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Winner of Joshua and the Arrow Realm Giveaway + First Reviews & Fall Events!

First, I have to share some wonderful early reviews of Joshua and the Arrow imagineear.com/pharmacy/ Realm by book bloggers! Readers like this make writing such a joy 🙂 . Book lovers, watch for my list of favorite book bloggers coming in September.

On Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
“An exciting non-stop story line of Greek heroes, hungry beasts, and betrayal from the past and future.From the first chapter I felt like I was on a roller coaster never knowing when the next twist or turn would happen. You can’t get off, nor do you want to. It’s smart, gripping, and one thrilling ride.” FULL REVIEW (he also lists the 5 things to like about the book!)

On Laura’s Ramblin’s and Reviews
“The action is all over the place, the character’s as engaging as ever, and adventure, danger, and intrigue abound. Joshua is an amazing boy. He’s not fearless and that’s where his bravery and loyalty to his friends shines. A spectacular next chapter in Joshua’s story. I’ll be watching for more.” FULL REVIEW

On Fundinmental Book Reviews
“I am excited to be back in Donna Galanti’s magical world of adventure, friendship and loyalty. The main characters stand tall as they race through the pages proving time and again that together they can accomplish what seems impossible.” FULL REVIEW

A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who entered the Joshua and the Arrow Realm Book Trailer Reveal Rafflecopter Giveaway! The winner is Mary Ann C .! Look at all she won.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Missing out? You can still grab book one, Joshua and the Lightning Road, for just $.99cents on e-Book.

Would you like a personalized copy of book 1 or 2 in the Lightning Road series? I’d love to meet in person. Here is a list of fall events!

Joshua and the Arrow Realm book launch! Doylestown Bookshop, Doylestown, PA, September 17, 2016, 3pm
Joshua and the Arrow Realm book launch! The Book House, Albany, NY, September 30, 2016, 7pm
River Reads 40+ Multi-Author Book Event, Prallsville Mill, Stockton, NJ, October 23, 10-4pm
Multi-author book event, Open Book, Elkins Park, PA, November 5th, 2016, 3pm
Guest Author at Philcon, the world’s first and longest-running conference on science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Cherry Hill, NJ, November 18-20, 2016

Joshua and the Arrow Realm releases in just eight days but there is still time to help me get the word out. Please support my Thunderclap campaign through social media and zap the world with so many others about the release of Joshua and the Arrow Realm on August 30^th! It’s free and takes seconds to sign up HERE.

THANK YOU!
xxoo -Donna

Pre-Order Giveaway for Joshua and the Arrow Realm!

By Donna Galanti

One month from today Joshua and the Arrow Realm, book two in the Lightning Road series, releases!

Join in the fun! From today through midnight August 14^th I’ll be running a pre-order giveaway. Pre-order Joshua and the Arrow Realm in any format and be entered to win a paperback copy of book one, Joshua and the Lightning Road – PLUS all these goodies below!

Email your receipt here and be automatically entered to win! The winner will be announced on my blog August 15^th. Comment on this post and receive an extra entry!

Pre-order now:

One winner will receive the grand prize of a Lost Realm map poster, lightning orb light-up ball, $25 B&N gift certificate, and paperback of book 1 in the series, Joshua and the Lightning Road. (U.S. Only). Send your receipt here.

How else can you join in the fun? I’d love for you to support my Thunderclap campaign through social media and zap the world with so many others about the release of Joshua and the Arrow Realm on August 30^th! It’s free and takes seconds to sign up HERE.

And bloggers buy levitra there’s still time to sign up here for the book trailer reveal on August 15^th that includes a giveaway too!

If you haven’t visited my Facebook page, I’m sharing snippets of the map of the Arrow Realm plus book excerpts there all month long until book release day. Pop by and see! Here’s one to share for now 🙂 .

Draft illustration and excerpt of the Arrow Realm tree houses where the Wild Childs live:

“Ash motioned us to leave with her when they were all gone, and we stepped outside onto the tree house platform. Purple night deepened and long shadows softened the craggy world. We stood on a plank road with roped netting rail that zigzagged from house to house and floated under the forest’s canopy in a sea of darkness. Green lights glowed soft through lopsided windows, and branch shadows wrapped the tiny shacks in prickly fingers. Leaves battered the houses in the sharp wind as the Wild Childs skulked amongst the trees.”

Thanks for all of your support everyone!

Joshua and the Arrow Realm Cover Reveal + Excerpt & Amazon GC Giveaway!

By Donna Galanti

I’m super excited to share the cover for Joshua and the Arrow Realm! First, here’s what book two of the Joshua and the Lightning Road series is about:

Joshua and the Arrow Realm
(Trade paperback, August 30th, 2016 Month9Books)

Joshua never thought he’d return to the world of Nostos so soon. But, when King Apollo needs his help in the Arrow Realm, Joshua’s will and powers will be tested in order to save him. With his loyalties divided between our world and theirs, Joshua wonders whether he alone can restore magic to the twelve powerless Olympian heirs, or whether he is being tricked into making the one mistake that might cost them all.

Advanced reader copies are available for Joshua and the Arrow Realm!
If you are a book blogger and would like a free e-book advanced reader copy please sign up for the Review Copy Month9Books newsletter. Don’t forget to add Joshua and the Arrow Realm to your Goodreads list.

My publisher is also giving away an Amazon gift card for the cover reveal. Check it out here!

And.

Here.

It.

Is!

Ooh, right? I love it as much or even more than book one, Joshua and the Lightning Road.

How about this amazing quote from New York Times bestselling author, Michael Northrup! Check out his TombQuest series.

Can you tell I’m excited to share?

via GIPHY

I know, I know, you have to wait until August 30th for the release but here’s an excerpt to hold you over!

Excerpt from Joshua and the Arrow Realm:

A faint rumble groaned through the whistling wind.

Boom!

Thunder ripped the sky overhead.

Charlie reached the frozen pond, spinning across it. “Woohoo! I win! You Americans can’t beat us at speed!”

Lightning flashed. It zinged across the pine trees like brilliant sunlight. A seed of terror klonopin flickered inside me.

Boom! Boom!

Another flash scorched the sky.

Charlie’s smile fell to a frown as he raced across the ice, peering up into the swirling clouds.

We both knew what lightning could do.

Suddenly, sneaking outside for a moonlit sled ride before Bo Chez got home from his monthly poker game didn’t seem so smart.

The sleet turned to snow. Icicles flew off trees like glass splinters, shattering on the hard snow. As I shot toward the pond, a tree on the edge moved. Its branches swayed in the swirling snow.

It wasn’t a tree, but a girl! She stumbled through the mad flurry, arms outstretched.

“Charlie, look!”

Gusts snatched the words away as my sled hit the ice and careened out of control on the bumpy surface. The girl staggered and fell onto the pond. I twisted my sled away to avoid hitting her and smashed right into Charlie. With a yelp, he pulled me up, and we clumped toward the girl. We lifted her up, half dragging her back up the hill to the house in the pelting snow and sleet.

“Who is she?” Charlie yelled.

“No idea,” I yelled back.

He said more, but his words were lost in the wind.

My lungs burned with the cold and effort. There was only one reason someone would appear with lightning—to steal us. This girl might appear like a waif unprepared for a storm but I couldn’t trust that’s all she was.

While you’re waiting for the full cover release, please enjoy the map for book two of the Arrow Realm by the talented Al Sirois. Watch for this coming as a two-page spread in the front of the book!Thanks for being so awesome!

via GIPHY

Summer Fun: San Francisco, book signings & reviews!

By Donna Galanti

Summer is racing by and it’s time for a mid-summer break. I’ve been in la-la land with my son being out of school and I’m not sure even what day it is – and I’m so late in posting news! So here’s a mish-mosh for ya.

I was thrilled to receive a glowing review from The Midwest Book Review for Joshua and the Lightning Road that hails it as “A heart-pounding thrill ride full of unexpected twists and turns from start to finish.” See the full Midwest Book Review.

I also planned a family vacation in San Francisco, California, around my book signing at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference the last week in June.

And WOW what an amazing time our San Francisco trip was!

I will never forget biking over the Golden Gate Bridge…

…or seeing the great redwood trees…

…or driving down the winding Pacific Coast on Route 1…

…or visiting Alcatraz. Put them on your bucket lists now if you haven’t already done so!

San Francisco is unlike any other city I’ve been in. The architecture. The weather that can change three times a day. The culture. The FOOD! The diversity.

And THE FOG. It rolls in like a mysterious beast that slinks its way through the Golden Gate Bridge and rolls up and over the mountains. It sucks away the world and returns it on its own time. I was so fascinated by it that buy provigil it’s becoming a character in my new fantasy book!

The fog rolls in across the Golden Gate and Alcatraz

I truly did leave my heart in San Francisco and can’t wait to go back!

And to sign at the ALA Conference was amazing! Although getting there was a bit tricky as the city was one big colorful festivity with the Pride Parade going on the same day.

I got to meet some author friends there like Selene Castrovilla with her award-winning book Melt. And had a co-signing with fellow Month9Books author, Scott Craven, who writes zombies for middle graders.

This week I’m thrilled to be returning to my hometown of Albany, New York for a book signing and celebration at The Book House in Stuyvesant Plaza at 7pm on Friday, July 31^st. Folks local to Albany, come out early for a scavenger hunt, goodies, and giveaways – and of course, books! My real Joshua will also be there for me to embarrass him. Hope to see you there. Please invite your friends!

I’m gearing up for school visits now and if you’re a teacher, parent, or student who would like for me to come visit your school I’d love to! I live in Southeastern, Pennsylvania, but can travel anywhere in the U.S. See my assembly flyer and contact me for more information.

HAPPY SUMMER ALL!

NYC, BookCon, Book Launches & School Visits!

By Donna Galanti

It was a crazy week with book events! And I faced two fears: going to NYC alone and giving my first author visit presentations at two schools.

I traveled to NYC for BookCon at the Jacob Javits Center, along with thousands of other book lovers May 30th-31st, where I signed Joshua and the Lightning Road at my publisher’s booth, Month9Books.

With my publisher of Month9Books, Georgia McBride.

It was book heaven and fun to engage with young readers who are excited about books and meet old friends like fellow International Thriller Writers Debut Author, Nancy Bilyeau!

Vittoria here sets her own summer reading challenge and was super excited to put Joshua and the Lightning Road on her reading list.

I conquered the city: rode the train, hailed a cab, walked the streets. I feel very New York-ish now. I brought back some wonderful new memories – and reads for free!

After the skyline of NYC faded is was onto New Jersey to give my first presentation to a middle school creative writing group and two presentations back-to-back at my son’s elementary school June 4th and 5th.

The kids were so animated and engaged as I shared my frustrating and rewarding road to becoming an author mixed in with humor and the five R’s of being an author: Reading, (W)Riting, Research, Revision – and Rejection. And the improvisational skit was a big hit!

My one goal as requested by my son, Joshua: Do NOT be boring! According to him it was the best presentation ever. Phew. Second fear faced.

Joshua with one of his best buddies. School visit photos by Reckie Leckie Photography.

And my son was on such a high Friday after my author visit at his school that heading for ice cream to celebrate he said: “This is the best day ever and we need a theme song to celebrate!” He picked the most buy cialis perfect song off his iPod “BEST DAY OF MY LIFE” by American Authors! And we rolled down the windows and sang our hearts out.

I had a dream so big and loud
I jumped so high I touched the clouds
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh … Wo-o-o-o-o-oh
I stretched my hands out to the sky
We danced with monsters through the night
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh … Wo-o-o-o-o-oh
I’m never gonna look back
Woah, never gonna give it up
No, please don’t wake me now
Oo-o-o-o-oo
This is gonna be the best day of my li-ife
My life.

And the week wasn’t even over yet! More celebrations came with the book release party at The Doylestown Bookshop on Saturday, June 6th.

And how cool is it that I was right next to Judy Blume in the month’s event flyer!

Friends and kids came out in droves!

The scavenger hunt was a HUGE hit and so was the book trailer and I tried not to embarrass the real Joshua too much by talking about him as my inspiration. So many wonderful friends came out!

Even a knight in shining armor showed up and we sold out of stock!

And we ended the day with a celebration at the Doylestown Brew Pub!

The crazy week ended and Sunday was grounded in reality with revisions to tackle on book two, JOSHUA AND THE ARROW REALM. I closed the blinds so the fresh green of summer and sunshine wouldn’t taunt me. After a 12-hour revision day I crawled out of my cave to drench myself in the last remnants of a golden green day for 30 minutes of a heavenly reward bike ride. Through fields and flowers I followed my own scavenger hunt to feed my creative soul that needed filling. And I sang aloud:

I had a dream so big and loud
I jumped so high I touched the clouds
I’m never gonna look back
Woah, never gonna give it up
No, please don’t wake me now.

Time to get back to writing – and dreaming…

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