Gold Medal Winner - Hieroglyph

Hieroglyph by WJ Scott

5* Reader Favorite Seal #YA #Supernaturalmystery 

Earbuds and Cartouches ~ Review by Barb 

My British dad loved ancient Egypt. So infused with his enthusiasm, I have visited extensive exhibits at the British Museum and Highclere Castle. I also remember waiting in a long, long line to see the King Tut exhibition in Chicago. I'm hooked on Egypt so Ms. Scott's novel, Hieroglyph reeled me in. I loved it.

She is indeed as star-touched as her protagonist, T.C. I love Scott's writing style. She is so skillful at describing her characters or her settings with just the right image. For instance, listen to how she describes a simple protein shake as "green gloop that smelled like radio-active spinach with the consistency of pulped slugs." I believe that YA writers should not write down to kids so I really appreciate her craft and high-level imagery.

We are on a two-fold parallel journey with 13-year-old T.C. and her archaeologist Uncle Max. T.C. with her touch takes us back to an ancient Egyptian voyage to foreign Australian shores. In a frightful, beautifully related storm, the Egyptians go ashore, seeking riches. It is an amusing trip upriver as we see familiar plants, trees and animals through their eyes for the first time. Koalas, kangaroos, and snakes. Oh my!

But mysteries abound. Who was T.C's orphan mother? Are her parents, also archaeologists really dead? And, of course, what does T.C. stand for? (My aunt had a cat named T.C. which stood for Troublesome Cat. Does that work?) Peppered with music on teen earbuds, engaging illustrations by John Helle-Nielsen, and royal cartouches and scarab beetles, Hieroglyph, I hope, is the first of many stories to be told by W. J. Scott. I want to know more about Aunt Letty, the environmentalist and Jett, the rebel. Lots to excavate!

Book Description:

Gold Medal Winner in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2015 9-12 years. 

“Did Ancient Egyptians visit Australia?” 

13 year old TC has a secret. No one knows she possesses a supernatural power. 
Can TC help her Uncle Max, an archaeologist; unearth enough evidence that Ancient Egyptians visited Australia, before he’s discredited in the media by those that want the past to stay buried? 

“Some would say that I have a gift, but to me it’s always been a curse. Before I changed my mind, I tugged off my gloves and whipped my head left and right, checking to see that no one was watching. I sucked in breath and steadied my nerves then thrust my hands against the stones and touched one of the cartouches. Time and place ripped away.” 

An enthralling archaeological mystery, mixing the supernatural with humour and suspense. 

The first of TC’s adventures - an archaeological mystery for junior readers and above. 
Family friendly. 

Available on Amazon: USA   CDN    UK    AU

EXCERPT:

Light shone in Setka’s eyes as he stared out to sea. He swept his hand toward the horizon. “First Adviser, when I accepted this mission I knew there would be perils, but also wonders beyond imagining. Look. We are witnessing something magical.”

Hundreds of grey forms frothed the water, tails and fins gliding through the troughs. Plumes of water were expelled high into the air from blowholes. Then, as graceful as temple dancers, the creatures dived beneath the waves. Their second boat, Windsong, bobbed like a cork behind them and, though many passed nearby, none of the creatures collided with either hull.

One specimen surfaced between the two boats, close enough that if Setka had stretched out his sceptre, he could have touched it with the golden falcon head. A huge eye appraised him for several heartbeats and Setka held his breath before, with hardly a ripple, the creature descended into the depths.

A haunting sound filtered over the slap of the waves. Lord Weserkaf cocked his ear and whispered, “What spell do they weave?”

Prince Setka smiled. “I believe they’re singing to each other under the waves.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Wendy Scott has a New Zealand Certificate in Science (Chemistry), which allows her to dabble with fuming potions and strange substances, satisfying her inner witch.

Wendy writes fantasy and children’s novels.

One of the creeds she lives by is to always – Live a life less ordinary!

Please visit www.wendyjscott.com to learn more, read Wendy’s blog or to leave her a message. She loves hearing from readers.

Pen Names

WJ Scott~ Children’s

Wendy Scott ~ YA / Fantasy

Wendy Jayne ~ Romance

VIC: Time Doesn't Matter

VIC: Time Doesn't Matter

KINDLE SALE – 99 cents in USA only! - November 11th to 16th

Highly creative, exciting adventure ~ Review by Kitty Smith  TOP 500 REVIEWER

If you've ever found yourself wondering if perhaps you've had past lives, then this book should totally captivate your interest. In 1919, twenty-five year old Victoria Custer is a tough, brave young woman who is most certainly not content to behave according to the standards of her day. For over a decade she's experienced these dreams of a life from thousands and thousands of years ago, and eventually she comes to understand that the dreams are actually memories from a past life. While in Africa she sets out on a grand adventure to find her modern day counterpart, the reincarnation of Nu, her mate from prehistoric times.

The brilliance in here is the crafting of the two different lives, that of Victoria and that of Nat-ul. Nat-ul's story comes in dreams but it feels completely realistic, developed to the point it's basically its own story. The more you come to know Nat-ul, the more you understand who Victoria is as well. The writing is skillful and the blending of history, romance, adventure, and perhaps a bit of the paranormal if you consider past lives as such is richly done. Overall an excellent, fast paced, and highly creative story.

A mercilessly agonizing memory can sometimes break a person and render them incapable of facing even the commonplace without being unnerved. Sometimes it can endow a person with near super human ability to take action in any circumstance.

Vic’s memory from a thousand generations past has emboldened her with the daring and determination to embark on an epic quest that may last a lifetime and on any day could take her life. Yet she is prepared to challenge any peril and venture into any danger, known or unknown. She has learned from her mysterious avatar Nat-ul, even when you face the gravest of threats, you need not be brave, you just need to do what needs done, for whatever menace you face, no matter what seems to go wrong, “It’s not hard. It’s just living.”

You need not be brave, you just need to do what needs done…

While big game hunting in Africa Victoria Custer recalls another time she was here and something she lost. Now she wants it back. She begins her search in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and takes brother Barney along and keeps him at his wits end wondering where she is and what he will tell their parents if he must return home alone.

In this first in the Vic series, meet Vic, a new female action hero from the 1920’s. From jungle adventure in Africa to more jungle adventure in the Yucatan, join this new heroine for non-stop excitement! And unless you were around in 1920 some of the accurate historical details will have you saying, “Wow, was it really like that?”

You can check it all out for yourself at Vic’s website with sources all listed and a link to her Pinterest boards. You'll like Vic. She's really nice, loves candy and is definitely a meat eater. She's in to fashion and collects cloches and barrettes. And she just happens to be a deadly expert with several weapons including prehistoric stone war ax and stone knife. And while she will readily cry at something sad or especially happy, don’t confuse emotion with weakness. Vic remembers a time and place that was stupendously savage and any moment might find you chomped and chewed and soaking in the digestive juices of some monstrous creature, so she will walk into things that make brave men cower and cry for their mother.

VIC: Time Doesn't Matter

KINDLE SALE – 99 cents in USA only! - November 11th to 16th

Price of Gold

Price of Gold: TWO WOMEN - TWO CHAMPIONS - TWO WORLDS

Price of Gold is a work of fiction. But it is built on historical truth; painful historical truth; truth that illustrates the often gut-wrenching price of gold, and the efforts of the heroic women involved in this tragic chapter of Olympic history. ~ Mark Flagel at http://www.markflagel.com/

Book Blurb:

Ivy Johnson had never been more ready. The Montreal Summer Olympic Games. July, 1976. The United States just celebrated its 200th anniversary and Ivy, just shy of her 19th birthday, would deliver gold to her country and confirm her place among the greatest swimmers of all time.

Hannah Eberhardt had different ideas. The 16-year-old East German, propelled by a secret guilt and a clandestine truth, crushed Ivy’s dreams and took gold back across the Atlantic, to the Fatherland.

Ivy knew at the time, but couldn’t prove, she was cheated. Disturbing secrets emerging twenty years later, after the fall of East Germany, gave her another chance.

Ivy headed to Germany to peel back the onion, confront her nemesis, and re-claim her glory, but as each layer came off, new, horrifying, and surprising truths emerged.

 

Price of Gold: TWO WOMEN - TWO CHAMPIONS - TWO WORLDS

The Pelagius Game

Volume One - The Pelagius Game: Valstain, rapidly became a bestseller.

Now the narrative, “a magical realm between Heaven and Earth” continues in Book 2 -

Born Villain: The Pelagius Game

Excerpt from Press Release:

Levittown, PA – While most authors use their debut release to do nothing but test the literary waters, R.J. Jerome quickly made it clear that a first novel also presents an opportunity to rival a genre’s bestsellers. After hearing two Catholic Priests whispering during a class, Jerome couldn’t escape a burning question – what if there was a secret realm to the Biblical order that only few would ever get to experience? His ‘The Pelagius Game’ series was born.

Volume one was a roaring success, climbing the bestsellers lists and spawning a growing band of dedicated fans. Volume two, ‘Born Villain’, is finally here.

There’s no real way to compartmentalize this book or series,” explains the author. “It boasts all the hallmarks of intricate fantasy, while also attempting to explore many of the mysteries that exist in the Biblical world. As mentioned, I was inspired after witnessing two priests whispering very intently at a class on Catholicism, and my mind started racing with the possibilities that could make up their conversation. Perhaps it was about something they didn't want the rest of humanity to hear?!

Continuing, “Initial feedback to this second installment has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’m fiercely writing volume three. There’s still plenty to explore.”

Jerome isn’t exaggerating; his readers have praised the book with five-star success. Veronica comments, “What an epic fantasy tale filled with mystery and intrigue! I absolutely loved it! I am a huge fan of this genre of fantasy writing and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by how good this story was. It is of the same quality as any of the big fantasy realm stories such as "Lord of The Rings" or "The Hunger Games". The characters have been brilliantly developed... each with its own unique identity and aura. The story line flows nicely with plenty of twists and turns and cliff hanger moments that keep you fully engaged. All in all this was a great book that kept my imagination locked in. 5 big stars!”

Another reader adds, “I loved the first book but this book is even better. I can't wait for the next.”

Born Villain: The Pelagius Game

THE BELIEF in Angels

"Last night I dreamt Moses and I were rowing underwater.

We could breathe and talk to one another.

We rowed past schools of fish

and sea anemones and Moses named them for me."

--Jules Finn (heroine)

In Yates’ debut novel, a woman growing up in a dysfunctional family and her Holocaust-survivor grandfather are shaped by their experiences of surviving pain through moments of grace. Alternating sections from [her two protagonists'] points of view follow their emotional journeys, Yates shows much skill in description, characterization and dialogue, and she’s insightful about the mental state of abused children . . . Yates vividly evokes time and place. Well-written. ~ Kirkus Reviews

THE BELIEF IN Angels by J. Dylan Yates (Guest Article)

Growing up in her parents’ crazy hippie household on a tiny island off the coast of Boston, Jules’s imaginative sense of humor is the weapon she wields to dodge household chaos. But somewhere between routine discipline with horsewhips, gun-waving gambling debt collectors, and LSD-laced breakfast cereal adventures, tragedy strikes with the death of her younger brother—a blow from which Jules may never fully recover.

Jules’ story alternates with that of her Grandfather Samuel, a man with a sad story of his own. Samuel, once called Szaja, is an orthodox Jew who lived through the murderous Ukrainian pogroms of the 1920s and the Majdanek Death Camp—but whose survival came at a price that’s haunted him for years.

Winner of a 2014 USA BEST BOOKS award, THE BELIEF IN Angels, is a gripping, heart-rending family saga that explores the darkest side of human nature— and the incontrovertible, uplifting power of hope, spans more than fifty years, from the Ukrainian pogroms in the 1920's to a chaotic Hippie Household in the late 1970's. Vividly drawn, breathtakingly insightful, beautiful and heartbreaking!

Author J. Dylan Yates

From J. Dylan Yates ~ Amazon Author Page:

THE BELIEF IN Angels, Dylan's debut novel, was written over the course of many years while she attempted a number of BFA-related jobs, including: waitressing, teaching, corporate training, real estate, nursing, interior design, directing, acting, producing, parenting, library science and reluctant housewifery.

Prior to publication, THE BELIEF IN ANGELS won the Alexis Masters Scholarship Award at the February 2012 San Francisco Writers Conference as well as a Los Angeles Book Festival Award.
Stay in touch via her webpage: www.jdylanyates.com

THE BELIEF IN Angels is available on Amazon!