Category: Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition)

Month9Books Friday Reveal | “Joshua and the Lightning Road” by Donna Galanti #YALit

Posted Saturday, 16 May, 2015 by jorielov Donna Galanti, Joshua and the Lightning Road, Joshua and the Lightning Road series, Month9Books 0 Comments

Last Autumn, I had the happenstance to stumble across an Indie Pub of Children’s Lit focused on #MGLit and #YALit respectively, as well as an emerging new market for Romances set within YA and NA categories of interest (i.e. Swoon Romance). It was always my intention to participate more often in their Friday Reveals inasmuch as their blog tours, however, it is the latter I’ve been able to maintain with a bit more frequency than the Reveals!

Unfortunately for me, the hours dart off too quickly for the half dozen reveals I wanted to participate on, as the others I take a pass if the story itself isn’t one that I would read. I like to feature emerging new authors and the stories that re-invent genres and/or take established areas of literature to new heights of where fiction can enchant as much as educate the reader whose imagination is hungry for thought-provoking stories.

As it were, a lightning storm caused a few tech issues today, and this post is coming a bit later than planned – but as it was in-progress I decided late is better than never! I’m on the blog tour for this novel, and smiled when I saw the materials come in yesterday for today’s *big!* Reveal. Now, without further adieu, let’s get the bookish delights of joy hoppin’! Whilst acknowledging the ‘irony’ of how lightning played a role in my post being published!

Published By: Month9Books (@Month9Books)

on 5th of May, 2015

Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook | Public Library | Add to Riffle

Converse on Twitter via:

#JoshuaAndTheLightningRoad,#MGLit or #JuvenileFiction

#M9BFridayReveals, & #Month9Books

Posted Saturday, 16 May, 2015 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book Cover | Notation on Design, Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition), Book Trailer, Bookish Films, Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours, Coming-Of Age, Fantasy Fiction, Folklore and Mythology, Good vs. Evil, Illustrations for Stories, Indie Author, Indie Book Trade, Month9Books, Science Fantasy, Stories on the Rise

Stories in the Spotlight | The “Imago Chronicle series” by Lorna Suzuki #Histfic translated into a world of #EpicFantasy (by #CanLit author!)

Posted Wednesday, 4 February, 2015 by jorielov Imago Chronicles, Imago: A Warrior's Tale, Lorna Suzuki, Self Published 0 Comments

An unexpected encounter after #IndieChat with an Indie Novelist whose book series has been pitched and accepted into motion picture adaptation, led me on a bit of an unexpected foray into a series that is both challenging (as it is outside my comfort levels on one score) as it is empowering (as it is told from the point of view of a female warrior); thus I stumbled into the world of “Imago” by Lorna Suzuki.

Acquired Samplers By:

Chapter Samplers for her Imago Novels provided for free download by the author, Lorna Suzuki via her Smashwords Author’s Page. The samplers are complimentary of the author, Ms. Suzuki to encourage readers to become familiar with her writing style, character, and the breadth of where her fantasy novels will lead a reader to journey ahead of purchase. I was not obligated to post a review nor share my opinions of the chapter samplers I downloaded; as I elected to do this for my own edification. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Why my curiosity was piqued:

When I noted the series was referred to as being similar in style and voice as “Lord of the Rings” I knew it was quite the epic story; a High Fantasy with a compelling arc of narrative and driven by character. Character driven stories are my absolute delight to read, however, being that the lead protagonist is a warrior I was quite prepared to encounter a woman with an arduous past rife with potentially intense trauma and recovery; psychologically speaking, I knew most characters writ inside stories of this nature have an uphill climb to recover from what they were afflicted by in their lives.

Mind you the mash-up of saying this was a LOTR + 300 equates out to The Last Samurai; half of me wondered what honestly appealed to me personally as I would run in the complete opposite direction of the 300 film series even if I happily watched the first three Lord of the Rings per release month! (including a *midnight!* release!) There were sequences within the Trilogy (LOTR) films that were a bit mind-numbing (i.e. the battle scenes, for starters) but it was the overall journey of the characters that left me speechless and hungry for each new installment. My heart shattered at the conclusion, as despite knowing where Frodo and Gandalf would end their journey, it still uncorked my emotional heart’s ability to spilt out tears as the credits rolled.

No, what I think drew me to becoming curious about this series was the author’s approach to inspire a reader’s attention, which quite ironically has left her in a sea of controversial feedback! ?? I seriously do not understand the reading public at times. I am a firm believer in ‘more information upfront’ when it comes to stories and the contents of novels. A quick blurb or a shorter showcase (a traditional book review) isn’t going to sway me one way or another because the bones of the story are left to your imagination; that’s a dicey slope! How do you know if you are going to soak inside the story and/or appreciate the tone of the writer’s voice? What if the undertone is underlit too dark? What if there isn’t enough light to hold you into their vision?

I often lament IRL (and as the occasion arises virtually) the reason I was drawn to being a book blogger is because I wanted to blog my heart out about the stories that soak inside my imagination. I want to write down the bones and flesh out the pulse of what inspired me to ‘stay within’ the writer’s world. To cultivate an open conversation about what moved me, what staid with me, but most of all, how I was left impressed by the characters, the arc of the character’s journey, and what was left within me once the story was put down. (or you could read what I said on my Introduction Post!)

If something takes me ‘out of the story’ or if the pace and/or flow of the narrative itself is disrupted by an oppressively heavy amount of vulgarity (read my Review Policy) or there are choices where the level of (graphic) violence sickens me to my stomach rather than curates a plausible reason for inclusion (clarified: violence in moderation for sake of action/trauma/plot point/back-story etc; not explicit for explicitness sake!); then I will equally be as open about these ruminations as I am gushing about why the story left me with pieces of it’s essence firmly etched into my memory.

Like most readers, I have my own barometer — I have stumbled across stories that on the surface contradict what I wrote inside my Review Policy; as there are ‘exceptions’ to this rule of mine, as most will find they have their own exceptions to the general advisory of which stories they will accept whilst reading and which stories they cannot read, irregardless of the story’s best intentions to capture your interest. I attempt to keep an open-mind on which stories alight on my path, either due to the ‘timing’ of their discovery and/or the storyline itself; there are numerous inter-connections between one story to the next, to see the path of our reading lives intersecting with our path at a moment where a story was meant to be read or put down for another time. It is a mindfulness to become aware of stories giving us this tangible connection to the world’s creative conscience inasmuch as the art of the craft behind how the stories are written and revealed to us. Read More

Posted Wednesday, 4 February, 2015 by jorielov in Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition), Bookish Discussions, Bookish Films, Canadian Literature, Cliffhanger Ending, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Domestic Violence, Elves & the Elven, Equality In Literature, Fantasy Fiction, Flashbacks & Recollective Memories, Folklore and Mythology, Heroic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Inspiring Video Related to Content, Light vs Dark, Lyrical Quotations, Martial Art History, Methodology of Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy, Multi-cultural Characters and/or Honest Representations of Ethnicity, Psychological Abuse, Realistic Fiction, Sampler Chapters &/or Excerpt of Novel, Self-Published Author, Sudden Absence of Parent, Supernatural Creatures & Beings, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense, The Deep South, Trauma | Abuse & Recovery, Writing Style & Voice

Blog Book Tour | “Anni Moon & the Elemental Artifact” by Melanie Abed an exciting #newbook for #MGLit readers who love Fantasy!

Posted Thursday, 8 January, 2015 by jorielov Anni Moon & the Elemental Artifacts, Melanie Abed, Oculus Print 11 Comments

Why I love to host Book Spotlights for Children’s Lit:

Finding stories within the realm of Middle Grade is quite a happy exploration for me, as I have been happily entrenched in my local library’s catalogue for six years come May 2015! A seriously addictive hobby of mine has been to seek out wicked quality stories crafted for young minds whose innocent imaginations are thirsty for believable worlds, compelling characters, and heart-warming tales which seek to teach as much as they are to inspire! I grew up with a happy heart for learning and for expanding my knowledge as I read each new story that whet my palette of interest to soak inside, however, the offerings during the 1980s and the 1990s were a bit on the paltry side compared to the 2000s!

There has been such an explosion of options within Children’s Literature, that in part, I was inspired to create a special page dedicated to reading and wandering through this ocean of choices here on Jorie Loves A Story! Originally inspired to pick up from whence I had left off in order to root out a story or two my own nephew and nieces would appreciate reading, I would in turn discover a new niche of stories that suited my curiosities and enriched my reading joy by the manner in which the authors were penning entire worlds out of everyday lessons, life affirming restitutions, and a deeper love of giving back a measure of awe-inspiring narratives that could give a child (or an adult!) a widening breadth of literary delight!

Imagine then, my on-going quest to not only seek out stories inside general fiction releases but those of science fiction and fantasy as well! In fact, most of the stories I had selected to read for [2014] Sci Fi November were between Middle Grade and Young Adult — a fact, I had not even realised until I complied the final draft for the schedule! Anni Moon was an instant curiosity simply based on the premise — a world in which magic and the artful realm of fantasy merging together to give an intrepid reader (of any age) an adventure they would not soon forget!

By the time I realised a print edition was not available for this blog tour, I had nearly missed my chance to participate as the author was unavailable for an interview! I quickly came up with the secondary option of hosting an excerpt with a spotlight post to draw my readers & visitors alike to seeing a new release they might have either overlooked or not have stumbled across in their bookish travels! This reminds me of why I was so very excited about Portals, Passages, & Pathways and the upcoming new release of Calvin Sparks and the Crossing to Cambria (of which I will be featuring on the 11th of January); proving the point I am attracted to fantasy realms set in step for younger readers! And, who could forget my dedicated passion on behalf of the Leland Dragons? Surely not anyone who follows me in the twitterverse and who has seen my joyfully bookish tweets using the tag I created! (#LelandDragons)

Late in the afternoon on Wednesday, the 7th of January 2015, I suddenly realised my tour stop on the 8th was on fast approach and I hadn’t knitted together the press materials nor sorted out the excerpt which would run with my featured spotlight! Lo and behold, the publicist came through for me and I was able to receive the materials in the nick of time, however, what gave me a happy smile truly is realising I could ‘catch a preview’ of a book I dearly want to read in print! My ruminations on the chapters and pages I was able to read digitally follow shortly, as I am starting to accept limited electronic copies of stories (technically novella or short stories 20 pages or under; see my Review Policy) except to say, this particular sampler was 50 pages in length! I daresay, not even on a good day could I read so much on a digital screen!

I knew I couldn’t read even the first 20 pages in such a short time between Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon, but the pages I could consume I wanted to give my honest reflections! Making this my first spotlight post wherein I give a miniature glimpse into how my reactions start to generate as I read a story currently available in ebook editions, and hopefully soon in print books!

Acquired Book By: Although I was selected to participate on the blog tour for “Anni Moon & the Elemental Artifact” there wasn’t a print copy of the novel available for me to receive for review purposes. Therefore, I originally elected to host a Book Spotlight for the blog tour whilst including a book excerpt or a few quotations from the novel itself. I learnt I could receive a complimentary chapter sampler (1-6) e-book PDF copy of “Anni Moon & the Elemental Artifact” direct from the author Melanie Abed by requesting it off the author’s website by email. I was not obligated to post a review by doing so and I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Anni Moon & the Elemental Artifact (Book Spotlight w/ Extract)
by Melanie Abed
Illustrator/Cover Designer: Hisham Abed
Source: Direct from Author

Anni doesn’t know about Elementals, Funk, Zephyrs, excited talking Bat-Rat creatures, and, least of all, Dragons. All that changes when her best friend, Lexi, is kidnapped and forces beyond Anni’s control trap her on a hidden, floating island in the Elemental world.

In a race against time, Anni sets out to save her friend. Along the way she finds allies among the Elementals, but she is also presented with a choice, one that might help save Lexi. If Anni agrees to an ancient, open-ended contract, will her sacrifice cost her more than she’s bargained for? Or will it land her in the middle of an age-old war between the humans, the Elementals, and the dreaded Fectus?

{ If this sounds wicked intriguing, visit the Author's Site in order to download the first six chapters of the novel by email! What a special treat! }

Genres: Children's Literature, Fantasy Fiction, Middle Grade

Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

Series: Anni Moon, ,

Published by Oculus Print

on 7th October, 2014

Format: eBook

Pages: 17

[ Visit Ms. Abed’s site to find hidden pages of delight! ]

{ the characters of Anni Moon }

{ the Map of Moon Zephyr }

{ the Glossary Index of Terms found in the Stories }

About Melanie Abed

In kindergarten my life’s goal was to become a teacher who wore only pink and ate French fries all day long. Now that I’ve matured, my goal in life is to become a Miss Marple-Sherlockian-Jedi Knight—I’m totally serious, it’s a real thing.

I love stories, and I’ve had the privilege of working in Hollywood for over a decade in many different capacities, working with celebrities, directors (I’m married to one, plus he’s my illustrator), and a few executives (the head-honcho types that I can’t talk about because I signed confidentiality waivers). I’m not sure any of these people would have hired me if they knew I had a closet full of mint condition Star Wars toys…

However, the life of a freelancer is not for the faint of heart. I’ve kept myself busy with my extracurricular activities, from skydiving to scuba diving, a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a degree in Fine Art, an M.A. in Psychology (with a focus in Neuroscience), and a few other things that I like to keep top secret. …Some people think I’m a spy, but I’ll never tell!

Posted Thursday, 8 January, 2015 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition), Childhood Friendship, Children's Literature, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Fantasy Fiction, JKS Communications: Literary Publicity Firm, Juvenile Fiction, Middle Grade Novel, Orphans & Guardians, Sampler Chapters &/or Excerpt of Novel, Supernatural Fiction

+Author Q&A+ conversing with S.B. Alexander on behalf of her #NewAdult release “Dare to Kiss”; a story of redemption out of adverse tragedy through baseball

Posted Friday, 3 October, 2014 by jorielov Dare to Kiss, Maxwell series, S.B. Alexander, Self Published 0 Comments

Today, I am welcoming to Jorie Loves A Story a New Adult novelist S.B. Alexander as I started to realise that the best way to understand the changing market of Young Adult & New Adult novels is to seek out writers who are penning the stories and thereby finding a way to understand how the market is continuing to yield to the demand for stories that relate to today’s youth and emerging adults during the University years as much as provide a positive contribution to the craft of stories for growing minds. What interested me the most about S.B. Alexander’s Dare to Kiss novel is how diversely unique her lead character Lacey Robinson is inside the story itself.

Alexander tackles the brutality of domestic violence and murder of loved ones whilst honouring the anguish of surviving through the loss by giving her character an upward climb back into her reality. PTSD is a living issue affecting so many people right now, that I was surprised that it is not spoken about more in today’s fiction, as it is not only limited to returning servicemen and women anymore. Extreme trauma and stress can affect anyone who is attempting to resolve what is unthinkable and unfathomable to accept. I appreciated seeing the bold choice in Lacey’s mental health affliction as much as the courage to show through the strength of a sport she was passionately a part of she could grow a bit of distance from what shattered her life, and fuse a period of re-building and grace out of sorrow.

I originally had planned to read this novel for review for the blog tour, however, a print edition was not available which is why I opted instead to host a Book Spotlight & Author Q&A. I regularly speak about how I applaud the continuance of Equality in Literature & Diversity in Literature and I believe the more realistic stories can formulate a bridge towards understanding, empathy, and acceptance of what people are facing in today’s world, the better chance we all have towards a healthier community of people who not only respect each other but can offer a kindness that might otherwise have gone unseen. We’re all a part of the living mecca of life on Earth, but there are times where I think sometimes our differences can overstep our ability to see how our similarities will always knit us close together and allow us to enjoy each others company.

Without further adieu, here are the Questions I elected to ask of S.B. Alexander on behalf of her writing style and voice as well as the story inside Daring to Kiss:

I love how your writing novels in different genres and not keeping yourself strictly inside the Paranormal & Fantasy genres but exploring another avenue such as New Adult. I have noticed that authors of New Adult are classifying their novels in this genre on two distinctive branches of the fold: either with explicit language included and stories without explicit language. As I am a reader who prefers less brass language, how do you approach the genre for those readers who enjoy reading Young Adult but do not want to read the coarse words often found in today’s modern Adult fiction? Do you temper how much you include?

Alexander responds: In the Young Adult genre I do temper the strong language. I limit it as much as I can unless a scene calls for an out of character moment or it reflects a character’s personality.

At the heart of the story is a girl who is attempting to understand and live with her PTSD after having lost part of her family from homicide – what was the kernel of inspiration to breathe life into a character whose anguish of loss gave her such a difficult path to sort through as she walked forward from the tragic death of her Mum and sister?

Alexander responds: I had a hard road growing up, and went through something similar to the protagonist. When I was five-years-old, my dad had picked me up for the weekend, and we were going to spend it at his best friends house. I was so excited to see his best friend that I tore out of the car and ran into the house. When I did I found the man, who my dad loved dearly, dead in such a way that I had nightmares for the longest time.

By focusing on a sport she has a passion for such as baseball, I could almost see how she could put the pieces of her life back together by fusing her focus with something altogether outside the deep layers of her grief. What connected Lacey to the game originally and do you share a similar passion for baseball as well?

Alexander responds: Lacey’s older brother played baseball, and he taught her everything about the game, from the positions to the pitches. They’d sit for hours, watching the Dodgers, talking about how to throw a curveball, a fastball and a slider. After so much talking and learning the game, she wanted to try her hand at pitching. Once she slipped her fingers into the glove and threw her first fastball, she was hooked.

Like Lacey, baseball has always been a sport I’ve loved. For me, as a little girl my nighttime prayers consisted of two things. I prayed for a better life, and I prayed that when I woke up in the morning I’d be a boy and not a girl. Sure, it was a crazy prayer or wish, but I hated when the boys in my neighborhood told me I couldn’t play baseball or any sport for that matter. “Go play with your dolls,” they had said. I didn’t want to play with dolls or dress up pretty. Nope, I wanted holey jeans, a T-shirt, a bat, a glove and a baseball. I wanted to get dirty, run around bases, hit a ball, and play the game. After all these years I’m still hooked on the game. My favorite team is the Boston Red Sox.

What kind of research did you conduct for this novel as it is a step outside your regular releases?

Alexander responds: As far as baseball, I know the game so well. Even though I’ve never had the luxury of playing baseball, I follow the sport religiously. So the sport aspect for me was easy. However, I did do a lot of research on PTSD.

What was the impetus which gravitated you into writing? And, when did this occur? Who was your best cheerleader?

Alexander responds: I’ve written in a diary since I can remember. I’ve always found writing cathartic, a way to release my emotions. Still, I’ve always had the story idea of a girl playing baseball in a male dominated sport. I tried several times to weave the idea together, but after a few attempts I shelved the story due to the career path I followed. It wasn’t until two years ago when I decided to get really serious about writing. An employee whom I managed at the time, his wife was striving to be a writer. Her and I used to talk about stories and writing. From those conversations, she motivated me to stop talking about writing a book and just do it. So I put all my effort into the learning the craft. I took online classes, and found an editor who loved my writing. She was my cheerleader as I began my writing journey, and still is.

What are your favorite tools to use whilst writing? And, where do you write to gain the most inspiration?

Alexander responds: I love to begin my outline and my first chapter the old fashion way—a notebook and a good pen. I’ll work this way until I have the plot somewhat worked out. Then I switch to my Mac. I don’t use any of the special software for writing. I use Microsoft Word for all my stories. I also keep a binder with character descriptions, themes and any research I do along with a summary for each chapter.

Most of my ideas stem from getting out of my office and not thinking about the plot or the characters. I find whether I’m in my car or on a plane an idea will come to me, especially if I’ve been struggling to figure out the next scene. I also find that sitting in front of the TV with my laptop works wonders for my inspiration.

As you have mentioned previously you write the story first and settle where the story fits on the shelf later, are there any stories you have yet to explore that are outside Young Adult & New Adult audiences?

Alexander responds: I do have a mystery lurking in the depths of my subconscious.

Posted Friday, 3 October, 2014 by jorielov in #MHAMJune (Mental Health Awareness Month), 21st Century, Baseball, Based on an Actual Event &/or Court Case, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition), Compassion & Acceptance of Differences, Contemporary Romance, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Disabilities & Medical Afflictions, Domestic Violence, Equality In Literature, Indie Author, JKS Communications: Literary Publicity Firm, Life Shift, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Modern Day, New Adult Fiction, PTSD, Reader Submitted Q&A, Realistic Fiction, Sports

Book Spotlight: “Island of a Thousand Springs” by Sarah Lark by German publisher Bastei Lübbe!

Posted Thursday, 25 September, 2014 by jorielov Bastei Lübbe, Caribbean Saga, Island of a Thousand Springs, Sarah Lark, The Cry of the Land, The Sound of the Conch, The Time of the Fire Flowers 2 Comments

I am highlighting a second novel I would like to read in the future which is being released by a new-to-me German publisher, Bastel Lübbe! I came across this lovely publisher through one of the tour companies I work with regularly (JKS Communications), and ever since I marked myself down to host for this blog tour, I’ve been wholly consumed by the publisher’s listing of historical fiction novels found over here on their Foreign Rights Page. I’ve even resorted to ‘stalking’ Barnes & Noble’s website in the pure wish of finding either this novel or the one I previously highlighted A Flower for the Queen! I found two delightfully intriguing novels which whet a thirst of interest to read, yet it is quite unfortunate the only copies available to read on the tour were digital / ebooks. I am therefore in hopeful anticipation for a print book to be released and one day I’ll be able to drink in the narrative of each write of whom has enchanted me! As I had for my previous spotlight, I went on a happy adventure online seeking all the lovely materials I’m sharing today with you, dear hearts!

Book Synopsis for “Island of a Thousand Springs”

London, 1732. Nora Reed, the beautiful daughter of a merchant, falls passionately in love with her father’s clerk Simon. Despite their very different circumstances, the two dream of a future together on a Caribbean island – until tragedy strikes, and Nora is left grieving for her first love. Determined to fulfil her promise to Simon to reach the Caribbean, she enters into a marriage of convenience with Elias Fortnam, the widowed owner of Cascarilla Gardens, a sugarcane farm in Jamaica.

But life in the Caribbean isn’t what Nora expected. Though the island is as beautiful as she hoped, she is shocked by the behaviour of the plantation owners, including that of her husband, and their abuse of the slaves in particular appals her. Whilst unable to improve their lives as she wishes, she sets out to make some changes on the farm, inciting the rage of her husband, but earning the respect of the slaves on the plantation.

The arrival of Elias’s handsome son Doug changes Nora’s life, as the two begin to fall in love. However, one of the slaves on the plantation and Doug’s former childhood friend Akwasi has also fallen in love with Nora, and is infuriated by their relationship. Just as Nora feels that she is settling into her new life, it is torn away from her, leaving her enslaved, frightened and hopeless…

Author Biography:

Sarah Lark is an international bestselling author, famed for her captivating historical sagas, and with sales of 2.7 million in Germany alone. Three of her books, In The Land of the Long White Cloud, Song of the Spirits and Call of the Kiwi have already been published in the UK. A gripping tale of love and hate, courage and redemption, trust and betrayal, Island of a Thousand Springs is the first book in the Caribbean saga.

Title in Spanish: La isla de las mil fuentes

Written by the Author: Sarah Lark

Previously I highlighted an author team from France, today is is my pleasure to highlight a German author who lives in Spain, Ms. Lark who not only appreciates writing novels but is a horsewoman as well! I was overjoyed seeing all the lovely pictures of her and her horses on her website, which is in Spanish, but you can gather a sense of who she is through the content and the photographs! I am finding it extraordinarily fascinating to find new authors to read who are from two different countries (France & Germany) and are published by a German publisher! It is an incredible gift being a curious reader and always remaining open to where stories originate and to seek out stories from somewhere incredibly unique from our own literary wanderings within our own countries. I love the ability to expand my knowledge of the craft of stories as much as the expanse of where stories can take us if we read novels by those who live in a different place than we do ourselves. I think this is in part why I love reading my ChocLit novels, as they are written by writers who are not living in the United States, and therefore, are stitching a new and unique perspective of a story into their novels, of which I am always grateful to read. I like finding our similarities and our differences as I read, and I love seeing the excitement for sharing the creative joy of story which bubbled up inside the heart who wrote it. I simply love the art of discovering stories and knowing that reading has no limits nor any boundary if we are embracing the joy of where stories alight and take flight!

Author Connections:

Sarah Lark: Site| @SarahLarkWriter | Facebook

{ Island of a Thousand Springs is on Riffle }

{ these are not referral links but merely to help my readers find the author’s works }

Books Available on Barnes & Noble

Audiobooks via iTunes

{ As previously mentioned, I have been sorting out how to read the titles I am finding by this publisher, and when I realised that some of the novels are becoming audiobooks and some are being released into print book editions, I was beyond overjoyed! One day after I understand the German language better I will even understand more than the emotions coming through the audiobook excerpts I am sharing today! I’d love to listen to the audiobooks in both English & German one day! If I ever find these have gone into PRINT I will be one very happy book blogger & reader as my adventure towards reading books by this publisher will be closer to being fulfilled! }

Publisher: Bastei Entertainment, an imprint of: Bastei Lübbe (@bastei_luebbe)

YouTube & Facebook

Genres: Historical Fiction | Adventure | Romance

What drew my eye into wanting to read the offerings of the German Publisher:

Being that I am always *excited!* to discover something new in the literary realms, I wasn’t just keen on reading “A Flower for the Queen” or “Island of a Thousand Springs” but other titles like this one: The Song of the Waterfall *of course its a trilogy, so it would have to be read in order! I was as giddy as a child let loose in a candy shoppe – all the lovely choices of wicked historical stories with heart, depth, and world-building narratives that felt as real as the any lived experience you could hope to alight on your journey! I loved the diversity of choices, the engaging premise per story which gave me an feather of an inkling of what was inside them, and the surge of excitement for finding a new publisher who was contributing the wicked sweet quality of story I find so exhilarating to read! Ironically or not, a lot of their titles were originally published in English, yet scour the internet as much as I do, I’ve yet to find a ‘book shoppe’ on this continent or another who has any copy of these novels in English! Outside of the few I’ve found on the forementioned Barnes & Noble website! I even tried to find them at Powells (my favourite Indie online)!

Here is my initial reaction in a nutshell: I am encouraged finding out about this publisher! Wow. How did we not know about them sooner in the States? Books from England are imported all the time, it is like a hidden well of literature! :) Do you know which online bookshoppes will carry the titles in print? Powells or Barnes & Noble perhaps? I wonder if my library could order them in print!? Apparently in Germany my favourite category is “Landscape Novel” which I think is their equivalency of our ‘epic saga’ or ‘historical fiction’!?

I have always appreciated a nice long novel, into which I can disappear and alight inside the shoes of the main character whilst living as they do on the page. I love being able to take a journey through the world in which an author can give their readers, as much as I appreciate the breadth of a well-conceived and well-written world. When I saw this particular novel, what I liked the most about it initially is that it is a saga of one woman’s choices as life evolved for her during ordinary hours. She has to make choices that are not emotionally easy to accept, but she keeps moving forward and living the life that arrives for her to walk. I love gathering the sense that this is only the first step towards understanding where her journey is going to take her and where we are going to go as readers. The beauty of writers who write a lot of depth into their novels is having their readers feel as though they completed the journey the writer first took with their pen! I am thankful I could spotlight a new author I have found and I hope my spotlight will encourage new readers to find her stories as well! Especially if they are able to read ebooks or audiobooks — and if you do decide to read a Sarah Lark novel, kindly drop back and let me know your impressions!

My own journey towards securing the two novels I’ve highlighted still continues! Until then, I hope I have inspired another reader to seek out their mirth of narrative and the joyous discovery of finding ‘new’ historical fiction authors emerging out from a publisher we might never have known about previously!

Audiobook Excerpts by Bastei Lubbe (in German)

Inspired to Share: I was hoping to have more to share about Island of a Thousand Springs, however, I wanted to share the two audiobook excerpts I found on YouTube, as despite the language barrier, you can gather through the voice of the narrator how powerful of a drama these two stories by Sarah Lark truly are, as emotions and feelings are always transparent by voice. I happily listened to both of them as I wrote this blog post! I was overjoyed having learnt the publisher is releasing the works into audiobook formats via iTunes, as I am quite picky about where I purchase audiobooks, and have updated my Review Policy to reflect this new place to find them! The interesting bit is that as I listened to these two excerpts, I started to gather a sense about the stories even without understanding the words as well as someone who is fluent in German. I believe it is because I always wanted to learn the language and therefore, it was a welcome experience to listen to the excerpts! Cheers, to Bastei Lübbe!

Sarah Lark : Die Zeit der Feuerblüte via LuebbeAudio

{ Title in English: The Time of the Fire Flowers }

{ the novel on Riffle }

Sarah Lark : Der Klang des Muschelhorns via LuebbeAudio

{ Title in English: The Sound of the Conch }

{ the novel on Riffle }

‘El grito de la tierra’ de Sarah Lark via edicionesbeditorial

{ Title in English: The Cry of the Land }

{ the novel on Riffle }

Inspired to Share: Imagine my excitement in finding there was a book trailer for one of Ms. Lark’s novels! I love the artistry and the music put into this trailer, as

This blog tour stop is courtesy of:

JKS Communications: A Literary Publicity Firm

Discover what I am hosting next by visiting:

Reader Interactive Question:

Have you ever stumbled across an author OR publisher whose first language is not your native one and therefore it provides a bit of a language barrier? I remember when I first signed up for this blog tour, I contacted the author & the publisher via Twitter. I had not realised at the time the authors spoke primarily in French, German, or Spanish, and of course, I knew the publisher was German, yet I had hoped one or both of them might know a bit of English and/or have a translator to help them with English-speaking readers contacting them. I never before felt my desire to become fluent in German was ever more important than facing an incompatible way of communicating with a publisher of whose titles I most want to read!

Secondly, if I were to learn to ‘read’ in French & German, I could simply order copies of their books in either language and *celebrate!* What blessed joy the day shall be if I reach that point of understanding! Is there a language you read regularly other than the native language you grew up using the most!?

{SOURCES: Cover art of “Island of a Thousand Springs” and the tour badge were all provided by JKS Communications and used with permission. Author Biography & the expanded Book Synopsis provided by Ed Public Relations in the UK and used with permission. Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Bookish Events badge created by Jorie in Canva. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. The videos by Lübbe Audio had either URL share links or coding which made it possible to embed this media portal to this post, and I thank them for this opportunity to share such an imaginative exploration with you.}

Posted Thursday, 25 September, 2014 by jorielov in Audiobook, Audiobook Excerpt, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition), Book Trailer, Bookish Films, Debut in United States, Historical Fiction, JKS Communications: Literary Publicity Firm