"All the Stars on Fire" by Beck Medina

NEW RELEASE and EXCERPT

All the Stars on Fire

by Beck Medina

All the Stars on Fire by Beck Medina is currently on tour with YA Bound Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an excerpt. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

For another book by this author, please check out my blog post on A Fantastic Mess of Everything.

Description

Natalia Morales has a secret ... she's kind of a superhero. Natalia dreams of joining the Action Team, the newly banded and young heroes that protect Angel City, and just may stop at anything to make it happen.

Alyse Morales knows her sister's secret and wants Natalia to give up on her dangerous dream. When Alyse gets hurt one night while Natalia is crime fighting, Natalia promises to end her run as a hero. But when the Sorceress appears in Angel City, and Captain Force, the leader of the Action Team, enlists in Natalia's help, she may have to break her promise in order to protect her family and friends.

Will Alyse ever forgive her? Is Natalia actually capable of saving the day? All the Stars on Fire is the story of following your dreams, what it truly takes to be a hero, and leaping into the unknown.

Excerpt

Damnit, I overslept. I wake up to the sun hitting my face and a text from my best friend Boston asking where I’m at. Boston’s going out of town for two weeks to celebrate his birthday with his dad and sister, and I was supposed to meet him in his treehouse to give him his present and say goodbye.

“Be there in ten,” I write back.

“Knock, knock,” my brother Max says, opening my bedroom door gradually until half his body is in my bedroom. “You got a minute?”

Still half asleep, I close my eyes and let my head fall back on my pillow. “I’ve got ten.”

Max takes a seat on the corner of my bed. I can feel him watching me, and my suspicions are confirmed when I pop one eye open. He laughs.

“Man, you’re a wreck,” he tells me. “What’s keeping you up at night lately?”

I don’t know why, but I’m always so certain that he must know about my moonlighting as Empathy. He has a good intuition about these things. But if he did know, it would be met with so much opposition. Max is too logical. Becoming a hero is considered reckless to him. He didn’t shut up for months about how foolish the Action Team was for working without the city’s consent. He finally came around to liking them as soon as they teamed up with the Angel City Police Department.

So yeah, he’d be pissed that I’m doing this without anybody’s consent.

“What do you want to talk about?” I yawn.

“It’s about the Academy,” Max starts. He adjusts himself so he’s facing me. “Natalia, something really important is about to happen. And I need you to know what it is so that you’re prepared.”

Okay, now I’m awake. I know Max has kept in touch with some of the researchers on Project 451, I think out of hope that the government would give them more funding so they could continue the project. I’ve been dreading the day that Max informs me that we’re going back to basecamp. Please tell me today isn’t the day.

“I’ve been in touch with a few of the scientists, and it looks like--”

“There you two are.”

Max and I turn to Alyse, who’s standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. She hates it when we “twin up without her,” as she refers to it. She already feels like the outcast since she’s the only Morales sibling that didn’t get accepted into Project 451. She was too young to apply, though. If I could go back in time, I’d gladly switch places with her. While I’m grateful for my abilities, I hated Academy. It was too competitive and strict. Eventually, I got the sense that we weren’t being trained to protect our country, but rather, to control it.

Max sighs, probably upset that our conversation has been interrupted. Despite his disappointment, he gives Alyse a cordial smile. “What’s up, Alyse?”

“Aunt Rosa’s wrangling us for breakfast,” she says, stepping further into my bedroom and plopping herself down on my bed beside Max. “She’s polling everyone on where we want to go. Prima already said, ‘wherever you wanna go is fine, Mom.’”

I laugh as I get out of bed. Alyse is really good at impersonations, I feel like I should be paying her to hear them. She used to do a flawless Mom and Dad, but we don’t do those impressions anymore.

Playlist

About the Author

Beck Medina is a California born and raised author and podcast host. Beck's work includes 2016's A Fantastic Mess of Everything, 2017's Or Best Offer, and her highly anticipated fantasy novel All the Stars on Fire (December 2019).

When Beck isn't writing, she's the host of the My Best Life Podcast, a health, wellness, and business podcast for creative entrepreneurs. A few of Beck's favorite things include pop music, iced coffee, teen dramas, and her two cats, Olivia and Dupree.

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"Bobby Ether and the Jade Academy" by R. Scott Boyer

EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY

Bobby Ether and the Jade Academy

by R. Scott Boyer

Bobby Ether and the Jade Academy by R. Scott Boyer is currently on tour with Silver Dagger Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

Description

When Bobby Ether is abducted and brought to the secluded Jade Academy in Tibet, monks teach him and other special students how to tap into their Anima - the universal energy that connects all living things. But the headmistress of the academy is secretly testing each student, looking for genetic triggers that can be exploited to create a new breed of humans born with metaphysical powers and abilities. As his abilities increase, Bobby is thrust into a cesspool of conspiracy, lies, and betrayal. A jade amulet left by his clairvoyant grandfather may provide answers, but what exactly is his family’s connection to this mysterious place? Can Bobby master his talents and uncover the truth in time to avoid the schemes? If not, his fate - and the fate of all the students - may be sealed.

Book Video

Excerpt

The earthquake that woke Bobby Ether from his nightmare wasn’t a typical Los Angeles tremor. Growing up in the suburbs of the San Fernando Valley, Bobby had experienced enough quakes to know most of them lasted only a few seconds - over by the time you realized they were happening. Not this one.

The entire room shook as Bobby sat upright in bed and rubbed his eyes. The windows rattled and the freestanding dresser in the corner bounced up and down. In a stupor, the long-legged sixteen-year-old stumbled out of bed and headed for his desk to climb underneath.

Nausea washed over him as the floor heaved. Still reliving the nightmare from moments before he awoke, Bobby scurried under his desk before the rumbling finally subsided. Climbing out slowly, he moved to the window, where a foot-long crack had appeared in the drywall below the sill.

It was almost midnight. The next-door neighbor’s house was quiet and dark: no lights or alarms. The water in their backyard swimming pool stood placid.

What the heck?

Bobby brushed locks of wavy blond hair off his forehead, exposing beads of cold sweat. Racing downstairs, he turned on the television in the den and flipped through the channels, but there was no news about a quake. It was only a dream, he told himself. The earthquake, the nightmare, none of it was real.

The phone rang and Bobby jumped. Wiping his suddenly clammy hands on his pajamas, he headed across the dining room to the phone in the kitchen and snatched the receiver off the hook.

“Hello?” he said.

The female voice was cold and mechanical. “Is this Bobby Ether?”

“Who is this?”

“This is Saint Michelle’s hospital. I’m calling from the emergency center.”

Bobby felt the blood drain from his face.

“Hello, are you there?” asked the woman from the hospital.

Bobby’s mouth had turned bone dry.

“We need you to come to the hospital right away,” said the woman. “There’s been an accident.”

The phone slipped from Bobby’s hand, nearly falling to the floor before he caught it and hauled it back up.

The voice on the other end was still speaking. “Sir? Are you still there?”

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]

Praise for the Book

“Bobby Ether and the Jade Academy is a thrilling action-packed adventure you never want to end.” ~ IndieReader

“A fun, quick read... A likable protagonist, engaging banter, and a fast-paced plot will appeal to teens.” ~ Kirkus Reviews

“The balanced blend of fantasy and action is superb, as is R. Scott Boyer's ability to juxtapose discovery, tension, and struggle. Even young adults who may have only light familiarity with either fantasy or thriller genres will find Bobby Ether and the Jade Academy fast-paced and thoroughly absorbing, making it a top pick for collections seeking genre-busting, action-packed adventure stories a la Indiana Jones.” ~ Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer

“The characters are both intriguing and credible, the relationships between them authentic...” ~ James D. Stein - Author of Cosmic Numbers

“Tragedy, mystery, and suspense make this scientific coming-of-age story a fascinating read.” ~ Clarion Review

About the Author

R. Scott Boyer graduated from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley in 1996. In 2008, he became fascinated with the idea of blending young adult fantasy with new-age fiction. While maintaining a full-time job, he couldn't help but envision the kind of book he wanted to read. This exploration led to the creation of the Bobby Ether YA fantasy series, which combines spiritual elements with ancient myths and legends to create fun, fast-paced stories tailored for young adults but suited for adventure lovers of all ages.

Through his writing, Scott likes to explore various spiritual and metaphysical themes, including karma, serendipity, communion with nature, and the interconnectedness of all living things. In his free time, Scott likes to play basketball and tennis, as well as bike with his rescue dog, Patch. Over the years, Scott has been involved with a number of volunteer youth organizations, including United In Harmony, YMCA summer and winter camps, various basketball programs, and C5LA.

Raised in Santa Monica, California, Scott still resides in the Los Angeles area close to his family.

Giveaway

Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $75 Amazon gift card.

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"Neliem" by Clare DiLiscia

GUEST POST and GIVEAWAY

Neliem

by Clare DiLiscia

Neliem by Clare DiLiscia is currently on tour with Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours. The tour stops here today for a guest post by the author, an excerpt, and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.

Description

Half the population of the island of Madera are dead, killed by an unforgiving and indiscriminate plague. Oriana dreams of escaping her life of ruthless cruelty from the people who now rule over those who remain. No telling whom the plague will strike next, Oriana means to find freedom for herself and her people. Drawing strength from ancient tales of her enemy, young Oriana transforms herself from victim to warrior with the help of a mysterious and powerful dagger given to her by a kind and dying boy.

Years later, during her enemy’s betrothal ritual, Ezra, a boy she has never before seen, selects her as his mate. With servitude her only option, Oriana accepts the offer. Whisked away to a seemingly perfect world, Oriana discovers sinister secrets at every turn, including the identity of Tristan, a boy with whom she shares an undeniable but impossible connection.

Why would a boy she doesn’t know wish her to be his betrothed? Why does she feel such a strong pull toward a stranger? Someone in Ezra’s family not only knows the answer to both those questions, but also about the dagger Oriana possesses. He will do anything to stop the union. Now, with everything on the line, Oriana turns inward to find the strength she needs to seize the full power of the dagger so that she may protect herself and save her people.

Excerpt

Praise for the Book

“Great debut! Fascinating world and Oriana is a great character to explore it with. I look forward to more from this author!” ~ HouseofRosen

“Great debut - excited to see more.” ~ Liza Felissig

“Best fantasy I’ve read in years!” ~ Vincenzo

“I'm so glad I got to read this book. First as a boy, I wondered if it was for me. It's a girl empowerment in a fantasy world that reads from like the early 1900's. […] I really loved this book. It opened my eyes to so many injustices in not only the world in the book, but our own world. And it showed me how very different people can come together and find something good and lasting. Reading this book made me think outside the box, and I really hope you all get a chance to read it as well.” ~Oliver Baird

“I was so involved in the story that I couldn't put it down! What an intriguing book.” ~ Eve Rubell

Guest Post by the Author

Deleted Scene from Neliem

This scene was cut from the ending of Neliem. A precursor to Neliem II. It shows the story isn’t quite over for Oriana.

As the tide rose in the waters of Cortos, a beautiful brown haired boy, washed to shore. Or rather, appeared. One moment, the beach was empty. The other, the most beautiful boy with a ruffled shirt and what appeared to be a sawed off handcuff on his wrist materialized as if by magic.

Moaning, Tristan lifted his head, wiping the sand off his face, only to spy some curious children who’d wandered to the beach to collect seashells that morning.

His dazzling smile broke, his eyes twinkling merriment. “This is not the Capital.”

Climbing to his feet, he recognized the small dagger he’d gifted his brother in what seemed a lifetime ago, stabbing the sand right where he stood. Retrieving it, he sauntered ahead, laughing as an eagle fluttered alarmingly close, before widening its wingspan and flying away into the horizon.

About the Author

Born in Queens, New York, Clare DiLiscia moved to California as a small child and grew up in the hills by Dodger Stadium. Constantly roaming the woods, she took to embellishing on the stories of Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle Duck to fill her imagination. To her horror she soon realized there was no way to fit a miniature tuxedo on a frog. Fortunately, in sixth grade, Clare won a short story contest with the grand prize of fifteen happy meals. She would like to point out that two of those meal tickets were missing by the time her mother handed over her prize.

After traveling extensively throughout South America and the Caribbean, Clare attended KU Leuven, in Belgium for University where she studied Dutch and French. Clare graduated from Cal State Northridge Film School, earning Dean’s List recognition with a BA in TV/Film. In 2006 she placed in the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, beating out 4700 other applicants. After joining SCBWI, Clare won 1st place HM in the Sue Alexander for her YA novel, now entitled Neliem.

Giveaway

Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a Starbucks gift card.

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Featured in this post:

"Talent Storm" by Brian Terenna

FREE plus EXCERPT

Talent Storm

by Brian Terenna

Author Brian Terenna stops by to share an excerpt from Talent Storm, which you can get FREE from 18 to 20 May. Don't miss out!

Description

Hundreds of years after the Great World War, America is a distant memory. In the ashes, new civilizations have risen up from the Wilds. Locke’s Coalition and Liberty Kingdom, bitter enemies, have been at peace for seven years. War is never far from politicians’ minds, though, especially when one is the tyrant Archduke Goldwater. For all of human kinds’ positive traits, the character flaws of corruption, greed, anger, and revenge are etched into our DNA.

In the new world, little technology remains and advanced weapons are in short supply, but today’s soldiers fight with innate power. They fight with Talent ... the psionic powers that develop in a random few.

A young Coalition citizen, Jaden Stone, dreams of graduating, having fun, and falling in love. As if his hard-nosed uncle, schoolyard bullies, and exams weren’t hard enough to handle, he discovers that he wields Talent. He’d now be forced to serve in the military, forced to train and fight, all for an organization that killed his parents.

Will Jaden work hard for his people or will his desire for leisure win over? He’s forced to decide when a tragedy shakes his core.

Book Video

Excerpt

Ben turned away from me before picking up a few small rocks. “Let’s see if you’re any stronger from lifting all those weights. Maybe you’ll beat me for once.”

Nodding and smiling, I pointed at him. “You first.”

Ben stood, then stretched, his back popping as he rotated his torso. Hefting a rock, he wound up and then threw it. The projectile crossed the wide creek and bounced in the distance before skidding to a halt. Lips pressed in a straight line, I shook my head, annoyed. He topped his last week’s throw by a yard; he always beat me. He turned and smiled, stretching his long toned arms above his body.

I shrugged. “Eh, an all right throw,” I said with a wry smile.

Ben faced me, his eyes crinkling. “Riiiiight,” he said, while slowly bobbing his head. “Okay… beat me then.”

Images of my uncle’s flushed-face appeared before me, fueling my strength. I gritted my teeth while drawing back my arm. In a flash, I whipped my arm forward, releasing the rock. It sailed over the creek, whizzing through the air. With a loud crack, it slammed into a birch tree, punching a hole through the trunk. My jaw dropped halfway to the ground.

Out of the corner of my eye, Ben wavered, looking like he’d topple over. He shook his head, his hazel eyes wide. “Wowww… how did you do that?”

What had just happened? I lowered my head to stare at my hands, turning them over repeatedly.

“Jaden?”

I slowly raised my eyes to fixate on the hole again.

“Jaden? Hello… Jaden.”

“What?” I asked, just realizing Ben was speaking to me.

Ben patted my arm quickly, conferring a sense of urgency. Reluctantly, I tore my eyes away from the hole to face Ben.

He leaned in close, shaking. He spoke in a low voice, eyes darting side to side. “I think it was green.”

“What?” I shook my head, attempting to re-ground myself in the world. What was going on?

Now, he spoke louder, emphasizing with his hands in rapid motion. “The rock… it was green. It glowed green. Don’t you see? You’re one of the Talented.”

[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]

Praise for the Book

"I have to say that Talent Storm was a fantastic read. I thought that the story and plot were original and well developed, and the characters had a great deal of depth and accurately depicted the complexity and at times ugly side of human nature. Once I started reading Talent Storm, I had a difficult time putting it down. I was really able to visualize myself fighting for survival in the post-apocalyptic world created by the author. The novel also touched on many of the contemporary social, political, educational, and military issues facing our world today which kept me engrossed from beginning to end. I would recommend this book to anyone." ~ Ken

"I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in SciFi/Fantasy, especially ones dealing with post-apocalyptic power struggles. I can't wait to read more from author Brian Terenna." ~ Matthew T.

"There were some exotic plot twists that kept me engaged to the very end of the book. In particular, the ending was satisfying. Fight scenes abound in the book and the action is endless, although there was plenty of romantic elements as well. The science part of the fiction was accurate and the fiction part of the science, a real possibility in a future world. Good job, Mr. Terenna." ~ B. James Hobbs

"Talent Storm made me wish I had talent for reading faster. I couldn't put it down. The battle scenes were so well written I'm already watching the movie (which surely some smart Hollywood producer will snap this up) in my head. It's like the Hunger Games and Harry Potter got together and had a baby that goes around and bullies Twilight. Adult readers especially will appreciate a mature fantasy read. Please write another book Brian!" ~ JScramo

"In a word amazing. I could not put this book down. It had all my favorite things; action, adventure, romance. The changes in Jaden from boy to man, from selfish to putting others ahead of himself came naturally. I won't give away the story. READ IT! This book needs to be a movie. Brian Terenna, I cannot wait for your next book." ~ Isabel book girl

About the Author

Brian Terenna grew up in Doylestown, Pennsylvannia, reading fantasy and science fiction. He is now a fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal romance writer. Talent Storm is a dystopian post-apocalyptic fantasy. His second novel, Kissing the Intern, is a multicultural romance.

Brian runs a book review blog and a Youtube meditation site. He is an avid chess player, a vegetable gardener, and he meditates regularly.

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