T-Minus 3 Days!We are just three days away from the release of Branden Johnson's debut novel, Heaven's Forgotten! With the launch kicking off just the other side of this weekend, here is a little teaser to get you started!  Don't forget to visit the Blog Tour page, where you can find a giveaway raffle and the schedule and stops of the official blog tour. There will be a Launch Party on Facebook on the 12th from 3-5pm Central Time. You can join the party ahead of time by clicking here.
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With only five days left to the release date, here is another little teaser of this dark and imaginative fantasy! You can find Heaven's Forgotten here and on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other major retailers.   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Elisha Neubauer, European Geeks Publishing EMAIL: [email protected] http://europeangeeks.com LOCAL AUTHOR LAUNCHES DEBUT FANTASY NOVEL “Suspenseful and action-packed, Heaven’s Forgotten demonstrates the power of a mother’s love against the longest odds in Heaven and on earth.” Homewood, IL, Oct. 5th, 2015— Local fantasy author Branden Johnson, Homewood, will debut his dark fantasy novel “Heaven’s Forgotten” on October 12th, 2015 as part of European Geeks Publishing’s Fall catalog. European Geeks will host an internet-based launch party on the release date, October 12th, from 3pm-5pm, which will include a Q and A with the author, excerpts from Heaven’s Forgotten, and a giveaway. A link to the launch party can be found on their website, under the events tab. Johnson is a writer living in Chicago-land with his beautiful wife and hyperactive Chihuahua. Heaven’s Forgotten is Johnson’s first novel, although he has published several short stories over the years. Johnson’s work has previously appeared in publications such as the New England Writer’s Network, Escape Velocity Magazine, and the Writers Post Journal. “Moira just wants a normal life for her daughter, Penelope. And sometimes, it seems like she has achieved it. Penelope is a sweet, smart, and precocious four-year-old girl. However, she is also the product of Moira’s affair with an angel. Her parentage gives Penelope strength far beyond what any child should possess. It also makes her the target of fallen angels who intend to use her mysterious powers as their way back into Heaven. Worse yet, one of those fallen angels is her own father. Now, Moira finds herself caught up in a terrifying struggle for Penelope’s life against beings more powerful than she can imagine. And when Penelope’s true power is revealed, it will shake the foundations of reality. Suspenseful and action-packed, Heaven’s Forgotten demonstrates the power of a mother’s love against the longest odds in Heaven and on earth.” “Heaven’s Forgotten is dark and imaginative,” says Elisha Neubauer, author of the children’s book Mr. Edmund Goat and the Elusive Clover and founder of European Geeks Publishing. “Johnson takes you to the darker parts of humanity, showing you what it truly means to be human.” Johnson’s debut novel, Heaven’s Forgotten, can be found on europeangeeks.com, as well as major retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Nobel, and Kobo. Johnson is available for interviews and appearances. For booking presentations, media appearances, interviews, and/or book-signings contact [email protected].  We are only Twelve Days shy of the launch date for Branden Johnson's debut novel, Heaven's Forgotten! In order to kick off the countdown in fashion, we are giving you a sneak peek at the inner workings of this Dark Fantasy with an exclusive excerpt! Don't forget you can Pre-order Heaven's Forgotten here, on Amazon, or on Barnes and Noble. Happy Reading! She scribbled some more and worried that her handwriting was becoming illegible. Distracted again, her eyes found Penelope’s pile of discarded toys.
That girl. She had asked her twice this week to pick them up. She stood, happy for something else to do. It was a mass grave of dolls. Piled on top of one another, strewn, left in uncomfortable positions. How had the girl collected so many dolls by age four? Moira had never been allowed more than three or four dolls at a time. But she was a very different mother than her own had been. She knelt beside them. A Raggedy Ann doll lay face down on three naked Barbie dolls. She shook her head. Raggedy Ann had been hers, one of the few treasures she found fit to bring with her when she started her new life. She picked it up and held it for a moment. Put her nose to it and breathed in the scent. The basement. Even after all this time, all the distance, it still smelled like the basement. She opened her eyes and stared into Raggedy Ann’s for a moment. “God, I’m pathetic.” She set the doll aside. Then something caught her eye. The Barbies. She picked one up. Two long, deep gashes had been cut into the doll’s back, maybe with a nail file, just below the shoulder blades. She put her fingernail in one, traced it down. She grabbed a second Barbie and turned it on its stomach. The same. The third, as well. She fumbled through the pile and turned each Barbie over with a flurry of speed, feeling sick, feeling helpless, remembering again that it was all real, and realizing she would never escape it. Abandoned. They had been abandoned. Every doll was scarred. She looked under Raggedy Ann’s dress and found two gashes, stuffing peeking through like exposed tendons. She bit back tears and stood, turned away, held her hand to her face and swayed back and forth. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. She hummed and hummed the tune until her heart slowed. Then she went into the bedroom. She left the door open. The light from the hall fell across Penelope’s face. Her mouth was open in sleep, and a tiny droplet of drool had gathered in the corner, ready to fall. With a small moan and a sigh, likely prompted by the intrusion of light, she rolled over onto her stomach. The thin straps of her nightgown did nothing to cover the scars on her back. Moira went and stood over her daughter. She reached down and touched them, those two lines, red and jagged rises and falls, like the screen of a cardiogram. “Those are my wings,” the little girl said. Moira snatched her hand away. Penelope’s eyes were half-open. “They’re not here anymore.” She yawned, sniffed, and settled back into sleep. Moira had kept the truth from her, had planned to keep it from her forever. But Penelope knew. Somehow, without even being told, she knew what she was.
" The storyline is great, very imaginative and well worth the read."
"An enjoyable journey and I would recommend it for other people to read." " I enjoyed this book mostly because it was well written and therefore was very easy to read. It won't be long before we are all facing this event. It was realistic and nice to see aliens that are peaceful. The characters were genuine with normal interpersonal relationships. I particularly liked the descriptions of the vessel. The fight between ships was a little short however. The different customs of the aliens were awesome. All in all I enjoyed it and it was worth the price. Looking forward to more from Jessica." " I've been meaning to write this for a while as I finished the book about 2 months ago. The advantage to my procrastination is that I've had time to reflect on the book. First and foremost, 2 months later and this book has really stuck with me, which should speak for itself. I have a terrible memory but I clearly remember the excitement I experienced reading this page-turner and because the story was so well crafted and thought provoking, I actually remember the plot as well! (Seriously, this actually rarely happens for me when reading.) The best part: This is a really fresh take on science fiction because while it focuses less on the science part it still has plenty of content to satisfy this nerd's heart with the detailed world building and unique nature of the alien race. I also thought that the character interactions and conversations seemed really genuine but *SPOILER* I will say I didn't fully understand how the character could be in love with and worried about her missing husband and still begin having feelings for someone else. The only critique I could offer is that the climactic fight near the end seemed a little rushed and slightly convenient, but you have to remember that the fight is not really the focus of this story. Truly, I can't recommend this book enough and I can't wait for the next one in the series to be released!" " By the Stars is a great and fairly quick read for anyone interested in light science fiction. Showing the twists and turns of family life under duress, By the Stars follows the journey of one family, who has been separated at the most crucial of times for Humans. As Earth dies, the family has to take to the stars, and put their faith and survival into an alien race they've only just met. By the Stars is a great intro to science fiction - while cover all the bases of a Space Opera, it isn't too heavy on SciFi terminology, making it the best choice for those who want to ease into the genre, or are old fans and looking for a new approach. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to get my hands on the next installment." " My cynical side says that we humans are being proactive in searching for other planets to colonize since we are hellbent on destroying Earth at a furious pace. When the exodus from Earth is unavoidable, I imagine that the stoic living conditions during travel would be nearly identical to those described in this story. I am happy that an alien race decided to give us a second chance despite our foibles. This book was a very quick and enjoyable read and kind of changed the way I think about sci-fi in general." " A good quick read. I found the style to be quite unique for a science fiction book. The first person narrative makes it more accessible for casual fans of the genre. It's paced well and has a satisfying ending for a book that's the first part in a series. I also liked how the alien race stood out from what you might find in Star Wars, Star Trek, or Dune, no easy task in the year 2015. Readers looking for something different should pick this one up." " An engaging fast paced read. It is refreshing to have a well developed female protagonist that feels authentic and real." " An excellent sci-fi tale that leaves you wanting more, By the Stars is a great start to a larger story. Ms. Baumgartner does a fine job of world building without being on the nose about it. We know the earth is in ruins, and that a kind alien race has come to our aid. That's not the focus of the story, and it doesn't have to be. It's merely the setting for the human drama that plays out." "Excellent story-telling. You spend the book solidly in the shoes of the main character, riding wave after wave of emotion as she tries to cling to who she is while coping with an uncertain future." "I love it... can't wait to read book two!!! I just finished reading book one and the story really catches you.... It's one of those books that you can't put down... Jessica is a fantastic writer ... I like the way she finishes book one with the arrival... It is beautifully written!"  Eleventh Hour Literary Press, the general fiction imprint of European Geeks Publishing, is pleased to announce that it welcomes author Ian Thomas Malone to the EGP/EHLP family. Malone, author of several novels and founder of the book blog A Song of Books and Whiskey, brings his 'Dialogues' series to Eleventh Hour. Scheduled to launch in October, Five College Dialogues and Five More College Dialogues are second edition re-releases, while several new additions to the 'Dialogues' series will be making their appearance over the next year. You can find Malone on his Eleventh Hour author page or on his website. Look for more information regarding Malone and his 'Dialogues' series to be announced within the next few weeks.  Did you know that EGP's beloved children's book Mr. Edmund Goat and the Elusive Clover is based on a pair of real-life goats that live on the author's farm? The story is loosely based on an incident that actually occurred on the farm, leading author Elisha Neubauer to pen the story of the wayward goats.
 You can pick up a copy of this stunningly illustrated children's book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or European Geeks.
 Heaven's Forgotten will be releasing on October 12th, 2015. You can pre-order your copy here and get it faster!
"You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend." |
 | A book is only as good as its characters. If the author skims over introducing them, or doesn't provide the reader with enough information to make a true connection - the likelihood of the reader becoming submerged in the story is low. Getting to know the characters is an integral part of reading, like making new friends on the first day of school. With that being said, let's take a moment and meet a few of the characters from Jessica Marie Baumgartner's science fiction novella, By the Stars. By the Stars released on August 3rd, 2015 to excellent 5-star reviews. The first in a trilogy - you can pick up your copy here right now! |
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