Someone's Story

 

Inside the Book

Title: SOMEONE’S STORY
Author: B.A. Bellec
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 330
Genre: YA Coming of Age

BOOK BLURB:

In his debut endearing coming-of-age book, B.A. Bellec writes about a group of weirdos that find and save each other from the dark depths of their minds. Someone’s Story is literally Someone’s story, as in a first-person narrative of a teenager that calls himself Someone. As he struggles to find a new footing in a new space, we encounter the many ups and downs of modern teenage life, the difficulties that adjusting to adult feelings bring, and a few tear-jerking surprises along the way.

Littered with music, mental health, friendship, loss, meditation, advice, pop culture, and even inspiring an EP, there is so much nostalgia, inspiration, and depth here it is hard to absorb it all. Cozy up somewhere warm and enjoy!

“B. A. Bellec has crafted a masterpiece of emotive and well-rounded young adult fiction.”
K.C. Finn – Author

“The variety of personages, situations, and mental illnesses represented allows all readers to relate to this book and take something away from reading! This novel is on our list of all-time favourites!”
International Girls and Books

“Someone’s Story is a beautiful novel, written in great prose, very descriptive, and filled with insights about life. The author does an incredible job with themes of family, friendship, bullying, and personal development. It felt like I was reading a portion of my emotions and myself in Someone’s Story.”
Gobi Jane – Professional Critic @ Readers’ Favourite

ORDER YOUR COPY

Amazon → https://amzn.to/3dHJU7X

 

_____________________

Meet The Author

Author of Someone’s Story and co-collaborator on the music it inspired, B.A. was born in Richmond, BC and raised in Langley, BC, before settling in Winnipeg, MB. His first adventure was a career in Finance, where he spent 15 years developing his business skills. His highest achievement was the Certified Payroll Manager designation. He currently still consults with businesses on their systems and processes. Over that period of time, he also attended film school where he started to nurture his early creative abilities.

A self-starter always interested in research, he taught himself many of the aspects of storytelling through reading books, screenplays and material online. Whenever he found an inspirational piece of art, he quickly went to the source to find the story behind the artist who created the work. It took many years after attending film school for him to finally combine his creative skills with his life experience and tell that story he had been holding back. Some of his favorite creative people: Lukas Rossi, Justin Furstenfeld, Peter Jackson, Stephen Chbosky, John Green, J.K. Rowling.

Currently he is pounding away on the keyboard writing his second novel, Pulse. This project is a change of pace and more details will come in a few months!

B.A. is also an avid jogger and walker, frequently using them as a way to work on those tough spots in life and his manuscripts. If you found it this far into his material, reach out to him on Twitter and make sure to like and subscribe to get updates on all his future endeavors.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: http://www.babellec.com

Blog: https://babellec.com/b-a-bellecs-blog/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/b_bellec

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/babellec/

 

___________________________

My Review

Someone's Story was an interesting coming of age story that I found myself really identifying with. As I could understand what the character was going through with transitioning from being a teenager to having to become an adult. I would recommend this book to all young adult readers. 

The 8th Island Trilogy by Alexis Marie Chute

“A Wrinkle in Time meets The Princess Bride.”
Review by Lee Lee Thompson, The Perpetual You Magazine

“Chute’s novel weaves STAR WARS-like characters with a WONDER-like message to form an enrapturing read for booklovers of all ages.”
US Review of Books

“Fast and bizarre… Never a dull moment.“
Foreward Reviews

 SERIES DETAILS:
Series Title:  The 8th Island Trilogy by Alexis Marie Chute
Category:  Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs) (368 to 448 pages)
Genre:  fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher:  SparkPress.
Release dates:   Jun 2018; Oct 2019; Apr 2020
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.

Series Description:

The 8th Island Trilogy includes Above the Star, Below the Moon, and Inside the Sun. Over the three books, we follow the adventures of a quirky family, the Wellsleys. The main characters are frumpy senior citizen Archie, his daughter-in-law, Tessa, and his ill fourteen-year-old granddaughter Ella.

Archie, searching for his missing son, accidentally transports his family—and a cruise ship full of people—to a magical planet. There, they uncover the truth: all worlds are dying. Yet hope is not lost. A way to restore all that will soon be destroyed is revealed, along with the realization that Ella will play a role no one could have imagined—especially not her.

On the mysterious island of Jarr-Wya, many races of creatures battle for dominion and magic lurks around every corner. When the world falls dark, that is when bravery must shine the brightest, and the Wellsleys will reveal the strength they never knew they possessed—as well as the power of love to save the day.

---

Book Details:

Book Title:  Above the Star by Alexis Marie Chute
Category:  Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 368 pages
Genre:  fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher:  SparkPress.
Release dates:   Jun 2018
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.

---

Book Description:

When frumpy senior citizen Archie goes in search of his missing son in the Spanish Canary Islands, he stumbles upon a higher mission: locating a magical cure for his ailing fourteen-year-old granddaughter, Ella. Using a portal-jumping device called the Tillastrion, Archie and a stone-headed creature named Zeno are transported to Jarr-Wya, a magnificent yet terrifying island in a connected realm―along with Ella and her strong-willed mother, Tessa, who accidentally stow away on this not-so-secret quest.

What they find on Jarr-Wya is an island tortured by a wicked Star anchored in the sea, and a raging three-way battle for dominion between the stone-wielding Bangols, the fiery Olearons, and the evil Millia sands. Ella’s wit and resourcefulness emerge in this new world, while Tessa is forced to confront her long-buried secrets and a confusing new love triangle. When Ella is captured, Tessa and Archie―with the help of a company of peculiar allies―set out to save her and unravel the terrible mystery of her cure. A mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night adventure of three unlikely heroes, Above the Star reminds us that even the smallest act of bravery can transform our lives and the fates of the worlds around us.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Amazon.ca
B&N ~ Chapters Indigo ~ Target
Book Depository ~ Google Play
Add to Goodreads

---

Book Details:

Book Title:  Below the Moon by Alexis Marie Chute
Category:  Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 448 pages
Genre:  fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher:  SparkPress.
Release dates:   Oct 2019
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.

---

Book Description:

Ella Wellsley is not your typical teenager. Cancer left her mute, but not powerless. Trapped in a parallel dimension, Ella rallies her strength to join her family―her mother, Tessa, her grandpa Archie, and her magical boyfriend―in locating the cure to her illness. This cure is entangled in the fate of all worlds, and threatened by the presence of an evil Star anchored in the sea. The Star has thrown life everywhere into chaos―and it is Ella who holds the key to unlocking its mystery.

Caught in a web of betrayal, mistaken identities, secrets, and love triangles, Ella, Tessa, and Archie must overcome their troubled pasts to ensure a future for all worlds. On this journey―armed with unearthly abilities and unexpected allies―each member of the Wellsley family will learn the power of love in the face of their greatest fears.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Amazon.ca
B&N ~ Chapters Indigo ~ Target
Book Depository ~ Google Play
Add to Goodreads

---

Book Details:

Book Title:  Inside the Sun by Alexis Marie Chute
Category:  Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 384 pages
Genre:  fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher:  SparkPress.
Release dates:   April 2020
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.

---

Book Description:

All worlds are dying, and it’s up to one broken and dysfunctional family from Earth―the Wellsleys―to save the day.
Cancer-ridden Ella celebrates her fifteenth birthday beneath an enchanted mountain, but it is what lies even farther below―the mysterious Star in the sea―that demands she grow up quickly. While Ella grapples with the sacrifice she must make and the lies she is forced to tell, her mother, Tessa, is hell-bent on protecting her.
Through bizarre encounters, love-sick Tessa realizes that she is not the lonely orphan she believes. Her husband, Arden, and father-in-law, Archie, are not the only ones with magical bloodlines. This revelation changes everything. As Archie chooses to embody his unexpected ancestry, he learns that leading the charge in the ultimate battle against evil won’t be as easy as he thought. He’ll need his family―and the strange allies he has gained―by his side to give Ella enough time to set things right.

Can they defeat the unstoppable Millia sands―and another unexpected foe―before everything they hold dear is destroyed? Or will their adventure tear them apart for good? The finale to The 8th Island Trilogy will hold you spellbound until the final page, and long after.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Amazon.ca
B&N ~ Bookshop ~ Target
Book Depository ~ Google Play
Add to Goodreads

 Meet the Author:

Alexis Marie Chute is an award-winning author, artist, photographer, art curator, filmmaker, and public speaker. She has received over 40 noteworthy distinctions for her visual and literary work. Her award-winning fantasy series The 8th Island Trilogy includes, Above the Star, Below the Moon, and Inside the Sun. The series has been described as “A WRINKLE IN TIME meets THE PRINCESS BRIDE” by The Perpetual You magazine, and “Fast and bizarre… never a dull moment” by Forward Reviews. The 8th Island Trilogy “weaves STAR WARS-like characters with a WONDER-like message to form an enrapturing read for blooklovers of all ages” – US Review of Books. Chute’s bestselling memoir, Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing and Pregnancy After Loss, was a top Kirkus title of 2017 and received a plethora of other literary distinctions. The memoir was accompanied by the feature documentary of the same name, which has screened internationally for the last three years. Chute received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and Design from the University of Alberta, Canada, and studied at Media Design school in Auckland, New Zealand. She graduated valedictorian with her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, USA. Chute is a highly regarded public speaker. She has presented on art, writing, bereavement, and the healing capacities of creativity around the world. Contact the Author/Artist for bookings info@alexismariechute.com When not in her art/photo studio or at her computer, Chute loves to spend quality time with her family, read fiction and non-fiction, watch reality TV, paddleboard, and canoe. She is not a winter person but lives in frosty Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with her husband and their three living children.

Connect with the author: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram ~
                                              Pinterest ~ YouTube ~ LinkedIn

Five Minutes, Mr. Byner!

 

• 
  

Pump Up Your Book is pleased to bring you John Byner’s  FIVE MINUTES, MR. BYNER! A LIFETIME OF LAUGHTER Virtual Book Tour August 3 – 28!

Like celebrity memoirs? FIVE MINUTES, MR. BYNER! A LIFETIME OF LAUGHTER by John Byner (with Douglas Wellman) @johnbynercom#newrelease #celebrity #memoir #puybCLICK TO TWEET

Inside the Book

Title: FIVE MINUTES, MR. BYNER! A LIFETIME OF LAUGHTER
Author: John Byner with Douglas Wellman
Publisher: WriteLife Publishing
Pages: 244
Genre: Celebrity Memoir

BOOK BLURB:

Veteran entertainer John Byner, a man of many voices and characters, from impersonating the slow, rolling gait and speech of John Wayne, to lending his voice to The Ant and the Aardvark cartoons has penned (with Douglas Wellman) his biography FIVE MINUTES, MR. BYNER! published by Boutique of Quality Books. His dead-on impersonations, as well as his unique talents as a character actor, have put him on the small screen in peoples' homes, the big screen in theaters, and no screen on Broadway.

“. . . John has had a remarkable career spanning decades, from doing comedy in small clubs in Greenwich Village to The Ed Sullivan Show. . . Ed loved him. . . to The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, to Steve Allen, who basically invented the talk show, to The Carol Burnett Show, to just about every major variety show or situation comedy there was on the air, to hosting his own variety show and introducing Bob Einstein as Super Dave Osborne, and on and on. . . . And he’s still going strong, as funny and as kind as ever.” – Nathan Lane
Growing up in a big family on Long Island, John discovered his uncanny ability to mimic voices as a child when he returned home from a Bing Crosby movie and repeated Bing’s performance for his family in their living room. He discovered his talent made him the focus of everyone’s attention, and allowed him to make friends wherever he went, from elementary school to the U.S. Navy. John started his career in nightclubs in New York, but soon found himself getting national acclaim on The Ed Sullivan Show. With that he was on his way. This memoir is the best and funniest moments of his life, career, and relationships with some of the biggest names in entertainment, both on and
off the screen. “I thought of doing a memoir a year before I began writing it. My friend (co-author), Doug Wellman, suggested years before that if I wanted to write a book he would assist me,” remarked Mr.Byner.

ORDER YOUR COPY

Amazon → https://amzn.to/3iZzrbT

_____________________

Meet The Author

John Byner’s TV career break happened in New York City on Merv Griffin’s Talent Scouts Show in 1964. After great exposure on both Gary Moore and Steve Allen’s variety shows in 1966 and 1967, he clowned around on Ed Sullivan’s showcase program over two dozen times and Johnny Carson’s late-night haunt over three dozen times.

He has lent his vocal library of voices to hundreds of cartoons and animated films. To find out more about John and his book, visit http://johnbyner.com.

Douglas Wellman was born in Minneapolis but moved to Los Angeles where he became a television producer-director for 35 years, as well as the assistant dean of the film school at the University of Southern California. He currently lives in Southern Utah with his wife, Deborah, where he works as a chaplain at a local hospital when not busy writing books.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://johnbyner.com/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/johnbynercom

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.byner.1

 

___________________________

My Review

Five Minutes, Mr. Byner! was quite the book! I don't normally love memoirs as I often find them dry and boring, but this one was entertaining. So much so that it did not feel like the typical memoir as it made me smile and laugh while reading it!

I DIDN’T FORGET

 

Inside the Book

Title: I DIDN’T FORGET
Author: James S. Kelly
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 430
Genre: Mystery

BOOK BLURB:

The double murder of two long time friends has caused hysteria in the small town of Solvang, Ca. Its up to Clay Wrens, the county’s premier detective to solve the murders and calm the townspeople.

Complicating the investigation is a local politician who’s afraid the Wrens will uncover his financial transgressions, while a female reporter, with her own agenda, is suggesting that Wrens be replaced

As the investigation moves to a climax, Wrens is drawn to a twenty five year old murder and the convicted murderer, who’s just been released from prison.

ORDER YOUR COPY 

Amazon → https://amzn.to/3cS2I4b

 

 

_____________________

Meet The Author

James S. (Jim) Kelly is a retired United States Air Force Colonel with over 100 combat missions in Vietnam. Prior to his retirement, Jim was Program Director for a Communication’s Program in Iran, working directly under the Shah. Jim and his wife, Patricia own and operate High Meadow’s Horse Ranch outside Solvang, California. All of his novels use Solvang and the Santa Ynez Valley as a setting. Over the past 15 years, Jim and his wife have been active in a charity supporting our troops in forward operating locations, in hostile territory, overseas. To contact Jim, email him at jkelly2020@outlook.com.

Website: www.kellywritings.com

 

_____________My Review______________

I DIDN’T FORGET was a good read the kept me wondering about the culprit alongside Clay Wrens. Clay Wrens was a great main character and made for an interesting detective. I really enjoyed reading this book and I hope the author chooses to write more mystery books like this one!

FINDING HOME by Corinne Joy

Book Details:

Book Title:  FINDING HOME by Corinne Joy Brown and Ginny McDonald
Category:  Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12),  130 pages
Genre: General Fiction
Publisher:  Loose Cayuse Productions
Release date:   June 2019
Content Rating:  G. There are no expletives, sex scenes or bad language anywhere.

---

“Born in the flatlands of Rock Springs, Wyoming, newborn mustang Pahaska tells the heart-wrenching story of her separation from her mother and the wild horse herd she was born into. Captured by strangers, her entire world has disintegrated. Penned in the filthy, manure-filled confines of a horse hauler’s trailer, her life is changed forever. Finding Home, a 2020 Spur Finalist for Juvenile Fiction, is a brilliantly written story about the adoption of the mustang “Curly Girl” by a teen who has always dreamed of having her own horse. Ginny McDonald’s illustrations convey fine detail and emotion in the images of the horses, bringing each one to life. This heart-warming tale will appeal to those with a love for animals.” - Joni Franks, RoundUp Magazine, Western Writers of America

“This beautifully written and illustrated book will appeal to any animal loving young reader. Differences (equine and otherwise) are applauded, working through complicated human relationships, a philosophical, well balanced approach to difficult issues (wild horse roundups), and positive animal training techniques are included in this educational, riveting new book!” - Nancy Sachs, Director Platte Valley Pony Club

“To see the world through the eyes of a newborn filly as she grows into adulthood, or an excited young girl in search of her first horse, is a treasure found in Corinne Joy Brown’s novel Finding Home, a story of loss and recovery told in a brilliant way. The illustrations by Ginny McDonald help to refine the wonderful writing which places the reader squarely in the experience of Curly Girl and Jesse, her adopter. Finding Home is a wonderful story for our time, in consideration of the wild horses whose freedom is threatened across the West and the people who adopt the captured ones into loving homes.” - James A. Holmes CEO and Executive Director, Cherokee Ranch and Castle Foundation

---

Book Description:

For every girl or boy who owns a horse, or wished they did, “Finding Home” brings all the drama and beauty of America’s wild horses to the middle-grade reader.
A coming-of-age story and a tale about friendship, trust and understanding, both horse and owner have powerful lessons to learn. Together, young Jesse Nolan from Colorado and her wild mustang, Curly Girl, rounded up in Wyoming, discover what it means to rely on oneself, as well as those who love you most.

Buy the Book:
Finding Home
Amazon ~ B&N

Meet the Authors:

Ginny McDonald is an award-winning, professional Colorado illustrator and a longtime advocate for wild horses. She is the adopter of an American Curly mare, and more recently, a second mustang named "Lil Bit". Ginny's skill in the use of Prismacolor pencils brings this story to life with rich detail and heartfelt emotion.

---

Denver native Corinne Joy Brown is a multi-published, award-winning Colorado author, magazine editor and freelance writer focused on the West ." Recent publications include "Young Rider", "Cowboys & Indians," and "Working Ranch." She's also been a horse owner most of her life. Corinne is committed to teaching the next generation about the power of horses to teach and heal. "Finding Home" is her eighth book.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Facebook 

---

Tour Schedule:

Aug 3 - Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Aug 3 – Corinne Rodrigues | Booksnista – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 4 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 4 - Splashes of Joy – book review / guest post / author interview / giveaway
Aug 5 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Aug 5 - My Journey Back – book review / author interview / giveaway
Aug 6 – I'd Rather Be At The Beach – book review
Aug 7 – T's Stuff – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Aug 7 - Books for Books – book spotlight
Aug 10 – Reading Authors Nework – book review / giveaway
Aug 11 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Aug 11 - Priya's Lit Blog – book review / giveaway
Aug 12 – Older & Smarter? – book review
Aug 12 - Read and Review – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 13 - A Mama's Corner Of the World – book review / giveaway
Aug 13 – Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 14 – Rosepoint Publishing – book review / giveaway
Aug 14 - Writer with Wanderlust – book review / guest post / giveaway
Aug 17 – authors.ace – book review
Aug 18 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
Aug 18 - Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight
Aug 19 – Krisha's Cozy Corner – book review / guest post / giveaway
Aug 19 - Library of Clean Reads - book review / giveaway
Aug 20 – My Reading Journey – book review / guest post / giveaway
Aug 20 - Pen Possessed - book review / giveaway
Aug 21 – Svetlanas reads and views – book review

The Takeaway Men by Meryl Ain

Book Details: Book Title:  The Takeaway Men by Meryl Ain Category:  Adult fiction 18 yrs +,  264 pages Genre:  Historical Fiction Publisher:  Sparkpress Release date:   August 4, 2020 Content Rating:  PG-13 + M because there are references to extra-marital affairs. There is no explicit sex in the book. Book Description: With the cloud of the Holocaust still looming over them, twin sisters Bronka and Johanna Lubinski and their parents arrive in the US from a Displaced Persons Camp. In the years after World War II, they experience the difficulties of adjusting to American culture as well as the burgeoning fear of the Cold War. Years later, the discovery of a former Nazi hiding in their community brings the Holocaust out of the shadows. As the girls get older, they start to wonder about their parents’ pasts, and they begin to demand answers. But it soon becomes clear that those memories will be more difficult and painful to uncover than they could have anticipated. Poignant and haunting, The Takeaway Men explores the impact of immigration, identity, prejudice, secrets, and lies on parents and children in mid-twentieth-century America.

Now Available for Pre-order! Release date: August 4, 2020 Amazon.com ~ Barnes & Noble ~ IndieBound Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author: Meryl Ain’s articles and essays have appeared in Huffington Post, The New York Jewish Week, The New York Times, Newsday and other publications. The Takeaway Men is her debut novel. In 2014, she co-authored the award-winning book, The Living Memories Project: Legacies That Last, and in 2016, wrote a companion workbook, My Living Memories Project Journal. She is a sought-after speaker and has been interviewed on television, radio, and podcasts. She is a career educator and is proud to be both a teacher and student of history. She has also worked as a school administrator. The Takeaway Men is the result of her life-long quest to learn more about the Holocaust, a thirst that was first triggered by reading The Diary of Anne Frank in the sixth grade. While teaching high school history, she introduced her students to the study of the Holocaust. At the same time, she also developed an enduring fascination with teaching about and researching the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg case. An interview with Robert Meeropol, the younger son of the Rosenbergs, is featured in her book, The Living Memories Project. The book also includes an interview with Holocaust survivor, Boris Chartan, the founder of the Holocaust Museum and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, New York. Meryl holds a BA from Queens College, an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an Ed.D. from Hofstra University. She lives in New York with her husband, Stewart. They have three married sons and six grandchildren. ​Connect with the author:  Website  ~ Facebook ~  Twitter ~ Instagram