SUPER MIDDLE
GRADE MONDAYS
INTERVIEW and GIVEAWAY
INTERVIEW and GIVEAWAY
Joshua and the Lightning Road
by Donna Galanti
Welcome to this week's Super Middle Grade Mondays Book Blitz presented by Tantrum Books/Month9books and Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours!
Today, we get up close and personal with Donna Galanti, author of Joshua and the Lightning Road, the first book in the series from Tantrum Books. Coming soon: Joshua and the Arrow Realm.
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
Description
Stay away from the window, don’t go outside when it’s storming and whatever you do, do not touch the orb.
Twelve-year-old Joshua Cooper’s grandpa has always warned him about the dangers of lightning. But Joshua never put much stock in his grandpa’s rumblings as anything more than the ravings of an old man with a vast imagination. Then one night, when Joshua and his best friend are home alone during a frightful storm, Joshua learns his grandpa was right. A bolt of lightning strikes his house and whisks away his best friend - possibly forever.
To get him back, Joshua must travel the Lightning Road to a dark place that steals children for energy. But getting back home and saving his friend won’t be easy, as Joshua must face the terrifying Child Collector and fend off ferocious and unnatural beasts intent on destroying him.
In this world, Joshua possesses powers he never knew he had, and soon, Joshua’s mission becomes more than a search for his friend. He means to send all the stolen children home - and doing so becomes the battle of his life.
Book Video
Excerpts
Praise for the Book
"Vividly imagined characters in a gripping action fantasy that never lets you go until the very last page." ~ Jenny Nimmo, New York Times bestselling author of the Charlie Bone series
"Joshua and the Lightning Road is a heart-pounding thrill ride full of unexpected twists and turns from start to finish." ~ The Midwest Book Review
"Action-packed adventure…futuristic creatures and ancient myths…an exciting combination." ~ Goodreads Reviewer
"Imaginative, vivid, and dazzling … Richly atmospheric…From the initial flash of lightning to the book’s electrifying end, Galanti’s eerie Lost Realm of Nostos is fresh, scary, and deep. Joshua and the Lightning Road is a juggernaut of a thrill ride, hurling the reader through chills, thrills, horror, and hope - perfect for the young adventurer in your life!" ~ Amazon Reviewer
" … so vivid. I could feel, smell and envision the setting … all the right characteristics of a great main character – brave, smart and kind." ~ This Kid Reviews Books
"Fast paced and intriguing … I look forward to reading the next book in the series!" ~ Lizzy’s Book Review
Interview With the Author - Would You Rather
Would you rather never be able to speak again or always have to say everything that is on your mind?
Never have to speak again! If others knew all my crazy thoughts, I might not have any friends or family left. Ha ha! At least I could still write. J
Would you rather be able to read or be able to read minds (but be illiterate)?
Read, absolutely! To read means to explore other worlds, create movies in your mind, find deeper meaning in life, experience self-awareness, and go through transformations. I would be afraid to read minds to see truly what people are thinking. I definitely do not want to know what goes on in many people’s heads (especially my son’s)! Besides, it’s more fun to imagine what is in other people’s heads and create character stories about them to entertain myself.
Would you rather be able to speak fluently every language in the world or be the best in the world at something of your choosing?
Be the best in the world at…playing the violin! I can challenge myself to learn new languages, but I’ve always dreamed of having musical talent – and I adore the violin. Writing and music go hand in hand for me and I want to play and inspire myself, and others.
Would you rather read only one book over and over for the rest of your life or read as many as you want but never remember what they’re about?
What a terrible dilemma! As many as I want. Even if I don’t remember them, at least I can experience new worlds through them in the moment.
Would you rather only the first page of a book or the last page?
Definitely the last page! I have a habit of flicking to the back and reading the last line of a book I pick up to possibly buy. If that last line pulls me in and connects to the first line then I am good to get it!
Would you rather read 5 pages per day or 5 books per week?
5 pages per day. I am a speed reader and if I were to read 5 books a week, I know I would skim them and not get the full experience each one. To read 5 pages a day I could immerse myself in the story, slowly, and reflect on it and its journey.
Would you rather read only one genre forever or never read the same genre more than once?
I would rather never read the same genre more than once. I lost my love of reading when I became an author and couldn’t figure out why. Then a friend made me aware that as an author I now needed to expand what I read. She was right! I had always read the same one or two genres and had simply gotten bored. Now I like to sink into books that challenge me in new ways, to read things I never would have before: non-fiction, science fiction, historical, horror, etc. In reading across genres it helps me expand my skills as an author and also brings a richness to my own writing.
Would you rather be invisible or be able to read minds?
Invisible! Then I could sneak around and grab private conversations of people to churn my brain with ideas for stories! (a spy but for educational purposes, of course).
Would you rather never use the internet again or never watch TV again?
That’s easy. TV.I am not much of a TV watcher – and could always catch up on my favorite shows on the internet through Netflix.
Would you rather have one wish granted today or three granted in 10 years?
Definitely three in ten years. My desires and needs may change across the years. Something I desire today, may not work out for tomorrow!
Would you rather know it all or have it all?
Have it all. If you have it all, that’s wonderful to not worry about material things and still explore the world to seek knowledge and meaning – and know it’s a vast, never ending tide of information. But if you know it all, what left is there to discover? Life would be very boring. There would be no challenges! No amazing discoveries! No transformations! It would be a life without curiosity and that would be a very sad life indeed.
About the Author
Donna Galanti attended an English school housed in a magical castle, where her wild imagination was held back only by her itchy uniform (bowler hat and tie included!). There she fell in love with the worlds of C. S. Lewis and Roald Dahl, and wrote her first fantasy about Dodo birds, wizards, and a flying ship. She’s lived in other exotic locations, including Hawaii where she served as a U.S. Navy photographer. She now lives with her family and two crazy cats in an old farmhouse, and dreams of returning one day to a castle. Donna is the author of the Joshua and The Lightning Road series (Month9Books) and blogs at Project Mayhem.
Giveaway
Enter the blitz-wide giveaway for a chance to win an ebook copy of Joshua and the Lightning Road by Donna Galanti.
Links
