series

A Paranormal Romeo and Juliet Story

ByMichael Thal June 17, 2018

Josh, a 17-year-old alcoholic, drives home after an evening of binge drinking. Two high school girls standing at a crosswalk are unseen until it’s too late. Josh is thrown through the windshield and dies immediately and Grace becomes a statistic. Josh finds himself in Death Valley talking to Lucifer, who offers him a deal he…

5 Motivating YA Books Kids Will Want to Read This Summer

ByMichael Thal June 11, 2018

As a reading specialist working for the Glendale Unified School District, I noticed a serious decline in reading skills of many of my students after a long hot summer break. According to researchers at the National Education Association (NEA), “Children can lose up to three months of reading progress over the summer months, and that loss…

The Shelby McDougall YA Mysteries

ByMichael Thal May 30, 2018

Due Date Shelby McDougall is a surrogate mother. Diane and Jackson Entwistle are paying her big bucks for her twins. When brother Dexter’s wife, Jessica, asks Shelby to leave their home because Jessica feels Shelby’s pregnancy will adversely affect her 3-year-old, Ashley, Shelby has no choice but to accept Diane’s offer to live in…

Fascinating Science Fiction Series

ByMichael Thal May 6, 2018

The Best Seller Maya Smock, an aspiring author, grew up in an orphanage and foster homes. Used and abused, she entered adulthood early taking a job at a Las Vegas bookstore by day and writing her novel, “The Master Race,” at night. When Maya’s book was finished she met a literary agent at a Las…

Dewey Fairchild Provides a Unique Spin on Child Psychologist

ByMichael Thal May 2, 2018May 2, 2018

Dewey Fairchild is a middle grade child with the unique ability to manipulate parents to change their behaviors. What kid wants a helicopter mom walking her to school every morning? Or a dad who burps and picks his nose in front of her friends? It’s embarrassing to the nth degree! In steps Dewey Fairchild to…

Koolura and the Mayans Wins Gold at the eLit Book Awards

ByMichael Thal April 27, 2018April 27, 2018

On April 16, 2018 the 9thAnnual eLit Book Awards announced its winners for 2018. There were 65 award categories including Historical Fiction, True Crime, and Autobiography/Memoir. Each category awarded three prizes—Gold, Silver, and Bronze. In the Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction category, Koolura and the Mayans won the Gold Prize! The eLit Book Awards is a global awards…

Daughter of the Sun: Enchanted Book Promotion

ByMichael Thal April 22, 2018

About the Book Title: Daughter of the Sun (Cult of the Cat series, Book 1) Author: Zoe Kalo Genre: YA contemporary Egyptian mythological fantasy/paranormal Word count: 93,000 words / 330 pages DOWNLOAD FREE at www.ZoeKalo.com Mystery, adventure, a hint of romance, and the delicious sweep of magic… 16-year-old Trinity leads a quiet life until fate…

A YA Time Travel Thriller

ByMichael Thal April 15, 2018April 15, 2018

West Yorkshire, England January 1795 Highwayman Kit Locke, known as the Knightmare, sits atop his gelding, Dante, waiting for a coach to round the bend so he can relieve its passengers of their wealth. He is specifically looking for the Viper’s Eye. According to legend, the gem can absorb thoughts and feelings of people and…

Inventive Middle School Sci-Fi Novel

ByMichael Thal April 13, 2018

The Prometheus Project Book 1: Trapped is a middle grade science fiction thriller that will keep readers flipping pages to uncover the secrets of an alien city buried deep beneath the ground of Brewster, Pennsylvania. Author Douglas E. Richards introduces readers to Ryan and Regan Resnick, two very bored tweens forced from their home in…

The 2018 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books and SCWBI

ByMichael Thal March 17, 2018

Looking for an interesting book to read? On April 21-22 the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books will be presenting its 23rd annual event on the University of Southern California campus. Five hundred authors, celebrities, musicians, artists, and even chefs will be featured. Admission to the festival is free. There will be over 230 booths…