Living a “normal” life doesn’t always mean that things will always be good. Bad things happen to even the best of people, and this is a life lesson Willie must now learn when tragedy strikes her close-knit group of friends.
As she continues to grow and change, Willie knows that she is far from the girl who arrived in Oklahoma little over a year ago. She’s growing, changing, and working on putting the pieces together in her life – just as her friends struggle to do the same.
“You never know, Willie. Death doesn’t discriminate by age or gender or social status. It’s one of the few things that doesn’t care. When it comes for you, it comes. It could be today, tomorrow, or a hundred years from now, but when your time is up, it’s up. There’s nothing you can do to change that.” -Dakota
Willie is dedicated towards making great strides within herself…
Willie has finally found her father, and he’s welcomed her with open arms. Now she must forge a relationship with the man she never even knew was alive. It isn’t just him, however, Willie must also find out how she fits in with her step-mother and half-siblings. Left in Alabama with no close-in-age peers, Willie makes great strides in finding out who she is as an individual without a group of close friends to rely on.
Alabama offers many firsts for Willie. The most notable in her own mind is her first relationship. There are other firsts in store, however, and a whole new cast of characters to get to know. How will Willie handle this newest experience? Will she handle it in the mature the way she has always handled change? Or will this be the point in which Willie loses herself?
“Genetics are a tricky business at times, and you just never know what you’re going to get when you throw two ancestry’s together.” -Willie’s Mamaw
Rated 4.5 out of 5 Stars on Amazon with 9 Reviews!
Willie has decided to dedicate herself towards her own “Personal growth”…
Willie, despite a rough start, has become immersed in the culture she should have been born into. As she grows in her own knowledge of her ancestral roots, she also grows in who she is as a person. All things are now within her reach, and all she must do is put forth a little effort. With all of this in mind, Willie has decided to dedicate herself towards her own ‘Personal Growth.’
“Our heritage might be bloody, but that’s no reason not to be proud!” -Spike
Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon with 20 Reviews!
Willie learns she isn’t the only one who suffers from less than humble beginnings…
Willie and Babette have long long been shielded from their own culture and heritage by their mother. When circumstances change, the girls are thrown into what they were once shielded from – only to find it is nothing like they once believed.
While Babette adjusts easily, Willie finds herself much more hesitant. While she struggles to find her true self, Willie is forced to learn she is not the only one suffering from “Less Than Humble Beginnings.”
“Try to remember everyone here has their demons, but we put those demons to good use. Make ourselves better, stronger, wiser.” – Jack
Rated 4.6 out of 5 Stars with 48 Reviews on Amazon!
In his debut endearing coming-of-age book, B.A. Bellec writes about a
group of weirdos that find and save each other from the dark depths of
their minds. Someone’s Story is literally Someone’s story, as in a
first-person narrative of a teenager that calls himself Someone. As he
struggles to find a new footing in a new space, we encounter the many ups
and downs of modern teenage life, the difficulties that adjusting to
adult feelings bring, and a few tear-jerking surprises along the way.
Littered with music, mental health, friendship, loss, meditation,
advice, pop culture, and even inspiring an EP, there is so much
nostalgia, inspiration, and depth here it is hard to absorb it all. Cozy
up somewhere warm and enjoy!
“B. A. Bellec has crafted a masterpiece of emotive and well-rounded young adult fiction.”
-K.C. Finn – Author
“The variety of personages, situations, and mental illnesses represented allows all readers to relate to this book and take something away from reading! This novel is on our list of all-time favourites!”
-International Girls and Books
“Someone’s Story is a beautiful novel, written in great prose, very descriptive, and filled with insights about life. The author does an incredible job with themes of family, friendship, bullying, and personal development. It felt like I was reading a portion of my emotions and myself in Someone’s Story.”
-Gobi Jane – Professional Critic @ Readers’ Favourite
It’s cold. That means different things to different people. To be specific, I haven’t seen the grass in four months. When the wind gusts, my skin burns.
That part isn’t so bad. The part that’s horrible is the wind is kicking up frozen snow and it feels like a person is throwing a handful of razor blades at me. If I don’t dress properly, I would be lucky to survive fifteen minutes. Like actually die. It’s cold.
The sidewalks disappeared long ago, so I have to brave the road for the short walk to school. It’s dangerous on these small-town roads. Sometimes, the snow is blowing so hard I can’t see more than a few feet. Scary.
When I get to the front door, no one is there. The building is small, so I can see all the way around to the lot behind it. There are a few cars. On a good day, we get twenty. I try my luck around back. The door is unlocked. Once I get in, it looks like a ghost town. I check all the rooms. Not a soul. This place is eerie and unsettling. Maybe it’s the prison bars on the windows and the ketchup-themed school colours.
Eventually, in the lunchroom, I find a few of the teachers. As I walk in, I take notice of the room right next to the lounge. It is the tiniest office ever. It’s more like a broom closet. Dr. Drum is written on the door. Funny name.
Teacher: Class is cancelled. Go home.
The teacher looks again and realizes it is me.
Teacher: How are you feeling? Is anyone bothering you?
They’re always asking questions like that. I don’t answer. Just sigh because I don’t want to brave these conditions again, but I have no other choice. I slowly make my way along the country road back home, occasionally having to put my back to the wind or tuck my head deep into my chest in order to avoid the searing pain.
To my surprise, Dad’s truck is back. Once I get inside, it takes a good five minutes until the feeling in my hands comes back and my clothing has thawed enough that I can take the first few layers off. Dad is sitting at the table.
Dad: Hey kiddo, we need to talk.
Instead of responding, I just make my way to the table and seat myself.
Dad: They’re transferring me.
My eyebrows raise but I am too young and naive to really understand what that means.
Dad: They offered me a good raise in a new position. But we have to move. I didn’t want to take it. I looked around. My field is declining. There is nothing local. I am lucky they offered me what they did.
My mind races.
Someone: I want to stay.
Dad: No, we just can’t.
Someone: What about my mom?
Dad: You know I don’t know where she is.
Someone: I’ll find her.
Dad: That’s not a good idea.
I can hear the clock slowing, but at the same time my heart speeds up. Slower and faster, slower and faster. What is happening? I can’t breathe. I need a drink. I can’t move. Why can’t I move? WHAT’S GOING ON?! The room spins and I fade to black.
Author of Someone’s Story and co-collaborator on the music
it inspired, B.A. was born in Richmond, BC and raised in Langley, BC,
before settling in Winnipeg, MB. His first adventure was a career in
Finance, where he spent 15 years developing his business skills. His
highest achievement was the Certified Payroll Manager designation. He
currently still consults with businesses on their systems and processes.
Over that period of time, he also attended film school where he started
to nurture his early creative abilities.
A self-starter always interested in research, he taught himself many
of the aspects of storytelling through reading books, screenplays and
material online. Whenever he found an inspirational piece of art, he
quickly went to the source to find the story behind the artist who
created the work. It took many years after attending film school for him
to finally combine his creative skills with his life experience and
tell that story he had been holding back. Some of his favorite creative
people: Lukas Rossi, Justin Furstenfeld, Peter Jackson, Stephen Chbosky,
John Green, J.K. Rowling.
Currently he is pounding away on the keyboard writing his second
novel, Pulse. This project is a change of pace and more details will
come in a few months!
B.A. is also an avid jogger and walker, frequently using them as a
way to work on those tough spots in life and his manuscripts. If you
found it this far into his material, reach out to him on Twitter and
make sure to like and subscribe to get updates on all his
future endeavors.
Join Us for this Book Series Tour from Jul 7 to Aug 10, 2020!
“A Wrinkle in Time meets The Princess Bride.” – Review by Lee Lee Thompson, The Perpetual You Magazine“Chute’s novel weaves STAR WARS-like characters with a WONDER-like message to form an enrapturing read for booklovers of all ages.” – US Review of Books
“Fast and bizarre… Never a dull moment.“ – Foreward Reviews
SERIES DETAILS:
Series Title: The 8th Island Trilogy by Alexis Marie Chute
Category: Young AdultFiction (13 to 17 yrs) (368 to 448 pages)
Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher: SparkPress.
Release dates: Jun 2018; Oct 2019; Apr 2020
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.
Series Description:
The 8th Island Trilogy includes Above the Star, Below the Moon, and Inside the Sun.
Over the three books, we follow the adventures of a quirky family, the
Wellsleys. The main characters are frumpy senior citizen Archie, his
daughter-in-law, Tessa, and his ill fourteen-year-old granddaughter
Ella.
Archie, searching for his missing son, accidentally transports his
family—and a cruise ship full of people—to a magical planet. There, they
uncover the truth: all worlds are dying. Yet hope is not lost. A way to
restore all that will soon be destroyed is revealed, along with the
realization that Ella will play a role no one could have
imagined—especially not her.
On the mysterious island of Jarr-Wya, many races of
creatures battle for dominion and magic lurks around every corner. When
the world falls dark, that is when bravery must shine the brightest, and
the Wellsleys will reveal the strength they never knew they
possessed—as well as the power of love to save the day.
Books in the 8th Island Trilogy:
Book Details:
Book Title: Above the Star by Alexis Marie Chute
Category: Young AdultFiction (13 to 17 yrs), 368 pages
Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher: SparkPress.
Release dates: Jun 2018
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.
Book Description:
When frumpy senior citizen Archie goes in search of his missing son in
the Spanish Canary Islands, he stumbles upon a higher mission: locating a
magical cure for his ailing fourteen-year-old granddaughter, Ella.
Using a portal-jumping device called the Tillastrion, Archie and a
stone-headed creature named Zeno are transported to Jarr-Wya, a
magnificent yet terrifying island in a connected realm―along with Ella
and her strong-willed mother, Tessa, who accidentally stow away on this
not-so-secret quest.
What they find on Jarr-Wya is an island tortured by a wicked Star
anchored in the sea, and a raging three-way battle for dominion between
the stone-wielding Bangols, the fiery Olearons, and the evil Millia
sands. Ella’s wit and resourcefulness emerge in this new world, while
Tessa is forced to confront her long-buried secrets and a confusing new
love triangle. When Ella is captured, Tessa and Archie―with the help of a
company of peculiar allies―set out to save her and unravel the terrible
mystery of her cure. A mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night adventure of
three unlikely heroes, Above the Star reminds us that even the smallest
act of bravery can transform our lives and the fates of the worlds
around us.
Book Details:Book Title: Below the Moon by Alexis Marie Chute
Category: Young AdultFiction (13 to 17 yrs), 448 pages
Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher: SparkPress.
Release dates: Oct 2019
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.
Book Description:
Ella Wellsley is not your typical teenager. Cancer left her mute, but not powerless. Trapped in a parallel dimension, Ella rallies her
strength to join her family―her mother, Tessa, her grandpa Archie, and
her magical boyfriend―in locating the cure to her illness. This cure is
entangled in the fate of all worlds, and threatened by the presence of
an evil Star anchored in the sea. The Star has thrown life everywhere
into chaos―and it is Ella who holds the key to unlocking its mystery.
Caught in a web of betrayal, mistaken identities, secrets, and love
triangles, Ella, Tessa, and Archie must overcome their troubled pasts to
ensure a future for all worlds. On this journey―armed with unearthly
abilities and unexpected allies―each member of the Wellsley family will
learn the power of love in the face of their greatest fears.
Book Details:Book Title: Inside the Sun by Alexis Marie Chute
Category: Young AdultFiction (13 to 17 yrs), 384 pages
Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher: SparkPress.
Release dates: April 2020
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.
Book Description:
All worlds are dying, and it’s up to one broken and dysfunctional family from Earth―the Wellsleys―to save the day. Cancer-ridden Ella celebrates her fifteenth birthday beneath an enchanted mountain, but it is what lies even farther below―the
mysterious Star in the sea―that demands she grow up quickly. While Ella
grapples with the sacrifice she must make and the lies she is forced to
tell, her mother, Tessa, is hell-bent on protecting her.
Through bizarre encounters, love-sick Tessa realizes that she is not the
lonely orphan she believes. Her husband, Arden, and father-in-law,
Archie, are not the only ones with magical bloodlines. This revelation
changes everything. As Archie chooses to embody his unexpected ancestry,
he learns that leading the charge in the ultimate battle against evil
won’t be as easy as he thought. He’ll need his family―and the strange
allies he has gained―by his side to give Ella enough time to set things
right.
Can they defeat the unstoppable Millia sands―and another unexpected
foe―before everything they hold dear is destroyed? Or will their
adventure tear them apart for good? The finale to The 8th Island Trilogy
will hold you spellbound until the final page, and long after.
Alexis Marie Chute is an award-winning author, artist, photographer, art curator, filmmaker, and public speaker. She has received over 40 noteworthy distinctions for her visual and literary
work.
Her award-winning fantasy series The 8th Island Trilogy includes, Above the Star, Below the Moon, and Inside the Sun. The series has been
described as “A WRINKLE IN TIME meets THE PRINCESS BRIDE” by The Perpetual You magazine, and “Fast and bizarre… never a dull moment” by
Forward Reviews. The 8th Island Trilogy “weaves STAR WARS-like characters with a WONDER-like message to form an enrapturing read for blooklovers of all ages” – US Review of Books. Chute’s bestselling
memoir, Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing and Pregnancy
After Loss, was a top Kirkus title of 2017 and received a plethora of
other literary distinctions. The memoir was accompanied by the feature
documentary of the same name, which has screened internationally for the
last three years. Chute received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and
Design from the University of Alberta, Canada, and studied at Media
Design school in Auckland, New Zealand. She graduated valedictorian with
her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Lesley University in
Cambridge, MA, USA. Chute is a highly regarded public speaker. She has
presented on art, writing, bereavement, and the healing capacities of
creativity around the world. Contact the Author/Artist for bookings
info@alexismariechute.com When not in her art/photo studio or at her
computer, Chute loves to spend quality time with her family, read
fiction and non-fiction, watch reality TV, paddleboard, and canoe. She
is not a winter person but lives in frosty Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
with her husband and their three living children.
Is the Holocaust really over? That is the question Jacob Rossner has
asked himself every day since his family fled Nazi Germany for the
United States. Jacob soon discovers that the so-called Promised Land
is far from perfect as he journeys from New York to Raleigh. This
coming of age tale examines racism and prejudice through the eyes of
a child who was forced to grow up too soon, but who finds love and
acceptance in unexpected places.
Brady Cruze was born in Uruguay. At the age of 12 arrived to the US and
quickly enrolled in school. While in the 10th grade, Brady wrote a
four page story on racism for an English class assignment. That four
page story was the basis for The American Holocaust. After fourteen
years of working on the book, Brady was able to publish it in 2018.
Brady has experienced first hand the devastating results racism in
the US even many decades after the civil rights movement. In The
American Holocaust, Brady makes the argument that the US has another
kind of Holocaust in it’s hands and that racism is still a big part
of everyday culture.
Living a “normal” life doesn’t always mean that things will always be good. Bad things happen to even the best of people, and this is a life lesson Willie must now learn when tragedy strikes her close-knit group of friends.
As she continues to grow and change, Willie knows that she is far from the girl who arrived in Oklahoma little over a year ago. She’s growing, changing, and working on putting the pieces together in her life – just as her friends struggle to do the same.
“You never know, Willie. Death doesn’t discriminate by age or gender or social status. It’s one of the few things that doesn’t care. When it comes for you, it comes. It could be today, tomorrow, or a hundred years from now, but when your time is up, it’s up. There’s nothing you can do to change that.” -Dakota
Willie is dedicated towards making great strides within herself…
Willie has finally found her father, and he’s welcomed her with open arms. Now she must forge a relationship with the man she never even knew was alive. It isn’t just him, however, Willie must also find out how she fits in with her step-mother and half-siblings. Left in Alabama with no close-in-age peers, Willie makes great strides in finding out who she is as an individual without a group of close friends to rely on.
Alabama offers many firsts for Willie. The most notable in her own mind is her first relationship. There are other firsts in store, however, and a whole new cast of characters to get to know. How will Willie handle this newest experience? Will she handle it in the mature the way she has always handled change? Or will this be the point in which Willie loses herself?
“Genetics are a tricky business at times, and you just never know what you’re going to get when you throw two ancestry’s together.” -Willie’s Mamaw
Rated 4.5 out of 5 Stars on Amazon with 9 Reviews!
Willie has decided to dedicate herself towards her own “Personal growth”…
Willie, despite a rough start, has become immersed in the culture she should have been born into. As she grows in her own knowledge of her ancestral roots, she also grows in who she is as a person. All things are now within her reach, and all she must do is put forth a little effort. With all of this in mind, Willie has decided to dedicate herself towards her own ‘Personal Growth.’
“Our heritage might be bloody, but that’s no reason not to be proud!” -Spike
Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon with 20 Reviews!
Pen Possessed 