middle grade books Archives - Donna Galanti - mystery, magic and mayhem for all ages

New Cover Reveals for The Lightning Road series + Amazon GC Giveaway!

Look at these awesome new cover reveals for the Lightning Road series! To celebrate I’m giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card at the end of this post PLUS get the first e-book in the series, Joshua and the Lightning Road, on sale now through October 15^th for just $0.99 cents!

All of these wonderful book bloggers have chosen to celebrate with me too! Check out their awesome book blogs (and follow them!) with special posts about the Lightning Road series, excerpts, and extra chances to win the $25 Amazon Gift Card all week long.

Lightning Road Series New Cover Reveals Blog Tour:

October 7th

This and That Book Blog
Joshua and the Arrow Realm told in Memes!

October 8th

Middle Grade Mafioso
About how I love scary stories and how they play into my writing

Log Cabin Library
How I harnessed my imagination to write the Lightning Road series

October 9th

Book Hounds
I share how I harness my inner child to write for kids

October 10th

Author Karen Pokras Toz
I share what stories affected my childhood and writing

The Author Chronicles
I talk about creating characters

Laura’s Ramblins and Reviews
I talk about the 10 elements to writing thrillers for kids

October 11th

Always In The Middle
I rewind myself back to being 9-years-old and share a day in my life as a kid

October 12th

Fundimental
I share my dream cast for Joshua and the Arrow Realm!

Enjoy an excerpt from Joshua and the Lightning Road!

Sweat ran down my back as the warm August air washed over me and the scent of earthworms filled my nose. Thunder rumbled far in the distance. I pushed aside the broken glass and knelt where Finn had stood. Water bled into my jeans from the rain pooled on the floor. It seemed like forever ago that I wished Finn would hurry up and get here.

Lightning flashed. I welcomed and feared it. My chest tightened, but there was no time for panic. The crystal warmed my fingers through the deep pocket of my jeans. Bo Chez had to be right—the crystal had powers. What would they be?

Thunder crackled.

“Yeah, just come and get me!” I yelled into the storm, and a bolt of light took the tree across the creek. The top exploded in a fiery ball, then sizzled black. Thunder broke loud over my head like a giant clapping his hands together, and blue light exploded through the broken window. Two rough hands yanked me up.

Light blazed everywhere and heavy, scratchy material bound me tight as I was pulled upward into a swirling wind tunnel.

Anger felt better than fear, so I kicked my kidnapper. “Where’s Finn?”

“You’ll find out soon, Reeker.”

Daring a peek, I saw a wide gray hat slung low over one green eye that blazed at me. Where the other eye should have been was a crater. One side of his face oozed red, melted mush!

The man from my nightmares!

ABOUT JOSHUA AND THE LIGHTNING ROAD:
Twelve-year-old Joshua Cooper learns the hard way that lightning never strikes by chance when a bolt strikes his house and whisks away his best friend—possibly forever. Armed with only luck and his grandfather’s mysterious crystal, Joshua must save his friend by traveling the Lightning Road to a dark world that steals children for energy. New friends come to Joshua’s aid and while battling beasts and bandits and fending off the Child Collector, Joshua’s mission quickly becomes more than a search for his friend—it becomes the battle of his life.

PRAISE FOR JOSHUA AND THE LIGHTNING ROAD:
“Vividly imagined characters in a gripping action fantasy that never lets you go until the very last page.” —Jenny Nimmo, New York Times bestselling author of the Charlie Bone series

**$0.99 DEAL!**
Joshua and the Lightning Road is available now through October 15th for just $0.99cents on e-book from these book sellers:
Amazon: mybook.to/TheLightningRoad
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/2zwsiLx
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2Q6Kukn
Apple iBooks: https://apple.co/2NF5MZA

ABOUT JOSHUA AND THE ARROW REALM:
Joshua never thought he’d be called back to the world of Nostos so soon. But when his friend King Apollo needs his help in the Arrow Realm, Joshua braves this dark world once more in order to save him. With Joshua’s loyalties divided between Nostos and Earth, he must rely on his courage and powers to restore magic to this desperate world and to free its people. Abandoned by his friends in his quest, unarmed, and facing great odds, can he survive on instincts alone and not only save those imprisoned—but himself?

PRAISE FOR JOSHUA AND THE ARROW REALM:
“Fast-paced and endlessly inventive, this is a high-stakes romp through a wild world where descendants of the Greek gods walk beside you, beasts abound, and not everything—or everyone—is as it seems.” –Michael Northrop, New York Times bestselling author of the TombQuest series

Joshua and the Arrow Realm is available through these book sellers:
Amazon: mybook.to/ArrowRealm
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/2N3OYGG
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2IjXYGX
Apple iBooks: https://apple.co/2xFU4Ea

Watch the Joshua and the Lightning Road trailer!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review of Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library + ARC Giveaway!

By Donna Galanti

I’m super excited to share my review of book two in the Fairday Morrow series, Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library, by the talented authors, Jessica Haight & Stephanie Robinson. It’s comes out October 23rd but you can pre-order it here. I’ve been waiting for this book ever since I fell in love with book one, The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow! Read my 5-star review of that here.

PLUS, I’m giving away one print advanced reader copy of Fairday and the Talking Library! Just comment below and share why you’d like to read this book. 🙂 U.S. only please. Ends 10/19, 11pm ET.

First, here is what Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library is all about:

Eleven-year-old Fairday Morrow had no clue that moving from Manhattan to the small town of Ashpot, Connecticut, would lead to an unsolved mystery. Her parents’ dream of renovating a crumbling Victorian, called the Begonia House, into a bed and breakfast had seemed like treachery at the time. But Fairday found out that her new house kept secrets, and once inside its twisted front gates, anything was possible.

The Detective Mystery Squad is ready to investigate! Fairday, Lizzy, and Marcus take off on a sticky trail and tumble into Nowhere. Like Alice in Wonderland, Fairday finds herself in a world where nothing makes sense and the lines of reality are blurred.

The three sleuths discover amazing things about themselves as they unravel more secrets within the walls of the Begonia House. Follow along with Fairday and friends as they open the next case in the DMS files to unlock the mystery of the Talking Library.

MY REVIEW:

This new Fairday adventure will appeal to kids (and grown ups!) who love stories with mystery, friendship, and puzzles. And what an imaginative adventure book two is! Fairday lives in a house with many surprises. She never knows what will happen next but she’s up for the challenge.

Fairday jumps into a new world within her own, along with her trusty sidekick friends, and meets fascinating new characters. It’s a world of bookworms (who actually eat words!) and wordweavers (cool job!) where children are needed to save books from disappearing. Books truly live and breathe in this story – literally! What a fun place to be where ink is alive and books can talk and you can enter stories and meet characters.

There are so many magical concepts in this story to inspire kids to fall in love with reading – and words. Figuring out riddles is a big part of solving the mystery and it’s fun to follow Fairday and friends in a race to solve them before books are lost.

But not all is fun. They must beware of things that lurk in shadows and get their punctuation just right (love this!). This is Fairday’s most complicated case to solve yet in a world where she does not know who to trust, so she must trust herself – and her friends – to survive.

Kids will eat up the words in Fairday’s new adventure in this inventive, magical mystery that keeps you on your toes. Can you guess your way through to solve the puzzles? And can Fairday and her friends add up the clues in time to save books? You’ll have to read it to find out!

Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library

Jessica Haight & Stephanie Robinson, Co-authors

Jessica Haight and Stephanie Robinson have been friends since they met freshman year of high school. After discovering they both loved the same books, their friendship grew, and they went on to co-author The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow. The first mystery in the Fairday Morrow series, released with Delacorte Press in December 2015. Stephanie and Jess are excited to present the next case in the DMS files. Having the brilliant illustrations created by their close high school friend, David SanAngelo, has made bringing the story to life magical. To contact Stephanie and Jess or learn more about their journey, please visit: fairdaysfiles.com

David SanAngelo, Illustrator

David SanAngelo is an award winning illustrator, and a two-time Emmy nominated director of animated shows for children and he won a kite flying contest in the fourth grade. Dave attended high school with Jessica and Stephanie, and they’ve all been friends for a billion years. Some of Dave’s favorite things are: old monster movies, superheros and shred-a-licious rock music. Although he grew up in New England, Dave currently lives with his wife and sons in Decatur, GA. To learn more about Dave’s illustrations, please visit: davidsanangelo.com

Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library

Book 2: Fairday Morrow series

Release date: October 2017

Age Range: 8 years old and up

Grade Level: 3-9

Publisher: Willow Press

PRE-ORDER THE BOOK!

Catch the first mystery before the next case in the DMS files opens on October 23rd!

The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow

Publish date: December 2015

Age Range: 8 years old and up

Grade Level: 3-9
Publisher: Delacorte Press

PICK UP A COPY OF BOOK 1

Cover Reveal: The Talking Library + an Excerpt!

By Donna Galanti

When mysterious notes start showing up warning that a librarian is in trouble and a bookworm is eating words, Fairday thinks the Begonia House has more skeletons in its closets. She notices a passage in her favorite book has been changed, and she’s certain something is dreadfully wrong. What happens to stories when their words get eaten?

The Detective Mystery Squad is ready to investigate! Fairday, Lizzy, and Marcus take off on a sticky trail and tumble into Nowhere. Like Alice in Wonderland, Fairday finds herself in a world where nothing makes sense and the lines of reality are blurred.

The three sleuths discover amazing things about themselves as they unravel more secrets within the walls of the Begonia House. Follow along with Fairday and friends as they open the next case in the DMS files to unlock the mystery of the Talking Library.

~ ONE ~

Strange Notes

Fairday Morrow woke to a loud crack of thunder. As she bolted upright in bed, her gray eyes flew open. Rain pelted against the window. Electricity charged the air. Lightning flashed, and she saw the old willow tree in her backyard lurching wildly. A whip-like branch smashed the glass and the storm raged into her room. BOOM! The sky lit up. The wind blew in like a tornado, tossing wet leaves and sticks around. Fairday shrieked and ducked under the covers.
“Fairday! Are you okay?” her dad shouted from the hallway.
Auntie Em, the family pug, was barking her head off.
“Yeah, I’m alright,” Fairday answered in a shaky voice. She peeked out from the blankets as a burst of light split the dark. For an instant, glass shards twinkled like stars across the tattered lion-and-unicorn carpet; the heavy drapes flapped, twisting in the wind. On the next lightning strike, Fairday saw a paper blow in through the broken window. But the second she glimpsed it, thunder boomed, the house shook, and everything blacked out.

Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library

Jessica Haight & Stephanie Robinson, Co-authors

David SanAngelo, Illustrator

Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library

Book 2: Fairday Morrow series

Release date: October 2017

Age Range: 8 years old and up

Grade Level: 3-9

Publisher: Willow Press

PRE-ORDER THE BOOK!

Catch the first mystery before the next case in the DMS files opens on October 23rd!

The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow

Publish date: December 2015

Age Range: 8 years old and up

Grade Level: 3-9
Publisher: Delacorte Press

PICK UP A COPY OF BOOK 1

Happy 1st book birthday to THE SECRET FILES OF FAIRDAY MORROW + Book Giveaway & Enter to Win a $50 Visa GC!

By Donna Galanti

Happy 1st book birthday to THE SECRET FILES OF FAIRDAY MORROW! It’s been a year since the mystery of the Begonia House was revealed to the world, and now the paperback will be available January 3rd, 2017. Check out my 5-star review of this wonderful mystery adventure! The new cover stays true to Fairday’s snazzy style, sprinkling in a few added charms. Can you spot the differences from the hardcover?

Catch the book trailer to find out more about the story…

Planning to pick up the paperback? Pre-order a copy and you could win a $50 VISA card to treat yourself after the holidays. Contest is open to all! For more details on how to enter, click here.

For more information about the book, visit the DMS at fairdaysfiles.com

Write What You Know. It’s Full Of Surprises!
By Jessica Haight & Stephanie Robinson

One idea that will help give your writing a certain texture and realness about it is to write what you know. There are several scenes in The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow where this tool has come into buy soma play.

When we first began revising with our editor at Delacorte Press, it was suggested that we make Fairday and Lizzy a little more different. We realized that they did talk a lot alike, and of course they did! We’ve been friends for a long time, and we tend to sound the same too. The
answer became obvious once we thought deeper about our characters and who they are. We knew Lizzy was from Minnesota (Stephanie’s family is from there.). People in Minnesota say “You betcha”. Bingo! That was it.

Another example where we incorporate a personal experience in the story had to do with a wardrobe that was full of surprises. The inspiration for the scene Fairday and the DMS find themselves in is based on real circumstances we encountered while living as roommates when we purchased a piece of furniture together. Needless to say, it was a memorable event and we laugh every time we read that part in the book!

Enter to win a paperback edition of THE SECRET FILES OF FAIRDAY MORROW!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A month of book launches, retreats, and research!

By Donna Galanti

It’s been a fun whirlwind month celebrating the launch of Joshua and the Arrow Realm! Thank you everyone for sharing in it with me 🙂 .

We had a super fun book launch party on September 17th at my favorite bookstore, the Doylestown Bookshop. There was a presentation, reading, book trailer showing and scavenger hunt – plus storm cloud cookies and lightning bolt chocolate pops! If you’re close to Albany, New York, I will be having another book party on Friday, September 30, at 7pm at the Book House in Stuyvesant Plaza.

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Me and the real Joshua at the book party at the Doylestown Bookshop!

Julie won the Lost Realm poster
in the scavenger hunt!

You can also follow the Joshua and the Arrow Realm book blog tour here for interviews and excerpts. This week hop on over to the Secret Files of Fairday Morrow’s blog where Joshua is interviewed for Character Book Club by his pal, Sam, from Sign of the Green Dragon!

And more reviews have come in for Joshua and the Arrow Realm!

“Galanti has created another fast-paced, intricate tale that weaves together newly created myths with ancient levitra ones and populates the world of Nostos with Greek gods and characters and monsters to thrill and chill the reader. This is wonderful adventure-fantasy from start to finish.” – C. Lee McKenzie

“This is a great book for kids in 4th grade and up who love mythology and stories with lots of action. I read this in one day, so it’s full of page turning adventures- but there are sad parts too.” – Lizzie’s Blog

This month I also had fun researching medieval life for my current manuscript at the Philadelphia Museum of Art!!

I could have spent days here. My favorite gallery being on armor and weaponry! My son and his friend were more interested in face swapping with Renaissance portraits 🙂 .

I also spent a wonderful writer’s retreat this month at my friend Kathryn Craft’s lakeside home in northern New York.

It was a wonderful few days shared with talented writers.

We wrote together, read our work, laughed, and cried.

We can write alone but we can’t grow as writers alone – we need each other. I’m so lucky to have an amazing writer network of special people around me.

Happy fall everyone!