Blog Tour ~ A Cast of Stones: Readers

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

A Cast of Stones

by Patrick Carr

Paperback, 400 pages

Expected Publication: February 1st 2013 by Bethany House Publishers

Premise:

In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone's search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he's joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom. 

Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom's dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.

Available 2/1/13

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Christian Book Distributors

The Book Depository

About the Author:

Patrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.

Awards: ACFW Genesis Competition 2010 Finalist for “A Cast of Stones” in Speculative Fiction.

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Excerpt:

This is probably one of my favorite excerpts from the entire series. It was so much fun to write.

Holding the lot so that it caught the light, he turned it slowly searching, marveling again at how a person could craft something so uniformly perfect. His mind wandered, meandered paths of random memories until he forgot Luis’ instructions.

Then, for the briefest instant he thought he saw something different in the stone, a subtle alteration in the way it reflected the light. He stopped, rotated the stone the barest amount. There. Letters.

“There’s writing here.”

Cruk gave a low whistle. “By the three, I would never have believed it. What does it say, boy?”

Errol shrugged. “I don’t know. I never learned how to read.”

Luis pushed a piece of parchment and a charcoal stick across the table. “Take the glove off your right hand and copy the letters as best you can, one at a time.”

Errol gripped the stick in his fist with one hand even as he held the stone in the other and wrote each letter in thick, clumsy strokes. It proved harder than he thought it would be. Twice he got one of the letters backward and had to scratch it out and rewrite it. At last, he lay down the stick and surrendered the stone back to Luis.

Cruk thrust his face over Errol’s shoulder to read the heavy scrawl. “Goff,” Cruk said. “It says Goff.”

Errol knew him, the eccentric thatcher who roofed the houses here in Callowford and Berea. He talked to himself a lot.

Luis unfolded the parchment in front of him and turned it over. The same name lay written in a neat hand on it.

Cruk whistled again. “Him? The boy?”

Errol caught Luis’ gaze and there was something of sadness in it.

Luis straightened in his chair and raised his hands. “In front of these two witnesses I, Luis Montari, declare that Errol Stone of the village of Callowford possesses the gift of sight. More, I adjure you, Errol Stone, to present yourself to the primus at the conclave of readers in Erinon.” He lowered his hands. Errol felt a sudden chill, as if someone had uncovered him in his sleep.

Martin’s sharp intake of breath drew his attention and he turned to find the priest glaring at his friend, his face white. Luis held that gaze for a heartbeat, two, before he looked away. “It cannot be undone.”

Then Martin spoke, his voice low. “I’m sorry, Errol. You belong to the Church now.”

So, what do you think of it?

 READ MY REVIEW OF THE BOOK

Tour-Wide Giveaway:

Grand Prize (USA & Canada):  Print copy of entire series of three books (#2 & #3 as they are published) + A Cast of Stones Mug + Lend your name to a character in book #3!!

2nd Prize (USA & Canada): Print copy of A Cast of Stones

International Entries: eCopy of A Cast of Stones

Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry and sponsored by Bethany House & the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Only on this Tour... the author shares the Creation, his Goals, some Visuals and Excerpts on each of these mini-themes:

The Herbwomen of secret lore

The World of The Staff & the Sword

The Readers of the cast lots

The Watchmen, elite warriors

The Clergy of power

Catch the entire Tour!!

LAUNCH-DAY BLAST! 

1/23 - Backing Books - Herbwomen

1/24 – Christian Novels – Review – World

1/25 – I Am a Reader, Not a Writer – Readers

1/27 – Reads to Reels – Watchmen

1/28 – LDS & Lovin’ It - Clergy

1/29 – Proud Book Nerd - World

1/30 – Open the Page - Herbwomen

1/31 – Wonderings of One Person – Review - Readers

2/1 – RELEASE-DAY BLAST! 

2/3 – Simple Wyrdings - Watchmen

2/4 – Bookworm Lisa – Review – Clergy

2/5 – Passion & Life – Readers

2/6 – Kari’s Crowded Bookshelf – Review Herbwomen

2/7 – Coffee, Books & Me - Readers

2/8 – Backing Books – Review – World

2/10 – Letters to the Cosmos - Watchmen

2/11 – Jill Williamson – Review – Clergy

2/12 – ADD Librarian Herbwomen

2/13 – Worthy 2 Read – Review - Watchmen

2/14 – Hey, Tara! - World

2/15 – Pieces of Whimsy – Review - Readers

2/17 – CTF Devourer – Review – Clergy

2/18 – Pause Time - Readers

2/19 – A Backwards Story – Review – World

2/19 - Christy’s Cozy Corner – Herbwomen

2/20 – Min Reads & Reviews – Review Watchmen

2/21 – FINALE BLAST, Winner

announced

DON'T MISS THE TOUR! YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF FUN! :)