Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Contest

Hey everyone. 
You have noticed lately how posts will show up then you'll go to look at them and they won't be there and posts going up late. I'm sorry. 
Its all my fault, I've been wrapped up in a lot of my own stuff and I have neglected the blog. 
So, this post is actually not to tell you that I've been lacks its to tell you that there will not be any contest this month. And I'm sorry because last months one was canceled to but this one isn't going on because unfortunately John J. Horn's books are out of print and they don't come in e-book format. 
Sorry about this! 
 -Mikayla-

Hebrews Book Review

Future Homeschool Authors readers, I am sorry that this was not posted last month, but I am posting it now anyways! So without further ado, I will be posting about another book I REALLY enjoyed reading; Hebbros.
A little about the book:
"In a realm that feasts on wickedness, and a city that thirsts for power, the faithfulness of a few will be tested. 

A MIZGALIAN SEEKS JUSTICE… 
When members of his faith are exiled from the city of Hebbros, Luke vows to resist the forces that tore his family apart. Armed with a divine gift and the aid of friends, he undertakes to right a world of wrongs. Opposed on all sides by evil men determined to silence the Faithful and outlaw their powerful God, Luke’s small band will be tried and tested as they battle for truth, freedom, and the overthrow of rampant evil in their city. 

AN ARCREAN SEEKS FULFILLMENT… 
Three years after Elaina’s world was turned upside-down, the former nobleman’s daughter still tastes the sting of bitterness. When an act of betrayal sends her north into slavery, Elaina finds herself face-to-face with the truth she has long resisted and a choice that will change her forever. 

THEY WILL DISCOVER A MATCHLESS GRACE… 
Brought together in a desperate attempt to pluck a remnant from destruction, Luke, Elaina, and a host of unforgettable characters will discover the greatness of the power of God, and the startling truth that some things are not what they seem."

What I enjoyed:
God was the center of the book and each character throughout Hebbros. He was entertained in every detail and salvation was explained numerous times. But I did not feel like God was "overly" talked about. He was not a side topic that took away from the storyline, He WAS a part of the story. I really appreciated this about Nicole's writing and would love to read some of her other books in the future!

The characters were real. They weren't perfect, but they sought God in a kingdom where God was outlawed. They knew that even in Exile they would be paving the way to Freedom!

I really enjoyed the fact that Nicole was able to create a wonderful fantasy world without using magic  and although some encouraging deep friendships are made that lead to marriage there is no inappropriate romance.

   Nicole is a master at creating emotionally gripping scenes. I could feel the characters emotions and couldn't put the book down during certain scenes of emotional unrest! Hebbros was about faithfulness, the Faithful, betrayal, exile, cruelty, love and freedom.

The ending was perfect too.... but you will have to read it to know how Hebbros ends... :)

What I didn't like as much:
Ummmm... There was really nothing I didn't like!

Who I'd recommend this book to:
I'd recommend this book to Teens mostly, but families, children and even adults could benefit! It is 536 pages so younger readers might find it a bit challenging, but the topics covered are inspirational for all! I am 14 and I enjoyed it immensely!
     
A bit about the Author:

"I am a homeschool graduate and an avid reader who enjoys writing Inspirational Fantasy set in a medieval-like era."

"In writing each book, I pray that it will bring honor and glory to God, and that He will use it as a tool to bring at least one person to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ."

Visit her on her FacebookGoodreads, or check out some of her other books!

You can also see this review on Amazon and Goodreads. :)

Interview with John J. Horn

Hello I am very proud to present an interview with John J. Horn!

John J. Horn


Hello and welcome to Future Homeschool Authors!

Thanks! I’m very glad to be here.

First could you tell us a bit about yourself? 

My name is John J. Horn and I’m a young Christian fellow passionate about telling excellently-crafted stories that glorify God and delight readers. I was born and partly raised in New Jersey and now live in sunny San Antonio, Texas. I have two married siblings and a super-fun nephew and niece with more on the way.

What’s your favorite book? 

I wonder if anyone has exactly one favorite book. Precluding the Bible, top favorites for me are The Coral Island by R.M. Ballantyne, The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne, and The Leatherstocking Talesby James Fenimore Cooper.

Who's your favorite Author?

For fiction, I’ll say R.M. Ballantyne. For nonfiction, I’ll say David McCullough (with Stephen Ambrose as a close second).

If you could meet one person who would it be? 

That’s a very interesting question. I’ve never thought about that before. I try to be a realistic thinker, so I’ll limit my choices to someone still alive. I’ll say David McCullough. He has an absorbing writing style and has chosen a fascinating variety of historical subjects to write about (John Adams, the Johnstown Flood, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Americans in Paris to name a few).

Can you tell us anything about the book you're working on right now?

I wish I could. Sadly I’m not currently working on a book, as I’m devoting my energies to a nearly full-time job and a degree which I’m pursuing online. Hopefully I’ll be able to begin my next project in Summer 2015.

What was the best part of writing The Men of Grit series?

Getting to spend time with my characters. I don’t endorse letting your characters take your story wherever they want, as you’ll probably end up with a poorly structured story, but giving your characters the leeway to express themselves within defined parameters is a lot of fun.

How did you begin writing? 

Books are in my DNA. My whole family loves reading, and I actually can’t remember what it’s like to not be able to read. I think the actual impetus to my writing was a friend who began writing a mystery series. I became enamored with the idea of writing and began my own mystery series.

I never completed any books in that mystery series, but it was the first time I tried a long writing project. I didn’t complete my second novel-length project either. I did finish my third project, but it wasn’t good enough to be published. My fourth project was The Boy Colonel, which is the first book in my Men of Grit series.

What inspired you to begin writing? 

Reading. I wanted to emulate the authors I loved. Now, I want to delight readers, glorify God, and let others share in the stories in my brain.

What is your favorite genre?

Historical fiction.

Do you do any research for you books? If you do what are your main sources? 

I definitely research my books. The internet is my primary source, with select books as a secondary source.

What do you like most about writing? 

Finishing. Seriously. Writing can be incredibly hard and annoying, but finishing, whether it’s at the end of a profitable day of writing or at the very end of a project, brings an amazing sense of accomplishment. Other than finishing, my favorite part is probably the conversations I get to create between my characters.

Any final thoughts? 

I have plenty of thoughts, but I hope they’re not my final ones.

If you want to be an author, you need to discipline yourself. To finish a book you’re going to have to sit down at your computer many times when you’d rather do almost anything else in the world. If you do finish a book, you’ll have to fight to get it published. If you get published, you’ll have to begin the fight all over again. And you probably won’t make enough money to survive. But if writing is in you DNA, you’ll do it any way for the love of crafting good stories.

Thank you so much for all your time! 

Absolutely. Thanks for having me!


-Mikayla-

Monday, November 3, 2014

Contest

Due to a lot that didn't get done this month we're very sorry to say the contest has been cancled. 
I'm very sorry. 
   -Mikayla-