Y'Keta - Book Tour and #Giveaway

Y'keta

The
Sky Road Trilogy Book 1

by
Sandra Hurst

Genre:
Epic Fantasy

Banished.

Cast out. Powerless. Y’keta is exiled to the small village of Esquialt as his father's punishment for his rebellious spirit.

Village tradition gives him one Cycle, from spring to spring, to earn the right to stay. 


The  villagers have a legend about mighty beings called the Waki'tani,  mythical lords of the wind and lightning who can shapeshift into human form. Y'keta knows the truth behind these stories. Could there  be more to them than just tales shared around the campfire?


If Y'keta reveals what he knows to the villagers, it will tear their history and traditions apart...but sharing his secrets may be their only hope for survival when Esquialt is threatened by the brutal, ferociously destructive Utlaak. 

Loosely based on the Thunderbird of North American legend, Y'keta is an epic

fantasy set in an ancient world where legends walk and the Sky Road

offers a way to the stars. 

*Goodreads
* Amazon

EXCERPT

D’vhan held out a wrinkled hand to the dejected Kit’na. “If you agree to be honest, with yourself and with me, I will count you as one of my warriors.” 

Grasping Y’keta’s wrist, D’vhan pulled with surprising strength, yanking the younger man to his feet and almost tumbling him into the surf. “You have a lot to learn about our ways. It will not be easy to put your pride away and learn as an adult what you should have learned as a child; but if you are willing, I will teach.” 

Y’keta grasped D’vhan's arm, forearm to forearm in the way he’d seen other warriors in the village greet each other. “I promise,” he said, “I will try.” 

The grizzled hand clapped Y’keta on the shoulder and gave him an ungentle shove towards the forest. “Let's get back to work then, young hatchling. Laban and Ren are not far ahead of us.” 

“But didn't you say we would meet up on the beach at sundown?” Y'keta queried. 

“Laban and Ren will head towards the beach for nightfall,” D'vhan agreed, “but if they found anything in the forest, I want to see it before dark.” 

“You sneaky old crow,” Y’keta spluttered. “You planned this just to find out about me!”

 “Exactly,” D’vhan cackled, the beads sparkling in his hair as he laughed. “Be wary of old crows. We are not as quick to fight as you young hawks, but infinitely more devious. 

(D’vhan; Y’keta – The Sky Road Trilogy, Book 1) 

Hi,
my name is Sandra Hurst, the author of the Sky Road fantasy
series.

As a child growing up in England stories and legends surrounded me, I learned how important imagination was. When I was 8, we moved to northern Canada and the legends changed. Stories of the  Fae and the little people were replaced by legends of the Thunderbird  and stories of the woodlands. I never stood a chance. What could I be  but a writer?

Growing  up in Northern Alberta gave me a great love and respect for the wild  lands and indigenous cultures which made its way into the worlds I  create. A  mythmaker at heart, I started writing poetry in middle school and  graduated to epic fantasy.Myths  give us a way to interpret the world past our normal experience. To  ask questions and explore answers in a larger-than-life game of ‘what  if.’ We need to make room for myths and mythmakers in our fact  driven world. To give space for worlds that are brighter and clearer  than our own. For it is in doing so, that we have room to become more  fully human.

My  first book, Y’keta,  is loosely based on the Thunderbird of North American legend, Y'keta is a Young Adult, high fantasy set in an ancient world where legends walk and the Sky Road  offers a way to the stars.

I  now live in Calgary, Alberta with my husband and son, both of whom I love dearly, and have put for sale on e-bay when their behaviour  demanded it. My day to day life is a balance between my outside life  as a paralegal counsellor and my inner life as an author/poet. In  between, I work on courses to improve my writing, learning the Cree  Language, book reviews and blogging on my website, and studying  mythologies from around the world.

*Website
* Facebook
* Twitter * Amazon
* Goodreads

Follow
the tour HERE!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And now, a short interview with Sandra herself.

 Hi, thank you for the opportunity to talk to you and your readers today!

Where were you born/grew up at? 

I grew up in England, surrounded by old Celtic and Arthurian stories and legends, learning from them how important imagination was. When I was 8, we moved to northern Canada and the legends changed. Stories of the Fae and the little people were replaced by legends of the Thunderbird and stories of the woodlands. I never stood a chance. What could I be but a writer?

I now live in Calgary, Alberta with my husband and son, both of whom I love dearly, and have put up for sale on e-bay when their behaviour demanded it. My day to day life is a balance between my outside life as a paralegal counsellor and my inner life as an author/poet. In between writing projects, I work on improving my craft, study the Cree Language and aboriginal history, write book reviews, try to keep my blog current, and study mythologies from around the world.


 What are some of your pet peeves? 

I’m a fairly patient person, but these are my ‘hot buttons.’ I probably won’t tell you that they are ticking me off, but go far enough and you will see an explosion of biblical proportions:

1. • Drama – People who splash their private issues all over social media
2. • Fake anger – I’ll talk to anyone about anything, but talk to me, don’t just throw Reactionary rhetoric and nasty pictures at each other.
3. • Small talk – I know that the getting to know you stuff has to happen, but let’s get past it. PLEASE.
4. • Electronics – There is nothing as completely rude as pulling out a cell phone or tablet and completely ignoring the people you are with.

If you knew you'd die tomorrow, how would you spend your last day? 

If I knew that the world would end tomorrow I think that I’d want to spend my last day camping. I can’t think of a better way to spend my last hours than with my family beside a campfire, listening to the sounds of the loons in the night.


What made you want to become an author and do you feel it was the right decision? 

When I was little, we had a burgundy set of children’s encyclopaedias and I would pick out stories and poems from them to put on performances in the living room, insisting that my family listen to the stories and legends that I had read. I grew up on the stories of Robin Hood, King Arthur, and the Fae. What else could I ever be?

I write because the words are my way of exploring a world I can’t see. I’m a mythmaker, there is nothing that gives me more creative juice than asking a question and then building a world to find the answer. Myths and fantasy give us the opportunity to look at ourselves in new and often unusual ways, to play a huge game of ‘what if’ and see where the answers will fall.

My mind isn't healthy if I’m not writing, it really isn’t a choice for me.

Thank you  Sandra. I'm a Celt from Wales and was also brought up with a wealth of myths and legends. I also love the Native American legends and your book sounds wonderful and inspiring and I wish you every success with it.

For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

The RONEs

I'm thrilled to say that BELOVED ENEMY got through the second round and has finalised in the RONE Awards. (Reward Of Novel Excellence) in the Fantasy/SF category. (More Info in the Press Packet HERE )

The final round is the judging by a 'group of industry professionals'. Even if my book doesn't win, all the finalists are such amazing books that I am just thrilled and humbled to have got this far,  and thank everyone who kindly voted it from the bottom of my heart.

Fellow authors, friends and readers, you are loved and appreciated more than words can say!



For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

WeWriWar - Starquest, Snippet 5

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to read and write fiction! 

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. If you'd like to share your own 8-10 sentence snippet, whether published or not, follow the link and sign up. It's a great community to be a part of! Be sure to visit the other writers - they're listed in the link Below:

Weekend Writing Warriors for Eight Sentence Sunday
Snippet Sunday Facebook Group

I'm currently posting snippets from Starquest, Volume 1 in the Destiny Trilogy . 

Jess has been rescued from her crippled ship by the starship Destiny. The more she gets to know the crew, the more Jess feels uneasy about Kerry Marchant, the ship's second in command. Although the rest of the crew seems to have accepted her and she is anxious to make herself a useful member, she is aware of Kerry's mistrust.

Here's the link to last week's excerpt

(slight punctuation editing to conform to sentence count)

She was coming to know the ship almost as well as she had known her own vessel. A skilled pilot herself, she was happy to tackle many of the routine operating tasks, plus some of those that were not so routine. Despite his aloofness, she found herself learning a great deal from Kerry. She observed the way he handled the ship, the instructions he gave to the computers. It seemed like second nature to him. On one occasion, at Jon’s direction, she was perfecting a complicated navigational manoeuvre with the manual controls, under Kerry’s supervision. “She’s a large, powerful ship,” he said, “and needs handling with a delicate touch -- too much pressure and you would lose her.” Jess glanced at him, frowning. Perhaps the ship wasn’t the only thing that needed delicate handling. He placed his hands lightly over hers to guide them, and to her embarrassment, she felt her heart thud uncomfortably against her ribs and a blush of colour burn her cheeks. 

AMAZON
WILD ROSE PRESS


This and the other two books in the Destiny Trilogy can be seen and purchased at:
https://www.amazon.com/Hywela-Lyn/e/B002BMBXH4/ 

(All three books can be read as 'standalones')



STARQUEST BLURB:
When Jestine Darnell is rescued from her sabotaged starship by the crew of the Destiny her only objective is to complete her mission and keep her promise to save a world from slavery. Love is the last thing on her mind. However, she has not counted on losing her heart to Kerry Marchant the ship’s second in command, who makes his distrust of her painfully obvious, despite the chemistry between them. The completion of her mission has consequences that neither of them could have foreseen. 

Enter Dahll Tarron, who becomes involved in a long and dangerous quest to find the Destiny. Fates become intertwined, perils shared, culminating in the realization that sometimes love may be so close that there is a danger it will not be recognized until it is too late…


For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

Destiny Of The Queen, Spotlight and #Giveaway

This is my stop during the blog tour for Destiny of the Queen by Jacqueline Patricks. It's always a pleasure to welcome a fellow SF Romance Author to the Flight Deck. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 29 May till 11 June. See the tour schedule here.



Destiny of the Queen (The Brajj #3)

By Jacqueline Patricks

Genre: Science Fiction Romance

Age category: Adult

Release Date: 6 May, 2017

Blurb:

Can a goddess find redemption? Can a soldier find purpose?

When you think all is lost,

When you believe life is meaningless,

Sometimes your destiny is revealed.

If you’re willing to see the signs,

And brave enough to fight,

Sometimes you can change worlds.

Rejoin Cass, Jeamon, Lewis, and Ta'mat as they deal with the ramifications of Ta'mat's insanity and General Neville's betrayal.
The few Brajj remaining with Cass and Jeamon are now under Dr. Saniya's control.

Meanwhile, a world away, Captain Lewis and Ta'mat struggle with their strange bond inside his mind as they unravel the mystery
of their new circumstances. Where did Ta'mat's wormhole transport them? Why? Is there some greater destiny unfolding? Where does
freewill end and destiny begin?

The stunning conclusion to the Brajj trilogy!

You can find Destiny of the Queen on Goodreads

You can buy Destiny of the Queen here:

- Amazon

- Barnes
& Noble

- Kobo

- Smashwords

- Google
Play

- iTunes

Earlier books in this series!



Dreams of the Queen (The Brajj #1) by Jacqueline Patricks

Dr. Cass Baros is haunted by dreams of an alien world...

...and will do anything to find it.

Links:

- Goodreads

- Amazon

- B&N


- Kobo

- Smashwords

- Google
Play

- iTunes

Nightmares of the Queen (The Brajj #2) by Jacqueline Patricks

Their love will be tested by betrayal and deceit.

Links:

- Goodreads

- Amazon

- B&N


- Kobo

- Smashwords

- Google
Play

- iTunes

About the Author:

Nominated by The Author Show as Top Female Author 2017, PAN member of the Romance Writers Association, a volunteer with Houston’s Writespace, and a winner of the Seal of Good Writing from the IndiePENdents for her first published novel, Dreams of the Queen.

Jacqueline Patricks’ passion for writing began early in life. Before she published, however, Jacqueline traveled a winding path through the U.S. Army, college, over twenty years in 911 as a paramedic, professional teaching, and all the exciting adventures in between. She currently resides with her husband and four parrots and hopes to meet Mark Twain someday since he understands parrot
people.

“She was not quite what you would call refined. She was not quite what you would call unrefined. She was the kind of person that
keeps a parrot.” – Mark Twain

You can find and contact Jacqueline Patricks here:

- Website

- Facebook

- Twitter

- Goodreads

- Amazon

- Newsletter

Giveaway

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Destiny of the Queen. One winner will win their choice of an e-copy from one
of Jacqueline Patricks's books (INT)

For a chance to win, enter the giveaway below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway





For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

Weekend Writing Warriors - Starquest snippet 4

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warrior and 8 Sentence Sunday, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to read and write fiction! 

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. If you'd like to share your own 8-10 sentence snippet, whether published or not, follow the link and sign up. It's a great community to be a part of!

Be sure to visit the other writers - they're listed in the link Below:

Weekend Writing Warriors for Eight Sentence Sunday

Snippet Sunday Facebook Group

I'm currently posting snippets from Starquest, Volume 1 in the Destiny Trilogy . The more she gets to know the crew, the more Jess feels uneasy about Kerry Marchant, the ship's second in command. The cover for Starquest did not quite depict Jess as I imagined her, in fact the model is very different from the young woman I had in mind. I loved the background but wish I could have asked the cover artist to change the model. This is more like I how imagine Jess:


Here's the link to last week's excerpt

EXCERPT FROM STARQUEST (Slight editing of punctuation to conform with sentence count)

It had been a mistake to bring her on board. 
Kerry Marchant studied Jess out of the corner of his eye while ostensibly examining the circuitry in one of the control panels on the flight deck. But of course they’d had no option, she would have died without their assistance. 

He was struck by how gracefully she moved, the slender curves of her body accentuated by the dark green bodysuit of clinging, soft synthehide. Her thick, flame-red hair hung in waves over her shoulders and down her back. There was no denying she was pretty. He allowed himself a half smile - no she was far more than ‘pretty.’ He’d had his share of beautiful women in the past, although none of them had made a lasting impression. It was not that Kerry disliked women; there were even one or two, like Zeldra, whom he not only liked but admired and respected. He simply did not trust the majority of them. 

This and the other two books in the Destiny Trilogy can be seen and purchased at:
https://www.amazon.com/Hywela-Lyn/e/B002BMBXH4/

(All three books can be read as 'standalones')




STARQUEST BLURB:
When Jestine Darnell is rescued from her sabotaged starship by the crew of the Destiny her only objective is to complete her mission and keep her promise to save a world from slavery. Love is the last thing on her mind. However, she has not counted on losing her heart to Kerry Marchant the ship’s second in command, who makes his distrust of her painfully obvious, despite the chemistry between them. The completion of her mission has consequences that neither of them could have foreseen. 

Enter Dahll Tarron, who becomes involved in a long and dangerous quest to find the Destiny. Fates become intertwined, perils shared, culminating in the realization that sometimes love may be so close that there is a danger it will not be recognized until it is too late…




For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join

Wilde Horses - spotlight and #Giveaway

Wilde Horses

by
Jannine Gallant

Congratulations to Janine Gallant on the release of her romantic suspense novel

Wilde Horses. As a horse lover myself I love the premise of this book!

Pub Date: May 23, 2017

The Wilde brothers may be attracted
to all things fast and furious. But their spirited sister can’t be
tamed when it comes to matters of the heart . . .

The beautiful vistas and peace and quiet on her family’s Wyoming ranch are a balm for Eden Wilde’s soul—and inspire a gentle touch when it comes to breaking the wild horses she loves. Though there’s no hope on the breathtaking

horizon for her love life. Until her sanctuary is invaded by a movie studio shooting their latest blockbuster starring Hollywood’s man of the moment.

After a personal tragedy plays out in his real life, movie star Blake Benedict finds himself falling for the wide-open spaces and easy going pace of Wyoming—and for Eden. Around her, he feels safe shedding his public persona and letting

down his guard. But then accidents begin to happen on set, mishaps

that could end Blake’s career—or his life. And Eden will be forced out of her comfort zone to save the Hollywood hero from an enemy he never saw coming...

Add to Goodreads

Amazon
* Apple
* B&N
* GooglePlay
* Kobo

Write what you know. Jannine Gallant has taken this advice to heart, creating characters from small towns and plots that unfold in the great outdoors. She grew up in a tiny Northern California town and currently lives in beautiful Lake Tahoe with her husband and two daughters. When she isn’t busy writing or being a full time mom, Jannine hikes or snowshoes in the woods around her home. Whether she’s writing contemporary, historical or romantic suspense, Jannine brings the beauty of nature to her stories.

Website
* Facebook
* Twitter *
Goodreads
* Amazon

Follow
the tour HERE
for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For insider news and subscriber-only info, subscribe to my occasional Newsletter. I promise not to spam and your in-box will only see an email from me every 3 or 4 months or so - unless of course I have something really Newsworthy to share! http://madmimi.com/signups/196357/join