Good Deeds Challenge, Year 2, Week 31

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year, now I am into my second year.

This week I’ve been doing the following;

November 16th – Day 16 of the Mystery November book tour and it was the turn of Tracy Lawson from Dallas, Texas and her book Counteract. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5OA

This afternoon we are hosting a birthday tea for the in-laws.

November 17th – My morning helping at school. The Sand Bluff Murders by C.M. Albrecht is today’s book on the Mystery Tour http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Nv

November 18th – Day 18 of the Mystery Book Tour and it the turn of Gregg Bell and his book Jamie’s Gamble http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5NG

Busy day today, My Mother’s birthday and my parents Golden Wedding Anniversary, my brother is travelling from his farm in Cornwall and we are taking them out to dinner this evening.

November 19th- Up early today and cleared out the lounge ready for delivery of a new sofa and chair, all ready for the 7am to 6pm delivery slot! Caught up on loads of paperwork and twiddled my thumps until 3.45pm, spent the evening trying out all the new seating positions, well you have to don’t you when it’s new!

Today’s book on the tour was Center Point by Robert Clark. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Ow

November 20th – Promised to help chase a payment for a friend when I next go to work. The book today on the mystery tour is Prime Deception by Carys Jones. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Np

November 21st – Finished reading The Gift Horse by Leslie Stilton and wrote out my review. Today’s mystery book was Steps into Darkness by Ben Woodard. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5S8

November 22nd – Read and reviewed Home For Christmas by Jan Ruth The mystery book today was The Haunting of Secrets by Shelley Pickens. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Qe

Mystery Book Tour Day 21 #MysteryNovember Steps Into Darkness By Ben Woodard

Today’s guest on our Mystery November Tour is Ben Woodard with his YA mystery book Steps Into Darkness

Where is your home town?

I come from Lexington, Kentucky, USA

How long have you been writing?

Approximately six years

Tell us where and when Steps Into Darkness is set. 

A small town in Kentucky called Shakertown because the religious group, the Shakers, once lived there. The story is set in 1923

What is your favourite sub-genre of mystery?

Historical

What is your target reading age for this book?  

Primarily boys ages 10 to 15 although girls like the story.

Introduce us to Tom Wallace.  

Tom is an orphan boy who lives with his cousin, Will, in a house owned by Will’s parents. Tom is short, thin and shy, but he has a horrific secret that causes him to be moody, angry and to take incredible chances. He’s a misfit in the small Kentucky town he lives in since he loves to read, but hates to hunt and farm. He wants to escape this “backwater” as he calls it, but has no money and no where to go. Tom is curious, loves mysteries and is always ready to try something new.

Tell us about the Explosion

Cousins Tom and Will go to a dam construction site with two local girls. They are going to watch a planned explosion on the far side of the valley and have a picnic. However, right after the planned detonation, another explosion occurs on a hill above and they look up in terror to see rock and dirt barrelling toward them.

What is the element of mystery in this book?  

Someone is sabotaging the building of a huge dam and the two boys snoop around causing attempts on their lives. A bewildering number of suspects keeps them on edge until they discover the real villain–and then wish they hadn’t.

Tell us what you are working on at the moment.

I’m working on the third book in the Shakertown Adventure Series called The Staircase Of Fire. I hope to have it available early next year. It is a continuation of the first two stories and in this one the reader will learn the entire story of Tom’s secret.

Where can readers find out more about you?

They can go to my website at http://www.BooksByBen.com or find me on Facebook at http://facebook.com/benswoodard.

US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EKB5YAG

 

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00EKB5YAG

 

All other countries:  Amazon.com: Steps Into Darkness (A Shakertown Mystery Adventure Book 2) eBook: Ben Woodard: Kindle Store

Special Offer this book, only $0.99/ 77p  November 21st and 22nd.

Rosie’s Good Read Collections – Children’s books

Welcome to “Rosie’s Good read Collections”, I’ve put together the books I’ve read into subject headings that I think the books belong to, for you to browse. Some of these books would easily cross over into the Young Adult market too.

Hurrah! This is the first in the Becoming Anorak Nid series by Alix B macey. Perfect for 8+ children + reluctant readers. Nid avoids water at all costs – in whatever form it takes; puddles, ice-bergs, baths, even spit – do you? In the face of all this, for goodness sake don’t spill the beans, but Nid has a job to do – will he be able to pull it off though? Purposefully, with a touch of mysterious silence, lurking in the corner of Mr. Busy’s bumble sale – underneath holey socks, smelly jumpers and odd knickers, is the magical answer to all of Nid’s bonkers thinking – that could change his life forever… Joined by his astonishing mute ant friend, Sile Ant – who for obvious reasons has no speaking part (quite odd in a book really?), Nid heads off on one of the most challenging adventures he will ever have to undertake –ever, in the whole world of England. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk. Amazon.com. My Review;http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2MN Alix is a local author and I was very pleased to support her work.

 Whoopee! Phew..the story thankfully continues in this, the 2nd in the exciting fictional children’s adventure “Becoming Anorak Nid” Series by Alix. B Macey.
Has he become Anorak Nid, or has he began to become? Is he becoming… or just beginning? When we left Nid things were getting very strange indeed. Where had Cricket the cricket mysteriously disappeared to? What was that ribboned scroll in his inside toffee wrapper pocket of his new anorak and just who were those mysteriously vague words intended for?
If you think this is all strange enough (or absolutely boring) you haven’t even started yet! Things are really starting to get a wee bit kooky in “Becoming Anorak Nid, in a second – and why orange marmalade really isn’t his colour!” Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, My Review;http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2Qs

Explosions, sabotage, caves, deadly warnings and a dangerous red-haired man. Imagine The Hardy Boys meet Tom Sawyer. Add a layer of teen angst and excitement plus a mysterious group trying to stop a new dam while stirring up racial tensions. That’s STEPS INTO DARKNESS, the next book in the Shakertown Adventure Series by Ben Woodard. Fourteen-year-old Tom Wallace again makes plans to escape the small town in the 1923 Kentucky countryside. The town that won’t let him forget his past, when a horrific event changes his mind. He teams with his cousin Will and young FBI agent Rick Sweeney to try to solve a perplexing mystery. Attempts on the boys’ lives and a bewildering list of suspects keep them on edge and confused. An old man gives them a clue that leads to a false accusation and embarrassment until they discover the real villain, and then wish they hadn’t. STEPS INTO DARKNESS is a fun, page-turning thriller with a hint of romance that delivers adventure and mystery while exploring the fears of a teen living with a frightful memory. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, My Review; http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2MC

Rhyllann Jones’s geeky cousin Wren is convinced an ancient diary can lead them to the mythical treasure of Bad King John, last seen 900 years ago. Trouble is, “The Brotherhood” will stop at nothing to get to it first. Even more dangerous in Rhyllann’s eyes is Detective Inspector Crombie. This father of four daughters knows Rhyllann is lying, and is certain Wren is a master manipulator. Crombie is determined to keep the boys safe at any costs. This leads “The Brotherhood” to take desperate action to learn the secrets Wren keeps, plunging Crombie and Rhyllann into a race against time across the wild Cornish moors. “But the treasure is guarded. He who wishes to enter the secret chamber must first ensure he knows of the Celtic rites and mysteries. No other hand is permitted to touch Caliburn, sacred sword of the Celtic Nations.” The Celtic Cousin Adventures continue with A Ripple in Time, a time travelling fantasy, and An Explosive Time in which Crombie makes a comeback, along with a surprising guest star. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com. Several of Julia’s other books would also fit here, The Griffin Cryer appeared in my YA collection, and Julia has a new book out The Griffin’s Boy, which I am planning on reviewing in March.

Good Deeds week October 27th – November 2nd

This is my weekly diary of a year long challenge that I set myself back in April. I am attempting to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year. Along the way I’ve met some lovely people who have joined or supported me in the challenge and I hope to be able to get us an interview with the lady who inspired it all Judith O’Reilly.

October 27th – Today I shall write a letter to an Aunt and arrange a visit for December. We’ve been helping to some house clearing and have unearthed some of her old school books and pictures/ photographs which we will take to her. Good Deeds received; Given from garden fresh tomatoes and apples.

October 28th – It’s the school half term holidays so I can’t rely on my morning of volunteering at school today as my Good Deed. After a night of horrific storms across Britain, I’m e-mailing friends today to make sure they are all ok.

October 29th – Did some litter picking after the storm and tidied up some shared pathways which had tree debris strewn all over them. Good Deeds received; Thank you to fellow authors who have been spreading word across cyber space about my own book.

October 30th – My youngest child went to play at a friends house so I sent along some biscuits for them all to share. Good deeds received; Having my child to play then dropping him home afterwards.

October 31st – Dropped some items over to my Mum and spent a bit of time visiting. Good Deeds received; Came home with some lovely pears from the garden.

November 1st – Fleet Life’s November issue went online today www.fleetlife.org.uk where my book review page can be found on Page 56 this month. Featured books and the 5 lucky authors are; “The Singing Dagger” by Kylie Sabra, “Good Husband Material” by Trisha Ashley, “Inceptio” by Alison Morton, “Becoming Anorak Nid” by local author Alix B Macey and “Steps into Darkness” by Ben Woodard.

November 2nd – Am just sorting out the books for the December issue of Fleet Life because the copy deadline is quite early. Mum has a working computer again after a lightening strike frazzled her last one, then a power failure delayed all the delivery and sorting. Have been helping with advice to get her e-mails back up and running. Ended up going over to my Mum’s and spending 3 hours tweaking her new computer. Good Deeds received: Came home with two jars of bottles pears which the kids love.

November issue of Fleet Life

This month’s issue of Fleet Life is now available online go to www.fleetlife.org.uk click on the online Directory and Rosie’s Good Reads are on page 56 this month.

This month’s featured books and authors are;

“The Singing Dagger” by Kylie Sabra

“Good Husband Material” by Trisha Ashley

“Inceptio” by Alison Morton

“Becoming Anorak Nid” by Alix B Macey

“Steps into Darkness” by Ben Woodard

Guest Author Ben Woodard

After yesterday’s book review of “Steps into Darkness” by Ben Woodard, please welcome Ben as out guest author today on the blog. Book review here http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2MC

Let’s find out more about Ben;

1. Where is your hometown?

Lexington Kentucky. I was born here, travelled around the world, and ended up back home. A great place to be.

2) How long have you been writing?

I started writing short stories almost six years ago primarily for my grandkids. During that time I also told stories in the local schools sometimes using my short stories. The stories certainly weren’t publishable, but the kids liked them. I didn’t seriously begin to write until maybe two years later. I haven’t stopped yet.

3)Have you always written children’s books?

Yes, so far that’s all I’ve been interested in writing. I wrote a couple of short stories for adults just for fun, but my real interest is writing books for kids. And especially boys, since there is fewer YA books for them and since they need to read more. My goal is to write adventure books that will encourage reluctant boy readers to try books. I hope girls and adults will like them, too.

4)Yesterday on the blog, I reviewed “Steps Into Darkness”, the second book in the Shakertown adventures. Tell us a bit about this series.

I started writing what is going to be the third book in the Shakertown Adventure Series about four years ago as a story about my dad growing up in the small town of Shakertown in rural Kentucky. I never had any intention of publishing the book, it was just something I wrote during NaNoWriMo to see if I could write 50,000 words in a month. I showed it to several people and they liked the interaction between the two boys and were interested in the historical aspects of the story. I then decided to write at least three books about two boys growing up in the twenties and I would include the problems of the day such as racism and sexism. Writing the first two has been great fun. The third needs to be rewritten and I hope to have it out by mid 2014.

5) Why did you choose this period of history to write about?

I knew very little about this time in history, only what my dad and some relatives have told me, but I was interested in the excitement and freedom that young boys would have had growing up in a time like this. The younger cousin, Tom, is an orphan, and my dad had lost his parents by the time he was twelve. So many kids at that time in history had to make it on their own and were allowed to do things that children today could only dream about. That sounded like the makings of great adventure books.

6) Tom and Will have a great friendship. How easy was it to keep the adventure going as well as the showing the reader the value of friends?

That was something that just seemed to come naturally to me. I grew up in the fifties and in many ways it was a similar time to the twenties. My male friends and I had quite a bit of freedom just to roam the neighbourhood and the nearby farm fields without much supervision. And we were always cutting up with each other. I’ve been told my dialog is spot on for boys, but it’s the way we talked as kids. I think the two boys are an amalgam of three or four friends I had, as well as my father and myself.

 7) You’ve written several other books, can you tell us about the boy who flew with Eagle’s books?

There is only one book at this time about the boy Naa’ki and his adventures with the eagles. It’s a short middle grade book that I wrote over a weekend again thinking I would never publish it, but it has been amazing to see the number of people who have liked the story. I talked to several agents and editors and they said it was much too short to traditionally publish, and I’m sure they were right. The book is a bit unusual in that it’s written as a middle grade, but as much shorter than most middle grades and is illustrated. It’s not a book that would be commercially successful, but it has been read and enjoy by people all the world. And it is being used as an aid in Bulgaria and Germany to teach adults English.

8) What other books have you also written?

I’ve written two short stories that tie-in with the Shakertown adventure series—The Hunt and The Trestle, and The Trestle is free on most ebook sites. The third short story, a terrible price, is a sequel to the boy who flew with Eagles.

9) I believe you love adventures yourself? What have you been up to recently?

Due to a couple of serious surgeries in the last two years I haven’t had many big adventures. I always manage to walk and hike, but I’m really ”chomping at the bit” to get out and do a bigger adventure. The last one was a bicycle ride from Cumberland, Maryland to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania along the great Allegheny bike path. It was a three-day ride and I would love to do that again.

10) What are you working on at the moment? Do you have a planned publication date?

I seem to be working on a dozen different things at once. I’m attempting to get all my books into print versions and my goal is to have that done by the end of November. Also, I have another novelette about the same size as the boy who flew with Eagles that is in the final edits. It will be another unusual book in that a local photographer will be supplying pictures of trees for the story which is about a young boy’s adventure in an ancient forest in Ireland. Another project is a middle grade paranormal trilogy that one agent has shown some interest in acquiring. Writing is my new career and I’m loving it.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4337426.Ben_Woodard?from_search=true

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ben-Woodard/e/B005J3HR1S/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1382187992&sr=1-2-ent

http://www.amazon.com/Ben-Woodard/e/B005J3HR1S/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1382188092&sr=1-2-ent

https://twitter.com/benswoodard

BooksByBen.com

The Boy Who Flew With Eagles on Kindle

A Stairway To Danger 

Thanks for the interview Rosie. I appreciate it.

You’re very Welcome Ben, good Luck with the writing, and Thanks for being our guest today.

Steps into Darkness by Ben Woodard

Steps Into Darkness by Ben Woodard

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Steps into Darkness is a great book for boys and girls. Set in Kentucky in the 1920’s the story quickly follows the adventures of two boys, who seek to solve a mystery. A dam is being built and there are many people who oppose the scheme. Tom, with Will’s help, makes a list of suspects and set off on their own investigation, but they end up in a whole pile of trouble. This is a well written, fast paced book. Tom was a great character making his love of reading play a useful part in the story. The historical setting of the book was a pleasure to read.

Find a copy here on Amazon.

View all my reviews