First Chapter: Larimar: Gem of the Sea by Christine E. Schulze

Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic.

Title: Larimar: Gem of the Sea Author: Christine E. Schulze Publisher: KDP Publishing Pages: 140 Genre: YA | Fantasy

A Fearless captain and a mysterious girl who walks on water. An underwater city and a destined deadly curse. What could possibly go wrong? Captain Jorah is renowned for being one of the youngest explorers to ever sail Zephyrian waters. He’s also notorious for landing his crew in situations they hadn’t counted on, involving man-eating mermaids and other dangerous misadventures. When Jorah decides to search for the legendary underwater City of Larimar, he doesn’t account for the quest that follows. After being rescued from shipwreck by a mysterious young woman who walks on water and carries a singing seashell around her neck, he soon finds himself reunited with an old friend once thought lost to him. Before he knows it, he’s caught up in a race against time to save her yet again, this time from a looming prophecy about a deadly serpent destined to consume her entire race. Can Jorah help her save her people before the dark prophecy completes itself? The Amielian Legends is a collection of stand-alone young adult books, all set in the same fantastic universe, that can be read in any order. Read Larimar: Gem of the Sea today to discover new worlds filled with adventure, diverse characters, and whimsical magic. Amazon: https://amzn.to/44u4tQY Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Larimar-Gem-of-the-Sea-Audiobook/B0BZDYVKWY

Chapter One

Captain Jorah stood proudly aboard the Gem, smiling as his ship departed from the shores of Muriel. He closed his eyes and lifted his face to the sun, relishing its warmth on his fair skin, paler than usual from being cooped up too much this past winter. With a deep inhale, he savored the salty air and released a contented sigh. How good it felt to be one with his beloved ocean once more. As they picked up speed, the wind tousled his shoulder-length hair about his face. He pulled the unruly locks back, tying them with a bit of twine, and a fond, bittersweet memory played before him. His mother, washing his hair as a young lad, admiring how its golden-brown hues were the same as his father’s. When he grew older, she would run her hands through his hair and say it was golden-brown like the sands of the distant lands he longed so much to discover. Much as he relished this life of adventure, he oft times wished he could trade it for one more simple, precious night with Mama, sitting on the shoreline, talking, and dreaming of a better life. At least he had fulfilled the greater part of her dream by building that life for himself, and so he would go on doing, with each new quest he undertook. Jorah watched his kingdom of Muriel as it shrank on the horizon. The castle stretched high on the cliffs, its gold-gilded turrets glistening in the rising sun’s prismatic glow. The flags atop the turrets bore Muriel’s royal standard of two aqua-colored seals swimming in a perfect circle on a dark blue backdrop. As the flags waved at the matching banners that flew from the Gem’s masts, Jorah could almost imagine the castle bid him a fond farewell. Then again, truth be told, he had seen little inside the castle’s walls in the past few years. He hardly recalled the feel of his fine satin sheets or the taste of fine wine. He preferred to be on the go, always seeking his next quest. At nineteen, he had already explored as many of Zephyr’s Islands as could be reached, discovering many unique creatures and plant life, including what had since become the most popular breeds of Thebazilian foxes. He was also one of few who’d dared to travel to the mysterious Western Realm, learning much from the diverse cultures he encountered there. Jorah had abandoned a life of luxury to pursue his life-long curiosity. He did not seek gold or silver. Nor did he seek to conquer or establish new lands. No, the most favored treasure he sought was that of ancient civilizations, myths, and legends. Thus, as Jorah bid Caracol, his first mate, to follow him into his cabin, Caracol inwardly groaned. What harebrained mission had the captain concocted this time? Were they searching for trolls, elves, or perhaps narwhals? Caracol hoped it was narwhals. He had always fancied seeing the great “unicorns who ruled the seas.” Of course, Caracol, like the rest of the crew, looked up to Jorah. He was a good captain and an intelligent man. But Caracol also wasn’t the only member of the crew to question their captain’s sanity from time to time. When the crew had first come together, they had thought Jorah crazy for believing in the ridiculous legends he was always digging up. Now, they thought him crazy because the legends nearly always proved true, and yet he still insisted on pursuing such “exhilarating journeys,” as he cheerfully called their oft-near-death experiences. The most exhilarating thing the crew usually found about such quests was the trip home, especially after their last mission, where they had nearly been devoured by man-eating mermaids. Blessed Amiel, Caracol breathed the silent prayer with a shiver, as he recalled the mermaids’ slimy hands clawing at him. Please let it be anything but mermaids. Despite his nagging worries, Caracol remained silent as he followed his captain into his cabin. After all, Jorah had kept them alive thus far. Surely, he would keep them safe on whatever new mission he had in store. As Jorah unrolled one of the huge maps and spread it wide on the table, Caracol watched the familiar, eager glint leap into his captain’s bright green eyes. “This,” Jorah said, pointing to a location on the map, “this is our new destination.” Caracol peered over Jorah’s shoulder and instantly felt a headache coming on. His captain didn’t even point to a landmark. Rather, he pointed to some random part of the Zephyrian Ocean. Those usually ended up being the worst kinds of adventures. The mermaids’ seaweed stench rushed back to him, making his stomach roil. Swallowing hard, he said, “That’s in the middle of the Zephyrian Ocean, Captain.” “Yes, Caracol, and do you know what’s in the middle of the Zephyrian Ocean?” Caracol didn’t have any idea, but he had the reluctant feeling that he would momentarily find out. “I don’t know, Captain.” “The ancient City of Larimar, also known as the ‘Gem of the Sea!’” Jorah tensed, as though he might burst from his rush of excitement. “It’s the legendary city of the Larimar people, named after one of their ancient queens, ‘Larine,’ and ‘mara,’ their word for ‘sea.’ The Larimar people are elves, skilled in magic that allows them to control the very ocean waves…” Elves, Caracol reflected, as the captain rambled on. Elves aren’t so bad. The last elves they had encountered had given them weapons, jewels, and other gifts. The King of Arabis had been quite impressed with all they had brought to trade, after that expedition. Caracol began to feel a bit more at ease. “…with amazing buildings constructed from the larimar stone. It’s the most magnificent city ever built on the ocean floor.” Oh, dear, Caracol thought. Ocean floor. Of course, there had to be a downfall somewhere. His thoughts darted back to mermaids, and a knot twisted in the pit of his stomach. “On the ocean floor, Captain? How will we know where to stop sailing and dive below? How will we know when we’ve found this city?” The determined, decisive gleam Caracol had witnessed far too often in Jorah’s eyes flashed in them now as he said, “Oh, we’ll know, Caracol. Believe me. If the legends are true, and I’ve never yet pursued a legend that wasn’t based in some truth, we’ll know.” ~*~*~*~ The weather proved fair the first few days of their voyage to the City of Larimar, but on the third night, Caracol came to Jorah’s cabin and announced, “Captain, there’s a huge mass of storm clouds up ahead. It looks bad. I think we should change course.” “No,” Jorah said firmly. He bent over his maps and leafed through his ancient tome on the Larimar City, studying it so fiercely that lightning might have struck from his eyes and burned a hole straight through the parchment. “We sail into it. In fact, we must sail into it. If the men won’t do it, they can set off in the rowboats, and I’ll handle it myself, as best I can.” Caracol stared at his captain but knew there was no use in arguing. He left the cabin with a shake of his head. Now he was even more certain that it was mermaids all over again. He took a vote from the crew members trimming the sails and going about their various other tasks. The consensus was to stay on and help Jorah brave the storm. Caracol had to give them credit. On the most harrowing missions, they still had the guts to stand by their captain, even those like the young boatswain, Lonny, whose face very much promised that he’d rather be sailing the opposite direction and tipping back a large mug of ale. Within hours, the ship pitched and plunged into the midst of the worst storm the crew had ever known. Sharp fingers of lightning clawed at the ship, as wind rocked it violently, tumbling the crew to and fro, nearly tossing them overboard. The rain fell in such a thick veil they could barely see their own hands in front of them. Jorah emerged from his cabin and flew on deck to call out orders to his crew, but they could hear nothing through the storm’s torment. “Captain!” Caracol stumbled up next to Jorah. “We’re sailing right into the eye of the storm! We need to turn back while we still can!” “No!” Jorah shouted back. “Not when we’ve come this far! The storm is our sign that we’re on the right track!” That was the last straw for Caracol. He stood drenched, freezing, clutching the bulwark to keep his footing, dumbfounded, and more than a little angry. They had fallen into peril countless times on past excursions, but the captain had never purposely thrust the crew into danger. This was the most reckless and insane decision Jorah had ever made. Perhaps he had gone truly mad at last. Caracol opened his mouth to protest, but before he could, Jorah leaned in toward him and made an even madder decision. “Caracol, I want you to get the crew into the rowboats and escape while you still can!” “What? And leave you here alone? No, it’s out of the question! You can’t control this ship on your own!” “Caracol!” Jorah thundered over the rain. “There’s no sense risking the crew’s lives any further on account of this quest. I want you to take them and get out of here!” “But the rowboats, I fear they won’t survive this!” “They will!” Jorah insisted. “Sail away from the storm. The storm’s wrath will focus on me, on the ship!” “Captain, how can you know?” “Just trust me! I need you to trust me! Take the men and go, before the ship is torn to shreds, and they with it!” “And what will you do?” “I’ll head into the storm, and if I survive, I’ll have made the greatest discovery in the history of Muriel exploration!” “But why?” “It’s the only way!” Jorah yelled, in his tone of finality that said the matter was settled and the conversation ended. “I’ll explain everything when I meet up with you again! Now, please, get the crew and get out of here!” Caracol hesitated a moment longer. Perhaps Jorah was crazy, but he had been a kind and faithful captain, and a loyal friend. How could Caracol abandon him? A brilliant branch of lightning sliced across the sky and struck one of the masts. The mast crashed down, gouging a hole in the deck and nearly crushing some of the crew, who managed to shove each other aside just in time. “Now!” Jorah commanded. Caracol knew it was now or never. The crew’s lives rested in his hands, and his captain counted on him to lead them all to safety. Casting a final glance at Jorah, Caracol rushed across deck, shouting, “Abandon ship! Captain’s orders!” Soon the two smaller boats were filled and lowered into the sea. Jorah was left alone with the raging wind, pounding rain, and violent flashes of lightning, all of which tore his ship to shreds. The last, remaining banner bearing Muriel’s crest split in two, separating the two seals. Frail wisps of sail flickered from the masts like airy mists. Lightning set another of the masts ablaze. The rain doused the flames, but the wood had been cut straight through, and the top half of the fallen mast plunged down, ripping another hole in the deck. Jorah gripped the railing along the ship’s port and stared at the wreck of his once glorious vessel. Apprehension flitted through him. A pain of regret weighed on his heart. The Gem had proven just as faithful a companion to him as his crew, seeing him safely through many a wild adventure. Seeing her ripped apart like this was almost like seeing someone he loved die before his eyes. The vessel rocked violently, nearly throwing him over the side. He grasped the railing hard and then leaned over, peering into the fray. Yes, they were very close to entering the midst of the storm. And if the legend was true, the pain would be worth it, and he would survive, to such triumph. The ship jolted again, and Jorah flipped into the raging waters below. He struggled to stay above the surface, stroking hard and fighting with every ounce of strength his body would give him. He spotted a piece of driftwood, swam over to it, and latched on, clinging for dear life. He needed it to hold together and keep him above the water just long enough for the legend to reveal itself. The Gem groaned, crying out to him, as it began to sink. He called a farewell to her, but his words were lost in the tempest’s wrath. Tossed brutally in the waves, he didn’t know how much longer he could hold on. He barely clung to the scrap of wood as it began to split apart. The water grew still, so abruptly that Jorah felt stunned, as though he had been hit over the head with a spare bit of driftwood. At first, he thought he had, for darkness encompassed him, but he soon realized that the darkness was the thick cloak of storm clouds yet veiling the quarter moon and stars. Then, upon the midnight water’s surface, ripples of white light skipped toward him, and Jorah was unable to tear his eyes away from the sight approaching him. On the surface of the water walked the most intriguing young woman. Her skin was a deep brown, like cinnamon, a unique color for this region. Her black hair, streaked with shimmering silver, extended far down her back. Her bright blue eyes, flecked with silver, focused intently on him. The silvery-white silks of her dress fluttered about her ankles in the gentle breeze. Silver-white ribbons crisscrossed around her bare arms, from her shoulders to wrists. From her neck hung a white scallop seashell, its brilliant glow seeming to radiate through her body, making it glisten like starlight. When she reached him, the water lay still as glass. Silently, she extended both hands toward him. He took one, and then the other. They looked delicate, yet their grip was amazingly strong. She helped him from the water and soon, to his amazement, he stood on the water’s surface beside her. Suddenly, they were soaring over the ocean at such an incredible speed that ocean and sky blurred. At first, he thought they flew through the air, but as water sprayed onto his face, he glanced down just long enough to see that they skated across the ocean, as smoothly as he had seen others glide across ice. Jorah’s gaze transfixed upon the enigmatic lady. She flew against the dark night sky like a shooting star, and her silver-blue eyes reflected a sense of urgency. As unexpectedly as they had taken to the sky, they came to a halt. Jorah found himself standing safely on shore. Across the expanse of ocean, he could make out his crew approaching in the rowboats, creeping just over the horizon toward him. As he stood, trying to grasp what had just happened and understand whether it was more reality or dream, he realized the maiden’s radiance still cast rays over his body, like moon beams. A solemn sadness lingered in her gaze as she stared distantly across the waves. He was fascinated by this elegant young woman who had the power to calm and walk upon the raging sea, defying all science and reason, and to fly wingless. Her voice flowed soft yet clear, like a memory and a lullaby in one. “Has time drifted my memory away from you? Do you not know me, Jorah?” She looked directly at him, and suddenly the glowing shell was no longer around her neck, but rested in her cupped palms, which she extended toward him. Just as abruptly, the truth hit him like a tidal wave as he remembered the unique treasure. “It’s you,” he breathed. “Larimar. I should have recognized you at once.” A playful smile hinted on her lips. “Perhaps not. I was thin as a stick then, underfed, and certainly not as magical.” He shared her smile. “I just didn’t expect I’d be lucky enough to run into you. How did you find me?” “I didn’t intend to. I was roaming the oceans, subduing another of my sister’s tempestuous tantrums, while seeking a mortal to help me. Any mortal would do, but I’m so glad to find you. I hope you’ve been well, though I’m afraid I’ve little time for friendly talk.” “Yes, I’m well, thank you. But go ahead, tell me what you need help with, and I’ll do my best.” Her gaze narrowed in worry, extinguishing the hint of joy in her eyes. “There’s a prophecy, about a serpent. Its due to come true at the next full moon. The serpent will awaken, to consume my people, for their blood is said to be the secret of its life source. You saved me once, so that I can save them now. But just like then, I can’t do this alone. I need your help again, my friend, if you’ll grant it.” Jorah nodded fervently, neither knowing nor caring how difficult a task he committed himself to. “I will do whatever I can.” A hopeful smile sparked in her eyes once more. “Then take this.” She held the seashell necklace toward him. “Find the way to the Serpent’s Bane. It’s a magic sword that only a mortal can find. The shell will keep you safe as you journey the ocean. It will protect you from my sister’s wrath, and from the serpent itself, when that time should come.” The shell that had hung around her neck now hung around his. He took the shell in his hands, admiring its shimmering beauty. He looked up to thank her, only to see the top of her silver head slipping beneath the surface of the water. He raced into the shallows and dove beneath the ocean, but she was gone. Jorah surfaced and swam back to shore. For a while, he just sat in the sand, staring out at the ocean, entirely bewildered. He had just met a Larimar Elf for the second time in his life.

About Christine E. Schulze

Christine E. Schulze has been living in castles, exploring magical worlds, and creating fantastical adventures and romances since she was too young to even write of such stories. Her collection of young adult and children’s fantasy books, The Amielian Legacy, is comprised of series and stand-alone books that can all be read separately, but also weave together to create a single, amazing fantasy. One of her main aspirations for The Amielian Legacy is to create fantasy stories with characters that connect with readers from many different backgrounds. Her current focus is to include racially diverse characters and those with disabilities. The latter is inspired by Schulze working with adults with autism and other developmental disabilities at Trinity Services in Southern Illinois. Schulze draws much of her inspiration from favorite authors like Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Diana Wynne Jones, favorite games like The Legend of Zelda, and especially from the people in her life. Some of her exciting ventures include the publication of her award-winning Bloodmaiden, as well as The Gailean Quartet with Words Matter Publishing. Her books for younger readers include In the Land of Giants and The Amazing Captain K. Christine currently lives in a cozy Hobbit hole, but you can visit her on her website: http://christineschulze.com. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tiktok

Award-Winning Book Publicity Company Since 2007

VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR, BLOG TOUR & BOOK PUBLICITY ENDORSEMENTS: NICE THINGS PEOPLE SAY ABOUT PUMP UP YOUR BOOK

NEW! "Thank you Dorothy for a lovely tour! Thanks so much for the graphics and wonderful trailer!!"Avery Sterling, PRECIOUS BURDENS

"I just wanted to thank you for everything. You ARE the queen. Your are so personable and professional. Your graphics soared beyond. They are beautiful. It was a pleasure to work with you."Jude Hopkins, BABE IN THE WOODS

"THANK YOU for all of these graphics!!! That was a valuable added perk of working with you on the VBT! Thank you for all the work you put into those, and into the organization and follow-ups on the tour itself. It's been a pleasure working with you, Dorothy!"Allyson Rice, The Key to Circus-Mom Highway

"Oh, awesome!! Thank you so much! You ran such a lovely tour. Those images are great, I look forward to using them and will miss seeing the regular postings on Twitter ;-).
I really appreciate your steadfast and ongoing support. It means a lot!!"Palmer Pickering, MOON DEEDS

"Just wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you again for the amazing blog tour and to tell you that we will be adding the tour to Mark's author website in the next few days. We will of course be recommending your company to other authors we know. And when Mark's next book is out, we will use your services again." Kirsten Grenside on behalf of Mark Grenside, FALL OUT

"Thank you for all the great, creative, work you have done on behalf of my book. You are
a special lady, as a kind hearted woman and a professional."
Maria Andrade, DEFIANCE AND REDEMPTION

"Everyone did an excellent job. The blog pages were beautiful, and the trailer was so clever and funny. Thanks for sending these lovely "souvenirs" from my tour. I will be able to use all of these posts on Twitter. I enjoyed this so much and look forward to my next tour!"
Irene Woodbury, HONEYMOON ROULETTE

" I am delighted with the results of my recent tour with Pump Up Your Book. Dorothy is meticulous and professional, presents beautifully laid out pages, maintains constant contact with the client, and gives more than expected value for money. In a nutshell: you get what you pay for and more on top! I will certainly be using Dorothy’s services for my other Regency romance books.”
Arabella Sheraton, THE LORD BLACKWOOD REGENCY ROMANCE SERIES

"Thank you so much for The Shadow of Atlantis tour. I've really enjoyed all the posts and seeing my book being promoted. I will definitely come back to you with another of my titles!"
Wendy Leighton-Porter, THE SHADOW OF ATLANTIS

"Thank you so much for the great job on the book tour! Pump Up Your Book was a driving force in the launch of THE PILATE SCROLL!"
M.B. Lewis, THE PILATE SCROLL

"Thank you ever so much - it was a fun tour. I will continue singing your praises to my fellow authors. And grateful for the images, I will put them to continued use."
Kathleen Shaputis, HIS KILT DROPPED HERE

"I appreciate you and your hard work. Thank you for creating these awesome images for my book and allowing me to use them. I am very thankful to have them!"
Joni Ankerson, TO KILL OR BE KILLED

"Thank you for an Amazing Virtual Book Tour for Son of a Soldier! I really appreciate all the work you put into it!"
Aiken Brown, SON OF A SOLDIER

"Thanks so much for getting ANNA INCOGNITO out there and reviewed and shared with so many people. It was great to see it on so many twitter feeds!"
Laura Preble, ANNA INCOGNITO

"Thank you so much for such a fantastic tour! You did an amazing job getting it together so quickly, and I couldn’t have been happier!"
Lena Gregory, GRAVE CONSEQUENCES

"Thank you so much Dorothy! I appreciate your hard work. Love the graphics!"
Jennifer Chase, FLOWERS ON HER GRAVE

"This has been one of the best things I’ve done as an author. Not only am I getting the word out about my books but I’m learning about my own work and my readers along the way. I love it!"
Elysia Strife, A PROMISE IN ASH

"Today my blog tour ended, with another great review which made me end the tour with a big smile! What a fun way to end this incredible 4-week tour. I will surely miss it. I want to thank you for arranging it so well and for being there for me whenever I needed. Thank you!!!"

Miri Leshem-Pelly, SCRIBBLE & AUTHOR

"I think you did an excellent job last time, thank you!"
Shami Stovall, KNIGHTMARE ARCANIST

"Just wanted to thank you for the book tour. :) You did a great job. :)"
Suzanne M. Hurley, THE TEDDY BEAR EYE CLUB

"I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful virtual tour in August for Brimstone and Water. I was very happy with the amount of attention given to the book and to me. I am mentioning it to friends on line that haven't gone to the site yet to be sure and take a look. Thanks for all your work."
Sharon House, BRIMSTONE AND WATER

"Thank you for running my book promotion for BlackJack. I am so pleased with the reviews that came in and appreciated all you did. My sales have improved from being around 800,000 down to the 200,000 on Amazon and hopefully dropping still. I will definitely be contacting you for a promotion again."
Christine Donovan, BLACKJACK

"You’ve been a joy to work with, and I’d do another tour with you in a heartbeat. Overall, it was an excellent experience and a good value. I’ll be sure to look you up when it’s time to release my next book."
Michael Allan Scott, GREY DAZE

"Just wanted to thank you for putting together a great tour for You Won't Remember This. I think the author was pleasantly surprised and overall very pleased."
Bacon Press Books

"Dorothy, thanks so much for another great VBT!!! The Twitter-Party was a new feature this time that I particularly enjoyed. I will continue to recommend PUYB to my writer-friends, because you are simply the best!!!"
T.M. Wallace, WINTERGARDEN

"Thank you for a great blog tour for my “Depression and Your Child.”
I’m in the middle of my third book and will definitely call on you again when it’s time to market it."
Deborah Serani, DEPRESSION AND YOUR CHILD

"Your hard work and professionalism hasn't gone unnoticed. When I release my next novel(s), I will definitely use your service. I have already recommended you to several authors."
Ashley Fontainne, GROWL

"Thanks for a very good experience with Pump Up Your Book. Fighter Pilot's Daughter has sold out of the first printing (still available as POD on Rowman & Littlefield's site, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.). My editor at R & L says there's a very good chance the book will come out in paperback in the summer. He asked me "Did you hire a publicist or something?" I told him about you, and he was impressed."
Mary Lawlor, FIGHTER PILOT'S DAUGHTER

"You are amazing Dorothy and I love what you do to get the spirit of our books out to the world. Thank you!"
Lee Papa, TEMPLE OF ALL KNOWING

"I can't believe the response this book is getting! I am so very thrilled that she liked it!!! You are THE BEST, Dorothy, for hooking up this amazing tour with all these stunning reviews! This was the book I was going to keep under my bed forever and ever and now WOW. I can't believe this is happening. It's like a dream come true!"
Madeline Wynn, DAUGHTER OF THE FALLEN

"Just wanted to say I'm appreciating your tweets so much. This is really helping my book sales, and I'm telling writer friends about you."
Mary Lawlor, FIGHTER PILOT'S DAUGHTER

"Thank you SO much!!!! I had a blast on the tour and appreciate all the time the bloggers and reviewers spent promoting Ash to Steele:)"
Karen-Anne Stewart, ASH TO STEELE

"When it comes to looking for a virtual book tour coordinator, Dorothy Thompson of Pump Up Your Book Tours is simply the best. I have tried several virtual book tour coordinators and have even set up a book tour on my own, but none of them were as successful as my tours with Pump Up Your Book Tour, which has the combination of expertise and experience needed to get the author the results they need. On this latest tour, TWELVE TO MURDER made it up to number three on Amazon! Thank you, Dorothy!"
Lauren Carr, Best-Selling Mystery Author of Mac Faraday, and Lovers in Crime, Mysteries

"Thank you again for all of your help and support for my recent book tour. You were so supportive and responsive, and I enjoyed working with you. It was a great tour and I really enjoyed it, especially when my book hit the top 100 in the two subcategories! That was awesome! Thanks for "pumping up my book!""
Monique Roy, ACROSS GREAT DIVIDES

"Thank you for another amazing tour, Dorothy!! I loved the sites I had an opportunity to visit and the people I met along the way. I even made a few new friends and found wonderful supporters that I'll never forget - I promise! The exposure you gave my book was absolutely unbelievable, and I can't think of a better way to welcome and expose an author's new creation to the literary world. Happy New Year to all your readers and may your success continue to grow. "
Kaylin McFarren, BURIED THREADS

"Thank you for a great virtual book tour. I thought it went really well and it was great to have a wave of PR that flowed through the two month period of my book release. I'm working on my next book - and will definitely reach out to you when it comes time to market! You were a delight to work with and really made me feel looked after. As I've mentioned before, I just don't know how you do it all."
--Deborah Serani, DEPRESSION AND YOUR CHILD

"I just wanted to let you know how wonderful I felt my book blast went for Be Careful What You Wish For in the month of August. So many emails and contacts that I would never have gotten. The publicity was just phenomenal!"
--R.K. Avery, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

"Just wanted to touch base with you and extend a huge thank you for the wonderful and successful book blast you arranged for Love Vindicated for me. I was very happy with your services and will be passing your name and brand along to some writer friends with a stellar recommendation. Again thanks and I look forward to working with you again in the future."
--Lila Munro, LOVE VINDICATED

"Thank you so much for all your hard work in putting together the virtual book tour for The Sixth Power. I appreciate it so much."
--Carol Nicolas, THE SIXTH POWER

"Thank you SO MUCH for such a great blog tour!"
--Sandra D. Bricker, ALWAYS THE BAKER, FINALLY THE BRIDE

"Wow - you are absolutely fantastic. Can't believe how lucky I was to find you :)"
--Jo Sparkes, THE BIRR ELIXIR

"I just wanted to let you know that tonight Steven Manchester's Twelve Months became The Story Plant's first #1 Kindle bestseller. This couldn't have happened without you. Barb's cover is an absolute showstopper, Sue's copyediting boosted the overall work, Jackie's proofreading kept all of us honest, and Tracee Gleichner's blog tour started what has become an avalanche of great reviews."
-- Lou Aronica, STORY PLANT

"Blog tours have been the most effective promotion I’ve done. Dorothy Thompson and her company Pump Up Your Book are the greatest. I’ve spent money with other promotion companies that advertised packages then didn’t deliver the service they advertised, inflated their audience and reach and point blank falsely represented themselves. Dorothy has been a Godsend, and by far, her services are the best promotional endeavors I’ve invested in thus far."
-- Alicia Singleton, DARK SIDE OF VALOR

"I didn't realize that there is a place on amazon that you can see your stats for foreign sales; mine are really good and I believe it is your tweeting service. I think I might have found the key to successful self-publishing when I found Pump Up Your Books."
-- Suzanne Jenkins, PAM OF BABYLON SERIES

"Dorothy Thompson helped promote my book, Gringos in Paradise: Our Honduras Odyssey. Taking part in it was so much easier (and less expensive) than the travel schedule I was hving to keep doing on my own. She set up everything, coached me through my part, and I found my book and I promoted it all over the Internet. It definitely increased my book sales."
-- Malana Ashlie, GRINGOS IN PARADISE

"Dorothy was not only a lot of fun to work with but she helped me get the word out about my book. I would recommend her to both debut and experienced authors."
---Deborah Woehr, PROSPERITY: A GHOST STORY

“Dorothy is a firecracker promoter. She is skilled at finding the most visible placements in promoting your book with unmatched enthusiasm.She is creatively talented and a wonderful person to have on your team.”
--Kathy Holmes Eckardt, REAL WOMEN WEAR RED

“I invested in a three month virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Books promotions for my noir thriller, Moonlight Falls. Not only did the marketing campaign work wonders for spreading the word about the new novel, in the very last month, on the very last day of the tour, Moonlight Falls became an Amazon Kindle bestseller!”
–Vincent Zandri, MOONLIGHT FALLS and THE REMAINS

“I’m so pleased every day when I look at Google Alerts and see our titles all around the blogosphere, so thanks for that!”
–-World Ahead Media

“This has been a wonderful experience. Dorothy Thompson and her whole team are very committed to each author, take each author’s tour very seriously, and work towards maximum exposure in the right places. This is the best book promotion expenditure I’ve made in terms of return on investment. I highly recommend Pump Up Your Book Promotion.”
--Phyllis Zimbler Miller, MRS: LIEUTENANT

"I used Pump Up Your Book promotions a few months ago for my novel, Nephilim. My publisher is a great person, but when it comes to promotions, she encourages authors to do that on their own. Enter Dorothy Thompson at Pump Up Your Book. I had 8 reviews of the book and was featured as a guest author every day of the week at various websites during the month that I used her company. Amazing! She secured everything for me which was really nice and I didn't have to do anything but write a few blogs or answer interview questions. I would use Pump Up Your Book again in a heart beat!"
--Mary Ann Loesch, NEPHILIM

Visit here to find out what others have to say!

Follow Us!

Click on image to see who’s touring in April!

Book Mockup Graphics for $49!

Click on image to find out more!

PUYB Book Trailer of the Week

The Best Life Book Club by Sheila Roberts

Question of the Day

How do you make sales happen for you?

A lot of hard work! I sponsor a lot of on line parties, festivals and contests. Book sales don’t magically happen, believe me. An author has to work hard to earn her readers. And then she has to work hard to keep them by giving them something they’ll enjoy reading. I try hard to make my books worth a reader’s time.

-- Sheila Roberts, Author of Winter at the Beach