Sheila’s Reviews – Page 13 – LDS Women's Book Review

Awakening: Book One of The Geis by Christy Dorrity-Blog Tour Review

Posted by Sheila Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews

Oct 042013

Product Details:

Title: Awakening
Author: Christy Dorrity
Series: The Geis
Genre: YA fantasy
Published Date: Sept 19, 2013
FTC, FYI: I received a review PDF in exchange for an honest review.

About the Book

. . . because some Celtic stories won’t be contained in myth.

A little magic has always run in sixteen-year-old McKayla McCleery’s family—at least that’s what she’s been told. McKayla’s eccentric Aunt Avril travels the world as a psychic for the FBI, and her mother can make amazing delicacies out of the most basic of ingredients. But McKayla doesn’t think for a second that the magic is real—it’s just good storytelling. Besides, McKayla doesn’t need magic. She recently moved to beautiful Star Valley, Wyoming, and already she has a best friend, a solo in her upcoming ballet recital—and the gorgeous guy in her physics class keeps looking her way.

When an unexpected fascination with Irish dance leads McKayla to seek instruction from the mute, crippled janitor at her high school, she learns that her family is not the only one with unexplained abilities. After Aunt Avril comes to Star Valley in pursuit of a supernatural killer, people begin disappearing, and the lives of those McKayla holds most dear are threatened.

When the janitor reveals that an ancient curse, known as a geis, has awakened deadly powers that defy explanation, McKayla is forced to come to terms with what is real and what is fantasy. A thrilling debut novel based in Celtic mythology, Awakening is a gripping young adult fantasy rife with magic, romance, and mystery.

My Review:
First off, I just loved the cover the first time I looked at it. It truly grabs your attention! Christy’s husband designed it and he did a fabulous job.

Awakening has a fantastic lead character in McKayla. She is a very bright and bold character. Her love of dance in this novel is almost contagious. Her feelings were written so clearly that you experienced everything with her. I wanted so much for things to work out for her as she was going through so many hard things.

The most outstanding character would have to be crazy Aunt Avril. I loved her! She was everything that McKayla needed in her life right now. She is one of the most colorful characters I have read in a long time! I also thought the mysterious and sometimes strange janitor, was a wonderful addition to this book.

One thing I loved about this book is how it starts out as just a normal book about a teen girl. Then it becomes a murder mystery, and then the paranormal comes into play. It truly has something for readers in all genres. Awakening has great action scenes and very heart warming scenes too. I love the addition of the Celtic Mythology to the story and the Irish Dancing. I wish I could dance! The author also is an Irish Dancer. This was evident from the great descriptive writing about McKayla’s very emotional dancing scenes.

The most amazing thing that will blow readers away after reading Awakening, is knowing that this is Christy’s debut novel! It does not feel like a first novel. Her writing is smooth, characters are rich,and the storyline and plot are full and engaging.

I’m very excited to see what comes next for all of these characters. You will be hooked and wanting to read more. If you like to read YA paranormal fiction, with a lot of mystery and some romance thrown in, Awakening will keep you in your seat reading until the very end.

Praise for Awakening

“AWAKENING is a wonder and a delight. Christy Dorrity is a talent to watch.”
~David Farland, New York Times bestselling author of Nightingale

“I thoroughly enjoyed AWAKENING, a captivating and unique debut novel that creatively integrates Irish dance.”
~ CHRIS NAISH, Riverdance member and Creative Director of Fusion Fighters Irish dancers.

About the Author:

Christy Dorrity lives in the mountains with her husband, five children, and a cocker spaniel. She grew up on a trout ranch in Star Valley, Wyoming, and is the author of The Geis series for young adults, and The Book Blogger’s Cookbooks. Christy is a champion Irish dancer and when she’s not reading or writing, she’s probably trying out a new recipe in the kitchen.

Purchase Awakening by Christy Dorrity:

A Nothing Named Silas by Steve Westover-Blog Tour Review

Posted by Sheila Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews

Sep 282013

Product Description:
Title: NOTHING NAMED SILAS
Author:STEVE WESTOVER
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: Fantasy series
Source: Received a review Kindle copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (September 10, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1462111653
ISBN-13: 978-1462111657

Book Description:

“You are here because the Citizens put you here to serve them and because the Regents choose to control your lives.”

In the not-so-distant future, workers are forcibly drafted into their fields. With all their choices made for them, the workers must do what they’re told or face severe consequences. When Labor chooses Silas, the tyrannical Labor Regent is determined to make him a public example of her complete control. He is humiliated, manipulated, and isolated during his first week under the Shield, and the people who show him kindness only help him because they have ulterior motives.

But the Regent is not the only one pulling Silas’s strings. The mysterious Gideon wants to mold him into a hero, a champion of the oppressed people. And a strange girl seems to be guiding him to find out more about the Citizens they serve. Through it all, no one bothers to ask Silas what he wants to do. Because, after all, he doesn’t have any rights. He doesn’t really exist.

Wade through twisted government conspiracies and deeply buried secrets alongside Silas as he learns to choose for himself—and discovers the cost of freedom.

My Review:

This Dystopian novel is one that really shook me up. There is a lot of deep thinking going on for the reader. We first meet 16 year old Silas who is running the race of a lifetime-literally. The outcome of this race will determine “who” he becomes and what society he will live in. He was trained to be part of the “Command” society and be a leader. The race ends badly for him and he ends up in the lowest society possible, “Labor”. Once there, he is in for a world of degradation and humiliation. He is constantly tested physically, mentally, and emotionally. Silas is always wondering who he should trust, and for good reasons. Two different “groups” of people want him to work for them and both have their own motives at play. There is definitely a political undertone found in this novel. There is a slight love interest here, but it has more action and suspense than some of the other dystopian novels out there today.

Though this book is listed as a YA (young adult) book, I highly recommend that only teens over the age of 16+ read this novel, along with adults. Some of the scenes may be too harsh for anyone younger, due to some violence and methods of degradation. This book is very well written and will bring out many emotions in the reader. I know it did exactly that for me. Some of the things that happened stunned me, but also made me look at life differently. If you are looking for an action packed and thought provoking book, A Nothing Named Silas will fully satisfy you.

Purchase this book HERE.

Meet the Author:

Steve Westover lives in a small Midwestern town with his wife and four kids. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in Political Science and currently works in banking.

Steve also has a middle-grade fantasy series with two books released to date: Crater Lake: Battle for Wizard Island (March 2012) and Crater Lake: Return of the Mystic Gray (Apr. 2013). Steve has also published two FBI thrillers: Defensive Tactics (Aug. 2010) and the sequel, Gold Clash (Dec. 2012). To learn more about Steve, visit his website, www.stevewestover.com.

Rocky Road: A Culinary Mystery by Josi S. Kilpack-Blog Tour Review and Giveaway

Posted by Sheila Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews

Sep 262013

Tour Schedule

Product Details

Title: Rocky Road
Author: Josi S. Kilpack
Series: Culinary Mysteries
Paperback: 356 pages
Publisher: Shadow Mountain (September 10, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1609075935
FTC, FYI: I was given a review PDF copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description
THE ST. GEORGE SPECTRUM: “Dr. Trenton Hendricks was last seen Friday, April 8, when he set out alone on a backpacking trip. Hendricks’s Jeep Grand Cherokee was located Tuesday at the Chuckwalla Trailhead, but after six days and thousands of man-hours, the official search has been called off. He is presumed to be deceased.” It was supposed to be a girls’ weekend in scenic St. George, Utah, that would include shopping, trying out the local cuisine, and participating in a breast cancer fund-raiser. The fact that one of the organizers of the fund-raising event, a local doctor, had disappeared two months before was not supposed to be Sadie’s problem. When Sadie learns that her friend Caro and Caro’s cousin, Tess, have started a grassroots investigation into Dr. Hendricks’s disappearance, Sadie graciously refused to be a part of it. With her wedding to plan and her most recent case still fresh in her mind, Sadie is determined to leave this case to the police–until she meets the ex-wife of the missing man. How could she not ask a few questions . . . that lead to more questions . . . that lead to a small town and even more questions! When the local police ask her to be their eyes and ears, Sadie can’t help but jump in with both feet. Before she knows it, she is on the rocky road of another investigation, following a convoluted trail of good intentions, hidden motivations, and philanthropy turned big business.

Excerpt from Rocky Road:

“Sadie’s been in here questioning her the whole time.” She pointed at Lori for emphasis and Sadie felt her face heating up in reaction to the accusation.

“Questioning me?” Lori looked at Sadie again.

“I was not questioning her,” Sadie explained while glancing between them, “we were just . . . talking.”

“About Dr. H,” Tess said accusingly.

“Well, yeah, and other things, but –”

“Wait.” Lori put up her hand, looking somewhat cornered. They all went quiet. “What are you talking about?”

“Sadie’s an investigator, didn’t she tell you that?”

Sadie didn’t know what to say. Tess was making Sadie look like she’d been deceptive, which she hadn’t been. The conversation had just . . . evolved of its own accord. Okay, maybe she’d guided it a little bit but there was so much more to it than that and she felt cheapened by the way Tess was pouncing on this circumstances she wasn’t even trying to understand.

My Review

I have read the first nine books in the series, and I have really liked all of them. Main character Sadie Hoffmiller is someone I could be good friends with. After reading all of the books in the series, you do feel like you are back with an old friend.

In Rocky Road, Sadie is a more restrained Sadie than we have ever seen before. It isn’t too long after her adventure in Alaska and becoming engaged. Speaking of that, I truly missed the hunky, strong and silent type, Pete Cunningham in this story. I kept thinking he would show up, but he never did. I can’t wait for the next book when he will return. Sadie was on her own, and performed her super sleuthing ways quite well. Sadie does have the help of her friend Caro(who wasn’t too bad with her own investigative skills) and a new policeman, Officer Nielson, who shows a lot of faith and confidence in Sadie. I really liked this new male character. Tess, Caro’s cousin, she wasn’t to my liking and seemed very immature.

The action is toned down in this book, but the mind games are there aplenty. There are also twists and turns that will continually lead you astray, just when you think you have figured things out, surprise you’re wrong! The recipes in this book are off the charts, including the barbacoa pork salad that I love from Cafe Rio.

As I’ve said before about this series, many of these books can be read alone, but I STRONGLY suggest you read the others first in the order written. You will understand Sadie better and how she ticks. I love this series and I’m always excited when the next one will be coming out.

This book has more Christian themes than other Sadie books, and some violence, but nothing graphic. Rocky Road will take you on another fun ride, where a more sensible and confident Sadie takes the wheel steering the way to another exciting read.

Purchase at: Amazon * Barnes and Noble

Author Josi S. Kilpack

Born and raised in Salt Lake City Utah, I met my husband in high-school–well, he wasn’t my husband then, just the cute guy in weight training with the permed mullet–and we married in 1993. I wrote my first book while on bed rest with my third child and have gone on to publish 20 novels, the most recent being part of The Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series. I currently live in Willard, Utah with my husband, children, and cat.

Find out more about Josi at: Website * Twitter * Blog

Read the other books in the series:

Culinary Mysteries by Josi Kilpack

Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/6/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wanted by Kathi Oram Peterson-Review and Guest Post from Author

Posted by Sheila Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews

Sep 212013

Product Description:
Title: Wanted

Author: Kathi Oram Peterson

Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.

Published: May 2013

ISBN: 978-1-62108-415-0

FTC FYI: Received a review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description:

Rodeo veterinarian Jo Powers is accustomed to operating under pressure—but nothing could have prepared her for the shocking discovery of the armed and bleeding escaped convict hiding in her truck. Even more disconcerting is the fact that Jo knows the man in the prison jumpsuit. Jo’s split-second decision to use her medical skill to save this man’s life is just the beginning, because now he needs her help to uncover the truth. Seven years ago, Branson Faulkner was accused of a murder he claims he didn’t commit. With the hope of finding new evidence to prove his innocence, he’s risked everything to clear his name and reclaim his life—but he can’t do it alone. Jo agrees to help, even though she isn’t completely sure Faulkner is innocent. Now, as Faulkner and Jo conduct their investigation, they discover an alarming connection between a string of homicides, and one truth is clear: there’s a murderer on the loose who will stop at nothing to cover his tracks.

My Review:

Wanted is another phenomenal book written by Author Kathi Oram Peterson. I have never been disappointed with anything I have read from this author. She knows how to immediately draw you into the story and never lets the storyline drag. You are hooked and trying so hard to figure out who the bad guys are. Readers will get twisted and turned into so many directions that everyone looks a little bit guilty.

She writes such great characters whether they are the good or bad guys. I loved Jo Powers and her strong spirit and determination to do the right thing. I also couldn’t help but fall for convicted murderer and Jo’s ex-husband Branson Faulkner. There is something about him that makes you want to believe in his innocence. There are many characters, Lance, Denny, Edward and even the Sheriff, that the author leads you to believe could be involved in several murders. I had ideas of who could have been involved, but I was still surprised at the end by who was involved and why.

I loved the western flavor found in this book, along with veterinarian Jo’s love for the many animals(A wolf, deer, and skunk to name a few) that she has saved. I also loved the rich descriptions of the gorgeous Idaho wilderness. With the unending suspense, the romantic tension and the realistic telling of Idaho country life, this book is a true winner.

As I was visiting Kathi’s blog, I was so excited to find that she had posted pictures from where her book is based in Idaho. I’m an Idaho gal myself and love the beauty that can be found in that state. I wanted to share the pictures and what Kathi had to say about visiting the places where you base your novel.

“Last week I had the good fortune to find myself standing on the north bank of the Snake River beneath Table Rock Mountain. Isn’t it beautiful? This is one of my favorite spots in the world, and where I set some scenes in my novel, Wanted.

Here’s another view of the mountain from across the river. In Wanted, Jo, one of the main characters, rides her horse to the top of the mountain and looks down at the river and valley below as she tries to find answers to her father’s untimely death.

Standing beneath the mountain last week, I longed to be on top looking down just like Jo did.

But I wasn’t there for research or to recreate my novel. I was there for a family reunion. See my mother was born across the river from Table Rock Mountain. I have visited the area many times and know it pretty well.

As I stood there taking in the scenery, smelling river grass and hearing tree leaves flutter in the breeze overhead, I wished that my readers could have been there with me. I tried my best to paint the scene with words, but it’s not the same as being there.

The Snake River is as wild and impressive as I remembered. It looks shallow here because the water is so clear, but farther out there are sinkholes and rapids that are scary even in a boat.

(Side note: My mother and her brothers and sisters had to row across that river twice a day to go to school. When I was a kid and complained about walking a couple of blocks, Mom would remind me that it could be worse.)

There are many advantages to setting scenes in your novel in places you’ve been and know well.

Your descriptions come alive.
You’re able to feel emotions your characters would have from their surroundings.
And you can give attention to details that will add authenticity to your story.

I’m sure there are other reasons.

Why do you think setting a novel in places you’ve been can be a good thing?

Don’t get me wrong. I do believe an author can write amazing stories without actually visiting where they have set their books. The reason they can do that is they have done extensive research. However, visiting the actual setting makes writing about it much easier. Take it from a writer who has done both.”

Such wonderful advice from such an amazing author!

Purchase Wanted @: Amazon | Deseret Book | Seagull Book

Meet the Author: Kathi Oram Peterson

Raised in southeastern Idaho, Kathi Oram Peterson developed a love for the Snake River that winds through much of the region. She spent many happy adventures with family and friends swimming, boating, and fishing on the river. Though she now resides in Salt Lake City, she returns to the Snake River Valley often for vacations. When her children finished school, Kathi finished her English degree at the University of Utah. She worked for several years, writing and editing children’s books for a curriculum publisher. Upon leaving the workforce, she turned her attention to writing novels. Setting a romantic-suspense novel in Idaho with the river she loves came naturally.

Go visit Kathi here:

Janitors: Curse of the Broomstaff (#3) by Tyler Whitesides – Blog Tour – Combined Review

Posted by Shanda Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Combined Reviews, Shanda's Reviews, Sheila's Reviews

Sep 162013

Janitors: Curse of the Broomstaff (#3)

Author: Tyler Whitesides

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Published Date: September 10, 2013

Hardcover/Kindle/CD/Audible/DB Bookshelf: 343 pages

Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy

ISBN# 978-1609076054

Reviewed by: Shanda & Sheila

FTC FYI: free digital review copy in exchange for an honest review

Summary

A secret society of Janitors with wizard-like powers continue their battle, and now, the stakes are even higher. The Bureau of Educational Maintenance is after Alan Zumbro and this time they mean business – deadly business. Spencer, Daisy, and their little team of rebels must find the source of all magical Glop and destroy it before it can destroy the world as we know it. No small task with the BEM and their monster toxites at their heels. It’s a wild and dangerous ride as they follow the trail of clues all the way to the hiding place of the mysterious aurans: guardians of a secret landfill. What they discover there will change the way Spencer sees himself, not to mention the fate of the rebels.

Shanda’s Review

In the Janitors series, Tyler Whitesides has created a magical, adventure-filled world that middle-grade boys and girls will enjoy visiting again and again. With humor and lots of Glopified action, Spencer and Daisy continue to battle threats to education and learn to use even more magical cleaning supplies as they form new alliances and new enemies.

Germaphobe Spencer must deal with an increased level of gross in order to overcome the new challenges facing him and Daisy as they battle the BEM. From a week at an exclusive school to trekking through an expansive landfill, it seems that Spencer and Daisy will never defeat the BEM and find what they seek. They don’t know who to trust when betrayal follows betrayal.

Though this third book is over 300 pages, it reads quickly. The Janitors series is great for 8-12 year olds who love adventure and magic, but parents might enjoy it just as much. There is a fair amount of disgusting (they deal with a lot of garbage after all), and readers are introduced to a fun character who takes trash-obsession to a whole new level.

Spencer experiences some self-discovery about his abilities, as well as learning what Daisy is capable of beyond her sweet, somewhat gullible personality. Even Dez’s character experiences a little growth. I was concerned that in Book 2 (I have the ARC, so this might be different in the final version), Dez bullies Spencer in front of Spencer’s mother (both emotionally and physically by pinching him) and she says nothing while he and Daisy sit there and take it. I wouldn’t want kids to think that if they are bullied and their parents don’t notice or say anything that they should just accept it. There are times, though, that Spencer does stand up to Dez. In Curse of the Broomstaff, Spencer is learning to stand up to Dez more often, and even shows some maturity when he is concerned for Dez’s welfare without subjecting himself to more bullying.

Fans of the first two Janitors books will enjoy Curse of the Broomstaff. I’m curious about how many books are planned for the series, because the story definitely isn’t finished yet. I suspect many young readers are happy to know that there are more Janitors books to come.

Sheila’s Review

Janitors has become one of my favorite Middle Grade series. As a teacher, I’m often asked by students and parents what books/series I recommend they read. Janitors is one that I highly recommend and often do.

There is so much to love about this third book. (I also strongly advise you read the first two books in the series because it will make your read so much more enjoyable.) The main characters, sixth-graders Spencer and Daisy, have grown into their roles as true heroes and rebel fighters. They prove over and over again how much they have learned, and save the day quite often in this book. They are awesome using their magical weapons/tools: flying brooms, Glopified mops,and plungers. The action escalates in book three and is as messy as ever. (This is in reference to the world’s greatest school cafeteria food fight!)

What is truly funny is the message from the author at the beginning of the book.

“Dear Reader,

Here it is: the third installment in the JANITORS series. And I must admit, this is definitely the trashiest book I’ve ever written. No, literally. This book is full of garbage.

This time, our young heroes must venture deep into an enchanted landfill. They will battle heaps of living garbage and hike through distorted trashscapes as they discover a mysterious group of kids living among the refuse, harboring a centuries-old secret that could save the future of education. As you can see, I take garbage very seriously.”

It is so true! Poor Spencer who hates germs and getting dirty has his hands full. I loved all of the new characters and creatures that were introduced. Tyler really hiked up the intensity of the action and suspense. It was also a plus to see more interaction between Spencer and his father Alan. I think they both learned a lot in this adventure about themselves and each other.

As with the other books, the ending leaves you wanting more with Spencer’s new title and mission. What is that title and new mission? I’m not saying anything, except that you need to read Janitors Book 3: Curse of the Broomstaff to find the answer. With engaging and bright characters, beefed-up energy and action, and written especially for elementary age kids, (even though teens and adults will love the books too!) the Janitors series needs to be put on your children’s to-read list today.

Visit Tyler Whitesides:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

Find Janitors: Curse of the Broomstaff:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | DESERET BOOK | SEAGULL BOOK | GOODREADS

The Experiment by Jeffery Moore,Sherry Gammon, and Cindy Bennett-Blog Tour Review and Guest Post

Posted by Sheila Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews

Sep 062013

The Experiment by Jeffery Moore,Sherry Gammon, and Cindy Bennett-Blog Tour Review and Guest Post

The Experiment, a new novel from the imaginations of Cindy C Bennett, Sherry Gammon, and Jeffery Moore!

Product Details

File Size: 527 KB
Print Length: 338 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Prose by Design (July 10, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00DVTLKRY
FTC. FYI: I received a review PDF in exchange for an honest review.

BLURB:

Time is running out for the Collaborative’s oppressive rule of the remote world Senca One. The government attempts to suppress the escalating riots, even while seeking to further their experiments. When their parents are taken, triplets Juliet, Cilla, and Emiah Tripp set out to locate them, and soon discover they are at the center of a hunt to capture them.

Evading the Collaborative across Senca One’s harsh terrain, they’re confronted with the trials of survival. They also discover something that changes the very core of their reality: they’re morphs. Struggling to adapt to the strange new ability, they question what they really are . . . and why. Are the rumors of experiments done on children true? Did their scientist parents have anything to do with it?

Their quest brings them to the capitol city of Brighton, which is on the verge of revolt. While searching for information about their parents, the Tripps align themselves with the very people fueling the rebellion. They unwittingly spark the revolution they want no part of and discover something more dangerous than they suspected.

My Review:
I was so excited to read this book,especially because of it being written by three different authors. This intrigued me so much. I’ve read books written by Cindy and Sherry, but this was the first book I’d read from Jeffery. This was a fun YA book that is Speculative Fiction. There is plenty of action on this new world. The triplets are the main characters and have such different personalities, as it would truly be in real life. The authors did a great job of increasing the suspense the first several chapters as the reader isn’t quite sure what is truly going on. Altogether, this book is a fun ride for YA readers, whether they are teens or adults. The fast pace of the story keeps you fully engaged. I would definitely read anther book written by these three authors. They have a good thing going on here. You need to read the guest post down below to see how truly hard this project was. Kudos to them for doing such a great job in writing such a fantastic story full of romance, mystery and suspense.

Warnings: Some swearing and nakedness due to the morphing that takes place by some characters. Nothing too alarming though.

Guest Post: by Jeffery Moore
I wanted to know about the writing process of this book. This post gives you all of the details.

Jeffery Moore: The project is like one of those things that begins as an idea (maybe a flippant idea) and morphs until coming to fruition. When I look back I think, “How did this really start?” It’s like a butterfly’s wing flapping escalating into a hurricane. Sherry and Cindy are attributing the inception of the project to me, but quite honestly, I don’t remember being the one that said, “Hey, let’s write a book together.” The story is my genre, but the audience (YA) is aligned to Cindy and Sherry. This had its own small challenges. One example is that I wrote a butcher shop scene and let’s just say the story took one of those ‘Pulp Fiction’ turns that needed to be undone.

Once we all said “Heck yeah, writing a story together sounds like fun!” I loosely developed character profiles for each of us. The adventure revolves around three siblings: one who is a leader, one who has the beauty, and one who has the brains. Once we had our profiles and the back story (and mystery) of why the parents were taken away, I crafted the outline and the first chapter to kickoff our writing adventure. Here are some of the biggest challenges I thought we experienced.

Challenge One: The story was in my element (fantasy) and I’m somewhat of a purist when it comes to fantasy. What I mean by this is that when the setting is on another planet I don’t expect it to be a replica of Earth (of course unless the story had a terra-forming element, which it doesn’t). We do make comparisons to Earth’s fauna and flora, but I found I had to really reign in the ‘world building’ aspect of fantasy.

Challenge Two: We needed to write the chapters serially. We each wrote from a single sibling’s POV, so that means I wrote every third chapter from Emiah’s POV. Because I kept to the script (outline) I quickly discovered I couldn’t write my chapters before Sherry and Cindy. Each of our characters tugged and pushed the story in off-script directions, meeting different people and encountering different obstacles.

Challenge Three: Keep the outline fluid and up to date. Because the story evolved with each chapter, it became important to keep the outline updated so that we each knew the story’s direction. I remember at one point something got goofed up and I think it was Cindy that wrote a chapter based off an old outline—oops!

Finally, I’ll add that writing with Cindy and Sherry was extremely fun and rewarding. If you try this with a writing buddy, don’t set deadlines and be willing to compromise on the elements of the story, and then just go with the journey your heroes take you on.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Jeffery Moore

Moore was born in Germany. As a military brat, much of his childhood was spent abroad, growing up in Germany on military installations. He subsequently enlisted in the military and served for ten years as an army pilot. While in the military, he lived in Italy and South Korea and deployed to many European countries. He has traveled to Australia, Japan, Singapore and most European countries. His experiences and contact with many different cultures helps form some of the elements in his stories. He currently works for a global IT company and lives in Massachusetts.

Find more about Jeffery and his work at http://www.jefferyemoore.com

Sherry Gammon

Unlovable was Gammon’s debut novel and quickly rose to many top seller lists on Amazon. She is pleased to announce that Unlovable is currently being made into a movie. She has added two more novels to her body of work. Not so Easy, book one of the Souls in Peril series, is the poignant story of Max Sanchez who is on a journey to help the struggling JD Miller survive high school, and Pete & Tink, a fun, light-hearted novella of a manga-loving geek and a five-and-a-half inch fairy. Gammon and her husband, along with their children and a couple of crazy dogs, call Upstate New York home. It is where she spends her nights writing instead of sleeping.

Find more about Sherry and her work at http://www.wordpaintingsunlimited.com

Cindy C Bennett

Bennett is the YA author of several books, including Geek Girl, Rapunzel Untangled, Enchanted Fairytales, and Heart on a Chain. She lives in Utah and has six kids (two of which are daughters in-law). She loves gooey cookies, dark chocolate, and cheese popcorn. She hates housework and cooking, and has no plans to become a domestic goddess. She occasionally co-hosts a geek podcast with her son, called Geek Revolution Radio. Her favorite pastime is riding her Harley.

Find more about Cindy and her work at http://www.cindycbennett.com

Read an excerpt here.

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