Wednesday 23 October 2013

Shadow of Atlantis: Blog Tour and Review

The Shadow of Atlantis Blog Tour Button

About the Book

Title: The Shadow of Atlantis (Shadows From the Past, Book 1)
Author: Wendy Leighton-Porter
Year Published: 2012
Publisher: Mauve Square Publishing
Pages: 196
Recommended Age: 8+
Summary (Amazon):
Ten-year-old twins Joe and Jemima Lancelot have no idea why their parents have disappeared, but a mysterious old book which had belonged to their father holds the answer… and so begins an unusual quest to discover the truth. Together with Max, their remarkable Tonkinese cat, and Charlie from next door, the children embark on an epic adventure, travelling back in time to the lost city of Atlantis. Once there, however, they soon run into problems. Can they save the people of Atlantis from the disaster which is about to destroy their land forever? And will they find their way back to the safety of their own time before it’s too late?
 
My Review:
We follow the adventures of two ten-year-old twins, forced to go and stay with their Uncle Richard due to their parents mysterious disappearance. With a gold necklace the only link to their parent's whereabouts, Jemima and Joe are suitably devastated by their by their predicament. Soon after their arrival, they befriend their neighbour Charlie, who is a little on the small side and prone to the taunts of the school bullies. When a strange book and some odd trinkets reveal a portal to a time that no longer exists, the children are excited for an adventure. They soon discover they have stumbled into the ancient mythical city of Atlantis. Their cat Max somehow follows them through, the portal, and the four friends find themselves taken in by a little girl called Varna's family.
The friends enjoy learning about this new and exotic place, but unfortunately they have attracted some unwanted attention from the Temple priests, especially since they are not the first visitors to Atlantis. The children realise that Atlantis's is due for some kind of disaster and they do everything they can to convince their new adoptive family that they must leave, or risk perishing. The unwanted attention, lands them in the prison cells at the hands of the sinister priests, but more surprises are in store for the friends. I won't give the ending away, so you will just have to read it yourself. In an exciting turn of events, the children find their way to safety, but not without a new resolve, to do everything in their power to find their missing parents. Thus concludes the first of many great adventures that Jemima, Joe, Charlie and Max embark upon in the Shadows From The Past series.
 
This was a great book, with characters that you could really grow to love immediately. The children are caring and supportive or each other, with just a hint of mischief, which Ms Porter writes so wonderfully. Their desire to help their new adoptive family, reveals things about themselves that they never realised and in turn, gives them new courage and resolve to find their parents. The Priests in the tale were quite sinister and nasty so I would suggest children aged 10+ would most enjoy this tale.  It was even paced with enough high's and low's to keep my attention, and I would highly recommend this lovely series to middle graders and I am excited for the next in the series.   
 
5 Stars 

 

 

Purchase

Shadow of Atlantis by Wendy Leighton-Porter

Amazon U.S. * Amazon Canada * Amazon U.K. * Book Depository

 

Great Deal!!

*** You can buy the all 6 books (electronic copies) in the series (The Shadow of Atlantis, The Shadow of the Minotaur, The Shadow of the Trojan Horse, The Shadow of the Pyramid, The Shadow of the Volcano, and The Shadow of Camelot) for only 99 cents each from Amazon between October 14 and 28, 2013. Get hooked on this great series NOW by clicking on the Amazon button below. *** Amazon Buy Button  

About The Author, Wendy Leighton-Porter

Wendy Leighton-Porter, AuthorDividing my time between homes in England and South-West France, I live with my husband Simon and our two beautiful Tonkinese cats. I spent 20 years as a teacher of French, Latin and Classical studies, but now write books for children instead of teaching them. The Shadow of Atlantis is the first book in a series of 15 planned time-travel stories, featuring 3 children and, unsurprisingly, a rather special Tonkinese cat. Having recently completed number #7, The Shadow of the Norman Arrow (coming soon!), I’m currently working on the eighth book in the series.
As I take my young readers on a magical mystery tour through the past, I’m also hoping that my love of history, myth and legend will rub off on them too. Personally, I’m enjoying the journey so much, I don’t ever want it to end! Why not come along with me for the ride?

Website * Facebook * Goodreads

 

The Shadow of Atlantis Blog Tour Schedule (2013)

October 14
October 15
October 16
October 17
October 18
October 19
October 20
October 21
October 22
October 23
October 24
October 25
October 26
October 27
October 28
 

*** The Shadow of Atlantis Blog Tour Giveaway ***

Amazon $50 Gift Card Prize: One winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash Contest runs: October 14 to November 5, 11:59 pm, 2013 Open: WW How to enter: Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by author Paul Hewlett and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions - feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway MDBR Kid Lit Book Promotion Services - Button FINAL

Wednesday 16 October 2013

Kid Lit Blog Hop #26


Welcome to the Kid Lit Blog Hop #26
 
 
Today and I am really excited to bring a great new
Middle Grade Mystery.....
 
oooohhhh, you heard it, you know I love mysteries....
 
Today we have the
 
Big Honey Dog Mysteries
by H.Y. Hanna

 
 
 
Description from Amazon:
  

Missing puppies. Deadly secrets. Serious slobber.

Honey the Great Dane enjoyed a pretty peaceful life: walking her human, checking Peemail at the park... until the arrival of a puppy named Bean turns her life upside down. But when Bean goes missing - together with other neighbourhood pups - Honey sets out on a dangerous quest to find them. Joined by her canine friends, Honey tackles mysterious paw prints and sinister hieroglyphics as clues lead them to a deserted cemetery. But an ancient Egyptian curse has awakened and time is running out... Can Honey solve a cryptic riddle in time to save the puppies? And should she trust Max, a Pit Bull with a murky past, who is hiding secrets of his own?
 
 
My Review:
 
 The fun starts when Honey, finds herself on the tail end of a very unfortunate guest, trying to share her doggy bed one morning. Poor Honey, her human Olivia has deserted her to go who knows where, leaving her with a Pet Sitter and a precocious Great Dane pup called Bean. Honey relishes her peaceful life with her human, so when Bean gets into mischief the moment she arrives, it doesn't bode well for the rest of the week. When Bean goes missing mysteriously, Honey can't help but try to find her. Bean may be annoying, but she is just a helpless pup after all and it turns out, she isn't the only one missing. There are pups missing all over the neighbourhood. Honey enlists the help of a hilarious cast of doggy friends, and they uncover some very mysterious clues that eventually leads them into great peril.
Honey and her friends must pool their collective knowledge of the human realm, in order to decipher the clues to solve the whereabouts of the missing pups. This was a true roller coaster ride as Honey and her friends decipher hieroglyphs, interpret a riddling parrot and confront sworn enemies as the clues to a mystery steeped in Egyptian mythology are revealed.

My favourite lines are when the dogs are talking to each other,  expressing frustration in a variety of doggy ways. Here are just a few examples..
"Oh for kibbles sake"
"Holy liver treat"
The dog's sworn enemies are referred to as "Sardine-breathed sand poopers" He He, can you guess who....  Priceless, but my absolute favourite line is when one of the dog's brings a huge bone to honour one of their fallen. Another dog asks,
"Is that from a dinosaur or something?"
The other replies,
"It's one of my 2009 batch. Well-rotted, Fishy, with a hint of cabbage. Sharp on the nose but rich in texture."
  I had equal amounts of laughing out loud and gasping in horror as the mystery is solved.  I thoroughly enjoyed The Big Honey Dog Mysteries and I am looking forward to the second book. I would recommend it to 10+ as there were some violent moments between the dogs and the villain that children younger than 10 may find scary.

5 Stars to H.Y Hanna's debut novel.

Now we have quite a treat, (no not the liver kind, sorry Honey)

H.Y Hanna is joining us in the blogosphere for an interview, hurrahhhh.
 

 
About H.Y Hanna
 
H.Y. Hanna is Taiwanese by birth, British by education, pseudo-American by accent and currently Australian by residence! After graduating from Oxford University, she tried a variety of jobs, from advertising in London to English Language teaching in Sydney, before returning to her first love: writing. Always fascinated by dogs, she specialised as a pet writer for magazines in the UK, Australia and NZ, and has been heavily involved in training, behaviour, dog sports and photography. When she's not working on her next novel, she's usually found watching repeats of her favourite TV show, Fringe or wiping Dane slobber off the walls.
 
 
1. How did you come up with the story for the Big Honey Dog Mysteries.

I’ve always loved reading mysteries (I was mad about Nancy Drew as a child!) and also loved reading stories told from the perspective of animals, such as Watership Down...so I thought: why not combine them in my own canine mystery! I wanted to include all the things I loved as a child – such as riddles and secret codes and mysterious puzzles – all wrapped up in a fast-paced adventure.
 
At the same time, I had been writing a very popular blog for my Great Dane, Honey, for about 5 years – she has a large, worldwide following of readers who love hearing about her adventures, told in her own voice – so I thought: why not do a fictional version starring a Great Dane inspired by my own dog, who then solves mysteries and goes on adventures with her canine friends.
(You can find out more about the ‘real-life Honey’ who inspired the series at: www.bighoneydogmysteries.com as well as see pictures of me as a little girl! )
 
I have been heavily involved with dog training for many years and was also a pet writer for magazines, so I’m very familiar with dog breeds and behaviour – so a lot of the characters in the story are inspired by my own experiences with dogs I’ve met. I had a lot of fun with the different “personalities” of the different breeds.
 
I also wanted the book to have carry some “messages” but without being preachy – to encourage children to think about some things by incorporating them in the story. One of the big topics in the dog world is breed specific prejudice – judging certain breeds based on stereotypes – which I think is similar to racism, something that children encounter & have to deal with...so that is one of the themes I tackle in the story but through a fun tale filled with suspense & humour. The story also talks about facing your fears, as well as what it really means to be a “hero”.
 
2. How long did it take you to craft the story?
 
I started writing it in April last year (2012) but had to stop for long periods in between due to an illness in the family and then a big interstate move...so overall, if you added the actual time I was writing together, it probably took me about 5 – 6 months to write the first draft, and then another couple of months to revise & edit it.
 
3. There is a lot of Egyptian mythology in the story. How much research did you do on Egypt? Did you go there too?
 
I’ve always loved Egyptian mythology. I remember being fascinated by it when I learnt it at school in 5th grade – so I guess I’ve always just read a lot around it and knew a lot of it. (I love Norse & Greek/Roman mythology too). So I didn’t have to do research from scratch because a lot of the background I already knew. I did do a fair amount of extra research on scarab beetles and learnt lots of fascinating facts about them and their role in Egyptian mythology but as is often the case with books, most of it didn’t make it into the story in the final edits. I’m very aware of the temptation to put information into a story just because you’ve researched it and I was very keen to make the story was as “tight” as possible and keeping it very pacey, so I was ruthless about pruning anything that wasn’t strictly needed for the story. But I hoped that there was enough there that children might be inspired to read more and learn more about hieroglyphics and Egyptian gods and things.
Oh, speaking of hieroglyphics – I’ve created a special Hieroglyhics Code Maker page on the Big Honey Dog Mysteries website, where kids can write their own names in hieroglyphics or make up secret messages to each other. Check it out – it’s very cool! http://www.bighoneydogmysteries.com/resources/hieroglyphic-code/
 
4. Did you have children beta read the story. If so, how did it change the story?
 
Yes, I was very lucky to have a big group of beta reader volunteers from Honey’s blog fans, which included 10 children in the 9 – 12yrs age range (boys & girls), as well as 3 teenagers and 2 adults, one of whom was a middle-grade teacher. So I had fantastic feedback on my characters, plot, pacing, etc. I was a bit concerned because I knew I had a large cast of characters and I was worried that readers might find that confusing or overwhelming but the feedback was very encouraging with everybody saying they found all the characters had distinct personalities and loved their individual “voices”. I was also worried about the ending – without giving too much away, it’s a “bittersweet” ending and parts of the story are a bit dark – so I wasn’t sure if it was too much for that age group – but I was really surprised. I think children cope far better than we adults give them credit for. If anything, it was the older readers who found it more upsetting! So overall, the beta readers didn’t change things that much – other than reassure me that I was on the right track! The best thing was hearing that they couldn’t put it down (I had delighted emails from parents) and that even the boys found the book riveting.
 
5. Tell us about book 2. What can we expect from Big Honey Dog?
 
Well, each book in the series is a standalone mystery adventure, rather than a sequel – although certain of Honey’s friends do return in each – and every story revolves around a certain dog legend or myth.
Here is a taster of Book 2:
 
“When Honey the Great Dane accompanies her photographer human to a dog show, the last thing she expects is to meet her doggie döppelganger! Things get even stranger when her famous ‘twin’ is mysteriously poisoned and Honey is asked to take her place in the show ring. But the glamorous world of show champions hides some ugly secrets and Honey soon finds that certain secrets – like old bones – are best left buried…”
 
6. Favourite Middle Grade book
 
Oh, I absolutely LOVE Suzanne Collins’s ‘Gregor the Overlander’ series! Sadly, they don’t seem to get as much recognition as the Hunger Games. There are 5 books in the series and I have read them over and over – and still cry at the end each time. To me, they are the perfect example of stories that focus on friendship, family, loyalty, finding yourself & your place in things, challenging your own beliefs, facing your fears...all the things middle grade should be about...but wrapped up in a fantastic adventure full of suspense and twists and wonderful world-building and brilliant characters. OK, I’ll stop now because I could gush about those books for ages and ages!
 
7. Chocolate or Caramel ( you know why I am asking)
 
Chocolate...but it would have to be Dark Chocolate. Preferably with strawberries.
 
8. If you could go somewhere in time, where would you go?
 
I’d love to go back to the time when women wore those gorgeous dresses with the enormous hoop skirts – like in Gone with the Wind. I’m sure the reality of wearing them would be horribly uncomfortable but they do look so romantic!!
 
9. Advice to new and independent authors?
 
I know this is repeated over and over and is such cliched advice but: read a lot of books. Seriously. I think the best education on craft & improving your writing comes from reading good books (and some bad ones too, so you can recognise the difference). It’s worth far more than all the writing courses you can go on. After that, I think beta readers are worth their weight in gold. But you do need to find those who are your target audience (eg, it would be pointless asking a football loving guy to give feedback on a chicklit romance!) – and they need to be honest and not just tell you nice things because they’re your friends. Children are great for this, I think, because their reactions are very honest and they can’t fake interest/attention in something – so they’re a great test of whether your book is a page-turner.
 
As for the publishing side of things, I think researching thoroughly so you know what you’re getting into – whether it’s the traditional or the independent publishing route – the pros & cons of each and being realistic about what you are capable of/comfortable with – is really important. If you decide to self-publish, then again READ lots of indie author blogs, join writer groups & forums focused on self-publishing and try to learn as much as possible about the process and the marketing required, so you can be prepared. I also believe it’s worth investing in professionals to do the cover and editing because there is already a certain resistance to self-published books in many circles so the least you can do is make your book look as professional as the traditionally-published ones next to it on the (virtual) shelf!
 
Well that was an awesome interview. Thankyou Hsin-Yi, ( ha hoom, pronounced Sin-Yi in case you are wondering hoppers.
 
Now Where can we find out more and where to buy.
 
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00EWNHDX8 | Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00EWNHDX8
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id697815902
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/big-honey-dog-mysteries-1-hy-hanna/1116850875
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/big-honey-dog-mysteries-1-curse-of-the-scarab
Sony: https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/h-y-hanna/big-honey-dog-mysteries-1-curse-of-the-scarab/_/R-400000000000001119396

Check out the  Big Honey Dog Mysteries website, including book discussions, questions & fun activity sheets. 

 
Welcome to the 26th Kid Lit Blog Hop,which marks the 1 year anniversary of the very first Kid Lit Blog Hop. We have come a long way since then with many familiar faces that visit on a regular basis as well as new bloggers and authors who join us all the time. All in all, we have managed to create a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists, as well as parents seeking out their next great read. So, if you haven't joined us in a while, please pop in a post and hop around to meet some of the new bloggers who have joined the Hop. If you are one of our regulars - thank you so much and Happy Hopping to all! Best 4 Future BlogWe are pleased to announce that we have a new part-time permanent hostess, Lina from the blog Best 4 Future, Bringing up Baby Bilingual. Lina will be joining us every 3rd Wednesday of the month as hostess. Big welcome to Lina!! Also joining us as co-hostess this week is Charity Kountz, author of the book Jason, Lizzy and the Snowman Village, which we have reviewed recently. Big welcome to Charity as well!! Please be sure to give each of our hostesses a visit to say a quick hello and we'll be sure to visit you right back!

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
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Sunday 6 October 2013

Sir Princess Petra's Talent: Interview Author Diane Mae Robinson


Welcome Back To Sir Princess Petra's Talent blog tour.
 
 
Hurrahh, today we close the tour with an interview by none other than
 
 
 
Author Diane Mae Robinson.
 
 
We have reviewed both Diane's books on our blog. Check them out here.
http://whenigrowupiwannawriteakidsbook.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/sir-princess-petra-rv.html

I am delighted to have Diane join us in the blogosphere.


 
 

1. How did you come up with the story for Sir Princess Petra?
 
Ever since I was a kid, my favorite kinds of tales were of knights, princesses, dragons, etc. Writing a princess story just seemed natural to me. I wrote the original story many years ago as a story picture book. It wasn’t until a publisher asked me to re-write the story, and turn it into a chapter book, that the first chapter book and then the series was born.

2. How long did it take you to craft the stories?
 
For months, I write down all the details about characters, scenes, and possible scenarios in a notebook. Then, as if everything is suddenly ready in my mind, the creative muse hits me and I write the story. The writing of the story is a marathon of days-on-end writing until the story is finished in a first draft stage. Then I leave the story alone for about a month before going back to do edits. My first, second and third edits may take a few months, done in several sittings, and many re-readings before it even gets to the publisher. Once the story is at the publishers, we go through thorough edits for a few more weeks. The whole process of creating and editing a story takes about 9 months. I never rush this process.
 
3. Did you have children beta read the story. If so, how did it change the story?
 
No, I have never had beta readers. The publisher I’m with has great editors and I rely on their input and evaluation of the story as we work through editing. The editor notices plot problems, character inconsistencies, or unclear sentences or scenes, and I re-write accordingly and until he is satisfied with the outcome.
 
4. The illustrations are fantastic. How did you decide on the style and how many illustrations you put in the book?
 
The illustrations were done by Samantha Kickingbird. She works for the publishing house I’m with, and she was assigned to my books. My contract for each book includes illustrations. As the author, I really didn’t have much input into the illustrations. Illustrators that work for a publisher are trained to pick out the best scenes and characters and do their magic with their art. Samantha did a wonderful job in bringing the characters and scenes to life with illustrations.
 
5. Do you get out and about to do author visits in schools and libraries? Can you share your some of your experience of what works and what doesn’t.
 
Yes, I do author visits at schools, book signings, and library visits. At school visits I usually have two children accompany me on stage; one wears the dragon hat and one wears the princess helmet. This really seems to get the other kids interested in what is going on. At the end of the author visit, I have a question and answer period and the kids really like that.
I think author visits that are approximately one hour long work best for young children, and the children stay focused and interested.
 
6. Tell us a little about book 3. What will Sir Princess Petra face?
 
Petra, Snarls and Bograt will be on a mission, as per the king’s newly written rule in the royal rule book. Their mission will be to accomplish something-something vital in the Kingdom of Boogy Gobees (a harsh and barren land far to the east of Pen Pieyu) where some nasty, horrible something-somethings live. This could be the scariest book of all, or maybe not.
 
7. Now the story that Petra tells in the end of book 2 was just exquisite. Any plans for a picture book or a spin off?
 
The story that Petra tells at the end of book two was actually written several years ago as a story picture book. It has been submitted a few times to publishers, and I plan to start submitting it again in the near future.
 
8. Any other stories planned, separate to the Pen Pieyu Adventures.
 
I hope to create a forth book in The Pen Pieyu Adventures. I am also working on an easy-to-understand grammar book. I do have a few other story picture books written that need to be polished before submitting to publishers.

Well, that is all we have time for. Oooh, I can't wait for the further adventures, and we want to read that picture book, he he.

Thank you Diane for joining us.

Now where to find Diane:


 
Diane’s Social Media Links
Twitter - @DianeMaeRobinso

Friday 4 October 2013

The Princelings of the East: Blog Tour + Giveaway

The Princelings of the East by Jemima Pett

Today I am delighted to join The Princelings Of The East
Blog Tour
 
About the Book:
 
Title: The Princelings of the East (Princelings Trilogy, Book 1)
Author: Jemima Pett
Year published: originally published 2011
Publisher: Princelings Publications
Number of pages: 103
Recommended age: 10+
Summary (Amazon):
The Princelings of the East is the first of a trilogy telling of the adventures of Fred and George. When the King's Birthday feast is ruined by an unnatural power drain, our Princeling heroes leave their scientific experiments to set out in search of answers. They encounter the enigmatic businessman Hugo, the impressive Prince of Buckmore, the wise Lady Nimrod, the irrepressible barkeeper Victor, but find themselves threatened by those with vested interests. The scene shifts from a rural, feudal setting to the towers and heights of the curious Isle of Hattan, but where, or when, are they? Time is of the essence in solving this puzzle, and our heroes must keep their wits sharp and their heads clear if they are to survive. Suitable for good readers aged 10 and over, The Princelings of the East is a fantasy adventure with the charm of the Wind in the Willows in a world reminiscent of Anne MacCaffrey's Pern.

 My thoughts:
 
  I have reviewed three of Ms Pett's books and I would have to say, she corners the market in intrigue.
Here are the links to check out my reviews.
 
Today we are delighted to have Ms Pett
Join us for an interview:


1. When did you first start writing your book and when did you finish?

I think I had the idea in January 2009 and started writing it in the May or June. Once I started writing I couldn’t stop until I’d got to the ‘what happened next?’ stage. It was less than 30,000 words when I finished that first draft, but I don’t think it took me much more than a week. There were a lot of late nights. Revising it, editing it, getting it ready to send it out to an agent once I’d been told I should publish it - that took over a year. Since I’ve just revised it, maybe it is never finished, really.


2. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? What inspired you to choose to write books?

It changed from day to day, show jumper, nun, nurse, rock star, explorer. By the time I was in the decision making time at school I had no idea what I wanted to do - ‘something useful’. My subjects at school were mainly science based so I never thought I’d be a writer, that was just something I did, like painting. I didn’t really find out what I wanted to do till I was nearly thirty, and I didn’t actually change my career and do it for another ten years. When I finally stopped doing that full-time, I started writing the books and now that seems to be a full-time job.


3. What advice would you give someone aspiring to write a children’s book?

Read lots of children’s books. There is a huge range. Mine are in the ‘advanced reader’ category, partly because that’s what I wanted to read when I was a kid. I’m not secure in knowing what this audience wants or needs, though, and sometimes I read advice on sites that I think is far too protective. Different cultures have different standards. You need to be aware of that and know who you are writing for.
4. How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?

I know I went and told Victor. Whether I gave him a cuddle or not I can’t remember. As he was on his own then (Fred died ten days before it was first published), I expect I did. I may have gone out and got a bar of chocolate!

5. Can we expect more books from you in the future?
 
Oh, I think so... (grins) The fifth book in the series is now out for all eReaders; the sixth was drafted at Camp NaNoWriMo in July. I think there are only about three more Princelings books though. A pile of other ideas are waiting to get out, and may get written before the next Princelings book.

6. What are some of your favourite books from when you were a child and did any of these inspire you when writing your books?

I usually cite Wind in the Willows as a huge influence and it is. I know anthropomorphism is frowned on, but detractors haven’t met my guinea pigs. I was pony mad so read all the books I could find in the library, and saved up my birthday book tokens for the Jill books, by Ruby Ferguson, which I still have. I also liked adventure stories, and from around ten to twelve I loved all the school stories, Mallory Towers, the Chalet School, and so on. I think most of the stories I remember best are ones involving the lives of animals in the wild, often in conflict with nasty humans!


7. What is your favorite book of all-time (adult)?
 
The Lord of the Rings. I often skip a lot of the Gollum bits though, these days. At one time I read all the Strider bits, every year!


8. If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?

A toolbox (with tools and nails), plenty of string, and Captain Jack Sparrow.


9. If you were a superhero what would your name be, what would be your super-power, and what would be your kryptonite?

I think I’d like to be Sand-devil. My superpower would be to attract or repel golfballs from bunkers (traps) so that the undeserving got their just rewards. And the deserving didn’t go in them, of course. The Kryptonite would be weedkiller.

10. If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?

“Snorkelling with guinea pigs – the woman who learnt a lot about many things, but never went into any of them too deeply.”
I might write it :D

Well, that was loads of fun. Thanks so much for joining us Ms Pett.

Now Where can I Purchase you ask:
 
The Princelings of the East by Jemima Pett

Amazon (US) * Amazon (UK) * Barnes and Noble * Smashwords

 

  

 

And Where to connect with Ms Pett:

 

Book Website: http://princelings.co.uk/

Author Website: http://jemimapett.com/

Twitter: @Jemima_Pett

Facebook: The Princelings of the East

Pinterest: Jemima Pett

Google+: Jemima Pett

Goodreads: Jemima Pett

 

The Princelings of the East Blog Tour Schedule (2013)

September 23 September 24 September 25 September 26 September 27 September 28 September 29 September 30 October 1 October 2 October 3 October 4 October 5 October 6 October 7
 
  *** The Princelings of the East Blog Tour Giveaway ***
The Princelings of the East Trilogy by Jemima PettAmazon 25 gift card
                  Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash + a paperback copy of The Princelings Trilogy by Jemima Pett Contest runs: September 23 to October 20, 11:59 pm, 2013 Open: WW How to enter: Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. If you have any additional questions - feel free to send us an email! a Rafflecopter giveaway MDBR Book Promotion Services END HTML

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Kid Lit Blog Hop #25: Hairy Maclary






Welcome Back to the Kid Lit Blog Hop #25
 
Today, I have been pondering some books that Gigi has recently become in love with. Now I don't know if they are renowned in other parts of the world, but in Australia the
 
Hairy Maclary From Donaldson's Dairy Books
by Lynley Dodd
are pretty popular.  Today I am going to share them with you.
 

Description From Amazon:

With cumulative rhymes and sunny ink and watercolor illustrations, this international favorite chronicles the escapades of our hero Hairy and his crew of five kooky canines. Lynley Dodd'­s books have sold over 2 million copies worldwide.

So there you go, they are known world wide so maybe I am just late to the party.

We follow the delightful Hairy Maclary who lives in Donaldsons dairy.
( dairy means the shop in NZ speak)

"Out of the gate, and off for a walk",
In this first book, every page depicts a new character to join Hairy on his adventure, like Bottomly Potts, all covered in spots, (Dalmation)  Bitzer Maloney, all skinny and bony (Greyhound), Hercules Morse as big as a horse,( not sure what he is but he is big) schnitzel von crum, with a very low tum ( basset hound) etc, you get my drift.

Mostly Hairy Maclary just leads all the other dogs around but every time one of the dogs is mentioned, the author uses their whole name, which creates a great rhythm and repetition. I am just starting to notice how much Gigi responds to these kinds of books.

This is the first in a whole series, that introduces us to the delightful antics of Hairy Maclary and the other animals in his hood. Here are some of the other books Gigi loves in the series.





The illustrations are quite endearing, so it is not hard to see why the kids fall in love with Hairy Maclary, coupled with the delightful Rhythm and Rhyme throughout the books.

But that's not all.  I was searching for some stock images and I found the official website. It has the most awesome downloadables, for everything you need if you want to have your own Hairy Maclary themed kids party, or even just colouring pages.

http://www.hairymaclary.com/

PRICELESS, check it out, and happy hoping folks.

Welcome to the 25th Kid Lit Blog Hop. The Kid Lit Blog Hop takes place on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month. We have managed to create a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists, as well as parents seeking out their next great read. So, you are more than welcome to link in and take some time to make some new friends. BeachBoundBooksWe have a few changes to announce. We are sad to announce that one of our regular hostesses, Sue from Kid Lit Reviews, will be taking a short sabbatical from the Hop. We wish her the very best and look forward to when she can rejoin us. We'll still be checking out your reviews though! On the flip-side, we are excited to welcome a new hostess, Stacie from Beach Bound Books - a fabulous Kid Lit blog. Big welcome to Stacie - we're thrilled you are joining us. Also joining us this week are two co-hostesses. The first is Maria from the wonderful parenting blog Music, Teaching and Parenting. The second co-hostess for this week is Jemima Pett, author of the Princelings book series. Be sure to visit Jemima's on-going Blog Tour for The Princelings of the East. I can tell you that the buzz is good AND you can enter a giveaway for your chance to win a paperback copy of the Princelings Trilogy + a $25 Amazon gift card (or PayPal cash). Welcome Maria and Jemima! Please be sure to give each of our hostesses a visit to say a quick hello and we'll be sure to visit you right back!

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
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Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read*

1. We ask that you kindly follow your hostesses. You can follow us any way you choose (Email, GFC, Twitter, Facebook, G+, Pinterest, etc.), but we've added our preferences below. If you could just give us a quick "follow" or "like" that would be much appreciated! Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us (i.e., on Twitter or Facebook or on our websites) and we will be sure to follow you back. Thanks! :-)
Hostesses:
Co-Hostesses:
2. Link up any Kid Lit related post. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you! 4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links! 5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!
Interested in co-hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop? Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
Happy Hopping! END HTML