Topic: Book Review
Isn't this cover wonderful!!! This is the latest YA book by Lea Schizas and I must tell you I have some treats for you over the next few days!!!! THis woman is an nspiration to writers everywhere. For that reason, you will get to experience the incredible woman behind this book and read some of her work. You'll also get a chance to meet and talk with Lea!!! Read on to see what I have in store for you!!!
Today you will get a chance to meet through her biography and read a brief excerpt from The Rock of Realm. Tomorrow, February 29, Lea shares her ten top tips for writers here and then will join us for a live chat at 8 PM EST in my chatroom. Just go to http://joyceanthony.tripod.com and scroll down to the Chat room icon and join us for what promises to be a lively and fun experience. On March 1, I'll feature my own review of The Rock of Realm. On March 2, I will give you some links to all the wondrous projects Lea Schizas has going on in her life. When it's all over here and you want to learn more about Lea Schizas--and you WILL want to know more--hop on over to her main website at http://leaschizaseditor.com/ and plan on spending a bit of time.
This is Lea :-)
Here is just a tiny peek into The Rock of Realm:
as a loyal subject to my Queen. But first, a feast, and all will be explained.”He
gestured them towards the table. From underneath it, he plucked up an extra
stool for Sarah, several plates, platters and goblets and placed them on the
table. Pops strolled underneath the table, inspected it, came out, and then went
under the table once more. “There’s nothing here! Where you getting all this
stuff from?” Pops asked, scratching his head with his little paw as he emerged
from underneath the table.“Curiosity killed the cat, remember?” Butch joked as
he plopped his weary body heavily beside Alex’s stool.Alex spotted the
concentrated gaping stare Butch was giving Larok. This made her uneasy. She
had never seen Butch react to anyone the way he did to Larok. Larok’s eyes
were kind yet there was a faraway coldness to them that puzzled Alex.“You
are a feisty one, aren’t you, just like Jinx. I have my means for survival, little
one.” Larok reached over, picked up Jinx and placed him on the floor. He
placed a bowl for each animal filled with corn, roast beef and sunflower seeds,
something for each of their liking. The girls were treated to a succulent entrée
of what appeared to be spinach pastries, roast leg of lamb, mashed potatoes
and peas. Their goblets, along with the animals’, brimmed to the hilt with water,
always filling magically on their own.Pops shoveled the food in his mouth, little
bits escaping by the side of his lips. Butch sniffed his plate before eating.True to
his word, when the meal was over, dishes cleared and placed under this
enchanted table, Larok began to answer their questions. “The Princess you
most certainly are because only an enchantress could have opened up the
passageway to our dimension. You also have your mother’s deep blue eyes,”
Larok said.Alex was taken aback. “I don’t understand,” she uttered, shaking
her head in disbelief. How could he possibly know what colour my mother’s
eyes are?“Let me start from the beginning. You know of Dread’s plan to exile
the Queen, Sappy informed you of this much. When Dread supposedly was
vanquished of all his powers by the council he was confined where he could do
no more harm.”“What is this Tunnel that Sappy mentioned?” Sarah asked.
Alex surmised that it wasn’t a joy ride in some amusement park. Sarah leaned
forward on her stool, pushing a long tress of red hair behind her ear that was
tickling her nose.“It’s a place deep within the underground of the outer regions
of the Wall, a cavern full of mazes and creatures of the earth, where the
condemned are sent, never to return, for there is no path out.”“Sounds cozy,”
Pops murmured.“Please, how do you know for certain that I am the Princess,
like you claim?” Alex was still troubled with this thought. For some unexplained
reason, Alex felt familiar with this world. But she flustered with this feeling and
pushed it out of the way, reasoning that the surroundings were similar to her
parent’s country place. That’s all. After all, her parents would have confided in
her that she was a Princess, wouldn’t they? she thought.“I was there the day
you were born. There is a pink raised marking on the back of your neck
shaped in a circle,” Larok revealed, pointing towards her nape.This revelation
amazed Alex. She, indeed, had a birthmark like the one he described. “All
enchantresses possess this marking, your moLAROK REVEALS THE
TRUTH Alex stood, flabbergasted and confused, staring blankly at Larok.
”There must be some mistake. I am no Princess,” Alex mumbled, feeling as if
someone just knocked the wind out of her.”I can vouch for that,” Sarah added.
“I’ve known her all my life.”“Have you?” Larok questioned with cynicism as he
grinned, revealing perfectly aligned teeth. “Would everyone like something to
eat?”“Hold on, freak, you can’t spring something like this and then expect us to
eat? On second thought, I am a little hungry.” Pops began to rub his stomach
as it gurgled. He scurried towards the table.“Why would you think Alex is a
Princess?” Butch insisted, nearing Larok threateningly. “And I do want an
answer!” He continued his stride; closer and closer he approached Larok. His
smooth brown fur prickled upwards, his tail flagged up and down with such f
ury it was obvious he was not pleased with their host.Larok stood his ground,
his eyes never wavering from the challenging stare-down. The falls echoed
musically in the room breaking the steady rhythmic panting coming from Pops
and Jinx.Finally, Larok raised his hands in defeat. “All right, my dear defender,
I will explain, my word ther, too.”Alex watched as Larok studied her reaction
carefully. She shuffled her feet as his intense stare made her feel
uncomfortable.“How can my mother be the Queen when she lives somewhere
else?” Alex asked, defiantly, stepping back a few steps as if Larok had just
slapped her across the face.“Good question. Before his exile, Dread had one
more surprise. He had retrieved and hid your mother’s Rock of Realm. Fearing
he might one day use it, the only way to protect our dimension, and yours, from
the evil that had possessed her brother was for her to enter your world and live
within its confine as a protector.”“Can’t Dread just use this rock and enter?”
Butch asked. Alex began to pace the room.“Your companion is as wise as
you, Princess. No, to your question. Dread must have sensed your presence
and transported your mother’s Rock of Realm and the Glory Dust to lure you
in.”Alex let out a long, slow breath as she upped her pacing trying to absorb
this overwhelming discovery she was hit with. Sarah maintained her stooped
pose, her gaze bouncing back and forth from Alex to Larok as if watching a
tennis match.“Lure me in for what purpose?” Alex demanded, clenching her
fists in frustration.“By luring you here, I suppose, and I am assuming his
intentions, his purpose is to capture you and try to incite your mother to find
you. This way, your dimension is free to enter.”“Why didn’t they say anything t
o me? All these years and not one word.” Alex meant for this to be a quiet
thought but her outburst was born of anger.Larok’s cloak dragged behind him
giving the illusion that he floated towards Alex. Tenderly placing his hand on
her shoulder, he said, “How could they explain all this to you, a child?”“Ah,
hello, have you checked the mirror lately? You’re no man yourself, you know,”
Pops said, severing the tension that began to smother the room.Larok laughed.
“I suppose you’re right, in a way, my little friend. My body is of a lad, but I am
over 200 of your Earth years old.”“How can that be?” Alex shrugged off
Larok’s sympathetic touch to her shoulder and marched by the ice wall. She
was angry and since he was the one who had enlightened her as to who she
really was, she projected this rage towards him. “And why is this room so
boring compared to its exterior?”“Dread imprisoned me here with a spell when
I revealed his plot to the council. The Qulany birds are my eyes since I cannot
step out of this room. The Qulany birds warn me of any danger approaching.
The ice palace I’ve conjured is a force field, a protection against Dread sensing
my presence. I am able to transport from place to place, but, I have to admit, it
is getting harder and harder to avoid him. His powers are getting stronger but I
don’t know who is helping him.”“If he captures Alex,” Butch asked, “what will
he do with her?”Larok walked away toward his cot, sat down and with weary
eyes looked at Butch. “He will vanquish her to the Tunnel,” Larok said
despairingly, averting their stares.Alex marched out the ice door leaving the
others behind.“Shouldn’t we go after her?” Pops was jumping up and down,
agitated by this whole affair.“Leave her for a while,” Sarah replied. “Let her
work things out for herself.”Jinx comfortably nestled by Larok’s feet, while
Pops continued his jumping from table to stool to table and back. Butch paced
the floor, contemplating whether or not he should go and comfort Alex. Sarah
sat down, cross-legged on the floor, with a book she removed from one of the
book walls. The title had caught her attention, “Legacy of Rock
Kingdom”.Alex stood, alone, glowering about her. How can this be? There has
to be a mistake. Yet, the moment she had heard Sappy utter the Queen’s
name, Miranda, her gut told her that her déjà vu might be right. Softly tracing
its outline with her fingers, Alex felt her birthmark. “It must be true. It has to be
or else I’ve gone crazy with Sarah and this is all a dream.”All sorts of emotions
rippled through her; unmistakable anger at her parents for keeping this from
her, and fear for her parents in case they come for her and are captured by
Dread. She felt as if someone had just punctured and trampled all over her
heart.
*****
Now, doesn't that make you want to read more? Take my word for it--I have and you will love this book no matter what your age!!!
Join us tomorrow for Lea's Ten Tips for Writers and don't forget to stop by the chat room tomorrow evening to say hello!!!
