To the Moon and Back by Sydney Scrogham ~ Book Review

Sydney has a way with words that brings excitement from page one and will keep you flipping pages until there’s nothing left to read. To the Moon and Back did not disappoint. Different from her other books, but similar at the same time, we are able to dive into a futuristic world where space horses – astrorses – exist and they aren’t magical and whimsical like you may think, but fierce and deadly. One girl and her broken family defy all odds by coming back together to patch their broken relationship and tame a wild and bloodthirsty Astrorse in order to save their family; their farm; and, most importantly, themselves.

Sage Easton has lost her dreams and her legs in an instant during a riding accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. With her emotions spiraling out of control, she goes to stay with her estranged father, Jedidiah, on his farm – the home she once knew and has long since forgotten – to try and find herself again. Little does she know she will find her whole family in the process and learn to fly where she used to walk.

Sydney has always had a special ability to add a healing touch to her words, but within the pages of her newest book, To the Moon and Back, the reader will follow Sage’s journey to discovering who she is without the use of her legs after a tragic accident leaves her hopeless, depressed, and contemplating the meaning of life after her dreams disappear in front of her eyes. Forced to face the realization that she must pick up the pieces of her broken life and learn how to live and dream again, is the amazing journey this book takes you on. We learn along with Sage that sometimes when something tragic happens that is meant to tear us down, if we face it head on and learn our own strength then amazing things can happen and broken relationships can be mended.

To the Moon and Back is a story that keeps you reading late into the night and tears at your heart strings as you connect to each character and their individual struggles. It teaches the reader that you can overcome anything if you put your mind to it and just believe.

To discover more about Sydney and her current books, make sure to check her out on social media and hop on over to her website!

Still unsure what an astrorse is? Check out Sydney’s blog that explains all about them!

Looking to purchase?

Amazon

About the Author:

Born and raised in Virginia, Sydney Scrogham has always loved horses and books. She grew up in the Shenandoah Valley and printed her first chapter book at home when she was 11 (and illustrated it herself). Sydney has since kept much of her original childhood writings and often draws inspiration from them.

Sydney has been a horse owner for 14 years and moved to Indiana to be with the love of her life whom she met on Twitter! Joseph, her husband, is proof that happily ever after really does exist. Living near Indianapolis, IN gave Sydney the geographical knowledge she needed to conclude the epic Guardians of Agalrae series that was originally based from the Blue Ridge Mountains in her Virginia home. As a PATH Intl. CTRI horseback riding instructor, she also enjoyed giving back to the community by teaching horseback riding lessons to individuals with special needs.

Sydney now lives in northern Alabama where she writes under the watchful ownership of a miniature dachshund. By day, she manages a barn for a local Dressage trainer where she also keeps her favorite Paint horse mare named Hera. By night, she enjoys trying new recipes with Joseph while picking his brain for setting details of her new stories.

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My Life as a Dog by L.A. Davenport ~ Book Review

My Life as a Dog

Author: L.A. Davenport

Synopsis:

Perhaps with him I am a dog 

What was Kevin? He was earnest yet playful, boisterous yet lazy, a little rough sometimes, extremely direct and always sure of what he wanted. He was also sensitive, kind, supportive and caring, not to mention highly communicative and supremely understanding towards children. 

My Life as a Dog is the funny, heartwarming and moving story of a life shared between a black and tan dachshund and his owner. 

Told over two days and a weekend drawn from their many years together, it explores how Kevin overcame his cruel upbringing to flower into a self-confident dog that left everyone he met spellbound. And as they grew together, his owner learned to live in the present and navigate the difficult times they faced together. 

But with Kevin rejected by the canine world and their connection ever-more profound and symbiotic, the question was: What does he think I am?

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My Life as a Dog is a short and relatively easy read with a good premise – the undeniable bond between a dog and their owner. While the premise is intriguing, the story itself and the writing style just weren’t for me. The writing felt very telling and lacked much creative writing elements that show the reader what is going on. Because of this, I found it somewhat hard to read because it didn’t captivate my interest. There were lots of mentions of turning onto so and so street and it didn’t paint a picture of what was going on, making it feel like I was doing exactly what I was doing – reading words. The other element I found frustrating was that it appeared as if the dog, Kevin, dictated a majority of the narrator’s life instead of the narrator being seen as more of the dominant. This can be seen with how Kevin would essentially dictate where they would go on their walks and never learned to leave what is on the ground alone.

Despite me not being drawn to the story due to the writing style, the concept is there. It would be a great and quick read for anyone who wants something that they can likely, at times, relate to when thinking on their life with their own dog(s). It shows what a non-troubled life our pets lead and how we have them for such a short period of time, but we are present for everything that matters to them in their short lives. If you can get over the writing style, I would recommend this book to age ranges of elementary and middle schoolers to help demonstrate the huge influence we have on our pets’ lives. I also appreciated how it emphasized living life to live and be with those we love, in this case the narrator being with Kevin, instead of just living to work and being constrained to the mundane 9-5 lifestyle that eats into so much of our time for ourselves and our families that so many of us lead.

Looking to purchase?

Barnes & Noble
Amazon

About the author:

L. A. Davenport is author of the suspense thriller Escape, and the short story collections No Way Home and Dear Lucifer and Other Stories.

The Swordsman’s Lament by G.M. White ~ Book Review

The Swordsman’s Lament

Author: G.M. White

Synopsis:

When a prince is murdered, a legendary swordsman stands accused.

The King wants blood . . .

and loyalty counts for nothing.

Belasko thought he was beyond intrigues and machinations. But when the grief-stricken King demands vengeance, Belasko discovers he is expendable. His options are clear… find the real killer or satisfy the royal bloodlust. 

With the forces of the palace mobilised against him he is thrust into the city’s bleak underbelly and must fight to discover the truth. With betrayal around every corner he must form unlikely alliances. Can the veteran warrior survive long enough to protect his friends and prove his innocence?

Join Belasko on a fast-paced fantasy adventure as he hunts the real killer, from courtly intrigue to the depths of the city’s criminal underworld, and learns the true meaning of The Swordsman’s Lament.

The king’s champion… one of his closest confidants… now, having fallen from the king’s graces, he runs for his life in a mad attempt to prove his innocence in the murder of his close friend, the prince.

The Swordsman’s Lament had me captivated from the first few pages. At first it seemed as if the story was starting off on a slower note, but there’s a certain element of mystery that is introduced in the first few pages that continues throughout and kept me turning the pages. G.M. White’s story is one that is right up my alley – full of adventure, action, and twists and turns jumping out from every corner.

Belasko is an intriguing character that has you endeared from the start. He is the typical strong protagonist of many fantasy adventure stories, but is made human by his injuries that are catching up to him from his life a the king’s champion. Throughout Belasko’s tale, I never once felt bored or like I just wanted to put the book down to do something else. Instead, I was left turning the pages in a desperate attempt to figure out Belasko’s fate and to discover who really killed Prince Kellan.

If books like The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, or The Last Kingdom intrigue you, then G.M. White’s The Swordsman’s Lament is for you! If you have already read, or if you plan to read, The Swordsman’s Lament, drop a comment below – I’d love to discuss with you what you thought of this thrilling tale!

Looking to purchase?

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

About the author:

G.M. White has always been an avid reader, a love of the written word instilled in him by his parents at an early age. This may or may not have something to do with the fact that he was a very talkative child and the only time he was quiet was when he had his head in a book. Anyway, we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt on that one. A lifelong storyteller he finally decided to put his imagination to good use and set pen to paper (well, fingers to keyboard) and started to write down the worlds that he carried with him in his head. The Swordsman’s Lament is his first novel, published September 2019.

The End of Magic by Mark Stay ~ Book Review!

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The End of Magic

Author: Mark Stay

Synopsis:

Two powerful mages. One steeped in privilege, the other bound by a moral code. Their world is thrown into chaos by the end of magic.

‘What will you do when the magic is gone? ’Sander Bree is a royal mage. He lives an easy life advising the king on matters of court and politics, yet he still complains that he’s stuck in a rut.Rosheen Katell is a wandering mage and, with Anzu her griffin, she’s worked hard to build a reputation as a trustworthy truth seer. She never lies, never kills. Very soon, their magic will be gone. A cataclysmic event will change their lives and world forever. Sander must keep a promise that would have been difficult enough with magic, but is a suicide mission without it. Rosheen is forced to side with a murderous warlord, and her once-solid principles are tested and found wanting. Both will be set against one another in a war unlike anything the world has seen before, in this sweeping fantasy of magic’s ending.

A stand alone fantasy novel for fans of Joe Abercrombie and Scott Lynch.

The Witch who thinks she’s a Warlock.

I always love it when I’m asked to participate in a blog tour or book review since authors helping authors is awesome! This time, I was approached to participate in the blog tour for Mark Stay’s book, The End of Magic, and it has been a fun time jumping into the world of mages and watching as their world explodes into chaos as magic disappears and leaves the characters in shambles as they fight to save their loved ones and the life of a young princess dying due to a power hungry war master.

When I first started reading The End of Magic I found it a little slow, which made it more difficult to instantly get hooked. Don’t get me wrong, it was still good but it took a chapter or two before I started to get hooked. One of the top things I enjoyed about Stay’s book was the differing POVs throughout. It helped drive the story and keep me turning the pages since something page flipping worthy would happen right as a chapter came to a close and the next chapter would pick up in someone else’s POV and drive the story from a different scene entirely.

The primary protagonist, Rosheen and her griffin Anzu, were arguably my favorite characters since their storyline caused me the most emotional connection and I reacted to the trials they went through more than any of the other characters.

If you’re looking for a good summer read to help get you through this quarantine, give Mark Stay’s The End of Magic a try!

Looking to purchase?

Amazon

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About the author:
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Mark Stay co-wrote the screenplay for Robot Overlords which became a movie with Sir Ben Kingsley and Gillian Anderson, and premiered at the 58th London Film Festival. Author of the fantasy novel The End of Magic, he is also co-presenter of the Bestseller Experiment podcast and worked in bookselling and publishing for over twenty-five years. He lives in Kent, England, with his family and a trio of retired chickens. He blogs and humblebrags over at markstaywrites.com

Looking to see what the other bloggers on this blog tour have said? Check them out below!

~

TEOFM Blog Tour

*** Editor at Undiscovered Publishing! ***

If you keep following your dreams and never give up, eventually you’ll make those dreams a reality. I have always been an advocate for never giving up on your dreams. Two of my top goals, are to publish my series I am working on and to make my editing a larger part of my life. Well, guess what Dreamers! I am beyond excited to announce that I have joined the Undiscovered Publishing family as an editor!

I am very excited to enter this next chapter of my life and to join this publishing family! I am looking forward to all of the knowledge I will gain on this next adventure and for all of the support I know I will get for my writing. With any luck, I’ll accomplish my other goal of publishing part of my series by the end of this year!

Until next time Dreamers,

Lindsey

2019 is Going to be MY Year – I’m now an Official Blogger!

Exciting news all of you wonderful dreamers! antique-background-blog-1305363I’ve accepted a position as a blogger for Veronica Sniscak, Realtor! I’m so excited to get back to my true love – WRITING! After the past year I’ve had overcoming the loss of my dad and being tossed into home ownership after inheriting his house, it’s time for me to get back to my roots and back to my passion that my dad was always so encouraging and proud of – my writing and editing.

After losing my dad, I sort of disappeared from the Writing Community for a while and didn’t focus on much of my true passion because I always felt overwhelmed by all of my new responsibilities, stress, and grief over the loss of one of my biggest supporters. My dad was a great man. I’m not saying we always got along, quite the opposite in fact. We fought like cats and dogs ever since I was in high school, but not a day goes by where I don’t miss him like crazy. Just the sound of his voice when he would say, “Hey Bugs!” and smile his big grin, his rosy cheeks becoming50782945_10218376466993146_1156118489283428352_n more pronounced and his bright blue eyes crinkling. He and my mom have always supported my writing and editing throughout my whole life. I always knew I could do whatever I set my mind to and that I could and would succeed in my writing career because I was just that dedicated.

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My dad was always bragging about my writing and made sure to get an entire box of the magazines my articles were published in so he could give them to anyone and everyone he had the chance to. Without his support and in my grief, I faded away from my passion. But, I’m back! 2019 has been so much better than 2018 in the short time it’s been here and it’s looking to be a fantastic year. I plan to make my dad proud and get back to my true self. There’s no stopping me now!

To check out my first official blog as a blogger (* insert the loudest squeal possible *), then check it out here and learn how home ownership is better than renting!

Good luck to all of you wonderful dreamers and make sure to keep an eye out because, I’M BACK AND I PLAN TO MAKE 2019 MY YEAR! How are you planning to make 2019 your best year yet? Let me know in the comments below! 🙂be-creative-creative-creativity-256514

Much love,

Lindsey

NaNoWriMo Sale! 🎉📚

Hello all of you wonderful dreamers and writers!

I hope your first day of NaNoWriMo is going creatively! 😉 To kick off this fun month for all of you great writers out there, I’m offering a little extra motivation to get your novels finished! From now until December 31, 2018 at 11:59 PM EST enjoy 15% off all editing services! 🎉📚

You can enjoy this coupon on an already finished work or save it for your work in progress and use it as motivation to make sure you fully utilize NaNoWriMo for all it’s worth and produce another stellar manuscript! 📖📝

To enter, make sure to submit your entry to Queries@TwoOaksPublishing.com with the format as follows:

  • Subject: EDITING INQUIRY – NANO 2018
  • Body: A brief synopsis of your work, the genre, the number of pages and word count, when you want the project to be completed, and a brief snippet about yourself
  • Make sure to mention the code NaNo2018
  • If you are also interested in cover design, let me know and we can discuss cover options as well! 😊
Good luck to all of you dreamers and enjoy NaNoWriMo 2018!

Writer’s Block – Tips and Tricks

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving full of lots of laughter, love, family, and, of course, tons of turkey! If you’re anything like me, Thanksgiving put you in a turkey coma that took a while to come out of. Now NaNoWriMo is over, the Thanksgiving stupor has passed, and there’s the holidays to add to your overflowing plate of reasons not to write. Don’t worry! We all have those days, all that matters is that you try and make the best out of the time you have and write when you can.

Maybe the holidays have blocked those creative juices with a wall of gingerbread and eggnog, don’t worry I’m right there with you! If you’re one of the many writers experiencing holiday induced writer’s block (or just writer’s block in general), keep reading for some tips and tricks to help you end 2017 strong and start your 2018 with a bang!

The best tip I can give you is to try and write every day. Even if it’s just in your diary or you’re just writing some general ideas about the novel that you are currently working on, just write. Writing every day will help prevent the gingerbread walls from getting too thick and will make it easier for your candy cane soldiers to fend off the writer’s block. They will also help inspire new ideas that can take on lives of their own and destroy those walls all together, leaving you to furiously type away all of your new ideas.

If you are still having a dry spell, one where you can’t even think of small details to scribble about your plot or character development, then try a writing prompt. I have plenty on my website, and will continue to post more as I come across them. This will provide you with a little nudge and guidance to get you on the path of creativity again. If you use the line or two given in a prompt to start writing, often those walls will crumble and the lines will take on a life of their own and will form a full-fledged story – and who knows, maybe it’ll be your next novel!

Are none of the above options appealing to you? Then grab a book and just read. This way your creative side won’t dry up and you’ll see other ways to help keep your creative genius alive. Reading will help to broaden your vocabulary and keep your creativity alive even when you’re not writing since you are now immersed in another fictional realm where your brain is bringing the words of a fellow author to life. This will give your creative brain a break and keep you immersed in the realm of the written word. I always find it inspiring to read published works since it makes me that much more determined to bring my own work to life and make it available for the world to enjoy.

Another way to read, but keep your creativity sparked in a whole new way – do a manuscript swap! You all have undoubtedly heard me say this a million times before, but I LOVE manuscript swaps! I am able toimmerse myself in the world of writing, editing, and the steps toward publication, while also giving myself a break from my writing so that my creative brain can rest and recharge. Bonus – I’ll have an edited manuscript at the end of it with wonderful notes on how to solidify it and get it tight and as perfect as possible before publication!

No matter what the reason for your writer’s block is, or how long it lasts, NEVER stop believing in yourself! We all have dry spells, the important thing is to not let them defeat you.

Whether or not you’re planning on going the traditional route or self-publishing, having a polished manuscript that is as ready for publication as possible before an agent or publisher ever sees it is crucial. The best way to do this is through an editor. If you’re ready for that next step, check out how I can help you by visiting my website to learn more about my editing services!

Make sure to check back next month to learn more about self-publishing vs traditional to find out what’s right for you!

Have a very Merry Christmas, the happiest of holidays, and a fantastic New Year’s!

🎄 🎁 📚 🎅🏻 🤶🏻 ❄️ 🤴🏻 👸🏻 🗡 🏰 ☃️

*** Have some questions you want answered to help you with your publishing dream or want to let me know how your writing dream is going? Tweet me @LindseyRBarnes or send me a message on Facebook @LindseyRaynerBarnesWriter! 😊

Copyright © 2017 Lindsey Rayner Barnes, All rights reserved.

Black Friday Editing Sale!

Black Friday 2017 Editing Sale

With 2018 just around the corner and all of us in a turkey coma now that another Thanksgiving has come and gone, it’s time for some Black Friday deals! Who doesn’t like deals? I know I do!

Do you want to start your 2018 off with a bang?

So, you have this book baby that you’ve coddled for countless months and now you’re ready to take that next step toward publication? Or maybe you’re not quite ready, but will be soon? Then keep reading!

For a limited time only I will be offering a 15% discount off of all editing services for clients who sign a contract with me and put a $150 non-refundable deposit (to go toward cost of editing) down by 11:59pm on Sunday, December 17th.

All contracts must be signed by the 17th to redeem the discount, and all deposits must be sent by December 30, 2017 to hold your spot. Editing will be a first to sign up, first to be completed basis. Services will begin on January 1, 2018 and will continue through June 30, 2018. So, if you’re not quite ready to release your book baby, sign a contract with me to begin editing anytime from January 1st until the end of June and receive your 15% discount. Awesome, right? So awesome, that there can’t possibly be anything else to look forward to, right? Wrong!

Ready for some MORE savings?!

Those who sign up and have sent their deposits in, will also be entered into a raffle. The drawing will occur on Sunday, December 31st and winners will be announced at midnight to kick off 2018 with a bang! 🎉

First place – First 25 pages edited for FREE, an additional 5% discount, and an autographed copy of one of my short stories (TBD)!

Second place – First 10 pages edited for FREE and an autographed copy of one of my short stories (TBD)!

Third place – First 5 pages edited for FREE and an and an autographed copy of one of my short stories (TBD)!

How to submit a Query:

Follow the same submission guidelines as found on my Editing Services page, but have the subject line read 2018 Editing Query BANG.

If you also sign up for my email list, you will have your name entered into the drawing an extra time. (One extra entry per list signed up for – two available lists). To sign up and have it included as part of the contest, include in your query that you would like to be signed up for my email list(s). Make sure to tell me if you’re interested in one or both of them!

Good luck to all of you dreamers and I look forward to working with you soon!

Lindsey 🙂