Friday, February 10, 2012

Winners, Winners, Chicken Dinners

I'm excited to announce the winners of the three Amazon gift cards (and a little surprise.) This whole tour was fantastic, and I honestly wish I could give prizes to everyone who posted on their blogs, and to all the people who commented, but alas the well doesn't run that deep over here at casa del Pease. So without furthur ado, the winners:

Winner of a $50 Amazon Gift card for the most comments goes to:
Mom Loves 2 Read, with a whopping 443 comments across her two blogs!
http://lovez2read.blogspot.com
http://btweenprose.blogspot.com

This blew me away! Over 400 people learned at least a little about Noah Zarc because of this blog post. YAY! Thanks so much! Your gift card should be in your email box now!

Winner of a $50 Amazon Gift Card for the most creative post goes to:
Sher A Hart. Really how could I not give it to someone who has a cool Earth shot for a background, and posted a Noah's Ark matching game as part of her entry?
http://sherahart.blogspot.com

Thanks so much for all you did to make your post stand out, and help people learn about Noah Zarc! Your gift card should be in your email box now!

Winner of a $50 Amazon Gift Card for one random commentor goes to:
Vanita (my brother-in-law's sister is named Vanita) for her comment on the PragmaticMom website.
http://www.pragmaticmom.com Thanks so much! I contacted you on your website, so send me your email so I can get the gift card to you right away!

Bonus Gift Card
And now for the surprise. I was so touched by all the comments from the students at Oelwein Middle School, I decided to give a bonus $25 Amazon Gift Card to their teacher, Mrs. Duff. http://spottoread.blogspot.com Thanks so much for all you do. Teacher's Rock! Your gift card should be in your email box now!

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Praise for Book Bloggers

After two months, forty-seven blog posts, and hundreds of commentors, the Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble blog tour has come to an end. It was a blast! It was a ton of work! And I'm so glad I did it. In the end, my biggest takeaway is how amazing the book blogger community is. For each and every one of you that took the time to read through Noah Zarc, I am so very thankful. I know it wasn't always the kind of book you liked (I mean if you aren't a tweener boy, you may not be in the right demographic), but I'm so grateful for all your kind words, and support. For all the great author interviews, thanks as well. You had be cracking up with some of your questions. Book bloggers are the new, New York Times reporters. You are the folks that get books from us new authors, noticed. I hope I was able to do my small part to get you more readers too.

Over the next few days I'll be working on getting the list of winners together. The most creative post, will come first. I do want to give a few days for the folks near the end of the tour to garner some more comments, so keep at the promotion if you like. I think I said I'd announce a winner for that category ten days after the close of the tour. So around January 10th. I'll also announce the random commentor winner then.

In the meantime, if you haven't had a chance to check out all the great posts, here is the final wrap up. Thanks again, and here's to undiscovered worlds!

January 31 - Stop Forty-seven | Interview - The last and final stop on the blog tour! Thanks for some great questions, Book Nerd! Find out what my favorite gadget is in the Noah Zarc Universe. http://booknerdsacrossamerica.blogspot.com

January 30 - Stop Forty-six | Review - "This is a wild ride from the word "Go". I totally recommend this book to kids and adults, alike who enjoy falling into the pages of a book and being swept away in a world created just for them to enjoy. Great book!" http://lotsocats100-fascinatingbooks.blogspot.com/

January 27 - Stop Forty-five | Review - "If I had read this book at age 10, I think it would have made me love SF just as much as reading Asimov did. If you like the non-stop action and humor of Rick Riordan’s Olympians books, I think you’ll also like Noah Zarc." http://sherahart.blogspot.com

January 24 - Stop Forty-three and Forty-four | Review - A nice review, posted in two places. "I LOVED IT! Noah Zarc Mammoth Trouble is an excellent middle grade adventure that keeps the reader on the edge of his/her seat." http://lovez2read.blogspot.com and http://btweenprose.blogspot.com

January 19 - Stop Forty-two | Review - "The characters were diverse and fun, the plot was intriguing, and the writing was very good. I would, overall, say this was a fantastic and fun middle grade novel." http://bookishlybloggers.blogspot.com

January 17 - Stop Forty-one | Review - A fun, acrostic review. "There are a lot of great things to love about this book" http://www.cegesmith.com

January 16 - Stop Forty | Review - "This book was fun! I rarely read sci-fi or books with characters that are twelve, but I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy this book." http://cleanteenfiction.blogspot.com

January 14 - Stop Thirty-nine | Interview - Find out what I really think of the possibility of time-travel, and the all important question, "Vanilla or chocolate ice-cream?" http://riteshkala.wordpress.com

January 14 - Stop Thirty-eight | Review - "The story of Noah Zarc, although set in a science fiction world is really a thriller, and I can say that the action never stops!" http://riteshkala.wordpress.com

Friday, January 13, 2012

Blog Tour Roundup, The Third

It has been a while since I did a blog tour roundup. The holidays got the best of me. So here we go. There are some good ones. Feel free to join in the conversations on these posts. You could win $50.

As always you can visit the blog tour page to keep up with current posts. Only a couple more weeks and we'll be announcing the winners.

January 11 - Stop Thirty-seven | Review - "The plot is compelling and has surprising depth. And the characters are fully developed with none of the stereotyping that plagues so many kids’ action stories." http://www.achilleseffect.com

January 11 - Stop Thirty-six | Review - The awesome Karen Pokras Toz and I swapped reviews today. You can see my review of her book Nate Rocks the World on my blog, and see what she had to say about Noah Zarc on hers: http://kptoz.blogspot.com

January 7 - Stop Thirty-five | Review - "This book was totally delightful. While it is a children’s book, middle-grade, to be exact, I enjoyed every minute of it." http://www.simplistik.org/

January 6 - Stop Thirty-four | Review - "This is a great book for middle grade boys who just can't get enough of futuristic reads..." http://beautyandthearmageddon.blogspot.com

January 6 - Stop Thirty-three | Review - Someone really understands who the target market is for the book: "Young readers will find themselves glued to the pages as Noah and his siblings begin the journey to save their father from the Ice Age and to rescue their kidnapped mother." http://bookemadventures.blogspot.com

January 4 - Stop Thirty-two | Review - I love being mentioned along with the excellent Rick Riordan. "If You Like Percy Jackson, try Noah Zarc. Time Travel Action Adventure Series (and the Physics of Time Travel)" http://www.pragmaticmom.com

January 4 - Stop Thirty-one | Review - "I thought Noah Zarc was an excellent reader for young minds. I loved how the story unfolded, drawing the reader into the world of the Zarcs." http://www.madmoosemama.blogspot.com

January 3 - Stop Thirty | Interview - Find out just what the heck is going on with Noah's face on the cover, and get a sneak peek at the cover for the sequel, Noah Zarc: Cataclysm. http://sugarpeach.wordpress.com

January 1 - Stop Twenty-Nine | Review - A fun review at the Book Reaper. "Okay Noah, being a kid with no legs and having to do all that you did in this book. I feel bad. Not for you but for myself. I get angry for getting up to do the dishes." http://bookreaper.blogspot.com

December 30 - Stop Twenty-Eight | Review - "This book was totally delightful. While it is a children’s book, middle-grade, to be exact, I enjoyed every minute of it." http://www.simplistik.org

December 29 - Stop Twenty-Seven | Review - Maybe we've got a new science fiction fan. "I normally do not read science fiction, but I think Noah Zarc may have changed my mind about the genre just a little." http://krazybooklady.blogspot.com

December 27 - Stop Twenty-Six | Review - Despite finding some typos--will they never die?--the reviewer still liked it the story. "...the story is interesting. The climax had just the right amount of action and suspense." http://sugarpeach.wordpress.com

December 22 - Stop Twenty-five | Interview - This time I get interviewed, and I spill the beans about what Noah's name started out as. Hint, it ryhmes with Japheth (well kind of). http://manda-b.blogspot.com

December 22 - Stop Twenty-Four | Interview - Another fun interview of Noah himself. This kid's a trip. Find out which he prefers, life on Mars, Earth or in outer space. http://blogonlinerandom.blogspot.com

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Nate Rocks the World

One of the great things I've discovered about being a published author, is all the cool people I get to meet. Someone who definitely falls into that category is Karen Pokras Toz. It seemed everywhere I was hanging out online, she was there. So I decided I must check out this lady's work, and I bought Nate Rocks the world. I found it fun and a great book for kids who maybe aren't that big into reading themselves. I'd highly recommend it for those kids who are ready to move past the picture books their parents read them, but maybe aren't quite ready for the longer reads such as Percy Jackson or Artemis Fowl.

Here's my review:

Kids Will Love It!
Nate Rockledge isn't your typical ten-year-old. Even when life throws him curve balls (or kick balls as the case may be) he knows exactly how to have a good time. His imagination takes him from hitting the winning home run, to the wild west, to the reaches of space. Your kids will love riding along with Nate as he jumps from one adventure to the next. They'll enjoy every minute of it, because quite simply, Nate Rocks!

Links:

Website: www.karentoz.com
Blog: http://kptoz.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/karenptoz
Twitter: www.twitter.com/karentoz
Amazon: http://amzn.to/txbX0Z
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/uviYpn
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5009570.Karen_Pokras_Toz

Author Bio:

Karen Pokras Toz is a writer, wife and mom. Karen grew up in Orange, Connecticut and graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Finance. She also attended the University of Richmond, where she studied law and business, receiving both a JD and an MBA. Karen has spent the last several years working as a tax accountant, writing in numbers. She recently discovered a passion for writing with words. In June 2011, Karen published her first children’s novel Nate Rocks the World. She is currently working on the second book in the Nate Rocks series to be published in 2012.

Karen is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), Association of Independent Authors (AIA), and the Independent Author Network (IAN). Karen enjoys gardening, cooking, and spending time with her husband and three children.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Blog Tour Roundup, Part Deux

The blog tour has been going strong. I am loving it! (Although I've been sick the past few days so I'm not sure what I'm feeling beyond my cold-medicine-induced-fog.) We've had some cool reviews and interviews. You can still follow the tour on twitter, and on my facebook page, as well as my website, and now my new Google+ page too. Take a look at the links listed below. Leave a comment, and you could possibly win a $50 Amazon gift card.

Also if you want to join the blog tour it's not too late. There are spots still open. You can register here.

Without further ado, here's post eleven through twenty-three:

December 21 - Stop Twenty-Three | Review - "With unexpected twists in the plot, the addition of a brilliant cave girl, parallels to Star Wars and The Hitchhiker’s Guide, this was a book that I could not put down! I read it in two days and enjoyed it thoroughly!" http://becauseisaidsothathswhy.blogspot.com

December 20 - Stop Twenty-two | Review - There seems to be a theme in these reviews, "This was a surprisingly good read! I was a little hesitant at first because it's not something I would typically read. Especially it being more for a younger audience, but I was pleasantly surprised." http://drowning-in-books.blogspot.com

December 19 - Stop Twenty-one | Review - Another fun review. "I loved this story! It was fresh and fast paced..." http://wwwburiedinbooks.blogspot.com

December 19 - Stop Twenty | Review - I love that she went into this pretty sure she wasn't going to like the book, and ended up liking it quite a bit. Also she's got a couple of cool Noah Zarc themed recipies like "Mars Punch" to round out her post. www.mydevotionalthoughts.com

December 18 - Stop Nineteen | Interview - A fun interview in which I answer the all important question: dogs or cats? http://thebookscapereport.blogspot.com

December 18 - Stop Eighteen | Review - Another fun review (I love the photos she sprinkled throughout). "The story's extremely well written and I recommend this book to kids,parents & teachers. It's the perfect novel for middle graders and I believe it would make a great lesson in school!" http://www.kindleandme.com

December 17 - Stop Seventeen | Review - This blogger mommy is always on the lookout for new reads. "This is a definite hidden gem for young and old alike. Be sure to get your little ones reading this whether it takes bribery to get them to look at a book, or, they have read your entire local library and they need new options!" mommybookpicks.blogspot.com

December 15 - Stop Sixteen | Review - A most excellent and detailed review. Followed by another great review by the blogger's ten-year-old son! I love it! "This was a fascinating story full of wonder and adventure, which I find surprising considering the fact that I normally don't like books that my dad recommends." http://www.christophergodsoe.com

December 14 - Stop Fifteen | Review - Another really nice review. (There are some fantastic people out there.) "It was interesting and fun, and I enjoyed every word of it." http://thebookscapereport.blogspot.com

December 14 - Stop Fourteen | Review - Love this line from today's review: "Noah is your average twelve-year-old kid... except that instead of playing sports or video games, he flies space ships and time travels and saves extinct marmosets." http://manda-b.blogspot.com

December 12 - Stop Thirteen | Interview - My take on self-publishing for a middle grade audience, and thoughts on adapting Biblical stories for a modern audience. http://www.susankayequinn.com

December 12 - Stop Twelve | Review - I got such a kick out of this review. She was by far the most enthusiastic review to date. Check it out and see if she puts a smile on your face too. http://karlacc-bookaddict.blogspot.com

December 12 - Stop Eleven | Interview - This blogger really had me thinking. Find out what I mean when I say a story should be "epic." http://beautyandthearmageddon.blogspot.com

Friday, December 16, 2011

The Death Cure

By James Dashner

The final book in the Maze Runner Trilogy ended the series nicely. It didn't have quite the punch the previous two books had, but I'm not sure what else he could have done. I certainly don't think he should have just stuck them all in another test like he did with book two (the same way The Hunger Games did with book two... I see a trend here). But one thing I struggled with throughout all the books is the big question of why. Why were these kids subjected to these horrific acts inside and outside the maze? And I don't feel like Mr. Dashner quite answered that question satisfactorily for me. Too much of the plot seemed forced. Sure it's cool to put kids through all this torture (from a reader's perspective), but I never felt the reasons were solid enough. BUT if you ignore all that, and just enjoy the ride, it was a fun series. I would still recommend reading it, just be aware that it may not be all tied up in a neat package by the end.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Book Tour Roundup - First 10 Days

I have been having a great time reading all the posts from all these excellent bloggers. It is so amazing to get other people's views on a book that has been mostly a labor-of-love for just me for several years now. I've been posting regular links to the posts on twitter, and on my facebook page, as well as my website, but I thought I'd just do an update every ten days or so here on the blog too. Take a look at the links listed below. Leave a comment, and you could possibly win a $50 Amazon gift card.

Also if you want to join the blog tour it's not too late. There are spots still open. You can register here.

Thanks, and I hope you enjoy!

December 9 - Stop Ten | Interview - The writing coach is back with some more interview questions. Find out what I think is the most important element that makes a good story (hint it has to do with things blowing up.) http://mywritingandeditingcoach.blogspot.com/

December 8 - Stop Nine | Review - Another really nice review, from a science nerd like me (no offence meant.) She also discovered one of the hidden easter eggs in the story: http://stefanides.wordpress.com

December 8 - Stop Eight | Interview - Noah Zarc, Jr. is interviewed on subjects ranging from his favorite animals to his favorite movies (Star Wars or Star Trek). A shipload of fun: http://triciakristufek.wordpress.com

December 7 - Stop Seven | Review - A detailed summary (contains some spoilers) and review of Noah Zarc. "Noah Zarc proved to be a delightful read overall." Have a look: http://jasonbeineke.wordpress.com

December 6 - Stop Six | Interview - As you read this interview you will learn about my twin brother, Chip, and how he impacted my writing career: http://donna-mcdine.blogspot.com

December 5 - Stop Five | Interview - First interview for the tour. Find out just what all those animals on the ARC are eating. http://thecrookedword.blogspot.com

December 4 - Stop Four | Review - Oh man, there's nothing better than getting an awesome review from an amazing kid! Take a look. Seems like a young man that's going places: http://kidsnbooksdonna.blogspot.com

December 3 - Stop Three | Review - A fun review from Nancy over at Tumbling Books. "...this book was totally entertaining! I read most of it in just one sitting." Read the whole review here: http://tumblingbooks.blogspot.com

December 2 - Stop Two | Review - An Editing Coach uses Noah Zarc to illustrate a literary archetype, the Coming of Age story. Have a read: http://mywritingandeditingcoach.blogspot.com

December 1 - First up! | Review - A great review by Mrs. Duff at Oelwein Middle School. She sounds like a fantastic teacher. Check it out: http://spottoread.blogspot.com