1. Mystery & thrillers – thrillers – tales of espionage & intrigue & 2. Romance – romantic mystery.

Guess what, “thrillers” is as far as KDP categories go, although “tales of espionage and & intrigue” is available on Amazon! And with “romance” they only offer “romantic suspense” (not entirely appropriate at all), but no “romantic mystery” (totally appropriate), although again, this category is available and I’ve seen some books listed.

So, you think the title of this post is a joke? Nope, honest to goodness truth! Some ARE getting not only all the categories their hearts desire, but also, their very own categories on Amazon, like the well known TV series Stargate Atlantis, which has been adapted as novels. Here is a telling example – STARGATE ATLANTIS: Allegiance – as of today: #42,402 in kindle store, which normally wouldn’t result in any bestseller lists … but check out this unbelievable category string!

#2 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Science Fiction > TV, Movie, Video Game Adaptations > Stargate. Wow! It’s #2 in the category “Stargate”! Who would’ve thought! Brilliant, I tell ya!

Or take STARGATE ATLANTIS: Secrets. It’s #56,845 as of this writing… but it’s #4 on Stargate personal BESTSELLER LIST! Why haven’t I thought of that!

Does this smell like a major unfair advantage to you? Do you think it gives your books more visibility if you have your own category? Do you think the odds are stacked in favor of Big 6 & TV/movie giants? More importantly, do you think those books are any more deserving, or do you think that they just have a big-daddy-with-giant-fat-wallet backing? You might even think that this is a war against originality and forward-looking literature, and for profit at all cost. But I’ll let you decide for yourself…

As for me, I’ve decided to stack my own odds by creating my own categories. And guess what, each and every one of my books is a winner. Judge for yourself!

THE EARTH SHIFTER – #1 fiction – fantasy contemporary – fantasy historical – YA fantasy – visionary/metaphysical – prophetic – top-rated & cool – highly recommended for readers 12 through adult – packing powerful messages, lessons and a wealth of awesome mystical/esoteric/spiritual information – lots of endearing and spectacular characters – Russia and & Siberia like you’ve never imagined them before – adventure/thriller – global conspiracy – guaranteed twists you’ve never seen coming – highly creative, original & intriguing – beautifully written, plotted and paced – kindle sale $2.99 (reg. $4.99)

GOLD TRAIN – #1 fiction – mystery & thriller – tales of espionage & intrigue – romantic mystery – otherworldy romance – gripping, rip-roaring adventure – alternate universe of spies & ultimate danger – begin a secret love affair with Russia – spectacular Moscow & St. Petersburg from the author who knows what she is talking about – highly plausible international conspiracy – based on true historical mystery of the lost gold reserve of the Russian empire – cool characters & enchanting settings – mystical elements – highly original & intriguing – kindle sale: $1.49 (reg. $3.99)

CATHARSIS (Legend of the Lemurians) – #1 fiction – YA fantasy – dystopian scifi – visionary/metaphysical – small book with big message & important lessons – Lemurians, Atlanteans, hidden origins of humanity – great read for ages 12 through adult.

Oh yeah, before I forget! CATHARSIS is FREE on #kindle on 5/22-23! Remember to grab your copy & let me know how you’ve enjoyed it! 

And remember, whatever the silly rankings say, it’s still #1! Always!

Ah, the moral of my tale? It’s 2-fold: 1. Each and everyone of us has to create their own brand and carve out their own niche. How, that’s a million “gold coin” question (not a million $$, since $$ are quickly getting worthless). I am now working on creating my own brand, which results in true following – and that’s the way to go, not silly lists. 2. My goal is to create an even and equitable playing field, where deserving books get the time of day and equal exposure, at least SOME exposure. Unfortunately the opposite is true, and it’s getting worse, when everyone tries to elbow everyone else out. I’m afraid we are quickly descending into the same Lord of the Flies circus as the traditional publishing and movie industries. There is much, much more to the story, and I might do more posts on that in the future.

Last, but not least, all Lada Ray books are #YARevolution approved. Join us & post your books! More about YA Revolution. Join YA Revolution group on #Goodreads.

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Mark you calendar, as I have even more exciting news! 

CATHARSIS, Legend of the Lemurians (Earth Keepers Chronicle 1) will be FREE for 2 days: 5/22-23!     

Download CATHARSIS ebook on: Amazon US  UK  DE. Available on all international Amazon sites.

NOTE: You can also read CATHARSIS free with #AmazonPrime trial membership! Download today!

Karma can be a beautiful maiden or a bitch… Lemurians…Atlanteans…Hidden origins of humanity…

Before recorded history, before Humanity, since times immemorial, the Earth Keepers have been watching over our planet. Marked at birth and endowed with supreme powers, the nine chosen ones are the Earth’s record keepers and moderators, and when the time comes, ultimate decision makers. This is the first of their chronicles.

Legend of the Lemurians

The population of the red planet Catharsis, on the outskirts of the Andromeda Galaxy, is exceedingly beautiful. But Catharsians harbor a terrible secret: they have to share the planet with another race, which they call the Uglies, although the Uglies themselves prefer to be called Lemurians. Alas, no one on Catharsis cares what the Uglies prefer. Being ugly is considered a contagious disease, and the Uglies are herded into a reservation called Camp Ugly, where they live out their drudgery behind an electric fence. But the Uglies don’t seem to fret as they raise their young, guard the planet’s Crystalline Engine, and sing their heart-stopping songs to the Goddess of All, Mother Mu. And so, both races co-exist without much interaction, until the ultimate disaster strikes.

Morf is a seventeen-year-old Ugly who finds himself in the middle of it all. He is thrust fatefully into the leadership position when no one else can fill its shoes. Will the catastrophe bring to light everyone’s true beauty and true ugliness? Will planet Catharsis survive? What destiny lies in store for the Uglies? We are about to find out…

This metaphysical YA fantasy/scifi novelette is prequel and companion to THE EARTH SHIFTER, and first in the new Earth Keepers series.

This top-rated read, containing powerful and timely messages, is great for readers age 12 through adult.

Genre: YA crossover, visionary/metaphysical, fantasy, dystopian sci-fi, alternative history

Lemurian Crystal & Atlantis (Earth Keepers 2 & 3) ebooks are coming soon! Also, this enchanting 3 part mini-saga will soon come out as one novel, entitled: EARTH KEEPERS CHRONICLES: ORIGINS (ebook & paperback). Stay tuned!

Download CATHARSIS on: Amazon US  UK  DE. Available on all international Amazon sites.

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EXCITING NEWS!

Mark your calendar! GOLD TRAIN ebook will be FREE on Amazon Kindle on Friday 5/17 for one day only! Grab it here: Amazon US  UK  DE  CA  JP.  Also available on all other international Amazon sites.

Update 5/20: GOLD TRAIN will be on sale: $1.49 (reg. $3.99) for a limited time on #Kindle! Or you can try it FREE with #AmazonPrime trial membership! Download today!

From the publisher: GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure) has been beautifully re-edited and redesigned, new scenes and artwork have been added to both paperback and ebook versions! The new length is 288 print pages. New passages and scenes make characters and events stand out better, adding a more reflective/spiritual tone to the book and highlighting the romantic element, while preserving this novel’s trademark rip-roaring pace. Published by RAY HOUSE.

New Synopsis

Experience Moscow and St. Petersburg like you’ve never imagined them before; travel through Russia’s turbulent history and ever-changing present; immerse yourself in a world filled with oligarchs, hidden treasure, ultimate royal glamour, state secrets and FSB spies. It’s the world guided by destiny’s hand and spiced up with passionate love affair that could only happen where stakes are deadly and every day may be your last!

1918: Civil War in Russia. The entire Gold Reserve of the Russian Empire vanishes without a trace. But what if it’s about to resurface? And what if it’s about to be used to shift the global balance of power? 

Today: Jade Snow, sexy international journalist turned spy extraordinaire must choose between her worst friends and best enemies, and the future just might depend on her choice.

288 print pages. Includes bonus: Excerpt from next Accidental Spy Asia Adventure, DRAGON GATE.

From the recent 5 Star review by John Paul Davis, bestselling author of The Templar Agenda: “I enjoyed the novel in general, but what separated this from most thrillers I’ve read is the plot and the historical pedigree of the settings and the situation. As a lover of both thriller novels and history, I was captivated by the plausibility of the ambitious plot and the impeccable surroundings in which it was set. From gorgeous palaces and stately homes to deserted monasteries and underground railways, Gold Train was an absolute treat. As the novel progressed, I often found myself looking things up, and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to visualise the novel as having taken place in real life. It really makes one wonder, if something like this could happen.” Read full review on Amazon.

Read one of the re-edited scenes, complete with the newly added passage. This scene, where Jade gets trapped in a cave, highlights both the dangerous thriller aspect, as well as the hot romance theme of the story, while adding a spiritual tone to the narrative.

EXCERPT

Standing silently by the left side of the arched entrance was a man with a gun in his hand. The gun was pointed smack between my eyes. I turned my head to the right, then left. The cave didn’t have any other exit. The only way out was through the arch. I was trapped.

The man with the gun made an ominous step inside the cave. I took a step to my left, attempting to get out of the line of fire. He made another step and readjusted his aim. I eyed him carefully, edging sideways towards the mouth of the cave. But my avoidance dance wasn’t working, as every time I made a step the man resolutely made one as well, again fixing his aim, his finger on the trigger.

A solitary second that I still had left to live slowed down to a crawl, and every last millisecond of it was vivid and memorable like nothing I’ve experienced in my life.

As the gun formed a direct line with the spot between my eyes, I realized that my nemesis was already some distance inside the cave, while I managed to edge closer to its entrance. This meant that if I dashed to the arch now, maybe I still had a chance to escape through the opening.

I inhaled, mentally measuring the distance…and ran with my eyes fixed on the arch. The man calmly followed my move with his gun, but at that very moment a shadow appeared out of nowhere and flew past the entrance right towards me! The gun fired; I almost saw the bullet that was about to end my life cross the space between the shooter and me. But in that instant, the shadow materialized right in front of me. Inertia carried it a few steps into the murky depth of the cave, where the figure collapsed, as the bullet that was meant for me hit it in the chest.

“Evgeny, what the hell is going on here?” Another man with a gun in his hand ran into the cave, blocking my escape route.

“Damn, who was that?!” yelled the shooter, again pointing his gun at my head. But just before it went off, I rushed to the fallen man, who’d taken the bullet for me. The newly fired round whizzed by my left side and ricocheted off the wall.

With a grunt of pain, the wounded man braced himself slightly off the ground and fired the gun, which suddenly appeared in his left hand. My attacker cried out, dropping his gun and grasping his bleeding hand.

“He has a gun!” he yelled.

The other attacker raised his own gun to fire, while the man at my feet barked in a hoarse voice, “Run! Now!”

I took his advice without further ado and ran into the deepest and darkest corner of the cave, where I ducked, trying to blend with the wall. The wounded man kept shooting at the second attacker over and over again. The attacker groaned and grabbed at his leg.

Then he yelled to his companion, “Evgeny, lock them in! We need to call for reinforcements!” With these words, he quickly limped away.

The other one hurried out as well, but paused by the protrusion I noticed on the left of the arch, pressing on it with his uninjured hand.

Immediately, I heard the dreaded rumbling sound I knew all too well. It was the sound of a moving rock. I ran toward the entrance, but it was too late. By the time I reached the arch, the rock had already snapped in place, blocking the exit.

Again, I was trapped underground! Once more, I recalled the Gypsy’s warning to stay away from dark, underground places, as the ominous sense of déjà vu made me shudder. I desperately banged my fists on the cold rock. But who would hear me? And even if they did, they wouldn’t let me out anyway. I came back to my senses and stopped.

That’s when I heard a moan. The wounded man, the one who took the bullet for me! He was still on the ground and he needed my help! I dashed to him. The man was motionless, the gun still in his left hand. I dropped to my knees in front him and stared at his face in disbelief… The man on the ground was Alexei!

I carefully pried the gun out of his fingers and placed it safely by the wall. His hands were cold and his face looked pale. I knew I needed to warm him up immediately. Hands trembling, I took off my puffer jacket and covered him with it as well as I could. Then I took off my cashmere sweater and placed it under his head, in lieu of a pillow.

Now that I was left only with my thin cotton blouse, I started shivering, but he needed the warmth much more than I did. I kissed his forehead, his lips, his hands. I held him tight to warm him up. I willed him to wake up, refusing to believe that after all we’ve been through together, this amazing man wouldn’t survive. He had to survive! I couldn’t live without him! As my hot tears streamed down on his face, he stirred and tasted them with his parched tongue.

“Don’t cry, my love,” he said softly.

“Thank God! You are back, my darling,” I exclaimed.

Pulling me gently toward him, he kissed me hungrily on the lips.

“You have no idea how long I waited for you,” he whispered hoarsely.

“Is this all you can think about?” I asked reproachfully.

“When you are around, yes!” he said, as his left hand reached for the buttons of my blouse.

“But you are wounded,” I tried to object.

“All the more reason,” he retorted. “What if this is our last…”

“Don’t even say it!” I yelled at him. “Don’t you dare!”

“Then help me,” he whispered, his hand slowly unbuttoning my blouse. “Help me stay alive.”

“I need to examine your wound,” I said.

“Later. I need you now.”

I couldn’t even begin imagining on how many levels this was the absolutely wrong and impossible thing to do from the standpoint of traditional logic, morality, and Alexei’s condition. But it occurred to me that this man, whom I loved more than life itself, completely accepted the fact that in the alternate universe of spies and ultimate danger there was no such thing as tomorrow. All we had was the present moment in the midst of an obscure expanse that humans normally referred to as eternity.

I agreed with him wholeheartedly. In my life, I’ve already experienced more than my share of loss. My parents and my beloved Grandma Anastasia were gone when I was still young; during my Stepford adventure I lost Adelaide, who became like a surrogate mother to me when I needed it most, and recently, I lived through the horrible murders of Svetlana and Vera Golitsina. Alexei was right – all we had was this precious singular moment in time to be happy and to feel alive, and it could not be wasted. If he…if we…would never make it out of this cave in one piece, I’d never forgive myself if we weren’t together, one last time…

Before I knew what I was doing, my fingers deftly unbuttoned the rest of my blouse.

Buy GOLD TRAIN ebook & paperback on Amazon US  DE  UK (Available on all international Amazon sites)

Also available on B&N 

]]> http://ladaray.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/gold-train-free-517-on-amazon-beautifully-re-edited-new-scenes-and-artwork/feed/ 15 ladaray GOLD GT COVER ebook RUSSIAN DOUBLE EAGLE black and white http://ladaray.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/the-death-of-a-dream-green-desert-accidental-spy-prequel-by-lada-ray/ http://ladaray.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/the-death-of-a-dream-green-desert-accidental-spy-prequel-by-lada-ray/#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 16:04:05 +0000 Lada Ray http://ladaray.wordpress.com/?p=4461 Continue reading »

I thought this new review of GREEN DESERT was absolutely amazing and one of the best I’ve ever received. Says the author of the review, Sherry Fundin: “I love Lada Ray’s writing and her books really do seem to speak to me. I almost feel as if I am there and the characters are talking around me.”

Small book – big message! Green Desert is a novelette set in Baghdad, Iraq, circa 2007, when scandals surrounding the Abu Ghraib prison and the abuse of smart bombs shook the world. It’s only 12,000 words, or about 40 pages long, but in-between non-stop action and twists, the book packs a powerful and profound message. It’s about the devastation and injustice of war and it’s also about how interconnected we are in this small world. But most importantly, it is about the hope of peace.

In reading Green Desert you’ll notice that the main character’s name is Mohammed al-Tikriti. Such name is highly symbolic for those who are familiar with the whole Sunni vs. Shia religious division and hatred. The thing is, Mohammed is a name used primarily by the Shia Muslims, while al-Tikriti happens to be a typical Sunni last name, meaning “from Tikrit,” a quintessential Sunni stronghold. What’s also symbolic, Tikrit is the birth place of Saddam Hussein. Ironically, its name is derived from the name of the legendary river Tigris, the seat of the ancient Mesopotamia considered the cradle of Western civilization. I deliberately gave the main character such “loaded” name. Here’s my message: if this internal mutual disagreement and hatred are replaced with unity from within, Iraq would see a different future, and the desert would blossom into a garden…again. The same equally applies to us here, in the USA, or any other Western country for that matter. War is never the answer. It is by looking within that we find the answers we seek.

Seeing this kind of a review makes me jump for joy because the reader has understood my intent so completely. Thank you, Sherry!

From Sherry Fundin’s review of Green Desert:

One day, the Iraqi desert will be a garden…again.

Mohammed al-Tikriti, suicide bomber, former University of Baghdad student

Add To Goodreads

“I want you to give this after the explosion to that pretty lady dressed as a man,” he told the boy as he handed him an envelope.

That is how international journalist Jade Snow was led on a life altering journey.

Jade is in Iraq to shoot a documentary about the insurgents. All that changes when she witnesses a suicide bombing in Baghdad.

As Jade and her cameraman, Alejandro, took cover from the blast, she felt a tug on her sleeve. The boy handed her the envelope and she read – “Why I became a terrorist.” The letter was so tragic, she could not ignore it.

With letter in hand, she is determined to get the real story. The Army threw the word “regrettable” around like it was confetti and it pissed her off. It drove her to seek answers.

Jade was able to talk to Sergeant Lucas, a friend of Sergeant O’Shea’s. O’Shea had been driving the truck when Mohammed rammed into it.
Sergeant Lucas took her to O’Shea’s room and she saw the desk, paper, pen and envelope, waiting for the letter that would never be written.

He also wanted to show Jade the garden.  As she wondered at the Daisies growing in such a hostile place, he reached into his pocket……

The Media can be scum sucking leeches, would Jade prove the exception to the rule?

5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)

Amongst all the ugliness, how ironic that these men could see the beauty the desert beheld.

Lada Ray’s style of blending history and fiction makes me feel as if I am living the story. The emotions washed over me, leaving me with a sense of futility and profound loss.

The cover alone made me feel…..Well, I had preconceived ideas about the book. I devoured it. I thought I knew the story before hand, and felt such sorrow when it all came true. BUT Lada Ray added a little twist that I didn’t see coming.

Shows life comes full circle and it is a small world. Think about it . Has something ever happened to You, that caused you to feel that way? I feel this book shows that we have more in common than we think.

Supposedly, we got involved in Iraq because of Saddam, who killed and tortured his own people.  Now that he was gone, why were we still there? Smart bombs and accidents. Weapons of mass destruction. But, why were we really there? Did the President have an ulterior motive? Were we deliberately deceived? All the questions have been asked. Were they ever answered? Makes me think of things I really don’t want to think about. It makes my head spin with feelings of anger and betrayal, not only for myself, but for the soldiers who put their lives on the line for us. Will we ever know the truth?

Read the full review: @ http://www.fundinmental.com  or  on Amazon

Green Desert ebook is available on Kindle for only $.99: Buy Green Desert

This book contains a powerful message of peace!

Join the movement!

 

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Vancouver Island author, Anneli Purchase, has published her third novel. From “The Wind Weeps” set in the wilds of the BC coast, to “Orion’s Gift” set in Baja, Purchase now takes us to postwar Europe in “Julia’s Violinist.”

Imagine yourself growing up in a rural town in what used to be Austria-Hungary, expecting a normal happy life, when war shatters all your hopes and dreams. You are 32 and widowed with two small children. Like thousands of your fellow Sudetenlanders, you’ve been driven out of your country and strangers have taken over your home and all your possessions. You survive their brutal lust for revenge for Hitler’s mistreatment of them, survive the harsh conditions of refugee camps, survive disease and starvation. All you want is a return to the contented days of the past. But it is not to be. Once transported across the German border, you try to pick up the pieces of your shattered life and remarry, perhaps more for security than for love.

You’ve just begun the arduous task of rebuilding your life in war-torn Germany, when the young man you loved more than twenty years ago writes to tell you he has been searching everywhere for you. He still loves you and wants you to come to him. Such is Julia’s dilemma when her husband hands her the letter with the Canadian postmark.

What would you do?

Read “Julia’s Violinist” and learn how Julia’s decision changed her life.

Excerpt from Julia’s Violinist

September 1939

War! War? War. The terrible word was on everyone’s lips. Julia’s first thought was to find Lukas. She needed Lukas. As she pedaled furiously towards Bechert’s to find her husband, she heard the word in every snatch of conversation that reached her ears. War was about to change their lives.

Julia threw her bicycle down outside the factory and ran to the department that Lukas managed. “Georg! Have you seen Lukas? Where’s Lukas?” Georg turned from the pile of bolts in front of him and pointed down the hall just as Lukas appeared. “Lukas!” Julia shouted. “Did you hear?” Lukas looked white and shaken as he folded her into his arms.

“You’re shivering, Julia.”

“I’m still shaking from pedaling so fast, but I can’t seem to stop. Did you hear?”

“Yes,” he whispered, and pulled her closer. “Don’t worry.”

“You’re not going, are you? Please say you’re not.” She felt as if vise grips had hold of her stomach. He couldn’t leave her now, just when life was perfect. “Say you won’t go, Lukas. Please, say it.”

“Come, we’ll ride home on the motorbike and we’ll get your bicycle later.”

The ride home seemed too short. Julia clung to Lukas so tightly that she could feel his heart beating. She dreaded the conversation she knew was coming.

“You know I have to go, don’t you, Julia?”

She could feel tears trickling down her cheeks finding their way to her chin. “Why? Lukas!” She choked out his name. “You can’t. What about the children? Your aunt? What about me? Don’t you love me? How can you leave me now?”

“Sweetheart.” His eyes brimmed with tears. “The Czechs will be trying their best to get us under their thumb again. I have to—”

“No, you don’t have to. I don’t want you to—”

“I have to do what I can to help stop them.”

“If you really loved me you wouldn’t go.”

“It’s for you and Sofie and Steffie that I’m volunteering to go, exactly because I love you all so much. What kind of a coward would I be if I didn’t protect my family?”

Julia couldn’t argue when he put it that way, but dammit, why did he have to choose now to be so noble? Their happy life would be torn apart. She loved him so much. Her children loved him, needed him. How could he do this to them? She wiped her wet cheeks with the backs of her hands and sank into the nearest chair.

“Oh, Lukas! How will I manage without you?” She knew that further entreaties would only add to his pain. She was sure he was hurting as much, well, almost as much, as she was.

“I’ll be back before you have time to miss me. Meanwhile, you’re a strong girl, Julia. I want you to remember that, if times get hard. That inner strength that I love so much in you will see you through. God willing, I’ll come back to you.”

“You still believe there’s a God? How could He allow this to happen?” She flung out her arms indicating her crumbling world. She was incredulous at his naiveté.

“We aren’t meant to question God. Please, Julia. We need to believe He will guide us.”

“Oh, Lukas! There is no God. Why would God ask people to kill each other? How can you believe in God now?” She was amazed at his blind faith. They went to church, said the prayers, and sang the songs, but had never really had any serious discussion over their beliefs before.

“I have to believe in Him to see me through.”

Julia clamped her teeth together tightly. She didn’t want to take away Lukas’s crutch if he was counting on God to see him through. She needed Lukas to come home safely. But every rational thought told her that God had forsaken her.

***

“The Wind Weeps,” “Orion’s Gift,” and “Julia’s Violinist” can be found on all Amazon sites for paperback and Kindle versions.

Visit Anneli’s author page on amazon.com http://ow.ly/je5rT to see all her books.

They are also available in all e-book formats at smashwords.com http://ow.ly/je5IX

Anneli’s website: http://anneli-purchase.com

Anneli’s blogs: http://wordsfromanneli.wordpress.com

and http://annelisplace.wordpress.com

Lada says: Loved the post, Barb! Your novellas certainly sound like an exciting read, and the ones right up the #YAR alley. Welcome to the #YARevolution! We are for literature with message and meaning.

Everyone, spread the word and join! Literature should be nourishment for our minds and souls. #YAR is open to anyone who cares about what mind/soul food our teens – and we as adults – consume! Go to YAR page to join.

Cheers,
Lada Ray
Author, #YARevolution founder

P.S. I am looking into starting a YA Revolution Goodreads group, as well as other  groups at similar venues. Join us and help promote our cause. If you would like to volunteer to help organize a group, please contact me!

Related articles

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• Authors! Join Lada Ray’s YA Revolution (ladaray.wordpress.com)

Reblogged from rohan7things:

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With Thousands of Self Published Ebooks Flooding The Market, Where Can Parents, Teens And Young Adults Turn For Quality Literature With Message and Meaning?

Dublin, Ireland. April 21, 2013 – Lada Ray, author of the popular “Earth Shifter” series of Young Adult novels, this week announced the formation of the Young Adult Revolution or #YARevolution for short; a coalition of indie authors from across the globe dedicated to producing high quality fiction and non-fiction with healthy and positive subtext for young and developing minds.

Read more… 527 more words

1. Wow! Due to the veritable avalanche of super-exciting features, interviews and posts that are still waiting in line, I am happy to announce that I’m extending THE EARTH SHIFTER Virtual Tour into May. Still to come: Real Russia Video Journey 2: Spectacular Moscow, new dramatic video/audio excerpts, new reviews & features! And of course, don’t miss our Mega-giveaway grand finale on May 31! There’s still time to enter!

2. In the excitement of the launch, I somehow forgot to mention that I have started my own brand & publishing house dedicated to publishing and promoting literature with conscience, message and meaning. After a lot of deliberations, I’ve decided to call it RAY HOUSE. Going forward, all my books will carry the Ray House logo and designation.

3. YA Revolution is gaining momentum and I hope to have more activities going on soon. It is a grassroots movement, and all authors interested in literature with message & meaning are encouraged to join and network! Read more here.

And now, today’s feature:

Exciting and notable 2013 thriller releases for all ages! This is an article generously shared by author Joshua Lisec. Featured on his blog and syndicated to his publisher’s website, it includes the new releases by Dan Brown, Josh Lisec and yours truly. Article link

2013: Year of the Thriller ~ Dan Brown, Lada Ray, Joshua Lisec, and More!

Thriller readers of all ages and tastes have plenty to look forward to this year. Veteran blockbuster authors James Rollins and Dan Brown are cranking out guaranteed hits, and up-and-comer’s of the genre Lada Ray and Joshua Lisec are making a splash of their own.

Without further ado, here are the authors who are making 2013 the Year of the Thriller…

• The Blood Gospel
• James Rollins & Rebecca Cantrell
• William Morrow and Company
• January 8

2013 started off with a descent into an arcane underworld of ancient vampires with James Rollins’ and Rebecca Cantrell’s The Blood Gospel. The first of the their Order of the Sanguines series, The Blood Gospel treats readers to both the scientific breakthroughs and unveiled treasures that pepper Rollins’ SIGMA Force series as well as the gothic horror style of Cantrell.

Here’s the scoop on the novel from the official book trailer…

From crumbling tombs to splendorous churches, confront a past that traces back thousands of years, to a time when ungodly beasts hunted the dark spaces of the world, to a moment in history when Christ made a miraculous offer, a pact of salvation for those who were damned for eternity. Some books should never be found, never opened—until now.

Check out the authors websites: www.jamesrollins.com and www.rebeccacantrell.com. Get your copy of The Blood Gospel from Amazon.com today!

• The Phoenix Reich & The Compass
  
• Joshua Lisec
• DonnaInk Publications
• March 30

Spring ushers in the emergence of debut novelist Joshua Lisec’s first title in the Max Meyers Adventure series, The Phoenix Reich. A fast-paced thriller set against the backdrop of World War II mysteries and the reality of modern-day Nazi conspiracies, The Phoenix Reich introduces adventure hero-in-the-making Max Meyers.

Lisec is the Featured Author of publishing house DonnaInk Publications, a rising star in the 21^st century’s publishing industry. Here’s a taste of the novel for interested readers…

 Find the killer, restore your father’s legacy, save the world…all before finals week.

When underachieving college student Max Meyers learns that the death of his father, a popular United States Senator, has been prematurely ruled a suicide, he sets out on a mission to learn the truth—a mission that leads him to uncover an international conspiracy dating back to the final days of Nazi Germany.

You can download The Compass, a Short Story Prequel to The Phoenix Reich, for FREE just by e-mailing a request to thecompass@donnaink.org. To get your copy of The Phoenix Reich at an exclusive discounted price from the publisher, click here.

You can follow Joshua’s journey as a wunderkind of thrillers at www.joshualisec.wordpress.com,www.goodreads.com/JoshuaLisec, and www.twitter.com/JoshuaLisec. Feel free to check out the assortment of DonnaInk Publications’ other talented authors at http://www.donnaink.org.

• The Earth Shifter & Gold Train
• Lada Ray
• Ray House
• Apil 10

Lada Ray’s The Earth Shifter is a top-rated visionary fantasy/thriller set on Sacred Lake Baikal in Siberia, in Moscow and New York. Immerse yourself in global conspiracy and remote viewing, visit fantastic realms of Heaven and Earth, rub shoulders with shamans, shifters, psychic spies and Russian oligarchs. Grab onto and hold close the endearing and spectacular characters, and root for Time and Mind Shifter, Sasha, in her quest to find her destiny!

From the true story of Grigory Rasputin and Tunguska Meteorite explosion to secret Russian and US psychic spy programs, The Earth Shifter is a fantasy cleverly intertwined with true history and modern world events. Don’t look for sword fights or deadly lightning bolts; the powers described here are much more subtle, and therefore, infinitely more Earth Shifting!

You can get a hold of The Earth Shifter from Amazon (Amazon US & UK) or Barnes & Noble, (B&N)!

Begin your love affair with Russia! Lada Ray’s second 2013 novel, Gold Train,  is a gripping mystery/thriller based on true historic events.

1918: Civil War in Russia. The entire gold reserve of the Russian Empire vanishes without a trace. But what if it’s about to resurface? And what if it’s about to be used to shift the global balance of power?

Today: Jade Snow, international journalist and sexy super-sleuth turned spy extraordinaire, travels to Russia to reconnect with her heritage and investigate tantalizing mystery of the Gold Train. Instead, she lands in the middle of a deadly conspiracy threatening to change the fate of one of the world’s most powerful nations. Refusing to be a pawn in a struggle of forces beyond her control, she must choose between her worst friends and best enemies. She can trust only her exceptional wit, quick thinking, unwavering determination, and a generous dollop of psychic abilities to accomplish her impossible task and fulfill her destiny!

You can get a hold of Gold Train from Amazon (Amazon US & UK) or Barnes & Noble (B&N)!

Born in Russia, Lada Ray is a world traveler, linguist, financial consultant, Feng Shui Master, shaman, futurist, and metaphysics/spirituality researcher. Lada holds a Master’s Degree in comparative linguistics, is fluent in several languages and has traveled to over twenty six countries on most continents. She is the author of the Accidental Spy Adventure Series, including Gold Train (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure), Stepford USA (Accidental Spy Small Town Adventure), and Green Desert (Prequel). Lada has just released a visionary fantasy/thriller, The Earth Shifter. Coming soon: Earth Keepers Chronicles: Origins (Catharsis, Lemurian Crystal, Atlantis).

You can meet up with Lada on her official author site (LadaRay.com), her author blog (LadaRay.wordpress.com), her geopolitcs & predictions blog (futuristrendcast.wordpress.com), on Twitter (@LadaTweets), and on Goodreadsand Youtube.

• Inferno
• Dan Brown
• Transworld Publishers
• May 14

Four words. Dan Brown is back.

That says it all. Nearly three years after Dan Brown’s last novel, The Lost Symbol, the fourth adventure of symbologist Robert Langdon has arrived. The world’s greatest thriller author is taking readers back to Europe for an incredible mystery of Italian artwork, medieval puzzles, and ominous conspiracy, all based on Dante Alighieri’s Inferno. Check out the deets from www.danbrown.com…

In Inferno, we have the added excitement of following Robert Langdon back to the heart of Europe, where he becomes entwined in a mystery that has global ramifications…tied to the ominous and truly mesmerizing details of Dante’s masterful work.

You can pre-order a hardcover or eBook version of Dan Brown’s Inferno from Amazon.com here.

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• The Young Adult Revolution Is Here! Self-Publishing Just Found Its Conscience. (rohan7things.wordpress.com)

I know, our world is far from perfect, and every day there is violence and threats to peace, every day global ambitions or secret agendas of a few threaten lives and well-being of all. We’ve talked about these grave subjects in my previous posts and interviews. But we have also discussed the importance of staying positive and looking into the future with hope.

Today’s post is dedicated to the PURE LOVE and JOY, and to the effortless sense of community that is the trademark of the newly budding earthly society the birth of which we are presently witnessing with our own eyes. All over the world, individuals, businesses and organizations experience the “Eureka!” moment as people come together to celebrate.

I’ve put together a compilation of videos that demonstrate this point fully. If a picture is worth a thousand words, than these clips are worth millions of views, as seen on Youtube! These truly are Zorba the Buddha moments; these are rare glimpses into the future so many of us have dreamed about! Why wait? Be a part of the New Earth and immerse yourself in LOVE and JOY today!

ODE TO JOY Flashmob in Sabadell, near Barcelona, Spain. Many thanks to Lesley Fletcher of InspirationImport blog for pointing out this video!

Everyone sang & danced! My fave waltz: Dmitri Shostakovich’ SECOND WALTZ performed by Andre Rieu in Germany

Joy comes in all sizes and colors: DANCING ZORBAS flash mob in Canada

Free Hugs Campaign! HUGGING THE WORLD, one person at a time

Regalo Abbracci – Free Hugs in Sondrio, Italy (my fave!)

Free Hugs in Tokyo, Japan (breaking cultural barriers)

Abrazos Gratis – Free Hugs in Lima, Peru (what a warm country!)

Hugs, love and joy to ALL!

Read THE EARTH SHIFTER at: Amazon US  UK  B&N

Must read! Check out my 4/23/13 interview with Jason Sullivan:

The Earth Shifter, New Earth & Alternative Economy

Related articles

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• War & Peace The Other Side of Ugly

Reblogged from different outcomes:

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L: Jason, it is my great pleasure to be your guest today. I enjoyed tremendously our last interview during the GOLD TRAIN Blog Tour. That interview was so profound and revealing – all thanks to your rare ability to ask poignant questions and make your guest feel comfortable answering them – that it became the centerpiece of the last year’s tour.

Read more… 4,601 more words

A reader reaction: "Great interview – fantastic, challenging questions and extremely thought-provoking and insightful answers. Loved reading it  Rory, BeyondtheDream Blog (UK) ***You can also read the full interview at my new Futurist Trendcast Blog. Must read! In this thought-provoking and unique piece, I'm being interviewed by author and blogger Jason Sullivan, whose inquisitive mind and poignant questions have allowed us to create this one-of-a-kind interview! In addition to THE EARTH SHIFTER's protagonist, Sasha, and the mystical setting of Lake Baikal in Siberia, which caught Jason's imagination, we discuss lots of hot and important topics, including my advice on the mysterious Bitcoin and other alternative investments, future of the US and global economy, preparing for Earth changes and global paradigm shift, as well as what it was like growing up in Russia and meeting Fidel Castro. Some of the burning issues discussed are: What is the future of Capitalism and what kind of society are we transitioning to? How to protect yourself during the upcoming collapse and other changes? What lessons can we learn from the 1990s Soviet collapse? What is the future of human consciousness and spirituality? Why organic gardening and community building is paramount? And much more! Visit Jason's blog, read, like and comment! Jason and I would love to know what you think! :) ***Incidentally, Jason has also authored a 5 Star review of THE EARTH SHIFTER, which you can read on Amazon and Goodreads.

Remember how a few months ago a meteor exploded above Chelyabinsk in the Ural Mountains, Russia? It happened shortly after the release of my visionary fantasy/thriller THE EARTH SHIFTER, and much like it was described in the book. Many readers had dubbed the book prophetic. Read more about THE EARTH SHIFTER.

Check out the post and eyewitness videos: The Earth Shifter Plot Playing out in Real Time: Massive Meteor Rocks Russia

I feel a similar sense of Deja Vu with the recent Boston Marathon bombing.

The mystery/thriller GOLD TRAIN is based on famous historical events of 1918, but it is set in contemporary Moscow, St. Petersburg and New York. The protagonist, international journalist Jade Snow, who’s used to dodging stray bullets in Iraq, rushes into marriage and has a child before she is ready, and as a result, she has to say a premature good bye to a promising career. While Jade stays home with the baby, her husband jet sets around the world (hint: his career is fine). But Jade’s ever present longing for freedom and world adventures generates a subconscious rebellion, so when she finally gets a chance to go to Russia in order to investigate tantalizing mystery of the missing treasure of the Russian Empire, she lands herself in the middle of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to change the balance of power not only in Russia, but also in the world, and in the process, she meets a mysterious stranger, who may well change her life forever.

The conspirators are the Russian monarchists, backed in secret by spy organizations like CIA and MI6. And while preparing to destabilize Russia through civil war, they employ Chechen terrorists to do their dirty work, including attempts of deadly bombings at the Russian Metro, high-speed train, and other places (incidentally, it is mentioned in the book that Chechens, wanted for terrorist activities in Russia, are often given political asylum in the USA, UK and Sweden). While looking for the killer of her Russian friend and hunting for the treasure, Jade along with the FSB operative Alexei, must prevent terrorist attacks by the Chechen militants.

Check out Gold Train on Amazon US  UK   More about Gold Train & my books

***Incidentally, Gold Train and The Earth Shifter are presently on huge sale on Amazon! Ebooks only $.99, new release paperbacks $12.49 and $14.99!

Boston bombing: First, my deepest condolences to all the victims of this tragedy, and to their families.

It turns out that the two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing are the Tsarnaev borthers, aged 19 and 26, residents of Cambridge, MA, and immigrants from North Caucasus. Ethnically Chechen, their family resided in the Autonomous Republic of Dagestan, neighboring Chechnya. In fairness, I need to point out that some suspect a false flag operation in the hunt for the Tsarnaev brothers. However, I am not prone to conspiracy theories. Conspiracies happen all the time, yes – as you would see if you read my books. But conspiracies I write about are based on proven real world events. In this case, I have no proof of false flag, although voices in its favor persist. Either way, so far there isn’t enough information to make such a conclusion – yet.

After the collapse of the USSR in 1991 the always stormy and confrontational North Caucasus, populated by many warring tribes, where a child would receive a knife as a birthday present at 2, reverted to its nature. With no jobs for the young and no government controls, fundamentalist Islam, terrorism and Al Queda influence spread like fire.

In the past 5-7 years, Chechnya has actually stabilized as the Russian government poured billions into this little autonomous republic in order to rebuild the industry and generate jobs in this beautiful, but unstable and depressive region. After the peace was finally restored and the population turned away from terrorism, the remnants of the “rebels” had crossed the porous borders into the nearby autonomous republics, notably, Dagestan, where they would hide out in the mountains.

The FBI has now admitted that the brothers may have had links to Russia’s most wanted man, Chechen terrorist Doku Umarov, who has blood of many civilians on his hands, including the deadly Beslan School bombing. Many of his cronies received asylum in the UK, US, etc., after their terrorist acts in Russia. It is a well-known fact that Doku Umarov’s fighters received training in Al Queda camps in the Middle East and parts of Europe. However, over the years, Russian requests for extradition of said terrorists had been routinely denied by the USA, UK, Sweden and Poland, despite irrefutable evidence of their terrorist activities. Take a close look at Mr. Suleimanov, the leader of the Chechen terrorists in GOLD TRAIN - look familiar?

According to correspondent/author Pepe Escobar, “Chechnya’s new jihadis want an emirate, as envisioned by Doku Umarov; a Chechnya-istan modeled on the Talibanistan of the late 1990s. Umarov always insists on global jihad – from Afghanistan and Iraq to Somalia and Palestine – against “everyone who wages war against Islam and Muslims.” Just as I have met a lot of Chechens fighting alongside the Taliban – and then captured in Afghanistan before 9/11 – there are quite a few Chechens in Syria as part of a global jihadi brigade fighting the Bashar Assad government in Aleppo. Chechens did hit soft targets in the past; it could be two Dagestani female suicide bombers blowing up the Moscow Metro in 2010, killing at least 40 people and injuring 100, or the gory outcome of the Beslan school tragedy in 2004, when no less than 334 hostages died, most of them children.” Escobar, The Boston Blowback

Image: A member of the SWAT team motions to a resident to come out of the house as they conduct a house to house search for Dzhokar Tsarnaev, the one remaining suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing, in Watertown, Massachusetts April 19, 2013. (Reuters / Brian Snyder)

The incredible irony of the situation is that the Boston bombing suspects, brothers Tsarnaev, upon arrival to the USA, claimed and quickly received POLITICAL ASYLUM together with their relatives. They arrived to the USA in 2003, claiming to be refugees from Chechnya, although at the time their family lived in the neighboring Dagestan. They were still children and grew up in the USA, attending American schools, the younger of the two becoming a naturalized citizen, and winning a scholarship to MIT (according to reports).  Another unbelievable irony is that several years prior, Russian authorities had contacted the USA, warning of possible older brother’s links to Al Queda and Doku Umarov, and demanding investigation. At the time, FBI scuffed at Russia’s warnings, as the US and UK insisted on calling the Chechen terrorists “freedom fighters.”

I guess, now that it has happened in the USA, the “Chechen freedom fighters” will be finally re-branded terrorists. Isn’t that amazing! Kinda makes you wonder when these childish, ignorant and backwards political rivalries with Russia and other countries designated as “enemies” by the USA will finally stop, and when justice and reason will finally prevail?

In fairness, I have to mention two things:

1. Most ethnic Chechens and Dagestanis are peaceful and law-abiding citizens of Russia, who want to live their lives and build a good future for their kids. Incidentally, most of the wrestlers on the Russian Olympic team, responsible for many of the Russian medals at the last Olympics in London, come from North Caucasus. Alas, as always, a few rotten apples spoil the harvest.

2. Also, the suspects’ parents still reside in the Autonomous Republic of Dagestan, Russia, and they deny their children’s involvement in the bombing, claiming it was a set up by the FBI. The story is getting more and more bizarre by the moment. Included are some investigative and eye-witness videos. Have a listen!

Must watch! RT goes to Caucasus for Tsarnaev brothers local background

Change of wind: Chechen freedom fighters are now terrorists? Report

Why US Govt / FBi ignored RussiAn Intel about Tamerlan Tsarnaev – Report

Related articles

• Was Boston bomber inspired by Doku Umarov? Mother claims FBI tracked older brother ‘for five years’ after being told by Moscow of links to Chechen terrorists (thisismoney.co.uk)
• FBI tracked brother ‘for 5 years,’ linked to Chechen terrorist Doku Umarov (riehlworldview.com)
• Chechen Bombers Linked to ‘Russia’s Bin Laden’? (frontpagemag.com)
• Chechens’ history marred by terror (bostonherald.com)
• Chechen Bombers Linked to ‘Russia’s Bin Laden’? (themuslimissue.wordpress.com)
• Chechnya’s unrest casts long shadows (smh.com.au)
• The Boston blowback – Pepe Escobar (dprogram.net)

Today, I want to share something special: the audio/video versions of several mini-excerpts, as well as the new book synopsis, characters and spectacular settings. We are trying this new thing and I hope you like it. I have created the videos, while the narrative is read either by me or one of my avid readers and fans. A reviewer once told me that for books set in Russia, my Russian accent was just what the doctor ordered, so I decided, why not try my hand – excuse me, voice – in the audio/video genre? I find it enjoyable creating videos and narrating my work, however, I must tell you that it’s much harder than it seems! I now fully understand all those actors and singers who have to do countless takes to get it just right. Well, with juggling a million and one projects every day and writing new books, I have to be more time conscious than that.

The scenes and mini-excerpts below are engaging and intriguing at best, and images are lovely…even if the delivery has not reached the professional polish my perfectionist heart desires – yet! These are the first three vids, with more to come! Have a listen and let me know what you think in the comment section!

..The Earth Shifter: Synopsis, Characters and Exotic Setting

narrated by a fan

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The Earth Shifter: Shaman Tengis & Mystical Realm of Lake Baikal, Siberia

narrated by the author 

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The Earth Shifter mini-excerpts: Who are the Shifters, Remote Viewers, Protectors & Earth Keepers?

narrated by the author

Related articles

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• Interview with Lada Ray (1earthunite.wordpress.com)
• Join the YA Revolution! (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• I Am a Guest at Anneli’s Place! (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• The Earth Shifter Plot Playing Out in Real Time: Massive Meteor Rocks Russia (futuristrendcast.wordpress.com)
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Read THE EARTH SHIFTER’s new blurb and suspenseful excerpt! It’s CIA, Chinese spy, global secret society, betrayal, mankind’s future… and the earth-shattering secret of the Key!

 Click to read: The Earth Shifter Author Feature

The Earth Shifter is on huge sale on Amazon!

Ebook: only $.99 (reg. $2.99-4.99)!

Awesome paperback: $14.99 (reg. $18.99)!

LINKS: Amazon US   UK    CA

Also available in DE, FR, IT, ES, JP, BR

Check it out!

Reblogged from royal manaball:

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Thanks to the genius of author Lada Ray, I have been recruited into an army, and an amazing one at that. With this transmission, I present to you the YA Revolution!

Here is the YA Rev HQ!

Lada Ray has been a gigantic inspiration for me, even though I’ve only known of her for a few months. To let you know, she is the author of…

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Reblogged from Darlene Foster's Blog:

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What I love the most about blogging, is the wonderful people I meet in the blogging   world. Today I am featuring the author Lada Ray, an extraordinary individual with many talents who stops at nothing to pursue her dreams.

Thanks so much for being a guest on my blog Lada. I am always curious to learn more about other authors.

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Enter THE EARTH SHIFTER Read & Review Giveaway

PAPERBACK LAUNCH

1. I am thrilled to announce the official launch of THE EARTH SHIFTER! It has been available as ebook since the beginning of the year, but now the paperback is also out!

2. I’m also releasing 2nd edition Gold Train (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure) paperback, which has been re-edited and substantially improved.

3. I’m also finally releasing Stepford USA (Accidental Spy Small Town Adventure) paperback – and it looks spectacular!

All three paperbacks are now available at Createspace online store, and they will be available on Amazon in 5-6 business days. Author signed paperback copies will be available soon via my official author site: LadaRay.com. All buy links are listed below.

My books at a glance: Books by Lada Ray

More about my books: LadaRay.com

PAPERBACK SALE!

THE EARTH SHIFTER – 394 pages, size 6×9, sale $14.99 (reg. $18.99)

Createspace     Amazon US  UK  

GOLD TRAIN – 282 pages, size 6×9, sale $13.88 (reg. $16.99)

Createspace     Amazon US  UK      Barnes&Noble (coming soon)

STEPFORD USA - 294 pages, size 6×9, sale $13.88 (reg. $16.99)

Createspace     Amazon US  UK

Also, available in other countries. 

THE EARTH SHIFTER VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR

It is also my great pleasure to announce THE EARTH SHIFTER Virtual Book Tour: 4/11-5/2!

The tour includes: very special author interviews by bloggers & authors Darlene Foster (4/11 – Read this awesome interview now at Darlene’s blog!) and Jason Sullivan (4/23); various author and book features; new reviews; audio/video book excerpts; my new posts about Moscow, NY Chinatown and Princeton (as part of The Earth Shifter mystical setting series); new revelations about Gold Train and Stepford USA; cool giveaways and much more!

All posts and reblogs of features and interviews will appear on Lada Ray Blog regularly, so stay tuned! Tour schedule and links will be posted on a separate tour page.

EBOOK SALE!

All my ebooks are on big sale on Amazon for only $.99 on 4/11-5/3! Grab your copy!

The Earth Shifter  UK  CA – $.99 (reg.$4.99)

Gold Train  UK  CA – $.99 (reg.$3.99)

Stepford USA  UK  CA – $.99 (reg.$2.99)

Also $.99: Catharsis    Green Desert

READ & REVIEW Program

I have a special pleasure of announcing the Read & Review program and giveaway!

As a special thank you for all those who take time and effort to review one or more of my books, I am giving away several very nice prizes. You can win one or more of the following:

Giveaway 1: ARCHOS 8o G9 Turbo with WiFi, 8″ Touchscreen Tablet, value $349. Review any of my books and be entered to win. Novels: The Earth Shifter, Gold Train, Stepford USA – 5 entries each review; novelettes: Catharsis, Green Desert – 3 entries each review.

Giveaway 2: free early release ebooks: Lemurian Crystal and Atlantis (Earth Keepers Chronicles 2 and 3). Release, May 2013.

Giveaway 3: a complete set of my ebooks, including the upcoming new releases: Lemurian Crystal and Atlantis. My books at a glance

All drawings: 5/31/13!

Read more and ENTER GIVEAWAY!

P.S. If you are interested in featuring me and my books during the tour, please contact me! I will reblog all features for extra exposure. See Author Feature example.

CONTACT ME

Last, but not least, Join the YA Revolution! Click on badge to read on!

Related articles

• The Earth Shifter Review & Feature Fest (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• The Earth Shifter & Gold Train Paperback Preview (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• Join the YA Revolution! (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• Interview with Lada Ray (1earthunite.wordpress.com)
• Futurist Trendcast and Lada Ray’s Predictions (futuristrendcast.wordpress.com)
• Video: Lada Ray on the Vinny Eastwood Show (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• THE EARTH SHIFTER Plot Playing out in Real Time: Massive Meteor Rocks Russia! (ladaray.wordpress.com)

The E-publishing revolution has just started, and already digital shelves are full of senseless imitations rehashed over and over again. Some books are just openly negative, violent or meaningless. All you need is an e-reader and a simple click of a button in order to purchase an ebook. No one can possibly police what our teens and young adults are reading. Meanwhile, their minds are still delicate and developing, and perhaps they haven’t yet learned to discern what is good and what is harmful. Much of what our teens may be downloading on their e-readers may not be what they should be reading in order to develop into good human beings and responsible citizens of our planet!

Typically, author organizations and promotional sites do not distinguish books for integrity, quality of message and positive energy. It is up to us, readers, writers, bloggers and reviewers to convey this information to each other. YA Revolution aims to unite all those who are tired of same old, same old and who want to read new, original, inspiring books with message and heart. It’s also for those who want the same for their kids. We intend to give voice and help promote authors who deserve to be heard, whether they write YA or adult literature. The more good books are promoted by us all, the easier both teens and adults will be able to chose the right books to read!

Whether you are a young adult or simply young at heart,

join the YA REVOLUTION!

We are for literature with message and meaning!

What’s in the name: Why YA Revolution? Putting on my trendcaster hat… ahem… This decade will continue seeing unprecedented interest in YA literature. The 20 year period from 2004 till 2024 is called “Period 8, or the period of young man” in the Flying Star System of Feng Shui. Everything that is associated with young people, including the rise of the military, rebellion, education, YA literature, and yes, revolution, is being emphasized. We live at a time when adults gladly read YA and teens read adult literature. This is why our YA Revolution is all-encompassing!

What is YA Revolution? Our objective is to give better visibility and voice to well-written, original books raising important issues and containing a meaningful message and/or positive attitude. This applies to both fiction and non-fiction. While these books deserve to be heard, they may be drowning in a sea of rehashed and meaningless stuff. The idea is to create a directory of GOOD new books to read for adults and teens alike. 

Why will the YA Revolution benefit all, authors and readers of all ages alike? Very simple: Indie authors sometimes get a reputation for being less than original; the opinion oftentimes is that the quality of indie literature is subpar. This is because some of the indie books give everyone else a bad name. I met many indie authors who write great books, but they are overshadowed by those who yell the loudest or who have the flashiest covers (or perhaps by those who have deeper pockets, or those who perform various magic tricks). I am offering the recipe for solving all these problems! If we all pull together our resources, our influence, and our enthusiasm, we’ll be able to give bigger voice to authors of good books, and provide better choices for readers! A win-win!

Visit YA Revolution page on top navigation bar. This page’s reply section will become the depository for books with message and meaning recommended by readers, reviewers and authors. I will also post a badge with a link on my side bar.

As we grow, we plan to organize giveaways, contests and other YA Revolution events.

I had smashing fun designing the YA Revolution badges! I think it’s good to have them for every taste and genre, so more people feel they belong with our revolution. 

Choose one or more themes that work for you and post them on your blog/site!

Theme FUNKY

Theme BOOKISH

Theme EARTH SHIFTER

Theme STARSEED

Theme CREATION

Theme COOL

And if you are feeling especially rebellious… Theme REBEL

Rules for joining the YA Revolution:

1. Pick the badge that appeals to you and post it on your blog or site (sidebar, a dedicated page or awards page), linking back to this post. 

2. Tell as many people as you can so others could also join!

3. Readers/reviewers: post the badge in every post showcasing (interview, book review, spotlight) any author/book that you feel deserves to be awarded this badge! Mention YA Revolution in your post and link up to YA REVOLUTION page. For WordPress blogs, your link will become an automatic pingback (or you can chose to leave a comment with link). For all other blogs and sites, make sure you visit our page and leave a comment with the link to your respective post. 

4. If you are an author and feel that you deserve this badge based on our criteria, post it with your book description and link up to this post. Follow above instructions for WordPress and non-wordpress blogs.

5. YA Revolution badge has dual purpose; it works both as a movement banner, and as an award. My future Author Features will include the YA REVOLUTION badge. Consider it my stamp of approval! (Read my post about the new Author Feature.) When someone else awards you this badge, proudly post it on your awards page – you’ve earned it! Remember to link to this post and mention my name!

Note: Post all your links/pingbacks in the YA Revolution page reply section, so that any reader could browse and choose better reads for themselves and their children. The idea is to create a directory of GOOD new books to read for adults and teens alike. However, we cannot police every link and pingback. It is up to the poster and readers to determine whether a specific recommendation will benefit our readers. Please be responsible while posting! Important: one link per book, please! Duplicates will be considered spamming and will result in removal of your links.

It is understood that we grow through adversity, and that inner and outer conflict and struggle is part of any good literature. YA Revolution is not meant to restrict or discriminate by genre. However, YA Revolution is NOT for books that promote or glorify violence of any sort, negative or senseless attitudes and actions, and characters/entities that have no redeeming value. While sexy romantic element as part of plot and character development is fine as long as our above criteria are met, no hard-core erotica allowed. It is advisable to specify what ages your book is appropriate for.

I also want to mention a couple of people who inspired the YA Revolution: 1. Author M.C. O’Neill, who said that my fantasy/thriller THE EARTH SHIFTER gave “a new definition to YA literature.” 2. Reviewer Michala at BiteMyBook.com, who said in her Amazon review of The Earth Shifter: “In a current age where every story is about wolves and vampires or witches or whatnot, it is nice to read a tale that engages the reader deeply.” For over a year, I had a persistent feeling that I wasn’t quite reaching my reader. Having read the above two reviews, the light went on and I came up with the YA Revolution concept.

About my work: I am the author of several visionary fantasy/adventure books and mystery/thrillers – YA and adult. Soon, I will start a non-fiction series, long in the planning. In addition to highly engaging plots and memorable characters, all my books carry strong and important messages. Incidentally, I am launching THE EARTH SHIFTER, Stepford USA and GOLD TRAIN (2nd edition) paperbacks, and from April 10 to May 5, I’ll be doing virtual book tour. If you are interested in showcasing (and/or reviewing) any of my books, please let me know! You can find all my books here. Or visit my official author site at LadaRay.com.

THE EARTH SHIFTER Book Tour begins on 4/10! Stay tuned!

GO TO YA REVOLUTION PAGE FOR MORE ON HOW TO PARTICIPATE

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In this series, I’ll give the podium and showcase the new releases of independent authors and publishers in these exciting areas: 1. Fiction: spiritual/visionary/metaphysical, international/world cultures, mystery/thrillers, action/adventure, romantic adventure/suspense, women’s lit, fantasy/sci-fi, YA – (books in all above categories must be engaging, well-written and have a strong, positive and/or important message; if they boast a spiritual/metaphysical/paranormal element, even better). 2. Non-fiction: history, travel & world cultures, alternative history, geopolitics/economics, spiritual/visionary/metaphysical, predictions/forecasting, conspiracies, Earth changes. All books and authors must provide a strong, positive, forward-looking and/or important message through their writing and attitude. Being original helps!

Note: It is understood that we grow through adversity, and that inner and outer conflict and suffering is part of any good literature. However, I will NOT showcase any books that promote or glorify violence of any sort, negative or senseless attitudes and actions, and characters/entities that have no redeeming value. 

The Author Feature typically includes: book cover, synopsis/blurb, book stats, brief excerpt, author bio/pic, buy links, author SM links, and book trailer, if available. I’ll say a few nice words – the better I know you, the more I can say; also, the author can briefly present his/her work in own words. If I have reviewed your book, I’ll also include my review.

My first artist to showcase is the dynamic duo of Irish authors/musicians, Rohan and Alex Healy, together with their exciting new sci-fi release, GYAROS: The Mice Eat Iron! Check out Author Feature 1: GYAROS by Rohan and Alex Healy.

Also coming: the exciting YA REVOLUTION! E-publishing revolution has just started, and already digital shelves are full of senseless imitations rehashed over and over again. Much of what our teens are downloading on their e-readers may not be what they should be reading in order to develop into good human beings and responsible citizens of our planet!

Typically, author organizations, promotional sites and retailers do not distinguish books by integrity, quality of message and positive energy. Consequently, it’s up to us – readers, writers, bloggers and reviewers – to convey this information to each other. We intend to give voice and help promote authors who deserve to be heard, whether they write YA or adult literature. The more good books are promoted by us all, the easier both teens and adults will be able to chose better books to read!

This is so exciting! Below is one of the badges I’ve developed. There are several more for all tastes, which I’ll post soon, along with the rules of participation in the YA Revolution.

YA Revolution badge – theme: FUNKY

Whether you are a young adult or simply young at heart,

join the YA REVOLUTION!

We are for literature with message and meaning!

More at the official YA REVOLUTION Page!

Related articles

• Author Feature 1: GYAROS by Rohan and Alex Healy (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• The Earth Shifter Review & Feature Fest (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• Interview with Lada Ray (1earthunite.wordpress.com)
• Gyaros – The Mice Eat Iron LAUNCH POST! (rohan7things.wordpress.com)
• Introducing my new blog: Futurist Trendcast! (ladaray.wordpress.com)
• Author Feature 1: GYAROS by Rohan and Alex Healy (rohan7things.wordpress.com)

My first artist to showcase is the dynamic duo of Irish authors/musicians, Rohan and Alex Healy, together with their exciting new release, GYAROS: The Mice Eat Iron! Despite his young years, Rohan Healy boasts lofty credentials as musician and producer; beyond that he is a spiritual seeker, philosopher, and wonderful human being, whom I am privileged to call a friend.

SYNOPSIS:

Welcome to the green districts of Elissa, capital city of the unified corporate planet, Carthage. The year is 0061. For 29 years, husband and father Miles Stanton has followed society’s guidelines. But one day he is pushed too far. Branded a criminal and deemed unfit to live or work on Carthage, Miles is exiled to the harsh prison moon of Gyaros, losing everything that was ever important to him. He struggles to survive as a civilized human being in a lunar wasteland of chaos and brutality. But when surrounded by unspeakable violence and madness, how long can a man hold on to his precious humanity?

They say there’s no way back to Carthage. But if Miles is to survive on Gyaros he has to believe that there is. Follow Miles as he makes friends and enemies, fighting for his life across Carthage and Gyaros, and stumbling upon secrets he was never meant to know!

The debut novel by musicians, authors and brothers, Rohan & Alex Healy; The Mice Eat Iron is the first thrilling part of the epic sci-fi adventure that is the Gyaros trilogy. (The Mice Eat Iron is approximately 120,000 words/450 pages long). WARNING: This book contains adult content including violence, course language and adult themes.

Read EXCERPT:

Chapter 2

Miles slowly opened his heavy eyelids and squinted in pain at the bright light that shone down on him from above. Miles raised his right hand to shield his eyes and in doing so caught a glimpse of the dried blood encrusted on his palm. He turned his hand over to reveal yet more of the, now brown and hard, blood. It looked, Miles thought to himself, as though someone had dipped his hand in a tin of russet hue paint and left it to dry overnight. All at once it hit him, like a bolt of lightning, why his hand was brown, what he had done. ‘Oh my god, I’m a murderer, I’m a God damn murderer, and everyone saw it. I killed Tyler and, and…’ A terrifying realisation suddenly dawned on Miles as he began to understand the true weight of his action. Like all serious crime on Carthage, murder was punishable by a sentence of banishment to the volatile moon world of Gyaros.

‘No, no this can’t happen, I’m a normal guy, I’m a Green Districts guy, I’ve never been outside the Green Districts for God’s sake! They can’t send me to Gyaros, they just can’t!’ Miles sat up abruptly from his previous position of lying flat on his back and in doing so he let out an ear piercing screech. Miles writhed in pain and held his back at the location where The Enforcer had struck him with his rod. Slowly and painfully he managed to sit up on the padded white bench where he had awoken, and his eyes, having adjusted to the light, began to scan the room where he now found himself.

“Where am I?” he said softly to himself as he surveyed the scene. Miles was sitting on the single piece of furniture in what was an otherwise completely empty room. The bench he woke up on, and was now perched upon, protruded directly from the wall. The walls were entirely white, and appeared to be made of the same padded material as the bench. The room was featureless except for the subtle outline of what looked to be a door on the wall to Miles’ right. On the door, at about head height was a small black screen about eight inches wide and six inches high. As well as this a small white camera poked down from the centre of the ceiling, it pointed directly at Miles’ face and a red light blinked just off to the left of its lens. Miles tilted left and watched as the camera mimicked his movements perfectly, never taking its focus off Miles’ face. He then leaned to the right and observed again how the camera would swivel and follow his every move.

‘Oh shit, I know what this is…’ Although Miles had never been in this kind of situation before, having never been in any kind of trouble at all until today, thanks to references in films and on visor vision Miles had a pretty good idea of what was going on. ‘This is a holding cell, I’ve seen these before. This must be The Security Department right? A-and this is where the bad guys get dragged off to when they’ve committed a crime…and, and then they get sent off to fucking Gyaros! Oh God, oh God, oh God, why is this happening to me?!’

Miles buried his face in his hands and began to weep again as his stomach knotted and churned, weakness and shaking once again taking over his entire body. As Miles continued to cry he heard the faint sound of distant footsteps. He froze, his eyes fixed on the screen on the wall to his right, his ears straining to hear. ‘They’re getting closer,’ he thought to himself, ‘and…and it sounds like two people, at least two, there’s no way that’s a single person.’

The footsteps grew louder and louder, drawing nearer and nearer until they stopped suddenly, right outside the cell. Miles daren’t move a muscle as silence pervaded the room, his pounding heart the only sound audible to him. Sweat had been forming on his brow since the footsteps began and one or two beads were now creeping their way down his cold, pale face. Then with a loud crackle the screen flickered to life and the matte black helmet of an Enforcer could be seen on the distorted display.

“*beep*. Miles Stanton, stand before the screen, *beep*,” ordered the distorted voice of The Enforcer. The terrified Miles jumped to his feet, bearing the pain in his back, and made his way to the screen to his right. Miles stood up as straight as he could considering his injuries and, too afraid to speak, awaited further instruction.

“*beep*. The boss wants a word with you, *beep*,” and with that The Enforcer took a step to his left and the familiar face of The Lead Manager of The Energy Department, Candice Demour, took his place. Candice and Miles had always gotten on well, Candice was kind and fair wherever she could be, but had the strength and decisiveness required to oversee the entire workings of The Energy Department. An attractive lady in her late 40’s, Candice had straight light brown hair, dark almond shaped eyes and a thin, but not overly angular face. She possessed a famous smile that could ease just about any situation. Except for this one, Candice was not smiling today, today Candice looked tired and melancholy.

Despite the horrific circumstances he found himself in, Miles couldn’t help but feel a little relieved to see a friendly and familiar face. Candice began to speak, sorrowfully.

“Miles, I’m glad to see you’re ok. I watched the incident via the recorded camera feed, I…I don’t know what to say, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Candice’s voice began to crack but she quickly regained her composure, cleared her voice and continued, “Miles, Tyler is alive…barely.”

Miles’ heart jumped and his eyes widened.

“Tyler is alive!? Oh thank God, you can’t imagine how good that news is, my God Candice, I…I thought I was a murderer,” Miles spluttered shaking with excitement and adrenaline, “I thought that was it for me you know? Shipped off to Gyaros, never be able to see Chet grow up, never get to see Hellen again, to leave my Chet known as the son of a murderer. Oh God Candice, just…I,” Miles once again broke down and rubbed tears from his eyes.

“Yes, about that Miles, the doctors say Tyler will make it but…he won’t be the same. What you did to his face, I can’t even…” Candice trailed off then shook her head and started again, “you won’t be going to Gyaros Miles, because of me,” Miles looked up quizzically.

“Because of you? What do you mean?”

“The Areopagus wanted to shuttle you tonight but I pulled some strings. I’ve known you a long time Miles and you’re not a bad man. You wouldn’t last one second on that rock, it’s as good as a death sentence. No Miles you won’t be banished to Gyaros but…” Candice stopped suddenly and looked to the floor. Miles waited a few seconds before his patience ran out.

“But what?!” he barked.

“Miles, even I can’t keep you here, at The Energy Department. Your contract has been terminated, your benefits have been revoked and your pension credits have been allocated to be used for Tyler’s treatment, reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation. I’m sorry Miles, I know you didn’t mean to do what you did but there’s nothing I can do to keep you here,” Candice tilted her head slightly, a pained expression on her face as she witnessed the destruction of an old friend in real time before her eyes.

Miles stood there silent and motionless, his world falling apart like a train crash in slow motion. And then, while staring at the ground, in a low voice he began to speak.

“Hellen left me today, she’s been seeing Tyler without my knowledge. She messaged me to tell me that divorce proceedings had begun, and that I was no longer welcome in my house, my own damn house Candice. And now my job, Candice I’m nothing without my wife and child, I’m nothing without my work,” Miles looked up and made eye contact, “Candice I’ve built this life, ever since I can remember I’ve been building this life, you can’t take it away, this life is Miles Stanton.” Miles placed his hands either side of the screen, “Candice I don’t know what’s left when you take away my job, my wife, my child, my house. You tell me, what is left!? What the fuck is left of Miles Stanton now!?”

Miles’ still bloody hands slid down the wall lifelessly, he cut the figure of an utterly defeated man.

“I’m sorry Miles. I don’t know what’s left of you, all I know is that while you are alive on Carthage there is hope, I know that you can start again slowly. You’re a good man Miles, of all the things that changed today, that is not one of them. In time you will rise from this. But for tonight you will be escorted to a hotel where you will sleep and get cleaned up. You will be kept under Enforcer supervision to ensure that you do not try to hurt Tyler, Hellen or Chet…”

“But I would never…”

“I know that Miles but it doesn’t matter, the Areopagus’ orders are final. In the morning you will be escorted to The Department of Productivity where you will be allocated a new place of employment. You must understand that after what you did, you will not be granted permission to work in the Green Districts but if you behave, and work hard you may one day make it back up here. I’m sorry Miles, it breaks my heart to see you like this. Just get some rest tonight and take things one day at a time. I believe in you, you’re a good man Miles, a good man.”

The screen flickered and went blank.

Watch BOOK TRAILER (music written and performed by Rohan Healy!)

..

AUTHOR BIO:

Rohan Healy, born in Murwillumbah, Australia in 1986 is an author, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, blogger and professional music producer. As of 2013 Rohan has written, recorded, performed, produced and released 10 solo albums as well as performing and recording with artists including David Virgin, Dan Rumour, Cat Power, Billy Bragg, Jimmy Willing, Quiffs N Coffins and Christa Hughes (Machine Gun Fellatio). Rohan has written and published two books, the first “Greeks to Geeks: Practical Stoicism in the 21st Century” in 2010 and in 2012 he published his second book “The 7 Things That Made Me Genuinely & Irreversibly Happy: And How They Can Do The Same For You”. Rohan currently lives in his ancestral home of Dublin, Ireland where he continues to write and record, as well as enjoying his hobby of photography.

Although he turns 18 in June, Alex Healy has managed to co-write his first full length novel before he was technically an adult!

SAYS ROHAN:

“What started as a casual conversation with my brother Alex at the end of January has turned into an epic science fiction trilogy. And today part one of that trilogy can be read. I don’t know where to start *deep breaths*, so excited! Even though it only took us just over 2 months of intense plotting, writing and proofing, writing a full fiction novel has been a dream of mine since I was 8 years old. So this is kinda satisfying.”

Where to buy Gyaros: The Mice Eat Iron 

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Cyprus Crisis Explained in 8 Minutes. New post at my new Futurist Trendcast blog! How does the Cyprus banking crisis affect Cyprus, EU and everyone else? What’s next? Click the link above to read my post and to watch full video report.

Brief video version: CYPRUS CRISIS in 5 minutes:

4/1/13 Urgent update!

Watch new, live video CYPRUS DEBACLE IS GETTING WORSE!