THEN COMES WINTER BLOG TOUR - MEET CHRISTINA BOYD + GIVEAWAY

Here is a new lovely collection to celebrate the festive season with great reads and the right mood. I posted about a writing contest back in June and maybe among the winners there may be one who entered it through FLY HIGH! and is now among the debuting authors published in "Then Comes Winter"! I'm really glad for all of them on their achievement. Congratulations and to greater success! The blog tour to promote this new Meryton Press anthology starts right out from our blog, here and today. To open it, a lovely guest post by the editor of the collection, Christina Boyd. Enjoy and don't miss the chance to win your copy (to enter the giveaway use the rafflecopter form below this post - the contest is open internationally)

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Thank you so much for kicking off the Then Comes Winter blog tour at your gorgeous site, FLY HIGH! I have been a facebook fan since the autumn of 2011 so I am especially thrilled to be here.

Christina Boyd

It all started as an idea for one anthology and then someone at Merton Press suggested a summer theme anthology and then someone else suggested maybe a holiday collection. Or vice versa. I do not recall which was first. Eventually, I signed on to edit the summer anthology as 1) the editing would begin late winter and release early summer since 2) editing and promotion for a holiday anthology would be in full-swing during autumn and that is my busiest time of the year with my pottery business for holiday purchase orders, and 3) anyone that knows me, knows that winter is my third, if not fourth favorite season. So, yes the sensible choice for me would be to edit the summer anthology. Long story made short (no pun intended), after months of wrangling an amazing group of authors from many different time zones, June 1, 2015, Sun-kissed: Effusions of Summer was born. Sometime in those heady, early days of publication, the publisher at Meryton Press announced the editor who had originally been slated to edit the holiday anthology had a conflicting commitment, and asked if any of the Meryton Press’s editors were interested. I was still on a publishing high, much like after child birth when you hold your baby for the first time and you have forgotten all about the agony and are all about the hope. Of course, I raised my hand. After all, “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” John Steinbeck

PERIOD & MORE PERIOD - UHTRED, THE NEW HERO FROM THE KINGDOM OF BBC

Played by Alexander Dreymon, Uhtred is the protagonist of Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales book saga, adapted for the screen as The Last Kingdom. As the first season is going to wrap with episode 8 - on BBC America tonight  and  on BBC Two in two weeks -  I'd like to share with you what was that drew me to this historical fiction series so distant from my tastes. 

I started watching it by chance, sure I wouln't like it and wouldn't go past the first episode, as it had previously happened with widely popular series set in  a wild, distant past like Game of Thrones, Vikings or The Bastard Executioner. 

What lit the spark, instead? Well, I think Uhtred is to blame. I felt immediate sympathy for this unconventional, smart, ironic, fearless character. I couldn't stop watching and have been looking forward to any new episode. 

LIESEL, DEATH AND THE POWER OF WORDS - THE BOOK THIEF BY MARKUS ZUSAK

The Book Thief 

1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier.

Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall.

SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION - THIS NOVEL IS NARRATED BY DEATH

It's a small story, about:

a girl

an accordionist

some fanatical Germans

a Jewish fist fighter

and quite a lot of thievery.

ANOTHER THING YOU SHOULD KNOW - DEATH WILL VISIT THE BOOK THIEF THREE TIMES

Liesel, Death and The Power of Words

I read this book out of curiosity,  since I heard about it from my students.  After reading it myself, I made up my mind to work on both book and its movie adaptation with one of my classes this year and added both to a section of my syllabus, which consists of a series of readings dedicated to the theme The Power of Words.

BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY - ROMAN'S HOLIDAY BY SUSAN AYLWORTH

Roman's Holiday by Susan Aylworth

Four years after Roman Kincaid was catapulted into stardom as a country-western singer and A-list movie star, he is burned out: exhausted by a grueling schedule, drained by the ceaseless demands of producers and managers, weary of meeting the needs of others at the expense of his own. Leaving a sold-out show in Phoenix, he rents a car and drives north and east, landing in the Painted Desert town of Rainbow Rock.

Nearly three years after leaving her old life behind, Lottie Beale is feeding people and baking pies, managing the Kachina Café and tending secrets of her own. When circumstances conspire to give two attractive people some time alone together amid the world-class vistas of the Four Corners, they discover more than either had bargained for.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

  Read an Excerpt

“Ro-man! Ro-man!” A capacity crowd in the Ak-Chin Pavilion chanted his name under the starry desert sky, but Roman Kincaid barely heard it. He stood in the stage wings, gearing up for an encore and wondering when his dream had become a nightmare. “Okay, guys,” he said to his back-up band via their ear buds. “One encore only. Let’s do ‘Gamble.’ Start with the chorus.” He took two steps toward the stage entrance, swinging his guitar into playing position. Sam, his manager, caught his

WHEN PC MEANT POLICE CONSTABLE - SPOTLIGHT ON ... JAMES ROBERTS AND HIS PARDON ME: A VICTORIAN FARCE.

Pardon Me: A Victorian Farce

The year is 1896 and following a brief, if lively, spell in the diplomatic corps, Madagan Rùn is being executed for Treason. The prima facie case against him is compelling. Madagan coerced the normally temperate Dr Jameson into raiding the Boer Republic, then tipped off the Boers and pocketed a cheque for 30,000 krugerand.

Now here's the pity of it. All his unfathomable schemes have been driven by a selfless devotion to Queen, Country and Empire. Trouble is, to save himself he must perforce lay bare the grievously stained undercarriage of Victorian high-society: starting with fantastical revelations vis-à-vis the making, lending and subsequent mislaying of the world's first ever celebrity sex celluloid.

No less an august triumvirate than Cecil Rhodes, Joseph Chamberlain and Prince Victor Albert have reason aplenty to pray Madagan takes his secrets with him to the gallows. Sadly for them the florid and faintly familiar Mr Melmoth has just posted a Remington Typewriter® to the Tower and instructed his chum Maddy to tell the old Queen everything. Pardon Me.

TEN FILMS THAT WILL SPARK YOUR WANDERLUST

, travel

(by guest blogger Jason Biondo)  Have you ever watched an inspiring film that gave you a serious case of wanderlust?  Movies are, in my book, one of the most influential and powerful mediums for inspiring a trip to a far-off place. From awe-inspiring landscapes to blissful and memorable adventures, movies can in many ways give you an irresistible urge to travel and see the world. As a matter of fact, motion pictures have encouraged countless of moviegoers from all corners of the world to duplicate some of the scenes they’ve seen on the big screen with their own escapades.

Looking for an inspiration for your next vacation? Check out this list of movies that have moved thousands of travelers to places all over the world in search of their own heavenly picture-perfect paradise.

Wild

Wild is the inspirational and heartwarming story of Cheryl Strayed – a courageous young woman who went on an eye-opening 1000-mile journey across the US, in the wake of her mother’s passing. Even though Cheryl had no previous experience in backpacking and solo traveling, she still was able to survive, flourish and conquer the famous Pacific Crest Trail on her own with very little help. Filmed in Oregon’s Crater Lake National Park and other picturesque places, this epic travel movie also romanticized the unforgiving and magnificent grandeur of the Pacific Crest Trail.

A.L. SOWARDS', WWII ESPIONAGE TRILOGY - BOOK BLAST & GIVEAWAY

Espionage (Book 1) 

France, 1944: Nobody expects Peter Eddy to survive his first commando mission—to retrieve a code book stolen by the Nazis—so when he does come back alive, his success is rewarded with an even more daunting assignment. Partnered with French Resistance leader Jacques Olivier, Peter must identify which of three Allied contacts in Calais is a double agent and use the traitor to help implement a strategic Allied diversion that might win the war. Peter secretly crosses the English Channel to confront the suspects one at a time. But what appears to be a clean assignment soon turns disastrous, and even the aid of Jacques and his sister Genevieve can’t prevent a Gestapo triumph. As the Allied invasion approaches, treachery in the least likely places leads to fresh graves in the bloodied European soil—and only the power of loyalty and love can transform tragic endings into new beginnings.

Amazon

Sworn Enemy (Book 2)

After narrowly escaping her Nazi captors, French Resistance worker Genevieve Olivier has fled to Allied territory with the help of American Lieutenant Peter Eddy. Their connection is undeniable, forged in the crucible of danger. But despite their blossoming feelings for each other, they must both finish the work they began . . . In the safety of England, Genevieve hopes to find purpose as a nurse—all the while unaware that the Gestapo still seeks the woman who slipped through their grasp. When she is called upon to resume a life of danger as a French spy, will her desire to prove herself be her downfall? Recruited by an elite special-ops team intent on thwarting the Nazis, Peter finds himself engaged in a personal battle as well—there is a traitor among his comrades. Deep in the Carpathian Mountains, Peter combats an unknown foe. The stakes are high as he fights to save the lives of his teammates. They are miles apart, yet as Genevieve and Peter fight for their own survival, they find a common well of strength in their faith—and their determination to be reunited.

                                                               Amazon

NANOWRIMO - NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH: PRECIOUS TIPS

It’s National Novel Writing Month, and that means that writers around the world are working hard to write an entire book during the month of November. Congratulations to everyone who has taken on this challenge—it’s no easy task!

To help you with your masterpiece-in-progress, Grammarly compiled a list of the most frequent writing mistakes they encountered as they edited their 2014 NaNoWriMo project, a crowdsourced novel called Frozen by Fire. When it’s time to proofread and revise your manuscript, make sure to watch out for these common pitfalls.

READING BOOKS & LANGUAGE LEARNING

(from SoloIdiomas Language School) 

Nowadays both language teachers and learners have an immense choice of learning resources and it is obvious that traditional methods usually applied during classes are being substituted by digital activities. This is an inevitable outcome considering we live in a digital era and our students are digital natives. Sometimes we teachers question ourselves about what language learners would choose : using a popular app to memorize new words or reading a well-known novel? Of course, many of them would find the former far more appealing than the latter.

MY KIDS GROW UP AND ...THEY'RE PRETTY SPECIAL: MARIA SOFIA

Maria Sofia and two of her little friends in Bethlehem

Maria Sofia was in a peculiar class I only taught for one year, in their final year, in preparation of their school - leaving exams. It was back in 2008. What was peculiar in their group? It was made up of really motivated, hard-working young people. I can assure you,  that is rare, precious experience for a teacher nowadays. 
I have often written about teaching, about my students and the ups and downs of a difficult job here at FLY HIGH! But, as I told you in "And then they come back", sometimes it is meeting students after they leave school that makes me understand how important our work was and is. That is the moment I can sit and learn from them. This is why I decided to introduce a few of them to you. Because we all can learn something from these young people. 

Hello, my name is Maria Sofia and I am one of Mrs Spila’s former students.

When I left school I wanted to discover the world, to travel, to meet people; for this reason I decided to study Arabic Language and Culture at Rome University "La Sapienza". The Arab world is so close to us, geographically speaking, but it can be considered so far for the misleading idea that we, the westerners, have of it.

So during my studies in Rome I had the opportunity through the Erasmus Mundus Project to spend eight months in Cairo, in the aftermath of the Revolution,  then ten months in Irbid, a Jordanian town located 30 km from the Syrian border. These experiences gave me the chance to know several people, to learn and understand their culture, to discover, that despite the different religion and traditions, we have more in common than we can imagine. I noticed more similarities between Italy and Arab countries than between Italy and Northern Europe, we are Mediterranean people after all!

After graduation,  I was not completely satisfied of my achievements; I had learnt the language  and studied the culture of Middle East and North Africa, but the chances that the University could offer me did not match my expectations.

So I decided to sign up to a Master in Cooperation and Development in Pavia.  I wanted and I still want to do my part to improve our world, I want to contribute to the creation of a beneficial change and have a positive impact on people's lives. Development is freedom, as my wise professor says, so I like to think that I’m working for freedom in the world.

CHRISTMAS KISSES & ... $200 GIVEAWAY!

Are you on the hunt for that special Christmas book, the one that will get you into the holiday spirit, bring back memories of your own family traditions, and inspire you to revel in this Christmas season like no other? (What about $200 in Christmas cash to go along with it?) Every year, I search for stories that will fill my Christmas reading list--romance is always a fun read, but  I want them to be clean and wholesome too. That's why I'm sharing this spectacular book. Christmas Kisses is not just one story, but five romances, all clean, wholesome, and beautifully written in one anthology now on sale for  .99 cents!

Let's show the world that there is a demand for clean and wholesome romances by purchasing this book today. For less than a dollar, you get a delightful read and help send a message that we want more of these kinds of books. Purchase your copy here, or your preferred vendor and then, will you please help spread the word about this book? Feel free to share any part of this post or share or like the Facebook or Twitter post. Oh, and don't forget to enter the giveaway for $200 in Christmas cash!

SPOTLIGHT ON ... THE ECHOES OF LOVE BY HANNAH FIELDING - WIN A PAPERBACK COPY!

 The Book

The Echoes of Love is a touching love story that unfolds at the turn of the new millennium, set in the romantic and mysterious city of Venice and the beautiful landscape of Tuscany. It is a tale of a lost love and betrayal, unbleached passion and learning to love again – and a terrible truth that will change the lives of two strangers forever.

Venetia Aston-Montagu has escaped to Italy’s most captivating city to work in her godmother’s architectural practice, putting a lost love behind her. For the past ten years she has built a fortress around her heart, only to find the walls tumbling down one night of the carnival when she is rescued from masked assailants by an enigmatic stranger, Paolo Barone.

Drawn to the powerfully seductive Paolo, despite warnings of his Don Juan reputation and rumours that he keeps a mistress, Venetia can’t help being caught up in the smouldering passion that ignites between them.

When she finds herself assigned to a project at his magnificent home deep in the Tuscan countryside, Venetia must not only contend with a beautiful young rival, but also come face to face with the dark shadows of Paolo’s past that threaten to come between them.

Can Venetia trust that love will triumph, even over her own demons? Or will Paolo’s carefully guarded, devastating secret tear them apart forever?