Have you ever wondered who lives in the shadows? Selena Goodwin knows
it is not just the boogey man but another realm. Selena discovers
herself in an entirely different world from her own and must adapt to
her new life she did not know she had. Suddenly she is plunged into a
world of secrets, deception and death. This time in her life was
supposed to be the best. Then again that would only happen if she could
learn to trust more than her adoptive father. How will she find out
how to become the woman she is destined to be? Selena doesn’t just face
the challenges of maturing, falling in love but must learn to survive
as a child made of three worlds. Not only that but she must rely on
people she never expected to enter her life. All her interest of
mythology, lore and the paranormal are tested in reality. Who said
growing up was easy? They hadn’t lived, have they?
This book is a YA novel, however, it is loaded with mythology, paranormal, fantasy and much more.
I like historical based stories and the elements of history mixed with fantasy in this story were a surprise as I read. The idea
behind the plot is there are another realms and the one of shadows really captured my imagination. As a new author, it would be hard to balancing
the different realms, but Tupps did a beautiful job in keeping it all straight and engaging.
This story is like no other I have read for a long time. It is filled
with angst and it is difficult not to empathize with Selena. But she
overcomes so much grief and hardship for a girl her age. What was also wonderful about this book and a typical theme among YA novels is the coming of age story plot. Readers of all ages will be able to relate to the characters and understand the pains of growing up not only in our own world, but in alternate realms as well.
Title of Book: Shadow Tears
Publisher: Halo Publishing, Int.
ISBN Number: 978-1-61244-310-2
Places
where book is available for sale: Halo Publishing, Amazon,
Barnes & Noble, Ingram Distributing, Nook, Kindle, B. Dalton, Bowker
Books, and many
more
Aimee Tupps grew up in a small farm community in
Connersville, Indiana. She currently resides in Grand Blanc,
Michigan. In her spare time she enjoys daydreaming, traveling, sunsets,
the outdoors but most of all spending time with her family. As a young
girl she entertained herself by living adventures from her imagination.
Aimee looks at every day as a blessing and another day to make her dreams a
reality. She is still in touch with her inner teenager and enjoys the
mischief she can get into. Family is one of the most important things in her
life. She has a degree in Medical Transcription. Currently she
works as an optical technician/tester. She has one adoring husband who
joins in her mischief or is the recipient of it along with her two loveable
children and one hyper dog.
When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
Stories from my
imagination have always been a part of me.I love storytelling and have practiced my entire life.Since I was young I have written
stories.I can see my growth but there
are three stories that I return to all the time.The Shadow one is my favorite.
Where did the inspiration for Shadow TEARScome from?
The title came from one of the
hardest times in our family life.My
husband’s illness took control of our life and I invented this whole world with
the help of my children.We were staying
in a hotel across from Cleveland Clinic. My little ones would stare out all
those windows and they would have condensation on them.My children didn’t whine or cry about what
was happening in our life.They thought
this was the norm.Nevertheless they
would stand in front of those windows and I felt like the environment was
crying for them.I wanted my children
to be able to face anything sent their way.
What made you choose to write a novel?
My son one night wanted the book to
read alone.I didn’t have it.It hit me that he and my daughter needed
these stories even if I had to have them bound and printed at an office
store.
What is the main message or theme that you hope readers of this book
come away from it with?
I want people to be able to face
any challenge and to be able to overcome it.This book was written with my children in mind.I wanted my children to be able to face
anything sent their way.No illness
would be allowed to steal our joy of life.So I used things I saw that influenced those around me and put a paranormal
spin to them.Selena faces things that
the average teenager and young adult faces while the adults face their own
dilemmas.This may be a sci-fi fantasy
book but there are life lessons.No
problem is small to the person going through the event but they can be
overcomed.
Who is your favorite author?
I love too many to choose.
Do you have a writing routine? A special pen, a certain type of music,
time limits?
I have a cozy room in my home that
is for my writing.This room contains
more than just the normal thing you find in a study.I am a person who loves comfort and my
family.We have three desks and have
always had a children’s corner.I have a
comfy chair to read new releases from my favorite authors or to play Destiny
Ninja Warrior. Yeah, I am in touch with
my inner teenager.Crazy, I know.I write on my computer and I do use notebooks
that I write in too.This one little
room is the heart of the house in many ways.The children call it the comfy room that is warm.
We do have time limits in a way but my children are grown
now.We eat dinner as a family after
work. I do work late into the night on my books.
Music is not background noise in
our house.It is an event no matter what
type it is.We are a musical family and
love all types of music.We listen to
classical, foreign, to the modern genres.In fact I have a young gentleman who writes beautiful music and he has
enhanced my book with music made just for my series.I can’t wait to share them.He is in the process of copyrighting them so
it won’t be much longer.He has done
several styles of music but the music he has created for Shadow Tears is perfect.It
matches.
Do you enjoy edits/rewrites, or not?
It all depends on my mood.I love to write more than edit.
Please tell us a little bit about
your journey to publication:
What is the hardest part of being a writer?
Time
When you're not writing, what are your other hobbies/passions?
My family is my passion.We hike and go to the beach.We do live in Michigan and are surrounded by
water.We love the outdoors and play well
together.The girls are into reading,
music and art while my boys are different.Tyler is a gamer and historian.He is in college now.My hubby is
a lot like Shep.He loves holidays,
movies and the outdoors.We all love to
listen to old radio shows.Meggan is an
artist and loves history and music.We
love being a family.
Are you working on any new projects?
I am working on the whole series but the main project now is
Book 2.This is a small peek.
I will start editing book two after the Christmas
Holiday.This Christmas will be a
similar holiday to the one when Shadow
Tears began since my husband has had a reoccurrence of his cancer.I will keep working on it so we can get in to
your hands.
Book 2 Shadow -------- tba
Selena, Matthew barely survived their first encounter with
their Shadow enemies.They were shoved
into what Shadows term as a vortex to stabilize their Shadow genes from
disintegrating into nothingness.Afterwards they are delivered from the vortex into the arms of Shep and
Victor.The children will need time to
heal while they enjoy their first Christmas together with their friends and
family in the Shadow Realm.During the
next several months Selena and Matthew will discover their rich heritage, visit
the main Capitol of the Shadow Realm, Troy.The Shadow Realm is just like Jared’s journals had described.
A new year looms on the horizon as
does the enemy.Shep and Billy expect
this year to be more challenging since the enemy is aware Selena exists.They are fairly certain none of the enemy
returned home to report what they had found, so hopefully Selena will remain
safe for now.That poor child has no
idea what her first steps back onto these grounds have announced.The sisters of fate seem to be untwining
their twine.May Zeus deliver them all
from Cronos.
Quick Fire round:
Coke or Pepsi?Pepsi
Chocolate or Vanilla?Chocolate
Rainy winter days or blazing hot
summer days?Blazing hot summer days
Hard Copy or e-book?ebook
Favorite book?Shadow
Tears
Last book you read?Shadow
Tears
What's a quote that inspires you? Tomorrow
is another day
What's your favorite comfort food?icing
Title:Shadow Tears
Author: A. J. Tupps
ISBN: 978-1-61244-310-2
Page count: 302
Genre: Young Adult – Coming of Age Novel
Price: $16.95 for paperback and $5.99 e-book
About the book:
Shadow Tears is the first book in a series. In this book you meet
Selena Goodwin who discovers more about her heritage than she ever
wanted. She has special abilities that are fascinating while others are
frightening to her. All her beliefs are tested when she finds out that
the mortal rules don’t apply to everybody or everything. Her knowledge of
the supernatural and myths might become her only means to survive. She
must accept who she is meant to be.
Being thrust into a world full of secrets,
danger, and a family she didn’t know existed is overwhelming, not to mention a
responsibility. Luckily she still has the love and support of her adoptive
father who had known all along who she is meant to be. To make things
worse she discovers her very existence is threatened by an unknown enemy.
The normal obstacles of being a teenager are hard enough. Now she has to
learn how to live a lie while falling in love and accepting her life as it was
meant to be. High school is supposed to be the best years of your
life.
Selena must rely on
strangers who she is not sure are reliable. The only person she can rely
on must stand between her and the possibility of death. Selena faces
these realms with reality always reminding her she is fallible. Yet she
can overcome anything with the love of her family and friends.
Where can we go to buy
your book?
Shadow Tears is now
available on the Halo Publishing website, Amazon.com, Kindle, Barnes and Noble,
Nook, Bowker Books, Ingram Distributing, B. Dalton, and many more
Welcome to The World of Ink
Network show on Blog Talk Radio. Our goal is to bring informative and
entertaining shows to our listners.The mission of the World of Ink
Network is to share resources that introduce tips, products and services
to help strengthen, support and challenge those who love writing and
the written word.
Listen today to The Writing Mama Show at 6pm Eastern - 5pm Central - 4pm
Mountain - 3pm Pacific for a special show with debute author A.J.
Tupps. Blog Talk Radio Hosts, Mom's Choice & Award-winning Author
Virginia S Grenier will be talking with Tupps about her own writing
goals and books.
A.J. Tupps grew up in a small farm community in Indiana. She
currently resides in Grand Blanc, Michigan. In her spare time she enjoys
daydreaming, traveling, sunsets, the outdoors but most of all spending
time with her family. As a young girl she entertained herself by living
adventures from her imagination. A.J. looks at every day as a blessing
and another day to make her dreams a reality. She is still in touch with
her inner teenager and enjoys the mischief she can get into. Family is
one of the most important things in her life. She has a degree in
Medical Transcription and is working towards her bar exam as an A.B.O.C.
Currently she works as an optical technician/tester. She has one
adoring husband who joins in her mischief or is the recipient of it
along with her two loveable children and one hyper dog.
Shadow Tears is about a child of three
worlds, Selena Goodwin faces the typical challenges of maturing and
falling in love until she is confronted by an enemy she never realized
existed. She will find out how to become the woman she is destined to be
despite the obstacles before her. Who said growing up was easy? They
hadn’t lived, have they?
A child of three worlds, Selena Goodwin faces the typical
challenges of maturing and falling in love until she is confronted by an enemy
she never realized existed. Plunged into
a world of secrets, deception and death, she must rely on people she never
expected to enter her life. All her
interest of mythology, lore and the paranormal are tested in reality. She will find out how to become the woman she
is destined to be despite the obstacles before her. Who said growing up was easy? They hadn’t lived, have they?
Shadow Tears written by A.J. Tupps
Publisher: Halo Publishing, Int.
ISBN Number: 978-1-61244-310-2
Genre of Book: Young Adult
Places where available for sale: Halo
Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Ingram Distributing, Nook, Kindle, B.
Dalton, Bowker Books, many more
Author Website: www.ajtupps.com
Twitter: @AjTupps
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/TheShadowRealmSaga:ShadowTears
A.J. Tupps grew up in a small farm community in Indiana. She currently resides in Grand Blanc, Michigan. In her spare time she enjoys daydreaming, traveling, sunsets, the outdoors but most of all spending time with her family. As a young girl she entertained herself by living adventures from her imagination. A.J. looks at every day as a blessing and another day to make her dreams a reality. She is still in touch with her inner teenager and enjoys the mischief she can get into. Family is one of the most important things in her life. She has a degree in Medical Transcription and is working towards her bar exam as an A.B.O.C. Currently she works as an optical technician/tester. She has one adoring husband who joins in her mischief or is the recipient of it along with her two loveable children and one hyper dog.
About
the Book: Dennis Milam Bensie is
One Gay American. Born in the 1960s and raised with traditional values
in Robinson, Illinois, Bensie desperately wanted romance, a beautiful wedding,
and a baby to carry on the family name. He denied his sexuality and married a
woman at nineteen years old, but fantasized of weddings where he could be
the bride. The newlyweds "adopted" a Cabbage Patch Doll and
ironically witnessed a Cabbage Patch Doll wedding (a successful fundraiser
staged by a local women's club) where the dolls were granted the type of grand
ceremony off-limits to gay couples.
In search of
his identity as a gay man, Bensie divorced his wife and stumbled through
missteps and lessons that still sting his generation: defending against
bullies, "disappointing" his parents, and looking for love in gay
bars, bath houses and restrooms. He helped his straight friends plan their
dream weddings and mourned his gay friends dying of AIDS.
Although
true love has not yet come his way, Bensie has learned to love himself. Bensie
is the author of the much-lauded memoir, Shorn: Toys to Men, which
recounts his battle with paraphilia. One Gay American tells the rest of
his story and draws parallels to gay history, decade by decade, with newspaper
headlines and quotations. Bensie is the gay neighbor that you either love or
hate. Either way, he's got a lot to say and says it with no apologies.
We loved
this memoir with its straight forward, yet edgy verbiage. Dennis doesn’t hold
anything back when sharing about his life growing up in as he put it…An America
Coming Out. All of us here at WOI were also growing up as kids or teens during
those years and remember many of the headlines shared at the beginning of each
chapter.
What is
interesting is how much America has changed and how much it hasn’t on some
topics within the LGBT communities. Since the release of One Gay American, we
have all seen some new leaps toward marriage for the Gay community and more
open conversation about untraditional families. Dennis’ book is timely and also
hits not only on growing up Gay, but also makes us all realize we each have our
struggles, dreams and successes in life. Dennis helps open our eyes to loving
ourselves and in doing so and accepting we are all different, yet alike, we can
learn to love each other for who we all are.
About the Author:
Dennis Milam Bensie grew up in Robinson, Illinois where his
interest in the arts began in high school participating in various community
theatre productions. Bensie’s first book, Shorn: Toys to Men was
nominated for the Stonewall Book Award, sponsored by the American Library
Association. It was also a pick in the International gay magazine The
Advocate as “One of the Best Overlooked Books of 2011″. The author’s short
stories have been published by Bay Laurel, Everyday
Fiction, and This Zine Will Change Your Lifeand he has also been a
feature contributor for The Good Men Project. One Gay American is his
second book with Coffeetown Press and it was chosen as a finalist in the Next
Generation Indie Book Awards and the Indie Excellence Book Awards. He was a
presenter at the 2013 Saints and Sinners Literary Festival in New Orleans.
Dennis lives in Seattle with his three dogs.
You can find out more about Dennis
Milam Bensie, his memoirs and World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/lhtvxyt
