Have you added The Thief of Time to your Goodreads list? If not, this is a great time to do so because there is a giveaway for the book to win one of 100 eBook copies!
Sapientia!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Goodreads Giveaway for The Thief of Time
News
Book Launch Party
You are all invited to the Book Launch Party of The Thief of Time! There will be a talk, giveaways, book cake, photos, and autographed books available. It’s going to be such a blast. The Facebook page is located here. You do not need to RSVP to come. We hope you come celebrate with us!
Publishers Weekly Booklife Editor Pick!
I’m thrilled to share with you that The Thief of Time received an editor’s pick for its first trade review. We are over the moon!
“Epic, heart-filled library fantasy-adventure that will inspire and delight. With their delightfully epic middle grade adventure, Barnes, Parker, and Farley offer young readers a compelling portal into imagination and learning that will leave them hungry for more.” —Publishers Weekly Booklife Review
For the full stunning write-up, go here. Here are some lines we loved:
“From literary themed meals to the poet Homer as a dorm-mate—they still must contend with the growing pains faced by young adults everywhere: bullying, imposter syndrome, self-esteem issues, homesickness and fear, all handled with sensitivity. Filled with heart-pounding action and page-turning suspense as a mysterious package points to a traitor within the Library’s ranks, the novel’s unique three-part voice allows readers to fully immerse themselves and identify with the characters. All three protagonists blend harmoniously with each other, bonded first in friendship, then with a common cause. Plentiful life-lesson reminders, such as overcoming fear, perseverance and resilience, are presented in an age-appropriate, organic manner.”
Takeaway: Epic, heart-filled library fantasy-adventure that will inspire and delight.
Comparable Titles: Raymond Arroyo’s Will Wilder series, M.A. Larson’s Pennyroyal Academy series
Production grades:
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Announcing My Newest Middle Grade Novel!
I’m absolutely thrilled to share with you the cover and blurb for my next middle grade novel! It will steal your breath away (pun intended!) It’s called The Thief of Time and I cowrote this book with Amy Christine Parker and Vivi Barnes. This contemporary fantasy is perfect for those who love adventures, fantasy, magic, books, librarians, a magical schools, book-themed meals, beds in bookshelves, and adventures across the world!
The Thief of Time is the first in the contemporary fantasy series called The Library of Alexandria Series
It will be in e-book, paperback, and hardcover, releasing on May 7, 2024. It’s available on Amazon right now and all other vendors will be coming soon. You can add it to Goodreads here. And here is the cover created by Brandon Dorman.
Thank you to Rock Stars Book Tours for helping us with our cover reveal. You can enter to win a $25 gift card to celebrate with us. Go here to enter!
Keep reading to see the cover, blurb, and incredible reviews authors and a librarian gave this book!
THE THIEF OF TIME
“The Thief of Time is a thrilling contemporary fantasy that will steal your breath away. Chock full of complex world building and magic that springs from the power of story, this book will definitely keep young readers turning pages.”—Polly Holyoke, award-winning author
Unleash the Magic…
THE THIEF OF TIME is an exciting middle-grade contemporary fantasy adventure that takes readers on a thrilling journey through the realms of magic, friendship, and self-discovery.
On a visit to their local library, Ben, Bridgette, and Maya unwittingly unleash a dragon from an ancient book and find themselves fighting for their lives against a swarm of evil birds. They battle to escape with the help of the dragon and are whisked through a portal into the magical Great Library of Alexandria.
Once they pass the Trials and prove themselves worthy, they are invited to become students at Helicon Academy. There they train to become librarians for the Library of Alexandria, protecting books and the magical artifacts within.
Ben, Bridgette, and Maya fall in love with the story-themed dinners, fantastical animals, and fictional characters roaming the halls. But when they discover a dark and sinister mystery within the academy’s halls, the three must embark on a quest to protect the library and preserve the fabric of time itself.
REVIEWS:
“Every so often, you read a book with a fictional place that is so full of magic and so full of wonder that you want to live there forever — the library in The Thief of Time is such a place. You’re in for a treat!” —Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of Spark
What a ride! The Thief of Time whisks readers from the immortal Library of Alexandria to adventures across the globe. Maya, Ben, and Bridgette kept me reading to the very end! —Sarah McGuire, author of Flight of Swans and Valiant
We all know books are magic, but in The Thief of Time, they are beyond our expectations! This adventure jumps right in with our protagonists facing an adventure, both physically and mentally, unlike any other I’ve read. Fans of Land of Stories and magical school books are going to devour this new twist on what it means to truly get into a book. —Kellee Moye, librarian and ALAN President
2024 is here!
I’m so excited about all that is in store for 2024! Check out this video where I tell you what I’m up to on my projects. There are a few more that I can’t talk to you about just yet, but I’m hoping to be able to do so soon!
It’s the Release Day for The Dream Hunt!
Today is the day! The Dream Hunt, book 2 in the Dreamscape series, is ready for you to read! I’m so excited for you to dive into this adventurous and thrilling book. When my family visited Peru, I was transported by the beauty, history, and people of this stunning country.
It was while we were exploring the catacombs under the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco in Lima, that my family was like, “You need to write a book set here!” And so I did! That experience inspired me to write a sequel to The Dream Heist.
So I invite you to relive that trip with me (okay, so we weren’t being chased by bad guys, entered nightmares, or survived explosions). As you take your adventure, feel free to use this tracker. The paperback is available on all book outlets and the e-book is available on Amazon and KU. Here are quick links for you:
Thank you for celebrating with me! Grab a virtual cupcake!
Come See Me This Fall!
This is going to be an amazing fall. I’ll be speaking and signing at a number of festivals and conferences in the next months. I would love to see you so here’s where I’ll be!
September
Sept. 9, 2023- Romance Writers Workshop: Mastering the Art of Romance Plotting
October
Oct. 13-14, 2023: YA by the Bay
Oct. 20-22- Florida Writer’s Conference
Different Paths to Publishing
The Heartstrings Method: Techniques for Creating Emotional Impact in Your Writing
My Website Has a New Look
I’m in love with the brand new look of my website. Huge thanks to Biondo Studio for creating such a stunning website with a clean and fresh feel. In this site, I wanted to showcase my books and share with you all of the latest things I’ve been up to. I also had new author photos taken. Abby Liga is my photographer, and once again she created a series of stunning shots that I’ve placed on the site.
I’ve got some exciting things in the works that I can’t wait to share with you over the next few months. One of things I’m now offering is Coaching with Christina. Many of you have reached out for writing and publishing advice, which I love to give through my workshops. But now I’m offering one on one coaching for those of you who want to elevate your craft or need guidance in publishing. To find out all the details, go here and scroll to the bottom. I can’t wait to work with you!
Kindle Vella Workshop
Kindle Vella has been a big part of my life over the past year and a half. I joined the program when it first started with THE DREAM HEIST, which hit #3 of all stories on Kindle Vella and stayed in the top 25 for over a year! My agent then went on to sell audio rights to Blackstone Publishing, and we are looking at film next! I’m currently releasing a new story, THE IMMORTAL SECRET, on the platform. That story has been in a Top Faved story since it first launched in September. read more…
Come See Me!
I’ll be teaching at a number of workshops and speaking on panels this winter/spring. I’d love to see you!
OCLS Writer’s Conference: Jan. 28, 2023
Trinity Prep Book Festival– Feb. 3, 2023, 3 p.m.- 6 p.m.
SCBWI Writer’s Workshop: “Different Paths to Publishing”— Feb. 4, 2023, 10:30 a.m. – noon. West Oaks Library, Ocoee, FL
Orlando Book Festival: April 15, 2023
A Writer’s Atelier Writing Workshop: “Writing for Kindle Vella” TBD