Tag Archives: Middle Grade Fantasy

The Fifth Cycle Teaser Tuesday

 

The Fifth Cycle cover

 

Otherworldly Adventures #1

 

Middle-Grade Fantasy

Date Published: February 2, 2021

Publisher: Magic Cat Books

An ancient Irish goddess appears to thirteen-year-old Colin Caulfield and delivers a fateful warning. Later that night, his sister is almost kidnapped by goblins. His world is rocked even further when his mother and a family friend reveal that he is the reincarnation of Ireland’s greatest hero, CuChulainn, and destined to help the Irish gods return to their seat of power.

First, he needs to be properly trained, and there is no one better for that job than Scathach, the woman who trained the original CuChulainn. He arrives on her island, Alba, in the Otherworld, and joins her host of trainees. There, he meets Breccan and Alaynna, who become two of his best friends. He also meets Niall, who is somewhat hostile to him at first, but then agrees to help train him.

Colin faces a number of threats and challenges while on Alba, some of which are tied to a dark force that wants to stop him from fulfilling his destiny. Unfortunately, Colin’s greatest enemy just might be himself as a deep-seated personal issue triggers a warp-spasm, a type of berserker rage that the original CuChulainn suffered from as well. With the help of his friends, Colin must learn to control the warp-spasms if he is to become the hero both Earth and the Otherworld need him to be.

He had better hurry though, because the dark force that wants to stop Colin, that found him on Earth and tried to use his sister to get to him, discover he is on Alba, and who knows how far they are willing to go to stop Colin this time.

Excerpt

It is time, Colin Caulfield,” a familiar voice said.

Ma’s office went all hazy around the edges, like the library did for me earlier that day. It grew too, became massive. And yep, there they were, the Morrigan, all three of them, a triple goddess, representing all stages of womanhood at once. Maiden. Mother. Crone. It was the Maiden who’d spoken first.

Follow us, Colin Caulfield,” said the Mother.

We shall lead the way,” said the Crone.

Ma and Sean both looked at me then in the direction I was staring then back again.

You can’t see them?” I asked.

See who?” asked Ma.

The Morrigan.”

They’re here?” Sean sounded in awe. “You can see them?”

They were in the library. That’s why I rushed out like I did.”

Sean smiled. “This is a good sign. The Morrigan are the patrons of heroes. They appeared before the original CuChulainn.”

Yeah, and he was too stupid to take their help,” I reminded him.

Sean rested his hand on my shoulder. “Hopefully, you won’t repeat his mistake.”

I answered with a tight smile. The Morrigan stood there, waiting for me. At least they were allowing me time to say goodbye to Ma and Jenny.

You come back to me,” said Ma, trying really hard not to cry. “No matter what.”

I promised I would. Jenny gave me a thumbs-up.

You’ve got this,” she said.

What did she mean? Got what? Little weirdo. I grinned and tousled her hair.

The Morrigan turned in unison and started walking. I followed. A mist rose out of nowhere. It kept getting thicker and thicker.

I stopped short when water brushed against my shoes. I squinted through the mist. All I could see was water, in every direction. The Morrigan were still walking ahead of me. I could buy that they could walk on water. But could I? Only one way to find out.

I took one step then another and chuckled in disbelief. I was walking on water. So weird, the way it shimmied beneath my feet. I sent out ripples with each step I made. I kept walking. The mist grew thick again, surrounding me. The Morrigan were nowhere in sight.

Hello?” I called out. “Anyone out there?”

I took a couple more steps before finally stopping on what felt like dry, solid ground. That was when the mist started to clear. I was standing in a stone courtyard. There were cottages and larger buildings all around. The whole place was surrounded by huge stone walls.

Ma’s office, the Fenian, the world I knew — was gone.

Was this Scathach’s Island? Alba?

A man stood there like he’d been waiting for me. He wore a cloak with the hood pulled completely over his head. He tossed something to me. It clanged and clattered as it slid across the stones then landed near my feet. It was an ancient Irish war sword, one-handed with a short thick blade. I’d seen pictures of them in books. This one looked almost brand-new.

Pick it up,” the man in the hood growled.

About The Author

Dan O’Mahony

It is widely believed that the man known as Dan O’Mahony was raised in a library by a pack of wild fantasy novels that accepted him as one of their own.

Dan currently resides near Chandler, Arizona but spends most of his time exploring new worlds and associating with unique characters. When not engaging in fulfilling flights of fancy, he teaches elementary and junior high students, hoping to inspire within them a love of reading and writing (The trick is to get them while they are young.).

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Dragon Lad: Wand of the Black Sphere Blitz

 

Dragon Lad: Wand of the Black Sphere cover

 

Dragon Lad: Wand of the Black Sphere

 

Juvenile Fiction, Middle Grade, Middle-Grade Fantasy

Publisher: Dragon’s Egg Books

A shapeshifting magic fantasy adventure filled with dragons, witches, wizards, fairies and fun.

Dirk is a budding boy wizard who hatched as a dragon and has a ring that turns him back into one. For his summer vacation, he’s leaving Roman Britannia on a secret journey to tell the dragon who raised him she’s free from a curse.

He doesn’t realize he’s being tracked by his worst enemy, the sorceress who abducted him as a baby and blames him for her husband’s death. Treacherous Ethelda thinks Dirk has her fiendishly powerful wand and she’ll do anything to get it back.

The Roman Army wants the Wand of the Black Sphere, too, worried Ethelda will use it against them, and they’re looking for Dirk, the last one seen with it. But Dirk’s halfway around the world dealing with monsters and magic they couldn’t imagine.

Dragon Lad: Wand of the Black Sphere tablet


Praise for Dragon Lad: Wand of the Black Sphere:

“The third volume of Stevens’ middle-grade series is a perfect balance of education and entertainment. … Detailed illustrations by the author enliven scenes throughout. … The lively final volume of a charming series.” – Kirkus Reviews

Other Books in the Dragon Lad Trilogy:

Dragon Lad: The Thirteenth Egg

 

Dragon Lad: The Thirteenth Egg

 

Publisher: Dragon’s Egg Books

Fly through page after page of adventures with Dorg as the young dragon discovers an astonishing truth about himself: he may not be a dragon after all.

Dorg hatches small due to a magic curse. A tough start in the biting, clawing, flame-spitting world he lives in. At first, all he wants to do is end the curse, so he can be like the other dragons. But friends and enemies help him see that being a big, mean dragon isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.

Along the way, he encounters a mysterious pendant, shapeshifting dragons, a grouchy witch who loves wildlife, an absentminded wizard, and a swarm of friendly insects.

Heartwarming and humorous, this book is the first in a trilogy of stories about learning to live in harmony with one’s self as well as with nature. An egg-straordinary fantasy awaits the reader.

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Dragon Lad: Tale of the Talisman cover

 

Dragon Lad: Tale of the Talisman

 

Publisher: Dragon’s Egg Books

Magic and adventure abound in this second book in the Dragon Lad trilogy.

Tale of the Talisman” follows our young, dragon-hatched hero as he seeks his parents, his past and his destiny in Roman-ruled Britannia. A boy without a history — at least one that he can remember — Dirk turns to his shape-shifting friends for help. They launch him on a quest involving the one clue he has to his previous existence: a magic talisman.

The wizard Beldor gives Dirk a ring that allows him to re-enter the realm he thought he’d left behind. Armed with this ring and a magic map, he travels a trail leading to a raging dragon, a slippery mermaid, two grasping sorcerers and a legion of Roman soldiers. He also rediscovers a long-lost friend and powers he never imagined.

Fast-paced and funny, “Dragon Lad: Tale of the Talisman” is a modern classic that can be read alone or as a companion to the first novel in the trilogy, “Dragon Lad: The Thirteenth Egg.”

Amazon

Excerpt

 

Chapter Nineteen

Dorg tried to pull up. It only reduced the speed of his impact. He hit the ground hard and blacked out.

He regained consciousness in a daze of pain. His ears were ringing, jaw ached, wing burned, shoulder throbbed. Turning on his side to touch the inflamed shoulder, he dislodged the raven perched there. He grimaced at the bird as it squawked to the ground, then took in his surroundings.

He lay on a mat of animal skin in one of the human dwellings. Dug into the ground like a burrow, with stonework above and below the level of the ground, it had a domed, willow-frame roof covered with skins. In the center, some sort of animal fat burned in a soapstone trough with moss wicks, illuminating a short entry tunnel, benches, clothing hung from leather cords, and

baskets full of herbs, plants and tools made of antler, stone and bone. The dwelling was crowded, yet they’d managed to fit a dragon with large wings and a body the size of a small bull inside. As he wondered how, the raven demanded his attention.

Tok!”

Sorry, I don’t speak raven,” Dorg responded in the hawk language. “Do you speak hawk?”

The raven uttered a “pruk” that reminded him of a human sigh. Then, revolving on his claws, he transformed into a handsome hawk with brilliant eyes and glossy feathers.

About the Author

J. C. Stevens


J. C. Stevens began writing fiction, nonfiction and poetry at age five. The author’s first and favorite stories were about ghosts, witches and other spooky creatures. As an adult, Stevens served as a newspaper reporter, editor and teacher.

“Dragon Lad: The Thirteenth Egg,” the first book in the Dragon Lad trilogy, debuted in 2015. The second book in the trilogy, “Dragon Lad: Tale of the Talisman,” appeared in 2017. The third and final book, “Dragon Lad: Wand of the Black Sphere,” was published in 2019. Stevens lives in Southern California. To learn more, visit https://www.dragonseggbooks.com.

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Casey Grimes at Trickery School Release Blitz

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Casey Grimes at Trickery School cover

Casey Grimes Book 2

Middle Grade Fantasy

Published Date: November 13, 2020

Publisher: INtense Publications LLC

 

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Twelve-year-old Casey Grimes almost died fighting the Butcher Beasts. On
the bright side, he’s no longer invisible. Even better, he’s
enrolled at Trickery School in the heart of Sylvan Woods—a secret
forest society in charge of keeping monsters out of the suburbs.
 

The campus is gorgeous, the classes are crazy, and Casey and his little
sister Gloria have good friends: Luci and Robert and Jake. But Casey quickly
realizes he has bigger problems than surviving Land Creature Defense and
Extreme Climbing.

Magic is causing controversy at Trickery. It’s back on the curriculum
after a hundred years and everyone knows Casey is responsible. Even worse,
someone is out to get him, someone more cunning than a Bog Creep or Hyena
Toad.

As the shadow enemy closes in, Casey races to discover why he’s being
targeted. Solving the deadly mystery will take all the courage and tenacity
he’s got.

 

About the Author

 AJ Vanderhorst has had many jobs, including journalist, paramedic, escape
artist, and baby whisperer. One time in fifth grade, he built a
traffic-stopping fort in a huge oak tree, using only branches and
imagination, and slept there for a week.

Now he and his wife live in a woodsy house with their proteges and a
ridiculous number of pets, including a turtle with a taste for human toes.
This makes AJ an expert on wild, dangerous things—invisibility spells,
butcher beasts, hungry kids, you get the idea.

He is the only author in the world who enjoys pickup basketball and
enormous bonfires, preferably not at the same time. He and his family have
drawn up several blueprints for their future tree castle. Visit AJ online at
ajvanderhorst.com.

 

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The Black Cup Blitz

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The Black Cup cover
Middle-Grade Fantasy
Published Date: May 29, 2020
Publisher: INtense Publications LLC
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Twelve-year-old Max knows the King wants him dead. Born with his heart outside of his rib cage, Max is abandoned at birth by his father and raised by a kind witch who sacrifices all to keep him safe from the outside world. In time, Max’s father ruthlessly ascends to the throne and becomes the most feared king in history thanks to The Black Cup’s evil powers. When he learns that the baby he abandoned years ago still lives, and is now nearly a man, the King orders his troops to find and kill Max so that his rule will go unchallenged by his own blood. Rather than run away from the danger, Max embarks on a journey toward the city to seek his father and prevent further destruction of the kingdom and its people. That’s where the witch, the King, and Max are set on a collision course. The world they have known, and the lives they have lived, will be changed forever.
About the Author
Alec Lavictoire was born and raised in Northern Ontario and now resides in Orangeville, Canada with his wife and two sons who served as the inspiration for the hero of this tale. Alec’s love of adventure has taken him all over the world on extended backpack treks where he thrives on coming up against the unknowns hidden around every corner. Some of Alec’s short stories have appeared in Fiction on the Web, 50 Word Stories, and Commuter Lit. This is his first novel.
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Casey Grimes: The Mostly Invisible Boy Tour

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Casey Grimes: The Mostly Invisible Boy cover

Middle-Grade Fantasy
Published Date: 4-25-20
Publisher: INtense Publications LLC
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Eleven-year-old Casey Grimes is invisible. Really. When he leaves suburbia and infiltrates a secret forest society, he can finally be seen—but Sylvan Woods hates outsiders as much as it loves killing monsters. As Butcher Beasts invade, his flimsy cover story falls apart, and courage is his only chance to belong.
Casey Grimes: The Mostly Invisible Boy tablet

EXCERPT

They pulled out the picnic basket. Casey spread the tablecloth and loaded it with plates and glasses. Gloria set a checkers game on one side. By the time Casey was done unpacking, she’d weighed each corner of the blanket down with a smooth black stone. 
“Where’d you find the climbing weights?” He poured lemonade. 
“In the closet.” Gloria fitted an apple slice into her mouth so she had a one-piece smile trimmed with red. 
Casey smiled back. “With the picnic stuff?”
She chewed up her smile and swallowed it. “No, the other closet.”
“What other…” He tried to stop, but it was too late.
“Ooh.” Gloria raised her eyebrows. “You didn’t know about that, did you?”
“Darn it,” Casey said. “How many closets does this tree have?”  
Gloria’s closet was well organized. Ropes and harnesses hung from hooks in the ceiling. Rows of climbing weights lined a wall. Drawers contained carabiners, O-rings, and boxes of chalk. On the final wall… 
Casey’s shoulders twitched. 
Swords. Spears. Bright, oddly-shaped weapons. Cold traced his spine as he took a spiky mace down from the wall. “This is unbelievable,” he said. “Feels totally real. Heavy…and, ouch! Sharp points—these are real.” He put the barbed club down and sucked one finger. 
About the Author
AJ Vanderhorst has had many jobs, including journalist, paramedic, escape artist, and baby whisperer. One time in fifth grade, he built a traffic-stopping fort in a huge oak tree, using only branches and imagination, and slept there for a week.
Now he and his wife live in a woodsy house with their six proteges and a ridiculous number of pets, including a turtle with a taste for human toes. This makes AJ an expert on wild, dangerous things—invisibility spells, butcher beasts, hungry kids, you get the idea.
He is the only author in the world who enjoys pickup basketball and enormous bonfires, preferably not at the same time. He and his family have drawn up several blueprints for their future tree castle. Visit AJ online at ajvanderhorst.com.
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