Showing posts with label Book giveaway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book giveaway. Show all posts

Thursday, December 12, 2013

The Legendary Tour Grand Finale!

On Tour with Prism Book Tours...

The Legendary Tour Grand Finale

As the lighting blazed in a dancing, arcing column to the sky, a voice deep and powerful as thunder said, “My son, today my powers are bestowed upon you.”
                                                   
Special Tour Price!!!
$3 off each book through Createspace.
(Click on the cover to take you there.)
Guiamo (The Chronicles of G... Cumoro (The Chronicles of G... Morlanos (The Chronicles of... Inis Emain Ablach (The Chro...
Use coupon code: GS9D2K7C 

Combining legitimate legends with actual historical events, Marshall Best weaves an epic story that portrays the ancient world as it might have been, a world which the ancient historians recorded as fact; a time when gods ruled the earth and strange creatures dominated the land. It is the era of civilized conquerors exploring distant and primitive new lands. Scant recordings left to us today only touch on the fringe of the fantastic and brutal reality that existed in those distant lands of the west. 

Into this age, young Guiamo enters the world stage as the great game-changer, and by his hand the gods and beasts become destined to disappear into myth and legend.


Find out more about the writing of The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo
and his world from where we stopped along the tour:

11/25: Launch

11/26: My Love for Reading Keeps Growing - Reviews of all four books


"With every book I keep thinking that it cannot get more intense but it seems that Marshall Best has a fabulous way of describing battle scenes.  I know I have said it before but I am still surprised at how much I love this series because it’s not something I would have read if not given this opportunity to review." 

Beck Valley Books - Guest Post

The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo, like many stories before them, would never have come to be if it were not for the love of a father. Having written The Princess Meredith Bedtime Tales for his six year old daughter, Marshall Best decided to begin writing stories for his other children as well.  He began with 10 year old William, fashioning Guiamo, the main character in his series, after his son.

11/27: Cu's Ebook Giveaways - Guest Post

Marshall’s son, although a typical boy with a temper, is also very caring. He respects the older generation a great deal, looks out for the weak or downtrodden around him and is kind to children. These characteristics come out in Guiamo as he interacts with the brigands and their leader, Actus, the “Driven One”, as well as Suadusegus, Guiamo’s teacher. His actions toward them are anything but ordinary.

11/29: Mel's Shelves - Reviews of Guiamo and Cumoro

"The author has definitely done his research. I like the way certain details are brought back into the story later on so I feel that every part of the story is significant. I also love what I'm learning from Guiamo's character and how he deals with the situations he finds himself in."

12/1: Life as Leels - Review of Cumoro
* Review of Guiamo *


"I thoroughly recommend the entire The Chronicles of Guiamo series. I really don’t think there is “one audience” that this appeals to. Whether you be man, woman or young adult reader, I think this series appeals to all."

12/2: The Wonderings of One Person - Guest Post
Ancient history, especially, is filled with myths and legends galore of fantastical creatures, gods intermingling with man, fierce beasts and quests of heroes battling against evil. 

12/3: Tressa’s Wishful Endings - Guest Post


In this region, Old Irish is the oldest recorded language and can be tied back to around 500 A.D. which is much later than the period in which the stories take place. 

12/4: Bookworm Lisa - Guest Post


All battles in book one are real battles that Mr. Best has described as best he could.  As in other historical fiction novels, he takes known facts and fashions a story around those facts to fill in the gaps of what we do not know.  What makes it fantasy is the fantastical creatures and magic that accompany it.

12/5: Mythical Books - Review of Cumoro
Review of Guiamo *

"What this volume brings extra? Action! Yes, action with a capital A! You will have full pages of atrocious battles, of bloody fights whose outcome will oscillate to one side to the other. There will be no more the elegant and brilliant Caesar's maneuvers that could win a battle like a game of chess. Will be the wild frays of those feral times and places.


12/6: All Fantasy Worlds - Review of Guiamo

"Oh, how I love a well written book with a carefully built plot! And how I love to see the characters grow with every page I turn!

. . . One of the things I loved about this book is that the main character, Guiamo, needs to learn in order to become a great man."

12/8: Pieces of Whimsy - Guest Post


One fun example of something that was crafted by Credne was a clostellum or lock, with a very special key, clavicula.  The reason this is fun is that it shows how authors put a part of themselves into their stories.  Marshall Best is from a family with a long history in the locking industry.  He is involved in collecting locks and knows a lot about ancient locks as well.

12/9: Mother Daughter Book Reviews - Author Interview


4. What is YOUR favorite part of the book?
I really like the parts where Guiamo learns about the ancient gods, Roman, Greek and Egyptian, when they lived among us as the men and women they were in the ancient days.

12/10: My Devotional Thoughts


Did you answer this quiz correctly?
Q: What is special about the spear given to Guiamo by Mars?
A: It can understand Guiamo and take orders.
This is true when Guiamo commands it in the ancient tongue.

12/11: Colorimetry


Marshall hopes to travel to England and Ireland someday to see and experience the places in his novels.  We asked him to share where he would plan to visit... 

Jessica's Casserole - Review


"This series has a VERY well developed plot and distinctive characters. I had an easy time keeping the characters straight and following the story.  There was plenty of imagery that inspired my imagination to really get involved with the book."

Interview with author, Christy Nicholas, about Ireland


The Hill of Tara plays a major role in the Guiamo Chronicles books. Can you tell us a little bit about its history and the myths surrounding it?

The Hill of Tara is one of many sacred sites in Ireland. It has been the site, for hundreds of years, where the High King is crowned. For any potential king, he must pass several tests. One is that he must drive his chariot between two standing stones, which form a V. These two stones must widen to let him pass, an indication that the land has accepted him as High King. Another test is that he must drive his chariot over the Lia Fáil, another standing stone, and it would screech in response. That screech showed to the surrounding countryside that Queen Madb, the goddess of the land, has accepted him as king...

12/12: Books for Kids - Guest Post


     "Now that part of the story pertains to a stone that was discovered that is red and white and looks like a big eyeball, and is involved with activities at a big lake. Then I turned to the map just north of Limerick, and there I found an enormous lake, Lough Derg... 
     Then I read the meaning of its name. It means “loch of the Red Eye.” Who would have thought such a coincidence would present itself so fittingly." 




Dalene's Book Reviews - Guest Post

Marshall also enjoys putting real life issues into his books, delving into a bit of philosophy while entertaining with orcs, dragons, magic and battles...

12/13: Celtic Myth Podshow - Excerpt


Julius Caesar, in his writings, De Bello Gallico, tells of the Brittani coloring their bodies blue.  We see this portrayed in the movie Braveheart as well. Marshall Best, in his series The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo, has a new twist as to why these warriors painted themselves blue. 

Read more, plus an excerpt at Celtic Myth Podshow... 

+ Grande Finale



The Chronicles:

Guiamo (The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo, #1)Guiamo

In 60 B.C., ten-year-old Guiamo Durmius Stolo, an exceptionally gifted Roman orphan, is abandoned in Gaul . Left to fend for himself, Guiamo is set onto a path of legend. Recognized by the gods as having world-changing talents, he is given a weapon that changes his destiny and the world’s forever. 


Cumoro (The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo, #2)

Guiamo Durmius Stolo sails in 55 B.C. with Rome’s 7th Legion as Julius Caesar invades Britain. But Caesar has not before encountered the Fomori, a dominion of wicked creatures which wage war against the human inhabitants and dominate much of Britain. Armed with his god-made spear, Guiamo joins with the tribal kings against their Fomori foe when Caesar departs. 




Having destroyed the Fomori in Britain , Guiamo Durmius Stolo decides in 51 B.C. to bring the Cruthin people, once slaves to the Fomori, to Ireland , but encounters the Fomori who reside there as well. Guiamo discovers that the gods venerated by the Druids are unworthy. The gods are displeased with him and begin to work against him.


In 50 B.C. Guiamo Durmius Stolo finds himself victor over the detested Fomori whose leader, Cichol, is slain and those few who survived are scattered. Guiamo explores the secret places where Cichol kept his most important secrets and discovers there the treasures of Cichol's master, the goddess Domnu.




The Author:

Marshall BestMarshall Best is an avid reader, father of six and business owner. In the past several years he has found his love of writing as well. What began as a desire to write a story for his children has evolved into a nine book series.

Marshall has done extensive research into the history behind the legends, people and places of England, Scotland and Ireland involved in his books. He loves being able to weave real people and legends into his stories making them come alive. He is definitely a writer that tends to the details often mapping out timetables, calendars, geneologies, etc. that pertain to his book to ensure that it is as realistic as possible. 


Marshall also enjoys putting real life issues into his books, delving into a bit of philosophy while entertaining with orcs, dragons, magic and battles. He is someone who loves a grand adventure but makes sure it's not a shallow one.



Tour-Wide Giveaway:

-One print set signed by author – world wide giveaway
-One complete e-book set – codes provided to smashwords
-Two winners: e-book of Cumoro and a $5 Amazon gift card each
-Two winners: e-book of Morlanos and a $5 Amazon gift card each
-Two winners: e-book of Inis Emain Ablach and a $5 Amazon gift card each
Ends 12/20. Please see restrictions on Rafflecopter.



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Saturday, August 24, 2013

Why Host a Goodreads Giveaway?

     There are varying opinions about giveaways.  Some authors cringe at giving their work away due to the incredible effort, time and money they've put into it.  They also don't want to devalue their work by handing it out for free.  This makes sense; however, part of the reason writers do what they do is to entertain.  It's hard to entertain your audience when they don't even know you're there.  And thus the reason many authors host free days on Amazon, do Goodreads giveaways and the like.  By giving away a few books or other gift, the writer gains exposure to a wider audience.  They might not buy the book right away, but at least they know it's there.

    When we did our book tour with Beck Valley Books, we had a $50 gift card giveaway tied to the tour. We had over 24,000 entries!  Of course many of those just wanted the money, but it got the book in front of many sets of eyes.  Getting it in front of readers increases the chances they will go further and read about the book.  At that point, it's the book that has to draw them in.  The cover has to catch their eye, the synopsis has to pique their interest and the writing needs to leave them wanting more.  

     Soon after publishing the first four books of the Guiamo Chronicles, we were introduced to Goodreads by Grace Best-Page, author of The Death and Life of Sherlock Holmes.  If you love to read and haven't discovered Goodreads, you should check it out.  If you look up Goodreads in Wikipedia, this is what you'll read: 

"As of July 2012, the site reported 10 million members, 20 million monthly visits, and 30 employees. On July 23, 2013, it was announced on their website that the user base had grown to 20 million members, doubling in close to 11 months."

So Why Goodreads?

     No matter how long you've been around, it would be hard to duplicate that kind of traffic.  We have done giveaways on Goodreads for Guiamo and Cumoro already.  The first having over 1,000 entries and the second around 700.  In contrast, when we gave away a complete set of the first four books at the end of the  Blogger Book Fair with the help of rafflecopter, we had around 50 entries.  When people enter the giveaways on Goodreads, many will add the book to their "to read" shelf.  This means it won't get lost in the shuffle.  Months after the giveaway, there will still be a reminder about that new book they wanted to check out.  Many will not win, but will end up purchasing the book down the road.

     And so, we are hosting another giveaway on Goodreads, this time for book 3, Morlanos.  For those who have already read books one and two, this is a great chance to get a print copy of book 3.  For those who haven't, book one, Guiamo, is only $2.99, a pretty good deal for a book that has received 16 five star reviews!  If this is your first visit to our blog, you can read about all four books here.  

     It's been a pleasure meeting so many people in the writing and reading community.  Thanks to all who have shared their knowledge to help us. If you're a new author getting started, our Twitter stream @ancumer has many tweets of articles that have been very helpful to us.  If you're a reader, we'd love to have you join us on Twitter or our Facebook page, The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo.  And of course, you can find Marshall on Goodreads as well. 

 So, take a minute to enter.  It's painless we promise! 


Having destroyed the Fomori in Britain , Guiamo Durmius Stolo decides in 51 B.C. to bring the Cruthin people, once slaves to the Fomori, to Ireland , but encounters the Fomori who reside there as well. Guiamo discovers that the gods venerated by the Druids are unworthy. The gods are displeased with him and begin to work against him.

Combining legitimate legends with actual historical events, Marshall Best weaves an epic story that portrays the ancient world as it might have been, a world which the ancient historians recorded as fact; a time when gods ruled the earth and strange creatures dominated the land. It is the era of civilized conquerors exploring distant and primitive new lands. Scant recordings left to us today only touch on the fringe of the fantastic and brutal reality that existed in those distant lands of the west. Into this age, young Guiamo enters the world stage as the great game-changer, and by his hand the gods and beasts become destined to disappear into myth and legend.

Monday, July 29, 2013

These Could Be Yours! Hours Left to Win!

The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo

Combining legitimate legends with actual historical events, Marshall Best weaves an epic story that portrays the ancient world as it might have been, a world which the ancient historians recorded as fact; a time when gods ruled the earth and strange creatures dominated the land. It is the era of civilized conquerors exploring distant and primitive new lands. Scant recordings left to us today by ancient writers only touch on the fringe of the fantastic and brutal reality that existed in those distant lands of the west. Into this age, young Guiamo enters the world stage as the great game-changer, and by his hand the gods and beasts become destined to disappear into myth and legend.

In 60 B.C., ten-year-old Guiamo Durmius Stolo, an exceptionally gifted Roman orphan, is abandoned in Gaul . Left to fend for himself, Guiamo is set onto a path of legend. Recognized by the gods as having world-changing talents, he is given a weapon that changes his destiny and the world's forever.
What others are saying about Guiamo:

Reviews from Amazon:

"I am a 16 year old freshman who selected this book for an English class book report. I planned on skimming through the book in order to get enough information to write the report. But I was hooked from the first chapter. The book was full of powerful and inspirational characters. I could easily relate to many of Guiamo's challenges as he matured from a child to a young man. I can't wait to read the next book in this series."
"First let me start by saying that Guiamo is a hidden gem of historical fiction tucked away here in the treasure chest of literature that is Amazon.com! I enjoyed immersing myself in a time period I know so little about, and taking that journey with the enigmatic youth, Guiamo Stolo."

"We first meet Guiamo when he is at the lowest time in his young life. He is being abandoned by his only family and is left alone to fend for himself. As luck and the Gods would have it, he lands in the protective and loving hands of a group of fishermen who graciously teach him the ways of the world through their tough love lessons of self-reliance mixed in with the very practical lessons of fishing. These men were all very different, yet each had a lesson to teach, and Guiamo, being bright and eager to learn, absorbed it all with ease. You get to the point in this part of the book when you just know this is no ordinary little boy destined for a life as a fisherman. Guiamo is so much more, but just what that might be is not revealed until later on in the story."

"He then goes on to find some of his family while living in the household of a wise merchant. All of these people he is surrounded with teach him great life lessons (both spiritual and practical) and for these lessons alone, I am recommending this book to my own son, who I think could benefit from the wisdom bestowed on our young hero. Guiamo prospers and amasses great wealth at a very early age. He uses this wealth to help others, and to build upon what he has to bring him even greater resources. His eagerness, creative mind and sharp senses remind us a bit of other great tales. The author has woven a tale of men of war without what you might typically find in a story such as this, by that I mean the graphic language and violence. This book is perfect for anyone, teenager to adult. There is nothing in it to offend. Guiamo is a fascinating story set in a dangerous period in our history that is reminiscent of other great tales of larger than life heroes gifted by the Gods; Perseus comes to mind, or Hercules."

"This book is well written, full of historical accounts of Julius Caesars exploits with the Roman Legions, and the very essence of the story, the life of this boy destined for greatness. It is Guiamo himself which keeps you interested most of all. It's a mix of historical fiction with a dab of the great myths of Greece and Rome, which makes a great combination that will keep you interested from beginning to end."
 

Cumoro

 
Guiamo Durmius Stolo sails in 55 B.C. with Rome's 7th Legion as Julius Caesar invades Britain. But Caesar has not before encountered the Fomori, a dominion of wicked creatures which wage war against the human inhabitants and dominate much of Britain. Armed with his god-made spear, Guiamo joins with the tribal kings against their Fomori foe when Caesar departs.

Mary Woldering's comment regarding Cumoro:

"Just finished Book 2. Any writer who wants to write about epic battles, should read the battle against the orcs. A great example of swordplay and magic combined!"
 
- Beck Valley Books Review -
 
The second installment of The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo. At the end of the fist episode our hero has had some basic training but has become increasingly restless and in order to further his quest he signs up to join Caesars army. His first task is to sail to Britain but on landing Caesars army is unsuccessful and has to abandon his invasion attempt leaving behind Guiamo.

The author takes us on a page turning adventure with excellent myths and legends thrown in. The descriptions and situations are expertly described and you feel is if you are right there fighting and combating the evil spirits, carrying his secret weapons and whispering the spells in order from him to achieve greatness and triumph.

This story holds a lot of research and historical facts and the authors knowledge really shines through which holds and captivates the reader into imagining the creatures, people and the way they live and their will to survive.

The extraordinary element is having read the first installment I didn't think the follow up was going to be as enthralling or as good but how wrong was I. I am certainly looking forward with great excitement to the third book.

If you love and I mean love a novel which can take you to a time you didn't live in and bring it to life then this story and the author is for you.

The writers style of writing is simple and with excellently references in the book to the ancient language used, the plot with mythical creatures with dark secrets will appeal to readers of all ages and especially to those of you who like to read a bedroom story to their children (but be warned you could be reading for a long time).






 
Having destroyed the Fomori in Britain , Guiamo Durmius Stolo decides in 51 B.C. to bring the Cruthin people, once slaves to the Fomori, to Ireland , but encounters the Fomori who reside there as well. Guiamo discovers that the gods venerated by the Druids are unworthy. The gods are displeased with him and begin to work against him.
In 50 B.C. Guiamo Durmius Stolo finds himself victor over the detested Fomori whose leader, Cichol, is slain and those few who survived are scattered. Guiamo explores the secret places where Cichol kept his most important secrets and discovers there the treasures of Cichol's master, the goddess Domnu.
 
 
 ENTER TO WIN
SIGNED BY AUTHOR
 
 

Sound good? Get your copy today!
You can download 20% free to try at Smashwords

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Guiamo Chronicles Giveaway - Ending Soon

     As part of our participation in Blogger Book Fair this past week, we are hosting a WW giveaway of the first four books in The Chronicles of Guiamo Durmius Stolo signed by Marshall.  As of this writing, there are a mere 25 entries, pretty good odds for several hours of enjoyable reading.    For those of you who have joined us during our book tour with Beck Valley Books, you may not be aware of the giveaway.  We wanted to make sure all of our followers were aware of this chance to own print copies of the first four books in the series.  You can enter the giveaway to the right.  Please share with anyone else you feel may enjoy this historical fantasy journey with Guiamo.  Thanks to all of our readers so far.  We're thrilled you are falling in love with Guiamo as much as our family has.  

     If you are new to Guiamo and would like to read what others have to say, you can read many favorable reviews on Amazon.  For those looking to read the adventure through an e-book, Guiamo will be free until the end of this month.  Books 2, 3 and 4 will also be $0.99 through Sunday.  You can download the books through Smashwords.  Smashwords is holding their July/Winter sale this month and you may find other great reads on discount as well.  

     Please keep in touch and let us know what you think of Guiamo.  We love to hear your feedback.  Thank you once again for taking a chance on an unknown author.  He has many more grand adventures in store for Guiamo. Book five is well on its way and four more will come after that.  I will be writing a new post soon linking to several interviews Marshall has done with various bloggers so that you can learn more about the author, his ideas and the background for Guiamo.

ENTER NOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!