⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐Amiranda by John P. Adamo #Amiranda #Tweens

 

Story of a fairytale princess who takes a journey that will determine not only her own fate, but the fate of her entire kingdom...

By John P. Adamo

Title: Amiranda: Princess Amiranda and the Tale of the Deciduous Forest
Author: John P. Adamo
Publisher: Legwork Team Publishing
Pages: 275
Genre: Tweens

An instant classic tale portraying the life of “Amiranda,” an innocent and brave princess, who unwittingly sets out on a quest that will ultimately determine the fate of her entire kingdom. From her castle window, Amiranda would gaze at the beautiful countryside below-always watching carefully, always observing everything. Gradually the princess realizes that she knows very little of the small kingdom over which she would one day reign. Nevertheless, Amiranda would never disobey her father’s wishes, especially the one to never enter the mysterious dark forest, which borders their kingdom. That is, until one day when she would have no other choice.

 Amiranda will take a journey that will lead her on a wild adventure, where the decisions she makes will determine the fate of many lives-the lives of her animal friends, her family members, those who dwell in her kingdom, and her very own life as well. Travel along on this trip where Princess Amiranda hopes to find the missing piece in her existence and ends up trying to achieve the impossible….

Book Information

Release Date: May 8, 2012

Publisher:  Legwork Team Publishing

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-1935905417; 275 pages; $13.95; E-Book, FREE on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2FxWgRu

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/2QBqk5d

Peace had always reigned over the small town of Luxing.

There, nestled high upon a hill overlooking the plains and forest below, lived a king and his royal family. The castle in which they lived was both strong and secure. The king held the highest standards for both himself and his family, and he tried to use his power only for the good of the kingdom. After all, he wanted what was best for everyone—especially for his daughter and only child, Princess Amiranda.

Princess Amiranda spent her childhood years preparing for life as a noble, a life for which she was distinctly destined. However, the young princess always had an insatiable urge for learning—learning from the real world around her, the same world from which her father, the king of Luxing, strongly safeguarded her.

From her castle window, Amiranda would gaze at the beautiful countryside below—always watching carefully; always observing everything. Gradually, the princess would realize that she knows very little of the small kingdom over which she would one day reign. Nevertheless, Amiranda would never disobey her father’s wishes, especially the one to never enter the mysterious dark forest, which borders their kingdom.

That is, until one day when she would have no other choice....

John Adamo is a Long Island-based author and songwriter who has copyrighted more than four hundred poems and has both written and composed numerous songs and short stories. Music has always been an integral part of John’s life, as he has performed at different venues all across Long Island—both as a professional pianist since the age of seventeen (one year after his father passed away) and also as a disc jockey / emcee for various private parties and public events.

Amiranda: Princess Amiranda and the Tale of the Deciduous Forest is John’s first formal work, which was originally written as a screenplay and copyrighted in 1998. John has always had the visualization that an animated movie would one day be made from his work. The author wanted to put together a story unlike any other, and one that could be enjoyed by people of all ages … both young and old alike. A story that reinforced good values, covered common ethics, and taught morals as John feels those important criteria are so often left out in today’s modern fairy tales.

After having the screenplay sit on his shelf for nearly fifteen years, John felt that it was finally time to let the world know the life and world of Amiranda—a Cinderella-type princess who has everything in the world that a princess could possibly ask for, but is still missing something more in her life. With your help, John hopes that he can help fulfill Amiranda’s aspirations, hopes, and dreams. Last but not least, John hopes you like Amiranda’s story just as much as he enjoyed writing it … Enjoy!

Visit John at Facebook!

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⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐Northern Echoes by Melody Ash #NorthernEchoes #Scifi #TimeTravel

She's a no-holds-barred, kick-butt, don't-cover-the-ugly-parts archaeologist. History wants to teach her a lesson…

By Melody Ash

Title: Northern Echoes
Author: Melody Ash
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 301
Genre: Scifi / Time Travel

Caitlin Benoit assumed the next destination would be her time, her world. Instead, the stone thrusts her further into the past and onto a different continent.

Now in 1831 England, she’s discovered by William, the Duke of Lancaster. By sheer luck, he’s willing to allow her into his manor. While she fights to gain a footing in this new time, Caitlin discovers the stone also ripped John from Charleston.

Everything she thought she knew about how the stone worked is false, and neither John nor her understand how to escape the grip of the past. As they work to uncover the mystery of the stone, an acquaintance of the Duke plots an intricate scheme certain to destroy them all. She and John must solve the puzzle in an unknown amount of time or risk getting stuck—or buried—in 1831.

Book Information

Release Date: March 3, 2020

Publisher:  Independent

Soft Cover: ISBN:979-8619635171; 301 pages; $9.29; eBook $4.99

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3IQZteU

Air emanated through Caitlin Benoit like life itself as she inhaled with lungs still recovering from the constriction of time travel. A full rich zephyr. She heaved another breath, the fresh rush inflating her chest. Relief electrified every nerve, and Caitlin's pulse quickened. One more time, a bit slower now, the breath cleansed as she gazed through eyes still blurred from travel.

Sketchy lines of a horse and its rider slowly came into focus, and as the man stopped in front of her, his gentle brown eyes seemed laced with confusion. Dressed in a navy tailcoat over a white silk shirt and beige wool pants, he looked more Georgian than Victorian, and those clothes placed him—and now Caitlin—in the early eighteen-hundreds. And the location…

Her eyes strayed from the man to the grounds beyond the rider. Trees, sloping hills, a magnificent manor house. The far forests seemed to stretch for miles in a thick blanket of green. But they couldn't be relied upon to pinpoint a location, not when similar woodlands spanned the globe within the temperate woodland biomes of the world. It was the house itself that provided the clues, one she recognized from several period movies—a Hollywood favorite.

Chatling Hall, an aristocratic home to a Duke of England. Only that made little sense. After traveling in time to the plantation in South Carolina and living among slaves for a week, she'd been instructed how to utilize the stone she'd discovered at the archeological dig in 2018 and followed those instructions to the letter. Should have earned her a one-way ticket out of 1859 back home. But if this was England, then not only had she traveled further into the past but also managed to hop the large pond between two continents.

"Madam? Can I be of some assistance?" the man asked for what Caitlin thought might be the second time. Maybe the third. Her brain was only just beginning to focus, to wrap around the context of what her eyes saw. 

"I think I'm lost," Caitlin muttered as she shook her head.

"I venture to guess so much. Pray tell, what is your name?" He slid from the horse, boots raising a cloud of dust. The man removed his hat, hung it casually from two fingertips. Manners that screamed early-century Europe.

"Caitlin Benoit." She held out one hand, though a handshake wouldn't fit the customs if she was standing in—what?—eighteenth- or nineteenth-century Britain. Still, surprise tickled her when the man took hold of her hand and gently kissed her fingers.

"It is my pleasure to meet you, Miss Caitlin." After a bow of his head, the man replaced the top hat and straightened. "William, Duke of Lancaster."

The duke himself. The stone couldn't give me a little break and place me at the feet of a peasant or a groomsman. "Is this your home?"

"It is," William said with a smile. "Madam, if you are indeed lost, I welcome you as a guest of Chatling Hall until your traveling companions return."

"Thank you. I appreciate that."

He tilted his head, studied her once more. Her modern English against his very proper British accent likely sounded as strange to him as his did to her. And her clothes were as far removed from anything a proper English woman would wear. They wouldn't even be invented for nearly a hundred and fifty years. Caitlin shifted her weight, glanced over his shoulder. If she was in danger, what escape could she have?  

"Are you familiar with riding on the back of a horse?"

The question cut through the noise in her head. Caitlin raised a brow. Horseback riding was one of her favorite past times, but the way she rode would make nineteenth-century women blush in shades to match their pretty, fancy dresses while men would question their value as a proper lady. Notions that were both archaic and sexist—they made her skin crawl—but she needed time. Time to figure out how she left a South Carolinian Plantation in 1859 at the courtesy of a mysterious rock, endured the plastic wrap of time travel once more, but didn't return to twenty-first-century America. At this point, it seemed time meant nothing, and yet she needed to buy some now. "No, not well, I'm afraid."

"Then I shall walk with you."

She nodded, fought to ignore the twinge in an ankle badly sprained days earlier, if she tried to define it in the conventional, linear sense. Seemed those conventions were out the window now, but her mind would take a little time to catch up.

Caitlin focused on the hills of the Peak District. She followed all the rules the slave woman shared with her in South Carolina—inside the circle, in the direct sunlight—yet she landed in England. Only… what year was it exactly?

"Forgive me, but I do not recall having the pleasure of your acquaintance in the past. I like to think I'm familiar with everyone in the nearby villages," her companion said. "Are you here on holiday?"

Of course, he knew most everyone nearby. He owned the land, and the villagers were his tenants. Caitlin cleared her throat, prepared for the book of lies she would have to tell until she could leave the past where it belonged. "Yes, it's been a long trip." 

"Then you must be tired."

Caitlin didn't bother to respond as he led her closer to the great manor. A path worn with the indentations left behind by carriage wheels curved around a bend where the trees gave way to a full, unobstructed view of Chatling Hall. In front of the manor house, a fountain as long as a football field shot water high into the clear afternoon sky. Set behind the fountain, Chatling Hall appeared to float on the surface of that water. The illusion was a good one, and almost took Caitlin's breath away.

The stone manor house itself was even more impressive than it had appeared in the twentieth- and twenty-first-century movies. Classical architecture climbed three stories towards the sky. Gilded urns lined the roof, while three rows of windows—their frames also gilded—stretched right and left. As she and William neared the home, a staircase came into view. It curved upwards to a proud, rectangular landing to provide an outlook for the fountain.

Chatling Hall dwarfed Shady Oak Plantation in every possible way, even Biltmore paled in comparison. The aristocratic wealth was what Americans could only mimic but never quite attain. North America was too young, the British aristocracy too carefully built and maintained. The house defined the difference in spades.

"Are you traveling with family?"

Caitlin pulled back her gaze to face the duke. "No, no, I'm not. I'm sorry, I know this is going to sound a little funny, but… what year is it?"

The duke's brows furrowed, and he stopped, stared at her. "1831. Did you hit your head? Are you quite all right?"

A hardness filled her stomach. She must tread carefully, or risk finding herself on the receiving end of questions she couldn't answer.

With a mind that reeled in every direction, Caitlin didn't pay attention to the ground beneath her feet. Too late for her to notice, she stepped on a large pebble and stumbled, causing an already weakened ankle to turn. Caitlin dropped to one knee, the fresh pain bursting through the joint. "No, I don't think so." 

I grew up loving the endless possibilities Fantasy and Sci-Fi held between their pages or played on the big screen. Star Wars, Stephen King, The Neverending Story, vampires, Disney, I loved it all (and still do!) At age ten, I picked up a pencil and began coming up with stories of my own that toyed with other worlds and the mysteries of this one. 

My first attempt at writing came at ten years old while, during a sleepover, I tried writing a ghost story. In sixth grade, I entered my school’s writing contest, and in college, my writing professor allowed me to work on a novel instead of following the curriculum.

 But at the time, writing was only a hobby I enjoyed. I picked it up, put it down, sometimes for months or years at a time, but I didn’t think of it as a career. Instead, I majored in communications with the goal of a career in journalism. After a couple of years, I changed course and entered the travel industry. Travel had always been another love, especially to Walt Disney World, and the choice seemed the perfect fit. I opened my own travel agency and grew it from the ground up until the Great Recession of 2008 rolled in, along with the blessing of my first child.

With her birth, I left behind the office career and finally admitted what I already knew – I wanted to spend my life creating on paper what played in my head. A series that had already been haunting my dreams for months that I knew would be my first attempt to break into the publishing world. 

After releasing romantic suspense under the pen name, RM Alexander, Caitlin Benoit started whispering in my ear and her story started forming. My passion for adventure and travel bled onto the pages as Caitlin was launched into the adventure of a lifetime. But because the story wasn’t focused on romance, I knew I needed a new pen name that would be focused more on UF / Sci-Fi, and Melody Ash was born. 

As a complex PTSD and trauma survivor, I often write characters who often face the worse circumstances and must search for their inner strength. It is my hope readers not only connect with the characters and stories but also are encouraged, as they read the last word, that their real-world problems can be overcome.

Outside my writing world, I spend my time with my husband, two children, and Pomsky (who you’ll likely find posted on my social media) in Indiana. I still love to travel and am addicted to orange juice, Ghirardelli chocolate, and adventure. 

You can visit Melody’s website at www.melodyash.com and connect with her on Facebook and Tik Tok.

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⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐Youngen Finds Her Song by Maria J. Andrade #YoungenFindsHerSong #ChildrenFiction

  

With its eco-social theme and audio version included in the cover as a surprise, Youngen Finds Her Song, An Inspiring Adventure from The Heart of Nature, brings to life the joy, hope, and inspiration,  young readers have as they journey with a small bird and learn about the wonders of the natural world and humanity’s place in the order of life…

By Maria J. Andrade

Title: Youngen Finds Her Song: An Inspiring Adventure From the Heart of Nature
Author: Maria J. Andrade, M.F.T.
Publisher: Clara Publishing
Pages: 108
Genre: Children’s Fiction

A young thrush named Youngen is having trouble finding her song. As she spends time with her friends who have beautiful feathers and nicer nests than her own, she starts to doubt herself and her parents. Rufus, a wise old owl, notices her discomfort and decides to take her on a journey to learn about the world.

As she travels with Rufus, she learns many things about the animals in the forest and about Humans – those strange animals that make war with each other, but also build magnificent cities. And she learns that Humans can also be loving and compassionate, when she finds her own life in danger. As Youngen learns about herself and the world around her, she spontaneously bursts into song – her own unique and very beautiful song.

Author Maria J. Andrade has written a sweet novel of a young bird coming of age. She shares tidbits of wisdom about animal life and their habits along the way, to educate while telling her story. Respect for the earth and all animal and plant life is demonstrated through Youngen’s words and actions. An uplifting book with a positive and timely message.  Youngen Finds Her Song is a delight to read!

 —Alice Berger, Berger’s Book Reviews

Book Information

Release Date: October 7, 2008

Publisher:  Clara Publishing

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-0970634733; 108 pages; $29.59, Hardcover $12.01; E-Book, $7.99

Book Website: https://booksasfriends.com/books/

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3B2Xmme  

 Deep in the heart of the forest in a land called “Dreems,” where everything is possible, a small bird family lived high in an Oak tree. Within the nest, beside a newly hatched egg, lay a baby bird. She could not see clearly for her eyes were not fully open and her wings were too delicate to fly. She was so small that she barely chirped and her parents called their fledgling “Youngen.” 

  At first Youngen could only see shadows but day after day her vision improved until colorful shapes appeared which surprised and enchanted her. The very first images she saw within her own nest were her parents who seemed large and wondrous birds! They had strong wings and soft under feathers, which warmed her every night. During daylight they would leave to seek out bits of food, which they placed in her hungry, open beak. In the nest in which she hatched, her parents had left small brown twigs, bright green leaves, and brilliant marigold flowers. They told her that the green leaves and marigolds helped protect her from germs and parasites, which might harm the health of a fledgling. 1

  As time went on Youngen could see that beyond her nest was a fascinating world. Everywhere she looked in the forest there where birds large and small chirping, singing, or flying silently back and forth across the sky. Some scampered quickly far below her on the ground. Others perched on top of trees or on branches and watched her from a distance.

  Youngen began to sit on the edge of her nest every day to feel the soft breezes and to watch the world of birds go by. One day she noticed a large, old, owl that stared at her from across a large, gnarled tree.

         "His name is “Rufus,” her mother told her, “He is a friend of the family.2 He has helped raise many young birds. He is also very wise and knows many things.”  

  Rufus lived with a blind snake that kept his nest clean of larvae; with the snake’s help all the chicks in Rufus’ care grew strong and healthy. 3 Youngen had never seen such great, round, eyes as those, which now looked at her. Her parents said,

  "Since the day you hatched, whenever we were away, Rufus has watched over you."  

      “Hello,” said Youngen to the owl as she flapped her wings quickly, her feet lifting off the ground.

   Rufus noticed that Youngen was often at the edge of her nest and that her wings were stronger. Youngen’s parents had tried to gently nudge her off the nest a few times with the admonition “do not look down.” At such times her small wings fluttered nervously but Young did look way down and saw the great depths beneath her. With heart pounding madly, she quickly flew back onto the edge of the nest, grateful to touch solid ground, her head dizzy with fear.

  “How do you do?” asked Rufus.” You certainly have grown quickly and now it appears you are ready to learn how to fly.”

  “No thank you!” answered the young bird nervously as she looked down again.

Rufus called from his tree, “Whoo, Whoo told you to look down?”  

  The little bird chirped back quickly. “But what if I fall?” 

Rufus continued, “Wise birds always look ahead to their destination, trusting their wings and the wind, which guides them.” 

Maria J. Andrade is an author and licensed Marriage, Family Therapist. She has been writing books for children and adults on the themes of love, relationship, and earth stewardship, for over twenty years. Her novel based on a true story about three women’s lifelong friendship, Defiance and Redemption was recently published.

She believes peace in the world, begins under our own roof. Therefore, she wrote, Heart Magic, Keeping Love Alive & Well, a small guidebook for individuals to help them succeed in healthy, long-lasting relationships. These books are available in Spanish.

Her five books for children, including the eco-social book, Youngen Finds Her Song is an important and hopeful book for families to read together during these challenging times. It has been loved and enjoyed by children, parents, grandparents, and teachers across America.

You can visit her website at www.booksasfriends.com and connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and LinkedIn.

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⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐The Portuguese Immigrant by Devin Meireles #ThePortugueseImmigrant #Nonfiction

 

Weaving a wonderful tale of the struggles and triumphs as well as the rich Portuguese culture of their ancestry, the book follows the author’s grandfather, Vovô, who was the impetus for life in the New World…

By Devin Meireles

Title: The Portuguese Immigrant: Atlantic Heritage Story
Author: Devin Meireles
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 197
Genre: Narrative Nonfiction

The Portuguese Immigrant: Atlantic Heritage Story is a narrative non-fiction book about the author’s family history—particularly the lives of their paternal ancestors from Sao Miguel Island in Portugal. The story begins with their great-grandparents before shifting focus to their paternal grandparents and their unconditional love for each other. Their relationship overcame many obstacles of the time and they were physically separated for nearly three years after leaving the homeland. They became immigrants in Canada—a place where the author found themselves born and raised, being something that they are grateful for yet fascinated to reflect on the history of how it happened.

Weaving a wonderful tale of the struggles and triumphs as well as the rich Portuguese culture of their ancestry, the book follows their grandfather, Vovô, who was the impetus for life in the New World. Embarking on the journey of lifetime, they carried out a mission guided by true love to carve out a fighting chance for the future of his family.

The author speaks on various characteristics embodied and behavioural traits that have shaped their sense of self today while forging a deep connection with their ancestors. Understanding more about themselves than anticipated along the way to show that it really is all in the family. The history that behooves us has been set out for those with the privilege to continue down the path—a sentiment that the author draws out with great detail. Their descriptions of events set the scene to take the reader back in time.

Book Information

Release Date: January 18, 2022

Publisher:  Independent

Soft Cover: ISBN:  978-1777996611; 197 pages; $18.99; eBook $4.99; FREE on Kindle Unlimited

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3IsJSSC 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3NUhMAB

Sloshing over a damp, unpaved road through the village, each step in the mud brought her closer to him. She was donned in a black, hooded cape that covered her wholly from the misty rain. Her bright eyes glowed like a cat, reflecting off the sun that peaked through the overcast. Birds scattered for shelter, but the shifty weather could not deter her feelings. Flying parallel with the eagles that flew above the clouds, her heart soared just as high while her attentive gaze was focused ahead.

She was driven towards his warmth and kindness; he was the apple in her glittering eyes. When inhibition stood between, they denied their adoration for each other, fearing judgment from the townspeople. However, unbridled love saw no bounds and could not be withstood. Maria Angelina de Conceição Cabral, my bisavó (great-grandmother), defied taboo after falling in love with an older man. She encapsulated the earliest demonstration of nonconformity that I had uncovered. 

Situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, on a remote utopia, her freguesia (village) was of a few hundred people that typically adopted conventional lifestyles of the time. On São Miguel Island, the islanders seldomly challenged the status quo. Their homeland is one of nine volcanic islands that make up the Azores archipelago, west of mainland Portugal. At one time or another, it was speculated to be the site of the mythical Atlantis, the lost city where buried treasures lie underwater. In whatever way, I had brought to light the legacy of my bisavó while searching for my family heritage.

She grew up hearing jarring tales of folklore and overseas conquests that contributed to the mystique of island history. Walking the storied coastline, haunted by generations passed, her journey’s end was approaching. She headed for the local variety store that sold everyday goods, where he ran day-to-day operations. As proprietor of the business, he was an influential member of the community whom she adored. As she came of age after the turn of the century, her heart was set on the middle-aged man, Manuel de Lima Meireles, my bisavô (great-grandfather). He was more than twenty years her senior.

“Bom dia, querida!” he greeted her as she stepped into the shop, stomping her wet feet on an entrance mat.

“Hello, darling. How are you?” she scrunched her cloak for excess moisture before entering the aisle. It was completely soaked beyond a beaver’s hat, but she was unfazed by the dampness.

“Todo bem, querida,” he gleefully answered at the sight of her. They locked eyes in a gentle stare as she took off the hood of her capote, the traditional garment for women. Her immaculate facial features came to light; healthy cheeks, fine lips with a sharp jawline, and those beautiful, starry eyes. A petite figure complimented her long, dark hair while she carried herself elegantly. As if the rain only helped her to bloom like a hydrangea. She surely enchanted the single men of her generation, but her heart was spoken for.

 

Devin Meireles is a healthcare administrative worker from Toronto that moonlights as a freelance writer. Apart from creative writing, Devin enjoys films, history, genealogy, and stamps in his passport. He wrote a narrative nonfiction book about his grandfather’s immigration story and has published many articles in literary journals and cultural magazines.

His latest book is the narrative nonfiction, The Portuguese Immigrant: Atlantic Heritage Story.

You can connect with him at Instagram at www.instagram.com/lusoloonie. 

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