Day 12 of 31 books in 31 days-Joseph Delaney book giveaway & qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 12th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

                                            Author of the Day-Joseph Delaney

Joseph Delaney is the international bestseller of the Spook series, a series with over 100 5-star-reviews on amazon. This tale of a region plagued with witches, bogarts, and magic, and the young apprentice who must protect against them will keep you riveted. The book has spawned a movie which is currently out in theaters. If you haven't seen the movie, yet, run out and catch it while its still in theaters. His interview and autographed book giveaway is below. 

Featured book-5.99 Kindle

                                                 Interview with Joseph Delaney


                                       

So tell us a little bit about your relationship with reading. How often do you get to read?

I am reading all the time. As soon as I finish one book I start the next. Mostly now I read on

my iPad or Kindle but I also go into bookshops, browse and buy what takes my fancy. After

writing for a couple of hours I find it relaxing to read for a while before getting back to work.

What is the last book you read that had an impact on your life and why?

Tolkien (‘Lord of the Rings’) and Frank Herbert (‘Dune’) were important to me because their

books fed my imagination and made me want to become a writer. I read a lot now and

occasionally re-visit the ones that I enjoyed or perhaps stimulated my mind in some way. I

occasionally read my own books to keep the background fresh in my mind as I continue to

write a series. I re-read ‘The Spook’s Apprentice’ recently. That book certainly had an impact

on my life; it allowed me to leave my teaching job and become a full-time writer.

What are your favorite books to read as an adult? I know when you were younger you 

liked Tolkien. Do you still enjoy him? Do you still read fantasy?

My favourite books are still from my favourite genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror,

Ghost Stories and Folk Tales. But I also read widely and sample other genres. Yes I still like

Tolkien. It must be about ten years since I last read his books. It is probably time to read them

again. That is the test of a really good book. Is it worth another read?

 If you could be any character from any book who would you be and why?

I would like to be Paul Atreides from Dune. I like the way that despite a great setback he rises

to dominate and control his environment. I would also like to be able to exercise his special

gift – that of prescience. Paul can glimpse the many futures that lay ahead of him and he is

aware of how a single decision might change everything.

What is your favorite world from literature? If you could jump into the pages of any 

book, what book would it be? Why would you choose that world to explore?

Paul Adreides also belongs to my favourite science fiction world – Dune. It is a rich complex

universe that contains such groups as the Bene Gesserit who are really witches; they

manipulate the human bloodline and seek to shape the future. It has the Guild navigators who

have mutated into beings who can pilot huge Heighliners across the vast stellar distances that

separate the known inhabited worlds. It is a classic creation by a very imaginative writer.

There are lots of possibilities and wonders to discover. It would enjoy being a part of it.

Why do you write Children’s books? What inspired you to write to that demographic?

I struggled for years attempting to publish fantasy books for adults. My agent suggested that I

try writing for children and, at first, I resisted because it seemed to me that I was abandoning

a dream and accepting failure. But I wrote ‘The Spook’s Apprentice’ and very much enjoyed

writing it and the world that I had created. It didn’t seem that much different from what I had

been trying to write for adults. So now I like writing for children and young adults.  Many

older people read and enjoy the series particularly those who live in Lancashire, the county in

England where the stories are set. So I reached my adult audience after all!

 Tell us a little about your latest novel.  What makes your book different from other YA 

books in its genre?

I think my latest novel, ‘Arena 13’ is very different in most respects from other YA books in

its genre. It has been almost 25 years in development. It was a book I wrote for adults back in

1990 and the reason that my agent took me on in the first place. So it has not in any way been

influenced by what is out there in the genre now. Now I have adapted it for a younger

audience. It is partly about gladiatorial combat but it is not just humans who face each other

in the arena. Other entities play a significant part. There is violence, combat, a powerful

predatory being that terrorizes a city and a love story. Those are just some of the elements. I

have a contract for three books but I suspect there will be at least twice that number before

the story is concluded. It is published in the UK in June 2015 and should also appear in
France before the end of the year.

Other books by Joseph Delaney

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Day 9 of 31 books in 31 day- Jadie Jones book giveaway & Kindle

Welcome to the 9th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.



Today's author of the day is Jadie Jones, author of the moonlit series and our featured book of the day, Moonlit (Moonlit Trilogy Book 1). Moonlit is a fast paced story that will keep you wanting more.


Eighteen-year-old Tanzy Hightower knows horses, has grown up with

them  on Wildwood Farm. She also knows not to venture beyond the trees that line the pasture.

Things happen out there that can’t be explained. Or undone. Worse, no one but she and

the horses can see what lurks in the shadows of the woods.

When a moonlit ride turns into a terrifying chase, Tanzy is left to question everything,

from the freak accident that killed her father to the very blood in her veins. Broken and

confused, she turns to Lucas, a scarred, beautiful stranger, and to Vanessa, a charming

new friend who has everything Tanzy doesn’t.

But why do they seem to know more about her than she knows herself?


                                                  Interview with Jadie Jones
                                       

1)       I read in an interview that reading has always been a means of escape for you.  As a 

child, what book was your favorite? Why was that your favorite book adventure?

The Black Stallion by Walter Farley was my first book obsession. Main character Alec Ramsay’s

world changes twice: once when he and a wild horse survive a shipwreck, and then again when

he brings the horse home. Even though it was fiction, his story was proof to me that any second

of my life can take me somewhere completely unexpected.

 2)       Why do you write children’s books? What interests you about the genre?

The Moonlit trilogy is considered upper-end YA because of the darker aspects of some of the

things the characters experience, but I have found that younger people understand and process

darker topics with more empathy and objectivity than adults. This observation is something that

draws me to the genre, because we can challenge young minds to look at the world in a bigger

way, and often they exceed our expectations for what they’re capable of comprehending.



3)       How has reading touched and affected different aspects of your life? How has it 

affected your writing?

Books have always been company for me when I feel alone or like I don’t fit in my environment.

Writing has given me a similar place to go when I need to find a place where I am comfortable

being myself. I have strange taste in books, and I have found I’m not always a fan of the best-

selling, mainstream work because it doesn’t captivate me the way that a more off-beat, craft-

driven voice will. This makes my writing different because I have to hook myself before I can

hook a reader. Acknowledging this has been so liberating. I write what I write, how I write, and

that’s okay with me.



4)       If you could be one character from a Young adult Series who would you be? Why?

Ready for a throwback? I would be Trixie Beldon from the Trixie Beldon mystery series. She’s

brave, independent, impulsive, and strong. She confronts what she thinks isn’t right, she takes

care of those she cares about, and she lives next door to a horse farm. Sounds pretty perfect.



5)       What was the last book you read that really made you think or made an impact on 

your life? How did it affect you and why?

I recently read “Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher. His exploration of the impact seemingly

small moments can have on a person’s psyche floored me. As each reason is revealed, I sank into

the main character’s emotional state and fell head first into her despair. We can affect someone’s

sense of self-worth with just a few vicious words or a disrespectful touch. It is easy to tell a

teenager to ignore bullying or to tell an authority figure, but the wounds inside are hard to define,

harder to reach, and harder still to heal. “Thirteen Reasons Why” gave me permission to take my

gloves off when it comes to writing books about teen characters, and was a great example of how

to do it with integrity and authenticity.





6)       Tell us a little about your series. What makes Moonlit different from other YA 

books? 

About the series: Tanzy Hightower was the sole witness to her father’s accidental death three

years prior, the cause of which she still can’t explain. Through blood magic and a water witch,

she travels back in time to witness her first life in order to understand why her father’s death was

a thousand years in the making. As the series progresses, she realizes there are many other girls

just like her, and discovers their larger purpose.

I enjoy exploring the flaws and dark places in “good” characters, and the tender places in my

villains. In this series, no character is wholly good or wholly bad, and the deeper the journey

goes, the grayer the boundary becomes.



7)       If Moonlit was made into a movie, who would you want to play Tanzy? Why?

First, if Moonlit was ever made into a movie – even if a low budget indie flick – I would

completely freak out. There are so many visual elements I would love to see come to life through

film. I remember when I saw the Lord of the Rings and thought: it’s like they pulled pictures

directly out of my brain… how did they do that? I would love to see how someone else processes

my story. As far as casting, I have strong ideas for other cast members, but I haven’t seen Tanzy

yet, which I think is fitting. I think it would be awesome for the actress playing Tanzy to be a

relative unknown. As far as looks go, a young Mila Kunis is what I have in mind. Taylor Swift

would be a spot-on Vanessa, who is Tanzy’s wealthy, more-than-a-little-shady new friend.

Other Books by Jadie Jones

Rafflecopter giveaway

Day 7 of 31 books in 31 days- Book Giveaway by Lois Lowry and Kindle Giveaway

Welcome to the 7th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Like the author of the day on facebook
  b) Follow the author on Twitter
  c) Read any of the author's books
  d) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  e) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

Today's author of the day is the amazing Lois Lowry, Author of our featured book The Giver (Giver Quartet, Book 1). Additionally, Lois Lowry has 30 children's books to her credit. The giver alone has over 4000 5 star reviews. If you haven't already read this sensational work of fiction, read it today and enter the giveaway for an autographed copy of a different book by this sensational author.


Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pleasure and pain of life.Now it is time for Jonas to learn the truth. There is no turning back.

                                                      Lois Lowry Interview
                                             

Hello Lois,

Thanks for volunteering your time to answer some questions.

1) What do you love about reading? What is the last book you read?

I love that one can enter another world, become another person, through the reading of fiction. (I suppose it is true of non-fiction as well, come to think of it!) and can weigh your own decisions against decisions made by book characters... what would I do in these circumstances? and perhaps even mold your own behavior through reading.

The last book I read was "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins, a British mystery.

2) Why do you write children’s books? What interests you about the genre?

I have become aware that some young people are profoundly affected by what they read. They are changed by what they take away from books. that is less true of adults. To be someone who affects kids in that way is not something I take lightly. It's an enormous responsibility. 

3) I read your FAQ’s on your site and one of your favorite authors as a child was Lois Lenski, what about her books interested you? How do you think reading has impacted your writing over the years?

I was attracted to her books, oddly, because of her name, which was my name as well. And the book of hers I liked the best... Indian Captive... had a protagonist who was my age and who even (I could tell from the illustrations) LOOKED like me.

4) I know you wanted to write since you were a young child. Did any one book or event inspire you 

to be an author? If so, what was it and why?

The book that most inspired me when I was young (about 9) was the Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. The book that seemed the most real, and dealt with tough even heart-breaking issues.

5)  I have read other interviews and biographies about you online. You have experienced quite a
few trials in your life. What were the ones that impacted your writing the most and how?

The loss of people I loved... a sister, and later a son... probably had more impact on me than anything else, making me aware of the impermanence of things, and the importance of our relationships.

6) Which one of your books is your favorite? Why?

"Autumn Street"... because it is about real people. People I loved, most of whom are now gone.

7) If you could be any fictional character from a book that you have written who would it be? Why
does that character resonate with you?

I actually WAS the character Meg in "A Summer to Die" and Elizabeth in "Autumn Street." These were both autobiographical novels.

8) Is there any book by another author that you wish you had written? If so, why does this book standout for you?

No. There are many books and authors whom I admire but I would not presume to wish to have written their books.

9) You mention that it is hard to make a living as a writer, but is it worth it?
Thank you so much for participating.

For me it is worth it, to be able to do what I love, to have the solitude and independence I treasure.



.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway