#mgmondays

[mgmrns]

2pm!!! #MGMONDAYS ARE BACK. Vicodin - @dantemgm & @ticoraequan came with super 🔥 #MGMRNS #TDMGM

[mgmrns]

Tomorrow! @ticoraequan & I got some heat #MGMONDAYS #MGMRNS #Tibo2Gudda #Daintman

[month9books]

Super Middle Grade Mondays:  Author Spotlight – Michael Gibney with Giveaway #SuperMGMondays

  Welcome to this week’s Super Middle Grade Mondays presented by Tantrum Books/Month9books!

Today, we get up close and personal with

Michael Gibney

author of The Three Thorns (The Brotherhood and the Shield #1) from Tantrum Books.

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

    Michael Gibney began working in restaurants at the age of sixteen and assumed his first sous chef position at twenty-two. He ascended to executive sous chef at Tavern on the Green, where he managed an eighty-person staff. He has worked in the kitchens of Morgans Hotel Group, 10 Downing in Manhattan, and Governor in Brooklyn’s DUMBO, among many others. Over the course of his career, he has had the opportunity to work alongside cooks and chefs from many of the nation’s best restaurants, including Alinea, Per Se, Eleven Madison Park, Daniel, Jean Georges, Le Bernardin, Bouley, Ducasse, Corton, wd~50, and Momofuku.

In addition to his experience in the food service industry, Gibney also holds a BFA in painting from Pratt Institute and an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Connect with the Author: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

  Would You Rather With Michael Gibney

  Would you rather never be able to speak again or always have to say everything that is on your mind?

Everything that is on my mind. I value honesty and the power of words, both written and audible. It’s not in my nature to stay silent, especially concerning injustice i.e. Animal Cruelty, etc.

  Would you rather be able to read or be able to read minds (but be illiterate)?

I can do both. Haha. Read. I’d find reading people’s minds an invasion of their privacy, unless it was to help them.

  Would you rather be able to speak fluently every language in the world or be the best in the world at something of your choosing?

Be the best in the world at something. Reason being I love the fact that learning another language is a feeling of achievement and an exciting challenge. I wouldn’t want that challenge made easy.

  Would you rather read only one book over and over for the rest of your life or read as many as you want but never remember what they’re about?

Oh, tough one. Well, if you can’t remember there’s not much point. Seems like a waste of time and effort for nothing, so I’d go for reading one book and that would be J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan (aka Peter and Wendy). The best fantasy book ever written in my opinion. So simple but yet such Genius.

  Would you rather only the first page of a book or the last page?

Last Page. I always have to find out how a story ends.

  Would you rather read 5 pages per day or 5 books per week?

Five books a week if I could and had the time. Knowledge is power.

  Would you rather read only one genre forever or never read the same genre more than once?

One genre forever because you’d quickly run out of genres, right? And there’s plenty of amazing books and various sub-genres to be found in the Sci-Fi and Horror genre. Not so much in the romance genre.

  Would you rather be invisible or be able to read minds?

Invisible. Would be so much fun but not if it’s like the Predator or Hollowman/The Invisible Man. That would suck.

  Would you rather never use the internet again or never watch TV again?

Never watch TV again. There’s too much sad news and superficial reality shows on TV these days and not to mention a cluster of commercials. Yes, give me the Internet, so I can watch the art, music, movies I want and keep in contact with those I love around the world. Much better than a one way street of TV.

  Would you rather have one wish granted today or three granted in 10 years?

Definitely one wish granted today. Life is unpredictable and short. We’re not guaranteed anything. Also, I hate waiting. Patience is a virtue. Possess it if you can. Seldom in a woman, but never in a man.

  Would you rather know it all or have it all?

Have it all. I’m a deep enough thinker and have a strong enough imagination as it is and that can be quite exhausting. So, knowing it all would drive me crazy. Plus, one would be viewed as pretentious and arrogant if they had the ability to know it all. And both are not good attributes. =)

  Three brothers born to a once powerful King were abandoned at birth and cast out into the old world as orphans - alone and unaware of the other's existence or their royal heritage.

In the new world, by order of the false King, three of the most lethal assassins are sent to kill the children before they come of age and avenge their father’s throne.

But when the brothers find one another, Benjamin, Tommy and Sebastian must resist the temptation of magic and power if they are to defeat the unspeakable evil that has threatened them since birth.

The Three Thorns is book one in an exciting children’s fantasy series called The Brotherhood and the Shield from debut author Michael Gibney.

Chapters Indigo | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | TBD | Indiebound | Google Play | BAM | iBooks

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[month9books]

Super Middle Grade Mondays Blitz: Author Spotlight – Charles Curtis with Giveaway #SuperMGMondays

  Welcome to this week’s Super Middle Grade Mondays Book Blitz presented by Tantrum Books/Month9books!

Today, we get up close and personal with

Charles Curtis

author of Strange Country Day from Tantrum Books.

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

  Charles Curtis is a writer and journalist based in New York City. He has reported and written for publications including NJ.com (where he is currently the site’s sports buzz reporter), The Daily, ESPN.com, ESPN the Magazine, Bleacher Report, TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. Charles has covered the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, golf, tennis and NASCAR. He has also written about television, film and pop culture.

In addition, Curtis has also written, produced and was featured in videos for ESPN.com and The Daily. He has made radio appearances on stations including 92.9 The Ticket in Bangor, Maine, WLIE 540 AM in Long Island and on morning shows across Canada via the CBC. He can be reached on Twitter: @charlescurtis82.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

  As a young 8th grade writer who published his first story in my school’s literary magazine, I was always encouraged to write what I know.

So when I sat down to write STRANGE COUNTRY DAY, I immediately knew my protagonist, Alexander Graham Ptuiac, would be a tall, skinny sports-loving new kid just starting middle school and trying to fit in. That’s because, at the age of 12, I was a tall, skinny sports-loving new kid just starting middle school and trying to fit in.

Alex’s first day of school starts out with a bang: During 7th grade orientation, he’s pulled into a room with his classmates for a ritual known as “Fresh Meet Friday.” When the event turns into a riot involving the older 9th graders, Alex discovers he has previously unknown superhero-like powers that propel him to punch the ringleader in the nose.

Unfortunately, my first day of middle school wasn’t nearly as mind-blowing as Alex’s, but I did draw a little bit from experience. I attended a private school where I was one of many new kids faced with making friends with a whole new group of students, many of whom already knew each other. Luckily, there were no hazing rituals I was forced to participate in (unluckily, I didn’t have comic book-like powers, either), but in STRANGE COUNTRY DAY, I tried to capture that same nervousness I felt about walking into a –well – strange environment, trying to fit in and attempting to adjust to an increased workload and new schedule.

In the past few years, I’ve often joked about how my interests in those days – I visited a comic book shop once a week to pick up my stack and played the card game Magic: The Gathering every day at lunch – are suddenly trendy now and lamented about how I would have been much happier if I’d been a middle schooler in 2015. But I realize now just how influential both were on my creativity and imagination.

The other huge influence? Sports, of course. I spent countless nights in front of the television (I promise, Mom and Dad, it was after my homework was done…most of the time) or at one of the many New York stadiums/arenas, taking in any and all Mets, Giants, Knicks or Rangers games I could watch. I always wish I could go back in time and tell my middle school self that one day I’d find myself in the press box at those very same arenas and stadiums. Middle School Charles would be blown away.

The one thing that truly separates me from Alex? With the help of those aforementioned powers, he ends up joining his school’s football team as a quarterback. Despite my love for the game of football, I didn’t have half the athleticism to even begin to think about playing on the gridiron.

But hey, adults – especially authors – are allowed to reimagine their pasts too, right?

  Alexander Graham Ptuiac, the son of an inventor, wants to play for the school’s football team. During tryouts, and under the watchful eye of the team’s coach, he suddenly manifests mysterious superhuman powers. Alexander makes the team, but not before the some ill-intended adults take notice, putting his life in danger.

Alex struggles to suppress and control his strange new abilities, worried about exposing his secret and being kicked off the football team. Then he befriends Dex, a diminutive classmate who can somehow jump as high as ten feet in the air. Seems Alex isn’t the only one at school with a secret.

As the school year unfolds, Alex will find himself the target of bullies, holding hands with his first crush and discovering the shocking truth about himself and his parents.

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Chapters | Kobo | TBD | iBooks | Google Play | IndieBound

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[month9books]

Middle Grade Mondays:  Author Spotlight - Vanessa Barger with Giveaway #MGMondays

  Welcome to the first Official Middle Grade Mondays Book Blitz #MGMondays presented by Tantrum Books/Month9books!

Today, we get up close and personal in a "Would You Rather" Q & A with

Vanessa Barger

author of the upcoming book, Super Freak, from Tantrum Books.

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Vanessa Barger was born in West Virginia, and through several moves ended up spending the majority of her life in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is a graduate of George Mason University and Old Dominion University, and has degrees in Graphic Design, a minor in Medieval and Renaissance Literature, and a Masters in Technology Education. She has had articles published in Altered Arts Magazine, has had some artwork displayed in galleries in Ohio and online, and currently teaches engineering, practical physics, drafting and other technological things to high school students in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. She is a member of the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), the Virginia Writer’s Club, and the Hampton Roads Writers. When not writing or teaching, she’s a bookaholic, movie fanatic, and loves to travel. She is married to a fabulous man, and has one cat, who believes Vanessa lives only to open cat food cans, and can often be found baking when she should be editing.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest |YouTube

  Would You Rather...

Would you rather never be able to speak again or always have to say everything that is on your mind? Oh, probably never be able to speak again. I could learn sign language, but people REALLY don’t want me to say whatever I’m thinking all the time. That would get me in so, so much trouble.

Would you rather be able to read or be able to read minds (but be illiterate)? Definitely would rather be able to read. Reading minds is cool and everything, but never be able to read a book? No way!

Would you rather be able to speak fluently every language in the world or be the best in the world at something of your choosing? This one is tough. I think I’d rather be able to speak fluently in every language. I mean, think of what kind of traveling you could do! You’d never need to worry about what you’re eating, or how to ask for directions, or anything like that. It would be pretty fantastic!

Would you rather read only one book over and over for the rest of your life or read as many as you want but never remember what they’re about? Hmmmmm… I think I’m going with as many as I want. I suppose if I never remember what they’re about it might be sad, but I wouldn’t know that, because it would be a new book every time! One book would get really boring, I think.

Would you rather only the first page of a book or the last page? The first page. There are so many more possibilities you can come up with if you’re given the question. When you’re given the answer, you’re limited, because you already know where you’re going.

Would you rather read 5 pages per day or 5 books per week? 5 books per week. No question. Then maybe I’d FINALLY get through my “to-read” list!

Would you rather read only one genre forever or never read the same genre more than once? Ooooo…. Another hard one. I think I’d rather read one genre forever. There are lots of books in each genre, but if I could only read one from each genre ever, I’d quickly run out of genres and books.

Would you rather be invisible or be able to read minds? Read minds. Hands down. Know what you’re thinking? That has such possibilities…..

Would you rather never use the internet again or never watch TV again? Never watch TV. But this is a cop out, lol. You can watch many things on the internet, and I don’t watch much TV as it is!

Would you rather have one wish granted today or three granted in 10 years? Three in 10 years. My wish today might not be a good one. But the other way, I’d have some space in between to think about things and try to make a good one.

Would you rather know it all or have it all? Knowing things is fabulous. But being rich has its perks…… I can learn things, so what the heck, let’s go with have it all. After all, people don’t like a know it all. ;)

Thirteen-year-old Caroline is a freak. Her parents have uprooted her to a town full of Supernaturals. You’d think she’d be thrilled. But, with someone without a magical bone in her body, this daughter of tree sprites feels like even more of an outcast than she has ever before.

To make matters worse, her new home is cursed. But when Caroline takes to investigating the mysterious and strange happenings of Harridan House, her BFF goes missing. Seems someone doesn’t want Caroline sticking her non-magical nose where it most certainly does not belong. Determined to prove herself, Caroline uncovers a plot to destroy her new hometown.

Undeterred, Caroline can’t give up. But what’s a human without magical powers to do? Caroline better figure it out fast, before she loses everything she has ever loved and the whispers she’s heard all her life prove true: Caroline is a useless superfreak.

Super Freak by Vanessa Barger Publication Date: October 13, 2015 Publisher: Tantrum Books Genre: MG, Fantasy

BAM | Chapters | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

  Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway