A Brief Stay at Earth Human Camp Blog Tour

A Brief Stay at Earth Human Camp: Book 1 of the Secrets of Farbookonia Series Once you find out your mother is an alien, what ISN’T possible?! That’s what 12-year-old Anne and 10-year-old Atticus Reade want to know. Minutes after learning that their mother is from the planet Farbookonia and that their parents’ secret project has put them all in danger, the children are wrenched from their sheltered existence in the Midwest and whisked off to a safe sleep-away camp in New Jersey — each with a tiny, protective “Globot” on one shoulder. Painfully aware they’re not like the others at camp, Anne and Atticus do their best to fit in while concealing their alien background and the “special talents” that go with it. But everything is so new to them, they have a hard time sorting reality from fiction. Quirky campers, campfire ghost stories, a bizarre camp director, Anne’s mysterious dreams, and Atticus’s unusual animal encounters are all equally disturbing. Just as they start getting the hang of life among young Earth humans, a broadcast on the Rec Hall TV shakes things up, and things that are truly strange emerge from normal newness. It turns out Anne and Atticus — and their new friends — may not be safe at camp after all. A Brief Stay at Earth Human Camp soon thrusts them into a reality they wish was fiction.

 

Character Interview With Maylin Sòng (Anne’s Bunkmate in A Brief Stay at Earth Human Camp)

Q. Welcome, Maylin! Thanks for agreeing to talk to us. Should we get started? What is your favorite thing about yourself?

A. Oh. Well, that’s kind of an embarrassing question. So-o-o ... hmm. Okay, I guess I’m — wait, really? I mean, I hate to use up my pass on the first question but ... Yeah. Pass.

 

Q. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

A. Much easier! I would be more — patient? When I have something on my mind, I can’t think about anything else. Even if there’s nothing I can do about it. Like right now, for instance. Anne’s father gave me Anne’s email address, but I have to wait until they get moved into their new house and someone sets up her computer and hopefully a phone. Right now we can’t video or talk or even write because Dark Ages! How did people even live before technology?! It’s only been one day — and I probably only have to wait a day or two more — but I can’t take my mind off it. It’s a problem. I need to talk to her. When she finally logs on, she’s going to see about 50 emails from SO-not-patient me!

 

Q. You talk about your mom in A Brief Stay at Earth Human Camp, and we meet her at the end of camp. Who else is in your family?

A. *shrugs* My dad’s not really in the picture, you know? It’s okay that you asked, but I don’t really want to talk about him. And I totally hate it when someone gets all “oh I’m so sad for you” over that, so please, don’t be sad for me! I’m not sad so I don’t really know who you’d be sad for. I live with my mom and Aunt Mingmei (my mom’s younger sister) and I wouldn’t change a thing.

 

Q. No judgment! Sounds cozy! So what’s your favorite thing to do together as a family?

A. Yay! Another easy one: Watching movies together at home. All three of us love it. If competitive analyzing and talking was a thing, my mom and Aunt Mingmei would be the world champions. When I was little, they sat on either side of me and talked to me through every movie we watched to make sure I got stuff! I loved it then, but when I got older it got annoying because I wanted to get stuff on my own. So get this: Now they take notes so they don’t forget what they want to talk about! After the movie’s over, I just sit back at let them go at it. I can barely listen as fast as they can talk! The thing is, they’re super interesting. And I totally love it when I say something they didn’t think of. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, they go quiet for about 10 whole seconds, then take off again, only on the reboot they include what I said! Okay, so it’s nerd joy ...

 

Q. In A Brief Stay at Earth Human Camp, Anne and Atticus go to camp for the first time. But you’ve spent other summers at the same camp. How was this summer different?

A. Wow, how wasn’t it different? Did you ever do that thing with two magnets where they snap together? That’s how Anne and I became friends. It was instant. I never had a friend like that before. But really, everyone was different — and not just because we were a year older. I think because Anne and Atticus were new and questioned everything, we all started asking ourselves the same things. Like yeah, why is so-and-so always so mean? And why do I hang out with this person and not that one? You know? It’s like we all suddenly realized we had choices — then these invisible gears rotated, shuffling people I already knew into this perfect group of friends! Who knew that was even possible?! Amazing. And that doesn’t even touch on the bad stuff (which Marie said I shouldn’t talk about by the way). So the short answer? Before and after. My life will be forever divided into what it was like before this summer and whatever comes after it.

 

Q. It’s pretty clear from A Brief Stay at Earth Human Camp that you really like science fiction. A. You can say it. It’s okay: I’m a little obsessed. No, wait — you can’t be “a little” obsessed – obsessed means “a lot,” right? So okay, I’m just obsessed. I don’t skip meals or not do my homework because of it or anything, but I’m definitely into it. Wait – what was the question?

 

Q. I haven’t asked it yet! If you could be in any science fiction movie ever made, what would it be.

A. Wow. Okay. Right back to before and after. Up until this summer, I would have said Star Wars. I wouldn’t want to be a character though. I’d want to be a techie behind the scenes — the one in charge of the robots. I kind of have — had — a thing for C3PO and R2D2. Dream job: Keeping the robots in line. But that’s all changed. You do get that my very own life became science fiction this summer, right? For as long as I can see into the future, I think reality’s going to be enough for me — it might even be more than I can handle.

 

Q. What would be the perfect gift for you?

A. *big smile*

 

Q. I sense that you are thinking about your perfect gift ...

A. *bigger smile*

 

Q. Okay, you’re right. This is a no-brainer. A robot?

A. * huge smile while nodding vigorously*

 

Q. All right, Maylin. Thank you so much for talking to us today. In A Brief Stay at Earth Human Camp, you promised Anne and Atticus you’d send them a sci-fi watch-list after camp, and I understand you’re going to share it with us, too. Is there anything you want to say about it?

A. Oh, yes! Thanks. Well, first of all, this list could easily have been 100 titles long. It was SO hard to keep it to 20! To make it work, I tried to define science fiction as our relationship to science, space, or the future. This eliminated paranormal and horror, which is an arguable distinction, but definitely helped me stick to the limit. Also, I tried to choose an early representative of what you might call each subgenre, then didn’t repeat other examples in that category. For example, I included Gozilla, but left out Mothra and King Kong. The way I see it, if you love Gozilla, you’ll be motivated to seek the others out. As another example, I included The Thing From Another World, but left out The Blob. (Heehee, notice I just secretly added some titles to the list?) There are definitely some places where this gets blurry. That probably just reflects my personal taste. The only other thing I would say is that, in terms of how sci-fi has evolved so far, you can’t leave out sci-fi books! But that’s a topic for another day. ☺

Marie C. Collins lives in Lambertville, New Jersey (USA), with her two dogs, George Eliot and Henry James, who — in spite of their snoring and a tendency to sniff horrifying things — are very good company (and in return, willingly endure Marie’s insistence that they love being kissed on their snouts). Marie holds a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism from Douglas College at Rutgers University and a master’s degree in English Literature from Temple University. She has held sundry jobs throughout her life, like caregiver, cook, waitress, newspaper reporter, and even a brief, misguided stint as a ballroom dance teacher. However, for most of her adult life she has written for hire, usually on topics related to education, as writing is the thing she likes to do best. Marie has a daughter she adores, Laurel Pellegrino, who is now a doctor in Seattle. Throughout Marie’s life, she has at times felt like an alien — mostly because she was extremely shy and didn’t react to things the way other people did. When she decided it was time to try to write a novel, she found herself wondering what it would be like to actually be an alien — then it struck her that that might be a good place to start. But since she’s also intrigued by the way cultures blend to make each of us feel a bit “different,” she decided her aliens should be half Earth human as well. Marie is currently writing the second book in her Secrets of Farbookonia series: The Quest for Normal. Her goal is to publish it at the end of 2015.



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Review Coming Soon!

Rising Shadows & Chasing Shadows by Ashley Townsend

Book Blurb from Amazon: 
  Sarah Matthews didn’t think a little taste of adventure this summer was too much to ask. But when she finds herself transported to the twelfth century, she learns she must be careful what she wishes for.

   After Sarah’s closest companion—and her ticket home—is arrested on charges of witchcraft, Sarah finds herself trapped in this dangerous land and alone in her knowledge of a dangerous conspiracy. Knowing that she has no chance of stopping the treachery and saving her friend on her own, Sarah seeks help from the Shadow, a masked hero who has already saved her life once. As they work together to unravel the truth before it’s too late, Sarah realizes that it isn’t the Shadow who she’s come to rely on, but Will, a handsome and intriguing blacksmith who’s plagued by the secrets and pains of his past.

Sweet Willows Review:
   

     Ashley’s story plot around time travel and adventures that kept me guessing and at the edge of my seat; her character Sarah encounters conspiracy and finds herself alone in a world by herself. Ashley develops her characters well and the plot will drive you to want to read more, even after finishing. 

Authors Bio from Amazon:

    Ashley is a young twenty-something who has been spinning tales since she discovered that her wild imagination and love of storytelling could make a career. Reading and writing are her way of experiencing grand adventures from home, and her first two books "Rising Shadows" and
"Chasing Shadows" became a way for others to join in her fantastical escapades. She is a native to bookstores, coffee shops, the beach, and San Diego, CA. She also has an unexplainable aversion to clowns and describes outlines as a "proverbial noose." Follow her quirkiness on http://ashley-townsend.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ashleytownsend.author https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5839773.Ashley_Townsend https://twitter.com/TownsendTales 

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Book Blurb from Amazon:

   Would you choose to entwine your fate with a hero of the past, even if it meant altering the future? The murder of an ancient king spurs Sarah Matthews to travel back in time, putting her life in jeopardy as she races against the clock to solve a thousand-year-old mystery and pick up the pieces of her star-crossed romance. Her return to Serimone reveals that the kingdom is in upheaval under the new regime, and unable to right the empire alone, Sarah seeks out the help of Will, the town's blacksmith and secret vigilante. But her hopes of rekindling their fairy tale romance are dashed when a discovery about his past severs their fragile relationship. Confused and alone, Sarah throws herself into her mission at the castle, though the fearsome solitude of the stonework prison causes her to seek out an unlikely ally. Damien Lisandro is a dashing Spaniard who brightens her dull world with his kindness and disarming charm. But as Sarah draws closer to him and to the faceless killer in their midst, she realizes that the severed threads of time and the mystery surrounding Serimone Castle are unraveling rapidly, weaving new tapestries of devastation. When a counterfeit Shadow tragically claims the life of someone Sarah cares for, and with Damien running from a dark past and secrets of his own, she wonders whom she can trust. Knowing the murders are connected, Sarah scrambles to uncover the identity of the impostor on her own. But as more lives are lost in her personal crusade, she questions how far she is willing to go to bring the guilty party to justice. Sarah is forced into harm's way countless times as she races to solve the puzzle before it is too late and Serimone becomes nothing more than a faded memory of the past. . . And before Sarah herself becomes a permanent fixture in history.

Sweet Willows Review:
 

Ashley does it again! She keeps you guessing and right at the edge of your seat! Loved the first book!  This is a must read for anyone, I really believe that Ashley has great potential in writing and I really hope she goes a long ways with it. 

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Six Months to Get a Life by Ben Adams

Book Blurb from Amazon:

    Have you ever had a relationship break-up? Yes? Then Ben Adams' debut rom-com, Six Months to Get a Life, is the book for you.

According to his ex, Graham Hope has got a big ego and a small penis. We aren't sure if that's why they got divorced, but they did.

Six Months to Get a Life follows Graham as he comes to terms with being divorced. Will he get over his ex? Will he play a meaningful role in his boys' lives? Will his friends take him under their wing? More importantly, will he ever have sex again?

WARNING: if you are looking for a sanctimonious self-hep book, then Six Months to Get a Life is not for you.

 

Sweet Willows Review:

    Playful, enjoyable and funny page turner of a read. Six Months to Get a Life is a book that I would recommend to anyone who likes a good laugh and a great plot. The characters are so real and so full of life. Ben Adams does a great job in developing the characters and their personality match what I thought this book would be.

Author Bio from Amazon:

   Like a lot of people, Ben went to school, then college and eventually grew up and got a responsible job, a house and a family. And then his mid-life crisis kicked in.

Realising that life was in danger of becoming all too serious, Ben started writing. Not in the way that Forest Gump started running, but at least he started. He wrote on steamed up mirrors in the bathroom to make his children smile. Eventually he graduated to making up stories to entertain his kids at bed-time.

For some reason, his boys didn't seem interested in his tales of every-day life, relationships, family, trauma, farce and the occasional bit of debauchery. They preferred JK someone or other.

Following his short-lived career as a children's author, Ben now concentrates on writing stories for grown-ups. He writes for people who have lived, loved, worked, strived and suffered - people like him. People like you.

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If You Believe by Mya O'Malley

Book Blurb from Amazon:
  Melody considers herself lucky that she has already found love once in a lifetime. Her love story, however, abruptly came to an end; all hope of finding love again disappeared the day she lost Jack.

Jack knows that Melody’s heart is big enough to give love a second chance, the challenge lies in helping her meet just the right man. Not sure if he’s an angel or a ghost, Jack finds himself searching for a man to make Melody feel alive once more. He had no idea how difficult it would be to face his conflicting emotions while finding this man. To top it off, he only has until Christmas Eve at midnight to help Melody fall in love.

Sweet Willows Review: 
   

Heartbreak, loss, love, humor, and hope, Mya’s writing will touch your heart and leave you wanting to read more. Inspirational characters and a plot that will break your heart and bring tears. Melody and Jack are so in love but when Jack dies suddenly, you can feel the heartbreak, loss and a small pinch of hope for Melody has she tries to move on. Mya’s writing is so intriguing and well-written that her future as a writer is definitely one that should continue to grow.  Mya has for sure written a page turner! 

Author Bio from Amazon:

Mya O'Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters. The family also consists of two boxers; Destiny and Dolce and a ragdoll cat named Colby. Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students. 

Mya's passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child. Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica. Mya is currently working on her fifth novel.

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