Saturday, May 30, 2015

My Life in Three Colors by P. Wish




MY LIFE IN 3 COLOURS
by P. Wish
Children’s Picture Book









Ella has always been different. She loves blue and not pink. She loves Broccoli. And of course, she doesn't like going to school. 
However, one English lesson changes Ella. 
Follow Ella as she learns the importance of dreams, being unique and most of all, being yourself.




EXCERPT





Amazon (Kindle) purchase link (USA): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WEZRM7I
Lulu.com purchase link: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/pwish
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13852944.P_Wish




And here she is. . .
P. WISH!!!





P. Wish is an author, illustrator and blogger.  


Author website: http://pwish.weebly.com

Friday, May 29, 2015

Y.A. Blast - YA Books Non-stop!



Are you a YA fan? Then you won't want to miss this!

Y.A. Blast is a free email newsletter featuring--you guessed it--all Y.A. books, all the time.  Just sign up here, and we'll start sending you the latest, greatest Young Adult book recommendations (and some oldies but goodies).  Why would we do such a thing?  We have hearts of gold.  We might also be insanely obsessed with Y.A. books, and love to share that enthusiasm with the reading world.  Don't have time to scrounge through pages upon pages of eBook listings, looking for that perfect next read?  Let us do the legwork for you.  Of course, we'll try to find good deals.  But first and foremost, we'll be looking for that next great book we'd want to read too!

You can find us here. . .

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Things I Wish I'd Known-Cancer and Kids by Deborah J. Cornwall


THINGS I WISH I'D KNOWN
CANCER AND KIDS
by Deborah J. Cornwall
Bardolf & Company
Non-Fiction
60 Pages




This short book was written for cancer caregivers who are responsible for helping children understand what a cancer diagnosis means for a loved one or for themselves. The cancer experience shakes most caregivers to their core. It is even more compelling and poignant when it involves children. Thousands of families each year face this shocking reality. Based on interviews with caregivers who have first-hand knowledge, this book is intended to help anyone facing a cancer diagnosis affecting a child, either as the patient or as a member of a family. It offers advice and cites resources to help discuss cancer with children of different ages, manage the impact of the disease on their daily lives, navigate treatment for kids with cancer, and deal with children's grief in the event of a death in the family.

In short and direct language, it offers guidance and resources (both references and internet links) for communicating and taking action in five areas:

  • Sharing the News about Cancer
  • Managing the Impact of a Cancer Diagnosis for Children
  • When the Child is the Cancer Patient
  • Handling the Death of a Parent or Sibling
  • Other Resources for Caregivers Concerned About Cancer and Children

If you're pressed for time and need to know what to do on these topics, you can't go wrong with this book. The references provided are comprehensive and will save you time and energy as you navigate through a challenging situation. 


For insights about the broader cancer caregiving process, see "Things I Wish I'd Known: Cancer and Kids," also by Deborah J. Cornwall.




MY TIDBITS


Cancer is a topic which, unfortunately, most of us can relate to in one form or another. Although there's quite a bit of literature out there describing direct experiences with this disease or offering help for the person suffering, there's little information available for the care-takers of such people, and even less for the children involved. I was glad to find a book solely dedicated to this often forgotten group.

This is a help book, which delivers what it promises: assistance. Unlike many books, which try to give direct assistance through supportive writing, Ms. Cornwall helps guide parents/grandparents/and guardians to places, groups and communities where direct help is available. I found this extremely useful, since, so often, real help cannot be offered by general words. Experiences are personal. Problems are personal. And by directing individuals to real, existing support groups, Cornwall is helping exactly these issues to be addressed.

Another thing I found exceptional in this book was the fact that it's based on openness, honesty and love. So often parents try to protect children from the harsh world, when this is not only unnecessary but often leads to more troubles than it solves. Children adapt and deal with these type of situations often better than adults. And I appreciated Cornwall's view on how to deal with the younger generation.

Summed up, this is a great book, which all families touched by cancer should read. It doesn't try to sweeten the situation, but rather directs to real help and offers honest tips and opinions.






All about Deborah J. Cornwall. . .



Deborah J. Cornwall is the author of Things I Wish I'd Known: Cancer and Kids (2015)and Things I Wish I'd Known: Cancer Caregivers Speak Out (2012-3). She has been associated with the American Cancer Society and its Cancer Action Network as a volunteer leader since 1994, serving in a variety of local, regional, and national roles and acting as a frequent media spokesperson. In 2013 she was awarded the American Cancer Society's St. George national award for her contributions to cancer control, and in 2014 she received the Lorin Lavidor Caregiver Award from the New England Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. She is also an active volunteer with the Cancer Support Community--Massachusetts South Shore. Deborah's personal goal is to increase federal funding for cancer research and to eliminate cancer as a health concern during our lifetimes.

Her passion to write the first book (Things I Wish I'd Known: Cancer Caregivers Speak Out) was ignited by her interaction with cancer patients and caregivers at the Society's AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center in Boston. Both within her own community and at Hope Lodge, she came in contact with people whose survival and caregiving stories were much more trying than her own diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer in 2001.

Generous with their stories, the 95 interviewed caregivers (who came from 19 states and represented 117 patients with over 40 different cancer diagnoses) felt a strong desire to be heard and to share the lessons they had learned (often the hard way). She used her proven interviewing and writing skills to help them do that.

Her second book, Things I Wish I'd Known: Cancer and Kids, draws on that foundation by offering guidance to adults on how to help them understand the impact of cancer on their families' lives and how to engage children with cancer in age-appropriate ways. It is distinctive in that it provides the reader with quick access to many available resources for depth on a variety of critical topics. 

You can find out more about here. . .

 http://www.thingsiwishidknown.com



Head on over to Kidbits (here) to read a terrific interview with this very interesting woman!









Wednesday, May 27, 2015

The Thinking by Dallas Sutherland with Giveaway



THE THINKING
(The Landland Chronicles #2)

by Dallas Sutherland
Middle Grade Fantasy
ages 9+


LANDLAND BECOMES ITS OWN SAVIOUR …
The Greying snakes across Bigriver towards Landland … all the lands are in turmoil. Meah combines her power of thinking with the magical Book of Colours, and joins the Bigriverland army to fight the horrid Firbog. Faith, Hope, and Charity, the white many-headed-winged-thing, returns. Auntie Beryl has become the evil Queen Berilbog– she must be stopped. Many-headed-winged-things soar high over battle-fields, three-humped-beasts-of-war go on the rampage, and, from out of the mists of the greying, slithering Homunculi goad them on.
Meah's magical plans are not what Landland needs– Firbog hordes swarm across a dried up Bigriver into Landland, cutting their way through The Scented Forest, all the way up to the tip of Mount Beacon.

Chaos reigns supreme, Landland writes its own story … but the story is all wrong. Meah looks for a way to escape. Will she find her father, The Biggo, again? Can they win their way home– should they leave Landland and all their friends in the clutches of Auntie Beryl, the Grey Lady?

EXCERPT

Nera tossed his bow and arrow to one side and wrenched the bag from Meah’s back. He undid the flap and pulled out the black portfolio containing the Book of Colours.

‘Come on – let’s get it open,’ Meah ordered. She snatched the portfolio from Nera, slid the book out and opened it, while Nera emptied the rest of the bag’s contents on the ground.

‘Are you going to use these?’ Nera asked, holding up a fistful of crayons.

‘No – not now, I’ve got to concentrate on painting. Just get them all out of the box, and lay out the paint boards, too. Then, you’d better keep a lookout, because I need to face this way,’ Meah said, pointing back towards the Northhaven archers at the end of the hedgerow. She began to arrange the paints and boards on the ground around her, and all the while leafing through the Book of Colours.

‘Yee-ess! I’ve got it!’ Meah shouted, stopping at a page midway through the book. ‘I knew it was in here somewhere.’

She ran her finger over a heading which read, Mist Experiment. No. 2. Beneath the heading was a series of colour experiments and written instructions of how to create the exact colours.

‘Yes, this is what I need to start with – at least,’ she said, looking back over her shoulder. ‘How we doin’ Nera?’

‘Hurry Meah, they’re coming.’

Meah spoke out loud as she went. ‘Right, cyanine blue and magenta, with a dash of white to start with. Now, what did old Amorgin give me that will do the job?’

Meah picked out the closest thing to cyanine blue – lapis lazuli. Next she chose a tin of scented-rose red for her magenta, and finally a sea-foam white. She used one of the paint boards as her palette onto which she poured a small pool of oil of paint pod. Behind her, the Firbog drums boomed in reply to the sound of a tap tap tapping. She dashed the three colours into the oil of paintpod. Next, she snatched a selection of brushes from the bottom of the paint box and began to mix, adding a little of one colour here, and a bit more of another there. When she thought the colour was about right she arranged several of the paintboards in a long line, end-to-end, in front of her. Then she began to paint.

A hail of arrows darkened the sky above as the Northhaven archers let loose their first volley. In a flash, Meah ran her brush over the paintboards. She left a broad sweep of colour in her wake, from left to right.

‘There, that’s a good start. How we doin Nera?’
Nera’s face was white. ‘You tell me!’



FOR PRINT COPIES. . .

 THE THINKING (Book 2 - Print): http://www.custombookpublications.com/aweb_thinking.htm    (40% Discount code: JFFFB85D)

 THE GREYING (Book 1 - Print): http://www.custombookpublications.com/aweb_greying.htm    (40% Discount code: JFFFB85D)

And here he is. . .
DALLAS SUTHERLAND!!!

Over the last twenty-five years, the Author has exhibited a creative bent across a range of industries including graphic design, fine arts, and trompe l'oeil murals. He has lectured in fine arts and studied Art History, Literature, Adult Education, and Creative Writing. Works include play scripts and short stories. The Greying is his first published novella, with further books planned as part of the fantasy series. He draws inspiration from myth, legend, and fairy tales.

He lives on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia with his partner Kerri, and daughter Ruby.

You can find him. . .


Giveaway
Win 10 series of 3 Landland Chronicles character/map posters, five signed books and five eBooks. Go here to participate: https://dallasws.wordpress.com/books-1-and-2/





Reflected by Majanka Verstraete with Giveaway

reflectedrelease


Reflected
REFLECTED
(Mirrorland #2)

by Majanka Verstraete
Inkspell Publishing
 Young Adult, Paranormal Mystery, Romance, Dark Fantasy
165 pages






When Alison was stuck in Mirrorland, all she wanted was to be alive again. Now she’s gotten her revenge by inhabiting Piper's body and trapping her behind the mirror. But pretending to be Piper is more difficult than she imagined it would be.
On top of that, the borders between Mirrorland and the real world are crumbling. Danger abounds, demons appear in high school, and if wasn’t for the help of a new mysterious guy, Alison might not have escaped. But there’s more to this guy than meets the eye, and she’s determined to find out what, especially since it might be related to her own supernatural problems. Meanwhile, Piper tries to convince the Horseman of Death to help her return to her own world, but he's got his own hidden agenda, which may cause more serious risks. Can Piper find a way to restore the balance before both worlds collide?

You can find the book. . .

Amazon (Kindle): http://amzn.to/1FztBEY
Amazon (Paperback): http://amzn.to/1cWscOI
B&N (Nook): http://bit.ly/1FQv4tT
B&N (Paperback): http://bit.ly/1SyN1R0


And here she is. . .

MAJANKA VERSTRAETE!!!


Majanka Verstraete


Majanka Verstraete begged her Mom to teach her how to read while she was still in kindergarten. By the time she finished fifth grade, she had read through the entire children’s section of her hometown library.
She wrote her first story when she was seven years old, and hasn’t stopped writing since. With an imagination that never sleeps, and hundreds of possible book characters screaming for her attention, writing is more than a passion for her.
She writes about all things supernatural for children of all ages. She’s tried to write contemporary novels before, but something paranormal always manages to crawl in.
Majanka is currently studying for her Master of Laws degree, and hopes one day to be able to combine her passions for law and writing. When she’s not writing, reading or studying, she likes watching “The Vampire Diaries” and “Game of Thrones,” spending time with her friends, or playing “World of Warcraft.”


Find out more about Majanka at. . .


Giveaway

In celebration of her release, Majanka is giving away a $15 Amazon gift card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Between the Lines by Claudia Whitsitt with Giveaway

Mother Daughter Book Reviews is pleased to be coordinating a Blog Tour for the middle grade book, "Between the Lines" by Claudia Whitsitt from May 18 to 31, 2015.

Between the Lines - Blog Tour Button
 


Between the Lines by Claudia Whitsitt
 
Between the Lines
by Claudia Whitsitt
Contemporary Fiction
 318 Pages 
For ages 9+ 








Between the Lines tells the story of three girls who become friends during the racially-charged aftermath of the 1967 Detroit Riots. Hattie Percha is crushed when the riots start on her tenth birthday, and when she must move away from her treasured childhood home and friends, attending public school for the first time, she’s afraid her life is over. Then, she meets Beverly Jo Nichols, her first black friend, and Crackers, a fearless tomboy. Despite opposition from Hattie’s mother and a racist teacher, the unlikely friends join forces. As the self-proclaimed Dream Girls, they challenge bigotry and intolerance, willing to do whatever it takes to hold onto what’s most precious to them all, their friendship.   

Amazon (US) * Amazon (UK) * Amazon (CA)

B&N * iTunes * Kobo * Smashwords * Goodreads

 

EXCERPT


I slow down and sidle up next to Crackers on our way down the hall. “Can you ask your mom if you can come to my house for lunch tomorrow? Beverly’s coming, too.”
“She’s dead.”
“What are you talking about? Beverly’s right there!” I point ahead of me.
“No, stupid. Not Beverly. My mom. My mom is dead.”
My heart stops. “What! Oh, no. I’m really sorry. Why didn’t you tell me before?”
Crackers purses her lips. “Hasn’t come up.” She flashes me a peace sign. “Don’t feel bad. Mom died a long time ago. I’m over it.”
I think about how I lie in bed at night and worry about my parents’ dying. How does someone get over losing her mom? I would be lost without my mom. “How long ago?”
“Before I was four. I was really too little to know what happened.”
“What did happen?”
“She had TB.”
Tuberculosis. I heard about the disease from my dad. One of his distant relatives died from TB. But Crackers’ mom? How horrible! I feel awful. How could I not have known?
I did the math. She’d been without her mom for six years. I couldn’t imagine. “Who takes care of you?”
She rolls her eyes. “My dad, stupid. It’s not like I live by myself.”
I think about my dad. Could he take care of us if something happened to my mom? He can fry eggs on Sunday mornings and grill hamburgers in the summer, but could he do the laundry and take care of us when we were sick? Maybe, but it would be a stretch.
“You’re the only kid, right?”
Crackers nods, then shoves my shoulder with hers. “Don’t worry your pretty little head. Dad and I make a great team.”

The Buzz

"Between the Lines is a powerful piece of historical fiction that must be added to the reading list of every middle grade student."~ 5 Stars, Lori L., Goodreads
"Teachers and parents need to purchase this novel... Parents could use this novel to engage their kids in discussions to help develop a sense of social responsibility, friendship, and morality... Ultimately, this story is inspirational." ~ 5 Stars, Amazon Customer

"This book is a must read for everyone, no matter what age ... I would recommend it highly to be in the curriculum of every 5th and 6th grade classroom. " ~ 5 Stars, Sandra W., Amazon

"My daughter and I read this book together and loved it. It is a story that will stay with both of us for many years to come!" ~ 5 Stars, aleblanc, Amazon

"Between the Lines tells a really heartbreaking but uplifting story, about race and loyalty and friends, in a way that any kid will relate to. A perfect gift book for that hard-to-please youngster!" ~ 5 Stars, Jimmy, Amazon
 

And here she is. . .

CLAUDIA WHITSITT!!!


Claudia Whitsitt, Author






  Claudia Whitsitt spent a lifetime teaching special education and writing before becoming a full-time author. She believes in the power of friendship, small acts of kindness, and paying it forward. Nothing makes her happier than spending time with her children, which includes not only the five she raised but the countless students who touched her life over the years.


Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

   

"Between the Lines" Blog Tour Schedule (2015)

May 18
May 19
May 20
May 21
May 22
May 23
May 24
May 25
May 26
May 27
May 28
May 29
May 30
May 31
 

* Blog Tour Giveaway *

Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or $25 PayPal cash prize, winner's choice Contest closes: June 7, 11:59 pm, 2015 Open to: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by Claudia Whitsitt and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway MDBR Book Promotion Services


Sunday, May 24, 2015

Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand by R.S. Mellette

Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand  
Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand
by R.S. Mellette 
Elephant's Bookshelf Press 
284 pages
For ages 10+ 










"E = mc2 is no longer the most powerful force in the universe. Your wand is." Twelve-year-old Billy Bobble and his best friend Suzy Quinofski didn't mean to change the universe. Billy, a quantum physics prodigy, just wanted to find a way to help his hoarding, schizophrenic mother – and maybe impress a coven of older girls in high school. Suzy, his intellectual equal, wanted to help her friend and cling to her last remnant of childhood, a belief in magic. Together they made Billy a real, working, magic wand, and opened a door to the Quantum World where thoughts create reality, and all things – good and bad – are possible.

Amazon * Goodreads



 MY TIDBITS

Quantum physics, DNA and string theory are totally boring? Not when Bill Bobble and his best friend Suzy leave mundane mathematical formulas behind and head right into practical applications that throw the entire universe off balance. Billy manages to make every kid's dream come true, a magical wand that enables the impossible to become reality. Little does he know that he's not only blown all physical laws out of the water, but he's caught the attention of creatures, which were better left in the world of imagination.

This is an adventure story, which races from one sticky situation into the next. The story is masterfully woven between science facts and magical fiction, making the two seemingly very different poles mold into one. The theories behind Billy's magical wand are well-described but never become boring. There's no time for that word. The story is mostly told in dialogue, with only necessary thoughts and scene descriptions thrown in. And the action runs from one section into the other, leaving barely enough time to breathe. But it's never too much either. This is the kind of book which will keep kids glued to the pages just so they can see what happens next.

Billy Bobble isn't only about excitement though. There's a nice amount of science thrown in, which not only will make little physic friend's hearts beat faster, but will help kids realize that physics and biology aren't necessarily as dry as they might seem. Several social issues are also tackled in between gnomes, cops and dimensions. The popular children literature themes of bullying and fitting in are touched upon as well as larger topics such as living with parents with mental issues, sibling love, friendship and acceptance.

Summed up, this is a packed book which will take kids ages 10+ on a fantastical ride, which not only stretches their imaginations but touches upon real-life issues they can sympathize with and understand.


The Buzz About the Book

"What a great read! I must have been under a magic spell reading it – read it in one day, which I only do if the book is very good. I encourage all readers to pick up this book and spend an afternoon with the quantum-physics-knowing, often-bullied, lovable Billy Bobble and his intellectual equal, best friend Suzy Quinofski." ~ Books4theSoul, Amazon

"My inner geek smiled a lot while reading this book. Theories and ideas I had never heard of flew over my head... but at every mention, I grinned. I LOVE a book that tackles tough subjects, embellishes them and embraces it. These characters aren't afraid of challenges, facing a bunch both personally and scientifically." ~ Kirstin, Amazon

"I think that this is a great book and I think that kids will like it a lot, because I did!" ~ Alec S., Amazon
 

And here he is. . .

R.S. MELLETTE!!!



R.S. MelletteBilly Bobble Makes A Magic Wand, is R.S. Mellette’s debut novel from Elephant Bookshelf’s Press. Prior to Billy Bobble, Mellette had Sci-Fi short stories published in the anthologies: The Fall: Tales from the Apocalypse, Spring Fevers and Summer’s Edge. Mellette is an Associate Director of Dances With Films (one of MovieMaker Magazine’s top 25 coolest film festivals in the world). He wrote and directed the multi-festival winner, Jacks or Better. He also wrote the first web-to-television intellectual property, “The Xena Scrolls,” for Universal Studio’s Xena: Warrior Princess. On Blue Crush and Nutty Professor II he served as script coordinator. He’s acted in Looney Tunes: Back In Action, Star Trek: Enterprise, Days of Our Lives, Too Young The Hero, and countless stage productions across the US. Mellette is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of American and a regional board member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

 


Friday, May 22, 2015

Ernie the Elephant in Henry Brags by Leelah Hope






Ernie the Elephant in Henry Brags
funny bedtime story collection book 3
by Leelah Hope
Children’s Picture Book
19 pages


This is the story of a boastful elephant that likes to tease people so much that he has chased his friends away.
Nobody wants to play with him because they cannot take his constant abuse and self flattery. 
It is a heart warming tale of courage as Ernie takes on the bully and wins.
Aimed at 2-5 year olds, the story is perfect pairing of elegant verse and colorful illustrations.
This book is fun for the whole family.




EXCERPT






Henry likes to tease the others,

He thinks its lots of fun,

To go around the playground shouting,

“I am better than everyone!”




And here she is. . .
LEELA HOPE!!!

Leela Hope is a writer with over 22 years of experience in writing endearing children's fiction. Her lively characters have entranced and captivated her audience, and she has taken great joy in writing the three series of books, each beautifully illustrated with love and care. Her stories concentrate on the adventures of floppy eared bunnies and wide-eyed children learning lessons in life, before returning home wiser and eager for sleep. leela hope writes her stories to entertain the very young, but also to educate. Her vision is always of a parent sitting on a child's bed, reciting the stories each night, while the young one drifts off to sleep, lulled into a dream world full of fun and adventure.
From her very earliest years of childhood, leela made up stories in her head, telling them to her younger brother and sister. The stories flowed easily from her mind, and it wasn't long before she realized she had a gift for writing. By the age of 14, she had already written a small book of short stories for her own entertainment, and by the age of 22, she had published her first full-fledged children's fiction in several magazines. leela hope was destined to be an author and she knew exactly what genre of fiction she wanted to dedicate her life too.
Born in San Diego, California, and still residing in the area, Leela studied English Literature at Berkeley,earning a degree in 1989. Her writing covers a span of several genres, but she always returns to her first love, children's fiction. She enjoys scuba diving and visiting wildlife parks, seeking new inspiration for cuddly characters for her stories. leela hope lives in an urban area of San Diego and is presently at work on a new book.

You can can find out more about here at. . .