Author Interview & Book Giveaway: Cheryl Carpinello on SONS OF THE SPHINX

This week, we're pleased to again welcome author Cheryl Carpinello with her latest release, SONS OF THE SPHINX. One lucky visitor will get a free copy of Sons of the Sphinx. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments of today's author interview for a chance to win. Winner(s) are contacted privately by email. Here's the blurb. 

Armed with what she considers her grandmother’s curse, 15-year-old Rosa agrees to help the ghost of King Tut find his lost queen Hesena. Though Hesena’s ba inhabits part of Rosa, finding the whole spirit of Hesena so that she and Tut can be together for the first time in over 3500 years proves to be a harder task than Rosa first thinks. Thrust back into Ancient Egypt with Tut, Rosa discovers that finding Hesena is not all she must do. She must keep out of the reach of the living Horemheb—who crosses mortal boundaries using Seth’s evil magic—if she is to stay alive to make it back home.

** Q&A with Cheryl Carpinello**

November’s theme is Curses and Cures. How does Sons of the Sphinx fit into this month’s theme?

Sons of the Sphinx is about 15-year-old Rosa and her inheritance from her Nana. This is not a monetary or material inheritance. It is the ability to hear dead people. Some people might consider this an extraordinary gift. Rosa views it as a curse.

While her Nana lived, Rosa was entertained by her stories of the conversations she had with dead people. Then in the fourth grade when Rosa had a girlfriend spend the night, her Nana told them one of those stories. The girl went home the next day and told her mom. After a heated discussion over the phone with the girl’s mother, Rosa’s mom forbade Nana from talking about her ability with Rosa.

A few days before her death, Nana came into Rosa’s room and explained that this ability would pass to Rosa when she departed this life. Rosa’s life changed for what she considered the worse. Dead people would talk to her at school, and while she tried to ignore them, there were times when she just got mad and hollered at them. Try that in a classroom of other 15-year-olds and see the reaction you get.

It wasn’t long before Rosa became convinced that her Nana’s gift was no gift. It was a curse. As for the cure? Readers will have to find that out for themselves.

What made you choose ancient Egypt for your historical setting?

I’ve always been fascinated with ancient times, and Egypt is at the center of my fascination. Ancient Egypt is mysterious, mystic, and romantic to many people, including my target audience: young readers.

I didn’t really consider doing a story set then until after my visit to Egypt in 2008 and the tour of King Tut’s memorabilia in the US. An idea for a story around Tut’s life started to grow. In fact, that story is told by Tut himself in my short historical Tutankhamen Speaks. While that was a fun write, it turned out it wasn’t the story I wanted to tell. I wanted an adventure and to set that adventure in ancient Egypt with Tut sounded like an interesting story.

Why do you choose to write middle grade/tween/YA novels?

Coming from 25 years of teaching high school students, I wanted to use my experience to engage those readers and younger ones in the hopes of enticing them to read more. Sons of the Sphinx is geared more to readers aged 14 and up. Also coming of age story, I believe it helps my readers understand a little more about their lives. Rosa is a high school sophomore who is desperate to find her place in life just as were the students I taught. As she finds out, that place may not be where she wants to be, but she has to learn how to make the best of it, or be miserable for the rest of her life.

My other stories are Arthurian adventures for readers aged 8/9-12. These also carry the message of how, even this young, kids are starting to wonder where they belong in the grand scheme of the universe. Most of the time that journey to discovery is not a smooth one, but is one that can be traveled

You’ve gathered recognition for each of your books, something few writers do. Tell us about this.

I’ve been very blessed with my books. Part of that success comes from my years as a writing instructor at the high school level. Understanding my audience and what drives them—even when they don't—is also part of my success.

Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend: Finalist in the 2011 Global eBook Awards.

Young Knights of the Round Table: The King’s Ransom: Finalist in the 2012 USA Best Book Awards, Silver Award in Children’s Literary Classics 2012 Book Awards as well as their Seal of Approval, 2013 Evvy Merit Award from CIPA, and Gold Award in 2014 Global eBook Awards.

Tutankhamen Speaks: 2014 Evvy Merit Award from CIPA.

Sons of the Sphinx: Silver Award in Children’s Literary Classics 2014 Books Awards and CLC’s Seal of Approval.

Explain, if you can, what makes your books special.

This is a tough one. I believe I mentioned two earlier: My experience as a teacher and my ability to understand what motivates kids. To that I would have to add my philosophy on life, which is based on Joseph Campbell’s idea of the Hero’s Journey. The Hero With A Thousand Faces is really my Bible when I write. Campbell writes of the journey all of us embark on everyday of our lives: the search for self and worth. According to him, this is not a single journey, but one that is repeated throughout our lives. We face dangers, failures, and successes on each one.

Embedded within all of my characters’ adventures is their quest to find themselves. This is for them the first time they’ve really been able to explore their place in the world. My readers are also experiencing this in their lives. However, my books don’t preach or shout this out loud; instead, this journey is couched in an exciting and often dangerous adventure. This type of story offers readers a type of catharsis the old Greek playwrights used: Letting the audience experience the emotions of the characters, while remaining somewhat safe. Those plays also carried individual meaning for each of the audience members and were very popular.

Any final words?

Only to say thank you for hosting me, and also thanks to your readers for stopping by. I’d also be interested in any of their journeys.

Buy Links
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MVGC96Y/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/469860

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sons-of-the-sphinx-cheryl-carpinello/1120481788?ean=2940046213232

iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sons-of-the-sphinx/id925912370?mt=11&uo=4

Author Links

Learn more about author Cheryl Carpinello:

Beyond Today Educator

Carpinello’s Writing Pages

The Quest Books

Facebook

GoodReads

Twitter

Amazon Author Page

Excerpt Thursday: SONS OF THE SPHINX by Cheryl Carpinello

This week, we're pleased to again welcome author Cheryl Carpinello with her latest release, SONS OF THE SPHINX. Join us again on Sunday for an author interview, with more details about the story behind the story. One lucky visitor will get a free copy of Sons of the Sphinx. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments of today's post or Sunday's author interview for a chance to win. Winner(s) are contacted privately by email. Here's the blurb.

Armed with what she considers her grandmother’s curse, 15-year-old Rosa agrees to help the ghost of King Tut find his lost queen Hesena. Though Hesena’s ba inhabits part of Rosa, finding the whole spirit of Hesena so that she and Tut can be together for the first time in over 3500 years proves to be a harder task than Rosa first thinks. Thrust back into Ancient Egypt with Tut, Rosa discovers that finding Hesena is not all she must do. She must keep out of the reach of the living Horemheb—who crosses mortal boundaries using Seth’s evil magic—if she is to stay alive to make it back home.

** An Excerpt from Sons of the Sphinx**

Chapter 1

I don’t see dead people. I hear them. I talk to them. Boy, you should try that. Talk about people looking at you like you’ve got two heads. That will do it. I used to look in the mirror after talking to them to see what others saw. All I saw was me, Rosa, an ordinary fifteen-year-old girl. Well, not so ordinary. I do have my father’s emerald eyes, but no glowing auras, no ghosts on my shoulders, only my sun-streaked blond hair usually in need of a trim.

It would be one thing if I talked to famous dead people. You know, like that Elvis Presley guy my mother still drools over? I mean, really? The guy would be, like, ancient today! Anyway, if I talked to him, I could give my mom a personal message like, “Sorry we never got to hook up.” That would be worth a few extra bucks for allowance, don’t you think?

No, the dead people who talk to me are just dead nobodies. Nothing exciting to say. Nothing going down. They’re just hanging out, waiting for—I don’t know—to be more dead, I guess. Or to see how much trouble they can get me in.

Take today in math class. We’re taking this test, see. I’m concentrating real hard on this problem trying to figure height or something. Then I hear this:

“Hey you.”

I jerk up in my chair, searching for the guy doing the talking. I glance at the kids on either side of me. Nothing. I look up at the teacher. He’s glaring at me.

“Great,” I whisper. “He probably thinks I’m trying to cheat.” I bow my head and focus on the problem again.

“You, I’m talking to you.”

I shake my head in hopes of tossing out that voice. I know now. Some dumb dead guy wants to talk to me.

“Would you be quiet? I’m trying to take a math test.”

“Oh sure, that’s okay for you to say. I’ll never take another test again.” His voice breaks up like bad radio reception.

“Not my problem.”

“I died too soon, I really did.”

“Look, I haven’t talked to one yet who didn’t say that. Kind of goes with the dead part. Now leave me alone. You’re going to make me fail this test.”

I hear him snort like he has to blow his nose, if the dead can actually do that. Then comes the kicker.

“I just want another chance. I promise I’ll do better.”

“I’m going to say this one more time. Not my problem. Now leave me alone.” I form three exclamation points in my head so if he is reading my thoughts as well as listening, he will get the picture.

“But it isn’t fair,” he whines. “It just isn’t fair.”

Okay. I’m fed up with this guy. I can’t even remember the formula for the problem I’m trying to answer. I am definitely going to fail if he keeps on yapping. I try to ignore him and concentrate on remembering the stupid formula.

“Not fair.”

My brain is fried, and I’ve had enough. I slam my pencil on my desk and stand up. “Bud, I don’t give a damn if it isn’t fair. Just shut the hell up so I can get this test done!”

Did you get the part where I “stand up and yell”? Yep, that earns me an F on the test AND a trip to the AP’s office. I can’t even defend myself. What am I going to say? “Excuse me, I’m sorry I blurted out loud in the middle of a test, and I’m sorry for cussing, but you see, this dead person wouldn’t shut up.” Yeah, that would go over well. Nope, I just sit with my head down, my face burning from embarrassment, and whisper, “It won’t happen again. Had to be the stress over the test.” You get the picture.

The rest of the day I endure the strange looks and whispers by shrugging and mumbling something like “Idiot dead people.” The kids will avoid me for the next few days. I think they’re afraid whatever I have will rub off on them, or that I’ve gone bananas or something. Understandable.

All this comes from my grandmother. When I was little, Nana lived with us, and it was like Halloween every night. She told the most amazing stories about spirits that visited her. Nana said I would inherit her gift, except it’s not a gift. It is definitely a curse. Because of it, I had the first and last sleepover at my house in the third grade when Nana decided to share one of her stories with my best friend Rachel and me. In the years since Nana passed away, I’ve been laughed at, shunned, and avoided, especially after an incident like today.

When my parents get home and hear what happened...Well I might be the one shouting “It’s not fair.”

So now I sit in my bedroom trying to work on a history project. You know, the kind where the teacher puts you in a group, and then no one in the group does anything? Yep, that’s my luck. This is due the day after tomorrow, and no one except me has done anything. I’ll probably fail if it’s not finished. My eyes wander around the room instead of focusing.

“Roosa.”

Without thinking, I blurt out, “It’s Rosa, not Roosa. And I told you to get lost. Now.” I jump to the door and slam it shut. Do the dead have no respect?

And just who is THIS guy? It’s not the same person who got me in trouble at school. That’s nice. Now I have an army of dead people invading my brain. Too bad they can’t do this project for me.

“Roosa.”

Who is this idiot?

“Listen. This is my room, my space. These are my things, and I refuse to share them with dead people!”

Buy Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MVGC96Y/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/469860

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sons-of-the-sphinx-cheryl-carpinello/1120481788?ean=2940046213232

iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sons-of-the-sphinx/id925912370?mt=11&uo=4

Author Links

Learn more about author Cheryl Carpinello:

Beyond Today Educator

Carpinello’s Writing Pages

The Quest Books

Facebook

GoodReads

Twitter

Amazon Author Page

Guest Blog: Cheryl Carpinello

This week, we’re welcoming author Cheryl Carpinello whose YA title THE KING'S RANSOM (YOUNG KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE)  won the 2012 Silver Award for YA Fiction from the Children's Literary Classics. Cheryl is here to talk about the novel and offer an ebook copy to a lucky winner. Here's the blurb:

In medieval Wales, eleven-year-old Prince Gavin, thirteen-year-old orphan Philip, and fifteen-year-old blacksmith's apprentice Bryan are brought together in friendship by one they call the Wild Man. When an advisor to the king is killed and a jewelled medallion is stolen from the king’s treasury, the Wild Man is accused of the theft and murder.

Filled with disbelief at the arrest of the Wild Man, the three friends embark upon a knight’s quest to save their friend’s life. To succeed, the three must confront their fears and insecurities, and one of them will have to disclose the biggest secret of all.

Join Gavin, Philip, and Bryan on their quest and share the adventures that await them in the land of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. 

**Q&A with Cheryl Carpinello**

Tell us what made you decide to write books about the Arthurian legend?

I’ve always been fascinated by King Arthur. I’ve probably read just about every fiction story written over the last 15-20 years. One of my favorites is Deepak Chopra’s The Return of Merlin. I’ve also ventured to nonfiction or scholarly accounts like your King Arthur’s Children: A Study in Fiction and Tradition. However, I’m more of a romantic, and it’s that side of the legend that appeals to me. I like the ideas that surround the legend like might is not right; how when seen from the air, there are no lines or boundaries on Earth—we are all here together, and we need to learn how to get along; and how in Arthur’s time hope still lives. Underneath it all, I believe this is what draws young and old to the legend. What the legend says to kids without them realizing it is that there is a right way and a wrong way to live. This is done with the stories of the knights with their quests, their jousts, their rescuing of the damsels, and their fighting for the underdog. These stories present readers with vivid accounts of honor, loyalty, and friendship. This is why I chose Arthurian Legend.

Who are your books for?

I have found that Arthurian legend is for all ages, but my main focus is on young readers (ages  8-15). I typically write shorter books for reluctant readers. These reluctant readers are kids who are able to read, but prefer to do other activities. If I can reach them early in their schooling, it’s just possible I might hook them into exploring other books. I’ve yet to find a student in the younger grades who isn’t excited about the medieval time period. Reluctant readers, my nephew Joe is one, will usually balk at long, fat books, so I shorten mine. I usually add simple illustrations to break up the text, but The King’s Ransom in Ebook form does not have these. The print version of The King’s Ransom will have the illustrations.

How has being a teacher influenced your writing?

I’ve written several books over the years. I’ve done an adult romance, a YA romance/bildungsroman, and several stories suitable for picture books. I just never seemed to find a genre I was passionate about writing. Then I started teaching The Once and Future King. My students loved the story and the whole medieval world. After writing Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend, I started doing medieval writing workshops in the elementary schools and found every classroom full of kids crazy about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and the medieval time period. I have to say that being in the classroom and working with the younger kids has been my entire motivation for writing my books.

One of the many reasons I’m excited about The King’s Ransom is that my publisher MuseItUp had me do a separate 18-page Teacher Guide that is available as a free PDF download when readers purchase The King’s Ransom from their bookstore.  I also have a copy that I can send to readers for free and hand out in classrooms and at workshops. The guide carries that great castle cover and is loaded with resources and materials for teachers and home schooled students. Included are a synopsis, information on the Arthurian Legend and the medieval time period, castle vocabulary, and a word find puzzle. Teachers have suggestions for discussions, projects, and writing exercises as well as additional medieval references specifically geared for young readers. I also put together a complete set of comprehension questions/answers for all eighteen chapters.

Tell us about your other writings.

My first Arthurian legend book Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend introduces young readers to the timeless King Arthur Legend and Guinevere the girl as she struggles with growing up and fulfilling her destiny. I wanted to give young readers an understanding of the girl Guinevere, how she is like them today. Everyone has to grow up; everyone has unpleasant choices to make; and regardless of when we are born or how old we are, we don't always get our way. And when that happens, we have to accept it and move on.

King Arthur’s Story is a short story that was not published in Guinevere.

Behind the Scenes of The King’s Ransom lets readers meet the characters in The King’s Ransom, go on a virtual tour of the actual Welsh settings and sample Welsh food and drink, discover the secrets of the author, and other goodies.

What are your plans for future books?

My current work-in-progress takes my readers out of Medieval England and back to Ancient Egypt. It will be a Middle Grade/YA mystery and will introduce readers to a famous boy pharaoh. I’m also working on a sequel to Guinevere. I’ve had several readers ask me what becomes of Guinevere’s friend Cedwyn, so I’m exploring a storyline there. And, somewhere soon, I’m going to do a Young Knights series around the current characters and other young knight characters. Enough to keep me busy for a few years!

Cheryl Carpinello is the author of award-winning "Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend" and the CLC Silver Award Recipient & Recommended Read The King's Ransom (Young Knights of the Round Table) from MuseItUp Publishing

Cheryl's WebSite 

CherylBlog 

AmazonAuthor Page 

FacebookPage 

Goodreads 

Read The King's Ransom (Young Knights of the Round Table) at:

MuseItUpPublishing book page  

Amazon US 

Amazon UK 

Barnes &Noble 

Excerpt Thursday: The King's Ransom by Cheryl Carpinello

This week, we’re welcoming author Cheryl Carpinello whose YA title The King's Ransom (Young Knights of the Round Table)  won the 2012 Silver Award for YA Fiction from the Children's Literary Classics. Join us Sunday, when Cheryl will be here to talk about the novel and offer an ebook copy to a lucky winner. Here's the blurb:

In medieval Wales, eleven-year-old Prince Gavin, thirteen-year-old orphan Philip, and fifteen-year-old blacksmith's apprentice Bryan are brought together in friendship by one they call the Wild Man. When an advisor to the king is killed and a jewelled medallion is stolen from the king’s treasury, the Wild Man is accused of the theft and murder.

Filled with disbelief at the arrest of the Wild Man, the three friends embark upon a knight’s quest to save their friend’s life. To succeed, the three must confront their fears and insecurities, and one of them will have to disclose the biggest secret of all.

Join Gavin, Philip, and Bryan on their quest and share the adventures that await them in the land of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. 

**An Excerpt from The King's Ransom (Young Knights of the Round Table)**

Chapter One - Gavin

Gavin bounded down the keep steps, eager to discover the cause of the cacophony echoing through the tower. The snorting and whinnying of horses competed with the voices of knights calling to each other across the courtyard. He stuffed his green tunic into his black breeches as he ran. In too much of a hurry to comb his hair, Gavin tried to smooth the brown cowlick with his fingers.

As the youngest prince of Pembroke Castle, Gavin dutifully attended his daily lessons. As a page, he was learning to handle a sword in battle and take care of the weapons, equipment, and horses of the knights. Soon to be a squire, he worried about how he would act in battle. Well, not exactly in battle. Squires tended the knights’ horses and guarded the supplies while they fought. The unspoken rule of warfare stated that squires couldn’t be put in danger. However, others in the castle had talked about the times the enemy had sent warriors behind the fighting to attack the supply line. Squires who hadn’t run away had been injured or killed.

Gavin worried about disgracing his family and the crown, worried that he would be scared enough to run or worse, get injured or killed.

The simple truth was, he was afraid.

Burying those thoughts, Gavin burst into the bailey courtyard amassed with horses and knights milling about. Dust swirled, choking the air, causing him to cough and sneeze. He recognized his older brother Robert across the chaotic courtyard and raised his hand in salute.

Robert led his black gelding over and handed Gavin the reins.

“Hi, Gav.” Robert tousled Gavin’s hair.

“What’s happening? Where are you going?”

“Someone broke into the throne room last night and stole the King’s Ransom...”

Gavin gasped. The medallion was made of gold and embedded with emeralds so dark the jewels looked black except in the sunlight. Then the deep green sparkled lighter and reminded him of the first blades of grass pushing up through the dark earth in the spring. The tremendous weight of the medallion required him to use both hands when holding it.

Stories passed down said that a traitor over the channel had used it to force a king to ransom his kingdom. To be in possession of it meant to be in possession of power. Many men wanted that power. Gavin’s grandfather’s grandfather had found it as a young man during the siege of a French castle. Though only seventeen, that prince had recognized its importance and had risked his life to bring it home. To protect his find, he’d spent the night in a storeroom listening to the screams of the defeated forces and the drunken laughter of the victors. He’d presented it to his father, and it had been in the possession of the King of Pembroke Castle ever since.

“...and killed one of our men,” Robert finished, breaking into his thoughts.

“Who?”

“Aldred.”

An image of the thin, wiry man appeared in Gavin’s mind. It wasn’t pleasant. Aldred had managed the estate and castle’s daily needs and also watched over the treasury. That meant that he frequented the throne room. Invariably he was with the king when Gavin needed to talk to his father. It bothered him that Aldred shared the private conversations he had with his father, always made him feel unimportant. But his father would be upset at his death.

“As soon as Father gets here, we’re going hunting. Man-hunting.”

“Might I go along as your squire?” Gavin asked.

Robert seemed to see the hesitation Gavin knew was etched on his face. 

“Not this time, Gav. You’ll get your chance to join us soon enough. And Gavin...” Robert paused. His body stiffened as he spotted the king making his way through the crowd on his black stallion. “You’ll do well.” He mounted his horse and held out a hand. Gavin handed him the reins and watched as Robert joined their father, King Wallace.

“You know your father’s rule,” a soft voice behind Gavin said.

Gavin glanced up at the tall, slender figure now standing beside him. Most days, Queen Katherine didn’t look old enough to be his mother. But today, the sadness of Aldred’s death had left its mark. He had learned that events that affected his father had the same effect on his mother. Her green eyes, which usually sparkled with laughter, held traces of tears. A frown replaced her usual bright smile as she watched her husband and two oldest sons prepare to leave. Gavin was startled to see the grey streaks running through her brown hair. He hadn’t noticed that she was getting older.

“You’ll be twelve in a few days. Then you’ll be made Robert’s squire. It’s tradition, and your father is firm on tradition. You must wait until then.” She put her arm around Gavin and squeezed his shoulders.

Gavin nodded. Together they watched through the dust as the troop of knights, with the king at their head, rode through the gate, out across the moat, and into the forest. As much as he longed to be with them, he couldn’t forget his fears.

Cheryl Carpinello is the author of award-winning "Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend" and the CLC Silver Award Recipient & Recommended Read The King's Ransom (Young Knights of the Round Table) from MuseItUp Publishing

Cheryl's WebSite 

CherylBlog 

AmazonAuthor Page 

FacebookPage 

Goodreads 

Read The King's Ransom (Young Knights of the Round Table) at:

MuseItUpPublishing book page  

Amazon US 

Amazon UK 

Barnes &Noble