 |
| Love fairy tales and mythology? Fans of mermaids, dragons, unicorns, and other mythical creatures? Enjoy when a beloved classic tale is retold? A Twist in the Tail Thursdays features all this and more! |
&
 |
| Follow the blog tour for more reviews, interviews, guest posts, excerpts, and more! |
An Interview With
Mary Ting
AUTHOR BIO:
Becoming an author happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she had in high school. After realizing she wanted to become a full-time author, Mary retired from teaching after twenty years. She also had the privilege of touring with the Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book: No Bullies Allowed.
Mary resides in Southern California with her husband, two children, and two little dogs, Mochi and Mocha. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Being a huge Twilight fan, Mary was inspired to make book-themed jewelry and occasionally gives it away as prizes to her fans.
Kieran, inspired by JK Rowling, Garth Nix and Mary Stewart, writes the type of stories he wants to read - exciting tales full of compelling characters with believable motivations, captivating locations, strong females and, most importantly, magic.
When not writing, Kieran can be found on YouTube and Instagram, talking about the books you need to read. Kieran recently finished his PhD and now works as an FE lecturer for students with special educational needs.
I love the idea of a gender-bent Jack and the Beanstalk. What caused you to twist the story and center Jaclyn at its heart?
I enjoy writing books regarding strong women. I’d thought to put a gender twist would not only be interesting to the readers, but also empower girls.
If we met Jaclyn in person, how would you describe her?
She has a beautiful heart. She’s spunky and stubborn, but brave and will do everything in her power to save the ones she loves.
Jaclyn is joined on her friend journey by her friend (and secret crush!) Jack. How did the two meet and become friends?
In my story, Jaclyn and Jack are childhood friends. Jaclyn’s parents decided to seclude themselves away from the town to keep Jaclyn’s secret safe. Later, when the two are all grown up, they meet again to save the towns from the monsters.
What sort of advice do you have for any writers who just took part in NaNoWriMo now that it has ended?
My advice- make sure to write a story you love. Before you begin, you need to know your characters. What will happen beginning, middle, and end if you don’t like to outline like me. At least keep in mind what you will write for the first few chapters and then let your fingers and your creativeness guide you toward the middle point of the story. Don’t worry about grammar. Just keep writing!
~*~
O F F I C I A L I N F O:
Title: JACLYN AND THE BEANSTALK
Author: Mary Ting
Release Date: September 4, 2018
Publisher: Vesuvian Books
Received: For Review
Purchase Links:
Received: For Review
Purchase Links:
SUMMARY:
What fate awaits a girl who hears monsters at night…
Sixteen-year-old Jaclyn looks up to her father. An honest man who once fought for the king, he now teaches Jaclyn how to use her wits—and her sword.
But he has a secret. And his secret may have a connection to the one thing Jaclyn is hiding from him.
Upon hearing “monsters” are terrorizing the small villages around Black Mountain, Jaclyn’s father and his friends head out to hunt them … but they don’t return.
Armed only with her sword and three magic beans—a gift from a mysterious old woman—Jaclyn sets out for Black Mountain to save her father.
On her climb, one bean drops and grows into a beanstalk, catching her when she falls.
She isn’t the only one that takes the ride. Jack, her childhood friend and secret crush, is following her.
Jaclyn and Jack will have to work together to save not only their fathers, but the townspeople the beasts plan to lay waste to before it’s too late.
Praise for JACLYN AND THE BEANSTALK
A mash-up of "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Lord of the Rings" ... RECOMMENDED ―School Library Journal
"Keenly descriptive and eloquently written with touches of sixteenth-century language, the story takes the reader into the world of monsters controlled by a diabolical villain, and into a land of mystery and magic beans." ―Readers' Favorite Review
"Mary Ting managed to surprise me at every turn, even though I must have read this story a million times as a kid. The most impressive surprise was the creation of a girl protagonist who is so much better than the original Jack. Then she brings in the boy, Jack, as the love interest. Sheer genius and a great idea. The writing is great. The plot is good, and the various themes woven throughout the story make it a very compelling tale." ―Readers' Favorite Review
Mary Ting writes with an adventurous heart, a clever pen, introducing young readers to a classic that meets fantasy, shedding light on the family devotion and a love story that buds to completion by the end. This short novel comes as a highly recommended read for parents and young adults that prefer fantasy fiction with a Christian-based theme and a creative perspective. Mary Ting is one of those writers to notice and watch. ―Kingdom's Review
~*~
****Giveaway*****
You could win...
- Winner will receive a $25 Dollar PayPal/Amazon Gift Card.
- Winner will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card.
This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL!
You must be at least 13 years old to enter or have a parent's permission!
Enter now!
~*~
in partnership with
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for taking the time to stop and comment! I appreciate it more than I can say. I try to respond to each one!