Friday 31 January 2014

READ, WRITE, REVIEW!

Reviews, reviews, reviews! A review is a precious and often rare commodity yearned for by all authors. For example, my first novel, The Legend of Finndragon's Curse, was released over two years ago and has little more than a dozen reviews posted on each of the Amazon US and UK sites. Some of these were unsolicited, while others came from offering free review copies, which is not uncommon among Indie authors.

One Thousand Worlds is commited to helping writers find their readers and vice versa, and is hoping to provide a service to all fantasy and sci-fi authors willing to provide free copies. You must also be thick-skinned enough to accept brutal honesty. I know that I have been, and as a result my wordsmithery has improved (if wordsmithery isn't a word, then it should be!).

Fantasy and Sci-fi Writers
Leave a short synopsis of your book in the comment section after this post, stating how many copies you are willing to provide and in which formats.

Reviewers
I am looking to increase the number of reviewers posting on this blog and would love to hear from anyone interested in supporting and promoting authors. Ideally, you don't yet have your own book blog, but you must be an avid reader. For those of you who already have your own review site, you may reproduce your original posts or review copies offered by authors on One Thousand Worlds.

If you are interested in reviewing a book listed in the comment section, reply directly to that comment. It would be reasonable to expect a completed review within four weeks. You can contribute as often as once a week, or as little as two or thee times a year and you will always be fully credited. All reviews should be copied to Amazon and Goodreads at least.

Thursday 30 January 2014

Virtual Tour: Firebolt (Adrienne Woods) in One Thousand Words

One Thousand Worlds is delighted and honoured to host the final leg of Firebolt: The vitual Tour by Adrienne Woods.






Blurb

Dragons. Right. Teenage girls don't believe in fairy tales, and sixteen-year-old Elena Watkins was no different.
Until the night a fairy tale killed her father.
Now Elena is in a new world, and a new school. The cutest guy around may be an evil dragon, a prince wants Elena's heart, and a long dead sorcerer may be waking up to kill her. Oh and the only way Elena's going to graduate is on the back of a dragon of her own.
Teenage girls don't believe in fairy tales. Now it's time for Elena to believe in...herself.

Synopsis:

For the love of blueberries, Elena Watkins was destined for greatness, even though she didn’t know it. Forced to travel from home to home every three months Elena’s life was a never ending blur of new towns and new faces, that is, until the night her father was killed by a creature she thought only existed in fairy tales – a dragon. With her father’s death leaving her orphaned, Elena is whisked away to her true birthplace, Paegeia.
Arriving at Dragonia Academy, the premier school for young Dragonians, she begins to feel a sense of belonging in this strange world; a school she was never meant to attend because her father was a dragon. Elena is soon swept up in the rigor of her new life and the new set of skills she now needs to survive: Latin, Art of War, and Enchantments.
Entranced by her new reality Elena learns about the dragons and humans who inhabit her new home. There are two classes of dragons that soar through Paegeia distinguished by their instinctual pretense for either good or darkness. The distinction between these two very different species is vital to Elena’s success in her new world because she has been marked as a Dragonian, a human preordained to ride and tame a dragon of her very own.
With the help of her new friends, Elena is able to navigate the complexities of her new home. Her new roommates Becky and Sammy are even more amazing then she could have ever imaged and to top it all off, Sammy was a dragon. Sammy’s is also the devoted sister of Blake, the most attractive boy at school and the Rubicon; the only dragon of his kind with the abilities of all the dragon species with a pretense for evil. Elena soon finds the love she always wanted with Lucian, the Prince of Tith, who actively pursues Elena throughout her time at Dragonia Academy, winning her heart with his absolute adoration and unshaken dedication.
Unbeknownst to Elena danger is lurking behind the enchanted vines concealing the once thriving capital of Paegeia – Etan. Goran, the darkest sorcerer to ever practice his evil arts in the realm, has lain dormant for over a century behind the crumbling city. The first step in his menacing plan is to destroy the only weapon that can kill him – the King of Lion Sword.
When the sword is stolen Elena doesn’t think twice about seeking it; knowing deep down that it is her destiny to save her new home. She travels to the Sacred Cavern, and discovers the nefarious actions of an unknown man lead to the swords destruction as she follows the trail revealed in the prophetic waters of the cavern.
Elena and her friends engage the mysterious man revealing their existence to Goran and fighting for their very lives.

Author Info

I was born and raised in South Africa, where I still live with my husband, and two beautiful little girls. I always knew that I was going to be a writer but it only started to happen about four years ago, now I can’t stop writing.
In my free time, If I get any because Moms don’t really have free time, I love to spend time with friends, if it’s a girls night out, or just a movie, I’m a very chilled person.My writing career is starting with Firebolt, book one with the Dragonian Series, there will be four books in total and two to three books that is about the stories taking place inside The Dragonian Series.I do write in different Genres, I have a woman’s fiction called the Pregnancy Diaries, but it would be published under another name. And then I have a paranormal series, called the Watercress series. There are about ten novels in that one.So, plenty of novels to come out, so little time.I hope you are going to embrace the Dragonian Series as much as I loved writing them.

Blog          Facebook          Twitter      Goodreads


Chapter 1


     A girl singing her heart out about a miracle boomed inside my ear. A miracle would get me what I needed: a chance at a semi-normal life.
     The bedroom door hitting the wall expelled the thought from my mind. With his hand tangled up in his copper hair and with huge brown eyes, Dad's figure filled the entire doorway. “Pack your bags.” He had that set to his jaw, the one that meant there was no way out of this. He bolted out of the room just as suddenly as he had appeared.
     My teeth ground hard against each other, and the sharp pain behind my eyes, I guessed from the lack of sleep, grew stronger. Every fibre of my being wanted to explode.
     Ever since I could remember my name, Dad and I had been on the run. From what? Beats me.                  
     For the last two weeks, I'd been pacing up and down through the house, struggling to fall asleep at night, waiting for this day.
     For the love of blue berries, no sixteen-year old should live this way!              
     I climbed off my bed, and the first step I took left my toe tangled in the wide leg of my jeans.  I tried to regain my balance as the closet inched closer, but with wildly flailing arms, I came crashing down. The thud reverberated across the wooden floor, and it sounded as if I'd broken something.
     Dad darted back into my room. "Are you okay?" He lifted me back onto my feet as if I weighed nothing.
     Tears lurked in the corners of my eyes, threatening to burst, as I stared up at him.
    "Don't give me that look, Elena. Please, we need to hurry.” He pulled my suitcase from the top shelf and chucked it haphazardly onto my bed. “We need to go. Now.”
    "Dad…"
     He started to grab my clothes from the shelf and tossed them messily inside my small suitcase. Then he paused, sighed, and looked up with soft eyes. He stroked the side of my cheek with his hand gently. “This wasn't the right place, bear. Please, you’ve got to trust me.”
     His hand reached back to pull everything off my shelf, while my hands curled up into balls of fury. My heart pounded fast as those two words bounced inside my skull. “Trust you, Dad?”
     "Elena, we don't have much time,” he yelled. “Pack your bags! You can ask questions later." He left, and the hollow “doof” sound from his footsteps stomped loudly as he made his way into the hall.
     Ask questions? Yeah right! I’ll only get answers that don’t reveal why we are on the run for the gazillionth time.' “Trust me” and “I'll tell you when the time is right” were the only two answers Dad gave. 'Guess time with him will never be right.’
     It was no use arguing with him anyway. The last time, he threw me over his shoulder and carried me out without any of my things.
     So I grabbed the stuff I needed: my mp3 player, a photo of Mom that Dad didn't know I had, and my journal from underneath my bed. I tossed them into my backpack. It wasn't much, but it was the stuff that made my miserable life felt less pathetic. I zipped up my suitcase and took a deep breath. Looking around my bedroom for the last time, I said goodbye to my sixtieth-something room.
     Dad almost ran me over in the hall with his army bag slung over his shoulder. He grumbled, which I assumed was an apology, took my suitcase, and ran down the stairs. He always rented these huge old houses, pre-furnished and near the countryside, and we always left after three months.
     The pickup's horn honked as I shut the front door. I closed my eyes and took another deep breath. Just two more years, then I'll be eighteen and free from this freak show. Huge raindrops fell hard onto the ground. The smell of wet dirt filled the air. It was my favorite smell.
     The water that pooled on the ground covered all the gaps in the driveway, forcing me to hopscotch around all of them. My shoe got caught in one of the gaps and I smacked down hard in a huge puddle. By the time I reached the truck, my jeans and shoes were soaking wet. 
     Warm heat from the vents inside the truck hit me full blast as I jumped in; a million goose pimples erupted across my skin.  As soon as I shut the rusty door, Dad floored the gas pedal. Tires screeched and the truck spun away as if the Devil chased us.  My lower lip quivered softly as he swerved onto the road. The streetlights flew by in a blur as I plugged in my earpieces. The same stupid song about a miracle boomed from my mp3, drowning the sound of the engine and the hard dribbles on the roof, a percussion that became the perpetual soundtrack to my misery.
       A feeling of utter loneliness consumed my heart as I stared out the window. Homes with white picket fences and the convenient store whizzed by in a flash. A tear rolled down my cheek as I said goodbye, and my breath on the glass created a foggy condensation. Reaching out my index finger, I drew a small heart. These were the reasons why Mom had left. She couldn't handle his paranoia, but why she’d left her daughter to deal with it was a mystery. Dad constantly reminded me of the latter, and that was the only time he ever spoke of her. If he ever discovered I had that picture, he would kill me. That was how much he hated her for leaving us.
     The lights of a vehicle in the upcoming lane shone directly into my face. I shut my eyes, waiting for it to disappear. As a little girl, I used to watch Dad as we drove away from yet another house. He would glare into his rearview mirror every five seconds, every muscle in his face clenched, and his knuckles white on the steering wheel. I hadn’t been able to force myself to peek out the window then, as it used to scare the living crap out of me to consider the possible reasons he was fleeing from, or who might be following us. Now, I didn't look at him or care much for what he was going through. He created this problem. With me becoming the luggage. It was a ritual I endured every three months, and nothing over the past sixteen years had ever changed that.
     The “Interstate 40” sign flew by in a whirl, and the pickup slowly moved onto the turnoff lane.
     My eyes started to burn as I stared at the rain running down my window. Each rivet resembled another town, another place I would never again call home. Exhaustion consumed me and my eyelids felt heavy. I laid my head against the window and struggled to stay awake.
     Suddenly, a dark and huge figure flew past me. Dad swerved to the left, which made me crushed into the side of the passenger’s door. My entire body pumped with adrenaline. I jumped straight in my seat and wrenched the seatbelt over my shoulder to buckle myself in. I tore out my earpieces as I tried to process what had just happened.
     “What was that?” I looked at Dad.
      He stared straight ahead with huge eyes. Beads of sweat rolled from his hairline down to the side of his temple. He looked terrified, something that conflicted with his personality. I'd never seen Dad look that scared in my entire life.
     “Dad!”
     “Did you see where it went?” he asked, attempting to inject calm into his voice, but I could hear the fear lacing each syllable.
     “See where what went? Dad what was that!”
     “You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”
     “For once in your life, just tell me!” I screamed. Sixteen years of frustration exploded from my lungs. I couldn't take the unknown anymore.
    “Fine.” He mumbled something else that I didn't catch. "Do you remember the stories I used to tell you?"
    “Stories? What stories?”
    “The ones about Paegeia, Elena.” He looked in his rearview mirror again with huge, unblinking eyes.
     Vaguely, but I didn't tell him that. "What does that have to do with this?"
     “They're real.”
      I froze and I stared at him.

      “All of it, it’s real. The dragons, the magic, the wall, everything is real.”


Missed it? Here are all the tour dates for Firebolt:
Friday, 10th January: Cherry Mischif
Http://www.cherrymischievous.com review and spotlight
Monday, 13 January: Emily Brich
http://afternoonbookery.blogspot.com Feature and excerpt
Wednesday, 15th January: Michelle Willms
http://michellewillmsblog.wordpress.com Review and Spotlight
Thursday, 16th January: Library of Erana
http://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/ Interview and Spotlight
Friday, 17th January: Melanie Adkins
Http://haveyouheardbookreview.blogspot.com Review and Spotlight
Monday 20th January: Rebecca Craft
http://rebeccacraft.com Spotlight and excerpt
Tuesday 21st January: Carlyle Labuscaghne.
http://worldsawaybookblog.blogspot.com Review and Spotlight
Wednesday 22nd January: Allison Agius
www.allisonagius.com Review and Spotlight
Thursday 23 January: Itara Cabrerra
http://midnightfantasies.blogspot.com Review and Spotlight
Friday 24th January: The Crooked Word
http://thecrookedword.blogspot.com/ Review and Spotlight with Becky
Monday 27th January: Jenn Nixon
http://jennafern.blogspot.com Review and spotlight
Tuesday 28th January: Angela Fjord
www.angelafjord.com Review and Spotlight
Wednesday 29th January: Rhianna Bullard
http://theworldofrhianna.blogspot.com Review and Spotlight

Tuesday 28 January 2014

Jason's Indie Review - Rule of Thumb by Scott E. Baughman

One Thousand Worlds is delighted to share another Jason Potnick review. Rule of Thumb by Scott E. Baughman is a Sci-Fi adventure thriller, available on Amazon (here) and was featured here on One Thousand Worlds at the beginning of January. You can read the first 1000 words here.

Jason's review

I met Mr. Baughman on Twitter, and he gifted me a copy of Rule of Thumb for an honest review. 

Set in 2042, Rule of Thumb looks at the pervasiveness of technology in our lives.  As social networks continue to grow and permeate our identities, what would happen if we lost access and ceased to exist, according to the civilized world?  Can those in power truly cut us out of society, removing our identity?  Adrien Faulk discovers first hand the dangers of such a world in this Sci-Fi adventure.


Mr. Baughman does a wonderful job creating a believable near-future.  The first two chapters of Rule of Thumb sucked me right into his world.  He introduces us to Smith, a detective Mr. Faulk hires to help retrieve a lost item.  Mr. Smith prefers the "old" technology of the early 21st century, as a great contrast to the new technology of 2042.  Smith still reads the New York Times (on paper!), dines on unhealthy greasy foods, and drives an old gas powered Mustang.

The back and forth banter between Adrien and Smith helped explain the differences (both subtle and distinct) between present and future.  Their contrasting world views setup the story, and keep it moving forward.

What begins as a simple mystery of a lost family heirloom turns into an international adventure full of conspiracy, action, and intrigue.  The story flows quickly from scene to scene and does not waste any time on long exposition.  It is a quick read throughout.

The book is written in first person perspective, which I must admit is difficult for me.  I follow along first person stories just fine (and Mr. Faulk's thoughts are detailed and easy to follow), but often I find myself annoyed with the main characters of such books because I know too much of what he or she is thinking.

That said, the book is well written and easy to read.  I noticed very few, if any, typos and the formatting is clean and painless to navigate on an e-reader.  The author's clear and direct prose never confuses and keeps the story moving without hiccups.  It seems to me appropriate effort went into proofreading and editing the work.

I most enjoyed reading the author's version of future New York.  The people and technology of the high speed, high tech world are well defined and believable.  By the end of the second chapter, I was ready to settle into an urban thriller.  I must admit, I was disappointed when the story took a turn and left New York for more of an international adventure.  I hoped for more of Mr. Baughman's version of the city.

At times, the pace of Rule of Thumb races along.  I feel that the author has too many story elements for this books 140 pages.  Without giving the story away, the final third of the book contains several twists and revelations.  Before I could digest and come to terms with each one, the next showed up.  After reading the story, I feel there were a number of plot points and reveals that could be saved for later books in the saga.

After reading Rule of Thumb all the way through, I get a sense that Mr. Baughman knew where he wanted his characters to go, but did not always know how he wanted to get them there.  There are a couple scenes in the book that drive the story forward, but the characters end up surviving unbelievable situations to get to the next scene and location (particularly evident on their trip to South America)  These scenes felt like short cuts, and shook me out of the story for a time. 

I believe the story and characters would be better served taking a longer path.  This reinforces my belief that there is actually more than one book possible with this story (or a longer, more epic book perhaps).

Rule of Thumb is jam packed with action and surprise twists and turns.  Mr. Baughman's world of 2042 is believable, dangerous, and compelling.  I recommend Rule of Thumb for anyone looking for an imaginative, futuristic action-adventure tale.  I am excited to see where Mr. Baughman takes the story next!

Rule of Thumb is available to purchase on Amazon



Barnes and Noble: Nook





Jason Potnick, creator of Ryndaria, is passionate about #IndiePub authors.  His website contains his reviews, short stories, and miniature figure painting, as well as random musings on writing, Dungeons and Dragons, fatherhood, and other creative endeavors.

You can connect with him on Twitter (@ryndaria) and on his blog (www.ryndaria.com)

Sunday 26 January 2014

RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB "SPOTLIGHT" AUTHOR Blog Tour! on One Thousand Worlds

One Thousand Worlds is breaking away from fantasy and sci-fi for one day and is privileged to host the first ever Rave Reviews Book Club "Spotlight" Author Blog Tour. Jennie Sherwin has the honour of being the first author in the "Spotlight".

Jennie Sherwin

I want to thank the Members of the Board of the Rave Reviews Book Club for this incredible opportunity to be featured as the club's first “Spotlight” Author. You've all done a great deal of work to make this club a reality. To Nonnie Jules, Founder and President, thank you for founding the club and giving authors a place to hang their hats among friends. I am also grateful to my longtime friend Kathy Treat, Membership Director, for inviting me to join. Marketing and promotion are challenges for the first-time author. Being selected as the “Spotlight” Author, who receives marketing and promotion to the social media outlets as well as to print media, is truly a gift from heaven. Last, but not least at all, I send a special thank you to all the bloggers who agreed to host me on their site. I am truly grateful.

I have always loved to read, so it was natural for me to pursue a career where I could share my love of reading with others, which I did as a teacher of English. I liked writing, too, but it took years to hone my craft. I was fortunate to have wonderful mentors. One, in particular, at Random House, the trade publishing company in New York City, literally taught me how to think about writing, always holding the reader in mind and using that focus to sharpen the clarity of my text. My experience at Random House opened the door to a career in public health consulting. Working in a busy editorial office on publications for many clients, each with specific needs, gave me the perfect opportunity to gain experience writing or editing books, papers, and articles targeting different audiences at varying reading levels. As a service to all of the writers and editors who might be reading this blog, I'd like to pass along the names of the manuals that I've used throughout my career with links to their Amazon pages. They include the Chicago Manual of StyleWords into TypeNew Hart's RulesFowler's Modern English Usage, and Scientific Style and Format.







Now to my book: In Intentional Healing…I tell the story of my transformation from a Western-educated woman who worked as a writer and editor in the field of public health, to a woman who awakened  to a more Eastern-oriented way of thinking that included a de-emphasis on the individual and ego and an emphasis on collective consciousness and the soul. After bizarre symptoms upended my life, I sought help from Western medicine. No one I consulted could explain what was happening to me. No one, that is, until I met diagnostic detective, Dr. Leo Galland, who tied my symptoms to environmental illness and referred me to a pioneer in environmental medicine, Dr. William J. Rea, in Dallas, Texas, founder of the Environmental Health Center-Dallas. While at the EHC-D, I was introduced to the view held by doctors of environmental medicine that many chronic illnesses are triggered by environmental toxins. During treatment, I unmasked (or became aware of a sensitivity I had not recognized before) for sensitivity to electromagnetic fields. Dr. Rea referred me to Deborah Singleton, founder and director of “A Healing Place, and her energy healing team. Energy balancing helped me respond to the treatment program at Dr. Rea's clinic. With Deborah's guidance I began the process of expanding my consciousness and understanding the real roots of illness. My journey, which included initiation into Reiki channeling and healing from Navajo hataali, took me from dark nights of the soul to a new way of thinking about illness.
Jennie Sherwin, author and editor


Friday 24 January 2014

Lone Wolf Rising (Jami Brumfield) in One Thousand Words

Lone Wolf Rising by Jami Brumfield is today's featured book on One Thousand Worlds.

Lone Wolf Rising -


Rebecca Winters is an average teenager dealing with a deep level of guilt because she believes she is responsible for the death of her parents.  Her only lifelines are her twin sister, Savannah, her younger brother, Hunter and her best friend, Jackson.  They keep her from falling into a dark abyss of depression.  What Rebecca doesn’t know is that she comes from two powerful witch lines and she has amazing power coursing through her veins.  Power that was locked away when her parents spell bound all three of them for their protection.

The supernatural world is hidden to most humans, they choose to ignore it, but Rebecca’s DNA attracts the dangerous world.  Her best friend is psychic, her neighbor is a guardian (a branch of witches that specialize in the realm of the dead), and her grandmother is in deeper than anyone can imagine.  So when she stumbles upon a friend changing into a werewolf her mission in life is changed.  Suddenly, her only thought is to become a werewolf and avenge her parents’ tragic deaths.

Even the best laid plans have problems and Rebecca’s road to vengeance is littered with terrifying vampires, massacres, political responsibilities and other unimaginable obstacles.  Two guys join her journey, both intrigued and bent on claiming her as their own.  But Rebecca’s desire for vengeance creates turmoil and one of the most important people in her life will pay the ultimate price.





About this author-

Jami M Brumfield has a passion for the paranormal, supernatural, and mythological worlds for most of her life.  She believes there is a kernel of truth in every story and loves playing detective to discover what that hidden truth is.  She has written most of her life.  She started with poems and short stories, then graduated to journalism working for online websites like examiner.com.  It was only a natural progression that her love of writing and her passion for the unknown would combine.  Lone Wolf Rising the first book of the Winters series is the product of that union. 








Lone Wolf Rising

The early morning chill was Rebecca Winter’s alarm clock; her body covered in goose bumps and little else.  A shiver ran through her from head to toe as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.  She looked around noting the ever-brightening light of dawn. The splashes of reds, oranges, and pinks were a vibrant contrast against the dark sky.  The brightness was winning and a part of her was grateful nighttime found its ending.

A metallic tang in her mouth caused a retching response from her stomach and she vomited.  Evidence of the meal lay beside her head; a rabbit carcass ripped to shreds.  A touch of sadness played across her mind as she felt pity for the animal’s lost life.  The knowledge that she was; in a way, responsible for the animal’s death made matters worse.  She caressed the soft fur and noticed the body was still warm.  It was a stark contrast to her cold, shaky hands.

The reality of the day started crashing down on her.  She turned her attention to figuring out where she was.  A quick survey of her surroundings told her she wasn’t far from where her journey started last night.  That inkling of knowledge caused her to wonder why her legs felt like she had ran twenty miles.

“Oh, my God!”  Jackson Carter came to an abrupt stop behind Rebecca.  His sudden movement kicked up a dusty sand storm that formed a cloud around her naked body.  “For all that is holy, Becca, put some clothes on!”  He threw her a pair of worn jeans and a dark blue tank top.  “You must be freezing.” 

Rebecca snatched up the clothes quickly and covered her body.  She tossed a quick glance over her shoulder at her old friend; thankful he came up behind her which allowed her a modicum of modesty.  “Do you mind turning around Jacks?”  Irritation flavored her words; the taste bittersweet. 

He slapped his hand against his forehead, grinned, and spun around on his heels.  “Sorry, you know your virtue’s safe with me.”  The good-natured humor lacing his words put her at ease for the first time since she woke up and having him there only helped to ease her disorientation.  He was like a beacon in the early morning hours calling her home from a night of being lost at sea. 

It really happened.  Last night was the beginning of her new life; a life she knew would be troublesome to navigate, but she knew she was up for the challenge.  She made the choice to become this supernatural creature.  She knew there was no turning back.  She wasn’t one of those people who claimed they were cursed; cried they were unfairly made the monster they became.  No, she happily embraced the idea of becoming who she was now.

Rebecca slipped on her clothes with abnormal speed.  He was right.  The cold was beginning to affect her.  Goosebumps had turned into shivers.  She fluffed her wavy blond hair over her shoulders and smiled, “It’s safe to turn around now.” 

She gave one last glance at the rabbit carcass, taking note of the circling birds overhead and the four legged scavengers surrounding them in four directions.  Even the insects that covered the bloody area were serving a purpose.  Nature worked quickly in cleaning up her mess.  In a strange way it was reassuring.  She said a small prayer for its soul as she followed Jacks back toward civilization. 

During the short trek to Jackson’s vehicle Rebecca scanned the horizon, looking for signs of others like her.  The oddness of the situation made her feel uneasy.  It created a nagging feeling in her gut as she wondered where the others were.  It was eerily quiet.  It worried her and created a strange feeling that something was terribly wrong.  She was positive that Dianna planned to be with her last night.  They discussed it two days ago.  Dianna was her sponsor; a good sponsor.  After everything they had been through; it surprised Rebecca that Dianna was nowhere to be found.  Hell, Dianna was practically a member of her family at this point.

The lack of her presence only increased the odd feeling that she was trying to overcome.  When Dianna made a promise, she kept that promise.  Her worry over her missing friend did little to block the memories that were coming back slowly from the night before.  The physical and vivid memories twisted her insides, making her sick; again.  She placed one hand on the hood of Jacks’ yellow Jeep as more of last night’s adventure pushed its way out of her stomach, out her throat, and onto the ground, narrowly missing her bare feet.  She hadn’t even noticed her feet were bare until that moment. 

Jacks groaned and headed toward the driver’s side of the Jeep.  “Thanks for keeping that mess out of the vehicle.” He rolled down the passenger side window and grinned as he passed her a wet wipe.  He was always grinning, always happy.  It was a strange contradiction to the gift he had, but welcomed, nonetheless. 

Rebecca rolled her sapphire blue eyes and took the white cloth with a weak smile.  She used it to clean her face and mouth, surprised at the amount of dirt that covered the cloth when she was done.  Blurred memories filled her mind but little came out clear, only the gut-wrenching pain of the transformation.  The pain was something she didn’t think she would ever forget.  Every nerve, fiber, and cell in her body had ripped, shredded apart and maneuvered into a new shape.  She was sure that was something she would remember for a very long time.  Rebecca had assumed her body would’ve shut down the pain receptors when it became unbearable, but that was not the case.  She felt everything.

Hollywood and the romantic book industry greatly understated the idea of werewolves.  After going through her first change last night she felt completely misled despite the preparation Dianna 

Where you can buy Lone Wolf Rising:

Amazon

Connect with Jami M Brumfield:
Twitter: @JamiMBrumfield
Facebook:
GoodReads:
Book Trailer link on You tube

Thursday 23 January 2014

Jason's Review: James & The Dragon, by Theresa Snyder

One Thousand Worlds is delighted to share with you, Jason Potnick's review of James & The Dragon, by Theresa Snyder. Theresa was the very first author to feature on this blog. You can read the first one thousand words of James & The Dragon here and you can also find out a bit more about Theresa in her One Thousand Worlds interview.

Jason is to become a regular contributor to One Thousand Worlds, but you can also find out more on his great blog Ryndaria.

James and the Dragon - Review by Jason Potnick

James & The Dragon is a children's fantasy novel, available on Amazon.  I met Ms. Snyder on Twitter, and she is a delight to converse with online.  She gifted a copy of James & The Dragon to me for an honest review.



What would you do if you were adopted by a dragon? When ten-year-old orphan James nearly drowns in a bog, he finds himself rescued by Farloft, a centuries old dragon with a glittering collection of treasures and an even richer collection of stories. But, dragons and boys are not meant to live together – or are they? When Laval – a wizard harboring a secret hatred for Farloft finds out about James, he sees his chance for revenge.

Theresa Snyder's tale of a dragon and two very different humans pulled me in from the start.  She has created a powerful, character-driven story.  These three characters are easy to understand and relate too, yet complex enough that they don't come across as caricatures.  

Farloft the dragon especially steals the show.  The ancient, thoughtful, and caring dragon lives a self-imposed exile, bitter toward and separated from humans, but his true feelings and nature come out as he gets to know James.

The world Ms. Snyder created is harsh and cold.  Though the kingdom itself comes across a bit bland at times, this actually serves the story.  Ms. Snyder contrasts this present darkness with fantastic stories of the world's past, as told by Farloft.  Tales of magic, war, and powerful wondrous items setup what I expect will be further intrigue in future books of the series.

Ms. Snyder markets her book on Twitter as geared toward nine to eleven year old boys.  This is fitting, as James, an orphan in a plagued land, is about ten years old in the story.  I gave James & The Dragon to my own nine year old son to read, as I think he will really enjoy it.  I expect this will be a series we can share together.

Ms. Snyder's writing is clear and concise, and easy to read.  The book is well edited and the story and plot flow without any hiccups.  I am confident my nine year old will fly through the book's 60 pages in short order.  I look forward to his reaction to this tale.

The first book of The Farloft Chronicles grabbed me and would not let go.  The story builds up to a fitting climax and satisfying ending.  Ms. Snyder has done a wonderful job creating a world I look forward to going back to.  

James & The Dragon is a great story for young boys.  I found myself taken back to the innocence of my own youth, when dragons were terrifying and yet awe inspiring.  I highly recommend this story to anyone looking for a fun, magical tale.  This is a story any dragon-loving reader should pick up!


Want to read the book? Then hop on over to Amazon to get your copy.



Jason Potnick, creator of Ryndaria, is passionate about #IndiePub authors.  His website contains his reviews, short stories, and miniature figure painting, as well as random musings on writing, Dungeons and Dragons, fatherhood, and other creative endeavors.
 You can connect with him on Twitter (@ryndaria) and on his blog (www.ryndaria.com)

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Vanessa's Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

This book is being Reviewed by Vanessa from Book Butterfly Reviews.

Title:  The Darkest Minds
Series: The Darkest Minds Book 1
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Genre: Fantasy Fiction, YA, dystopian, romance
Source: Paperback
Pages: 488 pages
Rating: 5 stars… easy.

Available at:

Blurb: (via Goodreads)
When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government "rehabilitation camp." She might have survived the mysterious disease that's killed most of America's children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she's on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her-East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can't risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

My Review:
Where to begin, where to begin. For those who haven’t read the books and are fans of books such as Divergent or Hunger Games… this has that same dystopian feel…. With more fantasy worked in. I highly recommend giving it a try, I doubt you will be disappointed. This is one of the best books I have read in a while, so I am so excited to share it with you guys.

All right, so lets get right into it. Character wise, this story is absolutely fantastic. Each character is set apart and has such a unique personality. As you go throughout the story and learn about Ruby’s past and some of the other characters past you can latterly watch the character development unfold. Sometimes authors writing about teenagers make their characters either too overly or under developed interaction wise. Nope, not our girl Alexandra; she is right on the ball. The decisions these characters and actions these characters make made sense. Maybe it wasn’t the smartest move, but you can see where they are coming from, you can understand their mindset. Relationship wise, well, you know who the love interest is going to be as soon as you are introduced to him. I would have liked maybe a little doubt, but you knew it was going to happen. On a friendship level though, Alexandra expertly crafts situations and conversations that test the limits of Ruby’s relationships with others; some for the better, and some for the worst. It was amazing to be reading and go over one sentence and BAM, you just watched something shift. BAM, foreshadowing. BAM a light goes off in your head. It was awesome!

Now it should come to no surprise when I tell you that the plot is fantastic. These kids are running for their lives, and they are trying to find THE Safe Haven for other kids like them with the vaguest clue known to man. The events at the beginning of the book set you up to understand Ruby’s actions as the plot unfolds. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but she just wants to be able to get close to those around her. You empathize with her character. And although you are thinking how awesome it would be to have her ability (and all the things that you can do with it) you kind of see how bad the ability sucks, and how much grief and heartache it has caused. I don’t want to say any more without giving something away. The writing was amazing., read the book!

The one and only problem I REALLY had with this book is the color-coding. Each kid is classified by color to signify what kind of ability they have. It seems that the cooler colors (like green and blue) are less dangerous and warmer colors (like orange and red) are more dangerous. My problem is two fold. One, you have to figure out what each color means by yourself. It isn’t laid out for you so you kind of have to piece it together from what you are told, which you can do more or less without too much of a problem. You don’t really understand what Reds are yet.. but if you figure how strong Oranges are… then DANNNGGG, it should be interesting. My second problem is that I have a problem with where telepathy is categorized. I figure this is a pretty dangerous power… but they put it in the coldest color (blue).. I didn’t think that it was quite right.

The last thing that I am going to say is that if you have had any doubts thus far, the ending is completely, 100% worth the entire book. It is sad, and heartbreaking and it will piss you off because you know it was the right thing, but the wisdom behind the decisions made and the selflessness of it all shows intelligence beyond her age. I can’t even wait to read the novella and the sequel that follows. Ok, that’s all I am going to say! I highly recommend the book, take a chance and read it!


If you liked my review and would like to read more like this one, follow me on my blog http://bookbutterflyreviews.blogspot.ca/