Showing posts with label Claymore Publishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Claymore Publishing. Show all posts

Friday, June 21, 2024

SPOTLIGHT - YA/MIDDLE GRADE - SPACE CATS: Making Enemies (Space Cats, #1) by Craig A. Price & Shayne Price


Space Cats: Making Enemies
Space Cats, #1
by Craig A. Price and Shayne Price
Date of Publication: July 16th 2024
Publisher: Claymore Publishing
Cover Artist: Shayne Price with Craig’s typography.
Genre: Sci-Fi, Middle Grade, YA
ISBN: 9781946968111 
ISBN: 9781946968128 
ASIN: B0CSXTWH2H
Number of pages: 162
Word Count: 27,223


Tagline: Cats are out to explore the galaxy… dogs are ready to protect it.


BLURB
In the vast expanse of the galaxy, feline explorers from the Cat Exploration Corporation, led by the ambitious Blake, yearn to make their mark and unveil the secrets of uncharted space. All Blake desires is to honor his father's legacy and contribute to the endless curiosity of catkind. Meanwhile, Shadow, a loyal canine under the banner of the Tofferis Empire, is determined to pass his trials and stand as a stalwart guardian, protecting the very galaxy the cats seek to explore.

At the forefront of the Mineral Mining Corporation, Jade, a charismatic catsplorer, spearheads daring expeditions into uncharted territories. His mission: to unearth valuable minerals crucial for advancing feline exploration. Little do they know that their individual aspirations will intertwine in an unexpected political showdown, where cats and dogs are at the center of a cosmic power struggle.

As Blake, Shadow, and Jade navigate the complexities of interstellar politics, allegiances are tested, and the line between friend and foe blurs against the backdrop of unexplored galaxies. In "Space Cats: Making Enemies," the first installment of the series, these unsuspecting heroes find themselves entangled in a captivating space opera with a feline twist. Will they emerge victorious, or will the clash of paws and claws reshape the destiny of the cosmos? Embark on a thrilling journey that combines cosmic curiosity, canine loyalty, and the indomitable spirit of feline explorers. 

If you're a fan of space adventures where the stakes are as high as the humor is charming, "Space Cats: Making Enemies" awaits your cosmic companionship.

Claymore Publishing      Books2Read 

Book Trailer:  https://youtu.be/j1RNOYhlQtU   


Excerpt:
"I have a bad feeling about this," Ryan muttered.
"Don't be ridiculous," Jade replied, leading the way toward the temple. "We came here for the minerals, and we're going to find them."
As they approached the temple, they could see that it was ancient, with large stone columns and carvings covering the walls. They made their way inside, and the mineral finder began to beep rapidly.
"There it is," Jade said, pointing to a door at the end of the chamber. "That's where the scanner is leading us."
They cautiously approached the door, which was adorned with strange symbols and carvings. Jade hesitated for a moment, but then pushed the door open.
When the door creaked open, they saw a blinding light emanating from inside the chamber. They shielded their eyes and cautiously stepped inside, drawn toward the powerful energy source.
Jade and his team crept through the temple. The air grew colder, and they felt a sense of unease.
The mineral finder beeped louder as they approached the large chamber door. Ryan, the team's technician, examined the door and found that it was heavily secured.
They noticed strange markings etched on the walls. The markings resembled scratches, as if claws or sharp objects made them. Upon closer inspection, Jade realized the markings were actually a form of language, but one that he had never seen before.
Ryan, who had some expertise in ancient languages, inspected the markings. "This isn't any language that I recognize," he said, furrowing his brow in concentration. "It looks like some kind of primitive tool made it, like a claw or a rock."
Jasper, who had been scanning the temple with his handheld device, interrupted. "Guys, I'm getting some strange readings here," he said, pointing to his device. "It looks like there's some kind of energy emanating from the walls themselves."
Jade walked over to Jasper. "That's strange." He looked at the device. "There's definitely something here, but I can't quite make out what it is."
"It seems to radiate from behind this door." Jade touched a door at the end of the hallway with strange markings.
Jasper, the team's muscle, stepped forward and used his strength to force the door open. Inside the chamber, they found a glowing orb emitting a powerful energy. Jade approached the orb and scrutinized it, trying to identify its properties.
As he did so, the orb suddenly flared up with a blinding light, knocking the team off their feet.
When they regained their senses, they found the orb had disappeared and the chamber was now empty.

Jade, Ryan, and Jasper looked at each other, stunned by what had just happened. They realized they had stumbled upon something beyond their understanding and knew that they needed to report their findings to their superiors. Before they could head back to their shuttle, the darkness faded once again, and the center of the room gleamed with a small object. A crystal. It flickered slightly.






Authors Info
Craig A. Price Jr. is a USA Today bestselling author of Claymore of Calthoria Trilogy, Dragon's Call Trilogy, Dragonia Empire Series, Space Gh0st Adventures Series, and several other titles available in alternate realities. He loves to read, write, cast spells, and spend time with his beautiful wife and three children. He dreams to one day become a full-time wizard, but until then, he'll settle for being an author. With more than a dozen novels under his belt now, it's only a matter of time before he settles for world domination, but until then, you can follow his author journey as he takes over one reader's soul at a time.

Craig lives on the Alabama Gulf Coast, among the ravenous mosquitos, humidity, and deadly predators. If you spot him in the wild, he can be dangerous, but will often be tamed by a Mountain Dew and Reese's.






Shayne Price is the son of Craig A. Price, and hopes to one day become a Geologist. He likes to play sports and video games. He was behind all the plot in this book. He is a sophomore in high school and attends classes at the University of Alabama. 




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Monday, September 10, 2018

SPOTLIGHT w/INTERVIEW - EPIC FANTASY - Dragonia: Rise of the Wyverns (Dragonia Empire, #1) by Craig A. Price Jr.

Dragonia: Rise of the Wyverns
Dragonia Empire, #1

by Craig A. Price Jr.

Date of Publication:  August 14th 2018
Publisher: Claymore Publishing
Cover Artist: Mariah Sinclair

Genre: Epic/High Fantasy




Tagline: Who would win, Dragon Riders or Wyvern Riders?


BLURB
The Resistance struggles to find a way to defeat the Dragonia Empire; all hope seems lost against the dragon riders, until they discover an island full of wyverns.

Devarius has lost everything. His parents murdered, his sister kidnapped, and the new village he called home: destroyed. The Dragonia Empire has gotten out of control, destroying anything and everything in its path searching for the Resistance.

Devarius is left with little choice but to find the Resistance, join them, and hope he can help them defeat the Dragonia Empire once and for all to bring peace to the land of Kaeldroga.

Amazon    Audible

Excerpt:

Devarius craned his neck as he studied the inside of the wyvern’s throat. It was hard for him to see clearly, but he was curious about the anatomy of the wyverns. Both suns were in the sky that morning, the orange one barely larger than a moon now, but the inside of the wyvern’s throat was still dark. He wished he could use a torch, but if what he suspected was true, using a torch inside of a possible fire wyvern’s mouth would be suicide.
“Devarius!” Aquila whispered through clenched teeth.
Devarius moved his head out of the wyvern’s outstretched jaw and smiled at Aquila as she ran toward him. “Good morning.”
“What in the name of the Creator are you doing?”
“Researching.”
“Are you mad?”
“Possibly?” he said.
Devarius shrugged and stuck his head back into the wyvern’s mouth.
“Devarius! Get your head out of that creature’s mouth.”
He turned his head around. “I assure you, Aquila, I’m safe.”
“How do you know that?”
“Ayla told me.”
She glanced to the small wyvern, who nodded enthusiastically. Aquila clenched her eyes shut, her hands shaking as she watched Devarius turn back to inspect the inside of the wyvern’s throat.
“What are you looking for?”
“It’s interesting. This creature has a uvula like we do, but there’s a small hole at the bottom of it. At the tip of the hole, I see a dab of fluid … like it’s about to fall down onto its tongue.”
“Why is that important?” Aquila asked through clenched teeth.
Devarius turned around and grabbed a small wooden bowl. “Ayla, can you ask the wyvern if it’ll let me touch and … possibly squeeze its uvula gently?”
“You want to what?” Aquila demanded.
“Ayla?”
Ayla cocked her head to the side, then looked from the wyvern to Devarius. Her mouth opened and a vibration came out, but no sound. After a moment, Ayla glanced back to Devarius, paused, then nodded.
“Excellent,” Devarius said.
“Devarius, so help me, if you stick your head back in that wyvern’s mouth and squeeze its uvula, I’ll … I’ll ...”
“Don’t stress so much,” he said. “I’ll be fine.”
He winked at her before reaching his hand inside the wyvern’s mouth and squeezing its uvula gently. A thick translucent orange liquid dripped. Devarius wrinkled his nose as he watched small droplets of the liquid fall into the wooden bowl. He squeezed a little harder. The wyvern grunted, and its jaw shivered. Devarius watched as the drips turned into a small stream. He let go of the uvula and carefully exited the mouth of the wyvern.
Aquila stared at him wide-eyed. She exhaled a long breath like she’d been holding it since he began.
Devarius grinned at her as he showed her the small bowl of translucent orange liquid.
“You can close your mouth now,” Devarius said.
Ayla translated for him, and the wyvern shut its mouth. It looked down at Devarius and sniffed the bowl in his hand. Ayla bounced over and sniffed the liquid as well. Her head fell to the side, as if questioning what it was.
“I don’t know, but I hope to find out,” Devarius whispered to Ayla.
He sat on the ground and grabbed a few glass vials from his sash to study the liquid inside them. Aquila sat next to him.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I’m not sure.” He used a small metal scalpel to scrape a line of the liquid onto the ground.
“What are you doing?” Aquila asked.
Devarius didn’t turn away from the ground as he withdrew his flint and steel from his bag. With one swipe, sparks flew onto the ground. When the sparks hit the liquid, it burst into flame immediately. Unlike a natural fire, these flames rose over ten feet high. Devarius leapt back, diving over Aquila and pinning her to the ground. He placed his body over her, shielding her from the fire.
While holding her down, he turned around to stare at the flames. After a few seconds, they died down, but were still at least three feet tall. He got to his feet and helped Aquila up.
A perfect line where he’d poured the liquid burned furiously. The two of them stared in awe. Even the wyvern watched the flames curiously, its head to the side. Ayla nuzzled against him.
“What just happened?” Aquila asked.
“I think I discovered how a red wyvern breathes fire.”
“The liquid?”
“Oil. I felt it with my fingers. It’s oily. Whatever it is, it’s extremely flammable.”
“How does it catch the oil on fire? Can it create a spark?”
“I don’t think so,” Devarius said. “Remember how hot its breath is?”
“Yes.”
“If it’s hot enough, it’ll instantly ignite the oil.”
“That’s incredible.”
“I wonder if the other wyverns have similar oil. I wonder if it’s different.”
Aquila touched Devarius’s shoulder. “Don’t you put your head in any more wyverns, Devarius. I mean it.”
He smiled at her. “I won’t … today.”
“That’s not funny.”
Devarius forehead creased.
“Are you trying to raise your eyebrows?” she asked.
The crinkles on his forehead changed. “Yeah … why?”
She smiled at him. “Because you no longer have eyebrows.”
His eyes widened as he reached up and touched the soft, hairless skin above his eyes.

Author Info
Craig A. Price Jr. is a USA Today Bestselling Author. His novel, The Crimson Claymore, an Epic Fantasy Adventure novel that has garnered millions of reads, was featured in fantasy, had more than 17,000 votes, and more than 1,000 comments/reviews on the social networking platform for readers and writers, Wattpad.


The Book Junkie Reads . . . Interview with Craig A. Price Jr. . . .


How would you describe you style of writing to someone that has never read your work?


Terry Goodkind’s humor (Zeddicus) meets R. A. Salvatore’s action.


What mindset or routine do you feel the need to set when preparing to write (in general whether you are working on a project or just free writing)?


Beautiful scenery, or images, and soothing music. I like to listen to instrumental or jazz, otherwise, I’ll start singing along and not write.


Do you take your character prep to heart? Do you nurture the growth of each character all the way through to the page? Do you people watch to help with development? Or do you build upon your character during story creation?


I put some character development ideas out, including positive and negative traits, but for the most part, I have them develop during the story’s progression. Then I add extra notes about how they progressed.


Have you found yourself bonding with any particular character? If so which one(s)?


My main characters of my books are always a bit like me. They are good-hearted people, who want to help others, but have many flaws of their own they have to overcome. I connect with them a lot. (Devarius from Dragonia). But I also connect with the comical side characters I create, which remind me a lot of my best friend, which brings me both joy and sadness since he lives far from me now. Pyro is the comedic character in Dragonia, and he reminds me a lot of my best friend.


Do you have a character that you have been working on that you can't wait to put to paper?


There are a few characters from a new co-authored book I’m working on that I’ve been eager to continue writing about. These two characters are brother and sister, and have a strong sibling bond. I really look forward to writing it, because I never was able to have that bond as a child. I have a half-sister, but I never got to see her much, and so I’m living the ‘what-if’ as I write this story, with my desire to have a stronger relationship with my sister.


Have you ever felt that there was something inside of you that you couldn't control? If so what? If no what spurs you to reach for the unexperienced?


I can’t control my desire to help others. At times, it stretches me thin. I’m always there for my readers, to help authors in my community, as well as all other authors who reach out to me. And so many others. I’m always willing to help, which stretches me pretty thin a lot of the time.