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 Barbara Ehrentreu

“If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor” is the debut book of Barbara Ehrentreu my guest on today’s “A Book and a Chat”.

After years of teaching Barbara took a workshop as a requirement for my Master Degree at Manhattan Ville College with the late Paula Danziger. Required for that workshop was to write three chapters of a children’s book. So, taking her youngest daughters experiences Barbara with help and encouragement from Paula and later from her own critique group Barbara after many edits and rewrites produced her debut book “If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor”.

About “If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor”: (Taken from MuseItUp Publishing)

Carolyn Samuels is obsessed with the idea of being popular. She is convinced that the only thing keeping her from happiness is her too heavy for fashion body and not being a cheerleader. Hyperventilating when she gets nervous doesn’t help.
When she is paired for a Math project with the girl who tormented her in middle school, Jennifer Taylor, she is sure it is going to be another year of pain. With Carolyn’s crush on Jennifer’s hunky Junior quarterback Brad her freshman year in high school looks like a rerun of middle school.

After Jennifer’s the only student who knows why she fell in gym class, Carolyn is blackmailed into doing her math homework in return for Jennifer’s silence. Jennifer takes on Carolyn as a pity project since she can’t be seen with someone who dresses in jeans and sweatshirts. When Jennifer invites Carolyn to sleep over to make her over and teach her to tumble, Carolyn learns Jennifer’s secret and lies to her own friends to cover it up. Will Carolyn become a cheerleader and become popular? Does she continue to keep Jennifer’s secret? Or will she be a target of this mean girl again?

If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor is a book that covers many aspects of teen life, and perhaps not just teen, with many reader relating to Carolyn others to Jennifer and though written for girls ages 10 -14, it has also been enjoyed by older women, boys and men.

It is a book for all and one that already has quite a following

As one reviewer put it…

I pretty much only give 4-5 star reviews. If a story doesn't grab me opening chapters, with limited time, I set it aside. This debut novel hooked me opening page and didn't let go. I felt like I was completely immersed in Carolyn's world. Without an excess of drama or unrealistic focus on getting a boyfriend, clothes and makeup, this 14 year old told her story from the viewpoint of an honest kid who genuinely respected and cared for her parents. So refreshing! Her relationship, especially with her mom, was lovely in the fact Carolyn showed wonderful character growth by the last page, and the author didn't need to have abusive parents or hateful teenager to do so.

The hard topics of bullying, self-centeredness, serious health issues some young girls deal with, and so forth was all told so well I could go on and on, but I don't want to give away spoilers. The story left me smiling, certain more teenagers are actually like Carolyn, Jennifer and the rest, capable of doing the right thing, and because of that this novel is on my treasure and re-read pile. In all honesty, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor is one of the best novels about teenagers I've read.

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 Barbara Ehrentreu

Barry

Direct link to the show
A Book and a Chat with Barbara Ehrentreu

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from
"Barbara Ehrentreu"

You can find out more about my guest and their books at:
"Barbara Ehrentreu - If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor"

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

STARTING JUNE 4th I AM ON MY VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR.
PLEASE STOP BY AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ME AND MY NEW BOOK



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