Welcome to The
Stone of Valhalla Blog Tour!
A middle-grade fantasy-adventure by Mikey Brooks.
Don’t
forget to check out the GIVEAWAY at the bottom this post
for a
chance to WIN a $25 Amazon
Gift card and other great prizes!
Using the Old to Create Something New
A guest post by: Mikey Brooks
I discover fun and
interesting things with each book I write. For The Stone of Valhalla I did a lot of research into old Norse
mythology and legends. I wanted to base my “otherworld” off something that
still had familiarity in ours. World building is really fun in the fact that
you get to create everything from the ground up. You get to create their
religion, their folk songs, their folklore, everything.
While researching I
came across a cool story about a dwarf prince that was turned into a dragon
because of his greed with gold and a magical ring. I wanted to put the story
into mine but wasn’t sure how it would fit. I ended up using the name of the
prince as a dragon in my own story. Fáfnir was the name of the dragon from the Völsunga Saga in Norse legends and he
became one of the masters of the Stone of Valhalla in the history of my
“otherworld”.
I loved sharing that
story so much I decided to write in my own folklore. I created a story about
another dragon. Nottigin is a dragon who falls in love with a princess. One
night he steals her away and hides her in his cave behind a great waterfall.
One night the princess goes wondering and slips to her death. Traumatized by
the loss of his love the dragon throws himself off the Cliffside and drowns in
the water below. Yes, a tragic story, but it added something magical to the
story. The place that my character’s camp at is a grand waterfall called
Nottigin’s Fall.
I had a lot of fun
writing this book and incorporating many of the things I took for Norse
mythology. A lot of the names you will find in The Stone of Valhalla all come from the old Norse legends. I loved
taking the old and turning it into something new.
I am thrilled to announce the release of my newest middle-grade
fantasy-adventure: The Stone of Valhalla.
In it you’ll find sprinklings of Norse legends here and there but that’s not
where the fun lies. The fun is in the story of Aaron, from our world, and how
he is destined to save another.
Synopsis:
Aaron was chosen to save their world, but it might come at the cost of
losing his own.
Breaking
into an old lady’s basement was supposed to reward 13-year-old Aaron with new
friends. Instead he finds an enchanted amulet that transports him to another
world—one at war with magic. Before he knows it, he is accused of witchcraft
and invited to a bonfire—where he’s the main attraction. If that’s not bad
enough, a goblin army shows up and toasts the town...literally. The good news:
Aaron escapes being charbroiled. The bad news: the goblins are after him. They
want his amulet and will stop at nothing to get it. Battling to find his way
home, Aaron teams up with a not-so-magical-wizard and learns it’s his fate to
destroy the amulet and save this new world. But is he willing to sacrifice his
own?
Check out what these talented authors
are saying about it:
“The Stone of Valhalla is one of those
books that only comes along once in a great while. Brooks doesn't just create a
world, he puts you inside of it, allowing you to experience the wonder in a way
that only he can. His characters are likable and fun. His twists leave you
asking ‘Why?’ Treat yourself to an exciting adventure through a beautiful new
land. Make new friends and be a part of the magic. This is a book that you will
not be able to put down!”
—J.R. Simmons,
author of Ragesong: Awakening.
“The
Stone of Valhalla drew me in from the get-go. Aaron’s journey is
reminiscent of Dorothy’s trek in The
Wizard of Oz. Magic, sword fights, danger, and more danger, sprinkled with
humor and unexpected twists. This is one of the ‘best’ fantasy adventures I’ve
ever experienced!”
—BBH
McChiller, author of The Monster Moon
Series.
“The Stone of Valhalla is a riveting mystery
revealing true friendship, loyalty and sacrifice. Brooks engages the curiosity
of middle graders and older sleuths alike, until the very end. Fantastic!”
—L.R.W. Lee,
author of The Andy Smithson series.
Where to Find The Stone of Valhalla:
Exclusive price for the eBook
release is just $2.99! (List Price: $4.99)
And only $9.99 for the paperback!(List Price: $12.99)
On April 12th
2014 the price will return to the List Price
Another special offer:
During The Stone of Valhalla
Blog Tour
Mikey’s other great middle-grade eBooks will also be set to the low
price of just $0.99!
The Dream Keeper:
The Dreamstone:
You’re Invited to PARTY!!
The
online launch party will take place on Thursday, April 10th at 4pm
(MST). The party will run for 2 hours and you’re invited to drop by anytime.
The longer you stay the more chances you have of winning prizes! We have slew
of eBooks to giveaway, as well as a Stone of Valhalla necklace AND a $25 Amazon gift card! It is hosted by
LovingtheBookLaunchParty on Facebook. Just follow this link to join the event: http://goo.gl/Q2Fd3r.
What’s that? Another Party!
That’s
right! If you’re local to Utah you don’t want to miss this kickin’ party. We
are having a launch party to celebrate the release of this awesome new book. Of
course there will be plenty of giveaways there too, but what’s even better are
the guest authors! Just check out these fabulous names: J. Scott Savage, Chad
Morris, Lisa Mangum, Jenni James, Ali Cross, and many more. The Launch Party
is: Friday, April 11th from 6-9pm at the Viridian Center in West
Jordan, Utah. Follow this link for a map: http://goo.gl/dqVc0u
About Mikey Brooks:
Mikey
is a small child masquerading as an adult. On occasion you’ll catch him dancing
the funky chicken, singing like a banshee, and pretending to have never grown
up. He is the author/illustrator of several books including the best-selling ABC Adventures: Magical Creatures
and Bean’s Dragons as well as the
middle-grade fantasy-adventure series The Dream Keeper Chronicles. His art
can be seen in many forms from picture books to full room murals. He loves to
daydream with his three daughters and explore the worlds that only the
imagination of children can create. Mikey has a BS degree in English from Utah
State University and works full-time as a freelance illustrator, cover designer,
and author. As a member of the Emblazoners,
he is one of many authors devoted to ‘writing stories on the hearts of
children’. He is also one of the hosts of the Authors’ Think Tank
Podcast. You can find more about him and his books at: http://www.insidemikeysworld.com/.
The Giveaways!
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ReplyDeleteHugs, Cordelia! You're amazing!
DeleteExcellent! I will be checking this book out!
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