Monday, November 26, 2012

GFP Excerpt Tour: Over the Mountain and Back by Marie Astor



Don't you just love this cover? Please welcome Marie Astor to the blog today, on tour with Goddess Fish Promotions with her book, Over the Mountain and Back. Marie is also offering a chance for you to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card, so be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win.

Welcome Marie!


Dear Reader,

Thank you very much for joining me for Over the Mountain and Back blog tour. The story of Over the Mountain and Back began over twenty years ago when I was fourteen years old and decided to write a novel as an anniversary gift for my parents. It was going to be a fantasy adventure about a boy named Peter and a girl named Lara set in a magical country, Transadonia. I remember writing studiously on the pages of an ornate notebook I had acquired especially for the occasion. Back then computers were not yet widely used, so I had to pay extra care to my handwriting. A year later, Over the Mountain and Back was completed, or at least I had thought so at the time. Needless to say my parents were very surprised with their anniversary gift.

Years passed; I finished high school and went on to college. Lara’s and Peter’s story faded from my mind, replaced by the hustles and bustles of everyday life. Then, one day – the day that happened to be my thirtieth birthday, my parents presented me with a gift: it was oblong in shape and wrapped in shiny paper. After I opened the wrapping, I was stunned to find the long forgotten story I had written all those years ago.

Long story short, after two years of extensive work, I rewrote and expanded Over the Mountain and Back into a novel of 95,000 words. For me it had been an exciting journey to be reunited with my old friends: Lara and Peter, Forest Witch Ramona, Chancellor Libra, Bookbrownies, and, of course, Carnelion, among the many others.

I hope that you will join Lara and Peter on their adventure in Transadonia.

If you would like to find out more about my books, please stop by website: www.marieastor.com.

Regards,
Marie Astor


With his father gone missing and his mother losing her grip on reality, Peter Bailey’s life is nopicnic. Peter’s gray existence changes unexpectedly after he takes his new snowboard for a ride in the mountains of Colorado and is stunned to find himself in Transadonia – a hidden world
that coexists alongside with the Earth.

Lara Grover never listened to her elders, so warnings like “do not talk to strangers” mean nothing to her. When a boy from an unknown world saves her from an avalanche with the aid of a snow dragon, Lara is not stunned in the least. Instead, she joins Peter on his quest to help him realize the purpose behind his arrival to Transadonia.

Together, Lara and Peter embark on an adventure filled with perils, trickery, betrayals, and unexpected alliances.





Excerpt:

When Peter walked into the store, his eyes immediately darted to the glossy display of newly arrived snowboards propped against the wall. In the center of the display stood a beautiful snowboard painted in bright neon colors with a sign underneath: The unbeatable Jamie Fox rode this snowboard when he won last year’s Snow Rider competition. Ask the store owner how you can ride Jamie’s board.
Peter could not turn his gaze away from the magnificent snowboard. How amazing it must be to ride a board like that, he thought, reaching out to touch the brightly colored plastic surface. Suddenly, his reverie was rudely interrupted.
“What have we here? Peter Bailey wants to ride my board?” sounded a mocking voice from behind.
Even without turning around, Peter knew that the sneering voice belonged to none other than Jamie himself - the reigning champion of the Snow Rider competition for the past five years. Jamie’s father owned the ski resort, and it was largely argued that it was not Jamie’s prowess, but his father’s connections that ensured Jamie’s unchallenged success.
“Hi, Jamie.” Peter nodded curtly.
As usual, Jamie was surrounded by a posse of boys who were willing to put up with his bullying in exchange for free lift passes and other perks that his father could provide. Today, though, someone else was with them: Beverly Nooner, the most popular girl in school. Beverly’s blond curls and blue eyes drew wistful glances from all the boys in the school, yet most would not dare so much as speak to her since Beverly was Jamie’s girl, and no one wanted to challenge Jamie. For her part, Beverly enjoyed the attention fully and used it to her advantage. She was in the same class with Peter and had copied his math homework on several occasions, but now she averted her eyes, pretending that she did not know who he was.
“Planning to ride in the competition?” Jamie smirked.
“As a matter of fact, yes,” answered Peter, determined not to let Jamie’s mockery get to him. Deep down he knew that Jamie would never go beyond verbal assaults, and Peter was not going to give him the satisfaction.
“I wouldn’t if I were you,” said Jamie smugly. “The board I’ll be riding is even better than the one you’ve been ogling. You don’t stand a chance.” This statement was accompanied by cheering from Jamie’s gang.
“It’s not just about the board, Jamie. It’s the riding skills that matter,” replied Peter calmly. “And if I were you, I’d spend more time practicing and less talking, or your lucky streak just might run out.”
At the sound of Peter’s words, Jamie’s clique began to hoot, but Jamie silenced them with a snap of his fingers.
“If I were you, I’d keep an eye out tomorrow, or things might just end badly for you,” hissed Jamie, his face contorted in an ugly grimace. “Let’s get out of here,” he called to his gang. Grabbing Beverly’s arm, Jamie shoved past Peter toward the exit, almost knocking him down to the floor.

Books by Marie Astor:

For Young Adults:

Over the Mountain and Back – a fantasy adventure novel

Kindle link:

For Adults:

To Catch a Bad Guy – romantic suspense

This Tangled Thing Called Love – a contemporary romance about overcoming one’s inhibitions, learning to tango, and finding one’s true love match.

Lucky Charm – a humorous contemporary romance about love, luck and friendship.

On the Rim of Love – a contemporary romance about the unexpected power of love.

A Dress in a Window – a collection of short stories about love, coincidences, and fate.





10 comments:

Goddess Fish Promotions said...

Thank you for hosting today.

Rita Wray said...

What a great post. How nice you wrote it for your parents. It sounds great.

Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

MomJane said...

I want to get this book for an avid young reader. It sounds really awesome.

Unknown said...

I love that you have been wanting to tell this story for so long and now finally are. It shows persistance pays off

fencingromein at hotmail dot com

Anonymous said...

Sounds very entertaining!

vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

Marie Astor said...

Thank you for hosting Over the Mountain and Back today!

Thank you All for your wonderful comments! I hope to see you at the next tour stop.

Regards,
Marie

Catherine Lee said...

Marie...This seems so different from your contemporary romances. Which do you prefer writing? Which is easier to write?
catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

nursebowen said...

First time posting here..your a new author to me..but I'm enjoying getting to know you..

Mary Preston said...

How beautiful that your parents kept your story. That's magic right there.

marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Jake said...

Would love to get opportunity to read. Keep up the writing.