Book Blitz with Giveaway: Illusions by Madeline J. Reynolds

Review with Author Interview: No Good Deed by Kara Connolly

Book info:

Title:  No Good Deed
Author:  Kara Connolly
Genre:  YA Fairy tale retelling
Release Date:  July 18th, 2017
Publisher:  Delacorte Press
Source: ARC from publisher for honest review
My rating:  5 stars

Synopsis:

Fans of Dorothy Must Die will love this reimagining of the legend of Robin Hood. Girl power rules supreme when a modern girl finds herself in the middle of a medieval mess with only her smart mouth and her Olympic-archer aim to get her home.

Ellie Hudson is the front-runner on the road to gold for the U.S. Olympic archery team. All she has to do is qualify at the trials in jolly old England. When Ellie makes some kind of crazy wrong turn in the caverns under Nottingham Castle—yes, that Nottingham—she ends up in medieval England.

Ellie doesn’t care how she got to the Middle Ages; she just wants to go home before she gets the plague. But people are suffering in Nottingham, and Ellie has the skills to make it better. What’s an ace archer to do while she’s stuck in Sherwood Forest but make like Robin Hood?

Pulled into a past life as an outlaw, Ellie feels her present fading away next to daring do-gooding and a devilishly handsome knight. Only, Ellie is on the brink of rewriting history, and when she picks up her bow and arrow, her next shot could save her past—or doom civilization’s future.

My Review:
If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that I'm a big fan of fairy tale retellings.  I especially like when they are looking at actual historical events and people, which this book does that as well.  

When the book starts out, Ellie has just had a strange experience at a tournament, one that almost caused her to get disqualified.  She sees a man in a white monk's habit in between her and the target she is aiming for.  No one else sees him, and he disappears.  Later on she goes with her mom for lunch, and then while her mom is working, Ellie goes to see the Nottingham castle.  When she's getting ready to buy her ticket to go see the tourist attraction, she spies the monk again and so she goes to follow him, trying to figure out who he really is.  This leads her through the tunnels under the castle, but when she comes out of those tunnels, suddenly she seems to be back in time.  And being there is a crime, and she is immediately on the run from the sheriff and other law of the time.  She ends up being saved by a knight, James, who is also a member of the Templars.  

Along the way she ends up with her own little merry band of friends, who turn out to all kind of fit the characters that were supposed to be Robin Hood's band of outlaws.  So not only is she trying to find her way back home, she's also trying to keep from being put to death for her suppposed crimes of the time, as well as help out those who are suffering under the horrible taxation that seems to be happening at the time.  You know, she kind of becomes Robin Hood.

What I really enjoyed was all of the different historical facts that were woven into the story, making it so much more than just a fairy tale/time travel story.  There was King Richard, and Prince John, as well as Eleanor of Aquitane, and so much more about that time period.  I loved learning where the word sheriff actually came from.  

This was a very fun read, and hard to put down.  There were some things about the Robin Hood story I was unfamiliar with, but it was fun to do the research on those things as well, when I would google as I was reading.  

Author Interview:
1. What does your writing process look like? Do you know the whole story when you start? Or do you just start writing and go with it (seat of the pants writing)? If you plan it out, how do you do that? Outline, notecards, post-it-notes, etc.?
I always seem to know the beginning of the story and the end. I would love to dive in with just that much, but after millions of words of unfinished novels, I realize I need a map.
I like to visualize things, so in my journal, I have a sort of Mad Libs storyboard with all the essential turning points marked where they fall in the timeline. It's all graphed and color coded, which is either sad or awesome. That way I can be in the middle of my day job, and if I get an idea for one of these anchor points I can jot it down. So I'm sort of a hybrid plotter/pantser. I don't have to know every step of the journey, but I need to have signposts.
As I'm writing the first draft, though, I make Post-it notes for each scene. Then when I get to revising, I stick them up on the wall and have a complete timeline to look at. Nothing really beats being able to look at the book from a few steps back.

2. How do you come up with your ideas for your stories?
Have you ever had a compost pile? Basically, you put all your kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells, etc., into a big pile, and it breaks down into this rich soil you can use for growing more things. You keep adding more stuff and you turn it regularly so it doesn't just become a trash heap. (That part's important.)
My idea process is basically like that. Everything I read or see or hear goes into the bin, along with things that have been there since I was a kid, like my love of the Robin Hood stories, and random things I don't even remember remembering from history class. I add to it with trips to the museum, or true crime podcasts, or books about the decoding of the Rosetta Stone, and I stir it by journaling and drawing and trying to tap into different parts of my creativity.
Then either I plant a seed I want to germinate, or something will sprout on its own. But it's basically grown out of all that stuff that's been mixing and cooking forever. Every writer, I think, has an idea bank, or a shelf, or a file. Mine I think of as fertilizer. I guess you could say my process is organic. ;)

3. How long have you been writing?
I can't remember ever not writing. Before I wrote things down, I acted out stories with action figures (with help from my brother). In school, when the class had to write sentences with our spelling words, I'd turn it into a story. (Which was why I always needed extra time to complete my assignments.) I wrote (terrible) fan fiction. But it took me a long time to write a sellable, full-length novel.

4. What tips do you have for aspiring writers?
Read a lot and write a lot. Reading is how you fill your mental compost heap, and writing and writing and writing is how you develop your voice. If you start a novel, commit to it and don't abandon it when the voice in your head says it's terrible, or this other idea would be better. Your idea is great. And if the writing is terrible, you can fix it. But you can't fix a novel that's never finished.

5. Some favorites:
Books/authors/genres
Classic faves: The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper. The Blue Sword (and anything else) by Robin McKinley. Agatha Christie. Lately, I've been reading and loving The Great Library series by Rachel Caine. I love fantasy, and I love gothic novels, and I love that female-lead thrillers are having a moment. (Thank you, Gone Girl, for that.)

Movies/TV Shows
I saw Wonder Woman three times in the theater. Full price. *blush* Star Wars, Star Trek, the Avengers (the first one), Doctor Strange (you're probably sensing a theme), and pretty much anything with a dragon in it. (Why hasn't anyone made the Temeraire series into a movie yet?) Also, I will mainline Modern Family on Hulu when I need a laugh.

Music
I listen to singer-songwriter type stuff at home, Regina Spektor, Ingrid Michaelson, Tori Amos. When I'm driving I like Mumford & Sons, Flogging Molly, and other things where I have to be careful not to speed. I love Florence and the Machine, and I will always love U2. (And sometimes I listen to Taylor Swift in secret.)

Food/Writing snack
I like Smarties when I write. I line them up on the desk and use them as a reward. Write a page, get a Smartie. Write a paragraph, get a Smartie. Some days I have to reward myself for a sentence.

Social Media Site
I've always been a Twitter...er? But lately I have narrowed my feed down to nothing but cute animal pictures (@weratedogs) and special interest feeds (@MerriamWebster @NASA @mental_floss @lifehacker). But it's still the best for easily connecting people. (I'm @readKaraC, by the way.) I pinned a lot on Pinterest when I was writing No Good Deed, but Instagram has taken over that part of my social media brain. (I'm @readkaraconnolly there.)

Thanks so much for the chance to visit with you!

  
About the Author:

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KARA CONNOLLY loves history, though she's never time traveled. She lives and writes in Arlington, Texas. To learn more about Kara and her books go to karaconnolly.wordpress.com or follow @karaconnolly4 on Twitter and @readkaraconnolly on Instagram.

 
 

Three End of Series Mini-Reviews

As I keep mentioning, I'm so far behind on reviews!  So, to speed things up, you should continue to expect mini-reviews like what I'm posting today.  I finished up three series finally over the past two months, so let's do a quick reflection on them, and then the blurb from Goodreads. 

Ashes (Seeds of America #3) by Laurie Halse Anderson:

My rating:  5 stars
Okay, this series will go down as being one of my all-time favorite YA historical fictions stories.  It's not really a romance in any way, although there is what needs to be in there in a way.  It's really all about the time and the people of the time and the history, and the side of the history that isn't talked about that much, or written about in history textbooks.  With the huge popularity of the musical Hamilton, this is a series that is perfect for young adults and teens to read that fills in even more blanks and will make them think and ask their own questions about our country's past.  You can read my reviews of the first two books here, Chains and Forge.  And below is the blurb from Goodreads for this third book:

Freedom for one, freedom for all?

That’s the question that burns in Isabel’s mind as she and Curzon forge on through chaos and fear toward the dream that’s kept them alive for so many years: freedom. But her dream of living not as a “runaway” but as a free person with land and a family of her own seems impossibly far away. That dream hinges on one thing: finding her little sister, Ruth. It’s been years since Ruth was stolen from her. Is she even alive? And if Isabel can find her, how will they make it safely through the war between the Patriots and the British that rages on as dangerously as ever, while bounty hunters try to kidnap them at every turn?

In the American Revolution, one must pick a side in order to survive. But how can you care about a nation’s freedom when the very same nation has kept you in chains? 

Sentinel (Covenant #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout:

My rating:  4 stars
I usually give all of JLA's books 5 stars.  I mean I just love her characters. But this book, and the last one in the series, Apollyon, weren't as great for me.  I think it might be because of the absence of Seth.  While yes, I think that Alex probably belonged with Aiden, it reminds me a bit of the Twilight movies, where I was good with Edward for Bella, but I wanted Jacob.  Here, I loved Seth, and kinda wanted more of him.  He does show back up in this book, and I know that there is a spin-off series for Seth that I will be picking up soon.  Other than that, I really like the way the whole ending went down, the battle was good, the way Armentrout "saved the day" in the end was perfect.  There were definitely some sad losses again in this book of people that we'd grown to  like and care about.  But in a huge battle like this, unfortunately that is to be expected.  You can read my reviews to the other books in the series by clicking on the link earlier in this paragraph, or one of these:   Half-Blood, Pure,  or Deity.  Here is the blurb for this final book from Goodreads:

It's a beautiful day for a war.

As the mortal world slowly slips into chaos of the godly kind, Alexandria Andros must overcome a stunning defeat that has left her shaken and in doubt of their ability to end this war once and for all.

And with all the obstacles between Alex and her happily-ever-after with the swoonworthy Aiden St. Delphi, they must now trust a deadly foe as they travel deep into the Underworld to release one of the most dangerous gods of all time.

In the stunning, action-packed climax to the bestselling Covenant series, Alex must face a terrible choice: the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear… or the end of herself.

The Countdown (The Taking #3) by Kimberly Derting:

My rating:  5 stars
While it took me a minute to pick this one back up and finally read it, when I did, I was once again blown away and hooked so that I couldn't put it down.  While I had issues with some characters that did irritate me a bit, I know that what they did is something that is always in stories, adds to the drama, even though I'm pretty sure it probably wouldn't really happen that way in real life.  I guess I forgot the fact that I'm a bit of a science nerd, because when the characters didn't know what SETI was, I was shocked that anyone didn't know.  In case you don't know, SETI stands for the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Life.  I have to say that once again, this author did a great job of ending this story in a pretty believable way.  We were able to have a pretty much HEA, but it wasn't without losses and it wasn't done in a way that was just everyone decided at the last minute to "all just get along".  There was one person's change of heart that I loved, even as it led her to do something that was definitely heartbreaking for herself.  You can read my reviews of the first two books in the series here:  The Taking, and The Replaced.  Here is the blurb from Goodreads for this final book in the series:

She may no longer be human…but she’s their only hope.

In the concluding book in the otherworldly Taking trilogy, Kyra struggles to understand who she is as she races to save the world from complete destruction.

Ever since Kyra was abducted by aliens and then returned to earth, she has known there was something different about her. Now she knows the truth: she is an alien too. Her alien captors replaced all her human DNA with their own—gifting her with supernatural powers like incredible healing, enhanced eyesight, and telekinesis. But when she’s captured by an unexpected enemy, Kyra begins to wonder if her abilities are also a curse. And is she, as her enemies believe, meant to play some key role in helping an impending alien invasion? Is it programmed into her, something inescapable? Or can she fight that destiny?

No matter what the truth is, Kyra is sure of one thing: She just rescued the love of her life, Tyler, and she is not going to stand by and let anyone hurt him or her friends. Whatever it takes, Kyra will do everything in her power to save the world…even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice. 

So those are the first three series-enders that I've read this year.  All three were well done and great ways to end a series.  If you haven't started them yet, I highly recommend them all!

Guest Post: Yellow Hair by Andrew Joyce

My name is Andrew Joyce and I write books for a living. I would like to thank Lisa for allowing me to be here today to promote my latest, Yellow Hair, which documents the injustices done to the Sioux Nation from their first treaty with the United States in 1805 through Wounded Knee in 1890. Every death, murder, battle, and outrage I write about actually took place. The historical figures that play a role in my fact-based tale of fiction were real people and I use their real names. Yellow Hair is an epic tale of adventure, family, love, and hate that spans most of the 19^th century.

Now that the commercial is out of the way, we can get down to what I really came here to talk about: the Sioux people. The people we know as the Sioux were originally known as the Dakota, which means ally. The name Sioux came from the Chippewa and the French. The Chippewa called them Nadonessiou, which means adder, or enemy, and then the French shortened the name to Sioux.

Every culture has an origin myth. We in the West have Adam and Eve. The Ancient Greeks had Gaia. According to the Norse people, Odin and Ymir founded the earth. If you will allow me, I’d like to tell you the creation story of the Dakota.

In the beginning, before the creation of the earth, the gods resided in the sky and humans lived in darkness. Chief among the gods was Ta՜kuwakaŋ, the Sun, who was married to Haŋyetuwi, the Moon. He had one daughter, Wohpe. And there was Old Man and Old Woman, whose daughter, Ite, was wife to Wind, to whom she gave four sons, the Four Winds.

Of the other spirits, the most important was Iŋktomi, the devious trickster. Iŋktomi conspired with Old Man and Old Woman to increase their daughter's status by arranging an affair between the Sun and Ite. His wife’s discovery of the affair led Ta՜kuwakaŋ to give the Moon her own domain, and by separating her from himself, created time.

Old Man, Old Woman and Ite—who was separated from Wind, her husband—were banished to Earth. Ite, along with her children, the Four Winds, and a fifth wind—the child of Ite but not of Wind—established space. The daughter of the Sun and the Moon, Wohpe, also fell to earth and later resided with the South Wind. The two adopted the fifth wind, who was called Wamŋiomŋi.

Alone on the newly formed Earth, some of the gods became bored. Ite prevailed upon Iŋktomi to find her people, the Buffalo Nation. In the form of a wolf, Iŋktomi went beneath the earth and discovered a village of humans. Iŋktomi told them about the wonders of the Earth and convinced one man, Tokahe, to accompany him through a cave to the surface. Tokahe did so and, upon reaching the surface, saw the green grass and blue sky for the first time. Iŋktomi and Ite introduced Tokahe to buffalo meat and showed him tipis, clothing, hunting clubs, and bows and arrows. Tokahe returned to the underworld village and appealed to six other men and their families to go with him to the Earth's surface.

When they arrived, they discovered that Iŋktomi had deceived Tokahe. The buffalo were scarce; the weather had turned bad, and they found themselves starving. Unable to return to their home, but armed with a new knowledge about the world, they survived to become the founders of the Seven Council Fires.

The Seven Council Fires . . . or Oćeti Šakowiŋ . . .  are the Mdewakanton, the Wahpeton, the Wahpekute, the Sisseton, the Yankton, the Yanktonai, and the Lakota.

After Tokahe led the six families to the surface of the earth, they wandered for many winters. Sons were born and sons died. Winters passed, more winters than could be counted. That was before Oćeti Šakowiŋ. But not until White Buffalo Calf Woman did the humans become Dakota.

Two scouts were hunting the buffalo when they came to the top of a small hill. A long way off, they observed the figure of a woman. As she approached, they saw that she was beautiful. She was young and carried a wakiŋ. One of the scouts had lustful thoughts and told the other. His friend told him that she was sacred and to banish such thoughts.

The woman came up to them and said to the one with the lustful thoughts, “If you would do what you are thinking, come forward.” The scout moved and stood before her and a white cloud covered them from sight.

When the woman stepped from the cloud, it blew away. There on the ground, at the beautiful woman’s feet, lay a pile of bones with worms crawling in and among them.

The woman told the other scout to go to his village and tell his people that she was coming, for them to build a medicine tipi large enough to hold all the chiefs of the nation. She said, “I bring a great gift to your people.”

When the people heard the scout’s story, they constructed the lodge, and put on their finest clothing, then stood about the lodge and waited.

As the woman entered the village, she sang:

‘With visible breath I am walking.

A voice I am sending as I walk.

In a sacred manner I am walking.

With visible tracks I am walking.

In a sacred manner I walk.’

She handed the wakiŋ to the head chief and he withdrew a pipe from the bundle. On one side of the pipe was carved a bison calf. “The bison represents the earth, which will house and feed you,” she said.

Thirteen eagle feathers hung from the wooden stem. White Buffalo Calf Woman told the chiefs, “The feathers represent the sky and the thirteen moons. With this pipe, you shall prosper. With this pipe, you shall speak with Wakaŋ Taŋ՜ka (God). With this pipe, you shall become The People. With this pipe, you shall be bound with the Earth for She is your mother. She is sacred. With this pipe, you shall be bound to your relatives.”

Having given the pipe to the People, and having said what she had to say, she turned and walked four paces from the lodge and sat down.

When she arose, she was a red-and-brown buffalo calf. She walked on, lay down and came up as a black buffalo calf. Walking still farther, she turned into a white buffalo and stood upon a hill. She turned to bow in the four directions of the four winds and then she vanished.

Because of White Buffalo Calf Woman, the Dakota honor our mother the Earth; they honor their parents and their grandparents. They honor the birds of the sky; they honor the beasts of the earth. They know that Wakaŋ Taŋ՜ka resides in all animals, in all trees and plants and rocks and stones. Wakaŋ Taŋ՜ka is in all. They know that Wakaŋ Taŋ՜ka lives in each of us.

Because of White Buffalo Calf Woman, they have become Dakota.

About the Author:

Andrew Joyce left high school at seventeen to hitchhike throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico. He wouldn’t return from his journey until decades later when he decided to become a writer. Joyce has written five books, including a two-volume collection of one hundred and fifty short stories comprised of his hitching adventures called BEDTIME STORIES FOR GROWN-UPS (as yet unpublished), and his latest novel, YELLOW HAIR. He now lives aboard a boat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with his dog, Danny, where he is busy working on his next book, tentatively entitled, MICK REILLY.

Promo Post and Giveaway: Bury the Living by Jodi McIsaac

On the 100^th anniversary of Ireland’s Easter Rising, join the adventures of one woman who might just change Irish history as we know it

Bury the Living

By Jodi McIsaac 

“McIsaac puts plenty of history and a little fantasy and romance into this entertaining time travel tale. McIsaac has an undeniable talent for immersing the reader in the plight of the Irish in the 1920s, at the height of the Irish Civil War. Comparisons to Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series are inevitable…”

—Publishers Weekly

Contemporary fantasy author Jodi McIsaac returns to shelves with her newest historical fiction novel, a poignant time travel tale that will take fans back to Ireland in 1923 in BURY THE LIVING.

Rebellion has always been in the O’Reilly family’s blood. So when faced with the tragic death of her brother during Northern Ireland’s infamous Troubles, a teenage Nora joined the IRA to fight for her country’s freedom. Now, over a decade later, Nora is haunted by both her past and intense dreams of a man she has never met.

When she is given a relic belonging to Brigid of Kildare, patron saint of Ireland, the mystical artifact transports her back to 1923—to the height of Ireland’s brutal civil war in. There she meets the fascinating stranger from her dreams, who has his own secrets—and an agenda. Ripped from her own time, Nora now has the chance to save the ones she loves… and to alter the entire future of Ireland.  

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Guest Post:  Five Historical Figures I’d Love to Meet

By Jodi McIsaac

As a historical fiction reader and writer, I’m constantly discovering fascinating people who I’d love to know better. Biographies are all well and good, but nothing would beat sitting down over a pint with the people who have shaped history. And so when Lisa asked me to name five people in history I’d like to visit, I had a hard time narrowing the list down! Given my current research in Irish history for the Revolutionary series, it’s little surprise that there are three Irish people on my list.

Granuaile, aka Grace O’Malley. Granuaile is a major character in my forthcoming book Summon the Queen, the sequel to Bury the Living. She was a notorious Irish pirate in the late 1500’s, and was the unofficial head of the O’Malley clan during the Tudor conquest of Ireland. By all accounts she was a remarkable woman who seized power for herself and her clan in a world where women had little power and no voice. Having learned so much about her while writing Summon the Queen, it would be an absolute honor to meet with her in person (provided she didn’t kill me on the spot). 

Constance Markievicz. The best part about researching the Irish Civil War for Bury the Living was learning about the incredible contribution made by women during the entire revolutionary period—the Rising of 1916, the War of Independence, and then the Civil War. And in the middle of it all was the remarkable Constance Markievicz. She was an artist, an actor, and a revolutionary. She became a major player in Sinn Féin and Inghinidhe na hÉireann ('Daughters of Ireland'), a revolutionary women's movement, and founded Fianna Éireann, a para-military nationalist scouting organization that instructed teenage boys in the use of firearms. She was sentenced to death for her role in the Easter Rising of 1916, but her sentence was commuted to prison because of her gender, something that grieved her deeply. In the 1918 general election, she became the first woman elected to the British House of Commons (Ireland was still under British control at the time). Her advice for women included: “Dress suitably in short skirts and strong boots, leave your jewels in the bank and buy a revolver.” Who wouldn’t want to meet this woman in person???

Fionn mac Cumhaill. I included Fionn in this list even though there is some serious doubt that he was a historical figure at all. But since he is one of the two main characters in my Revolutionary series, I like to think that he did exist, though probably not in the legendary fashion with which we are familiar. Who was the man behind the invincible warrior? Are any of the stories that rose up around him true, and to what extent? What was the Ireland of his era really like? If Fionn mac Cumhaill really did exist, and if I could be fortunate enough to visit him, I’m not sure I’d be coming back any time soon.

Nellie McClung. I’m Canadian, but we’re certainly not immune to the impact of American politics. Nellie McClung was a Canadian women’s rights activist who successfully lobbied to have women recognized as “persons,” clearing the way for the inclusion of women in political office. I’d love to tell her that the U.S. is (hopefully) about to elect its first female president, and thank her for her tireless work on behalf of women’s rights. 

J.R.R. Tolkien. This person goes without saying, right? Not only was Tolkien a magnificent author, he was also a brilliant scholar and linguist, and hung out with a pretty amazing crowd. What I wouldn’t give to sit in on an Inklings session with Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams! The Lord of the Rings is by far my favourite book and has had a major impact on me as a writer and as a person, so it would be an incredible experience to meet the man behind the legend.

About the Author:

Already an accomplished writer, Jodi McIsaac is the author of several novels, including A Cure for Madness and the Thin Veil Series. She grew up in New Brunswick, and after abandoning her Olympic speed skating dream, she wrote speeches for a politician, earned a graduate degree in global studies, spent a few years as a fundraising and marketing executive with non-profit organizations in Toronto and Vancouver, which then morphed into her own copywriting business.

You can visit her at:

http://www.jodimcisaac.com/  

https://twitter.com/jodimcisaac   

 

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Bury the Living by Jodi McIsaac

On Sale: September 6, 2016 • 47North • 302 pages

$14.95 Trade Paperback Original •  ISBN: 978-1503935518

 Giveaway:

• 3 Finished copies of BURY THE LIVING (US Only) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:
10/3: The Irish Banana Review - Spotlight
10/4: Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf - Excerpt
10/5: That Artsy Reader Girl - Spotlight
10/6: The Hardcover Lover - Spotlight
10/7: Resch Reads and Reviews - Excerpt
10/8: Fiction Fare - Q and A
10/10: Mundie Moms: Grown Up Book Reviews - Spotlight
10/11: Avid Reader - Excerpt
10/12: Such A Novel Idea - Spotlight
10/13: Two Chicks On Books - Q and A
10/14: Take Me Away to a Great Read - Excerpt
10/15: Lisa Loves Literature - Guest Post - You are here!!
10/16: Novelgossip - Excerpt
10/17: Here's to Happy Endings - Q and A
10/18: The Petite Book Blogger - Mood Board
10/19: Books, TV, and More ... Oh My! - Q and A
10/20: Owl Always Be Reading - Spotlight
10/21: The Worn Bookmark - Review
10/22: The Book Return - Review 

Promo Post - Resolution: Huck Finn's Greatest Adventure by Andrew Joyce

Book Information:
Title:  Resolution:  Huck Finn's Greatest Adventure
Author:  Andrew Joyce
Genre:  Adventure/Historical Fiction

Synopsis:

It is 1896 in the Yukon Territory, Canada. The largest gold strike in the annals of human history has just been made; however, word of the discovery will not reach the outside world for another year.

By happenstance, a fifty-nine-year-old Huck Finn and his lady friend, Molly Lee, are on hand, but they are not interested in gold. They have come to that neck of the woods seeking adventure.

Someone should have warned them, “Be careful what you wish for.”

When disaster strikes, they volunteer to save the day by making an arduous six hundred mile journey by dog sled in the depths of a Yukon winter. They race against time, nature, and man. With the temperature hovering around seventy degrees below zero, they must fight every day if they are to live to see the next.

On the frozen trail, they are put upon by murderers, hungry wolves, and hostile Indians, but those adversaries have nothing over the weather. At seventy below, your spit freezes a foot from your face. Your cheeks burn—your skin turns purple and black as it dies from the cold. You are in constant danger of losing fingers and toes to frostbite.

It is into this world that Huck and Molly race.

They cannot stop. They cannot turn back. They can only go on. Lives hang in the balance—including theirs.

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My name is Andrew Joyce and I write books for a living. Lisa has been kind enough to allow me a little space on her blog to promote my new novel RESOLUTION: Huck Finn’s Greatest Adventure. I think it’s a good book, but what do I know? Anyway, I’m kinda shy about tooting my own horn. So I think I’ll turn things over to my dog Danny—Danny the Dog—to toot it for me. He always has an attitude and usually does not speak highly of me. But please understand that we co-exist as the old Soviet Union and the United States once co-existed. We tolerate each other. So without further ado, here’s Danny.

Andrew took me away from one of my most pleasurable pursuits—barking at ducks—to help him out here. For a person who works with words for a living, he has very little to say in real life. He wants me to tout his book for him, but I don’t think I will—I’m not too happy with Andrew at the moment. My name is Danny. To my legions of fans, I am known as Danny the Dog.

Today I am going to talk about Andrew, but not in the way he thinks. He’s a real idiot! He wants a Viking funeral. Do you know what a Viking funeral consists of? I didn’t think so, and neither did I until Andrew opened his big yap!
When a Viking died, they put him on his boat, set it afire and pushed it out into the fjord. Oh . . . and one more thing, they killed his dog and laid him at the feet of the dead Viking just so the guy could have his dog with him in Valhalla!
I mean . . . what the hell? What had the poor pooch done to warrant a death sentence?
I had a talk with Andrew last night and told him that if I went first into the “good night,” then I too want a Viking funeral. His buddies should kill him and put him at my feet before they set the boat ablaze.
And guess what? Big surprise, he didn’t think that was such a good idea. So we agreed to just have a simple non-denominational service regardless of who goes first. But if he keeps up with this Viking funeral stuff, it will probably be him . . . in fact, I’ll make sure of it.

That’s about it for now. Oh yeah, I almost forgot—go out and buy Andrew’s new book and make the old guy happy while he’s still extant on the physical plane.

This is Andrew again. On behalf of Danny and myself, I would like to thank Lisa for having us over. It’s been a real pleasure.

Author Bio:

Andrew Joyce left high school at seventeen to hitchhike throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico. He wouldn’t return from his journey until decades later when he decided to become a writer. Joyce has written four books, including a two-volume collection of one hundred and forty short stories comprised of his hitching adventures called BEDTIME STORIES FOR GROWN-UPS (as yet unpublished), and his latest novel, RESOLUTION. He now lives aboard a boat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with his dog, Danny, where he is busy working on his next book, YELLOW HAIR.  

http://andrewjoyce76.com