Book Promo ~ Schoolbooks & Sorcery

An Anthology of Inclusive YA Urban Fantasy

In this enchanting collection of young adult tales, 20 authors explore the overlap of the mundane and the fantastical, with LGBTQ protagonists juggling the pressures of school and the wonder of magic in its many forms. From entrance tests to final exams, casting spells to breaking curses, these teens seek to claim their place in the world. In these pages, you’ll find gay and lesbian, bisexual and asexual, trans and nonbinary characters, all experiencing sexy, strange, wicked, wonderful, romantic adventures. They deal with bad roommates and bullies, first loves and new friends, all while crafting and inhabiting their ideal identities. Featuring authors such as Seanan McGuire, Cheryl Rainfield, Cecilia Tan, E.C. Myers, Rajan Khanna, and many more. Step inside and experience Schoolbooks & Sorcery…

“I snagged a few pinches of herbs from the apothecary cabinet in the kitchen and ground them into a paste. The bruised leaves let out their oils, and the air filled with a sweet, green, medicinal smell. Just a small magic, friend-to-bees magic, and it didn’t look like magic unless you knew.” ~ From “The Delicate Work of Bees” by Emily Horner

“What is the centaur philosophy of magic?”
Clementine cleared her throat, cheeks flushing pink, and said, “That if it were easy, everyone would do it, and that means it must be hard.” ~ From “Finals” by Seanan McGuire

“A big message to queer and trans youth in the 2000s was ‘it gets better,’ but in YA publishing there’s still a struggle for representation of LGBTQ protagonists–and a big-name author promoting transphobia certainly hasn’t helped,” said Circlet imprint editor Cecilia Tan. “Putting the ‘magic school’ trope together with queer teen angst was a natural: in fact it’s my catnip.”

The innovative publisher, Riverdale Avenue Books just published Schoolbooks & Sorcery: a New Anthology of Inclusive YA Urban Fantasy edited by Michael M. Jones.

About Michael M. Jones

Michael M. Jones lives in southwest Virginia with too many books, just enough cats, and a wife who’s been with him every step of the way. His stories have appeared in venues such as Hexagon, Metastellar, Mad Scientist Journal and Enchanted Conversation. He also edited Scheherazade’s Facade: Fantastical Tales of Gender Bending, Cross-Dressin, and Transformation. For more, visit him on Twitter at Oneminutemonkey  or at www.michaelmjones.com

Schoolbooks & Sorcery

Available from:
AMAZON
B&N NOOK
KOBO

Book Promo: Freeda the Frog and Her New Blue Family

Perfect for Black History Month, New Kid’s Book Teaches Diversity, Equality and Blended Families

In a culture that is divided, the subjects of diversity and inclusion have become vital to build a more unified tomorrow. Although discussing these topics with children may be difficult, books have always served as bridges of communication to help pave the way to acceptance. Gold Mom’s Choice Award-winner book and series author Nadine Haruni specializes in making awkward conversations, such as racial equality, fun and approachable. Nadine’s book, Freeda the Frog & Her New Blue Family (Mascot Books; ISBN: 978-1-68401-132-2; $14.95; Hardcover), teaches children and parents alike to welcome people of differing ethnic, religious and gender backgrounds. Being the proud mom of a blended family, Nadine has a personal perspective on the subject.

The book follows green tadpoles Frannie and Frank, who learn two blue frogs, Samson and his son Jack, will be joining the family. They wonder if they will all get along and if Samson will replace their green biological father. However, spending time with their new blue friends teaches the green tadpoles a valuable lesson: a frog is who they are on the inside and shouldn’t be judged by the color of their skin. Nadine is no stranger to subjects like this, or others addressed in previous books such as divorce and losing a loved one.

To that end, the Freeda the Frog series helps educators, school counselors and parents discuss difficult topics in a positive, non-threatening way with children. Each book reinforces Nadine Haruni’s mission of “helping families of all species, one tadpole at a time.” The entire series has even been leveled for schools to align with National Education standards, and all five books in the series have a Readers’ Favorite 5-star review and the Gold Mom’s Choice Award for excellence in the family-friendly picture book category.

“Freeda the Frog and Her New Blue Family will help to foster a young child’s understanding that blended families with mixed ethnicities, religions, and races are all a family just the same…” – Midwest Book Review

Author Nadine Haruni has gone through a divorce herself and is now the mother of five kids in a blended family. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, an attorney and a certified yoga instructor. Haruni has also created a lesson plan inspired by her books for Garden State Equality in New Jersey, her home state. For more information, please visit www.freedathefrog.com.

Freeda the Frog and Her New Blue Family

Publisher: Mascot Books
Hardcover / $14.95
ISBN: 978-1-68401-132-2

available from
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Mascot Books

Book Promo: Dancing To The Darkest Light

Inspiring Others Who Are Navigating Challenging Times

Soheila Adelipour

Soheila Adelipour hopes you never look at life the same way after reading her memoir of survival, Dancing to the Darkest Light. Her story begins in Iran, where her family, desperate to escape the Islamic revolution, fled to New York. Her family found solid footing in the Big Apple, living the epitome of the American dream, until one day, all they had were nightmares. In a relatively short period of time, Adelipour lost a son and two siblings. Her book offers a riveting account of her healing process, and through her example of extraordinary resilience, she hopes to inspire others who are facing tragedy and heartbreak.

Chronicling their experiences in Dancing to the Darkest Light, Adelipour recounts how her only brother became a neurosurgeon while others followed different paths. But their successful relocation and the joy they felt over each triumph was soon shattered when Adelipour’s second son, Stefan, was killed in a dorm room fire before his scheduled graduation from Boston University.

Adelipour channeled her grief into the foundation she established in his name. Soon after, her older sister had to undergo five brain surgeries that left her blind and deaf before ultimately claiming her life. The same week, their only brother who was supervising her care was diagnosed with leukemia. Adelipour gave him her bone marrow and 60 percent of her liver when his liver stopped functioning. Doctors ultimately announced he was cancer-free with a perfectly functioning liver, but the week he was to come home, he died from pneumonia.

How one perseveres under the weight of all this loss is at the core of Dancing to the Darkest Light. “When life plays different music, we have to be fluid and dance to the new tune,” Adelipour said.

Adelipour received her bachelor’s degree in business and her master’s degree in Art Gallery Management while her first two children were in diapers. She was involved with the World of Arts and Antiques in New York City and followed that by operating high-end gift stores.

For more information visit www.soheilaadelipour.com.

Dancing to the Darkest Light
ISBN-10: 173371264X
ISBN-13: 978-1733712644
Available from Amazon.com

Amazon Review:

A powerful message about finding happiness and fulfillment in the face of loss
A profoundly moving memoir of life’s unexpected moments and painful losses. Soheila is a remarkably strong and courageous woman who teaches us the value of cherishing our happiness and our family bonds despite the hardships we may endure. Her book is an inspiration on living our lives to the fullest and on finding meaning even in the face of tragedy. Congratulations Soheila on a beautifully written tribute to those you have lost! Nirit R

 

Expanding Your Sphere of Acquaintances

3 Reasons It’s Wise To Spend Time With Those
Who Are Different From Us

Americans may be living in an echo chamber.

Several studies have revealed that – given the choice – many people prefer the company of those who share their political or religious leanings, and are downright antagonist toward those who are the most different from them.

As recently as 2014, a Pew Research Center study showed that 63 percent of consistent conservatives and 49 percent of consistent liberals say their close friends share their political views. That same study revealed half of conservatives and 35 percent of liberals say it’s important to live where people share their political views.

Another Pew survey indicated that evangelicals and atheists have an especially chilly attitude toward each other.

“We don’t seem willing to get outside our comfort zones when it comes to making friends,” says Kevin Moody, a conservative Christian and author of “The Battle of Fort Rock” (http://www.amazon.com/The-Battle-Fort-Rock-State/dp/1482039362), a novel that explores that theme using a real-life controversy that happened during the 20th anniversary of the Kent State shootings.

“That unwillingness to listen to opposing ideas can cause us to carry around pre-conceived notions about each other. We might find that we have more in common than we realize if we would open up to each other and listen.

“For example, you might ask, ‘Should a good Christian hang around with hippies, punk rockers and millennials?’ My answer would be, ‘Absolutely.’ ”He includes millennials in that equation mostly because he thinks older generations are too quick to discount the views of the young.

“We have every right to maintain our values, but remaining in our bubble of judgment is good for no one,” he says.

Moody offers three reasons why expanding our sphere of acquaintances is worthwhile:

• It helps us better understand others. Everyone has heard the old saying about not judging someone until you walk a mile in their shoes. “We may not get a chance to experience exactly what they experienced,” Moody says. “But we can still reach out to them and try to understand them.”

• It challenges what we believe. Often people become locked into their views and don’t even think about why they believe what they believe any more. “Maybe what we believe made sense at one time, but now it may no longer be relevant,” Moody says. “Maybe we were right then and still are today. Or maybe we were wrong all along.”

• It broadens our perspective. “We don’t grow intellectually if we aren’t prepared to have our assumptions challenged,” Moody says. “The world’s a complex place with a lot of fascinating people. What they have to say can be worth listening to.”

Moody began to realize the drawbacks of associating only with like-minded people when he was a graduate student at Kent State University in 1990.

The college was marking the 20th anniversary of what has come to be known as the Kent State massacre, when Ohio National Guard troops shot and killed four young people during an anti-war protest on May 4, 1970.

Construction of a memorial on campus became controversial because it was scaled back from original plans and was more of a mini-memorial.

Moody initially thought those who were upset – people with different political and religious views than him – were overreacting. But as he got to know these counter-cultural people he viewed as hippies, he began to see their point of view.

“I was able to broaden my perspective,” Moody says, “but only because I was willing to spend time with and listen to people who didn’t see things my way.”

The Battle of Fort Rock by Kevin L Moody

About Kevin Moody

Kevin Moody earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in physics and math from Indiana University and a Master of Science degree in physics from Ball State University. While studying physics as a graduate student at Kent State University, Moody had a transformational experience on May 4, 1990, when the university drastically scaled back a ceremony memorializing the Kent State tragedy 20 years earlier. An atheist-turned-conservative-Christian, Moody experienced a profound bond with people unlike him – counter-cultural hippies – during protests at the university. His book, “The Battle of Fort Rock” (http://www.amazon.com/The-Battle-Fort-Rock-State/dp/1482039362), details his spiritual journey. 

Book Promo: Hidden Fire by Deirdra Eden with Amazon GC giveaway

Hidden Fire Blog Tour
and $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

Finding your own unique strength and courage is a major theme of The Watchers. The characters in this series are as diverse as they come: different nationalities, male, female, dwarf, human, dragon, pixie, noble, peasant orphan, young, aged. Yet, no matter the situation, whether tragic or triumphant, they find ways to grow and develop into something stronger.

The main character, Auriella (Aura), is born and lives in a society and time when girls, especially of her social status, didn’t have opportunities for education or growth, let alone a chance to be a hero. The Watchers must learn to work together, despite differences, to defeat Erebus and the Shadow Legion, just as we, no matter our gender, race, age, circumstances, etc., are capable of great things.

Strong men and women grow in all situations and become heroes when one is needed. They don’t think about it, they just do what’s right.

-Deirdra Eden, author of The Watchers Series

Book Summary

Auriella’s new life as a royal protector is in shambles. The new king ignores her warnings of a Shadow Legion invasion and he is determined to marry her off. Ghosts from her past, the discovery of other Watchers, and a handsome Scottish warrior throw her off guard and weaken her emotional defenses. Caught in a web of secrecy and betrayal, Auriella struggles to control and protect the devastating power of Starfire. A terrible truth and a fateful choice will lead her to her destiny as the fabled Lady of Neviah, or could shroud the entire world in eternal darkness.

Filled with action, romance, drama, and comedy, Hidden Fire is an addicting read that you won’t want to put down.

“Deirdra Eden has surpassed her earlier achievement in this daring tale of struggle between good and evil forces that exist in every universe.” Mark F. Cheney, author of MARK OF THE JAGUAR

“Thought provoking and full of action, I didn’t want to put the book down! I really loved the symbolism and it was a fantastic read.” Mary G. – age 15

 

 

 

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