Walking the Dog

I promised to show you the cover for my newest novel coming out from Musa Publishing's Euterpe Imprint, and guess what? This one finally features a dog on the cover.

Walking the Dog releases on September 21, 2012 so you don't have long to wait! It will be available as an ebook, in all formats. Here's the synopsis:

Jared is smitten when his teacher seats the new girl, Sophie, right next to him. Even with the scar running up the side of her face, Jared thinks she’s the most beautiful girl in the entire fifth grade. But why did she transfer here so late in the year? Rumors say something bad happened to her.

Jared and Sophie become friends while walking the guidance counselor’s new puppy, but when his parents object to this arrangement, Jared fabricates a series of elaborate lies to meet Sophie on the sly. But little brothers can be pests. First Petey lets the orange cat loose at the animal shelter where Jared and Sophie have been secretly walking the dogs. Then Petey turns up missing.

And Sophie's past finally catches up with her.

Walking the Dog will be priced at only $2.99, so I hope you'll buy a copy when it comes out. In fact, it's already listed on Goodreads right here,  if you'd like to add it to your to-read list.

Book Bloggers - Let me know if you'd like a review copy.

Thanks to all of my readers and fans, and everyone who has supported my writing career through the years. Your support means a lot to me!

Meet Sharon Ledwith

Today I'd like to welcome author Sharon Ledwith, who has a brand new book out from Musa Publishing, and it looks fantastic!

Sharon – Can you tell us a little about The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis?

Actually, Linda, the blurb says it best:

When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.

I absolutely love this cover, Sharon. Did you have any input with the cover designer?
 
Yes! My cover design artist, Kelly Shorten is awesome to work with. It was her idea to add the blue jewel (which I call a Babel) in the middle of the cover. I had a marketing company use it to create a branding logo for my website and blog. I suggested using the arch, as Kelly originally had white columns running up the sides. I’d forgotten how fun it was to get back into design since we owned a graphic trade company for over twenty years, which we sold in 2004.

Tell us a little bit about your writing journey. You’re a bit of a late bloomer, like me. How did you end up writing for children?

Sigh. I had a dream in the late 90s. In this dream, I saw seven arches, and there were seven people (five kids, two adults) with crystals in their hands, walking up to these arches. It definitely had an “Indiana Jones” feel to it. At that time, I was writing a paranormal romance (before there was a distinct genre) and had no intention of writing a middle-grade/young adult book like The Last Timekeepers. So, I thought I’d challenge myself and write a novel—a series—that would appeal to my son, who at the time was the target age of my audience. I’ve always loved the time travel genre, so I imagined the arches I saw vividly in my dream as time portals. It was a no-brainer for me.

Do you have a favorite character in The Last Timekeepers? Who is it and why?

This is the second time I’ve been asked this. When it rains, it pours! Okay, truth be told, Treena Mui has a soft spot in my heart. She’s great with the comebacks. She’s a natural when it comes to one-liners and puns. That was me as a teen. I guess I relate to her warped sense of humor.

What was the most difficult part of writing this book?

Hmmm? The rewrite. I had to pull the manuscript apart, on the insistence of my publishing company, Musa Publishing, and make it a stand alone point-of-view in Amanda Sault’s voice. You see, originally I submitted my manuscript with each chapter being in a different character’s point-of-view. My editor loved the core ideas and teachings the book offered, but thought it was confusing. So, I bent to the forces of the universe, and revised the entire manuscript. Easy-peasy. Not. The silver lining is that I get to pen four more novels in the other main character’s point-of-view. Sweet!

Ha! Sounds like a chore! (And people think a writer's job is gravy.) Do you write every day, Sharon, or as the mood strikes? Where is your very favorite place to write?

Pretty much every day. I get up early and try to write at least 500-1000 words. I know that doesn’t sound a lot, but the words accumulate. If I get some time throughout the day, I’ll add to those words. I pimp my wares (and other author’s wares) in the wild world of social media, which takes a chunk out of my writing time. Mornings are sacred to me. I have a writing studio overlooking a forest. It’s a dream come true.

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis came out first as an ebook, right? Do you read ebooks as well as print books? Could you talk about your reading life, and how you feel about the differences, and all the ways people can read now.

I’ll admit, I was a little hesitant with ebooks. I wanted both. Musa Publishing mentions both in their contract, yet they were so new, it was easier and cheaper to go the epublishing route for them. But recently they offered the authors a fab deal – to print promotional paperbacks so authors had them available for signings and giveaways. I really appreciate and admire Musa Publishing for lending a helping hand and putting their authors first. I like the idea of choice. Paperback or ebook? You can carry around a whole library in your ereader. Or if you like the feel of a book, you can have that too. It’s the best of both worlds, this new dynamic.

What’s next on your writing and publishing journey, Sharon? Anything else in the works?

You bet! Currently, I’m working on the prequel to the Last Timekeepers series, entitled The Legend of the Timekeepers. I also have a completed manuscript of the second book in the series entitled, The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret, but there’s the fun job of revising it into Jordan Jensen’s point of view. I’ve written a master plan for the series with possible titles and premises, and I’m in the process of putting all this information together in a series guidebook, so I’ll be one busy gal!

And last question: I know that you’re a fellow animal lover. (We have that in common.) Do your books have animals in them? What is your favorite animal?

Yes! The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis has a deerhound named Tuck. The prequel has an assortment of animals, as well as human-hybrids. I try to put an animal in every book I write. It just seems wrong not to. After all, I worked in an animal shelter for a stint. My favorite animal? Wolf, hands down. Domestic – dog and cat.

Sharon Ledwith's middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, is available through Musa Publishing. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and moody calico cat. To find out more, visit her website, her blog, find her on twitter, on facebook, and find The Last Timekeepers on facebook.

You can also find The Last Timekeepers on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, and most online retailers.

Thank you so much for stopping, by Sharon! Best of luck to you, in your writing and publishing journey.

What We're Reading

Our Book Club met last week, and over cupcakes and wine, we all decided that we truly enjoyed last month's selection: THE LOST WIFE, by Alyson Richman.

A rapturous new novel of first love in a time of war -

In pre-war Prague, the dreams of two young lovers are shattered when they are separated by the Nazi invasion. Then, decades later, thousands of miles away in New York, there's an inescapable glance of recognition between two strangers. Providence is giving Lenka and Josef one more chance. From the glamorous ease of life in Prague before the Occupation, to the horrors of Nazi Europe, The Lost Wife explores the power of first love, the resilience of the human spirit- and the strength of memory.

I was totally hooked on this book by the end of the first chapter, and read it all within a day, pushing the rest of the world aside. This is what good reading is all about!


Our group has an interesting mix of books picked out for the next few months, and all of us will be reading, at one point, out of our comfort zones - books we wouldn't normally pick out for ourselves. They should make for good discussion, however. Here's what's coming up:

My Life in France, by Julia Child

The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern

Second Glance, by Jodi Picoult

Secret Daughter, by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant

The Plot Against America, by Philip Roth

Before I Go To Sleep, by S. J. Watson

Gestation: Unborn Hostage, by Richard Henegan

Shanghai Girls, by Lisa See

 

 

And speaking of books and what's coming up - Later this week I'll be joining the MUSA BOOKS I LOVE Blog Hop - with recommendations and giveaways of books from Musa Publishing, including a copy of my newest book, THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES!

 

Be sure and watch for it soon!

Meet SG Rogers

Meet S.G. Rogers, author of fantasy and speculative fiction, who has a brand new novel out from Astraea Press, a new book out from Musa Publishing in April, and a Free Read available Dec 7th, 2011 from Musa Publishing.

  Suzanne, how long have you been writing?

I’ve had a knack for writing my whole life, but it was after the birth of my son when I became serious about pursuing a career as an author. I started out with screenplays, and then branched out into fiction.

Do you write mostly for children and young adults, or have you written for other age groups?

I write what I like to read, so I tend toward writing young adult fantasy. I wouldn’t mind writing more romantic fantasy, which appeals to a broader spectrum of adults.

Is The Last Great Wizard of Yden your first book? And it's out as an e-book with Astraea Press?

 Yden is my first full-length title with a publisher, and it’s in e-book format.  If I can make a market for the Yden series, it will go to print.  Personally, I love e-books.

Tell us briefly about this book. Does it involve time travel?

 When Jon Hansen’s father is kidnapped in a supernatural way, his quest for answers leads him to another dimension—the magical planet known as Yden.

Is fantasy your favorite genre? Why? What kind of books do you like to read? Are they also fantasy?

 The first section in a library or bookstore you’ll find me is the young adult fantasy aisle.  I love diving into other worlds, or exploring what might be hidden here on Earth.  My favorite author is Diana Wynne Jones (The Chrestomanci series), but I really enjoy the Percy Jackson series (Rick Riordan), and the Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling)…among many others. The creativity I find in fantasy literature just blows me away.

Here's a little about her debut novel, The Last Great Wizard of Yden:

 

After his father is kidnapped, sixteen-year-old Jon stumbles across a closely guarded family secret--one that will challenge everything he has ever believed about his father and himself. A magical ring his father leaves behind unlocks a portal to another dimension, but in using it, Jon unwittingly unchains the forces of evil. A crisis develops when a malevolent wizard transports to Earth to kidnap Jon’s would-be girlfriend. With the help of some unlikely schoolmates, and a warrior princess from Yden, Jon embarks on a dangerous quest to free his friend and his father from the most vicious wizard the magical world has ever known. In the end, Jon will be forced to fight for his life as he attempts to rescue the last great wizard of Yden.

The Last Great Wizard of Yden is available at Astraea Press, Amazon, and B&N.

Suzanne, do you have any other projects coming up you'd like to tell us about?

My short story, Apocrypha is available Dec. 7^th as a free read at Musa Publishing.  (Tagline:  Sometimes, even for a demon, love is in the cards).  Apocrypha will be the foundation for a full-length paranormal adventure/romance coming later in 2012.  In April, Musa will also be releasing the first of my Asgard Adventure series novellas.  In The Druid, an adventuresome woman meets an Immortal hero from the pages of a book—bigger than life and twice as Elvish. It’s a modern take on Nordic mythology, and I’m pretty excited about it!

Awesome, Suzanne. Thanks so much for stopping by the blog and letting us know about your work.

Readers, starting December 7th, jump on over to Musa Publishing (publisher of my newest book THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES) and look for Suzanne's (S.G.Rogers) free short story called Apocrypha. And look for the other Free Reads they are offering also, as a way of saying Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!

And to learn more about S.G. Rogers, check out her website: http://childofyden.wordpress.com/

Thanks again, Suzanne. It's always nice to get to know new authors, and best of luck on your publishing career!

A New Book - Finally!

Gosh - folks - getting this brand new book out was like birthing a ten pound baby in a short but furious labor. Releasing an ebook is a different critter than releasing a paper book.

Why? Well for one thing, releasing a hardback book often takes up to two years, at which time the UPS man delivers a box of books to your door, which you open lovingly, take one from the top of the stack, inhale the wonderful new book smell and then begin to gingerly turn the pages, all the while thinking "Mine. I WROTE this."

No, publishing an ebook with a brand new publishing house, whose staff is keeping round-the-clock hours, means it's possible to sign a contract just over two months ago, go through two rounds of edits with a head editor, be working on copy edits, acknowledgment pages, and an author bio right up almost until the release date itself, with your stomach in knots hoping everything is finally, actually correct. Then looking at your pages in a PDF document on your computer, formatted in book form, with a beautiful cover with wild horses galloping across it, thinking - Wow, this looks (and reads) pretty darn good!

Then, on Release Day (yesterday) looking on the Musa Publishing/ Euterpe Imprint site and seeing a picture of your book cover and it now says "Featured Book." And then seeing that it's actually up on Amazon, too. (It will be on the Barnes and Noble site soon, also.)

If you want to know the actual length of time it took for THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES to go from glimmer in this author's brain cells to published, you can read its journey on fellow Musa author Sharon Ledwith's blog: http://sharonledwith.blogspot.com/2011/10/authors-in-limelight-linda-benson.html

If you want to know some of the reasons I'm glad it's coming out as an ebook, read Euterpe's blog post right here: http://euterpe-ya.blogspot.com/2011/11/todays-release-girl-who-remembered.html

THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES is now available in all electronic formats PDF, ePUB, Mobi, PRC. It's a great book for Horse Lovers of all ages - from 9 to 99. (My 86-year-old mother is reading it in PDF form on a laptop.) So Go! Buy it! (It's only $4.99) And be sure and let me know what you think!

Right now I'm going to go take a well-deserved Nap. Birthing this book was Exhausting!

The Girl Who Remembered Horses in less than 2 weeks!

I've been waiting to show you my cover art for THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES until the book was actually up on the Musa Publishing website, as part of their YA imprint.

Musa's Euterpe YA imprint just opened, so *ta da - drum roll please* here it is:

In a world that has forgotten the ancient bond between horses and humans, can one girl’s dreams make people remember?

Several generations into the future, Sahara travels with her clan in a barren environment where recyclables are bartered for sustenance, and few remember horses or their connection to humans. But Sahara has recurring visions of riding astride on magnificent animals that run like the wind.

With the help of Evan, a young herder from the Gardener's Camp, Sahara discovers a crumbling book containing pictures of humans riding horses and learns her visions are real. Confronting a group of hunters led by hot-headed Dojo, Sahara rescues a wounded horse, but the animal escapes before it can be tamed.

Sahara is labeled a foolish dreamer and almost gives up her quest. Following horse tracks into a remote ravine, she finds wild dogs attacking a dying mare, and must drive them off in order to save the foal. Now she must attempt to raise the young animal, finally convince her clan of the ancient bond between horses and humans, and learn the secret of her true identity.

THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES is available for pre-purchase right now for $4.99, with an actual release date of November 4, 2011. It will be available in all digital formats, including PDF, ePUB, MOBI, PRC, so you can read it on any digital device including your home computer. Here's the link: http://euterpe.musapublishing.com/ where you can read an excerpt, and check out the other great offerings from Euterpe and Musa Publishing.

For more, you can:

"Like" THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES on its Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Girl.Remembered.Horses.LindaBenson

Add THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES on Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12538716-the-girl-who-remembered-horses

If you are a blogger/reviewer and you'd like to read and review a copy of THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES, please contact me: linda (at) lindabenson.net

Can you tell I'm a little excited?

Happy Launch Day, Musa!

Today I'm helping to celebrate the opening day of a brand new publisher, Musa Publishing.

They will publish my new YA novel, THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES on November 4, 2011.


Stop by their site:  http://www.musapublishing.com/
or their blog: http://musapublishing.blogspot.com/
where they are giving away prizes all week - Books! Swag!



If you don't see my name or my book on the site, it's because it will be released by their new YA imprint called Euterpe, which will be up and running very soon.

Why did I take a chance with a brand new publisher on a book that's been six years in the making?

Well, that's another blog post and story altogether, but suffice it say that right off the bat I was impressed with this company. It seemed to be run by a handful of smart, savvy publishing women with drive and business acumen. And what author wouldn't be impressed by a company that shares its contract and royalty structure right on their website for anyone to see?

Here's an interview with Editorial Director Celina Summers, which will give you an idea of the direction the company is heading: http://annieseaton.blogspot.com/2011/10/innovative-new-e-publisher-launches.html

As for me, I'm obviously very excited, too. THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES will come out first as an e-book (start your Kindles, Nooks, iPads, and various e-readers!) and hopefully soon after in paper. And I can't wait to share this story with you!

Waiting on Cover Art

I'm on total pins and needles waiting to see the cover art for The Girl Who Remembered Horses.

Musa Publishing is a brand new publisher that launches next week, October 1, 2011, and I love that they have asked for suggestions. So because this book is an exciting adventure story about horses, I sent them lots of pictures of wild horses running, like this:

And this:

Of course there might also be a picture of Sahara, the main character in the novel, the girl who dreams of magnificent creatures that run like the wind - at a time in the future when no one remembers horses.

Will Sahara be on the cover? I don't know. I don't know. I can hardly wait to see, and can hardly wait to show you!

Meanwhile, hop on over and check out Musa Publishing. They are accepting submissions, and their Euterpe YA imprint is also looking for middle grade and young adult manuscripts.

The Girl Who Remembered Horses will release on November 11, 2011 and I should see my cover art soon. Don't worry! I'll post it here as soon as I can! *shiverswithanticipation*





The Girl Who Remembered Horses

I am thrilled to announce that my novel THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES was just accepted for publication by Musa Publishing for their brand new YA imprint.

Publication date is scheduled for November 11th, 2011 as an e-book, with paper book some time in the future.

Of all the novels I've written, this one is probably dearest to my heart. It was inspired by a college research project on women and their obsession with horses, as well as the changing status of horses today as we become a more urban society.

THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED HORSES is set in the future, in a time when almost no one remembers horses or their connection to humans. But one girl has recurring dreams of riding astride on magnificent beasts that run like the wind. Labeled a foolish dreamer, can she possibly convince her clan of the ancient bond between horses and humans before the horses are slaughtered for meat?

I'll be working soon on edits, and I'll keep you posted when I get cover art, but I am really excited for all of you to read this book. Hope you love it as much as I do!