"Engaging and heartfelt. Our Friendship Matters opens and continues much needed discussions for young people and their families. Read and discuss!" Rita Williams-Garcia, NYT Bestselling Author

Book Details:
Our Friendship Matters by Kimberly B. Jones
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17),  221 pages
Genre:  Contemporary/Social Issues
Publisher:  Rhetaskew Publishing Company, LLC
Release date:   October, 2020
Tour dates: Nov 11 to Dec 1, 2020
Content Rating:  Rated G.
Book Description:
        Leah and Sasha are 17-year-old friends who had been close to one another since elementary school, but as the summer approaches they find their friendship tested in ways they never anticipated. Following graduation, Sasha's privileged life and perception of the world around her is suddenly altered when an old childhood friend persuades her to join in a campaign against an injustice after his best friend is killed by the police. But joining the protest has unforeseen consequences for Sasha, distancing her from Leah, who becomes jealous of Sasha's new friends and finds herself on the opposing side, protesting alongside her group of new white friends. As the tension mounts between the two bitterly opposed factions, a tragedy strikes and threatens to make Sasha and Leah enemies. Can they find a way to resolve their differences, putting them to the side and learn to accept each other's viewpoints? Or is their long friendship finished for good?
BUY THE BOOK: Amazon ~ B&N ~ Add to Goodreads

View Book trailer:

                                      A Beginner’s Guide to Diversity and Equity.

       Have you ever imagined the perfect world with peace? No violence, no politics, and no racism. Sadly, it doesn’t exist. But we can always make our world a better place to live. The phrase, “we can’t live with them and we can’t live without them is real. Not just for men, but for us as a human race.
         My husband and I were discussing police brutality. An incident that happened in Ferguson, MO with Michael Brown. During that killing we were stationed in Germany. When we moved to Missouri, I had no clue that the shooting happened in that state.
          After being stationed there for three years, I could see that the state needed a wake-up call from their little towns that had no inclusion of diversity whatsoever. I myself had several encounters of being a victim of hearing racist marks, but because of who I am and where I’m from, I knew it wasn’t worth it to argue but to educate them on such a sensitive topic they too probably encountered for the first time.
        While stationed there, my mother became sick and before I left to go home there was another killing of an African American, Jemel Roberson. These two were not included with the hundreds across the states. But just to name a few. From then I wanted to write a novel addressing the issue of police brutality among African Americans, but I wanted to come from a perspective of both a white and black teenager. To show how it affects lives from so many different angles.
          To say the less, the world is becoming more diverse each day. We must face reality. Some may agree and some may not but that’s not going to stop the earth from rotating. To live in a world of peace means accepting people for who they are and where they come from. Doesn’t matter the color of their skin, the thickness of the hair, their ethnicity group, or the clothes they wear. It’s just accepting each other and living amongst one another as one in unity.
         No matter who you are and how you came across someone, they will not share the same interest as you. There is that one difference you don’t share. Your best friend likes cream cheese on her bagels, and you like them plain. Understand that people are going to have different views on certain subjects. No matter how many times you try to convince them, it’s okay because that’s their view of life. All you can do is express how you feel and if the person or friendship is valued and appreciated, then coming to an agreement is possible.
          In Our Friendship Matters, I wanted the novel to come from both friend’s perspective to see how they could all come together and see each other’s viewpoints. I wanted both girls to wear each other shoes and see how difficult it can be for them. We always say, “children are the future.” That’s why I decided to write a young adult novel. If I can’t reach adults, I can reach the children who will someday be our teachers, nurses, doctors, and lawyers.
         “By teaching each other how to deal with diversity, we are protecting ourselves throughout a lifetime of upcoming issues.”

Meet the Author:
        Kimberley B. Jones is a small country girl from St. George, SC. She followed her heart in college writing children books. Recently she decided to challenge herself and branch off to novels.
        She is your typical nomad who moves from place to place. Not by choice, but her husband serves in the military.
       She has a bachelors and masters in early childhood education. Kimberley is represented by Rhetaskew Publishing company and is best known for her debut novel, Our Friendship Matters. ​
         When she is not writing, she is either thinking of another topic or reading. She loves writing , it gives her a chance to escape into another human character and express herself, other than being your typical mother and wife. If you don't want to be on her bad side, then she needs her white chocolate mocha every morning. Some days Folgers breakfast blend coffee is okay.

Connect with the Author:  website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

Here is the tour schedule. 

Giveaway Details:​

Autographed copy of OUR FRIENDSHIP MATTERS plus $10 Amazon Gift Card. (USA only) (one winner) (ends Dec 8)

To Enter, fill in the Rafflecopter below.

The Runaways Of Missing Lake by Tanya Fyfe
Publisher:  Kindle Direct Press (September 1,, 2020)
Category: Young Adult, Teen, Fantasy, Dragons
Tour dates: Oct-Nov, 2020 |  ISBN: 9798681416005
Available in Print and ebook, 394 pages
Book Description
    Luke Houser and his friends enter their junior year at Missing Lake High School under extremely unusual circumstances after a tremendous forest fire kept the community on edge for months. The memory of the fire permeates all aspects of everyone’s lives, including those of the incredible secret dragon family who live up north. Luke makes a new canine friend through his step-mom’s veterinary clinic and Chase plays an important role despite not being one of the family’s beloved sled dogs.
      The silver dragon, Zagros has some serious news for his young Dragoneer that will impact the entire dragon realm, particularly the young dragons, Helios and Cassiel. Luke has to process this information all while a crisis unfolds during English class. Luke has to make some serious choices that challenge the sometimes awkward sixteen-year-old but he cannot share them with anyone without risking the discovery of the magnificent dragons.
    This is the fourth book in the Missing Lake series that follows a reluctantly intrepid young man’s journey into adulthood with his family, friends, dogs, cats and dragons by his side.
Buy Links: ~ Amazon ~ BarnesandNoble

REVIEW By LAWonder10:
Runaways of Missing Lake is the fourth book in a series but can easily be read as a "stand alone". As with all series, I am certain it would feel more complete if one had read others first.

This is a mix of contemporary and fantasy. It is a story of a teenage boy, his relationships and, also, his connection with the changing world of dragons - one family in particular. This is sure to appeal to many youth. It is an interesting approach to interactions between humans and animals. It is also a story of friendship, parental/child interactions, life events, including trauma, and the sport of "mushing".

The drama of everyday life in a couple of years, include enough action and a few "twists" to appeal to the reader's curiosity, thus , maintaining interest.  The end of the story gives a definite lead into the next book of the series.

The characters are portrayed well, with an interestingly realistic variety. The events are, also, described in detail, enabling the reader to "experience" the events. The Title and Book Cover are well-chosen.

I offer a Four Stars rating for this book.
*This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

About Tanya Fyfe
        Award winning author, Tanya Fyfe was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada and trained and performed as a professional figure skater and coach for many years. After working briefly as an English Teacher in Japan, she met her husband, Dr.Alistair Fyfe and moved to North Dakota in 1994.
      She completed her BSc and then got accepted into veterinary school in Saskatchewan which she graduated from in 2005. Since then she has worked as a veterinarian in ND and Montana.
      Tanya has written stories since she was a little girl and enjoyed completing a course with the Children’s Institute of Literature several years ago. She began writing her teen fiction series in 2013 which began with Lost and Found in Missing Lake. The Dragons of Missing Lake followed and then Secrets Abound in Missing Lake came next. Around the time of publication she started selling real estate in Montana (because, clearly, she was not busy enough) but was still able to jump back into the story to complete Book 4, The Runaways of Missing Lake.
     She enjoys hanging out with her characters and tries to give readers a sense of what it is truly like to live in the beautiful mountains of western Montana. She enjoys spending time on any golf course with her husband and they canoe, hike and ride horses as well. They share their world with 5 adorable cats, several horses and 3 ridiculously personable ferrets.
Website ~ Facebook ~Twitter ~ Instagram ~

Giveaway Details:
This giveaway is for 1 copy each for
3 winners and is open to Canada
and the U.S. only. The winners will
have the choice between print
and ebook.
This giveaway ends November 26, 2020,midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted by Rafflecopter only.

Enter by Completing the Rafflecopter Below.

Buckle up for a wild ride as Cinderella's time-honored story gets
some all-new twists.

Book details:

Bandits and Ball Gowns
by Christina Bauer
(Fairy Tales of the Magicorum, #5)
Published by: Monster House Books
Publication date: November 10th 2020
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis:One Prince Finds True Love ... And Risks It All
Elle Cynder has fallen hard for Alec, the 'prince' of Le Charme Jewelers. Time for some happily in their ever after, right?
Not so much.
While the new couple shares joyful moments--and sizzling kisses--serious trouble is brewing. Elle's evil stepmother, Marchesa, schemes with none other than Alec's twisted father, Legend. Their plan? Destroy Elle and Alec, along with everything the young lovers hold dear, including Bry, Knox, and Wilhelm.
Another Royal Freezes His Heart ... But For How Long?
As a prince of the dark fae, Jacoby focuses on one goal: avoid assassination. Marrying Elle would certainly aid in that cause, considering how she's both a Cinderella life template and a powerful fae warden. Even better, Jacoby doesn't truly love Elle. In court life, deep romantic attachments only mean certain death.
Then Jacoby notices Elle's youngest stepsister, Agatha.
For the first time in his life, Jacoby's cold heart warms with true affection. The elven prince struggles to ignore his feelings, but it might be a losing battle. And what would the prince's newfound emotions mean for Elle and Alec? Could Jacoby really stand by and watch another's true love be destroyed?
Goodreads ~ Purchase: Amazon ~ B&N ~ iBooks ~ Kobo ~ Google Play

REVIEW By VICKIE!
          Another great fantasy by Ms. Bauer. I enjoyed this story with Alec, Elle, Jacoby and Agatha. I love the spells they are able to do. I also think Skye, the Genie is a fun character. They all have their own agendas and it's great to watch them all play out.
         The characters are all well-developed and it is easy to feel their emotions.
          The story flows well from chapter to chapter and is easy to follow along.
        I recommend this story to readers who like fantasy, fairies and other mystical characters.
           I give this story a literary rating of 5/5

AUTHOR BIO:
        Christina Bauer knows how to tell stories about kick-ass women. In her best selling Angelbound series, the heroine is a part-demon girl who loves to fight in Purgatory’s Arena and falls in love with a part-angel prince. This young adult best seller has driven more than 500,000 ebook downloads and 9,000 reviews on Goodreads and retailers. The first three books in the series are now available as audiobooks on Audible and iTunes.
     Bauer has also told the story of the Women’s March on Washington by leading PR efforts for the Massachusetts Chapter. Her pre-event press release—the only one sent out on a major wire service—resulted in more than 19,000 global impressions and redistribution by over 350 different media entities including the Associated Press. 
        Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
Stalk Christina On Social Media – She Loves It!
Blog: http://monsterhousebooks.com/blog/category/christina
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorBauer/
Twitter: @CB_Bauer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christina_cb_bauer/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-bauer-481b12139/
Web site: http://monsterhousebooks.com/authors/cbauer

Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INT)

• Jewelry/swag and more!

This grand prize giveaway. (this giveaway is set up and managed by author, not Xpresso Tours):

 You can find the schedule here (http://xpressobooktours.com/2020/09/01/tour-sign-up-bandits-and-ball-gowns-by-christina-bauer/).

BOOK BLURB:
      After her father uproots the family to the northern duchy of Brackenhurst, Grace Eldon and her four younger sisters struggle with a new life of hardship. Desperate to keep a roof over their heads amid mounting debts, she and her youngest sister seek employment in the Duke of Brackenhurst’s household despite fearsome rumors.
          Scarred and maimed from a terrible fire Silas Isling, Duke of Brackenhurst, buries himself in his work to avoid the stares of pity and fear. When one of the new maids shows no fear at his appearance, he is intrigued. That is until his meddling steward gives her the task of cleaning Silas’ bookroom. It is a most unwelcome disruption since he prefers to be alone.
       While a thief plagues his castle, an old nemesis reappears, and enemies invade in the guise of guests. Amidst the distractions and chaos, Grace brings some unexpected order. Once convinced his scars had stolen all hope for love, Silas finds his life forever changed by the quiet maid. Could she love a scarred Duke?
~ Amazon ~

AUTHOR BIO:
Rachel Rossano is a happily married mother of three children. She spends her days teaching, mothering, and keeping the chaos at bay. After the little ones are in bed, she immerses herself in the fantasy worlds of her books. Tales of romance, adventure, and virtue set in a medieval fantasy world are her preference, but she also writes speculative fantasy and a bit of science fiction.

~ Newsletter ~ Facebook ~ ~Website ~ Twitter ~ ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest ~

Rachel Rossano’s Top Ten Favorite Fairytales In no particular order:
1) Beauty and the Beast (no surprise, right?)
2) East of the Sun West of the Moon (Also in its other forms, Cupid and Psyche, etc)
3) The Month Brothers (Something about twelve men representing the months of the year willing to bend the rules for a poor lost child as appeal)
4) Seven Swans (Something about her vow of silence always fascinated me)
5) Stone Soup (More of a folk tale than a fairytale, but still, I like the message)
6) Rumpelstiltskin (Gotta love that the bad guy gets his just reward, and it all ends well for the girl despite everyone’s manipulations.)
7) Snow White and Rose Red (Two sisters overcoming with kindness)
8) Rapunzel (I really wanted super long hair as a kid. It is very impractical sounding now.)
9) Bluebeard (Yeah, this is a strange one, but somehow it always fascinated me.)
10) Thisbe and Pyramus (There is something appealing about falling in love with a person’s soul instead of their exterior. I really would like to give them a happy ending.)

GIVEAWAY GIVEAWAY:
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)

$25 Amazon gift card + digital copy of the Bloom Sisters This grand prize giveaway - ends Nov 26th:

Author: Suzanne Rogerson
Narrator: George Ellington
Length: 13 hours 28 minutes
Series: Silent Sea Chronicles, Book 1
Publisher: Suzanne Rogerson
Released: Sep. 22, 2020
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis      
     The magical island of Kalaya is dying, along with its Sentinel.
         The Assembly controls Kalaya. Originally set up to govern, they now persecute those with magic and exile them to the Turrak Mountains.
           Tei, a tailor’s daughter, has always hidden her magic, but when her father’s old friend visits and warns them to flee to the mountains, she must leave her old life behind.
          On the journey, an attack leaves her father mortally wounded. He entrusts her into the care of the exiles and on his deathbed makes a shocking confession. 
         Struggling with self-doubt, Tei joins the exiles search for their new Sentinel who is the only person capable of restoring the fading magic. But mysterious Masked Riders are hunting the Sentinel too, and time, as well as hope, is running out.   
         Against mounting odds it will take friendship, heartache, and sacrifice for the exiles to succeed, but is Tei willing to risk everything to save the island magic?
        If you like character-based fantasy, then you’ll love The Lost Sentinel - book one in the Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy.
Amazon  ~  Audible

ABOUT The AUTHOR:
          Suzanne lives in Middlesex, England with her husband, two children and a crazy puppy.
          Her writing journey began at the age of twelve when she completed her first novel. She discovered the fantasy genre in her late teens and has never looked back. Giving up work to raise a family gave Suzanne the impetus to take her attempts at novel writing beyond the first draft, and she is lucky enough to have a husband who supports her dream - even if he does occasionally hint that she might think about getting a proper job one day.
         Now an author of four novels including the recently completed Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy and a Czech translation of her debut, Visions of Zarua, Suzanne hopes the dreaded ‘W’ word will never rear its ugly head again!
         She loves gardening and has a Hebe (shrub) fetish. She enjoys cooking with ingredients from the garden and regularly feeds unsuspecting guests vegetable-based cakes.
          Suzanne collects books, is interested in history and enjoys wandering around castles and old ruins whilst being immersed in the past. She likes to combine her love of nature and photography on family walks, but most of all she loves to escape with a great film, binge watch TV shows, or soak in a hot bubble bath with an ice cream and a book.

4. Author Web/Social Media Links: Website  ~ Twitter  ~ Goodreads  ~  BookBub  ~  Amazon   ~ 
Facebook  ~  Instagram  ~  Newsletter

Book Details:
 Back to the Burgh and Beyond (The Owl's Nest Mysteries) 
by C.S. McDonald
​Category:  Adult Fiction, 208 pages
Genre:  Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  McWriter Books
Release date:  Sep 10, 2020
Tour dates:  Nov 9 to Nov 20, 2020
Content Rating:  G. C.S. McDonald's books are appropriate for YA readers as well as adults--no bad language or sexual content.
Book Description:
  Meet Alexa Owl. She's returned home to Pittsburgh after a divorce to start a new life and a new business, The Owl’s Nest Couturier Shoppe. Much to her surprise, she's getting more than she ever bargained for: Detective Bobby Starr, and he's no ordinary sleuth. Bobby is an angel who's returned to Earth in hopes of earning his way into the Guardian Angel Squad. He's been sent by none other than Saint Pete to acquire Alexa’s help to solve three cold case murders he left behind. Except, here’s the catch: he’s only been allotted four days to solve the first case! How in heaven’s name is she supposed to do that? Alexa is a professional seamstress—not a detective. Bobby insists the only way to solve the first case is to return to 1953, and Alexa’s not in love with that idea at all!

Buy the Book: Amazon ~ B&N

REVIEW By LAWonder10:

    After many rears of a partnership more than a marriage, Alexa and her very successful husband divorced. Now she returned to her hometown to set up her business in a new location, yet only about three hours from her original business. Some of her clientele would make the drive just to use her services. An agency she hired successfully set up appointments with a few new clients.
  A jolly, mature Winnie, was a pleasant surprise as she brought some "goodies" to welcome her to the neighborhood. Winnie's family used to own the pub and apartment, which was now a Couturier shop and Alexa's living quarters. Winnie also had the expertise she needed for an employee.
  As they were getting better acquainted and Alexas took Winnie upstairs to show her the apartment, Alexa and Winnie received a "shock" ! This led to Winnie assisting her while Alexa lived a "double life". Alexa wondered what she had gotten herself into!
  This is a humorous mystery novel, laced with time travel, romance and even a few nice morals.
  The ending was complete yet left the reader eager for more.
  The characters and action were well portrayed and realistic. The Book Title and Cover image were well-chosen and eye-catching.
  This was a delightfully clean mystery and maintained the readers interest throughout the story.
        I offer a Five Stars rating.
  * This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

Meet the Author:
        For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. Classically trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School, The Pittsburgh Dance Alloy, and many others, she became a professional dancer and choreographer. During that time, she choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards.
       In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. In 2016 she added the Fiona Quinn Mysteries to that expansion. She decided to write the cozy mystery series that everyone, including teens and tweens, can read and enjoy.
          Presently, the Fiona Quinn Mysteries nine books with a tenth slated for 2021. The books are also available on audio, narrated by Maren Swenson Waxenberg. Cindy’s newest venture is The Owl’s Nest Mysteries. Once again, she has set her cozy mystery in Pittsburgh. The female protagonist, Alexa Owl, is much different from Fiona Quinn. The Owl’s Next Mysteries has a little grit, a little time travel, a little romance, and a whole lot of cozy! Ms. McDonald resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister.

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Here is the tour schedule. 

Giveaway Details:​

Autographed copy of BACK TO THE BURGH AND BEYOND (USA only) (ends Nov 27)
Enter by using the Rafflecopter Below.

Book Details:
How to Pack for the End of the World by Michelle Falkoff
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17),  320 pages
Genre: Literary / Mystery | Release date:  Nov 20, 2020
Publisher:  HarperCollins (HarperTeen)
Tour dates: Nov 3 to Nov 23, 2020
Content Rating:  PG-13. Language is clean, no sex on the page but reference to it, dark subject matter--wasn't sure the best category based on descriptions.
Book Description:
          If you knew the world was going to end tomorrow, what would you do? This is the question that haunts Amina as she watches new and horrible stories of discord and crisis flash across the news every day. But when she starts at prestigious Gardner Academy, Amina finds a group of like-minded peers to join forces with—fast friends who dedicate their year to learning survival skills from each other, before it’s too late. Still, as their prepper knowledge multiplies, so do their regular high school problems, from relationship drama to family issues to friend blow-ups. Juggling the two parts of their lives forces Amina to ask another vital question: Is it worth living in the hypothetical future if it’s at the expense of your actual present?

Pre-Order the Book:Amazon ~ Audible ~Bookshop.org ~  IndieBound

Review by LAWonder10:
At first, Amina was furious with her parents for forcing her to attend this boarding school. They were concerned about her obsession, nightmares and more... But after a few days, she actually found friends and her nightmares soon ceased, so she decided to make the best of it.

This is a story of five very different youth, from very different social backgrounds who form a Club and each is required to plan out a unique game with the idea of survival of the "End of the World". As they compete and try to solve each puzzle, they begin to change attitudes, ideas and appreciation for others.

The author successfully unlocks  mysteries and inspires the reader to avoid stereotyping others.  She takes a popular concern and examines it from different sources, then concludes the story with a wise and varied moral.

The book was slightly difficult t "get into" at first but it soon "came together" and was captivating.  From that point on, the plot maintained the readers curiosity, eager for the next scenario.

I offer a Four Stars rating for this book.
*This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

Meet the Author:

Michelle Falkoff is the author of Playlist for the Dead, Pushing Perfect, Questions I Want to Ask You, and How to Pack for the End of the World. She is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and currently serves as director of communication and legal reasoning at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.

Connect with the author:   website  ~ twitter  ~  instagram ~ goodreads

Here is the tour schedule. 

History Village: Time to Shine (History Village #3)
By Jo Elliott
Christian Middle Grade/Lower YA Sci-Fi, Time Travel
Paperback & ebook, 171 Pages
September 10, 2020
SYNOPSIS:
      Ally, Josh and Brendan are half siblings living in Australia who have a difficult situation to face at School and at home.  They have a special interest in the past as they have previously embarked on two time-travelling adventures with God's divine help.
         Once again they embark on their latest time-travelling adventure into first century, ancient Syria.  On the road to Damascus the children meet the frightening Commander who is on a mission to find and punish anyone who disagrees with his religious views.  The children must quickly learn who can be trusted in this dystopian Village as they push back against the darkness and look for the truth.  In time, the children learn that ordinary people with extraordinary faith in God can have a monumental impact throughout the generations.  
          With the help of biblical heroes of old, this coming of age story will help young people discover their own unique purpose and mission in life.  If you enjoy action-packed, suspenseful drama enveloped in cultural history, you are going to love "Time to Shine".
(Affiliate links included.)
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

REVIEW By VICKIE:

Time To Shine - Jo Elliott

         This is a great story going back to ancient times. It has much to for us to learn. We can learn new things about the old times.
       Ally, Josh and Brendan are awesome characters. Young but anxious to learn and are very brave in their efforts.
The characters are all well-developed and it is easy to feel their emotions.
        The story flows well from chapter to chapter and is easy to follow along.
      I recommend this to all those who enjoy readings of ancient times and love a good adventure.
          I give this story a literary rating of 5/5

Other Books in the Series:

ABOUT the AUTHOR:
        Jo Elliott was born in Melbourne Australia, to Greek parents and has resided in the world's greatest city all her life. She left a career in industrial relations to pursue her greatest love which is introducing children to God's word. Joanna is married to Phillip Elliott, a devoted writer of fiction, and together they have traveled the world, opening their minds and their hearts to new peoples and languages. When she's not plotting her next teen book, Jo is trying to learn Italian, and is tinkering with an old family piano (which requires urgent tuning!)

Goodreads | Amazon | Instagram

GIVEAWAY DETAILS!

1 winner will receive a
$25 Amazon eGift Card
(open internationally)
Ends November 18, 2020

Enter  by filling in the Rafflecopter below!

Tour Schedule
November 9th:   Launch
Hallie Reads
Reading Is My SuperPower
November 10th:
Mammanatty's Raves and Reviews
Remembrancy
Rockin' Book Reviews
November 11th:
Library Lady's Kid Lit
Uplifting Reads
quirkybookreads
November 12th:
Beauty in the Binding
Christy's Cozy Corners
Splashes of Joy
November 13th:
Teatime and Books
Bizwings Blog

The Runaways Of Missing Lake by Tanya Fyfe
Publisher:  Kindle Direct Press (September 1,, 2020);  394 pages
Category: Young Adult, Teen, Fantasy, Dragons
Tour dates: Oct-Nov, 2020
ISBN: 9798681416005
Book Description:
        Luke Houser and his friends enter their junior year at Missing Lake High School under extremely unusual circumstances after a tremendous forest fire kept the community on edge for months. The memory of the fire permeates all aspects of everyone’s lives, including those of the incredible secret dragon family who live up north. Luke makes a new canine friend through his step-mom’s veterinary clinic and Chase plays an important role despite not being one of the family’s beloved sled dogs.
         The silver dragon, Zagros has some serious news for his young Dragoneer that will impact the entire dragon realm, particularly the young dragons, Helios and Cassiel. Luke has to process this information all while a crisis unfolds during English class. Luke has to make some serious choices that challenge the sometimes awkward sixteen-year-old but he cannot share them with anyone without risking the discovery of the magnificent dragons.
        This is the fourth book in the Missing Lake series that follows a reluctantly intrepid young man’s journey into adulthood with his family, friends, dogs, cats and dragons by his side.Buy Links: Amazon ~ BarnesandNoble

‘Where do you get your ideas from, when creating personalities for your characters? How to Make Your Characters Believable?’

        I try to stick to the old saying, ‘write what you know’. That doesn’t necessarily mean my story characters are actual people who really exist, but I do draw upon a lot of people and also animals when I create individuals for my books.
         I also try to create individuals as tributes to people and pets I have known or cared for as their friend or veterinarian throughout my life. To my friends and family, some of these are pretty obvious (especially for my husband and my step kids) and to some of my friends and veterinary clients, one or two of them might recognize I am showing my appreciation for someone they know (or themselves.)
         For example, the Dragoneer character, Oscar, (who is integral to Luke and his veterinarian step-mom meeting the dragon, Tabitha,) is named after one of our first cats. Oscar the cat had wild grey and white hair and was well loved by everyone who ever visited our farms over many years. He moved with us from Watford City, ND to Creston, BC, Canada, to Hazen, ND, then to Bismarck, ND and, finally, to Seeley Lake, MT where he lived out the rest of his long, cuddle-filled life. He had a big, loving, kind personality and I felt by naming my book character after him I was honoring his memory. I also gave the book’s Oscar the same wild, grey and white hair that our kitty maintained throughout his life.
        Another example is the fact that the fictional community of Missing Lake seems to have a lot of Great Dane dogs in Jackie’s veterinary practice. Luke has commented on that in a couple of the books and I try to bring it up during random times when he is helping his step-mom at the clinic. This is in tribute to a litter of Great Danes I was fortunate enough to be involved with in my own tiny real-life town of Seeley Lake. I was the litter’s veterinarian and became very involved when the puppies’ dam died within a day of childbirth. I got my pet food company’s top nutritionists on board for recommendations and we built a small community of local people who worked in shifts to feed, clean and care for the rapid-growing pups. The book’s Great Danes didn’t necessarily have the same challenging beginning to their lives but they are in honor of this magnificent local litter that I continued to care for throughout most of their lives.
         A lot of people tell me that my character, Jackie, the veterinarian, sounds like me when they read her dialogue. I won’t lie- I have a lot in common with Jackie, like our love of 70s Disco music and my ‘ten-and-two’ driving posture. Jackie sometimes struggles with the emotional toil of being a small town veterinarian just like I did and I try to bring some of that to light when I write but it certainly is not a main focus of the stories. And the book isn’t written from Jackie’s perspective because the book isn’t about me. It’s not about my own husband or step-son, either. In fact, their personalities in the books are very far from who they are in real life.
         The book is written from Luke’s perspective because I wanted to challenge myself when I began the series and I also figured the literary world needed a cool, moral young man as a role model, even if he didn’t know it.
         In Luke and his friends I tried to make them as believable as possible by drawing upon my memories from high school as well as my connections to many young adults throughout life. I was a figure skating and hockey coach for many years and I got to spend hours with teens from all walks of life before I became a veterinarian. I was lucky to hang out with young women on and off the ice and young men, as well, on Varsity bus rides and on the bench during their games. As an elite coach I spent a lot of close contact time with these athletes in vehicles, dressing rooms, hotel rooms and restaurants and often times I know that I knew more about these kids’ lives than their parents did.
        I was close to my step-kids and many of their friends when they were teenagers and I have tried to draw upon my memories of our discussions and interactions when I give voices and actions to Luke, Ben, Derek, Bethany, Gwen, and the others. I think back to the kids who hung out on the periphery in real life and try to give them a voice through characters like Anne-Marie, Nick and Josh. Eventually these particular characters shed light on why they are the way they are and I think that helps make them that much more believable.
        As for the dragon characters in my book… well, I’m working from nothing but research and fantasy there. I’m enjoying putting theories and beliefs into these magnificent creatures and I can only hope they are as believable to my readers as they are to Luke, Jackie, his dad, Oscar and me.

About Tanya Fyfe
        Award winning author, Tanya Fyfe was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada and trained and performed as a professional figure skater and coach for many years. After working briefly as an English Teacher in Japan, she met her husband, Dr.Alistair Fyfe and moved to North Dakota in 1994.
        She completed her BSc and then got accepted into veterinary school in Saskatchewan which she graduated from in 2005. Since then she has worked as a veterinarian in ND and Montana.
        Tanya has written stories since she was a little girl and enjoyed completing a course with the Children’s Institute of Literature several years ago. She began writing her teen fiction series in 2013 which began with Lost and Found in Missing Lake. The Dragons of Missing Lake followed and then Secrets Abound in Missing Lake came next. Around the time of publication she started selling real estate in Montana (because, clearly, she was not busy enough) but was still able to jump back into the story to complete Book 4, The Runaways of Missing Lake.
         She enjoys hanging out with her characters and tries to give readers a sense of what it is truly like to live in the beautiful mountains of western Montana. She enjoys spending time on any golf course with her husband and they canoe, hike and ride horses as well. They share their world with 5 adorable cats, several horses and 3 ridiculously personable ferrets.
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~Instagram

Giveaway Details:
This giveaway is for 1 copy each for 3 winners and is open to Canada and the U.S. only. The winners will have the choice between print and ebook. (Ends November 26, 2020,midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted by Rafflecopter only.)
Enter by using the Rafflecopter Below.

Blog Tour dates November 6 - 13!

Locally Produced (UTAH) THE SANTA BOX Announces Big Screen Release Date!

SYNOPSIS:
For Kallie Watts, Christmas is anything but merry. For the last five years, the tinsel-strewn holiday has spelled disaster for her family, so when an apartment fire leaves Kallie and her widowed mother homeless just in time for the holidays, it comes as no surprise. There's only one logical conclusion: Christmas is cursed for Kallie. 

When her mother finds a new job in a small California town, Kallie steps out of the moving van and into her worst nightmare: a real-life version of "Whoville", overflowing with holiday decorations and brimming with Christmas cheer. Forced to navigate the complicated ins and outs of her jolly new surroundings, Kallie is shaken out of her gloom one day when she discovers a curiously crafted wooden Santa box on the porch, addressed to her. The moment she lifts the lid, the young teenagers' life is changed forever as she rediscovers the true magic and meaning of Christmas. 
DVD PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon ~ Deseret Book ~ Seagull

REVIEW By VICKIE:
The Santa Box - Ron Bough

This is a beautiful, inspiring story of love and forgiveness. It really touched my heart. I enjoyed each of the characters in the movie. They were all well-developed and did a wonderful job of showing us how the things we say and do can affect many other people for a very long time.

I highly recommend this movie to everyone. It is perfect for every age. It has awesome reminders for all of us and is a fabulous Christmas story with so much heart and soul.

REVIEW By LAWonder10:

• The Santa Box is a great beginning to the Christmas Season. Written for non-Christians as well as Christians. It  is a great inspiration, especially in this time of controversy. It is a film which the whole family can enjoy!
• The theme of the movie is the epic "make lemons into lemonade" theory. It is a movie most everyone can relate to on various levels.
• The story was very good and a much needed one in the world today. It is an idea all need to adapt into their personal lives.
• While the acting of Cami Carver was acceptable as Kallie, the parts of Otto, "Klaus", Kelly's mom, "Sue"and the "villain's" husband were very impressively convincing. The others needed a little more work. They lacked energy and actuality. There was a couple of scenes which could have only been accomplished with much "Christmas Magic", but the main point was effective.
  
• All in all, it was a very good movie to add to the Holiday Season!
• I give it a Four Stars rating:
• This viewing opportunity was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.

View the Movie Trailer Below:

  Locally Produced (UTAH) THE SANTA BOX Announces Big Screen Release Date
-Film version opens Friday, November 6 -

          Salt Lake City – Writer, Director and Producer Spanky Dustin Ward in partnership with Covenant Communications and Excel Entertainment announced today that he new film, THE SANTA BOX, will open in local Megaplex Theatres on Friday, November 6. Covenant Communications served as the production company with Ron Brough as executive producer, and Excel Entertainment is distributing the film in theaters.
        Ward had been working on the idea and screenplay for the film over the past couple of years, but it was earlier this summer that the actual production shifted into high gear. “We shot the film in early August at several locations along the Wasatch Front,” said Ward. “And that was after only about three weeks of pre-production time, including casting and rehearsals! But everything fell perfectly into place to get THE SANTA BOX produced in time to release it for this Holiday season.”
          THE SANTA BOX tells the story of teenager Kallie Watts. For the past five years, Christmas has spelled disaster for her and her family. When a fire leaves Kallie and her widowed mother homeless just before the holidays, there’s only one conclusion: Kallie is cursed by Christmas. When Kallie and her mother relocate to a small California town, Kallie is confronted by her worst nightmare come true: a town overflowing with holiday decorations and Christmas cheer. Kallie’s life is soon changed forever by the gift of a Santa box. When she lifts the lid, she rediscovers the magic and true meaning of Christmas.
       THE SANTA BOX features mostly local talent, including Shawn Stevens as Otto, and newcomer Cami Carver as Kallie. “Playing Otto was something completely new for me, but it was a role I wanted so much,” said Stevens. “The Otto character is an 85-year-old German immigrant, and naturally, Spanky originally wanted to cast an actor who was around that age. But, luckily for me, with the help of an amazing makeup artist, Vanae Morris, I was able to convince Spanky that I could pull-off a great performance of an old German man. And the character was an absolute joy to play.”
         “For the role of Kallie, we auditioned dozens of young actresses and Cami originally auditioned for a different role, but she absolutely knocked our socks off!” proclaimed Ward. “We instantly knew she was our Kallie.”
         In addition to the two leads, THE SANTA BOX features 20-plus major characters and dozens of extras.
          “Filming during this crazy time brought some unique challenges, but we acclimated to it very quickly,” said Ward. “Everyone on the production team strictly adhered to safe production guidelines implemented by the health officers we had on set. Thanks to those practices, everyone in the cast and crew stayed healthy and the production went off without a hitch.”

This Tour is presented by Covenant Communications Publishing

Book Details:
Ocean Heart (The Soul Heart Series, #1) by Ally Aldridge
Publication date: December 1st 2020
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Synopsis:
          Being a mermaid brings a new depth to ‘it’s complicated.’
        High school teen Mariah’s life is anything but simple.  Between a crush on her best friend and a rivalry brewing with the swim team star, her powers awaken early.  
        When Mariah’s guardian meddles in her life with magic, she causes more harm than good.  The soul reapers are coming and there’s a werewolf hungry for merblood.  All secrets wash ashore sooner or later, and Mariah’s about to discover hers.
         Mixing a messy love life with deadly powers will whip up a storm of trouble.  Can Mariah contain it or will she be swept up in its wake?
          A gripping story about a mermaid, self acceptance, and romance that literally sparks.

Goodreads ~ Pre-order: Amazon ~ B&N ~ Kobo

AUTHOR BIO:
         Ally was born in London but grew up in Suffolk which is where most of her YA Fantasy novels are based.
        She is happily married to her high school sweetheart, and together they are raising two cats, their son and daughter.
        When Ally is not writing (or at her day job), she loves spending time with her family at the local beach, in the forest or watching way too much Netflix.
        Ally loves a cup of tea and has been known to order one on a night out.
Author links: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads
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