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Happy Thanksgiving! An Acknowledgements-Styled Thank You

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!! I hope you are having a blessed day full of food, love, and family! I want to give a HUGE thank you to everyone who has helped me out in my blog, so I’ve decided to write a little “Acknowledgements” section here like I would do if I were to write a novel.

It’s been a great two-and-a-half years as a book blogger, and I certainly would not be able to be where I am today without the help of some amazing people.

Thanks to Lilly, Cayli, and Kelsey for being three of the greatest co-bloggers I could ever have. Certainly, you have helped me out a tremendous amount, and I had such a great time blogging with you all. I hope many amazing books will be in your futures!

Thank you to all the bloggers, Twitter friends, and blog readers who have encouraged me throughout my blogging journey, especially Krysti, Sarah, Ashleigh, and Karlita for all of their love, support, and bookish conversations. Thanks to Danielle, whose frequent comments on my blog posts make my day. Stephanie, you may not be here with us today, but you will always be in my heart for being my best blogger friend and my virtual teacher.

Thanks to every single author who I’ve interacted with both online and in real life who have been on my blog and who have supported me in all of my endeavors. Thanks to Jarrett Lerner, who has introduced me to the wonderful MG community. I’m giving another huge thank you to Alice Faye Duncan, who certainly has inspired and encouraged me in my personal life. Thanks to Melissa Ostrom for all of your love and support online–seeing your Tweets online makes me smile. Thank you, Mary Weber, for blessing me greatly with your fun and caring personality and for the conversation we had over Dunkin’ Donuts and coffee at SE-YA. More thanks to Nadine Brandes and Monica Tesler for changing my life with your books. Thank you Jennifer Brody for being the first author I’ve ever connected with and became an enormous fan of. Thanks to D. G. Driver for hanging out with me at SFB and being such a great friend (a local author friend!) both online and offline. Finally, thanks to the Tennessee kidlit community, the MG community, and the YA community for all of your encouragement and support, including Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, Andrew Maraniss, Linda Williams Jackson, Corabel Shofner, Jenn Bishop, Dana Middleton, Ann Braden, Bridget Hodder, Brad McLelland, Melissa Roske, Mindee Arnett, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Shaila Patel, Monika Schroeder, Christina Soontornvat, Jake Burt, Rebecca Donnelly, Mary Fan, Sally J. Pla, Alyssa Hollingsworth, and Lyndsay Ely. I’m probably forgetting a whole bunch of people, but THANK YOU!

Thanks so much to Morgan Rath, my publicity contact at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, for introducing me to so many wonderful books and authors. I certainly would not have the opportunity to help promote so many amazing books if we were not connected. Thanks also to Jean at JeanBookNerd, who has brought me onto some amazing blog tours. I appreciate all of your kindness and understanding, and it is my pleasure to work with the best blog tour organizer ever.

Thanks so much to my librarians, Mrs. Mason and Mrs. McCartney, for helping cultivate my love of books. Thank you, Mrs. Mason, for helping instill in me a newfound passion for reading, and thank you, Mrs. McCartney, for allowing me to be a library assistant to help spread my love of books to others in our school. Thank you to my 9th grade English teacher Mrs. Cox, who also was influential in not only growing my love for books but also helping bring about the idea for me to start book blogging.

Thank you readers, for supporting me by subscribing to my blog and social media platforms and reading my posts. It means a lot that somebody–that is, you!–is reading my posts. Your comments and likes and retweets make me smile, and it is my pleasure to help spread the love for books with you.

Thank you to my family for all of your unconditional love and support. I would not be here today if you did not support me in all of my endeavors. I love you all. Thanks to my mom and dad for being there for me from blogging to music. Thanks to my sister for also supporting me.

Finally, thanks to God, who has given me the great gift of life and all of my talents and blessings. This blog would not have existed without Him. I attribute all of my successes to His grace, and I certainly pray He may continually guide me as a book blogger and help me use my blog to “unite book lovers, both big and li’l.” Thanks to my Heavenly mother Mary for also being there for me, and all of my saint friends for cheering me on every step of the way. Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Happy Reading!

+ J.M.J.

~ Kester

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Comment below, or find me in one of my social media pages, and let’s chat!

Email | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Bloglovin

Merry Christmas from the LILbooKlovers Team!

Merry Christmas everybody!

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported the blog in any way they could. We appreciate every single little bit of love and support you have given us. Although there are three of us here at LILbooKlovers, the LILbooKlovers community extends to all the bibliophiles, avid readers, bloggers, authors, writers, poets, etc. that have been on the blog–whether it’s just a view or on a post. LILbooKlovers was created to unite book lovers, whether you’re big or “lil,” all around the globe, and certainly we’ve managed to do that this year.

To our guest authors and author friends, thank you for coming onto the blog, sending your books to review, or helping us out. We appreciate all the writing advice you’ve given, the fun conversations in-person and online we’ve had, and all the cheering you have shown us along the way. There’s so many writers we would love to thank, from those I’ve met at SE-YA and SFB to all the debuts (2017 and 2018) I’ve helped out to all those I’m in a street team with and more. It truly means a lot, and I would love to continue seeing the LILbooKlovers community grow.

To all the book bloggers who have helped us become better bloggers, thank you! We really appreciate all the love and support we’ve received from you, from all the comments to the Twitter conversations. It means so much to us that you decided to help us out and befriend us online.

To all our subscribers and readers, thank you for viewing the blog! Knowing that we’re spreading our love of reading to fellow bibliophiles like you is why we created the blog in the first place. We appreciate every single view, like, comment, etc. that you give us because each one gives us encouragement to continue on.

Your love and support means the world to us, and we hope that your Christmas is full of joy, peace, and many new and amazing books to read!

Summer Vacation! Universal Studios’s Diagon Alley and More!

I’m back! And boy, do I have sleep to catch up too. But no biggie. I’m super excited to reveal some of the photos I took in Orlando’s Universal Studios!

Every moment in Florida had its ups and downs, but overall, it was a pleasant experience. The one thing I did not enjoy was the traveling in between. It took like an hour to get to Walmart from our home…. crazy! And here Walmart is like five minutes away.House

But it was awesome, I have to say that. I loved seeing all the cool stores and people as we passed them on the road. Oh, and the houses! Awww just the houses themselves made me want to move here; they were so magnificent and gorgeous!

Before we even got to Universal Studios, we thought we would have fun around the town we were staying at. We hoped in the car and drove a million miles–it seemed like–to different stores to pick up bathing suits and sunscreen… and books! I felt like I had to beg them to let me just walk into Books-A-Million. I succeeded, coming back out with two new books to add to my collection plus a little button that said “You Donated to the Military.”img_0592.jpg

I just want to point out this squirrel. I mean, look at him. In the words of Danny Tanner… “Isn’t that just the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?” The little guy was laying there, staring at us as he bathed in the sun. Didn’t last long… some of my group wanted to see just how friendly the squirrel was.

We made it to a beach! Siesta Beach is absolutely beautiful, and I completely recommend it. The downsides of beaches, though, is that there is sand EVVVEERRRYYWWHHHHEERREE. I’m still finding it in my clothes. We set up our station and waded into the water the first chance we got. It was amazing. Did I ever mention that I haven’t been to a beach in a forever?

We (and as in we I mean me ) sat down and tried to overcome the waves. But in the end, I think they won from the amount of sand in my bathing suit. Saying things like, “I am Percy Jackson! You will bow down to me. Moana says stay away- *engulfed in water*”

Girl on the TrainAnd of course I had to take some photos for my new Bookstagram!

If you have Instagram, follow me @LILBooKlovers! I’m really new, and I feel like I can use a lot of the time I’m busy doing things to post some pictures here and there to stay connected to the world of books!

And finally, we made it to Universal Studios. Amazing that it was! We first headed to Diagon Alley, skipping over everything else just because we needed to see Diagon Alley first. I just wanted to point out that this picture of Captain America and I (excuse me face) was taken the next day when we had explored every crevice and corner of Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. Our discussion was over what House Captain America would be in, and what do you guys think?

PenguinHere are just a series of pictures taken during our Harry Potter time. You’ll see Hogwarts and the Hogwarts Express. Some of the great things not pictures, however, we the amazing rides and the show inside Ollivander’s Wand Shop! A little girl was celebrating her birthday on that particular day, so they gifted her with a wand that was presented in the best of ways. They had her cast spells with it all over the room,  trading wans in when they didn’t do what they were supposed to do. And everyone knew she was a wizard just by the way she fluently pronounced her spells. In some ways, she reminded me a lot of Hermione.Hogwarts

If you are ever able to go to Universal Studios, I HIGHLY recommend the Harry Potter rides of all things. I loved one ride where you flew around on your broomstick, following Harry all over Hogwarts as Dementors scared you here and there…. and I got pretty scared. The dementors themselves were not screenplayed like the flying was. Your seat would move and the next thing you knew you were face to face with one of them. They were worse than the spiders that followed.

Diagon AlleyBut yeah, that’s my post on my week. I feel pretty satisfied with all I’ve seen, learned a lot (spoiler wise) on what happens in Harry Potter, but hey, it’s taken my this long to make them my priority so I deserve it. I feel like I could possibly enjoy it ten times more now that I actually feel like I’ve done the same things they’ve done ? I don’t know, it felt really cool to walk into the different shops and get my very own wand and a chocolate frog (I got Helga by the way).

I promised pictures and so here I am! Please don’t forget to follow Lilbooklovers on Instagram along with Twitter and Facebook! We would dearly appreciate your awesome support.

Unveiling Our New Rating System!

Happy Sunday everybody! Today we are unveiling our new rating system! So last week, we shifted from a 10 star rating system to a 5 star rating system. I realized it is much easier to give out 3 stars than 6 stars, and because I’m too lenient with ratings, I got to be more strict. I’m giving way too many 4 stars than I should be on Goodreads, so I need to have a tougher rating scale. I’m just too nice with reviews. I go “But I don’t want to give it a 4-stars but it’s not 5!” So here it is!

So for our rating scale, we did… emojis! Since we’re all teens, and I heavily douse my texts and comments and conversations with emojis (and the occasional bitmoji), we decided to go with them as our rating scale. All emoji artwork is provided by EmojiOne. Definitely go check out their site; their emojis are great!

A Rating Scale

So our 5-star ratings will be reserved as New Favorites. If a book deserves a 6-star, I will mention if it deserves a 6-star. That’s reserved to ultimate favorites (like anything by Ruta Sepetys or Jennifer Brody).

A 5 StarOur 4-star ratings, which might be the most common, is for any book we enjoyed. I usually enjoy most of my books, so they would be rated as 4-stars.

A 4 StarNext is the 3-star rating, for books that I’m split on. I don’t exactly like it but I don’t exactly dislike it. I have mixed feelings. It’s not that great, and I was disappointed.

A 3 StarThe 2-star rating is next. I rarely dislike books, and when I do, it’s usually 2-stars. This is for books I did not like but I ended up (somehow) finishing. Like Nikolai Gogol’s The Nose, which I would have stopped reading- and it’s an 18-page short story- in the first few pages if it weren’t for an assignment.

A 2 Star

Lastly is the rare 1-star rating. I use this mostly for books I do not finish and just do not like. I sometimes have the urge to burn this book in a fire. Now, not all my DNF’s will be 1-star. If it’s for a review, I will choose to not rate at all since I want to help authors and publishers as much as I can. It will be rare for me to use this.

A 1 StarNow that’s our newest rating system! I hope you will enjoy it!

How do you rate your books? Do you have a special theme? Comment below your thoughts, and let’s chat!

Happy Reading!

+ J.M.J.

~ Kester

My Southeastern Young Adult Book Festival Recap

Hey guys! A couple of weeks ago, I went to the best book festival in the world: the Southeastern Young Adult Book Festival in Murfreesboro, TN! SE-YA was so amazing, and my dad and I managed to brave the snow and see 35 out of 40 amazing authors! Here are some pics and highlights from the festival!

So I got this poster signed by a ton of fabulous authors, and I got four books signed: The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis, Emerge by Tobie Easton, The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron, and Mosquitoland by David Arnold. Both the books and authors are amazing, and I loved reading the books and chatting with the authors! They are super nice!

Sharon Cameron

Mindy McGinnis

David Arnold

Tobie Easton

I also met some of the most amazing authors I’ve been wanting to meet for a long time! They are super nice and fun to talk to, and I loved reading their books!

Shaila Patel

Jennifer M. Eaton

Brittany Goodwin
M. Tara Crowl

I also got to meet a ton of other authors that I’m so glad I got to meet! I didn’t take pictures with all of them, but I’m certainly glad I got the opportunity to meet them!

Monika Schroeder

Nicole Castroman
Cinda Williams Chima

I also got to meet Kym Brunner, Andrew Maraniss, E. Katherine Kottaras, Kathryn Ormsbee, Tracy Barrett, Brooks Benjamin, Jenn Bishop, I. W. Gregorio, C. J. Redwine, Beth Revis, Megan Shepherd, Lois Sepahban, Megan Shepherd, Sheba Karim, and more!!!! The full list of SE-YA 2017 authors is here: SE-YA 2017 Authors.

Well, that’s my 2017 SE-YA Recap in pictures, but if you want to know more, comment below, and let’s have a chat! Did you go to SE-YA? Have you read any books by these authors? Comment your thoughts!

Happy Reading!

+ J.M.J.

~ Kester

Happy New Year! (Introducing the Team!)

Happy New Year everybody! Can you believe it’s finally 2017? I still cannot! Our team from LilbooKlovers would like to wish you all a blessed year! May it be filled it tons of books and writing and whatnot.

So we’ve gained so many followers over the past few weeks that we would like to introduce ourselves! How would you know who you’re reading? How would you know if we are the right reviewers for you? How would you know whether I am left or right handed (right, by the way)? Of course, you have the bio links above, but this post will! We will also introduce our newest blogger.

That was actually me days ago on New Year’s Eve Eve in Nashville, TN.

Firstly, me… My name is Kester, and I am a sophomore at Henry County High School. Yes, I am a MALE book blogger, a rare sight in today’s blogosphere. And yes, a MALE who loves to read, a rare sight in today’s society.. and my school… and everywhere else. I was the co-founder of LilbooKlovers, and I am the head blogger here. I also head the Twitter and Facebook pages. When I’m not reading or blogging, I’m found either praying, editing videos, playing the violin, singing, or surfing the web or my social media pages (Instagram & Twitter- @the_kesdawg, Snapchat – kesman17). I also would love to make as many reader, book blogger, and author friends as possible, so contact me at my email in the contact page!

I can act quite goofy at times!

Favorite Genres

  • Young Adult
  • Historical Fiction (especially World War II)
  • Humor
  • Comedian Memoirs
  • Catholic spiritual and apologetic books
  • Dystopian

Favorite Books

  • The Bible
  • Confidence in God, Words of Encouragement, by Rev. Daniel J. Considine
  • Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Sepetys
  • The 13th Continuum, by Jennifer Brody
  • The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
  • All the Bright Places, by Jennifer Niven

Favorite Authors

  • Ruta Sepetys
  • Jennifer Brody
  • Janet Evanovich
  • J. K. Rowling
  • John Green
  • Jennifer DiGiovanni

Next, we have Cayli! She is one of my classmates, too. She says, “I love art in all shapes and form. Books. Painting. Sketches. Movies. Photography. Architecture. I love it all! When I am not reading, I am writing in my journal or painting away in my tiny art room.”img_6539 Her favorites include:

Favorite Genres

  • Fantasy
  • Young Adult

Favorite Books

  • Clockwork Princess (Book Three) by Cassandra Clare
  • All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
  • Reboot by Amy Tintera
  • The 5th Wave (Book One to The 5th Wave trilogy) by Rick Yancey
  • Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

Favorite Authors

  • Cassandra Clare!!
  • Rick Riordan
  • Jennifer Niven
  • Rick Yancey
  • C.S. Lewis

Now that you got to know us two, give a warm welcome to our newest addition to our team, Kelsey! Woo hoo! She says, “Hiya! I’m so glad to be a part of the team. I’m a very avid reader so I’ll try to post as often as I can. When I don’t post I’ll be reading books to review.” Kelsey also loves to watch Netflix, sleep , and of course read! She is also our classmate at our school! Her favorites include:E.D. 100%

Favorite Genres:

  • Young Adult Romance
  • Mystery
  • Poetry
Favorite Books:
  • All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
  • Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
  • Made You Up by Francesca Zappia
  • Ten by Gretchen McNeil
  • Stolen by Lucy Christopher img_6540
Favorite Authors:
  • Jennifer Niven
  • Nicola Yoon
  • C.S. Lewis
  • Laurie Halse Anderson

So that’s the new team for LILbooKlovers! We are excited to work with y’all! Have a happy New Year everybody, and look out for an exclusive interview with an amazing author who has written many middle grade and young adult book later this week! Please, remember to share this post with all your friends! We need all the support we can get!

Upcoming Changes for the New Year

Greetings everybody! We would like to announce the upcoming changes that will take place in LILbooKlovers for the New 2017 Year!

One thing I would like to point out to all our new readers and viewers is that most of the posts will be written by Kester, who is the main book blogger and reviewer, but we will say who wrote the post on each one. Cayli also reviews and posts once in a while. You can actually tell who’s writing the post based off of our writing styles. Can you guess who’s writing this? If you need some help, compare the two links below, the top written by Kester and the bottom written by Cayli.

Kester’s Writing Style

Cayli’s Writing Style

Comment below who you think wrote this blog post!

Continue reading “Upcoming Changes for the New Year”

Would Anyone Like to Do a Giveaway Here?

Hi guys! Since the New Year is coming up, I am looking for any authors who would want to do a giveaway here on LILbooKlovers! I am able to do Rafflecopters or other kinds of giveaways!

It would be a great way for both you the author and us the bloggers for more publicity, promotion, etc. The only thing is because I am a teenager, if the item is a book or large item, you will have to send it from your own place. If it’s anything like signed swag or such that you can send in an envelope, I might be able to send it from my house.

I would love to do one with any of you! Please contact me for more details on how to plan it! Thanks!

Merry Christmas, Book Fans!

It’s almost Christmas Day! Whoop whoop!!

What’s your favorite book surrounding Christmas? I have to say one of mine is Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle! This book contains three little romances within this one town. It’s a beautiful read, and I highly encourage it during this lovely month.

What about books that contain snow? Whether it be Holiday snow, mountain snow, or just a winter setting in a book? Hmmm… I have to mention Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick. I know, I know, some out there have read this book and hated it, but honestly, I enjoyed it. It was a nice read. I say read it with an open mind, and you might love it too.

What about books that contain magic and miracles? I’ll mention Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley! This is a beauiful story. It gave me a serious Peter Pan vibe, and Peter Pan was a little girl crush for me. A girl who “dies” to a horrible disease but comes back to find herself on a ship sailing through the sky! Magical, beautiful, and just GAH! ❤

What are some books you’ve been wanting on your shelf? My answer? Where do I start?? I seriously want the Chronicles of Narnia on my bookshelf for one. If you’re into fantasy and not too much into romance, this is the perfect series for you. I love romance, but this series was a wonderful read. Worthy of a place on my bookshelf!!

Soon I’ll have an interview with Gretchen McNeil here on our blog! She’s the author of TEN, which is currently being made into a movie. How exciting!!


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Everlasting Nora by Marie Cruz Blog Tour: Book Review — An Authentic and Gripping Portrayal of the Poverty Millions of Filipinos Face Today that is Blossoming with Hope and Resilience

Hi guys! Today (or tomorrow) is my last day of school, and I am so relieved to finally be on Christmas Break. I’m going to use these next two-and-a-half weeks to rest, bond with my family, and catch up on a bunch of school/college-related stuff. I am also very glad to be a part of the Everlasting Nora Blog Tour, hosted by the wonderful Kate at The Backwards Bookshelf. I really enjoyed and loved Marie Miranda Cruz’s (a Filipino author writing a book set in the Philippines!) debut novel, and I hope you enjoy my review.

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About the BookEverlasting Nora

An uplifting middle-grade debut about perseverance against all odds, Marie Miranda Cruz’s debut Everlasting Nora follows the story of a young girl living in the real-life shanty town inside the Philippines’ North Manila Cemetery.

After a family tragedy results in the loss of both father and home, 12-year-old Nora lives with her mother in Manila’s North Cemetery, which is the largest shanty town of its kind in the Philippines today.

When her mother disappears mysteriously one day, Nora is left alone.

With help from her best friend Jojo and the support of his kindhearted grandmother, Nora embarks on a journey riddled with danger in order to find her mom. Along the way she also rediscovers the compassion of the human spirit, the resilience of her community, and everlasting hope in the most unexpected places.

Trigger Warnings: violence, child abuse, classism, extreme poverty / hunger, kidnapping, descriptions of blood and other serious injuries.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Book Depository

Everlasting Nora Review

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This will not affect my review in any way.

To be honest, I have not read very many books that feature Filipino main characters. In fact, I could probably even count them on a single hand if I tried. When I first heard of the opportunity to join the blog tour for Everlasting Nora and have the opportunity to read and review this wonderful debut novel, I jumped at the chance. As a Filipino-American who was born in the Philippines, moved to the United States when I was three, and visits the Philippines every two years, I knew that I had to read this book. Combine that with my love for Middle Grade, and Everlasting Nora was the book for me.

Continue reading “Everlasting Nora by Marie Cruz Blog Tour: Book Review — An Authentic and Gripping Portrayal of the Poverty Millions of Filipinos Face Today that is Blossoming with Hope and Resilience”

The Royal Order of Fighting Dragons Blog Tour: Guest Post by Dan Elish on “What I’ve Learned after Writing Nine Novels”

Hi guys! I hope your December is going off to a great stop! You might be noticing that I’ve been a bit more sparse with my posts lately. Because my senior year is so crazy right now, I’m focusing a lot more on preparing for college, especially finishing scholarship applications and working on school-related projects and activities. I realized I need to lessen blogging for now so I can get a lot of important stuff done in the meantime, but when Christmas break comes about, that’s when I hope to become more active. Today, Dan Elish (who worked on CyberChase, one of my favorite shows as a kid) is here on the blog to talk about what he learned after writing The Royal Order of Fighting Dragons, his tenth novel in all! Thanks to Jean at JeanBookNerd for letting me be a part of this tour! I hope you enjoy!

The Royal Order of Fighting Dragons Tour Banner.jpg

About the BookThe Royal Order of Fighting Dragons

Born to… Fight?

Ike Rupert Hollingsberry is haunted by the past because complete strangers won’t let him forget that his famous father died on the set of The Fighting Dragons, a cult favorite that still has people talking. But when he’s attacked by a large locust, like the one that killed his dad, Ike is helped by the geekiest nerd of all, Elmira Hand. Killing the giant locust is only the beginning of the surprises in store for Ike as he is whisked away from New York City to an isolated Florida compound to assume his role as the next in line to lead the Royal Order of Fighting Dragons—that are NOT supposed to exist—and learns his dad’s death was a cover-up for a far greater purpose…

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Book Depository

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What I’ve Learned after Writing Nine Novels

It seems that I keep re-learning the same thing every time I sit down to write a new book. You see, each time I think that the book itself will write itself quickly. I’m always wrong. Books never “write themselves” and certainly not quickly. There are always false starts along the way and lots of rewrites to get the story right.

Take my first book, THE WORLDWIDE DESSERT CONTEST. I remember it vividly. I had just finished re-reading CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. “I can write something like this,” I thought. “It’ll take me three months.” Ha! That three months soon turned into a year and a half. The original draft was 350 pages long. The published book is 220 pages. You could say that I wrote too much. It took a lot of thought to know what to cut and what to keep.

I got the idea for my third book, THE GREAT SQUIRREL UPRISING, when an image of a squirrel on a skateboard racing away from a squad of police popped into my head. That got me thinking. What story could contain that amusing image? Eventually, I realized that the squirrel was running from the cops because he was trying to take over Central Park. As usual, I thought the actual writing would go quickly. As usual, I was wrong. That book took over a year to get right. I had to figure out why the squirrels were taking over the park. I needed a human character, a girl, to communicate with the animals. I needed a beginning, middle and end.

My most recent book, THE ROYAL ORDER OF FIGHTING DRAGONS also began with a single idea that took longer than expected to develop. It began with Ike Hollingsberry, a New York City kid. What would it be like, I wondered, if Ike’s Dad had been the star of a famous TV show called THE FIGHTING DRAGONS? What if Ike’s Dad died mysteriously on the set of the show? Better yet, what if the show was real? What if there really was a Royal Order of Fighting Dragons and Ike was the next in line to be its leader?

Sounded cool.

Sounded easy!

Uh, nope…

Writing THE ROYAL ORDER OF FIGHTING DRAGONS took about two years on and off. For starters, I had to figure out who Ike’s friends were going to be (he has five of them, Diego, Elmira, Kashvi, Alexandro and Lucinda). I had to figure out who the villain was going to be (Theodore Opal, a crazy real estate developer in NYC).  I also had to figure out the backstory of where the dragons came from? (King Arthur’s Court, over one thousand years ago). Inotherwords, there was a lot to organized, a lot to think through and a lot to rewrite.

So if you asked me what I’ve learned after writing now ten novels? In a way I’ve learned a lot. In a way I’ve learned very little. I still think a new book is going to take less time than it does. Each time out, I need to re-discover that I’m in it for the long haul. I need to care enough about the idea to want to put in the hard work. I think it’s something that every writer has to re-discover every time.

About the AuthorDan Elish

Dan Elish is the author of nine novels, including The School for the Insanely Gifted, The Worldwide Dessert Contest, and Born Too Short: Confessions of an 8th Grade Basket Case (Simon & Schuster), which was named a New York Public Library “Book for the Teenage” and a “Young Adult Choice for the International Reading Association.”

Dan co-wrote the book for the Broadway musical 13with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, which premiered on Broadway in 2008 and is slated to be a movie by CBS Films. Dan is also a TV writer who has worked on shows such as Cyberchase (PBS) and Jo-Jo’s Circus (Disney). Dan has received fellowships and scholarships to the Bread Loaf and Sewanee Writers’ Conferences and is represented by Matt Bialer at Greenburger Associates. He lives in New York with his wife and children.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Did Someone Just Say… Giveaway?

Dan Elish Giveaway1 Winner will receive a Signed Copy of THE ROYAL ORDER OF FIGHTING DRAGONS by Dan Elish

1 Winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card

Open to International

Must be 13+ to Enter

Ends on December 17th, 2018

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Rest of the Tour Here!

Tour Schedule

DECEMBER 4th TUESDAY RhythmicBooktrovert REVIEW

DECEMBER 7th FRIDAY Sabrina’s Paranormal Palace REVIEW
DECEMBER 9th SUNDAY Movies, Shows, & Books REVIEW

Happy Reading!

+ J.M.J.

~ Kester

“There were only two classes of people who heard the cry Christmas night: shepherds and wise men. Shepherds: those who know they know nothing. Wise men: those who know they do not know everything. Only the very simple and the very learned discovered God–never the man with one book.” — Archbishop Ven. Fulton J. Sheen

Comment below, or find me in one of my social media pages, and let’s chat!

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Finchosaurus by Gail Donovan Blog Tour: Author Guest Post on “Getting Inside the Mind and Heart of a Fifth Grader” + GIVEAWAY

Hi guys!! I remember as a kid my favorite picture book was Rainbow Fish & Friends: The Great Treasure Hunt. I still have it on my book shelf today, even though it’s very worn out and many of the flaps are missing. It was the only book that I saved when I donated a whole box of children’s picture books to my FBLA chapter’s book drive, and I’m happy I did. It’s a little treasure from my childhood. Today, I am very glad to have the author of the Rainbow Fish and Friends series Gail Donovan on the blog today to talk about her latest MG contemporary novel Finchosaurus. I hope you enjoy!

Finchosaurus Blog Tour

About the BookFinchosaurus

How do you help others if you can’t help yourself?

Finch has trouble paying attention in school. He’s just too busy dreaming about uncovering a dinosaur fossil and naming a new species after himself—until he digs up a note in the fifth-grade class garden with the word HELP on it. He is determined to come to the aid of the mystery note-writer. But when the quest turns out to be harder than expected, Finch risks losing two things that he really wants —his best friend Noah, and a field trip to Dinosaur State Park. Acclaimed author Gail Donovan gets inside the hearts and minds of fifth graders on this journey told with unexpected humor and impressive insight.

Finchosaurus releases from Islandport Press on October 23rd! Pre-order it today!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Book Depository

Gail Donovan Guest Post

Getting Inside the Mind and Heart of a Fifth Grader

I have a confession: I’m a children’s writer who doesn’t remember my childhood in great detail. So how do I get inside the heart and mind of a fifth grader?

I once heard Lincoln Peirce give a wonderful answer to the question of how he gets inside the head of somebody like Big Nate, with his big, irrepressible ego. Peirce said, “I’m already there!” He said there was a part of him that goes to bed at night thinking, I bet tomorrow the Red Sox are gonna call me up!

When it comes to fifth graders, “I’m already there,” too.

Fifth grade is an in-between place. You’re not a baby. You’re not a grown-up. You’re in-between.

Picture a toddler, crying at the top of their lungs. If they aren’t happy they will let you know it! Now try to picture a grown-up doing that. It’s hard to imagine. It’s not something we see in real life, for two reasons. One, grown-ups have (hopefully) learned how to navigate their world so that it doesn’t hurt so much. And two, even when it does hurt, they’ve learned not to show their feelings so much.

What do you do in that in-between place, when you still feel things deeply but don’t yet have the ability to control your world? Instead, you have teachers and parents and grown-ups all telling you what to do. But you need to figure it out yourself. Fifth graders trying to figure things out—how to live in the world and still be true to themselves—is what I write about, because I remember how that feels.

But to write for children, is it enough to remember how it feels to be a child, without recalling historical details of your own childhood? I think so. And I take solace in knowing Maurice Sendak thought so, too. In World of Childhood, The Art and Craft of Writing for Children, Sendak said, “People think I have some magic link to my childhood. If there is such a link, it’s a process that bypasses my conscious mind, because I have very little real recollection. I couldn’t stop and tell you why I’m writing and drawing certain episodes; they’re coming from some inner source that does recollect.”

Me, too! So, thank you, Maurice Sendak. Thanks, Lincoln Peirce. And thanks to fifth graders everywhere.

About the Author

Gail Donovan
Photo by Tom Bell

Gail Donovan is the author of the middle-grade novels The Waffler, What’s Bugging Bailey Blecker?, and In Memory of Gorfman T. Frog, which was named a New York Public Library Best Books for Children. She is also an author for the Rainbow Fish & Friends picture book series based on the bestselling books of Marcus Pfister. Donovan, who was born and raised in Connecticut, lives in Maine with her husband and two daughters, where, in addition to writing children’s books, she is a library assistant at the Portland Public Library.

Did Someone Say… Giveaway?

Finchosaurus Giveaway10 Winners will receive a copy of Finchosaurus by Gail Donovan

Ends November 5th, 2018

Open to International.

Must be 13+ to enter

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Follow the Rest of the Tour Here!

Link to Tour Schedule

OCTOBER 15th MONDAY Movies, Shows, & Books TENS LIST & EXCERPT
OCTOBER 23rd TUESDAY RhythmicBooktrovert REVIEW
OCTOBER 25th THURSDAY Sabrina’s Paranormal Palace REVIEW & EXCERPT

Happy Reading!

+ J.M.J.

~ Kester

“For it is in giving that we receive.” — St. Francis of Assisi

Comment below, or find me in one of my social media pages, and let’s chat!

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The Sky Throne Blog Tour: Exclusive Interview with Chris Ledbetter

Hello! Today we have another blog tour stop for you today! Please welcome Chris Ledbetter in this interview talking about his newest book The Sky Throne! Hope you enjoy it!

Title: THE SKY THRONEThe Sky Throne

Author: Chris Ledbetter

Pub. Date: April 18, 2017

Publisher: Month9Books

Format: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 292

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | TBD | iBooks

Goodreads Synopsis: Duality dwells at every turn, and an adolescent Zeus will learn that all too well when Hyperion attacks his family on Crete.

When the dust settles, his mother is unconscious and his best friend left for dead.

Stacking epic insult upon fatal injury, Zeus discovers the woman who raised him is not his biological mother. But to ensure her safety while she recovers, a heavy-hearted Zeus leaves her behind to seek answers at Mount Olympus Preparatory Academia.

Zeus embarks on a quest to discover who ordered the attack on his home, avenge the death of his friend, and find his birth mother. When some of his new schoolmates vanish, Zeus’s quest is turned upside down, and the only way to make things right is to access the power of The Sky Throne, confront a most dangerous enemy, and take his life back.

On his way to becoming king of the Greek gods, Zeus will learn to seize power, neutralize his enemies, and fall in love.

“Destined to have a sequel or two, young teens will appreciate the story, and teachers will appreciate that it instructs readers about the pantheon of gods.”–Kevin Beach, VOYA Magazine

About Chris: Chris

Chris Ledbetter grew up in Durham, NC before moving to Charlottesville, VA in 11th grade. After high school, he attended Hampton University where he promptly “walked-on” to the best drum line in the conference without any prior percussion experience. He carried the bass drum for four years, something his back is not very happy about now.

After a change of heart and major, he enrolled in Old Dominion University and earned his degree in Business Administration. He’s worked in various managerial and marketing capacities throughout his life. He taught high school for six years in Culpeper, VA, and also coached football.

He has walked the streets of Los Angeles and New York City, waded in the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and climbed Diamond Head crater on Hawaii and rang in the New Year in Tokyo, Japan. But he dreams of one day visiting Greece and Italy.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTubeGoodreads

Now here’s the interview!

A Chris

1.  In 10 words or less, how would you describe THE SKY THRONE?The Sky Throne

Zeus origin story. Actually, Greek Olympian gods: Origins.

2. Why do you love writing? When did you first have a love for writing, and how was it formed?

The first thing I love about writing is what we all love about reading, which is the ability to escape the real world and experience life as someone else. When I sit down to write, I am immediately transported. It’s very much like sliding a virtual reality headset down over my eyes. I began writing in 2006, almost as a dare to myself and fell in love with it ever since.

3. Who are your favorite authors, and which ones have had an impact on you? Who has affected your writing style the most?

My favorite authors are James Dashner, Jennifer Donnelly, Dan Brown, Laini Taylor, Paulo Coelho, Heather Petty, Kim Harnes, Tracy Clark. They’ve all helped to inspire and shape my writing in one form or another.

Continue reading “The Sky Throne Blog Tour: Exclusive Interview with Chris Ledbetter”

Black Dawn Blog Tour: Guest Post with Mallory McCartney

Hello! So if you have been following our blog, you might have seen how I gushed over Black Dawn by Mallory McCartney in my review here. I am so excited to have Mallory on my blog in her blog tour for her debut book! It’s definitely a series that I am going to be checking on! I hope you enjoy!

Black Dawn tour banner

Black Dawn by Mallory McCartney A Black Dawn

Genre: YA/A Fantasy

Release Date: February 14th 2017

Publisher: Clean Reads Publishing

Summary from Goodreads: The end of an Empire, The rise of a Queen Emory Fae enjoys leading a quiet, normal life. That is until two mysterious, and handsome soldiers show up at her apartment, and the life she knew is instantly whisked away. Memphis Carter and Brokk Foster come from the magical and war ridden world of Kiero, and upon Emory’s arrival she will discover she is the long lost heir to the Royal Line and is thrown into the Black Dawn Rebellion with a dynamic role to ignite the rebels and reclaim her throne.  With both men being darkly woven in her past Emory uncovers hidden secrets, a power held long dormant, and will soon realize there are worse things than supernatural humans, love, loss, betrayal, and a Mad King. Some things are better left in the shadows.

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Buy Links:

Amazon.ca : https://www.amazon.ca/Black-Dawn-Mallory-McCartney-ebook/dp/B01N5QQLZL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1490207632&sr=8-2&keywords=black+dawn

Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Dawn-Mallory-McCartney-ebook/dp/B01N5QQLZL/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1490207861&sr=8-4&keywords=black+dawn#customerReviews

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-dawn-mallory-mccartney/1125505912?ean=9781621356134

Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/black-dawn/9781621356134-item.html?ikwid=black+dawn&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0

Creating a Fantasy World and Its History

With Black Dawn, the history of how this world became so ravaged, I did write into the very first manuscript. Developing the backstory for Adair, and his parents really set the stage for Black Dawn. My process for this is knowing my characters and their reactions, The Stratton’s being a family of pride, and regimented traditions, and above all, the crave for power. From here this history is exploring the dynamics of the Academy and of the Fae’s and Stratton’s. How would one run a democratic government when their best friends are pushing for a monarchy? How would one achieve peace when violence is being praised? How would one achieve equality when there are different parties stating they don’t recognize the treaties for people’s rights?

These are just some of the questions answered that help me shape and build the world of Kiero. The event of how the Academy fell, I am writing that story right now, to be released in the fall. Renegade, covers a lot of the history of the characters we see in the series, as well as new ones. This book will rotate through the chapters with Memphis, Brokk and Adair, and explore not only the secrets within the Academy, but what happens when dark magic is withheld, and the consequences of secrets. Without giving to much away, I’m really excited to share this book, I feel it will answer a lot of the history questions readers may have, and set the stage very nicely for book two, Queen To Ashes.

About the Authormallory mccartney.jpg

Mallory McCartney currently lives in London, Ontario with her husband and their two dachshunds Link and Lola. Black Dawn is her debut novel, the first in a series. When she isn’t working on her next novel or reading, she can be found dog grooming, book shopping and hiking. Other favorite pastimes involve reorganizing perpetually overflowing bookshelves and seeking out new coffee and dessert shops.

Author Links:

The chance to win three signed copies of Black Dawn

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Blog Tour Organized by:

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YA Bound Book Tours

Hope you enjoyed this! Have a great week!

+ J.M.J.

~ Kester

Summoner Rising Blog Tour: Interview with Melanie McFarlane

Hello! Welcome to my tour stop for Melanie McFarlane’s Summoner Rising Blog Tour! As an honorary member of her Street Team, I would like to present you this wonderful interview! Can you also believe March is already over? I know right! This year is going by so fast! Well, here’s the blog tour!

Author: Melanie McFarlane

Pub. Date: March 28, 2017

Publisher: Month9Books

Format: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 300

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | TBD | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play Books | Indiebound

Synopsis: Excerpt from, The Book of Summoning:

Law One: A summoner is responsible for all creatures it lets through from the netherworld.

Dacie Cantar wishes someone had explained the Laws of Summoning to her before she watched a shadowy creature crawl out of a painting at the local arcade. At least it explains the strange things she’s witnessed since moving in with her great-aunt, after her mother’s untimely death. But who wants to be followed by shadows the rest of their life? Add that to being stalked by a strange boy at school, who just might be her Tovaros (aka soulmate), it’s about all Dacie can handle in her new life.

As she nears her seventeenth birthday, will she be ready for her new responsibilities, or will the shadows that stalked her mother until her death, finally consume Dacie, too? And then there’s Law Two…

About Melanie: Melanie

Melanie McFarlane is a passionate writer of other-wordly adventures, a little excitable, and a little quirky. Whether it’s uncovering the corruption of the future, or traveling to other worlds to save the universe, she jumps in with both hands on her keyboard. Though she can be found obsessing over zombies and orcs from time to time, Melanie has focused her powers on her YA debut There Once Were Stars, and her YA urban fantasy Summoner Rising.

She lives with her husband and two daughters in the Land of Living Skies.
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Continue reading “Summoner Rising Blog Tour: Interview with Melanie McFarlane”

These Ruthless Deeds Blog Tour: Review of These Vicious Masks (Which is Really Awesome!)

Hi guys! I am so glad that I am a part of a blog tour for one of my most anticipated releases of 2017! Below you can find my review of These Vicious Masks and why it is so awesome that I have such high expectations for These Ruthless Deeds! I hope you enjoy!

These Ruthless Deeds
Kelly Zekas, Tarun Shanker
(These Vicious Masks #2)
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: March 14th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

England, 1883. Still recovering from a devastating loss, Evelyn is determined to use her powers to save other gifted people from those who would harm them. But when her rescue of a young telekinetic girl goes terribly wrong, Evelyn finds herself indebted to a secret society devoted to recruiting and protecting people like Evelyn and her friends.

As she follows the Society’s orders, healing the sick and embarking on perilous recruitment missions, Evelyn sees her problems disappear. Her reputation is repaired, her friends are provided for, and her parents are newly wealthy. She reunites with the dashing Mr. Kent and recovers the reclusive Mr. Braddock (who has much less to brood over now that the Society can help him to control his dangerous power). But Evelyn can’t help fearing the Society is more sinister than it appears…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

These Vicious Masks
Kelly Zekas, Tarun Shanker

(These Vicious Masks #1)
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: March 14th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they’re not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true—and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared.

Author Bio:

Tarun and Kelly met in a freshman year writing class at NYU and started writing These Vicious Masks a few years later.

Tarun is a writer living in Los Angeles whose idea of paradise consists of kung-fu movies, David Bowie and chai tea. Since completing his first horrible screenplay in high school, he’s written everything from one-act plays and film criticism to humor pieces and strongly-worded emails. He’s also magnetized, crushed and burned the hard drive where that first screenplay can be found.

Kelly is a writer and actor living in NYC. YA is her absolute favorite thing on earth other than cupcakes and she has spent many hours crying over fictional deaths. She also started reading Harlequin romances at a possibly too early age (12?), and still loves a good paperback romance.

Links (Tarun):

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Links (Kelly):

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

My Review of These Vicious Masks

DISCLAIMER: I received a free electronic copy of this book from Xpresso Book Tours and Swoon Reads in exchange for an honest review. This will not affect my review in any way.

Rating: 11/10 stars

Overall Thoughts: I think I found a new favorite of all time! These Vicious Masks is such an amazing book. I read it all in two days- TWO DAYS!!! I finished 80%, the equivalent of 240 pages, in a single day. I devoured it so fast yet I savored each page. I am in love with this book! I really did not expect the book to be this good! It was such a pleasant surprise, and I love it so so so much!

Characters: I love the characters! I have not found a set of characters that are so lovable! The wit and dry humor and sarcasm of Evelyn and Mr. Braddock is hilarious! I mean, I laughed a lot whenever they try to say something witty or sarcastic. I find Mr. Kent to be like me a lot! He would create a complicated explanation for something simple and be like “No. I just did this and it worked!” Readers will definitely fall in love with the characters! Since the book is pitched as Jane Austen meets X-Men, the group that tries to find Rose is definitely a dream team!

Plot: This book has a lot of action, and it is really fast-paced. There’s so much suspense and thrill that is embedded in the storyline that the reader will get hooked from the beginning. I enjoyed the story from start to finish; from the suspicion arising at the beginning to the shocking revelations towards the middle and the end, I literally could not put the book down.

Some Details: I got lost in just a few pages since I couldn’t grasp certain details, but this did not stop me. It was so minor that I was like “It’s no big deal.” I still love this book! Yes, I had to re-read one or two sections, but the action-packed plot balanced it off. There’s so many great things about this book that greatly outweighs the weaknesses.

My Review in a Nutshell: I want to read These Ruthless Deeds so much right now!!! Why can’t I get a Netgalley account so I could read TRD??? I am really looking forward to continuing Evelyn’s story! TRD is now on my most anticipated reads of 2017! These Vicious Masks is definitely one of my favorite books of all time! It was so amazing, and the authors definitely exceeded my expectations!

Recommendation: I recommend this book 100%! And go get These Ruthless Deeds if you can!

Convinced? Now go enter the giveaway!

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Hope you enjoyed! Have a great day!

+ J.M.J.

~ Kester

Home Blog Tour: Interview with Eleni McKnight

Hi guys! In two days, I am going to the Southeastern Young Adult Book Festival in Murfreesboro, Tennessee! I am so excited! You know what else I’m excited for? This author interview with Eleni McKnight because of two reasons: 1) She is local author from TN! Yay! Go Volunteers! 2) She’s from Murfreesboro, the town I’m going to this Saturday! I hope you enjoy this interview!

Home by Eleni McKnight home-front-cover-hirez

Genre: YA Dystopian

Release Date: November 22nd 2016

Summary from Goodreads: Knowledge is a Dangerous Commodity HOME – the last bastion of civilization in a corrupt and fallen world. Outside dwell the reanimated dead, cannibals, and scavengers; remnants of a once great race. Inside, the commune is ruled with an iron fist by Deacon, and administered without mercy by the Elders. Everyone knows their place in HOME. Everyone is safe in HOME…as long as you follow the rules. Handmaiden Suzannah Commons is content with training to be a wife and mother, the only occupation open to women in HOME. But her world is turned upside-down when she tastes the forbidden knowledge contained in outlawed books. Suzannah discovers a new way of life is possible, but that knowledge comes at a high price. It could cost her life. Or the life of the boy she loves.

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Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Authoreleni-mcknight

Eleni McKnight is a Murfreesboro, Tennessee native. She graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a degree in Theatre with an emphasis in Literature and a wild passion for creating clothes and doing make-up. She’s also an avid reader and loves music and theatre. She started writing at age eight when she had read all the Baby-Sitter’s Club books that were out and wanted something new to read. It’s never quite left her over the years These days, you can usually find Eleni working backstage or costuming in local community theatres, reading a book, walking (that FitBit is addictive!), at a concert, drinking a craft beer with friends, knitting, embroidering, or taking a dance class.

Author Links:

Email | Goodreads | Facebook | Instagram | Tumblr | Twitter

Now onto the interview!

1. What is your book Home about?

“When did your ignorance become as good as my education?” sums it up in short. It’s a book about how reading can be dangerous because it opens your minds to new ideas and situations, and gives you empathy (which I think society is sorely lacking these days). Suzannah Commons is an innocent young Handmaiden who has always followed the rules. An accident happens, and her “purity” is compromised when she accidentally walks in on a naked boy while doing her chores. In her purity-centered religious culture, the message is that the loss of virginity was her loss of a huge part of her as a person, and as she tries to redeem her soul, she begins to open her mind to new ideas when she begins reading books, making her dangerous.

2. Why do you love writing? When did you first have a love for writing, and how was it formed?

Wow, that’s so me. I grew up with a teacher for a mother, and she got me into reading big time. I loved the Baby-Sitter’s Club books and when I wanted to read more of them, but couldn’t go to the store for more books because I was eight-year-old and didn’t have money to get them, I decided to write my own books! Writing has gotten me through some severe depression in the past (along with therapy, and I think everybody needs a therapist to unload on and talk to!) and it’s helped me document my life a little bit, if not in writing, by how I was feeling and thinking at the time.

3. Who are your favorite authors, and which ones have had an impact on you? Who has affected your writing style the most?

I’d definitely say Ann M. Martin started me down the path. She will forever hold a special place in my heart due to that. Judy Blume made a huge impact on me too, teaching me that reading could be fun and enjoyable, not a chore (like the Superfudge books).  I loved Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Anne Shirley series by L.M. Montgomery, too. I was also crazy about scary stuff, too, so I loved horror like R.L. Stine’s Fear Street (but never Goosebumps) and Christopher Pike as a teen, too, but it more started with my love of the book Bunnicula by James and Deborah Howe. I love paranormal books, too, so I loved Bram Stoker’s Dracula and general classical horror novels, now I like Stephen King too. But I always wanted to write YA because my teen years were a difficult and confusing time in my life (hey, whose weren’t?). I didn’t read The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood until after I finished Home, and I’m happy I did, because it’s become one of my favorite novels, and it shares a lot unintentionally with my book. I am so excited about the series that’s coming soon! I like her work a lot, too, especially The Edible Woman.

4. What do you do when you’re not writing? Is writing a part-time or full-time job?

I like embroidery, sewing and costuming, cross-stitching, theatre, knitting, make-up, and candle-making. I know that’s a lot of hobbies, but I try to make it work, you know? I work during the day, so writing is my part-time gig!

5. Since the society in your book has outlawed books, what is one banned book that you loved reading, and would you want schools to read it? home-front-cover-hirez

I LOVE BANNED BOOKS! I’d much rather be on the Banned Book List because that means I’ve “made it” as an author! Not yet, but I’m working on it… I loved The Giver by Lois Lowry. I think this one is so important for kids to read and understand: it’s good to challenge authority by asking WHY we have certain rules, not just going along with them. I also think it’s good for kids to read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury in high school, because it gives them an idea of how futile and horrifying war truly is that you can’t really get from a history textbook. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie spoke volumes to me, because I did not grow up on an Indian Reservation, and I never understood what people who were in different economic conditions than I was survived. Are you There God? It’s Me, Margaret was a great book by Judy Blume because it covered a lot of the bullying and the realization and empathy that comes in school, but it didn’t have an after-school special kind of ending to it.

6. What would you do if the zombie apocalypse struck unexpectedly?

I’d probably get a blow torch and take out as many of those suckers as possible! Are they zombies induced to come at you when there’s noise? Because I can be very quiet. But, I’d also be a bad ass driving away on a motorcycle like Daryl Dixon on Walking Dead with a cross bow strapped to my back.

7. On your website, you say you want to write for a TV show or movie. What about the TV or movie industry attracts you to want a career in it?

That’s a great question, and I love answering this. I actually majored in theatre at UT. I’ve always dreamt of acting, because it’s telling a story. A lot of the times, I can empathize with someone who is a good actor and can portray the conflict of the situation. It opens up my mind a lot and gets me thinking. I want to be a part of that, maybe one day.

8. I see you love music and theater! I love them both, too! What is your favorite play or musical? What is also your favorite song or musician?

SQUEE! Another theatre person!! I love the play My Fair Lady because it had an ending where Eliza came back as Henry Higgins’s equal. I love Shakespeare, I used to do a lot of that, too, my favorite play being Twelfth Night. And my favorite song is “As Long as I Can See the Light” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, it’s not a musical song. If you want that, I love the song “Anything Goes,” because it’s so catchy and you can do some great choreography to it.

9. If your readers had to get one message from this book, what would it be?

That reading is so important. And so is equality, even if you think you already have it, a lot of people in this world don’t, so always work towards it.

10. What is your go-to cure for writer’s block?

Finding an inspiring read. The best one though, is sometimes taking a break from writing and re-entering the real world and reconnecting with friends.

11. I’m from Tennessee, too! What is one thing you love about Tennessee and one thing you wish was better about the state?

eleni-mcknightOMG, really?!?! SQUEE! The best parts of being from Tennessee is the amount of people who always volunteer to help after a disaster. You never have to worry about getting help, we are the Volunteer State for a reason. I think the worst part: we are landlocked 😦 I love the beach!

12. Have you written any other works? What are your current plans with your writing career?

I have written several books that I had to shelve. I really want to write a paranormal series that I’ve renamed and rewritten about fifteen times that right now, I’m calling the Magi Chronicles. I know it will take a lot of passion and work to do all that I wish to with it. I really want to write more Young Adult (that’s maybe not so dark) in the future. I plan on writing contemporary romance under a pen name, too, but that’s a ways off. And like I said, I’d LOVE to become a film and television writer, but that’s a long shot. It would be nice to be able to put food on the table and roof over my head with a savings account in the bak from writing alone, but I’m not sure if that’s even feasible. For now, I just want to get my work out there and get it read by people!

13. Do you have any tips to any aspiring authors or writers?

Be passionate about what you write. Try to write every day, even if you don’t feel like it. If you need inspiration, look inside yourself at the things that you are passionate about and try to write about that, even if you think it’ll never get read. And don’t read your reviews (at least the non-professional ones)!

Thank you so much for coming on our blog, Eleni! It was nice having a local author on LILbooKlovers!

Now onto the giveaway!

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Blog Tour Organized by:

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The Secret Billionaire Blog Tour: Interview with Teymour Shahabi

Hi guys! Happy Friday! Welcome to one of the final tour stops for THE SECRET BILLIONAIRE Blog Tour!!! Woo hoo! Look at that pretty cover! This book is really intriguing, and you should read it! Also, we are hosting Teymour Shahabi on our blog, too, in a special interview! Hope you enjoy our tour stop and grab the book!

The Secret Billionaire by Teymour Shahabi the-secret-billionaire

Genre: YA Mystery

Release Date: September 2016

Summary from Goodreads: 1960s — March 24. Billionaire Lyndon Surway takes off in his private plane and never returns.  His will leaves the entirety of his wealth—one of the largest fortunes in history—to his “dear friend Lucian Baker.” Only there is no trace of anyone by that name. And the fortune itself is nowhere to be found. Andrew Day knows nothing of wealth and privilege, but he won a scholarship to study at the most exclusive school in the country, in the town where the mystery, decades later, remains unsolved. There he discovers friendship and danger with the aristocratic Cameron and the beautiful Olivia. But watchful eyes follow him everywhere… Until, one night, he comes across a secret that will change his life. As he begins to unravel what really happened to the Surway fortune, the question remains: who is Lucian Baker?

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About the Authorunspecified-3

Teymour Shahabi was born in Paris in 1985 of Persian parents. He moved to the United States to study Comparative Literature and Mathematics at Harvard University. He currently lives in New York City, where he’s spent the last few years among serious grownups who probably have no idea he’s doing this. The Secret Billionaire is his first published book.  You can watch (and help) him try to figure out writing and life at www.youtube.com/PageWingChannel.

Author Links:

And now onto the interview!

1. How would you describe The Secret Billionaire?the-secret-billionaire

>> The Secret Billionaire is a young adult mystery novel. It tells the story of an enormous fortune that a tycoon left in his will for “his dear friend Lucian Baker.” Only there is no trace of anyone by that name. Decades later, three high school students set out to solve the mystery.

2. Why do you love writing? When did you first have a love for writing, and how was it formed?

>> I love the two main components of writing: storytelling and language. (I suppose I’m cheating, because then I should explain why I love each of these two… But writers are good at using words to cheat – surely you know that already J) I’ve loved writing as long as I can remember. I would stay up writing in secret, with a flashlight, as a kid. And I have embarrassing proof locked away in my closets.

3. What do you do when you’re not writing? Is writing a part-time or full-time job?

>> I work full-time in a field that has nothing to do with writing, and I’m incredibly lucky to love my job. I’m even more fortunate to be surrounded by colleagues who support and even celebrate my writing. And by challenging me and teaching me in ways that are seemingly completely unrelated to fiction, they constantly help me grow as a person – and therefore as a writer.

4. If you received an entire fortune, what would you do with the money?

>> I would do five things exactly: (1) share the wealth my family; (2) help support causes that matter infinitely more than my writing – in particular children’s medical research; (3) build Iron Man’s house; (4) start a business; (5) keep on writing.

5. Do you like to go about solving mysteries? If you could, would you be a detective?

>> Sure – but I’d need: (a) a creepy real-life movie score playing wherever I go; (b) an awesome raincoat.

6. Which literary character would you pick as a sidekick? It could be one as a detective sidekick, a writing sidekick, a vlogging sidekick, whatever you like!teymour

>> I want White Fang, the wolfdog of Jack London’s novel, to be with me at all times. I would have given you the same answer twenty-two years ago. I’ve made my peace with it.

7. It’s so cool that you have your own Youtube channel! What is it like being a vlogger? Do you have some tips to making a great video, especially one about books?

>> Thanks! The channel made a huge difference for me: it allowed me to connect with strangers from all over the world who helped me every step of the way (for example by voting among possible covers – or even telling me whether toward or towards sounds better). More importantly, they became my first readers – and some of the most encouraging friends I’ve ever encountered. I’ve found that the best way to make a good video (about books or anything else) is to be yourself. Nothing is more compelling than the opportunity to connect with a real person.

8. How was it like winning three awards for the Best Young Adult Book at three book festivals last year?

>> It is an extremely joyous and strangely personal feeling. It feels like a hug from people you’ve never met. I don’t know about achievements in other fields, but there’s something deeply emotional and intimate about winning an award for a book. Each time, the first thing I do is tell my family. Perhaps it’s because I feel honored, grateful, and humbled beyond belief – these are all emotions best shared with the people you love the most.

9. What do you do if you are not reading, writing, or doing anything book-related?

>> I daydream about food. But you could guess that from the book. I’m also a big movie guy. So put on a movie and give me a pancake. We’ll be best friends.

10. How do you want your book to impact your readers? What is the message you want readers to get from The Secret Billionaire?unspecified-3

>> Nothing makes me happier than hearing from readers. I feel a combination of profound thankfulness and love (I was going to say friendship – but really, love) for anyone who tells me that the book kept them reading late at night, or made them miss a train stop. But as for the message of the book…  I wouldn’t want to share my own assumptions with readers, especially since I’ve seen some incredibly thoughtful and generous reviews about the book’s message on Amazon.

11. What are your current plans with your writing career?

>> Every time I read a new reader review, I feel the strength to write for a whole new chapter for the sequel! More immediately, I’m almost done recording the audiobook for The Secret Billionaire, which I’m very excited to release.

12. Do you have any tips to any aspiring authors or writers?

>> I have only one: just write, gratefully and joyously, as if the world needed you to write. It does!

Thank you so much, Teymour, for coming onto our blog! I loved your answers!

Now onto the giveaway!

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Blog Tour Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

Damaged Goods Blog Tour: Interview with Jennifer Bardsley

Hi guys! If you’re here on the Damaged Goods blog tour, welcome to my tour stop! What a great way to end the tour, huh? This series is actually one of my most anticipated reads of 2016! I can’t wait to start it! And today, I have the honor to interview the lovely Jennifer Bardsley, also known as the YA Gal! (*internally screaming insider because I’m so happy I got to interview her*). Let’s get on with the tour!

Title: DAMAGED GOODS (Blank Slate #2)

Author: Jennifer Bardsley

Pub. Date: January 17, 2017

Publisher: Month9Books

Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Pages: 300

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | TBD

Blanca has everything she ever wanted, a hot boyfriend named Seth and the loving support of her foster father, Cal. She’s finally escaped the abusive control of her birth father, Barbelo Nemo, and her tortured childhood at Tabula Rasa School.

But the scars of Blanca’s Vestal upbringing run deep, especially when the FBI start asking questions. Blanca feels abandoned by Seth who is hunting for Lilith, Blanca’s only blood relative. The Defectos, a support group of Vestal-Rejects, offer Blanca comfort instead.

While the Vestal order crumbles, Chinese rivals called the Guardians rise to power and wrest control of important Tabula Rasa contacts. Now Blanca’s life is in peril once more, and this time, Blanca struggles to recognize friend from foe.

Title: GENESIS GIRL (Blank Slate #1)

Author: Jennifer Bardsley

Pub. Date: June 14, 2016

Publisher: Month9Books

Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Pages: 280

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon |  B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Books A Million | Google Play | IndieBound

Eighteen-year-old Blanca has lived a sheltered life. Her entire childhood has been spent at Tabula Rasa School where she’s been protected from the Internet.

Blanca has never been online and doesn’t even know how to text. Her lack of a virtual footprint makes her extremely valuable, and upon graduation, Blanca and those like her are sold to the highest bidders.

Blanca is purchased by Cal McNeal, who uses her to achieve personal gain. But the McNeals are soon horrified by just how obedient and non-defiant Blanca is. All those mind-numbing years locked away from society have made her mind almost impenetrable.

By the time Blanca is ready to think for herself, she is trapped. Her only chance of escape is to go online.

About Jennifer: jennifer-bardsley

Jennifer Bardsley writes the parenting column “I Brake for Moms” for the Sunday edition of The Everett Daily HeraldShe also blogs at Teaching My Baby to Read with the mission of sparking a national debate on the important roll parents play in education. Jennifer is a graduate of Stanford University and a member of SCBWI. She lives with her husband and two children in Edmonds, WA.

GENESIS GIRL will release in 2016 and is about an 18 year-old girl whose lack of a virtual footprint makes her so valuable that she is auctioned off to the highest bidder, the sequel  will come out in 2017. Jennifer is represented by Liza Fleissig of the Liza Royce Literary Agency LLC.

Follow the Jennifer on FacebookTwitterInstagram, and Goodreads.

Interview with Jennifer Bardsley:

Kester: In your own words, what is your Blank Slate series about?

Jennifer: The Blank Slate series is about a teenager named Blanca who grew up in a quasi-religious cult called the Vestals, where she was shielded from the Internet for eighteen years. Blanca grew up with no online profile or digital footprint. All the Vestals were blank slates, and since that is so rare, it made them valuable. In GENESIS GIRL Blanca’s digital purity gets auctioned off to the highest bidder. In DAMAGED GOODS, Blanca struggles to overcome the brainwashing of her past.

Kester: Why do you love writing? When did you first have a love for writing, and how was it formed?

Jennifer: I grew up keeping a diary. It’s really hard to commit to a diary, and I flaked out a whole bunch, but did manage to write a few times a month. Now I have diaries from when I was ten to fifteen that I treasure. If I was a teenager today though, I’d probably have an anonymous blog instead.

Continue reading “Damaged Goods Blog Tour: Interview with Jennifer Bardsley”

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text:
The ~*Darkverse*~

Or, Moma and I let Voldemort win and have it all go to Hell

You know how sometimes you work on a project and it sort of takes over your life (or at least your brain)? This happened to me this week with an RP I am writing with my friend we’ll call Moma.

Warning: MASSIVE Harry Potter spoilers, in case you’re not done with that series or something.

First, to explain: an RP (short for Role Play) is, at it’s core, improv that’s written instead of acted out. Everyone picks character(s), picks a situation, and then writes out their characters actions and reactions in turns. This can be written out in prose or in chat form, and is done in Google docs, notebooks, online forums, texts, messengers such as Facebook or AIM, etc. Some are big, with tons of writers and even more characters; some are small and consists of two people writing back and forth. They can be complex and last years, or simple and last an afternoon. It’s an excellent way to improve your writing, make friends, learn about different writing styles and types of characters, and learn skills like plotting and character development.

I’ve been RPing on and off for about 13 years now, and a few years ago I joined a Harry Potter one that took place in the Marauders era (aka Harry’s parents’ generation). I joined after it had been established and replaced their old Lily Evans. That RP died within a couple of months, but it was revived later under a new name and picked up where it left off. I was Lily Evans in that one as well, but also picked up Barty Crouch Jr. and Amos Diggory for some variety (and Death Eater fun). The plots got very complex: we had dark Order missions involving murder, drugging, and kidnapping, among other things, all of which happened with an undercurrent of your classic emotional teenage drama (the characters were all 14-18). Like, sure, they’d have a fun Halloween party in the Great Hall, but later that night they’d be called upon to break into a Muggle hospital and save a Muggleborn baby and its mother before the Death Eaters got to them first. In any case, we were building to fit into the book canon, and so we all knew that no matter what, Lily and James would get married and have Harry, trust Peter as a Secret Keeper and be betrayed, etc.

This was a very good RP, and despite many hiccups, it lasted about a year and a half (it officially ended in Dec. 2014). Despite this official ending, no one stopped thinking about it, and in the two years since a ton of us have worked together to write everything else that happened between the RP’s end and when our characters died. (For instance, I as Lily could only plan out everything from 1977 to 1981, because obviously she dies; an original character like Miles had his life planned out until his death, which was of old age rather than from war.)

Sometime in 2011 Moma proposed we try a an RP where Voldemort won, I believe partially to try and use one of her original characters in something. I agreed, and while we tried, we didn’t get very far, and it died fairly quickly, partially because I don’t think we had much of a plot lined up.

A month or two ago, Moma brought it up again, and I agreed that it’d be a good idea to have another crack at it. We took those RPs I just told you about and called them our RP’s “canon”, and then just changed the ending so that Voldemort would win. It ended up being really easy: just kill off James before he can marry Lily and have Harry, and voila! No prophecy. No curse backfire. And Voldemort wins. (Note: we worked under the assumption that the prophecy was always meant to refer to Harry and that Neville wasn’t a possible Chosen One.) It also made it really easy to create a backstory and develop everyone’s characters because we had already RPed so much important stuff already. All we had to do was kill some people off and see what happened 8D

We also took something from an even older RP of mine, which I did back in 2009, and shifted it around to make it our own. We had the Ministry kill off the Weasley parents and the older kids, and separate the youngest to be raised by more “appropriate” pureblood families. This separates Fred and George, and they’re raised by different families, never knowing that they were adopted or that they had a twin brother. Moma has Fred; I have George. They, of course, meet in the RP, because why WOULDN’T we want to write out that meeting?? (We’re actually in the middle of RPing this out right now, ahhh~)

We called this the “darkverse”, because it’s the dark version of the universe our RP was in. (There’s also a “brightverse”, where everyone lives and is happy and all is grand, but I’m not in charge of that one.) Some old fellow RPers (such as Miles’s creator) have been giving us input as to what their characters were doing in the darkverse, and Moma and I work around that. Other times, Moma and I decide what we want for ourselves. All in all, it’s a very collaborative story with varying levels of input.

Anyway, this is what I’m currently all caught up in. What makes it extra interesting (other than the characters, because oh my god I am in love with all of them) is the way we’re writing it. We’ve gotten into this (bad?) habit of discussing our characters with each other, which leads to plotting, which in turn leads to RPing scenes in chats instead of our forum – and we’re doing this OUT OF ORDER. Gah?!

Our RP starts with may first meetings: 1) Moma’s Tylor meets the Order and my Naveena, and 2) the Order, including George, meets Fred for the first time. However, in our impatience, we have somehow plotted out the vast majority of Naveena’s personal relationships over her lifetime (she dates Fred for a year, they have a nasty break up, and then she ends up dating and marrying Tylor). And not only have we plotted this, but we have RPed multiple major scenes already, including Tylor’s proposal and Fred and Naveena’s breakup. And not only that, but we RPed Tylor’s proposal BEFORE Fred and Naveena’s last fight, because I don’t know why.

We’ve got entire lifetimes starting to be plotted out, and Fred hasn’t even joined the fucking Order yet in the actual RP thread. xD;

Another thing we seem to have accidentally done is distinguish between the thread and the chat RPs. The chats appear to mostly be about their personal development: who they fall in love with, how their minds work, important conversations that bring characters closer together or further apart, etc. Everything we’ve done in chats fleshes out what made them who they are and who they will be in the future. The thread, however, seems to be the big main battle plot where we focus on the fight against Voldemort. It’s going slower because the chats are faster, more exciting, more emotional, and more impulsive, but all those little scenes all fit around what’s going on in the thread (or is it vice versa at this point?). The thread is the “final” product, in a way, and the chats set up all the pieces.

And yet! Despite all the different locations (the 2 past RPs threads, the current RP thread, Google Docs, and multiple chat windows with multiple people across multiple platforms), we know exactly what’s going on and how it connects to everything else. The narrative is unbroken, and no one is lost.

There is a lot to be said about the teamwork going on here, the strange way we’re processing all this, the effect the characters have on us, the way our headcanons have been changing the way we look at the books, and the way our versions of characters are influenced by the way others play them. However I won’t talk about any of that (not right now, anyway) because then this post would never end.

But if you hear me complaining about a Tylor, a Naveena, a Fred, a George, a Lily, or a Gideon, this is probably why.


text:
Archives of Dermatological Research

, Volume 308, Issue 2, pp 69–78 | Cite as

Patient-relevant treatment goals in psoriasis

  • Christine BlomeEmail author
  • Ramona Gosau
  • Marc A. Radtke
  • Kristian Reich
  • Stephan J. Rustenbach
  • Christina Spehr
  • Diamant Thaçi
  • Matthias Augustin
Original Paper

Patient-oriented care requires therapeutic decisions to agree with the patients’ treatment needs and goals. This study addressed the following questions: What is important to psoriasis patients starting systemic treatment? How stable are these preferences within the first year of treatment? Are treatment goals associated with age, gender, or treatment success? The importance of treatment goals was assessed for patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis in the German Psoriasis Registry (PsoBest) at baseline (onset of a systemic treatment; n = 3066) and at a 1-year follow-up (n = 1444) using the Patient Benefit Index (PBI). Treatment success was measured with PBI global score and Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI). Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis pursued a wide range of different goals. The most general treatment goals were rated most relevant, including skin healing and quick skin improvement (94.8/94.5 % “quite” or “very” important), confidence in the therapy (93.0 %), control over the disease (92.3 %), and a clear diagnosis and therapy (89.6 %). Further important goals related to not being in fear of the disease getting worse (84.8 %), reduction in itching (83.9 %), burning (70.6 %), and pain (60.6 %) as well as attaining a normal everyday life (78.4 %) and low treatment burden (64.2–77.9 %). Goals were mostly not associated with sex and gender. Goal importance slightly increased with treatment success. In a substantial proportion of patients (30.3–54.7 %) goal importance changed within 1 year after onset of systemic treatment. We conclude that treatment goal importance should be assessed in clinical practice on a regular basis.

Psoriasis Patient preferences Treatment goals Patient Benefit Index Health-related quality of life

Compliance with ethical standards

The study was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the context of the Hamburg Centre for Health Economics (HCHE), Grant No. 01EH1101B. The German Psoriasis Registry PsoBest is commissioned by the Professional Society of German Dermatologists (BVDD) and the German Society of Dermatology (DDG). It is also funded by changing pharmaceutic companies.

Conflict of interest

Blome C has received speaker honoraria, research grants, awards, and/or travel grants from Janssen-Cilag, Kreussler, Lilly, and medi.  Gosau R has no conflicts of interest to declare. Radtke MA has received honoraria and travel expenses from Biogen, Pfizer, Abbvie, Celgene, Janssen, MSD, Amgen, Mundipharma, Leo, Almirall and Galderma. Reich K has served as consultant and paid speaker for and participated in clinical trials sponsored by companies that manufacture drugs used for the treatment of psoriasis including Abbvie, Amgen, Biogen, Elgene, Entocor, Ovagen, Forward Pharma, GSK, Janssen- ilag, Leo, Lilly, Medac, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Vertex, Takeda. Rustenbach SJ is an employee at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). Spehr C is an employee at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). Thaçi D has served as a consultant, investigator, and speaker, and has participated in advisory boards for AbbVie, Amgen, Biogen, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Leo Pharma, MSD, Novartis, and Pfizer Inc; and has received research/educational Grants from Abbvie and Pfizer Inc. Augustin M has received honoraria and travel expenses from Abbott, Almirall, Amgen, Biogen, Celgene, Centocor, Janssen-Cilag, Leo, Medac, MSD (formerly Essex, Schering-Plough), Novartis, Pfizer (formerly Wyeth).

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  • Christine Blome
    • 1
  • Ramona Gosau
    • 1
  • Marc A. Radtke
    • 1
  • Kristian Reich
    • 2
  • Stephan J. Rustenbach
    • 1
  • Christina Spehr
    • 1
  • Diamant Thaçi
    • 3
  • Matthias Augustin
    • 1
  1. 1.German Center for Health Services Research in Dermatology (CVderm), Institute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP)University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE)HamburgGermany
  2. 2.Dermatologikum HamburgHamburgGermany
  3. 3.Comprehensive Center for Inflammation MedicineUniversity of LübeckLübeckGermany

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