[Blog Tour] Discovery By Barbara Greig #HistoricalFiction

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The Book:

Discovery
By Barbara Greig

• Publication Date: 28th June 2020
• Publisher: Matador (imprint of Troubador Publishing Ltd)
• Page Length: 336 Pages
• Genre: Historical Fiction

The Blurb:

Discovery: An epic tale of love, loss and courage When Elizabeth Gharsia’s headstrong nephew, Gabriel, joins Samuel Champlain’s 1608 expedition to establish a settlement at Quebec, he soon becomes embroiled in a complicated tribal conflict. As months turn into years, Gabriel appears lost to his family.

Meanwhile at home in France the death of her father, Luis, adds to Elizabeth’s anguish. Devastated by her loss, she struggles to make sense of his final words. Could her mother’s journals, found hidden among Luis’s possessions, provide the key to the mystery?

The arrival of Pedro Torres disrupts Elizabeth’s world even further. Rescued from starvation on the streets of Marseille by her brother, Pedro is a victim of the brutal expulsion of his people from Spain. Initially antagonistic, will Elizabeth come to appreciate Pedro’s qualities and to understand the complexity of her family?

Buy Links: 

Available on Kindle Unlimited ✔ Amazon UK ✔ Amazon US ✔: Amazon CA ✔: Amazon AU ✔: Waterstones ✔: Kobo ✔: Troubador ✔: WHSmith ✔: iBooks ✔: Google Play ✔ Book Depository ✔: 

Discovery - cover

Discovery - Excerpt:

Despite being weary, Elizabeth did not go to bed after she had taken her leave of Thomas. Waiting until she heard his heavy footsteps pass her chamber, she crept out of her room in the direction of her father’s. She paused momentarily outside Pedro’s door and wondered if he was asleep and if he had helped himself to some cold mutton from the kitchen before retiring for the night. Once again, she experienced a niggle of guilt as she had done earlier in the day; she should have invited him to eat some supper instead of acquiescing to Thomas’s demand.

On reaching Luis’s chamber, Elizabeth lifted the latch tentatively and was rewarded by the faintest of clicks as it was released. She eased the door open. Shafts of silvery light flooded the room and through the open shutters Elizabeth caught a glimpse of the full moon, riding high in a cloudless sky now that the storm had passed. Leaving the shutters open, she padded towards the bedside table and positioned the candle to give maximum light. Its yellow glow fused with the moonlight, producing an eeriness which somewhat unnerved her. Glancing around the room, to check that she was alone, Elizabeth chided herself for being fanciful.

The chest, one of two which held her father’s books, was locked. Thwarted, she took her time to think where he might have put the key. She scanned the room, puzzled over why the chest was locked, for the books had been freely available when her father was alive. The volumes, although valuable, many of which had been collected by her father’s grandfather, Hernando Gharsia, were only known to the family and to friends at the university. Her eyes alighted on the other chest in the room, the one where she had found the letter. It was worth a second look.

As before, she removed the items one by one except for the letter which was now concealed in her own jewellery casket: a piece of paper so momentous that no-one must see it, especially Thomas. However, unlike the previous occasion when she just laid it to one side, Elizabeth untied the bundle of silk. It rippled from her hands, a cascade of sea-green, the colour given depth by the ghostly light. The material was old and creased with dirt at the edges where the linen cover had slipped open but enough could be salvaged to fashion an exquisite dress. She ran her hand across the silk. Why did her father have it in his possession? Why had her mother never used it? Or told Elizabeth about it?

Returning to the task in hand, Elizabeth retrieved the candle from the table and held it low over the open chest, revealing the base and all four corners. There was no key. Disappointed, she returned her father’s treasures, ensuring that the silk was well-wrapped within the linen, and was about to take a last look around the chamber when Thomas’s deep bass boomed from the threshold. “What do you think you are doing?”

She swung round to face him, the candle-holder shaking in her hand. “You gave me such a fright!”

Thomas made a dismissive gesture. “It is your own fault – creeping like a thief in the night.”

Elizabeth did not retaliate, which immediately aroused her brother’s suspicions. Instead, she continued to stare at him, her eyes huge and defensive in the flickering flame. “Well?” he demanded.

“I wanted to look in Papa’s book-chest.”

“What for?”

“A book,” she replied lamely. She could tell he did not believe her, so she challenged him. “Why is the chest locked?”

“The contents are very valuable.”

“I know, but I can’t remember Papa ever locking it.”

“I am the head of the household now.”

“You have the key?”

“Yes.”

“Why have you locked the chest?”

“We have a guest in the house.”

Elizabeth surprised herself by rushing to the Castilian’s defence. “Pedro would never steal from us.”

“How can you be certain? I see you have given him access to the books in the parlour. He might wonder what others we have.”

“Pedro would not steal. I have come to know him while you have been away.”

“Perhaps that is so, but you know that our father has many books in his possession unsuitable for a faithful Roman Catholic.”

“Pedro would not betray us either. He is a Morisco. Papa gave him his Qur’an.”

“He did?”

“Yes.”

“True, I think it unlikely he would betray us, but we must protect ourselves, and our assets.”

“Assets?” Realisation dawned on Elizabeth. “You cannot think of selling some of Papa’s books!”

“I might if money is short.”

“But we have the vineyard, the saffron, and our trade.”

“I was not talking about us.”

“Oh Thomas,” Elizabeth warned. “You must not support the Huguenot cause now. It is too dangerous.”

“Nonsense! Now is the time to arm, to be ready for any attack from the new king. I plan to set off for Uzès the day after tomorrow to see what preparations that city is making. Then I will return to Montauban.”

There was no point in arguing, Thomas was, as he had said, the head of the family. Elizabeth walked towards the door. “I think I will go to bed.”

“What about the book you were looking for?”

“It can wait. I am tired.”

She reached the threshold, came to a halt and waited for Thomas to move. Raising the candle, she looked directly into his eyes but did not speak. He paused long enough to make her feel uncomfortable and then stepped to the side. “You can ask me for the key anytime.”

Barbara Greig

Author Bio:

Barbara Greig was born in Sunderland and lived in Roker until her family moved to Teesdale. An avid reader, she also discovered the joy of history at an early age. A last-minute change of heart, in the sixth form, caused her to alter her university application form. Instead of English, Barbara read Modern and Ancient History at Sheffield University. It was a decision she never regretted.

Barbara worked for twenty years in sixth form colleges, teaching History and Classical Civilisation. Eventually, although enjoying a role in management, she found there was less time for teaching and historical study. A change of focus was required. With her children having flown the nest, she was able to pursue her love of writing and story-telling. She has a passion for hiking, and dancing, the perfect antidotes to long hours of historical research and writing, as well as for travel and, wherever possible, she walks in the footsteps of her characters.

Discovery is Barbara’s second novel. Her debut novel Secret Lives was published in 2016 (Sacristy Press).

Connect with Barbara Greig:

Twitter ✔ Facebook ✔ Amazon Author Page ✔ Goodreads ✔

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"Procession", An Augmented-Reality Artwork Of Our Not-So-Distant Future, Debuts At The Tribeca Festival [Trailer Included]

Procession (Tribeca Festival Poster)

Dustin Yellin, in collaboration with the National Wildlife Federation, Droga5, Squint/Opera, Q Department, Mach1 and Vrai Pictures, has announced the launch of Procession, a new interactive artwork that lets anyone in the world place a Dustin Yellin sculpture in their immediate environment and bring the art to life through complete explorative immersion, revealing hundreds of narratives within the piece. 

Set to debut globally at this year's Tribeca Festival, Procession is a groundbreaking augmented-reality (AR) app experience set in a utopian world where human-created climate change wreaks havoc as you watch.

Procession is one of the first fine-art AR projects based on a realized sculpture to combine animation, collage and archival footage into an explorative interactive soundscape. It presents our near future, a period of global unrest and environmental destruction, spurred by raging flood waters and massive wildfires. Humanity is faced with a choice: living in ignorance or uniting to preserve what's left of our planet.

Procession (Screengrab)

"My goal has always been to democratize art and create a living, breathing canvas that can be affected by every participant who touches it. Procession presents our near future, a period of global unrest and environmental destruction, spurred by raging flood waters and massive wildfires," said Dustin Yellin.

Through the accessibility of its art, Procession unites people in taking action to preserve our natural environment. Through education, awareness and a directive that links to National Wildlife Federation's nonprofit climate initiatives, Procession joins the fight to preserve our delicate ecosystem before we lose it.

Procession (Screengrab)

"The experience of becoming part of Dustin's art makes it clear that each of us has an impact on our planet and when we choose to take the steps necessary to protect wildlife and the natural world, we will be able to create a more equitable and sustainable planet for everyone," said Carey Stanton, Head of Innovation Partnerships for the National Wildlife Federation. "We are thrilled to be the wildlife conservation partner for Procession."

• Procession was created in a unique collaboration of established creative and production partners including global creative agency Droga5, creative studio Squint/Opera, music studios Q Department and Mach1, and immersive design studio Vrai Pictures.

Procession (Screengrab)

"We've been working on this collaboration for quite some time, and it's a pleasure to see the work of Dustin, Droga5 and our partners finally realized in such a pure, impactful way," said Director of Innovation at Droga5 Justin Durazzo. "We're really excited to deliver this interactive art piece in our rapidly evolving tech and climate landscape and hope everyone—regardless of their age, beliefs or background—will relate to it."

"The partnership was driven by our desire to make this world more intricate and immersive, more fun and educational. Technology allowed us to add animation and special effects, social interactions and gaming achievements to create a brand new artwork that truly leverages the medium it is made with," said Director of Technology at Squint/Opera Elie Zananiri. "We are very proud of this collaboration and how the AR experience turned out."

Procession - The Trailer:

• Procession is available on Apple iOS and Android (listed as Procession AR). To download the experience, go to Procession.World.

About Dustin Yellin:

Dustin Yellin is an artist who lives in Brooklyn, New York, and is the founder and director of Pioneer Works, a multidisciplinary cultural center in Red Hook, Brooklyn. His work has been exhibited at Amorepacific Museum, Brooklyn Museum, City Museum, Colección Solo, Corning Museum of Glass, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Museo Del Palacio de Bellas Artes, SCAD Museum of Art, Tacoma Museum, and with Creative Time, amongst many others. Yellin is often featured in diverse media ranging from the New York Times, to Artforum, Vanity Fair, and TED. He holds an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

About National Wildlife Federation:

The National Wildlife Federation is America's largest and most trusted conservation organization, uniting all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in a rapidly changing world. 

• Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Droga5:

Droga5, part of Accenture Interactive, is a creative agency with offices in New York, London and Tokyo. From integrated communications and experience innovation to business design, Droga5 exists to build and sustain the most influential brands of the 21st century through creativity. Droga5 was founded in 2006 and has been recognized as Agency of the Year more than 25 times and was named both Ad Age and Adweek's Agency of the Decade (2010–2019). Droga5 clients include Allstate, Amazon, Biofreeze, Chase, Essentia, The Hershey Company, IHOP, Kerrygold, Kimberly-Clark, lululemon, LVMH, Maserati, Mattress Firm, The New York Times and among others. 

• Visit Droga5.com or @droga5 on all social platforms to get to know us better.

About Squint/Opera:

Squint/Opera is a creative studio that brings together storytelling, media production, technology and design. The studio specialises in digital media and works with ambitious partners to communicate big ideas. With studios in London and New York, they have an international portfolio of clients, including the Empire State Building, V&A, The Metropolitan Museum, Battersea Power Station, Bordeaux Wine museum and Museum of Irish Literature.

About Q Department:

Q Department is an award winning sound production studio focused on bringing Hollywood production value to XR through our proprietary, patented Mach1 sound technology.

About Vrai Pictures:

Vrai Pictures is an XR design studio that seeks the truth in immersive media. We leverage emerging spatial computing technologies to explore the evolution of human-data interaction in order to build emotional, inclusive, and impactful experiences.

SOURCE Dustin Yellin LLC

Pop and R&B Artist Darrell Kelley Visits Site of Tulsa Race Massacre on 100th Anniversary While On Tour [Video-Clips Included]

Darrell Kelly on Tour Fighting to Stop Police Brutality, Systemic Racism and Spreading Love, Unity and Acceptance

Most of our favorite artists and celebrities are vocal about causes that are important to them. For Darrell Kelley social activism isn't a part of his brand, it is his brand.

Last week was the 100th anniversary of the horrific Tulsa Race Massacre (1921), where white citizens armed with weapons given to them by city officials, attacked black people and destroyed their businesses. 

• Dozens of black residents were murdered, and over 800 were gravely injured.

Darrell visited the district where the massacre took place and met with renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has defended high profile cases such as Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and George Floyd. 

Darrell and Ben spoke to the crowds in attendance about police brutality and issues affecting equality for African Americans today. Darrell also met and spoke with Dr. Malik Zulu Shabazz who is currently serving as the chairman for the New Black Panther Party. 

• Dr. Shabazz instantly aligned with Darrell's message and made plans to help spread Darrell's music all over the country.

Darrell Kelly & Ben Crump (Screengrab)

Darrell Kelley is one of the hottest musicians out of Atlanta right now and has over 21.5 million streams worldwide on Spotify and Soundcloud. Hollywood is very excited about working with Darrell and it's rumored that Darrell is in talks for some massive collaborations to amplify his messages. At the 2020 Grammy's Darrell was spotted by paparazzi rubbing shoulders with A list stars and very influential producers at exclusive after parties.

Darrell has made international hit singles since 2018 like "Police Brutality" and "I'm So High". Some of his most popular hit singles are "Georgia Finally Went Blue", "Violence and Hate", and "Kamala". Darrell has also released two songs entitled "Corona Virus" and "Vaccine" this past year that have both taken off during the pandemic. Last week Darrell released "Systemic Racism" in response to the murder of Daunte Wright.

Darrell Kelly On Stage at the 100th Anniversary of the Tulsa, Oklahoma Massacre (Screengrab)

Currently Darrell is wrapping up a national tour. After Oklahoma Darrell brought his tour to Atlanta. On 6/19 Darrell is scheduled to perform in Washington, North Carolina and on 6/20 in Elizabeth, North Carolina where Darrell plans on sharing his music with the family of Andrew Brown, a local black resident who was shot in the back by police drawing national attention.

According to recent reports Darrell is gearing up to work with more influencers, celebrities and renowned activists to help promote his message of equality and justice for all religions, genders and orientations.

The Video-Clips:

To stay up to date about Darrell's music, upcoming performances and high profile collaborations follow him on Social Media or/and at his website:

• Darrell's website ✔ Instagram ✔ Facebook ✔ SoundCloud ✔ Apple Music ✔ Spotify ✔
  

SOURCE: Viral Records LLC

[Blog Tour] 'Sisters at War' By Clare Flynn #HistoricalFiction #WW2

Sisters at War - Tour Banner

The Book:

Sisters at War
By Clare Flynn

• Publication Date: 1st May 2021
• Publisher: Cranbrook Press
• Page Length: 314 Pages
• Genre: Historical Fiction

The Blurb:

1940 Liverpool. The pressures of war threaten to tear apart two sisters traumatised by their father’s murder of their mother.

With her new husband, Will, a merchant seaman, deployed on dangerous Atlantic convoy missions, Hannah needs her younger sister Judith more than ever. But when Mussolini declares war on Britain, Judith's Italian sweetheart, Paolo is imprisoned as an enemy alien, and Judith's loyalties are divided.

Each sister wants only to be with the man she loves but, as the war progresses, tensions between them boil over, and they face an impossible decision.

A heart-wrenching page-turner about the everyday bravery of ordinary people during wartime. From heavily blitzed Liverpool to the terrors of the North Atlantic and the scorched plains of Australia, Sisters at War will bring tears to your eyes and joy to your heart.

• Buy Links: Universal Link ✔ Amazon UK ✔ Amazon US ✔ Amazon CA ✔ Amazon AU ✔ Kobo ✔

Sisters at War - Front Cover 

'Sisters at War' - Excerpt:

At some point his luck was going to run out. As a merchant seaman, Will Kidd was only too aware of the heavy losses sustained by merchant ships and yet, so far, he had come through the first months of the war with barely a sight of a German vessel. On the way south through the Bay of Biscay, towards Gibraltar, just two weeks ago, they had spotted the periscope of a submarine, only to find on closer inspection that it was a piece of driftwood. They had also identified a German warship off the south coast of Ireland but either it was running low on fuel and heading for home, unwilling for an encounter with a convoy, or somehow it failed to spot them. Either way, it sailed on without engaging. Such good fortune could not last forever.

This morning, Will was keeping watch as they headed back to England. The Christina was straggling along, heavily laden with cargo. Being low in the water, they’d been unable to sustain the eight knots the rest of the convoy were keeping to, and Captain Palmer had requested permission for them to continue alone. They were following a course as far from the Spanish and Portuguese coast as possible, as the risk of being sighted was less the further out to sea they were.

Will scanned the dark water around him with a practised eye, all too aware that somewhere out there, danger was lurking. The stretches closer to home were always the most perilous.

The Christina was an ageing tramp steamer. Will knew the ship like the back of his hand, having served on her between African ports before the war. The vessel was slow, cumbersome and would have been all too easily picked off trailing at the rear of the convoy. Better to take their chances alone, rather than slow the other ships down. But the problem of leaving the shelter of the convoy was that they only had a four-inch, low-angle gun, a relic from the last war. If a torpedo struck, they could be heading to the bottom of the sea before they had a chance to fire a shot back.

Night was falling. Will was near the end of his watch and looking forward to a few hours’ sleep. At first, he thought he saw a pod of dolphins, then realised it was moving much too fast – a line of bubbles crossing the bows from starboard to port. Grabbing the voice pipe, he sounded the alarm whistle and within moments Captain Palmer was beside him on the bridge.

‘Bring her about!’ Palmer ordered and the helmsman swung the ship through ninety degrees. The captain ordered them to increase speed but, even at full throttle, the Christina was too slow for a U-boat, even a submerged one whose speed would be constrained by battery power.

As the captain reached for the steam whistle to alert the rest of his sleeping crew, Will saw the unmistakable phosphorescent trail of a torpedo as it narrowly missed the Christina’s bow, closely followed by another.

‘Send an SSS with our coordinates,’ the captain instructed the radio operator.

The first officer appeared on the bridge. ‘Torpedo near miss off the stern.’

‘Turn her again. To port, hard about ninety degrees.’

The Christina turned again so that the stern of the ship faced the attacker. Will was astonished. Three torpedoes and none of them on target. He could barely believe their luck. It couldn’t hold out.

‘Full steam ahead.’ The captain was holding them on a steady course, hoping to put some distance between them before the U-boat fired another torpedo.

Will was the first to see the sub as it surfaced on the port side. He sent out an alarm as shells began raining down.

The radio officer was frantically sending out signals that they were under submarine attack; the Germans were targetting the ship’s aerial masts. The only gun, better suited to anti-aircraft defence, was little use at the angle required to fire at a surfaced submarine.

Palmer continued to steer the Christina on a random zigzag path, to make aiming as difficult as possible for the German vessel, aided by the cover of darkness.

But the shelling had only just begun. The Christina shook and groaned under the onslaught of fire from close range. Shells exploded everywhere across the decks.

Will looked at Captain Palmer, awaiting instructions.

‘Bastards.’ Palmer’s voice was grim. He grabbed the megaphone and gave the order.

‘Abandon ship.’

The booming of exploding torpedoes continued. Water rushed down the companion ways. Steam shot up as a boiler exploded. Torchlights cut through the blackness of the night.

Everything was happening so fast. Will staggered along the deck to supervise the lowering of the port lifeboat, under the constant bombardment from shellfire.

Looking back, he saw the captain flinging the confidential books overboard, consigning them to the depths, safe from German hands.

As the bosun climbed into the port lifeboat to ready it for lowering, a shell exploded on the deck beside them. Will watched in horror. The explosion killed the first officer instantly and sent the bosun and the lifeboat plunging headlong into the roiling sea. Blinding lights, confusion, noise, pitching back and forth. Will looked over the side but there was no sign of the bosun. Just a mess of shattered timber floating on the black void of the sea.

The Germans must have known that they were abandoning ship, yet the U-boat had fired regardless. Will and the rest of the crew followed Captain Palmer over to the other side where they managed to lower the starboard lifeboat and clamber on board, fumbling in the dark, lit only by torchlight. The waves crashed against the Christina and buffeted the lifeboat as it went into the water.

The boat moved away from the ship and the men watched as the German U-boat continued to hammer shells into the now-blazing hull of the Christina. It was sport – like throwing balls at a fairground coconut shy. Shattering. Blasting. On and on, remorselessly.

The pounding of the old girl was painful to the whole crew. A slow noisy torture. They sat huddled in the lifeboat surrounded by the cold sea, watching transfixed.

It took a full hour before the Christina gave a few earsplitting creaks, roaring like an animal in the jaws of a lion, before she finally succumbed and slipped beneath the waves. No one spoke. But there was a collective sigh as the vessel that had been their home disappeared.

The silence was broken by Captain Palmer reciting the Lord’s Prayer. Thinking of their two lost comrades, the men joined in or bowed their heads respectfully, regardless of their religious beliefs.

Its brutal task complete, the U-boat slid away into the darkness. The destruction of the Christina had been performed with complete disregard for human life or the terms of the Geneva Conventions. The men, drenched with salt water, shivering from cold and shock, began to sing to keep their spirits up, before hoisting sail.

Will exchanged looks with Captain Palmer. They were the longest-serving on the Christina. Will could imagine what Palmer must be going through having lost his ship as well as one of his three officers and a valued crew member. Whilst not the fastest or most elegant of vessels, the Christina had been home to them for a long time and both men had many memories.

The lifeboat limped along, through mercifully calmer seas, in what the compass indicated was towards the north-west coast of Spain. Will sent up a silent prayer of thanks that his life had been spared in his first encounter with the enemy. He would be seeing Hannah again soon.

Clare Flynn

Author Bio:

Clare Flynn is the author of thirteen historical novels and a collection of short stories. A former International Marketing Director and strategic management consultant, she is now a full-time writer.

Having lived and worked in London, Paris, Brussels, Milan and Sydney, home is now on the coast, in Sussex, England, where she can watch the sea from her windows. An avid traveler, her books are often set in exotic locations.

Clare is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of The Society of Authors, ALLi, and the Romantic Novelists Association. When not writing, she loves to read, quilt, paint and play the piano.

Connect with Clare Flynn:

Website ✔ Twitter ✔ Facebook ✔:Amazon Author Page ✔:Goodreads ✔

Instagram ✔ LinkedIn ✔ Pinterest ✔ Book Bub ✔

Sisters at War - Tour Schedule

Action Square's ANVIL Will Participate In The World's Largest Game Exhibition, #E32021 [Promotional Trailer Included]

ANVIL by SK Telecom and Action Square will participate in the world's largest game exhibition, E3 2021

A new blockbuster shooting game, ANVIL by Action Square, will participate in the world's biggest game festival, 'E3 2021'.

E3 is the world's largest international game exhibition held in Los Angeles, USA, every year, and has been confirmed that it will be held online for this year. Since last year's E3 was canceled due to COVID 19, many gamers show tremendous interest in revived online E3. 

• Although the fact that the festival will be held online seems quite risky; however, that can be counted as another opportunity because many more gamers all around the world can appreciate various contents of the E3 at their home.

 'ANVIL' (Screengrab)

ANVIL will participate in the E3 as one of the main line-up of SK Telecom, the game publisher of Xbox and 5GX cloud gaming. With SK Telecom in charge of distribution, the expectation of the industry and gamers having on ANVIL has significantly increased. Moreover, Action Square also indicates their strong confidence in ANVIL.

ANVIL is a top-down shooting action game with various characters that also supports multiplay. 'ANVIL', the game's main background, is an agency to search for a bolt, a legacy of an alien civilization scattered in space. 

The users will explore unknown galaxies by becoming 'breakers' who search for bolts. Each galaxy consists randomly, and various boss monsters are waiting for the gamers.

'ANVIL' (Screengrab)

One of the staff from ANVIL said, "it is our pleasure to introduce ANVIL through the world's largest game exhibition, E3. We are planning to release several information of ANVIL such as new trailers, play clips, and developer interviews in time for participation in E3. Not only that, but we are also planning to proceed with various aggressive promotion strategies, including open test via Xbox and Steam."

The Promotional Trailer:

• ANVIL will be released on different platforms such as PC, consoles, and clouds for gamers worldwide, including South Korea, the USA, and Europe, within this year.

SOURCE: Action Square

All-New Howl-O-Scream To Terrify SeaWorld Orlando, As The Nighttime #Halloween Event For Fright Seekers & Horror Fiends Arrives This Fall [Trailer Included]

Haunted Houses (Photo courtesy of SeaWorld Orlando)

A visit to SeaWorld Orlando will turn frightful on select evenings this fall when the park unleashes the ALL-NEW Howl-O-Scream. Guests will evade roaming haunts rampaging through scare zones and seek shelter indoors, only to find they have entered a house of horrors. 

Adventuresome guests can deepen the thrills with terrifying coaster rides in the dark, quench their thirst for fear at a fiendishly interactive bar and feel the monstrous electricity of a live show.

• The separate-ticketed event goes on sale today including exclusive discounts for Annual Pass Members, with the lowest prices of the year for what promises to be an immediate fan-favorite terrifying Halloween event taking place with 27 fright-filled nights of haunted houses, scare zones, and terrifying shows on select nights Friday, September 10 through Sunday, October 31 from 7 p.m. to as late as 2 a.m.

Howl-O-Scream joins the park's already impressive fall line-up of events including the return of family-friendly Halloween Spooktacular which boasts daytime trick or treating for kids of all ages. Spooky fun for the entire family with Spooktacular during the day and terrifying thrills by night with the launch of Howl-O-Scream make SeaWorld Orlando the place to be this Halloween season.

"SeaWorld Orlando fans love our extensive event line-up which includes a special event taking place every weekend of the year. Adding Howl-O-Scream to the calendar provides the missing element of a fright-filled Halloween event that we know our guests will welcome. With this addition, we become the only theme park in Orlando to offer both a daytime family-friendly Halloween and a nighttime horror Halloween for thrill seekers," says SeaWorld Orlando Park President Kyle Miller. "We are very excited to announce Howl-O-Scream today and look forward to sharing all of the amazing details of the event over the next few months."

Scare Zones and Roaming Haunts (Photo courtesy of SeaWorld Orlando)

Howl-O-Scream Elements:

• Haunted Houses: Hear every bloodcurdling shriek. Feel every spine-tingling terror. Get ready for the haunted houses of SeaWorld's Howl-O-Scream. There's no turning back as guests brave dark passageways and round dimly lit corners, hoping they can avoid what's lurking in the depths. The legends are true, the fear is real, and the only way out is through the fear.
• Scare Zones and Roaming Haunts: There are no safe zones. There are no places to hide. The scares are everywhere, and the roaming haunts never weaken. Get ready for immersive terror at every turn during SeaWorld's Howl-O-Scream. Guests should stay alert and be prepared for anything, because you never know what's waiting up ahead (or creeping up behind you).
• Frightful Shows: Even amid so much mayhem, the show must go on. Duck inside and be mesmerized by a raucous, high-energy musical dance show. Or discover who's behind all the terror washing over the park at an outdoor show complete with special effects. Guests will also find DJs and party zones that are perfect for a dance break between frights.
• Monster Coasters in the Dark and Haunting Experiences: It wouldn't be a SeaWorld visit without a ride or two, but it wouldn't be Howl-O-Scream without a dose of nighttime terror. Guests up to the challenge are invited to ride their favorite attractions in the dark. Meanwhile, sinister interactive surprises await at their favorite bar haunts. Keep watching to see how this once-peaceful park transforms with fear after nightfall.

High-Energy Entertainment (Photo courtesy of SeaWorld Orlando)

• Fans of fear can sign-up at HowlOScream.com/Orlando to be the first to receive more dark details on new houses, experiences and more coming to Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld Orlando as additional gruesome details are announced.

Fans can feed their appetite for fear by following Howl-O-Scream on Social Media:

Twitter: @howloscreamorl  ✔ Instagram: @howloscreamorlando  ✔ Facebook: @howloscreamorlando  ✔

The Promo/Trailer Video:

• Howl-O-Scream is intended for a mature audience. This event contains intense adult content such as violence, gore, and blood. Howl-O-Scream 2021 is a separately-ticketed night event. No costumes are allowed.

About SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.

SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS) is a leading theme park and entertainment company providing experiences that matter, and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our world. The Company is one of the world's foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry and veterinary care. The Company collectively cares for one of the largest zoological collections in the world and has helped lead advances in the care of animals. The Company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld rescue team has helped more than 38,000 animals in need over the Company's history. 

SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. owns or licenses a portfolio of recognized brands including SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Aquatica, Sesame Place and Sea Rescue. Over its more than 60-year history, the Company has built a diversified portfolio of 12 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key markets across the United States, many of which showcase its one-of-a-kind zoological collection. The Company's theme parks feature a diverse array of rides, shows and other attractions with broad demographic appeal which deliver memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for its guests.

Themed Bars and Attractions (Photo courtesy of SeaWorld Orlando)

SOURCE: SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment

[Blog Tour] 'The Cotillion Brigade' (A Novel of the Civil War and the Most Famous Female Militia in American History) By Glen Craney #HistoricalFiction

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The Book:

The Cotillion Brigade
(A Novel of the Civil War and the Most Famous Female Militia in American History)
By Glen Craney

• Publication Date: 15th March 2021
• Publisher: Brigid's Fire Press
• Page Length: 399 Pages
• Genre: Historical Fiction

The Cotillion Brigade - front cover

The Blurb:

Georgia burns.
Sherman’s Yankees are closing in.
Will the women of LaGrange run or fight?

Based on the true story of the celebrated Nancy Hart Rifles, The Cotillion Brigade is an epic novel of the Civil War’s ravages on family and love, the resilient bonds of sisterhood in devastation, and the miracle of reconciliation between bitter enemies.

“Gone With The Wind meets A League Of Their Own.” -- John Jeter, The Plunder Room

1856. Sixteen-year-old Nannie Colquitt Hill makes her debut in the antebellum society of the Chattahoochee River plantations. A thousand miles north, a Wisconsin farm boy, Hugh LaGrange, joins an Abolitionist crusade to ban slavery in Bleeding Kansas.

Five years later, secession and war against the homefront hurl them toward a confrontation unrivaled in American history.

• Buy Links: Amazon UK ✔ Amazon US ✔ Amazon CA ✔ Amazon AU ✔ Kobo ✔ IBooks ✔ Barnes & Noble ✔

Glen Craney

Author Bio:

A graduate of Indiana University School of Law and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Glen Craney practiced trial law before joining the Washington, D.C. press corps to write about national politics and the Iran-contra trial for Congressional Quarterly magazine. In 1996, the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences awarded him the Nicholl Fellowship prize for best new screenwriting. His debut historical novel, The Fire and the Light, was named Best New Fiction by the National Indie Excellence Awards. He is a three-time Finalist/Honorable Mention winner of Foreword Magazine’s Book-of-the-Year and a Chaucer Award winner for Historical Fiction. His books have taken readers to Occitania during the Albigensian Crusade, the Scotland of Robert Bruce, Portugal during the Age of Discovery, the trenches of France during World War I, the battlefields of the Civil War, and the American Hoovervilles of the Great Depression. He lives in Malibu, California.

Connect with Glen Craney:

Website ✔ Facebook ✔ Twitter ✔ Pinterest ✔ Goodreads ✔ Amazon Author Page ✔

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The World's Only Harry Potter Flagship Store Welcomes Fans Through The Doors For The First Time

The World’s Only Harry Potter Flagship Store Welcomes Customers Through The Doors For The First Time

Today, Harry Potter fans from across the world were welcomed into Harry Potter New York as the flagship store opened its doors to the public for the first time. 

Greeted by a 220lb model of Fawkes the Phoenix, fans discovered a host of magical creatures and hand-made props throughout the immersive retail experience including Voldemort's horcrux, Nagini, bursting through the ceiling in an area inspired by the Dark Arts.

With 15 themed areas and thousands of products, every aspiring witch and wizard will find something magical to add to their collection. Fans explored areas inspired by Honeydukes to find Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and Chocolate Frogs before stopping under the Dirigible Plum tree to find their favourite creature soft toy. Customers were invited to step into Hagrid's boots to see how they measure up and duel other customers at the store's interactive wand table.

''We're delighted to be welcoming fans to Harry Potter New York for a completely new shopping experience," said Sarah Roots, EVP Warner Bros. Worldwide Tours and Retail. "Not only will visitors find the largest range of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts products under one roof, they will also get to discover up-close some of the hand-crafted props that were seen in the films, use our unique photo opportunities and experience the incredible theming throughout the store.''

COVID-19:

• For the safety of customers and colleagues, masks are required when visiting Harry Potter New York. The store is operating with a reduced capacity to ensure physical distancing is maintained.

Harry Potter New York Brings Butterbeer To New York City For The First Time

Someone Said "Butterbeer"?

Appearing throughout the stories and loved by Hogwarts students and teachers alike, Butterbeer is a much-requested fan-favorite soft drink.

Fans visiting Harry Potter New York can choose from draft Butterbeer, Butterbeer ice cream and bottled Butterbeer to enjoy in New York's only Butterbeer Bar.

Once inside the Butterbeer Bar, fans are greeted by a giant cascade of glowing Butterbeer bottles, each completed with a collectible MinaLima label. Nearly 1,000 bottles rise from the floor and 'float' over the bar as Butterbeer moves magically across the ceiling through copper pipes. Witches, wizards, Muggles and No-maj's alike are invited to enjoy a frothy cup of Butterbeer served in souvenir tankard, a refreshing Butterbeer ice cream or freshly poured bottled Butterbeer as well as range of wizarding world inspired treats.

• Made and brewed in the U.K, bottled Butterbeer has a style which is entirely unique and comes in beautifully crafted souvenir glass bottles, each one featuring an exclusive collectible label designed by MinaLima, the design duo behind the graphic props of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films.

Best served chilled and poured straight from the bottle, the delicious soft drink features a new take on the butterscotch flavour fans know and love. The unique blend of top-secret ingredients makes bottled Butterbeer a must try for any aspiring witch or wizard.

Harry Potter New York Brings Butterbeer To New York City For The First Time

Harry Potter New York has a virtual queueing system in place. When customers visit the store, they will scan a QR code to join a virtual queue and return when notified. Harry Potter New York is open from 10am – 9pm Mon-Sat and 11am-7pm on Sundays.

Fans can keep up to date by following Harry Potter New York's social channels:

• Facebook ✔ Twitter ✔ Instagram ✔ #HarryPotterNY ✔ 

SOURCE: Harry Potter New York

Related Stories:

• Warner Bros. To Open First Ever Harry Potter Flagship Store In New York
• More Magic Awaits … Be the First to Unlock It With Wizarding World Gold
• Wizarding World Digital Introduces The Official Harry Potter Fan Club And New Mobile Hogwarts Sorting Ceremony [Trailer Included]

Actor Jason Momoa Takes A Stand Against Single-Use Plastics In Hollywood

Jason Momoa, actor and Mananalu Founder.

Today, Mananalu and Earth Angel, a sustainable production service provider, announced a partnership that advances the mission of both organizations to protect our planet. Mananalu will provide its aluminum-packaged water to Earth Angel's film and television production sets, effective immediately.

"Seeing the entertainment industry take meaningful steps toward sustainability is a passion of mine and one of the reasons I founded Mananalu," says actor and Mananalu Founder Jason Momoa. "There is a lot of work to be done, but this partnership with Earth Angel is a big step in the right direction."

While communal water stations were once a staple of Earth Angel's on-set programs, the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a desire for more single-use options to mitigate the spread of the disease. Plastic water bottles were not an option, as they are counter to Earth Angel's work to reduce the entertainment industry's impact on the environment. To date, Earth Angel has avoided using over 2.5 million single-use plastic water bottles on their sets.

Mananalu's water offers the perfect solution—single-use cans of water, packaged in aluminum, a material that is infinitely recyclable. "We strive for sustainability in everything we do at Mananalu. It's the reason we exist," says Mananalu CEO David Cuthbert. "In this way, we are very proud to partner with the exceptional Earth Angel team in the sharing of these values and supporting sustainability around the world."

• Mananalu is also able to meet the volume and demands of a production set, with Earth Angel's client roster including The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Steven Spielberg's The Post, Emmy-winner The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Lin Manuel Miranda's upcoming In the Heights. Momoa's involvement in the industry is another added bonus.

"What Jason is doing in terms of leveraging his status in the industry to invest in sustainable solutions and companies is exactly what we advocate for," says Earth Angel Founder & CEO Emellie O'Brien. "We want to make sure our clients have access to sustainable products and options. With Mananalu, they get to avoid single-use plastics and support a mission-based company, while still remaining COVID-compliant."

Jason Momoa in 'Sweet Girl' (Image via jasonmomoanews.com)

About Mananalu:

Mananalu is a sustainable water brand on a mission to empower the world to stop drinking from single-use plastics. "Mana" means the sacred spirit of life in Hawaiian. "Nalu" means a powerful wave that pushes across the ocean. 

Founded by actor, environmentalist, and Hawaiian-native, Jason Momoa, Mananalu is creating a wave of change and fighting plastic pollution by canning water with infinitely recyclable aluminum. 

• To learn more, visit www.mananalu.com.

About Earth Angel:

Earth Angel is the leading sustainable production service provider in the U.S. founded on the vision that entertainment should never be made at the expense of the environment. Their collective of production and sustainability experts provide the strategy, skilled labor, supplies and analytics to help the entertainment industry reduce its environmental impact.

Since 2011, Earth Angel has helped films and series avoid almost 9,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases, divert over 10 million pounds of waste, and donate over 135,000 meals to local communities. Earth Angel is headquartered in New York with offices in Los Angeles and Atlanta.

SOURCE: Mananalu