Yabookspodcast's Podcast

Back in episode 31 I interviewed Karl Becktrand for the podcast. I asked him if there were any authors he thought would be good on the podcast and he reccomended Connie Walker. She's in his writing group and he described her as "One of the most underappreciated writers" he knows. So, for ten weeks now I've been trying to get her interview done and I keep messing up on times and Skypes and all that stuff. I was scheduled to interview her last week and got the day messed up. She waited for me to call her while I sat in la la land, thinking we were scheduled for the next day. I felt so bad that I went ahead and bought her book and promised to do an Amazon review. After reading the first few chapters I understood why Karl said what he did. Connie is a wonderful writer and deserves to get more attention. The Spire of Kylet starts with a prolog of about ten pages, so, I'm going to read that for you now.   The Spire of Kylet, a young adult fantasy, is the first book in The Wolkarean Inscription Trilogy. Here's the

Rebecca My insatiable curiosity about people and culture developed at an early age, and was likely the result of many European misadventures and my experiences living in England, Denmark, and Canada. There is nothing like playing among the columns of a Bronze Age palace surrounded by the sapphire waters of the Mediterranean to pique an eight year old's interest and imagination. I focused my University studies in Classical Archeology and Literature, Physical Anthropology, Social Work, and Criminology. For those of you questioning my use of the word 'focused' ...well, you'll just have to trust me when I say that I couldn't file my interests down to any sharper a point. I tried. The yearly course lists crammed with intriguing possibilities made me feel like a kid in a candy store - one of those really big stores with colorful jars lining the walls from floor to ceiling. My career path has continued in the same vein. I was my grandmother's caregiver for two years; an opportunity for which I am ever grateful as sp

Nancy Norbeck wrote her first story, inspired by her brother's case of chicken pox, when she was in fourth grade. She flirted with writing off and on over the years, but began to take it seriously in high school, and then in college. After teaching writing to English as a Second Language students for several years, and working on her own writing projects, she enrolled in Goddard College's MFA in creative writing program, which she completed in 2009. The Silver Child is her first novel. She currently works as a writing and creative process coach. Nancy is a longtime fan of Doctor Who and can often be found spoiling her two nephews rotten. She lives in New Jersey and loves to travel, especially when she can go back in time via a good book. For more information on current projects, upcoming releases, and coaching services, please subscribe at nancynorbeck.com or follow her on Twitter @NancyNorbeck. She would love to hear from you. Maia Starfield is on the run, having successfully hidden her ability to create sil

YA Books Podcast Episode 38 - A 1st 10 Page Review of "The Rithmatist" by Brandon Sanderson In my humble opinion Brandon Sanderson is one of the most masterful writers of genre fiction. He's produced many epic fantasy series, for his magical systems and how they are enmeshed in his intensely detailed worlds. He's probably best known recently in the YA genre for his Reckoners series which started with, "Steelheart". I thought that book was good and the second in the series, "Firefight" was okay. I'm not saying I could write better, by any means. They're filled with very powerful, smack talking, superheroes and anti-heroes, with description, plot and conflict like no one other than Brandon Sanderson can write. Before Steelheart, (by nearly five months) there was The Rithmatist. Published in May of 2013 it didn't seem to get the attention the later book would elicit. I'm more of a Peter Parker fan, than I am a Bruce Wayne. 609 reviews, 4.6 average Here's the blurb: More than anything, Joel wants to be a Rithmati

In this episode I talk with Mia Siegert and we talk about Olympic Horse Jumping, MFA's, Adjunct Professors, professional hockey, internet hook ups, and other things. Jerk Bait Even though they're identical, Tristan isn't close to his twin Robbie at all—until Robbie tries to kill himself. Forced to share a room to prevent Robbie from hurting himself, the brothers begin to feel the weight of each other's lives on the ice, and off. Tristan starts seeing his twin not as a hockey star whose shadow Tristan can't escape, but a struggling gay teen terrified about coming out in the professional sports world. Robbie's future in the NHL is plagued by anxiety and the mounting pressure from their dad, coach, and scouts, while Tristan desperately fights to create his own future, not as a hockey player but a musical theatre performer. As their season progresses and friends turn out to be enemies, Robbie finds solace in an online stranger known only as "Jimmy2416." Between keeping Robbie's secret and saving him from taking h

Escape to Eden by Rachel McClellan Sweetwater Books an imprint of Cedar Fort Inc. 43 Reviews with 4.8 out of 5.0 stars Feb 9, 2016 Available in ebook and paperback About my ratings. I'm not a professional editor, publisher, or journalist. I am only giving my opinion on whether or not the first chapter of this book would compel me to read further. As on Amazon, five stars does not mean it is perfect, only that I really liked it. It's all about personal preference. The Cover: The cover shows a portion of a woman's face. Psychologically this tells us that there is more to the woman, a much bigger picture than fits on the single page. The woman has a pensive look. On her left cheek is the blurb, "They'd kill for my genes". I give it a five because it's mysterious and makes me want to find out more about the character. Writing: If you know me, you know that 1st person present is my least favorite point of view, but for this story, as you've seen, it's pretty much required. We're unfolding the story of a girl who

In this episode I interview YA author Kristy Acevedo. We talk about teaching high school English, teaching seniors and juniors as opposed to teaching freshmen. We discuss finding time to write when you teach all day, releasing her first novel, "Consider", and the follow up novel later this year. We talk about #pitmad twitter pitch festival that happens four times each year, and about using twitter. Kristy Acevedo is a YA author, high school English teacher, and huge Star Trek, Doctor Who, and Harry Potter fan. When she was a child, her "big sister" from the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program fostered her love of books by bringing her to the public library every Wednesday. A member of SCBWI, her debut novel, CONSIDER, won the 2015 PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children's Book Discovery Award. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two daughters, and two cats (Milo and Khaleesi). She believes coffee and dark chocolate were put on this planet for the good of humankind. Jolly Fish Press http://www.KristyAcev

In this episode I talk with Lauren Stock about going to university in Massachusetts, studying abroad, traveling, writing her first novel while in high school and collaborative writing with her father. Also, about her dachshunds. Necrobloods Lauren began writing in 8th grade. After having been a voracious reader of YA novels, she was determined to create her own book. Necrobloods was completed by her senior year in high school, with her father coming on board to help. Her first story involved competing styles of magic that had to vie for control. Enjoying the process of writing, she decided to continue working with her dad, and they are now working on the Tamzin Clarke series. This set of novels is a combination of action/adventure and paranormal/supernatural. Lauren is now in college, looking toward a degree in writing and international marketing. When at home, she enjoys spending time with her two miniature dachshunds. You can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurenStock/

valerieipson.blogspot.com@valerieipsonwww.facebook.com/valerieipsonwww.valerieipson.com may still be under construction http://www.amazon.com/Ideal-High-Valerie-Ipson-ebook/dp/B00U1Q0QO8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1459396247&sr=1-1&keywords=Ideal+high

Website: http://sweetdreamsnovel.com http://horroraddicts.net I write YA only under Emmy Z. Madrigal, so I am assuming that will be what we talk about, but if you want to mention my Emerian Rich name, that is fine. It is no secret to my readers. *Emmy Z. Madrigal began the Sweet Dreams Series in high school. Her love of music and the Jazz masters of the Big Band Era have always inspired her life and her writing. Her lead character, Victoria, is a high school student who strives to be a Jazz vocalist. Mixing the hopes and fears of high school seniors with dreams of the future, Emmy has been praised for her realistic portrayal of modern female characters and their will to survive in a world of adversity, prejudice, and economic hardship. Sweet Dreams is a love story, full of adventure, danger, and first experiences. It shows that love can conquer all and that sometimes, love comes when you least expect it. *Emerian Rich writing as Emmy Z. Madrigal. Books in the Sweet Dreams Musical Romance Series1. Sweet Dreams

In this second bonus episode on the YA Books Podcast I talk with an author I previously interviewed about his YA books, Robert Rayner.He has a new book out that will be part of a three book series about the lives of people on a North American Atlantic Island off the coast of Canada.Coming from New Foundland, Robert has some interesting perspectives regarding life on the islands and their future.His book is "Defiant Island" and has been published by Speaking Volumes.

To Swallow the Earth - An Adventure 108 years in the making! (Suspense) A man and a woman, each searching for missing family members, clash amid a Nevada silver rush scheme that leaves both unsure who to trust—and scrambling to stay alive. What if you came home after a journey and your family was gone? What if someone else was living in your house, running things—and trying to kill you? Could a beautiful woman be behind it? Wade Forester must stay in the shadows because, it seems, everyone has reason to shoot him. His father has disappeared, and his sister won’t speak to anyone. Beautiful Patricia Laughlin is searching for her family as well. Few people gain her confidence, though powerful landowner Bridger Calhoun just might be the man to do it. After a clash throws them to opposite sides, Wade must decide if risking his life to help Patricia is worth the trouble, and Patricia must learn which killer to trust with her life. “To Swallow the Earth earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval. MIDVALE, Utah, Fe

In this episode I talk with first time author, Caitlin Lynagh from the UK.We talk about studying biology and physics in England, her book, "Anomaly: The Soul Prophecies", The science of Anomaly, and more... http://caitlinlynagh.com/https://www.facebook.com/caitlinlynaghauthorhttps://thebookigloo.wordpress.com/@CaitlinLynagh on Twitter

In this episode I talk with Janette Rallison about Arizona, raising teenage girls and using their experiences in her stories. About writing books for boys under the pseudonym CJ Hill. We talk about publishing with small publishers, back in the day of paper submissions and the advantages which come with having the internet.Janette talks about her inspiration from "The Phantom Tollbooth", other authors, and from the artist, Minerva Teichert. (From Janette's web page) Janette Rallison is old. Don’t ask how old, because it isn’t polite. Let’s just say she’s older than she’d like to be and leave it at that. Janette lives in Chandler, Arizona with her husband, five children and enough cats to classify her as “an eccentric cat lady.” She did not do this on purpose. (The cats, that is; she had the children on purpose.) Every single one of the felines showed up on its own and refuses to leave. Not even the family’s fearless little Westie dog can drive them off. Since Janette has five children and deadlines to write bo

Jasmine Kaur Dhuga was a third place award winner for the Canadian Federation of University Women Windsor Poetry Contest in 2011. Soon after, she became an editor for her school newspaper. Dhuga often uses her writing to voice her opinion on certain social issues. She resides in Ontario and is currently studying neuroscience. "Monique Brooks has a pretty easy life. All she has to deal with is an alcoholic father, a dependent brother, and an abusive drug dealer. On top of all that, at the age of seventeen, she stumbles upon a completely different world, a world that she just so happens to be the protector of. To add more flowers to the garden, she finds out that her adoptive father wants to kill her for the power that she holds. Now, not only does she have to figure out a way to save herself, she must work hard to save the thousands of lives she has in her hands. But that should all be a piece of cake, right?"

F.C. Shaw grew up with stories. First she had them told to her, and read to her. Then she read them for herself and discovered the magic therein. She is on a mission to help others discover the magic unlocked by reading a book, so has set forth to write her own stories. When she is not dreaming up and writing new stories, she tours the country sharing her books with kids. With a Master's Degree and Teaching Credential, she has taught everything from Kindergarten to college. She lives with her husband and two sons in California. We talk about listening to stories told by grandmothers, book tours and assemblies at elementary schools, and what interests middle grade readers.

In this episode I talk with Sharon Ahern about the many books she published to gether with her late husband, Jerry and now with a former shared friend, Rob Anderson. She talks about publishing books in the 80's and 90's and how things have changed. We talk about bringing a series back and the new spin she has taken with all the children of the original protagonists. Camp Zero is a spin off ofthe Survivalist series which was written from 1981 to 1993 by my husband,Jerry Ahern and myself and then I restarted the series in 2012 with author BobAnderson. The Survivalist series always represented the idea that you should remember to"always plan ahead." Camp Zero is the story of the next generation ofRourkes/Rubensteins who have grown up in a much safer world where survivalskills are not nearly as important to them. The adults send them to a specialsurvival camp where they and other kids are taught how to think and act ontheir own and to learn how to survive in all sorts of difficulties. Of course,the world changes

In this episode I talk with Lorraine Carey and we talk about Grand Cayman and the Cayman Islands, island fever compared to the rat race, being a reading specialist for children of all ages, rock star readers in kindergarten, Arizona and the Superstition Mountains, Rome, Pompey and Vestal Virgins, Pachentro Italy, gypsy legends and curses. She likes to read the classics, Tolkien, Brent Legg "The Last Librarian", Teema Maria Lacobia, "The Queen of Vampires", YA author Amanda Hawking, Find her at http://www.lorrainecarey.com   Lorraine Carey is a veteran children's reading specialist, teacher and an International Award-Winning Author. She has taught in many states in the US and currently is providing reading services for students at a private school on Grand Cayman, where she lives with her husband. Five years ago she was a city gal, living in Orange County, California, where life was very different from the one she lives in now. Trading in her fashionable heels for flip-flops was quite a change, but led to a li

In this episode I talk with author Cameron Dayton about living in the Bay Area of California, video game development and story writing for video games, working with fascinating authors, and his book, "Etherwalker". Best selling author, screenwriter, and developer for Blizzard Entertainment, EA Games, and Chair Entertainment -- Cameron Dayton has charted flights through the worlds of Warcraft, Diablo, Starcraft, Undertow, Advent Rising, Minions Paradise and beyond. https://twitter.com/CameronDayton And my Amazon book page is here: http://amzn.to/1Q8VGqC https://www.facebook.com/SiliconCovenant/

In this interview with Rich Meyrick we talk about historical environmentalism, Canada, Germany, The Great Migration of the Serengeti, Waterloo, London, and more. http://www.jaspasjourney.com/ @JaspaJ on Twitterhttps://www.facebook.com/Jaspa-48561121909/?fref=nf Nothing New? Jaspa’s Journey is all about travel and adventure. Nothing new there, you might think. But that’s where you’d be wrong. Because Jaspa’s Journey combines these two common themes in a totally unique way. Firstly, there’s the Jaspa’s Journey Books. Written by Rich Meyrick, these thrilling novels are largely based on real places I’ve visited and the things I experienced along the way. They blend adventure and travel into exciting stories you can really lose yourself in, no matter how old you are. Then there’s the ongoing, real-life Travel aspect of Jaspa’s Journey. Whether it’s the regular updates in the Travel section here on my website, on my WordPress blog (Jaspa’s Journal), or through my other social media accounts (see the Contact section