Karen Saunders UK blog tour!

This week, Me, Suzy P author, Karen Saunders is taking part in a virtual blog tour. 

Follow her guest posts on the blogs below to find out more about Karen, Suzy and the gang!

14th January
Chicklish

15th January
Bookster Reviews

16th January
I Want to Read That

17th January
Readaraptor

18th January
Bookcrazed Reviews

Sweet Venom blog tour!

To celebrate the release of the first book in her new kick-ass demon fighting trilogy, Tera Lynn Childs is popping by the UK (virtually) to answer some of your questions. The UK blog tour is running from today until Saturday with a LIVE webchat on Monday 1st October

This week we are stopping at:

Monday 24th September - Book Angel Booktopia

Tuesday 25th September - A Reading Daydreamer

Wednesday 26th September - Bookcrazed Reviews

Thursday 27th September - My Book Journey

Friday 28th September - Book Passion for Life

Saturday 29th September - Whispering Words

Still have some questions left unaswered? Tera will be doing a LIVE webchat on Monday 1st October at 7pm (UK time)

Follow the link and enter the password to get involved:
chatzy.com/55708195522543
password: getbitten


Pick up your copy of Sweet Venom here: http://amzn.to/Ur872V

Whisper Blog Tour!

Today the #WhisperBlogTour kicks off! For exclusive insight and guest posts from Chrissie Keighery, make sure you don't miss any stop on the tour!

Monday 23rd: Books for Company

Tuesday 24th: Whispering Words

Wednesday 25th: Once Upon a Bookcase

Thursday 26th: I Want to Read That

Friday 27th: WHNBSTIHWSOFT (We Have No Boyfriends So This Is How We Spend Our Free Time)

Saturday 28th: Totally Bookallicious

See you there!

India Dark Blog Tour 9th - 17th January 2012

January is a very exciting month for teen fiction at Templar and we're so excited about the fascinating and moving story of India Dark that we are taking author Kirsty Murray off on an unmissable blog tour, exploring the outer reaches of the UK blogosphere.

India Dark
Kirsty Murray

MADRAS, 1910: two girls are caught up in a scandal that will change their lives forever. Singing and dancing across a hundred stages in a troupe of child performers, they travel by steam train into the heart of India. But as one disaster follows another, money runs short and tempers fray. What must the girls do to protect themselves, and how many lives will be ruined if they try to break free?





India Dark is such a beautiful tale from a beautiful culture, we wanted to share it with everyone so don't miss any of the blog tour stops! Here's what you can expect.

9th January

First up, find out where the story for India Dark came from over at District YA and if that tempts you, you can enter the first giveaway of the tour to win a copy of India Dark.

10th January

Next, Kirsty Murray will be stopping by All About Me for a fascinating interview whilst giving away another copy of India Dark. I know, we're spoiling you!

11th January

Hear all about Kirsty's writing process over at Ink Scratchers, and maybe pick up some tips if you're a writer. And guess what - another giveaway!

12th January

Turn The Page will be hosting Kirsty's next stop with an interview - head here for some tasty insights!

13th January

Kirsty will be dropping off her next guest post over at Readaraptor, talking about all the fabulous locations in India Dark. Definitely not to be missed!

14th January

Time for another Q&A, and this one will be over at Bookhi. Drop by for some exclusive insights and another chance to win a copy of India Dark in a giveaway.

15th January

We're on to characters next over at The Book Adicted Girl. Kirsty will be talking all about how she comes up with characters and the challenges of writing an emotionally charged tale.

16th January

The last Q&A of the tour will be held at Bookbabblers and this stop will be your last chance on the tour to win a copy of India Dark.

17th January

And last but certainly not least, Kirsty will be at Read In Between The Lines with a guest post all about her life and how writing fits into it. Enjoy!

~

Kirsty Murray is an Australian author of books for children and teenagers though her readership includes many adventurous adult readers. She writes for young people because she believes they are the universal audience: "not everyone lives to a ripe old age but everyone was once a child and the child inside us never really disappears".

India Dark is Kirsty's most recent novel. Based on a gripping true story and set in Australia, Southeast Asia and India in 1910, it is the fruit of many years of writing and research.

Don't Call Me Ishmael Blog Tour 2nd - 9th January 2012

It's finally here! The first of our 2012 teen fiction titles will shortly be hitting the shelves and we want to welcome the hilarious Don't Call Me Ishmael by Michael Gerard Bauer to UK bookshops with a fantastic blog tour.

Don't Call Me Ishmael
Michael Gerard Bauer

Hounded by the school bully and struck dumb in the presence of girls, the year doesn't get off to a good start for Ishmael when he is asked to take misfit James Scobie under his wing. However, life takes some unexpected turns as Ishmael and his friends embark on the most embarrassingly awful... and the best year of their lives.

Sure to appeal to fans of Mr Gum and Wimpy Kid, this is a hilarious and uplifting new series all about school life and friendship.




So, what can we tempt you with on Templar's first blog tour of the new year? Here's what's on the line up.

2nd January

First up, we're hitting the fantastic I Want To Read That where Michael will be dropping off a guest post all about where the idea for Don't Call Me Ishmael came from and where he gets his inspirations. Plus don't miss the first giveaway of the tour!

3rd January

Nayu's Reading Corner will be delving a little deeper into the character and mindset of Ishmael with another fab guest post from the author.

4th January

Michael will be participating in his first interview of the tour over at Bookbabblers so head here for some exclusive insights and another chance to win a copy of Don't Call Me Ishmael in a giveaway.

5th January

There's another gripping guest post over at Read In Between The Lines on day 4 where Michael will be divulging all his writing secrets.

6th January

Mel's Random Reviews has posed the topic of "new year/new school" so stop by for an interesting guest post from the author, plus a giveaway of Don't Call Me Ishmael.

7th January

It's time for another interview with the author and Michael will be stopping by Wear The Old Coat to answer some more probing questions. Find out what it's like in a day in the life of Michael Gerard Bauer.

8th January

Michael's last guest post will be over at Writing From The Tub where he'll be writing all about the music that accompanies the book. Find out Ishmael's theme song!

9th January

And for the final stop we have another interview and giveaway combo at Mostly Reading YA. Don't miss your final chance to win a copy of Don't Call Me Ishmael on the blog tour!

~

Michael Gerard Bauer was born in Brisbane, Australia, and attended the University of Queensland. After graduating he became a teacher in English and Economics and from 2000 onwards he took regular breaks to pursue his writing career. His first novel, The Running Man, was published in 2004 and Don't Call Me Ishmael was first published in Australia in 2006. Templar are very excited to bring this fantastic read to UK bookshelves in 2012!

Michael now lives with his wife and two children in the beautiful Brisbane suburb of Ashgrove where he grew up.

The Crimson Shard Blog Tour 3rd October - 14th October

Well, it had to happen at some point... Templar's last young adult novel to be published in 2011 is almost here but we're definitely ending things on a high with The Crimson Shard, the fantastic time travel adventure sequel to The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin.

THE CRIMSON SHARD
Teresa Flavin

This sequel to The Blackhope Enigma is imbued with alchemy and intrigue. During what seems like an ordinary museum visit, tour guide Throgmorton lures Sunni and Blaise through a painted doorway into eighteenth-century London. When Throgmorton demands secret information from the pair about their Blackhope escapades, they attempt to flee, encountering body snatchers, art thieves and forgers in this gripping time-travel adventure.

Read an extract!




Teresa will be visiting 8 exciting young adult and children's book blogs to drop off some fantastic guest posts, provide the As in some Q&As and of course, it wouldn't be a proper blog tour without the odd giveaway...

3rd October

First up Teresa with be at Nayu's Reading Corner to talk about where, or rather when, she would go if she had a magical painted doorway through time.

4th October

Teresa picks out her favourite books over at Serendipity Reviews on day 2: time travel books, historical books, books that inspire and books that must be on her shelf at all times!

5th October

Readaraptor has the first giveaway and the first interview of the tour so head here if you want to find out how Teresa's work as an illustrator influences her writing and perhaps what her favourite dinosaur is too...

6th October

You can find Teresa's next guest post at Our Book Reviews Online where she will be talking all about the inspirations behind the magical worlds of the paintings in her books.

7th October

The tour's next interview will be hosted by Heaven, Hell and Purgatory Book Reviews so head here for more juicy insights!

8th October

Heading into the weekend, Teresa will be dropping off another guest post for Steph Likes Books - you'll just have to wait to find out what it's about!

9th October

Lyrical Reviews will be hosting the third and final Q&A and here is the place to find out more about Teresa's research, who her favourite artist is and what she thinks of the cover designs for her books. There will also be a giveaway so make sure you enter to win a copy of The Crimson Shard.

14th October

Don't think that is it! There's one more stop a few days later with Tall Tales and Short Stories who will be hosting Teresa's last guest post and also your last chance on the tour to bag a copy of the new book - definitely not one to miss!

~

Teresa was born in New York and studied Illustration at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. Since 1993 she has illustrated a number of picture and chapter books for children and young adults.

In 1995 she moved to Glasgow, Scotland, where she began writing her own stories to illustrate. She was awarded a 2006 Scottish Arts Council New Writers Bursary to work on her first illustrated novel for 9-14 year olds, The Blackhope Enigma, of which The Crimson Shard is the sequel. Teresa is currently working on her third novel.


Find out more about Teresa Flavin on her website or follow her on Twitter!

VIII Blog Tour 26th September - 3rd October

So, how much do you think you know about the most infamous King of England? Well, if you haven't read VIII by H. M. Castor then you don't know the half of it! Prepare to enter the mind of Henry VIII and discover just why he turned from an ordinary, fun-loving boy into the cruel tyrant of his later years.

VIII
H. M. Castor

Destined for greatness; tormented by demons... VIII is the story of Hal: a young, handsome, gifted warrior, who believes he has been chosen to lead his people. But he is tormented by the ghosts of his family's violent past and, once he rises to power, he turns to murder and rapacious cruelty. He is Henry VIII. The Tudors have always captured the popular imagination. In VIII, Henry is presented afresh for a new generation of teenage readers.

"Succeeds brilliantly in portraying the troubled soul of Henry from youth to old age." Bookseller Pod

"A real page-turner for older readers." Bookseller

Read an extract!


To welcome this fantastic historical novel onto our bookshelves, Harriet Castor will be making her way around eight blogs run by historical fiction lovers up and down the UK. Definitely not something to miss if you want to solve the enigma of Henry VIII, have a passion for historical fiction or just plain love a good story. Here's what you can expect:

26th September

First off, Harriet will be over at The Book Zone where she'll be talking about why Henry VIII as a character has such a timeless appeal and why his story is so relevant to the modern reader.

27th September

If that whets your appetite, there will be an exclusive extract from VIII at Daisy Chain Book Reviews along with a giveaway so make sure you enter to win the beautiful hardback of VIII.

28th September

On day three, Harriet will be at The Overflowing Library to drop off another brilliant guest post, talking about all her research for VIII with perhaps a sneak preview of the next project...

29th September

The first Q&A of the tour will be held over at A Little Sun Shy so don't miss the chance to find out all the juiciest gossip!

30th September

Find out why Elvis, Elton and Robert Downey Jr were essential to building Henry's character profile over at Floor To Ceiling Books - especially Robert Downey Jr!

1st October

Cheezyfeet Books will be hosting the next Q&A. What better way to celebrate publication day?

2nd October

You can find Harriet's final guest post over at A Dream of Books and she'll be talking about why villains make such good heroes. Embrace the baddy!

3rd October

It's the last stop but it definitely promises to be a goody over at The Book Bug who will be grilling Harriet in her final interview and posting a review just in case you need one more reason to grace your bookshelf with VIII.

~

H. M. Castor has been obsessed with the Tudors since primary school. She studied Tudor History at Cambridge University, and despite spending time after that doing a variety of jobs – including teaching English in Prague and working as a Benesh Movement Notator for the Royal Ballet – the Tudors have never lost their hold on
her.

H. M. Castor lives in Bristol with her husband and two daughters.

For more, check out Harriet's website or follow her on Twitter.

Day of Vengeance Blog Tour 5th September - 12th September

I don't know about you, but history lessons at school were always the time for me to catch up on sleep and as a result my history knowledge is holey at best. So, when the Jack Christie Adventures landed on my desk I was horrified to think I was going to have to show up my utter lack of knowledge in trying to remember what happened when, why and how as Jack and his friend Angus went on their adventures through time. I opened the first book, Day of the Assassins, and after an amazing adrenalin-fueled adventure was spat out of the last page with a very odd sensation. I knew how the First World War began! And I hadn't even noticed learning it! Not only that but I had met the assassins of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (yes, I know his name now too!) and had stood there as the assassin, Gavrilo Princip, prepared to fire, wondering if I would have stopped him (I still don't know the answer to that). If only my history lessons had been this thrilling!

Well, I'm very excited to announce that Johnny O'Brien's third time travelling adventure, Day of Vengeance, will be hitting a bookshelf near you in September and to celebrate, Johnny will be touring some of the best young adult fiction blogs in the UK.

DAY OF VENGEANCE
Johnny O'Brien

Schoolboy time-traveller Jack Christie is thrown back to 1940s France with the Second World War at a crucial point. The Battle of Britain and the German Vengeance programme are underway, as Jack and his best friend Angus take a more senior role in VIGIL's bid to prevent an intervention in history that could go nuclear. With Spitfire dogfights, jeep races and thrilling chases, the boys have met their most hair-raising adventure yet, including involvement in an assassintation attempt on Hitler.

"Johnny O’Brien has created the ultimate thinking-boy’s hero in Jack Christie. Smart, intuitive and determined to tackle history head-on..." Rachel Williams, Editor

"Jack Christie is a very relatable hero - a regular schoolboy caught in, and coping with, circumstances beyond his control rather than a slick James Bond type of hero who always has all the answers." Teenreads

So basically, get ready for some serious adventure! You may also notice the fabulous new look cover for Day of Vengeance and Johnny will be toting not only his third book but the new look Day of the Assassins and Day of Deliverance too, so watch out for some exclusive giveaways on the tour.

Here's what's coming up on the tour:

5th Sep

On the first day of the tour Johnny will be dropping off his first guest post at Bookhi where you can find out where the characters of Jack and Angus came from, which character from the series was most fun to write and which character presented the most challenges. Bookhi will also be posting a review and hosting a giveaway so don't miss it!

6th Sep

Empire of Books will be the next stop and here Johnny will be talking about where his inspiration for the time travel series came from and also looking at why time travel is such a powerful genre for the modern audience.

7th Sep

Over to Books 4 Teens for the third day of the tour with Johnny's first Q&A. Not to be missed if you want to find out where Jack Christie's 4th adventure will take him..

8th Sep

If you're curious about the writing process then you should definitely stop by Teenage Fiction For All Ages as Johnny will be explaining how he turns his stories from ideas into a published book, including the importance of sheep!

9th Sep

The Bookzone will be hosting the next stop where Johnny will be talking about how writing about history can engage younger readers and in particular those reluctant boys.

10th Sep

High time for an extract from Day of Vengeance to get your juices going and there will be an exclusive excerpt at Bookbabblers who will also be hosting a giveaway.

11th Sep

It's the penultimate stop over at Bookster Reviews where you can find out which particular period in history is Johnny's favourite - or at least which three periods are his favourite...

12th Sep

Last up is Booktastic Reviews who will be putting Johnny to the test with an interview where you can find out the inspiration behind the Taurus time machine and what Johnny's favourite takeaway is! Booktastic Reviews will also be posting a review so if by some miracle you are still undecided at this point make sure you have a read!

For more information on the Jack Christie Adventures, check out our website here or take a look at the Jack Christie Adventures Facebook page here.

POD Blog Tour 29th August - 5th September

Is it weird to keep a book on your desk so that you can stroke it in times of stress? I hope not because that's what I do with POD by Stephen Wallenfels. Not only is it a brilliantly gripping survival thriller that gets my heart pounding even thinking about it, but the cover has a super matt finish that beats any of those squishy balls in the stress relief department. OK, so I'm sounding a little odd but you'll be doing it too when you get your hands on this fantastic read.

POD
Stephen Wallenfels

PODs hover menacingly in the sky, zapping anyone who ventures outside.

Josh is 15 and stuck in his house with his dad. They're running out of food... Megs is 12, alone and trapped in a multi-storey car park. The hotel next door is in the hands of dangerous security staff. She has something they want...

When the aliens invade, the real enemy becomes humanity itself.

"This masterful debut grabs readers by the throat from the first page and never lets go." Kirkus

"A gripping post-apocalyptic novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat, yet has human character and human relationships at its heart." Wands and Worlds

The PODs will be invading bookshelves on 1st September and seeing as you can't risk going outside you might as well stay in and check out what Stephen Wallenfels has to say about his debut young adult novel. Stephen will be hopping around 8 fantastic YA fiction blogs from 29th August to 5th September and if you're a fan of thrilling survival fiction or just like to give your heart some exercise then this is not to be missed!

29th Aug

First up, Stephen will be under the spotlight at Planet Print for an interview and your first chance to get your hands on a very strokeable copy of POD in a giveaway.

30th Aug

The last bank holiday before Christmas is over but not to worry because Stephen has his first guest post lined up for I Want To Read That, so it's not all bad!

31st Aug

At this point you may be pondering: should I add this to my wishlist? Comacalm's Corner will help you make your mind up on the day before publication with a review and you may not even have to add it to your wishlist if you enter the giveaway.

1st Sep

Happy Publication Day! To celebrate, Stephen will be at Book Passion For Life with another guest post and yet another giveaway. Yup, we're totally spoiling you!

2nd Sep

Stephen's second interview of the tour will be held at Writing From The Tub so swing by for some PODtastic insights.

3rd Sep

The Bookzone has challenged Stephen to remember the books and films he enjoyed as a kid and to take a look at how these have influenced his writing. Definitely one not to miss!

4th Sep

The giveaways are back in play and Fluttering Butterflies will have a gripping guest post to boot so if you haven't decided your life is incomplete without this book by now there's something wrong with you :-)

5th Sep

We've reached the end of the tour but I promise it'll be a good one with a review from The Slowest Bookworm alongside the final guest post and giveaway, so don't miss out on the last chance on the tour to bag POD and get some survival action in your life!

~

Check the skies before you step back outside when the tour is over, I don't want to be responsible for any nasty zapping incidents! Stephen will also be hitting Mostly Reading YA on 23rd August for the Debut Summer Event if you want a sneak preview of him prior to the tour. Find out what inspired POD and more shockingly what time Stephen gets up in the morning...

Stephen Wallenfels is a freelance writer with over 60 feature articles, columns and interviews to his credit. He has also published short stories in national magazines for children and adults. POD is Stephen's first novel and he is currently working on POD 2.

For more on Stephen check out his website.

A Tangle of Magicks Blog Tour 1st August - 9th August

As a huge fan of The Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson I'm so thrilled to be organising a blog tour for Stephanie Burgis' second novel, A Tangle of Magicks. Steph is now an award-winning author with her first book, A Most Improper Magick, winning the 2011 Waverton Good Read Children's Award and we're certain that A Tangle of Magicks will soon be doing just as well. After all, how can anyone not fall in love with Regency England's feistiest twelve year old?

A TANGLE OF MAGICKS
Stephanie Burgis

When Kat Stephenson's family arrive in Bath in search of a suitor for her sister, it's not long before Kat discovers that the town of Bath is fizzing with wild magic. Stumbling upon a plot to harness the magic in the Roman Baths, Kat finds that her brother is unwittingly involved. To foil the plot and save her brother she must defy the Order of the Guardians and risk losing her magical powers, forever...

"A Tangle of Magicks is 300 pages of fun, fabulousness and magical frolics." So Many Books, So Little Time

"Mysterious, adventurous and absolutely hilarious." The Guardian, Children's Books Website


Steph will be hitting 9 of the most vibrant UK teen fiction blogs starting on publication day itself, 1st August, and ending on 9th August. Each stop will be offering an array of Katastic features including guest posts, Q&As and a vlog from Steph along with extracts and giveaways. What more could you want?

1st August

First off Steph is stopping off at the wonderful Chicklish where she'll be talking about her own adventure in Bath, trying the foul tasting waters of the Pump Room. Nice.

2nd August

So Many Books, So Little Time will be hosting the tour's first Q&A so make sure you visit to find out Steph's desert island books. The lovely Sophie has already posted her review so for some pre-tour reading, head there now.

3rd August

Find out about Steph's thoughts on literary heroines and why Kat turned out the way she is over at Fluttering Butterflies. Heroines forever! There will also be a review just in case you need a bit more persuading.

4th August

Writing matters over at Serendipity Reviews where Steph will be answering questions all about her writing techniques and her influences for Kat's adventures. There will also be a review and the first giveaway of the tour so make sure you enter!

5th August

Next Steph will be at Leanne Luce discussing her love of Bath and why she absolutely had no choice but to go and explore her favourite city once again when she decided to send Kat there for her second adventure. No choice whatsoever! Head here for another giveaway too.

6th August

Steph will be on the Book Angel's Saturday Spotlight today, writing about how the library in her American hometown gave her a chance to escape to England through the eyes of wonderfully written heroines. The Book Angel will also be posting her review.

7th August

The tour's extract hotspot will be at Turn The Page, so if you want a taste of Kat's second adventure this is the place to be. Turn The Page will also be hosting the last giveaway on the tour so make sure you enter to avoid a Kat shaped hole in your life.

8th August

The last Q&A of the tour will be over at Portrait Of A Woman so head here to find out Steph's take on writing YA/MG books and what she has coming up in the near future.

9th August

We arrive at the last stop with a first for the tour at Love Reading X where Steph will be dropping off a vlog for Kat fanatic Iffath where she'll be reading out an extract from A Tangle of Magicks. Definitely a highlight not to be missed!

~

And there you have it! Plenty of news, views and reviews that will delight any Kat fan and hopefully gain our heroine a few more followers. Trust me, you need this girl in your life!

Stephanie Burgis decided to be a writer when she was seven and sold her first short story when she was fifteen. She fell in love with Regency England when she discovered the novels of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. Now she writes full-time and lives in Wales with her husband, fellow writer Patrick Samphire, their son, and their crazy-but-sweet border collie, Maya.

For more from Steph, check out her website here or follow her on Twitter.

Steph will be signing copies of A Tangle of Magicks in Waterstone's in Bath from 1pm on Saturday 6th August and also in Waterstone's in Abergavenny on Friday 12th August from 6pm (pop into the store for a special invite for this event).

Forgive My Fins UK Blog Tour 27th June - 8th July

On 1st July 2011, Templar is publishing US blockbuster Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs. I'm going to use my British tendency for understatement and say we are quite thrilled to be doing so... And now I'm going to tell the truth and say we are absolutely over the moonfish to be bringing such a successful author and her adorable mermaid heroine to our shores. See what I did there!

Click here for an extract

FORGIVE MY FINS
Tera Lynn Childs

When a mermaid has her first kiss, she 'bonds' for life with the person she kisses. For Lily, a mermaid princess living in secret on land, this means she has ended up accidentally bonded to her obnoxious neighbour, instead of to the boy of her dreams. So begins a tidal wave of relationship drama, as Lily discovers that happily-ever-after never sails as smoothly as you plan it to.

Forgive My Fins had me hooked from page one, and I can’t wait to immerse myself in its sequel! I simply adored this book! Alyson Noel, author of The Immortals Series

This lighter-than-air read will charm teens and tween girls who prefer their supernatural romances to be more Meg Cabot than Stephenie Meyer. ALA Booklist



Tera will be visiting a massive 12 blogs on her tour, starting on 27th June and coming to an end on 8th July and if you miss even one of these stops you'll be seriously disrespecting your love of YA fiction. So, here's the line up:

27th June

With a kick of our fins we're starting the tour off at I Want To Read That where Tera will be dropping off her first guest post and the lovely Sammee will be posting her review - and believe me, this girl knows her YA!

28th June

If that wets your appetite, swim over to The Slowest Bookworm where you can read an exceprt from the first pages of the book and check out how The Slowest Bookworm has rated Forgive My Fins in her review. If you've already decided this book is for you, you can also enter the first giveaway of the tour.

29th June

On day three, Tera will be talking about how writing has worked its way into her life over on Nayu's Reading Corner and there will be a third review from Nayu if you wreckon you still need convincing.

30th June

If you're into your music as much as you're into your books then Book Angel Booktopia is the stop for you. Tera will be discussing her musical moments, the music that has influenced her and Forgive My Fins. The Book Angel will also be hosting the second giveaway on the tour so make shore you enter!

1st July

It's publication day and Tera will be coming ashore at Books For Company for her first Q&A so head here for some juicy insights and another chance to get your hands on a copy of the book.

2nd July

Tera will be dropping off another fintastic guest post at the halfway stop over at Cheezyfeet Books where you can also read another review and - yes, we're spoiling you rotten - enter another giveaway.

3rd July

It's the end of the first week of the tour and Tera will be at Mostly Reading YA with her 5th guest post. It's the perfect plaice to be if you've got those Sunday evening blues...

4th July

Whilst Tera is shellebrating Independence Day, she'll also be at Girls Without A Bookshelf to discuss how she imagined and created a mer world - how do you translate mattresses, cars and fridges?

5th July

Heaven, Hell and Purgatory Book Reviews are running a Summer Reading month during July and today they will be featuring a crabulous guest post from Tera. Keep your eye on this blog during July if you want to improve your summer bookshelf.

6th July

Time for Tera's last guest post of the tour at My Keeper Shelf but don't get your flippers in a twist because it's going to be a good one! Tera will be talking about her books for keeps - the ones that take pride of place on her bookshelf and are read time and time again. You can also read the My Keeper Shelf review and enter a giveaway.

7th July

We've reached the penultimate stop and it's with Templar's good friend The Reader Room. Here you'll find a krilliant Q&A with Tera plus Alice's review and yet another giveaway. If you haven't entered one of these by now, there's something wrong with you!

8th July

Time for the tour's grand finale and we will be at Book Passion For Life where there will be the last review and giveaway combo so it's your last chance to make up your mind that you want to read this book. And believe me, you really want to read this book.


~

So, at last Tera will be able to give her typing fingers a rest - perhaps a nice soak in some salt water? Make sure you keep an eye on our Facebook page for all the latest news about Forgive My Fins and all our fantastic YA titles.

Tera Lynn Childs is an award-winning author of teenage fiction. She spends her time blogging and writing wherever she can find a comfy chair and a steady stream of caffeinated beverages. Forgive My Fins is her first book with Templar and the sequel, Fins are Forever, will be published in 2012.


P.S. If you groaned your way through this post due to all the bad nautical puns I'm very sorry!

Swim the Fly UK Blog Tour - 27th May to 5th June

With just 3 weeks left to publication, Swim the Fly by US author Don Calame has already been making waves in the book world here in the UK with its abundance of laugh out loud coming of age cringe moments. So what better way to celebrate this ambassador of dude lit than with a tour of some of the UK's most vibrant teen lit blogs? Don is packing his bags as I type ready to fly over from Canada for a whilrwind tour of the UK to promote his first teen novel - fingers crossed he'll remember his trusty laptop so he can write all his posts for the blog tour!

Click here for an extract

Swim the Fly
Don Calame

Fifteen-year-old Matt Gratton and his two best friends, Coop and Sean, always set themselves a summertime goal. This year? To see a real-live naked girl for the first time. But this impossible mission starts to look easy in comparison to Matt's other challenge: to swim the 100 yard butterfly (the hardest stroke known to man) and impress the gorgeous Kelly West.

Don Calame, a screenwriter, serves up jokes and gross-outs in the style of filmmakers like Judd Apatow...boys will probably love it. This one did. The New York Times Book Review

Swim the Fly is a great breath of fresh air in teen publishing... Perfectly pitched for teenage boys, this story hits the nail on the head when it comes to awkward moments, coming of age and working out the opposite sex. A really fantastic read. Elizabeth Horne, Waterstones



Don will be hitting 10 stops on his blog tour, starting on 27th May and running to 5th June with plenty of laughs in between. So, here's what you can expect:

Fri 27th May

First up, we'll be at Jess Hearts Books where Don will be dropping of his first guest post, talking about the importance of balancing out all the chick lit out there with some decent dude lit and promoting summer reads for boys.

Sat 28th May

Next up there'll be a tantalising exclusive extract over at our good friend Chicklish. You'll also have a chance to win one of very few exclusive signed copies of Swim the Fly with the first giveaway of the tour.

Sun 29th May

On the third day, Don will be over at the first blog for boys on the tour. Bookzone 4 Boys will be hosting another great guest post from Don so don't miss out!

Mon 30th May

Mostly Reading YA will be hosting the first Q&A on the tour, probing Don for some juicy insights and giving readers another chance to win a signed copy of Swim the Fly.

Tue 31st May

On the eve of publication, we'll be at The Crooked Shelf for another guest post from Don, counting down those last few minutes of a United Kingdom full of people without Swim the Fly in their lives.

Wed 1st June

Publication day, and if you still have reservations then make sure you read Daisy Chain Book Reviews review and another exclusive extract. If that leaves you convinced you can enter Daisy Chain's giveaway to win one of our exclusive signed copies of Swim the Fly.

Thu 2nd June

Past the halfway mark and Don will be dropping off another guest post over on Overflowing Library, so if you want some more revelations or are just plain nosey then head over here.

Fri 3rd June

You'll find another great interview at Love Reading X today so check it out to see what Don has to say for himself.

Sat 4th June

The penultimate stop will be at Empire of Books where you can find another dude's perspective on the book with the final interview of the tour. You'll also have your last chance on the tour to get your hands on one of our signed copies of Swim the Fly so make sure you enter!

Sun 5th June

On the last day we'll be with Magic Bean Review with a mystery feature... Stay tuned for more!

Well, we might just give Don a rest after all that... Somehow I doubt it! Make sure you keep checking our Facebook page for updates on Don's trip around the UK but if you fancy just staying in your armchair then the blog tour is the tour for you!

Don Calame

Don Calame is a Hollywood script-writer and former teacher. He is a screenwriter of films including Employee of the Month and Hounded. He now lives in British Columbia with his wife, stepson and their dog Scooter. Swim the Fly is his first novel, its sequel Beat The Band, will be out in the UK in 2012 and Don is currently working on the third installment of the lives, loves and mishaps of characters Matt, Sean and Coop.

Swim the Fly is out on 1st June 2011.

A Small Free Kiss In The Dark Blog Tour - 25th Apr to 7th May

Here at Templar we're huge fans of the talent down under and this month we're taking renowned Australian author, Glenda Millard, on an unmissable tour of some the UK's best loved teen fiction blogs. Glenda will be bringing along her award-winning book, A Small Free Kiss In The Dark, released in the UK on 1st May, for some exclusive extracts, interviews and guest posts as well as some fantastic giveaways and revealing reviews from our blog hosts.

Click here for an extract

A Small Free Kiss In The Dark
Glenda Millard

Skip's an outsider. He's never fitted in. So he takes to the streets. Life there may be hard, but it's better than the one he's left behind, especially when he teams up with old homeless man Billy. Then come the bombs which bring little Max and Tia, the sad dancer with a tiny baby, into Skip and Billy's world. Scavenging for food, living on love and imagination - how long can Skip's fragile new family hold out as war grips the city?

If you loved Meg Rosoff’s How I Live Now and Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, you will be left breathless by this stunning novel. Canberra Times

A beautiful story... this book is delightful and stands as a testimony to the power of family, friendship and love. Viewpoint



Tell me more about this tour! Where should I go? What will I see? Well, Glenda will be taking in an epic 13 stops starting on 25th April and running to the 7th May. For more details, here's the line up:

Mon 25th April

First up on Easter Monday is My Favourite Books and if you're an aspiring writer this is definitely the stop to take in as there will be a guest post from Glenda all about the writing process of A Small Free Kiss In The Dark. Our blog host, Liz, will also be posting her review.

Tues 26th April

Day 2 and we're stopping off at The Slowest Bookworm where you'll be able to read the tour's first exclusive extract and enter a giveaway to win a copy of the book.

Wed 27th April

Next up, Glenda will be calling in at The Reader Room to deliver her next guest post. Our lovely blog host Alice will also be posting her review and hosting another giveaway.

Thur 28th April

A stop at Fluttering Butterflies is next on the agenda for Glenda's first Q&A session. Blogger Michelle has lined up some great questions so don't miss the answers!

Fri 29th April

On the day of the Royal Wedding we're heading over to Library Mice where you can delve a little further into the world of Australian teen and kid lit as Glenda will be talking about her top 5 Aussie novels.

Sat 30th April

If you're recovering from a great Wedding party the day before, it might be time to sit down and relax with Asamum Booktopia. Here you'll be able to read a guest post from Glenda about her thoughts on libraries - a pretty hot topic at the moment.

Sun 1st May

On publication day make sure you head over to Planet Print for the second exclusive extract on the tour, plus a review and giveaway from Liz.

Mon 2nd May

Glenda will be giving her second interview over at Heaven, Hell and Purgatory Book Reviews and if you've missed the giveaways so far, you'll find one here too!

Tues 3rd May

Teenage Fiction For All Ages will be hosting another great exclusive extract and giveaway combo so if you haven't signed up yet, we're definitely doing something wrong...

Wed 4th May

Day 10 and Glenda will be dropping off another exciting guest post over at So Many Books, So Little Time and blogger Sophie will be giving us her views on the book in her review.

Thur 5th May

Literary Enchantment TBC!

Fri 6th May

The penultimate stop will be at Book Babblers with Glenda's last guest post and giveaway so don't miss out on this one!

Sat 7th May

Last stop and Glenda will be at The Book Bug for an unmissable interview with blogger Chloe who will also give the last review so make sure you read what she's got to say.


Phew! I'm exhausted just writing all that but it's definitely got my juices going! Glenda is going to need some serious hand massages after all that typing but it's all for a great cause and we're really looking forward to having you all on the tour to share the excitement and discovery of a real gem of a book.

Glenda Millard

Glenda Millard is an award-winning Australian author. She began thinking about the main character for A Small Free Kiss In The Dark after noticing a newspaper headline about urban tribes, and she wondered what life would be like for a young homeless boy, living with people thrown together in circumstances beyond their control. While the backdrop for this story is war, her intention was to capture the indomitable nature of hope.

Glenda lives in the Goldfields region of Central Victoria. Her book The Naming of Tishkin Silk was an Honour Book in the 2004 CBC Book of the Year Awards. Layla Queen of Hearts was a winner in the 2007 Queensland Premier's Literary Awards and her picture book, Kaito's Cloth, was also shortlisted in the 2007 Queensland Premier's Literary Award.

A Small Free Kiss In The Dark won the prestigious Queensland Premier's Literary Award for Best Young Adult book, 2009.

The 10pm Question Blog Tour - 28th Feb to 5th Mar

Well, it’s official. The dates are set, the exclusives confirmed and Kate is currently squirreling away to create some revealing guest posts and put the all important As in the Q&As. Hold onto your proverbial hats because we’re off on a UK virtual book tour, taking The 10pm Question by Kate de Goldi to some of the most vibrant and exciting teen fiction blogs out there.

Click here for an extract

The 10pm Question
Kate de Goldi

Twelve-year-old Frankie Parsons has a head full of questions. Only Ma takes him seriously, but unfortunately she is the cause of the most worrying question of all, the one Frankie can never bring himself to ask. Then a new girl arrives at school with questions of her own: questions that make Frankie’s carefully controlled world begin to unravel.

"De Goldi is the brightest star in Templar’s new and exciting fiction list. This is an effusive novel packed with garrulous dialogue and layers of characters, that really capture the themes of family complexity and mental health. Definitely one to watch in young adult fiction this autumn."
The Bookseller Highlights of the Season




So, what can you expect? Well, we’re stopping off at six blogs over six days starting on Monday 28th February and we’ll be delivering juicy exclusives to readers with the help of our wonderful blogging hosts.

Here’s the line up:

Mon 28th February

Our first stop is at Chicklish where Luisa Plaja will be posting an exclusive extract from The 10pm Question to get your mouth watering.

Tue 1st March

The second stop will be at The Book Mogul where blogger Kirsty Scard will be posing some probing questions for author Kate de Goldi.

Wed 2nd March

Next we’re at The Bookette where the lovely Becky will be posting an exclusive extract with a twist. Kate will be posting an introduction to the extract to trigger a discussion so if you want in on the chat then make sure you head to this stop.

Thu 3rd March

Nayu’s Reading Corner is up next where Kate will have her first guest post, writing about how writing fits in with her life and the ups and downs of being an author. Keep an eye out here as there is also a copy of the book up for grabs.

Fri 4th March

If you still have the hunger for Kate’s guest posts then head over to Once Upon A Bookcase where our host Jo will be posting a second guest post by Kate. This time Kate will be discussing writing about mental illness in novels and the tough subjects posed by The 10pm Question.

Sat 5th March

Our last stop is at I Want To Read That where you have the chance to bag yourself one of three copies of The 10pm Question in a giveaway that YA fiction addict and blogger Sammee will be organising. Sammee’s post will also have a review of the book and a Q&A session for the author just in case you had any last minute doubts!

In a nutshell, we’re conspiring to spoil you rotten so if you’re a fan of Kate de Goldi then make sure you don’t miss out and if you’re just plain intrigued then make sure you don’t miss out either!

Kate de Goldi

With special thanks to all our blog hosts!