Sneak Peek and Author's thoughts: Eternal Seas by Lexi Rees with Giveaways

ETERNAL SEAS

The Relic Hunters, Book One

by Lexi Rees

Troubador Publishing

Middle Grade Mystery / Fantasy

184 pages

Such a small parcel shouldn't cause experienced smugglers much trouble, but this parcel is far from normal.

Lost and scared after a violent storm, Finn and his sister, Aria, take shelter on a remote island. They discover the parcel contains a relic belonging to a long forgotten people. Locked inside are powers which will change their lives, and the world, forever.

As Finn realises his connection to the relic, a vision strikes him - but what does it mean? Who should they trust? And if they decide to follow their hearts rather than their orders, will they manage to deliver the relic in one piece?

Chased across the seas as they try to solve the mysteries within the parcel, the fate of this ancient people depends on them. Finn and Aria must choose between what is right and what is easy - and time is running out ... 

Author's Thoughts

All the locations in Eternal Seas are based on real places, although I have taken some artistic license. In the book, Finn and Aria go on a quest which takes them to a castle on a remote Scottish island, near where their father grew up. The castle was inspired by Gylen Castle on the Isle of Kerrera. In reality, it’s not at all remote – a frequent ferry runs from Oban and it’s only two miles away. I love Oban and the surrounding area and have spent many happy holidays there. Random author fact: the Oban whisky is my favourite tipple.

In both real life and in Eternal Seas, the castle is perched on a cliff, towering over the sea. If you’d like to know more about the Isle of Kerrera and Castle Gylen, do have a look here Kerrera info.

Here is my illustration of Gylen Castle

And here is the real castle.

The real Gylen Castle, Image thanks to SouthernHebrides.com

I sincerely hope the people of Kerrera will forgive me for my description of the island. As you can see from the image, it is a stunning, rich green landscape, providing a fabulously dramatic setting for an awesome castle. With that said, in this extract Finn and Aria have a slightly different perspective as they approach the castle for the first time …

We line up on deck as we approach the Island of Gylen. Battered by the sea, it’s a barren, ugly, brown lump of rock. A few brave trees hunch over against the wind, clinging onto life in this harsh environment. It’s immediately recognisable as the place in my vision.

Rising out of the rocky cliffs is the castle. The solid grey granite walls soar above us. Even in ruins, it oozes power. I shudder to think how terrifying it must have been to approach as an invading army in days gone by.

Six stone turrets still mark the corners of the castle, the irregular shape following the outline of the cliff. There are no windows, just hundreds of narrow slits for the archers, pointing in every direction. Stone funnels overhang the battlements, ready to pour boiling tar down on anyone who tries to attack the castle from the sea. This was a castle built for war, not for princesses.

Near the shore, Aria grabs her bow and arrow, poised for an attack. But we land without seeing a single soul. The emptiness of the beach echoes. Only the wind comes to greet us, filling our ears with its chilly breath.

‘Where do we go now?’ Aria asks.

‘Up there.’ I point at the castle.          

Dad leads the way as we scramble up the rough path. The castle looms above us, growing larger and larger as we climb.

‘I don’t like it here. It’s creepy. Other than the wind, it’s too quiet. Not a soul, not a single bird. I haven’t even seen a seagull, and they get everywhere, like rats.’ Aria grimaces, her long white hair whipping around her face in the wind. She pulls the collar on her coat further up and hunches her shoulders, shivering.

A heavy portcullis blocks the entrance to the castle. Thick iron bars flaked with rust suggest it hasn’t been opened in years. Beyond the portcullis, under the archway, there’s a vast wooden door, studded with iron spikes, and firmly closed. Visitors are clearly not welcome.

From the shadows steps a figure. Sir Waldred. My heart sinks.

BOOK BUZZ...

"A thrilling and magical adventure with plenty of hair-raising chases and a villain readers will love to hate. ETERNAL SEAS is a must-read for young fantasy fans." Madeline Dyer, author of the Untamed series

"ETERNAL SEAS is a compelling adventure that weaves mystery and intrigue into a tantalising plot for the reader to enjoy. The writing has a lyrical quality and almost seems to capture the movement of the sea as the story unfolds. A very enjoyable read." 
Jude Lennon, author of Hal and the End Street, the Lamby series and other children's books

"An exciting debut novel that takes us on a roller coaster adventure ride over high seas to mysterious places and brims with magic and intrigue. Young readers will love this book." 
Shalbey Bellaman, author of Dragons in the Looking Glass and Jack in the Wallows


And here she is...

Lexi Rees spends as much time as possible sailing and horse riding, both of which she does spectacularly badly. Attempts at writing whilst horse riding have been disastrous, so Eternal Seas was written on a boat; the storm described in the book was frighteningly real.

Social Media Links –

www.lexirees.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/LexiAuthor

https://twitter.com/lexi_rees

GIVEAWAY!!!

2 of them!

Win one of two £10 Amazon gift vouchers (UK only). To enter

1.     Share a photo of you with the book (paperback or ebook) on Twitter or Instagram

2.     Tag @lexi_rees (Twitter) or lexi.rees (Instagram) and #EternalSeas

3.     Closing date 30th November 2018

4.     UK only

5.     Winners will be drawn randomly

Illustration competition - would your children like to see their illustrations published in a book?

·  Six lucky winners will have their illustrations printed in the sequel to Eternal Seas

·  Winners and runners up will also have their drawings featured on www.lexirees.co.uk and on social media

Drawings must be in black and white, and can be in any of the following categories

·  Aria flying up in the sky

·  a cat

·  mountain ponies

·  a snow eagle

·  a demon-goddess

·  a sailing boat

·  Finn and/ or Aria

Please see detailed terms for entry requirements

·  Open to children aged 13 or under

·  You can enter as many categories as you like

·  Winners will be chosen by Lexi Rees

·  Children’s name and age will be published together with their illustration. Parents/ guardians must confirm they are happy with this when they enter. Other information (e.g email address) will not be shared.

·  No purchase necessary

·  Closing date 31/1/19

·  Entries must be scanned or photographed in high resolution and emailed to lexireads@hotmail.com. The winners may need to post originals if the images are not high enough quality for printing. Postage costs will be covered in this case.

·  Full entry details can be found on www.lexirees.co.uk

Cover Reveal: Mewranters - Attack of the Sea Monster by Kachi Ugo

Mewranters – Attack of the Sea Monster 

by Kachi Ugo 

MG/YA  Fantasy

COMING...

NOVEMBER 6th, 2019!!!

If there are no sea monsters ravaging the seven seas, or three-headed hydras prowling our streets, it’s not because they don’t exist; it’s because we exist.
We are the last line of defense against nature’s indiscretions.
We are nature’s police.
We are Mewranters.
When Perry Johnson hits twelve, he finds out he’s a Mew—an almost extinct species of people who possess the ability to change shape into three different forms: an aerial form, a terrestrial form, and an aquatic form.
On the day of his initiation, he shifts into a huge Golden Eagle. But this is a bad thing since no eagle Mew makes it past the age of twelve. To complicate his life, his shifting into an eagle Mew has reawakened the sea monster. A tentative partnership is formed between the different clans. But when Perry Johnson realizes that this partnership could mean the death of his parents, he has a decision to make.
With every Mew in the country out to kill him, and the sea monster calling him out to the sea, Perry must quickly learn why every Mew is threatened by the existence of an eagle Mew if he is to stand a chance at saving his parents and killing the monster. If he fails, it may very well be the end of his family…and the rest of the world.

Add to Goodreads

And here he is...

 

My whole life has evolved around writing. I started writing stories when I was about seven years old. Then, of course, the stories I wrote were horrible: bland, uninteresting, and twist-less. When I was about ten years old, I dabbled into writing comics. Then, I would take my favorite cartoon characters, and I would draw stories around them. I would make these characters do and say whatever I wanted them to do and say. I enjoyed it! After filling my notebooks with these drawings, I would curl up on my bed in the night and read them to myself. It never failed to bring me joy.
When I hit twelve, I stopped writing comics and I started reading novels. While my mates still flipped through picture books and comics, I took an interest in thick-sized, picture-less “story books” that opened me up to a whole new world of possibilities and adventures. Then I would often finish a full-length fantasy novel in less than a week. It was about this time that I really started to write stories. I started with writing short stories in the universe of my most enjoyed series. Then as I developed as a writer, reading other writers’ works, I began to write stories in universes I created.
Now, I’m an avid reader and author of contemporary/epic fantasy. For me, writing is much more than a hobby. It’s a passion. I love writing, and I love readers!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Inspired by Susan Schaefer Bernardo with Giveaway!

Review: Cog and the Steel Tower by W.E. Larson

COG AND THE STEEL TOWER

by W.E. Larson

Tween Fantasy/Steampunk

ages 10 +

270 pages

Thirteen-year-old Cog loved getting her hands greasy in her Uncle's workshop and building the occasional mud-cannon before the return of her mother knocked her life completely off its rails. Before long she's stowing away on a royal airship and tricking her way into a dream apprenticeship with the Queen's master engineer by pretending to be a boy. But her situation takes a dangerous turn when she discovers a plot to assassinate the Queen and throw the kingdom into war.

If she can keep her identity a secret despite her best friend developing a crush on her alter ego, unravel the deadly conspiracy, and keep the demanding master engineer happy, then maybe she can have the future she's always wanted. Keeping hidden identities and saving kingdoms may not be the same as fixing a steam wagon or an auto-mechanical potion mixer, but Cog has a set of precision screwdrivers and she isn't afraid to use them.

Follow Cog's rollicking adventure as she uses her wits and ingenuity to find friendship, trust, and justice in a colorful but sometimes unforgiving steampunk world full of mechanical mayhem. 

MY TIDBITS

With grease, gears and a girl named Cog, this steampunk adventure shoots off with full speed action and refuses to slow down until the very last page.

Thirteen-year-old Cog is as delightful as her name. She's not a frilly type of girl, not that she has anything against lacy dresses, but nothing fits better to the world of mechanics than a sturdy pair of britches and short hair. And this girl has talent too. When her real mother appears and wants to 'improve' Cog's life, the true adventure begins.

This is simply a fun story. The first scene already captures the imagination as Cog and her best friend prepare to launch a muddy slime ball with Cog's latest invention and insure that a snotty girl in their class won't be bothering them anymore. It's impossible not to smile as that slime goes splat. But no matter how evil this might sounds, Cog is anything but mean. She's got heart, spunk and keeps her chin up no matter how rotten things get. This constant spark with a bit of rascal thrown in, wins sympathy and the wish that she could be your best friend.

In this story, Cog not only has to master her own problems but finds herself in layers of mystery and intrigue. The truth is well hidden, making it impossible to guess what the true outcome will be. There are so many interesting characters, each with their own histories and quirks, which make it impossible to guess who the real 'bad guys' are. But then, Cog has enough problems of her own as she struggles to keep even more secrets. It's a fun, multi-layered excitement the entire way through with lots of fun gadgets and machines thrown in.

Of course, there are several lessons thrown in as well. Cog learns the difficulty of making friends and how important trust can be. Other topics such as self-confidence, getting to know others before judging them and battling prejudices are also addressed. Readers will have no trouble placing themselves in the same situations and relating to Cog as she battles to make her way through.

Summed up, this is a great adventure for friends of gears and fantasy, especially ages 9 to 12 (although older readers are sure to enjoy it too). I hope that this isn't the last we'll see of Cog since she's definitely the type of girl who won't be happy if things get dull and even greater adventures are sure to be on their way.

And here he is. . .

W.E. Larson!!!

W.E. Larson was born in Manhattan -- the Kansas one -- and raised mostly in Topeka Kansas. He went to college in San Antonio at Trinity University where he earned a degree in Physics. After the cancellation of the Superconducting Super Collider, he decided to seek his fortune with software engineering instead. He has worked as a software engineer at a variety of companies, carefully avoiding ones that have a big IPO that makes all the employees rich.

An interest in programming started back in middle school where he wasted time in computer lab writing video games on one of the school's Apple IIe, learning a lot more than the class was teaching. He still has the Atari 400 he parents got him back then. With that kind of nerd potential he naturally gravitated to reading lots of science fiction and fantasy.

Eventually, he gained an interest in writing his own fantastical tales and has written three fantasy novels. Cog and the Steel Tower is the first one ready for public consumption.

Currently, he lives in the United States in the Kansas City metro with his wife, two kids, and three dogs. He normally goes by the name Erik Larson, but decided on W.E. Larson for a pen name since there is already a well-known author with his name. Right now he's working on the sequel to Cog and the Steel Tower.

You can find out more about him. . .

 http://www.welarson.com 
 https://www.amazon.com/Cog-Steel-Tower-W-E-Larson-ebook/dp/B01F6MD1AC