ETJ Writes

Archive for the tag “YA LIT”

20 May 2020
2 Comments

⚡THORUNN⚡ IS HERE!

Announcing Esther T. Jones’ Sophomore Novel:

⚡THORUNN⚡

I’m so thrilled and excited to announce that my second book (and debut Young Adult Science Fiction novel) ⚡Thorunn⚡ is now available both as a paperback and an eBook from Amazon, iBooks, and Barnes & Noble.

The novel can also be purchased directly from this website.

This thrilling story is set in the far future, with a shady government, a vibrant alien culture, and fantastically imaginative tech. ⚡Thorunn⚡ follows the stories of Kenton Wishings – whose entire family was brutally murdered – and Laine Riven – a rebellious teen spirited away to the mysterious planet by his at-wits-end parents. Their paths clash amidst tragedy and betrayal, and despite how hard they try, neither teen will escape unscathed.

Time is running out as frix season closes in, and their only shot at victory hinges on outrunning the seasoned bounty hunters, savage creatures, and unpredictably violent weather trying to kill them every step of the way. . .

“The world Jones produced is absolutely brilliant . . . from start to finish, I wanted to know more!”

– S.V. Filice, author of “The Summoning (Moral Bloodlines, #1).”

Enjoy following Kenton and Laine’s epic adventures, whether in print or digital media, and be sure to join the mailing list to receive updates about exciting new content, contests, giveaways, and more.

Bonus content in the form of a series of backstory vignettes focusing on Kenton’s best friend Bo can be found on Wattpad here: The Many Misadventures of Bo, and official ⚡Thorunn⚡ swag (mugs, cups, stickers, & T-shirts) is available to purchase via NEXT-GXN on Redbubble.

A special thanks goes out to the author’s wonderful brother, professional artist Don Jones, who was also the novel’s alpha reader, illustrator, and cover designer. (And what a stunning cover it is!)

Additionally, you’re personally invited to the ⚡️THORUNN⚡️ Virtual Book Launch Party taking place on Instagram Live & Twitter starting at 1:00 PM. Talk directly to moi, the author, and get a chance to win some of the swag mentioned above – don’t miss it!

Currently, I’m working on a few stand-alone novels as well as a multi-book series set in a distant and mysterious era, and I can hardly wait to share these next books with you all!

Keep up with me on instagram and twitter, and happy reading!

Esther T. Jones
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18 May 2020

Official ⚡️THORUNN⚡️ Spotify Playlist

Here it is, friends, the official ⚡️THORUNN⚡️ Spotify playlist, all 85 mins of it!

I listened to these songs quite a bit while drafting, revising, and putting the finishing touches on my novel, and it’s carefully curated (if listening from the desktop, or premium on the app) to give y’all the perfect ⚡️THORUNN⚡️ listening experience. A good bit of these songs could apply to either Laine or Kenton, (though some are specific to each – kudos to you if you can accurately guess which!) but some also center around other characters – both friend and foe – and around themes from the novel: family, loss, forgiveness, hope.

The playlist starts off rather melancholy (given what happens to Kenton’s family in the beginning of the book), and bounces back and forth between anger and grief – with some encouragement slipped in between here and there – before leading to a defiant, hopeful ending. I’ve included some relevant lyrics from each song and there’s a mix of styles and genres from a wide variety of artists, though it does trend in the alt/rock direction. Music from the 70’s all the way to recent years has made the list, and there’s even a South African song gracing this collection!

⚡️THORUNN⚡️ releases May 20, 2020, everywhere books are sold, and I would be utterly delighted if y’all gave this playlist a listen while reading. It’ll definitely enhance your experience, and give you a peek into my state of mind while writing.

See y’all at the virtual booklaunch party on my Insta Live, Wednesday, starting at 1:00 pm EST!

1. Fix You – Coldplay

2. Umama – Sjava  

English Translation:

3. O-oh Child – The Five Stairsteps

4. Wolves – Down Like Silver


5. Drifting – Adelitas Way

6. Gone Away –  Five Finger Death Punch

7. Nothing Makes Sense Anymore – Mike Shinoda

8. Faint – Linkin Park

9. Talking to the Moon – Bruno Mars

10. Still Here – Digital Daggers

11. Speak to Me – Amy Lee

12. Running From My Shadow – Mike Shinoda

13. Somewhere I Belong – Linkin Park

14. Waiting for the End – Linkin Park

15. Legends Never Die – League of Legends

16. Paint it, Black – Ciara

17. Robot Boy – Linkin Park

18. Dear Agony – Breaking Ben

19. Soldier – Fleurie

20. Gallows – Katie Garfield

21. Here I Am – Tommee Profitt

22. Love Hurts – Incubus

Can you tell I’m a Linkin Park fan?😉


Happy Reading!

~ETJ

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12 May 2020

THORUNN by Esther T Jones

THORUNN, a tale of trust, doing all in your power to look out for those you love, and trusting your sense of self above all else to do the right thing

THORUNN by Esther T Jones

Hello Friends!

Just popping in quickly to share this lovely ARC review for Thorunn. So excited for the rest of y’all to be able to get your hands on the novel in less than two weeks!

Until then, Happy Reading!

~ETJ

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13 Apr 2020

The Many Misadventures of Bo

Hello Friends!

One of my favourite parts of reading a good book are the characters – and not just the main characters, but everyone else involved in fleshing out the world of a novel. I guess I’ve always been aware of secondary characters, but I really fell in love with the idea of them after I read The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, which goes into detail about how characters fill the pages in a spectacularly imaginative way.

In writing my own novels, I never plan for the side characters to take on the life that they do – they seem to spring almost fully formed onto the page and dictate how I should write their stories.

Bo, from Thorunn, is one such character. Writing him was always a joy, and he spoke to me – yelled passionately, really – in a way none of the others quite did. I couldn’t help wanting to explore his character more outside of the novel.

When the next YourOcsBackstory event rolled around, I jumped at the opportunity to dive into Bo’s backstory and work through the standout moments that made Bo the prickly, dramatic, and fiercely loyal klia’an we meet in Thorunn.

All the prompts that I filled for the challenge have been uploaded to Wattpad, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them!

Without further ado, I present:

The Many Misadventures of Bo

Happy Reading!

ETJ

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12 Mar 2020

Thorunn Giveaway & Pre-Order Announcement!

Hello Friends!

Today is a very exciting day! For the last few years, I’ve been feverishly working on finishing my sophomore novel – my debut Young Adult Science Fiction novel to be exact – and I’m so pleased to announce that Thorunn (releasing May 20th, 2020) – is currently available for pre-order!

Many thrilling adventures await within the action packed pages of the novel, enhanced by cool futuristic tech, mysterious shape-shifting aliens, and heart-stopping (literally!) escapades, all underscored by themes of loss and forgiveness, hope and heartbreak, and greed and sacrifice.

The shadow of the Hexagon looms large over Laine, Kenton, and Bo, and they have no idea whether they’ll escape alive. . .

Me and BookYou can pre-order paperback copies through Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, or your favourite local indie book store, (paperbacks will be available through Amazon for US costumers shortly), and ebook copies through Amazon, Apple Books, and other major online e-retailers. Additionally, Thorunn will be added to the Overdrive and Hoopla catalogues, so don’t forget to check out those sources as well.

Speaking of libraries, I’m inviting you to be a part of my street team, and help make Thorunn a smashing success in its debut year!

Even if you plan to purchase a copy, one of the best ways you can help out is to request a copy from your local library. That way the novel can be enjoyed by hundreds of teens who might not be not able to purchase a copy themselves. (It also makes the libraries very happy that their services are being used to further the love of reading.)

Another thing you can do right now is to head over to Goodreads, and add Thorunn to your “want to read” shelf. Don’t forget to go back and leave a review once you’ve finished reading the novel! (And if possible, a review on Amazon would be highly appreciated from me.)

The last bit of exciting news today is that I’m hosting a giveaway! Two special winners will receive a signed paperback ARC, and five lucky people can get their hands on an exclusive eARC before the book releases in May!

To enter, simply follow me on Twitter (@etjwrites), retweet my pinned tweet, and tag me and two friends telling me how much you’d love to win a copy! This giveaway will be open until the end of March. Winners will be notified publicly and by DM.

I am planning a launch party, and the details of that will be announced very soon, so be sure to subscribe to the ETJ Writes Newsletter to be informed of when and where that will take place.

In the meantime, you can whet your appetite by checking out some sneak peeks of the novel over on Wattpad (and hurry, once the book comes out, many of those chapters will disappear!) or dive into Bo’s backstory, and his time as a kit living in the Hinnom Forest after the terrible events of chapter one.

I’m inexpressibly excited to go on this book launch journey with you all, so check that pre-order box, mark your calendars for May 20th, and get ready to join the fight to save Thorunn!

Happy Reading!
~ETJ⚡

THORUNN
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19 Feb 2020
4 Comments

Thorunn – Cover Reveal!

Hello Friends!

I’m so thrilled to be able to finally present the cover for my next book, Thorunn!

Loss, hope, forgiveness, betrayal – these are the defining themes that run deeply through Thorunn’s core, wrapped up in the closely twined stories of Kenton & Laine.

I was blessed to again be able to work with the same fantastic cover artist as I did for my first novel, my wonderful sibling Don Jones, who is also my long-suffering sounding board. He did an amazing job of capturing the most important elements of Thorunn and representing them on not only the front, but the back cover as well! (Keep an eye out for the post announcing physical arcs; you’ll be treated to a 360° display of Thorunn.)

A little explanation on the image presented below. It features both Kenton – hooded and holding a very important device called a “quirn” – and Laine, with his signature leather jacket, and a Cloud 47 at his hip. The blue represents the deep blue of Thorunn’s sky – alien yet beautiful – as well as the peculiar energy given off by frix, an enigmatic type of electricity that is Thorunn’s most distinguishing trait.

So as to not spoil some key plot points, I’ll let you all decide the significance of what details I haven’t mentioned, and without further ado, I present the gorgeous cover of my debut Young Adult Science Fiction novel, Thorunn:

Thorunn Cover

Nine years ago, Skytown soldiers brutally murdered Kenton’s family. Now those same men aim to return and destroy Kenton’s hard-won, idyllic life amongst the peaceful shifter people of the Hinnom Forest.

Meanwhile, Laine Riven – dragged from Earth to Thorunn against his will – is stuck navigating an unfamiliar school, his jerk of an uncle, and the rising threat posed by the Outpost Terrorist.

When their paths clash amidst tragedy and betrayal, Kenton realises he and his best friend Bo may have rushed headlong into a situation too impossible to fix.

Time is running out as frix season closes in, and their only shot at victory hinges on outrunning the seasoned bounty hunters, savage creatures, and unpredictably violent weather trying to kill them every step of the way. . .

Coming May 2020

Keep an eye on this blog for pre-order and launch party updates!

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22 Jul 2019

Tedenbarr of Have Lath: Hardcover Edition!

Hello Friends!

I alluded to this exciting piece of news about a month ago, but here it is, the official announcement that my medieval adventure novel for young adult and middle grade readers – Tedenbarr of Have Lath – is now available in hardcover!


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The size of the book, how it feels in my hands, the stunning quality of the cover art – even the little creak that issues upon opening the novel – it’s everything I originally envisioned when I first dreamed about publishing.

This new edition features beautiful glossy case laminate with larger print for easier reading, and I was so happy to be able to get copies printed in time for the annual CHAP convention where the very first one found a home in the hands of an avid young reader!

In the evenings they all supped together, and Tedenbarr regaled them with stories from the Agon cycle, tales that [SPOILER] eagerly soaked up, having been deprived of such entertainment during his long imprisonment.

I’m so thrilled to be able to share this milestone with you all, and I hope that everyone who purchases a copy will love the hardcover version just as much as I do.

https://www.amazon.com/Tedenbarr-Have-Lath-Esther-Jones/dp/153730741XThis edition is available for order wherever books are sold and Paperback and Kindle versions of Tedenbarr of Have Lath are also available via Amazon.com.

Happy Reading!

ETJ

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17 Jun 2019
1 Comment

2019 CHAP Convention!

Hello Friends!

books on con tableThis past weekend I went to my second CHAP convention (check out last year’s blog post to see what the 2018 convention was like!) with my wonderful mother – again featuring her memoir, Four Jewels in My Crown, a lovely tribute to biblical focused home education and an encouragement for other homeschooling familes.

Last year was tons of fun, and this year was even better! Naturally I was there with my medieval themed novel Tedenbarr of Have Lath, discussing the uplifting themes presented within, and connecting with other homeschool families at all different stages in their homeschool journeys.

I had so many more goodies to offer this year – crossword & word search puzzles (available for download right here) and two different colouring pages that were perfect for the little kids to attack with crayons while the parents and older siblings chatted.

Jones with reader Jones with Fan

Additionally, this year I debuted the hardcover editions of novel – beautiful glossy case laminate with larger print for easier reading – and sold my very first one to an avid young reader and an overall fan of books. I also got to meet a fan of Tedenbarr of Have Lath who told me told me she loves it so much it’s going on her extra-special bookshelf. Every author’s dream, and I couldn’t be happier!

Moments like these make every single minute of work worth it as I’m always so excited to meet young readers, and it’s my sincerest desire that each person who reads my novel comes away even more enthused about literature.

Of course this being
a homeschool convention,
I would be remiss if I
didn’t include a picture
of my mother again this
year, as her hard work
and dedication helped
mold myself and my
siblings into the people
we are today.		 marann Jones with book chick fil a mascot

(It was also pretty fun meeting the Chick-Fil-A mascot on the first day of the convention. Eat more chicken!
New this year to CHAP were the Interactive Corners.

The one I hosted was called “acting out the story,” featuring short, one act plays based on scenes adapted from my novel wherein we read through the plays, discussed their meaning, and then, scripts in hand, acted them out using assorted props to really bring the story to life!

Doing so was such a fun experience, and one I hope to repeat over and over again, bringing the art of storytelling to young readers through play(s).

Don’t forget to check out my mother’s article on “Gardening with Children” in the CHAP 2019 Spring Magazine, and for those of you who weren’t able to make the convention this year, the kindle edition of Tedenbarr of Have Lath is on a countdown deal until the end of the week!

Many Blessings, & Happy Reading!

ETJ

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