Book Reviews

Faith Potts - Book Review and Book Spotlight

Facebook Festival – begins 5PM EST May 24th through 9PM EST May 25th with special guest Serena Chase

Interview with Will

   My amazing sister is also releasing a book, which all of you people need to hustle over to Amazon and buy as soon as possible. I know you need this book in your lives.

   Regardless of my bias, she and two other lovely authors are releasing retellings of the famous fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. You can read my other posts about it here and here.

   

About the Book

“I, Calandra, of the Wingans, do bestow upon you, the Princess of Hanover, a gift. You have been given long life. I cannot interfere with that, but when you are sixteen years of age, you will prick your finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into an everlasting sleep.” She stepped closer so that she could be heard only by Liesel and her parents. “Then you will at last see the truth. Be wary. Be wise. Your fate rests upon yourself.”

On her sixteenth birthday, Princess Liesel Rosanna falls victim to a sleeping curse—but wakens in another world, a prisoner of war. As the bait in a trap for her fiancé, the crown prince of Hanover, Liesel longs to escape back to the fairy tale world. The world where she is only wanting a true love’s kiss to set everything to rights.

As situations quickly grow dire, Liesel must choose which story to live, which life is real. The fate of her country rests on her decision.

Meet the author:

Morgan Elizabeth Huneke is a homeschool graduate who lives in Georgia. She has enjoyed creating characters and writing stories since early childhood. Books have always been a big part of her life, never more so than when working at the local library. Her other interests include reading, playing and teaching piano and violin, and politics. She is the author of Across the Stars and The Experiment as well as the Time Captives fantasy trilogy.

You can connect with Morgan on her website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

   I was given the opportunity to sit down with one of the characters from Twisted Dreams and interview him. Check it out! I had a few interviews I needed to schedule this week, so I crammed them all into one day. The previous interview I refer to will be posted tomorrow.

   I settle in my comfortable armchair, place my notebook and pencil on my lap, and gaze around my interview room. My characters like to call it an interrogation room, but it's not my fault they don't like my mood lighting. I personally enjoy the bleak concrete walls, the sole light bulb in the middle of the ceiling, and the hard wooden chair. If my characters didn't want to experience it, then they should be more forthcoming to me. However, it's not my own characters I have to wrestle in here today.

   "Next!" I call out.

   The door opens and a tall young man wearing a dress military uniform steps inside and sits down in the interrogation chair.

   I smile at him and pick up my pencil. "Hello, Will, and welcome to my blog. Please excuse the cookie crumbs, they’re left over from my previous interview. I haven’t had a chance to sweep up yet."

   Will looks around at the cookie crumbs, but makes no comment on them. “Do you make a habit of pulling characters from their stories in order to ask them questions? If you would, please make it brief; I hate to be away from Liesel. She needs me.”

  "My personal habits are none of your concern. Just be glad this room is covered in cookie crumbs and not blood." Will frowns, but I speak before he has a chance to answer. "So, let’s move on to the questions, so we can get this done quickly. Heaven forbid we deprive Liesel of your company for fifteen minutes of the day." Will opens his mouth as if to answer, much offended, but I beat him to speaking. "We are all aware that you would give your life for Liesel, but would you give your life for your brother Matthew? What would you do if he were captured and threatened with death?"

   “Liesel is my fiancée, and therefore always my priority, but Matthew is my little brother. I could never leave him to die, nor would Liesel let me. Matt is as much a brother to her as he is to me. Naturally, I would have to discuss the details with Liesel before proceeding. I couldn’t leave Liesel alone in the world, however. It would all depend on the circumstances, how far I would go.”

   Amazing how his answer cycled back to Liesel almost immediately. "If you were banished from your kingdom, what would you seek to do to support yourself and your soon-to-be wife?"

   Will blinks in confusion. “Why would I be banished? I am the crown prince. If I was banished, who would be king when my father is gone? Matthew isn’t equipped to be king, nor has he ever wanted to be. Aside from that, none but my father has the authority to banish me, and he would never think to do so. It is a moot point.”

   "I think it is anything but a moot point, but since I doubt I'll ever be able to convince you otherwise, let's move on to your favorite subject, shall we? How far would you go to save the life of Liesel?"

   “I would do anything to save Liesel.” Will stares at me intensely, a solemn look in his eye. “Liesel is the light of my life. I love her better than my own self, better than anyone else I know. I can’t live without her.” He swallows hard. “I’d do anything for her.”

   Ugh, this was getting sickening. Time to move on to a different subject. "Do you like animals? If so, have you ever had any pets?"

   Will shrugs. “Matthew was always the one who liked animals. Our dog was mostly his, and he was always bringing in rabbits and mice and such things. I didn’t mind them, but I was more focused on learning the things necessary to lead and fight for Hanover.”

    "Wow, an answer that had nothing whatsoever to do with Liesel," I exclaim. "Well done, Wilhelm." I lean back in my chair and ready my pencil, though my notebook page contains nothing but doodles. "And last, but not least, have you ever been annoyed before by other couples’ public displays of affection?"

   Will eyes me suspiciously. “I feel as if that is a pointed question. When you are yet to be married and therefore must have chaperones, displays of affection are by default public. It isn’t ideal, and yes, most people are bothered by such things, but what else are you supposed to do? Besides, Liesel and I displaying affection towards one another in front of Matthew is hardly public.”

   "I admire your education. Obviously you were very well taught about how to be a politician and the art of never answering questions with a straight answer." I raise my eyebrows and try to keep a smile off my face.

   Will has a look on his face that I can only describe as exasperation.“When I was a child, perhaps, but now that I am an adult, I can understand why others do it, and it does not faze me.”

   I sit back and rest my chin on my hand. "You may go whenever you like."

   Will immediately rises and strides out of the room.

   So there you have it! Hopefully that was intriguing enough to induce you to buy the book immediately. And add it to your Goodreads. And explore the rest of the blog tour.

   I'll see you once you're done reading the book.

   Don't forget to join the giveaway!

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