Sharon Ledwith’s Birthday Blowout Ebook Sale…

 

It’s that time again. You know. When Mr. Groundhog awakens on February 2^nd to see if he can spot his shadow or not. Well, while he’s checking out to see if we’ll have an early spring or not, I’m kicking off my annual birthday celebration month by doing something a little different this year. Starting February 1^st and running until February 28^th, ALL my ebooks will be on sale for only 99 cents through the Mirror World Publishing online bookstore! Yup, you read that right! If you haven’t read any of my books in The Last Timekeepers young adult time travel adventure series or Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls teen psychic mystery series, please consider filling up your ereader devices with one, two, or all of my books for under six bucks. Now that’s something for readers to celebrate!

 To make this even easier for my amazing readers, here’s the link for one-stop shopping to choose the ebooks you want. Your discount will be applied at checkout: https://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/search?q=ledwith+ebook

 Need help choosing? Below is a list of all my ebooks including the book blurbs and covers featured at Mirror World Publishing’s online bookstore:

 The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis (Book #1):

 When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school,
they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.

Legend of the Timekeepers (prequel):

Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.

Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.

 The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret (Book #2):

Fourteen year-old Jordan Jensen always considered himself a team player on and off the field, until the
second Timekeeper mission lands him in Amsterdam during World War Two. Pulled into the world of espionage, torture, and intolerance, Jordan and the rest of the Timekeepers have no choice but to do whatever they can to stay one step ahead of the Nazis in order to find and protect a mysterious book.

With the help of the Dutch Resistance, an eccentric baron, Nordic runes, and an ancient volume originating from Atlantis, Jordan must learn that it takes true teamwork, trust, and sacrifice to keep time safe from the evils of fascism. Can Jordan find the hero within to conquer the darkness surrounding the Timekeepers? If he doesn’t, then the terrible truth of what the Nazis did will never see the light of day.

 The Last Timekeepers and the Noble Slave (Book #3):

Eleven-year-old Drake Bailey is an analytical thinker and the genius of the Timekeeper crew. However, no logic or mathematical acumen can change the color of his skin, or prepare him for this third Timekeeper mission in antebellum Georgia. To survive, Drake must learn to play the role of a plantation slave and when confronted with the brutality, hatred, and racism of the deep south, he’ll have to strategically keep one move ahead of his sadistic captors to ensure his lineage continues.

In a dark world of Voodoo, zombies, and ritualistic sacrifice, the Timekeepers must ensure a royal bloodline survives. Can Drake remove both literal and figurative chains to save both himself and a devout slave girl from a terrible fate? If he can’t summon the necessary courage, humanity could stand to lose one of its greatest leaders.

 Lost and Found, Book One: Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls:

The Fairy Falls Animal Shelter is in trouble. Money trouble. It’s up to an old calico cat named Whiskey
—a shelter cat who has mastered the skill of observation—to find a new human pack leader so that their home will be saved. With the help of Nobel, the leader of the shelter dogs, the animals set out to use the ancient skill of telepathy to contact any human who bothers to listen to them. Unfortunately for fifteen-year-old Meagan Walsh, she hears them, loud and clear.

Forced to live with her Aunt Izzy in the safe and quiet town of Fairy Falls, Meagan is caught stealing and is sentenced to do community hours at the animal shelter where her aunt works. Realizing Meagan can hear her, Whiskey realizes that Meagan just might have the pack leader qualities necessary to save the animals. Avoiding Whiskey and the rest of shelter animals becomes impossible for Meagan, so she finally gives in and promises to help them. Meagan, along with her newfound friends, Reid Robertson and Natalie Knight, discover that someone in Fairy Falls is not only out to destroy the shelter, but the animals as well. Can Meagan convince her aunt and co-workers that the animals are in danger? If she fails, then all the animals’ voices will be silenced forever.

Blackflies and Blueberries, Book Two: Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls:

City born and bred, Hart Stewart possesses the gift of psychometry—the psychic ability to discover facts about an event or person by touching inanimate objects associated with them. Since his mother’s death, seventeen-year-old Hart has endured homelessness, and has learned ways to keep his illiteracy under wraps. He eventually learns of a great-aunt living in Fairy Falls, and decides to leave the only life he’s ever known for an uncertain future.

Diana MacGregor lives in Fairy Falls. Her mother was a victim of a senseless murder. Only Diana’s unanswered questions and her grief keeps her going, until Hart finds her mother’s lost ring and becomes a witness to her murder.

Through Hart’s psychic power, Diana gains hope for justice. Their investigation leads them into the corrupt world threatening Fairy Falls. To secure the town’s future, Hart and Diana must join forces to uncover the shocking truth, or they risk losing the true essence of Fairy Falls forever.

So, what do you think? Ready to go on an adventure with five time traveling teens or solve a mystery with a couple of psychic teens? Your reading adventures await a click away… https://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/search?q=ledwith+ebook

This fantastic deal won’t last long! Plus, I can’t think of a better way to ride out the forecast that Mr. Groundhog gives us than relaxing with a good ebook, a comfortable chair, and cozy blanket. Unless you live in the southern hemisphere and get to enjoy reading by the pool or at the beach. Wink. Keep warm (or cool), and I hope you choose to escape to the past and have a blast with one of my ebooks this February! Cheers, and thank you for taking the time to celebrate my birthday month with me. I appreciate you!

Blog Takeover: Author Elizabeth Walker Grills Sharon Ledwith about her Writing Life…

With Elizabeth Walker, who is on my left.

I thought it would be fun to cut, paste, and edit an interview I had earlier this year with fellow author, Elizabeth Walker, to let my followers know what’s going on in my writing life and offering other interesting tidbits. Take it away, Elizabeth…

First off, would you like to tell a bit about yourself and your writing.

I’d be happy to, Elizabeth! So, I have a confession. Besides being a late bloomer as a writer (I started in my mid-thirties), I didn’t seek out writing for young adults as I primarily do now. Nope. I lurked in the deep pool of the supernatural romance genre before I ever considered dipping my toes into the welcoming waters of young adult fiction. The idea to write for the younger crowd actually came to me through a dream I had around 1998. In this dream, I saw seven arches, and there were seven people (five kids, two adults) with crystals in their hands, walking up to these arches. It definitely had an “Indiana Jones” feel to it. I really thought about that dream a lot to the point where an idea for a book began to grow, and take root. So, I thought I’d challenge myself and write a novel—a series—that would appeal to my son, who at the time was the target age of my audience. I’ve always loved the time travel genre, so I imagined the arches I saw vividly in my dream as time portals. Then, boom. The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis was born.

To say it’s been a long haul is an understatement. It’s been an uphill climb with peaks and valleys. I started gathering ideas and writing the first draft in 1999 before I signed a publishing contract with a now defunct publisher in September, 2011. Now, this was a back and forth project. During the twelve years before I signed a contract, I wrote a second book in The Last Timekeeper series, created and penned two novels for another young adult book series entitled Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, revised and edited my supernatural romance, took a writing correspondence course and various writing workshops, and worked at the local animal shelter. I finally returned to The Last Timekeeper and the Arch of Atlantis in 2010 to revise and polish it, and kept sending the manuscript out until I struck gold with a publishing contract offer. And even then, after all that, there were major revisions on changing my point of view over from five characters to one character. But I was determined, and did it. In early 2015, Mirror World Publishing, a local Windsor publishing company rescued my time travel adventure series, and the rest is history! Pun intended.

Do you have any new books coming out?

I sure do! The second book in my teen psychic mystery series, Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls will be released (tentatively) May 17, 2019. It’s entitled, Blackflies and Blueberries, and is about seventeen-year-old Hart Stewart who possesses psychometry—the psychic ability that discovers facts about an event or person by touching inanimate objects associated with them. In the first book in this series, Lost and Found, fifteen-year-old animal communicator Meagan Walsh is coerced into helping the shelter animals save their home before it’s too late.

You currently have two series, the Last Timekeepers and Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls. Do you have more books in store for both series? And – how do you write two series at once? Do you alternate writing one book for one series, and then go back to the other?

Definitely yes to the first question! I plan to have ten books, plus the prequel written for The Last Timekeepers time travel adventure series. I know, go big or stay home. Wink. Presently, I have Book #1, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, Book #2, The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret, and the prequel, Legend of the Timekeepers published. I’m working on Book #3, The Last Timekeepers and the Noble Slave, which should be out sometime in 2020.

I have five books planned for Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, starting with Book #1, Lost and Found published in June 2017. The next installment, Blackflies and Blueberries will hopefully be released May 17^th, 2019, as mentioned above. All these books revolve around the same setting (Fairy Falls) with a different cast of characters with psychic powers for each book.

When writing two series at once, my plan is to release one book and write one book during the course of a year. So, yes I alternate writing the books for each series, which helps me produce fresh content every year and building both book series backlists at the same time. Trust me, I’m never bored with writing about the same characters, that’s for sure! 

Sharing my reading wares at the Windsor Comic Con

Do you enjoy being a writer in the Windsor region? What are the pros and the cons (if any!)?

Yes, very much! Comparing to where I used to live in the Huntsville area (seven hours drive north), Windsor has more opportunity for a writer and hosts a few writing groups to help writers improve their work for publication. Add in the fact that there’s the Windsor International Writers Conference here, and you’ve got a place that gives a writer plenty of chances to grow and learn. Though as a con, I’d have to say that it’s not a huge ‘arts’ oriented community, like Toronto. But we’re talking a different demography here. Windsor also boasts about seven publishing companies and over a thousand published/self-published authors. Not too shabby statistics for a city that’s known more for their manufacturing acumen. 

Do you have any advice for new writers?

Never stop investing in yourself. Invest in the best. That’s in yourself, and in your readers. Your readers deserve the best of what you have to offer them. Start building your author platform and brand early, even before you’re published. Surround yourself with the best possible team. Never stop learning. As you grow, so will your readers, so be prepared for this. Oh yeah, and never give up. That’s a given and should be part of any author’s credo. 

And – do you have anything else you would like to add?

Just a couple of things. I have a few freebies available on my website, so head over to my Home and Fun Stuff pages to find out what I’m offering! Oh, and if you live in the Windsor area and order any books through Mirror World Publishing’s Bookstore, delivery is FREE!

Thank you for grilling me on my blog today, Elizabeth. I appreciate your support and interviewing prowess. Wishing you all the best! Cheers!

Meet the Author/Interviewer:

Elizabeth J. M. Walker lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She has always loved books and writing. As a teen she discovered zines, which inspired her to publish her own litzine of odd fairy tales for over a decade. She Dreamed of Dragons is her first novel.

Connect with Elizabeth J.M. Walker:

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elizabeth-J-M-Walker/620043831422660

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8509988.Elizabeth_J_M_Walker?from_search=true

Come Celebrate my Birthday with a 99¢ Sale on ALL my Ebooks…

It’s that time again. You know, when Mr. Groundhog awakens on February 2^nd to see if he can spot his shadow or not. Well, while he’s checking out to see if we’ll have an early spring or not, I’m kicking off my annual birthday celebration by doing something a little different this year. Starting February 2^nd and running until the end of the month, ALL my ebooks will be on sale for only 99 cents through Mirror World Publishing, and all major online stores! Yup, you read that right! If you haven’t read any of my books in The Last Timekeepers young adult time travel adventure series or Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls teen psychic mystery series, please consider filling up your ereader devices with one, two, or all of my books for under $5.

BONUS: If you’d rather crack open a real book, Mirror World Publishing has graciously lowered the prices on The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis and Lost and Found paperbacks. This deal is only available on their website.

NOTE: Due to circumstances beyond my control, the third party online ebook prices for 99 cents won’t kick in until February 11^th. I sincerely apologize, but the ebook sale is on right now over in Mirror World Publishing’s virtual BOOKSTORE in all available formats. 

To make it easier, below is a list of all my ebooks, and the online store buy links:

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis (Book #1):

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING: http://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/products/the-last-timekeepers-and-the-arch-of-atlantis

AMAZON.COM: http://www.amazon.com/Last-Timekeepers-Arch-Atlantis/dp/1987976037/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=

KOBO:  https://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/the-last-timekeepers-and-the-arch-of-atlantis-2

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-last-timekeepers-and-the-arch-of-atlantis-2

BARNES & NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-timekeepers-and-the-arch-of-atlantis-sharon-ledwith/1107106917?ean=9781987976045

Legend of the Timekeepers (prequel):

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING: http://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/collections/fantasy/products/legends-of-the-timekeepers-ebook

AMAZON.COM: http://www.amazon.com/Legend-Timekeepers-Sharon-Ledwith/dp/1987976053/ref=sr_1_3_twi_2_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1437067767&sr=1-3&keywords=Sharon+Ledwith

KOBO: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/legend-of-the-timekeepers-2

 BARNES & NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/legend-of-the-timekeepers-sharon-ledwith/1116790991?ean=9781987976052

The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret (Book #2):

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING: http://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/collections/poetry/products/the-last-timekeepers-and-the-dark-secret-ebook

AMAZON.COM: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Timekeepers-Dark-Secret-ebook/dp/B01L9UHCFA/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1472938586&sr=1-1#nav-subnav

KOBO: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-last-timekeepers-and-the/9781987976199-item.html?ikwid=Sharon+Ledwith&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=4

 

BARNES & NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/mobile/w/the-last-timekeepers-and-the-dark-secret-sharon-ledwith/1124513193;jsessionid=1499A28F3D09694F1DD7B340A0024BEE.prodny_store01-atgap08?ean=9781987976199

Lost and Found, Book One: Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls:

MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING: https://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/collections/poetry/products/lost-and-found-ebook

AMAZON.COM: https://www.amazon.com/Found-Mysterious-Tales-Fairy-Falls-ebook/dp/B0713S1DCR/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493565088&sr=1-1&keywords=Lost+and+Found+Sharon+Ledwith

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/lost-and-found-175

BARNES & NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lost-and-found-sharon-ledwith/1126287196?ean=9781987976281

This amazing deal won’t last long! Plus, I can’t think of a better way to ride out the forecast that Mr. Groundhog gives us than relaxing with a good ebook (or paperback), a comfortable chair, and cozy blanket. Keep warm, and I hope you get to escape to the past and have a blast with one of my books! Cheers and thank you!

Authors: Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail…

Happy New Year! Usually, I start off the beginning of a new year blogging about my upcoming plans and projects. Lots has happened over the course of 2017, and I seem to be on course when it comes to my writing career. I have a lot of people to thank for that! My publisher, Mirror World Publishing. My family. My friends. My author colleagues. My community and local businesses. And especially my readers and followers! So yay to all of you, and give yourselves a pat on the back for helping me make my goals and dreams a realty. Thank you!

That said, no author is an island, and we must realize our books possess not only pieces of our souls, but the collective souls of everyone who have helped us along in the process of writing and publishing our books. The best advice I can give any writer striving to publish their work someday, or an author with a backlist of books is to make a PLAN, and STICK with it. Every December, I go over my Master Business and Life Plan to check off what I’ve accomplished, tweak what still needs to be done, add other tasks, and see what worked and what didn’t for me. I’m still not where I want to be when it comes to book sales (I know I’m not alone there!), but one day I will be IF I stick with the plan.

One of my main goals every year is to publish a book and write a book. This works for me. I know other authors who pump out words like there’s no tomorrow, and write about two to four books a year. That’s not me. It will never be me. And I’m good with that. Comparing myself to other authors is a creativity killer. And I won’t do that to myself. Know what you can handle and do that, despite what your other writing friends are doing. We all get to where we need to be on our own steam, in our own way. So cut yourself some slack and enjoy the ride. That’s not to say I don’t have authors who are my pacesetters (where I’d like to be in the future). These are the successful writers I learn from, watch from afar, and listen to their advice. Remember: success always leaves clues!

Book marketing and promotion seems to be an enigma for me. And I’m sure I’m not alone. One writer’s way of scoring big money and fame from their book sales may not work for another author. I find I’m very successful with Goodreads Giveaways. I get many entries when I host a giveaway for one of my books. I do this about three to four times a year, and receive as many as 4000 to 5000 readers who enter. Not bad numbers! However, I wish these stats would translate into sales! Wink. I also try to do a few book signings throughout the year at craft shows, book fairs, charities or businesses, but that’s more about exposure and meeting readers.

I really do believe that the biggest thing an author can do for his or her career is to build their backlist. More books. More exposure. Different genres. Different readers. Multiple book series. Multiple audience reach. This way you create an emotional bond with your readers, and they in turn trust your work and tell their reader friends about you! Now that’s a win-win in my book!

So, what can you expect from Sharon Ledwith this year? Glad you stuck around! I’m so happy to share with you that, Blackflies and Blueberries, the second book in Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls teen psychic mystery series will be published this year through Mirror World Publishing. The publication date has yet to be discussed, but I’m so looking forward to seeing this book series grow! I’ll also be the guest of honor at the Twisted Apron in Windsor, Ontario, on January 15th as part of ‘A Taste of Literacy’. This is a fundraiser for the Windsor International Writers Conference, and the idea is that the restaurant’s chef prepares a five course meal based on the setting of an author’s book. In my case, Lost and Found, Book One of Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls will be featured. Cottage cuisine anyone? I’ll also be working on the next installment of The Last Timekeepers series entitled, The Last Timekeepers and the Noble Slave throughout 2018, and this book should be ready for publication in 2019. Seems like I’ve got my work cut out for me already!

I’m sure there’ll be more add-ons to my plan during the course of the year, so the best way to know what’s going on in my writing world is to follow this blog for the latest news or check out my website to find out what books I presently have published. I’m also on Facebook and Twitter, and post a lot of helpful articles for all you writers out there. I’d like to wish you and your family all the best in 2018, and as always thank you for reading my post! I truly appreciate it! Cheers!

The Name’s Bond. Ravi Bond…

James Bond. The name invokes espionage, danger, martinis (shaken, not stirred) and a bevy of beautiful women with every spy adventure. Bond also conjures up something that men have drooled over for years (besides the women)—spy gadgets. In each Bond movie, master inventor Q hands James a few spy gadgets to ensure his safety, and save the world. In The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret, Book 2 of my tween and teen time travel series, Ravi Sharma buffs up his cufflinks and straightens his bowtie to pretend to be Double-O-Seven before he’s even imagined by his creator, Ian Fleming. It was fun writing the Bond culture into this book, and quite an eye-opener when I went to research all the spy gadgets that were really created during World War Two.

Here’s a look at some of those outrageous spy gadgets:

One plan was to create synthetic goat dung loaded with anthrax as part of PROJECT Capricious in 1942. By using flies, the government hoped to infect German troops in Spanish Morocco in an attempt to stop Spain from joining Axis powers. Now that just sounds baaaad!

Another plot was to introduce estrogen to Hitler’s food in the hopes of eliminating his trademark moustache and affecting his baritone voice. Wait…that could have been an improvement! A deadlier plot included hiding a capsule containing mustard gas in flowers to cause blindness among Nazi generals inside the German High Command Headquarters. Yikes, spying is a nasty business!

Cigarettes laced with tetrahydrocannabinol acetate (Indian hemp). The compound works similarly to morphine and was used as a possible none-lethal incapacitating agent. When given to someone, the cigarette would bring about uncontrollable chattiness. Hmm…didn’t they realize that loose lips sink ships?

Knife in Pencil. Not great for a writer...

Knives concealed within shoes, lapels, pencils, sleeves and coins. Cameras small enough to fit into a match box; a cigarette case which exploded upon opening. Suicide pills (L-pills) hidden in necklaces or rings. Boy, these spy gadgets were playing for keeps!

This coal torpedo will warm you up!

Explosive coal or the “coal torpedo”, as it was also named, was invented by Capt. Thomas Edgeworth Courtenay of the Confederate Secret Service. Originally, it was a hollow iron casing (to look like coal), that was intended to be shoveled into the firebox of Union steam transportation ships, where it would explode. While Courtenay had approached the British War Office to further refine his idea, they turned him down. However, both the American OSS and the British SOE used forms of his original explosive during World War II. Maybe Courtenay should had gotten a patent…

The next time you squeal when you see a rat, spare a thought to the men and women of the Second World War. One deceptively cunning way to blow up enemy bases would be to fill dead rats up with explosives. The rats would be placed in factories close to enemy camps. When factory workers discovered the dead rodents they would throw them into the fire, ignite the explosives and blow up everything and everyone in the vicinity. However, the Germans discovered the rodent bomb plan, and consequently left the dead rodents to rot and spread disease. Even the Piped Piper couldn’t help them.

And finally, my favorite…

The original stool pigeon.

Today, we have satellite imagery and stealth airplanes for aerial reconnaissance. In the 1940s and 50s, we had pigeons. During the World Wars, carrier pigeons completed more than 95 percent of their missions—strap an automatic camera to one of those messengers, and you've got yourself a camera roll of discrete reconnaissance, ready for development. I can see Q cringe now. 

Thanksgiving Day(s) Goodreads Giveaways…

In the first book of Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls series, Lost and Found, the main character, Meagan Walsh has the psychic ability to talk to animals. Imagine possessing the power to be a diplomat between animals and humans? To bridge that gap, and find common ground. In the first book of The Last Timekeepers young adult time travel adventure series, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, my main characters are given a ‘Babel’ necklace. The main purpose of this necklace is to break any language barriers while on a mission in the past so that my characters will be able to understand and talk to everyone they meet.

I believe books hold the power to not only transport readers to different worlds, but also translate the world for us. You don’t need a Babel or a psychic ability to crack open a book and let it take you on a journey. Books have always been a wonderful gift to give, so I thought why not pair the first two books in both my series, and schedule a Goodreads Giveaway starting on the Canadian Thanksgiving (Monday, October 9^th) and finishing on the American Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 23^rd)? It sounded like a solid plan, and a way I can give back to my readers, especially during the upcoming holiday season!

If you haven’t read the first books in The Last Timekeepers young adult time travel adventure series or Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls teen psychic mystery series, please consider entering both giveaways for a chance to win a signed copy and bookmark. We all need time to rest and rejuvenate during the holiday season, and I can’t think of a better way than relaxing with a good book, a comfortable chair, and cozy blanket. Good luck, and hope you get to escape to the past and have a blast with one of my books! Cheers and thank you!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis

by Sharon Ledwith

Giveaway ends November 23, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Lost and Found

by Sharon Ledwith

Giveaway ends November 23, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Let's Hear it for the Boys...

This recipe is one for the guys. And I’m sure the fellows on The Last Timekeepers team would wholeheartedly agree. After all, Jordan, Drake, Ravi, and Professor Lucas will tell you that they build up quite an appetite traveling into the past to keep time safe. So instead of settling for something like rabbit stew or salty cookies, these brave lads would rather sink their teeth into a strip of melt-in-your-mouth beef jerky. Plus, this healthy, high-protein snack won’t spoil when you’re traveling to faraway places—like Nottingham in 1214 or Amsterdam in 1942.

Easy to prepare with a prep time of 15 minutes, marinade time of approximately 3 hours, and cook time of 3 hours, you’ll discover making your own beef jerky is not only fun and relatively quick, but also something you can do with your favorite person! You can have your butcher slice the beef for you, or do-it-yourself. BTW—this makes a great Game Day snack or fabulous Father’s Day gift.

Hubby’s Homemade Beef Jerky

¾ cup Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. smoked paprika, or to taste (we use regular paprika)
1 tbsp. honey, or more to taste
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 pounds of beef, top round, thinly sliced

WHISK all ingredients, except the beef, together in a bowl.

ADD beef to bowl and turn to coat the meat completely.

COVER with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator 3 hours to overnight.

PREHEAT oven to 175° F (80° C)

LINE a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack over the foil.

TRANSFER beef to paper towels to dry. Discard marinade. Arrange beef slices in a single layer on the prepared wire rack on the baking sheet.

BAKE beef until dry and leathery, 3 to 4 hours. Cut with scissors into bite-size pieces, and enjoy!

Since you’ve got 3 hours to do whatever your heart desires, why not check out what those time traveling guys are up to by perusing one of my books from The Last Timekeepers series? Happy eats,  and enjoy this blast from the past to get your feet moving and appetite growing...

Kiss Me, I'm Irish...

Actually, I’m one-quarter Irish thanks to my maternal grandmother, but that never stopped me from celebrating St. Patrick’s Day! As a matter of fact, I plan to set book #6 of The Last Timekeepers time travel adventure series in Ireland during the period when Druids were in charge, and standing stones were more than just over-sized calendars. So, sit down, take a load off, and pour yourself a pint of green ale. Aye, here’s to Saint Paddy, banisher of snakes, and founder of monasteries and churches! Now, while you’re waiting for your corn beef and cabbage dinner to boil, have a gander at these six amazing places to visit if you ever get a chance to venture over to the Emerald Isle. A special shout out and thanks to author friend, Dominique Eastwick, who snapped the amazing photos included in this post!

Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland

Renowned for its polygonal columns of layered basalt, is the only World Heritage site in Northern Ireland. Resulting from a volcanic eruption 60 million years ago, this is the focal point of a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and has attracted visitors for centuries.

Newgrange

Constructed over 5,000 years ago (about 3,200 B.C.), making it older than Stonehenge in England and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. Newgrange was built during the Neolithic or New Stone Age by a farming community that prospered on the rich lands of the Boyne Valley. Archaeologists classified Newgrange as a passage tomb, however Newgrange is now recognized to be much more than a passage tomb. Ancient Temple is a more fitting classification, a place of astrological, spiritual, religious and ceremonial importance, much as present day cathedrals are places of prestige and worship where dignitaries my be laid to rest.

Kilmainham Gaol Prison in Dublin

Built in 1792, it is Ireland's most famous disused prison. It held throughout the years many famous Nationalists and Republicans in members of the Society of United Irishmen (1798), Young Irelanders (c1840s), Fenians and Land agitators, Parnell, Davitt. The leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed here. The prison was closed in 1924. This building gives a good insight into the history of Irish Republicanism.

Dublin Castle (doing Kilmainhaim Gaol first helps with the history)

Originally built in the 13th century on a site previously settled by the Vikings it functioned as a military fortress, a prison, treasury, courts of law and the seat of English Administration in Ireland for 700 years. Rebuilt in the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, Dublin Castle is now used for important State receptions and Presidential Inaugurations.

Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland's top Visitor attractions and are a designated UNESCO Geo Park. The Cliffs are 214m high at the highest point and range for 8 kilometres over the Atlantic Ocean on the western seaboard of County Clare. O'Brien's Tower stands proudly on a headland of the majestic Cliffs. From the Cliffs one can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, as well as The Twelve Pins, the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara and Loop Head to the South. The Cliffs of Moher take their name from a ruined promontory fort “Mothar” which was demolished during the Napoleonic wars to make room for a signal tower.

And I saved the best for last…

Guinness Storehouse

The best view of the city and Ireland’s number one visitor attraction. Go figure! The home of the world famous GUINNESS® brand, this historical building is central to Dublin’s and Ireland’s heritage, and has been continually updated to create a blend of fascinating industrial tradition with a contemporary edge. Oh yeah, and you’re also invited to pour your own perfect pint. Cheers!

Now, before you go check on your corn beef and cabbage, please raise your frosty glass high to toast Saint Patrick and Ireland with me: May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, may good luck pursue you each morning and night.

Slainte!
Sharon