A Book and a Chat with Ray East and Sam D

I am back from my trip back across the pond to England, and what a wonderful time I had there, the whole country during the Olympic Games seemed to be walking around with a smile on its face. From the first to the last it was a truly magical event.

You can read my Olympic blogs at http://acrossthepond-storyheart.blogspot.com

Talking about magical it’s great to have on my first show back a writer of another truly magical time and location.

Ray East along with her partner Sam D is the author of the magical, mythical, adventure, romance, coming of age YA fantasy novel VOLUSPA- A Magical World.

While the book is a YA fantasy. It is a crossover between urban fantasy and paranormal romance with a mythological and dystopian twist. This book showcases a unique coming of age story of a fifteen year old girl who struggles with the ramifications of forbidden love, obscure parentage and in essence struggles to find her place in a world that is threatened by her very existence.

One reviewer described the book as having “the edge of Harry Potter, the vibe of Narnia and the twists of Twilight”… now that puts this book as a must read, which it is.

About VOLUSPA- A Magical World(Taken from Amazon)

Twilight meets Harry Potter Amy, a forlorn fifteen year old girl from NYC, never thought that she would attend school on a magical mountain with wild animals as her classmates and that she would go to a prom on a flying carpet.

Its love at first sight when Drake- a shape shifter rescues her from a pre-historic beast and befriends her. Little does she know that Drake’s father is the tyrannical leader who has always wanted Amy and her kind dead. In her struggle to challenge the supremacy in the magical world, she realizes her powers, confronts aspects about herself that she may not be comfortable with, makes lasting friends while excelling in her school - something which she had not been able to do in her human world.

All hell breaks loose, as Drake goes missing and Voluspan mercenaries try to hunt Amy down. Amy and her friends use strategic warfare, pit adversaries among themselves and use every last drop of strength, skill and courage as they take on warriors far more ruthless and skilled than themselves. But Amy is in for a rude shock when she finally finds Drake.

The book has already received many rave reviews with readers clamoring for the next in the series, it is indeed a book for the whole family. As one reviewer wrote..

A plot which sucks you in and you wish for more. The 5 main characters of Amy, Drake, Jacek, Amelio and Cornelius are very well fleshed out, and this is something you dont get to see a lot in middle grade books. I love Amy, the 15 year old heroine and i felt i could relate to her a lot.

What makes books for me is the writing, and this story is amazingly written. There are ancient creatures, gnomes, kapas, griots, niads,gangrels, magic, and you think to yourself "This is true fantasy as far as fantasy will go" but because of the writing, you also feel for the characters, and it all seems so real, so normal, and so true. The events in the book are grand and fantastical, but the emotion that the characters feel, and that you feel with them, is very grounded and personal.

The writing and the story caters itself well to the teen reader, but I enjoyed every bit of reading it with my 12 year old.

I now also add my voice to the many others saying bring on book two…

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Ray East and Sam D

Barry

Direct link to the show
"A Book and a Chat with Ray East and Sam D"

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Ray East and Sam D"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Ray East and Sam D - Voluspa: A Magical World"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK Including my Olympic Blog - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Irene L Pynn

Irene L Pynn author of the YA fantasy novel “From Light to Dark” is my guest on today’s “A Book and a Chat”. She did not really have a huge amount of choice than becoming an author being raised in a family of writers. Though her days were filled with a mix of Dr Who and Shakespeare, the fact that she almost made herself sick in first grade trying to turn herself into some magical figure might explain the fantasy link within the story.

Irene writes fantasy and light science fiction for adults, young adults, and children. Her work spans novels, plays, transmedia events, and more. Most of her work focuses on internal conflicts told through speculative metaphors.

She got the idea for this her debut YA novel while watching a Cirque du Soleil performance of Varekai. It began with an Icarus-like fall, but, instead of dying, the Icarus character ends up in a magical world below where he encounters strange creatures. Taking this idea and blending the different worlds with a touch of Romeo and Juliet, Irene created the star-crossed Eref and Caer in From Light to Dark.

About “From Light to Dark” (taken from Amazon)

“Her voice was like flower petals falling on wet grass.”

Eref is about to die. He sits at the End of Light World, accepting his stoning execution one rock at a time, until the impossible happens: the ground opens up beneath him, and he drops down into the unknown.

There, he meets Caer, a kind-hearted girl from Dark World who saves his life. Together, the pair forms an unlikely and illegal bond that not even the strongest hatred can break. But can their connection bring down the evil institution that has kept Light World and Dark World at odds for hundreds of years?

As one reviewer put it…

“Irene L. Pynn is a phenomenal storyteller who immerses the reader in the thick tapestry of her extraordinary worlds. Again, we are introduced to a fantasy author who plunges our senses into stories that spirit us away from the daily grind and transport us into realms where honor builds heroes, beauty is birthed from dignity, and magic solves our problems. Reading Pynn isn't a pastime, it's a life choice." Ron Gavalik, author of the Grit City emotobook series.

The book as everything love, action, magic, mythology, some violence, fantasy, puzzles, riddles and great characters, add to that an amazing cover and you get “From Light to Dark” is a book not to be missed.

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Irene L Pynn

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Irene L Pynn

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Irene L Pynn"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Irene L Pynn - From Light to Dark"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Daniel B Ferry

Daniel B Ferry is the guest on the last “A Book and a Chat" for 2011. His book “Tumbleweed Forts” I have seen reviewed as “A Fantasy as Amazing as the Desert Itself!” so I was looking forward to chatting with the author as well as finding out more about his book.

Daniel, grew up as an “air force brat” traveling to more countries in his pre teen years than most people do in a life time. For part of those younger years, as we learned during the show he lived near and played in the desert, himself building forts made out of tumbleweeds.

As he shared with us during the show, his book though written as a fantasy, covers many of the things that youngsters in the 50’s and 60’s might well have done, as well as a fantastic adventure story.

About “Tumbleweed Forts” (A review by Dellani Oakes)

Joshua is a lonely child. With only his imagination to keep him company, he invents epic adventures in his mind. He leads armies and builds magnificent tumbleweed forts in his desert home. When a trip to his fort goes awry due to a dust storm, Joshua's adventure really begins.

As he huddles in his fort, he is rescued by a mysterious girl named Zeleen. She takes him on an even more amazing adventure than those of his own making.

Many of the events depicted in the novel came from Ferry's own life. By his own admission, he is Joshua. Ferry is the son of an Air Force test pilot, as is Joshua. Though Joshua's description of his father's job is much more elegant and majestic. He calls him a "knight of the sky" - his plane is a "thundering airship".

Daniel Ferry's novel, "Tumbleweed Forts", is a fantasy as fascinating and magical as the desert itself. The reader is drawn into the world of Joshua's imagination, seeing the wonders through his eyes. We go with him as he journeys with Zaleen.”

It might have been written for middlegrade and YA, but is a book that can be read an enjoyed by people of all ages. The book explores the world through Time Travel and much, more, and with a seoncd book already underway, I’m sure we’ll hear more of Daniel B Ferry.

So listen now and share an interesting, and entertaining show as I chat with my special guest today on A Book and a Chat with Daniel B Ferry

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Daniel B Ferry

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Daniel B Ferry"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Daniel B Ferry - Tumbleweed Forts"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with C.S Lakin

My guest C.S. Lakin makes a very welcome return on today’s "A Book and a Chat". Previously a guest on the show last December, when she chatted about her book “The Wolf of Tebron” the first book in the fantastic new fantasy series “The Gates of Heaven”. Is back to tell us more about the series and her new book (second in the series) “The Map Across Time”.

She wrote her first novel over twenty three years ago, and got picked up almost straight away by a top literary agent. But it was not an overnight success, writing subjects from suspense and mystery to sci-fi it never really happened. That is until the last couple of years, when two of her books were published within months of each other.

Her contemporary fiction novel “Someone to Blame” won the Zondervan First Novel contest in 2009. The book is full of tension, written with scenes and characters that make you wanting to keep turning the page, keeping the reader guessing as to what happens next.

About “The Gates of Heaven” series:

Fairy tales inspire hope, while at the same time impart life lessons as a hero or heroine ventures out into the world on a classic "hero's journey." Those of us raised reading fairy tales have had these values inculcated in us from early on, but it seems no one has taken the path of reinventing traditional fairy tales and turning them into full-length, original novels.

This is the aim of The Gates of Heaven collection of fairy tales: to draw from traditional, well-known classic tales and combine these elements with new storylines and deep characters. Designed to follow in the tradition of C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia (but for a more adult and sophisticated audience), these tales meld humor, purpose, and inner struggles as characters seek heaven's will for their lives.

The Map Across Time:

The kingdom of Sherbourne is plagued by an ancient curse which must be halted before devastation results. The King's twin teenagers, Adin and Aletha, use a magical map to go back in time to discover the origin of the curse and its cure, but everything goes awry. Can Adin manipulate events in the stream of time to assure the salvation of his kingdom?

We heard also about the third book in the series “The Land of Darkness" as well as a little hint about the fourth of this seven book series, also about another fantasy book to do with time travel.. and so much more… that she is producing.

With “The Gates of Heaven” series my guest C.S. Lakin has not just taken over the mantel from C.S. Lewis for adult fairytale/fantasy writing, but with her other writing has set her literary level of success to something that others will be looking up to.

So listen to an interesting and entertaining show as I spend sixty minutes sharing "A Book and a Chat with C.S.Lakin"

Barry

Direct link to the show
"A Book and a Chat with C.S.Lakin".

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"C.S.Lakin"

You can find out more about my guest and his books at:
"C.S.Lakin - The Gates of Heaven Series"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with C.S.Lakin

When I read that my guest on today’s show had written that she” prefers to write than even eating chocolate,” I thought this is a lady I’d love to have on the show. C.S. Lakin (Susanne) did not let me down, in an hour full on entertainment and interesting facts she shared with us much of her path to literary success as well as what she has to share with us in the future.

She wrote her first novel over twenty three years ago, and got picked up almost straight away by a top literary agent. But it was not an overnight success, writing subjects from suspense and mystery to sci-fi it never really happened. That is until the last couple of years, when two of her books were published within months of each other.

Her contemporary fiction novel “Someone to Blame” won the Zondervan First Novel contest in 2009. The book is full of tension, written with scenes and characters that make you wanting to keep turning the page, keeping the reader guessing as to what happens next.

At the same time she produced “The Wolf of Tebron” her first book in her fantasy series “The Gates of Heaven”. With book four of the series already written, and at least three more yet to come, this fantasy series is going to prove hugely popular.

C.S. Lakin has not just taken over the mantel from C.S. Lewis for adult fairytale/fantasy writing, but with her other writing has set her literary level of success to something that others will be looking up to.

So listen to an interesting and entertaining show as I spend sixty minutes sharing "A Book and a Chat with C.S.Lakin"

Barry

Direct link to the show
"A Book and a Chat with C.S.Lakin".

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"C.S.Lakin"

You can find out more about my guest and his books at:
"C.S.Lakin - The Gates of Heaven Series"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with Leah Cypess

My special guest on today’s “A Book and a Chat” is Leah Cypess. Like many other authors Leah started writing items at a young age, but in the case of Leah this was in first grade where she wrote a story narrator by an ice-cream cone in the process of being eaten. Then in fourth grade with the influence of Black beauty and Lassie Leah wrote a story about a girl who is shipwrecked on a desert island where she and her faithful dog have numerous adventures.

This was the starting point for Leah’s travel through the world of writing, which has led to her debut novel “MISTWOOD”.

After a shaeky start to the show with some gremlins in the” Blogtalkradio” switchboard we eventually were joined by Leah to start what was a thoroughly interesting and entertaining show.

Leah shared much about her writing and journey to publication, as well as some in-depth information about her YA fantasy novel “Mistwood” how the story came about as well as a brief glimpse into the story and the characters.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Everyone tells Isabel that she is the Shifter – the ancient shape-shifting creature who has protected the kings of Samorna for centuries. They need her to be the Shifter. Prince Rokan risked everything when he rode into the Mistwood to summon her to his side; Ven, the magician's apprentice, has devoted his life to studying her legend; and even Princess Clarisse, who fears and hates her, depends on Isabel's powers to further her own plans.

But Isabel doesn't feel like the Shifter. She feels like a lonely human girl, beset by flashes of memory that do more to confuse than to help her. If she is the Shifter, why can't she change her shape? Why doesn't she remember what made her flee the castle so many years ago? As she is drawn deeper into a web of magic and assassination, Isabel will have no choice but to look for answers. But her search will lead her to the one question the Shifter hasn't faced in a thousand years: where does she come from, and what does she really want?

During the show Leah also provided some helpful tips for would be and current authors as well as sharing with us her experiences in being a debut author, as well as part of the “10er’s”. We also heard that Leah would be one of the group of authors signing her book at BEA in New York later this month.

So why not sit back and listen to yet another great show about the wonderful batch of debut authors from 2010 on "A Book and a Chat with Leah Cypess".

Or else download the MP3 file and listen to the show at your own conveniance.

Barry

Direct link to the show
"A Book and a Chat with Leah Cypess"

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Leah Cypess"

You can find out more about Alexandra and her book at:
"Leah Cypess - Mistwood"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

My Blogs:

Book Information and Things UK - Across the Pond

Book and a Chat Radio Show Guests - A Book and a Chat

Funny, Weird Or Just Interesting News From Around the World - Laugh I Thought My Trousers Would Never dry

A Book and a Chat with "Victoria Simcox"

Looking for something to gift that teenage reader, or in fact any reader who likes books like the Narnia Series, or Brian Jacques "Radwell". Victoria Simcox my special guest on tonight's "A Book and a Chat" will be able to supply just the book you are looking for.

"The Magic Warble" is an enchanting tale of adventure and friendship story complete with dwarfs, gnomes, fairies, talking animals, and of course an evil queen.

Vicki, as she prefers to be called, grow up loving the old fashioned fairy tales and the books of C.S.Lewis. While she was sitting in the movie theater watching the first Harry Potter films she imagined her main character Kristina walking down a snowy sidewalk with a burgundy hat box under her arm. That was a start, she went home that night and wrote her first page not knowing where the story would go.

The result as we hear during the show is "The Magic Warble" the first of possibly a 3/4 set of books for the young and old alike.

So why not sit back and listen to Victoria on today's radio show... A Book and a Chat with "Victoria Simcox".

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/across-the-pond/2009/12/01/a-book-and-a-chat-with-victoria-simcox

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from

Victoria Simcox

You can find out more about Victoria and her new book at

Victoria Simcox - The Magic Warble

Barry



BARRY EVA (Storyheart)

Author of Young Adult Romance/Fiction book
"Across the Pond"