Category: iRead Book Tours

July 12, 2016

The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt Book Spotlight

See the enchantment of the Disneyland resort in a whole new way with “The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt.” From Main Street U.S.A. to New Orleans Square, Walt Disney lovingly designed every detail to immerse guests in the magic of his theme parks.

About The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt Book

See Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure through new eyes when you discover fantasy, thrills, and dreams around every turn. Whether you’re perusing the shops, waiting in line, or riding attractions, there’s plenty to uncover for even the most knowledgeable Disney fan.

If this is your first visit or your five hundredth, you will discover something new with “The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt.”

You can buy this book on Amazon, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s Books and Chapters.

About the Author

Catherine Olen has enjoyed a love affair with the magic of the Disney theme parks for as long as she can remember, counting herself among Disneyland passholders for the last twenty-five years. Previously, Olen owned and operated Hollywood Grave Hunter and is the proud author of The Final Curtain: Celebrity Deaths and The Upside of Undertaking, chronicling her previous career experiences. She has been a correspondent to Entertainment Tonight (US and France), The Biography Channel, Reelz Network, and the Mark & Brian radio show. You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

Author Interview

What made you decide to write The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt?

As an annual pass holder for over twenty-five years, I’ve observed thousands of guests coming through the gates and missing so much of the subtle magic Disneyland has to offer. I wanted people to experience Disneyland through my eyes and see some of the details Walt Disney so lovingly included in his theme park.

What is your favorite attraction at Disneyland or Disney’s California Adventure?

My favorite attractions are always changing with the time of year or my journey as an annual pass holder. The Haunted Mansion is a classic Disneyland attraction and I love the change for Halloween to The Nightmare Before Christmas theme. The annual visit from Jack Skellington is something I look forward to every fall. While writing The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt, I found new favorites like Splash Mountain and Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye.

There are many books out about Disney, what makes yours different?

While there have been books written about the trivia surrounding Disney or the history of Disney, With The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt, I’ve written about the details surround the guests. No matter which of the themed lands you are exploring, there is something new to find or rediscover no matter how many times you’ve been within the gates of Disneyland.

What does The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt offer for families with small children?

When writing The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt, I made sure to create questions for families so the kids can feel like they are participating along with their parents in exploring the parks. The questions were coded with one, two or three stars with the one star questions specific to children or families. The kids will be entertained during their time in line and during their meals when they might otherwise be bored or fussy.

What are your plans for the future of Mouse Hangover and the Scavenger Hunt book?

I am very excited to announce The Great Walt Disney World Scavenger Hunt and The Great Universal Studios Florida coming soon. Guests will have the opportunity to see The Florida theme parks in much the same way I do. I only hope they will fall in love with all of the parks the way I have over the past twenty-five years.

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July 11, 2016

Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall

On a distant world of forests floating on an ocean around a star, a blight threatens to plunge all life into darkness.

But three friends seek the light.

Together, they will Fall and be lost. And at the very Root of darkness, they will find themselves. But will it be enough to help them find their way home?

About Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall

In the world of Cerulean, light and water flow from the ocean into the roots of the Great Trees, up through the boughs, and out over the lush canopy. But the once vibrant treescape has grown dim over generations of arboreal life, and the creatures of the forest have forgotten the light.

Barra, a young, willful Listlespur, finds her late father’s hidden journal, and reads about the old world and the mysterious plague her father believed destroyed it. He wrote that he warned the Elders. He urged them to take action. Those were his last words.

Together with her two best friends, Barra will explore every bark, wood, and leaf of the Great Forest to relight her world and complete her father’s story, even if she has to travel beneath the Fall.

My Thoughts

A fantastic verbal and visual adventure that you don’t want to put down! Three young friends from different backgrounds come together to discover a secret that Barra’s Father may have died from.

I love Barra’s character – she is brave, full of spirit and life but still has normal flaws that any human child would have at her young age. She tends to make spur of the moment decisions that she sometimes regrets but as she grows on this adventure she begins to see her own flaws and her ability to apologize and learn from her mistakes.

I loved the underlying story of the darkness that slowly took over the beautiful Great Forest. The story is full of beautiful descriptions of this new world that is easy to bring this new land to life once the friends travel beneath The Fall. Their experiences while full of adventure, has some scary moments (nothing too much for young readers) but will definitely keep them guessing what will happen next.

I loved every moment of this book and couldn’t wait to share it with my child! See what he thought below.

The Kids Thoughts

Funny, adventurous and full of bravery. The characters were interesting, funny and human like so that you could relate to their experiences. I loved the pictures that accompanied the story as it helped explain the story even more. I loved the adventure the friends took in The Fall to explore Barra’s Dads journal. It was exciting!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and the author’s website.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Aaron Safronoff is author of the Discovery Award winning science fiction novel, Spire. Since his debut, he’s published a sequel, Fallen Spire, and a novella of literary fiction, Evening Breezes.

Safronoff’s diverse background includes the formal study of computer science, bio-chemistry, and culinary arts. However, most of his career has been in the videogame industry in quality, production, and design.

Today, Safronoff is the co-founder and Chief Storyteller of Neoglyphic Entertainment, and is busy writing his fifth novel, the second installment of the Sunborn Rising series. You can connect with Aaron on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall Trailer

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

June 21, 2016

Interlude to Sentimental Me Book Spotlight

In this book spotlight, we have two books from author Michael Judkins: Interlude to Sentimental Me and Sentimental Me.

About Interlude to Sentimental Me: Volume Two

A collection of emotionally driven poetry that covers the story of pain, tribulations, happiness, self-esteem and self discovery through love and heartache. The Interlude will take readers on a journey of determination and imagery, which leads to the formation of short stories and performances.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Google Play, Smashwords, Kobo and Aois21market.

About Sentimental Me: Volume One

Sentimental Me – displays his ability to wrest good from bad, to display the courage to dig deep within himself to help others. Through an inspired melding of his unique voice and inspiring photographic images of nature, Michael provides the reader with a unique perspective of the human condition, inspiring others to follow their own creative paths without boundaries.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Poetry Lyric Video

About the Author

Michael Barry Judkins was born in the Bronx, New York, along with his four brothers and sisters. Michael’s childhood memories, although bittersweet, provided a rich foundation for him to draw upon later in life as an accomplished author.

Delightful memories of trips to the zoo or picking apples with his mother contrast greatly to daily reminders of what any hard-working family must battle in building a life in an urban setting. Domestic violence. Drugs. Gangs. All play their part in shaping a person – whether for good or bad is often an individual’s choice.

After spending years immersed in typical, reactive adolescent behaviors like skipping school, smoking and drinking, Michael began experimenting with other alternatives to developing new relationships and helping resolve social issues. As he took these first, proactive steps to be part of the solution, and not the problem, the germ of the idea for his first book – Sentimental Me – was born.

Graduating from high school a year early, and after a foray into the music business, Michael completed a BS degree in Human Services and MS in Mental Health Counseling. A daydreamer for as long as he can remember, Michael’s inability to forge a relationship with his beloved father before he passed when Michael was only two years old still haunts him today. His mother’s cherished memories of his father’s spirit and honored Armed Forces service, while providing some solace, also serve to make Michael wonder what might have been, if only.

Today, with several poetry collections and short stories in the works, Michael’s first release – Sentimental Me – displays his ability to wrest good from bad, to display the courage to dig deep within himself to help others. Through an inspired melding of his unique voice and inspiring photographic images of nature, Michael provides the reader with a unique perspective of the human condition, inspiring others to follow their own creative paths without boundaries.

Michael now resides in Allentown, P.A., and welcomes all readers to feel free to contact him at [email protected] to discuss your reaction to his work, or learn more about upcoming releases. You can connect with him on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

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June 20, 2016

Candidate for Murder Book Spotlight

In Candidate for Murder, it’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the local year-round residents who have enjoyed their rural way of life and the city dwellers moving into their mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clothes lines.

About Candidate for Murder

When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees on the town residents, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run as mayor of Spencer!

What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight Gnarly becomes the front runner—at which point his political enemies take a page straight out of Politics 101. What do you do when you’re behind in a race? Dig up dirt on the front runner, of course.

Seemingly, someone is not content to rest with simply embarrassing the front runner by publicizing his dishonorable discharge from the United States Army, but to throw in a murder for good measure. With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!

About the Author

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries. The twelfth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series, Candidate for Murder will be released June 2016.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

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Book Trailer

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post. I loved the book description and wanted to share it with you my readers!

June 13, 2016

Live Self-Sufficiently Book Spotlight

Learn how to live your life self-sufficiently with this new twelve step book!

About Live Self-Sufficiently

This is a twelve-step guide to living self-sufficiently with lessons on personal growth, self love, health and wellness, financial stability and healthy relationships.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Alibris.

About the Author

Tisha Marie Payton is a certified life and relationship coach. She holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma. Her education is in human relations with an emphasis in art therapy. For over twelve years Ms. Payton provided service to her community as a Girl Scout, has competed in pageants, fitness and swimsuit modeling, and landed the cover of Playboy Magazine. Throughout her collegiate and modeling career, she found that many people live dependent upon others and aren’t truly living happily. She began a nonprofit organization called Building ME in Texas to build enlightened minds in youth and provide pertinent life skills to stop the cycle of dependency. This is a twelve-step guide to personal growth, self-love, health and wellness, financial stability, and healthy relationships.

You can connect with her on her website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

The Giveaway!

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Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour post, I received no compensation for this post. I loved the book’s description and wanted to share it with you my readers!