Banshee at the Gate

Welcome to The Gates of Atlantis Book Tour!

I had the honor of getting to ask Wendy Knight about her Upcoming Book, Banshee at the Gate.

What was your favorite part of doing a group project?
I loved watching us bring this huge idea to life. To see my characters visiting someone else’s book. It was so fun!

What was your least favorite part of doing a group project?
As writers, we’re very creative people. Sometimes we would panic a little because we thought our stories were being challenged. But we always worked it out, and we grew as a group when we learned to compromise.

Banshees are traditionally omens of death, why did you pick her for a hero?
I had to do a report on one in jr. high or high school. The real legend states that they are kind, ushering souls into death. But most people see banshee and think scary, shrieking demon. I wanted to bring the original myth to life.

Which of your characters do you relate the most with?
I think I put myself in most of my characters. They all feel that they aren’t strong enough to face whatever they’re facing–as do I. But they give me hope when they overcome their obstacles. Hope that I can be as strong as my imagination thinks I am 🙂

If you were going to leave home for an adventure, what would you pack in your bag?
Bug spray. Sun block. Cell phone. Boots with a six inch heel.

What would be your reaction to seeing death following people?
I’d probably run screaming. I’m not exactly the super brave type.

If you lived in Atlantis, what role would you want?
I definitely wouldn’t want to be in charge. A whole bunch of magical creatures who could cast who-knows-how-many uncomfortable spells? Not people I’d like to rule. Maybe someone who sits back and smiles while I watch everyone else try to get along?

If you could have a mythological creature for a houseguest, which would you choose?
A unicorn!! But she would have to be a yard-guest, since my house isn’t super big and it might be cramped having a huge, mythological creature in my living room. I’d hate to see her get her horn stuck in the ceiling.

If you could step through a gate and go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Ireland. I’m obsessed with the history, the ruins, the castles, the land. It’s so pretty!

And since we all know dragons make everything better, my final question is if you could be any kind of dragon, what would you be?
I’d be the cute little dragons that princesses used to carry in their purse. I think purple. I’d be purple and sparkly.

 

Banshee at the Gate
by Wendy Knight

Thirteen-year-old half-breed banshee, Seven, likes her life. She leads souls safely to Death and she has the planet’s most awesome dad and little brother. But a cryptic message from Atlantis asking for her help changes all that. And then there’s Death, who has decided it’s time to take her brother’s soul. Now she’s racing across the world, trying to stay one step ahead of Death.

Unfortunately, getting to Atlantis from Ireland isn’t easy, and there are evil minions determined to keep her away every time she turns around. But fighting for their lives teaches Seven one very important lesson—she isn’t human, and she isn’t a banshee. She has to be both if she wants to save her brother and make it back home alive.

 

Wendy Knight is the bestselling author of the young adult series Fate on Fire and Riders of Paradesos. She was born and raised in Utah by a wonderful family who spoiled her rotten because she was the baby. Now she spends her time driving her husband crazy with her many eccentricities (no water after five, terror when faced with a live phone call, no touching the knives…you get the idea). She also enjoys chasing her three adorable kids, playing tennis, watching football, reading, and hiking. Camping is also big—her family is slowly working toward a goal of seeing all the National Parks in the U.S.

You can usually find her with at least one Pepsi nearby, wearing ridiculously high heels for whatever the occasion. And if everything works out just right, she will also be writing.

You can find all of Wendy’s books here:
www.amazon.com

You can find more about Wendy here:
Blog:http://www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWendyKnight
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wjk8099
Instagram: http://instagram.com/wendyjo99
Wattpad: http://wattpad.com/WendyKnight
 
 

Here are the rest of the fabulous books.

Guardians of the Gate
by Laura D. Bastian

Thirteen-year-old merman Exander wants to leave Atlantis to mingle with the humans and explore the world above. Talia, his best friend, wishes she was a guardian of a gate leading to the surface. She’d keep those nasty humans out of her beloved city of Atlantis. When Talia accidentally short circuits a gate, Exander is trapped on the wrong side, getting a crash course in navigating the human world. As Talia fights to help Exander come home, she learns someone is closing the other gates, and it’s destroying the magic of Atlantis. If they can’t convince the magical creatures of the world to save the gates, the destruction of Atlantis will only be the beginning.

 

Secrets of the Mine
by Juli Caldwell

Adam Alfaro daydreams about magic, myths, and becoming famous for discovering the lost city of Atlantis. The only problem? He has to spend spring break in Africa while his mom works. To make it worse, everyone expects him to be friends with the annoying Clancy Pitt while he’s there. It’s dislike at first sight…until he realizes she might know a few secrets about Atlantis.

Then he meets Nef, a spirited sea kelpie who needs help rescuing naiads kidnapped and left to die in an ancient mine. Suddenly the strange creatures Adam dreamed of become all too real. And they’re after him. Can Adam, Clancy, and Nef fight their way through the maze of tunnels in the mine and reach the naiads before it’s too late?

 

Magicians of the Deep
by Jaclyn Weist

Thirteen-year-old Colin knew nothing of the magic world until he is bitten by a mischievous pixie. He meets thirteen-year-old Alleya on a secret website devoted to magical creatures. Before he knows it, Colin finds himself thrust into a whole new world.

Alleya has been hidden away from the rest of Atlantis because she’s half-mermaid, half-Atlantian. Her father tries to ease her boredom by getting her a computer and finally allowing her to go to school. She accidentally lets slip a dark secret —the gates to Atlantis are being shut and it’s destroying magic. Alleya is exiled to Indiatlantis.

There, she learns mermaids are getting sick because of the lack of magic, and the tunnels are beginning to collapse. Together, Colin and Alleya must find a way to bring back the old magic and fight to save Atlantis.

 

Madness Behind the
Throne by JR Simmons

Callidora is an Atlantian noblewoman and member of an elite guard whose purpose is to keep Atlantis pure…until her life is turned upside down by the birth of a son.

Phoibos, bullied and taunted by other kids, is sure of one thing: something is wrong with Atlantis. Impure, Atlantian-Human hybrids are ruining his city, and he’ll stop at nothing to rectify that. Callidora is the only one who knows the truth of who her only son really is, and how dangerous he can be. Can anyone stop Phoibos before his need for purification brings Atlantis to the very brink of destruction?

 

Battle for Acropolis
by Mikey Brooks

Thirteen-year-old Talon is in trouble…again. He didn’t mean to burn down the school library. It just happened. Things like that always happen to Talon. His life is a mixture of the weird and bizarre. No one else he knows can shoot fire from their hands or cause anearthquake…but he can.

Every night the same dream haunts Talon: the destruction of an underwater city. He doesn’t have a clue what it means but he feels like fate is trying to warn him. It’s not until he runs away with his foster sister Hattie that he discovers his trouble-making powers and strange nightmare are connected. Together they are the key to saving magic…to saving Atlantis.

 
 

Now let’s meet the rest of the authors!

Laura Bastian grew up in a small town in central Utah and now lives in another small town in northern Utah. She always loved stargazing and imagining life outside her own little world. Though they grew up only thirty miles apart, she didn’t meet her husband until they went to college. A graduate of Utah State University with a degree in Elementary and Special Education, Laura has been using that training as she raises her children and writes make believe worlds. You can usually find her on her laptop either typing away, or on social media interacting with friends.

Buy her books here:
www.amazon.com
www.barnesandnoble.com
www.smashwords.com

Visit Laura’s website at:
Website: www.lauradbastian.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLauraDBastian

 

Juli Caldwell

This is where I tell you about how amazing and interesting my life is. Sorry to disappoint you with my non-glamorous life, but I’m a normal person who loves to read and loves to write. I’ve written romance, YA paranormal, and mid-grade fantasy–who knows what I’ll try next? I just listen to the voices in my head and let their stories out. I’m married to my favorite person, and together we’re raising two hilarious daughters and a dog who dances gangnam style for treats. La vie est belle!

You can find Juli’s books here:
www.amazon.com

Find out more about Juli here:
Twitter: twitter.com/ImJuliCaldwell
Blog: julicaldwell.blogspot.com

 

Jaclyn Weist is an Idaho farm girl who grew up loving to read. She developed a love for writing as a senior in high school, when her dad jokingly said she was the next Dr. Seuss (not even close, but very sweet). She met her husband, Steve at BYU and they have six happy, crazy children that encourage her writing. After owning a bookstore and running away to have adventures in Australia, they settled back down in their home in Utah. Jaclyn now spends her days herding her kids to various activities and trying to remember what she was supposed to do next.

You can purchase Jaclyn’s books here:
www.amazon.com

Find Jaclyn here:
Blog: http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jaclynweistauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jaclynweist

 

JR Simmons lives in Northern Utah with his wife and 4 boys. He loves spending time with his family and coaching his kids in all of their different sports. He is an avid gamer and is very excited that his boys are picking up on his hobby. JR was recently introduced to triathlons and has since found that he loves the sport. Most nights he can be found either sitting down with a good game or hunched over his iPad writing.

You can purchase his book here:
www.amazon.com

Find J.R. here:
Twitter: twitter.com/jrsimmons_3
Blog: jrsimmons3.wordpress.com

 

Mikey Brooks is a small child masquerading as an adult. On occasion you’ll catch him dancing the funky chicken, singing like a banshee, and pretending to have never grown up. He is the author/illustrator of several picture books including the best-selling ABC Adventures: Magical Creatures and Bean’s Dragons. He is also the author of the best-selling middle-grade fantasy The Stone of Valhalla as well as the exciting series The Dream Keeper Chronicles. His art can be seen in many forms from picture books to full room murals. He loves to daydream with his three daughters and explore the worlds that only the imagination of children can create. Mikey has a BS degree in English from Utah State University and works fulltime as a freelance illustrator, cover designer, and author. As a member of the Emblazoners, he is one of many authors devoted to ‘writing stories on the hearts of children’. He is also one of the hosts of the Authors’ Think Tank Podcast. You can find more about him and his books at:http://www.insidemikeysworld.com/.

Find Mikey’s books here:
 www.insidemikeysworld.com/
www.amazon.com/Mikey-Brooks

Find Mikey here:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/writtenbymikey
Twitter: twitter.com/MIKEYBR00KS
Blog: writtenbymikey.blogspot.com/
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/writtenbymikey/

 
 

Now see what the others on the tour are saying about these books with more interviews and reviews:

July 28, 2014
Jenna Eatough: mistglenmoon.net. Interview on Banshee at the Gate.
Angela Schroeder: angelaschroederauthor.blogspot.com. Review of Banshee at the Gate.
Amazing Author Adventures: amazingauthoradventures.blogspot.com.
Semi Short chic: semishort.blogspot.com. Review of Banshee at the Gate.

July 29, 2014
Cindy Bennett: cindybennett.blogspot.com. Interview and review of Secrets of the Mine.
Brooke Stephenson: familyisfriendship.blogspot.com. Review of Battle for Acropolis.

July 30, 2014
Lindzee Armstrong: lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com. Review of the series.
Lisa T. Cresswell: www.lisatcresswell.blogspot.com. Interview on Magicians of the Deep.

July 31, 2014
Rockin’ Book Reviews: http://rockinbookreviews.com. Review of Battle for Acropolis.
Cindy Bennett: cindybennett.blogspot.com. Review of Battle for Acropolis.
Amanda K. Thompson: www.amandakthompson.blogspot.com. Review of Battle for Acropolis.

August 2, 2014
Tifani Clark: www.tifaniclark.blogspot.com. Review and interview Review on Battle for Acropolis.
Jenna Eatough: mistglenmoon.net. Interview on Magicians of the Deep.
Bibliophile Reviews: Biblioreviews.tumblr.com. Review of the series.

August 3, 2014
J.J. Bennett www.jjbennett.com. Interview Review on Battle for Acropolis.
Amazing Author Adventures: amazingauthoradventures.blogspot.com.
Cas Peace: peacewrites.blogspot.co.uk. Interview Review on Battle for Acropolis.
Triple A: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Triple-A/471916489621936.

And don’t forget to come Join the launch party Here.