Friday, June 21, 2013

Idiot of Funkyville - Spotlight

Join Ash Hoden, author of the travel memoir, The Idiot of Funkyville: Becoming an Everywhere Citizen, as he tours the blogosphere May 6-June 28, 2013 on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!
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The Idiot of FunkyvilleABOUT THE IDIOT OF FUNKYVILLE

What is travel? Asking this question is like asking, "What is life?" or, "Who are you?" (or, as I've frequently been asked, "Who are you?"). The answers to such questions are as numerous as the people asking. The Idiot of Funkyville: Becoming an Everywhere Citizen takes a chronological snapshot of actual personal experiences as a young and less-than-young man living and playing abroad; exploring each of the above questions in the context of a displaced American piecing himself together on foreign turf. Contained therein: perhaps an excess of sex, more than a healthy dose of drugs, and all the rock 'n' roll one can ask for. Balance is achieved as the vignettes build one on top of the next. Pondering the course of my life from the confines of a Qatari jail cell, reminiscence begins with teenage confusion at a Mexican bar and concludes with grown confusion as an expat in the Middle East. In progression, the narrowing spiral of personal growth leaves finer grained finger prints as the tales evolve through destinations and age. In theory, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. But that's for the experts to decide. Having dismounted a train, plane, boat, or rickshaw in nearly forty countries (including Canada), The Idiot of Funkyville documents a life of travel as a point-blank portrayal of my life through travel. And who doesn't love life and travel both? Whether you've already gone or have no intention of ever, ever going near the place, wonder is universal. We all have questions. A good majority of my questions just happened to be pondered abroad.
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ABOUT ASH HODEN

Ash Hoden is a writer, foreign correspondent for a California-based design studio, and architect currently living, working, and writing about living and working in Qatar. His pursuits have always involved creation. He firmly believes social contribution is a fundamental requirement for a happy existence. He attended Colorado State University where he received the American Society of Landscape Architect's Honor Award for exceptional academic design work. In addition to ongoing contributions in the business world, he previously founded an independent design firm and organized CambodiaFund, a method of providing basic school supplies to Cambodian children in need. The Idiot of Funkyville is his first published book. You can visit Ash Hoden's website at www.ashhoden.com.
   
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The Idiot of Funkyville Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

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Monday, May 6 - 1st chapter reveal at Freda's Voice
Wednesday, May 8 - Guest blogging at Between the Covers
Friday, May 10 - Interviewed at Review From Here
Tuesday, May 14 - 1st chapter reveal at Parenting 2.0
Wednesday, May 15 - Guest blogging at Allvoices
Thursday, May 16 - Interviewed at Examiner
Monday, May 20 - Guest blogging at Books, Books, the Magical Fruit
Wednesday, May 22 - Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book
Thursday, May 23 - Interviewed at Book Marketing Buzz
Monday, May 27 - Interviewed at Literal Exposure
Tuesday, May 28 - Guest blogging at The Writer's Life
Thursday, May 30 - Book featured at Authors and Reader's Book Corner
Wednesday, June 5 - Interviewed at Digital Journal
Thursday, June 6 - Guest blogging at Redroom
Friday, June 7 - Interviewed at Blogher
Monday, June 10 - Interviewed at Books, Books, the Magical Fruit
Tuesday, June 11 - Guest blogging at Allvoices
Wednesday, June 12 - Book featured at Literarily Speaking
Thursday, June 13 - Book featured at Plug Your Book
Friday, June 14 - Guest blogging at My Cozie Corner
Monday, June 17 - Guest blogging at The Story Behind the Book
Tuesday, June 18 - 1st chapter reveal at As the Pages Turn
Wednesday, June 19 - Interviewed at Between the Covers
Thursday, June 20 - Book featured at My Cozie Corner
Friday, June 21 - Guest blogging at Reading Through Life One Page at a Time
Monday, June 24 - Book featured at Beyond the Books
Tuesday, June 25 - Interviewed at Broowaha
Wednesday, June 26 - Interviewed at The Writer's Life
Thursday, June 27 - Guest blogging at I'm Shelf-ish
Friday, June 28 - Book reviewed at The Self-Taught Cook
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Pump Up Your Book



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Thursday, June 6, 2013

MJ Fletcher - The Skeleton Key Guild/The Doorknob Society (The Doorknob Society Saga Book 1) - Virtual Book Tour



YA Urban Fantasy
Date Published: February 9, 2012

Synopsis: 
BOOK #1 in the Doorknob Society Saga

Chloe Masters’ world changes in a heartbeat and all she did was touch a doorknob. 

When she was young Chloe’s mother vanished. Wracked by feelings of abandonment and anger she lost herself traveling with her fathers magic act, where illusions were part of her everyday life. Yet everything changes when they are pursued by a mysterious man in black out to kill her father. Touching a doorknob activates abilities she never knew she had and she finds herself thrust into a world of ancient societies and secrets.

When her father disappears it is a race against time to find answers before she loses whats left of her family. Now Chloe must choose who to trust, the man who will do anything for her or the one she can’t stop thinking about.


Author Bio
MJ Fletcher is the creator of the comic book series Adam Zero: The Last Man of Earth published by Ronin Studios. He's also been published in Hope: The Hero Initiative and Digital Webbing Presents. The Doorknob Society series is his fist book series and he's thrilled about it. He lives near the beach with his wife, daughter, dog, and a crotchety cat.    

My Thoughts

Pros: I enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the book. I enjoyed most of the characters and I enjoyed how new the story-line was for me. Having never read a story with a setting and theme such as this, I found it refreshing. I think the author did a wonderful job with imagery. Each time a portal was opened and Chloe and friends ended up in a different dimension, I could visualize everything that was described; down to the Gremlins. I liked that the author didn't make Chloe out to be a whiny, "whoa is me" 16 year old girl. Don't get me wrong, there were some things that I didn't like about her. However, I found her to also be determined and strong. This made me want to read more about her adventures. She reminded me of a Nancy Drew of a different dimension. 

Cons: Although I like Chloe and didn't find her to be as whiny as many female characters in YA books I've read, I felt the author mentioned too many times how broken she was and how bad she was with relationships. Another problem I had - but not enough to not want to read the other books - was that there were quite a bit of grammatical errors. I felt that I was editing at the same time as trying to enjoy the story. 

All in all I enjoyed the book and would like to read the rest of the saga.


*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising**Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising* 
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