Vlog Post with Todd Fahnestock

Photo Content from Todd Fahnestock

TODD FAHNESTOCK won the New York Public Library's Books for the Teen Age Award for one of his short stories, and is the author of the YA bestseller Fairmist as well as The Wishing World. Stories are his passion, but Todd's greatest accomplishment is his quirky, fun-loving family. The Wishing World began as a series of bedtime stories for his children.

      

Hardcover: 224 pages

Publisher: Starscape (October 25, 2016)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0765385880

ISBN-13: 978-0765385888

Praise for THE WISHING WORLD

“What a rollicking blend of fantasy and adventure, sorrow and triumph, and the beauty and power of Story. Buckle up for one wild ride of a quest. A ripping good tale.” ​―Darby Karchut, best-selling author of FINN FINNEGAN and THE HOUND AT THE GATE

WHAT FICTION MOT INFLUENCED YOUR CHILDHOOD AND WHAT EFFECT DID THOSE STORIES HAVE ON THE WISHING WORLD?

When I was twelve, I picked up Lloyd Alexander’s The Book of Three at my local library, and it blew open a door to another world. I’d never read anything like it before, and once that door was open, fantasy books were all I wanted. I zipped through the rest of the Prydain Chronicles and moved on to whatever else I could find in the genre. I devoured the original Shannara trilogy (Sword, Elfstones and Wishsong) by Terry Brooks and everything by Piers Anthony, especially the Xanth and Apprentice Adept series. After that, it was Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman’s Dragonlance Chronicles and Dragonlance Legends. I carried those books around with me everywhere I went, and I lived for the moments I could immerse myself in them.

To this day, a part of remains stuck in that time, and I still want to immerse myself in fantasy worlds. I’ve tried several times to write modern realistic fiction. I haven’t succeeded. The story always ends up with time travel, swords or superpowers. The Wishing World is my first middle-grade novel, and I love this genre. It has more opportunity for whimsy and the purely fantastical. This surprised me at first, but my love of writing began when I was fourteen, so it really makes sense.

Who knows if I would have eventually moved on to more adult genres, perhaps literary writing? Instead, I stumbled across some early publishing success, and it cemented my interest in fantasy. By age twenty, I had written four novels but published none of them, then through a series of lucky connections and misadventures, I met the children’s author Gary Paulsen outside of the small town of Bemidji, Minnesota. He introduced me to Margaret Weis, and she took me under her wing. I asked if she’d look at my novel project. She asked if she had my permission to take the red pen to it. I heartily agreed, not realizing what was about to happen, and I got my first experience with a professional editor. With professional precision, she slashed three of the first five chapters of my manuscript. At the time, I was dumbstruck. This began building the thick skin necessary for every writer. Margaret gave me a great gift back then. Now I know how critical a great editor is, and I work constantly to be a good self-editor. I’m still pretty bad at it, but I work at it every day. So, after I gamely implemented Margaret’s edits, she offered me the opportunity to publish my first short story, Seekers, in Dragonlance Tales II, Volume 2: The Cataclysm in 1992. After that dose of confidence, I opened the floodgates and started writing fantasy every chance I got.

The influences of those early fantasy books are obvious in The Wishing World, but of those original novels, I think the whimsy of Piers Anthony’s Xanth stories most directly runs through The Wishing World. The colorful, seemingly random things that surface in Xanth, the fun word play, and the coming-of-age themes are easily seen in The Wishing World.

YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTERS FROM YOUR BOOK, INCLUDING RANDOM FACTS ABOUT THEM.

1. Lorelei (The Wishing World) – Lorelei originally had strawberry blonde hair like my daughter. Elo didn’t like that idea. She wanted Lorelei to have black hair and blue eyes. Fun fact: Lorelei was going to be my son’s name if he had been born a girl.

2. The Mirror Man (The Wishing World) – He’s my ideal hero. Short on words, long on action. Fun fact: If you look into The Mirror Man’s mirrors, you’ll see your ideal (Doolivanti) self.

3. Sir Real (The Wishing World) – Sir Real, in his human form, is from Honduras circa the 1920s. His family had recently moved to New York before he came to the Wishing World. Fun fact: There are characters from all different time periods on Earth in the Wishing World, and people from other planets.

4. Squeak (The Wishing World) – Squeak is actually quite well-read. Some say he’s read every book in Veloran. Fun fact: He is half ferbletick (a creature you will meet in The Wishing World II: Loremaster), which is why he is so fast.

5. Gruffy (The Wishing World) – Though Gruffy is the size of a horse, he is only eleven-years-old, the same age as Lorelei. Fun fact: In the original oral story told to my kids, there was a story about Gruffy’s parents who’s names are Lord Stephen and Lady Cynthia.

6. Flicker (The Wishing World II: Loremaster) – Originally, I liked Ripple much more than Flicker, the Fire Princess, but Flicker and Lorelei developed a special bond in The Wishing World II. Fun fact: Water can be deadly to Flicker, and if she is dropped in water she will absorb it like a sponge and fall unconscious.

7. Ripple (The Wishing World) – Ripple’s accent made her so much fun to write, albeit difficult to understand sometimes! Fun fact: Ripple hides a secret, which is…(Oh wait no. Can’t drop that spoiler until you’ve read the book. J)

8. Lady of the Lake (The Wishing World II: Loremaster) – Though she only appears briefly, I love the Lady of the Lake. I kind of want to write a book all about her. Fun fact: The Lady of the Lake is from another planet, and she has no nose.

9. Licorice Man (The Wishing World II: Loremaster) – His Earth name is Luke. Loreleis’ best friend Jayla dubbed him Luke the Larynx because he can change his voice and do great impressions of celebrities. Fun fact: The winner of the Doolivanti Diary Contest (see my website: toddfahnestock.com) may get to have a cameo next to Licorice Man as a Doolivanti henchman.

10. Sir Ebral (The Wishing World) – Sir Ebral is unimaginative and pessimistic, but when the chips are down, he will jump in and get the job done. Fun fact: My kids have a long list of other Flimflam names that could not be put in the book.

"Whimsical and imaginative, with just the right mix of humor, heart, and adventure. The Wishing World is everything you could wish for in a story--and so much more!"--Shannon Messenger, author of Keeper of the Lost Cities

In the Wishing World, dreams are real. You can transform into your own hero, find wild and whimsical friends, and wield power as great as your imagination. But Lorelei doesn't know about any of that. All she knows is that a monster took her family.

It happened during a camping trip one year ago. Hiding inside the tent, she saw shadows, tentacles and a strange creature. By the time she got up the courage to crawl outside, the monster--and Lorelei's mom, dad, and brother--were gone.

Lorelei is determined to find her family. When she accidentally breaks into the Wishing World, she discovers a way. It's a land more wonderful than she could have imagined, a land of talking griffons, water princesses, and cities made of sand, where Lorelei is a Doolivanti--a wish-maker--who can write her dreams into existence.

There's only one problem: the monster is a Doolivanti, too. What he wishes also comes true, and he's determined to shove Lorelei out, keep her family, and make the whole Wishing World his. To save them, Lorelei must find the courage to face him, or her next wish may be her last.

You can purchase The Wishing World at the following Retailers:

        

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you TODD FAHNESTOCK for making this giveaway possible.

Skype or phone session (personal or school class). 
A Bundle of Starscape Books
Two Signed Copies of The Wishing World by Todd Fahnestock.

WEEK ONE 

OCTOBER 17th MONDAY JeanBookNerd GUEST POST

OCTOBER 18th TUESDAY Book Lovers Life INTERVIEW

OCTOBER 19th WEDNESDAY A Dream Within A Dream REVIEW & TENS LIST 
OCTOBER 20th THURSDAY La Fin Absolute Du Monde EXCERPT 

OCTOBER 21st FRIDAY She Dreams in Fiction REVIEW & EXCERPT 

WEEK TWO

OCTOBER 22nd SATURDAY Taking It One Book at a Time REVIEW & RANDOM THINGS 

OCTOBER 23rd SUNDAY Sabrina's Paranormal Palace REVIEW & TENS LIST 

OCTOBER 24th MONDAY Mama Reads Hazel Sleeps REVIEW & FAVORITE BOOKS 

OCTOBER 25th TUESDAY Rose's Book Corner REVIEW & MUSIC PLAYLIST 

OCTOBER 26th WEDNESDAY CBY Book Club EXCERPT

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Love Heals All by Addie McKenna

A modern love story for the social media generation featuring Vine superstar Hayes Grier!

Autumn moves across the country and struggles to fit in as the new girl in school. When she crosses path with a fellow teenager, Hayes, and falls hard for him, it seems that her dreams have come true. But what happens when Hayes skyrockets into social media fame with his brother, Nash? Suddenly immersed in tours, YouTube, Twitter, and Hollywood, Autumn and her friends have to deal with online drama and the life-altering issues daily pressure that teens face with today. Can her and Hayes’s relationship survive?

You can purchase Love Heals All at the following Retailers:

    

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Book Nerd Guest Post

DEFINING MOMENT DURING YOUR YOUTH WHEN YOU REALIZED YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER.

Writing has always been something close to my heart. As I grew up, I realized that I loved the way I got to express my thoughts in the different essays I would write for my teachers. It was exhilarating when I found out I would be building my writing abilities and imagination in my papers. It has always been one of my biggest strengths as a student. It was after my cheerleading accident that I realized writing was my main coping mechanism. It was hard being a teenage girl with little to no friends during middle school. It plummeted my self-esteem, until I realized the online world was filled with new friends who knew what I was going through emotionally. I began writing my book at the age of twelve, putting my thoughts online and reading all the both positive and negative feedback that fueled me to write. I remember the endless nights of staying up until the early hours of the morning, forgetting what time it was because I was writing. I made so many friends that helped me through what I was dealing with; they all gave me a sense of hope that everything would be okay. Writing got me through the toughest time of my life. It still amazes me how one small thing could bring me happiness throughout the day. There is no defining moment that made me realize I had wanted to be a writer. There was no lightbulb moment; nothing that decided to hit me in the face randomly throughout the day. Being an author was driven by the imagination I seemed to hold throughout my life. It was the hard times that gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. I am beyond thankful of what my life has become too and how happy I am now compared to how I felt only a few years ago. This journey has brought out the author in me that was hiding all of these years.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

It’s curiosity about everything around her that fuels Addie McKenna—the innate basic emotion that sparks her inquisitive nature while exploring and learning about the things that excite in her world. She marches to the beat of her own drum, telling her stories inside her writings from a creative and original spin. Addie spends her time between South Carolina and Texas—the places she calls home. Her inspiration for Love Heals All was powered by her “Summer of Wellness,” while recovering from a cheerleading accident resulting in a concussion, and a chance meeting with the boys of 26Mgmt. From Addie’s own perspective, she believes that everyone is beautiful in their own way—and has a desire to write about that beauty for a long while…she loves her family, road trips, her music, the beach, being adored by her big sisters, hanging out with friends, and her dog Blue. Addie can be found on Twitter: @AddieMcKenna

SOCIAL MEDIA

  

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Elysium by Sylah Sloan

Meadow Caldwell is about to learn a very dark secret about herself.

When she is taken away from the only family she has ever known and thrust into the world of the paranormal, she learns not everything or everyone is what it seems.

Arcane Manor, a school for creatures of myth and lore, is all Meadow knows now. The only person she can rely on is herself in this strange, new world, especially with the secret of her true identity.

When Dr. Cadeon Frost, an enigmatic vampire, helps her unravel her past, Meadow finds herself falling for the quiet, intelligent doctor.

When she is thrust out of reality and into the arms of a mysterious man, she is trapped between the world she knows and one that nightmares are made of. It is up to her to stop not only an evil that threatens her, but everyone she cares for.

You can purchase Elysium at the following Retailers:

       

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Book Nerd Spotlight

Sylah Sloan isn't my real name, of course. I'm not anyone special, just a girl that loves to write. Writing started for me at a very young age. I am happily married, work as a nurse, and have two beautiful daughters.

The perfect day for me would be cold, wet, and dreary. Not necessarily in that order. I find that it inspires me.

My passions are paranormal and contemporary YA romances, but I have been known to dabble in other genres.

"Don't be afraid to try it. Take that leap, because if you don't you will always wonder what would have happened."

Elysium is Sylah’s first novel.

Where the idea for Elysium came from: 

I have had a few people comment on how I came up with the idea for Elysium, and the first thing that I tell them is about the “magical tree.”

I was leaving nursing school one night and fall was just started to turn the leaves on the trees different shades. There was this beautiful tree directly under the street lamp when I rounded the corner. The leaves on this tree looked red and orange as the muted light above illuminated it. At first when I saw it I was reminded of fire, and then the image of a tree with burning leaves formed in my head. I thought the image incredibly beautiful, and after thinking about how unnatural and ethereal that tree looked, the characters for Elysium started forming in my mind.

There is a scene where Meadow visits “Elysium” and she sees a tree. The leaves are burning brightly, and she is struck by how incredible it looks. I had to add the tree into the story since I find it integral to the birth of this novel. The characters were secondary when it came to the scenery.

I always find it amazing when I listen to other authors discuss how they were inspired to create their stories. Some are about their first kiss; others are about a scent that they remembered. Although mine didn’t stem from anything other than seeing a lone tree in the autumn, glowing under a rusted old streetlamp, I think anything that wakes up your muse needs to be celebrated and acknowledged.

Excerpt:

“Can I have this dance?”

I was almost to my table when a deep voice had me stopping in my tracks. I turned around, my heart skipping a beat—Cadeon looked down at me. He wore a black tux, which I might add looked
incredibly good on him. I stared into his Caribbean-colored eyes, getting lost in those blue-green depths, as he held his hand out to me, beckoning me to take it. I let my hand slip into his, his palm warm and smooth against mine and sending tingles to travel through me. He pulled me close, so his palm rested against my lower back and our chests touched. I swallowed, holding his gaze. The song was slow and romantic, and I looked around at all the students pressed together, the girls resting their heads on the guys’ chests, the guys’ hands slipping dangerously low on their partners’ backs. I wanted to rest my head against Cadeon’s chest. The urge to just let myself feel his body against mine, and listen to his heart beating, was almost too strong to deny. I didn’t do it though, not because I was embarrassed, but because I was afraid of opening up my emotions, to experience them full on. The song ended, but a beautiful classical piece started to play, a string of simplistic notes, coupled with the smooth sound of the violin, created a piece which would have moved even a rock. Most of the people on the dance floor sat down, none of them able to truly appreciate the beauty of those uncomplicated and lustrous chords. I let Cadeon lead, let him move our bodies, as I finally gave into my urges and rested my head against his chest. I closed my eyes and let the sound of the rhythmic beating of his heart soothe me. I didn’t miss how his hand tightened on my back, or the soft words he spoke against my hair.
“You played so beautifully, it took my breath away. I looked up and into his eyes, realizing we were no longer in the center of the dance floor, but pressed more against the corner, those liquid streams of silk hanging all around us and shrouding us from prying eyes. “Thank you.” It was just a whisper, but I knew he heard me. He stared down at me for the longest time, and then he trailed his finger down my cheek and over my lips. I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted to have another memory to accompany the greenhouse memory. I wanted to be able to remember him. “You are so very beautiful. I find it hard to think when you’re around.” My breath caught at his words, and I pressed closer to him, urging him to fill in that small gap between us and press his lips against mine. “Why do you have to think at all?” I felt drunk around him, lightheaded and dizzy. I wasn’t even surprised with myself for what I had just said. I didn’t even care. I knew what I wanted— Cadeon’s mouth against mine. Drifting away until there was just the two of us in our own ethereal world, he took a step towards me, and I pressed myself against the satiny wall, placing my hands flat against the smooth texture, as he looked down at me. I could hear my heart beating wildly, could feel my heart slam against my ribs over and over again. “I shouldn’t.”  “You should.” I had no idea where this courage was coming from, but if it resulted in Cadeon kissing me, then I didn’t want it to end. I heard him swallow, as his head slowly dipped towards mine. My breath was coming shallower the closer he came. His hand cupped my cheek, and I leaned into it, bringing my hands up and resting them on his chest. When he was just a hair’s breadth away, I closed my eyes, lifting my mouth towards his. His lips pressed against mine, and I held my breath, the sparks flowing between us exploding to encompass me. This kiss was so much different than the greenhouse kiss. As his mouth moved against mine, it was as if an animal had been released from him.

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