November Giveaway Hop

Great News!  The November Giveaway Hop is officially underway.  This hop is hosted by:  I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Tristi Pinkston. What is a blog hop?  You hop from one blog to another to see what is being offered as a giveaway.

My giveaway is open only to residents in the United States.  I'll be giving away several books this round so pay close attention.  All book blurbs are taken from Goodreads unless otherwise marked.  This post is quite long so when you've finished reading about the books, scroll to the bottom to find out how to enter.
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For my younger audience, students, parents of young kids I offer the following:

Flat Stanley:  The Flying Chinese Wonders - Jeff Brown

Ouch! Stanley accidentally caused twin acrobats Yin and Yang to take a tumble, right before their Chinese New Year show. Yang's foot is broken—but luckily, Flat Stanley is flexible enough to take his place. To make up for his mistake, Stanley travels to China to help out—but can he learn all their amazing tricks in time?

Underworlds #1:  The battle Begins - Tony Abbott

There's something lurking under Owen's school. . . .

Owen Brown is your average fourth grader. Or he was, until his best friend, Dana, disappeared. Right in front of his face. Through the floor of the school.  Owen's average life has turned upside down.

He's determined to find Dana -- before anyone realizes she's missing. Owen sets out on a mysterious, mythological rescue mission with his friends Jon and Sydney. But what none of them know is that Dana's disappearance is part of a much larger riddle.  And they're at the center of it.

Judy Moody Girl Detective - Megan McDonald

Judy Moody is in a mood. A sleuthing, Nancy Drew kind of mood. So what’s a WBMS (world’s best mystery solver) to do? Go find a mystery, that’s what! And she doesn’t have to snoop for long: when Mr. Chips, a beloved crime-dog-in-training, goes missing, Judy Drewdy and her chums, agents Dills Pickle (Frank), Spuds Houdini (Rocky), and James Madagascar (Stink) find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a real life, scare-your-pants-off whodunit. Was Mr. Chips stolen by dirty dog nappers? And why are chocolate-chip cookies disappearing all over town? Watch out for red herrings—along with clever references to classic Nancy Drew mysteries—as Eagle Eye Moody and company are hot on the case.

Powerless - Matthew Cody

Twelve-year-old Daniel, the new kid in town, soon learns the truth about his nice—but odd—new friends: one can fly, another can turn invisible, yet another controls electricity. Incredible. The superkids use their powers to secretly do good in the town, but they’re haunted by the fact that the moment they turn thirteen, their abilities will disappear—along with any memory that they ever had them. Is a memory-stealing supervillain sapping their powers?

The answers lie in a long-ago meteor strike, a World War II–era comic book (Fantastic Futures, starring the first superhero, Johnny Noble), the green-flamed Witch Fire, a hidden Shroud cave, and—possibly, unbelievably—“powerless” regular-kid Daniel himself.  Superhero kids meet comic book mystery in this action-filled debut about the true meaning of a hero.

For my older readers I offer you the following:

The Map of Time - Felix J. Palma  This is an ARC

The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma. Set in Victorian London with characters real and imagined, The Map of Time is a page-turner that boasts a triple play of intertwined plots in which a skeptical H.G. Wells is called upon to investigate purported incidents of time travel and to save lives and literary classics, including Dracula and The Time Machine, from being wiped from existence. What happens if we change history?

The Wounded Heat - Adina Senft

When a business offer turns into something more personal, Amelia is torn between what logic tells her is right, and the desire of her heart.

A widow with two small children, Amelia Beiler is struggling to make ends meet. She is running her late husband's business, but it's not what she was raised to do, which is run a home. When she gets an offer for the business from Eli Fischer, she's only too relieved to consider it-especially when it looks like Eli's interest might include more than just the shop. But when she begins to experience strange physical symptoms and is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, it's difficult not to question God's will. If she pursues the treatment she believes in, she risks going under the bann. But how can she allow Eli to court her when she can't promise him a future.

SUV’s Suck in Combat – Kerry C.  Kachejian  (2 Copies)

From Back of Book:  “SUV’s Suck in combat is an authoritative, first-hand account of the attempt by the U.S. Corps of Engineers to rebuild Iraq n the wake of the 2003 invasion.  Kerry Kachejian documents the enormous effort and sacrifice required to undertake a massive mission that dwarfed previous nation building efforts in scale and complexity.  He and his colleagues belonged to the Army that we had, tackling a mission few had foreseen, and without most of the resources they needed to succeed.  The inspiring stories he relates shed light on the early period of Iraqi reconstruction an bear study for how the United States can do better in the complex wars of he 21^st century”

High Treason - Samuel Oakes  (2 copies)

The future is here for a bankrupt nation gripped in the throes of the plague, and the corrupt government is in charge of the vaccine. Young Amish man Enos Yoder faces the greatest crisis of his life when his father refuses to accept the compromises the Bishop has made, and his mother lies on her deathbed. Will the family be consumed by his father's stubbornness? Regina Owens, the liberal minister in town, is having her normal world rocked to the core by what is happening. She wonders why a man would lift his own hand against what is most precious in life. Will Enos recover from the brutal shock when his girlfriend is taken from him? Will his faith, backed by five hundred years of teaching against violence, survive the hate rising in his heart? High Treason is a story of love, bitterness, and treason, rising up in the heart of a man and in the highest corridors of government.

To Enter please follow these directions closely.  There are many ways you may enter: 

 Leave a comment letting me know which book you would like to be entered to win.  If you are entering for more then one then please put them in the order of your preference.  Make sure you leave an email address for me to contact you.

If you are one of my students on Edmodo you may leave me a message on Edmodo letting me know which book you would like a chance of winning.  You may choose more than one but let me know your 1st choice, 2nd choice etc.

I will be choosing a winners on November 12th with Random.org

Check out the other blogs in this hop here.

Student Saturday - Skeleton Creek - Patrick Carman

Publisher:  Scholastic
Pages:  144
Genre:  Middle Grade, Mystery
Student Reviewer:  William

The book I chose to review is Skeleton Creek, book 1, by Patrick Carman.  Scholastic press, New York, Copyright 2009, publishes the book.  I believe Patrick Carman has written his best series ever by writing the Skeleton Creek Series.  He is one of my favorite authors and I hope some of you are fans of him too.

In this book, the author uses two main characters named Ryan and Sarah.  During the entire book, Sarah videotapes everything while Ryan records all of the events in the form of notes.  These notes are what you read in the book.  In the book at around every 25 pages, you get to a page with a password and a web address.  On these web pages, you can watch the videos filmed by Sarah and described in Ryan’s notes.  This is a clever way to write a book and makes it realistic and interesting.  The videos are at sarahfincer.com, then type in the password and watch Sarah’s videos.

This book is a great book but may be scary for some kids aged 11 or 12.  It’s a mysterious and frightening ghost story with a twist.  The setting occurs at a dredge near Seattle, in a town called Skeleton Creek.  The dredge is some sort of old fashioned haunted mining boat where it would dig wet mud out of a lake while looking for gold and what ever wasn’t gold would be thrown back into the water.  The dredge is abandoned at the time of the writing of the story.  There is an underlying theme throughout the book about not listening ton one’s parents, as the fifteen and sixteen year olds were instructed not only to not associate with one another, but also to never go to the dredge.  Not following their parent’s instructions turns out to have some disastrous consequences.

Some of my favorite things I liked about this book were:  it was the story about kids, it took place in an interesting setting, the characters were described very well by the author, the characters had personalities that I can understand and identify with, and the story was mysterious and changing and I never new what to expect next.  The only thing I did not like about this book was that it ended in a cliffhanger.  This is for obvious reasons as it is part of a book series.  I would recommend this book to anyone and middle school because it is an exciting tale of adventure and very fun to read.

Interview with Karen Arnpriester - Author of Anessia's Quest

Genre:Christian, Drama, Suspense,Adult
Publisher: Self published
Publication Date: January 18, 2011
Purchase: Amazon

My guest today is Karen Arnpriester.  I had the privilege of reviewing her book a while back.  You can check out that review of her wonderful book here.  But if you are dying to know what her book is about, here is a quick synopsis.

Synopsis:

Anessia’s Quest follows the life of a woman born into dysfunction and neglect. The story takes you on her journey. A journey that begins with abandonment, abuse, and physical injury. Pagne (Pain) believes she is all alone, thrown away, but soon discovers that she is protected and guided by her guardian angel. A powerful relationship develops between this lost child and her loving protector that manifests as a unique method of communication.

Pagne encounters other broken people that become her family, friends and community. Her grace and compassion alter their destructive paths. She moves through her life unaware of the impact she creates, her purpose on Earth.

Her life is filled with tears, laughter, joy and heartbreak. She faces challenges that include ultimate betrayal, loss and shame. Challenges that are only bearable due to her trust and faith in heaven’s love and value for her. Love that is reinforced by her angel. She discovers the events that led to her mother’s indifference and neglect, and must decide how much grace she
can extend to a woman she has hated for most of her life. The ultimate test of forgiveness.

When she faces her death, Pagne discovers the true value and power of forgiveness and love. She is shown how her life created ripples that spread into waves of glorious influence. She was not an accident, she was placed on Earth with divine intent.

Author Bio:

Karen Slimick Arnpriester is a creative, passionate and adventuresome woman. She raised her two children, adores her seven grandchildren and is now a foster mom of two young ladies. She has been a self-taught graphic designer for twenty five years and started her own business twenty years ago. Her faith in God is strong and she believes that we are Christ’s hands, feet, arms and wallet. This translates into her involvement in youth ministries, local women’s shelter, street ministry, the elderly, as well as many other outreaches over the years. Her home has been available to single moms and their children, allowing them to get a fresh start.

ANESSIA’S QUEST is her first novel. The desire to write began two years ago as a hobby. She had an idea for a beginning and the end. The rest of the story flowed and took Karen on a journey. She cried and laughed as she followed the twists and turns of the characters. Once friends read the book, she was strongly encouraged to share her story with others.

RAIDER’S VENDETTA is Karen’s second novel. It will be released in October 2011. It is a psychological thriller between the main characters,Charley and Raider. Charley’s faith and ability to survive is challenged by
the rage of a shattered man.

Her third book, which addresses bullying, is in the works and should be released in 2012. The tentative title is HEY! LEADBOTTOM!

This author wants to take her reader to a place where they can evaluate their beliefs and who God is in their life. When asked why she limits herself to Christian fiction, she simply explains that it is where her heart is. If she commits her precious time to writing, it needs to be of value and have God’s ultimate purpose in mind. Bringing his children home to him. Karen welcomes God’s influence in her writing and prays that she is fulfilling His destiny for her life.

Interview

1. Tell us why you wrote a novel at this point in your life.

Writing was never a lifelong desire. Two years ago I participated in a devotional our women’s group did as a fund-raiser. It triggered a love of writing that I believe God planted. The book started out as my entertainment until friends insisted on reading it. The encouragement allowed me to consider taking my book seriously.

2. How did you create your characters?

The first two characters were sketchy at best, and they developed as the story unfolded. The remaining characters entered as needed. I did not start with any of them specifically defined. It was similar to friendships that grow and develop with time. You think you know them, and then they surprise you.

3. What was the process you used to develop the story line.

I had a beginning and end in mind. A “What If” question that I always entertained. The rest of the story was a journey that I traveled along with the characters. I did not know what was going to happen next until I got there.

4. Were you comfortable sharing circumstances from your own life?

There is some of my life included in the book. It was difficult at times, I would be crying while I typed. These experiences brought a realness to the story and it was worth the emotional upheaval. These are some of the events that readers connect with the most.

Once complete, I also saw threads that ran through the story that I could relate to. My circumstances were not nearly as dramatic, but we all have similar emotional struggles.

5. Now as a foster parent, do you believe the story represents the experience as a foster parent accurately?

Yes and no. The emotions, the devastation, the blessings and the need for God’s healing touch for these children was well expressed. The need for patience, the frustration, learning to adapt to new personalities and changes in your home is something I am still learning to deal with.

6. Share your experiences as a foster parent.

We were just going to try it out, see if we could be “Those Kind of People”. Sharing our home with abandoned kids until we were too old or too tired. Love happened, and we have increased our family by two. They love us back and it is powerful. My husband and I laugh when friends call us crazy. They cannot fathom the joy our decision has brought.

7. Your main characters are very service-oriented. Does this reflect your own life?

Yes, I have participated in many service ministries, which include the elderly, youth, and homeless shelters. My husband is a loving man who agreed to open our home to single mothers who needed a chance to get back on their feet. I believe we represent Christ while on Earth, to display his love and compassion.

8. Do you believe you are fulfilling your quest in life?

Yes, now. I squandered many years ignoring what God’s desires were. I focused on my needs and wants. I have a very different relationship with the Lord now, and my priorities have changed drastically.

9. Have angels played a role in your own life?

Absolutely, there have been several occasions that I felt their presence or heard their warning. It is very comforting to know that we are looked after.

10. What type of reactions have you gotten from the readers?

It has been incredible. Many people, women and men, have shared how much they connected with the characters. One mother was close to tears when she explained the transformation her teen daughter was making as she read the book. Several readers were amazed at how real the characters felt. One woman found herself thinking about them after finishing the book, wondering how they were, and then would remember that they weren’t real people. Another said she found herself praying for the main character while reading the book.

11. Any advice for novice writers?

Just do it. Don’t worry about what you’re going to do with it once done, just wallow in the experience of it. When my book was done, I asked key people to read it, people who loved me enough to be honest. It you are going to try and publish your book, you have to know that it is good.

12. What do you want readers to take away from your book?

I want them to know that there is a meaningful purpose for every life and it can be joyful. That it doesn’t have to be what their parents showed them. Also, love is mighty and can bring healing into broken hearts and lives.

13. Tell us about your next book.

My next book is titled Raider’s Vendetta. The book is about an older Christian woman who becomes a hostage in a bank robbery gone very bad. The criminal, Raider, blames God for his life and all it’s tragedies. The story throws these two opposing people together in a situation that forces them to deal with each other. When Raider realizes that Charley is a Christian, she becomes the target for all of his built up rage. She must rely on her faith and God’s grace to get her through his attacks, physical and psychological. This bitter man has a story, like so many broken people, and God helps her to see him through His eyes. Raider’s anger and aggression put Charley at great risk, as well as, her own pride and will. God uses the nightmare to profoundly touch both of their lives. The twists and turns keep you guessing and pulling for both of them.

14. Which authors do you enjoy reading and possibly influenced your writing?

One of the most impacting authors is William Paul Young who wrote The Shack. I know it is controversial, but it showed me that you can write about our flaws, the moments we lose faith and how God is always waiting for us to find him again.

15. Please explain the significance of the dandelion used for your author bio?

I feel that I started writing late in life compared to many authors. The dandelion appears to be dried up and spent, but the seeds are scattered and germinate new, strong plants. I know that I can still instigate creative thinking and challenges for the reader to consider.  I am withering but not done – never too old to instigate.

Connect With Karen:  Website
 

The Next Stop:

November 2-Interview@Tribute Books Reviews