Joshua and the Lightning Road by Donna Galanti Blog Tour, Interview and Giveaway :)

ABOUT JOSHUA AND THE LIGHTNING ROAD

Title: Joshua and the Lightning Road

Publication date: May 19, 2015

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Author: Donna Galanti

Stay away from the window, don’t go outside when it’s storming and whatever you do, do not touch the orb.

Twelve-year-old Joshua Cooper’s grandpa has always warned him about the dangers of lightning. But Joshua never put much stock in his grandpa’s rumblings as anything more than the ravings of an old man with a vast imagination. Then one night, when Joshua and his best friend are home alone during a frightful storm, Joshua learns his grandpa was right. A bolt of lightning strikes his house and whisks away his best friend—possibly forever.

To get him back, Joshua must travel the Lightning Road to a dark place that steals children for energy. But getting back home and saving his friend won’t be easy, as Joshua must face the terrifying Child Collector and fend off ferocious and unnatural beasts intent on destroying him.

In this world, Joshua possesses powers he never knew he had, and soon, Joshua’s mission becomes more than a search for his friend. He means to send all the stolen children home—and doing so becomes the battle of his life.

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Purchase Links

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

Joshua and the Lightning Road is available from these book sellers:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Iu6ETw
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1DBVtc9
IndieBound: http://bit.ly/1OWkJvo

Website: http://www.donnagalanti.com/

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/feNB-d6RF08

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonnaGalanti

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DonnaGalantiAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20983429-joshua-and-the-lightning-road

ABOUT DONNA GALANTI

Donna Galanti attended an English school housed in a magical castle, where her wild imagination was held back only by her itchy uniform (bowler hat and tie included!). There she fell in love with the worlds of C.S. Lewis and Roald Dahl, and wrote her first fantasy about Dodo birds, wizards, and a flying ship. She’s lived in other exotic locations, including Hawaii where she served as a U.S. Navy photographer. She now lives with her family and two crazy cats in an old farmhouse, and dreams of returning one day to a castle. Donna is the author of the Joshua and The Lightning Road series (Month9Books) and blogs at Project Mayhem. Visit her at www.donnagalanti.com or on Amazon.

Praise for Joshua and The Lightning Road:
 "Vividly imagined characters in a gripping action fantasy that never lets you go until the very last page." —Jenny Nimmo, New York Times bestselling author of the Charlie Bone series

 

Author Links:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

***Author Interview***

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

The main premise of the Lightning Road series is that adversity leads to the emergence of true power and relinquishing the struggle to belong can lead to self-acceptance. But, ultimately, the power of love can be more powerful than any magic.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Being that it’s fantasy, none of the events in Joshua and the Lightning Road are based on real life but some of the characters are! Joshua calls his grandfather, Bo Chez, which stands for the Big Cheese–and what my godfather is called by his kids. Bo Chez is like my godfather, big and strong with a booming voice. I also envision Leandro, a mysterious cloaked man, as my hero in Lord of the Rings, Aragorn. Long before the movie came out, I even dressed up like Aragorn for Halloween of what I thought he would look like. And then there is Joshua, who is based on my own son, Joshua. You can meet Joshua from the book here in an exclusive interview!

What books have most influenced your life most?

These are definitely the books from childhood that I still re-read today. Some of them includeThe Hobbit, Little House in the Big Woods, The Island of the Blue Dolphins, My Side of The Mountain, and White Fang. For me, a good book is all about the characters. I can forgive a lot in a plot if I love the characters. My favorite books are stories that tug at my heart strings and have me thinking about them long after I’ve read the last page.

What book are you reading now?

The Newberry Medal award-winning The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate – and I know it will break my heart. It already is half way through!

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

Yes. A mix of fantasy and contemporary authors like John Flanagan, Jennifer Nielsen, Sarah Prineas, Joan Bauer, and Jandy Nelson.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Definitely International Thriller Writers. They are an amazing organization that supports and mentors their authors. It’s a wonderful place to volunteer and mix with debut, bestselling, and legendary authors. I was a debut author a few years ago and presented my first thriller for adults at ThrillerFest in NYC and volunteered to do social media. I’m now a contributing editor to their monthly magazine, The Big Thrill and working with a great team of people to build a young adult/middle grade thriller track within the organization.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

I’m revising book 2, Joshua and the Arrow Realm, that’s coming winter 2016.  In book 2 Joshua is called to free his friend, who’s been enslaved as a power pawn in a queen’s quest to rule all. But when Joshua becomes bait in her hunting game, loses his powerful lightning orb, and his friends turn on him, he wonders if he can survive on wits and instincts alone and not only save his friend—but himself.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

That my characters become real to me – and that I love to run away and be with them (my poor family)! And that I love to slow down writing The End on a book because I don’t want my characters to leave me. This is why I love writing a series.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Let go – of your ego that is. Accept constructive criticism and be open to improving your writing. I truly believe this is the biggest reason why I see writer’s fail because they do not accept criticism and are not willing to do the hard work to make their writing better.

To succeed you cannot think your writing is perfect or that first draft is perfect or that your story can’t change. Writing is a business of consistent rejection that you need to get used to and grow from in order to succeed.

Do you ever experience writer's block?

Yes, but a writer with deadlines does not have the luxury of writer’s block. I will often set my alarm for 4:30am and get up blurry-eyed to write. Many days I don’t know what words will come but I always find my way once started. I also try to end a writing session in the middle of a paragraph, scene, or chapter - so when I return to writing the story I can quickly pick up where I left off. When all else fails, I go for a walk. This unravels ideas in my head every time!


Watch the Joshua and The Lightning Road book trailer!

Giveaway Information:  Winner will be drawn June 19, 2015

· Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Joshua and the Lightning Road by Donna Galanti (INT)

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