Posts Tagged ‘Donna Galanti’

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I’m always thrilled to have Donna Galanti back on my blog. I’ve enjoyed her Element Trilogy and it’s my pleasure to share about them with you. There’s also a wonderful giveaway from Donna, so be sure to enter!

Enjoy this guest post for the A Human Element Re-Release
by Donna Galanti

 

Do Genes Dictate Who We Are?

Adoption and being an only child runs through my book A Human Element. I am both and they both had a deep impact on my life.

In A Human Element three characters have similar lives. Laura is adopted and an only child raised by loving parents. Ben is an only child but abandoned, when his parents die, to live a lonely existence in foster homes. X-10 is raised alone in a government facility, an unloved experiment.

One common thread connects them all. They grow up alone and eventually parentless.

Adopted children often suffer abandonment issues and feel like they never belong, that they aren’t ‘blood family’.  Being adopted myself I understood this. But as an adopted child I was lucky. I had a loving family and I learned my heritage (and am very glad I was given up. Read more about that here). I got married and had an amazing son. In having him, I have my own ‘blood’ now. I do belong–with my family.

In A Human Element all three characters have similar backgrounds, but how are they different? Ben isolates himself, Laura has an open heart, and X-10 hates the world. Is it their genes that shape who they are or their environment? I’ve found it’s a bit of both.

I like to think we can overcome our genes and thrive in an environment that allows us to do so. In such an environment we can conquer our obstacles and achieve anything, but without love we are lost. And I believe that our genes do not dictate who we are–and this gives me hope. And without hope change is not possible.

In A Human Element Laura believes we all have something redeemable in us, no matter how small. Do you believe that too?

Excerpt with X-10. Can he ever overcome his genes and environment?:

As he lunged for Laura she sensed his conflicting feelings. She saw the scientist who experimented on him and caged him his whole life, taunting him with her existence and fueling his hatred.

She saw all this in the two seconds it took for him to reach her. His sorrowful life punctured her like a knife digging into an old wound. His wounds made her wounds. It was a small window of opportunity to grasp, but all she had. Could she convince him to turn away from evil?

X-10 grabbed her by both arms and pulled her up. His freakish face loomed inches from hers. Her feet dangled above the earthen floor. Scenes from his life blasted across her mind.

A tormented life. A tormented soul. Images of blood and killing and rage. And such loneliness. He had suffered such loneliness. He was an animal as he had been treated like an animal all his life. She pitied him and feared him.

“Charlie,” she whispered. Pain coursed through her. He gripped her harder. She stared into his yellow eyes that shone bright, burning with hate.

“What did you say?” He shook her and she moaned in pain.

“Charlie. I called you Charlie, isn’t that what you want?”

 

P.S. I’m also giving away a $25 Amazon gift card below!

 

About A Human Element:
One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next. Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite–her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a mad man, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together. But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test. With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his and she has two choices–redeem him or kill him.

Praise for A Human Element:
“A Human Element is an elegant and haunting first novel. Unrelenting, devious but full of heart.  Highly recommended.” – Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author

Praise for A Hidden Element:
“Fascinating…a haunting story about just how far parents will go to protect, or destroy, their children in the name of love.”—Rebecca Cantrell, New York Times best-selling author

Purchase A Human Element here: On sale for just $0.99 10/27 – 11/2! http://mybook.to/AHumanElement

Purchase A Hidden Element here: On sale for FREE 10/27 – 10/31!
http://myBook.to/AHiddenElement

Donna Galanti Bio:

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Donna Galanti is the author of the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy and the children’s fantasy adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road series. Donna is a contributing editor for International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs with other middle grade authors at Project Middle Grade Mayhem. She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. Donna enjoys teaching at conferences on the writing craft and marketing and also presenting as a guest author at elementary and middle schools. Visit her at www.elementtrilogy.com and www.donnagalanti.com. She also loves building writer community. See how at www.yourawesomeauthorlife.com

Connect with Donna:
Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

A Human Element new cover

A Human Element

The Element Trilogy #1

by Donna Galanti

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Genre: Paranormal Suspense

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Synopsis

Evil comes in many forms…

 

One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next. Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite in her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a madman, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together. But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test. With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his, and she has two choices—redeem him or kill him.

Go HERE for my review.

Enjoy the Excerpt

The man could hear the child’s bellowing cries coming from underneath the blanket covering it. She pushed the child into his arms as if eager to be rid of it. He took the bundle and handed the nurse his packages. The nurse began to close the door when he heard another far away cry.

The man wedged his foot in the door. “What was that?”

“N-Nothing.” The nurse looked up.

The man risked looking her in the eye.

“The girl is in pain and won’t keep quiet.” She clutched the envelope and folded her arms across her sagging bosom.

“It sounded like another baby,” he said.

“It’s just the whimpering slut. Now she’s paid double for what she’s done.” The nurse took a step back as if aware she had said too much already. She glared at him. “Now go on. You have what you wanted. And so do I.” She shut the door in his face.

The man in black stood there for a long moment, considering the woman’s choice of words. What if another child had been delivered and the frigid woman and country doctor kept it secret?

Fascinating.

He decided to keep this information to himself. He would find the opportune time to use it. He was a patient man. But first, he had to see for himself. He peeled back the child’s bunting and looked for the first time into its yellow eyes. For that moment, the baby fell silent.

“Welcome to Earth X-10.”

The baby resumed its wailing.

The man turned with his noisy package and melted into the darkness satisfied, as the doctor had been, that the night’s events had provided him with more than he had asked for.

Author Donna Galanti

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Donna Galanti is the author of the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy (Imajin Books -http://www.imajinbooks.com/ )  and the children’s fantasy adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road series (Month9Books -http://www.month9books.com/ ). Donna is a contributing editor for International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill (http://www.thebigthrill.org/) – magazine and blogs with other middle grade authors at Project Middle Grade Mayhem (http://project-middle-grade-mayhem.blogspot.com/search/label/Donna Galanti) . She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. Donna enjoys teaching at conferences on the writing craft and marketing and also presenting as a guest author at elementary and middle schools.

Visit her at www.elementtrilogy.com and www.donnagalanti.com.

Connect with Donna:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Goodreads / Instagram

Purchase books 1 and 2 in the Element Trilogy HERE.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Welcome to My Monday Minis Reviews where I share short reviews of books I’ve read. For today I’ll be sharing my thoughts about the audible book A Human Element, the first book in Donna Galanti’s Element Trilogy. I read the eBook and was excited to listen to it too. I know this is supposed to be a short review but I got carried away.

A Human Element

The Element Trilogy #1

by Donna Galanti

Narrated by Chase Bradley

A Human Element Audiobook

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

Format: Audible

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My Review

Ben is hiding from his parents on the shore of Coopersville Lake when it happens.
A meteorite crashes into a group of cabins, one of which contains his parents, and all that remains is a huge crater of steam and fire. In one bright green flash, Ben’s life is forever changed, and for another, it has just begun.

No one could know the long-reaching consequences of that fatal night.

Some months  later.

A young girl struggles to bring her child into the world. She came to the doctor in secret.

The doctor doesn’t know why the mysterious man waiting outside wants the baby, he just cares about getting paid.

In a rush, the baby enters the world. Sadly, the young mother does not survive. But wait, there is another baby fighting to be born, a beautiful baby girl.

An exchange is made, but the doctor doesn’t mention the baby girl, he will give her to the Armstrongs to raise.

This is an especially dramatic scene in the audible book. I read it and got a good feel for it in the eBook, but listening to it makes it much more chilling.

Many years later, that baby girl, Laura, is all grown up and back home trying to find out why the people closest to her are being slaughtered. The answers lie here. She has always had the headaches and nightmares and she knows everything is coming together – the monster chasing her in her nightmares, the mysterious man in black who has always been on the periphery of her life, and whatever happened the night of the meteorite crash. It’s all connected.

This part of the story is also very powerful when narrated. I was anxious even though I knew what was going to happen.

Laura and Ben are thrown together as death races towards them. They need answers about that fatal night if they’re to survive what is coming.

Two babies were born that night, Laura and the boy child called X-10. One looked human in every way and the other looked like a monster.

From the first page to the bittersweet end, I was completely immersed in this book. A story of love, humanity, and absolute evil. And now, listening to the audible, I’m even more full of feels for this series.

Donna Galanti’s debut novel has an energy, an essence, that gives it life.
With a superb plot and a thrilling all- out race to the end, A Human Element is excellent.

5 Stars

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Narrator Chase Bradley

I enjoyed this audible edition as much as reading the book. Chase Bradley did a great job, his enunciation is strong and he’s keeps the story always moving forward. Donna made a wise choice using him to tell her story and I’ll be keeping an eye out for more books read by him.

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Synopsis

Evil comes in many forms…

One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next.

Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite in her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a madman, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together.

But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test. With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his, and she has two choices-redeem him or kill him.

AMAZON

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

M9B-Friday-Reveal

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are featuring

Scott Craven and Donna Galanti

who will be appearing and signing at ALA!

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Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Joshua and The Lightning Road

Stay away from the window, don’t go outside when it’s storming and whatever you do, do not touch the orb.

Twelve-year-old Joshua Cooper’s grandpa has always warned him about the dangers of lightning. But Joshua never put much stock in his grandpa’s rumblings as anything more than the ravings of an old man with a vast imagination. Then one night, when Joshua and his best friend are home alone during a frightful storm, Joshua learns his grandpa was right. A bolt of lightning strikes his house and whisks away his best friend—possibly forever.

To get him back, Joshua must travel the Lightning Road to a dark place that steals children for energy. But getting back home and saving his friend won’t be easy, as Joshua must face the terrifying Child Collector and fend off ferocious and unnatural beasts intent on destroying him.

In this world, Joshua possesses powers he never knew he had, and soon, Joshua’s mission becomes more than a search for his friend. He means to send all the stolen children home—and doing so becomes the battle of his life.

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Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks | BAM | Chapters | IndieBound | TBD

About-the-Author

Donna Galanti

Donna is the author of the Joshua and The Lightning Road series and the Element Trilogy. She is a contributing editor to International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs at www.project-middle-grade-mayhem.blogs…, a cooperative of published middle grade authors. Visit her at www.donnagalanti.com and www.ElementTrilogy.com. Donna wanted to be a writer ever since she wrote a murder mystery screenplay at seven and acted it out with the neighborhood kids. She attended an English school housed in a magical castle, where her wild imagination was held back only by her itchy uniform (bowler hat and tie included!). There she fell in love with the worlds of C.S. Lewis and Roald Dahl, and wrote her first fantasy about Dodo birds, wizards, and a flying ship (and has been writing fantasy ever since). She’s lived in other exotic locations, including her family-owned campground in New Hampshire and in Hawaii where she served as a U.S. Navy photographer. She now lives with her family and two crazy cats in an old farmhouse and dreams of returning one day to a castle.

 

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Instagram | YouTube

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Dead Jed: Adventures of A Middle School Zombie

Dead Jed is Shaun of the Dead meets Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Jed’s not your typical junior high geek. He is, to use the politically-correct term, cardiovascularly-challenged. And while
his parents have attempted to shield him from the implications of being ‘different’ for as long as they could (Jed was 8 and at a friend’s sister’s birthday party when he blew his lips off onto the cake in front of everyone, finally prompting the “Big Talk” from his parents and an emergency SuperGlue repair by his dad), 7th grade at Pine Hollow Middle School as a target of Robbie the supreme school bully and his pack of moronic toadies is rapidly becoming unbearable.
From being stuffed in a filled trash can as “dead meat” and into a trophy case as the bully’s “prize,” to literally having his hand pulled off in the boys’ room (Jed’s always losing body parts. Luckily, a good stapler and some duct tape and he’s back in the action) and a cigarette put in it and try to frame him for the recent reports of smoking in the school, Jed’s had enough and is ready to plan his revenge. Besides, it’s awesome what you can do when you’re already dead!

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Dead Jed 2: Dawn of the Jed

The first part of seventh grade was rough on Jed, but things are looking up now that Christmas is almost here. As with past Christmases, Jed asks for the one thing he’s always wanted–a dog–and again, his parents tell him they’re not ready. But fate has a different plan when Jed sees a dog get run over by a car. Then, it happens. Jed suddenly has a pet, Tread, a zombie dog bearing his namesake–a tire tread down his back. Jed may have gained a dog, but he loses his best friend Luke, who fears the way Jed created his undead pet.

When Jed returns to school, he finds a mysterious group called the No Zombies Now Network spreading rumors of the dangers the undead pose to normal people. Forced to disprove Hollywood stereotypes, Jed has his work cut out for him as stories of a zombie dog begin to circulate. Jed could be expelled if he can’t expose the NZN Network as a fraud. Jed needs help from his kind of girlfriend Anna, especially after he discovers Luke has joined the shadowy group.

Once again navigating the treacherous waters of middle school, Jed does his best to stay in one piece. Only this time he’ll need even more duct tape and staples than usual.

add to goodreads

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks | BAM | Chapters | IndieBound | TBD

About-the-Author

Scott Craven

Proud graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, have one son who will turn 18 in March 2013, now a features writer for The Arizona Republic.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter

Giveaway

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In July I did a post asking for help with choosing the next books I should review. To view it you can go here: http://wp.me/p27ipo-cL .  A Human Element was one of the books chosen for me to review next. The author kindly provided me with a copy of her book and I am so happy to tell you about it.

 A Human Element

by Donna Galanti

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Doesn’t this cover just grab you?

In my review of the first book on the list, I mentioned that I had received two books in the mail on the same day and thought I was reading the one about aliens. Nope, I was wrong. It turns out A Human Element was the book with aliens.

Before I start my review, I wanted to tell you that Donna has kindly offered 3 e-book copies for a giveaway. The details to enter will be after my review.

My Review of A Human Element by Donna Galanti

Ben is hiding from his parents on the shore of Coopersville Lake when it happens.

A meteorite crashes. What was once the sight of a dozen or so cabins, one of them containing his parents, is now only a huge crater of steam and fire. In one bright green flash, Ben’s life is forever changed and for another, it has just begun.

No one could know the long-reaching consequences of that fateful night. Or of the horrors to come.

9 months later.

A young girl struggles to bring her child into the world. She came to the doctor in secret. Not even the Armstrong’s, the kindly couple who took her in, know where she is. The doctor doesn’t know why the mysterious man waiting outside wants the baby, he just wants to get paid.

In a rush, the baby enters the world. Sadly, the young mother does not survive the delivery. But wait, another baby is fighting to be born, a twin, a beautiful baby girl.

An exchange is made. The mysterious man leaves with the thing, the baby boy, but the doctor doesn’t mention the girl. He will give her to the Armstrong’s to raise.

Many years later, the baby girl, Laura, is all grown up and back home to find out why the people closest to her are being slaughtered. The answer lies here. Laura has always had the headaches and nightmares and she knows things are coming together now –  the monster chasing her in her nightmares, the mysterious man in black, who has always been on the periphery of her life,  and whatever happened on the night of the meteorite. It is all connected.

Laura and Ben are thrown together as death races towards them. Both need answers about the night of the meteorite if they are to survive what is coming.

I want to keep telling you more. I’ve only scratched the surface of this story.

Two babies were born that night, Laura and the boy child called X-10. One looks human in every way and the other looks like a monster.

The many secondary characters made this story real for me.

Everybody should have a friend like Jim, a grumpy curmudgeon with a gentle soul and a fierce love and loyalty to Laura.

The Armstrong’s, Laura’s adoptive parents, who though they knew she was different, had special talents, loved her as their own.

The mysterious man in black, who has always been around, lurking in the shadows.

The cruel and sadistic Dr. Bjord, who thrills in tormenting X-10, his failed experiment.

And X-10, the monstrosity who’s only thought is getting out, finding Laura, and tearing her to pieces.

From the first page to the bitter-sweet end, I was totally immersed in this book. A story of wonder, love, humanity and absolute evil.

Donna Galanti’s debut novel has, at its core, an energy, an essence, that gives it life.

Superb writing and a thrilling all-out race to the end, A Human Element is an excellent read.

5 STARS

A bonus from Donna Galanti!

A Hidden Element (Book II)

When one family’s son is taken, they learn its by the same unearthly evil that brutalized them fifteen years ago. In a race to find her son’s kidnapper, they discover his horrifying mission that binds them all together. But the killer’s desire to own them – or destroy them – leads to a survival showdown that puts their son’s future, and their lives, at stake. They must sacrifice all again to defeat a new terrifying enemy – an enemy that wants to rule the world, with their son as his heir.

Tentative release date spring 2013.

Sounds like more thrilling reading from Donna Galanti.

The Giveaway

I have 3 e-book copies Of A human Element to give away to 3 lucky winners. To enter is easy. Just leave a comment with your email address and please click on that tweet button. That’s it.

While it isn’t required, it would be much appreciated if you would follow my blog. Also show some appreciation to Donna for this awesome giveaway. Her links are provided below.

This giveaway ends on August 18th.

Good luck everyone!

For more about the author:

Her blog: http://blog.donnagalanti.com/wp/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DonnaGalantiAuthor?-ref+hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonnaGalanti

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5767306Donna_Galanti

A Human Element:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/dg-the-Kindle

B&N: http://tinyurl.com/dg-he-Nook

Donna Galanti writes suspense and middle grade fiction. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Horror Writers Association, The Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group, and Pennwriters. If she couldn’t write she would bike, hike, and kayak every day. She’s lived from England to Hawaii, including owning a campground in New Hampshire and as a photographer in the U.S. Navy. She operated a resume writing service for years until she closed up shop to write novels. Donna dreamed of being a writer at seven years old when she fell in love with Narnia and Roald Dahl. She lived in England at the time, attending school in a magical castle where her imagination ran wild in an itchy uniform. (bowling hat and tie included). She now lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, son,  and two crazy cats in an old farmhouse. It has lots of writing nooks, fireplaces, and stink bugs, but she’s still wishing for a castle again.

Thank you Donna for a thrilling and touching story and for allowing me to offer this giveaway. Keep wishing:)