Showing posts with label Jill Williamson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jill Williamson. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 01, 2014

CSFF: Rebels by Jill Williamson

CSFF Blog Tour Presents:

 Rebels 
The Safe Lands #3 

by 


I'm a big Jill Williamson fan. I love her Blood of Kings trilogy (some might recognize it as the By Darkness Hid series.) She's a fantastic author! I wasn't able to get in on The Safe Lands Trilogy early enough to read the whole series for review in time for this tour, but I wanted to be sure everyone had a chance to check out what was new in Williamson's world and then take a spin around the rest of the tour. Enjoy!

 ABOUT THE BOOK:

The remnant of Glenrock has been scattered. But they are not beaten.
The Safe Lands have long kept the true meaning of Liberation secret from their people. But after being sentenced to Liberation themselves, Mason and Omar soon discover the truth.
Levi watched his brothers’ public sentencing and tries to hold out hope they are still alive, He is forced to focus his attention elsewhere, however, when his new wife, Jemma, is captured and made the Safe Lands’ newest Queen. His only choice to save Jemma may be to take up Omar’s old role of undercover vigilante, leading the rebels in their quest to overthrow the government. But will Levi’s new role be enough?
Meanwhile, Jemma’s sister, Shaylinn, is ready to give birth to the “Safe Lands’” children … but not even Ciddah is sure they can be delivered safely in the midst of a rebellion. And Mason must face the fact Omar’s illness could be fatal.
If they can all unite their efforts, together they may be able to expose the Safe Lands’ lies to the people. But if they fail, they will all surely die.

Captives - The Safe Lands #1:

In a dystopian future, eighteen-year-old Levi returns from Denver City with his latest scavenged treasures and finds his village of Glenrock decimated, loved ones killed, and many–including his fiancée, Jem–taken captive. Now alone, Levi is determined to rescue what remains of his people, even if it means entering the Safe Lands, a walled city that seems anything but safe. Omar knows he betrayed his brother by sending him away, but helping the enforcers was necessary. Living off the land and clinging to an outdated religion holds his village back. The Safe Lands has protected people since the plague decimated the world generations ago … and its rulers have promised power and wealth beyond Omar’s dreams. Meanwhile, their brother Mason has been granted a position inside the Safe Lands, and may be able to use his captivity to save not only the people of his village, but also possibly find a cure for the virus that threatens everyone within the Safe Lands’ walls. Will Mason uncover the truth hidden behind the Safe Lands’ façade before it’s too late?

Outcasts - The Safe Lands #2:


Uncovering the truth could cost them their lives.

Since entering the Safe Lands, Mason has focused on two things: finding a way to free his village from captivity, and finding a cure for the disease that ravages many within the walls of the Safe Lands. After immune-suppressive drugs go missing in the clinic, Mason discovers his coworker, Ciddah, may know more about the Safe Lands than imagined … and may have an agenda of her own. At the same time, Mason’s brother Levi is focused on a way to free the remaining Glenrock captives, while Mason’s younger brother Omar decides to take the rebellion against the Safe Lands into his own hands as a vigilante.

Soon all three brothers are being watched closely—and when Mason stumbles onto a shocking secret about the Safe Lands meds, his investigation just might get those closest to him liberated.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 Jill Williamson is weird, which is probably why she writes science fiction and fantasy novels for teenagers. She grew up in Alaska with no electricity, an outhouse, and a lot of mosquitoes. Thankfully it was the land of the midnight sun, and she could stay up and read by the summer daylight that wouldn’t go away. But the winter months left little to do but daydream. Both hobbies set her up to be a writer. 

 Her debut novel, a medieval fantasy called By Darkness Hid, won an EPIC Award, a Christy Award, and was named a Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror novel of 2009 by VOYA magazine. Jill has since published twelve books. 

 Jill loves working with teenagers and encouraging them to respect their dreams. She speaks and gives writing workshops at libraries, schools, camps, and churches. She lives in Oregon with her husband, two children, and a whole lot of deer. Come visit Jill on her Facebook author page or on her website at www.jillwilliamson.com, where adventure comes to life. 

 Visit the other members on tour at: 

 Julie Bihn
Thomas Fletcher Booher
Beckie Burnham
Jeff Chapman
Vicky DealSharingAunt
Carol Gehringer
Victor Gentile
Rebekah Gyger
Jeremy Harder
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Shannon McDermott
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Melanie @ Christian Bookshelf Reviews
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Joan Nienhuis
Nissa
Writer Rani
Audrey Sauble
Chawna Schroeder
Jojo Sutis
Elizabeth Williams
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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

CSFF: By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson

Song Stuck on the Brain: Bring Him Home from Les Mis by Colm Wilkinson

My absolute favorite musical. This song is so amazing.










This month the CSFF is touring:




by






MY TAKE:

Jill Williamson has a smash hit on her hands. I love this book, and I'd better not have to wait for the sequel very long. :)

Achan and Vrell are the kind of people you wish you knew in real life. In some ways even the people you wish you could be. They inspire you to be stronger, better, even more daring. The secondary cast aren't far behind. You feel their frustration, the injustice they face, even the desire for hope and a better life. There are characters you despise and others you cheer for every page of the way. Being able to completely immerse yourself in a story, is one of the best ways to rate a novel. So Jill gets a five star rating from me.

A great story and characters earn her high marks, but the intricacy she puts into the background and descriptions earns her bonus points. You feel that she's not only done the research, but that there's a good chance she's actually used or lived it in some way.

For example her knowledge of natural healing and herbology is fantastic. I've worked in the health food and medicinal herbs market for over 15 years. Jill KNOWS what she's talking about. It wasn't a smattering of little common facts here and there, she put effort into making it real. Her facts were thorough. And she did it all in a way that blended seamlessly into the story. No dry facts or scenes that ran on pointlessly. That's just one example. I think she must be a great swordsman as well. :)

As a writer I tend to notice small things like that and kick myself for missing that kind of detail in my own work. Not only the use of detail, but using it in an appropriate way. Jill isn't just a great writer and storyteller - she's an inspiration to the rest of us still trying to make our way on a writer's journey.

Kudo's Jill, you deserve it.



ABOUT THE BOOK:

Half of Er’Rets is locked beneath an impenetrable shroud. On the side that still sees the sun, two young people struggle to understand the mind-communication abilities thrust upon them. It’s called bloodvoicing. Some say it’s a gift. One of the newly “gifted” wish it had never come.

Achan has been a slave all his life. He is consigned to the kitchens of a lord and forced to swallow a foul potion every day. When an enigmatic knight offers to train Achan for the Kingsguard, he readily accepts. But his new skills with the sword do not prepare him for the battle raging between the voices in his head.

Vrell Sparrow is not who she seems. She masquerades as a boy to avoid capture by the powerful forces that seek to exploit her. But Vrell feels called to help a young squire who recently discovered his bloodvoicing gift, even if doing so requires her to work with those who could destroy her.

While Achan learns to use his new ability, Vrell struggles to shut hers down. All the voices strive to learn Achan and Vrell’s true identities—and a different kind of voice is calling them both.

Read Chapter One HERE.

Watch the Book Trailer










ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jill was raised in rural Alaska. Alone with her thoughts and the moose, daydreaming was a favorite pastime. As was reading.

She always loved reading. She started out with Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Little House on the Prairie, the Hobbit, and The Chronicles of Narnia. She loves just about every genre out there, but her all time favorites are fantasy and suspense.

Jill met Brad in college and they married after graduation. Her dreams of becoming a fashion designer dragged the couple to New York City for one year. After that, Brad’s dreams of directing movies dragged them to Los Angeles. They both worked really hard for people who weren’t very nice.

A few years of torture passed.

Brad started volunteering with teens at their Burbank church. They had their first son, Luke, moved to a house, Jill got out of the fashion industry (woo hoo!), and Brad became an ordained minister and full time youth pastor (double woo hoo!). God is good. All the time.

Jill started writing a book. It seemed like a good idea at the time. She didn’t have a clue what she was getting into. All she knew for certain was that it was really fun. With two babies at home, it was a neat way to pass the time.

Writing was something Jill never really did before then. Daydreaming and plotting, however, were familiar old friends. So now Jill writes…everywhere. At home, in the car, at church (only notes, I promises!), in line at the grocery store, at the park, while walking, in the shower… (TMI?) and she loves it. She finds creating characters and taking them on a journey an amazing experience. She never knew what it could be like until she met Spencer, Nauja, Martyr, and Achan. Writing was a whole lot of fun. Plus, she couldn’t get in trouble for forgetting to add a rosette onto a K-mart costsheet and costing the company a loss of $5,000. (True story…) And, she can’t get yelled at when the line of evening gowns she shipped via Fed Ex doesn’t reach the showroom in New York in time for Market to open. (Was it really her fault the plane got snowed in?)

No. Jill has no bitter memories of the fashion industry at all. (Can we say The Devil Wears Prada, anyone?)

But yes. Writing is something she loves. Writing is something she could do forever, if God allows it. (Please, God? Pretty please?)

May He do with Jill what He wishes.

See what other tour members are saying:
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