Destiny's Gambit - Spotlight, Review and #Giveaway

This is my stop during the book blitz for Destiny’s Gambit by R.J. Wood. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 5 till 11 February. 
See the tour schedule here.

Destiny’s Gambit (The Voyages of Jake Flynn #1)
By R.J. Wood

Genre: Fantasy/ Science Fiction/ Sword and Space/ Space Fantasy

Age category: Middle Grade/ Young Adult

Release Date: January 24, 2015

Blurb:

Jake Flynn’s parents disappeared when he was a baby. On his twelfth birthday, the mystery of why his parents disappeared begins to unravel when he discovers a glowing talisman with a message from his father.

Jake is directed to a derelict sailboat in a field. He watches in awe as the talisman knits ropes and sails for it out of golden energy. Awash in light, the boat sails up into space, and the voyages of Jake Flynn begin.

During the quest to find his parents, Jake encounters space pirates in tall sailing ships, channelers that can wield energy like magic, and evil cabalists led by a sinister snake-woman. Assisted by a young healer and her aged protector, a spirited cabin girl, and a salty space captain, Jake learns that he too can channel, and that he is central to stopping the cabalists from resurrecting a long-dead evil

Puzzles, a pirate asteroid, walking the plank, fantastic magic, traps, treasure caves, multiple planets and great ship battles – Jake must experience them all on this epic sword and space adventure.

By the end, Jake will discover the truth about his destiny, realize that family can transcend blood lines, and understand that his own needs are sometimes less important than those of others.

You can find Destiny’s Gambit on Goodreads
You can buy Destiny’s Gambit here:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Smashwords

REVIEW
It's a little difficult to categorise this very original and gripping story. It's part Science Fiction Adventure, part Fantasy and has a very Steampunk feel as well. The protgonist is a twelve year old boy so I guess it's intended for older children and young adults. Anyway, as a 'much older' adult I enjoyed it very much although the occasional incident of 'telling' rather than 'showing' and the odd 'headhop' drew me out of the story at times, but not enough to spoil what is actually a 'rattling good yarn'.

Briefly, the story concerns the boy, Jake, whose parents have mysteriously disappeared, and he lives with his rather stern Uncle and kindly grandmother. When, on his twelfth birthday, he finds a talisman and a message from his father he sets off immediately to find them. His adventures take him into space, where he encounters an evil snakewoman, makes some interesting friends, and becomes involved with pirates, space battles and visits various strange and dangerous planets

I loved the idea of an old time sailing ship being able to travel through deep space, thanks to Jake, the young hero's newfound ability to 'chanel' his special talents to power the ship. It's not without a scientific 'rationale' either as some of the companions he meets on his first visit to another planet are also able to 'chanel' and they are able to form a bubble of air around the ship and also to control the pressure and temperature so they don't freeze to death. The author clearly has a very thorough knowledge of all things nautical and the descriptions of the ships, their weaponry and handling are put across in a way that makes the reader feel he or she is taking part in the voyage themselves.

I was sorry when the book ended - I'm not too keen on books that aren't actually complete, and I had expected Jake to conclude his search for his parents - but it seems I have to wait until the next book to find out if he is likely to be successful. It wasn't exactly a 'cliff hanger' ending though  but there is obviously more of Jake's story to come in what looks like being a very enjoyble and entertaining series.
*four stars*

About the Author:

R. J. Wood has been creating stories and adventures for others since 1979. A bard at heart, he trained in Drama (BA) and History (MA) while at university. He currently lives near Snoqualmie Falls in Washington State with his wife and children. There he does a little fishing, some adventuring, and of course, his writing.

Like everyone of my generation and beyond I have been heavily influenced by film. I like to think of my books as movies in my mind. I developed my creative writing through fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal RPGs. My degree in drama helps me with story, characters, and especially dialogue. Having an advanced history degree is excellent for plots and characters, but it also helps me with world building.

You can find and contact R.J. Wood here:

- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Instagram

Giveaway

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Destiny’s Gambit. One winner will win a $10 Amazon Gift card.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter 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

Sienna Matthews: Piracy

I'm reposting this post by Sienna Matthews because I think it's so important. As a reader, you may think it's a good thing to get free or cut price books from a 'pirate' site, but this is actually theft,. An author spends months, sometimes years, writing and rewriting a book they hope will give the reader a few hours of pleasure. Most authors make very little from their Royalties, but even this small amount is denied them by the pirates. You expect to be paid for your 'day job' so authors should also be paid for their hard work don't you think. Please read this post and think very carefully before being tempted to use a pirate site. (I'm in a similar position to sienna, published by a small press and I really don't want to change, or worse still stop writing altogether.


Sienna Matthews: Piracy: Piracy sucks -- I agree. Y'all know about what happened to my friend Jenna Rose Ellis . She's angry and frustrated, and worse -- ...

Weekend Writing Warriors - #SundaySnippet - Beloved Enemy, The Destiny Trilogy Book 3 ... Where did that damned smoke come from?

Writers share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet on Sunday each week. Be sure to visit the other writers - they're listed below:

Weekend Writing Warriors for Eight Sentence Sunday

Snippet Sunday Facebook Group

If you'd 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! 

Here's the next snippet from the third book in the Destiny Trilogy. Thanks so much to everyone who has been following this series, and stayed with me xx

You can read the previous snippet of  Beloved Enemy HERE

(The story so far - Cat Kincaid has crashlanded on an unknown and seemingly hostile planet, apparently in the middle of a gun battle in the not-too-far distance. Cat decides to even the odds a little and fires a smoke capsule, as it clears, she realises there is only one person now, fighting alone. (This snippet is from the hero's p.o.v. )                         

(some very creative punctuation and slight rewording from published version to comply with sentence count

Where did that damned smoke come from -- Kerry Marchant wiped his streaming eyes and tried to focus on the area where he last saw his attackers.

There was another question—the identity of the third party who seemed to be siding with them against their assailants; he turned back to glance at Jon Quinlan, the main concern, at the moment, was Zeldra. “How is she,” he asked, indicating the unconscious woman.

The other man looked up from his ministrations, coughing and trying to waft some of the choking smoke away with his hand.  “Not good, I’ve used my bioregenerator and it’s repaired some of the damage but we need to get her back to the Destiny.”

“Then take her, at least this smoke will give you some cover, I’ll hold them off here for as long as I can.”

“What? And leave you here to fight them alone?”

“I can handle it, come back for me.”

“I don’t like the thought of leaving you down here—”

“Have you a better idea -- we can’t both go, we would just be sitting targets  if this smoke clears; I can cover you, but as the Destiny’s commander, you need to be with the ship."

BLURB

Cat Kincaid is obsessed with killing the man she believes is responsible for the torture and death of her sister, but when she eventually catches up with him, survival becomes a greater priority than revenge.

Kerry Marchant, haunted by memories, regret, and self-blame, shields himself from the pain of the past by committing himself totally to the starship, Destiny, of which he is part owner. However, the beautiful, red-haired woman who reminds him of his lost love, and who he suspects is working for a corrupt regime, represents a possible threat not only to the ship, but to his heart.

Marooned on an inhospitable planet, they need to work together to stay alive, fighting not only unknown assailants, but their growing attraction. But how can they learn to trust each other when he has vowed never to get close to a woman again, and she made a solemn pledge to destroy him?

https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Enemy-Destiny-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B01BBCBYCS

Purchase all three books (or just one, they stand alone, while sharing some of the same characters)  

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

A Star Called Home, Book Tour and #Giveaway

A Star Called Home

by
Marina Landry

Genre: SF Romance

198 pages

Jul Kisling's heart aches for the homeless children living beyond her
office window. Her father, Chancellor of the Third Quadrant of Akila,
refuses to use his power to help them. Frightened but determined, Jul
secretly searches for transportation to bring some of the children to
a newly-colonized planet.

Marc Prejean is an out-of-work, out-of-money Earth starpilot living on the
land of his Cajun ancestors. Wrongfully convicted of smuggling and
recently released from forcedsleep, he reluctantly agrees to Jul's
proposition. His desperate situation, the betrayal of his wife and
brother, the loss of his starpilot license, and his stolen six years
have left Marc angry and withdrawn.

Marc and Jul begin a journey of agonizing mistrust, smoldering sexual

desire, and the shared goal of safeguarding the twelve children.

Pursued by ruthless adversaries on both sides of the law, they soon

realize they are delivering the children into even greater danger.

EXCERPT

Excerpt from A Star Called Home by Marina Landry

 A blush rose up her fine-boned cheeks, and her pink mouth twitched, but she didn't respond. Instead, she turned her head and made soothing noises to the waif quietly sobbing in her arms. She lifted her bag from the floor, aimed her cool, emerald eyes toward Marc, and said, "If you'll direct me to their--"

"Through there," he interrupted again, pointing to the closed portal in the left part of the rear wall. He resumed his seat, turning his back on her and reaching for the console. "Cabins're all the same -- take your pick. Wait. One. Minute," he demanded, pivoting in his seat to frown at her. "You said you'd be bringing nine companions. This looks like more than nine to me."

"Yes," she admitted easily. "There are twelve children in all, but they're used to living in close quarters. We'll manage."

He stood and took an angry step off the bridge. "This starship is designed to accommodate ten passengers only. Space regs forbid me to--"

"I understood you would get us to Orum without concern for regulations, without passports, and without questions. However, if you insist -- which three would you like to tell to go back?" She stared him squarely in the eye, holding that genderless child on her hip, with two more clutching her legs.

He scowled down at the sea of dirty faces and unnerving stares, and he disliked this woman with her expensive clothes and cold eyes more than he'd ever disliked a total stranger before in his life. He forced himself to meet her haughty stare. "It will take me about ten minutes to get a clear window," he ground out. "So get them in the beds vite."

He stepped back up to his command console, then added, "I'll rewash the bedsilks later."

He studied the control screen, scanning frequencies, airspace, and ground perimeter for anyone too interested in why the Southern Belle had stopped there in the middle of the night.

She was still standing by the portal at the rear wall. What the hell was she waiting for? "Eight minutes!" he called out.

 "Well, you will just have to wait!" she snapped, spinning to face him.

     

He stood and glowered down at her.

Her back was rigid and her jaw clenched as she continued in a trembling voice, "No matter how much you try to bully me, there is no way I can get twelve children ready for lift in eight minutes. And if you lift too soon and one of these children is injured, I'll make you wish you'd never taken this job."

He studied her in barely-restrained anger, and not a small measure of admiration. Her ability to stand firm while he bullied her -- as she called it -- surprised him, though he could see her fingers shaking on the child's back. He stroked his wiry moustache with one finger and drawled, "I been wishin' dat ever since you boarded, chère."

Add to Goodreads

Amazon

* B&N
* Kobo
* Desert
Breeze Publishing

Marina Landry has gained attention in both the romance and science fiction communities for her heart-warming, emotionally intense, character-driven stories. Her debut novel A Star Called Home (Desert Breeze Publishing) has consistently received five out of five stars on multiple online book review sites. Marina has taught language arts and mathematics in south Louisiana for 18 years. She speaks on the craft of writing and teaches all levels of writers online. Though her education has not followed a typical path nor timeline, she has Masters Degrees in Education of the Academically Gifted, Secondary Mathematics Education, and Adult Education.

Website
* Facebook *
Twitter * Amazon
* Goodreads

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

The Beautiful One

Genre: Historical Fiction, YA Fiction

Release Date: 8 September 2017

Publisher: S Books

Even as a small child, Helen, princess of Sparta, knows that there is something special about her; men come from far away just to catch a glimpse of her beauty. Also there are those rumours that her real father was someone more important than King Tyndareus of Sparta. But her beauty is to cause problems; her sister Clytemnestra is jealous of the attention she gets, and even her magical brothers, Castor and Polydeuces, can’t protect her from the predations of a brute like Theseus of Athens. Still, as she grows up, and knows she’ll have to find a husband, she thinks a good deal about love, and what it might mean to her.

Amazon UK https://goo.gl/KNrJsd

Amazon US https://goo.gl/FaLRCJ

EXTRACT

And that was when the terrible thing happened. There was no swan’s feather on my pillow that morning, but I woke up with a strange sensation that something soft was brushing my cheek. When I sat up and looked around, of course, there was no one there. Phyllis and my sister were still asleep. But I couldn’t help feeling anxious all day, though there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary. If Castor had been there, I’d have confided in him, and he might even have been able to save me from what came later.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Frances Thomas was born in Wales during the war, though she has lived most of her life in London. However, some years ago, she and her historian husband retired to a beautiful part of mid-Wales. She’s written many books for children and adults, her most recent being a trilogy about the girls of the Trojan War.

For many years Frances also used to teach dyslexic children. She enjoys reading, sketching, cooking, and looking out of the window at the changing colours of the countryside. She has two grown up daughters, and two grandchildren.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frances.thomas.94

Twitter: https://twitter.com/francesbooks

Blog: http://blog.francesthomas.org

Website: Author: http://francesthomas.org

Publisher: http://sbooks.co.uk

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

Girl Divided by Willow Rose

Girl Divided

by
Willow Rose

Genre:
Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy

They think she's a monster, but she's their only hope…

In a divided nation, 14-year-old Jetta belongs nowhere. Her face is
split right down the middle: half-black and half-white. The non-white
residents of her New Orleans camp call her a demon. The white
oppressors who took over during the 2nd American Civil War have
called her much worse…

After years as an outcast, Jetta uncovers her true heritage as the daughter
of an African storm god and a Finnish death goddess. As she attempts
to harness her terrible new abilities to turn the tide in the war,
trouble comes to those she tries to help. Only Jetta has the power to
heal her divided homeland… or destroy everything in her path…

Girl
Divided is a post-apocalyptic sf novel infused
with magical forces. If you like immersive worlds, strong characters,
and a tale that reads like Neil Gaiman and Stephen King combined,
then you'll love Willow Rose's provocative story.

**On Sale for .99 cents!**

Add to Goodreads

Amazon
* Apple
* B&N
* Kobo

The
Queen of Scream aka Willow Rose is a #1 Amazon Best-selling Author
and an Amazon ALL-star Author of more than 40 novels. She writes
Mystery, Suspense, Horror, Supernatural thrillers, and Fantasy. 

She lives on Florida's Space Coast with her husband and two daughters.
When she is not writing or reading, you will find her surfing and watch the dolphins play in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. 

Willow's books are fast-paced, nail-biting pageturners. Several of her books have reached the Kindle top 20 of ALL books in the US, UK, and Canada.

She has sold more than two million books.

Website
* Facebook *
Twitter * Bookbub
* Amazon
* Goodreads

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