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

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

Posted Thursday, 25 September, 2014 by jorielov , , , , , , 2 Comments

Book Spotlight

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”

Island of a Thousand Springs by Sarah LarkLondon, 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! }

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

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

YouTube & Facebook

 Genres: Historical Fiction | Adventure | Romance

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

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!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

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 }

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

‘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

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com
This blog tour stop is courtesy of:
JKS Communications: A Literary Publicity Firm

Bastei - Publisher Blog Tour via JKS Communications

Discover what I am hosting next by visiting:

Bookish Events badge created by Jorie in Canva

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.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

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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

Book Spotlight: “A Flower for the Queen” by Caroline Vermalle by German publisher Bastei Lübbe!

Posted Thursday, 4 September, 2014 by jorielov , , 0 Comments

Book Spotlight

I am highlighting a 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 am going to be highlighting next a bit lateron in September! 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 which has enchanted me!

Book Synopsis:

Flowers for the Queen by Caroline Vermalle & Ryan von RubenOriginally written in English, this adventure story is about the venturesome life of a planthunter set in the South African tropical forests. It combines the thrilling hunt for a precious flower with unique characters, a cunning intrigue and a heart-rending love story.

Read an Excerpt of the Novel:

“If I write one more obituary, I swear it will be the death of me,” said Jack Grant, the corners of his young, purple-lipped mouth turned downwards in a petulant frown.

The travelling coach and its team of horses rumbled and snorted in reply to the coachman’s whip, ripping a tear through the bleached silence of a November morning on the road from Montréal to Pointe-Claire.

The coachman, sunk down in his greatcoat, watched the road for potholes and signs of ice whilst his two passengers buried themselves in their blankets and mufflers, the interior of the coach offering scant protection from the Canadian winter outside.

Jack gazed across at his father, trying to measure his mood and wondering just how far he could press his point.

Title in German: Eine Blume Für Die Königin

Written by the Author Team: Caroline Vermalle & Ryan von Ruben

Caroline Vermalle & Ryan von Ruben

{ an expanded synopsis is on Riffle }

Author Connections:

Caroline Vermalle: Site | Blog (in French)| @cvermalle | Facebook | YouTube

{ I highly encourage you to visit her YouTube page! I love watching her videos even though there are posted without English sub-titles and I’m at a loss to know what she is speaking about directly, but she has such a vibrant energy about her; she’s filled with the light of a creative who is happy in their art and represents their joy of what they create by the pulse of energy and passion in their voice! Brilliant! }

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

YouTube & Facebook

 Genres: Historical Fiction | Adventure | Romance

An interview with the authors @ Novelicious (@novelicious)

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

What drew my eye into this particular novel and 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” 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 was thrilled to peach pie I could offer a small ‘excerpt’ of A Flower for the Queen, as I have dreamt of what I’d find inside the pages of the novel for months now! Within this small section of the novel itself, I found myself wanting so much more of where the story is heading and where this excerpt aligns — is this the opening chapter or towards the middle!? And, ooh what delightful fancy – it is set in Canada! I have been wanting to seek out novels set in Canada for a long while now, and this one happily has found my interest!

The Book Cover Art: has such a measure of eloquence and artistry attached to it that I cannot help but gather the sense the heart of the story inside its covers not only matches the artwork but the artwork is a symbol of what a reader can find inside the novel itself! An unexpected grace and expedition of literary delight not always found in the historical fiction genre! 

My journey towards securing this novel I’m highlighting today, and the one lateron this month 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!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Video about Bastei Lubbe as a Publisher (in English)
Bastei Lübbe – Wir stellen uns vor by Bastei Lübbe

Inspired to Share: I am always most happy to find a curious & cheeky video uploaded on YouTube by book shoppes (such as the one I shared previously for an Indie in Canada), as much as I’m rather keen to find a publisher creatively using visual media to explain their mission and their publishing interests such as the one Bastei Lübbe has produced here! The vibe in the video is set to the bookishly happy and the quirky bits add a bounce to the publisher’s intent. I might be a traditionalist as far as reading print books in lieu of jumping on the bandwagon for digital, but even I have to give them merit for creating such a gem of a film that introduces English speakers to their publishing house! Cheers, to Bastei Lübbe!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com
This blog tour stop is courtesy of:
JKS Communications: A Literary Publicity Firm

Bastei - Publisher Blog Tour via JKS Communications

Discover what I am hosting next by visiting:

Bookish Events badge created by Jorie in Canva

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 author spoke primarily in French, 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!

Alas, for French, I might one day learn to interpret the words audibly but to speak French? *le sigh* A feat my dyslexia shall not allow to be! I have an easier time understanding German and learning how to pronounce the words than I do French. French blessedly is a Romantic language and thus, a bit out of reach for me to learn! 

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 “A Flower for the Queen”, author photographs, book synopsis, book excerpt, and the tour badge were all provided by JKS Communications 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. This video by Bastei Lübbe 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.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

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Posted Thursday, 4 September, 2014 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Cover | Notation on Design, Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition), Bookish Films, Canada, Debut in United States, Historical Fiction, Inspiring Video Related to Content, JKS Communications: Literary Publicity Firm

+Book Cover Reveal+ A Book Spotlight on #NewAdult Contemporary Romance Release: “Asher’s Mark” by Amy Durham

Posted Tuesday, 15 July, 2014 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Parajunkee Designs

}: Book Spotlight: New Adult Contemporary :{

Asher’s Mark by Amy Durham
Published BySelf-Published by Author, TBA August 2014
Official Author WebsitesSite@Amy_Durham | Facebook | GoodReads
Converse on Twitter: #AshersMark or #AmyDurham

Available Formats: E-Book, Paperback
Page Count: approx. 300 Read More

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Posted Tuesday, 15 July, 2014 by jorielov in 21st Century, Author Found me On Twitter, Blog Tour Host, Book Cover | Original Illustration & Design, Book Cover Reveal, Book Spotlight, Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition), Bookish Discussions, Contemporary Romance, Indie Author, Indie Book Trade, Life Shift, Modern Day, New Adult Fiction, Self-Published Author, Tattoo Art & Design, The Writers Life, Young Adult Fiction

#ChocLitSaturdays Author Guest Post featuring Liz Harris on how Wyoming stole her romantic heart!

Posted Saturday, 31 May, 2014 by jorielov , , , , , , 3 Comments

Guest Post by ParajunkeeLiz Harris

Proposed Topic: You have a certain flair for writing Western Romance set on American shores, specifically within the heart of Wyoming! What is it about our Western state nestled into the Rockies which draws you back time and again to  stir our emotions and set a Romance afire in this particular location?

One of my earlier ChocLitUK novels to have consumed and readily enjoyed was A Bargain Struck by Liz Harris! I had selected it to read initially as it has been a bit too long since I’ve dipped back into my Western roots and read a novel set in the Old West about a couple living on the frontier! I have always been drawn into stories about the Old West, especially sagas of those who forged West from the East during the height of the pioneer days, as much as soaking into a novel about a working ranch with a heap of cowboys wrangling cattle or horses alike! I love the freshness of the air and the adventure of the spirit of the West woven into the backdrop of the stories! The West is not like any other place in the United States, as it is one of those unique locales where you can draw in a deep breath and feel as though you have stepped into a new place entirely!

I’ve lived off the recollection and memories of my Mum, and my grandparents for most of my life as they were the ones in the family who were able to spend the most time exploring that part of the country! The lushness of the wild bits of the forest against the untame portions of the rock outcroppings of the Rockies themselves always left a sense of wonder inside me! Of course, being a girl who was a budding horsewoman in her younger years did stoke and stir the appeal as well! Once you’ve gained the pleasure of being in the saddle, astride a horse and appreciate the connection between the rider and the mount, there is no going back! Dreaming about riding on the open ranges is enough to ache for a ride similar to those seen in the film Flicka. I still get a hitching of excitement inside me when I find new writers who write about the West in a way that is tangible, real, honest, and a strong representation of where it is set. When I read A Bargain Struck I knew I had found a Romance writer who was writing after my own heart’s tug and pull to go there one day in person!

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A Western Heart by Liz Harris

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

}: How Liz Harris

found a passion for Wyoming! :{

Photo Credit: Liz Harris, taken whilst on a research trip to Wyoming
Photo Credit: Liz Harris,
taken whilst on a research trip to Wyoming

YES, IT’S BACK TO WYOMING AGAIN. I JUST CAN’T KEEP AWAY!

“A WESTERN HEART”

A Choc Lit Lite novella, published as an e-book in May 2014

First of all, many thanks for inviting me to be a guest on #ChocLitSaturdays, Jorie. I’m very much looking forward to meeting you and others this Saturday afternoon, 31st May.

There seems to be a common theme in some of my books: A Bargain Struck is set in Wyoming 1887, A Western Heart in Wyoming 1880, and Golden Tiger, the novel I’m writing at present, in Wyoming in the 1870s and early 1880s.

Why am I so fascinated by Wyoming, you might wonder.

Is it because they were streaks ahead of the rest of the US in the rights they gave to women and I appreciate this?

For example, women were given the right to vote in 1869, making Wyoming Territory the first in the US to do so. Women served on juries in Wyoming from 1870, and in the same year, a female court bailiff was appointed, and also the first female justice of the peace in the US. In 1924, Wyoming became the first state to elect a female governor. Owing to its civil-rights history, the nickname of Wyoming is ‘The Equality State’, and the official state motto is ‘Equal Rights’. Is that the reason, you might ask.

No, that isn’t why I’ve set several novels in Wyoming.

I’ve done so because I’ve always loved the history of the American West and because I had such a fabulous time when I visited Wyoming in 2012. Wyoming is the heart of an historical period that’s so romantic, so exciting, so inspiring.

As a child I used to dream that I was a pioneer who’d travelled west in a covered wagon and was living on a homestead, surrounded by horses and a host of other animals. When I grew up, the dream slightly changed: I was still in the American West and I’d arrived on a wagon, but I was riding into a glorious sunset, a tanned, handsome cowboy at my side.

A Bargain Struck by Liz HarrisThe American West was an inevitable choice of background when I decided to write a historical romantic novel, and A Bargain Struck was born.  Connor (yes, tanned and handsome) is looking for a wife to help on his homestead, look after his young daughter Bridget and provide him with an heir, whereas Ellen is just looking for somewhere to call home after a tragedy in her life.

When Ellen arrives, it’s clear she hasn’t been entirely honest with Connor, but for reasons of his own, he goes ahead with what is a business agreement – one that was pretty commonplace at that time – and marries her. I set A Bargain Struck in the Savery area, 100 miles south of the railroad, in the shadow of the beautiful Sierra Madre mountains. For A Western Heart, I wrote about two ranches north of the Overland Trail. My story is about the rivalry of two sisters, and finding one’s heart’s desire.

Rose McKinley, the daughter of a successful ranch owner, and Will Hyde, the heir to a neighbouring ranch, (yes, tanned and handsome again), have grown up like brother and sister. It’s understood by their family and friends that one day they’ll marry and unite their two ranches. Rose is certain that nothing will stop that from happening. But then a handsome stranger rides in.

As for Golden Tiger … No, it’s too soon to talk about that yet.

I look forward to talking some more on Saturday, both generally and about my books and those written by others, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to say hello beforehand. Thank you, Jorie.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.comAuthor Connections:

 Personal Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Converse via: #ABargainStruck, #AWesternHeart, & #ChocLit

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Harris! I have been wanting to host you on my blog ever since I read A Bargain Struck, which pre-dates when I complimented my blog feature of #ChocLitSaturdays with the happy chatterment of the twitterverse chat hosted through Twubs! Saturdays have become a fond day for me, and I appreciate that you not only took the time to explain why Wyoming draws you into its embrace in literary pursuits, but that you will be with us as we converse about the topic as well lateron this morning!

Of all the tidbits of information my Mum and grandparents shared with me about the West and about Wyoming specifically, I do not recollect they knew about it being rich in Civil Rights nor on the forefront of Women’s Rights! Two causes that I advocate for myself, and am happy to have found a state that I find inspiring from the point of view of being in awe of its natural beauty, has such a wonderful legacy to impart in other ways! I loved how your dream as a child shifted perspectives as you grew older, but how you kept a bit of who you were then in the dream you have now! We apparently grew up with similar dreams, as I was always darting off into a Western saga of some sort, including reading a healthy amount of horse dramas which included The Black Stallion series, The Saddle Club, and the Throroughbred series. I did not even realise it was called ‘Cowboy Fiction’ for the romance novels set in and around life on the larger ranches which involved the horsemen I loved to read about so much as I grew older.

As far as living on the frontier itself or near the prairies, I have to thank Little House on the Prairie both the book series and the television series for making me question whether or not I could handle life in the 1800s frontier! There were aspects of it that I still appreciate now such as the self-sufficiency of raising your own fruit and veg to curating the love of old world arts and crafts! I especially would be keen to learn how to can and preserve properly as well!

You have me most curious now about reading A Western Heart, but alas, I will have to await either this novella to be placed inside of a collection in a print copy or tucked into a future release of yours as a ‘bonus’ extra surprise! As I know sometimes e-novellas can be printed into forthcoming releases by authors I enjoy reading! Ooh! Is it me, or was I the only one hoping for a kernel of insight into Golden Tiger? The name alone eludes to so many different avenues of where you could take the story, I am properly intrigued without knowing which direction to ponder! Alas! It will simply be my ‘next Liz Harris read’ to eagerly await and happily celebrate once it’s released! OR at the very least within the nearing of publication and can be spoken about outside of its whispering origins!

How wicked then, that we each have such a deep appreciation for Western Romance!?

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

This Author Guest Post is courtesy of ChocLitUK,

ChocLitUK Reviewercheck out my upcoming bookish event and mark your calendars!

Previously I reviewed “A Bargain Struck

& coming up next is “The Road Back” by Liz Harris.

This Guest Feature has an accompanying chat today | Join us!?

#ChocLitSaturdays Twitter Chat & Blog Feature of Jorie Loves A Story
#ChocLitSaturdays Twitter Chat & Blog Feature of Jorie Loves A Story

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

And, here is a bit of news I found whilst preparing this Guest Feature today, as a wicked round of Congratulations is long since overdue on my behalf:

{SOURCES: Author photograph, Book Covers for “A Western Heart” & “A Bargain Struck”, as well as the cowboy picture were provided by Liz Harris and were used by permission. Guest Post badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. #ChocLitSaturdays Twitter Chat Badge created by Jorie in PicMonkey. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets embedded from codes provided by Twitter.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

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Posted Saturday, 31 May, 2014 by jorielov in 19th Century, American Old West, Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition), Bookish Discussions, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Reader Submitted Guest Post (Topic) for Author, Romance Fiction

+Author Guest Post+ “On writing the “In the Land of Magnanthia” series by B.R. Maul

Posted Thursday, 27 March, 2014 by jorielov , , , 11 Comments

Guest Post by Parajunkee

Proposed Topic for B.R. Maul: As my first impression of “Passages, Portals, & Pathways” B.R. Maulreflected this statement of excited anticipation: “Even before the reference to “The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe” (of which, I prefer the film over the book! ironically or not!) and “The Lord of the Rings” (on my Classics Club list of books to read!), I was simply hooked into the idea of Simon being chosen as a Guardian! I love stories which are stitched together like this, as I still remember being rapt in awe over “The Seeker: The Dark is Rising” (motion picture again – hadn’t realised it was a book!)!!” Therefore I knew I had to simply ask Mr. Maul about what prompted the impetus for his new Young Adult Fantasy series as much as the inspiration to tell the story therein!

I am thrilled as peaches to welcome B.R. Maul back to Jorie Loves A Story, after spotlighting a book showcase revealing all the important bits of information on his wicked keen début novel! As you most likely have garnished from my piece yesterday, his novel resonated with me as being one story I am most apt to read as soon as it goes into print! Which as they say, could very well be on the fringe of happening sooner than we all might realise! Due lend your support of which edition of preference you’d like to read his collective works within the comment threads on either post!  Otherwise, tweet Mr. Maul directly, as that would be most kind on his inaugural blog tour! Let me yield now to his creative ear whilst he gives us an insight into his writer’s road towards publication!

}: Book Synopsis :{

Portals, Passages, & Pathways by B.R. MaulWhen a portal to another world cracks open just outside the small town of Riverside, it sets off a series of events forever changing the lives of two boys; one boy is chosen to lead a world to peace while the other one is chosen to tear it apart.

Simon Whittaker lives an ordinary teenage life. That is until the most powerful ring in the land of Magnanthia chooses him to become its guardian. Overnight, Simon has had to flee from something trying to kill him, seen magical spells he had only read about in stories, and stepped into the most majestic world ever imagined.

Swept away to the fantastic world that’s in the midst of a brutal war, Simon must place his life in the hands of four unlikely travelers, a swordsman, ranger, cleric, and wizard, sent to lead him down the right path. While King Elderten has ordered death to Magnanthia’s nine guardians, the group he believes is responsible for the kingdom’s devastation, Simon remains the only hope for those who believe the guardians are innocent.

Meanwhile, Jak Jakobsin has been pulled through a portal by two of Bedlam’s undead scouts. Bedlam’s overlord plans to use Jak, along with his army of undead, goblins, and trolls, to build a force so powerful that Magnanthia will be his forever. “Portals, Passages & Pathways” is a story of our greatest journey, to discover our purpose in this life, and the consequences of the choices we make to get there. “In the Land of Magnanthia” is the first novel in the series and is complete just under 115,000 words. It’s told from the alternating viewpoints of Jak and Simon.

 

}: World-Building – The Land of Magnanthia :{

Magnanthia was pieced together, named, and expanded upon almost seven years ago. But her creation started over three decades ago. There is no mistaking it; Magnanthia is a compilation of my favorite fantasy worlds mixed together and then molded into a figment of the imagination.

The first time I was introduced to C. S. Lewis was between the pages of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. As a little boy I fell in love with an idea, an idea that walking through a wardrobe, a portal, could take me to a world where animals talked and magic was real. From that day forward, my childhood was filled with adventure! Every closet and closed-door was potentially a portal leading to a world of wizards, castles, and lost treasures. That’s all I had to do was find the portal and step into it.

I slowly side-stepped the narrow, fantasy fiction isle in my elementary school’s library. I was looking for a book to read. That’s when I stumbled upon J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. I opened the worn cover and looked at the table of contents. Chapter five’s title grabbed my attention; I had to know why it was so cleverly named “Riddles in the Dark.” I checked the book out of the little library and brought it home with me. Middle Earth, a world filled with dwarves, elves, hobbits, goblins, giant spiders, dragons, creatures of all kinds, and of course magic, began its contribution to the making of Magnanthia.

The discovery of a fantasy world where worthy travelers could become heroes exploring haunted castles, goblin-infested dungeons, and finding hidden gold and magic items, became my favorite pastime. My older brother took me and a good friend of ours into the spellbinding world of Dungeons & Dragons. My favorite character to play was a magic-user.

Later in life, years of working to pay the bills disconnected me from the beautiful gift of imagination. It was finding my way into the Great Hall at Hogwarts with Harry Potter that rekindled my love of stories and my passion for magical adventures. I found it refreshing Harry Potter and his friends lived in contemporary times, cloaked in a medieval backdrop with magic and wonderment mixed into the works. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were about midway into their schooling at Hogwarts when I realized what I had and what I needed to do. Magnanthia was almost tangible in my mind, along with a handful of characters who had already made Magnanthia their home. I needed to create; I needed to write the story.

In 2007, the year the Harry Potter series ended, Portals, Passages & Pathways was born. I love that parts and pieces of Lewis, Tolkien, and Rowling are embedded within the fabric that is weaving Portals, Passages & Pathways together. I hope readers around the world find it as easy as I have to fall in love with the characters, and are exhilarated in the land of Magnanthia!

Author Connections:

Site | @BRMaul_author | GoodReads
Converse on Twitter: #LandofMagnanthia
& #BRMaul

 

I must confess, the one fantasy novel I had difficulty in soaking into was the precise fantasy series which inspired you to write Magnanthia! The Lion, The Witch, & the Wardrobe for me was greater appreciated in its motion picture adaptation over the printed word in which C.S. Lewis left behind! It was one of the first times where I noticed that I had trouble shifting into the heart of a narrative I already knew I would enjoy! Perhaps an early nod to realising that not every story is tangible to our hearts through our eyes, and that sometimes we have to seek out an adaptation of the story in a new medium in order to allow the merit of why the story was left behind to resonate with us fully.

On a similar vein, I was experiencing a reader’s rut (I am sure this will make most of my dear readers gaff with disbelief!) during the years of Harry Potter’s epic adventures at Hogwarts, yet I was the happy spirited twenty-something who felt as though she had a renewed childhood whilst wandering off into the local movie-houses on release days, weekends, and even at midnight releases! Ah, yes, young Harry Potter will forevermore hold a special niche in my heart! His stories I know I will appreciate on long cold Wintry nights, where the blizzards are howling and the warmth of his character and friends will guide me from one book straight-through to the startling conclusion! These are the types of fantasy series I long to unearth and discover,… as I was reflecting yesterday fantasy gives us such a beautiful window into fantastically honest worlds where characters are able to do things that modern contemporaries are oft-times limited in achieving. Fantasy of today are the fables, folk, mythological stories of an ancient age. Sage advice wrapped inside a heroic adventure!

The fact that your sharing the kernels and seeds of inspiration behind Magnanthia is a credit to your own character and bold confidence as a writer, as often you will find new authors a bit hesitative about discussing their craft and progress towards getting the words onto paper rather than being stored inside their imaginations! I always felt that the best gift the writing community has given all writers through the generations is the ability to reach out and connect with each other! The sharing of knowledge, of strife and of joy, all the tools in which are needed to encompass a novel’s birth and straight-through back over the day-to-day journey of what a writer on the verge of discovery is experiencing! Bless you for being open and responsive!

Alas, I kept Tolkien for my concluding thoughts, because I fear before I sit myself down to read Middle Earth (in the Order of Middle Earth — inclusive of the Histories!), I am always going to be on the brink of relaying my total thoughts as once more, I yielded to the adaptations, this time through the grace and eloquence of Peter Jackson whose capturing finesse for the extraordinary world which is Middle Earth left me forever changed afterwards! The depth of the narrative is hard to not lay a pensive thought upon each installment’s endings, and yet, it’s the capstone of what pulls each of us into our own stories. By allowing us not to limit our potential or the girth of the final draft, in which lies our epic tales!

The genre-bender aspects of Harry Potter were not lost on me either, and I only had hoped in some of the bits of the films (as I presumed they were reflective of the stories) they could have held the tradition of their clothes a bit more, but I respected the fact that it was a modern story lit inside as you say a world of yesterday! Being a Dragon Master and player you might want to read my recollections of gaming on my Virtual Blue review! Congratulations for holding onto your world and for being daring enough to build the story in the hours and moons long after it was originally breathed into life!

This Author Guest Post is courtesy of:

In the Land of Magnanthia by B.R. Maul Blog Tour with JKS Communications Literary Publicity FirmBe sure to scope out my Bookish Upcoming Events

to mark your calendars!!

Be sure to drop by my Book Spotlight Showcase

on “Portals, Passages, & Pathways”!

Similar to blog tours, when I feature a showcase for an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog.
Kindly post notes in both B.R. Maul comment threads, discussing what you enjoy about Young Adult Fantasy series! Leave behind a reflection of how you started to read fantasy series and novels, and what you are hopeful to find inside this new one by a Mid-West writer! All comments are welcome, short or long! I look forward to reading your thoughts & engaging with you afterwards! Remember to come back to see my responses! And, the author himself might surprise you with a reply as well!

+ Open Invitation for Book Discussion +

+ 28 March, 2014 +

Author B.R. Maul has expressed a desire to converse with readers who pick up “Portals, Passages, & Pathways” to return to Jorie Loves A Story giving all of us a hearty discussion about the life lessons & attributes of each of the character’s arc which translated directly into the reader’s heart! I am hoping to read a print copy of the story myself one day, and therefore, this is an Open Discussion Post where the comment threads will be waiting for you to return & share your experiences & thoughts about the story as you read it! I look forward to hearing your recollections & to dig a bit deeper into the heart of the narrative!!

{SOURCES: Book Cover art for “Portals, Passages, & Pathways”, B.R. Maul photograph and book synopsis were provided by JKS Communications Literary Publicity Firm and used with permission. I requested an Author Guest Post via Samantha Lien at JKS on behalf of B.R. Maul’s new Young Adult Fantasy series Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

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Posted Thursday, 27 March, 2014 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition), Bookish Discussions, Bullies and the Bullied, Debut Novel, Fantasy Fiction, Heroic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Indie Author, Indie Book Trade, JKS Communications: Literary Publicity Firm, Passionate Researcher, Reader Submitted Guest Post (Topic) for Author, Self-Published Author, The Natural World, The Writers Life, Wordsmiths & Palettes of Sage, Writing Style & Voice, YA Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction