Stealing Magic by Alex C Vick - Book Tour - Book Sale - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!

Hello lovelies! It gives me great pleasure today to host Alex C Vick and her new book, “Stealing Magic”!  For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!  Also, come back daily to interact with Alex and to increase your chances of winning!

This book is on sale during the book tour for ONLY $0.99!!!  See below for more details.

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!

Stealing Magic

by Alex C Vick

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GENRE: Middle Grade Fantasy

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BLURB:

Shannon thought there was no such thing as real magic. Until that day. The day that changed everything.

Put yourself in her shoes. Would you open your eyes, if you were the one that heard them? Two magic-takers from another world, arguing about whether they can collect what they came for before you wake up. It sounds like a crazy dream, or a practical joke.

But what if the air around you started to vibrate with an invisible force field? What if, all at once, it felt scary, yet familiar too? You would have no way of knowing that this discovery would set you on a path no-one from our world has taken for centuries. Towards a deadly enemy, and a fight you will almost certainly lose.

All you know is that your heart is beating so fast you're worried they will hear it, and your brain is starting to buzz as the force field reaches it. Would you open your eyes?

Join Jax and Shannon as they live through the most exciting and terrifying ten days of their lives!

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EXCERPT THREE:

Jax reacted first, grabbing Shannon and Darius by the arms and pulling them backwards towards the bookshelves. They ran deep into one of the sections, as far as they could go, not stopping until they reached the end. Staring anxiously at each other, hearts pounding with fear, they waited to hear who had come through the door.

There was no sound at first. Whoever had entered the room had done so with silent footsteps. Then there was an exclamation of discovery, and a man’s voice could be heard calling “Dorian? Can you come in here for a moment?”

Apparently Dorian was the Custodian who had been sitting outside. A short conversation then took place, but the voices were too quiet for Jax, Shannon and Darius to hear what was being discussed. It was soon clear what had happened however.

The same man’s voice was raised to say “You might as well show yourself, I know there is someone in here. And I also know you are not permitted. I can recognise that the Treaty has been read just a few moments ago, but Dorian tells me he has seen no-one gain entry this night.”

There was a pause, and then the voice continued, becoming angrier.

“Come now, this is a waste of my time and yours. I will find you, and you will not enjoy the methods I will use.”

Jax had gone completely white. He recognised the voice as belonging to Marcus. For a few seconds he tried to think frantically of a way that they could escape, but almost straight away he realised that it was impossible.

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GUEST POST:

Three reasons to read a Middle Grade book (even if you’re not in Middle Grade!)

Firstly, thank you very much to Ally for inviting me to write a guest post for her Fabulous and Brunette blog!

I’m an author of Middle Grade books, so you might say that I’m biased about this subject. But honestly, I’ve always loved Middle Grade books. I’ll try to explain why I think they’re so great.

1.     The Writing Style

You can depend on the storytelling to be creative. The Middle Grade reader might not have lived for as many years as an adult, but that’s experience, not intelligence. The author’s challenge is to find a way to inform without talking down to the reader. Here are examples of different writing styles from three of my favorites.

“Maybe one of the monsters ate him,” Daphne whimpered.

“That would be awesome,” Puck said. Sabrina flashed him an angry look.

“Awesome in a terrible, heartbreakingly tragic way,” Puck continued.

The Everafter War, by Michael Buckley.

Mr Grousammer, the Headmaster, makes such efforts to annoy me that I suspect he may be Hasdruban the Pure under the guise of a Mask of Flesh spell. The only way to tell for sure would be to fix the stings of 1001 killer bees from his jaw to his neck, and then pull. However, the plan is not without difficulty. Also, if I’m wrong, there is a serious risk of detention. Again.

Dark Lord, The Teenage Years, by Jamie Thomson.

It was bewildering. He was sprawling through solidity. And ever the light grew brighter. Fear urged him to go back, but growth drove him on. Suddenly he found himself at the mouth of the cave. The wall, inside which he had thought himself, leaped back before him to an immeasurable distance.

White Fang, by Jack London.

2.     The Characters

The characters in Middle Grade books can be extraordinary, and very real. Especially given that the author uses fewer words to create them. One minute they’re making you laugh, and the next your heart is breaking.

“Wow,” Thalia muttered. “Apollo is hot.”

“He’s the sun god,” I said.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Stars,” she whispered. “I can see the stars again, my lady.”

A tear trickled down Artemis’s cheek. “Yes, my brave one. They are beautiful tonight.”

“Stars,” Zoe repeated. Her eyes fixed on the night sky. And she did not move again.

The Titan’s Curse, Rick Riordan

3.     The World Building

It’s immediate, it’s powerful, and the variety is endless. There are stories set in the author’s version of the real world, past or present, with all of its recognisable challenges. There are stories set in worlds so fantastical, that almost nothing is familiar. And there is everything in between.

Here are two examples: the first is contemporary, and the second is dystopian. Completely different voices and protagonists, but both draw the reader into their world very effectively.

He ended up doing time in prison for GBH. We went to see him once a month, Mum and me. I remember he was very sweet to us then. He made a big fuss of me, telling me I was his pretty little princess, though I was this plain, podgy kid with no front teeth at that stage. That’s the really scary thing about my Dad. He can make you feel so special – but he can also smash your face in.

Lola Rose, by Jacqueline Wilson.

Beyond the fence there are towers, lights, people and machines. Everything that used to feel normal. And now – I don’t know how it will feel. But without waiting another second I start striding straight towards the fence, Polly hurrying behind me.

“Where are you going, Kester? Wait! You can’t just walk into Premium with a hundred animals!”

Watch me.

The Last Wild, Piers Torday.

And that’s the end of my argument in favour of reading a Middle Grade book. Have I convinced you? Or were you a fan already?

Thank you for reading, and thank you again to Ally for featuring my post!

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AUTHOR BIO:

Alex writes contemporary fantasy books for a middle grade audience and older. There are three (self-contained) stories in the Legacy of Androva series so far, with a fourth on the way. You can contact Alex, and find more information about Androva, including a character interview, at http://www.alexcvick.com.

Alex lives in the South of England with her husband and two daughters. When she's not working, or writing about magic, she also loves reading and photography.

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CONNECT WITH ALEX:

Website:

http://www.alexcvick.com/

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15906602.Alex_C_Vick

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32334070-stealing-magic

Amazon Author Page:

https://www.amazon.com/Alex-C-Vick/e/B01M1BD0UE

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BOOK BUY LINKS & SALE INFO:

**Stealing Magic will be $0.99 during the tour!!**

Amazon US Kindle:

http://amzn.to/2kCENdJ

Amazon US Paperback:

http://amzn.to/2kupSHe

Amazon UK:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LXQEPYR

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Alex will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.