Shadowcast by Crystal M. Grant // Guest Post // Just Read

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Shadowcast by Crystal D. Grant, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Shadowcast
Series: The Gateway Trilogy
Author: Crystal D. Grant
Publisher: Quill and Flame Publishing
Release Date: September 20, 2023
Genre: Fantasy Romance (Clean)

He has known nothing but darkness for years. Now it’s time to let it consume him. 

After witnessing the brutal death of his brother at the hands of the Steward Knights, Mason Grey turns to vengeance. Using his Gifts to read and control the minds of others, he climbs the ranks of the Dark Army, determined to earn the coveted Shadowstone-a powerful tool against the light-wielding Stewards. But when he is wounded in battle, he finds himself recovering in the home of a chatty peasant girl...without the use of his Gifts. Even worse, the girl mistakes him for one of the Stewards he despises. 

Seria Gayle longs to be seen as more than the town washerwoman. When she finds an injured Steward in the woods, she welcomes the chance to use her healing skills and hopes it will earn her some respect. But as she nurses the sullen stranger back to health, she discovers he is nothing like the knights she has long admired. 

When Mason's true identity is revealed, Seria is devastated and humiliated. But she is offered a chance at redemption by the very prince that Mason hates. Now Mason struggles between two choices: accept the Shadowstone to avenge his brother or pursue this newfound light in the form of a peasant girl. With time running out and war looming, will Mason and Seria defy their own convictions for a chance at love or stand against one another like they've sworn to do?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Guest Post by Crystal D. Grant: What is your favorite thing about writing fantasy? 

When I read or watch an epic fantasy story, it always moves me emotionally. I get invested in the characters—their struggles, hopes and dreams, failures and successes, etc. I love the relationships that come out of the journeys that they go through together. (Sam and Frodo, anyone??) And in those big climactic moments, when all seems lost against the forces of evil, the hero stands up and fights anyway. And usually, victory comes to the side of the good, even though it may come at a cost. Those kinds of stories strike a cord deep inside me. I find myself thinking about them long after I’ve finished. And I think the reason for that is it turns my thoughts to spiritual warfare. We face our own dragons and monsters, and we have our own everyday heroes who fight them alongside us. Most importantly, we have a Source of power and goodness, One who was willing to sacrifice His own life in order to save us. 

Fantasy always turns my mind to spiritual things, makes me stop and think a little deeper about the battles we face in life. While the external situations in those stories may be vastly different than what we face in the real world, I find that the internal battles are much the same. We seek for courage to face our trials or redemption for our past mistakes. We struggle to rise about our current situations and find something that fills us with purpose. We fight to resist the forces of darkness that try to blind us to truth and light. 

When I write fantasy, I always find myself thinking of the deeper issues the characters are facing, and I love to explore those spiritual themes. Fantasy stories tend to be bigger in scale, higher in stakes, and deeper in meaning. And those are the kinds of stories that inspire and encourage readers. They give hope to those who are in the middle of their own journeys, adventures, and battles. 

And that is why I love writing them.

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About the Author

Crystal D. Grant is a daydreamer who adores freshly-baked cookies and anything with fur or feathers. During the day, she strives to instill a love of books and learning within her young students. As a hearing-impaired, home-school graduate, she found her voice in writing and has had multiple short stories and poems published. When she’s not reading or writing stories that sweep her away to another time and place, she watches classic movies and TV shows that do the same. Or she works on jigsaw puzzles. Crystal currently resides in smalltown Missouri, where she is always looking for space for another scented candle.

Connect with Crystal by visiting crystalgrantauthor.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a signed copy of Shadowcast, book swag, and exclusive color art from the book!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 18, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 25, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

The Inspiration Behind Beloved Daughter by Alana Terry (Guest Post) & Giveaway

The Story Behind The Beloved Daughter


I couldn’t tell you exactly why, but I’ve been intrigued by stories of religious persecution since I was a teenager. I won’t argue with you if you come back and tell me that it’s morbid, but I’m encouraged by accounts of people who remain faithful in the face of intense opposition.

I think for a while in my teen and young adult years, I had some kind of martyr complex. I imagined moving to another country and helping victims of religious violence find hope and courage. I pictured myself risking health, comfort, imprisonment, maybe even my own life, to
help bring comfort and hope to others.

Then I became a mother. As soon as I felt that little child swimming around in my womb, I began to have second thoughts about my grand life “goals.” Maternal instinct battled compassionate zeal. Sure I wanted to help save the world. But only if I could keep my child safe!

For a while I felt guilty about my shift in mindset. And a little scared too. For years, I had
assumed that I could withstand just about whatever opposition came my way. I’d be like those
heroes in the persecution stories I liked to read. Nothing would make me waver in my faith.
Unless my child was threatened…

What would I do if someone held my child hostage? Wouldn’t I do whatever I could to
protect them, no matter what “sacrifices” of faith that entailed? I read stories of parents who had
to choose between their religion and their children’s safety. I had nightmares. What could a
mother do faced with that kind of a dilemma?

The nightmares kept coming, until one day I decided my subconscious was telling me
something. I needed to explore these issues more. I needed to figure out what happens in a
parent’s soul when their child is put in danger by their own religious beliefs. I was familiar with
instances of religious persecution in North Korea already, probably because the stories there are
especially brutal, and so I decided to write a novel set in North Korea that explores the
relationship between parental protection and religious fidelity and describes what happens when
those two forces can no longer co-exist.

The Beloved Daughter has won awards from the Women of Faith writing contest and the
Book Club Network. It also reached #5 in Christian suspense in the kindle store. You can enjoy
The Beloved Daughter in a variety of formats, including paperback, ebook, or audiobook
(narrated by four-Audie-award-winning narrator Kathy Garver).
Also, please check out Alana’s Facebook page for a month-long launch party, filled with
games and prizes. You can also enter the $100 giveaway below in addition to the Facebook
games.
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jody Hedlund Shares a Secret + Giveaway!

Secret #8: My worst injury.
By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund
I'm really fortunate that I've been blessed with good health most of my life. I haven't been in any major accidents. And in fact, I've never broken a bone.
Of course, I've had the usual scrapes and bruises. I got my first stitches when I was playing high school softball, and the ball decided to hit my sunglasses into my eyebrow, splitting it open nicely.
Then I gave birth to five children, including one C-section as well as stitches in places I won't mention.
I've had my share of painful moments.
But I'd have to say my worst injury came during a family vacation in the U.P. (Upper Peninsula) of Michigan. We were staying in a large cabin overlooking Lake Huron. It was fall, the changing leaves were gorgeous, and the weather perfect.
Now, if you've ever visited the shores along the southern stretch of the U.P., you'll quickly realize that the terrain is mostly rocky with Big. Jagged. Rocks.
And you'll also realize that storms sometimes seem to spring up off the lake out of nowhere. Especially when you're hiking on Big. Jagged. Rocks. With very young children.
My husband and I decided we'd have a better chance at out-running the storm, if we each gave one of our twins a piggy-back ride. I can see where your mind is going at this point, that you're thinking we may not have made the best decision to give piggy-back rides while out-running a storm on Big. Jagged. Rocks.
Well, if you were thinking that was a stupid decision, you were right.
I tripped. And in order to keep my daughter safely on my back, I didn't use any hands to brace myself during the fall.
Yes, I fell straight onto a Big. Jagged. Rock. And I slashed open my knee. Very deeply.
So now, I was out-running the storm on Big. Jagged. Rocks. While holding my knee together. With young children who were crying and scared.
Fun vacation, huh?
I ended up getting 12 stitches and having to keep my leg up for most of the rest of our time in the U.P. But thankfully, I was the one who got hurt and not one of my kids. There's always a silver lining to every story, isn't there?
Now that I've grossed you out, it's your turn! What's the worst injury you've ever had?


Publisher's Weekly calls Unending Devotion "A meaty tale of life amid the debauchery of the lumber camps of 1880s Michigan . . . exciting and unpredictable to the very end."
To celebrate the release of Unending Devotion, Jody is giving away a signed copy. Leave a comment (along with your email address) to enter the drawing. Valid only with US or Canadian addresses. Giveaway ends: 9/22/12
For more secrets about Jody and additional chances to win her newest release, visit her Events Page to see where she'll be next in her "Fun Secrets About Author Jody Hedlund" blog tour.
Also join in the Pinterest Photo Contest she's hosting. Find more information about it on her Contest Page.
Jody would love to connect with you! Find her in one of these places:
Website: http://jodyhedlund.com/
Blog: http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/
Facebook: Author Jody Hedlund
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JodyHedlund
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jodyhedlund/

           *GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*